Yesterday we spent the afternoon and early evening riding along the ridges and cliffs and beach of the Pacific. It was truly magnificent and startlingly beautiful.
The horses were sturdy and sure footed, looking almost like mustangs. The guide was on an Appaloosa. We passed through miles of cactus and brush. One of the cactus trees was 600 years old! We saw abandoned homes left by Americanos, mansions now dilapidated. I wondered if these were a casualty of the Great Recession. But the view from every home was the most magnificent I have seen in a while. The guide said when we reached the top of a cliff that this was his office. I could get used to such an office.
The ranch where the tour starts and ends has several acres but is poor. There were 47 horses and all seemed to be well cared for by the workers. We saw strange looking pigs, very much like a peccary. It was a charming place, like something out of a Western movie. Goats, chickens, ducks also roamed around. I bought a poncho and blanket at the tiny store.
As we drove back through the streets, I was also intrigued by the parts of Cabo where tourists at resorts don't go so much. The little shops and open air food places were fascinating. So many photographing opportunities of real life. I hope to go there this week to take photos. Resort life is comfortable, but I would rather be among the real people who live here. I don't understand coming to a country as full of life as this and only staying by the pool to drink and sun bathe. Seems incredibly lacking in cultural curiosity.
Anyway, here are photos from the ride yesterday. Today we are going sailing for a few hours. I hope I'm not boring you with photos and travelogue babble. I am so glad to be here. I know that I will want to come back again.
nice...what a cool adventure you are on...would love to have been horseback riding along the coast...best the views were magnificient...
ReplyDeleteWhen we go to the Maya Riviera area of Mexico, south of Cancun we always leave the resort for some sightseeing of the local areas. Go into the small towns like Tulum or Puerto Morales. When we wanted to visit Chitzen Itza we found a local transportation company with a van and took 6 of us to the ruins. We ask the driver not to take the main highway but take us on the two lane highways and through the small towns. He really was excited to show us his country and said no one ever asks to see this part of his home.
ReplyDeleteWhen it was time for meals we ask him to take us where he knew was good and they were all local places. Wonderful food and entertainment. At each place he would get the owner and tell them in Spanish that we wanted to have a real experience. They always came to our table introduced not only himself but the whole family.
I haven't been able to understand the people that just lay back at the resort and get an experience they could have at home.
While driving the back way to Chitzen Itza we come upon an Army roadblock. It was the real Federal Army. They all had guns and surrounded the van. The driver told us to just remain calm and no sudden moves. I don't understand Spanish but he explained and I understood he kept saying "tourista". I think it hard for them to grasp because we were off the normal tourist path.
We also drove by a Mexican Prison and he explained what it was like there. Frijoles and tortillas 3 times a day and that's it. Terrible and rough place with many murders inside the walls.
I explained to him in US prison isn't nice but there is TV's, libraries, air conditioning, work programs and educational opportunity. Plus meals must be designed to be healthy and respect religious preferences. He ACTUALLY thought I was joking with him.
Hola from Cozumel where we are about to go ride out into the backstreets, the neighborhoods.
ReplyDeleteOcean, skies, boats, delicious food, sunsets, talking with each other, with people we know or do not know.
Keep enjoying! I love your pictures!
Nice pictures Syd...but the food stand next, please!
ReplyDeleteWOW! what a beautiful place to be!
ReplyDeleteLovely pics and travel is all about meeting people and learning something about other places.
ReplyDeleteOut here, taking photos of poor people from disadvantaged or rural communities is a sensitive issue because it is seen as neo-global voyeurism by rich tourists and intrusive as well as offensive. People in the West would not want to have their home photographed or their children made to pose by strangers from another country. But conversations and listening are welcomed...
Love the travelogue - it's nice to hear you contented and on an adventure.
ReplyDeleteThe pics are terrific...
Mr. SponsorPants
Thank you for sharing the photos! I love the ranches in Mexico, that was one of my favorite parts of being in Cabo. Being at a ranch and the horseback ride through the cliffs and beach... ahhh heaven. I never get tired of reading about your adventures!
ReplyDelete