Before our arrival at La Cruz, we spent two days anchored off the little town of Chacala. This is a very cute town and we would have stayed longer except the anchorage was pretty lumpy and a lee shore, meaning that the boat would drift onto the beach if the anchor lost its grip… One of the differences being in “Pacific” Mexico, is that the pacific swell comes into many of the anchorages. Many boats use a bow and stern anchor here to keep the boat more comfortable.
We had a great day walking around the town and enjoyed a meal in one of the Palapa’s on the beach.
Beadwork
Lisa bough a cute necklace in this shop where the woman is busily creating these beadwork masterpieces. I couldn’t believe how fine the work was. I kept wondering if she was highly nearsighted.
Hector
If we were planning a land trip to Chacala, we would stay here at Casa Pacifica. We haven’t seen any of the rooms, but suspect they are somewhat funky. The owner is an American woman who has lived there for 19 years. She is clearly a bird aficionado and told us that the best time to see birds was before 9 am, and that almost 300 species visit her piece of paradise at various times of the year.
The hotel operates as a B&B and Breakfast is served on the roof top in the Mauna Kea Café with a view of the ocean. Hector the cook has been in the US and worked for Whole foods for nine years. As an exemplary worker, he was promoted many times within the organization and finally Whole Foods sent him to the Culinary Academy in SF. A few years later he was deported……
If I wanted a week or two of peace and quiet in a funky off the beaten path place in Mexico with a beautiful beach, I would really consider Chacala as an interesting and safe place to visit…..
That sucks for Hector…
Nice post. Looks like a definite destination to check out.
Right now its a gloomy 57 degrees, off and on sprinkling with more rain on the way.
Keep on living the dream!
What a wonderful town you and Lisa discovered! Absolutely lovely.
Noticed you took a photo of the real estate office. Maybe you’ll have a place down there too?
Happy 2018 to both of you,
Janis
Noticed you called Chacala ‘safe’. I’m sure you’ve heard but US gov has issued Mexico its highest level of travel warning – pretty much calling MX a war zone.
http://time.com/5099238/mexico-travel-warning-map/
(or as our lovely President would call it a ‘real shithole’ )
I’m curious what you here and see there about this warning – hopefully just more sensationalist US news but if you’re headed further south may be than crocodiles to beware of there.
We were in mazatlan, el fuerte, los mochis, and toplobampo. We drove 15…. daylight. Lots of construction.
The worst is closer to Acapulco where the death by murder rate is 81/100000. In central oakland that number is 1683 violent crimes ( couldn’t match the statistics) Maybe we should cleanup our own stuff first. Just saying.
Met a kid,… 20 somthing who left the US when Obama deported his dad. Volunteered that it’s better in Mexico. Less regulation.
The wall is more of a joke down here. What most Mexicans hate the most is that their corrupt government sends oil to Texas for refining so they get to spend $4.00 per gallon US. With a minimum wage of 5 dollars per day. Many believe that Mexico could have built it’s own refining capacity. In most of the American south west gas is 2 something per gallon.
I would agree that Mexico could have done that. They are catching up fast. The Mexicans I have come in contact with are Honest, Hard working, patient, generous people who place family before all else.
Just had the boat cleaned up. $1000 3 guys worked ten days hand waxing 3 times around. Cleaning all the stainless including the standing rigging first with a toothbrush and bright boy. Then waxed. Workers were smiling the whole time. Helpful. Showed up at 9 sharp, left at 6:30 did it six days a week. Then moved onto another boat and started over.
Its definitely different down here….
Thats all folks. Back to the US Tuesday, to see mom and dad.