Looks Like La La Land at Another Matinee Blues: Sunday, January 15th!

Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, “Is it politic?” Vanity asks the question, “Is it popular?” But, conscience asks the question, “Is it right?” And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right. -Martin Luther King, Jr., civil-rights leader (15 Jan 1929-1968) 

Pat & Branko, greetings from Mazunte, Mexico. Hope all is well with you and yours. The malt futures cheque is at Charlie's. You can pick it up when it is convenient.The following is what the last 24 hours looks like at our latest hardship posting. 

All-nighter in Mezunte: I began this email about midday lasterday and was interrupted mid-span. It is 6AM now and the street band is going strong about a kilometre away - as the cuervo flies. The frenetic (reggae/salsa on speed) dance band was going most of the night – let up around 3AM. In the center of the village but loud enough to sound like it was right next door.

Oaxaca city: (notes to follow) was much more culturally rich and charming than the Pacific coast beach scene. The beaches are gorgeous but the turistas with their demands and expectations bring a certain resentment to the local Mexicans on the coast.  

Lasterday: Sitting on a large bed screened bed in our cabana above the village of Mezunte with a wide view of the Pacific. It is hot – over 30 - tolerable under a fan in the shade of the palapa with a bit of a breeze. There is a fiesta in Mezunte (including a small circus) and you can hear the zany Mexican tunes of several competing street bands drifting up on the wind.

The hotel is Las Almas (the spirits), a small but tasteful upscale resort built and run by a charming gay man named Vlad (Spanish, French – American extraction). The place consists of a large palapa open on all sides but for the uphill side and the kitchen entrance – all made of concrete and adobe with a 20 X 8’ pool made of cement inlaid with small stones… And cement sofas as well. The circumference of the palapa mustbe 75 – 100 feet - spectacular. 

There are only four rooms: standalone cabanas - each a screened palapa with large open shower, toilet and bed with bug netting - each – all built into the side of the hill with wooden sidewalks hanging off the water side. This is our second hotel on the coast. Our first was in the dirt poor fishing Village of Puerto Angel – further west but only a ten minute taxi ride from where we are now. Tomas and Gundi was the hotel built by a couple of the same name many years ago. Gundi (German woman) was there from Berkeley (with her current Americana husband Bruce – a Lonely Planet guidebook to Oaxaca, author) putatively visiting her offspring and grandchildren and helping her offspring to run the place. She seemed to be working more than not along side her son, her daughter in law and with a newborn in her arms much of the time.

Satori

Image: Erin Silversmith/Wikimedia

T & G was pretty basic – all one needed – a bed and bathroom all built from concrete. Separate rooms and shared bathrooms. The food, available all day, was exceptional – to our surprise. Great views of the bay.

The town and the beach in Puerto Angel is dirty, garbage everywhere. The scenery is spectacular - nestled in the cliffs within a small bay surrounded by high cliffs. The sand is a gorgeous coarse and in a golden colour. The surf is pretty strong in spite of the protection of the cove. I expect the tourists will find this place and force it to clean up and take advantage of the visiting dollars.

The beaches near Mezunte are spectacular bordered by cliffs – lovely sand, big waves – powerful enough that you need to know where and when to get in. Boogie boarding or body surfing is dodgy in these waves. Ideal for surfers. No wind sports to be seen. We are booked to stay here for another eight days but plan to move along before that time. Likely to San Cristobal de las Casas – inland, upland to the south east. Mas tarde​ - more later. ​Pics to follow. Be well,​
W&C

Sorry to hear you have a sore foot ,what happened ? Take care if yourself
Love & hugs Mum Hi Rosita, et al! Gout!!! Must away as I have been instructed to do my stationary bike stint before we head out for the film. As well, I've kindling to split and Duke is quite insistent about me playing soccer with him! Fondestos from  Mme Coriandre, just off to Oasis. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Lady Dar, this morning, with Duke supervising, attempting to retrieve all the crumpled balls of paper, aka soccer balls, and other toys, from under the TV cabinet. Duke can no longer squeeze underneath. For her part, Etta the Hulk hasn't been able to do so for months

Your Lady Dar must be somehow related to Queen Victoria. Aren't we all? There's a new and highly-rated, 7 episode series which begins tonight on PBS, detailing the life and times of Queen Victoria. Sally is bouncing off her seat in anticipation. Before I try to restrain her, I'll leave you with this tune sung by Burl Ives. Seems apropos, considering your next real estate investment. https://youtu.be/NM75clv2rxs

Hi Winter Wonderlanders! Quite enjoyed Burl Ives' Lavender Blue. Will be Lady Dar's theme song from now on. With respect to Queen Victoria, we enjoyed The Crown, a series about the young Elizabeth. Did Sally watch it? Fondestos from Mme Coriandre, just off to church to pray she wins the lottery so that Lavender Farm can become part of her real estate empire. Cheers, Patrizzio!

We took in La La Land this afternoon and it was more than a delight. An hommage/reinvention, I suppose, to many of the musicals of the '50's and '60's, [an even earlier], Singin' in the Rain, South Pacific, etc. To tell the truth it was very, very refreshing to see a simple love story, [Love is never "simple", of course.], set, ironically, in Tinsel Town, the magical place of which dreams are made, only to cruelly shatter them, having first fabricated the hope that they are possible. More than a nod to Casablanca but without even a shred of the minimal violence in that classic. Thus, overly "refreshing" given the the increasing, escalating violence which is celebrated in so much of what we see on TV and the silver screen. Two of the trailers, [I still don't understand how a "trailer" can come before a movie which will be shown at some point in the future! Isn't a trailer something that trails, comes behind?], shown were wall-to-wall violence of every sort: Vin Diesel in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Keanu, [Is he an Orca?], Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2 and then Power Rangers! Was so frustrated, when we were back home that I had to kick the cats!!!

Hi all, Snowshoeing this Thursday!! We are planning a trip as follows: -begin at Apex village -snowshoe down the logging road past the triple chair -find part of the old Cougar Trail and go south -enter the “Painted Canyon” -go up the canyon until we find the remains of the old log cabin -find the southern end of the Greenhorn’s Traverse -stay on the ski hill and return to the village Please meet at 0900 at Home hardware north parking lot (0840 at IGA in Summerland). Let me know if you are interested in joining us. Cheers, Jim