Visit to Tamazulita – April 15 – 16 (2014)
We visited
Alberto and Natie in their new casa this weekend in a lovely pueblo called
Tamazulita. It is two hours from here
and about 1000 feet lower than Jocotepec on the highway 80 which goes to Barra de Navidad.
Alberto has been
an important person during our winters in Mexico. We first met him 5 years ago,
as he was our neighbor in Roca Azul. He is an artist with passionate feelings
about justice, oppression, and someone who shares many of our political and
philosophical ideas.
He knows and
loves this part of Jalisco and each year he has been our guide showing us "off the
beaten track" places usually less than 5 hours away. Several years ago we
explored Tapalpa, also traveled to a steamy river with large cacti on either
side, nearby was a gorgeous canyon in a
state park. Many of the closer towns are famous for coffee, cactus bearing
colourful fruit, handcrafted knives, and Tequila. Each trip with Alberto was
always an adventure including a stop at a family style restaurant that provided
enough food for an army! He knows the best place for ice cream, the most
delightful plazas, and has an eye for beauty and culture.
We were delighted when he met and married
Natie 2 years ago. She is such a sweetheart and now teaches grade school in
their small pueblo of 2000 people. Their almost completed casa is high above
the town with a view of the church, surrounding mountains, a picturesque plaza
and donkeys and horses wandering by. Roberto says it is a nice safe town,
with kind folk. We were impressed with
the cobblestones and freshly painted homes and buildings in bright greens,
oranges and yellows as we meandered up the rough road behind a farm gate
leading to their house. Cows grazed
peacefully on a sloped field, goats rambled around the trees behind the house.
The tranquility and quiet coupled with the warmth and simplicity of their
nicely designed home made us feel welcome.
We experienced
Mexican hospitality as Natie made a traditional Mexican brunch (impossible to
eat all) accompanied by a delicious tea made from anise. Later
on Alberto drove us to a river where thermal water flows into swimming pools,
each a different temperature. Ivan was pleased by this unexpected chance to do
his laps.
Ducks, chickens
and roosters wandered around the campground, kids yelped with glee. I enjoyed a
swim and returned to find Natie preparing a lovely picnic, table cloth and all.
Out of a small cooler came empanadas, a mixed salad with olives & lots of
fresh greens, taco chips, bowls of pumpkin seeds, red wine and a variety of
salsas in containers.
We returned
on a dirt road that went through the small town of San Martin, offering great views of the rolling hills and
mountains that turn emerald green during the summer rains. Alberto is so much
part of the land and local culture it is a joy to travel with him.
It was great
to have a more Spanglish weekend, as Roberto finds speaking English tiring (and
has forgot a lot) and Natie speaks only Spanish.
We left
before noon the next day as our car had some minor problems and we wanted an
early start. I was inspired by their lifestyle. A walk under a full moon and a
sky full of stars seemed preferable to a house full of techno appliances! Alberto and Natie (both artists) are carving
out a new and wonderful life and will soon finish the loft art studio.
We hope one day
we can show them our “off the beaten path wonders” as they would love to visit
us in Canada.
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