Friday, October 05, 2007

Bananas in Chacala

Being without a vehicle ( a good choice for me), I walk around Chacala all day long. Or, at least that's what it seems like to me. I arrange rental reservations for some of the local landladies, which requires alot of walking over to their homes. I walk to the beach, and to visit friends from one end of Chacala to the other. Mars Tres restaurant, with its vined covered roof.I walk along the paved road, hoping for a ride into the nearest town, Las Varas. And walk to the tiendas, the primary school, the hardware store, and to my favorite resturant, Mars Tres. I can walk on little paths thru the "jungle" (dense vegetation), on the beach, the muddy beach road, some dirt roads, and on a couple of roads that have been crudely cobblestoned.
A few days ago noticed a new (for me) banana plant across the road from Berta's hme (Estrella del Mar rentals). The bananas looked lovely, but I am sure they are "owned" by someone, and that they're not up for grabs.The hillside around chacala are covered with various fruit trees. Mangos, papayas, limon, naranjo, and lots of citrus fruits that are new to me.
And, trust me, every single tree is being monitored by a local person. It isn't "wild" fruit, waiting for you to pluck it. Someone is patiently waiting for that fruit to ripen. And that person, or someone in that family, has been watching that tree for years.

There are mango and citrus orchards all over the hills around Chacala. You can see them from the beach if you look up to the hills. Lines of trees in small patches, maybe a acre or two.
There are also Noni trees (or bushes really). Their fruit is new to me, and i don't care for it. But it is considered to be very healthful, and life -giving around here. Everyone has planted a bush or two area their home in the last year or two, And most of them are beaing fruit now. The two plants at this house are both bearing fruit right now. I don't know how long they take to get ripe.

2 comments:

LostRoses said...

Hi Andee, I was so excited to read about you in the Travel section of the Denver Post today which was all about Chacala! Chacala, Mexico
When I first started reading the article, I thought, "well, I know someone in Chacala", and was I surprised to see your name halfway through the article. You're famous!

I see that it was written for the Los Angeles Times and I suppose our paper picked it up. Good for you! But I think you will be overrun by tourists now. Hopefully they won't be like the "boys" who are renting the downstairs room. Enjoy your walks!

Catherine said...

What beautiful pictures..and what beautiful scenery to see when you are walking...It would be hard not to pic a mango, or banana, how wonderful, all that beauty & the Ocean as well!!
Cat