Started our morning with a cafe de oila, too sweet for our taste buds. I couldn't even finish it. Nonetheless, breakfast was tasty and with a bit of a late start we were cruising downhill, still gliding smoothly on the newly paved road. Another few k's and we were back to the broken roads with achy hands and extreme heat. I knew it was too good to be true. The descent was nice and we could see the rolling hills of the rainforest as the night allowed for the mist to dissipate. Such beauty surrounding us and natural music filling our ears, making every pedal uphill worth it.
My biggest struggle with Mexico is the "machismo". If Ryan and I have some distance between, and especially if I am riding ahead, I get heckled from the small town Mexicans. It starts with a small whistle, the up and down whistle men often give when saying someone looks good. As this happens often, I keep my head forward and try to ignore. More often than not, the whistles continue along with a "chica, chica, chica. CHICA! HOLA CHICA! HOLA CHICA!" And then the whistling starts that is the same high pitched whistle used when getting a dogs attention. Up until this particular descent, I have been patient and simply smile and wave. I think the heat, combined with the disappointment of so many ups when told it was solely down, and ready to arrive in Puerto Escondido, I just couldn't take the heckling and I somehow got really frustrated and annoyed. For those of you who know me, this does not happen often. Poor Ryan had to deal with my mood. I do not understand how the women in this country deal with such men. It is so demeaning and the only way to make them be quiet is to acknowledge them. As a result, I simply raise my hand and keep my head forward, not giving the satisfaction of true acknowledgement. I know this is part of the culture but I was just having a moment. I know, poor me, right? Gosh, as I write this I realize how silly those feelings of frustration are:-)
By 4:30pm, we finally arrived in Puerto Escondido. Another tip for those taking these roads, coco frio is worth a stop. 10 pesos for a fresh coconut and when done with the juice, the woman will split the coconut in half and provide a spoon and hot sauce. Refreshing and delicious. We rode through the busy streets and eventually came across a decent looking room for 150 pesos/night. Bikes and gear taken up to the room, a quick shower and change of clothes and we were off to dinner.
That night we browsed the internet reading reviews for places to stay in the area when we came across a place called Casa de Dan. We sent an email asking if they had availability for 3 nights, needing nothing fancy and something cheap. Within the hour, the owner writes back and says he has one cabana available for just 3 nights. How do we get so lucky?
The next day we gladly packed up and made the few miles south to our new home for a bit of true relaxation. We could not be happier as this place is amazing. 15 or so cabana's and all include a full kitchen. True Mexican style with a thatched roof of palm fronds, two stories with a bedroom upstairs, an outdoor shower and lap pool to cool off in the heat. The cafe attached to the property serves true baja style tacos on Friday's and Saturday's, and has breakfast and lunch all days. An utterly peaceful place for us to rest our legs. We will rank this spot as probably our favorite yet in all of our travels. If you come here, try to plan ahead and reserve a space. Like Dan said, he is booked through the end of March starting Wednesday. Until then, this will be our "home" and we will soak up every second. Books in the hammock, showering outdoors and taking sporadic dips in the pool. Why yes, I think we will. Last night, everyone staying here was welcome to watch the Oscars down in the cafe on the flat screen, sharing snacks while enjoying a little Hollywood entertainment. A great and unexpected way to spend some time.
My biggest struggle with Mexico is the "machismo". If Ryan and I have some distance between, and especially if I am riding ahead, I get heckled from the small town Mexicans. It starts with a small whistle, the up and down whistle men often give when saying someone looks good. As this happens often, I keep my head forward and try to ignore. More often than not, the whistles continue along with a "chica, chica, chica. CHICA! HOLA CHICA! HOLA CHICA!" And then the whistling starts that is the same high pitched whistle used when getting a dogs attention. Up until this particular descent, I have been patient and simply smile and wave. I think the heat, combined with the disappointment of so many ups when told it was solely down, and ready to arrive in Puerto Escondido, I just couldn't take the heckling and I somehow got really frustrated and annoyed. For those of you who know me, this does not happen often. Poor Ryan had to deal with my mood. I do not understand how the women in this country deal with such men. It is so demeaning and the only way to make them be quiet is to acknowledge them. As a result, I simply raise my hand and keep my head forward, not giving the satisfaction of true acknowledgement. I know this is part of the culture but I was just having a moment. I know, poor me, right? Gosh, as I write this I realize how silly those feelings of frustration are:-)
By 4:30pm, we finally arrived in Puerto Escondido. Another tip for those taking these roads, coco frio is worth a stop. 10 pesos for a fresh coconut and when done with the juice, the woman will split the coconut in half and provide a spoon and hot sauce. Refreshing and delicious. We rode through the busy streets and eventually came across a decent looking room for 150 pesos/night. Bikes and gear taken up to the room, a quick shower and change of clothes and we were off to dinner.
That night we browsed the internet reading reviews for places to stay in the area when we came across a place called Casa de Dan. We sent an email asking if they had availability for 3 nights, needing nothing fancy and something cheap. Within the hour, the owner writes back and says he has one cabana available for just 3 nights. How do we get so lucky?
The next day we gladly packed up and made the few miles south to our new home for a bit of true relaxation. We could not be happier as this place is amazing. 15 or so cabana's and all include a full kitchen. True Mexican style with a thatched roof of palm fronds, two stories with a bedroom upstairs, an outdoor shower and lap pool to cool off in the heat. The cafe attached to the property serves true baja style tacos on Friday's and Saturday's, and has breakfast and lunch all days. An utterly peaceful place for us to rest our legs. We will rank this spot as probably our favorite yet in all of our travels. If you come here, try to plan ahead and reserve a space. Like Dan said, he is booked through the end of March starting Wednesday. Until then, this will be our "home" and we will soak up every second. Books in the hammock, showering outdoors and taking sporadic dips in the pool. Why yes, I think we will. Last night, everyone staying here was welcome to watch the Oscars down in the cafe on the flat screen, sharing snacks while enjoying a little Hollywood entertainment. A great and unexpected way to spend some time.
No comments:
Post a Comment