Authentic Mexican and Castle Dome

On Tuesday morning, after Janice had completed her fifty laps of the pool, we returned to Algadonez, Mexico, so that Janice could try out some authentic Mexican food from some of the street vendors, outside the tourist area.

Walking, just a block outside the tourist area, we discovered a bakery with all kinds of exotic breads and sweets that we were unfamiliar with. The owner spoke no English. We ended up with two small loaves of the fluffiest white bread I may ever have eaten.

A couple of blocks further and we found four street vendors lined up beside the community park. Only locals were eating there. The first vendor served only beef tacos and, again, spoke no English. The tacos were really good, served with grilled green onions and a grilled Anaheim Pepper - $1.50 each.

Pictured is Janice with her Beef Taco.











Janice was determined to find Head Tacos and she didn’t have to look far because that’s what the third vendor was offering. They are a staple of a Mexcian diet. The whole cow's head is slow-cooked for hours. I was too timid to order one. When I saw him dig around in the pot for a choice piece though, I was pretty sure it was Cheek. It looked good and, when the vendor confirmed it was Cheek, I agreed to try it. Janice hummed all the way through hers. Cost - $1.00.

Back in the tourist area we saw a lineup for a taco stand that was serving Fish or Shrimp Tacos exclusively. We split one of each there, again $1.50 each, and then went back to the familiar Paraiso Plaza to share a shrimp cocktail, accompanied by two Margueritas.

Pictured is Tim at the 'safer' taco stand in Algadonez, tucking into a Fish Taco and, Janice, who couldn’t have been happier, having tried out the real deal in Mexico. The shrimp cocktail is what we’d call Ceviche.












+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Apparently Charlie's Service went very well on Saturday back in North Van. Thanks to my old friend Poppy for delivering our messages for us. I'm told she did us proud. We thought it fitting that we were watching Beatlemania while the service took place.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On Wednesday we took a drive to Castle Dome, which is both a mountain and a ghost town. taking Highway 95, through the US Air Force Yuma Proving Ground, we saw a couple of large explosions. Presumably the Air Force testing munitions. Turning off the 95 at Mile 55, we drove another eleven miles on gravel to the ghost town, which we skipped, saving the $12 entrance fee. We’ve already seen a couple of mining ghost towns. We kept driving up a narrow 4x4 road until we hit a steep wash and decided it was a good picnic spot.

Pictured below are: Some desert cacti, including a Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom, with the Castle Dome in the background and, us at our picnic spot.



















On the way back we turned west, through The Proving Ground, to Martinez Lake. It has been developed so much in the past thirteen years that we didn’t recognize any of the places that we sometimes used to take our Border Collie, Boots, for swims.

Pictured is Janice at Martinez Lake. The Castle Dome is visible way in the background.










In the evening Janice made Thai Turkey Patties and Thai Salad and then neighbours, Ed and Monika from Comox, joined as at the campfire. They have to start the journey home on Saturday.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Our old friend Al Harlowe, from the band Prism, got a nice surprise the other day when the Space Shuttle Crew was wakened by the Prism song, Space Ship Superstar. Congratulations Al. Hopefully it leads to some new-found exposure. And royalties!

+++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm happy to report that, three days after eating at the street vendors outside Algadonez, we're suffering no ill effects...