Melaques new sports complex

I'd seen some construction but didn't know what it was until someone mentioned it on a message board. Dropped by yesterday for a look. If they don't build a skate board area the sidewalks will be popular. They were raking what looked like ground rubber over the AstroTurf.

San Patrico Festival 2012 Fireworks

San Patrico Festival 2012 Fireworks in the Melaque Square

Dalila Morales Castro

Ha me Visto? Have you seen me?

MISSING - 19 year old Dalila Morales Castro (wearing pink top and white shorts in this photo), last seen Wednesday night, January 18th, at the Melaque Square after she arrived from Colima. If anyone has seen her or know of her where about or can help locate her, please call 315-355-5309 or 8919.

Click for larger view

Getting a drivers licence in Cihuatlan

I asked about getting a drivers licence on a local message board and later I got a PM from a friend that had not completed the process some time before. He knew where to go and wanted to do it again so we went together. Mine would have probably taken 30 minutes but he lacked proof or residence so we tried the municipio office for a Constancia. For a Constancia in Cihuatlan they now need birth certificate and fotos and he had no birth certificate.

Anyway the finance office is on the side street a block towards the plaza from Coppel, uphill. $495 pesos. Take that receipt, visa, passport and proof of residence (Constancia or CFE Bill in your name) ... with copies of the last three to the Validad office. You also need to know your blood type and have a name and number of someone to contact in case of emergency. Validad is about a block towards the plaza from Farmacia Guadalajara.

First a simple eye test on the computer and then a 20 question quiz. The terminology was a little strange but with a little help from the overseeing officer I got 95%. No driving test was required. I suggest knowing quite a bit of Spanish or take an interpreter. I think they are more receptive to people who can hold a conversation but not necessarily get the test terminology. I now have a very professional credit card style licence. Bike licences are different

Finance department where you pay

Validad where you get the licence

Almancenes Parisany new store

Even tho it's called Herradura it's owned by the same part of the family that ran the Almancenes Parisany across from the Secondaria. Nicely laid out and a little needed competition for Hawaii (same street). Not as large as their old store but much cleaner. It cross corner from the Plaza and across from the Municipio/Police office.

Herradura Parisany Melaque

Bulk foods

Casa Grande Hotel Melaque

Every now and then I search for info on the Casa Grande Hotel in Melaque that was destroyed in the 1995 earthquake. Just change your key-word on Google and you come up with a whole new set of info or pictures.

Anyway, a few days ago I came across the first foto below on enFotos.com. The caption says from the '60's but I've always heard it was built in the '70's. Then I remembered Blogger Steve sent me a foto dated 1970 and the hotel is considerably larger than the new picture.

I introduced the foto on TomZap and with many opinions (gotta love opinions), it was agreed it is the same building not long after it was constructed ... in the 1960's. We also found out that the hotel started out as Hotel Melaque, changed sometime in the '80's to the CoCo Club and ended it's life as the Casa Grande. I took the last foto today

1960's picture of the Hotel Melaque

1970 is still Hotel Melaque

Casa Grande bar bill

Current condition of the hotel