9 Bay Swim–Part 1

FIRST OPEN WATER SWIM OF NINE BAYS OF HUATULCO

 

We are happy to report that on Saturday, November 15^th, 2008, Luis Alfredo Estavillo Chavez successfully completed an “open water swim” of the 9 Bays of Huatulco and “set a new standard” in doing so.  The event was a formal judged and certified by Edgar Pedraza Jiméz.  The following is a very loosely translated  summation by the judge.

 

The past Saturday 15 of November. I am carried out (certified) the crossing in morning swim of the individual swim of the 9 bays by the sportsman Luis Estavillo Chavez, leaving at 7:00 AM from the Bay of Conejos and arriving after 12:24 PM at the Bay of San Agustin . . . . Giving to faith and legality of, I swim the Judge and Director of Association State of Swimming . . .  announce a new sport event in the Bays of Huatulco under the heading of “open water swimming,” and “open” the invitation to any national or international sportsman to try it and to surpass the time established by our friend Luis. It was one pleasing experience to have participated in this project that as much effort him cost to Luis, but obtained the recognition to its effort and tenacity. Greetings to all. Edgar Pedraza Jiménez

 

Luis attempted the swim twice before but was thwarted by severe storm conditions and strong currents on the previous attempts.  On his third and successful attempt, he wisely decided to swim the Bays in the opposite direction of his previous attempts.  Apparently, he still encountered strong currents near the lighthouse and Cacaluta Bay but got through by keeping up his strong pace.

 

The following photo is of Luis receiving certification of his swim from Mr. Edgar Pedraza Jiménez, Judge and Director of the event.

 

 

 

More photos are just a click away —

El Refugio — Coffee Farm Retreat

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

More photos are just a click away —

Pluma Hidalgo — Day Tripping

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/

Silversard and MsSardo — Genuine Tourist(s).com

 

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.

Hurricane Divers — 03-2007 Video of Huautlco

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

Hello world!

 

 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