Trip to El Capomo, coffee country and Jamurca
This morning we left on an outing with two guests, who are staying in our Bed and Breakfast. A nice couple from Colorado. Their choice for the outing was to go up to the Hot Springs at Jamurca, and also to see some coffee country. Seems they enjoy drinking the fresh roasted and ground local coffee.
Enroute, Vicky, my compañera, suggested we go through El Capomo. So, we go off the main road, not far from the Alta Vista turnoff, and drive to the little Pueblo of El Capomo. We notice that there are a number of vehicles on the road and soon learn why. The annual Fiesta is in full swing and a parade is forming. We manage to reach the plaza before the road is shut down and we all get out and stretch. Our guests take a stroll around the plaza and we snap a few photos.
Off we go again, down the valley, passing through the little village of Mamey Grande and then up a a winding forested road. Soon we are climbing. Altitude about 600 ft. The road gets steeper and I almost have to put our jeep in 4 wheel drive, but we manage. Finally we reach the upper road and turn right and stop briefly in the settlement of El Guayabal. A short distance down the road we come to another settlement, where we encounter a gentlemen whom we spent some time with in the Pueblo of Mazatan last year. At that time he gave us much of the history of the region, which he had documented.
We were not aware at the time that he owned a coffee plantation. We chatted awhile and he showed us some of his prime Arabica coffee that was drying on concrete pads. As you probably know, coffee prices have been depressed in recent years, but it is really bad now. Picking coffee has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world. It grows, for the most part on steep slopes. The forest is slippery, snake infested and falls are many. Coupled with living in almost open casitas with a basic diet, this is not a good life. Now they are paying only one peso a kilo to the pickers. The coffee at that stage is valued at about 5 pesos a kilo. A big spread from the home prices of many dollars a pound for Arabica. Our elevation here is almost 2000 feet. A little cold at night without proper shelter, heat or warm clothing.
We reboard and make our way through a few more settlements and, as usual, Vicky hands out some food packets to the needy. At long last we arrive at the hot springs, go for a dip and have our picnic. Tired, but happy, we pack up and head for home after another great day on the BACK ROADS OF NAYARIT.
Bob Howell
