Rained hard several times during the night.

Had some things I needed to get done today. So I set out about 8am. Overcast, but no rain.  

Well that didn't last long. Started out light, then got heavier, then came down hard for a little while. By now I'm dodging in and out of stores looking for an umbrella. Finally found a cheap one for $3. Now I'm a lot more comfy.  

My hotel's fax machine is down, so I'm running around town trying to find one. Even Mailboxes etc doesn't have a fax. Stopped in a real estate place (American): it wouldn't go through. Same thing at a couple big hotels. Called the place I was trying to fax to: closed for inclement weather; I guess their fax machine ran out of paper too! So much for that. What a waste of time.  

I thought I had a phone problem, so I was looking for the cell place. Found one, but it wasn't open at first. Turns out that the reception around my hotel is crappy. Problem solved, sort of.  

One of my pants has a two inch round grease spot on my butt cheek, even after laundering. So I went looking for a new pair of pants. Tons of places selling women's and children's clothes, but not men's. Finally located one, and they had nice pants for about $20, but they weren't hemmed and the clerks didn't know where to get it done. Found a couple more shops: same problem.  
 
After more than three hours, frustrated and tired, I went back to my room, cooled off, ate, and sat down with my kindle. No internet again.  

I decided to go to Wal-Mart to look for pants and a couple other things. Got on the bus, which proceeded down the back streets of PV. And I do mean back streets: half were rutted dirt roads. What a ride! In an old school bus, with plastic seats, squeaky brakes, and grinding transmission. People got on, people got off, sometimes only one block from each other: so the bus is constantly starting and stopping, not to mention speed bumps everywhere. I guess the Wal-Mart stop must have been at the rear or side of the store: I never saw it. So I ended up at the end of the line. After about 15 min, another bus left that said 'WalMart' on it, so I got on. The driver didn't charge me: I think the other driver told him I'd missed my stop. All together it must have taken me over an hour to get to Wal-Mart.  

Headed straight to the men's department. Men's pants in the US are sized by waist and length. Not so here, even in Wal-Mart: waist only; some pants are already hemmed, some are not. There were two female clerks hanging up shirts. I asked them about alterations or sewing: neither of them could tell me where to get it done. I guess the women either do it themselves for their menfolk, or someone in their neighborhood does it.  

In my travels, I'd looked for Reeses and cashews and Cheetos and salami. For us foreign travelers, it's 'thank you Wal-Mart'! I found salami, not the best but it'll do. Nuts aren't a big deal in Mexico, though they're generally available; but the cashews only came in a small package at $10.74/lb. Cheese is everywhere, though not all the ones we are used to. Candy is apparently not a big deal either: hardly any selection at all; and only a small bag of Reese's pieces. So I bought the pants and came back to my end of town to find someone to hem them. After asking half a dozen people, one gal gave me directions to someone. Sure enough, the guy said that for a grand total of $3 he'd have them ready in an hour. Done deal: new pair of pants for $15.  

 


 
It's now 5:30, dark out, and the wind is blowing pretty hard. Oh yah, more rain.  

Watched a movie. Went to bed.