Pelican (Brief!)

Okay this is the last in my series of posts about Puerto Vallarta and celebrates one of my favourite birds – the Pelican.

(I am not a nerd even though this is already starting to sound like an earnest Grade 3 essay.)

With their endearing pouchiness  and slightly dour demeanor, to me, they are the flying curmudgeons of the sky, most often seen soaring in military trios, looking for all the world as though they should be wearing tiny Civil War hats. Their eyes also remind us that yes, birds really did evolve from raptors and there is an intelligence behind that steely gaze that commands respect and keeping one’s distance.

I did not pay close enough heed to either of these thoughts when I took the above photo of a previously blissed-out pelican, (reading glasses possibly pushed up onto his forehead as he dozed) and I thought I’d get a really good close-up shot of him in repose.

He opened a cold eye and literally, without hesitation rushed me.

I believe I made a shrieking noise along the lines of “Ooooo, ooooo, oooo” before scurrying to safety, almost falling over backwards, whilst the pelican himself returned to reading his newspaper.

Interestingly, pelicans have been depicted throughout the years in all kinds of symbolism (I am not a nerd) both historically, and recreated as jewelry.  Sometimes both.

Here’s a nice piece that Elizabeth I was rather keen on.

Because of this erstwhile popularity,  I was surprised that it proved impossible to find a silver pelican suitable for a chain when we were in Puerto Vallarta.

The General was determined to find one for me (which was incredibly sweet of him) but alas, we had no luck.

Hilariously, we thought we were getting close one day when a particularly tenacious jewelry clerk produced a silver Flamingo from the back and insisted with a bright  smile, “No really – is pelicano!”

We were holding ourselves up in the street over that one.

Anyway, the pelican search continues – in the skies and jewelry stores alike – with no hard feelings.