Mornings in Yelapa 8

These few precious days . . . We have just over a week left in Yelapa; fly home on the 29th. These three months here themselves have flown.

We`ve learned more, I think, about the community this third winter here, met some new people, renewed friendships or acquaintanceships with others. Gained a little more understanding of the Mexicans here. Learned that the integration of Mexican and gringo in Yelapa is, to a large extent, superficial or nonexistent. I`m not speaking of expatriates who have "married in" here; they enjoy a special relationship, it seems, are accepted as "converts" to the culture. I`m talking about gringos like us who only spend their winters here -- November to April, generally -- then go home to California, New Mexico, Alaska, Canada (Canadian snowbirds are a numerous migratory species in Yelapa), thus avoiding Yelapa`s tropical, hot and humid rainy season.

We, that is we seasonal residents, are more tolerated, it seems, than accepted. We`re tolerated, let´s face it, because we bring money into the community, money the native residents have come to rely on after more than thirty years of invasion by us gringos. This is in line with what I`ve said earlier about there being something like parallel universes here, two cultures, living side by side under friendly circumstances.

Anyway, this may be my last posting from this Mexican paradise. I`ll no doubt add to some or all of them after our return to Canada, including uploading some pictures we`ve taken with our digital camera. Until then, adios.