The Eclipse

Aren't We the Lucky Ducks 

As luck would have it, we in Ajijic were adjacent to the "path of totality" -- that is if you count 6 and 1/2 hours of distance as being adjacent.  Never ones to let a little distance get in the way of a fun time we, along with our pals Sally and Mike, signed up for an eclipse package many moons (or suns) ago.  While at first I thought the price a little elevated I was brought back to earth (I have to stop these solar/planetary allusions) when I heard accounts of a nightly rate of $894 for a Motel 6 (or equivalent) in some town that didn't nearly have the climate we were to enjoy in Mazatlan. So off we went to the RI Emerald Bay hotel in Mazatlan -- the first speck of land to enjoy the totality.

The drive was uneventful except for the almost constant need to pass double tractor trailers as we sped through the Sierra Madre mountains on roads that consist of two lanes and two small breakdown lanes.  Passing requires a modicum of trust in the other drivers and it helps to have nerves of steel.   This is how it works.  When you want to pass you peek out to the center of the road and edge out.  At this point the traffic in your lane and the oncoming traffic notice your intent and start driving half in the breakdown lane and half in the real lane.  You zip between them and pull back in.  The only obvious drawback is if two cars try to do this simultaneously from opposite directions in which case it becomes a game of chicken. After completing this maneuver about 214 times we arrived in one piece at the hotel.

In all of our collective 150 years of life on earth Michael and I have never stayed at an "all-inclusive" resort.  We sought counsel from friends more experienced than we were.  One friend said, " Think of it as being like a cruise ship just kept going and came up on shore and called itself an all inclusive resort.  This proved pretty apt. Now before you think I'm going to get all snooty about our lodgings I must say that it was a really nice place.  The staff was friendly and exceptionally efficient.  The food was excellent.  All in all it was a good experience.  But it was a bit overwhelming.  It was huge -- and I do mean huge.  It took us ten minutes (at least) to walk to the lobby.  Everything was on a gigantic scale.  As I sat in the lobby waiting for Michael one day I kept having this feeling that I'd been in a very similar place before.  Yes!  That was it!  It was the noise.  The lobby was so cavernous that the sounds echoing off the 30 or 40 foot ceiling sounded just like rush hour in Grand Central Station.  Really Huge!

 Michael had brought about 113 lbs of camera gear (a slight? exaggeration) so that no aspect of the eclipse would escape his photographic reach. We wandered the grounds searching the perfect vantage point.  As I became bored, I suggested that Michael just follow the Japanese crew and set up where they did.  They seemed very confident.  Michael went his own way.  The great day arrived and Michael set up three cameras and we were ready to go.  For those who did not experience it here is the short form of what happened.  The shadow grew over the sun fairly gradually but everything remained the same.  Birds flying and cheeping, sun shining brightly, calm winds.  Then after about 3/4 coverage things speeded up.  Birds landed and stopped singing, the wind came up markedly, the temperature dove at least ten degrees and the sky darkened to a shade of dark dusk.  What was weird (well it was all weird) was that a slight ring of light emanated from the horizon in all directions while the rest of the sky was dark.  And then, as it came, it went.  I later learned that in Ajijic there was about 90% coverage which begs the question of the drive and hotel but hey it was fun.

These were the views from the 22nd floor of the Riu Emerald Bay,...

while we were scouting locations from which to view the total eclipse...

and viewing an even bigger water park then the one at our hotel.

These were the beach views from the back of the hotel...

which made us decide not to brave the ocean surf & also hope for a less cloudy day for the eclipse.

The frigate birds enjoyed riding the thermals above the hotel (see if you can count the number).

This was the view of the hotel from the beach.

The beginning of the eclipse (in which I learned it is much harder to photograph and eclipse).

Earlier we encountered this couple and their son from Mexico City, who decided this was an excellent location from which to view the eclipse.

The corona of the sun highlighting the moon at totality.

Another shot of the the moon highlighted by the sun at totality.

This is the shot I was hoping for but was beyond my photographic skills, so I created this in a program called Midjourney using AI.

A Tip for Oldsters

Some might consider this just another of Deirdre's phobias but this one played out as a pragmatic success. I always request a room on a lower floor.  Michael will just roll his eyes and humor me.  Well, the wisdom of my "phobia" was displayed on our trip.  At 4 AM on the night that the eclipse occurred we were awakened to flashing lights and screaming sirens and announcements in various languages to vacate the building ASAP.  So. for those of us who are seventy five (or for that matter any age) do you want to deal with a stairwell stampede from the 22nd floor or the second floor?  Now, here is the second reason.  The hotel was full.  Do you want to get on the elevator (if you can) at the 20th floor and stop at every floor before reaching the lobby?  And vice versa?  I rest my case.

A Very Sad Farewell

Chico Rico (AKA Rich Boy) entered our lives about seven years ago.  He left us on Easter Sunday. During the six or seven years before he came into Alex's life and ours, he had endured so much you would never believe that he could  remain the sweet, loyal dog that he was.  He had acid spilled on his back to try to make him a fighter and went through a painful recovery. He had owners who died leaving him on the streets again, and at least two other owners who were less than wonderful.  And then he wandered into a bar where he found our son Alex.  And his life turned around.  Relentlessly friendly and comical he was a great companion.  He went to weddings and funerals, hiked the redwood forest with us and preened as he pranced down the Beverly Hills promenade.  He loved our road trips, dinners out and children. He did not love cats.  He died a happy dog.  We were walking and he just fell over and died-- doing what he loved with the people he loved.  We should all be so lucky.  Thank you for the joy you brought to the family Chico.  Hopefully we'll see you on the other side. 

Some shots of our beloved Chico Rico showing his style...

even in repose...

and comforting our son Alex, when we were in LA for Alex's failing liver.

Our next adventure is a road trip to the West.  We'll visit our sons in Los Angeles and then head to Utah and Colorado with visits to National Parks, a Stones Concert and a visit with our niece Shannon.  So, more blog fodder.  We hope you are all enjoying spring and please let us know what you are up to.