Sandia time in Pinal Villa

Lots of people working in the field either weeding, picking or watering. Haven't seen any kids carrying watermelon around the neighborhood trying to sell them like in years past. Will keep my eyes out.  

Papaya for 10 pesos

Glen and I were sitting on the beach yesterday at Tito's when this young kid came by selling papayas. He wanted 10 pesos each for them so yeah I wanted one. The people next door had just bought one and the kid still had 10 pesos in his hand when he talked to me. All I had was a twenty so I made sure we did an exchange because I thought he could very well walk away with 20. Not a big deal but better to keep him honest.

Cotton in Mexico and Pacific coast

Someone said it was Kapok but Mexicans know it as Algodon

Cotton in Mexico and Pacific coast

We were over at Centro de Salud in Jaluco for one of the kids. While there Lori noticed what looked a cotton plant except this was 10 feet tall. Having never seen a cotton plant except driving by cotton fields in the south I had my doubts. When I got home I checked the Internet and sure enough, it was. I cut and pasted a few bits of info I found on Cotton, Mexico and it’s history. Always something interesting around the corner.

[Comment from reader] – A friend who is 3rd generation “Melaque” born and raised told us that the entire area was once home to cotton fields. The crop was profitable but risky (depending on weather, etc). That is why eventually the locals diversified into current crops which were not as profitable but far more reliable!

The greatest diversity of wild cotton species is found in Mexico

G. hirsutum

The oldest evidence of Gossypium hirsutum in Mesoamerica comes from the Tehuacan valley and has been dated between 3400 and 2300 BC. In different caves of the area, archaeologists affiliated to the project of Richard MacNeish found remains of fully domesticated examples of this cotton. The Tehuacán Valley lies in southern Mexico in the state of Puebla near the region where maize (corn) was first domesticated 7,000 years ago.

Recent studies have allowed the comparison of bolls and cotton seeds from excavation in Guila Naquitz Cave, Oaxaca, with living examples of wild and cultivated G. hirsutum punctatum, showing that they might come from the same species, originally domesticated in the Yucatan Peninsula.

In different eras and among different Mesoamerican cultures, cotton was a highly demanded good and a precious exchange item. Maya and Aztec merchants traded cotton with other luxury items, and nobles adorned themselves with preciously woven and colored mantles.

Pro Animal Melaque

We hope to see you at Restaurant Esmeralda in Melaque for Bingo & Silent Auction. You do not need to pay Bingo Admission to bid on our Auction items. We have some really great things this year, including:

1 Night Stay at Grand Isla Navidad Resort
MexEco Tour to Cuzalapa Coffee Cooperative (for 2)
Whole Chocolate Cake from Vainilla Pimienta
Authentic Homemade Lasagna from Hugo
Dental Cleaning, Optician Services, Massage, Salon Services
Handmade Textiles, Purses, Jewelry
Meals at local Eateries
Wines
Artwork & Artesanias
Puzzles
Pet toys, fashion items, life vest
And much, much more!

Auction bidding will close by 2:30PM. Bingo play starts at 1:00PM. We need your support to continue our mission of helping the animals most in need, and providing free spay & neuter to our community with three annual campaigns.

Visit Us On Facebook

Cleaning the beach

The opening of the lagoon really made a mess of the beaches around the bay. This is west Melaque and don't know if they are doing everything. Barra had a lot more lirio and that beach may be harder to clean. Then there is the Barra lagoon  that will take a different kind of machine

Lirio on the beach

Villa Obregon beach

Barra's main beach

The previous post shows water leaving the lagoon. These two fotos are of the beaches in Melaque and Barra de Navidad. A whole lot more in Barra than Melaque and it's filling up the canals in the Barra lagoon. Must have opened it due to the very heavy rain we had a little over aa week ago.

Opening Laguna del Tule

After that huge rain, it must have filled the lagoon and they opened it yesterday morning. We were on the beach at Tito's and could see some of the lirio in the bay. Wasn't any near the West end but there probably is today. It's always a huge project to clean the beaches after an opening. 

Festival Gastronomico

This Friday, the 9th on the Melaque plaza from 5PM to 11. Restaurants from around the area will display their best seafood dishes. Looks like a few other things as well. 

Getting ready to plant

Farmland in Pinal Villa that has been too wet to plant for almost two years has finally dried out. Two very large sections look like this now. A large section of Milo closer to town was just left to die last year and I assume it may be next. Crops here are tomatoes, chilies, tomatillos, watermelon, papayas, and corn only when it is shared with other crops. 

Fund raiser for Centro de Salud

This is a fundraiser to help the Melaque Centro de Salud. Funds from the government are nowhere near enough to keep these centres running the way they should.

This is going to be a very Mexican event but will be fun with music and dancing. Even if you can't go maybe buy a ticket and give it to a neighbour and help out this centre that has helped so many over the years.

Tickets can be purchased with Dr. Oscar Rubio in the mornings directly in the Centro de Salud, or if you want to come by my office I can call him to come here with tickets.

The No Name Cafe

Must be sun glare 

Some friends that live in West Melaque told me about this place and I have seen it before but thought it smaller. They said a good sized menu with good food and good prices. I want to try it someday but no idea their hours. They were closed at 2 PM. There is also no name posted anywhere. There is no glass in those doors so I stuck my camera inside.

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Christmas flowers

Mostly Poinsettia but they have a little bit of everything including herbs. This small vivero is located on  the street across from Lubin's abarrotes.

New library for the Prepa

The road into Pinal Villa is so bad we now cut across to near the Prepa. Lorena said we should stop and look because the last time we saw it, it was just a big hole in the ground. Good to see the government spending money on something important. Supposed to have a few classrooms a well. 

Paving Hidalgo

Little by little Melaque streets are getting paved. This is the last two or three blocks heading toward the lagoon. This will be done in Adoquin (fitted cement bricks). Lots, lots more to go though 

Villa Obregon's first Day of the Dead celebration

Villa Obregon will have it's first Day of the Dead celebration tomorrow, Saturday on it's plaza. Should make for a very busy weekend with the Melaque plaza also full of displays.

Day of the dead displays

The yearly CECYTEJ display of Dia de los Muertos will be on the Melaque Plaza this next Friday. It's a little more spectacular at night but should be ready in the afternoon. A must see 

Super Market La Playa

This building has been closed for almost two years. It used to be a little fruit and vegetable store. I stuck my head in to see if they are open and a very nice woman told me they open Saturday. It's located  one the corner of Venusia Cardenas and Ramon Carona across from the old Herradura. 

Heavy rain at 10AM

Not only is rain rare around here lately .... but especially at 10 in the morning. Most of what little rain we have had starts early evening or middle of the night. Hopefully our main Pinal road does not become a river.

Spay & Neuter Clinic tomorrow

READY!! LISTOS!!

We are set up and ready to start tomorrow at 8:30AM. We are in the Casa Ejidal in San Patricio. Call for an appointment 315 104 4322.

Ya listos para mañana a las 08:30AM. Estamos en la Casa Ejidal en San Patricio. Haz tu cita 315 104 4322.

Free Spay & Neuter Clinic

¡¡CORRE LA VOZ!!

Help get the word out! Free Spay & Neuter Clinic begins this coming Friday, Oct 7-9. Animals must be at least 8 weeks old, and in good health. Call for an appointment to reserve your place. We hope to sterilize 150 animals during this three day campaign.

Pro Animal Melaque

Playa and Coccodrillo

Tranquilo on Melaque playa

Coccodrillo in laguna from the Reforma bridge

Pre-Grito

Lorena saw the parade from a few blocks away so we followed them over towards the plaza. This was late afternoon. I don't know if they entertained on the plaza later because just minutes after these fotos we got drenched by a downpour. I've been to enough Gritos so feel no need to stay up past midnight.

The school kids parades were this morning but there are lots of those .... so another day.

Beach cleanup after Newton

Beach cleanup after Tropical Storm Newton.  They had to open the lagoon again after 10-12+ inches or rain. Both of my rain gauges buckets and the pool overflowed so no accurate measure. 

My favorite shrimp store

It got a new facelift .... maybe that is why the prices went up. Large shrimp used to be 200 pesos or a little less but yesterday they were 240 a kilo. Still gonna taste good and haven't had any for a few months. 

New Birria place

On the highway more or less across from the old Secondaria. We stopped to get some to go and after paying 100 pesos we came away with next to nothing.  Nice flavor but 3/4's broth. We had to try it.

Sisters need school supplies

My neighbors

Nahima and Yare school fund

I'm going to help but need help helping. Both need backpacks (mochilas) and the older needs lots of notebooks. Nahima just graduated from Kinder so needs a first grade uniform and shoes. Yare needs another uniform after two years. Both Yare and Nahima are doing well in school

Back in the day

A foto I've never seen before. Hotel Melaque back in it's prime

One more week of school

Last year summer vacation

For most the last day is next Thursday and then Melaque will fill up. Parts of the almost two months will be as busy as Semana Santa. Nahima is really looking forward to it because in the Fall she will enter first grade and can walk to school rather than riding a bike with mom to Jaluco.

It's turning green again

I first noticed it this morning on the big hill right behind Melaque but didn't have the camera. Took this a few minutes from my roof. We've had very little rain except about 2 inches around a week ago. A tropical storm, a Hurricane and a low-pressure system are offshore ... but way offshore. A little rain is all that's possible from them.

New Ramon Corona

Looks like it's getting there but it's been over two months, maybe three. Melaque is overdue for a decent north-bound street even though this stops at the market. Don't know if it will reach Alvaro Obregon. New sewer lines are part of the project. That's Banco Azteca on the left corner and the market at the far end. 

Cuastecomate Beach

Cuastecomate Beach

West Melaque beach from the penthouse

A couple of Gringos contacted me about buying property and building so we went to their West Melaque penthouse to talk about it. Not sure what will happen with that as prices were higher than they expected. Got a good foto though.

Get ready for the rain

Conagua says it will start later today and everyone else says Sunday or Monday. Weather Underground shows rain all next week. Guess I'd better get my yard work done today. 

Free Spay - Neuter Clinic

CAMPAÑA DE ESTERILIZACION//SPAY & NEUTER CAMPAIGN 
Haz tu cita!
Call for your appointment!

Casa Ejidal San Patricio

June 17 thru the 19th

New building for the municipal delegation of San Patricio

Guess that means the police and INM will move

CIHUATLAN, JAL. 08-JUNE-2016. The council has the approved construction of a new building for the municipal delegation of San Patricio - Melaque, in the municipality Cihuatlán.

At a special meeting number 22, last May 5, the city council approved the demolition of the current building of the facilities of the municipal office in San Patricio.

And likewise, the construction of another building, which is projected to improve the image of dependence on approved tourist destination

Proyectan un nuevo edificio para delegación municipal de San Patricio

Surf Video

EQUILIBRIUM | Melaque 2016: The Coconut Chronicles

Surf video I've never seen before

Melaque tianguis

Many times in this season the Tianguis is stripped down to very few vendors but not last Wednesday. Lorena was looking for some music and a white T-shirt. We found neither but she bought some socks for school. All the arts and crafts people will wait for the winter gringo season.

Melaque sewer problems

Sorry .... older foto Reforma

Álvaro Obregón

Poor old Melaque and it's constant sewer problems. Probably the pump is broken, they never have a backup and now it's in Villa Obregon on Reforma and downtown Melaque.

Not Villa Obregon I hope