It was late afternoon when we arrived. Most of the small fishing boats were already tied up along the dock, and the promenade along the water was empty. San Felipe seemed to be going through a small redevelopment. The sidewalk along the marina had fresh cement, benches, shiny yellow lampposts and young palm trees.
Tour books describe San Felipe as a favorite vacation spot for locals. We must have arrived off-season, because all bars and eateries were closed, including Restaurant Vaselina, which is supposed to have mouth-watering lobster, ceviche and all kinds of locally caught seafood.
Instead we headed back to our tiny Hotel San Felipe for dinner. The manager handed us a lengthy menu, but all they had was whitefish prepared two ways -- fried or grilled. Still, it was tasty.
Down the street from the hotel, we sat by the sea wall and listened to the waves lap against the rocks below. And slowly the sun, giant and gold like a shiny coin, dropped through bands of glowing white clouds. Orange and pink streaks lit up the sky before the sun finally disappeared beneath the gulf.
We lingered, soaking up the calm before we had to go home.
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