23 October 2018 | Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico
20 October 2018 | Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico
26 January 2018 | Puerto Madero, Chiapas
21 January 2018 | Acapulco, Mexico
14 January 2018 | Huatulco to Puerto Angel
03 January 2018 | Chiapas, Mexico
21 December 2017 | Antigua, Guatemala
20 December 2017 | Antigua, Guatemala
19 December 2017 | Antigua, Guatemala
18 December 2017 | Antigua, Guatemala
16 December 2017 | Talisman Frontera, Chiapas, Mexico
15 December 2017 | Talisman Frontera, Mexico
13 December 2017 | Puerto Madera, Chiapas, Mexico
03 December 2017 | Puerto Madero, Mexico
02 December 2017 | Marina Chiapas, Mexico
27 November 2017 | Chiapas, Mexico
11 January 2017 | Barra de Navidad to Bahia Santiago
30 December 2016 | Barra de Navidad
30 December 2016 | Barra de Navidad
30 December 2016 | Barra de Navidad
Punta de Mita Pie
05 April 2015 | Punta De Mita, Mexico
April 5th
It is starting to get noticeably hotter and our Mexican office is in the 90s by noon. The thought of more temperate European climes is beginning to appeal and we are starting to prepare for our return trip in a few weeks time. Today we removed our stay sail partly for measuring as it is the last of our sails to be replaced and partly as a token gesture to closing the boat down for the summer. Only a token gesture though as we don't need the stay sail to go sailing! With it neatly folded and stowed it was time to plan the rest of the day and it being Easter Sunday an afternoon on the beach seemed a good plan.
After years of catching the municipal ATN buses from Nueveo Vallarta which run like hens' teeth and watching the locals catch the frequent collectivos from the same bus stop we discovered that by walking a short distance from the hotel zone the drivers will happily allow us gringos to travel on these cheap and frequent mini vans. Within the Nuevo Vallarta hotel district they have always denied us permission to board as the bus and taxi drivers have priority, so we feel quite smug to have discovered this new bit of 'living in Mexico like a local' knowledge.
It took 3 different buses and 2 hours of travelling to reach Punta de Mita on the very north western tip of Banderas Bay. I should say 4 buses as we boarded a bus in La Cruz with Punta de Mita written on the front but ended its route after 400 m and we were informed that it runs on the route to Punta de Mita and not to the town itself. So we waited for yet another bus and as ever in Mexico we were entertained during our wait. On this occasion the entertainment was provided by a man with only one leg singing and pirouetting on a tope (speed bump). His balance was fortunately spot on and he only stopped to pass his hat to the passing cars and buses who mostly rewarded him. The total journey cost us 90p each plus a few pesos for the entertainment!
One reason for the journey was that our friends on S/V Destiny were planning a beach pot luck and it seemed a good excuse for an afternoon off the boat. We were not to be disappointed and as ever there were a few surprises. When we arrived we were informed that Mike had gone off with another cruiser in search of firewood for a camp fire. As we scanned the horizon for a couple of heavily laden cruisers with bundles of sticks we were informed that the truck had just pulled into the parking lot with a load with logs. Well I would call them trees! Destiny is a 85 ft schooner and home to Mike, Dawn and puppies Charlie and Bonny. Everything on board is on a grand style right down to their super sized US style fridge freezer. They even had a cannon on board until it was lost overboard during a party! So I guess it should have come as no surprise when we looked into the back of the truck to find full size sections of a palm tree!
Fortunately, the owner of one of the last surviving family owned palapa bars fringing the beach permitted us to carry the logs through his restaurant to the camp fire. It was a special day for the owner because as well as being a holiday, it was also his birthday and he was celebrating it Mexican style with his entire extended family. It was a good thing we required little more than the odd beer from his fridge as there was very little room left for customers in the restaurant as his Karaoke singing family filled every available seat. We learned that he has received substantial offers for his beach front site for redevelopment into a smart bar and condos. He told us that he is determined to resist the lure of so many pesos and keep his property for his family to enjoy. It would be a shame to see it change and we would miss his colourful hens with their baby chicks scratching around the yard and out onto the beach for food.
Back on the beach a paddle board served as a table and we enjoyed a fabulous pot luck supper polished off with Dawn's famous apple pie. Stuart and I had no reservations about sneaking a second slice, opportunities such as this don't come by every day! Now we were able to add Punta de Mita to the long list of 'pie' beaches as so far we have enjoyed Yelapa pie, Chacala pie, Sayalita pie and now Punta de Mita pie!