FUNERAL

Last Friday the town of La Manzanilla buried one of their own.  His name is Tony, a Mexican who lived in town.  He was 38 years old when he died of a motorcycle accident….  The photos do not even show half of the people which showed up.

Adios Tony

BREATHTAKING

The beach here really is something.  Usually I eat my breakfast down by the water and just take in the beauty of this place.

S.E. BAHIA TENACATITA

Dad and I went for a hike along the South East corner of the Bay of Tenacatita where the town of La Manzanilla is located and took these photos.

Early Morning From

Beach In Front Of Our Campsite

Looking South

La Manzanilla On The Beach

Looking North From Further South

Going Around The Bend

Facing East

Take From Further West

Looking West

Still Looking West

Looking North-East

MANZANILLO

Dana was talked into going to Manzanillo in the State of Colima to see about getting his Mexican Driver’s License and took these photos in Manzanillo.  (Dana has to get an FM-3 immigration card which will be about $100 US dollars before he can go about getting a license and that will take a month or so … So, Dana is going to wait until we get to Guatemala).

From Mountains Above Manzanilla

 

Jose Gave Me The Ride To Manzanillo

His Truck

Taken Fron The Port Near
The Immigration Office

NIGHT CREATURES

Walking home at night without a flashlight from “downtown” La Manzanilla is relatively unfearful ... No boogieman lurking in the dark.    It’s the flesh eating cocodrilos Dana has to beware of when crossing the dirt bridge on the road leading to our campsite.

A Near By Cocodrilo

The Sign Says No Swimming

Duh!

BEYOND LA MANZANILLA

La Manzanilla is a small peaceful village nestled among mountains along the Mexican Pacific Coast.  It does not have snail mail delivery or even an ATM.   Don’t worry, La Manzanilla has its share of restaurants and multitude of small shops to keep most people supplied.  Locals go to San Patricio Melaque and even further to Cihuatlan for some items.  Buses run frequently and don’t cost much.

On one occasion Dana rode with Regené (in his car) to San Patricio Melaque to go to the ATM which spits money out in pesos.  Then on another trip (this time to Cihuatlan) Regené needed a rear tire for his motorcycle and Dana went to see about getting a Mexican driver’s license.

Photos: San Patricio Melaque

PLAYA ROXANA

Roxane:  La Manzanilla hopes you, Bob, and family will visit … they even named a Street for you!  Thomas and Didymus love it here too … it is so beautiful!

La Manzanilla Might Be

Expecting Someone

PERPLEXING

While relaxing under an umbrella on N. Padre Island, Texas a Canadian drove up to us and introduced himself as Regené.  Before he left he invited us to visit him in La Manzanilla, Mexico.  The perplexing thing is that Regené has been camping in his RV in La Manzanilla (during the winter) within a stone’s throw of the grave of a friend of ours.  So, we have been wondering why … what is going on???

Joe Lehmen 1939-1998

EXPLORING

Dad and I went Cliff climbing on our second beach hike to Boca De Iguana (mouth of the Iguana) located at the north end of the beach from La Manzanilla.  This whole area is in the bay called Bahia Tenacatita.

North End Of Beach

 

View From North Looking South

Towards La Manzanilla

Preparing For The Climb

No Stopping Dad

 

Looking South

Looking Down

Do Not Step Backwards

Dana Climbed A Tree To Get This Photo
Looking At La Manzanilla

Deep Cliffs On Both Sides

La Manzanilla View
South End Of Beach

NUEVOS AMIGOS

On Sunday, 5 February 2012, while walking home from “downtown” La Manzanilla we encountered two Mexicans gathering firewood.  They were in La Manzanilla for a long weekend and lived in Guadalajara (a five hour drive).  After talking to them in broken Spanish we were invited to their evening campfire on the beach.  So, after returning to our camp, cooking dinner, and after seeing a really great sunset Dana found his way to their campfire.  It turned out to be a most memorable evening listening to the dozen or so Mexicans singing mostly Spanish songs well into the night.  They took several photos but the lighting may not have been good enough.  At any rate, hopefully Dana will hear from them soon.  If any photos are received they should get posted below.

Gracias Por Un Noche Memorable

Fernando, Luis, Copé, Abraham,

& Everyone Else

RUSSIAN JOURNALIST

A group of Russian MTV personnel are here in La Manzanilla for 3 months before going to LA.  One of them who took our photos while walking on the beach was kind enough to send it.  Thanks Иван Соловьёв!

First Week In La Manzanilla

LA MANZANILLA

Don’t Drive At Night

The coast road north (route 200) is bump-itty bump in places.  Every small town and village has speed bumps with shops nearby.

Last summer’s hurricane dropped a lot of water in the mountains which in turn washed the road out in a few places.  Road repairs were not completed.  The breaches had been filled with packed sand and gravel as a temporary fix.   No other signs of the hurricane were visible from the road to us.  Apparently damage was minimal.

The autopistas (toll roads) cost us about $700 Pesos all total … which isn’t bad at all.

We arrived in La Manzanilla late Thursday afternoon about 4:30 PM Central Time and are currently camped at a beachfront RV/Tent campsite just north of the La Manzanilla cemetery (also beachfront).  La Manzanilla is inhabited with lots of Canadians and they too laugh at the American horror stories.  On the beach, when we went for a walk, we met an American who is finishing his home that he started building here three years ago.  He said the locals were all honest hard workers and he gives them bonuses during the year.  Nothing to fear here.

We Found Regené

Home For Now

Our Camp

Looking South

Sunset Over The Pacific

In La Manzanilla