Holy, Moly!!!

It is Monday morning and I have just consumed my weekly ration of birria! Wait a minute, I hear my readers screaming. Birria is a Sunday event, right? Well, usually yes. Allow me to digress a mere twenty-four hours, or so. Yesterday, the first Sunday in June, is perhaps the busiest, most congested, unbelievably concentrated day in Yelapa for the entire calendar year.

The sequence of events tracks something like this: Thursday night the bulls for the rodeo are delivered and paraded through town; Sunday morning, locals as well as visitors from surrounding pueblos amass to participate in Dia de la Marina (Marina Day). It is pretty much one giant beach party with lots of sun, fun, sauce (beer) and salsa. Early evening arrives and virtually every woman between the ages of seven and seventy zooms home, dawns the tightest pair of jeans they can pour themselves into, digs cowboy boots out of a closet somewhere, slaps on some sexy little sleeveless plaid top, and out they trek to the rodeo ring. They are going to watch the bulls, right? It is a time of much merriment. Two fully laden water taxis bear revelers back to their origins at 6-ish in the evening. Only those with Yelapan relatives or rodeo fans remain. 

My venture down the main path this morning, finds our village nearly in its usual state. Fernando is out washing his boat, readying it for the next charter; Leticia’s market is open with staff sweeping the aisles from the prior day’s traffic, and alas, Ray’s enormous grin welcomes me for birria. Not a bad place to be on a Monday morning.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must acknowledge that I pass three vaquero clad chaps with their heads down as they collectively appear to be supporting the wall behind them. Whether or not they have been immobile since early morning is irrelevant. Two other gentlemen, similarly clad, experience difficulty in ambulating from Point A (their present position) to Point B (anything other than their present position) without having the shortest span of travel appear more like an arc than a straight line. Alas, they are peaceful and bother no one.

Soon the bulls will retreat, the beach will be scoured free of litter, the panga used as the beer dispensing booth will be pushed back into the sea and Yelapans will revel in yet another party perfectly purveyed. This is not the time, however, to take an extended break. Historically, the rainy season announces itself with vengeance on/or about June 15. At some pre-ordained celestial moment, the land crab migration begins within a fortnight of the first serious rains. Several scouts have already been spotted charting routes.

That brings me back to Ray’s for birria on Monday morning. My three birria tacos adorn a rectangular plate, a cup of consommé steams while a cold Bloody Maria sweats profusely onto the plastic table cloth beneath. Ray, in an outward display of generosity to locals/visitors alike, and in an inward display of brilliance, re-scheduled his weekly culinary event so as not to compete with the other major activities. What a guy, he’s my compadre!

Update on Adventures with Teo

There should be a major announcement by next week. Be sure to check (and “Like”) the Face Book page Yelapa Memo for any mid-week activity.

Commercial Break

The bay has been like glass every morning. It should continue until mid-month when the full moon arrives. Yelapa Kayak Rentals right equipment, right price, right on the playita (little beach) under the giant fig tree. Call Memo to check availability 322 146 5064 (Yelapa cell) yelapakayakrentals@gmail.com or ask you lodging manager for assistance. Happy Paddling.  memo