Not Quite New Years

Despite the fact that this was the fourth day in a row where the skies were threatening rain, we took another short jaunt to La Manzanilla.  Once again the bus was packed and we all had to stand and hold on for the entire trip over.  We got off at the usual spot and walked to the area where the crocodiles could be viewed. 

La Manzanilla is noted for its crocodiles and today we weren't disappointed.  We counted over ten big crocs in the immediate viewing area and were able to get a couple good photos of them as they laid in the murky water. I thought I got the money shot, but it turned out to be blurry once I got home and was able to off load it to the computer.

After the croc viewing we walked through the town and did some comparative shopping.  We found the same items that we see everywhere, but they were quite a bit more expensive in this town, I guess it is because of the long flat beaches or something.

The money shot gone bad!

We stopped for lunch at Pedro's Fish Tacos, but this time our lunch was not quite as relaxing as before.  We walked in and sat down and immediately all of us started coughing and hacking.  It was like we were all sprayed with mace!  Pedro came running out, trying his best not to cough, and explained that they were cooking the hot peppers that they use in there salsa and other foods.  He said it would stop in a couple minutes.  We stood up and moved out onto the beach where there was a bit of a breeze.  Pedro ran back into the kitchen and then returned and explained that he turned on a fan that would blow the toxic smoke away.  The air cleared and we were able to sit down.

The minute we sat down we were swamped by beach hawkers.  They flocked around our table trying to sell us everything from bikini swimsuits to big old dorado.  It was the worst I have ever experienced in Mexico.  It got so we would just sit there and say "no".  We even practiced a coordinated head shake with all our heads saying no in unison.

I kind of got the worst of it.  I sat on the right side of the table and that seemed to be the personal boundary of a rubber beach ring hawker.  She appeared out of no where and place a stack of about thirty blow up beach rings right in front of my view of the Bay of Tenacatita.  Linda got up and moved the pile and got sort of scolded by the lady.  It seems that Linda had moved the pile into another hawkers territory.

To avoid any further tension we moved our drinks and gear to a table at the very front closest to the water.  This put us directly in the fly zone for all the beach sales personnel and we spent the rest of the time shaking our heads no. 

The experience was not over for me though.  The beach ring lady kept moving her stack of rings further out and closer to me.  It was like a Saturday Night Live skit! I would look over my shoulder and the minute I look back to the sea she would move the pile closer.  I felt like any moment I would hear "pizza delivery" coming from the stack and a Christmas tree branch would slash out and stab me when I looked at the tubes.

Our meal came and was just ok.  Later when we got home, Bill started feeling a little sick.  We probably won't eat there again, at least not on a big holiday weekend.

Our bus ride home was a non event. Bill and Teri headed back quickly due to Bill's bad stomach and Linda and I went shopping for New Year's Eve dinner. I will take some pictures of the fireworks and post them.  Feliz Año Nuevo!