This was opposite the 'Huerto de las iguanas'. Well, I'm guessing the large number of iguanas might have indicated that they were artificially brought in but it was still quite exciting anyway. Other Lo de Marcos highlights included watching Motorcycle Diaries again but in Spanish this time. I also got into the sun lounger on the roof next to my flat. Soooo nice. One day I also ate a pineapple stuffed with other fruit. Very tropical. Carried on reading short stories by Borges. Really enjoying them too. And my first couple of late nights including chatting till late on the beach with a lightning storm in the background. With a guy who grew up in LA and had come back to his native Mexico. Unfortunately he grew up in the gang lifestyle and was down on his uppers back in his village. Was basically sponging money for beer off me. Very sad. Apparently quite a lot of washed up ex-gang members have found their way back to Mexico. After a bit more studying and few more swims it was time to pack up and leave my lovely flat. The first kitchen of my own I've had since Walkden in 2008! Anyway, so like it says in the title, I left beach paradise, to go to...
...a more built-up beach paradise! Complete with nicely done board walk area with a beautiful café just on the left there. Expensive but lovely sunset coffee place.
I wouldn't particuarly go to the luxury port bit of it called "New Vallarta" (nothing to do with fences actually, named after the guy who founded the city).
And I finally decided to ask someone to take a picture of me. As you can see, I've been working on retaining my 'Legs of Mr Universe' muscle trophy.
In fact, this is a party town and that was part of the reason I came here. LDM really was unbelievably quiet. So within 30 mins of checking in to the excellent Oasis Hostel, I was off up a hill at the back of town with two English guys and an Aussie. Didn't find the waterfall we were looking for but we compared itineraries and tips about where to and not to go. Perfect. As I'm travelling without a guidebook, but going by word of mouth, this was just what I was after. We went out to a bar and club on the Saturday night, driven and chaperoned by the incredibly energetic and helpful hostel owner who makes sure his people get a good night out of a weekend! More of Guillermo later. Some lovely French and Canadian girls made for a balanced night (rather than a lads' pissup) which culminated in a 4.30am ocean swim. Not very wise but fun :)) And believe it or not, I didn't drink a drop of alcohol and still had a wicked time :)
Met a guy at the veggie restaurant in town and he recommended me a hike from La Boca (pictured, means "mouth" as in, of this river, presumably) to Las Animas on a coastal path. Great. Started off as a windy path by the ex-pat villas on the far side of the river heading south. Places with their own little quayside, pretty much only accessible by boat. And as you can see, there were zillions of crabs.
Then the trail got a lot more tropical rainforest, and there I was, in tune with nature, walking along like some kung fu master. Obviously I didn't fancy walking face first into a big spiders web, soiling myself, falling down the hill side and breaking my leg, dying of thirst etc
Any of you who were thinking this was jungle by the way, the guide of an American couple I met at the half way point to Las Animas, assured me jungle has be be thicker and more humid all year round. Felt pretty jungly to me. And I was soaking with sweat from concentrating and it being a challenging path.
Given the very rugged nature of the terrain, I did burst out laughing when I saw this. Still, the American money and mindset have made some beautiful houses where before there was only jungle. Which is fine. After all, houses produce oxygen like trees, don't they.
Quite a few properties were derelict and had become spider hotels, which was quite eerie (that's about 6 centimetres long or so). I also realized after talking to the guide at the beach that he'd taken any spiders off the path, so it would be more difficult later on. Not only that, it seemed to be substantially further than the original hour it was supposed to take and the guide chap said it was another 45 minutes. Not much water left, and then the path started disappearing, so I went along the beach, then into dead end. All the way back, back up cliff side, climbing up quite steep river course to try to find the path again. Found it. Still no sign of destination. Turned out to be a bit more challenging than I'd expected.
Anyway, made it eventually and had food and a snooze at another lovely beach. Unfortunately it was so hot that the aquous humour in my eyeballs made them feel like poached eggs. And as the beach was only accessible by boat, it was a bit of a trap. So I beat a fairly early retreat. Got fleeced a bit for the motorboat ride back, but in Mexico that means 3 quid. Not the 30 quid you'd probably have got stung for in Europe!!
But before I left, ... this:
Tara for now :)
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