Weekend in Colima.

This weekend we decided to take our first multi-day trip to Colima City. Colima City is in the State of Colima, kind of like New York, New York. It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here. We left on Friday morning about 10:30am. To get there we traveled on toll roads which were well worth the 200 pesos we spent. On the way back we went on the free road half the time and it was much longer and windier, though I admit prettier. After looking for someplace to eat for about and hour (I have no idea why it took so long, but it did), we finally gave up and ate some fried chicken at the Sorriana (sort of like Walmart). Then we looked for a hotel. In doing research for the trip, I found a list of about 10 hotels in Colima, but none with online reservations, so I figured with our lack of Spanish skills we would probably be better off finding one once we got there. Just out of town we found a place labeled "Motel" called Quinta del Fuego. The prices were 300 pesos for a single, 400 for a single with jacuzzi and 700 for a double. They showed us to their biggest room which was like a suite with 2 seperate bedrooms and a huge jacuzzi in the living room for 700 pesos. It also had a private garage for the car. There was no key to the room or garage, it was all opened by remote control or a button. Dave's theory is that it was so cheap because it is a druglord's private home, but he lets out rooms for tax purposes. Tonight at home, the kids unanimously voted the hotel as the best part of the trip.

After settling in we went downtown to have a look around and visit the tourist office. I knew about a few things in the area to visit, but hadn't settled on an agenda. The kids didn't last long, but we walked around the city's three plazas and bought a new English/Spanish Dictionary, as we had forgotten ours at home.

After consulting brochures, we decided to visit some ruins, a small town nearby called Comala, and some stalagmite caves on Saturday.

The ruins were more impressive than I had heard. I know that they are nothing like some of the huge pyramids in Eastern Mexico, but they were still pretty cool.

Next off to Comala. Supposedly, you could see the 2 volcanoes that are nearby from this small town. It was too cloudy to see them, but we drove along a road that had a part called "La Zona Magica". On this part of the road, you could put your car in neutral, and your car would roll up the hill. An optical illusion, but Dave told the kids that the road was haunted and that ghosts were pushing us up the hill. Milli did not want us to roll down the windows. After doing this a few times, we decided we were hungry. We stopped at a large restaurant on the side of the road called a botana. We didn't know what this was but soon found out. We first ordered waters for everyone and the waiter brought those with some tostadas with ceviche and guacamole. They were very good and we figured this was like the chips and salsa at other restaurants. Then he brought out 2 different kinds of tacos. We wondered what was going on and asked for menus. The menu listed 5 different courses served with your drinks. Supposedly, in a botana, you order drinks and with each drink you were brought some predetermined courses. We were just on the appetizers course (with our 20 peso waters) and had 3 more appetizers to go. Dave tried to explain to the waiter that we didn't understand this when we came in and could we just have the appetizers course and then stop. After some time he understood and we finished and left, paying 100 pesos ($10) for our lunch for 6. Not a bad idea. And cheap for us Mormons.

After lunch, we started the 45 minute drive to the caves on the other side of Colima. It started to smell like rain as we got off the main highway, was sprinkling when we left the paved roads and started to really rain as we wound our way through the jungle up a steep, mountain dirt road. Probably about 5km from the caves, we decided that this was getting too dangerous and turned around and went back to our hotel. Needless to say we were disappointed and I started to have flashbacks of our Mazamitla trip.

The jacuzzi in the room cheered up the kids and a book cheered up me.

Sunday, we spent at leisurely morning in the room, drove closer to the volcanos that were still covered by clouds and drove home early to get a good nights rest before school on Monday.

We asked the kids what we should do better next time we plan a trip and Milli said "Let me do whatever I want. "
Jane said "Pick a restaurant where you can actually order."
Riley said "Check the weather before we go." Amen.