Saturday, October 01, 2011

in the swim


The Melaque social season is off and running.  Or, at least, stroking.


Edith Wharton may have tired of the inevitable convention of Faust opening each New York social season.  She would have loved Melaque’s social spontaneity.


Last year the local merchants sponsored our first Festival of the Sea.  No film or organ festivals for us.  That is not our crowd.


 We are beach people.  We don’t want to sit in a seat.  We want to move ours.  Sexy young women dancing on stage or athletic young men on skim boards.  That is our style.  And that is what we got.  California -- just further south.


Tennis.  Surfing.  Football.  A 10K run. 


And music.  Lots of music.  And dancing -- of all sorts.  Each evening from 6 until midnight.  The fun was exhausting.  But Melaque is built on the myth that paradise can be purchased.  Even if it is simply an image.  No thought-challenging Faust for us.


Last year the festival began in December.  It is getting an early start this year.  Today.  And it started with a splash.


A swim competition across the Bay of Navidad,.  Starting on what is left of the beach at Barra de Navidad and ending at Chicken Beach in Melaque.

 
A 3.8 kilometer (2 mile) race.  If the 389 contestants swam in a straight line.  And one of the contestants was the proprietor of one of my favorite eateries -- Señor Froy’s.  Where I am drafting this post.


It was quite an event.  The bay was filled with guide boats and kayaks.  The beach (at 8AM -- in Mexico -- on Saturday) was filled with family, friends, and tourists, as well as the ubiquitous Army presence for public gatherings.


As Jorge Castañeda has pointed out, it was Mexican competition at its best.  Individual.  No pesky teamwork needed.  But today the competition was secondary to the fiesta that surrounded the event.  Recorded music loud and syncopated enough to keep shoulders akimbo.


After all the event was its own raison d'être.  It is the Festival of the Sea.  And it is our social season.


 

28 comments:

André said...

Nice pictures Steve!

Steve Cotton said...

Thanks.  It was a fun event.

sparks said...

Nice story and pics Steve.   I painted my kitchen while you all had fun

Steve Cotton said...

Then you had a colorful day, as well.

sparks said...

It depends upon whom you ask. Scientists consider black to be the absence of light (and colour if you like) and white to be the presence of all colors. Fine artists, on the other hand, believe the complete reverse: white is the absence of color.   A housepainter would say it isTo a painter, if you can get it in a can, it's a color.

Steve Cotton said...

I think I am with the house painter school.

Mcotton said...

It looks like everyone had a lot of fun.

Steve Cotton said...

They really did.

Felipe Zapata said...

Steve, if you're gonna run a photo of a gal in a skimpy suit, is that the best you can do? Was that the cream of the crop?

Francisco said...

From your pictures, I can't think of a better place to have a festival!
Saludos,
Francisco

Steve Cotton said...

She was the best.  In fact, she was about the only woman swimmer.

Steve Cotton said...

She was the best.  In fact, she was about the only woman swimmer.

Laurie Matherne said...

I am happy that you are enjoying the beach in Mexico. I know you dearly love the coast. As far as Felipe's comment about the girl in the bikini, I clearly noticed that the young men were quite studly. Enjoyed the post! 

June Nery said...

What?  It's started already?  Will it just last a few days or will there be a repeat in December??

al lanier said...

The two male lifeguards looked pretty good though. 

Felipe Zapata said...

Al, I considered "going there," but I demonstrated a rare moment of restraint, and did not.  And here you went and did it.

Steve Cotton said...

I cater to the tastes of my readers.

Steve Cotton said...

The main portion of the festival will be in December.  I guess the organizers wanted to catch people's attention early this year.

Steve Cotton said...

They were actually participants.  Early finishers.

Steve Cotton said...

They were participants.  Pat of the early finishers.

Steve Cotton said...

No good deed --

Danjjorgensen said...

So how do we find out about these types activities BEFORE they happen, so we can attend?

Steve Cotton said...

We were talking about that point today.  If Froy had not told me he was swimming in the event, I would have missed it.

ANM said...

Where is the artful snap of tuna-melt Melaque?  No ocean festival is complete without it. 

ANM

Steve Cotton said...

Melaque, not Minneapolis.

Jimmy larry said...

So amazing place for refreshing our self.


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Elke said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N9aGL6ugSQ&feature=feedu - the link to Vern's video of the event.

Steve Cotton said...

Thanks, Elke.  I was about to edit it into the text.  But this will work as well.