Fri-Sat, Oct 25-26 - A Day on our Own and the Drive back to Puerto Vallerta

Filiberto is driving Thomas back to Puerto Vallerta so he can return to Santa Barbara today;  Valori is hoping to go horse back riding, so Bob and I decided to explore the area some more by ourselves and do some birding.  There is a 27- mile circular route that goes into the mountains and by several villages to a lake so we took off to explore.  We drove to Yerba Buena and wound up and up, by lovely villages on a good road consisting of two concrete tracks set over ancient cobblestones.

Great wild flowers, waterfalls and miles of uncut forest!  We stopped and walked a way, spotting a lovely Montezuma Quail among other birds.

Montezuma Quail

After about 10 miles, at 7000’ elevation, the road suddenly deteriorated into dirt and then we reached a steep patch of mud and thought we’d better turn around.  We drove back to Mascota and tried the track from the other end.  It wasn’t quite as scenic and the road was very narrow with side ruts.  After a while we decided to turn around – there is a $600/night resort on this road which we were interested in seeing as it’s quite a trip from PV for most tourists! But we didn't make it and returned to Mascota at 3 PM. 

I walked around the town…siesta lasts until 4:30...so everything was shut up tight!  We didn’t hear from Valori or Patty – WhatsApp is the easiest way to communicate, but only if you’re within wifi range – so at 7 Bob and I went out to Café Napoli, Trip Advisor’s best in town, and had a pretty good pizza and beer.  At 9 PM  I finally heard from Valori who was at a bar with Patty!

It was half a mile away so I wandered out and met Patty who took me to a tiny bar full of cowboys and locals, all of whom knew her, of course!  I had some beers and met most of the patrons, and eventually Valori and I walked back to the Santa Elena and were greeted by Alfonso, the nice night watchman who had been so helpful our first evening in Mascota. 

Saturday – We had breakfast early at 8AM, packed up and bid a sad farewell to lovely Mascota!  Bob drove down the potholed highway, stopping briefly to drive into the tiny village of San Sabastian, another lovely place to stay.
  It took us 2 hours to get to Puerto Vallerta; Bob and I had rehearsed the complex directions for approaching the airport and finding Thrifty Car Rental.  He had written down all the highway signs that I was to look for….and None of them was there!!…we had to make U-turns and fly by instinct….and amazingly found Thrifty!    

San Sabastian

Tucson

They delivered us to the airport where we said goodbye to Valori as she was taking another flight, grabbed a hamburger, and got on our plane to Phoenix.  We flew up the sunny coast, into the mountains and crossed the border, flying right over my sister, Hilary’s, old house in Tucson!!  We passed through the very easy and fast Immigration and Customs, stopped for a delicious Ruben sandwich and Old Fashioned, and got onto our flight to Santa Barbara, landing at 7:30 and home!    A wonderful and very different trip!

Thu, Oct 25 - A Sunny Day in Mascota

We awoke to a clear sky!!   Amazing!   Bob and I got up at seven in the dark and tried to communicate with the others who it turned out had met up with a horseman last night while we crashed, and had arranged to meet him at 8:30 to watch him train a horse. Since we had little interest in that, we walked down to the Mascota River which was full and cloudy after all the rain.

  We walked along a muddy path and saw several birds and lovely wild flowers.   We walked back to our hotel and had breakfast.  Thanks to WhatsApp we managed to find out that the others were going back to Ofelia’s to paint, and so Bob and I drove back up to the village of Yerba Buena, met the others, and I set up my easel to paint.  Bob took off in the car to explore and bird (and check in with the puppies he bonded with yesterday!).

Ofelia sent up a bowl of boiled Chayote squash with salt and Chile powder which we munched on while trying to capture the lovely light on the agricultural valley and mountains below us.

Bob returned around 2 PM and we all packed up and thanked Ofelia for her hospitality.  She asked Bob and me to give her a lift into Mascota which we did and we used our Spanish for a pleasant chat.  Bob and I returned to our room and found a split of wine along with a tray of fruit and nuts, courtesy of the hotel!  We ate in the warm sunshine snacking and napping!

Patty who owns, with some other relatives, a hacienda nearby, where Thomas and Filiberto are staying, is throwing us a party tonight with all the people to whom we have been introduced!  Bob, needless to say, was not looking forward to this, but as Thomas had asked him what he liked to drink and Bob knew that Thomas would have some rum and coke there for him, he decided to go for a while.  

We arrived at her address and entered a large open courtyard surrounded by 14 rooms with many tables set up.  Thomas took us to a bar where we made our drinks and settled at a table where a stream of food started to arrive: bowls of potatoes with salsa, a plate of boiled pork skin, surprisingly tasty, home- made chips fried in pork fat, beans, several salsas, chunks of roasted pork, tortillas, etc., etc.  

All of our new friends arrived whom we greeted, and then a group of mariachis came in the front gate blasting their music!

It was an unbelievable experience that can only be had when one lucks out and is a guest of someone from a village where everyone is related to everyone else!!   At one point a mariachi was singing a song when Filiberto joined him along with a woman in her eighties who was the school teacher of practically everyone in the room.  Too much!   The mariachis stopped after two hours and we strolled home, agreeing that it was a rare and wonderful experience!

Wed, Oct 24 - Painting in Yerba Buena - Post Hurricane!

Partly cloudy.  We finally met up at ten and drove to a small farm where Patty’s family has lived.in the past.  We hiked along a stream and found several boulders with carved designs similar to the ones in the Museum. 

 Filiberto then led us to the town of Yerba Buena where he seems to know everyone!  We parked by a large house and hauled our art stuff up to a large terrace overlooking a lovely valley.

Yerba Buena Plaza

Thomas' Watercolor

 Thomas demoed a water color.  Since Valori is a portrait artist, Thomas had arranged for one of the daughters of the house to pose of them to sketch while I painted a colorful cottage across the way.  Patty appeared with two plastic bottles of water, except they weren’t full of water but the local tequila, Raicilla!  Wow!  

 One sips it like wine with salted lime!  Improves one’s painting no end!!   Then the very kind lady of the house, Ofelia, presented us with platters of Gorditas:  fried small tortillas with beans, onions, cheese, chilis, and spices on top...just amazing!   

Patty

Thomas

Filiberto y Roberto

We gulped them down and then she brought out custard ice cream...It is a wonderful and  unique experience to travel with two locals - we are greeted and hosted by everyone!   Bob walked around and saw some birds, and has everyone looking and aware of birds now - for the first time in their lives - really cool!   Bob also made fast friends with a litter of puppies which we passed on our way to see a large horse stable and rodeo facility that the family owned.

Ofelia, her husband, and Patty

We left our art supplies as we are returning tomorrow and went back to Mascota to rest.

Willa is now a tropical storm and half way across Mexico while tropical depression Vicente has  disappeared.

Tue, Oct 23 - Mascota in the Rain

Bob, Valori, and I had breakfast at 9 AM and then walked over to Cafe Con Leche, met the others and walked through the cathedral with a large portrait of a priest who was murdered by Federales in the 1920s and then made into a saint. 

 We then walked over to the Archaeological Museum, built by the National Geographic Society in the early 2000s after a successful dig that turned up burial sites with polished gems, pots, pastels, etc.  It's very nicely done!  We walked to a tiny stationery store where Valori and Tomas picked up some pencil sharpeners and pads.

It was raining pretty hard by then - Tropical Depression Vicente is still south of us and Hurricane level 5 Willa is north of us, so I think we’re out of danger, but in for lots of rain!

We picked up our cars and drove over to a small street on which several artists happen to live.  We were greeted by a handsome, middle age artist, Rafa Castillón, who paints very realistic scenes with political themes. 

 And next door we visited a craftsman, Pillo Lomelí, who learned woodcarving at the age of 8 and carves crucifixes of solid pieces of hardwood.  He had one that took him 144 hours to carve, about 20” high for which he wanted $450.   He also makes spurs for fighting cocks. Very interesting to go into these artists’ homes!  

It was 1 PM and we were hungry so Thomas and Patty suggested driving out to a lake for lunch and painting.  We drove north in the rain on a dirt and cobble road finally winding down to a dammed lake with several restaurants on it.  El Paraiso was the only one that seems to be open as it had a couple of tour buses by it.  

It was owned by Filiberto’s cousin, of course! We sat overlooking the lake and got some beers and sat some more.  Patty saw it would take forever, and went into the kitchen and helped serve the crowd from Guadalajara!! Finally, after four we got chips with cheese and meat and then finally our orders.  I had delicious shrimp with ajillo (garlic and chili).  We drove back in the rain, arriving around six.