By Adam Caddell

It’s a hot thirty-three degrees out, and I am thirsty. My throat is parched beyond imagination yet, I am salivating like a sheep dog gawking at a milk bone. I want a latte’ and I want one now! The only coffee shop in the area I trust is not a coffee shop but a well known Los Ayala bungalow. Posada Las Flores opened in 2004 and has been satisfying the Javaholics fantastic coffee as well as keeping families comfortable in their large.  It’s worth the trip; only a five minutes drive from Rincon De Guayabitos or ten minutes from La Penita.

Hopping out of the sweltering jeep and skipping into shady lounge, I order the foamy concoction like it’s my last meal. Owner Caesar Ibarra works behind the counter with a smile as my steamy caffeinated beverage appears in no time. His wife Anna understands my excitement as she is from the North West, where fancy coffee drinks are as much a part of the region’s lifestyle as “Poutine” is to the Canadian east coast or the American cheeseburger is to the US.  

Anna Lorraine Osterhagen de Ibarra, originally from Lumby British Columbia, was attending University of Victoria. In her second year Anna took a vacation with her girlfriends for a much needed break from school. “I met Caesar on my second night in Mazatlan, when my friends and I were looking for something to do.”

The two weren’t fond of each other right away, but soon Anna was ditching her university friends to be with Caesar.  “I spent the rest of my vacation with him.” Anna married Caesar two years later.

Anna and Caesar were undecided on where to call home; the couple would move back and fourth from British Columbia to Mexico many times until Anna’s parents stayed in a beach community called Los Ayala. “We really liked it, and bought a piece of property close to the beach from my parent’s friends.”

Norm and Romi of Bungalows Los Iguanas said they should create their own hotel and in a reference to the movie Field of Dreams told them that; “If you build it, they will come.” Anna and Caesar turned their three bedroom casa into a seven suite hacienda. Each suite comes complete with a kitchenette, satellite TV and air conditioning.

When asked about the style of her bungalows Anna says that the style is “Colonial- Hacienda, Boutique  Mexican.”

The pool is shallow and warm, due to the summer heat, but refreshing and reminisces of a fountain in a governor’s palace.  Worrying about drowning is a thing of the past as Anna is a trained lifeguard and worked all throughout her teen and collage years. “I spent my day’s poolside, all summer long.”

The cyber café in the main lobby is something that Anna and Caesar had always wanted to do.  The café counter is full of color and neatly scattered with books, magazines and cards from all over; a world mosaic. Computers sit along the wall open and ready for use; fast and reliable.

Anna and Caesar have also developed a property management firm located here in Jaltemba Bay.  “We saw the need, and were being asked to do so much, so we developed Costa Nayarit Real Estate. Costanayaritrealestate.com. Through renting and managing other people’s properties, they have the temperament and organization that only and Mexican/Canadian couple could.

Anna and Caesar have two small children, Itzel – 4 and Xavier – 6, who are both attending Mexican schools close to the family bungalows. Both speak English and Spanish making the Ibarra family truly bilingual.

Anna hopes that Los Ayala follows the smaller development communities of Sayulita and Chacala but with smaller boutique style hotels.

Anna has adapted well to Mexico and doesn’t miss much from Canada except her favorite snacks. “The only thing I miss about Canada is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Bits and Bites.” All in time Anna, all in time.

 Genero Vasquez / Palapa builder

Special to the Jaltemba Sol by Tera Spears

Builder Genero Vazguez and son Erick

Nothing exemplifies the ambience of seaside tropical living as well as a thatched palapa.  La Penita is fortunate to have a master builder, Genero Vazguez,  who specializes in custom built palapas.  Forget the cliché of the lazy Mexican: this 61 year old maestro (foreman) begins his work day at 7 am, six days a week.  Due to the intricate nature of the construction, Genero often is on site until after 7 p.m. Not only does Genero personally design, select material, and direct the installation of each structure, he leads his crew of five skilled laborers in every phase. It is his attention to detail that guarantees strong, well-made structures.  “The wood, like a woman, needs much attention and touching to be happy,” Genero explains with a grin through an interpreter.

A palapa is defined as an open sided structure with a thatched palm leaf roof.  They can be single support beam, common at beach resorts, to large gazebo-type structures that seat 50 people.  A charming method of making shade, many people in the tropics install palapas on roofs when they wish to enjoy the view and cool breezes.

Erecting eucalyptus                          Tece wood framing support beams                              Dried palm thatching

These beautiful structures are an excellent choice for the humid, breezy coastal areas as the centuries old aerodynamic design resists the tropical rain and winds, while providing relief from the intense sun.  Even more important is that Genero uses only two types of hardwood:  eucalyptus and tece.  The eucalyptus lumber is grown and harvested in Jalisco, so it can be ordered and delivered according to structural specifications.  The tece is also a rapid growing evergreen jungle tree but grows locally in Nayarit state.  Genero and his employees trek the mountain forests to select the proper length and thickness of the required tece, which is used for the horizontal supports and the vertical crossbeam framing. (see pictures, above)  Once cut by hand, the crew hauls the tece by truck to the building site. 

“Some groves are better than others," Genero relates with a grimace.  The crew then spends days hand sanding EACH piece of wood, quite a daunting task for a large palapa that consists of thousands of pieces of wood.  These hardwoods are used because of their strength, hardness, and beautiful grain, besides being impervious to insects and water rot. While each beam is drilled and attached with steel rods, sturdy lianas or vines are wrapped around joints.  The vine lashings look spectacular but also add strength against wind. Next, the Cabbage palm fronds are sun dried, a slow process in the rainy season.  Lastly, the palm leaves are tightly hand woven through three cross supports to form a watertight surface that is gorgeous!   The interplay of textures is a work of art: the warm, smooth beams juxtaposed by the crisp, variegated earth tones of the thatch, accompanied by the gentle swish of the breeze through the fronds….. think siesta.  The beams will last indefinitely, but Genero says the palm fronds may need replacing after eight years.

Eucalyptus beam joints                                                                                         Palm thatching

This dedicated family man, his wife Emelia, and four children have lived in La Penita for 35 years.  Genero’s oldest son, Erick, 18, is learning the business by working with his father.  As Genero tells with pride, “The best part of building palapas is making something that will last and be sturdy.”  Having observed firsthand as the Vazguez Company build a large palapa, this writer is impressed with the craftsmanship, dedication and attention to detail Genero demonstrated throughout each phase of construction.  “I stand behind (guarantee) all of my work” said Genero. He has worked 40 years in construction, switching to specializing in building palapas for the last 11 years when he began his company. Design, materials, construction, and clean up are all included in this master builder’s projects.

Small 2 meter diameter palapa                                 Genero Vazguez, palapa builder

To contact Genero in Spanish, call 322-135-1058, or in English, call Carlos: 322-159-2736. 

     Large 10 meter diameter palapa                                             Preparing eucalyptus support beam

Crew installing support beams                             Last phase: palm leaf thatch   

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