Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Mexico - Mar./Apr. 2009

Here we are in Mexico again. We crossed the border from Arizona into Mexico for our second major adventure here on 2-18-09. It’s been two years since our first trip where we entered from south Texas, drove through central Mexico to Guanajuato, then west to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, up the west coast and back into Arizona. That trip was about six weeks. This time we are going the opposite direction. We’re traveling south along the west coast, crossing through Mexico City, and back up the east coast into Texas. We plan on about eight weeks for this trip. As usual we don’t have any reservations nor a fixed itinerary but plan each day as we go.

We spent 2 days in Organ Pipe National Monument in Arizona just before crossing. Organ Pipe is on the southern border between Yuma and Tucson. It is full of cactus plants most of which are Saguaros and Organ Pipes. This is a very unique park and well worth a visit even though it is remotely located. We toured the park by car and took lots of pictures of some unique shapes.


March 2, 2009

Our first couple of days in Mexico were uneventful in that we were just traveling to our first destination in Guaymas. This was the destination of an Escapee Club Rally of 50 RV’s that included many people that we know. We had pre-planned meeting our friends there, Richard and Pat, who will be our traveling companions for this trip. We spent a week in Guaymas with the Rally sightseeing and watching the celebration of their Mardi Gras which runs the weekend before Lent through Fat Tuesday. They had parades every day with music and lots of color. One day we went to a mini Sea World and watched sea lions and dolphins perform. Pat even got to swim with the dolphins which made her day.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, our caravan of two motor homes headed south to the beach town of Huatabampito where we spent the night. It would have been nice except that it was very windy there. We did walk the beach and did a walk around town but decided to leave the next day. We went to another beach town further south called Las Glorias and spent a couple of days there as the weather was much better. This is a big shrimp fishing area so we’ve been eating a lot of shrimp. We bought 3 kilos (about 6 pounds) of jumbo shrimp which are in our freezer. Yesterday we moved south again to another beach RV resort at Celestino Gasca which is about 45 miles north of Mazatlan. We met 2 other couples here who were at the Rally. We’re planning to join them tonight and build a fire on the beach.




We are finding as we did before that the Mexican people are friendly and helpful. We have seen police activity on the highway, usually truck inspections, but we have not been hassled at all. One major change that we have noticed was the inspection station for trucks headed north to the US border are thoroughly checking every truck. This has caused a backup of about 5 miles of trucks lined up waiting. There is a new inspection station being built to speed up the process and it looks almost ready to open.

Until the next update - Adios Familia y Amigos - Mike & Donna


March 21, 2009

Hola, Everyone!

We are about to venture into unknown territory to reach Mexico City and then to the Texas border. Much time has been spent getting advice as to which routes to take or NOT to take. Throughout our travels most of the people we have met and seen in the campgrounds and the towns have been Canadians from British Columbia, but some have been from Ontario and even Nova Scotia. The only Americans we’ve encountered have been those who we met at the rally in Guaymas, then at Celestino Gasca and now at Jocotepec. No matter where one wants to go, the discussion usually gets around to the question, “Use the LIBRE or the CUOTA?”. There are good arguments for each. The toll roads (Cuotas or Maxipistas) can be quite expensive especially if there is a free road (Libre) nearby. The Cuotas are like our Interstates as they are more direct and bypass little towns or pueblas on the way. Many RVers do not like to slow down and subject their rigs to the speed bumps (topes or vibradores) which always are found at the entradas and salidas of towns. There is also much more traffic on the Libres as the locals take them. One is sure at some point to have to follow a slow truck or two or three inching along the narrow and curvy roads with no easy or safe way to pass. So, it takes much more time to get places on the Libre. It took us over 6 hours to go about 200 miles; but we were going from sea level from Teacapan to about 4,000 feet elevation near Tequila on roads that had so many switch backs that it reminded us of the drive along Big Sur in CA! On the Cuota we would never had seen a man sitting under a tree talking on his cell phone while his horse grazed on the grass, the portraits of the Lady of Guadalupe painted on rock outcroppings, vendors selling goodness knows what by the inevitable tope, black lava rocks spewed from the volcanoes in the distance, and trucks piled high with sugar cane.

From the flat coastal roads with fields of wheat, corn and chilies we moved to vistas of blue agave and yellow sugar cane as we neared Tequila and Amititlan. A later visit, took us to the Mundo Cuervo distillery complex (producer of the Jose Cuervo brand of tequila) across from the Centro Plaza in Tequila. Because it was Sunday there was a big crowd at the plaza with vendors with balloons, wands with bubble mix, and plastic pull -toys for all the muchachos. A mariachi band played for a motley group of dancers who wended their way around the arched walkways. Because it was Sunday we did not see any production of tequila, but we were taught the ceremony to appreciate the drink, much like the procedures used for wine or bourbon tasting and got a margarita at the end of our tour. Tossing down a shot is not the Mexican way of drinking tequila. The rested or aged tequila, which has an amber color and is to be sipped from small glasses, is quite different from the clear tequila which is used for mixed drinks. We were also introduced to agave nectar or honey. It is touted as being very healthful as even diabetics can partake of it. A vendor was looking for a US distributor. Anyone interested?

We have stayed the past 2 weeks at Roca Azul, a campground on the shores of Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest natural lake which is about 40 miles south of Guadalajara. We now understand why our travel companions, Pat and Richard Belanger, loved their stay here two years ago. The lake is surrounded by mountains, some of which slope dramatically down to the shore. Yellow and orange flowering trees and purple jacaranda are everywhere along with the fuchsia of the bougainvilleas. Three pools, one filled with water from the hot springs found hereabouts, tennis and basketball courts, and a shaded walkway along the lake can keep one occupied in the campground. But there are the towns of Jocotepec, San Juan Cosala, Ajijic, and Chapala, all of which have different personalities and attractions, to explore. Ajijic( (ah-hee-heek ) has a great gringo influence with its many boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. We enjoyed walking along the malecons catching the afternoon breeze in Jocotepec and Chapala, shopping at the local market days, and eating great food at great prices. We have bought pails of raspberries from the fields that surround the campground. Imagine a gallon of raspberries for under $2!

On our arrival to Roca Azul we were invited along with 18 others to come to a farewell dinner for one of the Canadians at a restaurant in San Juan Cosala (noted for its thermal spas). The fish tacos and the many ways we enjoyed shrimp (camarones) along the west coast are not as popular here. We thus began to try the different regional dishes offered in the western central highlands:
Chile en Nogada - mild green chilies stuffed with meat and fruit, served with a cream sauce, ground walnuts and cheese.
Birria de Chivo - steamed goat served in ceramic casseroles with chopped avacado, onions, cilantro, salsa and warm tortillas on the side.
Tortas Ahogadas - a baguette filled with chunks of pork then smothered with a searing chili sauce.
Mole - a complex sauce made with nuts, different chilies, spices, and sometimes chocolate to be served over chicken, turkey or pork.

We have gotten more confident about eating in the market places and stands and we are more at ease driving in the bigger cities as in old town Mazatlan and Centro Guadalajara. This may be because we have had more time to try these things than our last time in Mexico. Also, because we have been using our GPS which can tell us where to turn by watching the route on the screen. In Mexico the street names are hard to locate and read quickly if they exist at all.

We went into Guadalajara twice. We rode like sardines packed in with the locals on a high speed bus we boarded across from the Walmart where we parked our car. We ate and shopped at the huge three storied Mercado Libertad. Then we proceeded to view the Orozco murals at Instituto Cultural de Cabanas. The 57 murals painted in 1938-1939 warn of institutions (church and government) that subjugate humanity to cultivate power with images of fire, broken chains, blood and haunting “Star Wars” looking images. We walked up the bustling Plaza Tapatia with stands representing the tequila industry, to the Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, and the Palacio de Gobierno. Inside we came upon a volunteer who explains the history of Guadalajara and the Orozco mural of Miguel Hidalgo. Hildago’s Groto de Independencia launched the 1810 independence movement. (In 2010 Mexico will be commemorating the events of the 1810 and 1910 revolutions ). Since we didn’t have time to hear the history, etc.; he instead told us, in quite colorful language, his opinion of the current governor whose office was across the hall (he hates him). After walking through the Museo Regional de Guadalajara, we had an exciting and rapid taxi ride back to the Walmart. On our second trip we drove to the same Walmart but through a different section of the city than we went previously. (GPS does not know how many one-way streets there are in Mexico). We walked to nearby Parque Agua Azul where we saw parrots, an iguana, butterflies, orchids and The Casa de las Artesanias de Jalisco. It was a museum-like store that sold high quality Jalisco handicrafts. From there we drove to another section of the city to have a meal with a Mexican couple Pat and Richard had met at Roca Azul last year. It was nice to have a conversation with them as they spoke English quite well. The husband, Nick, has a company with 42 employees that sets up computer compatible environments for businesses. We learned that by law after 30 days of work, the employer is responsible to keep paying an employee even after he is no longer needed or is fired. He is grooming his 2 sons to run the business as they are preparing to leave the big city and have a farm with a few cattle to sell for income.

The best conversations we have had were because the other party knew English and we could easily talk back and forth. The owner of the Viva Mexico restaurant in San Juan Cosala told us about the myths of earlier times at Lake Chapala and how he was able after 25 years to have such a good business. He said he learned English from speaking to his customers. A couple from Mexico City, who shared a table with us at the Cuervo margarita bar, gave us more insight on the lack of economic progress in Mexico. We thus have learned much about Mexican life and history. Regrettably, we still are not able to put enough Spanish words together to have a little conversation with many smiling people we encounter on the streets. The young children look at us so intently as they recognize we are different from themselves. On a visit to a local orphanage, it would have been more fun to engage with the children in their games and soothe them if a mishap occurred on the climbing apparatus, other playground equipment, and the many wheeled vehicles and bicycles that were in enthusiastic use. This orphanage is run by three nuns and have about 30 children under their competent charge. Pat and I visited and played while Richard repaired and refitted seats and handle bars on the bicycles and tightened screws on the tables and benches.

We are healthy, happy, tanned and sometimes well rested. Until next time, adios Familia y Amigos.

Mike and Donna

APRIL 1, 2009

Hola Everyone,

Our last update left us at the Roca Azul RV park on Lake Chapala. We left there on March 22 and drove the scenic road south of the lake to the charming town of Patzcuaro. On one stretch we went through several towns one after another so that you could see the Feliz Viaje (Good Bye) sign for one town and the Bienvenidos (Welcome) sign at the same time. We passed a large new building with a heliport outside with the name Driscoll’s. It is a name of the distributor of the raspberries and now the strawberries grown here. Patzcuaro had narrow cobblestone roads lined with buildings of white-washed stucco with brownish red at the bottoms. It gave the jumble of different buildings a cohesive and placid look. We did our usual touring routine of visiting the town plazas, cathedrals, shopping and lunch in a Mexican restaurant. We also visited the “Casa de los Once Patios” (house of 11 patios) where you can watch craftsmen work and buy their handiwork. Patzcuaro is nestled on a hillside next to a large lake where we took a half hour boat ride to the Isla Janitzio. This island is like the top 4 or 5 hundred feet of a mountain sticking out of the water. There is no flat land, no roads and no vehicles but it is covered with homes, shops, restaurants and bars. Only paths and steps lead you uphill where you have to continuously pass shops and restaurants to get to the top. There you are rewarded with the statue of Morelos. If you have any energy left, given the 7000 feet elevation, you can climb the 162 steps inside the statue to the top. Richard and Pat made it to the top but we gave up about half way. At our arrival at the island we were treated to a group of fishing boats who did what could be called a dance as they formed a circle and then gracefully put their huge butterfly nets in and out of the water as they recreated how they once fished here.

After a few days in Patzcuaro we drove about an hour to Morelia, a city of about 600,000. Morelia does not have any RV parks so we pulled into a Wal- Mart and got permission to spend the night in their parking lot. We spent the rest of the day exploring this colonial city by car, on foot and a tour bus (unfortunately the guide only spoke Spanish). We were impressed by the central square and the cathedral as well as the no longer used aqueduct which crosses part of the city supported by 253 arches.

The next morning we headed for Pepe’s Hotel & RV Park in Tepotzotlan. We haven’t talked much about our experiences while driving but we had an incident enroute that is worthy of mention. As you can probably imagine, driving a 40 foot motor home towing a car on these narrow roads is one thing but going through the small towns with narrow streets can be an adventure. We entered one town which appeared on the map and GPS to be a straight through drive. What we didn’t know was that the road through town split into two opposing one-way streets and we wound up going the wrong way. Most small towns use traffic cops (they’re cheaper than signals) and this was no exception. These cops saw our dilemma, knew that we couldn’t turn the tight corners and started diverting traffic so that we could continue through town. We were then committed to driving the entire way through town going the wrong way on a one-way street. The on-coming traffic just moved to the side like this was no big deal. We made it with no problems and note this as an example of how helpful the people and the police are. We later arrived at Pepe’s which is our base for exploring Mexico City about 30 miles south. We were advised not to try to drive into the city because of heavy traffic and crazy drivers (as we later observed, it is no worse than Los Angeles), so we decided to take a taxi into the city, stay in a downtown hotel for 2 nights and then a taxi back. Pepe’s is a very nice, modern and secure facility, so we were not concerned about leaving our RV’s there. The staff also made our hotel reservations for us.

CIUDAD de MEXICO

What image do you have of Mexico City? We had an image; all the bad things we heard about. It is probably the largest city in the world with an estimated population of 20 million (nobody knows for sure) and including the towns that make up the urban sprawl an estimated 32 million. With that many people, Mexico City must have everything bad that can exist in a city. After spending 3 full days exploring the city we have a new image. Mexico City may be the most beautiful city that we have ever seen. Even at 8000 feet elevation the city is surrounded by mountains. The downtown and central district has many large parks and plazas with beautiful landscaping and big old trees everywhere. The main boulevard is the Paseo de los Reforma which has 10 or 12 lanes and three wide tree lined dividers. It must be about a full block to cross it. There are many other wide boulevards and Grande Traffic Circles with statues, monuments and/or fountains in the centers. Architecture is a mixture of the colonial buildings over 300 years old and modern office buildings and skyscrapers, however the old buildings and cathedrals dominate the scene. We expected wall to wall people but it was really not that crowded. We expected it to be dirty but it was unbelievably clean. We expected to see poverty but saw very little of it. We maintained an awareness of possible crime but never felt we were in any danger. And topping it all off are the people. They are so friendly and helpful. If you ask directions they don’t just point the way, they lead you there. The exception is when they drive they become very aggressive. Being a pedestrian is the most dangerous thing in Mexico City.

We took our taxi into the city early Saturday morning, went directly to the hotel and were checked in by about 9AM. We decided to take the double deck (open seating on top) tour bus which had headphones for English narration. The bus followed a big circle of the attractions with about 20 stops where you can get off and catch a later bus. We got off at the museum of anthropology where we spent a few hours but spent the rest of the day making the circuit on the bus to get a feel for the city.

The next morning (Sunday) Richard and Pat planned to go to the Shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe. We wanted to do some other things so we decided to split up for the day. With the help and encouragement of a friendly man in the hotel lobby, we bravely set out on our own to explore Mexico City using the subway and light train system. Even though we had maps and train routes, it was a bit intimidating. In fact we got on the wrong train the first time and had to come back but we soon mastered the system. The subway system needs some comments here. We don’t know if this is new or renovated but everything looks new and modern. The trains and stations are absolutely spotless and clean - no graffiti. The train cars are guided by rails but ride on rubber tires. The ride is smooth and quiet. The cars are connected by rubber bellows that allow people to walk through from car to car. There are a few seats for the disabled but mostly it’s standing room only. They can be crowded in the central district but it thins out in the outskirts. It’s not uncommon to have vendors and musicians coming through looking for sales or handouts. The cost to ride is 2 pesos (about 14 cents). As someone said “For 2 pesos you get transportation, entertainment and a massage”.

Our day started with a visit to the Zocalo (Plaza de la Constitucion) second in size only to Red Square in Moscow. We visited the Palacio Nacional whose front fills the entire east side of the Zocalo. This is the office of the President of Mexico and various other government offices. The walls of the second floor around the courtyard are adorned with dramatic murals by Diego Rivera depicting the history of Mexico City from ancient times. We also saw the chamber where parliament meets. Next on the north side of the plaza we visited the main cathedral which is most notable for its massiveness. We saw Aztec dancers on the square next to the Templo Mayor where it is thought to be the exact spot where the Aztecs considered the center of the universe. A line of people with offerings of herbs and flowers awaited the blessing of smoke and incantations of a healer or priest in Aztec garb. We were having lunch on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Zocalo when the bells of the cathedral began ringing. We could actually see the bell ringers pulling the ropes on the many bells situated on several levels of the towers. This, along with the sound system being tested at the huge stage erected in the plaza, gave a cacophony of sound for 15 minutes until noon when the bells tolled the hour. Sunday was the last day of a month-long Festival de Mexico and el Centro Historico. Some streets were shut down on Saturday for special events and concerts. We had our picture taken in front of a replica of Le Angel which will travel around the world to herald the 2010 celebration of Mexican Independence.

After visiting the Palace of Fine Arts and viewing the city from the 44th floor of the Torre Latinoamericana, we went to Xochimilco. This network of canals flanked by gardens is a reminder of the city’s pre-Hispanic history when a great lake became a city from piled-up vegetation and mud. We were poled along the tranquil but yet very festive waterways, jammed with other gaily decorated trajineras (gondolas) with families and friends or just romantic couples. Mariachis, marimbas, and vendors offering beer, roasted corn, toys among other stuff hovered along side adding to the party atmosphere.

Altogether we rode about 50 miles on the subway, about 30 miles on light trains and a couple of miles each by bicycle taxi and on foot. A pretty grueling day but we got a lot done. Monday we returned to Pepe’s by taxi and rested up the rest of the day. We plan to leave Pepe’s on Thursday and start heading north to Texas. Until next time - Mike & Donna

NOTE

A few of our “Update” readers have replied to our last update expressing a concern for our safety. We have not heard or seen any news since we left Arizona but apparently there must be some bad news going on about Mexico. Whatever it is must be overblown as it is not apparent to us. We feel as safe or maybe even safer than in the US. Also there were questions about how we find our way around. We have a Mexico map book which has highway and city maps and we also use a Garmin GPS with a Mexico update. We would also not be without Mike & Terri Church’s book “Camping in Mexico”. This book is the “bible” for anyone RVing in Mexico as it describes almost every campground in great detail. Also many WalMarts and Pemex Stations allow free overnight RV parking.


April 7, 2009

Hola, Everyone!

We are now back in the U.S. spending a few days in a little town, Donna, in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

Our last days in Mexico went fast. Raphael, our favorite and only taxi driver, took us to Teotihuacan to see the Pyramid of the Sun, the world’s third largest pyramid (number one and two being in Egypt). It is touted as the number-one tourist draw in Mexico; but it did not rate that high with us. None of us had the energy or desire to climb to the top of the pyramid or walk the whole route to the Pyramid of the Moon. The most impressive part of our visit was the large scale-model of the greatest city in ancient Mexico under a transparent walkway in the museum, from where we could still see today, the Sun pyramid through a wall-sized window. The tour book was correct when it said it would be exhausting to fend off all the indefatigable hawkers. One hawker won the battle and sold us 10 clay turtle whistles.

Our plan was to take Mex 85, the old Pan American Highway north to Texas over the backbone of the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. We would have to look for a Pemex for our first night as we knew we would not be able to reach the first campgrounds listed on this route. We made better time than we thought as the short cut we took turned out to be a much better road than expected. After lunch the mountains became MOUNTAINS big-time! They rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell like a continuous row of letter Ms. The road would run along one side of a canyon till the end, then run back on the opposite side. The scenery was spectacular. Little towns could be seen perched on neighboring mountainsides or in the deep valleys below us. Cows, burros, pigs, and chickens roamed at will along the roadside.

At one place a group of school girls began waving at us very energetically and then a woman waved and yelled something which sounded like, No Passable!, No Passable! We got off the road to find that the road ahead was blocked by a car and grass fire. We watched as people from the nearby houses took barrels of water, hoes, and rakes in the back of pickups up to the fire. In a short while we were able to proceed due to the work of these people. Later we saw the police and ambulance coming the other way from the not-so-near town with these services. These are self-reliant people, accustomed to taking care of the unexpected. Road construction is signaled by the waving of red shirts or blocking off where autos shouldn’t go by placing rocks in the way.

At 3:30 we came upon a Pemex , but thinking it was a little tight, we elected to go on as there were some towns ahead. But, in each of them, we saw nothing on the narrow main road and no space to park to explore the side streets for an overnight parking spot. In the mountains, flat space is valuable and it was already being used. No empty lots. At 5:30 we finely found a flat space on the side of the road leaving the town of Tamazunchal in front of a couple of residences, a muffler shop and beer bar. A gentleman on his way to the bar took Mike & Richard to the police station to check out parking and later explained our situation to the nearby residents. Even though no English was spoken, we were able to communicate with each other. Everybody agreed that we were welcome to stay the night. We later joined our new friends in the bar for cervezas and music. There was electricity in the bar but no electricity or water in the shacks that were near the RV’s. The water was brought in buckets from a communal well down the road. We were told we only had 40 miles of the slow-going steep roads ahead. Whew!

We left at daybreak, as promised, so we wouldn’t be blocking access to the muffler shop and what also might have been a local bus stop. We were descending and driving through part of the northernmost tropical rain forest in North America known as the Huasteca. This area offers waterfalls, swimming holes, whitewater galore, caves, and miles of unexplored back roads. We were satisfied with viewing the tropical vegetation and the many fruit and flower stalls along the road. Later, there were very big and prosperous looking ranchos. As we approached Ciudad Victoria, we had traversed many barren mesas. There seemed little to offer us here, other than electricity and a night in a RV park.

The next day like trail horses on their way back to the barn, sensing the border was within range, we drove straight to the Los Indios border crossing with only a stop at a Pemex to get rid of all our remaining pesos. It took us about 1½ hours to turn in our Mexican vehicle permits and visas and go through US border security. Pat and Richard elected to go to Pharr, TX as they wished to attend mass at the San Juan Basilica the next morning. We elected to stay closer to Progresso, Mexico as we wanted to visit the dentist there. By 7:00PM on April 4, 2009 we were watching our first TV news show in 2 months. What was the top news---recent shootings in New York and Pennsylvania and a review of all the shootings so far in March. The US must be a dangerous place to travel.

Los Vemos,
Mike & Donna

Disneyworld - Jan./Apr. 2008

WALT DISNEY WORLD
January 15, 2008

Hi Everybody,

After a 5 month pause in the travel updates of Mike & Donna, we have decided, by popular demand, to resume the updates. The months of August through November were spent in Arizona and California mostly visiting family and friends with side trips to Las Vegas and Death Valley. In late November, after Thanksgiving with family, we decided to take advantage of an opportunity to work part time at Walt Disney World (WDW). We called them to confirm everything and then headed to Florida.

Friends had recommended Rainbow Chase RV Resort which is about 10 miles SW of Orlando, a convenient location for commuting to WDW. This is a small resort (about 100 RVs) but very nice and friendly. We attended a Christmas dinner provided by the owner and also participated in a golf cart Christmas parade around the park. We think we will enjoy being here for the 2 or 3 months we’ll be in Florida.

We had 3 days of Disney training before Christmas when our training had to be suspended. There were no trainers available during the very busy time from Christmas to New Year’s Day. We were asked to work during that week in low skilled jobs like greeters and crowd control. We worked 4 days that week including the night shift on New Year’s Eve. That enabled us to see and participate in the midnight show of spectacular fireworks. We were assigned a location that was in the very center of this fireworks show that completely encircled the park. Never have we seen such a lengthy display of such magnitude, with so many multi-colored unusual formations! It would have been a lot more fun if we were not so sick. We both came down with a bad cold right after Christmas which we are still fighting.

After New Year’s we resumed our training which is to operate three attractions in TomorrowLand: Astro Orbitor (rockets going around in a circle), Transit Authority (people-mover) and Stitch’s Great Escape! (animated special effects show). We have finished this training and are now working regular duty. Our training included not only the technical and safety steps in operating these attractions, but also stressed how to give guests excellent service by encouraging us to create surprises and Magical Moments. We also are trained to turn bad experience into a positive like giving a guest who has lost a balloon a complementary replacement. We are to acknowledge guests celebrating birthdays, weddings, or little girls who have been turned into Princesses. We originally committed to work 2 days per week but they have scheduled us for 3 days per week. We will try this for awhile before we complain that it is too much.

This is an interesting place to work. There are no “employees” at WDW. We are all “Cast Members” who work “On-Stage” where we play a role using lingo and wearing costumes that fit the assigned location. Our costumes are black, grey and silver costumes that resemble police uniforms. Our boss is a computer which gives us all of our schedules and assignments. There are managers but they only communicate with the computer so we have no human contact with a superior. There are also trainers and coordinators but they get all of their assignments from the computer also. Interesting but very strange!

The variety of people we meet, both cast and guests, are also very interesting . We encounter thousands of people per shift from all over the world. It’s rare to have a conversation because of time constraints, but we do have enough interaction with the guests to get a feel for their attitudes, behavior and other cultural aspects. When we are “Off-Stage“, we talk with college students from South America and China who work here and get college credits. We see Cinderella, Goofy and other characters in different stages of undress in the tunnels connecting the different sections of the park and in the Mouseketeeria.

Our cast member status allows us free access to all WDW parks and attractions. We have not taken advantage of this yet because of our illness. Now that we are feeling better we will get out and do the things we came to Florida to do. We are also looking forward to seeing another shuttle launch in early February.

WE WISH YOU AN INFINITY OF ADVENTURE, GOOD FORTUNE, AND HAPPINESS IN 2008!
Mike & Donna

GOODBYE TO MICKEY & MINNIE
April 6, 2008

Yesterday was our last day on the job at Disney World. Due to our part time, seasonal status; it was not necessary for us to quit. We applied for and received ongoing, unavailable status which allows us to continue to be employees for the remainder of 2008. That means that we will continue to have the benefits such as free access to any Disney park worldwide for ourselves and friends. It also means that we can return to work at any time during the year if we so desire.

When we originally applied to Disney they required us to verbally commit to working two days a week for two months (due to the training required). We found that 8 hour days were a bit strenuous for us (mostly on our feet) so we applied for and got three 6 hour days a week. This was much easier.

Our shift hours were exactly the same but we didn’t see much of each other during the day. We were trained to operate three attractions in Tomorrowland which resulted in 15 different working positions. Every 20 or 30 minutes we would rotate from one position to another which kept us proficient in all positions and made it more interesting. We stayed on the job for almost 4 months which was probably a little too long. Although we enjoyed the experience, there was a lot of physical work and responsibility which was a bit wearing at the end (after all we are retired).

On the plus side, the experience was extraordinary. We have been in large crowds before but we never interacted with large numbers of strangers. We have lived our whole lives interacting with a close circle of friends, family and business acquaintances. A workday at Disney involved interaction with hundreds of people from all over the world. Every day on the job resulted in different experiences. After every shift we would sit and tell each other stories about our different experiences. Some of those stories would make us laugh and some would make us angry. We could write a book about the insight we have gained into the human species.

Our Disney training helped us to handle angry or distraught guests. It’s called immediate guest recovery. We were allowed at our discretion to give away free passes and vouchers for items up to a value of $25. This worked most of the time but not always. Guests take their anger out on the nearest cast member and it is up to us to handle it the best we can. Donna always did a good job of this but Mike lost his cool a couple of times and yelled back (Disney would not approve). Donna was also very talkative with the guests and especially with the children. Give her a microphone in front of a crowd and she turns into a showman, adlibbing along with the spiel. Her weakness was in handling the switches and buttons for the attractions where she made a few boo boos. Mike on the other hand was good with the switches and buttons, but not very innovative with friendliness and spiels.



Another interesting part of the Disney experience is how it operates as a business. Under the Magic Kingdom is an unseen underground city which supports the whole operation. Cast members are not allowed to use park services such as rest rooms, restaurants or stores. In fact they’re not even allowed to leave their work area. A Tomorrowland uniform in Fantasyland would destroy the magic. Cast member services are all underground or “back stage” as they call it. There are numerous stairwells and tunnels to get “on stage” so as to minimize cast members from mingling with the guests. Most of the support for the park such as food service, maintenance, staging areas for parades and etc. takes place underground. Employees arrive for work by bus from the parking lot to the underground tunnel entrance, all unseen by the public. It is an amazing display of logistics and extensive computer use.

Now that we have ended this memorable experience we will be slowly making our way north to visit family and friends in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New England. Best wishes to all.

Mike and Donna

Mexico - Feb./Mar. 2007

Mexican Update #1

We have been in Mexico a full two weeks and are still alive and well. Here is a list of the towns that we have visited on one day tours so far: Saltillo, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende, Leon and we are presently on the outskirts of Guadalajara which we plan to tour this weekend.
Each town has its own history, character and charm but of all the places we visited so far Guanajuato is the most fascinating and our favorite. We camped near the town of Guanajuato for a full week and therefore got to visit there several times.

Guanajuato is a silver mining town and 200 years ago it produced 40% of the world’s silver. This made it one of the richest towns in the world at that time which resulted in a building boom. It has very elaborate churches, hotels, haciendas and other structures built in that era. The town is nestled in a small irregular valley surrounded by steep mountains. It has grown to completely fill this valley and up the sides of the hills as far as it is practical to build (and then even a little more). There are no parallel streets in this town. The surface streets run in all directions and make many small turns. There are many plazas surrounded by small stores and sidewalk restaurants. It has a very European look to it. In addition to the surface streets there are 6 miles of roads in underground tunnels right under the town. Some of these were originally mines that have been expanded upon. They are traveled just like the surface streets with intersections and sidewalks and stairs to the surface.

We ventured into town one evening with 2 other couples for a fine dining experience. We went to the San Diego Hotel second floor restaurant. It had an old world atmosphere with tables extending out on balconies overlooking the plaza below. We had an excellent dinner for a reasonable price. The table next to us had 3 Mexican businessmen who were entertaining 3 foreign businessmen. They hired an 8 man string only mariachi band to come to their table and play and sing for about an hour. Of course we had the benefit of this entertainment and we expressed our thanks when it was over. This resulted in a very interesting conversation among the 12 of us. We then walked around the plaza at night and watched the people, lights and atmosphere. The whole evening in a word was “Magical”.

Now it’s on to touring Guadalajara and then continuing to Puerto Vallarta. We will send additional updates when we can get internet access. Mike & Donna

Mexican Update #2

Hola,

The end of our third week in Mexico finds us in Mazatlan where we just arrived last night. Since our last report we have toured Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico, looks like a U.S. city except that all of the signs are in Spanish. It has noise, traffic congestion and millions of people. We sat in the open upper deck of the tour bus which gave us a good view of everything and we visited a lot of historic places. It is an interesting city but not memorable. Puerto Vallarta is a resort city, very crowded and touristy . There were 2 cruise ships at the dock which put a few thousand Americans on the streets. The food and service was very good but everything is more expensive in this city. English speaking Mexicans are common here which is not true for the rest of Mexico we have visited. Again, an interesting city but not memorable.

We also camped right on the beach in a couple of small towns along the coast (Las Varas and San Blas). These are much more interesting than the cities. Nobody speaks English and you get much more of the “flavor” of Mexico. We like this part of Mexico much better than the resort cities.

We are beginning to get a feel for life in Mexico. It is totally different from what we expected or were led to believe. If Mexico is a third world country, then the world is in pretty good shape. The cars are mostly newer models; you could not tell U.S. streets from Mexican streets by the age and model of the cars except maybe for Beverly Hills. People are mostly well dressed (much better than American tourists), they shop in malls, department stores and super markets, some of which would put their American counterparts to shame. Just as in the U.S. there are significant areas of poverty but Mexico has a large, thriving middle class. We met several Mexicans who had lived illegally in the U.S. only to return for a “better life”.

Driving in Mexico is no worse than driving in L.A. Mexican drivers are aggressive (for many reasons) but courteous. The key is to slow down. The roads are not great but there are worse roads in the U.S. We have not had a problem driving anywhere we wanted to here, however we do not travel at night. The roads are not fenced and the retained surface heat attracts cows and other animals. Some of these are deposited on the roadside by trucks that do travel at night.

The insight we have gained from this experience cannot be adequately explained in a brief email but we hope this will give a snapshot of our impressions. Until our next update, buenos dias amigos. Mike & Donna

Mexican Update #3

Hola from Alamos, Mexico,

That is our present location. Alamos is a small mining town east of Navojoa which is near the northern west coast. This is a charming old town and has a lot of history but it cannot compare with Guanajuato.

In our last update we had just arrived in Mazatlan which turned out to be another touristy city. After leaving Mazatlan we separated from the group of 4 other motor homes we were traveling with (they had earlier deadlines to get back to the U.S.). Since then we have been traveling alone for the first time in Mexico. That is not a problem but we miss our newly made friends.

Our next stop was El Fuerte, a starting point for the Copper Canyon railroad. Copper Canyon is the Grand Canyon of Mexico and is not accessible by road from the South. We took the 7 hour railroad trip which goes from near sea level to about 7500 feet. It was a very dramatic train ride with switchbacks, climbing loops, many tunnels and straight down views. The long ride was made more comfortable with access to a lounge car and a dining car. We wound up buying a tour package with 2 nights in Creel and one in Posada Barrancas. It included the train, hotels, meals and tours. Everything was really well done. We think the canyon views are comparable to the Grand Canyon. We really did enjoy the Copper Canyon experience as well as the town of El Fuerte. Our next stop is the beach town of San Carlos near Guaymas and after that, who knows. Hasta La Vista! Mike & Donna

Mexican Update #4

Greetings from Yuma, Arizona!

The final leg of our Mexican adventure took us to the west coast beach towns of San Carlos and Bahia Kino. They are both well known destinations for U.S. and Canadian Snowbirds (RV’ers who spend the winter there). They both have beautiful beaches and many RV parks along the beach. San Carlos is in a particularly beautiful setting with rocky hills near the coast and out in the water. Mike is not a beach person but Donna romped in the water a few times. We were surprised to see how many Mexicans came to these beaches; families on vacation and teenagers to “party”. They slept in tents on the beach or in their cars. We happened to be in Bahia Kino on a weekend that had a Mexican concert of some kind and the place flooded with teenagers. It was like a “spring break” atmosphere. The road along the beach was clean and neat on Saturday. Sunday morning it looked like a hurricane hit; it was covered with trash, beer bottles and etc. Things didn’t get quiet until about 4:30 Sunday morning.

We had planned on visiting one last beach town, Puerto Penasco, but we had to scratch that because of a tire failure. We got back on the road with the help of several Mexicans and a used tire that was almost the right size. Because of the mismatched dual tires, we decided to take the shortest distance back to the U.S. which was through Nogales to Tucson. We got some new tires in Tucson and then headed to Yuma. We will stay here at least a week to get caught up on housekeeping, laundry, shopping and etc. then on to California.

This trip has changed our impression of Mexico dramatically. The people we encountered were generally more friendly and helpful than Americans. We never felt we were in any danger. We never got sick. We never felt threatened by the police or the military. We were never cheated out of any money. We will go back to Mexico. Mike and Donna.