Hiding out in Puerto Escondido

April 29, 2009

Pat and I are waiting out the passing of the swine flu pandemic in Puerto Escondido. I know it's got to be bad out there when I read that a French airline crew refused to board a flight for Mexico. LOL!

It's tough because we have such limited recreational activities to keep us from getting bored.

But we'll manage.

Pat just keeps working on her CME credits to keep her off of the beach just a few hundred yards away.









It doesn't help matters when we have to reside in this substandard Mexican home.














We hired this certified swine flu virus exterminator and I gotta say we sleep much better at night knowing we are guarded 24/7.






I have been drinking a known swine flu preventative to keep me safe...luckily Mezcal is readily available citywide.

Well if all else fails we can dodge the swine flu virus swarms by jumping in the pool.











Critical Swine Flu prevention tip:
Whatever you do....Don't DO this!

Oaxaca, US visitors, and Swine Flu

April 27, 2009




We meet Ricky and Catherine in Oaxaca city and spent most of the time eating, sitting, walking, talking and doing some shopping. Oaxaca weather was pretty hot but cooled down enough for their visit to Monte Alban, the nearby ruins.





After 3 days in Oaxaca we drove the 150 mile curvy-stretch on Mexican Hwy 131 which took approximately 6.5 hours to get to Puerto Escondido. We all were exhausted, except for the driver who seems to relish the driving.



In Puerto, Bruce and I rented the same house we had stayed in December for part of April and May. Ricky and Catherine had the upstairs apartment and we took the lower floors. It's a perfect setting: beach vistas, walking distance to the beach, to el centro, restaurants, plus our own private pool. A routine started the following day with fresh squeezed orange juice, fresh fruit bowls w/granola y yohgurt, and ended near the pool during or after dinner.

Most of our days passed listening to music, snacking, enjoying a cold beer and chatting poolside under the patio. Time seemed to stop for all of us. We went to Carrizalillo beach and Catherine and Ricky tried surfing. We caught them on camera for their few brief seconds upright on the boards...the remaining photos revealed their lily-white backsides. Lily-white is better than lobster-red.


On Sunday they safely returned to NYC via a twin-engine plane, a Mexican Click and the real-deal Mexicana commercial plane.....and so far no swine flu. Meanwhile, we bravely remain behind savoring all they left behind.










Good times had by all.




We've stayed away from mainstream news media but have read many reports from the internet. It seems this flu is spreading and Mexico is taking the proper precautions and doing what they can within their resources. We had to run errands in el centro and found it busy with the school children dressed in their uniforms (this morning they announced nation-wide school closures). Our visit to Super Che (grocer) revealed all employees wearing masks...I tried to purchase a couple for us but they were out...we're just going to have to take our chances. And this evening the personnel at Hotel Posada, where we play tennis, were wearing masks. In Mexico it's common to see ppl wearing masks if they have colds, so no one seems surprised by so many wearing them now.

My last encounter with a pig was in San Cristobal April 1st.

In our temporary little corner, all is tranquilo and no one is panicking...... a day in the life in Mexico.

San Cristobal to Oaxaca

April 16, 2009


5 y/o nino, burned by boiling water on chest and both arms. He never squirmed, wimpered or fought us as we took care of his wounds. It was his 12 y/o aunt that showed up at Sergio's museo at 9am asking us to come see him.

Our last week in San Cristobal passed quickly. It was “Semana Santa” and the town was alive and active with tourists, musical events and a parade. Sergio and I were busy as usual and had an additional two cases to our already busy days: one 3 year-old that was burned with boiling water (1st & 2nd superficial burn on his chest, arms and hands) and one bed-ridden elderly woman with a superficial bed ulcer. It was a bit sad leaving Sergio and I know he appreciated the help. I plan to return in September with more (and better) supplies that will improve upon the care he is already giving.





We headed to Oaxaca dreading having to go through the Straight of Tehuantepec; only because of the military stops. Sure enough we were stopped and searched near San Pedro Tapanatepec (close to the same place the officer took a “gift” previously). This time we were on to their ploy….which seemed a bit more rehearsed than I recall. We gave smiles and kind greetings as they pulled us over and asked us to get out. The lead searcher came to my door and quickly started rummaging through all the van pockets, nook and crannies. I stayed close to the searcher, watching him while the other men started asking me a bunch of friendly questions, obviously trying to distract me from looking. Bruce was watching another searcher on his side and followed him to the back of the van.
The searcher on my side picked up my camera case, open it, and I could not see what he did afterwards. He went though my purse twice…it was full with nothing important as we kept all our money on our person. After he was out of the way I explained to the two distracters what I had been doing in San Cristobal and grabbed my camera to show them pictures of the burn patients I had recently taken. To my relief the camera was still there. If the searcher took anything it wasn’t important, but one thing was clear: they were searching to take something. He found the mag light and the leatherman, examined them closely, asking “cuanto cuesta” for the mag light. I said not for sale. I don't think they appreciated gruesome photos I was showing them and they quickly let us on our way.

We stayed in Santo Domingo Tehuantepec at an over-priced nice cross-roads hotel that charged an extra 20 pesos for internet use. We thought about sleeping in the van but it was just too hot. We paid handsomely for the air conditioned room and enjoyed a good nights’ sleep after eating at their restaurant (which was excellent..a reminder that we were back in Oaxaca).

The van turned over 100,000 miles on Mexican Hwy 190 from Tehuantepec to Oaxaca. So far since we left Washington State we’ve put over 18,000 miles on the van and with a few repairs here and there, it’s held up well….it’s getting close to half-way through it’s life.

By 230pm we made it to Oaxaca de Juarez (city), easily checked in to our hotel and got comfortable. Our visitors from NYC, my nephew and his girlfriend, arrive on Saturday so we’ll hang out here until next Tuesday, then on to Puerto Escondido.

San Cristobal Warms Up

April 5, 2009

Alcatraz flowers grow wild around San Cristobal.

We're still in San Cristobal and I continue go with Sergio on our daily medical field trips. Some of the new cases that pop up still surprise me: one lady with a 5"X5" full skin defect on the back of her neck, and gentleman with a recurrent kidney tumor (cancerous) extending out from under his ribcage and breaking through the skin. Of course there are stories behind why they wait so long to see someone or why they come to Don Sergio. The museo clinic continues to be busy with the usual lower leg ulcers.

Some villages the young children follow us shyly.

Bruce continues to workout daily and concentrate on building his shoulder back to where it was...and hopefully beyond. The weather has been perfect with occasion rain to liven up the greenery. The nights are so comfortable now that we don't have to layer ourselves in blankets.

Daily Bruce jogs up the steps to the top of this hill in the background, where there is a row of exercise equipment and a climbing wall.

Picnic in Santa Elena, Chiapas

March 26, 2009
When was the last time you laid on the ground looking up at the sky? Today, for me. Sergio took me to a current school project to ck on his mason and compadre worker about 15 minutes outside of San Cristobal. They marked the ground and are in the process of digging a ditch for the foundation. Sergio brought the workers tortillas, queso, jalapenos, and soda for a small picnic. Afterwards, we relaxed in the warm mountain sun. This is where my back rested in the dirt covered in pine needles looking at the sun through the trees.









I have spent almost 3 weeks with Sergio and am getting the complete picture of his mission. His passion is so strong he seems undeterred by any hindrance, from police stops and having to pay mordidas (bribe), or lack of funds for his school projects, he always finds a way. He tells me the most important thing in life is health and education, I couldn’t agree more. There are currently 3 school projects in the works, 2 of them need water systems and of course he has the ongoing medical care that consumes most of his time.





The man is indefatigable…however today I caught him in the rare position of resting during our picnic.





Beautiful large turkeys roam countryside.

Running with the Angel

March 24, 2009

Sergio will be given merit medal Tuesday, March 31st for his humanitarian work in San Cristobal.

I have spent the last two and a half weeks with Sergio Castro of San Cristobal. This tireless humanitarian outruns me! Currently our main cases are 5 severe burn victims and 1 minor burn wound victim. Two of the three of three severe burn patients are well on the mend, however, the scarring is significant. If these burns would have happened in the US these patients would be sent not just to hospitals, but official burn centers. Three have more than 9% body surface area with deep second degree burns and two have been badly electrocuted. One of the electrocuted patients has been left with two and a half toes on his right foot and the other has lost partial function of his right (dominant) hand and the top of his right foot. Although tempted, I will spare the photos as they are shocking.

14 y/o female severely burned by breakage of pot of boiling bean soup. 2nd degree burns to her right face, hand, right breast and both arms have left thick scars. Her upper and lower right eyelid are so scarred disallowing proper opening of eye. Cornea also burned. Sergio searching for physician that can properly correct this disability. This is our saddest case as this girl is severely disfigured.

Sergio still runs his wound clinic in the evening and is asking me to join him more and more at this time. At first it was just the daily field trips but now, my days are completely full. Plus, I’m trying to work on a brochure for him and a new and improved website with the help of my nephew and cousin. I’ve had little time for sight seeing, tennis and working out.

Photo right: Armadillo purses, used to hold seeds during planting. These shells reduce humidity, keeping the seeds fresh for planting.

In addition to the above, Sergio still gives tours through his museum after our evening clinic. It is remarkable what one can learn on these tours, but of course, Sergio has so much experience with the indigenous and the items of the museum are so special since they are gifts from them for his work over the last 45 years. I think tourists are surprised by the richness of his museum behind his non-marked street wall.

Photo right: Indigenous women seem to do more work than men. They tend the fields, herd the sheep, shear the sheep, spin the wool, weave the wool, cook, carry 50lb loads of wood, laundry is done by hand, carry water from wells..the list goes on. When going out to the villages I've stepped back in time 200yrs. I am so grateful to be born in the USA!

Bruce’s shoulder is definitely improving however his neck is still bothersome and some days are better than others. Although he's not to happy to be in this particular cool and cloudy climate (he'd rather be in Puerto), he's sticking out as he knows how important it is for me to be here........what a guy!

San Cristobal, Segundo Vez

March 15, 2009

We are back in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. We were here last November. The city is still as picturesque as before and the indigenous Chiapanecas are still hard at work.

Pat has hooked up with Sergio Castro once more and each day she and Sergio are traveling to the various villages to treat the burn and various wounds of the indians. At the end of the day Pat is "wore out". A term I usually employ after following her around for a day. But if Pat has 3 times the energy that I do then Sergio has twice Pat's energy. Some days Sergio tells Pat that he'll take it from here to let her go rest.

The pictures that Pat takes of Sergio's patients are hard to look at. Some horrible injuries. Sergio is a true angel...and that is exactly what the indians call him.

Sergio and Pat also traveled to a remote indian village this last week to discuss the buiding of a school for children. Not only does he treat their wounds but builds schools also. He is 68 years old.


One hundred eighty-five children of the village of Santa Ana need a 3-room school. Sergio was asked to meet with villagers and school teachers to plan the location and building. In background village leaders are in white wool garb.

Pat and I have been trying to figure out how to help Sergio a little more and in doing so last night I asked him if he had thought about who he might pass his work along to after he was gone. He said without any hesitation that he had about 40 more years of good work left in him. He is an amazing guy.


We will be here for another month before heading to Oaxaca City to meet up with Pat's nephew Ricky and his better-half Catherine.

Hungry Mexican cat...we see many hungry domestic animals in Mexico.

My left arm is getting slowly better with daily exercise. I found a medico terapista to help me here in SC. Jesus applies the electro-therapy pads to my arm and turns up the juice. You are supposed to indicate when you first feel the current then say "Mas"(more) until you feel that it's enough juice. So I keep saying "Mas" about 4 times while he looks at me quizically, knowing that most intelligent people would have "Massed" once or twice. So he leaves me and everything is pretty cool for about 10 minutes but then all of a sudden my left arm muscle, or whats left of it, starts to spasm. I'm thinking that hey this might just fix the whole problem...you know what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...so I stick with another 2 or 3 minutes. Idiot! Pretty soon I relent and call to Jesus..."Jesus, abajo, abajo"(down, down). My arm was jumping around like it had a life of it's own. Anyway it was pretty sore the rest of the day but today I could actually raise it higher than before.