Quarantine Week One

I am only socializing with my sister and her daughter's family. We had to do some grocery shopping, with liberal use of hand sanitizer at the market and compulsive hand washing at home.
I am becoming Monk.

Today's count, four Canadian rigs and Serenity remain.

Hours and hours of time, what to do. Clean out old files and deleted emails, organize your play lists, and the ever popular, deep cleaning.

Now doesn't that look better

Removed and washed 15 years of encrusted dirt off my 5 dash vents.

Vallarta is shutting down. No problem keeping 6 feet away

Driving is a breeze on these once congested streets

When not cleaning, I have been playing Qwirkle with my sister.

For a change we decided to go for a drive. 

There is huge 830 acre project north of town. 

It will be called Vidanta World, opening in 2023 

The land is being terraformed into lakes and islands. 

Looks like a gondola ride from the east side to the highway

to the beach where hotels are under construction

Construction of the new toll road from Tepic to Vallarta

Interesting cat. It has the appearance of being covered in colored beads

First time I have seen these. Stick a light in them, they would look great.

Times Be a Changing

Like everyone else, the sands are rapidly shifting under my feet. I need somewhere to hunker down, for how long is the big question. Returning home to San Jose, CA seemed pointless as it is the epicenter of the California outbreak. I thought about BLM land in southern Arizona. But then every two or three weeks I would  have dump and fill my tanks. I decided on Puerto Vallarta where my sister lives. No reported cases here yet, but it's coming. Contact with family members only for me. I am at Tacos RV Park with eight other rigs. 4 are Canadian. No one is hosting a happy hour.  A full hook up will make it easy to remain here for a while.

Spotted this bad boy down at the marina.

We went to Costco to do a little stocking up, this guy did a lot.

The reason there is to TP in the states, they shipped it all to Mexico

Costco is takeout only, no table to sit at, no condiments.

My sister Gay's home. 

Nice painting by Gay's friend Marta Gilbert

Wishing you the best of luck in these trying times.

Fabulous Camp

Kevin check out a camping spot he found on ioverlander. And what a spot it is. It is the nicest camp of the entire trip. A lush green meadow nestled in a pine forest.

We had to stop and trim a few branches on the way in.

Isn't this just lovely

Playing Qwirkle with Martha, Roy and Sue.

It does not get much better than this. 

Sharing a fire with great friends in an awesome location.  20.182556, -98.730471

Puebla

Puebla, founded in 1531,  is the second largest colonial city in Mexico. It was established as a rest stop between the largest colonial city, Mexico City, and the main route to the Atlantic port of Veracruz.

Kevin setting up his camera for a group shot

Run Kevin run, you have 10 sec

He made it

Sunday at the central plaza. Lots going on.

Some kind of gathering. 

Lady dancing 

Photos by Kevin

Free concert

Fort Loreto

Benito Juarez was elected president in 1861. The Mexican economy was in major distress, so Juarez suspend payments of interest of foreign debts for two years. Spain, UK, and France decided to invade Mexico in order to force Mexico to repay their debt. The alliance fell apart and only the French reached Puebla on May 5th, 1862. The Mexicans were victorious over the larger, better equipped French army. Today Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated in the United States, but in Mexico, only the state of Puebla celebrations it. The fort today houses a very fine museum showcasing the Mexican victory.

Mexican uniform

I suppose an etching of the fort back in the day

French uniform

Out side the fort a young girl was being photographed for her quinceanera.

Street performers.

We took a bus tour of the city.

Puebla is known for its tile facades

Puebla has so many churches that one can go to a different one every day of the year.

Puebla is a beautiful city

The historic Ovando Bridge

Artists hawking their creations.

Keeping cool

Cholula

Cholula is a suburb of Puebla. We were camped at Trailer Park Las Maericas, 19.07242, -98.29568    

Serenity needed new brakes. Jose came to the park and installed new pad on all 4 wheels. 

Two of the rotors had to be turned.

It took Jose two day to complete the job. I was kicking my self for not having had my brakes instspected before joining the trip. As it turned out I was glad that I had not.

The total bill was $209. Labor is much cheaper in Mexico

When the Spanish arrived they build their church on top an Aztec pyramid. It has been partially revealed at the base of the hill. This pyramid covers 4 time the area and is twice the height of the great pyramid at Giza.

Some kind of spontaneous protest

Another church cloaked in beautiful tiles.