Hurricane Hunter making the rounds

May 15th is the start of the Pacific season

They are in Cabo right now and should be in Vallarta next week. Shortly after that they'll be at the Manzanillo airport (ZLO). They have an open house in each city they visit .... but we went a few years ago and the line was a mile long and mostly in the sun. 

That plane flew through the heart of Hurricane Patricia last year and recorded it as the most powerful on record. Just over a month for the Pacific season to start and Atlantic starts the 1st of June.

Five days without Internet

....... and you can get a lot done around the house

Last Friday my Telcel Modem gave me notice that the SIM card was invalid or did not exist. This SIM was almost 4 years old and was on it's third modem. I have a monthly contract so can't just go buy another because I have to use the same number.  I thought maybe a local Telcel store could help somehow but no, it would require a trip to Manzanillo. 

With Semana Santa and the weekend no way did I want to head for Manzanillo.  Danny and Linda said they might go Tuesday but they ended up not needing to. Glen said he wanted to go so on Tuesday day we went. Turned out to be a quite simple procedure like it happens often. Pay 100 pesos and they program a new SIM to your number. They offered to check if it worked and they did but could not confirm the number was correct. For some reason the number shows as Desconocido or Unknown. Not wanting to drive back to Manzanillo from Melaque if it didn't work we stopped at a computer place to try to figure it out. I finally got the bright idea to send it a text message from my phone using my account phone number and it worked.

Over those 5 days I got lots of painting and yard work done. You can really get a lot done when your mornings are free. Since we are only a little over a month till hurricane season I think I'll keep at it to stay water tight.

Fixin' fans and fans and fans

Copacabana fans are my favorite for simple, cost, quiet, easy to clean, air movement and have an aluminium blade option. Aluminum blades are not only lighter and easier on the motor but won't rust and throw an amber ring around your living room at fan level. I have 6 ceiling fans and keeping them clean is enough without having to look for rust .... then sand and paint them.

So as much as I like Copacabana, they installed a massive amount of bad capacitors.  These are the start/run capacitors just above the motor, not the speed control on your wall switch. At first I had no idea why I had only slow for speed so I took the whole fan to an electrical motor guy.  He changed the capacitor for 100 pesos.  I took the second, third and fourth to him as well.  The fifth I was moving from my bodega to my palapa patio so it was already down and easy to take to the mechanic.  Number six I decided to just ask the mechanic if he would sell me a capacitor and I'd change it myself.  He didn't have any but suggested an electrical store that would. Sure enough and I bought 2 at 25pesos @ because my neighbors had the same problem.  We both now have fans with a full variety of speeds.

The favorite but one speed fan

New capacitor in place

Right above the motor is the white cup that just covers connectors and the capacitor. It's kind of easy to push the cup up the shaft to expose the capacitor. Cut the plastic Zip Strap, pull out the capacitor, undo the wire nuts and install the new one in reverse order. That is really all there is to it.

A two wire rectangular like the one on the right

Then comes the tricky and more expensive fans .... those of my car. I followed a delivery truck back from Colima a few days ago and thought he had the problem the way I heard the noise. As we dove up our quiet road the noise was still there. This morning I confirmed a bearing was gone in one motor and the blades were flopping around. My air conditioning and electrical guy said better to replace both as a pair and he can pick them up later in the week at a Manzanillo Junk Yard (yonke) for 800 pesos.

Radiator and Air Conditioning Condenser fans

for a 2000 Voyager

I unplugged the one fan for no further damage but when I got home the temperature spiked. First time since new that the car has over heated. No more of that !!!

Use up those air miles

Sounds like a wonderful deal until you actually try it. Someone in my family has a bunch of air miles they offered saying anyone can use them so I went shopping.

A Mickey Mouse plane for me?

To use air miles you have to go through a given airline .... not a discounter like Orbitz.   I went to Alaska which I always use from Manzanillo to Seattle.  All they were offering with air miles was via Mexico City and an 18 hour layover somewhere.   Thanks but I was not interested in a flight that takes two days when it can be done in 7 or 8 hours.

So back to Orbitz and the usual Manzanillo, Los Angeles, Seattle run ... but for some reason all I could find was an over-night (sleep in the LA airport) on the return.   Usually my trips are same day in both directions and take about 8 hours.

Back to Alaska to see what they really had and found the same offered on Orbitz ..... except Saturdays. Saturday had the same good connections that I was used to and prices about $20 cheaper than Orbitz. The mystery is solved.  Now I get an email a day from Alaska trying to sell me something else. Can I order a Mickey Mouse plane?

Lots of Royal Roads

I've had the old black and white photo below for a long time and didn't really have a story to go along with it. A Blog post on Geo Mexico about a search for Camino Real and San Blas Nayarit got me wondering how many El Camino Real's are there. I mean El Camino Real sounds kinda special. The Royal Road is one translation but I believe it can also be The Kings Road .... basically a government road from here to there.  I don't understand how Nayarit could be a branch of either Mexico City to Colima or Mexico City to Santa Fe New Mexico Camino Real's.  Guess you'd have to read the book for that one

EL CAMINO REAL DE COLIMA "In 1524 the first viceroy of New Spain , Don Antonio de Mendoza ordered the construction of the historic Camino Real de Colima, which starting from the ancient Tenochtitlan, capital of the New Spain, to link to the Port of Manzanillo, through what is now the states of Michoacan, Jalisco and Colima. The monumental work was of enormous benefit to western Mexico and over the centuries contributed in its modern infrastructure today.

Now here is the El Camino I was familiar with besides the one in California

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro 

Growing up in California and next to "El Camino" we got to know the stories of the string of missions from Baja California to north of San Francisco and the road connecting them.

And here's one across Texas (a branch)

May 15th

The web site was activated early this season with the low that swept in about a week ago but normally today would be the day. Sure were hoping for a little rain but didn't get it and none is showing for the future. I was forced to leave sprinklers on over night so my garden can get at least a little water that they let loose.

Today we're off to Manzanillo for some shopping and Burger King for the kids.

TODAY MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC HURRICANE SEASON, WHICH WILL RUN UNTIL NOVEMBER 30. LONG-TERM AVERAGES FOR THE NUMBER OF NAMED STORMS, HURRICANES, AND MAJOR HURRICANES ARE 15, 8, AND 4, RESPECTIVELY.

THE LIST OF NAMES FOR 2014 IS AS FOLLOWS:

NAME           PRONUNCIATION    NAME        PRONUNCIATION
---------------------------------------------------------
AMANDA         UH-MAN-DUH       MARIE           MUH-REE
BORIS          BOR-EES          NORBERT         NOR-BERT
CRISTINA       KRIS-TEE-NUH     ODILE           OH-DEAL
DOUGLAS        DUG-LUSS         POLO            POH-LOH
ELIDA          ELL-EE-DAH       RACHEL          RAY-CHULL
FAUSTO         FOW-STO          SIMON           SY-MUHN
GENEVIEVE      JEH-NUH-VEEV     TRUDY           TROO-DEE
HERNAN         HER-NAHN         VANCE           VANSS
ISELLE         EE-SELL          WINNIE          WIN-EE
JULIO          HOO-LEE-O        XAVIER          ZAY-VEE-UR
KARINA         KUR-REE-NUH      YOLANDA         YO-LAHN-DA
LOWELL         LO-UHL           ZEKE            ZEEK

THIS PRODUCT, THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK, BRIEFLY DESCRIBES SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF DISTURBED WEATHER AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION DURING THE NEXT FIVE DAYS. THE ISSUANCE TIMES OF THIS PRODUCT ARE 5 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM, AND 11 PM PDT. AFTER THE CHANGE TO STANDARD TIME IN NOVEMBER, THE ISSUANCE TIMES ARE 4 AM, 10 AM, 4 PM, AND 10 PM PST.

A SPECIAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE UPDATES, AS NECESSARY, IN BETWEEN THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS. SPECIAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS WILL BE ISSUED UNDER THE SAME WMO AND AWIPS HEADERS AS THE REGULAR TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS.

 NOAA - National Hurricane Center - Eastern Pacific

Hurricane season almost here

Evidently this is a yearly event about this time of year. I was searching for further info on today's activities and found 2 from previous years. What it is, is a Hurricane Hunter aircraft from the US has an open house at the Manzanillo airport (ZLO). They are probably making stops up and down the coast. Pacific Hurricane season starts May 15 and we are almost there again.

My neighbors have only been to the airport once when we picked up a lost Gringa a few months ago.   I figured this would be an education for both of us so of we went combined with a stop in Cihuatlan.  The problem was I had no idea this would be so popular and we found 100's of people waiting.   The schedule said Noon to 6PM but dignitaries and special people got to take the tour first.   Then the couple hundred who got there early had to register, be given a pass and ushered through at 30 in a group.  Not only would the wait be well over an hour  but standing in line in the sun was not on our to-do-list. So we sized up the crowd, took a few pictures through the fence and headed back north.   If I remember next year I'll go later in the day when things have calmed down.

From out by the drive

A little closer through the fence

Lineup to enter the rear

Line of people a couple hundred yards long

First real rain

Just had our first real rain of the season with a "front" moving through. First foto is the squall line and by the time I got off the roof it was raining. Before long it was a real tropical downpour filling the streets and pouring off the roof. Been watching a tropical depression off the coast but it's still south of Manzanillo. Semi related I don't know but expect we'll see more rain over the next few days. This one was enough to start the greening process in the hills.

What I did learn is my CEL Modem reception really falls apart in the rain so adjustment time is here. Also after brick paving a section of lawn next to the house, standing water may become an issue. The gravel section I left for absorption filled right up. We'll see if this has to be re-engineered.

Squall line

Coming off the roof and palapa

No Burger King today

What does a 13 year old want for his birthday .... this one wanted a trip to Burger King.  He's been twice before when we go shopping in Manzanillo.   We thought about it but I don't need anything in Manzanillo and  a half tank of gas would make an expensive burger.   

Instead we recreated the meal the best we could with a trip to Bodega Aurrera.   A bag of frozen hamburger patties, 2 bags of sesame buns, a packet of sliced cheese and a bag of frozen fries.  This was a first for all of us but it turned out rather well.  The unremarkable meat cooked on the BBQ pretty much disappears in the toasted bun filled with lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo and catsup. The fries in the oven on a pizza pan took longer than planned because heat was too low.   Actually it was a pretty good reenactment of a BK meal except the meat could have been one step up in quality.   The 13 year old was happy.

90 and it feels like 102

Those are thunder heads I can from my roof.   They are inland over the mountains.   Do you think there is the slightest chance they will move this way .... maybe in the evening?   We have been hoping and the Manzanillo  airport weather station often gives us a 30-50% chance but none yet.

This is the chance of thunderstorm Icon that I see every week for a few days.   Obviously father/mother weather does not read the Internet nor does rain God Tlaloc.

Today this is what we got ... and you'd better believe I'm headed for the pool after I write this.   Lately I'm sleeping on a towel because it's easier to wash than the sheets twice a week.   And I thought September and October were the warmest last year .... but at least they included some rain.

Temperature today
32 °C = 90 F
Feels Like 39 °C = 102 F

Trip to Manzanillo

My main reason to go to Manzanillo last Tuesday was to pick up my new 2 year visa. I had received an email the week before saying it was ready. The new cards are very much like a credit card and do not contain a chip but rather a bar-code. The example below is obviously not me and lacks personal info but gives you an idea.

I stopped at the new Home Depot for a few interior lights and was looking for a replcement bulb for my light/dark sensing security outdoor light. Turns out the replacement bulb costs nearly what the whole fixture with bulb costs. I decided to go with a cheaper one that uses standard bulbs. Much better idea.

Next up to Telcel to replace this cel-modem that I think is pretty flakey. They said the techs would have to check it out and I'd come back in a few days. Decided to buy another and using points I had accumulated on my account paid $100 pesos for it. Would spent more on gas making another round trip.

Then to AutoZone for a windshield repair kit. I have a number of tiny chips but had one larger one that looked like it could spread. I can still see it from the inside but almost invisible from outside. Here's hoping with resin in the chip it will be strong enough to prevent further damage. My kit was slightly different than the video but it seems to be a forgiving process.

Visa under the new rules

I decided to deal with my visa early this year rather than wait till the last minute and was interested in the new process. I got to Immigration a minute before 9am and got ticket #11. It was a quarter to 12 before I finished with my paperwork. The reasons for it being so slow were people coming in for new cards that had arrived, people making a second trip to be finger printed and half the people didn't know the rules had changed and had to have all the options explained to them. I had a great interviewer and the prettiest one in the building. I was pleased with myself that I didn't have to revert to English once. She allowed me to be finger printed the same day when I told her I drive a kid to school every day. Others are making 3 trips but I'll make only two.

I took in the online form and a request letter but all they wanted was my old visa, my passport and 6 months of bank statements. The income level was not mentioned so I assume renewals are using the same levels as before. Only new applicants need to meet the $1900-2000us levels. I walked away with a 2 year visa that will be ready in 3-4 weeks with a cost of about 4800 pesos.

I was surprised to see so many people that didn't know the rules had changed. I guess they don't spend much time on the Internet. Two couples were forced to move to permanent resident because they had 3 or 4 renewals. Their only other option was to leave the country and apply at a Consulate. The guy interviewing them also asked if they owned a house and needed their fideicomiso (bank trust) and copies of tax records. Why he as asking about owning a house I have no idea because it will not effect the outcome. These poor uninformed people didn't know the difference between a fideicomiso and a presta nombre which is what they had but insisted it was a fideicomiso. Maybe they just wanted to shake their heads YES to everything because they were so lost?

Captain of the Port of Manzanillo

New Immigration Office

Todays Melaque weather

From the Weather Underground at Manzanillo airport

33 °C  =  91

Feels Like 41 °C = 105

T-storms

80% chance of precipitation

We've been over a week without rain and are only hoping for more to cool us off again.   I caught these two fotos a little over a week ago in a really good storm on my IPhone.  I've tried many times to catch lightning but there were so many this time they were difficult to miss. 

Clear and close

Hidden in the clouds

Visa time again

I went to Immigration in Manzanillo last week so I'm almost set for another year. Still have to pick up the new one in about 3 weeks. The Immigration office is now located outside from where the old office was last year. Just look to your left.

With all the changes going on I took everything just like my first year: proof of income, CFE receipts and copy of passport. There was a rumor that after five years you need to start the process over again ... and I'm entering my sixth. That rumor is old information that went away with the new visa cards. Evidently the old booklets only had space for 4 renewals giving you a total of five.

I said I took everything but actually no fotos. The Farmacia Guadalajara in Cihuatlan has a broken machine and the one in Manzanillo didn't have enough help. The woman who operates the machine at the Kodak store near Comercial Mexicana wasn't there yet. Immigration just said to bring in the fotos when I pick up my card.

I used the online computer application form for the first time this year and found that if you are applying for a renewal and don't have changes to make you can go directly to the Application Form and check the Conozco mi NUE box, enter your current visa number and the computer will fill in the form for you (mostly with ****)(print it out). All I was asked for when I presented the form was; did I want to renew and my height and weight.

For those that don't want to get up early and be the last in line - there is a new Zar Hotel on the street into the port offices. Stay over night, pay $499 pesos and walk down first thing in the morning. Hotel has a pool and faces the beach.

Captain of the Port

New Immigration Office

Watch the harbor traffic while you wait

New Zar Hotel

Things are changing again

This weekend I will have 3 houses, Shoe's until Monday, the one I'll be house sitting starting Saturday and mine in Pinal Villa for quite awhile longer. Tomorrow I head to Manzanillo to turn off the service here at Shoe's and also try to get on a list of phone/Internet service in Pinal Villa.

(No Internet for 2-3 days during this transition!!)

The phone here is not in my name and I could just walk away like many do if they are leaving the country or service is not in their name. I assume there will only be bills for a call or two from last month, I don't want service next month so next to nothing should be owed. Hopefully Telmex just wants their ancient modem back ... and if not I'll just shrug my shoulders and say, "It's not me".

The other issue is phone service in Pinal Villa, of which there is none. Supposedly they need a list of 100 residents wanting service before they will wire the community. If there is a list I will get on it. If not then I've heard some positive stories about Telcel (wireless) reception in this area from others in my situation.

So we all need to go to Manzanillo now and then ....  I'll try to do some shopping and be back for Water Volleyball in the afternoon. We'll see if I make it

I was thinking of driving to Manzanillo Friday .... but that is Friday the 13th.   Reduce the risks

FM3 in Manzanillo

Yesterday was my day to head to Immigration in Manzanillo but I couldn't drag myself out of bed early with these cold mornings we've been having. Got there about 9:30 and found 20 people (numbers at least) in front of me. That was with a stop at Farmacia Guadalajara in Cihuatlan to have pictures taken, cheaper and faster than most other places.

With 20 people in front of me I knew I had a few hours to wait so grabbed the camera and started walking the area. Immigration is at the harbor entrance so lots of activity, boats/ships coming in and out, people fishing or just doing what I was doing - killing time.

After 2 hours I was surprised to see only 5 numbers in front of me so took a seat. How easy the FM3 process has become I couldn't believe. They only wanted a copy of the first page of my passport and proof of where I live. They didn't make an issue of my change of address or suggest I use the Internet to apply. I had both my electric bill and a 'constancia de domicilio' issued by the local municipio, they preferred the constancia. The only hang up was the fotos were passport size and not 'tamaño infantil'. They said I could bring in the new pictures when I return. I dropped by Farmacia Guadalajara on the way back and they made up new fotos for no charge.

I walked up to the banjercito (government bank) like I always do to pay the $1285 pesos and found another long line. An Ensign in the Navy was getting the ships payroll or maybe for the whole Naval Base. That was another 30-40 minutes when it usually takes 5. Anyway, I return in a month to get the new card since they no longer issue books.

Immigration in the Port Captains building

Port entrance

Port from the breakwater

Downtown Manzanillo from the breakwater

Banjercito heavily guarded while issuing a ships payroll

The new entance to Manzanillo Airport - ZLO

The new entrance to the Manzanillo Airport (ZLO) is moving right along - and it's huge. Actually the first clover-leaf (4-way) intersection I've seen in Mexico that looks designed from scratch.

The rumor is that will become part of the new coastal highway that will bypass Melaque, Barra, Jaluco and a number of smaller towns north. The big rumor is that a new bridge will be built as an extension of this clover-leaf and bypass Cihuatlan closer to the coast. That would be a large improvment but a long project.

Evening rains

I hear people up and down the coast tell stories of afternoon/evening rains almost like Hawaii. Maybe they are residents or maybe only short time visitors. Don't know but it sure is not that way here in Melaque or even Manzanillo. Proximity to mountains that would draw the rain out, ocean currents, Colima volcano ??

In this area it totally depends on the weather passing by in the Pacific and can rain any time of day or for days. This morning after about 5 days of sun I was awakened at 6am by the sound of thunder which soon turned into a downpour with lightening for about 3 hours. Time to unplug all the electrics

Waiting for the next weather front ...

Red Foot Bridge

Interesting foot bridge from La Boquita beach across the canal to the Juluapan Peninsula on the north end of Santiago Bay, Manzanillo Colima

FM3

Applying for an FM3 in Manzanillo

It's been awhile since I've posted here but I thought applying for my FM3 was worthy. I've been updating and creating Blogs from other parts of Mexico I've been. You can read those on the sidebar to the right.

Anyway ... we went to Manzanillo last week with almost everything we needed. The one exception was the "real" copy of a bank statement. So here is what we needed. Nothing translated or notarized

1. Proof of income - a 3 month print out plus an original statement (something over $1200 per month)

2. Proof of residency - My landlord went to the local Municipio (city government) with my passport and for 30 pesos I got a letter on City stationary. Utility bills would also work.
3. Copies of every page of my Passport - plus the Passport
4. My Tourist Visa
5. 7 pictures to meet their specs

Cost was about 1400 pesos and 120 for the pictures. First years application costs more ... but unsure how much. They told us we could pick them up the first of March - about 3 weeks precessing.

03-08-2006

Picked up the FM3 on the 8th. I still only had a downloaded PDF statement from my bank - no originals. The clerk was still not happy with it but got permission from her boss to accept it. I promised to bring a check book, real bank statement and a letter from my bank - or some combination of the above.

Did you know an FM3 comes in a book similar to a passport - it's green.