Sleepy Sunday in La Manzanilla for everyone

LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - If one stereotype persists in most peoples minds about Mexico it's that these small pueblos are sleepy - as in very slow moving.

This burg was anything but sleepy last night, as Palapa Joes rocked until past 2 a.m. with amateurs showing off at open mic night. We probably should have stayed up. It sounded like we were trying to sleep inside the bar anyway.

But today at noon, the town was largely shuttered, even the Catholic Church was all but deserted.


Catholic Church on the square

Just like the lyrics from the Mamas and Papas' song California Dreamin, as I went by the square, 'I stopped into the church, I found along the way,' to light candles for my late father and mother. But this church doesn't have the usual setup with candles, and though I searched around, no fount of holy water, either. The only person in the church was a woman bent over her Rosary intently so I decided not to interrupt her moment with questions. Perhaps I'll catch the priest tonight when he says an evening Mass and ask him, "Donde esta las velas?"

The day was spent mostly on the beach - and I have the sunburn to prove it (sorry Dr. Silva), though except for kayaking, I hid under the umbrellas most of the time, chatting with the Admiral about plans for construction of Casa Admirale on Admiralty Beach in Tenacatita. Friends are all asking: How many guest rooms? Well, as we look at construction costs we ask: How many 'hammocks?'

But before you cancel those plans to visit next season, we will make sure you can get una hamaca with your name embroidered on it and your very own bolts in the wall, at just the right height for you to climb in.


Getting ready for a beach day

Sanders and Pat Lamont got totally into the spirit of the day, too, resting up so we can all go out to the town square tonight where vendors set up their booths selling homemade foods and families gather for a very social evening. It's a very traditional town in that way and the vendors get a kick out of selling some of their local (and sometimes very hot) foods.


Pat recharges for an evening out


Sanders lives the life

And what about those Seven Dirty Words of George Carlin's that Jane Gorby used as part of her act last night? (Someone emailed me and wanted both the Spanish and English versions.) Well, you will have to ask privately for those. This is only a PG-rated blog (with occasional excursions into R, depending on the swimsuits displayed on the beach.)