We have spent the last few days trying to buy and install two more solar panels. We have found that we just don;t have enough solar power to keep everything running without starting the engine to charge the batteries every other day. So, we managed to find a solar panel company in Bucerias, a nearby town. I called them and she said that she would be there all day on Wednesday. So we googled the location and figured out which bus to take, and when to get off it. It was only about a 20 minute bus ride and a few block walk. We finally found it, and they were closed! We waited around awhile on the dusty dirt road before an older guy with a cowboy hat came by to ask what we were doing. We managed to use our limited Spanish to find out that Wednesday was a holiday, and that the owner of the store must have forgotten when she said to come by. We went back to the street to catch the bus home, only to find that there were no bus stops on this side of the street. We walked for about a half mile along the street until we finally were able to flag down a bus that got us home. Kind of a wasted morning. The next morning Rich called her again to verify that she was there, and we asked her not to leave until we got there. We took the bus back and got to the store at the proper time, and it was closed! This was starting to get a little annoying. After about 10 minutes, she showed up to finally sell us a couple of solar panels. Luckily, we asked her to give us a ride in her car back to the marina with the panels. One weighs 35 pounds, the other about 10 pounds. They would have been impossible to get on the bus without breaking them.
Now that we have the panels, Rich had to fabricate some sort of mounting for the boat. So on Friday, we found out where Home Depot was and took the one hour bus ride into Puerto Vallarta to get some cash.
I should be under one of those umbrellas,
instead of looking all over Mexico for solar panels!
Home Depot was on the highway along a return bus route. We found some square aluminum stock that Rich could cut and drill for the mounts. Getting the 6 foot long piece of aluminum on the bus was a little interesting with the guitar players and food sellers, but we managed to get it home.
The new panel mounted on the back of the boat.
We were so hungry and tired after the long day that we stopped at the corner roasted chicken store on the walk back to the boat. They sell a complete dinner of a whole roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, rice, salsa, and tortillas for only 88 pesos or about $7US.
This is really two chicken dinners.
Saturdays dinner was at "Tacos on the Street"
Saturday night we decided to celebrate our solar panel installation so we went to our favorite taco place that sells only grilled steak tacos. The tacos are really good and cheap. Afterwards, we went and did a little dancing to a Cuban band that was playing at another local restaurant. Even though this is a little town with dirt and cobblestone streets, there is live music in at least 3-5 restaurants almost every night.
Today, Sunday, was farmers market day. Cathy decided to get her hair cut by a local stylist in front of the live band. This is something you don't see every day. Hundreds of people walking by watching her get her hair cut. The guy did a great job, and we found out that he is a somewhat famous stylist from Jordan. Anyway, it was fun to buy bread and vegetables while she got a nice hair cut.
Is that a worried look?
And the band played on...
Hey Rich, this is French! I am retired now also and making our way South. Currently in Morro Bay waiting decent weather.
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