Barra from Isla de Navidad

I drove over to Colimilla for a garage sale at Pizza-Pizza but there was nothing of interest. Poor guys opened and closed 3 stores in little over a year. Anyway, I hadn't driven into the Hotel Grand Bay for a long time and decided to look around. There are some nice views of Barra and the lagoon as you approach the hotel but not much has changed except a fancy house or two up on the hill. Way over my budget with rooms starting at $250 a night and I have no plans to hob-nob with the stars.

Looking at Barra with a litle of Colimilla in the forground

Barra de Navidad and the jetty looking over the Hotel Grand Bay

Hotel Grand Bay entrance

Hotel Grand Bay Marina

Barra de Navidad Lagoon

These two views of the Barra Lagoon are from Isla de Navidad looking south towards it's head waters. Both Arroyo Seco and the Marabasco River feed into the lagoon. The lagoon is beautiful, a popular moorage but is polluted from mining runoff upstream from the Peña Colorada iron mine in Colima. There is local sewer control so swimming in the lagoon is not an issue - but I would not eat any seafood found there

The bottom foto looks at part of the Playa de Coco peninsula, an area that comes into conflict between the states of Jalisco and Colima because the Marabasco river is the border ... and it changes course between summer and winter. Often in the rainy season the river will enter the ocean near Manzanillo airport because of the large amount of water. During the dry season there is only seepage on the Colima side and the river heads for Barra.

Barra de Navidad lagoon looking south

Looking towards Playa de Coco from Isla Navidad

Barra de Navidad Malecon

Is it really as white-hot as it looks - well almost. It was a very warm day and this was just after I'd walked the beach from Melaque. This was first day using this camera and all my exposures were off. A little photo adjusting came up with this and I think it's pretty cool but different

Barra de Navidad, Costalegre, Jalisco, Mexico

Barra Lagoon to escape Melaque Malagua

This Sunday we headed for the west end of Melaque beach and immediately were told by people and even the restaurant the water was full of Malagua (mal agua or jellyfish). This term refers to any sized jellyfish but here they are small and you seldom see them, you just feel the stings. The kids were only in a few minutes and all had multiple small red sting marks.

Marcos showed up about the time we decided to go to the lagoon in Barra de Navidad. Evidently these little drifting creatures end up along the beach due to wind and wave action and don't make it into protected areas like the lagoon.

So we had to rent a table and pay for parking near the Barra swimming beach ... but it's great for the kids and even Mia (3 years) could flop around in the shallows. Bring your own beer and food ... and mangoes on a stick are only 5 pesos.

Barra de Navidad lagoon swimming beach

A drive behind Jaluco

This is the road to Tequesquitlan with the little town of Almolon along the way. Marcos had not been out in this direction so we were just going to go as far as the new highway under construction and look around. All farmland and even pretty this time of year with irrigation. The highway has not been worked on in this area for well over a year - as you can see.

We were surprised to see a large brick yard just beyond the highway and I attribute it's size to all the construction in the area. At least 8 groups were working on their own bricks and ovens. It's located in a river bed that must have some clay in the dirt used. All materials used are found there except the Cocos to fire the ovens

Road behind Jaluco

The new highway wasting away

The brick yard - building an oven ( horno )

Drying tiles before they are fired

Jaluco, Costalegre, Jalisco

400 Años Centenario del Puerto

"The new monolith on the Malecon is the old monolith from the Jardin. It was a gift from I believe our sister city in the Philippines commemorating Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's 1564 voyage from Puerto de la Navidad (now Barra) to the Pilippines."

1564 - All the zone between ports of Navidad and Salagua (Manzanillo) (In line for supply routes to; Autlán, Ameca, Zapotlán, Amula, Tuspa, Tamazula, Guadalajara, Towns of Avalos, etc.) existed from the activities connected with the construction of ships for the trip to the Philippines. On November 21st, 1564, Miguel Lopez Legazpi, with the title of "Adelantado," along with the friar Andrés de Urdaneta, sailed from Puerto de Navidad to colonize an archipelago in the Far East. Legazpi named the archipelago FILIPINAS in honor of Felipe II, then king of Spain. In 1571 he founded Manila as its capital.

Rebuilding

Finished product

View from the jetty

Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

Tianguis day in Barra

Thursday is Tianguis day in Barra following Wednesday in Melaque. Dora bought the wrong sized pants in Melaque so we went to exchange them and she ended up with two more things. That gave Ron and I time to wander around and get a beer. Later visited Armando and picked up Mike for an early dinner. Ron and Dora's last night in town before heading back to Seattle.

A Tianguis is a traveling market and pretty interesing if you've not been much. I'm kinda worn out on them. The have more tourist stuff over winter but get back to basics in the summer.

Barra de Navidad, Costalegre, Jalisco, Melaque

Ballet Folklórico Xalixco de Barra de Navidad

Saludos desde Barra de Navidad Jalisco!
Nuestro ballet folklórico se inició apenas hace dos años. Somos un grupo independiente sin padrinos ni patrocinadores, por esa razón, notarán que a veces usamos vestuario improvisado. Sin embargo, no nos faltan las ganas de aprender y de tratar de bailar a la pefección. Hemos participado en las Fiestas de Octubre de Guadalajara dos años consecutivos y nos ha ido de maravilla.

Greetings from Barra de Navidad Jalisco!
Our folkloric ballet group was founded two years ago. We're an independent group. We don't have any sponsers; consequently, you will notice that sometimes we use improvised outfits. However, we have the desire to learn and dance close to perfection. We have participated two consecutive years in the October Festival in Guadalajara and we were successful in both ocassions.

*** This week only ***
When: Saturday January 26th
Where: Barra de Navidad square
Time: 7:00 p.m.

What: A festival to benefit the “Ballet Folklórico Xalixco de Barra de Navidad.”

This dance group needs your help to buy a wardrobe from the State of Chiapas. As you know the “Ballet Xalixco” is an independent group that survives with the efforts of the parents of the young members as well as with the good will of people like you. You see them at the Barra square at least 3 times a week putting their heart and effort in learning dances from old Mexico. In spite of its financial limitations, the group is now considered the best in the region and one of the best in the State of Jalisco. Don’t let the ballet remain stagnant with a reduced number of dances with the limited wardrobe that it currently owns. There will be typical Mexican food, beverages and we hope to sell beer and shots of tequila. Of course there will be dances performed by the members of the ballet. Come and enjoy Mexico as it is intended to be enjoyed and while enjoying the performance of these great dancers you help the group buy new outfits.

Email:
ballet_xalixco@hotmail.com
ballet_xalixco@yahoo.com

More Folklórico Xalixco on YouTube