Remote Jungle Places like Chunhubhub and Tiohusco, Heirloom tomatoes and mosquito swarms
We managed to get to Xcalak and Punta Herrera as well as Jose Maria Morelos and Chunhubhub. The weather has been pretty good but the mosquitoes rough and we both have gotten colds...not unusual...just as we get acclimated we have to leave...ha...
Everything looks good at the ranch and the houses in town...the well in town is almost finished and the water looks great...at five meters we are happy...we went to the jungle town Tiohusco on Monday and they have to go down 30 meters...tough to dig that with picks and shovels.
The corruption and what not are still around but the crime is very low where we are...not so in the turista areas of Cancun and Playa del Carmen. More soldier checkpoints then I remember and they do a pretty thorough search...even the ice chest..ha...biggest crimes in our town are animals getting into gardens...ha...
J asked me the other day if I realistically could take it here and was somewhat surprised she asked...if the bugs and heat don´t run me off nothing will...and it´s wintertime...certainly not the place for the feint of heart...ha...but I do have to admit at this point in my life this is about as remote as I care to go...the night sky and no noise is still unnerving and makes me wonder how much we have compromised in modern society...ha...
Oddly I´ve gotten used to the area and know my way around pretty well...J has found the region more exotic than before but I guess I acclimate faster...the area we are in is very sparsely populated with no Gringos or other tourists...not that I mind Gringos but just don´t care to come here and hang around them...ha...
The ranch has turned out better than we hoped and the fences are clean...just need to put up a few fence posts. It is a pretty amazing spot and development has largely stayed clear accept for a few cattle near the swamp and lake...been in a drought believe it or not and most are having to sell off their cattle and sheep...another reason not to raise animals in the jungle...ha...what did catch my interest was my neighbor Don B and his heirloom tomato crop...he sells all he grows and they are really delicious....with wells both in town and the ranch we can irrigate four or five acres....the Maya heirloom tomatoes are not grown elsewhere and Don B has been giving me pointers...J wants a cow but the biggest animal I want is a chicken...ha...
Our fruit trees in town have largely recovered from the hurricane and it´s nice to have all sorts of fruit for the pickings...while cleaning up the lot in town our friend found a nest of snakes...I haven´t seen any this trip...comes with the territory. Had some great fruit but ate too many zapotes the other day and got queasy...zapotes are my favorite.
Still want to take a day trip to Chetumal and Bacalar and J wants to go the Zona Libre in Belize. I don´t care a thing about looking at Chinese made junk...enough of that in California.
Looks like will be heading to Escarcega on the 26th and staying with Primo and then on to Coatzacoalcos and staying with Tia. Really hope we can hook up with our friend Rafael in Vera Cruz and spend a day or so there...he is an engineer up the coast from Vera Cruz. Plan to be in TB by New Years or maybe before.... Hopefully she will get a good visit as it might be some time before we come back...then, depending on time, up the eastern Sierras and the flight back from Mex City. So far, only stayed one night in a hotel and that because I was just too tired after the flight to drive the rest of the way to the ranch.
On Sunday Poot wants to take me back into the bush to catch a Tepe to eat...not my favorite but it is the Mayans greatest delicacy. To me it just a big rat...ha....
The air mattress and mosquito net has made sleeping much better but J misses furniture....not me so much. It´s sort of like politics...don´t expect much and so don´t get disappointed...ha...
All our neighbors keep trying to teach me Maya but I´m not up for it now...I´ll do it someday when I can really get immersed in it...back out in the jungle towns many don´t speak Spanish...as usual my Spanish ramps up when I speak it and have finally told J we won´t speak English anymore...even back in CA...my turn...it´s really hard for her but she´s trying...ha....
Our friends that are staying in the town houses and working on the ranch have gotten very close with us...esp. J and the lady Nina...strange how we just came here one day and settled in...guess it´s just us and esp. J...the ladies in town come to visit her and chat. Of course the men hit the cantinas but not this budget trip for me...ha
Guess that´s it for now...may not get back to the Internet until we leave...Primo has an Internet in Escarscega and even wireless...what a treat...
