Getting to Guanajuato

Finishing a van picnic of delicious barbacoa tacos y quesadillas in San Miguel, we were fueled up, looking forward to the Guanajuato journey….well, until the car wouldn’t start…

After unsuccessfully trying to flag down cars to jump us on a busy one way street, we retreated to the taco shop family, convincing them to help us out. (Good thing we had left a good tip for our takeout).

Our new friend pulled up in his big truck, blocking the whole road, standing by our side till Pancho was fired up…Viva la barbacoa 😉 … Eeeeeesshhh…

The battery didn’t want to hold a charge… J had to keep his foot on the gas at all times to prevent Pancho from giving up.

Startling other vehicles in traffic, J would gracefully pop Panch’ into neutral or park at the red lights, gently reving the engine to keep us ‘alive’… An uneasy way to start a 3 hr drive through the middle of no where, with no cell reception.

We died again about an hour later, right in front of the policemen who had just hassled us for not having our front plate on, but conveniently next to a parked cowboy truck.

A few eye rolls from the policía checkpoint, I hopped out, smiling, waving the jumper cables in the air towards the caballeros. “Tenemos cables” …See, all good in the neighborhood…

Cruising over, the men curiously stared at Pancho before popping their hood to get us running again. Tipping their hats, we were off, round 2! Yikes.. still only half way there..

Hot and sweating, we weren’t the only ones heating up… Pancho was getting a little too warm. Temperature, elevation, mood, lots of variables in the mix there…

Finally entering the Guanajuato city limits, google maps stopped working right as we approached the underground tunnels… yea…

We didn’t quite know what we were in for driving in Guanajuato. An absolutely stunning city, it was built in a narrow valley, down one mountainside and up the other.

The streets (originally different river beds) were like intertwining spider webs, woven in, under and around the city. Dipping down into tunnels that would branch off in several different directions… Missing the wrong turn meant winding and ‘gophering’ back around, and around.

Up-down, up-down, up-down. Now you see us, now you don’t.

J was magically juggling the gas and break pedals, we were so close, but Pancho was getting pissed…

A guide on the side of the road offered us a free map and generously helped us trace the route we needed to go in order to arrive at our AirBnB (even giving us a business card, offering his own house if we couldn’t find our reservation).

Simultaneously, Alvaro, our AirBnB host was trying to help us, sending direct coordinates to the residence.

Total chaos, sucking in, holding our breath, as we tried to squeeze through the narrow alleys and streets, barely scraping the side mirrors.

J driving, Mozy and me nervously navigating, right as we made it to the right street, Pancho lost his patience, overheated and shut down in the middle of the street.

Hissing, simmering, we came to a halt, stopped on the cobblestones and shrugged our shoulders at the poor guy behind us… you best reverse buddy.

Tempting to let our spirits sink, Alvaro turned our frowns upside down, emerging with ice cold beers while we waited for Pancho to cool off.

Quite an introduction, we had a decompressing moment of silence with our beers in the middle of the street.

Getting to Guanajuato!

San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende is a palette adventure of warm pastels… Peaches, corals, oranges, sunflowers… happy, mood boosting hues that inspire energy and happiness.

An UNESCO world heritage site; the city is a work of art in itself.

It’s not just the history, the baroque / neoclassical architecture, but best felt in the richly upheld traditions, flower crowns, mariachi bands, quinceañera princesses floating by and cobblestone streets.

The secret gardens, art galleries, cute courtyards, and the smell of espresso and a freshly baked croissant.

Brownies in bed for breakfast, walks and swings with Mozy girl in Benito Juárez Park.

Three carefree nights and almost four euphoric days.

Of course, a large part of this San Miguel masterpiece is the food…

An incredible 5 course tasting menu at Nómada cocina de interpretación- each dish a ‘framer’, perfectly constructed with chop sticks….

Staring (and chewing) in awe as Carnegie hall guitarist Gil Gutiérrez takes the stage over chiles en nogadas at Bistro Mi Casa.

Rooftop hopping, from pizzas and craft beer at Casa Chiquita to lemon meringue pie and Prosecco at El Pegaso.

The best carnitas torta you’ve ever tasted, potato/cheese/bean filled street tacos and puffing on Cubans in Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.

Jícama shelled tacos, stuffed with shrimp and tamarind salsa, margarita city sunsets.

We went, we saw, we tasted… (well, not quite enough of that strawberry ice cream).

There is so much to experience in San Miguel. Wherever your paint brush takes you, you can’t go wrong.

Each trip a new canvas to be filled with more of those toasty, heart warming colors.

Pátzcuaro

Before we knew it, the salt air was in the rear view mirror; we were approaching pine trees, puffing on the last of the cappuccino cigarillos.

Pancho chugged along, lungs burning with the 7,000 ft+ elevation gain; while the rest of us were more relaxed, relieved to be in cooler weather!

Driving into Pátzcuaro was like emerging from an ancient time machine. Narrow cobblestone streets lined with colonial red and white buildings, a history book town that has preserved its traditions, architecture and charm since being founded sometime in the 1320s..

Winding our way up a narrow wooden, wobbly staircase; we found our casita for the night.

To get better acquainted with town, we hit the main plaza to see what was going on… stumbling right into a carnival parade.

Live music erupted as paper mache bulls danced in the streets, chasing after the cross dressing sayacas… kids in masks, confetti and…BOOOOM, SNAP, CRACK fireworks and bottle rockets exploding and echoing off the surrounding courtyard walls.

There was so much to take in, a little hungry and tired from our journey inland, we opted for street food carts so we could take a seat and enjoy the show!

“¿Tamal Oaxaqueños?” … ¡Si, dos por favor!

We anxiously watched as she delicately unwrapped the delicious bundle from its banana leaf into our cups, generously topping them with crema and salsa verde.

It was perfection, all washed down with an icy cup of agua de jamaica.

Following the spectacle, the crowd grew larger as we all spilled into yet another, bigger plaza where other parades were merging together.

There, we ‘parked’ it with the festivities till the sun went down, relaxing on the grass and enjoying the rich culture of this magic town.

Strolling home, there was one more show…the sunset softening the sky, splashing a warm light all over the walls, like the golden pages of the old history book we had fallen into…

Buenas noches!

Bienvenidos a Michoacán

One rabies shot later, we were leaving Manzanillo, Colima, heading towards the Michoacán border.

Bananas galore through Colima. Lush crop fields everywhere; ‘plátanos maduros’ more than anything, piled all over the place. (That is our lasting memory of that state…A beautiful drive, but… hot and humid in ol’ Pancho).

Sticking to our chairs, becoming one with our vehicle, we crossed the border!

Squealing to a halt at the first ‘lookout point’; we peeled ourselves out (just like one of those bananas) to take in the view…

Wow Michoacán…talk about exceeding expectations. The only thing comparable would be the Big Sur coast line on tropical steroids.

Dramatic cliffs, rocks, with pristine beaches outlined in palms down below. Every shade of green making the steep mountainous terrain more impressive. How had we not heard about this before?

Winding our way through the jungle, peering out at the vistas every opportunity, we started looking for lodging.

Narrowing down the options; J picked Marüata… Bienvenidos a Michoacán! Quite an introduction to this magical place.

The long drive was well worth it. Pancho didn’t fit under the camping palapa; so we went with a cabaña…

Mozy didn’t think it was too bad either.

French Canadian Francine

Leaving San Pancho, we started a marathon adventure South into new territory for both of us.

(No hunting the jaguars, okay!)

To prepare for hours on the carretera, we made some mandatory stops in Puerto Vallarta for: much craved SUSHI, cigarillos and Mexican Mochas! (Tight timeline folks… 😉 )

Next destination: Punta Pérula en La Costa Alegre – a very fitting name for a long stretch of ‘joyful, happy coast’ in the state of Jalisco.

Parking it at the ‘Red Snapper’ RV park, we arrived, yet again, just in time for sunset, a happy hour swim, cervezas…and… a dog?…

This was the third black stray dog that had befriended us during our trip. Was it a sign…Maybe the third x really is the charm?

The lil tamale stayed by our side the whole stay; slept in the van, took a liking to the floor rug…or maybe she wanted the chicken milanesas?… She kept hopping into the van like it was home sweet home.

After picking out her ticks, giving her a bath and Dr. J taking care of her eye infection, the adoption conversations began…

Maybe if she’s still there in the morning, posiblemente we’ll decide over the next coffee… or was it every other person on the beach who kept asking if it was ‘our dog‘…

Our neighbor, French Canadian Francine, put us over the edge, “Do-a-something good eh? You take that dog, she’ll die here. I see her with you; it’s your dog.” …”Yes, good. You take her; she will have a good life now”.

Perhaps we couldn’t say ‘no‘ to Francine and her poofy little dog Be-Be. We’d be letting down all the Canadians at the Red Snapper really…

Those big, puffy eyes hopefully gazing into our souls, a hypnotizing stare urging “take me….” (sigh)…

Then, there were three…

Loading up the van with our new furry friend, waving goodbye to Francine, there would be a slight detour to find the next el veterinario.

Querido San Pancho

Like a warm hug from an old friend, you are always welcomed back to San Pancho, no matter how much time has passed.

Cobblestone streets, colorful flags, bustling cafes on every corner. It has an international presence, attracting people from all over the globe.

Surfers, artists, musicians, doctors, engineers, hippies, bienvenidos a todos; there is something for everyone.

As luck would have it, we arrived during the annual 3 day music festival! Two stages take over the main plaza, offering a full line up of amazing talent each evening.

Locals and tourists flock in together, bringing chairs, blankets, picnics to hangout and enjoy the show!

Food and goods vendors line the perimeter, selling everything from woven blankets to South American Alfajores (stuffed with dulce de leche) to a booth selling ‘vegan sushi’… (I told you there was something for everyone 😉 )

It was an awesome way to kick off our time there together.

Rewind 20 years, I was lucky to call this place home. My family gave me an amazing, unique experience that has changed my life forever. We moved as a family; my parents enrolling all the girls into the towns public school, la secundaria. (And my younger brother into the elementary school).

I was 13 and didn’t know a word of Spanish (okay… maybe helado (ice cream), dinero (money) and baño (bathroom).

Shy as a kid, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. There were no ‘cliques’ there, everyone was included, any quinceañera, fiesta, everyone was invited and had a good time. It was the most loving, inclusive, beautiful culture to be introduced to. Nicknames weren’t mean, they were affectionate.

Friday nights, a truck unloaded foose-ball table soccer games in the plaza where we’d play for hours with our school mates for a few pesos.

Saturday nights were the DISCOS, where the town gathered to dance the night away… where we secretly had our first ‘wine coolers’ …. Dad smelled right through that mint gum …

Sunday’s were fresh pozole…

There was the stand by the hospital that sold the best burritos, Los Delfines for the best tacos … Angela’s for the famous chicken tortilla soup…

Days were spent on the beach, running through town, ranchera music and laughter filling the streets. Special friendships were made that would last forever…

It wasn’t just friendships, they gave me the gift of language and showed me a wonderful way of life. Drawing pictures and writing words – el flor, flower. It was body language and gestures…Somehow making plans and always showing up.

Moving so many times over the years, it’s one of the few places that truly feels like home, a place that I couldn’t wait to introduce to my partner in crime…

Sensory overload, it was hard to make up my mind on what we should do… so we just tried to do and eat everything haha!

It is a foodie haven… we indulged… Dolce Amore Italian food, tortas, burritos, licuados served in cactus glasses, craft beers, cafe lattes, empanadas, jugos verdes, carne asada, pastas…

The beach, jungle, surfing, a few late nights with friends, giggling and sharing old stories. It was such a special stay with J and my sweet amigos. We stayed four nights and could have easily remained for the rest of our time off…

Our finale dinner was at the Ola Rica (a family favorite restaurant). I know the owners well and we hugged, recognizing each other after all these years. They spoiled us with more drinks… we left SO FULL, I felt like a hard boiled egg.

It’s so hard to say good bye to San Pancho, so I just “hasta luego”… hasta la próxima vez que puedo volver, back into those welcoming arms. Querido San Pancho.

San Blas…Strike of the Jejenes

J said caressing my arm was like reading braille…

By the time we felt the “Jejenes” in San Blas it was too late. The no-see-ums didn’t just bite us…we were A feast; chewed up like corn cobs. (We later learned that area is notoriously known for these evil sand savages). Make a note for next time!

Bites swelling, tummies expanding. Does disaster decide to strike all at once? How does that song go? “As your running into first and you feel a sudden burst… diarrhea…diarrhea…”

(There is a light at the end of the tunnel). After a long night of distressing discomfort, feeling MUCH better, we were in for a treat!

I had been to La Tovara when I was younger and couldn’t wait to go back to experience it again and show J.

Scarfing down banana muffins we had just bought on the side of the road, the boat was leaving in 5 minutes…

Stepping into the little barco, we were headed on a three hour jungle boat trip through estuaries, mangroves full of amazing birds, turtles…and CRIKEY…Cocodrilos!!!

The nature preserve spans for acres and acres. Slowly winding through the water ways, everyone “Oo’d” and “Aawwww’d” as our guide, Eduardo, helped us spot all the wildlife.

Big crocs, little crocs, swimming, sunbathing, some eyes just visible above the waters surface, waiting for their prey… It was like being dropped into the story Jungle Book. It’s so wild looking, it almost doesn’t seem real.

Besides the incredible crocodile close-ups, we were lucky enough to see a Lechuza. In Mexico there is a lot of folklore about ‘La Lechuza’… a powerful witch that can take the shape of an owl by night… Seeing one, you can understand why the legends exist. While beautiful, there is an eerie feeling stirred that can raise a few arm hairs…

We stayed two days in San Blas, camping right on the coast line. Days were swimming, relaxing, eating delicious ceviche. It’s not as touristy; more known as a fishing town with its natural, beautiful lagoons and the cocodrilarios.

Next stop: San Pancho.

The Ferry, An Unforgettable Ride

Heavy bass tones infiltrated our eardrums as we boarded the midnight ‘California Star’ ferry from La Paz to Mazatlán…Unce-unce-unce…

After the chaos of getting in all the wrong lines, and being redirected all over the ferry terminal, finally boarding and finding each other, this scene was the last thing we expected ha! Couples all over the dance floor, a live band and DJ.

We were lucky to snag one of the last tables; no one was sleeping anytime soon…

High hopes of getting a private cabin were out the window. Little did we know, there was a huge motorcycle group, Los Halcones, that had just ridden through Baja and were on their way back to Guadalajara. A plethora of leather clad men and motorcycle mamas who were ready to party!

Early hours of the morning, music still blaring, we folded, like others, into little blanket burritos and attempted to sleep on the bar lounge tile floor…Yoga mats barely comforting our bones from the vibrating floors.

Eventually the borrocho slurs faded away, and our bodies gave way to the fatigue and gentle boat rocking… A blur of tosses and turns, only to be awakened in the morning with a 2+ hour comedy show, coffee, tortillas, machaca and chilaquiles.

What an unforgettable ride across the Sea of Cortez! 😉

Giving each other reassuring, your tired, I’m tired, but we did it looks, we docked in Mazatlán…. Hello Mainland!!!

La Paz

Barely missing the ferry, we found ourselves in La Paz for a few days. Not a bad place to ‘kill some time’… (The ferry from La Paz to mainland MX, Mazatlán, only runs every couple days).

Just like its name, La Paz is a very peaceful city, especially for being one of the largest cities and the capital of Baja California Sur.

Downtown was outlined by the famous malecón, sprinkled every few meters with sculptures… The Dove of Peace pictured above.

Amazing seafood, ice cream stands, calm turquoise-blue water, and white sand…

Lazy, lounging days of free beachfront camping, coffee, little hikes and entertaining people watching… our fav was our ‘jolly’ neighbor who would dip in the water, jog a few feet, skip back into the water, then play racquetball against himself, using their large RV as an opponent 😉

He was a friendly fellow, who enjoyed his food and drink. He even brought us a container of homemade ‘chocolate clam’ ceviche he had prepared the night before… Which I have to admit, I didn’t eat, but appreciated the gesture!

After cave dwelling and tide pool hopping, we enjoyed a nice long shower at Hotel Catedral and a finale dinner at a secret garden pizzeria decorated with cafe lights!

Beaches visited:

Playa Tecolote, Playa Tesoro and the best… Playa Balandra, known for “El Hongo” rock formation. (Looks like a giant mushroom), captured on many Pacifico cans…

Whale of a Tale

It was a Fourth of July firework frenzy of whales on the horizon…I don’t know what registered first when we arrived to East Cape…a splash or spout that first caught our attention…

It was crazy to see that amount of whale activity, all going on at the same time. Our eyes darted back and forth like a competitive foose-ball game, passing the binoculars like a hot potato. There…There…There!

(This pic does no justice so you’ll just have to picture it upstairs, okay!)

A whale popcorn explosion, bursting right out of the water in front of us, over and over… and over.

Entire breaches, fin slaps, belly flops…. the most amazing? A Momma and baby whale playing together, hopscotching their way across. We couldn’t peel our eyes off the show.

East Cape reveals more magic every time. The magician who keeps you guessing, making each visit more memorable than the last…

Not only did we binge watch the ‘whale show’ all day, the evening brought a whole other type of entertainment… the Beach Dairy Princess Parade…

Returning from snorkeling we found the van surrounded by cattle and the solar panels covered in drool (we were so lucky they didn’t get trampled!).

It was a complete spectacle… cows frolicking in the waves like ‘James Bond girls’… It was their time, they’re the boss, and with their mass; you’re just along for the ride, your being, or your vehicle, for their amusement. Period.