Los Ayala
Photo History
Photo History
"Mezclas"
People who are racially mixed. Mexicans who are racial mixtures, primarily of Spanish and Indian blood, make up approximately 60% of the Mexican population.
People who are racially mixed. Mexicans who are racial mixtures, primarily of Spanish and Indian blood, make up approximately 60% of the Mexican population.
Magical
Los Ayala - A Step Back in Time
Photos courtesy of Elaine Smith - Founder of Los Ayala's Learning Center
Photos courtesy of Elaine Smith - Founder of Los Ayala's Learning Center
Local Folks...
Local Children from Los Ayala's Learning Center
Los Ayala's Elementary School
Los Ayala in the early years....
1. One of the first houses on the beach. Built in 1955. Photo from the early 1970's.
2. Old Timer House with a Palapa Roof on the south end of Los Ayala beach. The walls were built of sticks which was common in Los Ayala during the early years.
3. Bungalows Los Ayala at the corner of Madre Perla & Avenida Coral. The bungalows and the grocery store are still in business today.
4. Fabian one of the Learning Centre's first students walking in downtown Los Ayala.
5. Los Ayala's original elementary school from ~ 1995. The male teacher lived with the Mayor and stayed and worked with the children in the afternoons. The female teacher rode the bus home every day to Tepic. They were a very devoted group of teachers.
6. A building located on the Los Ayala's Elementary school property where the children were served a daily breakfast consisting of tacos and milk. In the early 1980's the school was an 8 x 10 concrete block with a chicken wire fence and nine handmade desks.
2. Old Timer House with a Palapa Roof on the south end of Los Ayala beach. The walls were built of sticks which was common in Los Ayala during the early years.
3. Bungalows Los Ayala at the corner of Madre Perla & Avenida Coral. The bungalows and the grocery store are still in business today.
4. Fabian one of the Learning Centre's first students walking in downtown Los Ayala.
5. Los Ayala's original elementary school from ~ 1995. The male teacher lived with the Mayor and stayed and worked with the children in the afternoons. The female teacher rode the bus home every day to Tepic. They were a very devoted group of teachers.
6. A building located on the Los Ayala's Elementary school property where the children were served a daily breakfast consisting of tacos and milk. In the early 1980's the school was an 8 x 10 concrete block with a chicken wire fence and nine handmade desks.
1. Huichol child at the market in La Penita de Jaltemba.
2. Rosario, a beautiful Los Ayala local.
3. The teacher of Los Ayala's Elementary School serving breakfast or possibly preparing for a party. ~ 1998
4. Huichol mother at the market in La Penita de Jaltemba.
5. A local gathering coconuts; and still a common sight in Los Ayala today.
6. Jack Wortendyke, one of the first home owners on Los Ayala beach. (deceased)
2. Rosario, a beautiful Los Ayala local.
3. The teacher of Los Ayala's Elementary School serving breakfast or possibly preparing for a party. ~ 1998
4. Huichol mother at the market in La Penita de Jaltemba.
5. A local gathering coconuts; and still a common sight in Los Ayala today.
6. Jack Wortendyke, one of the first home owners on Los Ayala beach. (deceased)
Photos 1-6 feature local children and are from 1996-1997
1. Students of Los Ayala's Elementary school in class.
2. Julian Ponce, Elaine Smith, Maggie Ponce, Jack Wortendyke (deceased); Lindy Worten Dyke (deceased)
3. Jack Wortendyke (deceased)
2. Julian Ponce, Elaine Smith, Maggie Ponce, Jack Wortendyke (deceased); Lindy Worten Dyke (deceased)
3. Jack Wortendyke (deceased)
Los Ayala Beach ~ 1980
1. South end of Los Ayala beach.
2. View of the north end of the beach.
3. Central Los Ayala beach.
In the early 1980's the property lines on Los Ayala beach were defined by the row of palm trees that lined the beach and a fence made of rocks and chicken wire. Hurricane in Gilma (1994) knocked down many of the palm trees on Los Ayala beach when it passed the coast of Jaltemba Bay. Hurricane Kenna in 2002 also knocked out many of the palm trees that lined our beach.
2. View of the north end of the beach.
3. Central Los Ayala beach.
In the early 1980's the property lines on Los Ayala beach were defined by the row of palm trees that lined the beach and a fence made of rocks and chicken wire. Hurricane in Gilma (1994) knocked down many of the palm trees on Los Ayala beach when it passed the coast of Jaltemba Bay. Hurricane Kenna in 2002 also knocked out many of the palm trees that lined our beach.
The first homes on Los Ayala beach were located on the south end, and built of bricks. The construction consisted of wooden shutters and teca roofs.
1. The home of Julian Ponce. It is located at the end of Avenida Del Estero, right beside the mountainous hillside which marks the south end of Los Ayala. The first house on the south end of Los Ayala Beach.
(There is no photo of the second house on the beach)
2. This is Old Doc. Flanigan's home. Doc Flanigan discovered Los Ayala beach in the early 1980s as he used to fly the mail from Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta. He talked everyone into coming to Los Ayala and arranged for the first property owners on the south end of Los Ayala beach to purchase their properties. Doc Flanigan is now living in Coos Bay Oregon, and is 95 years of age. (January 2012) He delivered several of the babies in Los Ayala, including the Vasques boys. They say he tied the navel cord of the new born babies with a shoe string, which was all that was available at the time. Dr. McDonald owns this property now.
3. The third house on Los Ayala beach was bought by Jack Wortendyke. Today this is the home of Janette (Jack Wortendyke's widow) who has since remarried. The house today is "exactly" as it was when it was first built in 1980's.
4. Originally the home of Merv Smith and Joe Kaiser. This home was purchased by Lin Chimes and Jim Stewart and today is known as Casa Contenta. The original home has been renovated and enlarged but the living room of Casa Contenta today reflects the original house construction retaining its' full character and beauty.
5. The home of Elaine and Morris Smith, Founders of the Los Ayala's Learning Center. They purchased the home (which was renovated and enlarged in 1987 by the previous owners) in 1995. This homes original construction was also retained during the renovations.
6. The home of Juan Vasques and his wife Antonia. Juan was the caretaker of all of these properties for about thirty years. Juan lived in a traditional stick house with a palapa roof until Dr. Flanigan built a brick home build for Juan and his family. The house was torn down, but was located where John Cole's has his house now. This Juan's wife Antonio is still alive and living in La Penita.
1. The home of Julian Ponce. It is located at the end of Avenida Del Estero, right beside the mountainous hillside which marks the south end of Los Ayala. The first house on the south end of Los Ayala Beach.
(There is no photo of the second house on the beach)
2. This is Old Doc. Flanigan's home. Doc Flanigan discovered Los Ayala beach in the early 1980s as he used to fly the mail from Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta. He talked everyone into coming to Los Ayala and arranged for the first property owners on the south end of Los Ayala beach to purchase their properties. Doc Flanigan is now living in Coos Bay Oregon, and is 95 years of age. (January 2012) He delivered several of the babies in Los Ayala, including the Vasques boys. They say he tied the navel cord of the new born babies with a shoe string, which was all that was available at the time. Dr. McDonald owns this property now.
3. The third house on Los Ayala beach was bought by Jack Wortendyke. Today this is the home of Janette (Jack Wortendyke's widow) who has since remarried. The house today is "exactly" as it was when it was first built in 1980's.
4. Originally the home of Merv Smith and Joe Kaiser. This home was purchased by Lin Chimes and Jim Stewart and today is known as Casa Contenta. The original home has been renovated and enlarged but the living room of Casa Contenta today reflects the original house construction retaining its' full character and beauty.
5. The home of Elaine and Morris Smith, Founders of the Los Ayala's Learning Center. They purchased the home (which was renovated and enlarged in 1987 by the previous owners) in 1995. This homes original construction was also retained during the renovations.
6. The home of Juan Vasques and his wife Antonia. Juan was the caretaker of all of these properties for about thirty years. Juan lived in a traditional stick house with a palapa roof until Dr. Flanigan built a brick home build for Juan and his family. The house was torn down, but was located where John Cole's has his house now. This Juan's wife Antonio is still alive and living in La Penita.
Points to Ponder about Life in Los Ayala During the Early Days...
The beach homes described were purchased in 1980 and it took the owners sixteen years to obtain title.
The home owners of these properties today describe Los Ayala as a South Sea paradise. They subsisted on fish, vegetables and fresh fruit and enjoyed plenty of potable water from gravity fed spring located on the hillside on the south end of Los Ayala.
The only road into Los Ayala at that time was a make shift road carved through the jungle coming over the mountain on the south side of Los Ayala.
There was only one small grocery store in Jaltemba Bay which was located in Rincon de Guayabitos, so property owners stocked up on convenience groceries in Tepic.
The only telephone in the Jaltemba Bay area was located in Rincon de Guayabitos.
Children and dogs ran all over the town. Everyone got along famously, and everyone was happy. Albeit this south sea paradise had a lot more ants at that time.
Supplies were delivered by boat, including the bricks that were used to build the homes. The mortar was made from beach sand which was washed to remove the salt.
Local Folks enjoyed a simple life and fondly remember the days when they did not have to pay federal or state property tax, or a bank trust.
The beach homes described were purchased in 1980 and it took the owners sixteen years to obtain title.
The home owners of these properties today describe Los Ayala as a South Sea paradise. They subsisted on fish, vegetables and fresh fruit and enjoyed plenty of potable water from gravity fed spring located on the hillside on the south end of Los Ayala.
The only road into Los Ayala at that time was a make shift road carved through the jungle coming over the mountain on the south side of Los Ayala.
There was only one small grocery store in Jaltemba Bay which was located in Rincon de Guayabitos, so property owners stocked up on convenience groceries in Tepic.
The only telephone in the Jaltemba Bay area was located in Rincon de Guayabitos.
Children and dogs ran all over the town. Everyone got along famously, and everyone was happy. Albeit this south sea paradise had a lot more ants at that time.
Supplies were delivered by boat, including the bricks that were used to build the homes. The mortar was made from beach sand which was washed to remove the salt.
Local Folks enjoyed a simple life and fondly remember the days when they did not have to pay federal or state property tax, or a bank trust.
Los Ayala - A Step Back in Time
Beach & Home Photos courtesy of Janette Wortendyke
Beach & Home Photos courtesy of Janette Wortendyke
The First Homes on Los Ayala Beach ( Early 1980's)
Elementary Schooling in the early 1980's
The students of Los Ayala's elementary school received only the very basic education in reading, and math.
The students of today's generation are completely different. They read and write; and their math skills are strong. Today's students also have a good knowledge of their country and background, and many speak some English. The older generation interviewed for this page, say that it has been extremely gratifying to see it all happen.
The students of Los Ayala's elementary school received only the very basic education in reading, and math.
The students of today's generation are completely different. They read and write; and their math skills are strong. Today's students also have a good knowledge of their country and background, and many speak some English. The older generation interviewed for this page, say that it has been extremely gratifying to see it all happen.