La Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Bucerias

Questionable weather forecasts continued to frustrate my departure, and rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the next few days.  There is now no way I can reach Barra de Navidad before my friends Curt and Mary depart for the states, so at least there is now no pressure to leave.  (The most dangerous gear on a sailboat:  a calendar!)  When singlehanding, I always err on the side of caution, so I've learned to take advantage of delays.  When desperate, have fun!  So I explored Puerto Vallarta a bit more, biked into Bucerias for the first time since last spring, and went with friends to the big festival of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.  Good times!

Typical morning scene behind my slip:  nice
sunrise, tourist catamaran on the way out.

When the wildlife preserve turned out to be closed last Sunday,
I took Terri and Jay to A Page in the Sun.

On the walk back, we found the street where Liz Taylor
and Richard Burton lived when "Night of the Iguana" 
was filmed.

Supposedly they each had their own house and they were
connected by this bridge.

Not sure whose house this one was, but it is now a hotel
and restaurant (Casa Kimberly).


This is a view of the church of
Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe from
just below the Taylor/Burton houses.


We arrived at the church just in time for Sunday's noon mass
and the thousands of people on procession as part of the
twelve-day-long Festival de Nuestra Senora de Guadelupe.
"Our Mother, your missing children have come to greet 
you and to ask for your blessing."



After watching some of the festivities, it was time for some
refreshment on the malecon before heading home.

Ceviche

A few local swingers hanging around the malecon


After a little siesta, a walk on the beach at sundown

The next morning I went for a bike ride to Bucerias,
about 6 miles north.  Unless you're on the bike trail, 
you've got to watch out for the "topes," or 
Mexican speed bumps.

They make US speedbumps look like sissy stuff.
Any faster than a rolling stop and you'll break an axle.

I stopped along the way to take a picture with one of my fans.

This bit of folk art is a painted on the wall at
"The Kissing Bridge" that pedestrians (and bikes)
must use to cross the arroyo to get into Bucerias.
Note the iguanas instead of hair.

The same iguana-hair motif on a Huichol mask.
Wish I knew more about the meaning and tradition.

A more professional wall mural on a gallery in town

The big tree in Bucerias.  The hotel is four floors.

A little humor in the town plaza:  "Viva Mexico, bastards!"

Looking toward Punta de Mita from the
beach in Bucerias


This is El Gordo's Restaurant (Fat Boy's) on the beach
near the town plaza in Bucerias.

Shrimp-stuffed avocado, with beer and mini
tequila sunrise:  about $12.

Biking back to Paradise Village

On Tuesday, I went back to Puerto Vallarta with neighbors
Steve and Patty to see the festivities on the last night of
the Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.
This timely sand sculpture was on the beach along the
malecon.

The little plaza in front of the church of Nuestra Senora de
Guadalupe was filled with vendors, groups and people
from near and far.


It was a bit too early for things to be hopping, so we stopped
for a bit of refreshment.

Never drink anything bigger than your head!

Guacamole made fresh at the table.
Doesn't get any better!

By the time we headed back to the church, the streets were
filled with people.









Thousands of pilgrims walked miles to pass through the 
church and receive blessings from Nuestra Senora
de Guadalupe.

Heading back home

Not sure if this is an egret or a heron
(at the mouth of the Rio Cuale).

This cormorant is fleeing from the wrath of an angry
snowy egret who resented his incursion into
proprietary feeding grounds.   (Clear shallow water at
the mouth of the Rio Cuale.)

This moth was so weak it couldn't fly off the floor in the mall.

Iggy smiles for the camera.


New chains with little anchors to hold the portholes open.
A thoughtful gift from Jim, my friend and crew.

Brand new system for pumping out holding tanks
at the marina.  I was the second boat done.
Fast, clean and no smell.



1 comment:

  1. Stuck in some strange angry fruit salad land with the same old boring margarita and restaurant "i'm having a good time, look at meeeee" vanity portfolio shots. I don't think you are a real cruiser. Even cats go out in that weather.

    But thanks for the topless mountain sign picture. That certainly got my banana's moving.

    ReplyDelete