No sunrise today. Rain shower during the night.  

Moving on to Bucerias today, but I don't want to get there too early in case they don't let me check in right away. So I decided to go to breakfast. I don't usually do breakfast, as I don't get hungry until I've been up a couple of hours. I have been up a couple of hours, so here I go.  

Went to this Mexican restaurant, ordered Huevos Rancheros: eggs over hard on a tostada, covered with stewed tomatoes, and some refried beans. It was okay: I don't go in much for bread, and even less for tortillas of any type (though I do like enchiladas and burritos). For about $1.85, I can't complain. Also ordered coffee with cream and sugar: got a cup of boiling water, instant coffee, raw sugar, and Coffeemate instant creamer; hit the spot though (I'm not a coffee connoisseur).  
 
 
Rain was drizzling, but I could almost walk and let my body heat dry my shirt, it was coming down so lightly. So I got my backpack and walked about 2/3 mi to the bus stop, and my shirt was almost soaked (from sweat, not rain). Bus came by in about 15 min. Air conditioned bus: by the time I got off, about an hour's ride, I was almost dry.  


 

I was afraid the driver would stop at the beginning of town - he did - and I had to trudge almost all the way down to the other end (about 1 1/2 mi). When I got to the hotel, my shirt was almost totally soaked again (no surprise considering 100% humidity and a 33 lb pack).  



 




The good news is: internet price for the room was $33 and change, the price board said $500 ($30), and I asked (had to use google translate - thank you Google!) if I could get a discount if I paid cash instead of using a credit card: the girl changed the receipt to $450 ($27)!  
 
 




















 
I gained towels, soap, shampoo, and a comfortable chair; but I exchanged the sound of surf crashing on the beach for six lanes of hwy traffic.
 




















 







 
I was thirsty, but didn't just want to grab a drink out of the machine in the lobby, and I wanted to go to the beach too. With the hurricane moving in, I figured this might be my only chance to get some pics (I'm only here for 3 days). Walked down to the corner to the OXXO and it was closed! They never close! So I headed down to the beach, about 1/2 mi away, looking for someplace else to get a drink. Ended up walking into a Decameron all inclusive. They were boarding up windows and had blocked off access to the beach. But their outside (covered) dining room was still open. Ya, you have to be a guest, no a la carte; but the girl was so nice and offered me a drink anyway, which I politely declined. The only way to the beach, other than where they blocked it off, was to go out of the resort and down the street 4 or 5 blocks. I asked this guy if there wasn't another way, he said 'no' (he spoke english), but he offered to ask security to let me through their 'blockade', which he did and they did. So based on this very limited experience with this resort, they get my recommendation (this is the third one I've seen)!  

 
 
So down the beach I go, and two pairs of cops are kicking people off the beach. I got my pics and took the next ramp off the beach. Kept on walking around looking for a place to get a drink, any kind of drink. All the restaurants are closed, banks are closed, even some of the hotels had their gates closed: if you weren't already in, forget about it.  

Everyone has closed up, taped up, boarded up (still some last minute work being done), and gone home to batten down the hatches there.
 

















 








 



 
 

Came across one small store doing a steady business as last minute people tried to get their munchies and drinks (I did). And as I was making my way back to the hotel, there was another store still open but in the process of closing. Local police, federal police, and national guard all patrolling the streets constantly against possible looters.







 








 
Been watching the rain all afternoon. 
   

 
There's an open deck on the roof with a good view. I've gone up and down a lot checking things out. Even met two separate Canadian guys staying here. Rain stayed light all day 'til about 8pm when it began coming down more heavily, but not hard and no wind.  

Read a little. Go to sleep.