Needed to check out the beaches and towns down the road. So I grabbed a taxi with a couple other people ($1.50 for 6 mi). Got out at Aticama. Walked to the beach: all rocks. Walked back to the highway.  

Caught a bus to Santa Cruz ($0.90 for 4 mi). Went down to the beach: all rocks.  

Guess it's time to hit the road again. Caught a taxi (from a bus stop - other people got in, so I did too) and went back to San Blas ($1.80).  

The next town on my list was too far to hop to. So it was time to move on. Packed my stuff, went to the bus station (only 4 blocks away), bought a ticket for La Peñita.  

I had two hours 'til the next bus, so I left the bus depot for a leisurely lunch.  

Found this restaurant about three blocks from the bus depot.  
  
 You get all kinds of visitors in these open front restaurants.  
 Just missed the shot of the pidgeon. The dog is a house pet. In one restaurant the house dog came and put his chin on my thigh after I got served; told him if he wanted to pay for it I'd give it to him - he left.  








 
 
 I got bold again and ordered something different.   
 It's shredded beef that has been marinated in spices (only a touch of heat to it). It was tasty. Not too sure about the cheese on the beans (sort of bland tasting; no idea what it was). Didn't care for the chips (chilaquiles). The Coronas were good!  


I headed back to the bus depot and still had 45 min 'til the bus left. Took a seat to wait. This guy across from me said something to me, I told him I didn't speak Spanish. So he starts talking to me in English. Roberto's my age, lived in California for five years, and doesn't have a Mexican accent (learned English from his Swedish wife). He's from Santa Cruz (where I'd been just a few hours ago). We chatted for a little while; then he gives me the phone number for this guy he knows in La Peñita. I called the guy up to let him know I was coming, and he said to call him when I got into town and he would come meet me at the bus station. Roberto and I chatted a little more, then he decides he's going to go with me to La Peñita, as he actually hasn't been there for a few years and he could take the occasion to see some old friends while showing me around.  

We arrive in La Peñita, and his friend Martin (marteen) picks us up, and we start driving around. Martin drove to the beach. We got out and checked it out. Then we drove around as Martin is showing me the available accommodations and the price ranges. This is a small town, bigger than San Blas but still small. I thought there'd be at least one inexpensive place to stay near the beach; but no way: foreigners came in a long time ago, bought up all the good properties, and set up big hotels (3 stories, 50-100 rooms), and even during low season they're out of my price range. So Martin asks me what I want and what's my price range. I told him I'd like to at least be able to see the ocean from my room. So we drive around for a little bit, then he say's he has a place that's away from the beach, but you can see the ocean, for $450USD for a month. He manages about 17 properties at the moment, all belonging to gringos (oh, yah, his english is very good).  

It's about 2:30 and we stop for lunch. Even though I had an early lunch, I'm still not hungry. Roberto orders an entree, Martin and I each order flan. After lunch, we drive around. The hwy is about 8 blocks from the beach; beyond the hwy are tall, steep hills. Martin heads out toward the edge of town, then heads up a street, turns left for two blocks, turns right, goes up for a block, turns right, goes up another block to a dead end. Now you have to change the picture in your mind. There aren't many paved roads in these towns, only in the cities and only on the main thoroughfares. Remember Tonalá in Guadalajara? It's a main suburb, but it had a lot of streets paved with only rocks set in mud (more rough and uneven than cobblestones). So nearly all the streets are very rough to ride on, and not a thing of beauty.  

Anyway, at the end of this short street are 4 houses: one on the right, one on the end, two on the left (all managed by Martin - he's living in the one on the right). I'm looking up at the nice house with the big glass windows, but we went to the one on the left. From the porch, you can see parts of the ocean.   












 



 
I was a little disappointed, but I figured this was about the best I could hope for on my budget, and Martin was being pretty nice and I didn't want to snub him (even though I would have preferred to look around some more) so I said okay. The place is a lot roomier than I figured. The one piece of furniture that's really missing is something to hang your clothes on (and no dresser either), but the internet is decent and the refrigerator is good. So I figured I'd settle down for a month and get caught up on my blogs.  

Martin went on his way and Roberto and I went for a walk. He wanted to check on some old friends while showing me around. We went down the main street (from the hwy to the beach) and some of the side streets, stopping to talk with maybe a dozen people.  

 After several hours, I was getting thirsty, so we went to a place, and I ended up having 3 rum and cokes and some fries, and Roberto had a couple beers and scotch.   

It's late and time to hit the sack. Walked back to my casita while Roberto pointed out landmarks so I wouldn't get lost. Roberto slept on the extra bed, and I settled into my bedroom.  



(completed Oct 21)