Another bread adventure

I started this batch late in the morning so I could put it away until tomorrow morning. A couple things surprised me and the first was only a 1/4 teaspoon of yeast for 3 cups of flour. The other was using plastic wrap. It's been years since I've used a brand like Saran Wrap so no idea how easy it was to handle. All I know now is you can not pull out how many inches and cut it with scissors or expect the builtin cutter to work. After 3 to 4 tries that ended up in balls on the kitchen floor .... I finally figured out if you "glue" one end you can pull the roll over it's target and cut after it's in place. I assume problems come from an inexpensive process of manufacturing this plastic. I considered just using a plastic bag of which I have millions but air-tight might make a difference.

Only me emotionally

Of course one was not wide enough

I'll check on this first thing in the morning and continue

Many bread recipes use a dutch oven to bake and I've never seen an all metal heavy pot in this area. I imagine in Manzanillo but I seldom go there any more. I picked up this pressure cooker for nothing at the going out of business sale of CocoCabanas restaurant on Playa de Cocos. Even though I cleaned it and checked the valves I've never used one before and would prefer using a new one as a first experience. It's heavy aluminum and a good size so I figured if I removed all the plastic and rubber it just might work. It looked pretty tired and I was amazed at how well it cleaned up.

The removed parts

Only metal left

Punta Perula for a day

It's been a long time and I almost forgot how pretty the beach and water is at Punta Perula. Super clear water in the lagoon and the mouth that crosses over to the restaurant on the point. Seemed to me crossing over to the restaurant was easier but now you have to get wet if the tide is not way out.

This end of the beach really looks like Tenacatita used to with about 6-8 palapa restaurants and I almost wonder if a few moved up from Tenacatita because I don't remember that many. All along the beach the water was clear unlike the Melaque west end but similar to Tenacatita.

Glen and I drove up really with the intention of taking the boat trip out to the Islands only for some quick pictures and coming back. They will take you and come back in 3-4-5 hours but we just wanted to see them. Sadly we had not checked pricing and found they wanted 800 pesos for the extended stay and only reduced to 700 pesos for the quick trip. Next time we will figure out a way to go with a few more people to split the cost.

The Bahía de Chamela in the Municipio of La Huerta, Jalisco has about 7 islands of various sizes. The main islands are -- La Colorada, Cocinas, San Andrés, Pajarera. Pajarera is a bird reserve and about the best for snorkling. 

Restaurant on the point

Palapa restaurants

Our restaurant

Clear water at mouth of lagoon

Kids in the mouth of the lagoon

Not much coral but clear water and some fish

Weekday night on the Melaque Plaza

We went down to the Melaque Plaza because they thought there was a small carnival with kids rides. Looks like they will be there next week but were not last week. Been awhile since I'd been there at night and was surprised at all the activities.

Lots of people eating on all sides of the plaza. Vendors selling glowing things from China. A spray paint artist turning out a new one every 10 minutes and selling them for only 50 pesos ($4.50us). When I told some gringos they were 50 and not 500, they bought one. We all had a great time just watching the show.

Taco stands over by the school

Two sit-down restaurants by the taxi stand

More tacos by the church

Spray paint artist

Glowing things from China

Melaque Summer Vacation

This summer vacation is turning out to be one of the best here in Melaque. The tourists have been coming in numbers that rival Semana Santa (Easter Week) which is usually the biggest beach vacation time. All the beach restaurants were full even with extra tables out. Cars were double parked and we ended up 2 blocks away which never happens here. Since we brought our own food we just rented a table not in front of a restaurant which normally goes for 50-60 pesos. This weekend he wanted 130 pesos. We called a local Deposito (beer vendor) who delivers on a scooter and he brought 2 cases of iced Estrella. Lots of people having fun, cooling off and great for the local economy.

Looking toward central Melaque

Looking toward the malecon

Waves were large most of the day

Blue Bay and La Vena Beach

I'd heard of this beach before and pictured it as being much more difficult to access and more primitive than it is. You turn into the Blue Bay road and the first guard is right there near the highway. He only wants to see the drivers ID so he can take your name and know that you are going to La Vena restaurant. A second guard is near the hotel and you tell him you are going to La Vena. Drive past the hotel and along the beach, around the hill and you'll come out at the river mouth. Park anywhere from there to the restaurant.

About 20 of us went last Sunday in 4 cars. Brought our own food, drinks, a tent and tarps for shade and beach toys for us and the kids. Not only is this a beach much like Tenacatita but it's also a river mouth. The river is cross-able near the ocean and swimmable upstream. Someone said snorkeling was pretty good but there were a bunch of 'rays' in one area. One woman walked around the point and came back with a good sized bag of oysters. A really great day with lots of fun.   Nice restaurant for beer and food, 2 public bathrooms with showers and places for your garbage.  Great place to spend a day.

After we got back I wondered what the source of that river was because it is no small stream, at least at this time of year. There are no rivers that cross the highway anywhere near this area. To the south is Boca de Iguanas and to the north is Tenacatita. I asked on a few message boards but nobody knew. I eventually found on a Tomatlan site a reference to "La Vena" being an arm of Rio Purificacion but how did it get so far south. Then I found a .PDF file on a study of the area from the University of Colima and embedded in the study was the map below. It turns out that Rio Purificacion turns south just south of Tecuan and north of Tenacatita, forms the Tenacatita lagoons, and then continues south to come out at the north end of the beach by Blue Bay. That was my detective work for the week.

Blue Bay Hotel

Blue Bay beach

La Vena - Rio Purificacion

Setting up camp

The map showing the river course

Trip to Scorpion Island

La Isla de los Alacranes

Bill bought a "speed boat" a few months ago and has been working on the steering and controls. He actually just bought the boat and trailer and had to match it up with a motor he had. He launched it a few days ago and it's moored in the Chapala public boat harbor. So because I'm heading for the coast soon he wanted to give me a ride.

Pretty bumpy ride for a light boat over the waves. Most everything else on the lake are heavy pangas that plow thru the waves. Smoother coming back with the wind.

Every little restaurant of about 8 has their own moorage/dock. Someone comes out to help you tie up. They know you want to look around the island so they offer to take your meal order and have it ready when you get back. The island is not very long and is narrow but because of the lake level we couldn't make it to the east end. Meal was just OK but a nice setting.

A few of these signs around the island

Boat docks

Restaurant

A few of these around the island too

The ride back with sailboat and island in the distance

Contrabando and the Flu

From day to day and restaurant to restaurant the rules seem to change about what they can serve, how they can serve, who can be open ... etc. The only hard and fast rule I've run into started Sunday with the no serving of alcohol.

We brought a cooler with beer, coke and snacks 'cause we heard everything was closed but the beach places looked to be operating as normal. When our waiter came over he checked the cooler for contrabando ... and then just said the beer is OK if we keep it covered. Everyone else made the 1 block trek to the local store to buy their beer or ordered coco's and added tequila

So much for saving us from the flu .....

From the Guadalajara Reporter

“First there was last fall’s financial crisis. Then came the drug war. Now this,” he said wearily. “I had already started cutting work hours for the staff. Now I may have to consider some layoffs. I hate to be a pessimist, but my overhead is tremendous. I can’t afford to close down the restaurant for a week.”

At press time it appeared that members of the restaurant sector had agreed to keep their doors open come what may, with backing from the national restaurant chamber (CANIRAC). “Most of us will stay open for food service and suspend bar sales,” said Javier Raygoza, whose family runs central Chapala’s Restaurant Superiors, pointing out, “That should work to meet the main objective – preventing large conglomerations of customers.”