San Pancho Vida

Crocodiles, Mangroves and Birds! Oh, My!

It so happened a couple of weeks ago that both my son and my brother Greg's son were able to visit at the same time for an entire week. Greg suggested we do something I'd wanted to do for ever so long: drive up to San Blas and take the "Crocodile Tour". We caravanned northward for two hours to a big parking lot just south of San Blas. From here, launches await to take the curious up a marvelous river through mangrove swamp to see what there is to see.

While most of the rest of us beelined to the baño, Greg did an excellent job choosing our launch driver and guide. Joel speaks English and is both knowledgeable and sincerely fascinated by the wildlife he docents, especially the birds. We climbed aboard with sunscreen and bug repellent and hats and cameras, and off we chugged into this unique local ecosystem.

Someone spotted our first crocodile nearly immediately, a youngster basking on a log.

Next we saw a bright red crab, which seems to me an inauspicious color for something living in the midst of hungry wading birds, but what do I know.

Really, though...

Some of the birds were more difficult to spot than others. This snail kite seemed not at all concerned about her visibility.

There was other showing-off going on too. Although Joel told us this guy was just drying his wings, he went on and on and seemed pretty vain about his display.

Here's some of what we saw: great egret, cattle egret, snowy egret, snail kite, green heron, great blue heron, boat bill heron, green kingfisher, limpkin and white ibis. I'm not sure which photos are which: when our heads weren't whipping around to see a bird Joel or one of us had pointed out, we spent our time peering deep into the mangrove roots looking for another discovery. I didn't really take the time to take notes.

This shy guy is a boat bill heron.

Joel told us that the mangroves will close up over the river without constant pruning and trimming, which the boat drivers do in their spare time.

We saw another juvenile croc and a much bigger one that was too submerged to photograph well on our forty-five minute journey upriver. Also some other stuff. Turtles...

...some nifty huts on stilts, built when they filmed a movie in here some years back...

...and bromeliads growing in the mangrove trees.

Then we reached our lunch spot, a restaurant at the end of the river from which one can walk to the crocodile sanctuary if it isn't closed, which it was. Fooey. The lunch spot was lovely, with a big swimming hole bordered by an underwater fence to keep the crocs out. Isn't that considerate of them?

That means it's prohibited to swim in the crocodile areas, in case you didn't know. Ya think?

People swam and splashed into the water from a rope swing. We didn't, but you could if you wanted to. Instead, we chose to eat and drink on our one-hour break. I've heard people say the food there is marginal, but we all agreed that it was quite good, especially given the captive audience.

After lunch, we puttered back, Joel still slowing in interesting areas where might lie some creature to inspect. Then we saw him, partially submerged: a ten-foot crocodile, armored and spiky and with a really big mouth. I'm thinking maybe an underwater fence isn't enough to get me into that water.

The trip cost us around ten dollars a person, plus lunch and beers at the restaurant. We didn't need the gentle reminder painted in both Spanish and sort-of-English in the prow of the boat to remember to reward Joel for his friendly and interested commentary along the way.

By the way, Joel recommends starting early in the morning for the very best bird and creature watching. But we were happy enough with our midday excursion, and I bet you would be, too.

                                                                            All photos by R Butler or me

Return to San Sebastián, Part Two

A couple of years ago, I visited San Sebastián and was given a peek at El Pabellón, the old fort adjacent to the town plaza. I wanted Richard to see it while he was visiting, this relic from the days of the Spanish occupation of México, when the abundant mineral riches found in the Sierras were mined and refined and sent off in guarded ship convoys to Spain to finance its wars and the Spanish Armada.

According to my sources, including Joe Thompson from Hacienda Jalisco (who told me part of this story when I visited there some time ago), El Pabellón was the first fortress in the area but was additionally a tienda de rayas, or exchange house, where precious metals could be exchanged for reales, the Mexican currency, and vice versa. A three kilometer tunnel led from Hacienda Jalisco outside of town into the fort for the safe transport and storage of the gold and silver refined at the hacienda.

The old fort has become a part of a hotel. I was dismayed to see a sign on the interior door: admittance for guests only. In my usual reluctance to take no for an answer, I chatted up the smiling young man tending the entry, who agreed to take us on a tour. José grew up in Ecuador and quickly confessed his love of Mexico and his enchantment with its history, which he is just now learning. He led us through the lobby, out into the pretty courtyard where the stable arches still stand, and through a door leading to a stone ramp I remembered from my past visit.

What was the ramp for? Possibly for hauling carts full of loot into the secure regions of the building.

Up we climbed to the higher floors, its 250 year old beams spanning the width of the low storage rooms.

From the top window, a view of the church tower, and a photo of our host.

Here, in the old officers' mess, are photos featuring the popular Pancho Villa, who reputedly visited here on his rebellious adventures.

Through that doorway, you see the interior of the gun turret, all of stone with slots in it for gun barrels. This was war, remember. Many of the Mexican revolutionaries enjoyed reclaiming their national treasures from the Spanish to finance their own fight for independence.

And now back down the very steep stairs for a few more photo ops.

We said goodbye to José and thanked him for his personal tour, giving him a propina for his time and goodwill.

Behind the hotel are many old walls and structures remaining from the original installation.

Here's the turret from the outside, all shaggy with the moss of the ages.

One more photo for you as we bid adios to San Sebastián, this one of the cross on the church tower glowing solo in the night sky.

                                                                         All photos by R Butler or me

Next week: Cocodrillos and mangroves and birds, oh my!

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Road Trip: Return to San Sebastián del Oeste

What, I ask you, can be better than a spur-of-the-moment road trip to a sweet old mountain mining town? Not much, in my opinion. Last week, Richard and I loaded up the car with warm clothes and headed east into the Sierra Madre range to San Sebastián del Oeste, as I couldn't imagine not showing this hidden treasure to a visiting gold prospector with a good camera eye.

I've written of San Sebastián before in a post filled with photos. One's camera refuses to stay in one's pocket there, especially in morning and early evening light. The whole town is a feast for the eyes.

How can one resist its old walls and doors and flowers that look artificial but aren't?

I'd called ahead for a room at my favorite Hotel del Puente (322-297-2834), an old hacienda with big strange comfortable rooms ranged around a lovely courtyard. It's reasonably priced at 300 pesos a night...which amounts to around USD $25 at the current exchange rate.                                                                                               

We were especially enamored of the giant original keys that open the room doors, keys too big to lose, mostly because they're too heavy to carry around.

I'd also called ahead and left a message for Walter, the proprietor and chef at the wonderful Montebello restaurant. He called me back the following day, confirming a table for two at 6:30. I figured we'd be hungry early after a day of driving and exploring, and we were. A good thing, given Walter's homemade Italian fettucine alfredo and cheese raviolis in fresh tomato sauce, his delicious salad, and his own homebaked bread which is some of the best bread I've ever eaten anywhere. It doesn't even need butter, which is a high compliment coming from me.

We spent the same on a lovely bottle of Italian wine as we spent on the hotel room, a Verdicchio Classico he had chosen in Guadalajara because it came from very near his home in Italy. After the meal, Walter presented us with tasters of his personally concocted liqueurs: limoncello, orange, and our favorite, an herbal quaff with basil, mint, and anise. Yum.

I have only one rule about going to San Sebastián any time of year: be darn sure Montebello is open. You can call 322-297-2883 for reservations. They are usually closed on Wednesdays.

The next morning, we set out again, cameras in hand. 

After breakfast, we had the great luck to get a tour of the old fort, a story in itself which will wait for next week. See you then!

                                      ♢    ♢    ♢

                                                                All photos by R Butler or me

Massive Solar Flare Disrupts Candice's Blog!!!

As you can see, events well beyond my control have interfered with my ability to communicate with you today:

NASA Article on the Sun's Recent Activity

More on the Solar Flare

Coincidentally, the big entreamigos fundraising event occurs tonight. And there's a full moon rising. What more can I say?

See you next week!

Fun Raiser: Sneak Preview!

Next Thursday night is the big children's art auction and Fun Raiser at entreamigos, their major funding source for the year. The theme this year is the wonderful Mexican lotería, a bingo-type game played all over Mexico which features cards with wonderful iconic images. 

The children, of course, have their own take on the images, and have been encouraged to invent new ones, which they have done! Many of the items on display will be original image art by the kids, which are gorgeous.

Artists have been working with the kids daily, making marvelous creations for the art sale and silent auction. This week, Richard and I did a workshop with a small group of nine-year olds to fashion their own versions of the beautiful Mexican shadowbox.

I started by showing them a file I'd made on the computer of ideas gathered from internet sites. They crowded around for a look.

Next, we spread the lotería cards out on the table and I encouraged them to choose three apiece for their theme. I brought out a lovely collection of knickknacks and paddywhacks for them to play with in their artwork.

Then we got to work painting the boxes with their choice of tempera paint color.

We let the boxes dry in the sun for a few minutes while we talked about design and theme. They went to work with their usual enthusiasm and creativity. We helped with gluing and placement, offering minimal guidance, really, as we wanted them to enjoy manifesting their own unique ideas.

After a whirlwind two-and-a-half hours, their shadowboxes were done and ready to sign with their full names, which delighted them.

                                                                Most photos by Richard Butler

These shadowboxes and other marvels of creation by the children of San Pancho will be for sale at El Arte de la Lotería, Thursday, March 8, at 6:30 p.m. at entreamigos. There will be great food, a welcome drink, a full bar, a giant lotería game to play, a brief live auction with unbelievable offerings, and surprise fun for all. Tickets are available now at the giant bodega which is entreamigos, two blocks into town on the left, or from committee members all over town.

Hope to see you there!

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