The Biggest in Mexico - Elephant Beetle (Megasoma elephas)

Today was a rainy day.   We didn't do much of anything.   The girls spent the day watching Glee on their computer and we spent the day watching tv in the trailer.   We went out and picked up a couple of pizzas for dinner.   These pizzas gave a whole new meaning to thin crust, but were quite tasty.

While we were eating, Ryleigh had a fit...jumped up on the bench and was pointing at the floor.    Ah, yes, there on the middle of the floor was an elephant beetle. 

We have no pictures of today at all.   It's really too bad because Ryleigh's face was priceless.   Maddy went after it with a plastic water bottle, then suddenly realized she might want to drink out of it later, so switched to a shoe...which she threw at it..scaring away the beetle.   It promptly scurried into the bathroom where we could not find it.

hahahahaha,  The thought of the beetle will most likely keep the girls up all night.   They started to talk about statistics of how many bugs people eat a year without even knowing it.   I think they will sleep with their mouths shut tonight.   lmao

Here are a couple of youtubes of the Elephant Beetle, mostly found in western Mexico, especially in the forests near Puerto Vallarta.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxdHnQ63ENc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhU7j4tPCJw

Ziplining

Today we took the girls ziplining.  This is them all suited up complete with hard hat with name tags.  Maddy ended up Matty.  Ryliegh got to keep her name.  I think they thought they were fashion models or something.  

This is Matty on the highest one that we could see.

                                               And this is Ryliegh hanging upside down.  

                                                  They look like a couple of happy kids.

There were 13 different lines and it took them about 3/4 of an hour.   

They both loved it.  It was even more fun than when they went ziplining in Quebec.   Yup, we rock as grandparents.  :)   We thought about joining them, and once we saw how they slow them down we were very happy we didn't.   It looks very jarring....not great if you are trying to avoid additional pain.  

After the zipline the ranch owners asked everyone if they wanted to see a cockfight...no blood, no spurs.    Almost everyone said 'no', but one person said 'yes', so out they came, and every one of us decided to watch anyways.   It was sort of like looking at a car crash on the side of the road..you don\t really want to see it...but you can't help yourself.    This Ranch raises them and trains them for fights, then sell them to people that fight them.  I dont know if I believe that or not more then likely they do fight them.   Fighting roosters can bring anywhere from $50.00 U.S. a piece to $2,500.00 a piece.    

                                    These are some action shots they really go at each other.  Roosters are extremely territorial if their are hens and chicks around.   The rooster is so protective of the young, he doesn't even let the hens eat until the chicks eat first.  

They broke them up before anyone got hurt.   Apparently, that is how they train them.   The thought of the cock fights to the death is absolutely horrifying.    

The kids had a fun day.They were a little tired, I think they are staying up a little late.  Probably drinking too much and running around town till all hours of the night while Brenda and I are sleeping.
                                                        Just kidding Sara   :)

Miercoles 15 Febrero

The sun didn't want to come out today, so the girls chose to take a hike over to the caves between two beaches.    Every time we go there the sands are different.   The first time Gerry and I were here we walked upright through the cave the girls are crawling through in the next two pictures.     

See the dogs legs in the picture with Ryleigh?  There's something about these two girls that attracts our four legged friends.   This pup followed them around most of the day.

The cave Ryleigh is running through below was full of water when we were here last.

The tide was out enough for us to get a good look at the life on the rocks.    I imagine the snorkeling around these rocks would be treacherous, and these creatures are not often seen.

It didn't take Maddy long to start climbing the rocks.   

       

Ryleigh got right in there with Maddy climbing today. 

Inukshuks in Mexico.    

 Ryleigh creating.

 Maddy destroying. lol.  Maddy tried to break open a coconut by throwing it against the rocks.    Alas, there was no coconut milk on the menu this afternoon.    

 On the way back to the campsite we stopped at an overlook we have been on a couple of times before.  This time we could see the Sayulita Trailer Park.   The three brownish-orange buildings encircle the campgrounds.   Strangely they were not visible from this vantage point before.   We will have to go back into our old pictures to what brush or plants were growing in this spot before.   
    

We just had to include this picture because both Maddy and Ryleigh will hate it!   lol.   What faces!



 Gerry had a terrible migraine through the night.   I was surprised he was able to join us on our walk today.    He's still looking pretty darn happy.   He loves having the girls here with us.       

Maddy and Ryleigh Day 1

We arrived safe and sound, but exhausted on Monday evening.   We didn't do much Monday night, a quick walk on the beach, tacos at our favourite fish taco restaurant, and then hit the sack.   Let me introduce the girls, Maddy on the left, myself in the middle and Ryleigh on the right.   So far they have been nothing but a pleasure.    It should be a fun week, estrogen 3, testosterone 1.   

Maddy and Ryleigh started the day with the beach,  the waves were a bit daunting for them at first.  

It didn't take them long to get into it.   I love this picture of Ryleigh, she looks like she is taking it all in. 

This random dog came bounding into the water right between the two girls.   The looks on their faces are priceless.

The dog hangs out for a bit, seemingly wanting to swim with them.

Suddenly, the dog realizes that this wasn't his family!!!  There they are.    Hilarious!  Watching this unfold I wasn't sure I actually got any pictures of the dog, I was so busy laughing. 

Gerry couldn't look any happier.

  There is an Iguana Sanctuary down the road from the Trailer Park.   The tree out front was full of them.  Spot the Iguana's.   There are four in the picture below.  (at least)

Gerry had a migraine coming on, so we decided to go for the shortest walk, over to Playa de los Meurtos.   The girls headed to the lava rocks.

It turns out Maddy likes to climb.    Ryleigh prefers to watch Maddy climb.

The walk to Playa de los Meurtos seemed too short, so we headed over to the next beach.    More rocks to climb...this time out in the water. 

They weren't along on the rocks, but the girls didn't seem to mind the crabs.

I don't think they were expecting the waves to come crashing in quite as hard and high as this.

Another priceless look on Maddy's face.   lol.  The two of them came off the rocks like drowned rats.    Sara can add 'getting ripped off the rocks by rogue waves' to her list of things she can worry about now.