Places, People and Projects

I got my bike back into riding condition this week and rode the six miles into Bucerias for the first time since last year.  Turned out both the bike and I were a bit rusty and had a few kinks.  Only fell once, though.  Still had a good time and found another good restaurant on the beach.  The next day I worked the top half of my body and paddled quite a way back into the estuary.  I tried mounting my little Olympus Tough camera on the bike helmet and taking videos, but it didn't work.  I had no idea where the camera was actually pointed other than it wasn't  where I was looking.  At least I didn't have to pay for film!  I was more successful in pursuing my intention of taking portraits of some of the local people.  I had a particular image style in mind and was able to achieve pretty much what I was after in my initial attempt.  If it continues to work, it will develop into a series and perhaps more.

Places

Biking into Bucerias.  You will see the route starts as a

beautiful bike path and gradually degrades into a 

treacherous sandy dirt road.  It was there I took

my spill.  But no harm done.

I stopped along the way to take a picture of this large

mushroom growing in the grass on the median of

the bike path.

  

The Flamboyant Trees are now in bloom.

This one marks the outskirts of Bucerias.

I assume they got the name "Flamboyant" because 

they are covered with bright red blossoms in the summer 

and/or because the seed pods are gigantic: 

about 2 feet long!

Some ex-pats I met on the bike path

turned me on to Karen's Place. 

It had real lox and bagel and was

right on the beach.  You can see

the handlebars of my bike leaning

against the table.

Karen's had a good sense of humor, too.

This was taken from the kayak.  It's the dock for the

Fajita Republic restaurant.  I know a couple of

cruisers who have gotten hurt on this dock trying to

 get back into their dinghy after one too many margaritas.

Sometimes it's pretty hard to see the birds.  I spotted

this one skulking slowly by while I was staking out 

a flycatcher nest.  Don't see it?  Look below.

Camouflage really works well.

People

This is Francisco.  I got to know him

because he yelled "Hey, Capitano!"

every time I walked by.  We are now 

becoming friends.  He was my

portraiture test case.  I'm reasonably

happy with it.  Shows his personality,

and the tonality after some post work 

is about right.

The detail is good, but will be better if I can shoot

where there is more light.

I had the idea of using an all-white version

of one of these display signs as a portable

backdrop for the portraits.  I went to a local

sign shop and ordered one (in Spanish).

It should be ready tomorrow.  I also bought

a slightly better small tripod and a camp

stool for the subject to sit on.

Projects

Next on the boat work list: refurbishing the Cetol on the

starboard rub rail.  Fenders rubbing it under pressure

really damage the finish.  First step was removing

the stainless steel rub strake.

Next, spot sanding.

Finally, after touching up spots with Cetol Marine, 

overall fine sanding, two coats of Cetol Gloss

and replacing the rub strake.