Life's sweetest memories often require
considerable effort in the making. The trip to San Sebastian
is no exception, especially if you travel overland. Some
say that the trip can be made in two and a half hours
from Puerto Vallarta, but that depends on where you start
the clock. The small village of Las Palmas is the actual
starting point. The road from the airport to Las Palmas
is actually quite uneventful. You'll get a look at the
new jail, the university, and the town of Desembocadas
on the road leading to Las Palmas.
Once leaving Las Palmas, you will
be enchanted by the rain forest which will be your companion
for much of the trip. Vallarta Adventures has its famed
CANOPY, which is a series of platforms connected by ropes
that strand through the forest. Their participants age
from "8 to 80," but you may not want to complete
both events on the same day. The road winds and winds
with stops often necessary to allow for passage of a vehicle
going in the opposite direction. God forbid the you would
have a flat tire. A small pond on the left looks very
inviting, but it is quick sand. Teak trees grow on the
right. About midway you approach the canyon with precipitous
drops edging the road. Then there is nature's own infinity
pool, which is an excuse for most folks to stop for a
"breather." From there to the town of Estancia
the road is quite moderate. There are a few family owned
restaurants in Estancia which will please you with an
order of tacos or quesadillas. A few more hairpin curves
and you're almost there.
San Sebastian, some four centuries
ago, was a mining town with a population approaching 40,000.
Most of the workers slept up in the hills on leaves spread
out. Only the jefes were afforded the luxuries of the
town, which did not include bath faciities. Just outside
of town is the San Sebastian airport. Stopping there,
the gate was locked but the Aerotron plane was stationed
there with the cockpit door open. Yelling at the tower
produced a young fellow who informed that "Juan had
gone into town to Christies." Asking how he had got
there, the lad said "he walked." We decided
to follow. Twenty minutes later we were having an afternoon
snack at Christies.Juan advised us that he had to clear
out for he was going to take the short 45 minutes ride
to a Bufa. The latter is a landmark of San Sebastian.
On a clear day you look far below at the shoreline of
Puerto Vallarta. The view, or is it the altitude, literally
takes your breath away.
At one end of town is La Quinta,
a family owned coffee plantation. At the other end is
a home made distillary which produces a clear tequilla
drink called raicia. La Lupitas restauarnt is near La
Quinta. Looking for a place to "bed down" generally
starts in the town square. Our first attempt was a lesson
in Mexican futility. There were 4 or 5 beds to a room
and each bed had its respective price, depending, of course,
on how many people each bed would accomodate. When we
went upstairs to look at rooms on the second floor, and
returned, the prices had inexplicably doubled. We ended
up at La Posada, where the price was a standard 100 pesos
per person. There are 3 or 4 nice little hotels each with
its series of legends. Friends stayed at the inn next
to the Posada. At
midnight they were awakened by a loud knock at the door.
Opening it, no one was there. Ghosts routinely make their
rounds in San Sebastian.
Pachita is an 80 year old poet of
quiet distinction. Her family came to San Sebastian when
she was four. Her verses include "Un Jardin Hermoso,"
"La salida de la Luna," "Madre Tierra,"
and "El Vestido de Jesus Nazareno."Time seems
to stand still in San Sebastian. Even the clock in the
church tower seems to honor that. It has read 20 minutes
after seven since anyone can remember.
And, oh yes, you can take the airplane
to San Sebastian from Puerto Vallarta. It's a less stressful
20 minutes depending on whether you are going or coming.
Returning to Vallarta you'll be treated to a spin along
the south shore. July will see a modernization of the
runway in San Sebastian. All the comforts of home in this
mysterious little town carved out of nature's turf.
A trip to be remembered whether by
land or air.
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