Category Archives: Travel

We started out intending to hike at McCrae Lake near Georgian Bay. According to our research this was a relatively easy trail with some scenic views and waterfalls, with one caution that it was very popular and had limited parking, with strict enforcement of road side parking. Given it is the end of the seasonContinue reading “Big Chute Marine Railway”

There is lots to look at around San Sebastian but at some point we must be fed. Mario recommended a restaurant near the entrance to town, called Comedor la Lupita, which he said is popular with locals as well as tourists. As we were there on a Saturday which is a common change over dayContinue reading “San Sebastian del Oeste, Part 5”

San Sebastian was essentially abandoned after the depletion of the mines and the Mexican Revolution and now has few permanent residents. Parts of the town have been restored under a grant program for culturally significant areas in Mexico, designating it as a Magical town (Pueblos Magicos) which is a fabulous name for a government grantContinue reading “San Sebastian del Oeste, Part 4”

Before we arrived at San Sebastian we made one more stop. This was at a small family run plantation that grows and roasts the beans used to make the elixir of life. Entering Cafe La Quinta Mary we were surrounded by coffee trees covered in green beans. We only saw a few ripe red onesContinue reading “San Sebastian del Oeste, Part 3”

After leaving Ixtapa we continued towards the mountains, passing through other small villages and fields where cattle, chickens and roosters were roaming next to or even across the road. We climbed steadily, as we were going from sea level to an altitude of almost a mile, and gained an appreciation for the work involved inContinue reading “San Sebastian del Oeste, Part 2”

Saturday was a big day. After several years of coming to Nuevo Vallarta and looking at the mountains from our balcony, we finally headed off to explore them. The town we headed to, San Sebastian, is about 70 kilometres away from Nuevo Vallarta in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range. As we are not familiarContinue reading “San Sebastian del Oeste, Mexico, Part 1”

Most days while in Nuevo Vallarta we spend a considerable amount of time at the beach. We walk along the clean white sand, one day heading south and the next day north. We go into the ocean, which is as warm in January as our lake at home ever gets in the summer. And weContinue reading “View from the Palapa”

Ken and I are staying at my Aunt’s condo in Nuevo Vallarta, and while here we like to spend a lot of time on the beach. Over the last few weeks we have settled on a favourite palapa to use while we sit and read. We have come to think of Palapa 509 as ourContinue reading “Palapa Wars”

Ken and I decided that it was time for an adventure today so we headed off to explore Puerto Vallarta. Having been told that the bus system was good we walked down to the nearby plaza and were directed by helpful people to the best bus to take. It was a long and noisy ride,Continue reading “Puerto Vallarta adventure”