fresh food! woo hoo!

We're in town today to hit the market--we've been coming into town later in the day, when everything is pretty much closed down, and we are in need of some food.

Yesterday I came in to find some chicken and fresh fruits, and except for the Quik-E-Marts (labeled Super or Super Mini, for no discernible reason) that you find every few blocks, and some of the pharmacies, everything was closed. Everything. Except there was this big party happening in the cathedral square, with vendors and a bantering clown on a stage. Hrm, says me. So I get all clever and think "Huh, this must be the first Sunday in Advent."

So I ask the guy selling religious articles in front of the cathedral, thinking he'd probably know; "No, it's just Sunday," he says.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mazatlan takes the Sabbath idea seriously. You will not accomplish anything on a Sunday.

There's a sewer outfall somewhere in the vicinity of the anchorage. I opt not to swim.

Greg took off chasing a female a few days ago, and no word from him since. He didn't bring any clothes or gear with him, so presumably he's wearing the same stuff as when he left...let us know if you see him.

We are enjoying how things are cheap here. I bought Mona a slice of thick chocolate cake for 20 pesos, maybe US$2.20 or so, when it would have cost US$5 easily back home. The exchange rate is 9:1, so here's some perspective: liter of spring water, MX$5; sizeable avocado, MX$2; slice of pizza (maybe with soda), MX$8-10; hour of Internet access, MX$10.

Things are mellow. We're not in a rush for anything (especially not with the skipper MIA), we're spending the days chilling on the boat, fixing the occasional little thing, reading, playing cards, enjoying being away. The heat and the MX$50 leave-your-dinghy-at-the-dock fee argue against a lot of time on shore, for the moment. I guess we'll hit up a Thanksgiving dinner somewhere, if it's cheap enough. Who knows?

No hurry.