On our exploration yesterday, we were passed by buses crowded with people, many of them standing. No air conditioning except an open window. All on their way from the small towns into work. There is a lot of traffic on the highway. Gerry marvels at the fact in small towns our van comes so close to another passing car on the narrow dirt roads without hitting each other.

The houses are small. Most have a portion that is uncompleted, with iron re-bar sticking up into the air for some future addition above. Some are painted in bright colors. Chickens run freely. A dog sleeps in the heat laying on his back, feet straight up, in the shade. Dogs of every shape and size are all over. There are small stores selling everything scattered randomly along unpaved roads next to cement houses. Large water puddles have formed in the dirt roads from the afternoon rains. People sit in the shade doing nothing. I get a glimpse of a man behind a wire fenced area sleeping in a hammock in the shade. Women walking slowly carrying a child or a bundle in a plastic sack. Here and there we find a large, expensive house located along side of the small cement houses their neighbor's live in. 

We photographed people and sights as we slowly drove through these places. People stare curiously at the white four wheel drive vehicle we are in. Most smile when we roll down a window, yell a greeting and point our cameras at them. One man looked angry at me and turned his head away when he saw my camera. The ones we encounter walking along that we photograph, we offer them a dollar or two for the privilege of taking their picture. We didn't find many men on horse back in this area. Past some small cement houses along a dirt road we came across animals eating along the road. Goats, a cow and cattle. A calf was trying to get milk from his mother as she moved to find more green to eat. A huge Brahma bull looked unfriendly. You see a lot of ribs on these animals. 

We stopped in a larger town at the square. Gerry and the driver sat and had a Coke. I photographed a man who was cleaning the street with a broom and wheel borrow. I asked him in Spanish if I could photograph him and he said yes. He proudly posed holding the handle of the broom. When I gave him some pesos, he was very happy. At the out door stand where the driver and Gerry were sitting a little girl played behind her mother who was cooking. When I tried to take her picture she became shy and hid her face. Small trucks pass by with loud speakers announcing in Spanish that they are selling something. We have seen small pickup trucks whose back end was piled high with oranges, corn or pineapples they sell door to door. 

We are going to take pictures today in Puerto Vallarta this morning. Then we pack and both of us leave together for the flight home. Gerry goes to California and I am going back to Gig Harbor. He has far more pictures then I do and his are wonderful shots. He brought his 400 mm lens which let him take close ups from a distance. Out of the dozens of photos I've taken here since our arrival a week ago, I suspect I have less then a dozen that are really good photos. When I get back I'll publish a few.

My wife Lita and her friend are in Cabo at a spa while Gerry and I have been on this trip. Gerry's wife is with a friend at a spa in Mexico as well. However, a tropical hurricane, Norbert, is heading for Cabo. Lita and I have been talking about the fact it is supposed to hit land Saturday evening and they leave Friday. I'm trying to track this on the internet while I'm here. In addition,I've been monitoring the stock market and politics. Yet, in spite of all of this it's been a very relaxing trip for me without any schedule to follow. We have enjoyed the leisure time for talking together and the time we have had together. We have found an amazing number of similarities in our experiences over our lives. This has been an unique adventure with my friend. I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity for which I am grateful