Hello and Happy Holidays, thank you for being part of this exciting thing called life! I love the holiday season, and the only thing that i miss living in the tropics is cold weather at Christmas. The wonderful feeling of sitting around a fire/table/cozy place with the ones you love. Of course we can still do that here (with the bbq grill?), and we have plenty of loved ones around, but they are "around" swimming, surfing and generally having fun. There is no reason to curl up. So we have to make an effort, that's ok, cuz it is certianly worth it for those big hugs and smooches, good times and laughs, yummy!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Happy Holidays (gasp!)
Hello and Happy Holidays, thank you for being part of this exciting thing called life! I love the holiday season, and the only thing that i miss living in the tropics is cold weather at Christmas. The wonderful feeling of sitting around a fire/table/cozy place with the ones you love. Of course we can still do that here (with the bbq grill?), and we have plenty of loved ones around, but they are "around" swimming, surfing and generally having fun. There is no reason to curl up. So we have to make an effort, that's ok, cuz it is certianly worth it for those big hugs and smooches, good times and laughs, yummy!
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Taaaaaa Daaaaaaa
The first photo is the view from the parking, followed by view of the four suites from the courtyard, Facing the restaurant. The two top floor suites have cute balconies and the two beach level suites have patios with thier own fountains.
The first shot is down the hall from room 1 on the secound floor, followed by the hall continuing around the corner. We didn't get a shot of the front door but this angel greats the occupants of suite 1.
All of these photos are of suite 1. The entrance with the "Mulan" inspired Mosaic on the floor, followed by the bed on the left. Plenty of funky lighting! Writing desk, mini fridge and Air conditionioning are also included.
At the foot of the bed is a fire engine red futon that canbe pulled out to a double bed. To the right in this photo you see the balcony door. I don't know why we didn't get any shots of the balcony from the inside. Next time!
The bathroom is spacious, and the onyx sinks are to die for! The shower head comes right out of a tree trunk! Karina and Gustavo we love you!
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Majahua Bus Fund: Help the kids in Majahua go to school
Majahua is the village to the north of Eden, about ½ a mile. It is populated by around 150 people of those ~46 are kids. There are two small schools in Majahua; one is a pre-school and the other an elementary school, grades 1-6.
Four years ago Anna Mendhem, our restaurant manager, started a project where she went every week to the elementary school in Majahua and took the kids out to the beach to pick up trash. Her visits were very popular and successful. At the end of the season Anna and the kids designed a t-shirt to commemorate their efforts. The t-shirts were great! Everybody wanted one. We started selling the shirts and keeping the money in a separate account. The question now was what to do with the extra cash!
Anna and I had discussed many times the “situation in Majahua”. When you have a community that needs so much where do you start? We observed that one thing that was happening was that most of the kids dropped out of school as soon as they finished the 6th grade. So our initial idea was to start a scholarship to fund the most needy kid in the community to the next school level.
Well that was a great idea. Anna Left Troncones and went to India to study Yoga which left me holding the bag. I called a meeting of all the parents who had kids who had graduated 6th grade the preceding spring. There were 6 graduates. I talked to them about the scholarship and finding the neediest kid etc..This went down like a lead balloon. Basically thdidn'tidnÂ’t understand why one kid would get all the money and the rest nothing. I saw their point. By any standard they were all barely making ends meet.
The local Majahua folk make money in two ways. Fishing or working at one of the beach places (like Eden). Until we came along most of the ladies in Majahua only worked at home. Of course this is a full time job as more often then not they have a whole passel of kids, have to make all their food on a fire and wash all laundry by hand. For a fisherman the take home pay per week is about 100 US$. There are no health benefits, retirement plans, or life insurance. Some weeks the ocean is too rough to get fish and sometimes there are no fish around. So as you can see it is a hard and insecure way to make a living. Now if the Mom works things get better. The starting salary for most menial labor for women is about 60 US$ a week. If they are lucky (like our employees) they get complete benefits and make more than that. So all in all a family with both parents working is making, on a good week, 160 to 200 US$.
I learned a lot about school costs. In Mexico school is free but you have to pay for the accoutrements. It costs about 20 US$ per kid for books and 20 US$ for uniforms each year. OK that seams reasonable. If you have 5 kids in school that is 40 x 5 or 200 US$ a year. Well itÂ’s a lot, but doable. They can use uniforms from the previous years and buy the books one at a time. So what is the big deal?
Well, the Jr. High School is in Lagunillas which is the nearest town on the highway. It is about 6 miles away. To go to school after the 6th grade the kids have to pay for their own transportation to and from school. It isnÂ’t paid by the state like in the US. For one kid to go to school in Lagunillas it costs 1$ each way, or 10 US$ a week. The school year is 40 weeks here, so the math is pretty easy. It is 400 US$ per year per kid to go to Jr. High School. Yikes!
At the meeting things started to quickly go out of the realm that Anna and I had talked about before she left. I decided unilaterally that the parents were right they all needed help. It would be good for Majahua and for the other beach businesses for the Majahua kids to keep going to school as long as they were interested in going.
With the money from the sale of the t-shirts and a 2,000 US$ donation from JimÂ’s Mom, Fran Garrity, The Majahua Bus Fund was born. I hired a driver with a vehicle to drive all 6 graduates to the Jr. High School everyday at no cost to them. The cost to the fund was 60$ a week.
TMBF started in the fall of 2003. It worked well! After the seed money was spent I started to receive money from our guests as donations. The year went buy with out a hitch.
(This was our first "bus" driven by Don Daniel, we soon upgraded to one with built-in benches and shade.)
In 2004 we had 12 kids for the bus 3 new graduates and 3 kids that had formally quit school and wanted to go back. It was great! Kids that had literally been sitting around and doing nothing were back in class. The rate of the bus went up to 100 US$ a week, which seemed fair as we were now driving 12 kids.
The school year 2005 started with a few changes. We had to get a larger vehicle, a van. We now have 18 kids on the bus! We have a new driver too, Marco. The rate is still the same (amazingly). But if the number of kids go up again next year we will need to get another van to go at the same time, so our costs will double. It is kind of daunting the costs going up like that, but exciting at the same time. The kids get to school. If they stay in school they wonÂ’t get married at 13 they might have opportunities for better jobs. They might see that life has more to offer them if they only reach out and grab it!
I will keep managing the bus fund and soliciting donations. It costs almost nothing to run. I put one add in the local phone book and that is it. The difficult part of the bus fund is that it is never over; there is no end date and no finished product. Never-the-less it is satisfying to see the kids getting on the bus, knowing that they at least have a better chance. If you are inclined to donate to the Majahua Bus Fund, send a check to my Mom with “Majahua Bus Fund” in the memo section of your check. Please include your e-mail or address so that I can write and thank you. The donation is not tax deductible.
Thanks to our recent contributors: November 2005
Bill & Mercedes Dorson
Kathy Green
Jan & Barry Wygle
Laurie & Ward Kingsley
Steve from MitraÂ’s Yoga group
Tami & Brian Schuler
Effie & Richard Weisfield
Four years ago Anna Mendhem, our restaurant manager, started a project where she went every week to the elementary school in Majahua and took the kids out to the beach to pick up trash. Her visits were very popular and successful. At the end of the season Anna and the kids designed a t-shirt to commemorate their efforts. The t-shirts were great! Everybody wanted one. We started selling the shirts and keeping the money in a separate account. The question now was what to do with the extra cash!
Anna and I had discussed many times the “situation in Majahua”. When you have a community that needs so much where do you start? We observed that one thing that was happening was that most of the kids dropped out of school as soon as they finished the 6th grade. So our initial idea was to start a scholarship to fund the most needy kid in the community to the next school level.
Well that was a great idea. Anna Left Troncones and went to India to study Yoga which left me holding the bag. I called a meeting of all the parents who had kids who had graduated 6th grade the preceding spring. There were 6 graduates. I talked to them about the scholarship and finding the neediest kid etc..This went down like a lead balloon. Basically thdidn'tidnÂ’t understand why one kid would get all the money and the rest nothing. I saw their point. By any standard they were all barely making ends meet.
The local Majahua folk make money in two ways. Fishing or working at one of the beach places (like Eden). Until we came along most of the ladies in Majahua only worked at home. Of course this is a full time job as more often then not they have a whole passel of kids, have to make all their food on a fire and wash all laundry by hand. For a fisherman the take home pay per week is about 100 US$. There are no health benefits, retirement plans, or life insurance. Some weeks the ocean is too rough to get fish and sometimes there are no fish around. So as you can see it is a hard and insecure way to make a living. Now if the Mom works things get better. The starting salary for most menial labor for women is about 60 US$ a week. If they are lucky (like our employees) they get complete benefits and make more than that. So all in all a family with both parents working is making, on a good week, 160 to 200 US$.
I learned a lot about school costs. In Mexico school is free but you have to pay for the accoutrements. It costs about 20 US$ per kid for books and 20 US$ for uniforms each year. OK that seams reasonable. If you have 5 kids in school that is 40 x 5 or 200 US$ a year. Well itÂ’s a lot, but doable. They can use uniforms from the previous years and buy the books one at a time. So what is the big deal?
Well, the Jr. High School is in Lagunillas which is the nearest town on the highway. It is about 6 miles away. To go to school after the 6th grade the kids have to pay for their own transportation to and from school. It isnÂ’t paid by the state like in the US. For one kid to go to school in Lagunillas it costs 1$ each way, or 10 US$ a week. The school year is 40 weeks here, so the math is pretty easy. It is 400 US$ per year per kid to go to Jr. High School. Yikes!
At the meeting things started to quickly go out of the realm that Anna and I had talked about before she left. I decided unilaterally that the parents were right they all needed help. It would be good for Majahua and for the other beach businesses for the Majahua kids to keep going to school as long as they were interested in going.
With the money from the sale of the t-shirts and a 2,000 US$ donation from JimÂ’s Mom, Fran Garrity, The Majahua Bus Fund was born. I hired a driver with a vehicle to drive all 6 graduates to the Jr. High School everyday at no cost to them. The cost to the fund was 60$ a week.
TMBF started in the fall of 2003. It worked well! After the seed money was spent I started to receive money from our guests as donations. The year went buy with out a hitch.
(This was our first "bus" driven by Don Daniel, we soon upgraded to one with built-in benches and shade.)
In 2004 we had 12 kids for the bus 3 new graduates and 3 kids that had formally quit school and wanted to go back. It was great! Kids that had literally been sitting around and doing nothing were back in class. The rate of the bus went up to 100 US$ a week, which seemed fair as we were now driving 12 kids.
The school year 2005 started with a few changes. We had to get a larger vehicle, a van. We now have 18 kids on the bus! We have a new driver too, Marco. The rate is still the same (amazingly). But if the number of kids go up again next year we will need to get another van to go at the same time, so our costs will double. It is kind of daunting the costs going up like that, but exciting at the same time. The kids get to school. If they stay in school they wonÂ’t get married at 13 they might have opportunities for better jobs. They might see that life has more to offer them if they only reach out and grab it!
I will keep managing the bus fund and soliciting donations. It costs almost nothing to run. I put one add in the local phone book and that is it. The difficult part of the bus fund is that it is never over; there is no end date and no finished product. Never-the-less it is satisfying to see the kids getting on the bus, knowing that they at least have a better chance. If you are inclined to donate to the Majahua Bus Fund, send a check to my Mom with “Majahua Bus Fund” in the memo section of your check. Please include your e-mail or address so that I can write and thank you. The donation is not tax deductible.
Thanks to our recent contributors: November 2005
Bill & Mercedes Dorson
Kathy Green
Jan & Barry Wygle
Laurie & Ward Kingsley
Steve from MitraÂ’s Yoga group
Tami & Brian Schuler
Effie & Richard Weisfield
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
The latest photo
Hello everybody,Here is kind of a cute photo of the
kiddy-bunks. Hope to have a Christ-
mas one soon.
Monday, December 05, 2005
The Day of the Dead (Nov 1,2)
Esperanza, my right hand person, encouraged us to make a Day of the dead alter this year. Her sister works for a cultural office in Morelia and gave us the instructions on how to make it. We chose to make the altar for my Grandmother who died 2 years ago, Eva Rangnhild, Klundarud Ross.The photo of her that we put on the alter was from her confirmation in 1926.
I found this description of the day of the dead and the meaning behind the various parts of the offerings and the altar. There is lots of information on the internet, but I thought that this summed it up in a special way.
Oscar Guzmán writes:
The sound of the rain, the smell of wet earth, the heat of fire, the color of the sky glowing in the afternoon and the taste of hot coffee: all sensory experiences that we keep with us and that accompany us as we go through our life on earth.
But it isn't always like that. Some day, sooner or later, we cross the threshold that divides life and death, and then our perception of the world, as we know it changes. And red after red is perhaps a more surprising color any other shade that has ever been seen or imagined; the sharpest sounds that have ever been heard and we discover the hidden beauty of the odors that are hidden from our earthly noses...Or perhaps, we won't even need our senses -- sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch -- for the new sensory experiences that our soul never used while life flowed by day to day.
What experiences manifest themselves in that moment? What new textures do we learn? What new senses do we discover? No one has been able to answer these questions that are as unsettling as they are old.
But there is a moment where simple belief is confused with faith, a magical moment in which whatever's out there and our world reconcile, and crying and pain suffered in the wake of irremediable loss of a loved one is transformed. And body and spirit are reunited, the world of the alive and the kingdom of the dead, color, magic, tradition, mysticism untie to form one of the most celebrated parties in Mexico: the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead offering is a living hope to spend just one more day with our loved ones from far away, from a remote place that allows them to return to earth, to the land of tastes, smells, colors, sounds and textures...where they must relearn about senses and experiences that are no longer useful to them. They come back to share our elements, those which surely they also had at one time, and it is our only way to ensure communion in the festivity.
It is because of that the flower zempaxochitl is yellow, so that it can be seen from far away. And therefore the trail of flowers is the first guide that shows the guest to the home, where the altar is awaiting his arrival. And it is also necessary to be able to recognize the aroma of the house, so the guest feels at home, so that he can identify
and enjoy his stay in the place that holds so many memories. It is because of this that incense is used. It should be lit in the house to blend both aromas, so that later, when the guest comes, he won't get lost on the way. It is also said that smell is the only one of the five senses that is used after death. It is developed in order to make the return home a little easier.
The presence of the four elements is required: water, earth, wind and fire. No offering can be complete if one of those elements is missing, and their symbolic representation is a fundamental part of the offering.
Water, the fountain of life, is put in a glass so that those who come thirsty can relieve their thirst after a long journey. Bread, made with products of the earth, is there to satisfy their hunger. Wind, moves the colored papel picado that decorates and brings happiness to the table. Fire, which purifies everything and for this occasion comes in the form of a candle that is lit in their name so that we can invoke our dearly departed.
Later, the banquet, with all its specially prepared delicacies, the most splendorous part of all the party. Depending on the resources and the geographical zone, there are tamales and buñuelos, coffee and atole, beans and corundas, mole and enchiladas -- all the food that the visiting loved one once enjoyed. It is a must to serve the food while it's hot so that it puts off a stronger aroma.
Other key items are the picture of grandma, uncle's hat, the rattle that the baby never played with. Sugar calaveras with the deceased's name on the forehead, and little pumpkins are all typical of this time of year. Images of saints are also present to guide and accompany our beloved back to their new home.
For the children there are candies and fruits; for the adults, cigarettes and tequila. For everyone there is the hope of having our loved ones at our table once again, sharing for a brief moment of our time as we know it...
I found this description of the day of the dead and the meaning behind the various parts of the offerings and the altar. There is lots of information on the internet, but I thought that this summed it up in a special way.
Oscar Guzmán writes:
The sound of the rain, the smell of wet earth, the heat of fire, the color of the sky glowing in the afternoon and the taste of hot coffee: all sensory experiences that we keep with us and that accompany us as we go through our life on earth.
But it isn't always like that. Some day, sooner or later, we cross the threshold that divides life and death, and then our perception of the world, as we know it changes. And red after red is perhaps a more surprising color any other shade that has ever been seen or imagined; the sharpest sounds that have ever been heard and we discover the hidden beauty of the odors that are hidden from our earthly noses...Or perhaps, we won't even need our senses -- sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch -- for the new sensory experiences that our soul never used while life flowed by day to day.
What experiences manifest themselves in that moment? What new textures do we learn? What new senses do we discover? No one has been able to answer these questions that are as unsettling as they are old.
But there is a moment where simple belief is confused with faith, a magical moment in which whatever's out there and our world reconcile, and crying and pain suffered in the wake of irremediable loss of a loved one is transformed. And body and spirit are reunited, the world of the alive and the kingdom of the dead, color, magic, tradition, mysticism untie to form one of the most celebrated parties in Mexico: the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead offering is a living hope to spend just one more day with our loved ones from far away, from a remote place that allows them to return to earth, to the land of tastes, smells, colors, sounds and textures...where they must relearn about senses and experiences that are no longer useful to them. They come back to share our elements, those which surely they also had at one time, and it is our only way to ensure communion in the festivity.
It is because of that the flower zempaxochitl is yellow, so that it can be seen from far away. And therefore the trail of flowers is the first guide that shows the guest to the home, where the altar is awaiting his arrival. And it is also necessary to be able to recognize the aroma of the house, so the guest feels at home, so that he can identify
and enjoy his stay in the place that holds so many memories. It is because of this that incense is used. It should be lit in the house to blend both aromas, so that later, when the guest comes, he won't get lost on the way. It is also said that smell is the only one of the five senses that is used after death. It is developed in order to make the return home a little easier.The presence of the four elements is required: water, earth, wind and fire. No offering can be complete if one of those elements is missing, and their symbolic representation is a fundamental part of the offering.
Water, the fountain of life, is put in a glass so that those who come thirsty can relieve their thirst after a long journey. Bread, made with products of the earth, is there to satisfy their hunger. Wind, moves the colored papel picado that decorates and brings happiness to the table. Fire, which purifies everything and for this occasion comes in the form of a candle that is lit in their name so that we can invoke our dearly departed.
Later, the banquet, with all its specially prepared delicacies, the most splendorous part of all the party. Depending on the resources and the geographical zone, there are tamales and buñuelos, coffee and atole, beans and corundas, mole and enchiladas -- all the food that the visiting loved one once enjoyed. It is a must to serve the food while it's hot so that it puts off a stronger aroma.
Other key items are the picture of grandma, uncle's hat, the rattle that the baby never played with. Sugar calaveras with the deceased's name on the forehead, and little pumpkins are all typical of this time of year. Images of saints are also present to guide and accompany our beloved back to their new home.
For the children there are candies and fruits; for the adults, cigarettes and tequila. For everyone there is the hope of having our loved ones at our table once again, sharing for a brief moment of our time as we know it...
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Happy Birthday August
November 6th was August's fifth birthday. I think that it was the most successful one to date. 12 kids (reasonable compared to the 80 on birthday number 3!)lots of pizza. (Christian was training out new Pizza guy, Jesus. They turned out great!)Two piñatas, one LIFE SIZE Barney and a huge gold star. It was super fun! The Barney was especially grusome as the kids beat him to a pulp and ripped him limb from limb to get the candy out.
Every body got lots of cool temperary tattoos, and a Yu-Gi-Oh cake to finish off. American commercialism is living large in the 3rd world.
The birthday boy, flanked by friends, Samuel,
Eder and Tito.
*If you look carefully you can see
the finished suites in the background.
Every body got lots of cool temperary tattoos, and a Yu-Gi-Oh cake to finish off. American commercialism is living large in the 3rd world.
The birthday boy, flanked by friends, Samuel,
Eder and Tito.
*If you look carefully you can see
the finished suites in the background.
Coming up for air!
GULP! I'm sorry; I have never been very good with maintenance. The fun of making something new is where I get my kicks. Which is one of the reasons that our lovely hotel has kept me occupied all these years. It is always growing and changing. Speaking of growing and changing, here are some long overdue photos of our new suites. These photos show them unfinished, about a month before we opened on the 1st of November. They are actually finished now and we have people staying in them. (Yee Ha!) I am having a friend come this week and take some nice looking photos for the website, so then you all will see the final product. Just a little teaser
These are our beautiful wrought iron railings, the design
is a half heart shape commin in Spanish Haciendas
It took this guy a whole week to make the form for the
hand rail. For you masons; when he was done it was all
pored in place!
This is the downstairs passage way (behind room 4)
It looks way better now!
These are our beautiful wrought iron railings, the design
is a half heart shape commin in Spanish Haciendas
It took this guy a whole week to make the form for the
hand rail. For you masons; when he was done it was all
pored in place!
This is the downstairs passage way (behind room 4)
It looks way better now!