2017 April-May East Capers Magazine by christine courtright

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Festival de Artes 2017 – A Good Time Had by All! By: Christine Courtright

April—May 2017

Issue No. 79

Did you get to the Festival de Artes this year? Well, the Asociación de Artes is happy to report, it was a great event! The sun was out in full force with only a light breeze, the food tantalized everyone with the delicious smells, drinks were flowing (there was even good beer on tap!) and the artists were aplenty and plenty busy. The artists reported having a great show, the food vendors went home mostly empty and only the stray dog was sad with the lack of scraps!

April—May 2017

For the 24th annual Festival de Artes, and thanks to help from Francis Olachea, we were treated to some great traditional Mexican folkloric dancing and original poetry. Our entertainment started with a performance from the Los Barriles Primary school and the Oh! so cute children, dressed in traditional costumes, dancing with such seriousness, that you would think they were professionals. Along with the young kids we had a group of young adults from the Cultural Department of La Paz, many from the University, that preformed several traditional dances in traditional costumes – full costumes, even though it was hot! Some of the audience members were even brought up to learn a few moves - and that was fun, especially since this writer was not one of the persons chosen to try! It was a great treat to watch, and a great opportunity to bring the Mexican culture up front and central to the event. We also heard from East Cape Area children and young adults who have joined a poetry group led by the poet, Francoise Huppertz. This little group, starting as young as 8 years, have been learning how to write poetry for the past several weeks. This was their first performance reciting their own original pieces about ‘Love’. For most of the kids, this was their first time EVER saying anything in front of a crowd – and it was a huge crowd. Now, because they spoke in Spanish, I did not understand much of it, but I could catch words, and the feeling from the expression as they recited. In between, we heard from others on their violins, which was good for those kids. The poetry emphasized to the April—May 2017

Asociación de Artes that this event is for the entertainment of both Gringos and local Mexicans– and the Asociación de Artes is proud of that fact! Now, before and after, we heard from Stacey Joy who sang in a contemporary folk-ish, style that was exactly perfect for this event. Her voice flowed so pleasantly through the grounds, that it just made the atmosphere. We want to put out a special thanks to our dance floor sponsors, C&G Construction and CMC Construction, that through their sponsorship, provided the proper conditions for our dancers.

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Advertising in East Capers Advertising in the East Capers gets the word out about your business AND your ad money supports the 3 week 'Cursos de Verano' summer school, for over 120 local children, provides art supplies for 18 East Cape public schools, baseball camps, just to name a few things the Asociacion de Artes does! In addition to space in the printed version, your color ad appears in the online version at no additional cost. You can download the 2016/17 Advertising Kit by visiting our website at: www.eastcapearts.com.

Tax-deductable Contributions to the Asociación de Artes The Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C., Los Barriles, B.C. Sur, Mexico is a legal non-profit Mexican corporation not affiliated with any other organization, association, club or business. The Asociación is in full compliance with the terms of the NAFTA agreement of January 1, 1994. As such, contributions made to the Asociación de Artes are tax-deductible in the United States, Mexico and Canada. For more information visit: www.eastcapearts.com or the NAFTA Website at: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-tradeagreements/north-american-free-trade-agreementnafta.

Volunteers Needed! The Asociación de Artes needs volunteers to help support their programs that bring the arts to the local communities and the schools. To learn more about these programs, visit: www.eastcapearts.com. If you would like to volunteer, send an email to: eastcapearts@gmail.com.

Call for Articles East Capers is looking for fiction and true stories about our region and items that affect our residents. If you are interested in submitting articles, recipes, stories or your personal experiences in Baja, email your 1,000-words or less article to: eastcapersmagazine@gmail.com

Thank You!

This publication is possible with the help of the board members of the Asociación de Artes and members of the community.

East Capers Periódico Publisher Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C., Los Barriles, BCS, Mexico Editor

Christine Kenck-Courtright

Copy Editor Pako Ford

Circulation

Brian Cummings

Advertising Contributors

Gary Graham Christine Courtright Urmas Kaldveer Jorge Bergen Irene DeAndero & Jill Borggreve Renee Lagloire Christene Comstock Steve Reed Baja Insider Ann Hazard Leona Rey Karin Lehnardt Emma Nicholson, Tracey Lewis & Kareema Jones Mexico Mike Theresa Comber History Channel . Com Jeff M. Sellers Sir John Falstaff

Tere Leetch

Printer

Imprenta Ciudad Los Niños, La Paz, BCS, Mexico

To learn about Ciudad Los Niños, visit their website at: http://ciudadninoslapaz.org/english/home.htm ———————————

The opinions expressed within the articles in East Capers are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C.

Newsletter Email Address eastcapersmagazine@gmail.com

April—May 2017

Recycle and share with a friend or return to East Capers Rack! Folk Wisdom of Mexico Continued from Page 37

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Ambition never has its fill.

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An ounce of gladness is worth more than an ounce of gold.

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Blood Boils without flame.

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There’s no better sauce than a good appetite.

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No road is safer than the one just robbed.

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The lazy work twice as much.

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All time spent angry is time lost being happy.

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He who walks with wolves learns to howl.

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Better a stride that will last than a trot that tires fast.

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Malice leaves reality behind.

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Better alone unattached than unsuitably matched.

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While young, it’s all dreams; when old, all memories.

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Dreaming is the food of the poor.

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Better to be a rich man’s dog than a poor man’s saint.

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He who lives with hope dies happy.

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Man can adjust to anything except not eating.

Baja Shakespeare Thanks YOU! By Sir John Falstaff

Baja Shakespeare would like to take this opportunity to thank our awesome and very forgiving audiences; nothing makes us happier than listening to your laughter and seeing your smiles! Thanks to all of you for believing in us! We love our audiences! We’d also like to thank our Patrons, our most faithful Friends of Shakespeare, who continue to support us year after year. A special shout out to Sherri King who extends a hospitable welcome to the Cast, Crew & Friends! Mirror Mirror in our play Who is the fairest would you say? Friends of Shakespeare take our jokes We always love our front row folks! Baja Shakespeare would like to thank Felipe Valdez and family and the crew at the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort, who work very hard to accommodate our needs. We are looking forward to working together to improve our theatre. We would also like to thank our numerous volunteers: the stage builders, ticket takers, t-shirt seller and the rest, your efforts are greatly appreciated!

Read the color version online at www.eastcapearts.com Festival de Artes Continued from Page 1

The Festival de Artes Silent Auction and raffle was HUGE! There was the most and the greatest opportunities for services, vacations, golf, fun trips and art and jewelry that we have ever had. The silent auction and raffle alone is worth coming to the event. The raffle baskets had values of about $10,000 peso ($500.00 usd) each – and only a $20 peso ($1.00 usd) per ticket price for your shot at winning! The silent auction had so many opportunities for great packages at great values. I alone spent my (and others) share…and it was larger than I thought once I added it all up, but I got things that I was going to buy anyway, and saved a few bucks, and got a heck of a deal on some of the things. I felt a little guilty buying so much, but you snooze….. you know the rest. We want to give a big thank you to Janet King and her crew for all the running around and getting all the great stuff for the rest of us to buy! We also have to send our gratitude to the many, many businesses that were so generous giving Janet things that we could then use for our raffle and silent auction. She found that so many businesses, even the small ones, wanted to help us help the kids. The silent auction and raffle is so important to the Asociación de Artes because it is our major fund raiser for all the programs we support for the kids of the East Cape area. Without those funds, we would not be able to help the programs we support.

One final thank you, goes out to our landlord, Palmas de Cortez and the Van Wormer Family for the use of their grounds, their help and continued support. The 2018 festival is a going to be a milestone for Asociacion de Artes as it is the 25th Anniversary of Festival de Artes here on the East Cape! We plan on making it a bigger event with more Mexican cultural entertainment and many other surprises. So, mark your calendar for the 3rd Sunday in March and make sure you continue to make the Festival de Artes one of the highlights of your Mexico experience. We will keep everyone updated on our 25th Annual event on our website www.eastcapearts.com

We believe in our local non-profits by supporting their 50/50 raffles during our shows. As well, Baja Shakespeare firmly believes in our beloved community. At last count, we have shopped and spent in over thirty-six local businesses. We believe in the strength of our economy and continue to think, act and spend locally. Where do we go from here, what will 2018 bring? We have produced almost all of the Bard’s comedies over the past 17 years! Baja Shakespeare’s 2017 brought us a true, locally written, original, “Snow White and the Seven Mariachis.” Well….we have no idea! But we do promise you laughter, music, song, & dance, with lots of Baja twists and turns. And don’t forget, there’s a spot for you on stage! We are true Community Theatre! The Festival de Artes does not happen by itself and takes hours of hard work, running around and a fair share of begging to get it pulled off in such a successful way. This year, our director, Denise Linnet, came back to help us and we are so grateful for her coming to Los Barriles for a vacation, and working most of the time! We also owe a great debt of gratitude to Brian Cummings – who puts on more miles than any of us, B Robertson, Kathy Obershane, Elizabeth Perkins and the many other volunteers who give us their time and energy.

April—May 2017

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One step at a time.... Walking across Spain By: Christene Comstock

The summer of 2016 was a time of fun and adventure for me. I left Baja not knowing what my plans were, but simply trusting that something magnificent was going to come my way. I called a friend who summers in Maine to let her know that I was in the area and wanting to come visit her, she said she was going to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago and I should join her. I was thrilled to hear this and knew right away that this was the exact thing I wanted to do. My training began right away, walking 5 km. a day carrying 5kg. in my pack. Training for six weeks I managed to get up to 30 km. (19 mi.) a day carrying an 8 kg. (18 lb.) pack. I worked out all the blister grief in Canada while breaking in new hiking boots. By the time, I started the Camino I knew how to care for my feet and didn't develop another blister the entire way, an amazing feat, "or feet" since people all around me were suffering foot issues and even having to quit the walk because of massive blisters. The Camino is a Pilgrimage which people have been walking for thousands of years. Also referred to as "St. James Way" or "the Compestella" it has become a very popular walk. There are hostels, or Alberques all along the way, as well as many small cafes serving beverages and food. My first leg of the pilgrimage I walked with a man from Israel who was just finishing his 5th Camino. He talked about how when you first come on the Camino you have so much energy and do not know how to pace yourself yet. He warned me that when you arrive

in Sarria many people enter the Camino to walk only the last 100 km. These folks have the energy you started with, but now you're walking a slower, steadier pace, and are deep in the spirit of Camino. The energy of the Camino changes, and I was so grateful for the first part of the Camino....before the crowds of people with all the tour buses arrived. I soon realized that for every person there is a way. You can plan the entire journey or you can trust that the Camino will provide and not plan in advance where you will stay. Every day on the Camino you have the opportunity to meet kindred spirits. We all greet each other by saying "Buen Camino" Even the local residents in the small villages greet us as we pass by with "Buen Camino" It feels different than being a tourist, we are pilgrims, humbled by our journey. Hiking day after day over mountains carrying a pack with everything you need takes its toll on the body. You can't help but be in the moment as your body "speaks" to you. Once the physical aspect becomes more natural you notice your attention goes to your thoughts and you find that you're able to let them go...getting out of your head so to speak. After a few weeks, there comes a time when you start really feeling a sense of self love, knowing this is a great place you are in, really honoring your deepest being. I remember feeling such great joy that my heart might burst open. After experiencing the physical, mental and emotional aspects of the Camino I started feeling the spiritual aspect, a deep connectedness with all, and trusting we will be provided all we truly need. What a feeling of freedom I had living with everything I needed on my back. Less is more when you walk the Camino, as in life. Our possessions have control over us, not the other way around, and it is extremely freeing to let them go. A Nun walking the Camino spoke and said "we carry our fears in our pack ". I gave away many things I truly didn't need when I heard this, in an attempt to free myself of some fears.

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Folk Wisdom of Mexico From A Book by Jeff M. Sellers Editor note: I was reading this book and found it so interesting and profound. I could not put the entire book in the East Capers, but here are a few of my favorites and you can get the book and finish reading it! Most Mexican proverbs have been passed down from generation to generation with only a sign of changes. They are frequently regional yet universal in appeal. That they have European roots is certain, and that they have been shared verbally instead of in books is also certain. Mexican proverbs may not be as old as rock, but they are at least as old as the largest trees in the zocalos of rural towns. They share the qualities of proverbs from other cultures: they are sharp and distilled truths. Proverbs reunite the listener with his or her ancestors. They bear witness to the ancient human foibles that continue to plague us to this day. It takes only a kitchen table, or two chairs situated under a mulberry tree, to hear chattering of rural history summed up with an appropriate proverb. If you are like me, the grandson of una abuela who came to the United States at the end of the Mexican revolution, you might hear a story from a seventy-twoyear-old woman, who heard it from her grandmother Graciela Trevino, who heard it first from her tia, the aunt who was widowed for no more than two years before taking up with that rake Don Jose Lopez, who was a good man in the end and, pues, responsible for digging a well

in San Pedro Piedra Gorda, Zacatecas- or so the history might have it between sips of coffee. In turn, proverbs as well as tales live through the passing of a day and not in the turning of a page. 

Flies don’t enter a closed mouth

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The brave one lives as long as the coward lets him.

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Do good and don’t worry to whom.

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One needn’t study to become a fool.

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True friendship is one soul shared by two bodies.

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Don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow.

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Walk your own road and bear your own load.

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Conversation is food for the soul.

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When in doubt of what is right, consult your pillow overnight.

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Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.

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He who grabs much grasps little.

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There’s no life as tiring as one always retiring.

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Stupidity closes the doors of kindness.

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Better a steady drip than a sudden deluge.

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God speaks for the man who holds his peace. Continued on Page 38

Located next to East Cape Health Center

My Camino sister, Jenny, from Sweden walked with me the last three weeks of the Camino. A colleague of hers gave her a card with the seven ways of the Camino... SLOWNESS, SILENCE, SIMPLICITY, FREEDOM, WORRY FREE, SHARING and SPIRITUALITY

Along the way, the Camino provides. We feasted on black raspberries, apples, pears, almonds, grapes and figs. I remembered my grandmother telling me that in the Czech Republic, trees were planted along the streets for all the people to enjoy the fruits of. It was a lovely treatto pick tree ripened figs and think of my heritage in Europe. Each larger town or city I came to I would visit the tourist information center and ask if there were any special events on at this time. Asking this question proved to Continued on Page 5

April—May 2017

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Read the color version online at www.eastcapearts.com Camino in Spain Continued from Page 4

be a good thing. I was able to see live classical music in a beautiful theater with the most comfortable seats, a nighttime performance of a play about the history of Burgos at the castle ruins, traditional festivals, dance salsa and many more .

Who knows where my next Camino will take me...I trust the universe will show me the way. Some of the sights along the way!

I had the pleasure of walking with a man who walked all the way from his home in the Netherlands, around 6,000 kms, a 5 month journey. I also met a man who had walked the Camino all the way to Finnisterra (the end of the world), where he bought a donkey, and was going to walk all the way home to Switzerland with it. When I met him, however, he was having trouble convincing his companion to walk up the hill ahead of him. I usually carried an apple for horses we might happen upon. This day I only had sprouts that were growing along the way. I offered them to the donkey and he LOVED them! I just had to give the man the rest to try and persuade the donkey to continue up the hill. I thought to myself....that might be a LONG walk with a stubborn donkey all the way to Switzerland. Upon arriving in Santiago I felt that the certificate or "compestella" was not so important. The journey was what really mattered. All the beautiful people I met along the way and experiences we shared. The Camino felt like a metaphor for life. The end is the where we want to rush to....but rather to slow things down enough to enjoy the journey. In all I walked 900 kms through 200 villages, meeting the most incredible people, visiting ancient ruins, Cathedrals and museums, and truly EXPERIENCED Spain like I had all the time in the world.

Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;May 2017

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The Los Barriles Dog Show – That’s All Folks! (At least until 2019)

By: Emma Nicholson, Tracey Lewis, Kareema Jones As the sun sets on the second Los Barriles Dog Show 2017, we are left with fond, and sometimes hilarious, memories of a day that was made possible by over 250 people. From our sponsors to the Baja Kennel Club committee, our merry band of volunteers, and a team of vendors, we managed to triple the attendance to 1200 people and saw 200 doggies compete, perform or simply watch their canine friends from the side-lines. Here are a few of the highlights; many of which have been captured by our official photographer, Lori Makabe. Disc Dogs of Mexico – Fabian travelled all the way from Mexico City to put on his fabulous frisbee display. They are now the leading display dogs in their field across Mexico and internationally, and we were privileged to have them in Los Barriles. Key highlight: Alex and Dante leaping over the two lines of kids - definitely a nail biting moment!

Temptation Alley – as the new kid on the block, we were unsure about how this would work; until it started…. then it was clear that this was going to be the most hysterical event of the day! It really did sort the wheat from the chaff as far as obedience and greed were concerned. Who can forget the black Staffy Terrier ploughing his way through every bowl of food before he was unceremoniously removed from the event ring? Agility Course – weeks of training certainly paid off as the original 40 local dogs that were put through their paces resulted in 24 competing on the day. The standard is getting better and better, and some dogs were virtually unrecognisable from two years ago. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard over the past few months. Del Club de Entrenamiento Canino de La Paz /La Paz Dog Club – we enjoyed their team of beautifully trained dogs and the excitement of their ‘protect and defend performance’; it never fails to thrill!

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Youth Baseball Report By: Chris Courtright

It worked!!!! Asociación de Artes has put on five youth baseball camps since 2014 and now teams are being formed, and there are games you can go to! For the last 6 weeks, in Los Barriles on Wednesday’s at 4:30, you can go to the field, and find the 6 – 11year old kids practicing baseball, getting ready for their next game. Now, they do more practicing than games because there still only a few teams to play, but this is exactly what the plan was- community youth teams playing each other!

The next Baseball Camp will be in Los Barriles at the field, on April 22nd, 9am – 1pm. The kids from previous camps are invited to do more in-depth training on pitching, catching and some hitting. To keep the baseball going in the East Cape and surrounding areas, we still need everyone to collect equipment – balls, bats, gloves, etc- and bring the gear down next time you come. Everything helps, even if it is only just one mitt! If you want to get involved with the baseball program or you just have some questions, email us on eastcapearts@gmail.com And no fear, East Capers Magazine will always keep you updated on what is going in the youth baseball world!

SEPROCAN – Giovanni and his team of obedience dogs from Cabo provided us with a glimpse into what you can achieve if you work hard with your dog. Giovanni is one of Mexico’s leading dog trainers and we were delighted that he could show us just how it’s done. Ultimate Agility Winner - Blanca and her small pit bull completing the course in record time was a sight to behold – so fast that we almost missed him doing it! His reward was the Marty Lentz Trophy in recognition for Marty’s support for the first show. Dog Most Like Its Owner – who can forget the fabulous combination of owner and pet dressed in corresponding tshirt, hat and shades?! Priceless stuff. The Music and Sound Effects – selected and managed by Dan Clemens, we were treated to an array of special effects and music; from Benny Hill and Jaws to Jeopardy and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, the music kept us on our toes – or our feet – especially if you were part of the Macarena opening sequence (the Spa team – you know who you are!). Food, food and more food – Tea of Cortez sold over 200 ice cream bars at the show with Joe’s Pizza, La Playa and the Hotel Palmas selling out of the majority of their tacos, burritos and pizza all helping to raise extra money for the charities.

Last Thursday we took a road trip to Miraflores to see the Los Barriles ‘Banditos’ play the Miraflores team. Miraflores has a great field – something like what is being planned for here in LB. The Banditos looked so good in their recycled uniforms (they really want their very own special Banditos jerseys), did a great job playing their second game and these boys are really taking their playing seriously! The coaching staff consists of Oscar (LB building inspector) and two gringos Paco and Earl, who are dedicated coaches. They spend hours working with the team and are rewarded with seeing the boys improving and growing as a team. After the game the Banditos were honored with a HUGE trophy- much to their delight! With such few teams the season is short, but watch the BPE for the notice of the next game. It was a great time watching some entertaining little league play – no different than what you would witness up North!

Remembering – It was a special moment when we were able to award The Sheila Marshall Trophy for Best Costume and The Ila Buckley Trophy for Cutest Pair. These awards were created to recognize the contribution that these great people made to our dog community. To see more photos and order for yourself, visit http://1609218630.pictology.com. Click on link: Los Barriles Dog Show. Enter password: emma

Continued on Page 7

April—May 2017

Recycle and share with a friend or return to East Capers Rack! Gringo Building Continued from Page 33

With this milestone over, the short walls around the upper rooftop deck and our stairwell walls went up and the kitchen roof pour was done. At this point with wiring getting closer, we did go over with our builder the electrical plan to make sure we were all on the same page as to where outlets were going. With flat screen TV’s, you must figure out where you want them to go because you will want a plug up high behind it – along with satellite outlets. In beginning my design career, TV placement was not a top concern like it is now – TV’s sat on the floor and rabbit ears were on the top! (Gee, I’m old) Before the ceiling pour, the cans for the lights were put in along with the other ceiling wiring. We changed our minds on our floor tile choice – found a better tile at our builder’s office building, and decide to go from lots of stained cement to tile. The next big thing is the electrician comes in and sets boxes followed by the yeso finisher. Our inside and outside walls will be finished about the same time, and then we can really see what it looks like as a house! We have been very pleased with the communication with our builders. We walk out to the job site each morning and get to talk to one of the engineers/lead builders. They speak perfect English and we are never made to feel ‘stupid’ with any question we have- and we ask about everything. We feel because of the communication, we understand the process

Read the color version online at www.eastcapearts.com Dog Show Recap Continued from Page 6

to the realization that maybe our cement fence and bodega will not get done before we need to head north. That can be a project for next fall. One learning experience was you can’t bring in plants before you have a fully fenced yard or you just become one of the snack stops on the cow roaming routes! My planning ahead needed a fence around it to keep out the cows! Landscaping is not something succeed I in, so this was just another proof of that. I think I will stick to potted plants from now on!

We still have not received our final paperwork from the county of La Paz, but I am told that it is taking several months to get it through the government offices. And if I am not here to receive them, our agent will hold them until we return. Our agent says it is not a big deal, so I guess I will cross that off my worry list. All in all, this has been a very painless build and we are just thrilled with the progress and the ease of it all. Having built several houses before, all with big surprises, we still wonder when we get the surprise here, but hey, all our sandwiches might land face up on this build! Our final report will come in October, and you can judge for yourself!

Without sounding too much like an Oscar’s speech, there are some important people that we would like to thank including: Our Generous Sponsors & Donors – these are the groups that made the show a reality and had the confidence in us almost a year ago: Forrajera de San Joaquin, PURINA Dog Chow, Van Wormer Resorts, Annex Brands Inc, Homes & Land of Baja, Copper River Designs, J&A Designs, Quadman, NuEra Heat, La Casita, Baja’s Awesome Beach Rides, Salon Cortez, Joe’s Deli, Seven Seas Property Management, Treats Natural California, Lori Makabe Photography, G&T Pest Control, Sunshine Flowers, Fur Face Pet Spa, Caffe Encinalito, Wolf Property Management, Kite Boarding Baja, Plum Loco, Aero Burro, Clinica Veterinaria, and El Toro y La Luna, ExotiKite, Connie & David, Kathy & John, Sam & Deb, Lucy & Mike….. Thank you to all of them for their support!

of the largest events of its kind in Baja. So the next Los Barriles Dog Show will be 2019. In the meantime, watch this space as the Baja Kennel Club will be announcing some exciting new activities in the next couple of months. If you’re a dog owner in Los Barriles, we think you will like them! www.bajakennelclub.com Love from Emma, Tracey and Kareema. Baja Kennel Club.

A huge shout out to those people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the show possible: Holly who spent Thursday 24th with husband Steve distributing flour, out of a squeeze bottle, planning the vast layout; sunburn and sore arms were the result. Jamie and Kathy who recruited and coordinated over 90 volunteers; Deb and Vickie who sourced and supported our judges; Theresa and Duke – our seasoned commentators who not only held the show together, but added sparkle and energy to entertain us throughout the packed four-hour schedule; Bob who meticulously planned the security and parking; Priscilla who walked up and down the streets of Los Barriles shoring up vendors, and the rest of the committee including Monica, Lynda, Lynn, Carolyn, Teri, Chris and Alma. Finally, to our fantastic volunteers! Too many to mention, but from painting the signs to manning the entrance desks, their help was invaluable, and we will thank them profusely at our volunteers’ party! All the monies raised will go towards ALMA, SNAP and Amigos de Animales. While the show doesn’t make big bucks, our aim is to unite our special community through our shared appreciation for our four-legged friends. We’re so pleased that we were able to bring together so many parts of our community to enjoy a fun day out and make this one

April—May 2017

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DAY TRIPS IN THE EASTCAPE AREA

Diary of a Gringo Building in Mexico, Part 3 By: Christine Courtright

Cabo Pulmo National Park: In 1995, a vast area of sea from Las Barracas to Los Frailes was designated Cabo Pulmo National Park. The park exhibited a 463 percent increase in biological abundance over 10 years, and in 2011, it was deemed the greatest marine conservation success world-over. Visitors come for unparalleled snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking experiences.

Cañon de la Zorra: Head to the small agricultural community of Santiago for access to Cañon de la Zorra—a 60 -foot waterfall, where you can take a dip and put your head under a 90-degree waterfall. A mask and snorkel add to the fun, especially when you see what looks like gold dust at the bottom of the pool. Turn west off Mexico 1 to enter the town of Santiago. Just before the Pemex gas station, take a right away from the town. Follow the signs to the Ecological Center. If you get confused, just ask for directions. It’s approximately six miles to the main gate (where there is a small entrance fee) and a onemile drive thereafter. At the end of the road, park your car (in the shade) and walk eight minutes to get to the falls. Mision Santiago el Apostol Aiñini: This Jesuit mission was founded by Padre Ignacio Napoli near the present-day town of Santiago. It was active from 1724-1795. A modern church now stands on the ruins of the last mission site.

Much has happened since the last report. We have four complete walls, cement floor & roof covering everything and holes in the walls with pipes in them. We have been so amazed with the process of building a cement home. One builder friend in the States, we regularly send photos to, asked “what are you building, a bomb shelter?” We are so surprised with the amount of rebar that is throughout - including the floor – compared to our cement slab floor in the US. We are also told we are on schedule, and that is what we want. Our ‘archeological build’ quickly turned into a foundation and floor. All the plumbing and wiring conduit went in before the pour. Once we had a floor, the walls went up in about 3 weeks. I did make one change order with one window smaller, which was an easy fix. I am looking to the future with possible placement of furniture under that window.

Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve: In the rugged interior of the lower Baja Peninsula, climate zones merge to form an unusual ecosystem high above the desert floor. Rainfall is higher here than in any other part of the peninsula, which means deciduous trees can coexist with droughttolerant species. Recognizing the importance of this wilderness area, the Mexican government declared it a protected area in the mid-1990s. The tallest peak in the Sierra de la Laguna is 2,161 meters high. The hiking season runs late fall through early spring. The peak is best approached from the west, near Todos Santos. El Triunfo: More than 100 years after silver was discovered in the southern Baja mountains at San Antonio, silver and gold were discovered in a nearby mountain area, soon to be called El Triunfo (The Triumph). By 1865, this oncesleepy cattle ranch became a boom town of approximately 10,000 people. It was, at the time, the largest settlement in all of southern Baja. After 60 years of mining, El Triunfo finally closed its operations in 1926. The tall chimney and surrounding brick buildings just off the south side of the highway are the remains of the old smelter. Don’t miss the piano museum and the Santuario de Cactus. A pizza or a sandwich from the recently opened restaurant El Triunfo Café will make this day trip even more enjoyable. From Todos Santos, drive north on Mexico 19 for about 30 minutes. At the intersection, bear right on Mexico 1 heading south toward the East Cape and back to San José del Cabo. Mexico 1 will pass right through the center of town approximately half an hour later. .

April—May 2017

The walls were up and they started on the framework for the roof pour. We learned that the roof pour is a big deal – with an after pour party for the workers. This tradition, according to our builder, dates back to the days when the neighborhood came to help someone with building of their house. At the end of the day, there was a feast and celebration –the home was done and it was a happy day for that family. Much like the way it was done in the pioneer days and raising of the barn. Many builders retain that tradition, and we as home owners for sure wanted to keep the tradition alive. So, we started planning for our celebration with beer, pop, roasted chicken, chips, etc. It was appreciated by the workers, as we appreciated the hard work they did. Now, speaking of hard work, the job of the big roof pour was like watching a ballet in motion. Workers were pulled from other job sites – a total of 18 guys were there, along with 2 cement workers a huge pile of cement bags, the water truck, lots of buckets and for the first time a generator. The assembly line of workers handing the heavy bucket of cement up the line to the roof, with the workers on the roof dumping it in the appropriate place. Once a section was done, the worker with the cement oscillating tool, vibrating the cement to take out air pockets and compacting the cement into a solid roof- per our understanding. Blocks of Styrofoam were also put in for insulation. It was very cool watching them work, as when they got into the groove, it went quickly. The workers rotated through the different jobs – I guess so they did not get tired arms lifting cement up all day long. It was impressive, and for sure there were a lot of guys with ‘popeye muscles’ working that day! Of course, we took a video and put it up on FB – just so folks in the states would believe us. Continued on page 34

April—May 2017

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Summertime in the Sub-Tropics

From Summer 2009 East Capers Magazine When the traffic in downtown Los Barriles begins to slow down, when R.V.’s with British Columbia, Oregon and Washington license plates start heading north on Highway 1, when airport vans loaded with fishermen arrive re placing the strong, fit group of north-bound wind and kite surfers, we know it’s the beginning of summertime in our little corner of the sub-tropics. Those of us who are ‘year-rounders’ are left behind to enjoy the peace and quiet as the temperature climbs. We slow down to a crawl, finding shade where we can. Strenuous activity is ‘out’. Speculating on how many hurricanes we’ll have this season is ‘in’. Resident curmudgeons arrive under the ramada at the Roadrunner Café every morning where they reminisce about the “good old days” and expound on the condition of the world today. There are more subtle, signs of summer’s seasonal change. As April and May move into June and July, subtropical plants begin their steady metamorphous in a variety of ways. Although Cacti remain erect and stoic during this transition, closer examination will reveal buds at the tip of their arms heralding the beginning of the flowering season. Pitahaya Dulce, for example, produce cream colored flowers tipped with light purple through July. They open only at night, inviting the bats and insects to visit and pollinate the plant for another season. In late summer, red watermelon-flavored fruit appears, considered a local summer treat by man and bird! Although most sub-tropical trees have lost their leaves by early June and appear to be lifeless. There still are two dominant trees living throughout the La Laguna mountain range, that bloom with puffy white blossoms in early summer, thus inviting swarms of bees to play tag throughout the branches enjoying the sweet nectar of life. As summer settles in, the activity of winter-migrating birds slows down. Hooded and Bullocks Orioles have mated, nested and are now teaching their offspring to fly before they head north. The Varied Bunting, a small finch with a plum-colored body, blued crown and a red nape patch are filling up on summer insects as they make plans to join them. Blood-red Cardinals, their look-alike Pyrrhuloxia and the Xantus’ Hummingbird are yearround residents of southern Baja. If conscientious human beings put out a sugar-water container, the Xantus’ rewards them with energetic sideshow. As dominate males spend most of their time defending the feeder from the males and relentless females their captive audience (us) must keep the feeder continuously filled.

etc., there ar a couple of harmless ones that we find very entertaining. Take for instance the Cicada. During the hot ‘dog days’ of August, male Cicadas produce a buzzing whining ‘song’ by vibrating membranes at the base of their abdomen. Some years the Cicada song is less abundant that others since it may take up to 13 years for a new hatch of Cicadas to emerge from their underground nursery. The champion insect of them all is the Phyllophaga, better known as the ‘June Bug’. This little critter is actually shock-resistant. When male June bug become an adult, and is driven to attract a female, he flies clumsily about, slamming into window screens, noisily colliding with outdoor lights, ricocheting off porch walls and clattering across the floor. Since females of the species have smaller wings and cannot fly, they are forced to wait for the one of these ardent aviators to make a crash landing nearby. We love the show! Since there are fewer humans around in the East Cape during the summertime, we have to get our entertainment wherever we can find it!!

Although we complain about the abundance of the summertime insects, mosquitoes, wasps, click beetles, bobos,

April—May 2017

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Tasty Yucatan Style Pickled Red Onions

By: Renée Lagloire, Buen Provecho Baja Visitors to the Yucatan peninsula are sure to notice that a bowl of pickled red onions is included at every meal. These onions are very tasty, with the pickling bringing out their sweetness. They can be eaten either incorporated into foods or as an accompaniment. Pickling has its roots in the Old World and its history is intertwined with that of wine. The first vinegars were wines that had soured. The archaeological record shows winemaking artifacts at approximately 6000 years ago in Israel, Georgia, Armenia and Iran. It is probable that vinegars were used to preserve foods starting from those early dates. There is no evidence that the pickling technology for preserving foods was available in Mexico (or anywhere in the Americas) prior to the Spanish Conquest. There are no descriptions of pickled foods in the written records. And in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, there was no word for pickling. Pickling was brought to the New World by the Spaniards, but was swiftly incorporated into the local cuisines.

Cebollas en Escabeche Estilo Yucateco Yucatan Style Pickled Red Onions 1 cup naranja agria (Seville orange) juice (or substitute: 1/4 cup each grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice and white distilled vinegar) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste 1 large red onion, or 2 cups, thinly sliced 2 bay leaves 1 guero pepper, charred (may substitute jalapeño)

1. Place Seville orange juice (or its substitute) in a mixing bowl along with the black pepper, allspice and salt. Mix well. 2. Incorporate the red onions and bay leaves. 3. Add the whole charred pepper and toss well and let the mix sit at room temperature anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2 hours, then cover and refrigerate. It will keep in the refrigerator in great shape for 2 weeks.

Read the color version online at www.eastcapearts.com Rotary Continued from Page 30

INTERACT STUDENTS INTERACT WITH LOCAL YOUTH Rotary Interact students from the Madera Rotary Club arrive in Los Barriles on April 9th, and pursue an ambitious project schedule until they depart on April 15th. Teenagers take on the tasks of painting the Los Barriles Elementary School kitchen, the East Cape Medical Clinic interior, and a project at the Buena Vista Elementary. Later in the week they’ll be cooperating with local teens on projects, and join us to distribute individual healthful water filters to the small communities in the Sierra Laguna Mountains. Perhaps the high point of their trip will be a meet and greet dinner where they can mix and mingle with local youth and make bonds that will deny borders for years to come.

In Spanish, “to pickle” is translated as escabechar, and pickled foods are said to be “en escabeche” (referring to being in the pickling liquid.) In English, the term pickling includes preserving with salts. In Spanish, it only refers to preserving in acidic agents. In Mexico, the most commonly used pickling liquids are vinegars made from fermented fruit -- apple or pineapple being most typical in regional cooking.

New Restaurant in Town!

Since we live in the semi-tropics with citrus readily available, I chose a recipe for pickled onions from the Yucatan that features sour oranges. Also known as Seville oranges, in Spanish naranjas agrias, these oranges are also used to make the finest orange marmalades. If you don’t have sour oranges, ask your neighbors if they do, or you can make the substitution suggested in the recipe. Enjoy these pickled onions, they’re really tasty!

By: Julia Childs

You will probably recognize Claudia GPE Cosio Garcia from her time working at Hotel Buena Vista and more recently Barrilitos, but where did she go when it closed? Well, I can tell you, she is the Manager and director of the Barriles Grill. Featuring shrimp and other seafood, Claudia brought with her Mariela as her head chef so, you already know how the food is…..great! Shrimp tacos, delicious coconut shrimp, ceviche, seafood pasta and everything you can expect from a good Mexican twist seafood restaurant. They have a full bar, great prices and excellent service! Located across from Smokeys, on 20th Novembre, Barriles Grill is closed only on Tuesdays, and open from 2pm – 9pm. Go on in, say Hi! to Claudia and check it out the food, drink and service – and add this restaurant to your list of favorites.

April—May 2017

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UPCOMING COMMUNITY PROJECTS SAN ANTONIO ALBERGUES REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS

The repair and renovation of both the girls’ and the boys’ albergues (dorm rooms) in San Antonio continues when Rotarians from the States come to finish what we started last season. Still needed is more painting, and electrical and plumbing repairs. Rotary de Los Barriles expects to complete the renovation with the help of our sister clubs, but we also welcome the parents and families of the children who use the albergues, and anyone from the community who wants to pitch in and make a difference in our children’s lives. Contact Chris Geyer chrisgeyer@eoni.com

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Barriles. Club Rotario has helped maintain and repair it, but now the fountain requires a major overhaul. We need to repair and upgrade the barrels, replace the pumps, reseal the fountain wall, and repair the cracks in the basin area that holds the water. We have no funds set aside for such a project, so we are looking to our community for support. Your generous donations will receive special recognition in these categories: Gold Sponsor - $500 USD; Silver Sponsor $250 USD; Bronze Sponsor - $100 USD. Donors in these categories will be recognized on a special plaque on the Fountain. All other donations will be recognized in a thank you published in the BPE, and on our Rotary website. Donations may be dropped off at Seven Seas Property Management, emailed with PayPal to clubrotariolosbarriles@gmail.com, or handed to any Rotary member. Please help restore our signature landmark. When we

HELP RESTORE OUR FOUNTAIN

Club Rotario de Los Barriles Cabo Este is asking everyone to help support the repairs and upgrades to our Los Barriles Fountain. The government of La Paz built the fountain many years ago as a means to promote Los

each give a little, we can get a lot done. Questions? scurrchris@hotmail.com

TIRED OF HAZARDOUS RAMPS ON OUR SIDEWALKS?

Tired of the hazardous ramps on our sidewalks in Los Barriles? Apparently, a lot of people are. A group of local business people and a few gringos met with our Mayo Francis Olachea. Their proposal is to fix hard rubber anti-slip strips on the ramps, fill and level the ramps to nowhere, repair the manhole covers, and fix the tripping places outside of Tio Pablo's Restaurante. The work would be done in three phases. Phase 1 will be across from Caleb’s to Fayla’s. Phase 2 will be around Smokey’s. Phase 3 will be south to Tio Pablo's. They hope to complete all three phases by the end of summer. Donations may be made at Pay Dennis, Joe’s Deli, or Caleb’s Restaurant. Strike a blow against shattered elbows - give a few pesos to the cause. For more information: scurrchris@hotmail.com Rotary Continued on Page 31

April—May 2017

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Making Phone Calls in Mexico The phone calling from land line to Mexican cell or US Cell is so complicated, that most of us need cheat sheets to do it. Especially if it is not some regular number we call every day. I personally can never remember if it is 045 or 044 with land line to cell phone, etc. Here is a quick cheat sheet that might be worth keeping handy. We tried to give you the most common scenario that you might need.

From your Mexican land phone: - To dial to a Mexican local number (same area code): Dial 7 digits (no area code necessary) - To dial to a Mexican long distance number: Dial 01 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits). - To dial to a Mexican cell phone number: Dial 044 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) (when in same area code) Dial 045 if the cell phone is a different area code than where you are (LD cell phone) - To dial to a U.S. phone number: Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a 1-800 U.S. number: (international rates apply) Dial 00 + 1 + 880 + phone number (usually 7 digits) - To dial to a Mexican 01-800 number: Dial 01 + 800 + phone number (usually 7 digits)

COPPER RIVER DESIGNS JEWELRY CHRISTINE ROGERS christinerogersbaja@yahoo.com US CELL (206) 669-1675 VONAGE (775) 772-0906 MEX. LANDLINE (624) 141-0014

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LOCATED ON CALLEJON CAMINO REAL turn east at Baja Properties and follow the signs

Hours: Monday thru Friday 9 am to 2 pm or call for appointment

From Mexican Land Line: - To dial to other countries: Dial 00 + country code (1, 2 or 3 digits) + phone number (usually 7 digits) - To a US cell phone while is in Mexico (some companies have that as default): Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits)

From your US cell phone: You can make calls from your U.S. cell phone to Mexi-

can numbers while you are in Mexico. The most confusing thing about this is that some US companies have arrangements with local Mexican carriers (TELCEL or MOVISTAR for example). In this case, the Mexican carrier takes over and your cell phone becomes “Mexican,” so you will use the “from Mexico” option below. Other carriers have no arrangement with any Mexican company, so you’ll use the “from the U.S.” option below. Unless you have an international plan, it is not cheap to use your U.S. cell phone in Mexico, but sometimes it is necessary. Contact your cell phone company before leaving the U.S, or try to dial the following ways: - To dial to a Mexican local or long distance landline number: From the U.S: 011 52 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) From Mexico: 01 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a Mexican cell phone number: From the U.S: Dial 011 52 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) From Mexico: Dial 01 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a U.S. phone number: Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a 1-800 U.S. number: (be aware: international rates will apply) Dial 00 + 1 + 880 + phone number - To a US cell phone while is in Mexico (some companies have that as default): Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits)

From your Mexican cell phone:

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SUMMARY OF ROTARIO DE LOS BARRILES PROJECTS By: Steve Reed

CARNAVAL 2017 LOS BARRILES

It’s always got to be about the kids. In this loving culture of Mexico, it’s true, and this Carnaval was no exception. Carnaval 2017 flowed through Los Barriles March 4th on waves of fun and laughter. The parade began at the Los Barriles Fountain and ran through town to Laguna Park, finishing with an address and presentation of our 2017 King and Queen of Carnaval by our Mayor Francisca Olachea. Prizes were awarded for best costumes by age, by our Mayor and Josefina Ruiz. As we should have expected, the true magic of Carnaval was not found in the floats or costumes or even the pig roast, but in the happy faces of the children. From infants to teenagers, the kids had fun and brought back the child in each of us. They proved once again to be the real gift of Carnaval. We are all family.

NEW TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN LA RIBERA The new Technology Center in La Ribera opened its doors Thursday, March 16th with a Grand Opening celebration. The new Center is located in the offices of the Delegación de La Ribera, and offers free use of eight computers with secure internet access in a supervised setting. What began as a small project by Club Rotario de Los Barriles to benefit a little albergue, has now blossomed into a full-blown Technology Center for all the children of the community. The Delegación de La Ribera, Mayor David Raom Almanza Macklis, and Assistant Mayor Pipino Cuevas Gonzalez, should be commended for recognizing the need, and then the solution, and working with our local Rotary Club to make what once was a dream into a reality. Many thanks to the Rotarians of the Truckee Breakfast Club and the Baja de La Paz Club for the computers, without which the secure space for the Center may not have been created.

Rotary continued on page 30

Carnival activities through the parade and the activities at the New Park

- To dial to a Mexican local number: Dial directly the area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a Mexican long distance number: Dial area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to a Mexican cell phone number Dial area code (3 digits) + phone number - To dial to a US phone number: Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits) - To dial to other countries: Dial 00 + country code (1, 2, or 3 digits) + phone number (usually 7 digits) - To a US cell phone while is in Mexico (some companies have that as default): Dial 00 + 1 + area code (3 digits) + phone number (7 digits)

April—May 2017

Recycle and share with a friend or return to East Capers Rack! Mexico is More Continued from Page 27

4. You truly like people and can accept their differences. Remember that you are never alone in Mexico. Even if—especially if—you live in a small town where there are no other gringos, you will meet many locals. They are a gregarious bunch with large families and a healthy curiosity about the bizarre ways of foreigners. Remember that many of the things we take for granted about ourselves are pretty darn amazing to outsiders. Old people and small kids will ask you questions as you travel about. Middle-class businessmen will go out of their way to help you when you need it. Strangers of all classes will show you things and help you find whatever it is you are looking for, be it a road out of town or a battery for your car alarm.

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Sir Lancelot to the Rescue

Beto Castro

By Leona Rey, Simba, Nala

Your Local TV connection

At 6 am. November 12, 2016 the dawn was barely breaking and Lance, the dog, was running free on the beach. Suddenly he stopped and stared ahead at something moving just above the sand. Oh no, could this be a snake? Putting Lance on his leash we cautiously approached; what did we find? To our delight, it was a mother turtle in the process of laying her eggs with her flipper flicking up sand.

Los Barriles BCS 044 624 358 2900 044 624 175 6172 ESP. / ENG e-mail antennacare@gmail.com

Rentals, Receivers, Remotes, LNB, New Antennas, Alignments

Knowing how vulnerable these turtle nests are, we went straight home to call Kareema who in turn got in touch with Noe who is in charge of turtle rescue. The nest was 1.4 miles north of the police sub-station on the Aqua de la Costa (Beach) dirt road. Sadly, this nest was beyond the turtle rescue jurisdiction which was 2 miles south. Skip went ahead and marked the nest with stones and a small sign to warn beach goers and vehicles about the nest.

5. You have a sense of humor. This is probably the most important ingredient in enjoying life in Mexico. If you do not take yourself too seriously, you will do much better than if you do. If you are a very serious or sad person and you have been sent to Mexico by your company, take heart, your whole personality could change for the better. These are the main personality traits that will make your life in Mexico a easier. I’m not a psychologist, and there is absolutely nothing scientific about my list. It is based on my experience and what I have gathered from the thousands of people I have talked to and observed during my twenty or so years of writing about Mexico and talking to people who live in Mexico or think they want to live in Mexico. It is only to give you an honest assessment of some of the differences of living in Mexico versus living in the United States or Canada.

¡Viva las diferencias

was great in organizing neighbors and overseeing the rescue of the baby turtles. It was a must to help get them over the rocks and into the sea. 88 baby turtles were set free in the Sea of Cortez. Days later, only a few baby turtles were seen emerging from the second nest.

To everyone who honored the signs and rocks marking the turtle nests ----- 88 baby turtles thank you very much!

The very next night Skip saw another mother turtle laying eggs close to the first nest. It too was marked with stones and a sign. We were told the eggs could start to hatch in 45 days- approximately December 27th. When nothing happened, Skip heard that they can take up to 60 days to hatch. but since it was so late in the season they also might not be fertile.

If You…. If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. Lao Tzu

At 6:15am January 17, 2017, 66 days later, Lance was sniffing the rocks and suddenly jumped back startled. Moving over to him and standing still, I noticed tiny flippers all around us. Lance had spotted a baby turtle in the rocks on his back with his flippers flailing away. With sand on my hands I picked it up and took it to the water. From there, I ran to Skip's house and woke him up. He

Live your life and forget your age Author Unknown

April—May 2017

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Swimming with the Rays March 2011

By: Theresa Comber The aquarium in our Sea of Cortez has ushered in what may have been the largest population of Manta Rays ever seen in our plankton rich, warm waters. On March 15, there was a flying train of determined rays reaching from south of La Ribera all the way to Buena Vista. After a few weeks, the once enormous school separated into dense populations which could be spotted for miles, jumping and leaping from the water as though Neptune had turned the water to boil. Heavily concentrating offshore from Punta Pescadero toward Rancho Pescadero, on a return fishing trip it seemed to make sense to just jump overboard and join them – swim in their midst and see what happens. Holy Manta, Batman, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. First, the current offshore is strong; second, the deep blue sea is…deep. Even as a scuba diver, jumping in knowing there’s no bottom, steels your nerve. But then, there appears a comforting sense that there is a bottom. One made up of thousands of gliding rays, moving wing tip to wing tip like an undersea symphony, stacked, streamlined and completely, without a doubt, unconcerned by my presence. In fact, I felt like one of them. Kicking with my long dive fins they were so close and all around and I real

ized we were indeed moving very fast with the current. Up close in their midst they look like masked raccoons, we were checking each other out mask to mask. I had the thought after gliding in their same direction that perhaps it would be a good idea to turn around and watch them go past me. YIKES. There were so many and they were moving so fast that the steel nerve I had tapped to deal with the bottomless blue waivered and I sucked in a lot of air before I calmed. It is that vision, of thousands of manta rays passing by, which will stay with me forever. This incredible experience may not be for everyone; but for those that want to, we added it as an option to our return fishing trips and Coast Cruise Whale Watching journeys – that’ll rock the end of a great day. Our Sea of Cortez Manta Rays are of the ‘Mobula’ family and considered a species unique to our area because they fly! And splash and flip and create an awe-inspiring event, especially the first time they are seen. Now, after seeing them hundreds of times, and thousands of them, I’m still awe struck. People ask me why I think they fly. I think it’s because they can.

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Mexico is more than a place. It is a state of mind. Excerpt From Live Better South of the Border in Mexico, 4th Edition By Mexico Mike

I remember one fellow from Boston who had an expensive motor home and was the most uptight man I ever met. He had his wife, children, and grandmother with him. He was so filled with apprehension and worry about his expensive motorhome that I told him he should just go on a driving trip to Mexico, much less consider living in Mexico. He was taken aback. “I thought your job was to encourage people to drive to Mexico and consider retiring or living in Mexico.”

Grandma danced in the square in Veracruz. I have a place to stay if I ever get to Boston. That experience taught me that I should never judge whether someone will fit into Mexico, but I can make general assumptions about what might not work. Follow your heart, but take some of my suggestions to the same place. You’ll enjoy living in Mexico if: 1. You have a spirit of adventure. Even if you are going to live in Mexico City and work for a company, l ife will be an adventure. You can either have fun with it or be frustrated by it. The choice is always yours. 2. You can accept that most things are out of your control.

“No,” I replied, “My job is to help people to have a good time and find a better way of life, and you are so worried about your motorhome that you will not have a good time. Do us both a favor and stay home.”

If you think everything has to be in its place and there must be a logical explanation for everything, then you are going to spend a lot of time being unhappy. Learn to “go with the flow.”

He thought about it and said, “What if I leave the motor home here and just take the car?”

3. You are willing to accept things as they are.

He did, and his two-week driving trip became a monthlong journey of self-discovery. I saw him when he returned and he was completely relaxed and smiling. In fact, he and his family stayed an extra two weeks, and Grandma came back several years younger in spirit.

There’s a wonderful little prayer that says, in part, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” You may find yourself repeating this when little “Mexicanisms” get between you and getting things done. Continued on Page 28

April—May 2017

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Skinwalker

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely triumph occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open. Editors Note: Cinco de Mayo has a greater celebration in the United States and Canada than in Mexico. In areas with greater concentrations of Gringos (like the East Cape), there is more of a celebration with another reason for a party!

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By: Jorge Bergin

FIRST ANNUAL BENEFIT BICYCLE RALLY April 22, 2017 “Ride to El Cardonal” On the new road 18 miles/29 KM Sponsor a rider for 50 Pesos* per miles ridden 100% of funds donated go to fix our FOUNTAIN By Rotary Club of Los Barriles Rally starts at the fountain at 9am, April 22nd 2017* *Due to popular demand, there will be an early bird start at 7AM. Riders and sponsors please register at East Cape Bicicleta, across from Caleb’s Restaurant. Water Stations, first aid, and return Van rides supplied. *Please note, Sponsorship for local Mexican riders and Mexican sponsors is 30 Pesos per mile ridden

The whole thing was winding down. We all knew it so we were all trying to get the last little bit out of a very good business. I say “we” like we were a big part of it but truth be told, me and Patterson were small potatoes, start to finish. We got in it in ‘72 and quit in late ‘74. We quit the buffalo meat business long before Hoodoo Brown and the big boys because we couldn’t get the stuff to market and had a lot of wasted hauls; terrible business because we burned up bullets and teamster money for nothin’ and killed the beasts for nothin’. We went to hides as soon as we learned the market in Kansas (for sale to the Brits and others) was buying every hide they could get. My partner, Laramie Patterson, told me, years later that a lot of our hides were used for shoe soles, belts to drive machines and strapping for cotton gins. Lobenstein shipped them to England, they tanned them and sent them back for the gins and factories. How about that. Same time the number of animals began to dwindle we had a problem with a Indian in Dakota territory. In a month he killed three of our shooters and skinners including a breed and he wounded two others. He was like a ghost. Nobody I know ever saw him even after we had outriders lookin’ for him. So, you know, stories get around all campfires and pretty soon they were calling him “Skinwalker”. By that late in the game we had done well enough we all had switched to Sharps 50-90s rifles, new ones and the “Skinwalker” must have had an old one and a cache of ammo or maybe a big Henry. Everybody had a theory but I think mine was as close as any. I think he rode alone, left his pony way back, walked and kept out of sight until he could see but not be seen by us while we were shooting around the edges of a herd. Shooters would just set up with a good fork rest and drop one at a time in his quadrant. Each shooter could hear the others shooting so a shot from outside the circle would

April—May 2017

raise little alarm. Might take him two or three to get the range but our shooters need to do the same at times so the sound would mean little. When he got a hit, the Indian would run back to his pony and be out of sight before the dead man was discovered. Same with the skinners, I guess. Over the last few years I’ve overstayed a few visits with “The Whiskey Man” and then I’d begin to see a certain irony in the whole thing. Dumb bison hear a rifle go off, see their calf fall to the ground, then they just go back to munching on the sweet grass. Same with us – when the Indian hit, we would put the body in the shade and finish the shoot. Those last few months, nobody quit on account of the killings. We just ran out of buffalo. So, I guess the Indian didn’t do the buffalo much good. He started too late. Too little and too late for the 9 million that got killed in 73 and 74. Don’t know how you could a stopped it – they needed a whole lot of shoes and factory belts.

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The Intimate and True Adventures of “El Ballenero” By: Urmas Kaldveer, PhD

Episode 15- Humpback song: joy, challenge or just showing off? Before leaving sound (Episode 14: Cognition and Communication) I would like to mention just a little about humpback song. I have been very fortunate in having heard a “singer” three times during the past 12 years of research here in Mexico. If I had a hydrophone set up that would of course not be the case, but barring that, I feel privileged to have been in the presence of and able to hear a humpback singer. Roger Payne described them (the songs) in 1971 as "exuberant, uninterrupted rivers of sound" with long repeated "themes", each song lasting up to 30 minutes and sung by an entire group of male humpbacks at once. The song has a predictable structure with a series of sounds (units), repeated over time in patterns (phrases), with each phrase repeated several times to comprise a "theme". A typical song is then made up of 5-7 themes that are usually repeated in a sequential order. A song typically lasts 8-15 minutes (although it may range from 5-30 minutes), and then is repeated over and over in a song session that may last several hours. The sounds that comprise a humpback song are varied and can range from high-pitched squeaks to lower frequency roars and ratchets. A striking feature of the song is that it gradually changes or evolves over time. Each year, different sounds and

arrangements of sounds form to create new phrases or themes. These changes are slowly incorporated into the song, while some older patterns are lost completely. The song apparently changes as it is being sung. The change in the song display seems to occur in a collective or common way throughout the population. Usually after a period of several years, the song is virtually unrecognizable from the original version. In some cases, however, the song has completely changed in just two years! Despite the constantly changing nature of the song, all singers in a population sing essentially the same version at any one time. In fact, all the singers in the North Pacific (that is, whales in Japan, Hawaii, Mexico and the Philippines) separated by thousands of kilometers sing essentially the same version of a song at any one time. The songs of humpbacks may be similar across entire ocean basins like the North Pacific Ocean, yet different in separate oceans. The evidence to date indicates that only male humpback whales sing. Often the singer is relatively stationary, staying in one geographical location for extended periods of time. During these stationary periods, singing humpback whales often hang in an upside down, head-down, tail-up position, approximately 15-30 meters below the surface. The singer will maintain this position until it surfaces to breathe and then immediately resumes this position after diving. At other times, however, singers will steadily travel while singing and may move tens, if not hundreds of kilometers during a song session. Why whales sing is an intriguing and complex question. The dominant hypotheses have viewed the song as a sexual display, with much emphasis on the notion that the song is primarily a display to attract females and that the song changes as a result of female choice. Often attached to this is the idea that the song also serves notice that the singer is prepared to fight. Other suggestions on the function(s) of humpback whale song include: 1) a physiological inducement to synchronize estrus in females; 2) or as an orientational display that acts as a migratory beacon, a male spacing mechanism, and/or a form of sonar to locate females. Conservatively, the song is a communication from male humpbacks during the breeding season. It almost certainly provides the location of the singer, and by association the entire herd, and signals that reproductive activity is underway. The song also likely broadcasts information about the individual singer, but what information is communicated and who the recipient is remains unknown. The songs are varied slightly between each breeding season, with a few new phrases added on and a few others dropped.

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Cinco de Mayo From History Channel

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States. History of Cinco de Mayo: Battle of Puebla In 1861 the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez (1806-1872) became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III (1808-1873), decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat. Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez (18141892) set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla. Led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829-1862), the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well provisioned and supported by heavy artillery, before the city of Puebla and led an assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash. Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. Six years later—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France withdrew. The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon in 1864, was captured and executed by Juárez’s forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there.

Whales Continued on Page 17

April—May 2017

Continued on Page 26

April—May 2017

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Facts About Mexico

Fishing with the little...Continued from Page 23

to stifle our laughter. Derek looked from me to Nina in confusion.

By: Karin Lehnardt

“What did I say wrong?” Derek asked. I leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Oh,” he said, his eyes as big as saucers. “But Nonnie, I thought little bastards were a type of fish. I didn’t know Grandpa was saying bad words.”



From that day on, whenever our family got together, Derek and Nina would vie for story-telling rights on the infamous fish story. No matter where we are, all one of them had to do is say, “Hey, Derek ... (Or “Hey, Nina.. ”) “Remember those L.B.s?”And we’d all crack up.

 The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog and is named for a Mexican state. Relative to their bodies, Chihuahuas have the biggest brain in the dog world

Author update: Togo Hazard passed away in 2010, but his memory lives on at “The Spa,” where his favorite room, 50, has a plaque in his honor.



The National University of Mexico was founded in 1551 by Charles V of Spain and is the oldest university in North America.

Mexico City is built over the ruins of a great Aztec city, Tenochtitlán. Because it is built on a lake, Mexico is sinking at a rate of 6 to 8 inches a year as pumps draw water out for the city’s growing population.

 The red poinsettia (which the Aztecs called cuetlaxochitl) originated in Mexico and is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico (in the 1820s).  When Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortés arrived in 1519, the Aztecs believed he was their returning god, Quetzalcoatl, and offered him the drink of the gods: hot chocolate. Mexico introduced chocolate, corn, and chilies to the world

Read the color version online at www.eastcapearts.com Whales Continued from Page 16

Today, humpback whale song is considered to be one of the most complex, non-human, acoustic displays in the animal kingdom. Singing is usually heard during the breeding season, but also occurs during migration and in late summer and fall feeding areas. Although likely heard by sailors for centuries, the first recordings of humpback songs were made by U.S. Navy ships in the late 1950s off Hawaii and Bermuda while tracking submarines. It was “all Greek” to the Navy. Scientists first recognized these sounds as coming from humpback whales in the 1960s, and the first technical description of humpback whale song was published in Science in 1971 by Dr. Roger Payne and Scott McVay. Humpback Whale song, like the other “higher intelligence” behaviors of the great whales and cetaceans in general suggests a creature that is highly evolved and could very well be considered a “second” intelligence on our planet. Isn’t it interesting to contemplate an alien discovery of our planet, but instead of finding the terrestrial intelligence worth study, they would choose The Cetaceans?

Urmas Kaldveer, PhD: teacher, researcher, author: THE OTHERS “The Whale People”: A Personal Journey of Discovery, Transformation and Healing (Balboa Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble)

The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. ~Benjamin Franklin

Whales favorite song??? Hunka Hunka Love???

April—May 2017

Recycle and share with a friend or return to East Capers Rack! evangelization of the whole region.

Expats Living Continued from Page 22

San Francisco Javier Vigge Biaundo Mission In 1699, Father Francisco Maria Piccolo founded what is now considered to be the "Jewel of the Baja California Missions". Here you can admire different sculptures, oil paintings, Churrigueresque-style altarpieces, the cemetery, its interior archways, and the Cavalry Cross on the exterior. Located just 20 miles from Loreto, it's popular for the festivities in the month of December, known as the Festivals of San Javier, which see the participation of hundreds of pilgrims and devotees.

So, if you are interested in becoming an expat and live in Baja or Mexico mainland be sure to visit first and figure out where and how you may live in what many of us believe to be paradise. You can read a lot of the BajaInsider.com site as well as many others and investigate what choices you have depending on the amenities you wish to have, the climate and type of work, if necessary, that is available. There are also many forums on the net where you may ask questions for people that live in the specific areas of Mexico you are interested in.

Santa Rosalia de Mulege Mission Featuring an "L"-shaped, stone construction, this mission was built in 1705 by Juan Maria Basaldua. It boasts artifacts that date back to the 18th century, like the sculpture of Saint Rosalia and a bell. The mission still holds Mass on Sundays and holidays. San Jose de Comondu Mission Built in 1708, by Fathers Julian Mayorga, Juan Maria de Salvatierra, and Juan de Ugarte, this mission has suffered the passage of time and the effects of political and religious changes over the centuries. It was demolished and what remains today is the sacristy, where you'll find oil paintings, bells, and stone figures.

A Tour of the Jesuit Missions in Baja California Sur By: Tere Leetch

Baja California Sur is a state that has lots to offer visitors, featuring a rich historic past and incredible natural beauty, making it an ideal choice for a wonderful vacation on Mexico's Pacific coast. Something that you must include on your travel itinerary is a tour of the Jesuit Missions of Baja California Sur, which have witnessed the passing of time and the transformation that this important tourist destination has gone through.

San Ignacio Kadakaaman Mission This site is one of the best-preserved; its construction was started by the Jesuit Juan Francisco Luyando in 1728 and concluded by the Franciscan Juan Crisostomo Gomez. It is located 45 miles from Santa Rosalia and was made using large blocks of volcanic stone. It features an image of San Ignacio de Loyola, as well as oil paintings and a wooden altarpiece covered with gold leaf. Get the most from your vacation in Loreto and the surrounding area. Admire the contrast of the colors of the sea and the desert, sample the local cuisine, and fall in love with this beautiful place framed by the beauty of the Sea of Cortez

Evangelization by the Society of Jesus started in this region at the end of the 17th century, after the Spanish Conquistadores stopped their search for treasure and faced resistance from the natives. The movement was headed by Father Juan Maria Salvatierra, and resulted in the construction of 18 different missions. Listed below you'll find the most important ones:

Life in Baja and Mexico in general is a slower pace with the mañana, mañana syndrome prevalent as in other Latin American countries. While mañana, mañana translates to tomorrow, tomorrow it really means “Not Today” without confirming when in the future when. This can be frustrating to those that come from other countries like the U.S. or Canada for example but if you can adjust to it, you will really love life south of the border…

first big dorado and used it as his company Christmas card that year. And Derek was so proud! For years, he suffered from seasickness. Did it faze him? Not a bit. He always told me he felt just fine as soon as he barfed. In the summer of 2001, he caught a 302-pound marlin. His love for fishing rivaled that of his grandfather until he became a vegan a few years ago, and gave it up. Anyway, I digress. At lunch the day after Derek caught his first Dorado, my mom and I were quizzing him about the fishing trip. “Well, it was kind of boring after we caught my dorado. All we caught were a couple of little bastards, and we had to throw them back,” he explained in his serious, matter-of-fact voice. Silence reigned around the table. Eyebrows were reaching for the ceiling. My dad walked into the dining room and sat down. “Togo. Did you swear in front of your grandson?” my mother asked, her voice dripping icicles. His eyes widened. “What? Me? Of course not,” he said. He was all innocence. “You didn’t call some fish ‘little bastards’ out on the boat?” she asked. My sister and I looked at each other, grabbed our napkins, covered our mouths and tried Continued on page 24

Fishing For Those Little Bastards—May 1991 By Ann Hazard My son Derek’s first trip to Baja was in May of 1987. He wasn’t born yet, but he was definitely there in my very pregnant (as in seven months pregnant) belly. When he was a year old, we camped south of La Misión. While his sister Gayle went horseback riding, he hung out in his playpen or went for beach walks in a backpack. He’s almost 30 now, but during his growing up years we took plenty of airplane and camping trips to Baja, and even more weekend trips and vacations to La Bufadora, where we had a second home. Derek’s first really big, supremely exciting trip to Baja took place in 1991, when he was not quite four. This was the first time he was old enough to go fishing alone with his grandpa. We went, of course, to Spa Buena Vista.

Our Lady of Loreto Concho Mission

Founded in 1697 by Father Juan Maria Salvatierra, and located in the "Pueblo Magico" (Magic Town) of Loreto, this mission stands out for its antique baroque altarpiece and for the authentic pieces displayed in the church, as well as for its oil paintings and original image of Our Lady of Loreto. This was the center for

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New at Baja Foot, Facial Reflexology, softens wrinkles, helps migraines & more!

April—May 2017

Since I have one sister and no brothers, my dad— passionate fisherman that he was—never had a son to fish with. He over-fished Nina and me off the coast of La Paz before we were out of grade school. After that, we’d snorkel, but fishing? No gracias. The poor guy was devastated that we failed to fall in love with his favorite sport. Dad never had a bona fide fishing buddy in the family until Derek. He took a photo of Derek with his April—May 2017

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Expats living in the Baja and Mexico in General From: Baja Insider

More and more people are asking about relocating to Mexico these days. To live as an expat in Mexico can be very rewarding and here is an article to help you see if Baja or Mainland Mexico is for you. Whenever I travel to the U.S. or Canada and tell people I live in Baja California Sur, Mexico I have people ask me why, where and how do I live as an expat. ? Lately this question has come up a lot more with the Americans and Canadians that are tired of living in the north with the higher costs of living and evidently a lower quality of life. I explain relocating to Baja or anywhere in Mexico is not for everybody but it has been a great home to me for more than 25 years.

I originally moved to Baja and became an expat living in Mexico not because I had a problem with the U.S. I just liked the weather, the water sports like sailing, windsurfing, diving and surfing and the cheaper costs of living. I realize today that people say that I’m lucky because they are not happy in their home countries due to changes in laws, taxation, violence and many other factors. Let me address the violence issue right off. While of course Mexico has problems, crimes and many times violent crime related to drug trafficking, it is not the norm in most of the country and definitely not in Baja. Yes Tijuana is still considered a place with some serious problems and yet it is not the entire city. There is much more of Baja where people live in peace and safety than not. The point is, that in most cases if you are not a part of the or in areas of the drug trade then you will not likely

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experience this violence first hand. That’s not to say there isn’t other forms of crime like robbery which is on the rise just about everywhere there is a poor economy. Not everything is cheaper or better in Mexico but in general most of us that live here will tell you the quality of life is worth any costs, inconveniences or problems associated with life in Mexico. So if you choose to live in an area like Ensenada, Rosarito, San Felipe, Mulegé, Loreto, La Paz or Los Cabos to name a few you can find a peaceful place to live with all the amenities you could want. In the U.S. and Canada many of the Baby Boomers are taking early retirements because many say to keep working and pay the taxes just isn’t worth it. They already have enough to retire if they can lower their costs of living and even better if they increase their quality of life. Whether you are retiring early or not, Baja has been the choice of thousands of retirees for many years. You can find an article from a survey of retired U.S. citizens in Mexico on the Baja Insider website if you would like some interesting citizen feedback. Keep in mind living in Mexico is different and is not for everyone. People recently have emailed with problems of corruption while driving or worse in real estate transactions. Yes, there is corruption in Mexico and while it has gotten better in most areas, it still exists and the process of suing someone in Mexico is difficult at best even for the Mexican citizen. For those that are considering work in other areas many of the common jobs are in timeshare sales, real estate, hotel administration, chefs, massage therapist, musician, photographer, writer, computers, consultants, resort activities and many others. There are some restrictions on where you cannot work such as a captain of a charter boat, commercial pilot, bartender, taxi driver but there is less protection of these jobs it seems every day. All I can say to this, is the old sayings of do your homework and cross those “t’s” and dot the “i’s”. It is very important, especially if you do not speak and read Spanish to rely on someone you trust as well as use bilingual lawyers and professional translators to be sure you know what you are getting into. Continued on Page 23

April—May 2017

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East Cape Guild, A.C. Upcoming Events By: Irene DeAndero/Jill Borggreve

The East Cape Guild will hold its annual Bocce Ball Tournament on Thursday, April 20 at East Cape Casas & RV Park. Play will start at 2:00 so be there a little earlier for sign in. Tickets will be $20 for each player. Tickets will be available at the Community Market on April 8th and 15th and at Baja Properties and Homes & Land real estate offices. There will be hot dogs available during play and a dinner will be served around 4:30. And, of course, the bar will be set up to serve cold drinks to keep you hydrated during the day. Dinner is included in the ticket price and dinner for the non-playing audience members is $10 each. This is a great opportunity to meet new people in the neighborhood as teams are made up with two men and two women who may be new to each other, no preformed teams are allowed. This means that anyone can be on the winning team and no previous experience is required. Email Jill Borggreve at b2jborg@gmail.com for questions.

Emergencies

can happen anytime of the day or night! Suddenly a drunk driver comes out of nowhere, or you feel excruciating pain down your left arm, or a horrendous sudden headache knocks you out! Somehow you're taken to an emergency room and your life is saved, but now what? You require continuing hospitalization. You want to go home to the US or Canada. Now the insurance battle begins! Do you have out of home country insurance? Have you been gone too long and not realize you no longer have coverage? Is it a preexisting condition? Can you be treated where you are already hospitalized? Are you limited to only a transport to the closest facility capable of treating you? If any of those things are a possibility, you need Travel MedEvac! We'll get you home in an ICU equipped air ambulance with no co-pay, no deductible, no claim forms! Contact me for further information. Cathie Smith LoCicero, VIP Director Sales Mexico - Call me 575-993-8227 or email cathie@cathiesmithinsurance.com See our plans and other types of Mexico insurance at

www.cathiesmithinsurance.com

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May is Scholarship Month for the high school students of the East Cape!

The Mexican federal system pays for children’s education only through the 9th grade. To attend grades 10-12, it becomes the financial responsibility of the families. If you live or visit in our beautiful East Cape communities, you know that it would be an extreme, if not impossible, financial strain for many of our local families to afford the extra cost of $500 per child per year. These young people then have no hope of fulfilling their dreams of becoming a veterinarian, doctor, accountant, teacher etc. And they are the future of the East Cape and of Mexico! Our passion is Education, in particular to cover the cost of scholarships (becas) for these students to enable them to realize their potential and rise above a life of unskilled, low wage labor. The East Cape Guild, A.C. founded in 1997, is a nonprofit association that over the years has provided scholarships to over 2000 students. Students interested in receiving a beca must show they have financial need and have excellent grades to qualify. The applications for this year are currently being reviewed. The scholarship money is always paid directly to the schools in the recipient’s name. Please join us at La Concha Saturday, May 20th for the Scholarship Awards Ceremony. Watch the BPE for details. You can also help these kids by joining us in the Guild and being part of the team, making a U.S. taxdeductible donation through the International Community Foundation (ICF) at www.icfdn.org, or go to our website eastcapeguild.com for other ways to donate. You’re welcome to contact me with any questions: Irene DeAndero at dacebob@gmail.com

Oscar the Mechanic WE WORK ON CARS & TRUCKS Behind El Toro Y La Luna

Open Monday thru Saturday 8am to 5pm Call us at: (cell) 624-117-3412

April—May 2017

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April—May 2017