La Peñita de Jaltembre
We have enjoyed the last two weeks in La Peñita. We did meet up with Marie and Ray and have shared a few dinners, a few beers and a few laughs, with most of our time split between their rented house perched atop a hill overlooking the ocean and our jungle terrace. This RV park has held a few nice surprises, the best of which has been the actual campsite. The tenting area is enclosed within a jungle sanctuary and domed up above by massive Ceiba trees and palms. We awake to the sound of a iguana rustling in the bushes and a view of lush jungle so dense our gaze penetrates only a few metres, beyond which is a glorious tapestry of green.
On Thursdays, La Peñita holds a market in the town square. The vendors arrive at the break of dawn and they quickly transform the stark, barren space into an animated jamboree with their colourful stands and vibrant wares. Eager shoppers begin to spill into the square, perusing the vivid ceramic mugs, richly textured rugs an d bright hand woven hammocks swinging from the palm trees. The vendor’s calls mingle with children’s laughter, blending into a beautifully animated cacophony. Delicious aromas of coffee, ripe pineapples and warm bread fill the air, attracting shoppers like butterflies to flowers. The sheer human pandemonium thrills me and I happily buzz about the market, relishing the vibrancy of my surroundings.
We rode our bikes a few days ago to a nearby beach named Los Sayolos. The ride alone was worth the trip. We rode through two towns before arriving, rattling across cobblestone streets, swinging across a lagoon on a suspension bridge and blasting down a cliff through a tunnel of jungle overgrowth so dense it shut out the sky. We parked our bikes on the beach and headed on for a hike Marie had told us about which led through the jungle to a few secluded beaches along the way. The paths led us past palms and banana trees, all tangled with vines aggressively clinging to anything available. We had fun playing on the beach, marking footprints in the sand and tearing around trying to avoid the crush of the surf.
Dave and I met a nice couple from Winnipeg and their 2 year old daughter while they were out visiting their parents in the RV park. We shared a day at the beach one day and by the pool a few others. Sienna enjoyed having a playmate for a while. Sean`s father in law invited Dave to accompany them on some deep sea fishing last week. It turns out Clarence is one of the top fishermen in the RV park, so Dave couldn`t have asked for a better guide. They caught 7 Dorado, were chased by dolphins and spotted whales jumping clear out of the water. When they returned, we all shared drinks and revelled in the fishing stories (Clarence’s description of catching a 140 lb. Marlin in November really got Dave’s imagination running).
On Wednesday we decided to make a side trip to Sayulita, which is 45 minute drive south of La Peñita. The town had been strongly recommended by the surfer crowd up in Todos Santos. Unfortunately, Sayulita is no longer the secret paradise it was a few years ago and is has now been sufficiently overtaken by tourists to drive up prices considerably. Nonetheless, it was worth the day trip and we’re actually hoping to return for a few more days before heading North. Despite the bustle, the town has retained its original charm. The architecture is simple, yet quaint. The buildings are in good repair, having benefited from the influx of tourists, yet don`t yet have the polished look of a true tourist destination. The town offered something surprisingly new to us after all these months travelling - funky cafés offering delicious vegetarian dishes and trendy little shops displaying bohemian clothes, both impossible for me to resist. Dave rented a surf board and I have to admit, I was impressed with how quickly he seems to have gotten the hang of the sport – he managed to catch waves regularly and handled the board with confidence.
Our gas pedal (which is electronic now as a result of the conversion) gave out during a short road trip a few days ago. Dave changed something with the wiring, but he’s not convinced that was the problem. The problem hasn’t reared its ugly head again, but our dreams of heading inland with the van are over, if we ever seriously entertained them at all. Rather than give up, we’ve decided to take a bus to continue the trip. Our campground has agreed to house our van while we are away. We leave tomorrow!
