We have just returned to the beach after a delightful weekend up in the state's capital Colima. We decided to get out of town for a belated anniversary celebration, an early (2+ months) birthday remembrance, and to be away during the carnival festivities that usually involve a disco in front of our house. (I have since heard from Jack that the disco was at the far end of the malecón and that things were really not so bad, but I'm glad we went anyway.) We have never stayed at the famous Hotel Ceballos although we've been in it many times. So this was going to be the weekend we cleared out.
We treated ourselves to lunch at Dago's before we hit the road. He does make the BEST fish tacos among the many puestos and these did not disappoint.
The drive up to the city takes about 45 minutes. On the way up you can see the twin volcanoes in the distance, one is hot and the other cold. While we were there the hot one let loose with quite a show (although we didn't see it). This is from the morning's paper.
Our first chore was to stop by the equipal store to check on the progress of the repairs to our sofa and love seat. Remember them? Absolutely nothing has been done since I took them in over a month ago. Why? The fabric I wanted is no longer available. Did anyone think to call me and tell me this? Blink, blink, uh no. OK, let's choose a new one, although I had my heart set on that one. NONE of the fabrics in the sample group I was browsing except one was available, and I'm not crazy about that one. But what's to do? Then Brenda ~ the owner ~ tells me it will be at least six weeks MORE before the pieces are done. I remind her she has already had the furniture for 4 weeks, she could have called me any time to straighten this out and that I want it by the end of March. Blink, blink, ok.
With that taken care of we drove off to the hotel to get settled in and start our weekend's festivities.
This magnificent old colonial hotel was built in 1861, enlarged several times over the years, modernized, and finally joined the Best Western chain about 10 years ago. Its original design was the typical "hacienda" style with the rooms all opening onto a central courtyard that was open to the sky. That courtyard is still there but now it's a dining room. The ceilings are about 15' high, walls a foot thick; it's always cool and quiet.
This was the hallway leading to our room. We took a room in the back, overlooking a lovely green garden rather than a place on the street. This was the view out of our lovely wrought iron and glass doors. That space used to be a little cafe called La Paloma where we had lunch with our friend Peggy the first time we ever came up to Colima back in 1990.
We ate a light supper in the hotel's cafe and made it an early night. Actually, I was exhausted from the sofa negotiations!
Saturday morning we walked out to do some errands and get breakfast at Los Naranjos (the orange trees) where we have eaten several times; it's a favorite spot when we're downtown.
Sighted hanging on the side of a building: hammocks, anyone?
Next was a trip out to Home Depot® (they're everywhere) for things we can't get in any of the local ferreterias such as a good shower head, garden hose (the one we bought turned out to be too small for the well feed; Mr. C is wrestling it into submission right now) and a big box of MiracleGro® to keep the plants happy. Those things accomplished we drove out to El Trapiche, home of La Cerveceria de Colima, a small brewery Neighbor Nelson told us about. I think one of the J Boys found it and passed along the info. I've had their beer and my favorite of the three flavors is the IPA called Paramo. Absolutely delicious. It wasn't open and we have a case of empties to return so I guess we'll just have to go back, alas.
For dinner we went to an Italian place called, appropriately, La Pasta. Interesting. We went at 7, were the ONLY people there the entire evening, sat pretty much in the dark, our table lit (dimly) by a holder with a tea light. Sixties and 70's music playing in the background; Simon and Garfunkel, Boz Scaggs, Carley Simon. But the food was wonderful; tender house-made pasta, good olive oil-based sauce with herbs and tomatoes, fresh shrimp (for me) and clams (for Mr. C0. It was just sort of creepy to be the only patrons in this dark, gloomy place that came well recommended. Then we asked them to call us a taxi and it took at least 30 minutes for one to show up. What followed was a hair-raising dash back to the hotel. I was tempted to kneel and kiss the ground when we got out.
The hotel has a lively and comfortable sidewalk cafe where we had breakfast this morning. To the left is the beautiful cathedral.
Directly in front is the central jardin with its ornate gazebo and bright white wrought iron benches, lots of flowering bushes and trees. A lovely place for a Sunday morning stroll.
By the time we finished eating it was time to pack up and bid adios to this gracious, charming hotel. We headed for WalMart for some grocery shopping and then drove home. It was such a lovely, restful break after the hecticity(?) of the remo, the workers in and out of the house, getting things put away and then returned to their rightful spots. I'm now ready to enjoy the next five or six weeks before we have to pack up again, this time to return home.
1 comment:
such a wonderful post!
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