OUR CIRCLE ROUTE

Now that we are back here at Villa Corona, to finish off the month that we had paid for back in December, I thought I would take a quick look back on our 'circle route'. 

If you recall, we left Villa Corona just before Christmas, on December 21st, following in behind Croft and Norma to meet up with other blogger friends - and to spend Christmas - at Hacienda Contreras.

Six days later we went on to travel 1,561 kms (970 miles), made 8 fuel stops at a cost of $3,450 pesos, spent $314 pesos on tolls, and slept 48 nights until we returned to Villa Corona, one day shy of seven weeks on February 7th. Our total cost for camping was $6,600 pesos with an average then of $137.5 pesos per night. Not bad - at about $11 Can. per night. Of the 48 - four nights were free. 

Here's our route map.

Highlights?

Well, that's tough - it was a darn good trip wasn't it? No issues - well except for the fridge of course. I keep forgetting to mention (and forgot to answer Mark who asked specifically) that our fridge is great - no further issues after Troncones. Who knows what the problem was - the only two things that changed were the elevation - we came down from very high to sea level very quickly - or the low electricity levels at the restaurant in Troncones coupled with the very high heat there.

Since Derek isn't here to ask - I'm here at the Chimulco office area using their wifi - I will have to speak for myself. First and foremost would be our time at Hacienda Contreras - we met friends we had never met in person - fellow bloggers - and we made new friends. It was fun place to celebrate Christmas - we felt at home.

After that - Patazcuaro for sure and our two nights at Zapote de Tizupan. Don't get me wrong - it was all fun and choosing the best parts is akin to choosing your favourite dessert - but in the end, great family memories were made at these two places - I will never forget them.

We are here now until February 27 when we will leave VC back down to the beach continuing our course northward. We'll be another month in Mexico planning to cross back into the USA March 27.

Anyway, that's that.

Thanks to everyone for your concern for our health. We are doing much better and dare I say on the mend. We all had the flu. Nothing particularly Mexico related. Derek and Cassia picked it up in Zihuatanejo - most likely do in part to the sheer number of people and contacts there and the fact that there is a high amount of fly in tourists - Canadians and Americans bringing the flu virus with them.

I didn't pick it up until we arrived at Villa Corona. We are really just dealing with the lingering effects of nasal congestion and coughing. Don't those two seem to go on forever?!!!!! We don't much like taking medications and so perhaps these things hang around with us longer. Other than feeling bad it doesn't matter much - we don't have anywhere to go or anything to do. We've been keeping close to the van - reading, sleeping and watching videos - we've been enjoying that part of it.

Derek did come to the end with his coughing on Friday though, so we headed into VC to pick up some produce and to also see if we could find a doctor. We stopped in at the Farmacia at the plaza - the two men there directed us to Dr. Ciro just down the street.

We rang the bell, waited for about ten minutes and were then invited through this door. I thought it would be a bit cheeky to ask to take pictures so I didn't. But behind this very rustic wall is a VERY modern medical office with all the electronic gadgets and gizmos. Dr. Ciro didn't speak English but he got the idea pretty quick about Derek's problem. He listened to his chest and did the regular checking and then sat down to write out a prescription.

We thanked him - paid $250 pesos and left. Now, how is THAT for service - no appointment - no long wait  -- in - out - 20 bucks - done.

We then went back to the Farmacia to see what the Dr. had prescribed.

The Pharmacist was also very friendly. He started laying out the items - there were four in total. We recognized cough syrup and another chest clearing tablet - both of those we have and had tried. Derek was after the heavy duty stuff - penicillin. The pharmacist didn't have one of the items - which turned out to be the penicillin. He told us - or we THOUGHT he told us, to come back at 5:00 pm to pick it up. 

So, while in town we decided to visit the taco ladies again. Remember the taco ladies from back in December? Another visit was way past due!

We waited in the plaza for a table.

Then we made swift work of getting to the empty table. 

Poor Andrea - she had left the table but was still waiting for food. Once we sat down she wasn't sure where to go so we invited her to sit with us. Very cute girl with a soft nature. We managed to ask her name and that we were from Canada - which produced very large eyes - and that was about it. We did ask her mom her age - she is eight - nine in May.

We stuffed ourselves with quesadillias, taquitos and enchiladas paired with 7up and atole. 

We'll be back.

As we were walking across the lawn on the Chimulco grounds back to the van Cassia noticed this tree.

Here's a closer look - don't want to get to close - ouch!

At 4:45 pm Derek left to head back to downtown VC to the Farmacia. Imagine his surprise to find it was closed when he arrived at about 5:00 pm. No penicillin. By Saturday he wasn't sure if he needed it so we didn't go in - by Sunday he figured he did but we decided it might be closed. Tomorrow is Monday - perhaps we'll try again - or maybe not.

Over the last few days about six rigs have left but today was busy with three new arrivals - Quebec, Quebec, Saskatchewan.

Busy last week and this weekend here at the park, near as we can tell it must have been a holiday for the kids with Ash Wednesday last week.

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: I haven't been spending all that much time on line these days so my internet cruising is way way way down. But here's a neat link that my sister forwarded - I took a quick look - some seem interesting and some downright yuk - what do you think -- 34 Insanely Simple Two - Ingredient Recipes.

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