Friday, December 18, 2009

leaving la cruz


christmas in the cab


and at mega store for salvation army


sunrise yesterday morning here in the marina


we did have fabulous sunsets just off the stern


and reflected in the water



so we leave la cruz in about an hour.  we've had a great time while we were here and are very grateful to dave for driving us all over to run errands.  we spent a lively evening at philo's last night for dinner and music and enjoying the company of alan and chris and dave. 
next stop is across banderas bay, anchorage to be determined says jim.  we'll spend a few days there then round cabo corrientes and gunkhole down the coast.


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

tromping through bucerias


after breakfast this morning this is how i felt as we wandered around bucerias.



interesting stone work on one of the walls we passed


and murals in one of the alleyways


and another mural



and then we saw the woman working



it was a nice change to get back on a mexican bus.  it's been overcast today and slightly muggy.  on the way back to the boat we ran into jim's friend dave from berkeley so they're off doing their guy thing while i'm experimenting with the updated blog software.  it looks like nueva vallarta is full, so we'll be staying here in la cruz for the next couple of days and then start working our way south.  thankfully i have a good internet connection.

not for the weight conscious











we've heard a lot about frascati's from other cruisers so we had to try it. oh my it was fabulous. no pictures because we consumed before i could grab my camera. they make their own pasta! we both left lbs heavier but with smiles on our faces. then last night we were going to have pizza at philo's. jim's mouth has been watering just waiting to try his pizza. and he was closed. so we went to the black forest instead. run by some german transplants, jim was not disappointed in his ghoulash and i had a really refreshing salad. another night of waddling back to the boat. good thing we're leaving soon or we'd not fit through the companionway.

before and after in la cruz

dec. 24 2005 standing next to ana bananas looking out at the bay





dec. 14, 2009 i tried to find the same vantagepoint but couldn't because the land next to ana bananas was fenced in (which didn't stop me from taking the pictures below) so this is looking back at ana bananas and that sweet little beach is somewhere inside this fenced area, covered over with landfill, and the marina is behind me.


jim and dave dec. 24 2005 on the patio next to ana b's. it's not a great shot but they were looking out into the bay which was easily accessible.


dec. 24, 2005 - sign in front of ana bananas


dec. 14, 2009 - almost the same shot but slightly different angle where jim and dave stood 4 years ago. now, of course, the "view" is a landfill berm and big sign boasting the progress in town.

dec. 14, 2009 - i walked around back of ana b's where it's fenced in to try and get a shot of where that sweet little beach was - all i saw was abandoned property and the biggest ant hills i've ever seen.

dec. 14, 2009 - another slightly different shot where jim and dave had stood - with today's view.


and here's ana b's today. apparently they serve great ribs.
so why am i making such a big deal about all of this? because in 4 short years this wonderful little town has been hit by a tsunami of concrete and gringos. i know i know things change and for some it means jobs and a better life. but i'm guessing not for many that lived here, the ones who had to move because they can't afford to live here anymore. this just reenforces our desire to get out and see the world now before more of it gets turned into a concrete jungle.
okay i'm off my soapbox now. happier blogs to follow.









la cruz in the am












we had our engine started and pointed out to sea by 7am on dec. 12. from chacala it took us 7 hours to get to la cruz. in the four years since we've been here, this little town has undergone enormous change. more about that in the next blog. we saw some familiar boats here at marina riviera nayarit la cruz. time is confusing here. nayarit (where la cruz is) is on mountain time but jalisco (where pv is and the airport) is on pacific time so we have to keep checking with people about what time they're referring to. anyway, the sunset came later because we switched to pacific time, and it is beautiful here (the sunset not the marina).
so yesterday i headed into town very early to avoid the heat and snap some pictures. had breakfast at hikuri which is a little cafe/gallery with two very sweet dogs, the one above is half ridgeback. journal entry is....tea and mollete will be served shortly. wow is it good. toasted pan spread with refried beans and cheese and salsa. wandering through town this early am, i shared the street with several mexican dogs looking for food or socializing with each other. they really know how to make the best of a situation. roosters crowed, small children sat on the sidewalk where women were sweeping. by 10am i could feel the heat on the my back - time to head back to the boat. and i did bring jim half my breakfast.

Monday, December 14, 2009

obsession with palm trees in la cruz

Click here to view these pictures larger

this was an experiment to see if i could transfer (i guess i'm supposed to call it upload) photos from the photo blog to here. it works. we've only been here a couple days but the long walk out of the marina into la cruz is lined with palm trees, many of them still young and not so tall. i've been obsessed with them (and other flora) so decided to indulge myself.

more to come in the next post about la cruz.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

feels like paradise in chacala





journal entry dec. 11

we left isla isabela at 7am, heading south to chacala. i can tell we're getting close to land, i see clumps of sedge grass floating by, often with a small bird riding on top. about 1.5 hours more before we get there. i've napped and read and allowed my mind to slip sideways as the water flows by. we arrived at 4pm and it's hot with barely a breeze. we quickly get over to shore for a look around and a bite to eat before the sun sinks. sitting under a palm thatched palapa having beer and guacamole and chips we watch the sun sink behind chesapeake. our feet are dug into the sand and neat rows of waves crawl up the beach. jim ordered coconut shrimp in honor of eddie and anastasia who introduced us to it at memines in mazatlan. we wish they were here with us. the walk back to the dinghy was tricky in the dark (and no flashlight) over what i call ankle busters - those cobblestone roads. the tiny town looked deserted on our walk in but now it's alive and spending the evening in outside patios and plastic chairs propped against concrete walls. while i dodged the larger rocks in the road jim was clawing at his ankles from the bobos at the beach.

and more from isla isabela


anchored off las monas

boobie in flight


gotta love those feet







the giving of nesting material



more to come and more on the shutterfly photo blog, eventually.

and then there are the babies








journal entry
i saw a tiny white fuzz ball protected by 2 parents and another stretching his corkscrew limbs. jim pointed out a third larger baby on a ledge all alone. the hike up the hill on the "trail" was difficult and would have been impossible if not for clumps of grass as footholds.