from L to R: Feliciano and Tonia, Guille, Jonathan,Chuy, and then Kathy
Well, this weekend was fun! On Saturday a bunch of us were going to go to the beach, but ended up going to a local waterpark instead. I found out this weekend we're only 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean at best, and about 1.5 hours at second best! How awesome is that?! I'm definitely hoping we'll get to go some time before I leave! Anyway, the waterpark is called Las Ranas (The Frogs)--they have several pools of varying depths and a couple of water slides. I went with Kathy and Jonathan and a Mexican family from Cofradia--Feliciano, Tonia (short for Antonia), and their kids Chuy (real name is Jesus) and Guille (short for Guillermo--ll sounds like the y in yes--it means William). We got there around 9:30 and were there until around 3:30-4ish. Shortly before we left, Jay and Faith and their kids and Faith's parents (who are missionaries in Oaxaca--pronounced Wahaca) and some of the boys from the youth group joined us, but we left before they did.

On our way home, we decided to drive up this big mountain just outside of Penas (the waterpark is between Penas and Tuxpan). There's nothing really on this mountain except at the very top are some huge microwave towers. I have no idea what it's called, and I'm not sure what the towers are for, but they're there. We drop up a really narrow, bumpy, cobblestone road that goes up to the top. It was an amazing view of Mecixo, that's for sure! The picture doesn't show it very well, but the top is actually some bald rock face on which the towers were built. Feliciano had a good time pointing out various places to us from the top, such as where Cofradia is located as well as places like Santa Fe and Ruiz. It was pretty cool and absolutely breathtaking!

This is a view of the west side of the mountain. If you look close enough, you can see the Pacific Ocean right at the horizon line!!!


And this is to the east. That is the San Pedro River.


We could do without the shrine, but there's just something about seeing all that Mexican landscape with a cross out in front looking over it all! Yes, Lord, PLEASE!! That's Kathy and Guille sitting under the cross--also very meaningful!


Facing north-ish, this is our road home. Penas is just over the river, just outside the foreground of the picture. Tuxpan is another 8 kilometers west. These are the two closest cities.


I know it's a little hazy, but these hills/mountains are just to the east of the road we take home. This is a shot of the area where Cofradia, Arrayanes, and Santa Fe are located. If you can spot it, we think Cofradia is just behind the little hill just in front of the far right pointy hill/mountain in the middle of the picture just to the right.

It's just so gloriously beautiful!!! (This is another shot just to the west.) You can see the Pacific in this shot as well--just at the horizon line.