Cabo, Part 2 -- The Fish Story

Second day...on a fishing boat called a panga skippered by an effusive, arm-waving Italian industrialist who now lives in Los Barriles. Note to self: never get on a small boat with a guy who takes his sport fishing too seriously. Andrew and I caught two 12-15 pound tunas within the first hour of fishing. Then several bites but no real action for a couple of hours. And suddenly I'm locked in this 30 minute death struggle with a type of dolphin known locally as a dorado for its preternatural golden sheen. truth be told it also has strong dashes of red, turquoise green and ice blue. but doradorojoaquaazulado, mercifully, was deemed far to difficult for gringos to pronounce. The fish was so damned strong he nearly tipped me over a couple of times, and actually dragged me from one side of the boat to the other as he struggled to break the line and I simply to hold on and not fall in the Sea of Cortez. We werent using a harness, so the butt of the fishing rod was jammed into that tender flesh north of pubic and south of abs. If you dare, gaze on the picture above, but be warned...the sight of my bruised self is not for the faint of heart. But the fish sure is pretty, aint it? I thought so too and it was a total gift being so close to something so beautiful and powerful. Even as the noble beast was chewing through the fishing line. Ah, but not our obsessive Captain Guido Ahab...nope not him. Ive never seen a grown man so pouty and disappointed in broad daylight. I think he was mad at me, but he was also shaking his fist at the open sea, swearing some sort of unholy vengeance straigh out of a novel. Strange to be sure, but it didnt impact my sense of elation not in the least Im happy to report...

Meditate and Destroy!!!

So get back from Los Barriles in Mejico and found this excellent little gift (from me) in the mailbox. I just love my new Meditate and Destroy t-shirt and all it stands for...to see more about the folks who masterminded this little gem of consumerism check out the Dharma Punx web site:
www.dharmapunx.com

G

Cabo, Part 1-- Dogs and Dozers

Just back from 8 days in a little rustic town about 45 minutes north of San Juan de Cabos called Los Barriles. Yup that means The Barrels for hapless gringos and gringas like us. Its a sleepy little place, formerly the exclusive haunt of red-faced, big-bellied fisherman hell-bent on wholesale slaughter of marlin. Nowadays its more of an adventure travel destination with incredibly lean muscular teens from the US, Brazil, Italy --doing unbelievable things on kiteboards and windsurfers -- sharing the limelight with said rednecks. And then there's the latest generation of American vacation home colonizers, now it's the 40 something year olds' turn to invade Mexico. Ahhh, the joys of a global economic upturn as it trickles down to the Third World...

Los Barriles is rampant with new residential and commercial building, road construction, street paving and general mayhem all done in the name of civic beautification and the almighty gringo greenback. Amen. Amen. Streetlights are even going up on the main streets where you wouldnt have seen a thing at night previously if not for the accidental neon burnish of a few tourist bars and restaurants. And most telling of all there are slightly bemused workers painting crosswalks on streets. Unfortunately, the behaviors of local drivers haven't caught up to the good intentions of Los Barriles bureaucrats...no one actually stops when youre in the supposed safety of the hash marks. Which phenomenon I learned the hard way...

And such hard-won wisdom isnt confined to yours truly. The stray dogs or "pie dogs" (as they say in Asia) laze about the streets and sidewalks in search of shade. Some of the large bullying breeds actually snooze in the streets or even in the freshly minted crosswalks, daring pedestrians and drivers alike to make them move. Which they generally do with souped up pickups bearing down on them. Yes, my friends, all is well in Los Barriles, and everything is as it should be. Same as it ever was, same as it ever was...

Footprint

My boy from LA...

...is visiting Sydney
he loves Brooklyn
He looks hot in long hair
his scent is instinct
(and mine is desire)

you haven't lived until you have had an English lad, with moves on and off the grass.
I would rip the shirt off his back be it 7 or 23 and like to get my hands on his balls.
mark of this man is his curve.

yes yes yes! Bend me Beckham!

There you have it. Yes he is here!

I wasn't able to get my hands on a ticket but thank God for TV, I couldn't tear myself away lest I miss a moment. My eyes followed 23. It is the first time I have seen LA Galaxy play, the word that comes to mind is "appalling" and the sentence that comes to mind is "Becks, find a European club". Just so I don't paint all players with one stroke of paint, Donovan in his true to being "the best US born player the country has produced" style came in with 2 mins left and scored beautifully to salvage their scoreboard to reflect a decent 5:3 loss to the Sydney Football club.

Who said it was about the game, its always the boy!

Weeding By Example

I love this kid and what he stands for...

http://neworleanscitypark.com/volmowron.html

and the NPR story:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11654614

Efficient Races to Victory

It is only 10pm some would say, isn't it a tad too early to head home? Usually yes but not when you have been drinking champagne since 1pm. You read correctly, I was told the whole nation comes to a standstill on the first tuesday in November, and they sure as hell were telling the truth. It is Melbourne Cup Day today - put it very lucidly, the ENTIRE nation stops to gamble and watch a five minute horse race that starts at 3.05pm and then continues to drink. I just walked home and the pubs and restaurants were still buzzing.

I have to congratulate the Australians for actually being able to stop on a work day - beginning of the week no less, to indulge themselves in a tradition that goes back 150 years. It is a public holiday in the city of Melbourne. Gambling and drinking are the words of the day. Our version of something that stops the nation, no not a democratic win, it's Super Bowl Sunday. We are so conditioned to feel guilty when we let go that our indulgences can only happen over a day of rest. There is no way we would dedicate a day when the stock market is in motion to drink copious amounts of champagne and watch a thoroughbred horse race or sweaty men throw a ball around with their hands (and call it football).

I needed to redeem myself from all that bringing the aussies and their way of life down when I first moved here. And so as much as my religious beliefs prohibited me from gambling I indulged, yes, all $7 of it. The rest of it I put towards Champagne, Tequila, Jack and eye watering Thai food (you read correctly, authentic Thai red chillies do that to you) - one of the best dining experiences I have had thus far since I have been here.

I have not watched a horse race before and never this closely. The winner jockey was ways away trailing in the back and magnificently worked from the insides and beat the front runner by three quarters of a length. A beautifully orchestrated finish indeed!

Off the field it was couture carnivale. While the ladies flaunted their hats and fascinators, stilettos and fabulous cocktail frocks, the aussie men were not behind donning their tops and tails and dapper suits to prove that they too have what it takes to participate in field fashion.

And...life will go back to the way it was on Monday, although the drinking continues no matter what day it is, that is Australia!