Zihua Stories

Remember when….again
By Peter Lohr

Some of you have suggested a few more of those golden oldies.

Often, individuals are the key to our remembrances. One individual of the 1960’s and 1970’s who added to our lives was Helene Krebs. Many tributes have been made to her. Our memories carry us back to the original El Embarcadero. Helene’s house was located where now is the passage from the Paseo del Pescador to Juan Alvarez street, along side of Casa Arcadia. In the front Helene had a small shop with a lending library. She sold her spice cake, which was famous, and to stop for tea and spice cake was a daily routine. She and her six children lived in the rear. A large almond tree was located between the front shop and the back living area and Helene had arranged a one-room tree house in this tree. One evening she served home made mango pie as we sat floating in the tree room; the memory of the flavor of that mango pie has never diminished. Helene had a small, unexpected inheritance from a European relative. She wisely used this inheritance to buy what is now the Casa Marina. It was one of the few pieces of property with clear title. All her children except one, who is a teacher in Taxco, have businesses in this Casa Marina. For a time Helene continued to run it as a hotel. Helene, if she were still with us, would be a great-grandmother.

One of Helene’s permanent guests for many years was Buff Haney. If you happened to be on Playa Principal at 5:00 am you would see Buff walking the beach, forming haikus in her head. Returning to her room she would write them into her journal. (We have them and hope to get them published.) Later in the day we would take her dog, Crissi Girl, and swim at the Main beach. Late afternoon the locals would arrive at the beach for an end-of-day cool-down swim…many of the women wearing dresses for modesty. A social event.

Evenings would bring us into town, swing Buff out of her hammock, and head, along with Crissi Girl, to Mama Elvira’s (the original with four to six tables and different specialties every night), or across the “bridge of terror” to Puntarenas. (The menu at Puntarenas has not changed through all these years, nor has the decor.) At these restaurants one might see Lauren Hutton, Larry Rivers, or other “celebrities” seeking to be anonymous.

And a salute to a great lady…Candelaria, better known as Candy. She sold sea shells by the sea shore…always with a huge grin. Also “authentic” monos. Fragments of pre-historic pottery. She was a character in the truest and best sense of the word. She had 18 children, 12 of which survived. She was known by all in the foreign community. Her name day, Dia de La Candelaria, was always party time at her house featuring lobster ceviche.

And a prequel to the story of the dog that ended in Iowa. Two men from Bucks County, PA, wintered here staying at Sergio’s Casa La Playa on the main beach. One of the men had muscular dystrophy disease and was confined to a wheel chair. At that time there were many stray dogs in town. A lot of inbreeding and Buff labeled them “skinny tails.” One day these two men watched as a skinny tail was macheted severely, injuring a back leg. They immediately took the dog to Acapulco for surgery as there were no vets in Zihuatanejo. The dog recovered and became the pet of these two men. At this point I left Zihuatanejo and was in Arizona. One day I received the standard change-of-address card. The card informed me that Inez Garcia was changing her address from Zihuatanejo to Bucks County. It took a long time for me to realize that Inez Garcia was the skinny tail rescued by Bob and Louis. Inez Garcia returned several winters to Zihuatanejo. Wearing a ribbon round her neck with a bright bow attached, she flounced around the beach, lording it over the other skinny tails. That girl always had the potential to be a star and thanks to two kind men she was given that opportunity. When one of the men became quite ill and they could no longer travel with her, Inez Garcia was given to a couple who had a farm, and Inez became just another Iowa farm girl.

Then, there is the story of the anthropologist who was in Zihuatanejo to study the habit of the local pigs…and with a grant, no less. But enough…it’s time for the beach, and to say my “thank you” that I am still…remembering when.

Editor’s note: If you have a Zihua story you would like to share, we are seeking photographs and reminiscences of Zihua’s past.

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