Punta Perula and Melaque

I have been trying to post for a couple of days.  The internet is not cooperating.

South of Puerto Vallarta

Time to catch up. We went from Lo de Marcos through Puerto Vallarta to Punta Perula, where we spent 4 days.

 








 A street artist in Puerto Vallarta standing at a red light, trying to earn some tips.

We were in Melaque for a week. In Melaque the beach was steep and the waves were more than I wanted to challenge. There were some people that went swimming but I just couldn't see it. 

 

There were wake boarders that had a lot of fun, but there were also some tumbles. 

Running Start

Skimming the water

Riding the wave

 

On the other side from the beach was an estuary. We were camped between the beach and the estuary. I had hoped to kayak in the estuary, but it was off limits due to crocodiles! I never saw one, thank goodness.

Sunrise over the estuary

Market day fluctuates in every town. In Melaque it was on Wednesday and was

fairly large.

These shoes were for small girls, I couldn't believe how small they were.

Cotton Candy

Candy Man

Local Native with his wares

What came first the road or the Electric Pole?

We drove down several roads that should have lead to the beach, but just as you got there gates with security guards were in place, so couldn't get to the beach. Makes you wonder what kind of homes are there. Another road we were glad we drove in the daytime because the electrical poles were in the middle of the road! Sometimes the pole was off to one side and the anchors were in the road. We did find the beach on that trip after going through several arroyos.

Punta Perula is just a fishing village with no bank, no gas station and no bakery. You have to go North about 30 miles to get gas! Gas is offered in town out of 55 gallon drums. But we love the beach and we have been looking at property. We shall see.

Birds enjoying the pool

We have decided to stay in Punta Perula for a month. Perhaps some of our day trips will yield interesting things.

Lo de Marcus and vicinity

We have been in Lo de Marcus for a month and getting ready to move further south. I didn't think I had much to post, as we have been visiting beaches. But looking at the photos realized there were lots that I could post. One I forgot to post last time is the beach dog with his life preserver. His owners go out to surf and the dog likes to swim out and ride the waves too.

While the ocean can be calm one day the next it can be rolling waves. Each beach and especially the towns are unique, and different, even if they are just a few miles apart.

The town of Chacala is fairly small with many palapa restaurants and shops. This is a smaller bay where you could kayak.  

 

We had lunch at one of the Palapa restaurants where I ordered garlic shrimp. They only gave me a very flimsy fork. I had no idea how to break the shells. I had them take them back and take the shells off for me.

Town of Los Ayala seems very quiet and only a couple of streets to the town.

 

 

The town of San Pancho on San Francisco bay is a town that has tourist type shops and a polo club. Very upscale homes.

 Sayulita is very much a tourist town with restaurants galore, people walking everywhere. 
 Vendors everywhere and recliner chairs to rent for the day.
















A unusual chair on the street.

Punta Mita is another resort area.

Getting into Puerta Vallarta you'll see all sorts of transportation. This motorcycle looks like it shouldn't be on the road.

 

Vendors are on the beach and also on the highways. These poor birds are in cages that are constantly in motion as he swings them out to the traffic for viewing, trying to get you to buy. 

 

While these birds are on the ledge just before entering the Abarrotes (grocery store)

 

You can never judge a restaurant by the entrance. This restaurant in Lo de Marcus didn't seem of interest. 

 

But once inside there was a lovely courtyard serving American style breakfasts. This particular day they were having a showing for handmade jewelry.

 

There are always musicians that want you to give them pesos for playing while you are eating in a restaurant.

Lo de Marcos

We have been in Lo de Marcos, about 1 hour North of Puerto Vallarta, for about a week. We have decided to stay for another 3 weeks. So a month in all. With the holidays we thought it best not to be traveling. Also, thinking as we head further south it might get busier and we wanted to make sure we had a place to stay.   The beach varies by day.  Some days it is good for surfing and others good for swimming.

  

 

The pangas take tourist out to see the whales, go snorkeling or fishing.   The waves can be a challenge and it takes a couple of good healthy workers to get them into the water. 

We got to see some humpback whales.  Amazing.  Look at the spray they create!

 

 

There are always vendors selling pastry, jewelry or fish on the beach.

 

 There are also other vendors that come around.

 

There is always the friendly Iguanas to look for.

 

Christmas was low key.  The RV park did a potluck. 

Think this group of kids were practicing for a Christmas program.

 

 

We have taken a few sight seeing trips, but plan on doing a few more. Lo de Marcos is a very low key town not much for a tourist. Just down the road, south of us, is Sayulita. A tourist town with lots of restaurants and tourist type stores. We are amazed at the difference just a few miles can make in the economy of the town. In San Pancho, before you get to Sayulita, there is a huge expat community with hugh homes. It even has a polo club. The beach is not one you'd want to swim on. The waves are massive, but apparently good for surfing. Spent one day in Las Penita, north of us, which is an agricultural town and where the market is on Thursdays. The market was one of the largest we've seen so far.

The big excitement has been that last night the toilet broke at 3 in the morning. Tom decided to stay up to see what the problem was. So today he spent most of the day trying to repair it. Apparently a cable that operates with the foot pedal broke. Asking a couple of teenagers, who were here selling fresh chickens, if they could show him to a hardware store and motorcycle repair store he was able to get a cable that would work and a few other items. The cable is about the size of a bicycle brake cable. So hopefully the modified fix will last until we get home.