I woke up early, around 5:30am…I should have walked the beach but it was still dark…I'm really excited! We get to spend 2 nights at Muscia del Mar, a brightly painted casa that is right on the beach and across from the "Y" action in town. It is the perfect combination of Mexican beach and small town life that can be comfortably viewed from your casa! Two nights were only available here, and it seemed like that it was meant to be, as it coincided with us leaving Casa Mariposa. The La Manzanilla lifestyle definitely has a hold on us!

Kev and I loaded up the bikes, suited up in full drag and rode the 63 steps to the house brilliantly named Music of the Sea. We dropped off some water and cerveza's that were precariously balanced on the bikes, then took a ride into Malarque, the next town along the coast, 16 kms away to withdraw some money. La Manzanilla does not have a bank, atm, petrol station, post office, 711 or Starbucks. Simple… beautiful really!

Musica was designed to have the fresh ocean breeze flow straight through the house. If you opened up the ocean terrazzo sliders, the front windows and door, it created a pleasant continual movement of air, freshly passing through the house. The back of the house, which is really the front faces the ocean, and the front, really the back faces the "Y" on the main street. Here, you would never consider leaving the casa, and missing the nightly magical sunset before dinner. It was almost like a nightly fiery finale, staring pelicans, high soaring frigates, fishermen, children and laughter. We watched encore followed by encore until all the silouettes disappeared into the darkness and all that was left was the sounds of the crashing surf. Here, the sounds of the night were as dramatic as the daily visual. The pounding surf thudded, rocked and echoed through Musica during the nights. When the tide is in, the surf breaks so closely to the bedroom window that it actually splashes small stray droplets onto the screens. The nights were exciting, scary and dramatic. Finally drifting off into a peaceful sleep…only to be woken by the thud of a rouge wave!…..Loved it!

The cool ocean breeze flowed though Musica — *The cool ocean breeze flowed though Music*a

Kev and I enjoyed all of the elements of this gem…absorbing the cheerful laughter from children playing in the surf, watching the fisherman toss out their fishing nets, schools of pelicans closely following the fishermen or dropping from the sky into schools of fish, and frigates waiting for free fish to be thrown up into the air by anyone….they do not swim, land on water, walk well, and they cannot take off from a flat surface. They are impressive birds with deep forked tails and impressive wing spans that can reach up to 7 1/2 ft.

*Night after night the sunsets were just magical!*

We leave with mixed feelings, although excited to be on the bikes and moving again. I settle into the gentle hum, my comfy seat...thanks Rick Meyer and the lifestyle rhythm of riding.