Visit to Tepic

Our time spent in Aticama was kind of a misadventure – the second day we were there –while we were in Santiago Ixcuintla the satellite went out – don’t know why – maybe because the power kept going out all the time – or maybe somone tired to use it and ???
Still haven’t got it fixed – but it might be the receiver cord?? What ever that is. Will have to wait until I can be on phone same time as I’m trying to reconnect.
Playa Amor RV Park was an interesting place to stay. Right on a busy highway with traffice 24/7. And it seemed like half of that traffic was vehicles with loud speakers touting everything from fresh fish to gas. And Bill says the showers were cold water only. [note in book - don't go back]
Drove up the mountains to Tepic one day. Nice drive through the plantations and mountains. Very curvey road - The Driver said he was getting dizzy by the time we reached Tepic. Beautiful views and lots of lush tropical vegetation. Noticed that the bananas get bagged before they are harvested – interesting. I always feel like they grow upside down.
Passed this guy on the road – wanted to ask him if he needed any more to carry.
That is some kind of spray equipment he is carrying - see a lot of these guys but don't know what they spray. Will have to ask.
As we entered Tepic we saw a Jeep dealer and pulled in as the window on the tail gate had decided not to lock – had it tied down with a bungee cord. They took it in right a way and fixed it. Really nice dealership – great waiting room. Even coffee.
Waiting room - saw a paper and found out the Colts lost - no joy in Indianapolis that day.
Cost about 30 bucks to get the lock fixed and now it is fine. We were there less than an hour. Try this in the states.
Just past the dealer we saw these pieces of unexpected art. This is the center piece for a long wall.
There were four of these guys on top of an empty building. Just thought they were interesting. That's one of the things we really like about being in Mexico - the unexpected things you see.
From there we went downtown and parked and walked around for a bit. Always have liked the plaza there. There have been some changes since last year. Now the Huichol are not set up in the arcades of the plaza but are selling their wares on a side street that is foot traffic only. And there are more of them.
Must have been about 20 tables set up along here. Dolls, jewelry and pictures.
As always drooled over their bead and yarn/thread work. And admired their clothing –
It is all hand embroidered.
The mens outfits are fancier then the womens. This guy even had his purse/bag to match. it's by his knees Then we walked through the central market which was in the same area. Selling pig something.
Tried to find some DVD movies but nothing we wanted. Had lunch in a KFC – pretty good. It was small but had two floors and was busy. Very clean. Cooks with caps over their hair and a bottle of sanitizer available.
We went back to the Huichol area and ended up buying a couple of the yarn/thread pictures. They are made by pressing the thread into bee’s was to make the design. A close up to see the thread.

We bought these

On the way back to the car we passed this shoe store –
And next to us was parked this very fancy SUV – check out the emblem on the gas cap. Hum????
By now the weather was changing – getting darker, threatening rain and once into the mountains the fog was rolling in.

Once we dropped in elevation it was fine though. Passed by many fruit stands – they are so colorful – remind me of still life pictures.

The big funny looking green things are called “yaka” they are a type of jackfruit – had to look that up on the web. The inside pulp is very good – kind of a mixture of tastes – banana, pineapple, kiwi etc. But it has to be eaten right away or it goes bad and stinks!
Have been beading too – finished one necklace – boy was I out of practice!

Still have lots more catching up to do - will try to add more today or???

Santiago Ixcuintla

Posteded yesterday about our trip from Mazatlan. This is a new one on how we spent some of our time in Aticama - will continue to try to catch up.
Last Sunday we took a drive to Santiago Ixcuintla about 40 miles from San Blas. There is a large settlement of Huichol Indians there and there is supposed to be a Huichol Center for Cultural Survival there. Accourding to the book "There is a center where you can watch Huichol families making their crafts, any money spent there goes directly to the tribe." Sounded like it would make for an interesting day trip.
It was a nice ride through the countryside. Lots of bananas and sugar cane fields here and mango orchards.

Cane Field

Bananas

These were some kind of storage sheds - found near the cane fields
In one area we noticed a lot of trees downed – roots just pulled from the ground - and lots of broken branches – these were the only good picture I got of trees down - but some were huge ones.

the storm that hit Mazatlan a couple of weeks ago came through here with a vengeance. The GPS was working – once I convinced her where we wanted to go and how [the back roads not the toll road] So eventually we found the town – a lot of it sits up on one of the few hills in the area.

Santiago Ixcuintla

Had no clue where the Center was so when we spotted the church towers we headed towards them. This is another town with all one-way streets, but they were a little better marked.
Found the main plaza

Parked by the plaza and set out on foot to explore. The plaza as always had a gazabo - quite a fancy one with figures of women holding up the roof.


We saw a few Huichol theres with little stands selling jewelry.


Then crossed the street to the church – it is a pretty church, couldn’t go in as there was a funeral going on. Surprised me that they would have a funeral Sunday morning.
Note the tiled steps
As we walked around the church to the roads we discovered wondrous mural. It was on both sides of the street – a block long and easily 15 feet high. All mosaic – large and small pieces of tiles etc. It is called Mural Nuestras Raices – Mural of our Roots. It was completed in May of 1995 (don’t know when it was started.)
Clicking on the pictures will enlarge them - enough said - just enjoy




Houses on top of the mural

Magnificent. These are only a small portion of the photos I took. And this made the whole trip worthwhile.
We walked the whole length of it. Then around the block and back to the church.
How'e you like to carry your groceries up there all the time.
Down a couple of blocks we came to the central market. It was so busy – could barely walk through it. Stalls selling everything from CDs and movies to chicken feet. As always the produce smelled so good. (no pictures - too crowded.)
Got back into the car and went looking for the Cultural Center – got directions three times – one person told us we were wasting our time. So off we went – driving down the busy streets.

We did see this guy out in front of a Farmacia – he was doing a jig – don’t know how he didn’t pass out from the heat.

Well we’ll never know about wasting our time as we couldn’t find it. Did see a run down building with a sign out front saying “Taxi Parking for Cultural Center” but the building was shut up tight. ???
So back to San Blas we headed. Another adventure in this great country.

Trying to Catch Up

Well we have been without Internet service for over a week so will have a lot of catching up to do – will break it up into sections.
First off my “w” key on the laptop doesn’t want to work so good anymore so if you find a strange word – put a “w” in front of it and it might make sense. Actually it might be my finger that doesn’t want to work and not the key
Saturday the 6th bright and not real early we left Mazatlan and drove a little less than 200 miles south to Aticama. Again we took the toll road – I thought the last stretch was expensive – ha! Most of this part is fairly new and looking back at my records I see the toll has really gone up – in the newest section from about 130 Pesos three years ago to 438P now – but now the entire road is done. As always it’s an interesting drive. Leaving Mazatlan we got behind this Volkswagen bug – he was creating his very own smoke screen.

And this guy at a stop sign – climbed up on the truck to wash his window and then give directions.

Have to laugh –a few miles out of any half way good sized town you pass a bunch of motels along the highway – “no tell motels” we are told.

The “macho man” is alive and well – his wife is married he is not. Hummmm actually Bill says that a lot of time…..
Before I forget it – the price of gasoline keeps going up – three times since we’ve been here – from 7.72 pesos per liter to 7.99 now. But…the peso has been changing to the better – so dollar wise it is about the same US$2.38 per gallon.
Along the highway we passed the street sweepers and painters.
Broom and wheelbarrel

At least now they wear reflective uniforms so you can see them. But some are still cutting back the brush with machetes. And this stretch of the road has emergency telephones every so many kilometers – solar powered no less.

Lots of farming going on in this area. Mango orchards, corn, tomatoes, tobacco and agave. And where the land is still wild the vegetation is really pretty this year. Very green with lots of different flowering trees and vines.

Even the good roads have topes every once in a while – the only reason we could see for them was to slow the traffic down so the vendors could sell you their tamales de camaron (shrimp tamales) and camaron seco (dried shrimp.)
On coming traffic slowing down for a tope
Just a few of the vendors

Got off Mexico15D and took the same road we were on almost exactly 32 years ago into San Blas [also drove it in the car three years ago.]

Since 30 years ago there are more little villages – with topes and people selling cut up fresh fruit at all of them.

And lots more farming - mangos, bananas and sugar cane.
Turned off just before San Blas and headed towards the beach at Aticama.

We’re staying at Playa Amor RV Park. Barely 15amp electricity, water and sewer for about US$13 a day. In the week we were there the electricity went off at least once a day. (I wonder if that is what screwed up the Internet connection.-more about that later.) The parking is on grass and the landscaping is pretty.

We’re facing the ocean but not on it. There is a big sea wall and lots of rocks between us and the water.

Found out that there used to be a beach there but came a big hurricane and no more beach. But it is a pretty sight.

The satellite went up and locked on fine and we had two bars on the phone when we got here. [neither lasted] The owner says if we want to run the air conditioning it is another 50 pesos a day – lovely. So Bill dug the fan out and the windows are kept open. Most of the day there is a nice breeze. All but a couple of the other RVs here are from – one guess – Canada. And they are all friends.
After settling in we drove back to San Blas to go to the central market to get lettuce and tomatoes. Also to find an ATM – found a bank easily enough. And we both forgot that San Blas streets are mostly all one-way – and two or three in a row will be going the same direction – so by the time you finally find one going the way you want to turn you forgot where you wanted to go. Ended up twice going the wrong way without realizing it. Some of the streets are marked with arrows telling the directions – others you have to guess about. On one street a police truck passed us –they just looked at us didn’t do anything. Probably used to estudipo gringos. We were trying to get to the central market to buy lettuce and tomatoes. Finally found a place to park walked to the market it was already closed! But did find a produce store – right across the street from where we had parked.
Now when we buy produce from the little stands we have to make sure to sanitize it.
Then on the way back to the RV park we stopped and bought banana bread.
This area is famous for it. And it is delicious. For those of you who read Ms. Tioga and George’s blog this is where he usually hangs out – but right now he is traveling further south so we missed meeting him. Did see his friend Weng’s house up on the hill.

So now we have left Aticama gone a little more south to Lo de Marcos about 1/2 hour drive north of Puerta Vallarta. Been here two days and in our 2nd RV park. Still no satellite internet but park has good wi-fi. Will try to catch up tomorrow or maybe later tonight. We are fine - have no phone service here.