Bloggers Meet

Yesterday we met up with Croft and his wife Norma for lunch at La Barca restaurant. When Roy and I arrived at the restaurant it was closed. This was strange as they are usually open for breakfast. We waited around for awhile and a fellow came out and when he saw us waiting he went back in. Shortly thereafter another one of the guys came out and said they were having some problems and would open in 1/2 hr.. We waited for a bit and then the lady came out and told us that we could wait inside if we wanted. We had just seen Croft and Norma drive up so when they got to us we went inside to wait. We got the menus and drinks and they apologised some more for not being ready. Apparently their cook was sick and they were awaiting another one. Eventually someone came and we ordered, got our food and ate. Lunch was good and the company was better.
After lunch we decided to walk down a few blocks as Croft was looking for a cell phone. The store was closed for siesta, so we decided to show them the Casa de la Cultura. There was nothing going on there so we headed onward to the old jail. I have blogged about the old jail several times, here and also here so if you want to see pictures you can go to the links. I didn't take any yesterday. They did give us a tour of the jail, in spanish which I badly attempted to translate, we wandered around and then sat outside to rest up before heading back. While we were relaxing a fellow came out and began to talk to us in english. He was a very interesting fellow having spent 35 yrs. in the merchant marine and he had been to Canada during this time. We chatted with him for awhile before we headed back. Croft and Norma headed back to San Carlos and after getting a few groceries we headed home. A nice time with new friends, thanks guys.

The Old Jail

The Old Jail

This morning we decided to head down to the old jail in Guaymas. There was supposed to be a photography exhibit going on there. When we arrived we were greeted and wandered through one room with photos. When we left this room the receptionist asked us if we would like to see the building, naturally we did. A older gentleman appeared and showed us around the jail. The walls are about 18 inches thick and made of solid stone with concrete over it. He showed us the general cells, the solitary cells, the walkway where I assume the people got their exercise. It was a narrow hallway type area and a person wouldn't have gotten much exercise there. He then took us up a very narrow spiral staircase and opened one of the doors so that I could take some photos. We weren't allowed to walk around out there as he said that it was dangerous. There were 4 more rooms up there with photos and we looked at them all. Many of them were taken at Alamos a city not far south of here; but there were also quite a few from Prague, Chek.. We enjoyed the time we spent there.

Here is an old photo of the jail, thanks to Senor Valles and some that I took today.

One of the cells with the bedframes intact.

One of the corner guard towers.

There are more photos here:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/556224469YzzOJQ?vhost=travel&start=168

On the way home we stopped and had a coke at one of the places we used to go to lots last winter. They welcomed us back and asked where we had been for so long. We sat and watched their budgies and enjoyed our cokes before finishing the walk home.

I think that Gary is leaving tomorrow so we have invited him to have coconut shrimp here with us tonight for dinner.

An Afternoon With Friends

An Afternoon With Friends

An internet friend has a site where she takes a photo a day in the city where she lives (Alexandria, VA.). She is part of City Daily Photo Blog which encompasses more than 150 blogs worldwide. She takes some wonderful photos and her site is an enjoyable place to spend some time. We became acquainted through my blog and have emailed back and forth for the last while. This is her site:Maries Site . Through this blog she saw one of my pictures of a door in Old Town Albuquerque and asked if she could post it on her other site, Doorways Around The World , naturally, I said, yes and it is posted there today. My photo is the one entitled "Sky Blue". I love the door in this photo and I hope that others will enjoy it also. Thanks Marie.

We had made plans to meet our new Saskatchewan friends and another lady from Alberta downtown this afternoon to do some wandering around. We visited the mercado building and then stopped to feed the pigeons at the park. We had remembered to take some rice with us, so the pigeons loved us and we were hand feeding them in no time.

The city has put their Nativity scene up in the Plaza de Tres Presidentes and I just loved the look on the donkeys face.

The decorations are also up on the Palacio Municpal and in the streets. Looks very festive.

We strolled over and watched the work going on at the waterfront for awhile before going to see the old jail. We continued on to a restaurant, El Sauce y La Palma for some dinner. The food was excellent and so was the company. We then walked to where they could catch the bus back to San Carlos. School had just gotten out across the street from the bus stop and soon a group of school children spotted the five of us. It took awhile, as they were shy; but they eventually got up enough nerve to come and try out their english, learned in school, on us. We spent a lively few minutes chatting with them before the bus came that our friends needed. Roy and I then walked back and caught our bus home. It was cool and windy today and everyone was wearing their jackets and sweaters, I was wishing that I would have worn a heavier one as the wind was chilly. Sounds kind of wimpy, thinking of what the weather is in Canada now; but everything is relative.