A walkabout in La Manzanilla or an episode of Animal Planet?

LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - Our morning walks are always interesting in town and around the hills, though now that many of the gringos have fled for more northern climes (why we are not too sure, the weather is the best it has been since December), I have noticed a decided increase in the number of animals out and about.

Some are pretty tame, some not.

But this morning we stopped by a house on our regular route to watch a pair of tame cotamundis go about their business.

The fellow who owns them - as much as anyone owns a wild animal - keeps them around his house, sans any leashes or fences. When he walks with them on the beach, he keeps them on a leash - probably to protect the beach dogs.

Our first night in La Manzanilla this season, a cousin of these fellows was living in the bushes here at Casa Lupita, but vacated right away. No doubt our reputations for making noise preceded us and the cotamundi needed his rest.


Coatmundi in La Manzanilla


Coatamundi digging deep for something

Out in Arroyo Seco, you are as likely to see a horse coming down off one of the hills as a car or motorcycle or person on foot.

And late ast week I had to brake sharply when the fellow in the photo below decided there was something in the middle of the road worthy of a sniff. Trooper-pig collisions are not recommended.


Bacon on the hoof