Another quick trip to La Noria

Friday a.m. another foggy morning

We’ve been on the road 129 days now – I’m starting to get antsy to get home. But probably will just complain about the weather when we get there. They are getting a lot of rain.
Wednesday we started out the day by going across the street to the big Torres Hotel and having breakfast in their ocean side dining room. Good food and nice views. It is always amusing to watch the tourists taking advantage of the pool side lounges. It was not really warm in the morning, I had on a light weight jacket, but a lot of them were out there “working on their tans – by gosh.” Guess if you’ve only got a week to get one you best get at it. And while we were eating there was a ladies exercise class in the pool. Made me think about how lazy I am getting. When we get home I’ve got to get busy and do something constructive for my poor old body.
The hotel grounds are beautiful all kinds of interesting plants. This is in the parking lot -a tree that has been shaped like a bird – Bill says it looks like a chair to him – but then what is the birds head with beak doing in a chair?

After eating we drove inland to La Noria. The little town where the major business is leather work. Bill wanted to let the guys there know about the tannery he found in Guadalajara with the good prices.
It is only about 25 miles from the RV park but the temperature was 20 degrees warmer – over 90 there.
First we stopped at the saddle makers

And visited with him a while – since last time we were here he has aquired a little doggy – little being the operative word. He was so cute only two months old.

I want one!

Bill asked if it had any brothers or sisters so we could buy one. Thank goodness he didn't. I want a tiny puppy but I really don't want to be responsible for taking care of it. Kind of like a kid that way.
Then we crossed the street to the shop that makes sandals. Here one of the men is cutting leather into strips for the sandals

A bunch of sandals waiting to be made.

In the front room the owner was working on something I hadn’t noticed before. He was draining the milk out of small coconuts to make purses like the ones hanging in the background..

First the coconuts are drained, then cut in half and the meat taken out. Next tiny holes are punched along the cut edges and then the shells are dried. After drying zippers are sewn between the two halfs and they are painted and lacquered and straps are added.

We watched this man use this foot powered sewing machine – he was doing decorative stitching on a piece for a saddle

And wouldn’t you know Bill found another piece of leather that he wanted but it was an uneven thickness and not very pliable. So back to another old machine to remedy the situation.  The machine is around 100 years old and made by a German company. It has been in use since way before the man using it was born.

A short video of it working - looks like it would be good exercise.

Left La Noria and headed back to Jennie. Later that evening we went to Fat Fish for dinner, ribs of course. Then we stopped at a craft fair set up in a big tent across the street from the restaurant. Interesting things in there but all we bought was a CD of flute music from the Andes. I keep looking at exquisite hand embroidered blouses and dresses but jut can’t justify buying one. I’d be afraid to wear it in case I spilled something on it. And they cannot go in a washer and dryer. All hand care. But I saw one that is still calling my name!
Took a drive along the Malecón to watch the sun go down. No clouds so not real pretty. Then back to RV.
Yesterday it was foggy most of the day. We met Angelica for lunch in the Plaza Machado at Beach Burger and had delicious Italian Chicken Salads. We both love the dressing they use. Bill asked the cook about it and the secret ingredient is sugar! They add sugar to the dressing. Everything is better with sugar and/or butter.
A picture of the newly painted gazebo.

Stopped on the way home for bread at Mega and that was our day.