Further South in Mexico

Leaving Santiago, saying goodbye to our cruising buddies, we head south solo. We had a nice day sail to Cabeza Negra spent the night but didn’t go to shore. After breakfast we head for Caleta de Campos. It’s a nice small beach town of a few thousand people, with a school of Navigation and Fishing located there. We had the best barbacoa tacos there then took a taxi down the road some to Rio Nexpa. Nexpa is a surfing haven, the beach dotted with cabanas that cost about 150 pesos a night ($12 US). There were some folks surfing but the big surf that draws surfers here from near and far happen during the summer. Nice very laid back place, out of the way but definitely a favorite for young surfers. Once back to our dinghy in Caleta de Campos I discover my shoes are missing that I left in the dinghy. This is the very first time I’ve had anything stolen, I spent a little time on the beach checking out feet by I didn’t see my Sebagos on anyone’s tootsies.

Zihuatanejo

We did a 12 hour sail to Zihuatanejo, bypassed Ixtapa for now. There are about 25 boats in front of Playa Madera with a daily net each morning keeping us abreast of what’s happening locally. I think this will be the last local net via VHF radio we’ll come across in Mexico. I here that there are fewer boats here this year and there’s some concern that there won’t be enough boats for Sail Fest. Sail fest is a fun event put on by cruisers, raising funds for the indigenous school in the mountains. The boats sign up to take tourist out for a day sail. The tourists are charged something like 300 pesos, and that money goes to the schools.

I really like Zihuat; it’s a perfect blend of a Mexican seaside town with just enough cruisers and tourists thrown into the mix. We walk way up into town, finding rubber feet for the swim ladder as well as a bead shop. Of course I found a few things that I just had to have, sounds familiar? I got in a lot of jogging and early morning walks. On one particular walk on the hill side between Playa Madera and Playa La Ropa I stopped at an Italian restaurant, it had such a beautiful view I just had to stop. I sat at very corner table, enjoying a cold beer, amazed by the beauty of the bay below. That is where I fell in love with Zihuatanejo

Sailfisher

Thought you might like to see what it's like on a good sailing day.

more pics

This puppy looks so embryonic.






Here's a few pics from Guadalajara, the Cathedral, the central market, some day of the dead folks as well. We spent a couple of days in this beautiful colonial styled old city.

New Memories in Santiago

We stayed between Santiago and Las Hadas for about 10 days. A couple of days enjoying the convenience and amenities of Las Hadas then the rest of the time anchored out in front of "La Casa de las Palomas", (where we were married last year).
We had a wonderful time with Joyce & Jess, the owners, Susan & Duke, their long time friends, and of course Lou and Lydia. It turns out that Duke and Lou, each from different parts of the country, attended grad school together way back when at Cornell; so this was an unexpected reunion for them. Rumor has it that at least one of them used to sport a mighty fine afro.
We took a day trip to Las Grutas (the caves); an interesting place, big deep cavern with huge stalactites. It was a fun outing, eating cheese and drinking beer at the picnic tables once we had climbed out of the cave. I again managed to miss a step and hurt my other foot; I think I will follow Lou's suggestion to wear closed toed shoes instead of sandals.
Having a car gave us more opportunities for exploring and we were off on another road trip. We road in Lydia's element and we all got a turn at the "wild ride", that is sitting in the make shift back seats that aren't attached, you get to slide around alot. Anyway...the 8 of us took a day trip to first Comala and then Colima. We visited the museum in Comala then had some beer and free snacks (botanas) at the town square, while being entertained by several mariachi bands competing with their loudest offerings.
The Casa de las Palomas folks went back to Santiago but we drove on to Sayula, a town famous for their fines knives and their 12 Portolas. After a visit to a few shops, Lou came away with an entire flatware set, a kitchen knife set, a belt with a hidden knife buckle and 2 other decorative knives. We bought a lone sharpener. We stayed the night in a 4 star hotel, really nice. Once a colonial hacienda, then for many years a grain storage facility and then in 2001 converted and refurbished as this hotel "Casa de los Patios". We had nice dinners then we all retired to our rooms to watch TV, a rare but dubious treat.
By about 2 the next day we were back on the road, not without a few stops along the way. The boys had an "Auto Zone" stop and lyd and I a stop at a furniture & metal yard art place. I took heaps of pictures but we left empty handed, everything was just too big for the "Element" and the metal stuff would die a rusty death on the boats.
We got back just in time to enjoy a farewell dinner for Susan and Duke, complete with a live and surprise Mariachi musicians ( 7 to be exact). Jess had it all planned, he stepped out the front door saying he had to get a CD from his car, only to come back in followed by the beautifully dressed musicians. What a treat....thank you again Jess and Joyce. The music was all requested via my translation. That is a night I'll remember for a very long time.
The next night we enjoyed happy hour at an amazing cliff location restaurant "L'Recif. The view on this cliff sheltered bay to the ocean was amazing. Another one of those times the beauty far exceeds my pale words. Lydian and I cooked dinner that night, made more interesting with a couple of "Cuba Libres". Yesterday a last trip to the town of Santiago proved to be very successful. Al replaced the inner tube for the dinghy tire and got a haircut from Esmelda, the same lady that did my hair for the wedding last year.
Joyce and Jess were the most attentive, gracious hosts, especially gracious towards us, we were basically just an add-on to the group via Lou and Lydia. We left Santiago with new friends and also having had an unexpected opportunity to spend some good times with our old friends.

We've continued to head south, revisiting a few fav places including Tenacatita. I got to play in the kayak plenty; one afternoon I stopped by Shiloh, Lou fixed me a drink and by the time I left I was pretty lit. We stayed on a day or two longer than Lou and Lydia but we'll meet up again in a few days in Santiago. We met the folks on "Endeavour", accompanied them up the river in our dinghies but not before having a very wet landing on the beach. It seems we never get away from Tenacatita without a thorough soaking and of course loss of hats and/or sunglasses. We also met some folks on a Cal 36,, Annie and Tom. She did some really lovely watercolors, a visual log of all the beautiful anchorages they have dropped the hook at. I would love to be able to paint like that, if I could I probably would have started on my 2009 resolution to do drawings this year, who knows maybe I'll start next month. I continue with my beading; currently working on a bangle bracelet and the more I work on it the less I like it.