San Francisco, Nayarit, Mexico
San Pancho - September 2006
By: Elvia & Geno Lamphiear
Summer is one of our favorite times of the year. Let us try to explain why.
 Some of the reasons we love summer (to name a few) is that when we look outside our kitchen window in the mornings we can see many different kinds of hummingbirds – Calandrias (black & yellow birds) feasting on the banana trees – and the hundreds of multi-colored butterflies fluttering from point to point! There are also many, many other creatures with wings flying about as well. We can see the raindrops still shimmering on the banana trees from the nighttime rains we have. Towards evening, we enjoy the spectacular sunsets and their colors playing over the clouds.
This year butterflies of many different colors and shapes have been quite something to see! Thousands and thousands of butterflies are gliding all around this year!! We don’t remember seeing such a number of butterflies in recent years. It has been a thrilling experience! We were in the jungle recently and we were covered with butterflies all around us! We tried to take a photo to share with you but all that came out were blurred dots of colors in the air… still a beautiful photo though.
On Sunday, August 13th, 2006 a Hilamacoa (boa) snake made its slow trek across the main street of San Pancho from the Las Palmas Restaurant towards Perlitas Restaurant. It took the boa approximately 45 minutes to make it across the street. People watched and made sure no one touched it on its journey. The boa climbed slowly onto a small bush and wrapped itself around it. We called Frank Smith from Grupo Ecologico de la Costa Verde. Frank came over, picked it up and released it into the deep jungle. When Frank took the boa from the bush, she was rolled up so tight we could not see the length of it - but we have a pretty good idea it was over 2 meters long! Ayayayayayayayay!!!
Marias Deli Café, run by Ines Garcia and Chef Andres Cassillas, has closed for about two months as of Sunday August the 13th until sometime early in October. After a very successful first year they have decided it was time to rest and take some time off before the next season begins. Ines offers for all such yummies as ice cream, cakes, sushi, a GREAT breakfast, sandwiches, spaghetti… and MUCH more!! We are  going to miss them - but they will be back very soon with new items on their menu - and in a new location… right across the street from where they are now! In addition to what Ines has offered this last year, the new location of Marias Restaurant will boast a night spot as well! The “After Sunset Lounge” will be open six nights a week (M-S) from 5 pm to 11 pm and allow you to relax, visit with one another, listen to a variety of GREAT live music from 7 pm to 10 pm - and maybe even indulge in a little dancing. At night there will be a limited bar menu to order from for those who work up an appetite from all of the dancing! Come down and meet Ang who will be the bartender/manager of the “After Sunset Lounge” starting mid October! She makes a mighty fine cocktail!!
Nicole Swedlow, a wonderful mother of two beautiful children, is the driving force behind the “community center entre amigos”. Nicole has also been working on acquiring land to build a library in San Pancho - but for political reasons we are just not there yet... In the mean time (since “entre amigos” has been receiving so many donations in the way of books and materials) the town will have a temporary library upstairs of the center itself on the main street (just a few steps from the beach). People already do use the downstairs “community center entre amigos” as a library, but because of the badly needed space requirements, “entre amigos” rented the new space upstairs to have the temporary library there with computers, books & study rooms! Good Idea!! Wanna help?? Nicole is looking for sponsors to “dish out some coin” to pay for one months rent a year for the new space upstairs ($3,000 pesos per month). Here is a challenge to ya´ll: Calandria Realty is sponsoring TWO months a year (every September & October) for the new space upstairs. Any takers willing to match just 50% of that…??
All summer classes that the “entre amigos” hosted this summer were a huge success as well!! Swimming lessons alone taught some 45 kids. They also held classes in horticulture, English, sewing, cooking, art, ecology & more! They also had a wonderful program called “Planta San Pancho”. They planted hundred of plants along the main street of San Pancho! It really looks beautiful!! Thank you “entre amigos”!!!
 San Pancho is now undergoing a “facelift”! Most of the streets in town are being upgraded! Unfortunately we do have to put up with dusty roads and detours for awhile – but it will be well worth it soon enough! We were also just informed of something that Elvia & I have been pushing for four years... - we are going to have water meters (finally)! We feel this is a very good idea!! Everyone will now have to watch their water consumption as they will be responsible to pay their fair share. Also, it will be a good incentive for those with water leaks on their side of the meter to have their leaks fixed (or they would simply now have to pay for THEIR wasted water).
Until next time,
Elvia & Geno Lamphiear - Calandria Realty
E-mail: genolamphiear@hotmail.com
* This information is provided by María Elvia Garcia Palomera & Geno Lamphiear, owners of Calandria Realty in San Francisco (San Pancho), Nayarit, Mexico
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