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Published: February 21st 2014
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Wednesday was a travel day...bus from Mazamitla to Colima...bus from Colima to Tecoman, bus from Tecoman to Armaria, taxi from Armeria to our hotel in Cuyutlan....about 6 hours altogether.
We rode through the mountains, into lush valleys, and back up into the mountains. Outside of Colima, we began to descend to the ocean, and caught sight of the active Colima volcano. Unfortunately, the top was hidden by clouds...
We passed through miles of coco palm plantations, and arrived in this small, somewhat deserted beach town, Cuyutlan. Many of the buildings look abandoned or at least closed up. Our hotel reopened under new management only three weeks ago, and is trying hard...it is nearly full it seems, perhaps because there are few other options on the beach. This hotel is on the malecon (beach promenade) and beyond the malecon are dozens of seafood stands, and then the beach. We are on the second floor, so we have an ocean view from our room and patio.
I ran about 20 minutes down the beach this morning and only saw three other people, all women. One was an American who lives here and could answer some questions I had. She told
me that swimming is dangerous here, but you can play in the edge of the surf. The water is very warm, so it's tempting to go in! This is a black sand beach, so it will be hot to walk on once the sun's been on it for awhile....it was great to run on barefoot this morning though...
On the advice of the woman I met while running, we spoke with a real estate agent who also owns a hotel/restaurant here about short term rentals...there is nothing close to town with both a pool and wifi... The agent, Olivia, drove us down to the Turtle Rescue Center and showed us the area she's helped develop here...beautiful homes!
We arrived at the Turtle Rescue Center along with a school group. Some of the teachers were wearing "Serve and Correct" t-shirts. When I asked an American teacher with the group about the meaning, she said they were tongue in cheek! The school group released about 40 baby turtles...and we got to hold one! They were olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea).
We walked back from the Turtle Rescue Center, having no other option (Olivia had offered to come back
Waiting for the bus to Colima
We had the first really bad meal of the trip for breakfast...I bought some chemical laden snacks at the OXXO across the street...Matt: I miss the Japanese snack shops! for us, but we didn't want to bother her). It was a warm hour walk back....followed by swimming, beers and quesadillas on the beach, and a nap...
We ate at Olivia's restaurant tonight at the Fenix Hotel (been in her family since 1935)...great meal! She told us that the big old hotels like ours and hers were built in the 30's. The town had its heyday in the 40's....Olivia has been working hard to bring more tourism and ex-pats here, to provide jobs for the town. The only other industry is salt production, and from the look of the salt workers shacks, that does not pay well.
We booked two more nights here....very relaxing place! But it might get busy on the weekend....we will see!
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