Our first week in Bucerias, Mexico was also our first week on this adventure called world-schooling, and we covered a lot!
Our flight from Colorado was uneventful (those are the best kinds of flights). We landed in Bucerias, Mexico on Saturday, August 17 with all of our bags, all of our kids, and all of the Spanish palabras (words) we knew. Customs and baggage claim was quick and easy, and after walking through the hall of aggressive timeshare sales people, we pretty quickly found a taxi to our home.
Here’s a breakdown of the things we were up to this past week.
The pool
The home we stayed at had a really nice pool where we escaped from the heat and watched butterflies flit around us. The water was VERY warm because, well, it’s VERY hot here in August.
Walking around Bucerias
On day two, we walked downtown to the local market in Bucerias. We saw vendors selling meats, electronics, beverages and fresh-made food.
Swimming in the Pacific
We also spent some time swimming in the ocean, and letting giant waves smash against us.
Releasing baby turtles
We released baby turtles (tortugas) near the crocodile preserve and learned a lot about the local preservation efforts.
Making our own Chocolate
We visited Planeta Cacao (Cacao Planet) and learned about the Mayan, Aztec, Spanish and Swiss history of Chocolate. We learned that a turkey could cost 200 cacao beans and mosquitoes are pollinators for cacao trees.
Snorkeling and Bird-watching
We took a guided boat tour to the Marietas Islands where we snorkeled amongst coral and pufferfish. Then we toured around the island to learn the history of preservation and the various discoveries made by scientists like Jacques Cousteau (yes, THAT Jacques Cousteau). We saw blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, and frigate birds. We then visited a beach across the bay to ride a banana boat, swim in the wam water and then eat some beachside barbecue. We even saw two macaws!