Saturday, 25 January 2014 – We got off to a slow start as it took time to load the Blog with stories and pictures from the last few days. It was the first time in three days that we were able to get to the Internet. By late morning we were in town taking pictures of the Plaza, the Cathedral, and the sights around the square. They were setting a stage for a celebration of Bird Watching, of which San Blas is a major draw. Apparently, there are thousands of species in the area with the salt and fresh water marshes are the major draw for migrating birds from all over North America.

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In the Plaza, there were several small outdoor stalls selling various craft items including some nice wooden ornaments and Anita bought a small wood spoon for Salsa which cost about 60 cents. The other major draw was the beautiful beadwork done by the Huichol Indians who are indigenous to the area and we acquired the wonderful Jaguar head which can be seen in one of our pictures.

Our mistake of the day was to go into the Social Club (Gringo Bar) for a couple of beers as we needed some refreshment. The owner fed us Bananas, fresh from his garden as well as watermelon. A street seller peddling nuts came by, so we bought a couple of packets to help the beer go down.  A couple of hours later we emerged but not before hearing many stories from Gringos living in San Blas who love the lifestyle here. Unfortunately and  due to this, we missed the best part of the morning’s activity at the Mercado.

Around the corner from the Plaza is a street with many restaurants and we stopped in at the La Isla Restaurant which had been recommended as a great place for seafood. San Blas is a fishing town so there is wonderful range of fresh seafood available. The interior walls of this restaurant are lined with various examples of shell art. The fish was fresh, moist and some of the best we have had in Mexico. Anita had Mahi-Mahi and I had Shrimp all for about $20.

Later, we went to see the Culture Center which used to be the Customs building but has been converted into a museum and small center for the performing arts. The walls are lined with old pictures of San Blas, some dating back to the early 1900’s. Across from the Culture Center is the Flamingo Hotel, another period piece that has been fully restored with courtyards and fountains. The pool area had many species of fruit trees all nicely labeled.  While there, we bumped into a couple who had come to San Blas for bird watching and Eco-tours. They seemed to be having a wonderful time and were checking off a lot of birds they had never seen.

Tomorrow, (Sunday) we will kick back, relax, and check the boat for a departure to Chacala or Jaltemba early Monday morning.