Mexico Part 4. Fishing Villages, Volcanoes, and Tequila
Thursday, 20 September 2012 3:11 am
Wednesday 19th September:
On the beach, lunch was a great spread - 3 heaped plates of prawns, with a chilli/lime dip, salad and of course corn chips.
It is still unbelievably hot and humid, but the ocean breeze did help a little.
Our camp on the beach just out of town.
Camp 220: Playa El Borrego - San Blas
Cost: MXP Nil
N21* 31.000 W105* 16.101
Today : 377 Kms.
Trip Total: 85,444 Km
Thursday 20th September:
The old Spanish Fort stands proud on top of the hill overlooking the river harbour. Here in the 1600‘s the Spanish collected and accounted all the loot plundered before sending it back to Spain. In the small museum; cutlases, cannon balls, flint lock rifles and all things from that pirate era.
The road south winds through mountainous tropical jungle that is draped in vines. Where the land is flat it has been cleared for bananas, mangoes, avocados and durian fruit.
The small villages are alive with friendly people who always return our waves.
In the village of Jala and with the help of asking numerous locals we locate the ‘road’ to Volcan Ceboruco.
The 15 kilometres cobblestone track to the top of this 2100 metre volcano is one fantastic drive.
In the old crater, smoking fumaroles gush super heated steam with a roar of energy.
The old crater seems quite and peaceful, and at this height the cool air makes it a most pleasant place to set camp down in that grassy space.
Camp 221: Inside Volcano Ceboruco Caldera
Cost: MXP Nil
Height: 2100 metres.
N21* 07.040 W104* 30.011
Today : 186 Kms.
Trip Total: 85,630 Km
Friday 21st September:
Onto the town of Tequila - Yes the actual town where the drink originated.
Mexico’s national drink is only produced in the state of Jalisco and mainly from the town of Tequila.
The liquor has been produced since the 1550‘s but it was the Jose Cuervo family who settled here in 1758 that made the first commercial Tequila. They are still the main producer.
Tequila comes from the Agave plant and only after 10 years are the sharp spines cut off in the fields and the heart bought to the factory by burros and trucks.
The heart is then cooked for up to 3 days then crushed to extract the liquid. The liquid is then fermented with yeast. Nothing is added to be called 100% Agave Tequila.
Lesser varieties add sugar and water, however to be called Tequila it must be 51% Agave.
Then treated to a full education and taste test, followed by the Family’s best. Cured in charcoaled oak barrels for over 10 years
Now that had some flavour......
We are feeling quite spirited at this stage, then we had to sample the Margaritas !
Eventually we found our way out of town and also through the traffic chaos of Guadalajara to camp on the side of a vast shallow lake about 30kms south of Guadalajara.
Camp 222: Guadalajara Lake Camp
Cost: MXP Nil
Height: 1400 metres.
N20* 06.73 W103* 32.453
Today : 231 Kms.
Trip Total: 85,861 Km
Saturday 22nd September:
Awoken this morning with a police visit who just came to check up on us. They could not speak english but left with the thought all was in order, and wished us good travels.
Another Volcanic climb, this time to near 4,000metres.
The surrounding country is at 1,400metres and Volcan Colima rises to 4,240metres.
It is a 25km track to the top and we prepare with taking half an altitude tablets before we start.
The track winds through tropical rainforest where the trees are cloaked in epiphytes. Then at 2600metres large pines and we take another full tablet.
Driving up we can see the layers of volcanic ash and the odd volcanic bomb.
Despite the tablets some of us suffering from tingling fingers, and slight headache.
It is not an ideal day, most of the time we are in cloud and towards the top this is all we see of the summit.
Our maximum height 3850metres and it is cold.
Down on the flat country it was 36 degrees here 9 degrees.
Our plan was to spend the night here however after lunch we were all too cold, the wind billowing and a wet cloud mist...lets go!
Camp is down on the coast after a 3 hour drive.
Near Tecoman is the small fishing village and local tourist beach resort of Boca de Pascuales. We are invited to stay amongst some coconut trees...provided we eat at the owners restaurant. Well that seemed Ok to us.
The wash from the waves at our feet.
Coronas were only MXP15 each (US$1.10) and the food equally priced. Prawns and fish the order for today.
Camp 223: Boca de Pascuales Beach Camp
Cost: MXP Nil
N18* 51.504 W103* 57.750
Today : 255 Kms.
Trip Total: 86,116 Km
Perhaps not the most idillic camp, amongst the village chickens, roosters and dogs!