As Seattle fluctuates between shocks of heat and our usual grey and rain, I can't help but feel nostalgic for trips to tropical places. I took these photographs in Guadalajara, rural Jalisco, and Sayulita last winter on a traditional Wilcox escape-from-Pacific-Northwest-Januaries adventure. Before boarding my flight from Puerto Vallerta back to Seattle, an armed guard in full military garb tried to open my box of exposed 4x5 film. Thank god for chicken scratch Spanish and the powers of persuasion.