{"id":632,"date":"2019-12-28T01:14:25","date_gmt":"2019-12-28T01:14:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/donniemeals.net\/?p=632"},"modified":"2021-06-14T18:01:53","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T18:01:53","slug":"starfish-and-rays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donniemeals.net\/index.php\/2019\/12\/28\/starfish-and-rays\/","title":{"rendered":"Elusive Giants"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 28 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n

December 25 – We planned on leaving San Patricio on Christmas Day, mostly to avoid potential traffic.  We took a route that avoided the toll roads as well.  This means a shorter route that takes much longer.  Go figure.  However, you also get to go through all the villages along the way.  One was Autlan, the home of Carlos Santana.  We tried to check out a large statue there in his honor.  Unfortunately we only found the civic center that had a mural or two.  Darn Google Maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have come to the realization that Yahoo Maps is so much more precise than Google.  Trying to leave Autlan, Google kept changing its mind every 200 feet or so. \u201cTurn left here. No, I mean right. Did I say left?  Turn around in 100 feet\u201d.  I switched to Yahoo Maps and the voice said \u201cGo straight for two miles\u201d.  That was it\u2026 and it was correct.  Google seems fine in the U.S. but internationally, not so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wound through the mountains and contemplated the previous day\u2019s events in San Patricio.  We managed to get three straight days of playing in the surf, getting knocked literally head over heals multiple times.  I worried about not acting my age and my propensity to break major bones but It was a blast.  The first day we saw dozens of live, brick red starfish.  The ocean water is so clear here between the waves.  The starfish would occasionally end up on your feet and attempt to get back to the sandy bottom.  They felt creepy but were harmless.  The next day we spied small manta rays feeding along the coastline from where we had breakfast in Barra de Navidad.  Each afternoon was capped off with the gathering at sunset to witness the \u201ceye of the needle\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We entered the neighborhood of Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara.  It\u2019s Christmas Day and our gift to each other was a beautiful boutique hotel; La Villa del Ensue\u00f1o.  Our needs are simple: warm water, comfortable bed, a shower head.  We found those along with a great location and a beautiful, secure home for two nights.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n