Safe across the border!

Just a quick update to say that we crossed the border safely yesterday without any problems.  I'll post some final pics soon!

Pitaya, the best cactus fruit I've ever tried.  No need to cook it, and they sell them de-spined.  Just peel and eat (1 peso)!

Downtown Guadalajara.  Street performers and "freestyle walkers" abound.  This kid was doing some pretty cool tricks, including this flip.

Pineapple plant in Jeremy's backyard (in Guadalajara)!

Smoking Volcano in Colima.

Back in Guadalajara

While in Nexpa we were lucky enough to run into a crew of med. students from Guadalajara (on break for Semana Santa), two of whom we spent a week with at Chalacatepec (Jeremy and Chris)!  They were kind enough to invite us to stay with them in Guadalajara and so we have fully accepted their offer and are currently staying with them.  We plan to spend the next couple of nights here before continuing north.

One of the last days at Ticla and nobody else in the water.

This young fella was snorkeling and catching octopus.

Rio Nexpa

Poco a Poco...

Little by little we are making our way north.  After a week in Nexpa we just arrived in Ticla today to a warm welcome from all our friends here.  A few changes since we were here last:  for one thing it is HOT.  Sticky, humid hot.  But this, of course, has been happening slowly everywhere.  I keep hoping the rainy season will begin before we leave, but it doesn´t look like I`ll have my wish.  Since the rains have yet to come, the river mouth at La Ticla has slowly closed up causing a giant lake where there use to be a nice fluid river.  Along with the giant lake are giant mosquitos.  They seem to patrol 24/7.  The plus side of this time of year:  Mangos!!  And lots of them.  There are piles of them on the sides of roads.  Everywhere we go the air seems to constantly have a sweet smell of ripened/overly ripe mangos. 

Other than mangos, heat, and mosquitos, our neighbor (the pig) has perished.  His funeral was really a celebration of life-- full of 30 people eating pork tacos to their hearts content.  Griffin was of course dissapointed that we missed this occasion.  A new little pig has taken his place.

It seems we have arrived in time for yet another celebration at the church- this time in honor of a different saint (I have yet to know which one) and I am told it is a much bigger party.  Even as I write this the church bells are sounding to a backdrop of fireworks... time to go!