More Madonna, Less Jesus

Yelapa, Mexico

Last week, I vacationed in Yelapa, Mexico. It’s a little town on a beach, beside a river, inaccessible by car. Really. There are no cars there, just mules and horses and cement paths through the jungle and between the houses. But you can get a smoothie with oatmeal an internet cafe.

It was my friend Kite who made this happen for us, using her mileage, and arranging us to stay at the hotel Lagunita, Palapa #1.

The view from Palapa #1 at Lagunita Hotel

Most of my photos look just like the photos you can find on flickr, so I won’t bore you with empty scenics.

beachscape with coconut

I spent many pleasant hours like this:

Or laying on the bed, studying palapa roof construction.

How did they make this?

We laughed alot. Didn’t drink too much. Ate lots of fish.

Not thinking about work

Did you know that Yelapa is where Night of the Iguana was filmed? I haven’t seen the movie, but I did see this iguana on a tree stump. Can you see it? It looks just like a branch.

We walked a few miles up the river to a waterfall. The waterfall was the destination, but like everything else worthwhile, the best part was the journey. We walked past houses and chickens and mules and cows and kids and laundry and it became obvious that we were going back in time, as much as it is possible to go back in time. It occurred to me that this road along a river with shacks and Mexican families living along a road was probably very similar to how a road in Santa Cruz might have been 150 years ago.

Santa Cruz also was a sleepy little seaside Mexican town, accessible only by water, with its fishing and cattle and leather business. Then the gringos discovered it, and got all industrial and brought their way of life to their side of the river, and sent the Mexicans to the other.

I can’t help it. I find my home where ever I go.

The sun sets behind the western mountain in Yelapa