The Wonders of Mexico

A Day in the Mexican Countryside

Often on a cruise ship, you see the ports of call, walk around the local area, shop a bit, and have a bite to eat. If you’re up for an adventure, like a trip into the country’s interior, you will spend a part of your day on a bus. When you do bus trips, you hope the bus has comfortable seats and, depending on the climate, heat, or AC.

Our excursion in Manzanillo was just such a tour. We went to Colima and Comala. The bus was indeed comfortable, which was good because it was a 2hr. ride each way. We were on a 4-lane highway that was under construction. Our guide apologized for any delays due to the construction. He also pointed out many other sites along the way.

The most impressive site along the way was the Colima Volcano. It seemed to loom over the landscape and never left our view. Our first stop was Comala, nicknamed ” the white village of the Americas” because since the 1960’s all the buildings have been painted white. This is where we stopped for lunch at a Mexican tapas restaurant. The food was delicious.

The other unique aspect of Comala is the “dancing dogs” statue. These two dogs may look like they are dancing but in reality, the older dog is passing on generational wisdom to the younger dogs. In Comala’s main square were more dog statues. Dogs are thought to guard the souls of the dead as they journey to the underworld.

Our next stop was the Zona Archaeological site, La Campania. The site was discovered by the Spanish in 1524 and contained pieces of ceramics dating back to 1500 BCE. Also found were shaft tombs with ceramic dogs, storm drain systems, avenues as well as an administrative and religious center with numerous monuments. The site was opened to the public in 1995.

Colima

The last stop was the city of Colima. It is the second largest city next to Manzanillo. The city square is Jardin Libertad and has a kiosk imported from Belgium. During the summer music concerts are held at the square. Around the square are shops and restaurants with the most delicious smells, we could have easily stayed to have dinner.

We walked down one of the side streets looking at the touristy shops. Steve found a pin for his hat. As we came to the end of the street we saw a row of homes. I quickly snapped a few photos while there was no traffic.

As we headed back to Manzanillo, we were able to rest and enjoy the ride. It was dark when we got to the dock having spent a wonderful day in the Mexican countryside.

Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta

Our very first trip to Puerto Vallarta was thirty years ago on our honeymoon. We spent a week in a boutique hotel a block off the strip. So this time we wanted a different experience: whale watching.

We boarded a small zodiac and away we went. Our guide was passionate and enthusiastic. She was almost more excited about finding the whales than we were. The zodiac sped from one whale pod to the next while we hung on to the straps on the side of the craft. Every time we made a turn we felt the ocean spray on our faces.

The highlight of the day was when our guide put the audio cables into the water so we could hear the whale sounds. The whales talk to each other in a series of rhythmic whistles and melodies. They also communicate by surfacing and flapping their tales against the water. The sound can be heard well below the surface of the water. All in all, it was a fantastic experience.