Agradecida en La Manzanilla!!

Well, Mrs. Jones has been wrapping up an awesome 2019 in a special way in THE most special place, La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico at CoconutsbytheSea.com!! Quick back story – this is not just any funky, fun, boutique hotel on the West Coast of Mexico… This all began when the in-laws packed up an RV in 1992 and drove south… way south. They then fell in love with a little Coconut cove beach called Boca De Iguanas. This required Mrs. Jones to visit the in-laws and stay in a tent on the beach with any combination of breast feeding, toddling, ear-infected, chaotic mess of four children numerous times per year coming up on twenty seven years now… A tsunami took out the RV park and the in-laws moved to high ground! Let’s kick this thing off with what they have built in those years!

Mrs. Jones is caught in a rare state of confusion on how to adequately give this place it’s due… Ok, so walk three miles down the beach and you will stumble upon a little fishing village named La Manzanilla. Let’s get this straight… you are not in Cancun or Cabo. This is the real deal, a town loaded with smiling faces, happy children, dusty roads, bright flowers, fishy smells, creative motor vehicles, and great food! Have a look;

And, the people… After twenty seven years Mrs. Jones knows all The Who’s who in town, like Marta the doctor/pharmacist, and Lidia with all the great Gringo food, and on and on…

And also Ebert, the fisherman who never lets you down…

Coconuts by the Sea has five individual Casitas, a beautiful wrap around porch, outdoor showers, indoor showers, private balconies… Every morning Mrs. Jones was greeted by Alejandro’s morning delivery of fresh coconut. This place is truly, truly special. Another tip, if you’re a little squeamish about creepy crawlies, well you’ll just have to drip dry.

Not all of the animals are little buggers, though…

That tejon visited us as we soaked in the pool, those horses busted loose from somewhere and were seriously happy to be kicking up their heels, that kitty is Liddy, a pet that’s really weird looking, and finally Pancho – Pancho has now been corralled in an enclosure in town specifically for all the big crocs. He’s the biggest and when Mrs. Jones was chasing her spastic children all over the beach in the olden days, Pancho would lay on the bank of the river that ran through the RV park. Yep, we go way back! But there was always assurance from the locals that he only eats dogs. So, that ended Mrs. Jones anxiety right on the spot (?) Nope, she never trusted that big croc.

Another tip is a great undiscovered surfing beach called Arroyo Seco, check out the guys being cool…

So, does Mrs. Jones seriously walk six miles round trip to visit town? Well, no. She did a few times, here’s proof;

It’s now time to fess up to The Gator! (Not Pancho)

This is how we ride right down the beach and then cut up a path near town through the Cemetery, it’s a very interesting cemetery…

And, once again a fantastic expat community as Badass as the crowd in San Miguel de Allende! Greg and Pam host the football parties for all the Seakhawk fans (of which there are many) in their gorgeous hillside home with a huge palapa roof. Turns out a huge Palapa roof sometimes gets pigeons… A very creative Greg chasing them out with a homemade tool…

A sunny happy Beach Day at Tenacatita (known for great snorkeling) with this birthday girl, Pam!

Let’s not forget that this is November and Thanksgiving time… Let’s go a little crazy for a minute with the family, the food, and the love! Just a short walk from Coconuts is Chantli Mare where the food and drinks Oceanside are outstanding!! Many of these walks were made both day and night…

Here’s a taste of what was cooked up at the homestead! There is a Costco a few hours away for your beef needs, and the fish is fresh caught!

And, sometimes the nights looked like this…

And lots of the days looked like this…

Mrs. Jones was able to wrangle fifty percent of the offspring to Grandma’s little beach front resort for Thanksgiving!!! Thankful really doesn’t even come close…

So, Adios 2019! Finishing out with some random pics of more love and food. Bienvenidos 2020!! Bring out whatever you got for us, because once again, We Got This!!