San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco

Even though I am no longer in Mexico, I have some pictures and memories that I would like to share with you. I didn't have time to write about everything on my blog while I was there!

San Sebastián del Oeste is a quaint little town, in the state of Jalisco, nestled in the Sierra Madre mountains about 40 miles from Puerto Vallarta. It is a weekend escape for Vallartans who appreciate the altitude of 4500 feet and the cool evenings! Pine trees, cattle and coffee plantations, and splendid mountain views, together with the relaxed atmosphere provide a special treat for all visitors.

The town was settled in the early 1600s as a gold and silver mining town. The precious metals were mined there, sent to Guadalajara and on to Veracruz where they were transported to Spain. At one time the population was about 40,000 people; however, the Mexican Revolution in 1910 and the depletion of the mines caused the prosperity of the town to decline. Now there are about 600 people living there.

The road from Puerto Vallarta to San Sebastián reminds me of my home state of West Virginia! Mountains, dramatic views of the valleys, hairpin curves and narrow passages provide thrills as you drive along! They are still building parts of the highway and at times we had to stop and wait for the construction. But, in true Mexican form, where we were stopped for about 10 minutes waiting for the road grader, it was party-time! Some people pulled out a cooler and sold beer, soft drinks, and water and everyone got out of their cars and stood in the shade talking with each other, wondering how long we would be stopped.

Even though it is only 40 miles away, it took us about 2 hours to make the drive due to the condition of the roads. While the highway that they are building is almost complete, and is very good, at some point one must leave the highway and drive over cobblestone and dirt roads to get to the town. Also be sure you have a full tank of gasoline. The gas stations are few and far between!

As we drove through the fields, we passed many maguey (agave) farms. Jalisco is the state where the maguey plant is grown which is made into tequila.






This is a how the farmers grow the maguey plants. Like corn in Illinois and Iowa, the maguey is planted in straight rows--field after field. it takes 7 years for the plant to mature.

The mountains and valleys on the way to San Sebastián.

This new bridge, called El Progreso bridge, spans a river.

Here is the road we were just on! I took this picture from the area near the bridge where we had stopped for a photo op.

Upon arriving in any little town, one always asks: "Where is the church?" That will get you to the center of town. The Temple of San Sebastián was built in the 1600s but due to an earthquake, it had to be rebuilt in 1868.

Next door to the church is a small museum with interesting artifacts from the region.

The altar of the church.

This is the churchyard with beautiful bougainvillea blooming.

The town plaza with the church steeple in the background. The long, low building in the back is their version of a strip mall! Souvenirs, cold drinks, snacks and even some postcards were sold there. The kiosk in the plaza is used for music programs and fiestas.

We walked up the road to the tourism office! This young lady was very helpful and explained a lot about the area to us. She also gave me some brochures and then posed for the picture.

Walking down a street in town.

I love this picture---the satellite dish next to the house where a burro was tethered in the back yard! The lady from the tourism office lives here and her husband makes silver jewelry and sell it from their home.

Lety and I took turns photographing each other in front of the bougainvillea plant with the church in the background.

Sitting on the porch of the Posada del Sol restaurant drinking limonadas and people watching was great fun! The main activities of the town are: walking, enjoying the beauty of the region and resting! There are 2 museums in town, and we visited both, and if you are so inclined, you can rent an all-terrain vehicle and drive through the mountains. There are 7 hotels/bed and breakfasts in town but only one has a television and Internet connection. People come to San Sebastián to rest and rejuvenate---and what a perfect place to do so. I am ready to go back!

Hasta luego.

Fun In Florida

My friend, Sara, invited me to go with her to their condo on St. George Island, Florida for a few days. What a wonderful, relaxing time we had!

Does everyone know where St. George Island is? I didn't so I had to check out the map. Look at the panhandle of Florida that sticks out under Georgia and you will see the town of Apalachicola. Drive over a new 4 mile bridge with a very pretty view of the bay, and you will arrive on St. George Island.



Arriving on the island you are welcomed by this newly built lighthouse, a replica of the original one.

At one end of the island is a National Park where everyone can enjoy uninterrupted views of the ocean, picnic or camp, launch a boat and fish for the day, or just walk and enjoy the solitude and beauty of the place. What a treasure.

And then there is the beach! The sand is almost white and the water is beautiful. There used to be large sand dunes here until the area was devastated by a hurricane a few years ago, but the dunes are slowly being rebuilt by the wind.

In the morning we watched the dolphins playing and jumping out of the water. In the afternoon people swam and fished, but the best time for us was in the evening. From about 5:00 until 8:00 or so, we sat on the beach when the sun was not so hot and there was a light breeze. Enjoying a glass of wine, visiting with each other and watching and listening to the ocean---what a great way to relax, unwind and cool off from the heat of the day. The moon came up over the horizon as the sun was setting. How beautiful!

In the small town of Apalachicola, there is a park on the waterfront where you can observe, close-up, the oyster and shrimp boats. The town's industry is fishing and fresh shrimp, oysters, and fish can be found everywhere.

This is an oyster skiff and I learned that the long wooden paddles which you can see on the boat are tongs that the fisherman uses to reach into the water and gather the oysters to bring up onto the boat. Oyster boats are flat-bottomed and have the small cabin in the back. On the front of the boat is a culling board and a culling rake. The fisherman uses the tongs to throw the oysters onto the culling board and then rakes across them. He keeps the large ones and throws back into the water the smaller ones, allowing them to grow larger.

Another very interesting spot we visited was the dwarf cypress forest. Driving 4.5 miles off the main road, we arrived at a place where cypress trees only grow a few feet tall.

The boardwalk allows us to walk into the midst of the trees. In the photo you can see the taller trees in the background and the dwarf cypress in front. The information board says they do not know why the trees only grow so tall in this area because when the seeds from the trees are planted elsewhere, the trees grow to their normal height.

The area was a marshland with swamp grasses and lily pads growing in the creek.

I love the lily pads. But there were no frogs sitting on them!!

One evening Sara and I indulged in a seafood dinner. When you go to Apalachicola, try the Boss Restaurant on the waterfront. Mmmm--good!

Our table was right on the waterfront and the seagulls hovered, hoping for a treat!

Can you see him sitting on top of the light pole?

While Sara had fried shrimp, I tried grilled oysters with 4 different sauces. And, yes, we shared a dessert too: Mud pie!!

Sara was a great "tour guide" as she showed me the Estuarine Center, the historical churches, and beautiful old houses with interesting architecture.

As usual, I took many, many pictures and I just had to share some of them with you. I will have the pictures to remember the lazy days we spent in Apalachicola and on St. George Island, Florida.

Hasta luego.