A great Sunday afternoon barbecues - without crocodiles

RANCHO CUIXMALA, Jalisco, Mexico - The Admiral and I went to a barbecue Sunday afternoon just a few miles up the road from our Arroyo Seco project, invited by our same amigas who had us out to ride horses several days before.

These Sunday afternoon get-togethers - of family and friends - around Arroyo Seco seem to happen every week. Sometimes people gather on the beach, sometimes other spots. It's all family oriented with kids and dogs part of the mix.

This fiesta was held next to the same laguna where our horseback guide Jose warned me of crocodiles in the water. And the children at the barbecue/fiesta made great fun every time I walked near the water, warning me not to get too close.

Each time I went to the water to take a photo or two, they made great growling sounds behind me, though I'm not sure crocodiles actually growl. Chomp? Yes.


The chef at work

We had a delicious potluck-style meal. But the food highlight was clearly the lamb, chicken, beef and chorizo, all cooked over an open fire.

In the U.S., the amount of carne cooked probably would have required several of those massive stainless steel barbecues that look like leftover equipment from one of the Apollo space missions. Here a few logs, a grate and a spit sufficed.

The party was an interesting mix of languages, too, with Spanish, English and French spoken interchangeably. And one fellow there was from Japan, who is quite fluent in Spanish.

I really have to get more serious in my study of Spanish.

Here's a brief video of the chef at work. He said in his native Argentina, this is how barbecues are routinely done.

Riding horses around the wilds of el Rancho Cuixmala

RANCHO CUIXMALA, Jalisco, Mexico - We spent a few hours Friday morning riding horses around the famous Rancho Cuixmala, about five miles from Arroyo Seco.

We had been invited to come out and ride by our amiga, Mercedes, who with her sister, brother and mother run the huge organic farming and ranch which borders the Cuixmala River. They have five horses, two of which galloped around the pasture when we went by. I couldn't tell if they were wishing they were out on patrol with us, or making fun of their compadres with the humans perched stiffly on their backs.

Rancho Cuixmala

Mercedes and her brother on one of their tractors

As it has been probably 40 years since I climbed on a horse, I was more than a little apprehensive about the whole expedition. Ironically, the last animal I climbed on the back of (in a pasture in western New York) was a pretty tired old fellow named inappropriately Lightning.

So, in a nice bit of symmetry, the much-younger (and still spirited) horse I rode at Rancho Cuixmala is also named Lightning - at least that's what I was told. Mercedes sister Ana told me to be sure to 'let him know who is the boss.' Good advice, except I had very little idea how to do it, but the Admiral clued me in quickly.

The Admiral owned horses years ago and had her steed well under control the whole ride. For her it has been only 20 years or so since she rode a horse. A mere moment...

The ranch is stunning and we rode through trees and fields with all manner of plant and animal life - most of which I couldn't readily identify. Our guide Jose pointed out that the large laguna on the rancho contains crocodiles.

And at one point, a family of coatimundi ran across the path right in front of us.

My horse barely took notice, preferring to munch the weeds while we stopped to let the family cross the trail.


Riding through the trees

By the end of the ride, I had gotten the hang of how to steer Lightning (it has been 40 years) and I realized that the horse really prefers a nice canter to plodding along like a stereotypical stable beast. We did a few bursts of speed, but the bouncing will take some getting used to for me.

More horseback riding lies ahead, we hope, even in the wilds of upstate New York at Seneca Lake where we will be in just a few short weeks.

The Admiral had so much fun she said suggested we get a horse to trot around in Arroyo Seco, or out at Rancho Cuixmala.

I suggested a burro instead - kind of a low-budget horse and certainly picaresque. I didn't get a very favorable response.