Barras de Piaxtla and Petroglyphs

Saturday, February 19th we packed up the van, Ollie jumped in, and we picked up our friends. We then headed up the Autopista, the toll road, to Barras de Piaxtla for a short change of pace vacation. The approach to Piaxtla is unusual as the exit is not marked. At the 59 kilometer mark you drive under an overpass, exit the highway and find a narrow dirt path. You follow this one lane path until you hit the road that takes you back over the Autopista and towards Piaxtla. The house we were going to is about 7 kilometers, 4 1/2 miles. The road is narrow, dusty, and marked with major potholes, rocks, etc. We averaged about 15 MPH driving this road. Along the roadside were thickets, cactus, hawks and vultures perched watching us and probably hoping that we would break down.

We finally arrived at Piaxtla. The first thing you see is their Little League baseball field. There is no grass and is very rocky, but is used often. Once inside the village we turned uphill to the house where would would stay until Tuesday. A woman from next door had the keys and turned on the propane so we could cook. The house is comfortable with two bedrooms and a patio that overlooks the beach and bay. There is a long, flat beach that ends at a working lighthouse. On the beach are fishing boats, most in need of paint jobs. These are working boats. Piaxtla is primarily a fishing village with approximately 450 residents. When we walked in the village we saw fisherman unloading their catch in large milk crates. Piaxtla is on a peninsula with sand beaches on both sides. The streets are dirt and the homes small and basic. There were a lot of kids around. Our friend always carries candy in his backpack and passed out a lot to the kids. Although you could tell that most lived at a subsistence level the kids looked healthy, happy, and well cared for. At least twice they called out, "there is Santa Claus". For some reason in Mazatlan and now in Piaxtla, Mexican children seem to think I look like Santa with my bushy, white beard.

Our days just seemed to pass. My firend and I took the fishing poles out every morning, but we seemed to leave the fish for those that needed to make a living from them. The two ladies spent a lot of time with their water colors trying to capture the ambience of Piaxtla.

There was a small cafe named La Jardin that was owned by a gringo surfer named Danny. He had arrived in Piaxtla ten years ago, married a local girl, and has had several businesses. We stopped there for some powerful Margaritas, but never ate there. We ate only one meal out at El Mirador which was next door to our house and had a huge deck overlooking the bay with views to die for. We were the only customers and had a three hour lunch. We also saw an interesting Bed and Breakfast, Cabanas de la Rosa, owned and operated by a woman originally from Bellingham, Washington. The B & B is a work of art. She has made all the furniture, done all the inlay work, and built the casitas. If you wish to stay on the beach and feel like you are in Mexico I would recommend this place. http://www.larosadelasbarras.com/

Among the sights were arches carved by the water through rock. When walking Ollie on the beach we kept a close eye on him as the vultures and Cooper Hawks seemed to lick their beaks when flying overhead. On our last day we returned to the Autopista and drove back to the 50 kilometer marker to exit the highway to view the Petroglyphs. These are carvings in the rocks dating back to around 1000 A.D. The rocks were strewn all over a beach. Janice took around 100 different pictures of all the petroglyphs but following are a few we saw of the markings. Some had heads that looked like space aliens and others were familiar designs that you now see on handicrafts. They all have a place in an ancient religion. In March at the Spring Solstice they have ceremonies by the descendants of the carvers. 

We enjoyed a time of relaxation without TV, phone, or internet. The only issue was there was no hot water where we stayed, so sponge baths or cold showers were necessary. After driving home and dropping our friends off, we showered and I took a dip in the pool. Mazatlan is home and I have a feeling that we would get restless if we stayed a long time, but this was a welcome slowdown from our busy lives.