Parental Visit Part I

On the 2nd of December my parents, Clive and Wilma flew down from cold, cold Alberta to meet up with us for a two week hiatus from the frigid north. We arrived in the ever growing surf town of Sayulita on the 1st to scope it out before picking them up at the airport in Puerto Vallarta. It was a strange experience picking them up, knowing they had had a quick 5 hour flight from Calgary to arrive there, while we were well into our 4th month of driving! However it was great to see them and we were glad that they didnt have to run the gauntlet of the vulture cab drivers at the airport basically yelling in your face, "Taxi! Cheapest price! Taxi!" That being said, it was highly entertaining watching the vultures attempt to capture thier prey, all the while sticking to some obvious unwritten code of the Mexican Taxi Driver.

We had an amazing stay in Sayulita minus the fact that there really were no waves. the first day we were there we actually had some great waves, but the ocean calmed down to almost snorkeling water for the rest of the week. We had a few sessions in the waves, but it was a challenge with sets rolling in only every 10 miuntes or so and every local and tourist going for the long sought after waves. We did manage to sneak away to the mountains for a great day excursion to the small, very spanish town of San Sebastion and the farming town of Mascota. If you are wondering where we are check out the updated map on the "Route" page!

A plash of color in San Sebastion

A meal fit for... Kings? All the bits and pieces that you don't really want to think about... I think I may pass on this culinary delight

San Sebastion was hosting a chicken farmers meeting and brought in all sorts of amazing looking old Mexican men. 

In Mascota we popped into a small corner store to check out their selection of Tequila. Amidst the rows of large bottles we spotted a glass Coke bottle on sale for just under five dollars. We asked the lady at the counter and she proceeded to take her bottle out that she had hidden under the counter and offered us a sip informing us that it was made locally by the farmers and was very potent! After just a sniff that statement was confirmed and we proceeded to buy a bottle. How can one resist? Its in a Coke bottle!

My parents sweet rental car. A Dodge "Attitude"... a very unfitting name if I do say so myself

 A wild perro (dog)

We stopped at the San Sebastion Tequila distillery and learned tons from Antonio about the process of making Tequila from the Blue Agave plant. It was a fascinating process and the bonus was tasting five different Tequilas including an Amaretto flavored one! Yum!

The Blue Agave plant from which Tequila is made.

Clive's sweet new toy!

Our cute little campground in Sayulita. It felt very strange staying at a real campground for so long. EIGHT nights! But we met lots of great people including Kristel from France (that is her sweet 70's westy in the background!!), Bradon and his girlfriend from Australia that helped us fix our boards! as well as Neil and Will from Liverpool.

My Parents living up the Mexican life!

Strange but true!