Project Amigo dental clinic in Suchitlán Colima

We drove 5 kids from Melaque up to The little village of Cofradía de Suchitlán outside Comala Colima for a special dental clinic they put on for us. Most of our kids had not been to Colima let alone in the mountains at the base of Colima volcano. They had teeth fixed and an adventure at the same time.

Project Amigo is run by a great bunch of people and has been working in Colima for 25 years. Their offices are in a beautiful old home in Suchitlán. I'll let you read more about it on their web page. Ted has given up part of his home, a block away, for the dental office.

Project Amigo Web Site


Kids getting snacks and orientation


Dental office


Garden behind dental office


Kiosko in the Suchitlán Plaza


Suchitlán main street


Volcano from Suchitlán entrance

More pictures of the Project Amigo trip

The Ruins of El Chanal and La Campana

El Chanal - archeological zone located some 4.5 kms. north of Colima. First explored by archeologist Vladimiro Rosado Ojeda in 1945, the site extends over some 140 hectares on both sides of the Rio Verde. It comprises ceremonial plazas, altars, pyramids and several ball courts. Particularly prevalent on the site are figures of the Rain God, Tlaloc. Characteristics of artifacts made of clay and obsidian with the use of metals indicate that the inhabitants of El Chanal were in some way related to Tula.

The biggest and the oldest archeological zone in the state is "La Campana" from 600-900 AD. La Campana is located in Villa de Álvarez between ITC (Tec de Colima) and "La Comercial" mall. La Campana has the only "Tumba de Tiro" open to the public in Colima. Inside the grave you can see handmade figures like the little dogs and old instruments made of mud and obsidian.


Ruins at Chanal

Ruins at Chanal

Ruins at La Campana

Ruins at La Campana

Fotos are complements of - Shoe

Comala - Colima

The town of Comala, a 15 minute drive from Colima, known as the White Town for its whitewashed buildings, is a good place to watch how Mexicans relax, and to join them at it. The restaurants on the south side of the plaza will feed you botanas (snacks) as you enjoy your beer. Food included with your drinks is not free but very reasonable.

Waiters hustle around with endless trays of quesadillas, tacos, salsa and other Mexican munchies. Mariachis in traditional uniforms sing and strum, competing for space on the cobblestones or around your table. It's a party that lasts all afternoon, every day, but with special gusto on the weekends.

Famous Portales restaurants on the Plaza

Attractive church on the Plaza

Mariachis will want to play for you while you eat your Botanas. Here waiters bring out endless plates of the food of the day for a set price.

The historic town of Comala, is the center of the botanero custom. Especially on Sundays, families can be seen along the colonnade of restaurants around the town square, enjoying ponche de granada (pomegranate punch) and drinks made from tamarind, dried plums and other fruit, as well as tuba, a mildly alcoholic drink made from palm sap. Botanas include fried tacos, enchiladas, ceviche-topped tostadas and a number of cheeses and salads.

Colima - The City

Known as the "City of Palms", Colima was founded in 1527 as Villa San Sebastián de Colima. It is a quaint city with some beautiful colonial architecture and monuments. Downtown Colima is made up of three Plazas lined up over 8 blocks. The main plaza has some government offices, the main church, shops, restaurants and the Hotel Ceballos. The next (middle) smaller plaza behind the church is more "the peoples park" where old guys sit, shoe get shined, etc. The third and largest plaza has more shops and hotels including Hotel Merced. One main entrance streets into Colima empties into one corner of this last plaza.

Center of the Central Plaza

Central Plaza looking towards government offices, museum and restaurants

A pedestrian only walk and shopping

Inside of the government offices off the Central Plaza

Courtyard of the old Hotel Merced

Colima Volcano - Volcan de Fuego

Colima Volcano is the most active volcano in Mexico, and has erupted more than 40 times since 1576.

Despite its name, it is not located in the Mexican state of Colima but rather just over the border in the neighboring state of Jalisco, toward the western end of the Eje Volcánico Transversal mountain range. It is about 300 miles (485 kilometres) west of Mexico City and 75 miles (125 km) south of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

There are actually two peaks in the volcano complex: Nevado de Colima (4330 m), which is older and inactive, lies about 5km north of the younger and very active 3860m-tall Volcán de Colima (also called Volcán de Fuego de Colima).

You can almost be assured to see some activity from the mountain any time you are around.

Colima Volcano approaching from the west near Yerba Buena

Colima Volcano from the south along Highway 54

Colima Observatory - University of Colima - Web Cam

Older News article

Colima Volcano Erupts in Mexico Located roughly 300 miles (485 km) west of Mexico City, Colima Volcano began spewing red-hot rocks down its slopes on February 5, 2002. The volcano had been issuing smoke, ash, and vapor for days prior to the eruption.

Authorities evacuated the residents of Yerbabuena, a small town located within 25 miles from the volcano. According to volcanologists, there is a huge dome of lava inside the Colima Volcano's crater that could either collapse or explode, either way sending rivers of molten rock pouring out into the surrounding countryside. Colima volcano is considered to be the most active and, potentially, the most destructive of all nine volcanoes located in central Mexico.