Barras de Piaxtla for a ride.

 

                                           On Wednesday I was out on a ride for the first time in a few weeks.  The last ride which I didn't post, but still might was to La Noria and El Recodo and the next day I was sick.  Sore throat and dry cough and then not well for two weeks.  Eric was a few days behind me and we were pretty flat out.  Eric has been out a couple of times but this was my first in awhile.  Back in 2013 Frank/Sandi, Marilyn, Dennis and Marilyn and Wally and us went on a trip to Barras de Piaxtla and then the petroglyphs.  I will share that post so you can see it as well.  It was on Blogger but at that time I wasn't on Facebook so most people haven't seen it.  So off we went. 

This is where we had lunch at El Richard.  La Rosa de las barras is where we didn't get fed the last time we were here😁

It is still a convoluted trip to get to the free road.  They are working on the north exit bridge and we noted that the stringers are up. The red dot is to force Google maps to go the way I want!

In the distance you can see the white bridge taking shape. 

Perhaps it will be ready by the time we leave in April but I'm not holding my breath!

In the fall the pink trees were in bloom and now they are blooming again.  Maybe they're confused. 

On Highway 2 from the free road to Estacion Dimas where we cross the the toll road there is lots of construction but no one seems to be working on it.  Common to Mexico and North America too!  Eric said they could have been waiting for the stringers to be constructed.

Huge agriculture here and everything is very green. 

We went left when we entered Dimas and what used to be a gravel road is now paved which is nice. 

In the distance Barras de Piaxtla. 

A little house in the country.

In the village it isn't paved and when Eric was here a few weeks ago it was loose sand but it has rained since then and must have packed down.  

We noticed everyone is building tourist accommodation and maybe it's because the road is paved now.

That's a fancy one!  Barras de Piaxtla is on a point on the inside of the bay.  

Up ahead El Richard is where we ate lunch. 

Getting parked. 

It was pretty noisy when we got there and Eric had to search for the waitress.  The restaurant owner was busy building tourist accommodation but he did stop while we ate lunch. 

A pretty little spot and since it's on the inside of the bay it's not too windy or rough.  There was a huge amount of pangas pulled up on the beach. 

El Richard which Eric found on a previous trip. 

Everyone has a small moto!

The menu and you will see the more than reasonable prices. 

The pelicans were all sitting next to the pangas hoping for a hand out.  

Selfie.

I've decided I like the Topo Chico which is carbonated mineral water.  With a little bit of lime it's pretty tasty.  

For me two tacos capeado.  Caped and not rolled. 

Eric had three and...they were full of shrimp and a bargain at 35 pesos each.  Certainly cheaper than Mazatlan.

The red truck had backed down onto the beach to load coolers of seafood from a panga that they'd come in on.  Eric did see that they had some small langustas or crayfish in english.  Mexican lobster!

Lunch was excellent and relaxing sitting on the beach and then it was time to head home.  As we were close to the point the ocean was right on the opposite side of the road coming in. 

Back on the free road and heading south and there is a nature reserve that has cacti of some sort. 

Some sort yellow blooming bush everywhere.  I didn't do a lot of on the road pictures as we've made this trip quite a few times and itdoesn't need to be redone.  A really nice ride and a delicious lunch.  

Schubert's unfinished symphony and Beethoven's 5th symphony....Da da dum!

Sunday was the last concert of the Camerata Campbell season at the Angela Peralta theater and it was a good one.  Gordon Campbell conducting the ....Camerata Campbell orchestra. It was close to a full house. 

Here Gordon is giving us a little history on the music.  Schubert in the first half and Beethoven in the second.  

The Cello player. 

A standing ovation.  The first half was good and the second half was great.  

Off down Carnival to Chon's for lunch and this beautiful tree was in full bloom. 

Can you believe this is a parking garage!

The camera store with a taco stand outside. 

Chon's, and it was full...what now?

We wandered a block south and a block east and Eric found Marde Fondo on Mariana Escobado.  It just said restaurant and not Marde Fondo!

A large open air restaurant in a space that was once a building.  Not very busy when we came and full when we left.

I decided on something different and ordered Campechano which had shrimp, octopus, clams and oysters in a spicy broth.  The chopped vegetables went on top. Very good!

Eric ordered one fish and one shrimp blue corn tortilla tacos and he said they were very tasty and nicely presented. 

It was a very pleasant lunch in a lovely space.  Lots of efficient staff unobtrusively clearing dishes.  They always had their eyes watching...from a distance to see if we needed anything.

See...it only says restaurant!  A secret 😋

We've been catching the bus a few blocks south of the market because it has become so full and hard to get a seat.  The green or "gringo" bus is the only one that goes from Playa sur and centro to the Cerritos area where we live.  That's the Waldo's or "this and that" store across from the main market Pino Suarez where you can buy vegetables, chicken, seafood, meat, clothes, have lunch and much much more.

We had a lovely afternoon with a wonderful concert and a new restaurant that we'll return to.

The last supper of the season... with long time friends.

On Saturday the eight of us got together for the last dinner of the season.  I may have mentioned before that Frank/Sandi, Connie/Manny, Dennis/Marilyn and Eric and I have been friends since 2009.  We met in a Pemex parking lot in Los Mochis, Sinaloa.  The eight of us had all been parked in our RV's in the Totonaka RV park in San Carlos, Sonora but Eric and I didn't know any of them.  They were travelling together and we were alone on our first trip to Mazatlan in our RV.  Sandi sent Frank over to get us to come and have happy hour in their motorhome with all of them and...the rest is history.  We all ended up in the Las Jaibas RV park and have been friends ever since.  Us from B.C, Marilyn/Dennis from Alberta, Frank/Sandi from Iowa and Manny/Connie from Oregon.  Eric, Frank, Manny and Dennis at the men's BS table!

Manny's chatting to Dennis while he checks on dinner. 

We ladies were at our own gab table out by the pool.  

Lots of important stuff being discussed. 

We all sat around for an extended happy hour until it was time for dinner. 

Marilyn and Dennis cooked " comfort food " on Saturday night and boy was it good!  Roasted pork with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, buns and caesar salad.  Marilyn forgot the salad in the fridge but brought it out in time to eat!  Delicious carrot cake for dessert. 

Manny and I!

Connie, Sandi and I!  

Me with Manny and Dennis. 

This is Connie's timed photo of us all.  Frank looks like Cleopatra with a " come hither" look on his face!!

They're looking at the group photo and howling at Frank,  even Frank's laughing!

A big chuckle from everyone.  

Frank and Sandi left for Phoenix the next morning and will return in November.  We had a great evening with lots of laughs, old stories and great food.  Thanks Marilyn and Dennis for a lovely evening.