The Galapagos of Mexico

Maybe Jane Goodall?

I may have to take the ape tamer to the Galapagos with me.  We will be there in 2020 (the real Galapagos) Lennie is scared of every noise on an island filled with wildlife. It was so funny to watch her hike through the forest.  She will scuba with a shark but not walk with an iguana. I may have to break her in gently and Isla Isabella was not the place.  When we arrived, the sky was thick with seabirds of all types. I mean really thick. I couldn’t even think of flying the drone which was a bummer since the island aerial view is so cool.

Land of the Aztecs

Arriving to mainland Mexico was a big deal.  After California and Baja it was the next big change in our cruising area. There are mountains and jungles and it was green and smelled of “land”. Not sure how to describe the smell but you knew it was big and not an island. We were excited to be here and to start our trek down the Pacific coast. There are dozens of fishing villages along the coast and they are all laid out the same. Palapa restaurants on the beach, small streets of “tiendas” and friendly people everywhere. Mexicans must eat out more than Americans do. There are tons of restaurants everywhere and they are for the locals and Mexican tourists, since so few people visit except the occasional cruiser or backpacker. We are looking forward to immersing in the local culture which seems very different from that of Baja.

Banderas Bay

 We finished this trip in the famous Banderas Bay which has the town of Puerto Vallarta at its head.  It was nostalgic for me since I was here 49 years ago when I was five. Apparently PV had become an American tourist destination and my parents wanted us to go. I don’t remember a lot about the trip but I remember riding a donkey on the beach in Yelapa. If I can find the picture I will post it. In the meantime it just seems funny how your life can twist and turn and come back to the same place. Who would have thought I would be back 49 years later on my catamaran.

Please enjoy episode 50 which is a landmark for Lennie and me. It’s fun to look back at all these videos and all the amazing experiences we have had. Who knows. Maybe we have 50 more in front of us!