Comfort Food

One of the pleasures of traveling with family is the common family background of comfort foods.

Last night we had one of the Rodenberger classic meals: Pinto bean soup with ham hocks, fried potatoes and cottage cheese. Modern nutritionists would probably shudder at the thought of that pork fat and skin but when we were young it was a meal high in nutrition, low in cost and easy to prepare.

Back in those days the family didn't have much money but dried beans were low in cost and potatoes were plentiful. Cottage cheese was usually purchased but sometimes made at home. For what it's worth homemade cottage cheese isn't quite as good as the store-bought variety. I remember the cottage cheese that Grandma Mac or Mom used to make as rather dry and tasteless compared to the full-fat, juicy variety from the store.

The potatoes were russets, peeled, sliced and fried in lard or, on good days in bacon grease, in a big old cast iron pan. Again, nutritionists would disapprove but the fat and well-seasoned cast iron pan would turn out fried potatoes that were moist in the center but brown and crunchy in layers, making a perfect base for the bean soup.

In good times we had ham hocks. In tougher times we might have had bacon ends and rind or the skin off a piece of ham to season the beans. Simmered with some chopped onion and salt and pepper whatever seasoned the pot made for a good meal because we were hungry.

Those of you of a certain age already know but for my younger readers who might not believe it, we were hungry because we were always on the go. In the days before computers, television, cell phones, music that goes as if by magic from pocket to ear and all the other technological marvels that are commonplace today, we had to entertain ourselves by more physical means.

Men and boys worked outside the house and women and girls were busy with household chores and helped outside as needed. Lots of physical activity meant lots of appetite an we didn't have chips, pop or other junk food between meals so when mealtime came around we were always hungry.

But, back to the present where exercise must be programmed into the schedule and we can enjoy only the occasional meal of comfort food.

I picked through the beans and set them to soak Saturday night. That same night I simmered the ham hocks for three hours and left them to mellow on the stove top overnight. I suppose the Scottsdale Health Department would have harsh words for that practice, but that's the way we've always done it, so far with no ill effects.

Early yesterday I changed the water on the beans and brought them to a boil before adding the ham hocks and their soup, some onion and some garlic. There was time to simmer the pot for a couple hours before we left for the day.

Last night while the beans were warming I sliced up the unpeeled spuds and put them on the stove. We used olive oil instead of bacon fat and used a nonstick skillet instead of cast iron, but the end product was good and reminded me of Grandpa smacking his lips while eating this comfort food and asking the rhetorical question, "Wonder what the poor folks are eating tonight?"

Bean soup with ham hocks over fried potatoes with cottage cheese

Scottsdale in February

Here we are in Scottsdale staying in a condo near the Scottsdale TPC (Tournament Players' Course) in the northern part of Scottsdale. We came down from Seattle so we (especially Ikuko) could watch the Mariners play a couple of spring training games.

We flew out of SEATAC on an old Boeing 717 with ashtrays on the restroom doors. When I saw those ashtrays it caused a flashback to the days when people smoked on airplanes once they reached a certain altitude and the "no smoking" light went out.

I'll never forget leaving Vietnam in 1968. We flew out of Saigon, reached that magic altitude and all those GI's on the way home lit up. Even though I was a smoker at the time I almost gagged trying to breathe that blue air.

Back to the present. After an uneventful but often lumpy ride into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport we made our way to our condo (Diamond Resorts International), checked in and relaxed after a long travel day.

Our condo is right next to a par three hole on the TPC Champions Course. We watched some of the players teeing off just across the fence. While some looked like champions most looked just about like me with not many balls landing on the green.

Par three tee box across the fence

We're on Mountain Standard Time here so this morning I rolled out of bed an hour before my usual time so I could walk around the area in the cool of the morning.

Wandering around the property I came upon the exercise room so spent 20 minutes on the treadmill all by myself in the room until another old guy came in to get an early morning workout. After another ten minutes on the artificial sidewalk I grabbed a towel and headed back out into the cool morning air.

The moon was still riding high in the early dawn so decided to try a couple low-light shots with the following results.

Dawning entry to our condo complex

The waning gibbous moon just before sunrise

Today's been a low profile day with visits to grocery stores for a few housekeeping items and short walks in the unseasonably warm Arizona weather. I wanted to go to the local Native American Museum but somehow the warm air, sunshine and lack of motivation have kept me close to home.

But, it's a vacation, after all, so not to worry, we may go to the museum tomorrow. Or maybe Monday.

Puerto Vallarta

During the voyage back from Puerto Vallarta to Los Angeles I drafted up a rather long report on our visit to Puerto Vallarta. Since we lost internet access for a day and a half I wrote it up on a Word sheet, inserted photos where appropriate and saved it to my laptop.

As you may have guessed from the long delay posting that entry, the gremlins of the computer world had their way with me. I've looked long and hard into every nook and cranny I can think of on my computer to no avail. No draft report on Puerto Vallarta to be found.

So here we go again. Maybe the report will be better now that the memories have aged and had a chance to improve. Although, I must say we all agreed at the time that Puerto Vallarta was the best of the three stops we made in Mexico.

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After an uneventful overnight voyage from Mazatlan on smooth seas we arrived in Puerto Vallarta a little after six in the morning, 1/21/16.

After breakfast we watched the early debarkees lining up for their excursions. On one side were harbor and bay cruises and a pirate ship, on the other were catamarans offering more water trips.

Cruise passengers lined up to board boats for a cruise around the bay. The pirate boat line was shorter. Maybe passengers were frightened off by the realistic looking pirates.

After the lines went down we made our way into the cruise center and negotiated with a taxi driver to show us around the town, He was a nice older gent who was a little forgetful but spoke decent English and seemed trustworthy.

First we asked how much to take us to the old part of town. He said there were two rates, one of $6 each for the closest part of the old town and another for $8 each to the middle of the old town. He then offered to drive us anywhere we wanted to go for three hours for $140. Well, that price was lower than most of the excursions but we thought it high so we said no that was too high. After a couple minutes he seemed to take our side and offered us the same deal for $60. We agreed and hopped into his little taxi and went to town. First stop the "boardwalk" as he called it.

 
The boardwalk was made of concrete and pavers. It was a nice promenade but no wood to be found. Palm trees marched down the middle of the walk with smaller tropical trees and bushes alongside.

In Spanish this type of "boardwalk" is called malecon, meaning a a walkway along, and above the stone breakwater behind the beach.

In any case it was a pleasant walk and wonderful weather so we wandered along until we came to a steel pole about 80 feet high on the beach where some local (I guess) Indians (I guess) were performing a ceremony. They were dressed in colorful clothes with feather headdresses.

When I first saw them there two atop the pole winding some ropes around the top of the pole. They worked at it until they had four ropes wound around the top of the pole. One by one three more guys climbed up the pole (not a safety belt or harness to be seen) and sat on a small platform on top where one began to play a flute and the others chanted.

During the chanting and fluting four of the Indians tied a rope to one leg and finally after the chanting was finished those four launched themselves backward over the edge of the platform and the ropes began to unwind. At the beginning they were swinging around the pole quickly but as the ropes lengthened the pendulum effect set in and the rotation slowed until finally they reached the beach, released the ropes and landed upright as the Indian still on top finished his flute music.

After the show we made our way back to our taxi and our friendly driver took us to the famous Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in the central area. There was no parking so he dropped us off then drove around a few blocks while we looked at the church. The inside looked inviting but there was a service in progress so I didn't want to intrude and take photos in the midst of the worshipers.

On the steps leading into the church were two beggars, the first I'd seen in Puerto Vallarta.

Next stop, the central market where there were over 500 vendors according to two of the shop keepers I questioned

The market was a large complex of buildings surrounded by open air vendors 

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Inside the market were many aisles with many vendors.

While in the market area Iko bargained with a nice young lady and struck a deal for a long string of fresh water pearls. Iko was happy with the deal and the clerk, who was taking instruction from what looked like her mother seated outside eating lunch, also seemed happy with the deal.

Back in our taxi our driver seemed to sense that we were near exhausted, and certainly made very thirsty by our bargaining and sightseeing so he took us to the waterfront where we found seats in a nice bar facing the beach. The roof was thatched, the framing was rough poles and the margaritas were handmade. Couldn't ask for a better place to relax, watch the passers by and quench ones thirst.

Too soon the time arrived to leave our pleasant refuge and head back to the ship. 

We arrived at the pier, paid our driver, passed through security and went on board to watch the crew cast off and set sail for Los Angeles.

As we sailed out of the harbor we all agreed that Puerto Vallarta was the best stop of the trip. The weather was perfect, the surrounding hills were green, the people were friendly and the margaritas were top notch.

Our ship at anchor three days before at Cabo San Lucas.

On the way back to Los Angeles the seas were lumpy and we lost connection to the satellite so no internet, or so claimed the Internet Cafe Clerk. Personally, I think it was a WiFi problem aboard the ship itself, but what do I know.

The last night out of Los Angeles was the night of the full moon. I had taken a photo of the nearly full moon the night before and that will have to do since it was cloudy the night before arrival.

The nearly full moon rising over the ocean.

As we pulled into the channel at San Pedro a little before six on Sunday morning, 1/24/16, we saw the full moon setting in the west.

Full moon setting in the west over San Pedro.

Then Sunday night as we were entering final approach to SEATAC from my window seat I saw the rising moon off the wing of our plane. It isn't a very good photo but it fits into the series of moonshots so I include it here.

Moon rising over the Cascades and our plane's winglet. Safety light on the back of the wing below the winglet

And so we came back to Seattle after a short but pleasant Mexican cruise on the Norwegian Jewel.