Tequila, Jalisco

We quite like the town of Tequila. It is the location of the first, the largest and many other tequila production companies. The town sit in the middle of the main blue aguave growing area high in the sierras, 50k north of Guadalajara. 

The Mexicans are very proud of their tequila. The larger companies have lavish grounds and facilties to display their history and their products. Jose Cuervo is the largest producer. Sauza is one of the oldest and the first to export tequila. They were also the  instigator of the name "Tequila" for what was once know as tequila extract or mezcal extract.

We wanted a tour of the Sauza factory but the factory was in the middle of a week long maintenance shut down when we went to their facility.  However, they  were gracious enough to make a call and a young English speaking fellow showed up to give us a private tour.  We stared the tour with a shot of their finest!  It was an interesting visit.

We stayed at a very nice hotel on the town square and parked the bike in the lobby. The hotel was inexpensive and there were several nice restaurants and cafes nearby. In all we had a nice relaxing 2day visit, before heading back to Sayulita.

The road from Tequila toward Tepic and then down to Compostela is one of the nicest roads we have seem on this trip. It is called Ruta Tequila and winds through lush agricultural mountains. Blue aguave, corn and sugar cane grow along the route.... Very scenic!

We arrived back in Sayulita at about 3 pm and settled back into the Diamanté.

Street between distilleries

Our Orange hotel in the town square

The busiest building in town

And the chapel across the street

More From Guanajato

Here are a few more pictures from Guanajuato.

A 3 day sidewalk art festival was just getting underway. There were probably up to 100 entries each with thier asigned side walk space. By evening the pieces were not yet finished. They would all be covered and continued the next day. This photo is of some drawings underway on the side walk in front of Teato Juares.

Our cultural evening of dance was very enjoyable. The theatre is a phenominal building on its own. All the seating is rush seating and we ended up with 2 seats in a box to the left of the stage. This is a photo of the theatre from our seat. The box railing worked well to steady the camera since a flash was not allowed.

The dances where performed by members of the University of Guanajato Ballet. It was a variety of dances from different area of Mexico. Below are a couple of shots taken from our seats.

After the concert we met up with our Canadian acquaintances Gary, Bob and Sherry at a nearby restaurant. Unlike in Fernie, the restaurant was busy at 10:30 and people were waiting to get in to dine. After a glass of wine we walked back to our hotel. On the way we passed by the little bridge cafe. I couldn't resist a photo of the young couple dining on the bridge.

Yesterday we rode back though Gualajara to Tequila. We just about froze to death! Even with the heated liners and all the layers we could fit under our riding jackets. The temperature was only about 9C when we left guanajato and there was a strong wind. We had to stop a few times to warm up. By the time we got to Guadajaha the temperature was comfortable but only about 20C.

Tequila is a nice town. We met a fellow last night that has moved here from Canada and has written a book about the area. After talking to him we decided to stay another day and learn more about tequila, both town and the liquor. More on that tommorow.

Inland trip to Guanajuato

We left Sayulita Wednesday morning. After a brief stop in Puerto Vallarta we headed inland on JAL544, a less travelled state highway though the mountains toward Guadalajara. We were told that the town of San Sebastion Del Oeste was interesting so we planned to stay there for the night. As it turned out, San Sebastion turned out to one of the least interesting towns we have visited. After arriving we had a beer and a snack at the only hotel in town that seemed to be open. Then we went for a walk only to return to the hotel to find out that the restaurant was closed for the day. It was only 5 pm! Nothing else was open either. A taco stand opened later so we got a bite to eat.

The next day we continued toward Guadalajara. The road was interesting and we stopped for a break at a nice little town called Atenguillo. This area is off the normal tourist route so hotels were not abundant. We headed for Ajijic, a town on Lake Chapala, where we had stayed before and found accommodation. It was slow going though the mountains. We didn't average more than 40kph, so it was along day.

A bridge in the mountains inland from Puerto Vallarta.



Guanajuato is an interesting city. It is built in a narrow valley. The center of the city is on the valley floor and residential areas are on the hill sides surrounding the city. Guanajuato is a vibrant university city, state capital and of great historic importance. The town started as a silver mining town and was once the richest city in Mexico. The first battle of the war of independence from Spanish rule was fought here.

The geographical location caused flooding problems that threatened to destroy the city so to resolve this issue tunnels were built under the city to evacuate the rain water. Later aqueducts were constructed and the tunnels became redundant. As motor vehicle traffic increased these tunnels were turned into roads and even more tunnels were built. Now the city has a vast network of underground roads. Some even have underground intersections. The city is virtually impossible to navigate for the uninitiated. And GPS doesn't work so well!

View of city from near the top of the residential area.

Many of the "streets" are narrower than this one.
Some are only 2 meters wide and have stairs.

Exit to ground level from one of the tunnels.



The city is full of culture. There are 17 museums, 9 grand churches, 3 large theatres, numerous plazas and gardens, and countless outdoor restaurants and cafes. The night life is vibrant.

Tonight we are going to the the Teatro Juarez to see a dance performance with a fellow and his friends that we met last year in Sayulita.

Teenagers hanging out in one of the plazas

Teatro Juarez



Tomorrow we plan to head back though Guadadjara to the town of Tequila. Then back to Sayulita the next day.

A Very Special Place

Today we rented a car to share with Denise and Cristobal, two other hotel guests. Our destination was an archeological site near Alta Vista, Nayarit. The site is called La Pila del Rey and it is thought to be an old site of worship for the Tetoxquin, the Aztec population that inhabited this area long before the arrival of the Spaniards.

We could only drive to within two or three kilometers of the site before the road deteriorated to an undrivable trail. The walk took us through orchards to a creek in a shallow valley. We then followed the creek upstream until we reached the grotto.

The main attraction to this site are the petroglyphs carved into the rocks. The petroglyphs are interesting, but for us, the location was awe inspiring. It is difficult to describe the serenity of the grotto. It is one of the most tranquil places I have ever experienced. It not hard to understand why the Tetoxquin would have selected this location as a place of worship.

The trail along the creek.

Una mariposa bonita.

A couple of the petroglyphs.

The grotto with the larger pool in the centre.

The water flowing down through the various pools.

Cristobal in the largest pool.


Tomorrow we are back on the bike heading for Guanajuato.

Still in Sayulita

We have been in Sayulita for 10 days now. Relaxing and studying some Spanish. The weather has been quite warm, with a bit of humidity but generally comfortable in the shade. We get a nice breeze blowing thought the large covered deck in front of our room. We find this hotel a comfortable home away from home. So do others. Three other rooms are occupided by returnees. We are starting to refer to the hotel as Club Diamanté.

Both Linda and I were challenged by our Spanish courses but we enjoyed them. We are planning to attend some group conversational sessions while we are here. However next Wednesday we are heading back on the road for about a week. We are taking a back road though the mountains though San Sebation del Oueste, around Guadalajara to Guanajato, a colonial city that is a UN world heritage site.

This photo is of a small beach that is only a 10 minute walk south of the main beach. It is called Playa Los Muertos.. Beach Of The Dead. Not a particularly alluring name, especialling considering Mexico's reputation in the press. Actually its name comes from it's proximity to the local cemetery. It is a nice sheltered cove, small waves and a partially shaded beach.

Last night there was a birthday party on the street outside of our hotel. The photo above and the next two are of the party. The birthday girl is the five year old in the blue prom dress. As you can see it was quite an elaborate affair. The kids had a great time whacking those Smurf apart! Who wouldn't?

Today is a national holiday... El Dia del Revolucion is the celebration the start of the 1910 Mexican Revolution. A parade is one of the events. All the school kids participate dressed in revolution time costumes. There are mock battles throughout the parade. I have a couple of great videos of them but they are stuck on my camera until I get back home.

I have made arrangements to rent a car for a day. $60 including tax and insurance. We are getting together with a couple of other hotel guests to drive out to an archeological site about an hour north of here. It is near a town called Alta Vista and was recommended to us by another hotel guests. Hopefully I'll have some interesting shots to post after the trip.


PS. We are not missing the -20 weather.

Settling In

We are settling in at the Hotel Diamanté and adjusting to the warm weather. The last couple of days have been quite hot and humid... But we are managing to suffer through it.

There are more motorcycles on the road here now than the first time we came. Another motorcyclist from Ottawa is staying at the hotel. He is on his way south, perhaps to South America, not sure just yet. We also met another fellow from Colorado that is here for the winter with his family. He is an avid rider. He is busy mapping back roads and trails in the area. He is an active member on the ADVRider site and is hoping to do some on and off road tours. Both of these fellows are riding Suzuki DR650s.

This morning Linda bought some great fruit off the truck supplying the little store across the street. This hotel has a fridge near our room, for the use of the guests so for now we are stocked up with the basics... Fruit, granola, yogurt, ice, tequila, controy (mexican orange liqueur), limes and a big bag of ice.

We are signed up for our regular Spanish lessons with Costa Verde school. They start on Monday. Just two hours each morning. I'm looking forward to the lessons again. I'm quite comfortable speaking Spanish now in general travel situations but I don't get as much chance to practice, here in Sayulita. We always start a conversation or restaurant order in Spanish but it often transitions to English.

There are more tourist here than there were on the Baja. This weekend there were seven weddings (11/11/11) in town so that brought in quite a few additional tourists. Even so... Our hotel is more than 1/2 full and none of the guests are here for the weddings.

We spent a bit of time on the beach this afternoon but sitting still for long is not my thing so we walked the length of the beach, in and out of the water.

One of the things we like about Sayulita is the variety of tourists. There is a diverse variety of ages and activity levels. The surfing attracts the younger crowd. The variety of accommodations and restaurants attracts visitors across the economic spectrum. There is a good mix of authentic Mexican food and businesses along with some international cuisine.

Here are a few beach shots...

Surfer Dude

Looking toward the north end of the beach.

Looking back from the north end of the beach.

Thursday, November 10

In Mazatlan we stayed at our regular place, the Azteca Inn and had dinner at Pancho's Resturante on the water front. We explained to the waiter that we had eaten not long before and only wanted a couple of margaritas and an appetizer.  We ordered the margaritas and looked at the menu. The margaritas arrived quickly along with a big plate of taco chips, salsas and stuffed peppers. 

The waiter suggested the appetizer special... Three cheeses blended with chorizo, red and green peppers and onions. This turned out to be quite a production.  A small table was set beside our table with a heated lava-type pottery bowel on it. The ingredients for the mixture arrived and they were blended by the waiter in the super hot bowl, then served on tortillas. Fancy quesadillas, but really tasty. Quite a production!

We took our time eating, sipping the margarita and enjoying the ocean side ambiance.  As we finished the margaritas, two shot glasses appeared in front of us, complimentary. They contained a drink of tequila, white wine and apple juice. I forget the name but they were very tasty. When we finished these, we asked for the bill. They bill arrived with two more complimentary drinks... Kalhua and cream.  I have no idea what prompted the free drinks. Our final bill was less than $20. We left a good tip.

After a pleasant stay in Mazatlan we packed up and headed for Sayulita, about 400k south. The weather here is warm and more humid than the Baja. The rainy season is over but every thing is still lush and green. On the narrow roads approaching Sayulita, the jungle foliage grows right to the edge of the pavement. It is impossible to see what is around the next bend so we took it pretty easy. Arriving in Sayulita about 3pm. 

Although on the pacific coast, Sayulita is in the Central time zone. It has been hard to keep track of the time of day over the past few days.... Not that it matters much.

We think we might just stay put here in Sayulita for a few weeks and just relax.  

 

Back on the Mainland

We got a new vehicle permit yesterday and jumped on the ferry to Mazatlan. Although this was the same boat that we took last year it had be fixed up a bit and we had a comfortable overnight passage to Mazatlan.

We decided to have a rest day and stay in Mazatlan overnight before heading south to Sayulita tomorrow. The weather has warmed up again and we have put away the heated jackets for now...thank goodness. Linda is lounging by the pool now while sit in the shade to write a few words.

I'm still waiting for my blog app to be updated but I managed to up load a couple of pics. The first picture is of an ultimate go anywhere motor home. A couple from Switzerland had it shipped over and are on their way around the world. I thought it was so cool that I needed to post a picture. I didn't ask, but I wonder if it bullet proof?

The next photo is for Ruth. Bet you don't have one of these in your garden? There is some interesting vegitation here in the desert.

that's all for now, time to go for a walk and get som exercise.

Monday November 7

We are now back in Loreto, BCS. Yesterday we rode from Ensenada to Guerrero Negro. It was long ride but much more enjoyable than the same leg north. It was sunny but cool. We put on everything we had that we had to keep us warm and left Ensenda about 7:30.

I was still concerned about the lack of fuel stops on the leg between El Rosario and Guerrero. When we stopped for breakfast at Mama Espinoza's in El Rosario I filled up and made some calculations. We were getting just over 20k per litre so on a 22 litre tank, the 365k should be no problem. What I discovered is that my fuel gauge reads low. We made it all the way to Guerrero with about 2 1/2 liters left in the tank but the gauge showed empty. Good to know for future situations.

Sorry about the lack of photos. The blog app I was using is to yet iOS5 compatible. Hopefully the update is available soon.

Here is one photo from our informal gas stop on the way north. These spontanious encounters are some of the most interesting events of this type of trip. After filling up we stayed for coffe and a bite to eat before continuing on.

As I write this, I'm sitting on a balcony of a small family run hotel in Loreto. Sipping a beer and waiting for a couple of guys we met in La Paz last year at this time. Bob and Don are friends that ride together. In August they were in British Columbia and now they are heading for Cabo for a few day before heading back north to watch part of the Baja 1000 race. They are about our age, perhaps a little older. Former desert racers and hard core riders that like to put on the miles.


Tomorrow Linda and I are planning to head off early and hopefully catch the ferry to Mazatlan that departs Pichilinque at 6:00 pm tomorrow. It is an overnight 16hr trip so when we get off the ferry we will ride south 150k or so to Playa Noviero. Then on to Sayulita the next day.

We are looking forward to staying in Sayulita for a week or so to rest the saddle sores.

I want to regress a bit... Today we rode along the shore of the Sea of Cortez and along the shore of Bahia de Concepcion, just south of the town of Mulege. We had forgotten what a great area this is. All along the large bay are small bays that accommodate camping. The sea is turquoise, shallow and calm. The bay is dotted with island. Great kayaking, snorkeling and swimming.

We have been taking about getting a RV to leave down here. Although the Baja is not our favourite part of Mexico, Baja California Sur is a great camping and RV location, both on the gulf side and the Pacific side.... Just thinking out loud.

Well... My beer is empty.

Next update from the mainland.

Hope all is OK for you all in Canada

Hasty luego...

Saturday November 5th

We had been advised by the Banjercito in Pichilinque that we would be able to resolve the permit issue in Ensenada. Well... Perhaps on a week day, but not on the weekend.

Tijuana has a bad reputation. Everyone we spoke with rolled there eyes at the mention of going there. After some Internet research we found a recent posting that indicated that there was a Banjercito office in Tecate so off we went to Tecate.

The road from Ensenda to Tecate is a nice winding road through vineyards. Although it was cool, it was not raining and it was a pleasant ride. Unfortunately the Internet information was, once again, erroneous. Our options were getting smaller. After some discussion we headed for Tijuana along a highway that runs along the US border.

Before leaving Tecate we found the address of the Banjercito office on the internet and plugged it into the gps. This has worked well for us in the past, but not today. I don't know if the adress was wrong or the gps found another location with the same address but we got lost several times, went down one way streets that obviously were taking us the wrong way and eventually ended up in the middle of a suburban market nowhere near the Banjercito.

Finally we found our way back to the main border crossing where there was a HUGE line up of traffic waiting to enter the US. We managed to find our way around it and ask an official for directions. Finally, with his help we found the Bajercito office.

Canceling the permit was no problem. We were expecting a fine for the expired permit but the official was friendly and efficient. An hour and fifteen minutes later we were back in Ensenda..... Mission accomplished.

Tomorrow we will start the ride back south.

From the iPad of Bernie Hide
Fernie, BC, Canada
250-423-7731

Friday November 4th.

Thursday evening we were sitting in the outside restaurant of the Malarrimo Motel in Guerrero Negro, sipping a beer and taking to the waiter. There had not been any rain in Guerrero for two years. That was yesterday. Today the weather changed.... Dramatically!

It was cool and cloudy when we got up. Cool enough that we put on our quilted electric jackets but not cool enough to plug them in, as we started the ride north to El Rosario. After about half an hour we stopped to put on another layer and plug in the jackets. As we climbed into the hills the temperature contined to decline to about 15C or so and the clouds ahead looked threateningly of rain. Also we were riding fairly fast into a strong, gusty wind. This made the ride even less pleasant.

We're we're making good time though and discussed the possibility of riding all the way to Ensenda, a little less than 600k in total. This particular stretch of the highway is particularly uninhabited. There are no gas stations between Guerrero and El Rosario. (365k). At 60k from El Rosario we were on reserve fuel and starting be concerned that we would not make it to the next Pemex. Obviously, others have had the same problem because the next cafe has a sign fo gasolina. We stopped and bought 2 gals for 100 pesos, roughly $8.

Reaching El Rosario we topped up the tank. Since it was only 1pm and with only 250 k to Ensenda, we decide to press on. The first half went smoothly, albeit slowly, as this area is more densely populated.

About half way to Ensenada the rain started. Soon we were cold and wet. My visor was blured by the rain and the visor was fogging up. We were on a narrow but busy 2 lane mountain road and it was becoimg more difficult to see the road. I just stayed between the yellow centre line and the white line on the side and pressed on.

Our anticipated pace had slowed considerably and everytime I looked at the gps we were always more than an hour from Ensenada. Then we ran into road construction and I discovered that the only thing worse than dusty detours are muddy slippery ones. Now, when I got a chance to look at the gps we were 2 hours from Ensenada and it would be dark soon.

This was getting to be real fun... Wet, cold, negotiating an unorganized detour on a slick muddy surface that you can't see well! Who needs a beach and a margarita to enjoy Mexico?

Luckily the detour was short by Mexican standards and we eventually made it to the hotel, just as it was getting dark.

Whew! What a day. Hopefully we can get the permit issue settled tomorrow.

From the iPad of Bernie Hide
Fernie, BC, Canada
250-423-7731

En México otra vez

Yep. We are back in Mexico again.

This I my second attempt at posting a blog on this trip. I spent an hour writing an entry yesterday while waiting in the LAX airport for the last leg of our flight to Los Cabos but the Blogpress app crashed when I tried to save the entry. :-(

We are now in La Paz, Baja Califonia Sur (BCS).

When we arrived in Cabo it was hot... About 36C. We caught a ride to the storage compound with a car rental company van for whatever we wanted to tip the driver and retrieved the motorcycle with no problem. The battery was a little weak and the fuel in the lines had evaporated (or whatever). The bike didn't want to start on the first few tries but caught just as the battery was about to die. Thank goodness!

We stayed in Cabo San Lucas last night and rode north through Todos Santos to La Paz today. We had a great breakfast at the Hotel Califonia in Todos Santos then rode to the ferry terminal in Pichilinque ( 20 K past La Paz).

Our vehicle permit for mainland Mexico had expired and we wanted to deal with the expired permit and get a new one. The gals in the office were very helpful but their hands were tied, so to speak, by the computerized system. They suggested that if the registration was changed to Linda Hide, there would be no problem issuing another permit. We thought about this idea for a while and decided that a forgery would only complicate an already delicate stuation. We were told that the only other remendy would be to ride back to the USA border to deal with the expired permit.

So... we have a nice hotel room overlooking the quiet La Paz Bay and we are relaxing with a couple of cervezas. Tomorrow we will head north to Loreto and then north to Ensenada or Tijuana. We were told that we could resolve the situation in either of these places. Once we get the permit issue resolved we plan to head south again to Sayulita. Our route is yet to be determined.

Regardless of the setback it is nice to be here again.

Time for a bite to eat...

Hasta luego...

From the iPad of Bernie Hide
Fernie, BC, Canada
250-423-7731