La Penita RV Park Activities
It never ceases to amaze me that interest in the park activities remains at record levels. Last night was a chili cook-off. We heard almost from the beginning of our arrival in the park that there would be a chili cook-off. In order to have a worthy competition there would need to be at least 8 contestants, each making 10 quarts of chili. Last nights event had 13 contestants preparing their secret chili recipe. There were approximately 175 of us who showed up to sample the 130 quarts of chili and then cast our ballot for the people’s choice of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. There were also 3 judges who had been secretly selected days in advance so they would have a chance to prepare their palate for taste and their lower gut with the pink pepto for what could follow their assigned task of sampling and voting for the overall best chili. With 175 plus of us each sampling 13 pots of chili and enjoying the hot dog and free beer that was part of our 50 pesos ($5.00), you can imagine the potential cloud that was to hang over the La Penita RV Park for the next 24 hours or so. It was announced that one should probably refrain from smoking or the use of lighters of any kind.
Two of our closest friends here in the park were entered in the competition. One of them, Marion Schryer from Sooke British Columbia Canada won the overall pick for number 1 by the panel of judges. Our friend Ken did not place with his entry but as I remember from the tasting it was pretty good. Marion’s chili was in pot #4 and Kens was in pot #8. No one knew prior to it being announced at the end whose chili was in what pot so it was very secretive. I voted for the chili in pot #10 so I guess that goes to show what little I know about good chili. Actually all thirteen were very tasty.
Following the chili cook-off event the evening entertainment was a Mexican band called the Perez Brothers. Four young clean cut young Mexican boys playing lead guitar, base guitar, key board, and all capable of singing put on one heck of a show. Here we are in a small ocean side community, small by Mexican standards, and we are being entertained by four local lads who only perform in this town, and then only on a limited basis. This was a group that I and probably all of us would have paid good money to travel a lot of miles to hear. They were outstanding. When they stepped to the mike and spoke it was with a very heavy Spanish accent of the English word, but when they sang the English words were as clear as day, and with out any hint of an accent. Kind of reminded me of Mel Tillis who stuttered terribly when he spoke but could sing through a whole song with out any hint of a stutter. This band entertained from 7:00 to 10:00 but was overwhelmingly encouraged to play on for another half hour. To close my eyes and hear the Everly Brothers, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, the Big Bopper, Richie Valance, Willie Nelson, Freddy Fender and a host of others who I can’t name. To hear the first part of every song done in Spanish and then have them finish the last half in perfect English was just amazing, but even more amazing was the range of their combined voices and their ability to sound as near to the original entertainers as could be possible, and all that well south of the U.S. border. Who would have ‘thunk’ it?
Just another special event added to an already incredible winter in paradise.
