Home Pursuits and a Tour to a Mountain Town

 

Frosty mornings this week, but sunny skies. I won't complain at all as I much prefer the brighter days, even if chilly, to dull grey and rain for days on end. The Hellebores are blooming, and the snowdrops. 

Since returning home earlier in the week there's been laundry to do, groceries to purchase, and cooking. Soup, granola, brownies, plus regular meals. It's good to get back to my own way of eating. 

One sunny morning in Mexico we boarded a sprinter-van with three other couples and drove out of Puerto Vallarta (PV) to San Sebastian del Oeste, an old silver mining town. I learned that PV was once the port for shipping the silver back to Spain in the time of the conquistadores. The road up the mountain was very steep in places, narrow and winding around dry canyons and dusty mountains. Our guide gave a running commentary on the landscape and economics of the area we drove through.

We stopped at an artisanal tequila factory just across the bridge in the above photo. I'm not fond of tequila, and tasting it in the morning just seemed silly. The other couples happily sipped away. Next stop was La Quinta Mary, a family-run coffee plantation where they grow, roast, and sell their coffee beans. I'm not a coffee drinker, but we purchased a bag of coffee beans to grind and serve here at home. The rest of the family loves coffee. 

San Sebastian is a well-preserved town with cobblestone streets, adobe houses, and colourful bougainvillea draped over walls and softening the landscape. 

Through the arch above is the original jail for the town, a dark and damp place. One bed is still there, used by the night watch. 

The local church was light inside, very pretty with blue and white walls and ceiling. Saint Sebastian is venerated as the patron saint of athletics, archery, and plagues. That's quite the portfolio. January 20 is his saint day and the town was gussied up with bunting in red and white. 

Wandering through the streets with narrow passageways, wooden gates, and tiles roofs reminded us both of the mountain villages in Ecuador. Isn't that blue sky beautiful?

The tour included a delicious lunch eaten on a shaded patio. A quesadilla, beans, fresh corn tortillas, chicken with molé sauce, and of course, rice. Fresh guava water was a refreshing accompaniment. 

We've found that taking tours is a great way to learn more about the places we visit. We use Viator - a platform that coordinates with local guides who are very knowledgeable. It's all done online. Our tours in Iceland last summer were organized this way, too. 

I'll be puttering in the house today, but definitely going outside to enjoy the sunshine!