Today was a little more productive, even though it started with rain. Rained hard before wake up; can't remember exactly when it started. Was ready to go out early but had to wit a couple hours for it to slow down. I was waiting for it to quit, but it didn't seem to want to, so I set out before 9 am, caught the bus, and got to Tepic at 11 am.  

I needed to go to the ATM, getting low on cash and the next couple towns I want to hit are smaller than San Blas and the largest towns are Tepic and Puerto Vallarta.  

Scored! I asked at the first bank, they sent me up the street to Soriana: there was an HSBC next door, and a dollar exchange inside Soriana (had some dollars I thought I should convert).

Lunch time!
Went into the Pollo Express right next to the bus depot.  
 
Walked up to the counter to place my order. Figured out the clerk was trying to find out whether I wanted take-out or eat in. She shoed me away from the counter toward the tables while I was trying to give her my order. Another clerk was walking around the tables and I tried to give her my order. She nodded her head and pointed to the tables, and I chose a table and pointed to it. Again she nodded, so I went and sat down. A minute later she comes to the table with an order pad and pointed to the menu indicating what I had asked for. I nodded. She left. I spotted beer in the drink cooler, got her attention, and ordered the beer. She repeated the name of the beer, and I repeated the name of the beer. Neither one of us was recognizing the others pronunciation. But she knew what I wanted. I asked her to repeat it for me so I could learn the correct pronunciation, but I still didn't catch it, nodded to her and said Gracias!  Even in fast food places, it's full service, down to bringing the check on a plastic tray, picking up the money, and bringing back your change!  
 
Chicken breast on salad with ranch dressing (top right on the menu card). Very good. Enjoyed the dark beer too, bro', for $18 ($1.05).  
 
 
 
 






 
 
This is a main feeder street for the blvd (on left - can't see it). The guy on the left with red cap and shirt (Pollo colors) is holding a rag in his hands. Car park guys flag cars to show them where to park. Here he moves the cones for customers to be able to park and flags them in, and also holds traffic when they want to leave.  

 
Return trip was only 1 1/2 hours - better weather.  

Did a little housekeeping. Got hungry. Headed out to dinner about 4:15.  
I wanted to hit the beach 'cause this was probably my last night here. Went to Stoner's (just another Spanish owned place now, called Playa Azul, but still has the 'Stoner' name out front). It's still a surfer hangout and they give surfing lessons (one or two other places on the beach now give lessons also).  
Ordered a margarita while perusing the menu, didn't know I was going to get a fish bowl! 

 
















 
Took some pics while waiting for my entree.  















 


 
The Merequetengue was a good choice.  
 

The fish is hiding under the shrimp and veggies. Thought I'd had octopus before and found it tough; maybe it was squid. Anyway, this octopus had the flavor and tenderness of scallops (good ones, that is). I'll be quick to order octopus again! Had a decent sized glass of white wine ($2) with dinner. Finished the second half of my giant margarita ($3.60) at about 6 PM, just as it started to rain.
 





 
I ordered a second glass of wine and told the gal I was just going to chill and wait for the sunset (about an hour later). She eventually brought me the tab, I paid it. She started clearing the tables; to keep the tablecloths from getting wet, I thought. About 30 min later I finished my wine, but it's still about 30 min 'til sunset, so I went looking for another wine. All closed up; everybody gone home!  
 
I went from canopy to canopy, staying out of the rain, trying to find somebody still open. Finally found one, last place on the beach. No wine. No rum. I asked them to call me a cab.  

Watched a couple more movies, then called it a night.  



(completed on Oct 18)