Playa Saladita, Guererro, Mexico, Saturday through Monday night.

We have just spent the past 8 fabulous days with Midge & Dean at their villa (Casa Margarita) in Playa Saladita. Their property consists of a main house, a 2 bedroom/1 bath fully self contained guest house and a swimming pool, with amazing landscaping and even an RV hookup. Winston loved the lawn and slept outside most nights. So much happened, I will recount day by day. Saturday: After settling in, we took a walk on the beach and visited with some norteamericano friends who live close by. Corky and his wife Raquel have beach front property. Corky is a well known champion surfer who, with Raquel run an all-inclusive resort style guest house specialized for the surfing world. On this occasion, they had several guests. Tim, other person we met, is quite a colorful character who is a retired lifeguard, lives alone with the exception of a myriad of animals - horses, donkeys, dogs etc. most of mexican descent, that he cares for. We visited and drank cervezas as we watched the surf and the boys discussed upcoming weather conditions. Afterwards it was back to the casa for some US raised steaks (which Dean had defrosted) and a dip in the pool. Sunday was lazy! We hung out by the pool and then Tom barbequed chicken for dinner. Come Monday morning, we went to Zihua as Dean & Midge are trying to take care of their permanent residency cards for Mexico. Raquel is helping with the translation and red-tape. Tom and I browsed the stores, the municipal market and beach and we met for lunch later at a favorite hangout. We were mindful that our hosts had a very important prior committment at 6pm that evening, to which Tom and I were also invited. The confirmation ceremony for the brother of Gaby, Midge & Dean's gardner/handyman. The confirmation took place in La Saladita at the local Catholic church. I think the whole village was present to witness the confirmation of about 8 of the village's children. Since the church is small and there were so many people, chairs had been put outside to accomodate everyone. We sat outside, thank goodness, since it was hot and humid. The inside of the church must have been stifling. But afterwards we gathered at the home of Gaby's mom for a mexican feast of chicken mole, rice and beans. Delicious. When we left, we were given a container of food that had been simmering on the stove. Iguana in a chile verde sauce! Hmm, maybe Midge and I will let the men try it. What struck me more was the fact that these people who have so little, by our standards, yet are willing to share and are so happy. They play constantly with the children. They sing, rock in hammocks and share what they have in a seemingly stress free environment. There is surely a lesson to be learned. To be continued.