some of us forever......
to seek other states.......
other lives....
other souls."...
by Anais Nin.......
Highway 200....From Puerto Vallarta, Mexico south....Part 2
Mexico.... Oh.... how we've missed you!
...... You welcome us back.....like that long lost friend, the wayward son or the lover you've never forgotten....she squeezes you in her warm embrace, easily wrapping her long-limbered legs tightly around you.... until you are so... oh ...out of breath and doesn't let you go...She brushes her moist lips across your mouth...the touch.....the probe......The sensous dance... It's hard to resist...
.... From the fragrance of her land, to the feel and stroke of her finger on your sweaty skin, and the hot breath on the nape of your neck....The pulsing, rhythmic beat of bands, stereos blasting music at all hours that pounds the brain and seeps into your skin....we fall asleep, wrapped only in the warmth of a bed sheet.....Lulled to sleep by the sound of the ceiling fan above us.... as the waves crash, birds squawk, roosters crow and the dogs bark....We dream....
.....This is the Mexico we look for...But seldom come across...A passionate, humid land... It's people proud, kind and generous....
.......here a sneeze is returned with a 'salut' (bless you) from a group of well armed Federales seated beside you at a roadside taco stand..... It's a place where the locals stop to talk, to ask about you, wave at you......Where grandmas play in the waves.....little kids ride quads down the dusty, main street of our little beach town...
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Onward and southward....
We leave the Puerto Vallarta bus station one early morning. Our destination is Punta Perula, about 3-4 hrs south on Highway #200.
The bus winds its way up and over the narrow, hairpinned road through the mountainous pass that separates the water access town of Yelapa, from civilization.
While bus travel in Mexico is always an adventure, our bus driver does something we haven't seen before....He stops at a little roadside barber and gets a haircut. That takes the cake! Once he's had his trim, the bus departs; with one happy driver.
We get dropped off on the highway about 3 km from Punta Perula. Our driver (and several passengers) assures us that something (a bus, taxi or collectivo) will come by.....At some point!
Within 30 seconds of getting our packs on, two locals stop and offer us a ride. Problem solved!
Punta Perula is as close to the paradise of a small, coastal Mexican beach town that you'd want....The one main road skirts along the beach. Houses, food places, lodgings are scattered along the dusty, through fare.
Our digs; a quiet oasis, shaded and steps from the beach.
We rent bikes from the bike shop owners; Mario and Eder and spend the day exploring the trails and pathways around here.
The 5 km long beach is perfect for walking and getting wet. While the surf is noisy, it's safe to swim, clean and refreshing.
We get to see the EOS, one of the largest 3 masted schooners in the world anchored off shore for a few days. At 90 metres long with 21 staff it dwarfs the other boats in harbour.
We kayak, snorkel and watch the many pelicans hunt...
Make new friends
We are invited to sail for the day...such a wonderful treat!
Fred and Catherine have been sailing these waters for years but now they want to sell their boat so they can move on to other adventures. If you're seriously interested in purchasing this 45 foot sailboat, let us know and we can put you in touch with them.
Soon, we move on.....Our plan is to hop the bus to La Manzanilla; about an hour south.
Before we head out Mario and Eder take us to their family house in San Mateo for breakfast.
We have a wonderful traditional meal, talk about their lives and just life, then eventually say goodbye to catch a bus south.
La Manzanilla
After waiting on the side of the road for 90 minutes, for a bus that should have appeared 30 minutes earlier, we move south.
The bus winds its way down this section of rugged coastline. In contrast to our hair-cutting bus driver, our corner-cutting driver flies along at fairly high speed.
We are dropped off at the turn-off to town and hitch a ride in, on the back of a pick up.
La Manzanilla is a long flat beach; similar to Punta Perula, but way more developed. Hemmed in by rising hills, this is a bustling little beach town favoured by expats for long term stays. Food, rooms and music are all available.
We stay several days and again run into people we know back home. Small world, indeed. Snorkel, swim, enjoy a bit of night life. This community has a thriving music and arts scene and vendors are selling everything imaginable on the beach and streets.
La Manzanilla is 'famous' for its nature sanctuary of over 250 American crocodiles that you can view for 25 pesos as you walk the boardwalk through the mangrove forest.
The alpha male is quite impressive in size as he glides through the water like a floating log. Others lie so still you wonder if they are real. They are!
After doing a bank run several days earlier to Melaque; La Manzanilla hasn't a ATM or bank, we've decided to give Melaque a miss. Instead, we'll head to Barra de Navidad (about 5 km further from Melaque).
Why??? Melaque's beach is way steeper and has a much higher surf than La Manzanilla. It's hard to walk, run or even bike on Melaque's shoreline. Way busier than the much quieter La Manzanilla, it is the bus Centro for the area and is filled with tourists and long-termers.
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Adios for now.... Upcoming.. Part 3.....Routa 200 ...A day trip to the wild beach of Tenacatita; full of mayhem and mystery, along with great snorkeling......... on to Barra de Navidad.....And much more...
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Hasta Luego!
Shayne y Yvonne
Additonal Random Photos...
