Passion is powerful. When Frank “Pancho Villa” Gardner first contacted me about his lawn bowling green in Bucerias, I was eager to share as he was so darn excited to invite everyone to join him in the love of the game.
Says Panch: “We provide lawn bowling equipment and coaching at our local soccer field just outside of Bucerias. It is available for 50 pesos per person on select days from 9 a.m. to noon. First option is given to regular bowling participants.”
Making room for new folks excites Frank, as week to week he gets to share his love of the game and what he has created. On that note, they are looking for players in both Bucerias and Nuevo Vallarta and hope they have a car to help transport players.
In a second missive, Grampy Frank as he also calls himself, says, “We’re carefully building up our fun. What started with lawn bowling now includes pickleball and we’re now considering adding ‘Bocci on the Beach’ options weekly for sixperson groups at any one time; dates and times to be determined.”
There are pickleball courts at both the lawn bowling field and at Frank’s condo available for 50 pesos per person. Pickleball players using the condo court must provide their own equipment and drinks. Parking is not available at his condo pickleball court and players must confirm by email each week.
Pancho said that fun lawn bowling is the focus, with pickleball as a bonus for lawn bowler players. Parking is free at the lawn bowling/soccer field. All fees are paid directly as a gratuity to our Mexican hosts, he says. Contact Pancho at glenThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Positive health care experience
It was suggested I speak about my upcoming surgery and the experience I’m having. I’ll share more after the big event but thus far I am immensely confident in the Mexican system of looking after their folks, even those of us who have transplanted here.
The only upset for me is that the outcome didn’t come sooner. This is because I was coughing so much and violently, they initially diagnosed long Covid, then studied my lungs.
Over the last year, after many x-rays, blood work and meds, what worked and what did not finally revealed all kinds of sinus issues. So after another set of meds, the doctors found nothing is working and surgery is, indeed, needed.
Once it was determined that my insurance would pay all but the deductible, the surgery was booked … and I got to pick the day.
Whhaaaaat!? Given I’m in the busiest season of my Boutique Hotel business, that was remarkable. So, I picked the day, at that point two weeks away. That would never happen in Canada.
Bottom line is the waiting was non-existent. I get to the labs and get the work done and usually within the hour my results are delivered by email (they had promised that it would be within six hours). Fees for each exam or bloodwork are between US$30 and US$100. Usually, I see the doctor either right after the labs or within a couple of days.
We had a guest who had to spend a night in the CMQ hospital in Bucerias, the same place I’m having my surgery, and she said that her care was better than she ever received in the United States.
Wish me luck!