February 19 & 20th - return to La Peñita

The trip home was about 4 hours through the cooler, higher and drier Guadalajaran countryside down to the warmer, moister ocean breezes of La Peñita.  Here are some photos of the trip from Guadalajara toward La Peñita:

Guadalajara is in a climate region called temperate with dry winters (while La Peñita area is tropical wet and dry).

agave fields

There are large cacti in parts of this temperate with dry winter area

Conifer and oak forests are most common in the highlands.  There are white pine, other pines, oak birch, fir and hazelnut trees.

Scrubland and savannas are found on the slopes toward the Pacific between the oak forests and tropical deciduous forest. 

Lava fields near Tequila

Pines

Corn and sugar cane fields

Tequila Volcano (in the distance) erupted 200,000 years ago (2920 meters)

The volcanic soil is ideal for growing agave

Agave hearts being harvested and loaded near town of Tequila

inland lake

Back in the tropical wet and dry region near La Peñita with tropical deciduous forest.

Kirk was glad to see us.  Although, I am sure he was a bit sad to leave his cushy couch life at our friends.  We spent Feb 20 taking it easy and in our Spanish lesson.