Pollywogg Holler Happenings

2007-04-03T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Best for Last!

Any old Mescal aficionado would know what was meant by "Down to the Worm". For those of you new to the term, the worm that denotes real Mezcal (similar to Tequila) is in the bottom of each bottle. So when you are down to the worm, you’re almost done. Well our time here in Mexico is almost done, as well. We will be home the first week of April, just in time go get ready for our Opening on the 15th. This has been a wonderful three months and we hope that by sharing our photos, you have been able to enjoy our experiences as well and serve as an incentive to go beyond "the borders" yourself. Following will be a most wonderful tour of the Jose Cuervo Tequila Factory and then on to a "Mixed Medley of Mexican Magic."

But first, a word from our sponsor!

Found in every grocery store in Mexico, this little blue bottle is your assurance of good health and peace of mind, knowing that if you drink five drops of this stuff in a glass of water every day, you will not get the “Touristas” or Montezuma's Revenge or what is commonly known as the Runs. This magic element is Colloidal Silver. It is sold here as a water purifier and for washing vegetables. Want to know more about this magic potent. Just Goggle in Colloidal Silver and enhance your life. Since we have been here and using this on a daily bases, it has enabled us to taste the true flavors of Mexico. Some of the best food comes from the street vendors, home made ice cream, shaved ice, tacos of every description. Not once in three months have we encountered a problem that this magic little blue bottle could not cure.

...And now back to our program...

One hour West of Guadalajara is the actual town of Tequila. It is here where all the major production of Tequila takes place and Home of Jose Cuervo, the first distributor in Mexico. The best words that describe the Tour are, Elegant, Old Tradition, Classic, Precious and very informative. Now throw in an abundant, frequent tasting of their product and there you have it, Tequila, a true taste of Mexico.

The story of Tequila starts with the Blue Agave cactus, pictured here. It is harvested at around 7 years. As you approach the town of Tequila, the entire area is planted with this Blue Agave as far as the eye can see.

The hearts or Roots are harvested in the field where the long sharp "leaves" are removed with an ice spud like tool, then transported to the factory where they are split up into smaller pieces and fed into the giant ovens, where the water is cooked out of them.

From the ovens they are rolled on to this conveyor where the go in to a press, where the reaming sugars are pressed out and pumped in to the huge fermentors.

Here, special yeast is introduced and the fermentation process of converting these sugars to alcohol is performed. The next step is the actual distillation process where even more water is removed and the alcohol content is increased to around 38% or 80 proof.

From the distillers, it is transferred to these white oak barrels and vats where it will be aged and mellowed for up to three years. At that point is bottled and served for your enjoyment.

Now the Best Part. We were then ushered into these cavernous cellars where the actual ageing process takes place. It was here that we were offered "the good stuff" and served a variety of Tequila and were able to distinguish the various flavors obtained through the ageing process. Wait! there was more! From here we went up stairs for more tasting where we also enjoyed Jose's one variety of marguerites. Wow, the pleasant buzz was on.

A final drink and a little chat with Jose, on our way out and we were all ready for a refreshing meal, to take the edge off.

Right next door was the Famous Chalula Restaurant where we enjoyed a wonderful meal, more tequila and of coarse liberal amounts of Chalula Hot Sauce.

Through out the town, there were countless little shops offering what else but Tequila! and an amazing assortment of these reasonably priced, beautiful Oak Wood Barrels. Now how in hell am I going to get that big barrel home.

Lenten season is the season for Fish. The plentiful meat shops don't even bother to open on Fridays and make-do fish markets are plentiful. This makeshift mobile fish market offers the catch of the day. Most are sold out by noon so it is "the early worm that catches the fish."

I purchased this colorful dress in Mexico some 30 years ago and Barb still wears it with style and grace. What a woman.

This is the ocean side of the condo where we stayed for a couple of nights. Definitely not my style but the price was right.

The court yard of the condo. Just happened to catch this tanker in the right view.

Definitely the most comfortable bus that I have ever riden. The seats come to a near horizontal position, air-conditioning, a movie and a snack. Sure beats the hell out of the chicken buses that we have endured in the past.

This group of happy children and mothers were enjoying some kind of a card game right here on the street. They were all most eager to have their photo taken. Just another example of the friendly atmosphere that we found here in Chapala Mexico.

Sunrise on the Lake. Personally we prefer sunset on the water with Cocktails, but here it is sunset on the mountains so we have to be satisfied with a "Tequila Sunrise"

While taking a trip around the Lake we came to this little fishing village. The ladys that do all the filleting throw the fish carcasses in the water to these eager awaiting White Pelicans. These birds are huge with up to a 9 and one half foot wing span. Expert fliers, they migrate way up to parts of Northern US and

Canada

to do their nesting
This Pyramid shaped mountain is on the edge of our town and can be seen for miles around. It has been calling to us since we got here and we finally figured that after walking for one hour every morning for three months, we were in good enough shape to do it. Look closely and you can see a large white cross at the top.The climb up, which included many rest stops, was the easy part and the view was worth every step.

The little cross at the top turned out to be way bigger that we had thought. I can't imagine carrying all the concrete and sand up this mountain that was required to build this sizeable monument.

This cross which faces the West can be seen for miles.

This view to the West gives you some idea of the height that we are at. No more exercise needed today. I mentioned that coming up was the easy part. Going down was a bitch, very dangerous and hard on the old knees and ankles. Was very glad to get down with out injuries and retire on a park bench with several ice cold beers before moving on.

Just loved this shot of Barb on the way down the mountain. The vibrant red of these Bougainvilleas was certainly captivating.

Sunday Morning and time for Chicharonies. After butchering a pig they save all the skin and internal organs and boil them up in this big caldron full of the fat. This is considered a treat and they are usually sold out by noon.

Myth solved: at home we have the orange and black Wooly Bear Caterpillars. The stories differ as to how to predict the winter depending on how much black or orange on him. Well we came across these plentiful all black Woolies Bears and the temperature has not been below 65 degrees. So I guess that an all black woolies Bear means no winter. Bring on the Black Woollies ;-)

Another wonderful, fulfilling Mexican meal for two, with four beers $12.50 US. In the US it is impossible for a couple drawing Social Security to live on that alone. On this trip, we have proven that we can live "High on the Hog" and enjoy a lot of activities, and many restaurant meals as these blogs can depict, for $1,200 a month which is our SSI money. No wonder that there is such a large Ex-pat community here. It is quite sad that as great as the US is, we can't afford to retire in our own community that we spent our entire working lives in. They are predicting that this Ex-pat community here will double in the next three years and it is easy to see why.

These "street weavers" are a true tribute to patients and endurance. I can never look at their work again with out the image of them setting on the ground, for days at a time just to complete one of their rugs, shawls or wall hangings.

Now just how can we get one of these cute little horses home to our Grand Children?

Watching this old timer slowly make his way down the street, makes you hurt all over knowing the pain that he is enduring but he always greets us with a big smile and warm greeting.

This Old Gal came by our table looking for a hand out. I offered her one of our extra beers (we order them four at a time). She eagerly accepted and slugged it down in three gulps, before going on her way.

Editor's note:
As I was putting this last post together Bill called me to say he was back at the Holler and it was a balmy 44 degrees. So this adventure is over, but there are more to come. I enjoyed coming along for the ride. Pollywogg holler will be open for business as usual starting on Sunday, April 15th with brick oven pizza, live music and the best companions. Welcome back Bill & Barb! I hope you brought some spring weather with you!--CMC

2007-03-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

FUN IN THE SUN
We are at the Pacific Ocean, for a few days at a little beach town
by the name of Melaque, on the Bay of Navidad, about one half hour North of
Mazanillo.
This Restaurant on this rock captured my attention from my first foot step on the beach. It made the whole, white knuckle, 8 hours drive of the worst, hair pin turn, mountain road, that I have ever drove on, worth
it. The restaurant is now vacant and begging for some one to pick up the lease. Anyone interested? I will show you the way and be all over it. Location location location. PS there is a modern, shorter road to get here
but you know me, I love a challenge.

This Colorful Native from the Highest peaks of

Mexico

, (over two miles above sea level), was selling a salve made from Peyote. He said that it was excellent for arthritis, and sore muscles. Who cares, it was made from
Peyote and I just had to get some. Used it the first night and don't remember having any more pain the rest of our stay.

We arrived at the beach on a Wednesday, a slow time as compared to the
weekend. Naturally the Beach Venders flocked to us, even standing in line at
times. We loved them to and had fun snapping their pictures and haggling
over prices, which they prefer. With in a short time they all referred to me
as Santa Clause.

Here is proof that Bill and Barb actually made it to the beach. As we were doing our morning walk, a woman ran out to us, with a camera in hand and asked if she could get a picture of Santa on Vacation, to send to her grandchildren. Of coarse we complied and had a great laugh. We are quite used to having little smiling children, staring and calling out Santa Clause. Recently, while walking down the street, a little toddler, left his mother's side and came running to me with out stretched arms. He was too young to talk but words were not necessary.

This couple were doing some serious fishing with no results. Perhaps that
should have been taking some lessons from the flocks of diving Pelicans and
seagulls that kept us entertained with their Arial agility and proficiency
at catching fish after fish.

Always on the lookout for new ways of eating our favorite fruit, Mangos,
This mango on a stick, was not only easy to eat but even more delicious than
it looked. Attractive, easy to eat, delicious, and all natural, how do you
beat it for 70 cents

A comfortable spot, great view, soft genteel breeze and a hollowed out Pineapple, complete with Tequila, pineapple juice and orange wedges, Three dollars each, I'll have another one, por favor. Couple this with a nice a nice room, kitchenette and pool, right on the beach for $350 per day, Oh, that is pesos at 11 per dollar or 100 pesos equal $9 , Ah, you do the math, I am on vacation and I know that it is a deal.

Crowed Beach, Ah, I don't think so. As near as I can figure this crescent beach is four miles long. We attempted to walk the whole thing but gave up at what we thought to be half way. There is something about walking bare footed in the sand, that make your feet and leg mussels really work. Now where did I put that Peyote Save?

Our favorite Beach Bar. Any questions so far. Dollar fifty beers, 3 dollar Coco Locos and we never seen over eight people at once. You can find me here most of the time. It sure is easy to figure out where Jimmy Bufett was coming from, with "wasting away again, in Margarita Ville"

Some where, between where we live, at a mile above sea level and the coast, we came across these three great conical structures. Our curiosity got the best of us and they demanded a closer inspection. These three massive, identical structures with six foot solid stone walls were a
complete mystery until a local came along and explained that they were built fifty years ago for the storage of corn. I could not even imagine how one would go about building something like this and why all the effort just for corn storage. I think that there is a lot more to this story and has to involve space travel. We seen several more before getting out of the
mountains but these were the most spectacular.

We had heard of this little town where they made these world famous knives, perhaps you have heard of them Ojeda from Sayula Mexico. This little open air manufacturing shop was a fury of activity. We talked with the proud owner who explained that they had been making knives right there for 13 Generations. The variety and workmanship was impeccable, with each one hand made. No mass production here.

For a true picture of their products go to their web site. WWW.CUCHILLOSOJEDA.COM I purchased one "Minnie chef" style knife. It has an attractive coco bolo handle and a mirror finished steel blade that you can actually shave with. Personally, I avoid shaving, (especially with butcher knives), in case you haven't noticed.

Meanwhile back at the beach! These pelicans seem to be resting after a furious feeding spell, much like the anchored shrimp boats, seeking shelter from the rolling seas. This peaceful harbor seems to provide a wonderful resting spot for us wary travelers as well.

A shot of anything from this bulls horn and served with a wonderful smile, is sure to put anyone at ease.

A sun rise walk through the warm sand as the lazy waves gently nudge the shore, is certain to set the mood for, yet, another perfect day. And yes, Margaritas are a perfectly acceptable morning beverage.

If you look closely, the mast of the third sail boat from the right is touching the Restaurant on the Rock. A new thatched roof and couple of neon palm trees, and it could be seen the entire length of this four mile beach. Come on, I will need some backing on this one.

Pineapple drinks or Mangos on sticks, take your picks. You know my choice,
both, only one at a time. Yeaaaaaa

Not sure wether you can read this typical menu or not, but it goes like this. Most breakfast items $28 pesos, That's $2.80 aprox. US. The most expensive thing on the menu is $60 pesos, again that is aprox $6 US Dollars, actually $5.40 US. Now for the important part. Beer, Many at $14 pesos and wouldn't you know it, my favorite Negro Modula is $15 pesos, that is aprox $1.50 each, Bring em on, two at a time with lemon and salt and served with a warm smile..Yeaaaaa, Life is a Beach.

Back in Chapala now, these Mexicans sure have a since of humor, I could not believe my eyes as I read this sign over the exit. The food and service was excellent and I am not quite sure how to take the sign. I could use some help with this one.

I have held the well founded belief for years, that Carp tasted muddy. It is often served here and so I thought that I would try one. Wow, have I been wrong all these years. May be the Carp back home taste muddy but downhere it is the best tasting fish that I have ever had and now on top of my favorite fish menu. How about the old stone that the Salsa is served from,
sure has charm.

I find that many signs are very necessary, But this one, I don't think Sooo.
Just a beautiful entrance way and another fine example of Spanish architecture.

Flowers Flowers Every where. Notice how the Beauty of these flowers even overshadow the beauty of Barb, I never thought it posible, must be the angle of the sun. ;-)

With such a beautiful person, both as a life companion and traveling mate, how can one not have a wonderful relaxing time, be it on the beach or in the mountains. This year on May 19th we will celebrate our 45 years of matrimonial bliss together. Life has sure been good to me. Perhaps we will have a gathering to celebrate and if you are reading this , Consider this as an invitation.

2007-03-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

Red Hot Chilli Peppers

In Mexico, no meal is complete with out Chili Peppers. We have adapted and
have a selection on hand for all occasions. A tour of the Lake Chapala Hot
Sauce factory is a good starting place leading up to the 29 Annual Chili
Cook-off in Ajijic. We were very impressed with the cleanliness of the
factory and everything about it. We were also in for a pleasant surprise.

HOT SAUCE STARTS WITH PEPPERS
Hot Sauce starts with the actual growing of the Chili Peppers. This company purchases their peppers from large area growers. This fine, rich, black, volcanic soil is just what the Chili pepper loves.
The Company buys tons of peppers which comes in these feed sacks and are stored in special climate
controlled warehouses, so they are insured to have a year round supply.

The process starts in this Grinding and formula room. The chilies are first pulverized then mixed with exacting amounts of ingredients for various products that they make. The aromas in this room was quite overwhelming and induced coughing, I don't know how the workers stand it, unless they are just used to it. It is also cooked in the big vats and then pumped to the bottling room.

Here is a sampling of the various products that is produced here. At home
our favorite Hot Sauce is of coarse Barbie's Hollerin Hot Sauce, but running
a second place is Chalula, which is seen here in the Quality Control Room,
in various sizes. Chalula has been a "second place" favorite for many
years and what a pleasant surprise to find that it is produced right here in
Chapala.

Sanitation is a main issue here. We had to have hair nets, plastic
booties, lab coats and sanitize our hands. I asked for a net for my beard
and it drew much laughter. I think that we were the first Gringos to ever
visit the plant.

The sauce goes into the sterilized bottles hot, the caps applied, shrink
warped and finally the labels applied then stacked in cases.

The 29 Annual, Great, Ajijic, Chili Cook off, To our surprise this is a total Gringo thing. As I had explained earlier, this whole lake side community is one of the biggest Ex-patriot communities in the world.
Consisting of mostly US and Canadian's, I have heard the number of 30,000 and growing, used often.

So yes, a bit surprised and a little disappointed, but why not, actually, gringos can make some kick ass, Chili con Carne.
This is actually a fund raiser and they do a lot of good things for the community with the funds that they raise. Lots of top quality entertainment, arts and crafts, food and of coarse Chili of every description.
A total of nine contestants and 9 totally different chilies. When I think of Chili con Carne, I immediately think of my mothers Chili which is deeply implanted in my brain, the rest of the offerings is just Chili by name.
Mom, what are you doing here?
One of the contestants came close but did not win. He whispered to me that he adds Tequila and Beer. I remember that my mother used beer, that could be the key.

Now what would a Chili Cook off be with out a cold beer served up by such a charming Senorita as this. Hell, even if you didn't drink, you would have to accept one, offered with such warmth, beauty and grace.

This triditional Mexica dance was a true colorful treat to that hot Mexican Beat.

Elegance Plus, This well trained group of dancers blew me away. They started by pouring a glass of what appeared to be milk, placed it on their head, ccompleted this elegant dance and poured the milk back into a
container. "No crying over spilled milk here."

Some high quality art and craft and unbelievable low prices, kept me wrenching of how I could get all the things that I fell in love with, home in one piece. I guess that I will have to be satisfied with this wonderful camera that my thoughtful son Mickael lovingly supplied me with. Digital
is the only way to go. Thanks Mick!

This amazing group of paintings was produced by this artist, Not sure of his name, I think that it is Jose Jrraplago. We are going to a art show this Saturday, and I will get his name and contact information right. It is not often that a painter captures my attention like his work did.

2007-02-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

CARNIVAL!!

Carnivals are all about Food, Beverage, and various entertainment. This particular one had plenty of all. One of the tricky things to do is to allow your brain to accept all of the fascinating "amplified noise" and think of it is a strange symphony. Vast amounts of Tequila helped.

Who could resist a Burrito with ingredients from these colorful pottery containers, presentation means a lot. Wish I could get some of these containers home. Guess that I will have to get out the pottery wheel and make our own.

How about some Chocolate covered and or just deep fried bananas for starters

This was the Dancing Horse Contest. The Big Brass Band Blared out a heavy beat as the various horses danced in the square. To touch the white line was a automatic disqualification. The best of show, for me, was a Big Black highly spirited Stallion. He took his place in the square and started dancing on Q, after a few minuets, he reared up pawing the air in tune, came down and proceeded to walk on three sides of the line then stepped out side of the line in defiance and completed his dance. Definitely the best of show in my book, with out any explanation, you just knew what the horse was thinking and the rider was just along for the ride.

Back to Food and variety, how about Golden Roasted Baby Goat or hot dogs different than I have ever seen. And I did didn't try the hotdogs but the goat was delicious

How about some roasted Quail or for some strange reason, Rabbits with heads on, Barb said that was so you could tell that they were not cats.

Talk about a bunch of Screaming kids. The activity in this shot really deserved a video. Most of these activity things would be illegal in the over regulated USA. What a pleasure to go back in time to the "unregulated times" when people were responsible for their own actions and there were still such things as accidents.

A big part of the thrill of this whole carnival was watching the work progress in the week previous to the opening. Barb and I do a morning walk in the park that is literally on the shore of the lake. You can imagine our wonderment as we watched this Arena being set up in Two days by 8 men. These guys were hustling and moving every minuet. We also wondered how this Carnival could last from the 9th to the 20th of Feb. Well last it did and with the Grand fanelly coming last night with "Fat Tuesday" We left for our house, two blocks away at 10:30 and there were still lines of people waiting to get in. Sat on our front balconey and the people were still streaming toward the Park at midnight. That is when the main attraction started, Marko Solis. Would have loved to take it in but know one is going to keep me up that late.

This photo was taken on the morning of the third day. As you can see, the arena is complete and will seat 3,600 people. We seen it filled to capacity on two of our visits. The roar of the crowd in this perfectly round setting is truly amazing. I am certain that the roar of the crowd is a compelling force for most entertainers. I know that the matadors seem to thrive on it.

And of coarse there was the nightly chicken Bouts, but I won't get in to that again. Got too much static from the last description. However, it is a highly regarded activity and in the final rounds, the purse was for 50,000 pesos. Very serious business.

And of coarse there was an ample supply of beautiful young girls and you just know that they all loved Santa, and why just hug up one when you can hug up two.

How about a Night Cap. Tequila anyone, The popular exotic drinks were $3 and we had our share.

A popular serving was this vertical BBQ. They would stack this marinated steak on this skewer and slowly roast it in front of the charcoal fire. The would continually shave off the cooked outer layer and serve it in tacos, Yummy and again, what a great presentation. Actually we thought that it dried it out a little more than we would have liked it but the flavor was sure there.

What is a Carnival with out a parade? So for starters how about a real Unicorn and a Elegant White Angel. A great costume and a wonderful beginning for a parade. A big change from the fire trucks and politicians at home.

Rides, Rides and more Rides, I thought that this one depicting the Statue Of Liberty was very interesting. We were there this evening with hundreds of screaming children, flashing lights, blaring music "amplified noise" and the ambiance was thrilling and the battery in my camera was dead.

We also found this one of the burning sky scraper surrounded by emergency vehicles, to be of peculiar interest. Not really sure of the message here but none the less interesting.

How about the House of Crazy Women, another peculiar one. I didn't know that they had a house for them. But here it is.

Back to the Bull Fights, These two mounted Matadors are the best in the business and were the featured attraction. The grace and skill of their art was amazing. Moving in such proximity of serious injury of both horse and rider, was a true display of some amazing horse man ship. Horses were the main theme of the carnival and there were over 200 on the grounds, some worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

And what is a parade with a giant Clown. you should have heard the children squeal as this agile clown a full 8 foot tall ambled up the street dancing to the multitude of music.

How about two Giant Clowns. How they walk/dance on these rough streets, is more that I will ever know.

Then you have to have a bunch of young copper skinned beauties shaking there round little butts to the rapid cadence of this hot salsa music. Iee carumba

Not sure but I think that this group was advertising for a local night club. Great act with live jazz music.

This colorful group really knew how to "shake that thing" to a lively Percussion beat.

And then you have to have the Legendary Tiger Queen of the Jungle, looked powerfully convincing to me. Didn't see Tarzan but I know that he was near by.

This sure looked like a Float from Hawaii but I think it actually represented an indigenous Ritual. It sure was precious. We sure could use a bunch of these grass skirts at the Holler.

A real princes on wonderful float of young people, what a wonderful site and what poise for young children.

2007-02-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

COST OF LIVING AND THINGS TO DO AND DOING

The only housing we could find, during high season, was $400 a month for this 1,500 sq. ft. apartment (way more room than we need) with three bedrooms, two baths, one balcony over the street and another out the back. The best thing is that it is within walking distance to everything. It is costing us $300 a week to live, so add in $100 for the apartment and we are living "high on the hog" for $400 a week. This includes eating out for most all meals (just as cheap as fixing meals here) and at least one activity every day.

Last week we invented a local Pub Crawl. Let me explain. Down the Lake a ways there is a stretch of about 15 restaurants, all on the water, with beautiful lake/mountain view's, one right after the other. They are all open air type pavilions with a kitchen at one end. All have their own very tasteful atmosphere and each one different and very enjoyable. There is very little business there during the week and their big day is Sunday (kind of like the Holler) Well, we actually enjoy having a restaurant to our selves, so we picked an off day, took a bus to the bar/restaraunt at the far end ($1.40 bus fare for two), and walked in and ordered drinks. They would be happy to get some business and shower us with whatever their specialty snack was (each one had their own). We would enjoy the snacks, have a couple of drinks (the beer cost $1.50 each, snacks free) and go to the next bar, right on down the line. We hit five bars, shot a lot of photos, then another $1.40 bus ride and we were home. Cost for the day: $30 including tips. Fun, Wow, experience, Priceless. Only Ten to go and we will have done them all and now can pick our favorites.

We have also been to a Cock Fight, great experience and very professional, Several Carnivals (in near by local towns), Night Clubs,(too old too tiring) and Artisan Centers (great photo opts). Each town has it's big market day where you can purchase anything from "soup to nuts" (also great photo opt's). Tomorrow we arranged a tour of a large Hot Sauce Factory. Told their salesman that we wanted them to ship a case of their hot sauce to our Resort in NY and he said that he would pick us up and give us a tour of his factory. It is very big here and they even supply Chulula with their sauce (our favorite back in the US. Things are about to get a lot more spict back at the Holler). Looking forward to the Tour, it should be a "Hot One", pun intended.

In a few days we are going way up in to the mountains to a village settled by some Swiss explorers back in the mid 1800's. They call it the "Alps of Mexico". They say that it is cold up there, but the Swiss architecture and quaintness of the village is worth the trip.

The local "sweet Breads" are as delicious as they look. We admired them from a distance for a while, till at one point one of the vendors offered us a sample. We were delighted to find they had a wonderful flavor and not over sweet, as we had imagined. The dollar-fifty loaf was half gone by the time we got home. Two loaves next trip.

The warm rich colors utilized by the local artist, have captured my heart for years. The are community here is vast, with fine examples of 2D as well of 3D, Music, dance Theater etc. Many more photo examples to follow.

Here is Bill delivering the laundry, Mexican style.

This is a painting on the bottom of a local wood fired ceramic platter. We are constantly awed with the incredible art work that abounds in this humble community.

Here is some more spectacular art work. This oil painting if life size and hangs in the foyer of a bank.

The vendor was asking $30 for this this wonderful mirror. Now just how could we fold it up and fit it into our backpacks?

Want to buy a chance on a Indian Blanket? The weaver of this blanket said that it took him 4 months to produce this beautiful rug. He was selling it for 2,000 pesos about $180 dollars. There is no way that we can leave this area with out taking along at least a couple of the smaller versions.

The aroma of Bougainvillea fills the air and the colors just happen to match Barb's hat. This is the picnic area in the park where Barb and I walk and exercise every morning, while getting into shape to explore the nearby mountains. Living a mile above sea level takes a little acclimating. This is the same park that will host the up coming Carnival.

A colorful fleet of water taxies, floating on a sea of vegetation, stand ready to ferry awaiting passengers to a nearby historical Island. This Island and the brave defenders played a significant roll in the War of Independence with Spain and is held in high regard with all of Mexico.

Chicken BBQ is popular and so yummy. Barb and I eat here often. A full chicken dinner for two, complete with cabbage salad, cucumber pepper salad, salsa, a stack of tortes and two drinks, plus a doggy bag that serves two more meals at home: $8. Can't cook at home at these prices.

This entire town is paved with these wonderful coble stones. No speeding here and I am sure that changing the shocks becomes a annual thing. The true charm is hearing horses coming and going. Right out of a Clint Eastwood Western.

In order to satisfy the masses, mechanical methods had to come into play. This definitely lacks the charm of the hand method but still fascinating to watch and very good tasting as well.

These ever present Mariachi Musicians are very enjoyable and really complete the Mexican atmosphere. This shot is taken at one of the many beach restaurant/bars. you can picture the view that they share.

This lady was making tortes at one of the beach bars on our Pub Crawl. She was honored to have me take her picture and giggled when shower her this picture. The fresh wood baked tortes were yummy.

We have been intrigued by these natural spire trees. I still don't have the scientific name of them but believe they must be a member of the Arborvitae family. They are certainly impressive and this is a spectacular grouping.

Street musicians are common and very entertaining. For a few pesos, out of this Harp like instrument, often hand made, flows a relaxing, medley of music resembling a piano. Wish we had one of these at the Holler for your listening enjoyment.

Cock Fights have long been given a bad rap. This weekly fight is very professionally handled. I think about Gladiators and modern day boxing, with two adult humans going at it, with the intention of knocking the opponent out, often resulting in brain damage or death. By comparison, I'll take Rooster Fights

This sign stopped me in my tracks, until I noticed the spelling which means Ticket booth. At first I thought that I knew that Mexicans loved Tequila but I did not know that they started them off as children ;-)

Next week we are going to a Chili Cook Off that has been running annually for 19 years. The best of the best, What is Mexico without Chili. The local Marti Gras (Carnival) The largest in the area starts here on the 9 to the 20th. It is just two blocks from our apt. That is 12 days of continual partying, colorful Parades, Equestrian Events (some of the finest horsemanship in the world), and various contests of every description. It will also host famous musicians and concerts all week, awesome fire works, action rides, and over 250 vendors of the best of everything the Country Has to offer. We plan on taking in every bit of it. Ok, how about just a lot of it.

2007-01-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

Viva Mexico!
We just can't get over the wonderful new sites and experiences that we seem to find around every corner, so we thought we'd share.

With thoughts of Pollywogg Pizza, Mexican Pizza anyone?

Attractive fountains can be found through out the community and add to the relaxing feeling of abundance.

Fresh Seafood abounds as seen with this fine catch of Red Snapper and Blue Crabs, Yummy!

This guy held up five fingers, boosting of this head of cauliflower to be five kilos or approximately ten pounds.

This enterprising marketer came up with an interesting gimmick of placing hats on these baby chicks.

Fresh sausage anyone?

How about Jumbo Shrimp, fresh from the sea at $3.50 a Lb.

The nearby markets are filled fresh, healthy produce.

This, the most prominent chapel in the ares, San Francisco de Asis Church, was started by Fray Juan de Almllon in 1548, that is 449 years ago.

Another fountain.

2007-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

GOOD BUY EXUMA, HELLO MEXICO
I Would like to start off by letting every one know that I am no longer connected to the Exuma Project, or its developer Paul Ceglia. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.
With that said, lets move onward and upward, to Mexico. Thanks to good friends, We have been introduced to a wonderful part of Mexico, one that we have missed on previous trips. We are now staying in the Lake Chapala Area. Lake Chapala lies about 45 minuets south of Guadalajara. The lake is about one mile above sea level, 50 miles long and 20 miles wide. The average temperature is 69 degrees, all year long, no one has a thermometer, for there is no reason to, everyday is beautiful. The people are wonderful, friendly and willing to help with any questions you may have. Of course Spanish is the native language, but many speak at least a little English. The area also boast of a large population of Expatriates mostly from the US and Canada. They blend well and you can find comfort in knowing that they are readily available to answer your questions and guide you in interesting directions.

The Expats are here for all the obvious reasons--great, affordable health care, perfect weather, cheap cost of living, incredible produce and fresh seafood. There is much to do, no room for boredom, a great place to get healthy. They will quickly point out that they could not afford to retire with such luxury back home. Webster defines Expatriates, as some one that is not living in the country of their origin. Now, if you think about it for a minute, The US and Canada were founded by Expatriates, so think well of Expats. ;-)
I recently had an interesting thought, the Expat's are flocking here cause they can't afford to live up there and the Mexicans are flocking up there, cause they can't afford to live down here Hummmmmmm. You can thank your legislators for providing them with all the incentives to lure them north, so stop whining about them.
Since things didn't work out in the Bahamas, the plan "B" for Barb and I is to explore some new destinations here in Central America and share our explorations with those that may be interested. Beautiful Lake Chapala is our first destination, and a darn good one at that. We have met some wonderful World Travelers that have been "every where" and have concluded that, after weighing in all the factors, this is "The Place to Be". At this point we are inclined to agree with them (at least till the snow melts at our beloved Holler). But if you know us at all, we also feel obligated to look just over the next mountain, keeping open the option to return to wonderful Lake Chapala. So, stay tuned for the next blog, in which we plan on doing some documenting of local construction and Architecture. This place is booming in a good way.

2006-12-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

Paradise on Hold!

So no sooner do I get their first post up, then I get a call from our wandering Bill and my caller ID says NEW YORK!! Ha! I knew he couldn't leave us so long. So I said "Bill, if you need some R&R you don't need to make up a trip to the islands, just don't answer the phone for a few days." It turns out the project hit a snag and he had to come back without even using up any of that SPF 95, but not before getting a great tour of the Island. So here's his report and some pictures that suggest he was either some place a lot warmer and bluer and greener than the holler, or he's better with photoshop than I suspected.
--CMC

Well Barb, Laredo and I did make it to the Island, toured it for several days, visited the proposed project site and were very impressed. Sometimes we walked for miles on the beach without seeing any sign of civization other than a few footprints. What a paradise!

This little beach bar has nothing on our Pollywogg Holler bar . . . except maybe the view. Wow!

Where we come from, gardening is hard work. But here the nooks and crannies in the swiss-cheese limestone are filled with some of the most fertile soil you can imagine. Just plant your seeds and stand back! No cultivating or weeding or bugs. Didn't see much garlic though. I gess nothing is perfect.
But look at them peppers!!
A week before we arrived, we were informed that there was a land ownership dispute affecting the project site but not to worry cause there was a plan "B" in place. Well we arrived to find that plan "B" was more of a dream and the details were not even close to move on, so we were on sort of a hold.

We considered finding some affordable housing and continue working at doing the necessary research but the key here was "affordable housing". But a good part of the reason we were sent for is that there is no affordable housing here because everything is imported.
One enterprising fellow thought he would solve the problem by making cement blocks from local beach sand and imported portland cement. Sadly his experiment (less than 15 years old) is already beyond repair.

Interestingly enough, there are some houses on the island over 200 years old built without cement or other imported materials. They have been largely neglected, so the roofs and woodwork are nearly gone, but the walls of native limestone plastered with a mixture of sand and burnt shells seem to be waiting as one old timer puts it "for someone to come along and breathe new life into them."
It looks like the wind and salt-resistant bamboo we want to plant go a long way toward making these places like this old church livable again without much expense. Some of the old-timers tell us a lot of these buildings used to be thatched, as the materials are plentiful and easily renewable after a "big blow".
In touring the Island we found everyone to be kind and helpful. Old-timers like this fellow seemed to hold a wealth of knowledge important to our goal of building with natural materials.

We were informed that the matter of our project would be settled in court on Jan. 15th. But with dwindling funds and knowing very well that issues don't get settled in a timely manner anywhere in the Caribbean, we made the painful decision to return home.

Not willing to sit around with our hands on our (cold) asses, we are off to visit possible project sites in Mexico, Ecuador and Chili. To all of you that were making plans to visit us on the Island, we extend our most humble apologies and hope that you haven't purchased tickets. If you have and are still going, take lots of cash. On the brighter site, the natives are wonderful people, very polite, eager with friendly greetings, helping hands and there is a very low crime rate.

Meanwhile, we are still finalizing our new plans and you can still follow our travels on our Blog. There is a place for comments, please do so. You can still continue to E-mail us and Call us here at the Holler. Everything is forwarded to this magical little Laptop, no matter where in this vast World that we may be.

And, who knows the issues on Exuma could be resolved and we will be back on Plan "A".

To all of you, we wish you the most wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year, May God Bless You. If any of you are offended by the word Christmas and God, Tough. You get wished a double wonderful Christmas and God Bless You!

With warm hearted regards, Bill, Barb and Laredo

2006-12-13T07:03:00.000-08:00

Pollywogg Holler South?

No, Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. Bilvis has left the building. You're looking at a picture (swiped from the internet) of Great Exuma in the Bahamas, where Bill and Barb Castle have been brought in until April as indigenous building consultants for a new eco-village. On the outlying islands, imported building materials are very expensive, and use a lot of fuel to get there. The overall effect is hard on the local economy and ecology. The plan is to re-teach local builders how to build with local materials while building a self-sustaining community. Bill will be periodically sending reports from the field, which I, Chris McClellan, the self-appointed Pollywogg Holler Minister of Technologies and Public Relations, will be editing, commenting on, and posting on the blog. I leave you with Bill's first post, describing the transition from a snow-covered, slumbering paradise to a new construction site in the warm part of the Garden of Eden. Do they make a steel toed flip-flop, Bill?
--CMC

The get away,
It is Monday, December 4, 2006, mid day at the Holler. Laredo is on top of the Buffalo weather report and it is sounding bad for a Tuesday morning departure so we make the decision cut out early and get a motel near the airport. It is now 4:pm and off we go for the 2-hour trip. Surprise, we come onto the Thruway and we are into a storm. Five lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, roads glazed over with ice. We are stuck, every 20 minuets or so we inch ahead. With every slight rise there are tractor-trailers spinning their tires, putting a fine polish on the well-glazed road. I can’t believe there are not fender benders all around us. We conclude that these Buffalo drivers are experts with these conditions. Three, white-knuckle hours later, we arrive at the Motel. Five hours for a two-hour trip, exhausted, and very grateful to be in easy striking distance to the Airport, sleep comes easy.

The worst is behind us, the airport is partially empty, the plane half full and we are happy. The last leg from Ft Lauderdale to the Island is just we three and two others. No crowded conditions here. We step on to the Island, from the twenty-passenger plane, into the warm tropical air and walk into the customs office, smiling and heads filled with tropical visions. Next surprise, the stern customs girl, wants to know how long we are staying and what we are doing here. Volunteer work is not a valid option, it’s still work and we are not allowed to work. She plays with us and threatens us to be off the Island in a week. In the course of a few minuets she has reconsidered nd now we have 31 days and wants us to prepare a statement as to just what we are doing here.

Our ride arrives and off we go to the house on the beach where we will be staying for a while. We are assured not to worry about the 31 day thing and soon get in to the swing of the waiting BarBQue party and peaceful sleep to the soothing sound of the waves, caressing the sandy beach. The next 4 days are filled with touring this wonderful Island. There is some generalizing one can do about the Caribbean Islands but there are also striking differences. The vast majority of the population is smiling, friendly native blacks, eager with warm greeting and offers of assistance. The Island is spotless, no trash or litter anywhere. The occupied houses are painted with soft pastels of blue greens that match the sea and sky. There are quite a few little towns with names that reflect the surnames of the residents, many of whom have been there for many generations. George Town, the largest, conveys the feeling of a quaint little town, bustling with commerce, and even an occasional tourist or two. The business district is spread out with a generous amount of greenery in between. We were welcomed into the office of tourism where we bowled them over with by volunteering to be Santa and Mrs. Clause at the annual tree lighting ceremony, with word that there will be a parade with us topping one of the floats. We are excited with the whole thought and what an introduction to the community. I can only imagine being referred to as Santa for the rest of my time in this Tropical Paradise, not an unpleasant thought.

Then there is Williams Town, Rolle Town, Mt Thompson, Ramsey and Steventon. The local common construction is plastered cement block walls and low-pitched hip roofs. There is evidence that the older buildings are limestone but still plastered with well adhering lime plaster made with burned up conch shells and sand. There are many "shells" or buildings that are started, with the walls are up but no roofs. We will be looking in to the reasons for this. One suggestion is that the various owners work on them as money allows. Many appear to have been waiting for that extra money for many years. We have heard of some thatch being used for roofing but we are yet to see it. The old timers say that all the building used to be thatch and there seems to be an abundance of raw material. We vow that thatch will one day be popular again.
No pictures at this time due to some tech problems but soon to follow. This next week we will be looking closer at the proposed building sites and expanding on the various possibilities that eager await with every turn in the road. Our first impressions are very positive with the exception of pricing. Everything seems expensive when compared to our rapidly shrinking value of the good old, US Dollar.

--Bill and Barb Castle, December 10, 2006

2006-09-23T04:12:00.000-07:00

Well autumn is officially here. We welcomed it in in a swinging fashion with our wonderful friends Tommy and the Two-Tones.

As you know, Mother Nature is working up her own show for us, and her fantastic colored petticoat is peeking out from under that green summer dress.

Those cold misty mornings might make for a slow, grumbly start to things, but the sunny afternoons just seem all that much more amazing.

2006-09-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 17th, 2006
Tommy and the Two Tones
Come enjoy a great afternoon at the Holler. This time of year, every nice Sunday outside could be the last, so get ready to rock.
1pm to 6pm
Cover charge $5
Brick Oven Pizza and Home Made Wine available.

2006-09-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2006
Welcome to our new blog, where friends old and new come to see what's happening down in the holler.

Today was a beautiful fall day. No rain, and even a hint of sun. The green is holding on, but there is starting to be a hint of fall color if you look for it.

Kim, our intrepid solar soundman, came up with an acoustic live music twofer for us on the Holler stage.

George Doran played a beautiful set of his own tunes and some classic folk covers. Here's a picture of George waiting for his pizza (sorry George, better picture next time, I promise.)

To start things off though, George prevailed on his friend Dave McEathron from up in the Great White North to take the mic for a fantastic set of his own. His cover of Townes Van Zandt's "To Live is to Fly" was especially good.

Dave will have a website of his own up sometime in October 2006, so watch for it. Meanwhile, you can get CDs from either of these fine perfomers by e-mailing George (just click on his name above).

As always, Bill's pizza came out of the big wood-fired brick oven hot and tasty, and the local home-made wine put just the right rosy glow on the afternoon.

Check back soon for information about upcoming events, as well as more pictures and news.

--The Pollywogg Holler gang