A SECOND VISIT TO OVERLOOKED COMPOSTELA
                                                                                                                               Article and photos 
                                                                                                                                                  by John and Doreen Berg 

With our feet firmly anchored in the sand and our eyes focused on the crashing surf, a change to our routine of reading, swimming and visiting was necessary.  A question presented was, "Why not a day trip to Compostela located in Nayarit's interior?"   Our brainstorming came to an end with, "Why not?"  Travel plans were quickly made and a couple days later we found ourselves on a Pacifico Bus heading for Compostela!

Zocalo and Bandstand

 Doreen and I having visited Compostela five years ago wondered would the overlooked town still retain its special charm for us?  Only one way to find out and that way was to join with two other couples and find our way back to the much overlooked town- Compostela.

Travelling by Pacifico Bus one is able to relax and fully enjoy the passing landscapes as the bus navigates the twisting curvy highway going through the Sierra Madre Mountains.  We passed by the two-story roadside shrine where we had stopped last trip and noticed that it had received a fresh coat of paint.  Unfortunately, a disadvantage of not driving is that you are unable to stop at points of interest along the way .

Have you ever visited a place and immediately felt welcome?  For us, Compostela was such a spot instantly presenting a friendly atmosphere.  Locals quickly pointed out street directions to the center of town after departing from the bus and one gentleman paused his truck to ask if we required assistance and passing pedestrians often prompted a friendly greeting.

Church's Bell Tower

It was only a brief walk along sidewalks that were under construction before we arrived at the picturesque zocalo.  A brief visit to the grand government building was followed by glimpse of the interior of the majestic 16th century church, Santo Santiago Apostol Parish. 

In the middle of the plaza stands the eloquent bandstand surrounded by locals enjoying a rest, pigeons fluttering about and shrubs in colourful bloom completing a perfect Mexican picture.  

Diagonally across the plaza we located the House of Culture or the Museum of Compostela, and viewed excellent displays of preclassic (440BC to 200 AD) ceramic figures and bowls and jewelry and weapons.  A reminder of the artifacts found in northern Nayarit. 

One of the many displays featured in the Cultural Center

Asking for directions we walked a short distance to visit the library displaying beautiful murals on its exterior walls. Unfortunately, there weren't any events scheduled.

When visiting a new town one must checkout the local cuisine plus our walking had created huge appetites.  After asking three local individuals and receiving the same recommendation we headed for Restaurant Camahuer  where we enjoyed wonderfully delicious meals.

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One could not help but notice Compostela's streets with their colonial style buildings having been influenced by the Spanish.  A quick look into a couple of saddlery workshops and viewing the business side of a Mexican working town provided a different or contrasting perspective to the Mexico presented in the beach towns of Rincon de Guayabitos and Los Ayala.

Once returned to Los Ayala the group expressed the thought that the day's outing had been a rewarding experience.  The brief exposure to a historic interior town provided a different view of Mexico.

At left Deanna, Rick, Doreen, John, Sharon and Bruce

Break from your tourist mold and with a minimal effort experience the ambiance of an often overlooked Mexican gem - Compostela.

Details Outlining Our Day Excursion to Compostela:

*  taxi from our Los Ayala bungalows to the Pacifico Bus Depot  traveling north in La Penita
    Cost $50 pesos for each taxi.
*  purchase return tickets costing $160 pesos per person.
*  select a right hand seat with large window to enjoy the varied landscapes passing by
*  disembark and walk one block forward and casually stroll the street leading directly to the picturesque town square.
*  pop into the old government building to view its grandeur and take advantage of the clean   bathroom facilities here.
*  walk across the plaza to the cultural center to  view the well presented preclassic displays.

Beautiful Mural on outside Library Wall

*  ask directions at the center on how to locate the colourful library.  Unfortunately there were no scheduled events when we were there.
*  drop into a saddle shop to admire the wonderful saddlery craftsmanship displayed in the shop and possibly purchase a leather belt or two.  Wonderful good quality gifts.

*  check out a couple of other shops or just rest in the plaza's shade.
*  time for a wonderful lunch at Restaurant Camahuer where the service was excellent.  Found our meals were less expensive as compared to the meal costs of our beach towns. Check out the restaurant's fabulous murals!
*  return walk to Highway 200 and walk across the road to the small bus depot and wait for the next bus traveling south.
*  interesting that we had the same bus and driver returning us to La Penita.  We digress!
*  return to La Penita and cross the street from the Pacifico Bus Depot to the taxi stand for a taxi ride to your bungalow costing $50 pesos per taxi.  Now we were back to El Delfin our home-away-from-home.
* just in time for a swim and time to enjoy our happy hour to review the day's events with our amigos.