Paper Prescription

Carnaby Street. 16"x 20 " Paper Collage

I just returned from a very relaxing trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. These paper flags were hung at the end of my street and made me smile as I walked past them every morning on my way to get coffee.

We visited the village of Yelapa, about a 30 minute water taxi ride from PV.  Yelapa only began receiving electricity and it's first paved roads 10 years ago. It is a sleepy village nestled in the jungle and directly situated on a tranquil bay. Despite it's diminutive size, it is renowned for it's grapefruits (a local hombre shared some with me straight from his tree-delicious!), it's ganja (did not try, but was offered some by a guy with dreads down to his bum), and for it's "Pie Ladies" - women in the village who bake pies every morning and bring them down to the beach to sell to tourists. I was bummed that I arrived past noon, and was informed that it is more of a pre-noon phenomenon-just my luck! My camera battery died shortly after my arrival, which was a bummer because the village is ripe for picture taking. I therefore do not have pictures of the village. I also wanted to be respectfull of the locals. The village is quite small and active, and it just seemed rude to be snapping pictures of peoples homes, etc. I have had the experience of walking down Castro Street in San Francisco while busses of tourists take pictures of "the gays". Kind of makes you feel like you are on display at a zoo and being completely objectified on your own turf. 

Yes, I am the traveller who constantly takes pictures of his food! While this may look like tortillas covered in Chef Boyardee sauce, it was the most tasty Enchilladas con Pollo I have ever eaten. Cost, $4!!