Christmas came and so did the crowds out at Punta Chalacaptec. Families poured out bringing fresh fruits (to which we were the benefactors) and proceeded to setup camp... our new neighbors even built a brand new palapa. They are quite kind and invite us to join them for pig stew or fish stew, or whatever they are cooking up for their crowd of about 20.
The fishermen continue to bring us fish or invite us over for a potluck of sorts (we bring the fixings for ceviche and they provide the fish). ¨When you return to the states, you can tell them you ate lots of fish!¨ they say. And then, ¨Eat more, Skinny!¨
We are so lucky it´s citrus season! And extra lucky to have a hand juicer thanks to Mema! (and Jody and Elaine, I believe!) Thanks again! It has been used everyday.
This is Roberto. He is 85 years old, can barely walk, but still rides his horse on this 6 hour round trip. He sat down and passed a couple of hours with us under our palapa. We gave him juice and some quesadillas (one of the only things we guessed he could eat with his 6 remaining teeth)
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A couple of the fishermen at Punta Chalacatepec excited about their catch of the day (it was actually dieing when they found it). They immediately set to cutting off the fins- the most valuable part thanks to the value in China. They are worth more than all the meat on this shark.
Fish cooking over a beach campfire on our grill/roof rack that Chet and Griffin so cleverly crafted. Thanks Chet! It is appreciated.
Our Christmas Tree. A gift from the fishermen... sadly a piece of coral that was trapped in their net, but a very kind gift from them.
Griffin studying the waves at Punta Las Peñitas.
Just a quick note to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! After a few days without surf, we ran up the coast to check out a couple of spots (including Punta Las Peñitas) and now are back at Chalacatepec. More later... Feliz Navidad!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
From the city of Guadalajara, we wound our way around volcanos and gradually watched the dry high desert shift to the green of the coastal areas along the pacific. Kelly´s cousin decided to stay a couple more weeks after the graduation ceremony so the four of us (Griffin, Kelly, Kevin, and myself) all caravaned to one of Kelly´s favorite spots. About halfway between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta lies Punta Chalacatepec (a point that juts out into the ocean just west of the very small pueblo, Jose Maria Morelos), where we have spent the last week in a place so perfect it has exceeded expectations... well, it does have a few setbacks... like scorpions (Kelly´s toe is still recovering).
After a long drive from Guadalajara we arrived at our destination just as the sun was melting into the sea- a picture perfect beach sunset complete with the pelican´s silhouette flying into the sun. We quickly set up camp just before the light disappeared and then soon realized that the ocean was aglow with oceanic phosphorescence. Wherever a wave would break it looked a like a neon green highlighter was tracing it´s course. Agitation causes these otherwise invisible plankton (i believe?) to light up like underwater lightening bugs at night, so if you run your hand through the water, little tracers chase after it. It was quite the welcome.
The point has proven to be the perfect place to remember how to surf (it has been 3 years). Besides an occasional rip tide that had me concerned one day, the waves are small and friendly. Our neighbors are wonderful, including a sea turtle conservation project and the local fishermen who see to it that we eat fish everyday.
In the mornings we wake up to the fishermen starting their boats (I have a great video that shows how they get their boats in and out of the water using coke bottles, but it´s not wanting to load right now). Then the sea turtle folks usually swing by with their 4wheeler. Part of the conservation project is to dig up the eggs the very day they are laid to ensure they are not poached (this usually happens at night as the turtles come to shore to lay around 11:00pm). They then re-bury them in a guarded area and let them incubate there (approx. 25 days). When they hatch they load them back onto the 4wheeler in a big crate and carry them down to the shore (video below). We have, more than once, been invited to help release the baby sea turtles. They are beyond precious.
While the drive from the point to town is short in distance, the road is unpaved and slow to travel so we are trying to drive it as little as possible. In the case that we don´t get back to town before Christmas, Merry Christmas to all!
Kelly and his cousin, Kevin, just left but we plan to stay here for at least another week. I have lots more pics but will have to post later... these computers are great, but occasionally take forever to load pics.
Well, we didn't make it very far out of Zacatecas before experiencing mexican hospitality. Just a few hours south of Zacatecas, in the town of Juchipila, we stopped for some dinner at a little restaurant based out of a family's house. After visiting with them for a couple hours they wouldn't let us sleep in the truck and insisted we stay with them.... and stay the whole next day and night, and they would have had us through Christmas if we had taken them up on their offers.
After a breakfast of menudo on Sunday, the men took Griffin to the bar and then to a local baseball game, while I stayed with Virginia (the family matriarch) and attempted to help her prepare posole, tamales, taquitos, and homemade salsa for her restaurant. There's a pic of Virginia working in her kitchen below.
We are now in Guadalajara hanging out with Dr. Kelly (who just graduated from med school here!), trying to decided what our next move is (which part of the coast to head to).
I love the colors!
Blue Agave fields north of Guadalajara
Virgina preparing posole on a sunday morning.
Some of the best tamales ever!
Griffin in front of Virgina's house (where we stayed the last couple of nights)
A beautiful church in Zacatecas
The lovely hotel in Zacatecas that my Mom and Greg hooked us up with! It's the old peasant quarters that they've converted into a very nice hotel... thanks again Mom & Greg!
We thought it would be safer driving through the frontera if we looked like two dudes in a truck... really I just wanted to dress up (and I was jealous of Griffin's mustache).
After visiting the consulate on Monday we felt assured that the tollroads were safe. And so we prepared for a 4am departure to ensure we made it past the first few hundred miles during the day...
From Kerrville, TX to Laredo we watched the gradual transition into mexico: from paleterias and mexican food restaurants to trucks beyond loaded with appliances and other U.S. treasures, all southbound down I35. In Laredo the taco stands became more frequent and the prices dropped- 2 tacos for $1.50. There were no lines entering mexico, but on the other side hundreds of cars, trucks, and foot traffic were waiting to enter the U.S. As we crossed the Rio Grande, we had to wonder if the water under the bridge had taken as much time as we had from it´s headwaters in Colorado.
Getting our visas (approximately $25 per person for 6 months) took only about 10 min, and without any further delay we finally found ourselves heading south through the mexican desert, dotted with blooming joshua trees and cactus. We had to laugh, and perhaps falsely took comfort in the fact that our truck was by far one of the oldest cars on the tollroad.
After a long day of driving, we arrived in the lovely colonial city of Zacatecas. By far one of the most beautiful cities, it has been a lovely couple of days spent admiring elegant architecture and a surprisingly impressive collection of contemporary art.
Pictures pending... this computer is not cooperating.
Some fun facts:
* 4 homemade tamales = $1
* A lunch of all you can drink hibiscus tea, soup, a chile relleno, chicken with mole, rice, a side cucumber salad, and a jicama, cauliflower & squash salad, all followed by flan = $3.33
* According to a fairly unreliable but interesting source, downtown Chicago and Los Angelos are actually more dangerous than Juarez.
We've left jobs, said goodbyes (for now) and our surfboards are packed. With "Jesus es mi Copiloto" proudly written in a script font on the back of the truck we're beginning to feel like we might fit in down south.... well, i haven't died my hair, yet. But that is Griffin's mustache.
On Monday we plan to go to the Mexican consolate in Austin, TX and find out which route they recommend through the first few (hundred) tumultuous miles of the border. If we heeded the warnings that have been lashed out of surprised faces in Texas we would be carrying a 9 mm and staying north of the border. But that doesn't sound nearly as fun as carrying surfboards south of the border.
“The tragedy of life is not death but what dies inside us while we live.” —Norman Cousins ... “A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.” ...
We'll be updating this blog weekly (hopefully) for those who want to check in.
