Inner City Camping!

Puerto Vallarta - Melaque, Jalisco

Feb 21 - 29,   2009

It was with great anticipation that we left Puerto Vallarta to continue on south. We have never been further along highway 200 than Boca De Tomatlon and we've heard great things about the curvy roads and stunning views. We aren't always sure exactly how far we will get in a day and we have stopped giving the boys any specifics about where we might end up to avoid disappointing them.

We stopped briefly in Perula and had a little walk on the beach. It was extremely hot and very dusty- not much was compelling us to stay there. We called ahead to La Playa campground in Melaque ( no easy feat in Mexico) by borrowing the phone of a shop owner. We think this is the place that my Uncle Gord and Aunt Janice love so much. For the first time on this trip we make a reservation sight unseen. Melaque is a popular spot for RVers and is often the furthest point south that most will travel. 

Playa Campground is awesome and is located right at the main intersection in town. We can step out the front gate and be right in the thick of things. It turns out that Sunday( today) is the big night out for Mexican families so we quickly get set up at our great spot ( #12) with a view of the ocean out the campervan door. To our great disappointment, the showers close at 8pm and we missed it by only 15 minutes. All the pleading we could muster was not enough to convince the attendants to unlock it for us. 

All sticky and stinky from a hot day of travel we happily walk  around the plaza watching the Mexican families and tourists mingle while the kids , Bowen included, paint small ceramic creatures under the dimmest of street lamps. 6 pesos ($.60) is all it costs for his little creation. It's late, like 10:30, and even the youngest of children are still going strong. Our gringo kids are fading though so we make our way back to the campground checking out all the little shops along the way. Imagine my surprise when I hear my name called out on the sidewalk as I consider yet another package of coco de leche. It's Karen and Robert Norten! My friend ( and City Palate boss's) brother and sister in law. They are in Melaque for  week to get away from the realities of some health issues Karen is facing at the moment. They are staying just down the beach from us so we quickly make loose plans to get together for dinner before the week is over. I forgot about the Coco con leche too which is probably a good thing as it's delicious but terribly bad for you.

Shirley and Vladi ( folks we met in Mazatlan) are camped right across from us and there are two other people staying in the campground that we have met further north ( one on the train trip to the Copper Canyon) It's interesting how this happens when travelling. It's the same phenomenon we experienced on our back packing trip in Europe many years ago. 

We set up the solar shower behind the boat and clean off the days grime so we can actually feel the cool ocean breeze on our skin as we sleep.

Tues, Thurs and Sat are 5km bike tour and breakfast days to the next town down the beach to Barra de Navidad. We get invited by the campground know it all - an affectionate term- when he sees we have bikes. The boys are not thrilled to be woken early, AGAIN, for some exercisebut we assured them it would be nothing like the hike from hell with the Germans in Guayabitos( this tour leader was a fat guy from BC). It was a lovely trip through the coconut groves, banana plantations, farmers fields, and small jungle villages. On the way we stopped for photos and to give treats to the young boy working with his father who we later learned has never spent even one day in school. We have a very American and overpriced  breakfast in Barra and decide to leave the group to return without us. We want to tour this town. It's not long before we find ourselves renting a panga for the 45 minute tour of the lagoon (200 pesos) Liz can't resist the quaint restaurants along the lagoon so we have lunch and watch Bowen swim in his underwear while we eat. 2 fishermen pull in and show off the 2 -40 lb Dorado they caught earlier in the day which gets Hollis all excited about renting a boat for the day and catching our own. Ya right. He doesn't know he was born into a family of bad luck fishermen. 

We fall into the routine of the campground quite easily  which consists of playing in the surf all morning, eat, play at beach, eat, shower at 5ish, meet neighbors on the beach for happy hour drinks then candlelight dinner at the camper or venture into town for a taco. We can see why Uncle Gordie likes it here!

We learn to Skype and make calls to everyone we can and Bowen is happy to finally talk with his buddies, Josh and Isaac. They mostly giggle and don't say much but hey. We did hook up with Robert and Karen for dinner eventually and had a great time getting to know them better in a really cool place.

Thurs- Terry and Koosji invite us to travel in their truck to Tenacatita- about 30 km north)

It's the most beautiful beach and is great for snorkling as the coral grows almost up to the shore and the small bay is very protected. This area has three beaches all within a 2 minute walk of each other. One is for snorkling, one is flat and sandy and is ringed with palapa restaurants selling fresh mariscos and the other is on the Pacific side where the waves are vicious but the sunsets are beautiful.  We eat coconut shrimp for the first time and make plans to return here next week to free camp on the snorkling beach. On the way home Terry and Koosji stop at the Riacilla distillery for some sampling and some purchasing. Raicilla is similar to tequila but is made with the green agave as opposed to the blue which is used to make tequila. This drink was favoured by Pancho Villa and General Zapata so of course we just HAD to get some.

Our final stop of the day was at La Manzanilla to see the crocodiles. It's a weird experience to see them in the wild even if there is a flimsy fence that is supposed to keep them off the road. 

-Liz