D-Day

The month is winding down here in San Carlos and our sunsets will soon be setting in the Tucson Mountains, another spectacular location. We have yet to go to the top of Gates Pass to catch the sunset, maybe next week. Adding to the list of things not done was getting up during the wee hours this morning to capture the setting full moon over the Sea of Cortez...not a very committed photographer am I!

Our minds are slowly wrapping around departure details, scoping out all the stuff we've tucked away in way too many nooks and crannies.  The actual packing event will start tomorrow as we've decided to leave a day early, on Sunday, thinking the traffic may be a bit lighter and the going around Hermosillo a little easier to maneuver. Not sure about the border crossing on Sunday; could go either way.

There are a lot of homes and property for sale and one day as we were driving out in the Nacapule Canyon we noticed an older subdivision of large RV sites that fell victim to the economical downturn.  Some had elaborate covered patios sporting fancy ceramic tile, with decks on top for ocean viewing, reached by wrought iron spiral staircases.  Full hookups were evident and outdoor bar and barbecue facilities were in place. Some were occupied, but most vacant, overgrown, and for sale.

The RV parking is on the other side of this covered patio

A Gringo development nearby

We had breakfast this morning at Rosa's Cantina, without a doubt one of the most popular places in town, and always packed with ex-pats, tourists, and locals.  The food is excellent and the fresh orange juice propelled us to Walmart to purchase our own citrus juicer, about $10, so we could make our own.

Breakfast as Rosa's

Fresh OJ with our new juicer

With sightseeing behind us, I've settled into some serious reading this last week.  First was Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, an obvious classic about the Civil War in Spain in the 1930s that I'd somehow missed over the years. Then for a change of pace, David Baldacci's The Hit, a page-turning thriller I couldn't put down.  Now I am absolutely enthralled with Isabel Allende's Maya's Notebook, just released in English.  Meanwhile, Howard is laughing out loud as he reads Catch 22, a satire of military madness with a San Carlos connection.  And then there's computer chess...

Our stay in Tucson will be limited to a few days.  We need to receive mail, get haircuts, visit with local friends, and start preparing the motorhome for the trip west to the Bay Area. We're anxious to get back to our kind of normal, though this has been a most wonderful month.