Run for the border!

Two things freaked me out.

It took us a bit of time to relax. We ate delicious meals, walked the beach and read.

Here are a few photos:

Would you want to come back anytime soon? Would you be afraid? Why or why not?

Part Two: What Happened in Paradise

Sandy Beach in Puerto Penasco

Saturday we started out with a huge walk on the beach. The plan for the rest of the day was to hang out on the beach, swim, float, read and relax. Then we’d go out for a dinner at the $15 prime rib place. We’d be leaving early Sunday morning to get our daughter-in-law Buff to the airport in Phoenix so she could fly back to Northern California.

Once we were in our bathing suits and packed our books, towels and waters, I came up with the idea to rent a pop-up tent from vendors on the beach. Shade would be a welcome addition to our day and would allow my husband to join us. His pale Irish skin is adverse to sun.

The first couple hours were heaven. We were out in the ocean together floating, bouncing over the small waves and feeling fabulous.

Eventually, my husband said he had enough sun and headed back to the condo. I sat on a towel reading in the shade, while Buff stayed in the ocean. Like my daughter said, “It’s impossible to get her out of the ocean.”

After another hour, she came running to the shade of the pop-up tent.

“I got bit by a crab!” she said plopping down on a towel, holding her foot in a panic.

I looked at her foot and their were welts below her little toe wrapping around the side of her foot.

“I think it’s a stingray,” I said.

We had experienced stingrays in Laguna Beach years ago when my husband got stung.

“I’ll go up to the condo and get hot water,” I said. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.

“Bring Advil!” she said.

I ran up to the condo and yelled to my husband, “Buff got stung by a stingray.”

We heated up three to-go cups of water in the microwave and made our way back to Buff.

She was writhing on the ground in pain, surrounded by people. Paramedics had arrived by beach motorcycle and I handed them the cups of hot water.

They motioned for me to stand back and one held her foot while the other gave her two shots in the foot. They applied a cream and then took my hot water, soaked gauze in it and wrapped her foot.

My husband asked what was the shot. The paramedics didn’t speak English, so the guy renting pop-up tents translated. It was lidocaine.

We helped Buff up to the condo and put her feet in the tub. My husband heated more hot water as hot water poured out of the faucet. She was somewhat okay until the lidocaine wore off, which was a mere 15 or 20 minutes.

I ran back to the pop-up tent and gathered our things.

The next two hours were spent heating water and helping Buff through excruciating pain. I felt like a mid-wife with my daughter-in-law giving birth. It was that bad.

Hot water kills the toxins but it has to be at least 110 degrees, so that in itself is painful. My son was on facetime telling me to get a thermometer so Buff wouldn’t scald her feet. I tried to explain that we were in Mexico and I couldn’t run anywhere closeby for a thermometer.

I went through this same stingray ordeal with my husband years before. The lifeguard told me to get hot water and explained that it would ease the pain as it killed the venom. I rushed up to a nearby coffee shop and got cups of hot water. The lifeguard said most people go to the ER, because they can’t tolerate the pain. My husband refused to go to the ER and I drove him back to our hotel with him hyperventilating in the car and me afraid he was going into a seizure. Our kids were scared to death.

I kept asking Buff if she wanted to go to a hospital, but none of us were that keen on going to a hospital in Mexico.

My husband, having gone through it, recalled the pain would ease up in about 90 minutes to two hours. He said after that, if she was still in pain, we’d take her to an ER. We were also frantically on google which substantiated our decisions.

Like clockwork, the pain eased according to schedule. We were all exhausted.

“Now you know how to get me out of the ocean!” she said.

It was paradise, until it wasn’t!

Have you ever been stung by sea creatures? If so, what type of creature? What are your thoughts of swimming in the ocean versus lakes?

Here are two bits of music we enjoyed. The first was next to the El Camaronero statue downtown, the other at the pool bar at the condo. I suggested we sit there for a few minutes hours after Buff’s pain subsided to end our trip on a better note!

Views from the beach

Bella Sirena Resort at Puerto Penasco

This is one of the towers at Bella Sirena. They also have single story villas and beach front houses.

Here are some of the photos I took from our beach getaway. The first two days were super windy, but Saturday and Sunday were perfect. We stayed at Bella Sirena, which has towers A through D. We’ve stayed there before and love the amenities of tucked away pools and hot tubs in addition to the central large pool with pool bar and live music. The only downside to Bella Sirena is that the rooms on the ground floor don’t have ocean views. We prefer the ground floor to be able to walk out our room and not wait for elevators. But I’m sure the rooms higher up have spectacular views. In any case, we took several beach walks each day and I sat and read where I had an ocean view.

Sandy Beach

This is Sandy Beach at low tide. The water is warm and there aren’t any waves if there’s no wind.

Ocean view pool at Bella Sirena

Where I liked to hang out and read this past weekend. The ocean view pool.

Patio view at Bella Sirena.

This was our private patio outside our room. Another amazing place to hang out and read.

beach walk

Another beach walk. Notice the waves? This was on a windy day.

The hot tub below our deck. It was 102 degrees hot! There was a cold plunge pool nearby.

Where’s your favorite place to relax and read a good book?

Mexican getaway

Pollo lucas

Our favorite restaurant in Puerto Penasco, Mexico called Pollo Lucas.

We went south four and a half hours for a few days. We had planned this trip after I got back from Seattle to spread my mom’s ashes — but I tested positive for COVID the day before we were supposed to leave.

We had booked a condo through VRBO and we passed the refund date. Of course. The VRBO host told me he’d try to get at least a 50% refund. After a few hours of haggling, he got us 100% money back and we promised to come back and stay in his unit in the future.

I’ve got tons of resort and beach photos, but this post will focus on food. Why not?

The first night we wandered down to the pool and had nachos at the pool bar. Eh. Then we walked down Sandy Beach to Diego’s Tiki Bar and split a shrimp cocktail which was huge. (Puerto Penasco is a fishing village and the main catch is shrimp.) I didn’t get a photo but here’s one of the Tiki Bar.

View from inside Diego's Tiki Bar

Diego’s Tiki Bar. Beautiful views, amazing staff and decent food.

Diego Tiki Bar sign

If you go by car, rather than beach, this is the sign.

Last time we were in Puerto Penasco we tried to have breakfast at a popular spot called Kaffee Haus. There was a 90-minute wait, so we passed. This time, we decided to go close to opening. We were in luck and got seated immediately.

Kaffee Haus huevos rancheros

My favorite Mexican breakfast huevos rancheros. It was delicious! Our entire married life, until we moved to Arizona, my husband and I would spend one weekend morning having huevos at our favorite Mexican restaurants in the Palm Springs area. He orders machaca and I like my huevos rancheros.

machaca at Kaffee Haus

My husband’s machaca served with beans and potatoes.

Grilled shrimp at Garufa's.

One night we decided to go fancy and we went to Garufa Steak House. It’s in the middle of the condo resorts on Sandy Beach and was delicious but pricey. Still less than what we’d pay in California or Arizona. I ordered the grilled shrimp served with potatoes and veggies. My husband had the rib eye. We also had asparagus. It was all cooked to perfection and flavorful!

Rib eye steak at Garufa's.
Asparagus at Garufa's.

The day before we headed home, we had a late lunch at our favorite Pollo Lucas. I’ve never tasted better chicken in my life. We had to wait for 20 minutes for the chicken to finish charbroiling. They must have had a huge lunch rush. We were served one whole chicken hot off the grill, steaming bowls of rice and beans, fresh made salsa and homemade tortillas. All for $20 including the sugary real Cokes.

Pollo Lucas chicken dinner.

Chicken with fixings at Pollo Lucas.

Chicken hot off the grill. Juicy, moist with so much flavor. We have tons of leftovers, too!

Real Coca Cola in bottles with tons of sugar.

What is your favorite breakfast food? Do you like to go out to or make it at home?

Sunrise Sunset

We took a Thursday evening beach walk at sunset.

This morning we woke up to this.

We headed south of the border yesterday for a weekend of beach walks, seafood, and enjoying the Sea of Cortez. What a joy to arrive in time for a beach walk at sunset. I was stunned this morning to wake up and see this magnificent sunrise from our room.

Have a great weekend!

What highlights do you have planned for this weekend?

Do you like sunrises or sunsets more? Why?

From Summer to Winter

Last week I sought the shade. Now I seek the sun on my walks.

When we left for Mexico last week, the afternoons at home were topping 90 degrees. That is if it wasn’t “monsooning” with thunder, lightening and major rains.

We arrived home Sunday afternoon. I checked my phone the following morning before our walk for the temperature. I did a double take. 46 degrees. Yikes!

I got out my leggings and fleece jacket and bundled up.

What happened to Fall? We went from too hot to too cold in a snap. I used to complain in Palm Springs that we had lousy weather. It was either too hot or too cold. There were only a few days that were just right. It seems that Arizona weather is much the same. But I missed the “just right” days. There were none in September or October. Certainly none in the summer.

My next challenge is getting into my swimsuit and jumping into the YMCA pool. They had been cooling the pool. I sure hope they’re heating it now!

What is your favorite season and temperature range?

Balloons spotted during our morning walk.

What’s causing anxiety?

Beach in Mexico
Beach in Mexico.

I woke up this morning with anxiety. In fact, I woke up several times during the night. I tried to figure out what I’m anxious about. Is it the world’s confusion and troubles? Is it the upcoming elections? Is it the economy and high prices? Is it the fact we’re leaving for a short vacation this week and I have a lot to get done before we leave?

Probably all of the above.

We are headed down to Mexico with another couple. I’m anxious because a year ago I didn’t know this couple. I’m sure we’ll all know each other much better by the time we return!

The husband is the brother of one of my husband’s best friends. I’m talking about our friend who died Thanksgiving 2021 from Valley Fever. He introduced me to my husband going on 40 years ago. I first met this couple at the services. We’ve made a commitment to keep memories of our friend alive and get together from time to time.

If you get anxious, what is it that triggers anxiety?

Would you go on vacation with people you weren’t that close to?