We’ve moved into a different casita.  On our first day here, Mia announced “I like this house better than the other house.”  Great news!  We will be here until the end of the month, when we head back to the other side.  Mia has endured all of our transitions with the grace and ease of a seasoned traveler, but we’re always thrilled to have her stamp of approval.

Mia going back and forth, under and around the hammocks.

This morning, after ocean-watching throughout breakfast & coffee & morning stories, we began getting ready to head into town.  Then, when none of us were looking at the sea, we all heard the distinct sound: a whale breaching and breathing.  And it was CLOSE!  So we all look up and RIGHT in front of us is a huge humpback, slowly breaching.  First, we saw a big one, then another big one, then a little one; of course, we declare it to be a Papa, a Mama and a baby whale!  For a few minutes, they stayed right below our casita, slowly breaching and spouting in front of us.  A few minutes later, they do the same dance just a little further away.  Thank you, Whale Family, for the special show and for welcoming us to this casita — hope to see you again soon.

Story time at our “new” casita

View from one of the story-time chairs

Most places in Yelapa do NOT have bathtubs (only showers)

Mia spotted one of the locals hanging out down by the water this morning. Can you see what she was looking at? (See next pic for close up.)

Garrobo (black iguana) and crab down by the sea this morning

New dome on the Church and yellow primavera tree blossoms, peeking out from above Ray’s

Cruising with her handbag this morning

Let’s go this way, Mama!

Walking on ledges

Friends

Crawling around on the malecon

Bright green guy

Little lizard strikes a pose

Looking at another lizard on the path to our casita

SPLISH SPLASH in the bath!

Peeking out from her bathtub

Two hammocks make a nice spot for Mama and Papa, and fun obstacles for Mia

Here are a couple more funnies from last night, when we had dinner with the owners of our casita (who built their home right next door back in 1979!) and a neighbor.  During dinner, Mia says to me “Mama, did you hear my toot?”  Which, of course, led into a charming dinner discussion of toots.  After dinner, we were all enjoying tasty chocolate-covered meringue-type-marshmallows, when Mia says “I’m going to eat this and then I am going to say so, so nicely, ‘Mama, can I have another one?'”.  How is that for demonstrating forethought AND manners?  We didn’t have another one, but managed to appease her with a bowl of homemade chocolate ice cream, brought by our Canadian neighbor and fellow dinner guest.

We’re glad to be settled again in this casita and looking forward to staying present, right here for the next month.

Close up of Las Marietas from our casita

Vista de Bahia de Banderas a la puesta de sol esta noche: desde la ensenada de Yelapa hasta Punta de Mita y Las Marietas (View of the Bay of Flags: from Yelapa Cove to Punta de Mita and Las Marietas — at sunset tonight)