Friday, October 24, 2014
LOS BANCOS
Yes, I know it has been a while. It has just been to hot to think, (let alone write). Also as you know, I am lazy. This posting started months ago, but as you will see, it took a while to play out.
It could also have been called "El Correo en P.V. Part Two". I noticed another call from an unknown number on my Magic Jack. In my voice mail was another message from my bank that my account had been "compromised" (Compromised is bank speak for someone has hacked into our system AGAIN). They further stated that my card was being cancelled and a new card was on its way to me. OH NO! Not again! I immediately called my bank (well of course immediate means that you wait through 10 minutes of "push this, and push that").
Finally I got a nice man on the line who asked me a series of questions. One being could I give him the birth date of my co=signer. I told him that I do not even know how old she is and I would never ask. Finally he admitted that yes, the bank was sending me a new card "for my own protection". I told him it was not for my own protection, but for my "antagonism". I explained that just three months ago they did the same thing. Since I am not in the United States (I did not want to tell him that I no longer live there) I have to have someone pick up the mail and then send the card to me by UPS which costs $75.00 and takes weeks. After checking my account on line, I saw that there had been no activity in two weeks (either by me, or anyone else). I wanted him to reverse the order and let me keep the card I have.
This he could not do (no idea why, except that it is a bank). I had him check to see about mailing it to Mexico. He was gone for a while and said that "yes" they would mail it to Mexico. Once he had agreed, I thought "Oh my God, what have I done?" He explained that it would come in an "unmarked" envelope without the banks name" Has anyone ever picked up an envelope with a credit card in it that did not know there was a card inside? Then he said that in a separate envelope, they would also mail me my new "pin number". I do not want a new pin number! What are the odds that these two pieces of mail will ever reach me? So I got him to lift the ban on my current card for another week to allow me to draw out as much money as I could. Then I waited.
Luckily I do have another account where my measly social security check is deposited. With all my problems with banks having two banks was a necessity. But in the meantime I heard that you can have your social security check mailed to a bank in Mexico. This would not only make my life easier, but safe me $60 month in ATM fees. I called The Social Security Office. First they said that the wait would be "about 45 minutes". I hung up and called back a few hours later. This time they said that they were so busy, that I should call back later. They added that the busiest time was in early morning on the first of the month. It was late afternoon and the middle of the month. I tried to get in "on line" I had to register giving them all my vital information. They told me the information was incorrect and to try again. I went over everything and it was all perfect. I pushed the send and they said that I was being frozen out, since I had failed so many times. Luckily I noticed a "help" button. They was one that said I could leave a call back. I did and about four hours later I got a call.
I told her why I was calling and she said, I had reached the wrong office and she would transfer my call. I waited through 45 minutes of awful music and finally got a live person. I was told that yes, they could send it to a bank in Mexico but I had to do it through the American Embassy. That is in Mexico City, but we do have an American Consulate in Nuevo Vallarta, so I decided to try there. My fear is that since I dropped my Residency Card, they might not do it. The last time I renewed it took ten trips to the Immigration office and now they have changed the laws which makes it more expensive and almost impossible. Before I hung up, I asked why I could not get on line. She checked and the problem was my phone number was wrong. I have not had that number in four years and could not even remember what it was.
But first I needed to open and account in Mexico. That was not nearly as bad as I thought it might me (but after dealing with Social Security, anything would seem simple). I had my passport, a copy of my lease and all my identification. What I forgot is that all they want is an electric bill. Why I do not know as it is in my landlord's name. So I went back home and brought my electric bill, my water bill, and my Telecable bill (which is in my name). All they wanted was the electric bill, but he wanted this month's bill. I explained to him that it only comes every other month, and this was my last bill. Finally he agreed. Then there was a problem with my signature. It did not look like the signature on my passport. I explained that the pasport was 7 years old and I was only 70 at the time and this is what my signature looks like today. It did not matter. I had to practice signing until I got one that was close. Then I had to do it ten more times.
Before going off to the American Consulate, I decided to try to reach them by phone and see if I needed an appointment, and also what all I needed. I immediately got a very nice lady who said she would email me the forms and if I could scan them, I could email them back to her. I actually do know how to scan a document. I was elated. The forms arrived, I printed them out and began to read through them. Then I saw in the "fine print" that the IRS will retain 26% of my check. This would not do.
So back to B of A. That had mailed the new card, but it had been returned to them. I asked them to read back the address. Sure enough they had eliminated the county, state, and zip code !! Now maybe they were not familiar with Mexican addresses, but NO ZIP CODE ? I gave them all the pertinent information and they said they would mail another card. It has now been six weeks. I knew it would never get here. Fortunately no one else did either, for there is no activity on my account. Nothing to do but close it out. I worry about only having access to one bank in The States, but Bank of America is just too much work !!
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Friday, September 19, 2014
HOMBRES TRABAJANDO (MEN AT WORK)
Somewhere I read an article that said that Mexicans work longer hours per week than any other civilized country (this assumes that Mexico is a civilized country). I think that one of the Scandinavian countries worked the least hours. Mexicans are extremely strong, no matter what size they are. I am amazed what old women and young children can carry on their backs (or balanced on their heads). Almost everyone works here. Yes, some are hookers working the streets, but to them it is a job. I do object to the parents who send their little children out to sell Chiclets and beg for money, but they are working. Old people, young, and the disabled. Every morning a man arrives to work at the restaurant across the street (I assume as a dishwasher). One foot is turned completely backwards. His right knee bends toward the left leg. Some how he manages to walk and work.
I have already told you about the church painters who pulled themselves up five stories on wooden platforms and ropes. Sadly after their Herculean effort, the paint has started to fade already. Cheap paint of course. The restaurant across the street from me was badly in need of a paint job, so I was delighted when a painter showed up to start scrapping off the peeling paint. But he was a midget about three feet tall. Why would they hire a midget to paint their wall? Well, after watching him I determined that he was in fact a very good painter (as you know, I have painted all of my own apartments), so I know about painting). He had brought a ladder with him (how he carried, it I have no idea) but it was not nearly tall enough to reach the top of the peak of the wall (especially when he is only three feet tall).
He would arrive late in the afternoon just before the taco stand opened up. They fought every day as the sidewalk (and taco stand) was covered with pieces of peeled paint and dust. Then one morning, the midget painter and the taco man showed up together. The taco guy brought a tall ladder in his truck. But it too was not tall enough. So they got some pieces of wood and started nailing them to the ladder adding about three feet. No way would you get me on that ladder. But alas, it was still not tall enough to reach the roof. So a neighbor showed up and he got to the top of the ladder and because he was tall, reached the top (you can see how the top few steps are added) . Unfortunately, he was not a very good painter and dripped red over the newly painted white wall. But that too was corrected. It took the midget (with a little help from friends) a full week to finish the one wall. It looks nice.
I assumed that he would then start on the other wall next. Do not ever assume anything in Mexico for you will be wrong. Months later the front of the restaurant still had peeling paint. I did think that maybe theyran out of money (or maybe never paid the midget). I figured the restaurant had a cash flow problem because of the gas truck that stops every week. They pull out a ladder climb to roof pulling a long gas hose and fill the tank on the roof. Only they don't really fill it. My tank is half the size and I fill it twice a year. What do they do, put 20 pesos in it? It made no sense (but little does here.)
Then the restaurant closed its doors. I figured they were closing for the summer as many restaurants do. Then a
Sometimes I see the little midget on the street, he also seems to say something to me. Maybe he noticed my watching and photographing him while he was painting. I do hope he got paid. I also feel sorry of the rest of the help, like the poor guy with one foot turned backwards. But life goes on in Mexico and I saw the midget painting the outside of a building on B. Badillo. That is the most expensive street in Old Town, so I assume he is getting paid for that job. (I hope so)
Thursday, September 4, 2014
LA SELVA TREPADORA Y LAS HORMIGAS (JUNGLE VINE AND ANTS)
It was maybe just a few months after I moved to this apartment that I noticed a vine crawling up my back wall. It was a nice green thing and once it reached the roof of my cabaña, I started training it to grow across the beam of the cabaña. Since it was the middle of winter there was no rain. It only rains here during the summer months. So I dropped a hose over the wall and tried to give it some water. That is when I noticed it was growing out of a crack in concrete three floors below. It was futile trying to water it. After a few months the leaves turned yellow and it seemed to die back. I figured it was over and cut it all back to the wall. Then it started up again. Everything grows here because of the climate and the rain fall. Across the street is a three story tall mango tree where a split leaf philodendron has grown all the way to the top of the tree.
This is the third time that it has managed to cross the beam. Each time there are more shoots. In fact it has continued to grow up and has now reached the roof of the apartment next door (four floors from the ground). I like the green jungle look and encourage it to grow along the beam. The unruly vine you see at one end grows out of one of the palm pots and is the most common vine in Puerto Vallarta. It has no tendrils and refused to grow where I want it to. It is totally unmanageable, so I just let it do it's own thing.
My jungle vine is a bright green, but only has a tiny cluster flower that last a day. You can see that it has almost taken over my door. The down side (other than it periodically dying back) are the ants they use it as a highway from the ground below. I hate ants and these are the big black and red ones. We have three kinds of ants here. We have the usual black ones (like back in The States) and a tiny almost microscopic ant that is so small unless it is on a white surface you would never see it. I hate them all, but the big black and red ones are the scariest.
I have my apartment sprayed for ants about every 5 or 6 months. He sprays my roof top, balcony, and the walls, floors and ceiling of my apartment. He even sprays outside every window. It takes him three or four hours and charges 250 pesos (about $20.00). Because he is a nice guy who speaks some English (and because he does a good job) I have recommended him to several friends who have all been very pleased with the results. He says it is good for six months (I call at the first sign of a bug). Any bug that finds its way to my floor will suddenly start shaking and roll over dead. I love it. He claims it is non-toxic to humans. He even told me it was not necessary to wash the utensils and dishes that our exposed ( I do it anyway).
But these huge black and red ants have found a way to avoid the poison by crawling along the vine. They do not seem to be going anywhere, but running back and forth along the vine. Maybe they get some kind of nectar from the vine. At any rate I still hate them. Spraying tended to hurt the new leaves, so I started picking them off and then squashing them. It is sort of a Mexican Jack and the Beanstalk Story. Only to the ants, I am the giant.
This is the third time that it has managed to cross the beam. Each time there are more shoots. In fact it has continued to grow up and has now reached the roof of the apartment next door (four floors from the ground). I like the green jungle look and encourage it to grow along the beam. The unruly vine you see at one end grows out of one of the palm pots and is the most common vine in Puerto Vallarta. It has no tendrils and refused to grow where I want it to. It is totally unmanageable, so I just let it do it's own thing.
My jungle vine is a bright green, but only has a tiny cluster flower that last a day. You can see that it has almost taken over my door. The down side (other than it periodically dying back) are the ants they use it as a highway from the ground below. I hate ants and these are the big black and red ones. We have three kinds of ants here. We have the usual black ones (like back in The States) and a tiny almost microscopic ant that is so small unless it is on a white surface you would never see it. I hate them all, but the big black and red ones are the scariest.
I have my apartment sprayed for ants about every 5 or 6 months. He sprays my roof top, balcony, and the walls, floors and ceiling of my apartment. He even sprays outside every window. It takes him three or four hours and charges 250 pesos (about $20.00). Because he is a nice guy who speaks some English (and because he does a good job) I have recommended him to several friends who have all been very pleased with the results. He says it is good for six months (I call at the first sign of a bug). Any bug that finds its way to my floor will suddenly start shaking and roll over dead. I love it. He claims it is non-toxic to humans. He even told me it was not necessary to wash the utensils and dishes that our exposed ( I do it anyway).
But these huge black and red ants have found a way to avoid the poison by crawling along the vine. They do not seem to be going anywhere, but running back and forth along the vine. Maybe they get some kind of nectar from the vine. At any rate I still hate them. Spraying tended to hurt the new leaves, so I started picking them off and then squashing them. It is sort of a Mexican Jack and the Beanstalk Story. Only to the ants, I am the giant.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
AGUA EN PUERTO VALLARTA
Puerto Vallarta advertises that it is one of only two cities in all of Mexico that has safe drinking water (I do not drink it) There is a caveat that states it also depends on where you live and how old your building is. No one knows the condition of all the pipes. So as soon as I took up residency, I started ordering bottled water from Ciel (incidentally, it is owned by Coca Cola). I made friends with Jesus (a driver for Ciel Water). He gave me his cell number so when I call, he arrives within 20 or 30 minutes (of course I tip him). He has delivered my water to all three apartments that I have lived in these past four years. I time the call to coincide with emptying a bottle. I can lift the 40 to 50 pound bottle up to the counter, but inverting it and sticking into the dispenser is just too much of an effort Sometimes I will have Elvis do it ( I like to watch all those muscles in motion).
Everything was fine until about a year ago when someone rang my door bell. The man had a clip board and a contract of some kind. I could not understand a word he said, but told him I was not the owner and I was not signing anything and closed the door. A few days later another man showed up with the same clip board. This time I asked the guy at the fish taco stand to translate for me. He seemed confused too, but said it had something to do with the sewer connection. I agreed to take it to the owners lawyer to figure out. A week later, the lawyer called me and asked me to bring in a copy of my paid water bill. No problem as I pay several months in advance so I do not have to go to the water company every other month.
The following month, my bill was twice as much. There was an additional charge at the bottom. I took it to the lawyer who said that the water rates had gone up. I did not believe him and asked several friends of mine to look at the bill. No one had ever seen the charge before. Of course usually the landlord pays the water bill, but not in my case. Water is only about 150 pesos every two months, so since my rent is cheap, I did not mind. However I still wanted to know what this charge was all about. Finally I got a Mexican friend of mine to drive me to the water company. The nice lady behind the desk explained that the charge was for connecting to the City sewer system (did not know they had one) and the cost was spread out over one year. It had never been paid before. When I told her that I did not understand she said, "But you signed the contract" No! I did not sign the contract and I am not the owner. "Oh" she said, "You should not be paying it" Armed with this information I went back to the lawyer who played dumb again. He claims not to understand or speak a word of English, but I do not believe that either. I gave up. They have agreed not to increase my rent and extra charge is only about $10.00 a month
When I first moved here, I noticed that the water pressure was awful. This is when I met Saul who was sort of the maintenance man for the building. He sighed and shrugged and said that the previous tenant had stolen the pressure valve and the landlady (whom I have never seen) refused to pay for a new one. I had Saul install one. There are two water tanks on my neighbors roof. This is how I found out which tank held my water. You can see the hole in the wall where the pressure valve was placed. I can only see the top of the tanks. A few nights ago I am sitting up under my cabana when black bird perched on the rim. The next thing I saw was him diving into the tank and taking a bath!! I could not believe my eyes. My ladder was not tall enough to see into the tank but high enough that I could feel the edge and sure enough the top was gone. We had a pretty big storm about a week before and the I guess the top blew off.
Of course the next day I called my trusted Saul (I have no idea what I would do without him). He brought a tall ladder and confirmed that the lid was gone, but he did spot it on my neighbors roof. He also told me that there were bugs and leaves floating in the water and he could see dirt in the bottom. Now I do not drink it, but I do use it to bath in, wash dishes and brush my teeth. This was not good.
He did tell me that the tank is only a reserve for when the City water is not working. I am not sure if I believe him or not. He said that first he had to fetch the lid off the neighbors roof, then the tank would have to be drained and the tank cleaned. He told me to start watering all my plants and shut off the water from the street.
It started to rain, Mind you it has not rained in a week, but the Gods decided that this afternoon was a good time to rain. So there I am up on my deck in a rain storm watering my plants. This must have looked very strange to anyone watching from below. But then my Mexican neighbors think of me as the "crazy American" anyway. Who but a crazy person would spend so much money remodeling a rented apartment?? Not to mention the forest of palm trees I have hauled in (nine so far). With the City water turned off as well as the pressure valve the hose was little more than a drip. It was taking hours, so Saul left promising to come back later
When the hose stopped running, the tank was not empty. Saul had me crawl up and look at it. The bottom had several inches of brown gunk. Saul told me that all tank have that and it was normal. Not for me, it was not normal. I told him I wanted it cleaned and flushed out. He had to scoop the water up with a plastic bowl and dump it into my bucket. Then I went up the ladder and carried the bucket down where I could dump it into the roof drain. This too went on for a long time, After he had scooped all that he could he rinsed it and then I gave him a towel to further clean it. I was able to shower and was pleased that the water came out clear. I still ran it for sometime before getting into it. For a while I think I will brush my teeth with bottled water. All the taps seem to spurt out clear clean water, so everything is back to normal (Well ! Normal for Mexico) but I still think I will not drink the water.
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Everything was fine until about a year ago when someone rang my door bell. The man had a clip board and a contract of some kind. I could not understand a word he said, but told him I was not the owner and I was not signing anything and closed the door. A few days later another man showed up with the same clip board. This time I asked the guy at the fish taco stand to translate for me. He seemed confused too, but said it had something to do with the sewer connection. I agreed to take it to the owners lawyer to figure out. A week later, the lawyer called me and asked me to bring in a copy of my paid water bill. No problem as I pay several months in advance so I do not have to go to the water company every other month.
The following month, my bill was twice as much. There was an additional charge at the bottom. I took it to the lawyer who said that the water rates had gone up. I did not believe him and asked several friends of mine to look at the bill. No one had ever seen the charge before. Of course usually the landlord pays the water bill, but not in my case. Water is only about 150 pesos every two months, so since my rent is cheap, I did not mind. However I still wanted to know what this charge was all about. Finally I got a Mexican friend of mine to drive me to the water company. The nice lady behind the desk explained that the charge was for connecting to the City sewer system (did not know they had one) and the cost was spread out over one year. It had never been paid before. When I told her that I did not understand she said, "But you signed the contract" No! I did not sign the contract and I am not the owner. "Oh" she said, "You should not be paying it" Armed with this information I went back to the lawyer who played dumb again. He claims not to understand or speak a word of English, but I do not believe that either. I gave up. They have agreed not to increase my rent and extra charge is only about $10.00 a month
When I first moved here, I noticed that the water pressure was awful. This is when I met Saul who was sort of the maintenance man for the building. He sighed and shrugged and said that the previous tenant had stolen the pressure valve and the landlady (whom I have never seen) refused to pay for a new one. I had Saul install one. There are two water tanks on my neighbors roof. This is how I found out which tank held my water. You can see the hole in the wall where the pressure valve was placed. I can only see the top of the tanks. A few nights ago I am sitting up under my cabana when black bird perched on the rim. The next thing I saw was him diving into the tank and taking a bath!! I could not believe my eyes. My ladder was not tall enough to see into the tank but high enough that I could feel the edge and sure enough the top was gone. We had a pretty big storm about a week before and the I guess the top blew off.
Of course the next day I called my trusted Saul (I have no idea what I would do without him). He brought a tall ladder and confirmed that the lid was gone, but he did spot it on my neighbors roof. He also told me that there were bugs and leaves floating in the water and he could see dirt in the bottom. Now I do not drink it, but I do use it to bath in, wash dishes and brush my teeth. This was not good.
He did tell me that the tank is only a reserve for when the City water is not working. I am not sure if I believe him or not. He said that first he had to fetch the lid off the neighbors roof, then the tank would have to be drained and the tank cleaned. He told me to start watering all my plants and shut off the water from the street.
It started to rain, Mind you it has not rained in a week, but the Gods decided that this afternoon was a good time to rain. So there I am up on my deck in a rain storm watering my plants. This must have looked very strange to anyone watching from below. But then my Mexican neighbors think of me as the "crazy American" anyway. Who but a crazy person would spend so much money remodeling a rented apartment?? Not to mention the forest of palm trees I have hauled in (nine so far). With the City water turned off as well as the pressure valve the hose was little more than a drip. It was taking hours, so Saul left promising to come back later
When the hose stopped running, the tank was not empty. Saul had me crawl up and look at it. The bottom had several inches of brown gunk. Saul told me that all tank have that and it was normal. Not for me, it was not normal. I told him I wanted it cleaned and flushed out. He had to scoop the water up with a plastic bowl and dump it into my bucket. Then I went up the ladder and carried the bucket down where I could dump it into the roof drain. This too went on for a long time, After he had scooped all that he could he rinsed it and then I gave him a towel to further clean it. I was able to shower and was pleased that the water came out clear. I still ran it for sometime before getting into it. For a while I think I will brush my teeth with bottled water. All the taps seem to spurt out clear clean water, so everything is back to normal (Well ! Normal for Mexico) but I still think I will not drink the water.
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Friday, July 18, 2014
NO FUMAR
One of the main reasons I moved here was because I could smoke almost anywhere. OKAY, the main reasons were that it was warm and cheap. Still after living in California where there is no smoking on the beach, many sidewalks and certainly nowhere inside. There are even non smoking condos and apartment buildings. So, being able to smoke in any bar seemed like Paradise for me. There were a few bars and restaurants (high end mainly) that had non smoking signs, but I avoided them.
After a couple of years, a few more restaurants and bars posted No Smoking signs. This should have given me a view of the future. I knew that several years before I moved here the Federal Government passed a no smoking law. It was just ignored. No surprise here; I have yet to discover a law here that the Mexicans don't ignore. I asked a few bar owners and they said that since Puerto Vallarta was tourist destination, they would not enforce the law here. I was happy.
Then one day at the restaurant where I play bridge they posted "No fumar" sign in their patio. I had never smoked under the covered area where we played bridge for I knew the other members would fuss. But this was a huge patio open to the beach. I said, "You have got to be kidding!" Nope! they were not. If I wanted a cigarette I would have to stand on the sidewalk. The patio picture shows this now almost empty restaurant.
A few weeks later I stopped after bridge at Apache's for a much needed margarita. It was the height on the season and all of the outdoor tables and chairs were taken. Not spotting anyone I knew, I moved inside to sit at the bar where I was told that there was no smoking inside anymore. The owner told me that the cigarette police had been there and it was a 50,000 peso fine for smoking inside, but she said I could still smoke outside. I re scanned the tables and spotted someone I vaguely knew. Cigarette in hand I moved toward the table and asked if I could bring up a chair. Someone I did not know said, "I would rather you not smoke, I am allergic to it" I felt like saying "Then you move inside and I will take your chair" But I did not and lowering my head slunk away.
Another evening I was talking to Endra, the co-owner of Apache's (and a woman not to be messed with) and she told me that they tried to stop smoking at the sidewalk tables because there was an awning. She made a big scene and said, " So, are you going to arrest people walking along the sidewalk with a cigarette in hand?" She insisted that since it was an area open on three sides people should be allowed to smoke. Later I heard that the "cigarette czar" wanted to fine her just for being so obnoxious.. Several weeks later I was seated outside and saw Endra standing in the doorway with a cigarette in hand. I told her she should step onto the sidewalk or the "cigarette police" would arrest her. She took a big drag on her cigarette, turned into the bar and blew a big puff of smoke inside.. She also told me that they were working their way through the town hitting all the bars and restaurants. So, I was quite shocked one day when passing my favorite bar "Un bar Frida" to find ash trays on the bar. That owner told me that none of the gendarmes had stopped there, so as far as he was concerned he knew nothing about the law.
So far (over a month later) it is the only bar I know that still has smoking. The government has hired 200 extra cigarette police to monitor all the establishments in Vallarta. Sooner or later I knew that they would win. So I decided to go to the electronic cigarette. Which I understand they are also trying to ban in the United States even though no smoke or tar is emitted. They still sell guns to crazy people who blow away schools, but an electronic cigarette is a No, No, CNN just had a story about a teenager who was sent to prison for 30 years for selling some pot brownies. The law makers in the U.S. are nuts. (another reason I left). I went to the one Smoke Shop in town, but found they only had one style. As is typical here, the owner was extremely rude and unfriendly (they are the worst businessmen in the world). The only electronic cigarette he carried was the kind where you have to carry little bottles of tobacco liquid to refill it. I had done some investigation and learned that these cigarettes are not only cumbersome to use, but could be dangerous (do not know why). So I kept asking people who had them (most brought them from the U.S. or Canada) But one guy at bridge told me to go to the wine shop at Los Mercados.
Nina is the American shop owner and is a heavy smoker. She had done some research and found a company in Mexico City that had the good ones that come with a package of cartridges. For some reason they cannot be shipped from the U.S. Surely Mexico is not worried about drugs being sent into the country from the United States. Anyway she told me to go online and pick the kit that I wanted. The kits ranged from 900 to 2,200 pesos (not cheap at all). The extra pack of five cartridges is another 189 pesos. You also have to select the level of tobacco and the flavor. Yes, they not only come in mint, but chocolate and pina colada. I went for Absolute Tobacco. I gave her the money, she added no extra charge and waited for her to call and tell me the package had arrived.
Five days later my package arrived. It is a cute little case and easy to figure out. The main part is the battery which you can plug into a socket or your computer to recharge it. Then there is a package of five cartridges you screw into the main part. I tried it and did not really fine it that satisfying. For a couple of weeks, I just kept it next to my computer so when I felt the need for some nicotine, I just pick it up and take a drag on it. I do not smoke inside my apartment, so it was easier than moving to the balcony or deck. Finally I took it to one of the nonsmoking bars. "
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Saturday, July 5, 2014
CORERO EN MEXICO
When ever someone tells me they want to mail a letter or something to me in Mexico, I tell them "We don't have mail in Mexico". That is an exaggeration, but they might as well not have it. Even the Mexican utility companies won't use it. They pay an employee to hand deliver the bills to each household. They also do not bother with envelopes. You have to know when the bill is due and search for it. If you are lucky they will stick it under the door, where it gets wet if it is raining (rain runs under my door during heavy storms). Or, they stick it in the door, or maybe hide it behind the meter. If you miss it, in 10 days they could shut off your electricity or water.
UPS is really the only way to get something to me and it is also "iffy". My first experience was when I had to have a new credit card mailed to me after it was stolen in Cancun. That took forever and since the tracking said it was in Guadalajara the night before, I ran out for my latte in the morning. Sure enough there was a note on my door when I got back. I called Saul. He told me that they only make one attempt and then return it to the U.S. I had to go to the UPS office and pick it up. Fortunately he knew where the office was so the following day, we hailed a cab and headed off.
UPS does not have an office in Puerto Vallarta, but uses a shipping company. So you really have to know where to go as nothing outside indicates that UPS is inside. It took about for ever to find it, but I did get it. That was my only experience with UPS until recently. One Monday morning I noticed that I had a call form a strange 800 number. I almost deleted it. For four years I have had collection companies calling me looking for a Maria, or an Edward. Apparently they had this number four years ago in California. I have Magic Jack for calls outside of Mexico and got a number local for Laguna Beach so people can call me at no charge. Each time I speak to the collection company they promise to delete the number from their list, but the calls continue.
Anyway, this happened to be a call from the fraud department at my bank. They notice "unusual activity" on my care and fortunately called me. Someone in Seattle had made ten charges on my card all on Sunday night. My bank knows I live in Mexico. Of course they said they would credit me for all the charges, but they had to cancel my card and send me a new one. They would not mail it to Mexico. They said that someone in Seattle had hacked into my account. I know no one is Seattle, never use the card for anything but ATM withdraws. I did use it while I was in the U.S. but that was five months ago. They said they
would only mail it to my U.S. address of record. They said it would take a week to ten days. I had my friend Donna check it after 10 days and the card was there. She mailed it UPS and got a tracking number. It cost $75.00 U.S. for a small envelope that weighed less than half an ounce. You still wonder why I don't have anything mailed to me?
The tracking showed it arriving eleven days later. Then it said, that it would be delivered a day early. With my last experience, I decided not to leave the house all day. No latte, no gym, no shopping, I just sat and waited. Of course it did not arrive until 6:30 at night. The next morning I tried it at my ATM and Thank God it worked. Without a credit or debit card I am without access to money. No one takes a check here.
And I do not want to use a credit card for purchases so I was desperate to get the card. You would think that for $75.00 a small envelope could get here a little faster.
Why eleven days? I think once it gets to Mexico, it travels by burro.
**************************************++
UPS is really the only way to get something to me and it is also "iffy". My first experience was when I had to have a new credit card mailed to me after it was stolen in Cancun. That took forever and since the tracking said it was in Guadalajara the night before, I ran out for my latte in the morning. Sure enough there was a note on my door when I got back. I called Saul. He told me that they only make one attempt and then return it to the U.S. I had to go to the UPS office and pick it up. Fortunately he knew where the office was so the following day, we hailed a cab and headed off.
UPS does not have an office in Puerto Vallarta, but uses a shipping company. So you really have to know where to go as nothing outside indicates that UPS is inside. It took about for ever to find it, but I did get it. That was my only experience with UPS until recently. One Monday morning I noticed that I had a call form a strange 800 number. I almost deleted it. For four years I have had collection companies calling me looking for a Maria, or an Edward. Apparently they had this number four years ago in California. I have Magic Jack for calls outside of Mexico and got a number local for Laguna Beach so people can call me at no charge. Each time I speak to the collection company they promise to delete the number from their list, but the calls continue.
Anyway, this happened to be a call from the fraud department at my bank. They notice "unusual activity" on my care and fortunately called me. Someone in Seattle had made ten charges on my card all on Sunday night. My bank knows I live in Mexico. Of course they said they would credit me for all the charges, but they had to cancel my card and send me a new one. They would not mail it to Mexico. They said that someone in Seattle had hacked into my account. I know no one is Seattle, never use the card for anything but ATM withdraws. I did use it while I was in the U.S. but that was five months ago. They said they
would only mail it to my U.S. address of record. They said it would take a week to ten days. I had my friend Donna check it after 10 days and the card was there. She mailed it UPS and got a tracking number. It cost $75.00 U.S. for a small envelope that weighed less than half an ounce. You still wonder why I don't have anything mailed to me?
The tracking showed it arriving eleven days later. Then it said, that it would be delivered a day early. With my last experience, I decided not to leave the house all day. No latte, no gym, no shopping, I just sat and waited. Of course it did not arrive until 6:30 at night. The next morning I tried it at my ATM and Thank God it worked. Without a credit or debit card I am without access to money. No one takes a check here.
And I do not want to use a credit card for purchases so I was desperate to get the card. You would think that for $75.00 a small envelope could get here a little faster.
**************************************++
Saturday, June 21, 2014
MUERTE EN EL SECADOR (DEATH IN A DRYER)
One point I failed to make in my treatise on Summer in Vallarta, is laundry. When you shower three times a day, you create a lot of laundry. Besides three pair of underwear, the towels never gets dry so they get to smelling funny after a day. So instead of doing laundry once a week, I have to do it two or three times a week.
I do not remember on this particular day how long it had been since I had last used the dryer, but it could not have been more than a few days. Once I turned the dryer on, I knew there was a problem. There was a loud clatter followed by a horrible smell. I do not remember if I heard anything scream (unless it was me) I open the door and found nothing inside but wet laundry and the smell was not inside the dryer. The smell was behind the dryer. A cursory glace revealed nothing, but I did not want to look to hard. There was nothing to do but finish drying the laundry, and the clatter continued. Once done, I sniffed the laundry and did not detect any strong odor (I had added a couple more sheets of Bounce), The underwear I put away, but decided to rewash the towels and wash cloths at a later date.
Why I did not call Saul that day, I do not know. Then I forgot about it for a few days when again I had to do at least one load. The smell wasn't too bad, so I threw the laundry in and turned it on. Maggots flew out the back end with a stench that almost made me vomit. Now, I called Saul. He said he would be here in a few hours, but it was almost nightfall before he arrived. Saul is very good at what he does, extremely honest and CHEAP! But he is not fast or punctual (you can't have everything, certainly not in Mexico). I had several small jobs besides the dryer. He wanted to know what all of them were first.
He started with fixing two of the ceiling fans (one vibrated, one spun too slowly) repaired a lamp cord and hung a platter on the kitchen wall. By then it was too dark to work upstairs on the deck and said he would return the following morning. Two days later I called and he said he forgot. This time he did arrive fairly soon along with a new assistant (he goes through a lot of them). They pulled it away from the wall and started to take the back off. He took apart the vent inside and sure enough there was the remains of a dead rat (along with rat turds and maggots). I had to leave as the smell was overpowering. Saul said he might be sick.
The assistant carefully cleaned everything inside and Saul swept everything up and took the trash out and rat out (which means dumping on the corner). Saul then mopped the whole area. He is very good about cleaning up after himself, but the stink remained. I decided to pour disinfectant over the area and then hose it all down. Later I threw the mop away. I could still smell it. Some odors once inhaled seem to stay in the nostrils. Maybe little particles cling to the hairs in your nose and at my age I have a lot of hairs up there. (Why is it that at a certain age hair stops growing on your head and instead comes out your ears and nose?)
It seemed better so I started a new laundry. Saul recommended that I buy some rat poison. I have no idea how he (or she) got up three stories above the ground. It is the first rat I have seen in the four years I have been here. I did see a tiny mouse once slip under my front door, but I stomped my foot and he ran back out to the street. She must have crawled in the vent and started a nest in there. I do not know if there were any baby rats inside or not. They would have been chewed up first. I went to Guadalajara Pharmacy, but they do not carry the package of poison pellets. All they have are little pads of glue. I guess the idea is that the rat will cross it and get stuck. Since I cannot read the Spanish I am not sure what you do with it afterward. You either have a live screaming rat or a dead one. If it happens, I will just call Saul. I know this sounds bizarre, (my life is bizarre) but all my stories are true. So far no trapped rats.
**********************************
I do not remember on this particular day how long it had been since I had last used the dryer, but it could not have been more than a few days. Once I turned the dryer on, I knew there was a problem. There was a loud clatter followed by a horrible smell. I do not remember if I heard anything scream (unless it was me) I open the door and found nothing inside but wet laundry and the smell was not inside the dryer. The smell was behind the dryer. A cursory glace revealed nothing, but I did not want to look to hard. There was nothing to do but finish drying the laundry, and the clatter continued. Once done, I sniffed the laundry and did not detect any strong odor (I had added a couple more sheets of Bounce), The underwear I put away, but decided to rewash the towels and wash cloths at a later date.
Why I did not call Saul that day, I do not know. Then I forgot about it for a few days when again I had to do at least one load. The smell wasn't too bad, so I threw the laundry in and turned it on. Maggots flew out the back end with a stench that almost made me vomit. Now, I called Saul. He said he would be here in a few hours, but it was almost nightfall before he arrived. Saul is very good at what he does, extremely honest and CHEAP! But he is not fast or punctual (you can't have everything, certainly not in Mexico). I had several small jobs besides the dryer. He wanted to know what all of them were first.
He started with fixing two of the ceiling fans (one vibrated, one spun too slowly) repaired a lamp cord and hung a platter on the kitchen wall. By then it was too dark to work upstairs on the deck and said he would return the following morning. Two days later I called and he said he forgot. This time he did arrive fairly soon along with a new assistant (he goes through a lot of them). They pulled it away from the wall and started to take the back off. He took apart the vent inside and sure enough there was the remains of a dead rat (along with rat turds and maggots). I had to leave as the smell was overpowering. Saul said he might be sick.
The assistant carefully cleaned everything inside and Saul swept everything up and took the trash out and rat out (which means dumping on the corner). Saul then mopped the whole area. He is very good about cleaning up after himself, but the stink remained. I decided to pour disinfectant over the area and then hose it all down. Later I threw the mop away. I could still smell it. Some odors once inhaled seem to stay in the nostrils. Maybe little particles cling to the hairs in your nose and at my age I have a lot of hairs up there. (Why is it that at a certain age hair stops growing on your head and instead comes out your ears and nose?)
It seemed better so I started a new laundry. Saul recommended that I buy some rat poison. I have no idea how he (or she) got up three stories above the ground. It is the first rat I have seen in the four years I have been here. I did see a tiny mouse once slip under my front door, but I stomped my foot and he ran back out to the street. She must have crawled in the vent and started a nest in there. I do not know if there were any baby rats inside or not. They would have been chewed up first. I went to Guadalajara Pharmacy, but they do not carry the package of poison pellets. All they have are little pads of glue. I guess the idea is that the rat will cross it and get stuck. Since I cannot read the Spanish I am not sure what you do with it afterward. You either have a live screaming rat or a dead one. If it happens, I will just call Saul. I know this sounds bizarre, (my life is bizarre) but all my stories are true. So far no trapped rats.
**********************************
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