http://www.ranidan.net/blog The tale of the S/V Ranidan Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:17:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The weather in the Skaggerak turned ugly. On top of the swells white caps appeared and the wind gusts increased to 25 knots. I started to feel ill as the boat rolled back and forth and side to side. It was time to seek shelter. We chose Larkvik fjord to look ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=55 "Well, folks, there's nothing to worry about. The plane is just fine. We seem to be having a problem with the airport in Guadalajara, though. They have informed us that the airport closes at 11:30 pm with no execeptions. Unfortunately, I just can't make the plane go fast enough to ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=53 We took our empleada Rosa home early on Independence day. She lives in a puebla outside of the city, past the horse pastures, and down roads that are narrow and unpaved. About a block from her house is a small amphitheater with seating around about half of the circle. Rosa ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=52 Every year on October 12, the Virgin of Zapopan travels. She leaves the main cathedral in downtown Guadalajara and travels 4 miles back to her home in the cathedral of Zapopan. How else would she travel except by a virgin car, one that has never been started. Last year an ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=50 The plan is to visit someplace cultural each week and this weekend we went down town. We started with a ride in a horse drawn carriage. Clackity, clackity, clackity the horse's hoofs clattered on the pavement as we followed a circuit that led around the grand central plaza, past several ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=49 When we first motioned to our agent that we would be interested in the apartment where we now live, the young woman who worked for the apartment's owner looked at us shyly. Quickly, she also looked down to hide the fear that arose momentarily. Since we were discussing the business ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=48 An enormous mercado with over 1000 stalls is located in the center of Guadalajara so for a cultural excursion, we decided to check it out. The small stores selling anything you can imagine begin blocks away from the mercado itself. The traffic increased until we felt swept along in ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=47 Just a quick update on my knees. With rest and some anti inflammatory medication, they have calmed down considerably. I can walk normally again. I am thoroughly enjoying the ability to get out and walk around without feeling like I am grinding glass shards in my knees. For exercise, ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=46 Not too far from Guadalajara is the town of Tequila for which the alcoholic beverage is named. Last Saturday, we took a drive up into the hills covered with the blue maguey plants that are the source of the drink. The town is a more typical Mexican town than Guadalajara ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=45 I have tried to mail pictures to my dear friends and family for several weeks. What has been told to me is that "The Mexican post office is very bad." I'm not sure how bad it is, it's completely unavailable. There are no post offices that any one is aware ... http://www.ranidan.net/blog/?p=44