Puerto Escondido and Huatulco

After a few great days exploring Oaxaca city and the culturally rich area around, we decided to ride a "collectivo"--which is a 14 passenger van--for 7 hours and through the extremely curvy mountians out to the coast of Puerto Escondido. We all took dramamine and made it safely to our home for the next several weeks. Our beach life continues...

Nice views from the edge of cliffs!

pit stop to adjust the luggage.

Arriving in the evening, we walked down

the sidewalk to check out our new back

yard "swimming pool" at sunset

our place.

things to do besides schoolwork...

gorgeous water at Carrizalillo

nearby at Manzanillo and playa Angelito

boys love to climb rocks.

hard to beat

After settling in for a couple of weeks, we took a 2 hour road trip to Huatulco and Santa Cruz, and stopped at Mazunte for lunch on the way.

A day at playa la Entrega, a massive roped off area of the best snorkeling we've experienced in the Americas. Looking forward to going back soon!

Drion's first time and he did great!

Lunch break before heading back out

Watching these guys string up a palm leaf roof, they got to talking and let me know that they've visited california and Seattle as construction workers as well.

We saw most of these fish and turtles on the sign next to a couple of fishermen shucking oysters.

Hoping to have better photos once we figure out this underwater photography

Back in Puerto Escondido, Parker and Amber enjoyed surf lessons at the nearby beach. They both loved it and are doing it a few more times before we move back to Spain.

so inviting

playing jenga while waiting for post surf tacos and mezcal.

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Early morning boat trip!

Spotted dolphins

There's one!

Dragging a line behind the boat, the captain let Drion catch his first fish!

Parker caught a couple too!

And we pulled up to 2 humpback whales making their way up north.

so many dolphins swimming with them

It was cool to see and hear their blows up close.

some of them looked like bottlenose,

and we also saw spinners jumping.

still working on that underwater photography

Tortugas everywhere! We saw dozens of

Kemp Ridley sea turtles.

Viva la Mexico!

Our time here so far has been mixed with illness all through the family in many different ways! Drion was sick with fever off and on for 2 weeks but he--and all of us--are on the mend and enjoying our last 2 weeks here while eagerly awaiting our cousins visit from Guadalajara.