A Canadian writer's life

Friday, June 20, 2014

Unusual jobs – not available in Canada

Trimming palm trees and harvesting coconuts.

Thwack! Thwack! Swinging the sharp machete hard, he lops off a bunch. Tying a rope around the stems of the coconuts, he slowly lowers the payload towards a friend on the ground.

The worker is harvesting coconuts from the palm trees on the public beaches, clearing potential hazards before they fall on the heads of unsuspecting sunbathers.

Turning the fresh nuts into beverages

He has climbed a ladder instead of romantically shinnying up the tree to pick the harvest. The freshly harvested coconuts are sold to the vendors and restaurants for six pesos or about fifty cents each, to be turned into nourishing beverages.

A job harvesting coconuts? Sorry, it's not available in Canada.

A little further on the same beach, a group of fishermen are busy repairing nets, weaving new strands into the broken pieces, and clearing out the debris entangled in the nets. While they work the tang of salt, and fish, and seaweed floats in the air.

Weaving a new net

Another fisherman holds a wooden bobbin with fingertips covered in adhesive tape to limit friction injuries. He is creating a new nylon net. His actions are rhythmic, smooth, and familiar. The movements remind me of a time in the mid-seventies when I owned a loom, and fancied myself an artisan - weaving place mats, scarves, shawls and wall hangings to gift to unsuspecting friends and family members. “Uh, what is this?” was unfortunately a frequent response to my gifts.

Cacahuates! Cacahuates!

Closer to the northern end of Rueda Medina, a beach vendor strides past, carefully balancing a tray of peanuts and snacks on his head.

“Cacahuates! Cacahuates!” His posture and graceful movements are enviable.

Watching him brought back more memories; memories of when my sisters and I were teenagers. Our parents frequently admonished us to walk with confidence; stand tall, head up, shoulders back, and smile.

At times, smiling at everyone I see has been a bit troublesome. In some cities, if you smile at strangers, you are considered a bit odd. In my case, I am channelling my parents' instructions and compensating for being somewhat short-sighted.

Eloy, also known as "Dollar," sells his snacks

Meanwhile, all around us on the streets of Isla Mujeres, mobile vendors ply their trade selling newspapers or popcorn, Oaxaca cheese or pastries, shoes or tamales, cold drinks or clay pots. Each vendor announces their products with accompanying shouts, whistles, bicycle bells or horns. The sounds, the movement and the colours all add to the allure of living here.

If I were still working, my job of choice would be to deliver the thousands of wriggling recently hatched baby turtles to the beaches. I would like to be the person who starts them on their arduous journey to freedom.

2013 thousands of baby turtles about to be released

Turtle release specialist? Another unusual job not available in Canada.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.

Friday, June 13, 2014

The Adventures of Thomas the Cat begins!

Hernando didn't make the cut this time!

Whispered sounds sifted across the sand. Something very large was headed his way. A bright light swept across the beach, momentarily blinding him.

“You should write a children's book,” said our island friend Caroline Beebe after she read Hernando's Story in our weekly blog of March 29^th, 2013. It's a whimsical story about a hermit crab who lives near our house.

Thomas the Cat in my rowboat

Caroline, Harriet Lowe, and I met for lunch at Qubano's on Hidalgo Avenue in early April of 2013. They convinced me to seriously consider the idea. Back home, I talked it over with Lawrie, and he said, “Great idea!”

And so the adventure began.

Hernando and I worked together for a couple of weeks, trying to turn his story into a book, but in the end, I had to tell him, “I'm sorry, Hernando, you just aren't adventurous enough to be the central figure in your own book,” and I turned my attention to my very handsome cat, Thomas.

Thomas was extremely pleased about the project. He reminded me to include the part about how he liked to ride in my rowboat on Okanagan Lake, while we searched for pirates.

Diego, making changes to the illustrations.

As Thomas and I worked on his book, I soon realized I needed a talented illustrator to really bring the story to life. Lawrie suggested our friend Diego Medina, who was training to be a computer animator at the university in Valladolid. Diego agreed. Little did Diego know how many hours and days would be required to create the characters, stroke by stroke, hair by hair. Two cats, two dogs, two people. Over 30 illustrations.

Next, we solicited assistance from Diego's aunt, Mauri Medina, to help with the translation from English to Spanish, making the story bilingual. Some sections were too lengthy when translated, so Diego and I amended, revised and re-worked the story. Then I enlisted the assistance of Christy Dix of On Target Language Services to re-check the wording for us, adding her revisions and corrections.

I need a crown please!

With each revision, Thomas supervised, pointing out the important parts that he wanted in the book. Chica, our little female cat, looked over the pages. She decided she wanted a crown and to be called Princess Chica. Diego gave her a crown, and we changed her name. The two beach dogs, Odd and Missy, spoke up and added their comments. Missy thought that she should have been the princess. Diego mollified her with a flower behind one ear. Odd-the-Dog reminded us that he had one blue eye and one brown eye. “Yes, we know. See? That's what the illustration shows.”

While Diego was finalizing the illustrations, it was my job to find a printer. First, I tried various printing companies in Mexico, but the printing prices were more than we could possibly charge for a children's book. The high price is dictated by the necessity to import the paper for printing, whereas in the USA or Canada, the paper is produced locally. Next, I tried printing companies in the USA and Canada, but by the time I paid for shipping and importing, the prices were still too high for a small order.

Humf! I should have been the princess.

Finally, I decided to try having it printed in China. There are literally thousands of printing companies in China, and choosing one that would give us a good price and good service was a bit nerve-racking. Over the next three months, I corresponded with various companies, obtaining quotes, answering a myriad of questions: Size? How many pages? How many copies? What weight of paper? Type of cover? Full-colour or not? Shipping by air or by sea? Insurance? Which port? Questions, questions, questions; all the while crossing my fingers that I was dealing with the real representatives of the various companies and not an internet scammer.

March - the sample book arrives.

In February, we were finally ready to send the final – we thought – document via the internet to Gold Printing Company in Shenzhen, China. As it turns out, we had a few adjustments to make, and with a fourteen-hour time difference, every adjustment took three to four days to complete. And then came the leap of faith. Send money! A 30% deposit was required to continue the order. Two weeks later, we received a full-colour, hard-cover sample of what the finished product would look like.

Wow! We were so pleased.

Then came the really big leap of faith – send the balance of the money. Gulp!

June 2nd in Manzanillo Mexico

On May 6^th, the shipment left Shenzhen bound for the west coast of Mexico. Through the internet, we were able to loosely track the ship as it meandered from China, to Korea, and across the Pacific Ocean to the USA, dodging a category 5 hurricane and an earthquake off the coast of Mexico, before arriving in Manzanillo on June 2nd.

Lawrie and I loaded 420kg of books

Annie, my invaluable contact at Gold Printing Company, put me in touch with both the shipping company and customs brokers in Manzanillo to continue the process. We still had a few more expenses to pay for - unpacking the container, importation, documents, and putting the books onto a truck. We were given another tracking number and spent an agonizing week checking on the progress of the shipment as it travelled to Mexico City, Villa Hermosa, Merida, and Cancun.

Thank you, Steve and Chris. You made our day!

Finally, on Thursday, June 12^th – thirteen months since Diego and I teamed up to do this project - Lawrie and I drove into Cancun and picked up the 420 kilograms of books at the AlMex loading dock.

A few hours later, as we waited in the lineup at the car ferry docks at Punta Sam, we made our first two sales: Chris Shannon and Steve Mattox. Thank you guys, you really made our day.

During the whole process, everyone was helpful: Annie and Gold Printing, Erika at Gade Aduanero S.C., Paula at IFS Neutral Marine, and Carla at Grupo Almex, the trucking company.

They gave us such good service and encouragement, Diego and I are already working on book two.

Hasta luego
Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Celebrating with Diego, Thomas and Sparky

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Day-tripping around Isla Mujeres, Mexico

North Beach, Playa Norte,

“Golf cart amiga? Carito de golf amigo?” the commission salesman asks as you exit the passenger ferry boats. “Take a tour of the island?”

You stop, chat, negotiate a price, and follow him to the rental company's office. What now?

The island is only seven kilometres long and less than a kilometre wide. (For our metric-challenged friends, that is 4.5 miles long and half a mile wide.) You could zip around the entire island in less than an hour and be back at the rental place before lunch. What fun is there in that?

Indio's Cart Rentals new colours

Let's take a tour of Isla in one of these jazzy, fun vehicles. Most of the dozen or so rental companies are located in the general vicinity of where the passenger ferries unload. A few that come to mind are Captain Azul, Cardena's, Caribe, Ciros, Coco's, Easy, el Sol, Fiesta, Gomar, Indios, Isla Mujeres, Islander, Joaquin, Luxury, and Prisma. The cost can vary, but is usually around 600 pesos per day, $50.00 US more or less.

Fun rentals from Ciro's

The golf carts come with a few basic instructions: forward, reverse, and it is illegal to let an underage child drive. Then off you go.

What they forget to mention is that you do not have brake lights, turn signals, or windshield wipers. What you have is a low-power motor, four wheels and a steering wheel plus seating. Basic!

Because golf carts are slow, be courteous and stay as far to the right as possible. Passing is a national sport in Mexico: passing on hills, passing on blind corners, and passing four across on a two-lane road. Golf carts are not made for passing – you are the tortoise in this race, not the hare. Relax, enjoy, and watch out for the other drivers. And yes, you can be fined for drinking while driving.

The Mia Reef at North Beach

Let's get started. The congested downtown area of Isla consists of one-way streets, streets that are not clearly marked. If you make the wrong choice, your first clue would be the frantic signals of other drivers, waving their arms: Stop! Not this way.

Driving on the seawall or malecon is strictly prohibited. Hidalgo Avenue, where most of the restaurants are located, is a pedestrian-only street. Poke around downtown and get your bearings, then head north in the direction of the big hotel, the Mia Reef.

North Beach is, as the name suggests, at the northern tip of the island, with white sandy beaches made famous by the Corona commercials and TripAdvisor's surveys rating it one of the Top Ten Best Beaches in the World.

North Beach is glorious on a sunny day, with numerous places to rent a beach lounger and be served good food and cold drinks. But hey, you have wheels, it's time to see the rest of the island.

North-western side of Isla Mujeres

To keep your bearings, always keep the ocean on the passenger's side of the vehicle. This trick will take you completely around the island and back to the beginning. As you drive south along Rueda Medina, there are several great places along this stretch to enjoy good food and live music later in the afternoon: Jax Grill, Velasquez, Mininos, Ballyhoo, Brisas Grill, and Picus. This is one of our favourite areas to settle in for sunset drinks and snacks. But for now, carry on – you can always walk back to this area after you have returned the golf cart.

Entrance to Barlito's at Marina Paraiso

Drive straight ahead at the intersection by the car ferry, keep going on Rueda Medina until you start to see the various bars and restaurants: Bahia Tortuga, Soggy Peso Bar & Grill, Barlito's @ Marina Paraiso.

Any one of them has icy cold beverages and good food. This might be a good time for a quick stop for refreshments, but don't take too long; you still have the rest of the island to explore.

Back on the road again: turn right and continue on your adventure. Eventually, you'll pass the big orange grocery store – Chedraui. Follow the main stream of traffic, veering slightly to the right as you drive under the overhead warning lights for the pedestrian crosswalks and traffic congestion. If you notice a line-up of impatient drivers behind you, let them pass, or you might be startled by drivers overtaking you with little or no visibility on Devil's Corner.

Remember what we said about passing being a national sport in Mexico?

The Joint at Punta Sur

Great colours at Punta Sur

At the roundabout across from the Isla Mujeres Palace Hotel, you have a choice: you can make a sharp right and visit Dolphin Discovery to swim with the dolphins for the balance of the day or keep driving south to see the rest of Isla Mujeres.

Heading south, the next refreshment stop is at The Joint, a relaxing, shady spot hidden in a jungle of trees and flowers.

Then, a few feet further along, you will see a perfect “Ah!” location. It is a wide spot on the right side of the road where the gorgeous blues of the Caribbean are displayed for your visual enjoyment.

It's a perfect location to stop for a photograph and a homemade ice cream cone purchased from the mobile vendor.

Yummy treats!

A little further on, at the extreme southern tip of the island, Punta Sur, is a small collection of stores and the stunning views from the Ancantilado restaurant. For a small entrance fee, you can wander the park, and depending on the time of year, you might see giant sea turtles mating in the surf.

Whew! You are halfway around the island now.

Don't forget to use the baños before leaving this area! The perimeter road on the eastern side of the island is primarily private residences, not restaurants and bars.

Don't get distracted by the view!

When leaving Punta Sur, turn right, keeping the ocean on the passenger's side. On the eastern coastline are many beautiful homes. This road will lead you down a slight hill, past the smelly but unfortunately necessary garbage dump, the newer cemetery, and the settlement of Guadalupana.

The beautiful ocean vistas have been known to distract drivers, leading to collisions with motorcycles, other golf carts and assorted vehicles. Be careful! Drivers doing U-turns in this area have been seriously injured and have injured other people.

Famous sign at Villa la Bella

Passing by the various neighbourhoods, you will eventually see a sign at Villa la Bella: “Beer so Cold it Will Make Your Teeth Hurt!” You might want to put that claim to the taste test, as this is pretty much the last stop for refreshments before heading back to Centro and returning your golf cart.

Remain on the perimeter road, passing the Colegio de Bachilleres (high school) and the airport for the Naval base. At the corner of the airport, if you turn left, then take the next right, driving in front of the Naval base, you will be back in the area where you first disembarked from the passenger ferries. Or if you drive straight ahead, behind the Naval base, you will arrive at the Palacio Municipal (City Hall), where a few more golf cart rental companies have their offices.

Friends Edie and Gary with their '57 Chevy cart

Well done! You made it – time for a sunset celebration. Don't forget to collect your identification at the golf cart office.

Hasta luego
Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.