Progress and the road to Arroyo Seco

In the six years we have been coming to Mexico for extended visits, there have been big strides in infrastructure: highways improved, new sewers and water systems, phone and internet enhancements. From one year to the next, we can see big differences, almost all of them for the better.

This past weekend, we drove from Puerta Vallarta south, so that we could see the mountainous interior of the coastline we have been traveling. We wanted to have a picnic on the beach, and we choose to turn off the highway south of Careyes on the little road that goes to the village of Arroyo Seco, and to the beach beyond. The guidebook noted that this was a rough dirt road, but when we made the turn we were delighted to see fresh pavement. Yipee, no reason to slow down!  Except for...

At least they painted this post with the bright Mexican flag colors! We imagined all sorts of scenarios whereby the phone company didn't get the memo from the highway people. However this happened, it sure does undermine your confidence and the serenity that comes from staying in the right lane!

Hey, more recipes....

Three rainy days in Mexico. Lots of time to work on posting stories and recipes here:
themexicorecipes.wordpress.com

Holidays on the Costalegre

We have been spending the Christmas and New Year holiday stretch on Mexico's "Costalegre". That's the tourism description for the stretch of sunny beaches that begins about a hundred miles south of Puerta Vallarta, and ends at Barra Navidad and the boarder between the states of Jalisco and Colima. We have split our time between a protected anchorage at Tenacatita Bay, and a posh marina at Barra Navidad, with just a three or four hour sail from one to the other.

We had a great trip south from Mazatlan with our old friend and crew member Doug Bayley, about eight days of traveling, much of it under sail. Just before Christmas, Doug's family flew down to join him, and they all stayed in a rented house in the wonderful small town of La Manzanilla. The photo above was taken from the house, and looks out over rooftops to the anchorage at Tenacatita, about five miles across the bay.

All of these locations got incredibly crowded the day after Christmas. It seems as if almost all of the 4.4 million people who live in and around Guadalajara come to the coast for a holiday break. Suddenly every inch of beach and every beach palapa was occupied. It was festive and made for great people watching. But it was also consistently very hot and muggy, so we were glad to be tied up in a marina that is attached to the Grand Bay Hotel, where we could retreat to swimming pools and palm shaded groves. Now we are temporarily cooled off after two days of gray skies and rain. The lethargy is lifting, and we are eager for new adventures in 2013. Happy New Year to all!