1
0
June something – We’ve made it a habit to spend sunset watching these little guys attain mastery of the skim board. Little vatos starting at about the age of five head into the surf after they’re finished with the hotter part of the day. It could be they’re right out of school or have been peddling Chiclé in the square. But about an hour or two before sunset the cycle begins. The little pip-squeeks study and imitate the awkward pre-teens. The pre-teens intensely stare at the pimply teenagers trying to copy their moves. The teens rush the surf, flaunting their skills like a peacock. But the older teens are too cool to skimboard. They’re working on their moves for the señoritas who are posing along the beach giggling at the little bronze boys of Melaque.
You’ve probably figured out that we have moved on. We had our fill of the central highlands of Mexico and decided to really stir things up and make a radical change of locations. Armed with pan dulce and coffee, we headed for the Pacific coast and San Patricio Melaque in the State of Jalisco.
Sharon took the first half of the drive. It’s scenic and pretty good highway. Somewhere at a sharp left turn under Guadalajara, I took over just in time to press forward through the developing storm that was between us and our destination. What we didn’t know was that the storm had a magnetic attraction to us.
The highway traffic was 60% semi-trailers, most were doubles. Semis, mountain, sharp curves, cows, (there’s always a cow) and pelting rain. It was pretty much a white knuckle, not so relaxing ride. And then we got to witness an actual landslide. Our lanes were littered with axel cracking boulders. However it was actually good that it just happened in front of us, causing all traffic to get down-right cautious and allowing our lanes to slowly pass around. I am certain that the debris would soon cause quite a back up until some boy scout came along and moved the rocks. Not too long after this the storm cleared and we were rounding the Colima volcano.
Sharon found us a local hotel with a good pool, a room with a kitchenette and air conditioning. Here in Melaque the practice of siesta is strictly adhered to. Be outside at the wrong time and you turn into a melted popsicle on the cobblestone sidewalk. Therefore air conditioning is yummy.
The town isn’t busy at all. We are the only guests in this 20 room hotel. Melaque is busy at Christmas and Easter but otherwise… not so much. Here is where we plan to be pretty lazy by day and then try to match that laziness by night. So far we are quite successful in that endeavor.
