Some of our favorite food in Barra

One of the best parts of traveling is the food, and enjoying the best that a new place has to offer is often the primary goal of the enthusiast traveler. Whether it's asking the locals or doing the old trial and error technique - it's the hunt and then the find of the perfect dish that is so exhilarating when traveling. We often remember a trip or a vacation by the food we ate - the tastes, the presentation, the atmosphere of the restaurant and the time we spent enjoying it.

Here in Barra, the food is fresh and simple. The flavors stand out on their own and the no-fuss approach to cooking here makes the local cuisine tasty on the palate and easy on the stomach. From breakfast, to lunch, to dinner, some of our favorite dishes here in Barra celebrate the area's abundance of fresh fish, sweet fruits and crisp veggies. If you ever find your self in Barra de Navidad, you must try some of these dishes.

Fresh fruit and veggies from Barra

 

 Banana pancakes are a favorite in our house, so when we saw banana pancakes on the menu at Roosters here in Barra, we knew we had to try them. The banana pancakes at Roosters are made with local bananas and plantains. With the bananas inside and the plantains on top, these fluffy, rich pancakes are so filling and sweet I could never finish them all - although I tried my best.

Fresh ceviche is one of the best dishes to enjoy in Mexico. That is, if you like seafood and the ceviche has been done right. Ceviche is made with either white fish, shrimp or a mixture of seafood. The seafood is marinated in lime juice for a few hours, and the lime juice basically "cooks" the meat. So, in a way the seafood is raw, which is why it is so important that it is fresh and consumed quickly. Once the seafood is marinated, chopped tomato, cucumber, jalapeño and carrot are mixed in and sliced avocado is placed on top, creating a simple dish that is packed with flavor. Ceviche is usually eaten with tortilla chips - totopos in Spanish (one my favorite Spanish words) - or saltine crackers. The best ceviche in Barra is called the Colima Ceviche and it is at the Grand Bay Hotel.

There is nothing like a good taco, and at Ramón's in Barra they make perfect fish and shrimp tacos. Jason and I ate at Ramón's several times during these few weeks, and we would always sit at the the same table and swoon over these amazing tacos. 

Jason explains why the tacos at Ramón's are so good

 

The shrimp tacos

Turner grabbing lettuce while Jason eats his fish tacos

The Turner showcase!

This is the type of post that grandmas and grandpas will love the best. We have been in Barra for just under three weeks, and in baby land three weeks is long time. There can be much growth and development during those 21 days. We are having a blast watching Turner grow and learn during our time here in Barra. And like any new parents, we are well equipped with plenty of cameras that are always fully charged in an attempt to catch every moment.

Below are some videos and pictures showcasing our little guy and the wonders of his 3-month old world.

Turner is learning to use his hands 

He is practicing holding and moving his toys around

He is beginning to reach for, grasp, pick up and hold on to objects.

In the video notice how hard he concentrates, and in the second clip look at how proud he is
when he picks up his toy.

Grabbing his toes!! 

Turner is learning better head control 

and although still wobbly and in need of support, he is learning to sit up on his own.

Turner can see his reflection in the mirror, and he stares at it for a long time. Uh-oh!!

Turner is exploring his voice and the many sounds he can make. He now makes sounds such as, "oy", "oh", "ah", "Ooo" and he is beginning to make a "ma" sound. He has also learned how to grunt - like a man. And finally, he has learned how to stick out his tongue.

Lastly, Turner laughes!!

Thanks for letting us be proud parents!!!

Además comida del West Star

Here on the West Star we've been doing some more blending and some more cooking. Inspired by the fresh veggies and fruits that Barra has to offer, we are keeping it simple and enjoying making colorful dishes with lots of flavor. Jason handles the cooking, I handle the blending and together we have a good handle on how to eat right here in Barra.

It's hot, it's humid, we're sweaty, which means it's time to rev up the blender and make some more smoothies.

Spinach, banana, mango and almond milk smoothie

 Don't let the spinach fool you, this smoothie is very sweet and creamy

Guava (skin left on), papaya, banana, lime and peach nectar smoothie

It doesn't show so well in the picture, 

but this smoothie has a beautiful peachy color

 Dinners have alternated between crisp salads and warm veggie dishes. 

 Grilled Tofu Salad with spinach, romaine, bell pepper, avocado, onion, tomato, grapefruit and a fresh grapefruit juice vinaigrette (Jason's yummy creation).

One night we wanted to get away from the Mexican dishes, so we went Indian. The star of this dish was the fresh green beans we had purchased at the market. 

This dish was a sort of Mexican ratatouille made with beautifully green zucchinis from the market. Topped with a bit of pineapple, this was an amazing and colorful dish.

All colorful food to match this very colorful place. 

Pilates as Paradise

I thought about calling this post, Pilates in Paradise. Hey....I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but as I thought more and more about it, I began to realize that although the surroundings here in Barra are beautiful and inspiring, it is really the Pilates itself that is paradise - and it always has been. Paradise as an idyllic state or place is not always as difficult to reach as we may think. And we all have various places and states of mind or being that we would consider to be paradise. It got me thinking - Is it always necessary to be on a vacation or to be doing something exciting or exotic to experience paradise?

Scissors

A sense of release. A state of openness. A feeling of freedom. The confidence of strength. The warmth of being stretched. The redemption of relaxation. The invigoration of deep breath. The joy of feeling good. For me, these all describe paradise, and whenever I do Pilates I experience each one. Whether I do Pilates under the palm trees here in Barra, at my Pilates studio, LiveLife Pilates in California or on a mat in my living room - I refocus in the calm and balance of the exercises each and every time. And isn't calm, balance and the ability to refocus one of the main reasons we often seek paradise?

Shoulder Bridge

Roll Over

Pilates is Barra is simple: Wait until the late afternoon when it is the perfect combination of warm and cool, go to my "Pilates spot", place a towel on the grass and then enjoy the breeze and the view of the palm trees and the lagoon while performing the exercises. If I can sneak off to do my Pilates while Turner is taking his afternoon nap, then I relish in the renewing alone time. If Turner is awake, I bring him with me (and sometimes Jason too). When Turner is in tow, I either do the exercises with him, which creates a fun bonding experience, or I keep an eye on him as he lies on a towel next to me kicking, cooing and staring at the palm trees above. The time spent doing Pilates here in Barra either with or without Turner is always a very happy, refreshing part of my day. It's a paradise within a paradise.

 Open Leg Rocker

During my pregnancy was I fortunate to be able to do Pilates up until the day I went into labor. Of course, the exercises didn't look like they do in these photos, they were all modified for pregnancy. And now I am 13 1/2 weeks post-partum, and in the last couple of weeks I have just begun to feel that I am regaining my strength. My Pilates practice here in Barra has made leaps and bounds in regards to strength, endurance and overall capability. It has been a combination of choosing exercises that are safe and progressive. In some of these photos, it was the first time I had been able to do the exercise in a long time - it felt great!!!

Rolling Like a Ball

 Hamstring Pull 1

Pilates with Turner is always fun, and we both benefit from the exercises. Turner is at the stage in his development where he is learning to sit up, master his head control, push himself up on his belly, use his hands and roll over. When I do Pilates with Turner, I can hold him and move him during the exercises in such a way that encourages his development. During some of the exercises he has to extend his back and legs while holding his head up, or sit up while on the ground or in my arms. During other exercises, he gets to relax a bit while lying on his back or leaning against me. For me, moving and supporting a 16 pound baby during the exercises is no easy task and adds a surprising challenge.

Of course, the best part of doing Pilates with Turner his watching him smile and listening to him giggle as we do the exercises. There's nothing better, and the soft sounds of the palm trees, the birds and the water provide the perfect background music for our Pilates time together. 

Pelvic Curl

 

 Hundred Prep

 Turner doing his back extension

 Roll Back

Spine Twist

 A different version of Spine Twist

And at the end, we get to cuddle and stare up at the palm trees together - the perfect paradise. 

The past four days - wrapped up like a burrito.

From the buzz of a tsunami surge here in the marina, to attending one night of a nine day festival that honors Saint Patrick, the past four days have zipped by. The days have seemed to melt into one another and in this post I will try and wrap it all together.

Thursday, March 10th

The morning began with a special treat for me - a massage. We headed over to a modest hotel across the lagoon, called Hotel Sands where a very kind and lovely woman gives massages under a simple palapa. Jason played with Turner as I completely surrendered to the nice mix of reggae and soft electronic music, fragrant coconut oil and the masseuse's strong hands. The palm fronds were rustling and the water of the lagoon was softly lapping against the dock - it was everything an outdoor massage should be in a tropical place.

Turner looking very cool in his glasses as he and Jason lay under the palm tress 

while I was getting my massage.

After my massage we enjoyed a long lunch at a place called La Casa de mi Abuela. Then we headed over to the Thursday mercado (market) in the town center to check out the goods. As we were walking through the market Jason spotted a young woman with a little baby that appeared to be about Turner's age. We walked over and introduced ourselves and sure enough this little baby boy was five days younger than Turner. He and his mother are here from Lyon, France visiting her sister who is an artist that lives in Melaque. We chatted for several minutes, talked baby stuff and then we were on our way.

Friday, March 11th

Our Friday morning began like most, with the sad, tragic news of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I have had the honor of traveling to Japan many times, and I have dear friends and colleagues there. My thoughts have been with them these past few days.

The buzz of the effects the tsunami may have on the marina here in Barra began early in the morning. We camped out on the boat through out most of the day. Jason kept the radio on and listened for word of any tsunami effects further north. He would then make a decision on whether or not he should move the boat out of the marina for a while. The safest place for a boat during a tsunami is out in deep open water. As the morning passed, we watched sailboat after sailboat leave their anchors in the lagoon. As for the power boats in the marina, nobody seemed too worried because the water level in the marina is deeper than that in the lagoon. Reports were only calling for a drop and rise in water of about 3 feet, which was a safe guarantee that many of the boats here in the marina would not strike the bottom when the water level dropped, nor would the water go over the sea wall when it rose. Needless to say, there was no reason to move the boat.

Although small, we did see the effects of the tsunami in the lagoon and in the marina. Starting around 3 pm on Friday afternoon and lasting over 24 hours, we began to see multiple surges as the water would rush out and then rush back in much faster than a regular tide - about 15 minutes versus 8 hours. There was about a 2 foot change in water level with each surge. Not extremely exciting or threatening, but nonetheless fascinating that what happened thousands of miles away was manifesting itself here.

Our prayers are with the people of Japan.

Saturday, March 12th

Saturday was Turner's 3-month birthday. Turner took a long late afternoon nap and woke up in a playful mood. We decided to head over to Melaque (the next town over) to watch the festivities for the Fiesta en Honor a San Patricio. Saint Patrick is Melaque's patron saint, and the fiesta takes place over a nine day period.

Our travel to Melaque involved transporting us, plus Turner's stroller on a ponga from the marina to Barra and then a taxi from Barra to Melaque. Once we arrived in Melaque's town center, we found a spot near the fountain and just relaxed and chatted as we watched kids play, vendors sell their items and people walk by. The old style bell tower begin to ring, and we noticed that the time on the clock was wrong and we couldn't quite tell what time was being rung. Suddenly, we were interrupted by the loud, blasting sounds of skyrockets going off nearby, and we notice that the sound was getting closer.

 

Shortly after, a small parade began to make its way a short distance around the corner toward the church. A small alter with a figure of Saint Patrick led the way. Following closely behind were dancers dressed in bright green capes with a large sequenced image of Mary on the back. The dancers, which included small children to young adults, skipped and hopped to the rhythm of the music. Following the first set of dancers was a float with a wedding scene (I'm not quite sure exactly what was being depicted). Another set of dancers depicting Mexico's indigenous people followed, and the parade finished with a small marching band. Each group entered the church and then a Eucharist (a ceremony which commemorates the Last Supper) followed.

The dancers 

The float 

This sign reads, "Warriors of God: To be with the Catholic Movement"

Kids in the town center trying to catch the skyrocket sticks.

After the parade we went to a nearby restaurant called Maya Tapas Bar. The restaurant is owned by a Canadian woman who lives and runs her restaurant in Melaque six months of the year. There was an open-aired kitchen, a huge polapa, a great little lawn surrounded by nice trees and bushes, a tiny garden and most importantly - great food. After we ordered some food, we were able to rock Turner to sleep and have a little time to ourselves as we enjoyed our dinner out in Melaque. 

With Turner

With Jason as Turner sleeps 

The Roasted Beet Salad

Polenta with Spinach and Gouda

Sunday, March 13th

We had seen advertisements around town the during the previous week about an art show at a little breakfast joint in Barra called Roosters. The artists that were featured in the show were primarily Canadians and Americans - there was one Mexican jewelry artist. Barra is full of Canadians and Americans that call it their home for half of the year. For some of these individuals, Barra is the perfect artists' haven as they paint, photograph and create jewelry which is inspired by the scenery, people, colors, shapes and life of this quaint town. Although the art show was fairly small, it was nice to see artists being supported. Although, I would have liked to have seen some more Mexican artists and artwork.

It was a nice morning as the restaurant was buzzing with people eating and looking at the artwork. We stayed for a while, ate a very large breakfast, chatted with a couple of the artists and took turns walking Turner around the restaurant. I ended up leaving with a full belly and couple of pieces of jewelry.

Jason walking Turner around the art show. 

Just as a Sunday should be, we took our time and walked around town for a little while. We stopped at the church and listened to the mass for a while and then we stopped by the beach and enjoyed the beautiful scenery for a bit. When we got back to the boat Turner and Jason finished it all off with a nice siesta.

 Turner and I at Barra de Navidad Beach

¡Turner le gusta Español!

Turner likes Spanish! Very often when he hears a conversation in Spanish or when Spanish is being spoken to him, he perks up, smiles and may even have a good laugh. Whether it is on the boat or in town, Turner has been exposed to plenty of Spanish. It must be the fluid, rolling sound of the language that makes it so attractive to him. Our plan is to have Jason teach him a bit of Spanish as he grows - hopefully we will stick to that plan, because so far so good - Turner is into it.

Jason has hired a part-time deck hand while he has been down here in Barra. His name is Petey. Petey is a young guy that is from the next town over (Melaque) and he has two children of his own. He speaks to Turner in Spanish, and Turner loves the attention. One afternoon Jason was holding Turner as he and Petey were engaged in a long conversation in Spanish. As Petey expressively moved his arms and as the colorful inflections of his speech rose and fell during the conversation - Turner begin to laugh and giggle. At first, Jason and Petey tried to talk over the giggles, but after a couple of minutes they couldn't help but join in Turner's infectious laughter.

Turner  has won a place in the hearts of the Mexican women he has come across. They love to squeeze his cheeks and little legs and call him gordito or "little chucky". There were a few women at the restaurant here in the hotel that particularly loved Turner. He got passed around from woman to woman as they fussed over him in rapid Spanish, and he just stared at them in fascination and would give them the occasional smile and giggle. Three months and Turner already knows how to attract the ladies. 

This little clip shows these women playing with Turner. In the one clip one woman says, "¡Toquelo, Toquelo!", which means - "Play it, Play it!"

Turner le gusta Español. He hears beautiful Spanish from the people around us, strong, lovely Spanish from his daddy and a few poorly accented words and phrases from his mom. He may or may not be bilingual one day, but in the meantime we are enjoying watching him take it all in.

Timing is Everything.....Or Not.....

Our life A.T.A. (after Turner's arrival) is a series of sequencing and timing. And like all other parents of infants, our life is dictated by feeding and napping, and everything else forms into and around those two major daily events. Although Jason and I are "go with the flow" type of parents, we make daily attempts and have hopeful wishing that we get the timing just right. When the timing is right, it leads to a harmonious flow where Turner is beaming with smiles and curiosity while we play or venture out. When the timing is a bit off, we embrace our situation as an impromptu baby adventure, and we make a great effort to let creativity and openness rule the circumstance. Timing is everything, right? Isn't suppose to be about being in the right place at the right time? Well...when you have a baby and your in the "place" and it's the "time", you really have no choice but to dive in head first - trust your instincts - because it's "now" time.

Barra has presented us with some timing triumphs and some challenges. Most people here run on "Mexican time", which means anything goes, show up "around" the time you were suppose to and oh yeah....there is no such thing as a quick meal. There is no point in worrying about it too much - nobody else does - and remember you are in Mexico - the land of mañana; What you didn't get to today, you can do tomorrow, and what was suppose to happen an hour ago, well....would it really be so bad if it happened in another hour or so? And what you think will only take a an hour may very well turn into a few hour excursion. In my experience, Mexican culture (at least here in Barra) is not a culture of "now", rather it is a refreshing culture where the pace of life is comfortably slow and where it seems everybody is thinking "let's take our time and see". So, in a place like Barra where time rolls like the gentle waves in the bay, is timing really everything, or just is it just an afterthought?

When the timing is harmonious.....

Every morning around 6 or 6:30 before daybreak has happened, I am woken by little wiggles and gentle coos of the little warm body at my side. Turner is up, which means he is ready to nurse. We nurse and cuddle for a little while, and soon after Jason gets out of bed and whisks Turner off to change his diaper and have a morning play session. I will usually stay in bed to steal some extra sleep, but on this particular morning we were all up and energized while it was still dark, and we decided to sit out on the top deck and enjoy the sunrise.

Baby fed - check. Clean diaper - check. Smiling baby - check. Coffee - check. Clear skies - check. The perfect timing to watch the bright sunrise with the family - double check.

The sun beginning to peak over the mountains, the palm trees and then the other boats in the marina.

The beautiful orange, yellow glow that is cast on the hotel during sunrise. 

My boys!! 

Watching the sunrise together.

I suppose Turner looks more interested in something he sees on the floor.

All parents know that moment each evening when the little one/s has just fallen asleep, it's quite and you look at each other with tired eyes and give a weary smile. Whether it has been a really good, successful day or a more difficult day - it was no doubt a busy one - and it is now time to unwind and relax together. Each evening here on the West Star, that moment is so rewarding. As Jason and I have some time together we find ourselves engaged in deep conversation, or we just enjoy each others company as we watch a movie or listen to some music.

Several nights ago, after Turner had been asleep for about an hour, we were startled by the loud boom of fireworks. We both rushed to check on our sleeping babe. Luckily we found him undisturbed as he was obviously fulfilled from a day packed with plenty of attention. We decided to take the chance that he would remained fast asleep and we headed for the top deck to enjoy the remainder of the show. As we stood their embraced and watching the fireworks that were bursting just beyond the palm trees and over the towers of the hotel, I couldn't help but feel grateful that the timing was perfect for Jason and I to have this simple moment together. The day fulfilled us a family and now the evening fulfilled us a couple.

The hotel at night - the stage for the firework show we saw. 

When timing calls for an impromptu baby adventure.....

One of the perks of breastfeeding is that it can be done anywhere at anytime, and when it is done discreetly, people don't even notice what is going on - or at least they're pretending not to notice. I, as I am sure most mothers, prefer to nurse in a quite, familiar and comfortable place. But let's face it, if you want to get out of the house for longer than an hour, you have to be willing and prepared to nurse where your baby needs you to. You can try to time it, and believe me I do sometimes, but babies will always eat just as much as they want and when they want. Think about it - sometimes you are just a bit thirsty, or you just want a small bite to eat, or sometimes you're ready to down a big old meal. It's the same for babies. So, here in Barra, I am learning that it's not so much about the timing. Rather, it is more about reading Turner's signs and understanding that his nursing needs have shifted according to the shift in climate (I find that he is thirstier in the heat), his growth and the pace of our days. As a result, I've found myself nursing in couple of peculiar spots and situations where the timing doesn't seem ideal, but Turner is getting what he needs and I choose to look at it as a little adventure.

We had an ideal morning and early afternoon (harmonious timing). We had great breakfast in town, where Turner quietly concentrated on and played with the soccer ball hanging on his stroller. Jason watched and played with Turner as I went to a yoga class, and then we spent some time at the home of a couple and their visiting niece and grand-nephew that we have befriended. Turner nursed after our breakfast, nursed after the yoga class, napped as we walked to our friends' house - he was in a good mood, up for anything and we were beaming parents as we toted him around town. On our way back to the dingy, in which Jason would take us across the lagoon and back to the yacht, it was a bit later than we had planned for and Turner started to so show the signs that he was getting hungry and sleepy. I knew we were pushing it, but the yacht was just a short dingy ride away and I thought, "He can make it".

I was wrong. When going across the lagoon, boats are allowed to go at a faster speed. But upon entering the marina, boats must slow down to a speed where they are not creating a wake. Turner enjoys the speed when we zip across the lagoon. He usually puts his little arms up and his lips form a little O shape. On this particular trip, as soon as we began to enter the marina and the dingy slowed down, my happy, content baby begin to scream. Cuddles and kisses were not going to cut it - this boy wanted to eat and he wanted to eat now!  The last thing we wanted was to cruise through the marina with a screaming baby. The West Star is all the way toward the front of the marina and it was the middle of the day, so people were out working on their boats. I was thinking to myself, "Am I going to have to feed him right here, right now?" Jason quickly turned the dingy around and we started cruising around the lagoon in hopes that the speed would distract Turner. Wrong again. There I was in mid-cruise with the wind whipping through my hair and feeling safe to do so, so I grabbed a blanket, got Turner in position, covered us both and let Turner go to town. After several minutes where Jason continued to make circles in the lagoon, where Turner was peacefully eating and where I was concentrating on holding tight to my baby and staying somewhat relaxed - we finally felt confident to enter the marina and then we slowly made our way to the yacht. The sight of a mother nursing her baby on a dingy got us a couple of interesting looks in the marina, but we just smiled and waved. I stepped off the dingy and on the the dock that afternoon thinking, "Well...that was a different way to do it" But, when Turner gave me that huge, satisfied smile that I love, I knew that I would do it again if he needed.

It would seem that the timing wasn't perfect, but really it was just a bit inconvenient and perhaps unusual. But for Turner the timing was perfect as he wasn't denied what he needed, and in the end two parents learned the continuing lesson that parenthood means adaptability.

The dingy (AKA - Turner's Cafe Leche). 

Notice all the baby stuff?

Another example of nursing on the fly with nice scenery.