Manzanillo, Mexico

 Sea Date, January 29, 2024

Manzanillo is the "Sailfish Capital of the World", the busiest and biggest port in Mexico and has the beach where the famous 10 Bo Derek scene was filmed. We arrived too late in the day for a sailfishing trip.

Some you win, some you lose.  Today, I was a loser in the excursion I selected.  As many of you know, I spend way too much time researching each country and each port. Choosing how to spend the day is always excruciating. But I am usually happy with the choices I make.  Not so today. We spent 5 1/2 hours on a bus for 1 3/4 hours of sightseeing.  Ah well.  I had decided to leave the coast and go into the highlands of Mexico, returning in time to the old villages.  The tour left at noon and according to the description we would tour and then stop for a heavy snack at 5 PM.  We ate a big lunch. As soon as the bus pulled away, our guide announces our first stop will be at the restaurant.  A 2 hour drive later we stop to eat. Not hungry but very delicious Mexican snack and the local alcoholic drink ponche. Gran Ponche Mexicano is a traditional drink of Comala, Colima Mexico. Gran Ponche Mexicano is a delicious combination of pomegranate and hibiscus flower, elevated by a light sweetness from sugarcane in the rum base. Enjoy chilled or in your favorite cocktail.

Next we stop for 15 minute at a coffee shop since this area is known for its coffee beans.

Off to Nogueras.  We visited a very small but interesting museum. The highlights are ceramic sculptures from 200 BC to 600 AD. Artist Alejandro Hidalgo discovered locals were pirating local graves of indigenous people and selling the sculptures.  In order to preserve the pieces for Mexico, he bought them and began this museum. For more info: 

https://www.gomanzanillo.com/features/Nogueras%20Museum/index.htm

Next brief stop, the lovely village of Comala.

                                                            Manzanillo Sailfish

                
                                                                        Ponche
    
                                                           Bernrd, Father Tom

        
                                                                    The Volcano
                                
                                                                        Hacienda
             
                                                        Church next to hacienda



    
                                                             Famous Dancing Dogs



    
                                            Now extinct, Chihuahuas descend from these dogs.

    
                                                    Cathy and Jim off on another world cruise.



      
                                                                     San Miguel 







                                                                    Two Volcanoes

                                                                Night Sky

                                                              Gilmore Girls Moment in Colama


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