Oh Mexico....

Where do I even start....ok....so this weekend we went to Mazamitla, a town about a 3 hour bus ride from Guadalajara (in the mountains). Our adventures began with a 20min taxi ride to Wal-mart where we bought groceries for our meals. This was on Friday....we would be in mazamitla until Sunday afternoon...about 2.5 days...if that. We walked out of walmart, Cruz and I with backpacks, a oversized shoe bag and our purses. Sony and Gabby each had a soccer bag and a purse. On top of this we were each carrying two grocery bags full of food! So we decided on a taxi to go the 2 blocks to the bus station. We get there and it turns out our bus leaves from the other station...across town!!!! So we hop in another taxi and take the 20min ride to the other station. Luckily the bus was there and we left a minute after buying our tickets.

Finally we arrived in the "Magico Pueblo" and found our cabanna. It was pretty sweet with 2 rooms, 5 beds, a kitchen and living room with 2 bathrooms. So that night we walked the 2 miles into town and just kinda walked around the downtown part since everything was closed. Saturday morning we woke up around 11am. After Sony and Cruz showered the shower stopped producing hot water. Not because it was out because the kitchen had hot water. So we waited an hour for a man to come and look at it and test the water and say that he had to call someone to fix it. By this time it was past 1pm so Gabby and I took buckets of hot water from the kitchen and used them to shower in the bathroom. We would have done the whole cold shower thing but it was too cold. So around 2pm we finally set out for this waterfall. Well during our 2 mile walk into town we tried our hardest to get a taxi but for some reason none would take us to the path to the waterfall. Once in town it started to rain but we forged ahead. After another mile it was pouring and the thunder and lightening began. At this point we decided to stop and eat in a resturant hoping the storm would pass. Once we ordered the sun came out. Once we paid the bill...it clouded up. As we got to the path to the waterfall we had three choices...1. walk the 45min-an hour to the waterfall or 2. rent a horse for $14 both ways 3. rent the horse for $8 one way. We chose the round trip horse. The path to the waterfall was tricky. There were hills with rocky muddy paths where the horses sometimes slipped...and then there were places that were pretty smooth where we could get the horses to trot and even gallop a little. At one point we crossed a stream and my house, Cuervo and Gabbys horse decided to head up stream for a drink and some digging in the water where it went past their knees. It was quite an experience. Once we got to the waterfall it began to pour and when I say pour...I mean pour so hard the roads flood. Oh and yes there was thunder and there was lightening and definatly some hail. We had 30min to look at the waterfall and then we had to head back. Our guide said we could try and wait out the storm but there was no end in sight so we decied to brave the storm. So imagine riding a spanish speaking horse...through a downpour...with hail...thunder....lightening...on a road that has an inch of water covering it....up and down hills. I can`t say that I really felt safe and comfortable at this point...yet I will never forget it. By the time we get back we are soaked. Like no dry spot on my body. I could squeeze cups of water out of my sweatshirt. At this point as were standing shivering at the stables, Sony tells us taxis will not pick us up because we are wet. So we decided to ask the men how much for someone to take us home on the horses! Immediatly its as if we have started a war. See they dont get much business here so any chance to make money they jump on! There were about 15 guys yelling things in Spanish as the price kept getting lower and lower. The first guy said 40 pesos ($4) then it was 30 peses...and finally it stopped at 20 pesos ($2 a person for the 3mile ride home!). So we got on...2 people per horse and a young boy led us the whole way back to the cabannas. Who needs a taxi when you can just take a horse! Oh Mexico. Upon arrival to our cabanna we decided to buy some wood so we could build a fire. For a mere $5 we got about 20 logs and some kindling. We did have to buy another bunch but the fire lasted long enough to dry out all of our clothes and warm us up. I will try and attach some pictures later as this computer is not the fastest.