It’s over for another year. The town has settled back into its normal routine and collection of sounds, and I am reflecting on this raucous, spirited, holiday, which means so much here.

In the days that lead up to February 24th, there is an energy and excitement that builds, as does the noise level, especially at night. The carnival is setting up with its rides, and try-your-luck games. The array of street food and its tempting aromas are everywhere. The cock fights are on, and the town fills with people.

The battling bands challenge our sleep, although I don’t think they all play until 5:00a.m. as in the past.  read more »

Many years ago, when a few families settled in this beautiful little cove, rich with fish, they couldn't have imagined what would take place here in less than a life span. I am sure they were attracted by its natural beauty and the bounty of the local food supply of fruits, vegetables, and fish.

Like so many people in Mexico, they were resourceful, had the initiative to try something, and families worked together to support each other.

Many years later, surfers discovered the easy, consistent waves they could ride, and a laid-back atmosphere that suited them to a T.  read more »

A VIEW FROM THE VILLAGE Cherrie Olson

I am returning to Sayulita after the holidays, and I cannot wait to arrive. A month away in the cold north is too long, and I am anxious to wiggle my toes in the warm sand again. I always feel like I am missing out on something when I am away.

After more than forty years of coming to Mexico, I have developed an inner compass that awakens at the same time each year, and I feel a stirring, a yearning, and a need to go south, The monarch butterflies, and the hummingbirds, have that built in, as they respond each year and return to the same place.  read more »

My love affair with Mexico began in the sixties, and my discovery of this quirky, endearing, imperfect little village of Sayulita, in the eighties, led me to a series of experiences, I never dreamed would happen, especially writing this column.

What started as a “fishy little sleeping village” has become a cosmic bus stop, with a distinct flavor and cache of its own.

It attracts the interesting, the colorful, the conscious, the good, the bad, and the world wanderers.

In the early days, we had a saying, that nobody here had a last name, but everyone had a story.  read more »