A Christmas Pageant, Barra de Navidad

The town square is alive, packed with families and vendors selling street food.  A Christmas tree of tall poles and lighted spheres stands in the corner of the stage illuminating the space. The celebration begins with Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters on the stage dancing and singing Christmas songs with the kids brave enough to play with the giant creatures until the characters are ready to collapse in the hot costumes and they take a break.  

   

Chairs are set up within feet of the five-foot tall stage. Moms, dads, grandparents and kids sit silently, listening intently to the characters in the pageant.  All of the traditional ones are on stage, angels with halos glowing, shepherds, wisemen, Mary and Joseph, and of course, baby Jesus in the manger.

We’re pretty sure that we know this story so our attention strays to mostly people watching on this balmy 75-degree night when suddenly this rendition takes a turn and grabs our attention.  The shepherds form two lines on either side of the chief angel.  It becomes evident that the good shepherds stand on his right and the bad shepherds are to his left as each side take turns explaining what Christmas is all about.  The chief angel is mediating their disagreement with a lot of “no no” or “si si” when suddenly firecrackers are thrown on to the stage.  Amongst the smoke and explosions the devil appears with a small, Peter Pan-like assistant devil so cute he almost steals the show. The big devil begins talking about presents and the bad shepherds pull out bottles of Tequila and start gulping.  The message was as clear as the empty bottles. Both sides argue over the meaning of Christmas while the adorable Peter Pan devil hops, jumps, skips and darts about the stage so light on his feet that you just know he’s going to fly away any minute. He had the time of his life. 

The evening ends with the good shepherds chasing away the devil and his accomplice as familiar Christmas melodies sung in Spanish blast from a gigantic speaker next to the stage.  It was a Christmas pageant like none other.

 

Another cruising season begins!

     We found Gitane just as we left her.  She was a peaceful, welcome sight for road-weary eyes. Her sun awning and dehumidifier kept her dry and cool during the summer hurricane season.  She calmly awaited the truckload of new parts and supplies that we carried with us over the 3,230 miles that we drove from the Pacific Northwest to her dock in Puerto Vallarta. 

 

     We went to work the very next day.  Cruising for two seasons along the Mexican coast had taken its toll resulting in a long worklist:  replace two bad injectors in the engine; replace the Racor filter system and engine fuel filter and bleed the system; replace a broken zipper on the dodger and reinforce the original stitching as well as the stitching on the bimini; install a new BBQ; re-attach the wind generator; repair the windless; install new running rigging; install a newly designed exterior reefing system for the main sail and attach the sail; retrieve a repaired genoa from the sailmaker with whom we left it in the spring and attach it; stow a new Honda generator and a new Central Pneumatic compressor and hooka system; install a newly galvanized CQR anchor; climb the mast to check the lights and install a new Windex; retrieve the electronics from the safety of the oven and install them; and last but not least, replace the shower bar and nozzle in the forward head and repair the faucets.  Our workday started in the cool morning air and ended in the heat of early afternoon when we rewarded ourselves with a swim in the pool. 

     Our workday routine lasted for 12 days when at last we motored through the channel to the open water of Banderas Bay.  We were thrilled when all systems worked as they should!  We raised our sails, turned off the engine and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon cruise in 85 degree sunshine and 15-knot winds to La Cruz anchorage. 

 

 

     We decided to sail differently this year while I get used to my new hip and do my darndest to prevent dislocating it: we’re staying local, spending windy days sailing this gorgeous 20-mile-wide bay and retreating to the anchorage with the setting sun.  The sailing in this bay is the best along this coast so we’re taking advantage of it.  We spend calm days cleaning, provisioning, taking Cheng to the vet for his weekly vitamin infusion and basically enjoying the amenities of this small town including free weekly movies at the marina and a fabulous Sunday crafts market. 

     Ken is happy as a clam at high tide using the new hooka to scrub off the accumulation of critters and grass that like to attach to the hull in this warm water.  His cleaning sessions also charge the batteries so we get a twofer for his efforts. 

 

Life is good on the hook.