Two Birds Two Bees: Day Three Sayulita

Arriving at the beach

They went that-a-way

Arriving at "our" beach

The surfing photos were taken with a rented 70-300mm canon lens.

Well guess who is playing right outside our hotel tonight? The 12 piece + band. The candidate for President (of Mexico? of what?) pulled up at around dinner time in two huge dark navy blue Chevy SUVs and out poured a bunch of guys in cowboy hats with some ladders and they proceeded to cover the closed storefronts with banners. The locals closed the street and started putting out chairs. The guy's face is all over the town so it was easy to recognize him. He gave a speech and at about 9 he wrapped it up and the band began. I thought it was loud last night when they played the town square! I guess if it isn't election season this time of year would be relatively quiet. I think all the noise so far has been election speeches and music. So there won't be much sleeping until they wrap it up. The big bass drum alone...

Today was the best day of this holiday so far, if not of recent memory. We packed our backpacks and were sitting outside the hotel by 10 am waiting for Miguel. He was late, and I was worried, but eventually the dirtiest VW Golf I've ever seen pulled up outside, with two surf boards on the roof. The black car was covered with iguana shit and surfing stickers. The guy from Mexico City was with him. We piled in and were off. We drove along the highway for quite a while and passed some places that reminded me of the backroads homes of the locals of cottage country. Pretty shanty. One of the places had homes on both sides of the road and there were speed bumps every ten feet or so. Miguel slowed down to show us why: on the side of the road was a little white altar. Just two weeks ago a small girl was hit and killed by a car here.

We made one stop for ice for the cooler at a little store. We passed a big golf course under construction. This place is going to change for the worse. It's been discovered. There will be resort style housing (time shares maybe?).

We followed the highway towards PV and suddenly veered off onto a little one lane dirt road. If you passed it you would never think it led to anything of note. We bumped down the road for a ways and we passed a truck coming out with surf boards on the roof. Miguel slowed down and fist bumped the driver and got the low down on conditions (thumbs down - which was good news for us newbies). After we parked the truck, we had to walk for another ten minutes along a dusty path to the ocean. When we came though the brush and the ocean was revealed there it was; paradise. One of those private beaches that go on forever and there are a few people (mainly surfers) there. M had brought an umbrella, the cooler and two boards. I had my camera with the rented 70-300 lens. We pitched our camp and had a beer to wash the dust from our throats.

M drew a board outline in the sand and proceeded with the first lesson. He was very thorough. After he went over the basics, he and Sal set out with the boards. She had the big one for newbies and he had a little one. They picked a spot that was all theirs. The other surfers on this beach were so far away I couldn't even get them in my zoom lens. We were alone. They padded out a ways and then a wave came and Sal turned and started paddling and caught the wave and she did just as he said and miraculously, she stood and surfed her first wave! I was laughing so hard I could hardly hold the camera still. Chema was laughing too. After that she had less luck, but only because the ocean was a bit "spikey" and harder to surf. Earlier in the day would have been better. She exhausted herself out there and then Chema had a turn, but he was a big guy and had a harder time with it. At about 2 we packed it up and headed home. M stopped at the same store and we all had another beer (in the car) and he charged me the equivalent of $30 Canadian for the whole day.

There is a huge rock island out there (very far) that is the home of a colony of blue footed boobies. When Sal asked him what was out there he said "ducks with blue feet." It turns out boats give tours of it, and there are caves you can swim into. Maybe another day.

We were tired from that much sun and surf and hung out in the hotel for the remainder of the day, with a brief foray for mahi-mahi tacos and coffee. Courtney handed us a book to read; her record of a 10 week trip from LA to Panama in a school bus tricked out as an RV, in 2008.

At one point I was sitting on the balcony and I saw the political band go by at the top of the street led by 10 or so Andalusian horses! I grabbed my camera and ran and caught up with them at the edge of town where they happily posed for pictures. The people here are so happy!

This saddle with silver details must weigh a ton. Also, that is one long shank on that curb bit! I love this horse but he has his work cut out for him.