Huatulco, Oaxaca — by Genuine Tourist

While on route to deliver school supplies – http://tinyurl.com/4rgwkt – a few days ago, we decided to take “the path less traveled” and visit a waterfall less advertized and NEVER visited by our season guide.  We traveled on a dirt/gravel road through several villages up the mountains above Huatulco for about an hour and one half before we saw the above sign very close to our goal.

We soon arrived at a rope across the road where a small girl, to whom we had previously given school school supplies, charged us each 50 pesos (excluding our guide and his son) to pass and go down a fairly steep, well graded mountain switchback road until we reached a parking area with a shelter house and restrooms.  The same girl wanted to sell us coffee as we were leaving.  I think someone should hire her to run their business! 

We left the car secured and traveled briefly down through a path in a cornfield to reach the area of a mountain stream.  See next photo of my spouse and the son’s guide, Miguel, working their way through the cornfield.

At first, when we got into the mountain ravine and began to follow it up stream, it didn’t seem like we were going to see very much.  Oh, we saw a small stream and some water coming from springs along the mountain side, but that was about it.  But then we saw a mountain pool that we could look right down to the bottom of because it was so clear.

 I thought you might like to see it for yourself, so I took some video and added a bit of audio in my first attempt to narrate videos.  Here is the video of this clear jungle pool.

Just when we thought we had seen all the jungle had to offer, we got a our first glimpse of El Granadillo.

But nothing would have prepared us for the full view and force of it . . . .

And so, we thought you would like to see it too.  Keep playing the video for some audio that follows the video.

And so, we urge you to leave the resorts and B&Bs and go back into the mountains on “day trips.”  We simply contract with a taxi for a whole day once we find someone who has some English skills and some experience with such trips.  We did not go to the waterfalls more visited . . . but rather went to a waterfall that we had never heard about nor had our guide ever visited . . . and WE WERE GLAD we did

Check this blog from time to time, please, as more posts are added in the days ahead by this “Genuine Tourist” in Huatulco, Mexico.  Also posting at — http://www.Genuine-Tourist.com

We traveled to Pluma Hidalgo in the mountains above “old” Santa Marie Huatulco yesterday and discovered a hotel on a coffee farm that is modest in price and offers a retreat from the world.  We met the current owner of the farm, Medardo Rodriguez Pérez, who told us the land has been in the family since 1725.

Silversard, Medardo Rodriguez Pérez, and MsSardo

The Hotel, named “El Refugio,” is place for people to spend three days to two weeks in contemplation, bird watching, hiking, and study.  It could also be used as a “conference” site for a modest group of people serious about generating results in a short period of time.  The hotel has 25 nice rooms with modern private bathrooms, a spacious conference room, a large restaurant, and a deck with a wonderful view of the mountains above Old Santa Marie Huatulco.  If you find yourself in some trouble generating the solutions you need for yourself, your family, or your company, there is even a chapel for you to use as a “first or last” resort

Chapel on the Grounds

Here are a few more photos of this working coffee ranch and hotel.

I mentioned that “El Refugio” is located on a working coffee farm or “Finca.”  So, I thought “mi espousa” should be put to work and become a coffee buyer.  Here is a photo of MsSardo (Patricia) buying some coffee that has been grown organically very slowly under shaded trees  above Santa Marie Huatulco.

MsSardo tasting coffee beans grown under shade organically

As noted, El Refugio is very secluded and can be a place that one has all to yourself for days or weeks at a time.  It has the additional benefit of having a natural fresh water mineral pool used for therapy by some people.  However, it appeared that it was being used by a couple on a honeymoon during our recent visit.  Here are some photos of the pool and the honeymooning guests.

The hotel rents rooms for 250 to 300 pesos per day and has a web site available at — http://hotelrefugio.xauki.com/English.html

But, I thought you might like to see the view before you book, so take a look at the following YouTube video.

The website provides nice suggestions for transportation to El Refugio.  Don’t forget to check out nearby by Pluma Hidalgo when you are in the area.  This blog has another page to acquaint you with Pluma Hidalgo.

Take care and check back from time to time for more postings from this “Genuine-Tourist” also posting at — http://www.Genuine-Tourist.com  — a Yahoo Group for messages and some photos. 

Huatulco is a popular tourist destination for MEXICAN tourists as is clearly evident this Easter (Semana Santa) holiday.  As “Genuine Tourists” we “booked” it out to Santa Cruz to get a look at the ocean since our visit to the area in February of 2007.  It would be an understatment to say we were “startled” by  how filled the beach was with visitors.  You can see for yourself in the following photos.

A popular activity, particularly with the young people, appeared to be riding the “Bananna Boats,” which to us seemed like something fairly new to Huatulco. 

Or better yet, perhaps you would like to go ”out to sea” along with them by clicking on the next “Youtube” video. 

 Santa Cruz beach was not the only busy beach, of course.  We went to the “newest” of two beach clubs on Chahue Beach and saw a similar crowd of “Genuine Tourists.”   Here are a two photos of the “action” at this popular location.

The “old beach club” had the “Corona Girls” performing, much like the scene in Cancun, but “mi espousa” was not very encouraging of me capturing the moment on “film,” and even less supportive about using video!  So, here is a photo of a girl trying to make it to the top of a climbing wall at the “new” beach club.

Check this blog from time to time, please, as more posts are added in the days ahead by this “Genuine Tourist” in Huatulco, Mexico. 

Stephen and Patricia, also posting at — http://groups.yahoo.com/group/huatulco/

In order to raise funds to start industries in a community to buy food for a school breakfast program, the Huatulco Tri Sports Club Civil Association and Luis Estavillo are  sponsoring a swimming event on the 18^th or 19th of August, depending on weather conditions.

Luis will start swimming at 7:00 am from San Augustin bay and end at Conejos bay around 15:00 pm. His arrival will be celebrated at Conejos beach with food and drinks for everyone.  It is a SOLO, NINE BAY SWIM, a total of 23.5 KM or 14.6 miles. 

With “each stroke of his arms, he will take a breath and give breath to children.”

We saw Luis practicing for the NINE BAY SWIM in a previous post accompanied by dolphins, a great sign  –

Luis is now ready to do ALL NINE BAYS in order to raise money to buy food for this school kitchen and breakfast shelter –

Pluma Hidalgo, an organic coffee growing community, is a nice “day trip” through Old Santa Maria Huatulco, across a bridge, and up the mountains.   The road is excellent as seen in the above photo. 

On route, one can stop in Old Santa Maria Huatulco and visit their church building, cemetery, and museum.  Then leaving town, you travel past beautiful scenery, including a waterfall or two, until you arrive at the mountain top village of Pluma Hidalgo.  The next photo shows the community perched on top of a mountain and engulfed in rain clouds.  It was the only time it has ever rained while we were “in Huatulco” and we had to go into the clouds to get wet!

If you want to see what we found in Pluma Hidalgo, go to “Huatulco Photo +” page on this Blog and check out our new page.  But, I will tell you in advance . . . we could not find one coffee bean in the entire village.   You can also get to Pluma Hidalgo by clicking here — http://huatulcoparadise.wordpress.com/pluma-hildago-day-trip/    If you have a few photos to illustrate a day trip, e-mail to me please with a brief description or descriptively labeled files to – Silversard@Genuine-Tourist.com/

Luis is “in training” to do a swim of the 9 Bays of Huatulco.  Now, I always new that Luis swam mornings in the great Pacific Ocean with his faithful dog, but I didn’t know until recently that he was working on a plan to swim all nine bays.  During a recent swim, he had the “unforgetable experience” of being accompanied by Open Water Dolphins on the section from Santa Cruz to Conjeos. Here is a photo of Luis and the dolphins. Click on the photo to see Luis swimming with them  –

 If you go to the “pages” section of this Blog (on the right of the Blog), you can open a page of more photos of Luis making the swim from Santa Cruz to Bahia de Conejos, a distance of approximately 10.5 km.  He reported that the swim took him approximately 3hrs and 50 minutes. He is continuing to train for swimming from the Bahia of San Agustin to the Bahia of Santa Cruz, a distance of approximately 13km.  This swim is planned for TODAY, July 21st or perhaps the 22nd, depending upon sea conditions.  THEN, on approximately August 18th or 19th, Luis plans to swim ALL 9 Bays for a total distance of about 23km.

Now, this event is not really about Luis and his dear spouse Elva.  They believe they have been very blessed in recent years and have a plan in mind to express their appreciation for the good things in their lives.  Pehaps Luis will share more about this plan with us on another occasion.

 http://huatulcoparadise.wordpress.com/luis-alfredo-estavillo-chavez-in-training/

Stephen 

Silversard (Stephen) and MsSardo (Patricia) are two very excited people because WE are just about six months out from living in southern Mexico.  Here is “the Plan.”  We “leave on a jet plane” for Veracruz, Mexico, on 01-29-08, where we will spend a few days snorkelling before traveling by bus to the mountain city of Xalapa.  Upon arrival in Xalapa, we hope to take up residence in the city for one or two months.  We have never been to Veracruz or Xalapa and thought it would be nice to start our retirement in two new places in Mexico. 

After some time in Xalapa, we will travel to Oaxaca City, a city that we have visited several times.   We are interested in Oaxaca City for a possible residence but will be in a “traveler” mode on our first trip, attempting to see more of the “Central Valley” at a more leisurely pace than in times past.   

At some point in our explorations, we may “branch out” from Oaxaca City and travel to Puebla.  We have heard that the city has many nice parks, and we know from experience some very nice people.  Upon arrival in Puebla, we will be at about 6000 feet which should provide some relief from the ”warming” temperatures.  

We may then turn our attention to a small city named Tlaxcala just a short distance to the east of Mexico City.  We would like to meet Bob Cox, an expatriate, who lives nearby and is a professional “genuine tourist” guide.  In recent weeks he has set up his first Yahoo Grupo about Tlaxcal which you can check out at – 

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TlaxcalaTourism/

Of course, it may be even “hotter” by then, so we thought escaping to Tlaxcala at 7,200 feet may be offer some relief.  If not, I suppose we could just go higher Regardless, we will return to Oaxaca City by late May because we will need to fly back to Chicago, USA, in order to re-unite with our family and spend some of the summer traveling in the western USA. 

Our travels would not be complete, however, without spending some time on the southern Pacific coast in Huatulco, near Santa Cruz.  We have been visiting Huatulco since 1998 enjoy its small town, laid back atmosphere.  We hope to spend some time visiting with Roberto and Pauline of Hurricane Divers.  Roberto also recently launched at new Yahoo Grupo website at –

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hurricanedivers/

You might want to check out all of his newly posted underwater videos. 

You can follow us in our travels by checking us out at –

http://www.genuine-tourist.com  

because it will direct you to websites that we are posting on during our travels.  Yes, sometimes it will take you to Xalapa (Jalapa) or Veracruz or Oaxaca City or Tlaxcala or Puebla or Huatulco . . . just try it and see, after January 29th.  Look for messages and photos posted by “Silversard” or “MsSardo.”

Good morning, one more time!

Hurricane Divers is owned and operated by Roberto and his wife literally on the beach at Santa Cruz.  They had the “misfortune” of beginning their business shortly before the only hurricane in anybody’s living memory hit Huatulco and other cities along the southern coast, so they named their new business after the experience.  The ”attached” video features their excellent excursions and also has some nice music.  You can visit Roberto’s new Yahoo Grupo at –

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hurricanedivers/

Stephen — Genuine Tourist, reporting 

 (click on to enlarge photo)

Good Morning Blog Readers,

While this Blog will operate mainly as a photo site, some attempt will be made discuss the “high points” of the Huatulco/southern Pacific area for prospective visitors. 

This post features a photo of La Bocana Beach, which is located about 30 minutes straight east of the Huatulco tourist zone.  Historically, if has been a fairly “neglected,” although it has two or three restaurants.  Recently, I have been advised that a LOT of money is being invested in this far east end of the tourist zone. 

We have always enjoyed spending some time on La Bocana Beach.  La Bocana Beach can be used to learn how to surf, although waves are not always satisfactory.  It is a great place at night to see the “Milky Way” galaxy painted across a dark night sky.  More importantly, it is the mouth of the Rio Copalita, which is a great river to inner tube down from the “interstate bridge” to the “lagoon” just out of sight behind the beach. 

 I will try to put more photos about La Bocana and the Rio Copalita on ”PHOTO PAGES — HUATULCO +” on the upper right hand corner of this Blog in the near future. 

Stephen – Genuine Tourist, reporting

 You have found a companion Blog to the Yahoo Grupo Huatulco Paradise at — http://www.HuatulcoParadise.net

This site will operate as a “Photo” Blog, mainly, because Yahoo, in its “infinite wisdom” has decided to eliminate the ”Photo” section of Yahoo Grupos.  If you would like a photo posted, please e-mail the photo (as an attachement) WITH A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION to me at – Silversard@Yahoo.com  

You can view sample photos by clicking on “PHOTO PAGES — HUATULCO +” on the right hand side of this page.  More pages and photos will be added in the weeks and months ahead.

The Yahoo Grupo website has over 500 members and is active.  Please visit it at –  http://www.HuatulcoParadise.net

Stephen — Genuine-Tourist.com