Day 62 - 29 Feb - Teacapan (near Escuinapa)

Well, surprises of all surprises….we are in the middle of nowhere…and this RV Park has Wifi. You never know! We left PV about 9 am this morning and the first three hours were on the same old windy, hilly, narrow roads. It took us 3 hrs to go about 100 kms and we were starting to get worried that we’d never make our first destination…The Villa Onac at Teacapam. However, once we hit the toll highway, it was smooth sailing and we were able to travel along on a wonderful highway. It was like being on a holiday…wait a minute…We went through a variety of landscapes today..the regular scrub and then some agricultural areas. We are still trying to figure out what half the crops are as nothing looks familiar. At each toll booth we paid our toll and then gave the person one of those small Canadian flag lapel pins. Each and every time they are so excited and will put in on their shirt or blouse right and say ‘thank you’ and huge smiles. It’s a nice feeling to promote our own country and have people recognize our flag. American tourism is down significantly and I think ¾ of the people we’ve met, talked or listened to are Canadian…from B.C. to P.Q and all points in between. We haven’t seen any vehicles from the Maritimes yet but frankly, we haven’t passed many RVs on the road. It seems most of the have one or two favourite places and they arrive Nov-Jan and don’t leave until end-Mar. It may be a lot busier on the highway going home that coming down.
We pulled off the highway about 4:30 pm and weren’t expecting much…this is Mexico after all and the standards are way different. Well, another surprise. Firstly, there are a number of small ‘villas’ or stucco houses surrounding a heated…yes, heated pool…and about 45 RV sites with water, electricity & sewage. Coming in off the road you’d think you were heading through farm field (well, it was) on a 1-lane dirt road and how these big rigs manage it is beyond me. There are cement pads for all the trailers, which is nice otherwise you’d need a tractor to pull them out. The best part though, it the beach. OMG! It’s like something you’d see in a movie…miles and miles of beach, waves and nothing..I mean nothing...else in sight. It’s amazing! The wind was howling when we arrived and the couple next door said this has just happened-it’s been very calm up until now. Another couple pulled in and said they had just come from Boca Beach (where we were before PV) and they left because the wind was so high there and they could no longer boogie board or even swim in the ocean. I haven’t been to the washroom yet but Wayne said it is very nice, with hot shower, which is not the norm for smaller parks in Mexico. The fact that it also has Wifi is beyond belief—it’s slow, but it’s there. We are going to look at a couple of the villas tomorrow to see what they are like. This could be an option before or after PV if they are reasonable or do half the time in the van and the other in one of the houses…we’ll see…options, lot’s of options. There are no outside lights so it is black outside but the stars are thick up there and it reminds me of the cottage. I will never forget all of us lying on blankets behind the cottage having Bobby give us astrology lessons….I think there was alcohol involved but it was still memorable.
The two geekie Corkum’s are sitting here, each on their own laptop, but we gave the TV and DVD player to one of the guys at the resort as they just weren’t working properly in the van. The TV was too heavy for the stand and ultimately fell off so we are going to get a flatscreen when we get back in to the States.
Our first reaction is to stay here for a couple of days but we want to see the Copper Canyon on the way back north so will have to chug along. We still think it’s going to be about 4 days to the border so we need to move on. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone and that we’ve been away as long as we have. It really felt good to be back on the road though and we both were ready for the change of scenery which tells me that having an apartment and staying in one place is not what we are looking for right now.
Have a great weekend everyone…until next time, we love and miss you all. xx

Day 61 - 28 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: There's a fish market on the beach and this guy loves to entertain the gringos and feed the innards to the pelicans and friggat birds. The birds are like a pack of dogs and come as soon as they see him leave the building. There is always a bunch of pelicans hanging around the back waiting for him.

We did some packing this morning, getting ready for the pull-out tomorrow, and then I headed back downtown with my camera. I never think I'm going to have anything to take more pictures of, put it's like finding something to 'blog' about...there's always something there!

Today the four guys who climb this 60ft tower on the beach and then use centrifical force to swing round and round to the ground...we doing their thing just as I got there. Normally, we see them at night so I never get photos. There you are! I guess they have been doing this for ions and they pass a hat for tips which is how they make their living. They come from norther Mexico somewhere and I'm not sure if this is an ancient deal defying thing they all do up there...need to check the internet. It's certainly entertaining to watch though.

This was the first day there was any humidity and I'm guessing it's because there's been quite a bit of fog/mist over the ocean. By the time I'd been downtown for 2 hours, I was getting uncomfortable so headed for home and had a nap. Once we start back on the road tomorrow, there will be no napping in the car. We are back on Mexican roads and the first 400 miles is the same 'rock & roll' stuff we mainly drove on coming down. It's 1600 kms to the U.S. border which will probably take us 5 days...perhaps a day less once we hit the toll road which is a 4-lane hwy. However, as we learned on the way down, there are always surprises and we can't do any precise planning...it's a matter of taking it as it comes.

We had a fabulous time the last month..I'm not getting on the scales for the first month we are home! The past couple of days, the pool by our building has been more like a hot tub--the seniors love it but so do the kids so it can get a bit noisy during the day--but it's nice early in the morning or after the sun goes down. We went for dinner to the french restaurant next door and our waiter, Paulo, says we are now partners in the place. Gail...the manaquin had on yet another dress..black and spangled...Graham would have fallen in love all over again! We are starting to feel like the Ostrouts must in Barbados..people will stop and ask us for directions and after 3 yrs, we can launch into explicit directions for just about anywhere. There's still a lot of territory to cover though so I expect we're good to come back for a while yet.

I doubt I will be able to blog until we are back in the U.S. We've been on the internet looking at the RV parks from here to the border and although there are lots of them, the services still look pretty basic. Once we do get across the border, I will be using some of that Skype service I paid for and calling all of you. Until then, take care, we love and miss you all. xx

Day *60* - 27 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: There is a huge tree out front which is covered in these blooms. Sandra says it's also in Barbados and is (aptly) called the Orchid Tree.

We did a preliminary packing today...took lots of stuff we won't need to the van in preparation for the big pack tomorrow. I took laundry over this morning so we will hit the happy trail with clean gauchies et al.

Wayne meets the most interesting people and I think it's because he talks to everybody. I sometimes get impatient with him for it because it doesn't matter whether it a time-share salesman, homeless drunk, or a 5-yr old kid trying to sell gum, he takes the time to converse with everyone. Last night he came up from the beach and said, "How would you like to stay another week?" It turns out that while he was sitting under his palapa reading, a couple from California walked by, the guys said 'hello' and the wife stopped and asked Wayne if we were staying at Los Tules and what was it like. The ensuing conversation resulted in her telling Wayne that they had a time share two hotels down and had a week coming up in a 1 bdrm unit that she couldn't rent....would we like it for her maintenance fee of $425? Her mother-in-law always took it but couldn't anymore and the woman could never seem to rent it. She invited us to walk down and have a look at the place, which we did, and it's very, very nice but much bigger than Los Tules and lots more people. We talked about timing and said we couldn't take it this year but what about next year? She said that for $70 change fee, she could hold this yr's week over to next year which would give us 2 weeks together and.....she'd also give us the third week in a 2 bdrm unit because their kids are in school and they won't be using it. We asked if we could think it over because we'd have to go to the mgmt office with her, pay up front for the 3 weeks and then be tied to a time where we'd have to be here. In the end, we went back and declined... On the surface, it's half the price we are paying here but after discussing it, we decided our time in Los Tules is about more than money. We love it here, it's quiet, beautiful grounds, right on the ocean and a minimum of people. Over there, it's crowded, noisey, and the pool chairs are lined 4-deep...not much privacy. They were such a nice couple but just shows how things 'happen' and how you potentially fall into things.

I finished a book today that those of you who really enjoy reading must get. It's called 'Beach Music' by Pat Conroy. I picked it off the book shelf in our lobby for no particular reason but once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It's halarious, it's gut-wrenching, it made me laugh hard and cry hard. It's the kind of book that you think about long after you have finished it and as much as I loved it, I don't think I want to read it again in the future but just enjoy the impact it had on me. Conroy has a writing style that is mesmerizing...he literally pulls you into the story and every experience you've ever had in your life--good and bad--is relived with clarity. It's not a new book..it says the soft cover was released in 1996. I'm finding room in the van for it so that I can give it to someone and then have someone to talk with about it. In the meantime, try the local library or second hand book store. You won't be sorry...this is the first time I've ever recommended a book and I've read thousands.

Melanie sent me a photo of her and 'Deana Lynne Pinheiro-To-Be'. She's got 4 weeks to go and looks healthy and happy. Here's my ultimate dream: Melanie will have a girl. Of course she'll be beautiful and incredibly smart and talented (she'll get all that from her parents). She and Ty (who has already shown signs of incredible intelligence and handsome-ness) will be friends when they are small, better friends when they are older, and because they are third-cousins, not feel any guilt when they fall in love as teenagers and get married after they finish university together. They'll have oodles of kids and always want their Gramma Carl & Honey to give them sage advice on everything. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?

Tomorrow's blog may be the last for a week or so until we get back in to the U.S. It's been a slice! Until next time, we love and miss you all. xx

Day 59 - 26 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: The hybiscus are gi-normous and they are in reds, pinks, and yellows in hedges all around the resort. I never get tired of see them.

We really are...I mean, really are...leaving this time. We've looked at the calendar and can't believe where we still want to go and how much time we've got left. Every day has been fabulous here and as much as we hate to see it end...that's life, so Friday we will be on the road again.

Knowing that we are leaving, we decided to spend the day catching a few more rays and just enjoy the pool and beach.

While I was downtown yesterday, I did notice one thing...Mexican women are, for the most part, quite attractive. The thing that just ruins it for them though is that they all believe they are the most attractive when they wear jeans/pants/shorts two or three sizes too small! Man, they are poured into those puppies and while it doesn't leave much to the imagination, it just plain has to hurt the V-J-J. When we were at the rodeo the other day, I couldn't believe the girls that showed up with boobs hanging out all over, stillettoe heels, and VERY tight pants. I commented to the man next to me that this was a great place to girl watch. His response was that the girls knew this was a 'man place', that most guys came here without their wives so the girls were looking for one thing...and it had nothing to do with which team came in first! I had to laugh as I had heard him tell his son that he could look but to be sure and tell his Mother that Daddy hadn't looked.

Mexican men are 99% hunks and I have pictures to prove it. Even the youngest boys have the hair gel going and MP3 players hanging out of their ears. Perhaps it's the Latin blood that makes them incredible dancers. There was this one or ten guys on the pirate crew that made Gail and my eyes water when they each did their little dance routine when they were introduced! There's was this one particular move they each had......................sorry, went to my happy place there for a minute. All that to say, they are an attractive people.

Not much adventure today...and that's okay. I did wander today the take some photos of all the beautiful flowers. If I could only find a way to have a hybiscus hedge......... Until next time, love and hugs to everyone.

Day 58 - 25 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: The morning after the eclipse I woke up early and looked out the patio door. This is what I saw and I just had to get the camera and capture it.


It was a strange day--weather-wise. When I got up this morning the sun had a hard time getting through the mist and you couldn't see 100 feet out in the ocean. The 'fog' stayed off and on, throughout the day but when the sun did get through, it was lovely.


I got on the crazy bus and went downtown to wander. There was a brass/drum competition between schools so there were a number of different schools represented, all wearing their own uniforms and did the precision marching thing...they were so cute and quite good. I watched for a while, took a few pictures but there was no shade and after a half-hour or so, I was getting too warm. I was shoe shopping today and ended up near the old church by the town square. It's a lovely old church that, like most of the old churches in Mexico, has lots of gold, lots of statues, lots of candles...and that's because it's Catholic. There weren't a lot of people inside so I decided to sit down and hey...I'm not above taking the time to reflect on all the gifts I've been given..... It was quiet...I'm reflecting...and I hear the organ start and smell incense.


Now, I don't seek out the small adventures that occur in my life...it just happens...which is good news for me and those who take the time to read the blog. Out of the corner of my eye I see the priest walking down the isle with a big group of people behind him, including one in a white dress and realize...I'm attending a wedding! The bride was lovely...the groom was handsome...we all clapped when they were pronounced 'Man & Wife' and we all took pictures! However, because she looked to be about 70 and him about 75 years old, I'm thinking they were widowers but it didn't shorten the ceremony...they had the full-meal-deal mass. I was going to stick around and follow them to the reception but I was already getting some strange looks from the family, but I just smiled and nodded my head and I guess they all thought I was a distant relative from 'the other side'. I like to think I'll be the topic of discussion, for even a brief period, at the reception.


Another great day and until next time, our love to everyone. The weather report says Tuscon and area is warming up so I expect this Friday will be the day we head North.

Day 57 - 24 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: One of the bronco riders from yesterday's Charras. The horses are very small but riding it is only a small portion of the competition...he has to get off the horse and then his team-mates rope it.

Most of the day was spent around the pool relaxing...in preparation for the Sunday night stroll downtown and then watching the dancing. It is 'Flag Day' in Mexico so the locals were all out in their finery, especially the children dressed in their Sunday best. The local band played again in the town square and the older Mexicans, dressed all in white, danced and entertained the crowd. I love going downtown on Sunday nights because the Mexicans outnumber the North Americans 2 to 1...unless there are cruise ships in the marina.

The couple that moved in to our old room were telling us about the miserable weather at home and how everywhere in Canada seems to be having more snow that ever. That's really awful! I was out for the sunrise ceremony this morning and they were sitting out with another couple they arrived with. The funny part was they were lamenting the fact that the 'toaster sucked'! I nearly gagged on my tea because when G2 left we switched the shitty toaster for the new one in their room. Then we we were moving into their old room, we switched it back so we'd have the new one. I was going to tell them there is a secret way to push down the lever so it toasts but I knew I'd never be able to do it with a straight face.

We are going to try and take the bus back to Bucarius this week--that's the place we started out for with G2 and the bus driver forgot to let us off. The beach is really lovely and you can sit in a restaurant on the beach for the better part of the afternoon having lunch and then a drink or two and swim and soak up the sun. There's a great flea market there also.

Hope everyone is well...we love and miss you all. Until next time....xx

Day 56 - 23 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: The Littlest Cabilliaro. Even though he had to be 'tied in', he knew that if he pulled on the rope, the horse would back up. He kept the crowd entertained without knowing he was doing it. Wouldn't Ty look cute as a Cabilliaro?

We had the most amazing day! I'd seen posters for a 'Mexican Charra' which is their version of a rodeo, that is being held in PV for 4 days. One of the boys at the resort told us a bit about it and then we went on the PV Events website and got more info. End result...we spent the day watching Caballiaros and a whole lot of Caballiaro-wantabees doing some amazing things in the ring.

We arrived shortly after 10 am and the shindig started at 11 am so we had time to browse some of the 10 or 12 flea-market-type stalls that had been set up. A lot of it was horse-related...Kim would have been in seventh heaven...and saw a beautiful saddle with hammer silver horn and decoration. It was a real work of art. Mexico is known for it's leather work so there were belts and wallets, all hand-made, as well as hand-made sombreros...the REAL ones and not the bespangled ones the tourists wear. Lots of stands for food and bars set up & ready to serve tequilla (they love it with Clamato juice or soda water).

Knowing that it was going to be too hot to sit in the sun, we got seats under the canopy and settled in, not really understanding what the whole thing was about. We knew it wasn't going to be a rodeo in the North American sense but were keen to see the event. Fortunately, a Mexican sat down beside us who spoke excellent English and gave us a very good outline of the events as well as lots of colour commentary as the day went on.

There were 12 ranches represented, consisting of 5 or 6-man teams, depending on the event. It's a process of elimination so that the final day (tomorrow) will be competition between the best of the best. The man told us that these 12 ranches were owned by gazillionaires who own most of the open range land in Mexico and the horses and riders that are represented, are very talented and this is what they do for a living...travelling to the Charras in Mexico to represent their particular home ranches.

The events were amazing...these guys are champion at doing that Mexican rope thing where they twirl the rope around them, around their horse, dance through it, etc. but the objective is also to be able to rope the back legs of a horse while their team-mates drive the horse at top speed past the 'rope-er'. Another event was bronco riding and once the fellow jumped off the back of the horse, another roped it around the next and yet another roped the two back legs.

The funniest part of the competition was the bull-riding. As soon as I heard that was coming, I rushed down to the ringside to get the best photos. Well, the bull is smaller than we are used to seeing--in fact a couple of times the rider had to keep his knees tucked up so they wouldn't drag on the ground--and more than once the bull bucked a couple of times and then just gave up and stood there! If I remember correctly, the object was to rope the bull front and back and get him on the ground.

The best competition was horse roping...the riders had a horse go by them at top speed and from the back of their horse, had to rope the speeders two back legs, and stop him by putting the rope around their saddle horn. When they wrapped the rope around the horn successfully, the tension of the rope slowing the speeding horse would actually 'burn' the saddle horn and create smoke. It was awesome! The don't use American-type saddles...the horns on theirs are much bigger and rounder and I guess it's for that purpose.

We had frajitas for lunch...Mexican style...no guacamole, cheese, or rice Tim...just salsa and onions...and it was delicious! We normally don't eat from the food stands but this was being barbequed and eaten as fast as they could make it so probably the safest thing there. I got some great people shots...every little boy there had a cowboy hat on and had a length of rope over his arm...they all wanted to be a Cabilliaro. A few were in full gear and too cute for words. Too bad they weren't selling those or Ty would have had one, I'm sure! I took 350 pictures so it will take me a day or two to go through them, delete the duds and get the best on Facebook.

All in all, a terrific day. We got home about 5 pm, and it's now 8 pm and no hunger pains yet. I'm thinking it's going to be scrambled eggs & toast tonight...we are too pooped to think about going to a restaurant. Until next time, our love to you all...

Day 55 - 22 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: The Malachon (ocean walkway) has many wonderful bronze sculptures and each year they seem to add one or two more.

It was a non-event day and we didn't do much. Wayne was staying out of the sun and by mid-morning I was antsy so headed up to Walmart with the intention of investigating the "Galleria Vallarta". It turns out it is a new, ultra-modern shopping complex, a la Bayshore. It has a big anchor store called 'Liverpool' which is high end plus a dozen or more smaller stores. There's room for many more but still has lots of vacancies. It's really quite beautiful and there's nothing like it anywhere else in PV that I've seen. There lots of marble and granite, plus fountains and a big food court...it will warm the hearts of many gringos. I did manage to find a killer bathing suit and then headed over to Walmart to top it off with a cheap wrap.

It doesn't matter where I shop, I'm always amazed by the fact that inventory is so small, considering what the rent must be on some of these places. In the mall across the street, there's a 'Lan' anchor store, which is also very high end, but the cosmetic counters have perhaps half a dozen items in the show case and little else, unlike what we see at home where the show cases are filled (sell one-replace it). However, there's nothing you can't get here, it's just a matter of knowing where to go for it. There are lots of furniture stores--some of them on back streets in places you wouldn't expect--but they are there. Given the issues we've had with the LuvMasheen, Wayne was able to take it to a Dodge dealer down the road and find a Goodyear tire outlet across the street to have all the tires checked.

I keep looking at Real Estate ads and while there are many, many villas in the $350-$500,000 range, there are just as many 2 bedroom places for $125-$150,000, or less if it's a studio apt. We are not, repeat not, planning on buying kids--it too complicated and too late in life for us. Besides, we like the option of going to different places vice being tied in to vacationing in the same place. I'm thinking Paris for a week next year.......

We were too lazy to cook or go out so just went over to the restaurant and got burgers/fries to go. The bed is quite comfortable...last year the same style room had a bed like a concrete floor, which seems to be the norm in Mexico. However, this mattress has a small pillow top and with the foam we bought, was very comfortable so we expect to have a good night's sleep.

Take care everyone, our love to all. Congratulations to Doug & Claire on the new house. Missing my children. Until next time, keep those snow-blowers goin'!

Day 54 - 21 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: the young female Matador in a classic pose. This was just before the bull shoved her around a bit.

We tried to leave....we REALLY did! I had half the kitchen stuff and all my excess clothes in the van. I was depressed-Wayne was pouting. Then we got an e-mail from Kevin who said he & Kate are taking a quick break in Tuscon (where we are headed) and it's about 60 degrees through the day and FREEZING cold at night. We nearly tripped over one another to get to Ms. Pina Colada's office and book another week here. We have to give up our studio apt and move next door into G2's room they vacated last week which means no stove but we'll manage with the microwave and our barbeque when we want to cook...and it's a breeze to move right next door.

Wayne kind of over-did the beach thing today and wasn't feeling great but he's been downing lots of water and starting to feel better. He heads off down the beach for his daily walk but sometimes forgets he's walking in the hot sun and I think it just caught up with him today. Tomorrow will be a 'no sun' day for him and give his skin a chance to re-hydrate. I slathered on #30 and dozed off and on by the pool, only waking up when I snorked or something and scared myself awake.

The big Mexican Rodeo starts today for a week and I think that might be our adventure for next week. It's quite the event I guess and all the biggest ranchers in Mexico send their best horses & riders to participate as well as the bull riding etc. I love that stuff and it will be interesting to see how the Mexicans do it. Of course there will be Mariachi bands galore and all the traditional foods to sample. I've never been overly keen on Mexican food...I hate beans cooked the first time around, never mind refried and everything, literally everything, has either hot sauce or hot peppers in/on it. Hot sauce is a staple here, just like ketchup for us.

We've been cooking our own meals, about every second night and I have to say that the meat that is available here is excellent....and very reasonable. I buy the highest grade hamburger, just to be on the safe side, and there's very little fat. The steaks are some of the best we've had anywhere and $5 will get you a barbequed chicken with roast potatoes. Much of the frozen food is the same as home, ie, Green Giant, and except for traditional Mexican foodstuffs, the rest is made here by the same brands as home. When I go to the grocery store I hear more English than Mexican. Certainly the shopping centre across from us is patronized by more 'gringoes' than locals and I expect that's one the biggest reason we feel quite at home here.

Take care everyone, our love to you all. A big kiss for my baby HoneyB..his Honey and Poppa miss him big time.

Day 53 - 20 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

The day went quickly, as they all seem to, but was not without some excitement. As I had planned, I got on the crazy bus and headed for 'El Toro' to watch (some of) the bullfight. As expected, Wayne opted not to go so I was solo for this trip. There were 4 events, the score was Matador/2 and Bulls/2. However even when the bull scores...he still loses in the end.

The bullfight is quite a ceremony with lots of traditional poses, costumes, implements, and music and these guys are the Gretsky's and Becker's of Mexico..and Spain. They prance...which is a sight onto itself given the pants they wear...and they parade and that's the part I love to watch. I know when to start searching my purse for 'something' so I don't see the worst part of the whole thing...it's called 'Lynne's World' and that's where I choose to live!

This time there was a female matador (matadress?)...just a tiny thing who worked her little heart out. Unfortunately, the bull knocked her over and tossed her around a bit but she brushed off the 10 guys who went out to her rescue and finished the job. The next guy (photo) was clearly the star and worked it for all he was worth. From the part that I watched, he was like a dancer and the crowd insisted he get both ears and the tail...which is the supreme coup. The next guy was doing great until he turned his back on that big black bad boy and was carried out on a stretcher and the ambulance carried him away. Another matador took over but I'd had enough and left at that point. However, I got some great photos...none with blood...so it was worth the price of admission.

Although it was cloudy off and on today, it has cleared up so that we can watch the eclipse. We are told that the tide will be very high and the wave enormous tonight. It normally comes up very high anyway but Wayne may find his nice soft lounge chair missing tomorrow!

Tomorrow will be pack up day (again) and this time we really do have to vacate the premises. I'm hoping that we'll find a nice RV park not too far from here where we can stay for a bit. There are oodles of parks from here to Nogales, Arizona and although it won't be quite as warm as it is here, it should be nice. I don't expect the drive to be quite as stressful as we will be taking the toll highway (4 lane) all the way except for exits to the towns with parks. However, we've said that before and there are always surprises along the way. I've read that this stretch of highway is much busier with security stops as it's a prime drug route back and forth from the U.S.

Hope everyone is well. Melanie sent a photo and I can't believe how much that baby has grown in 2 months! We'll be anxious to get our hands on him/her...assuming we can pry it away from the grandparents! Until later, our love to you all--we miss you and think of you often.

Day 52 - 19 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: Lynnie with her first (& last) Coco-Loco. It's made with Tequilla, Vodka, and Lime juice. If you finish it, you absolutely believe you can speak Spanish!

I took the crazy bus downtown this morning while Wayne did the beach thing. My primary mission was to finish some of the shopping that I didn't figure I'd have time for since we were leaving....however, the shopping Gods were watching over me and we will be here for a couple more days.

There was a cruise ship in so there were lots and lots of people downtown. I headed for Starbucks...yep, capitalism has reared it's ugly head in PV...got a grande capaccino...and sat in the town square and took photos. For some insane reason, people love to feed pigeons! There are hundreds of these poop-machines in the park and there's hardly a square inch that isn't covered in pigeon poop. Because the benchs are pretty clean, it must be a non-stop/make-work project for someone. I guess it's because pigeon feeding is a great way to entertain the kids for a couple of hours that parents will buy a bag of 'something' and let the kids feed the birds and then run through the flock of 300 so the birds will fly over everyone else's heads and poop. I shouldn't complain because it makes for a great photo opportunity.

I had to laugh at this one Asian lady...everytime a flock would be gathered on the ground, she would very carefully walk over it so that she could stand right in the middle of the flock. If the flock moved, so did she. If the flock went to another part of the park to get fed, off she went and did baby-steps until she was right in the middle of it again. That was the best entertainment of the afternoon!

Wayne picked up a cooked chicken and frys at the grocery store so it was supper in front of the television...just like at home. Just as we finished, he jumped up and yelled, "whales out front!" and we burst through the patio doors in time to see two whales jumping out of the water about 5 or 6 times. It looked as if it might have been the Mother & baby again as one seemed to be quite small. They were very close to shore and because it was so misty over the water today, we were lucky to have seen them. No matter how often we do see them, it's always very exciting and still such a novelty to have them 'in our front yard'.

For those on Facebook, I've downloaded a couple of albums. The internet is a real convenience here but very slow so downloading takes quite a while and I find I get very selective about what photos I do download. It's just about time to move everything to a CD as I've taken over 1500 photos in the last month...not including the first iteration of deletes.

Time to close and finish uploading some books on tape for my MP3 which has become my sleeping pill. Mind you, I have one ear that looks like a cauliflower from trying to turn over at night and I usually do wake up and turn it off.

Until next time, our love to you all.

Day 51 - 18 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: The Parents out whale watching. Don't let Wayne's empty hand fool you...he was having rum punch as well.

Two things occurred to me today: #1 - when I look in the mirror, there's something different--I don't quite recognize myself. I finally figured it out this morning. Firstly, I'm more tanned than I've ever been in my life, sort of Sandra Ostrouty tanned and secondly, MY EYEBROWS HAVE DISAPPEARED! This has been a 'make-up free zone' for the last month so I'm not sure where the hell my eyebrow pencil is anyway but I think I'm starting to resemble an Albino. Even my little mustache has bleached out (and that's good news). #2 - We just don't want to leave yet. We know that once we get about 50 kms north of PV the temperature is going to start to drop and that is just not kosher. So.....we've talked to Miss Pina Colada to see if she can do something. We can have our room until mid-week and then it's rented so it's either stay for 3 more days in our room and then leave PV or move to another room and stay an additional week. I hate the thoughts of moving but it will come down to what kind of room she offers as an alternative.

The van is half-packed but while we were sitting having supper last night we tried to figure out just why we were leaving? There are other places we want to see and visit but, some of those places are cool bordering on cold and may have snow...ie the Grand Canyon. More to follow but I think we'll stay the extra 3 days for sure and then who knows......

The days take on a schedule of their own..I even hate to use the word schedule! Wayne is usually up between 3-4 am and sneaks out to read the news on the internet. He crawls back into bed about 5 am. I get up around 7:15, make my tea and go out on the patio to chant my matra (Hm-m-m-m NO BOOTS, NO COAT, NO SNOW, Hm-m-m). Wayne gets up and marks his territory on the beach early in the morning with his towel. It's not because it's crowded but there's one 'soft' lounge chair and he wants it! By the time coffee and toast are consumed, we head for our respective areas (I prefer the pool) and unless we want to go downtown, we're there until supper. I will sometimes get on the crazy bus and go downtown to browse or take photos for a couple of hours mid-day (which is what I plan on doing today). We've done all the touristy things and are reluctant to take the van on the road, to check out local villages, until it's absolutely necessary. This reminds me of being on a cruise ship...you can be as busy or as lazy as you choose. We seem to be opting for the lazy choice.

There is a bull fight every Wed night and I think I'll go to take some photos. No...there won't be any of the 'final moment'...in fact, I'll close my eyes or look the other way but I love the pomp and ceremony...and the matador's costumes...and the first part, when the bull is fresh and full of p&v and the matador is swinging his cape, it's quite beautiful. We'd gone to see the mega spectacular when we were in Spain and Claire & I went the first year we were here. Except for the last third of each fight, which is awful and I don't watch, the colour, music, and ceremony is great. I expect I'll be doing this on my own as Wayne isn't keen on the whole thing. Me...I'm just doing it for my 'art'.

Until next time, keep those snow-blowers running and don't give up hope! The sun will return when we do! We love and miss you all.

Day *50* - 17 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: A very stirring dance to 'Balero'. It was like being back in Spain for 15 minutes.

We headed downtown early today as we figured this was our last Sunday in Puerta Vallarta and wanted to take advantage of all the festivities and do some serious people-watching. It was packed downtown but the good part is that the Mexican's probably outnumber the tourists. Sunday is 'family day' and the locals love to belly-up to all the small stalls that sells their version of fast-food, buy the kiddies a balloon, and listen to the music.

I wanted to go to see all the Mexican dancing that is held at the amphitheatre so we got our seat at 6 pm and there was already a crowd watching a wonderful mime who had the ability to whistle like I've never heard and he was so funny. He managed to get 2 shows in before it was time to clear out and the dancing started.

I took a ciggie break and walked over to the band shell, which is a staple in every Mexican town/city and normally designates the 'town square'. The city band play there every Sunday night and there was a big crowd gathered around. They were quite good but the best part was that as the band plays, and the crowds get bigger, all the older Mexicans get up and dance and boy, can those seniors do the Samba! They were a joy to watch!

When I went back to my seat, I could see Wayne looking at this little Mexican boy that had moved in beside us. When I sat down Wayne said, "I don't know what's wrong but he just sits there and crys" (oh, oh, Grandparent alert!). He was about 6 yrs old, his brother beside him was about 8 yrs old, his sister (wearing her pink tulle costume with glitter stickers) was probably 4, and baby brother with Dad behind us was 3. There were cute as anything and I'm guessing Dad had brought them down to watch the shows. Anyway, Wayne ended up giving the 3 older kids 10 pesos each ($1) and the little guy's tears cleared up big-time fast. We laughed to watch them spend it...the first 5 pesos went on a glass of coconut juice and another few pesos bought bubble gum which they chewed and pulled and chewed some more. Everything was shared with 'Poppy', their Dad, and little brother and there were no more tears.

Although my behind was getting sore from sitting on the concrete, the 2-hr spectacular was just that...an absolute delight. I'm not sure how they compensate these dancers but Puerta Vallarta brings them in from all the different states in Mexico. Some of these states also have various dancers from different parts of that particular state but while there is some similarity, the dances and costumes are different. The first dance was a tribute to their Spanish heritage and a group did a dance to 'Balero'...it was breathtaking...the only thing missing was the castinettes. There was also a group from the northern part of this state, Jalesco, who were representing the original native group and they did a dance which was done to celebrate the harvesting of the corn. Their costumes are hand made and embroidered and considered as sacred as our own Aboriginal's wear for their celebrations. We ended up buying a CD of music that is about Puerta Vallarta so look out people....a CD of photos with PV music is in my future to be shared with all!

It was a great experience but tinged with a bit of sadness as we know that we will soon be packing up to go. We are busy google-ing the weather in the southern states trying to decide where to go next and we know that travelling to where there is any chance of snow is not an option. However, I think the shorts will have to go back in the storage containers as we won't see this type of weather again until we are sitting around our pool in July.

Until next time, love to everyone. I only expect to be able to blog for another day or two as once we are on the road again, internet will not be an option until we cross the border into the US.

Day 49 - 16 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Ahoy matey....thar's whales out there! Yep, we saw whales, although no 'breaching' or peaking up out of the water at us. It's funny because as soon as you seen two or more boats all sitting around one another, you know that's where the whales are. Wayne and I were on either side of the boat and one came up right beside our boat, scared the b'jezzez out of everyone by exhaling. Of course, Lynne with the big camera and all the equipment was on the opposite side of the boat so missed it but it sure sounded impressive! We saw the mother & baby and a couple of other big boys...one was hovering between two boats...checking out the bikinis I guess. On the way home, a large group of dolphins passed us going back out to sea, jumping out of the water and looking like they were just plain having fun.

What a great day! We left the marina about 10 am and had a continental breakfast and then headed for Los Arcos to snorkle. Los Arcos is a couple of big 'bump's' in the water that have broken off the mainland at some point and the surf has created holes or tunnels through them. A coral reef of sorts has been established and it's a prime diving/snorkling location in this area. We decided that since the boat was only stopping for a half hour or so, we wouldn't bother getting wet and the few who did go in said there weren't many fish to be seen. Besides, the rum punch was being served!

We headed on to Quixtemprlqua (I don't know) and a large palapa where half the group headed for a waterfall and the rest of us lazy bums sat on the beach or investigated the rest of the beach while lunch was being prepared. Further up the beach was an area where fresh water flowed down from the hills and created little pools of very nice warm water and the birds gathered to drink. I took pictures and thought about going for a nice dip and then remembered all those National Geographic specials I'd watch and wondered what snake/alligator/man-eating fish might be lurking and just paddled so I could make a quick getaway! It was beautiful though and reminded me of a deserted island with palm trees lining the beach and god-only-knows in the forest behind.

There were only about 40 of us on this large catameran and about half those were a group of media people from the local television station who were doing a special on the bay, whales, etc. I don't know how much footage they got but they sure knew how to party!! One of them took a few photos of me wandering the beach and the two of us in the sunset and is going to e-mail them to me later. Anyway, we had a wonderful lunch, slept and poked around and got back on the boat about 5 pm. The Captain took a very leisurely trip home so we could enjoy the sunset..much to the misery of the woman who was seasick...and we got back about 6:30 pm. This entire day was $45 each, including breakfast/lunch and all the rum punch you could hold. I don't know anywhere you can rent a boat for a day for that price...except maybe from Bob Scott Marina at Long Lake.

We grabbed a pizza at Pizza Hut across the street from our hotel, woofed it down and were probably asleep by 9:30. We've decided to hit the road vice staying another week..although the weather report for the mid-west might change our minds quickly. Did we pick the right winter to be away or what? Honestly...it would have done me in and the only thing worse that going away on a 2-week holiday would be having to go back to it...sorry G2.

Tonight (Sun) we are going downtown early to finish a bit of souvenir shopping and hopefully get a good seat for the ethnic dances that are held down on the Malacon amphitheatre. Tomorrow will be packing up the van and getting it ready for the next leg of the roadtrip into Arizona and the Grand Canyon area and then on to Las Vegas....who knows?

Until next time, our love to you all. I'm starting to have dreams about Ty...latest was that he's 15 hrs old and won't go to school...must have been the extra cheese on the pizza!

Day 48 - 15 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: One of the sand sculptures on the Malacon. This one is huge (see sister sculpture on Facebook) and the detail is incredible.

We were slugs today! Other than mailing a few postcards and unsuccessfully roving the mall for shoes, we simply moved from chair to chair depending on whether we were hot from the sun or too cold getting out of the pool. It was great!

I'd originally thought about going downtown tonight...Friday night in the big city...but just couldn't muster up the energy. ha ha. Besides, we've booked an all-day whale watching tour for tomorrow and need all the extra energy to sit on the boat, eat and drink and perhaps do some snorkling--if we aren't too tired! We haven't seen any whales from the hotel in the past week but I'm hoping they are getting fed up with the jet skis, para-sailing boats, cruise ships, etc and have headed out a little farther in the bay. This is a 9-5pm trip so I'm guessing we will have time to venture out into the bay and no doubt they have these new fangled fish finder things. With any luck, tomorrow I will have a good whale photo to post with the blog.

While at the mall (Claire, it's 4x the size it was the first year) I met a lady from Alberta and we ended up talking for an hour. She has been coming here for a few years and has confirmed a rumour we've heard from a few people that the condo owners are being pressured to sell as a developer wants to come in and build some high rise condos. What a disappointment that would be! Many years ago this was a coconut plantation, hence the beautiful mature palm trees and there's quite a bit of property here so much be valuable. The attraction here is that there is so much green vice concrete that is back off the highway and when you are sitting on your patio facing the ocean, there is only the sound of the waves. Having been up and down the beach a number of times, as well as in town, I really can't say there's any other resort that would attract us as much and I doubt we'd have PV on our vacation list. There are some gorgeous hotels but this is almost like having your own private, quiet apartment, which is what draws us back. However, all that may not happen for a while yet and we may get another year or two back here.

We are actually considering staying for yet another week...we'll decide tomorrow. I'm of two minds...I'd love to bask in the sun and sit down on the Malacon and people watch for another week but I'm starting to look forward to being on the road again. The difficulty is that as we drive further north, it will get a bit cooler although I notice the temperature in Arizona is starting to climb again. Decisions, decisions....we have a couple of days yet.

Wayne is so dark now he's starting to look like a Mexican. He's begun reading novels again...and not just 'how to' books so instead of just sleeping on the beach, he sitting and reading and getting more and more tanned. I'm too impatient to sit for too long and get too hot anyway but the pool is so inviting and I cool off and content to sit for a while longer. I know I'm getting tanned but not in the same category as he is.

It's time to hit the sack...busy day tomorrow. Take care everyone, we are thinking about you and love you all. Till next time...xxx

Day 47 - 14 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Happy Valentine's Day! It's as big a deal here as it is at home and it was funny to see all the male tourists in the grocery store today buying flowers for their Valentine's. I was very pleased to get a dozen roses from my special Valentine...I know our maid was impressed!

It was a pretty quiet and laid-back day. Wayne wanted to read so I headed to the bus stop and went to the most interesting store up the road. Each year we've been here I've said I wanted to go in a browse and today I did. Claire...you'll know the one I mean near the Outback....it's a huge building and the entire front yard is filled...and I mean filled...with huge iron sculptures (bulls 6 ft high, giraffes, Mexican peasants), massive ornate bird cages, enormous clay pots, and lots of other stuff. Inside is jammed with pottery, furniture of every description, Mexican tile, fabric...and more. The furniture has to been seen to be believed and it's all manufactured there...you can watch them make it. They also have an artist on site who does the painting. One large table that seats six was painted bright yellow. The middle of the table had all been carved to resemble a coral reef that was made up of various corals and tropical fish painted in their own colour. Each of the chair backs was carved the same. It was gorgeous but that kind of stuff only looks good in this climate. Somehow I can't imagine Xmas dinner at that table in Ottawa! There were similiar items like headboards and dressers, carved and painted with flowers. I wandered there for a couple of hours before getting tired of listening to the girl tell me it would be so-o-o-o easy to have my purchase packed and shipped to Canada.

On the way back I went in to the shopping centre across the street to pick up a few fresh veggies and look through the shoe shops! If you love shoes, Mexico is definitely the place to come! I'm amazed that there are so many shops and they all sell different shoes...rarely over $25. Mexico produces two things that are outstanding...leather and silver. Yes, I've bought a couple of pairs of sandals and I expect that secret hiding place I kept empty in the LuvMasheen can handle a couple of more pairs. I'm almost sorry I'm retired and no longer wearing dress shoes/heels as the selection is beyond belief and they are beautiful. I've never seen so many pairs of gold and silver shoes...Mexicans love 'em...and certainly if we were real party-goers, I'd pick up a few pair as they are so cheap.

The afternoon was spent under a thatched palapa on the beach, reading and watching the sailboats drift by. We are both getting very tanned but trying not to be in the sun during the hottest part of the day. I love the heated pool..it's still refreshing but doesn't take your breath away when you get in.

I hope you all get some hugs and kisses from your special person. We send our love to you all and enjoy your comments. Until next time, keep those goloshes dry!

Day 46 - 13 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: One of the Iguana's that sit high in the trees along the river. There are three of them, generally in the same area, all keeping tabs on their particular 'territory'.

G2 left yesterday afternoon and we will miss them. As much as Wayne and I enjoy being together, after a few weeks it was nice to have some other people to converse with and tell lies to. We had a great holiday together and I felt sorry for them going home to yet another snow storm and freezing weather after two glorious weeks here....I really did! After they left, we washed a big head of lettuce and supper for us was salad...and nothing else.

I decided that this morning was going to be photo day downtown so we were up early and on the 'crazy' bus by 8:30 am. It's a real ride on these old buses...I don't know what keeps them held together...but they are generally outfitted with lots of pictures of Jesus and rosaries so maybe that helps. There's the odd new bus around but the local ones are old school buses, painted and decorated according to what the particular owner likes and the destinations are painted on the front window...which doesn't hamper their vision because they don't watch the other traffic much anyway! In the end, it's the fastest and cheapest method of zipping downtown...50 cents each for one way.

As I was outside for the sunrise ceremony this morning, I saw a big cruise ship approaching through the mist so knew it was going to be busy downtown. We walked the malachon and I clicked away and before we knew it, we were at Freddy Tucan's...the home of the big breakfast. We didn't over-indulge and in fact, each left a portion uneaten but knew this was brunch, vice breakfast, and there'd be no more food until supper. Wayne wanted to look at some stuff so we parted ways and agreed to meet back at the resort whenever. Perhaps because it was early and the crowds hadn't hit yet, people were very laid back and I got some great 'people' shots. I followed the park along the river to the Cultural Centre and it was lovely. It's very lush down there and the flea market stalls are bigger and much nicer as well as a number of very good restaurants. While I was there, a couple went by me and he had a small bell that he was ringing as he walked along the pathway. As he walked, cats of all sizes, shapes and colours came out of the undergrowth and followed he and his wife. They looked like the Pied Piper and at a particular spot she pulled a bag of food out of her purse, spread it around and the cats dug in. The reporter in me made it impossible to walk away without talking to them and getting some photos. They have been coming here for 19 years and having been feeding the cats all that time for the 4 months they are vacationing. The man pointed out a smaller cat with a nick out of his ear and told me that when the authorities catch one of these cats, they take it in to be neutered and have the notch done to show it's been 'fixed'. This is a good thing.

There's a definite difference in PV this year...we noticed it the first time we were downtown. The merchants have always tried to keep their sidewalks clean and early morning sweeping & washing is the norm. However, everythings seems to be brighter and better maintained this year. Teams of people are painting buildings white up and down the side streets and everything looks like it's had (or is having) a face lift. Puerta Vallarta has grown so much in the past 10-15 years that perhaps the additional tourism money has finally had some benefit. Regardless, it's looking quite nice despite the busy traffic and additional people from the cruise ships.

It's a quiet night in tonight. The sunset was particularly beautiful and I keep taking photos even though I must have hundreds by now. There isn't much cloud, which always makes for gorgeous colour in the sky but tonight the horizon was bright orange above the dark ocean and it was spectacular. I will try to re-size some photos while I'm watching television tonight so that I can download.

Until next time, we love and miss you all. High five to Carl for holding a successful baby shower for Melanie and the 'Spring Tulip' theme. Martha Stewart...and I...are very proud of you! A photo would be nice Carl. I am seriously missing my baby HoneyB and glad he is over his last bout of cold.

Day 44 & 45 - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: Mexican version of a convertible!

(On Day 45) It's 0-Dark-30 in the morning. I guess Wayne and I are napped, dozed, slept-out because we are both up early and clickity-clackity on our computers. I'm totally out of cinq on what's happening at home--haven't heard, seen or read any Cdn news and have to admit, I'm not missing it much. Only bad stuff anyway. G2 leave for home after lunch and we've all said the 2 weeks has flown by which always indicates a successful holiday. I guess they will arrive home to freezing cold and more snow which is a bummer. Every year we've had to experience that Wayne and I have managed to stay home for a few weeks and then the misery of the winter forces us on another trip. This year, we are just bypassing that few weeks of misery and not going home! I love the compromise.

We had planned to go to Bogart's for supper last night but the taxi driver informed us it was closed. This was a real disappointment as it was such a novel place. It was a huge restaurant and outside looked like the Taj Mahal...inside was draped and furnished to resemble Casablanca, including waiters in Fez' and a huge white grand piano on a pedistal with "Humphrey Bogart" playing tunes. I'm guessing that because it was too far away from the downtown core, it just couldn't make the cut financially.

We ended up going down to the big marina which was a nice change; although we'd driven by it numerous times, we'd never been in there. It's quite a community. There's a huge marina with hundreds of million-dollar boats and the entire marina is surrounded by condos. However, the floor level is stores, boutiques, galleries and restaurants so our only problem was deciding which restaurant to visit. We ended up going to Portebello's...a wonderful Italian place owned and operated by 2 Cdn guys who came for a holiday in 1989 and decided this was the place to live and work. It was totally filled by 8 pm with Cdn/US people. Gail said her pasta was the best she'd ever had and we were all impressed with our respective dinners. We walked for a couple of hours afterwards, drooling at some of the yahts moored in the water. Some of them are 3-4 stories high and no doubt the inside has the same square footage as a medium to large sized townhouse.

We are all very tanned...yes Carl, I'm lathering the #30 with abandonment...although I think Wayne gets the prize for the best overall colour. One of the best parts of Mexico at this time of year is that there's no humidity so while it can be very hot in the sun, as soon as you step into the shade, it's cool and comfortable. We haven't even had to turn the air conditioner on at night and sleep with just the overhead fan on.

Must go and make that second cup of tea and get seated for the sunrise ceremony (my own version of giving thanks for not having to wear winter boots)! Until next time, we love and miss you all. Hugs and kisses to everyone.

Day 42, & 43 - Puerta Vallarta

Photo: Sunset from El Panorama restaurant above Puerta Vallarta

We've just waddled back from supper at the French restaurant next door. As expected, the food was marvelous but clothing is really starting to get uncomfortable. While most people have to undo the waistband of their pants, I have to undo a couple of hooks on my bra...my own portable scale! I've been thinking that my back has been gloriously free of pain but then I remember I haven't been off my backside for any length of time or done anything that might have created any stress on it. The first week at home unpacking, washing laundry etc. should be fun!

G2 are in their last two days here so we have tried to do some of the things that they wanted to do before having to say goodbye to Mexico. Honestly, for the sake of our friendship, we ARE trying not to rub in the fact we aren't leaving.

Last night we went back to El Panorama on the hill above Puerta Vallarta for dinner. Our waiter, William (aka Willy) hails from the US mid-west and has been there for 18 years. The view and the food would be enough to take a person back but Willy is quite a character and very obliging. Case in point....at the end of a very memorable meal, we all ordered specialty coffees. After watching the big preparation at our table, Gail thought the correct coffee had not been given to the right person. We got that all figured out but as compensation Willy gave us all a 3 oz shooter (flaming) and a frozen liqueur sherbert thingee. This all followed wine with dinner and by the time we left we were very, very happy people. I think we were all a little quieter than normal this morning and it wasn't a hard decision to sit and read most of the day.

Tomorrow is G2's last full day so we will head downtown to Freddie Toucan's for a monster breakfast and then try and walk it off the rest of the morning visiting some of the stores we've missed until now...can't be many left.

The weather continues to be magnificant and I'm usually sitting outside with my tea by 7:30 in the morning, watching the sun come up and trying to figure out how I could afford to buy a small apartment here to live 6 months of the year. Nothing in our experiences so far have diminished our love for Mexico.

Until next time, love and hugs to everyone.

Day 39, 40, 41 - Puerta Vallarta

We are trying to list all those things we want to do before leaving and spreading it out so that it doesn't conflict with beach, pool, napping. It's a tough life we are living here!

I vaguely remember Day 39...that's because I woke up at 8 am, napped from 3-6 pm, and dozed by the pool in between. We went to our favourite little French restaurant next door and a la Sandy & Bill, have now ascented to the lofty heights of having the owner recognize us from previous years. Although the waiters are Mexican, they have learned to say, Bonjour and Au Revoir so feel the restaurant is authentic. The food certainly is authentic as is the service we receive...the only difference is the price of the dinner. So reasonable that it's almost a sin.

The following night we made a return visit to John Houston's former residence (which he willed to the Mexican gov't) for the Rhythm of the Night production. For those who don't remember my previous years' rave review it went like this.....we took a 1 hr boat ride which included all the free drinks you can hold, some energetic entertainment by the boat crew, a beautiful dinner on the beach (free wine) and the most amazing show that depicts an Aztec wedding. The dancers were beautiful, lots of fire, drums, gorgeous costumes and then a wild party boat to return to Puerta Vallarta. If you come here, this trip has to be on the top of the list.

We decided yesterday should be a day to expand our horizons so made plans to take the bus to Bucerias...a small town about 20 minutes north of here. We took the local (crazy) bus to Walmart and for 10 pesos, or $1, we got on to a much more luxurious bus for the ride to the town. Now, Wayne and I spent 3 weeks travelling the winding roads and dealing with crazy Mexican drivers but we forgot that Gail & Graham (from this point on to be known as G2) hadn't had the same pleasure. Anyway, the bus took us on a very fast ride....but he forgot to stop in Bucerias! For $1 we ended up in Punta Mita, another smaller village about an hour up the road. I knew we'd gone through Bucerias but (devil that I am) wanted to see just how far you can go on a Mexican bus for one buck! We may have been able to go farther but this was the end of the road for the bus so had no choice but to exit. We had lunch in a wonderful little restaurant on the beach and then boarded the return bus to our original location...yep, for another dollar! Once there, we wandered the town and the flea market and enjoyed the sights and back on the bus for the ride home. G2 enjoyed the day but one more bus ride would have done them in!

It had been such a busy day that we went in to Walmart and picked up 4 NY surloin steaks ($12) and about 3 lbs of fresh shimp ($10) and came home for a relaxing dinner vice doing the restaurant thing. All in all, it continues to be a great holiday. I have to say, part of that enjoyment is looking at the weather report at home and being glad we aren't there right now.

Colin sent us a halarious e-mail on his trials and tribulations in trying to keep driveways cleared of snow and getting the damn snow-blower to work in between storms. Thank God for father-in-laws who have the knowledge and the desire to help their kids...thanks Al! Until next time, we love and miss you all!

Day 38 - 5 Feb - Puerta Vallarta

After suning ourselves and snoozing by the pool most of the day, we dressed and headed out to the marina to get on the Pirate ship for a 4-hr cruise, dinner, and show in Bandaras Bay. We'd done it last year and it is now a particular favourite for Graham. The crew is approx 25 and they put on a very high energy pirate show and it's lots of laughs for everyone. Mind you, it's an open bar for 3 of the 4 hours so there is probably more laughter later in the evening that in the beginning. Regardless, it was a great evening and by the time we got home at 10 pm, the old foggies were ready for bed. It's amazing how so much relaxation becomes so exhausing...we are getting more sleep here that at home and doing half as much. Go figure...!

There is a mother and baby Blue Whale in the bay this year that are remaining very close to shore. While we were sitting on our patio having lunch, a number of boats seemed to be hovering right off-shore and I commented that there must be whales. Sure enough, within seconds we could see two shots of mists and then this little head poked out of the water to have a look at the boats. The mother stayed close and and we didn't see much more than her back or tail as she came up and then dove down around the calf but neither seemed to feel threatened, although I though a couple of the boats moved much too close.

While we were out on the pirate ship, the same pair were just off the side of the boat...fortunately the show wasn't in full swing yet as most of the people ran to the side to watch the whales for about 30 minutes.

It's wonderful to see them this close...we have often seen them in the morning but much farther out in the bay. We are hoping that when we go out later in the week to the Rhythm of the Night production, we'll have a chance to see them again. Hopefully, I'll be a bit better prepared, photograhpically speaking, than I was this time.

Until later, love and hugs to everyone.

Day 35, 36, 37 - Puerta Vallarta

I think the most wonderful part of being here is waking up every morning and knowing that when you throw that curtain back, the sun is going to be shining! When I get up the sun is just coming up over the building behind us and it is wonderful watching the reflection on the bay as it gets higher. I find the sun comes up later and sets earlier in the evenings but what happens in between is marvelous! No humidity at all which makes it nicer.
On Sat night (Day 35), one of the 'long-timers' at Los Tules had a cocktail party and had invited everyone he saw for the three days previously. He does it every year...everyone brings an hors d'ouvre of some kind and it was lots of fun. I'm guessing there were about 60-70 people there, from every state/province and people mixed and were very friendly. Gary, our host, calls it the Sunset Club as we gathered about 6:30 and watched the sun go down. We learned that of the 245 units in the various buildings that make up Los Tules, only about 14 are owned by Americans/Cdns...the rest are owned by Mexicans or hotels that have bought units to rent.
The was a holiday weekend for the Mexicans...yet another day to recognize a revolution where they fought the Americans/Spanish/French for freedom so there were lots of Mexicans in the resort. It was noisier that we've ever seen it...kids everywhere...and lots of parties. We went downtown to the malecon (seawall walkway) and there were thousands of people there, both tourists and locals, enjoying some fabulous entertainment. At one of the permanent stages there were dancers, in traditional costume, from various cities/provinces around PV. At another stage were dancers in Aztec costume doing their thing and bands or mariachis...there was so much to see. Again, I didn't have my camera but there is another festival next weekend so I won't make the same mistake again. I've been very lazy since we arrived and haven't taken many photos.
Today was a very special day....we had Shrove Tuesday on Monday....this was especially for Wayne who misses pancakes on Shrove Tuesday more than he ever gets them. He has to take the van in to have the brakes adjusted tomorrow (Tues) and so we celebrated with a huge breakfast at Freddy Toucan's downtown this morning. His pancakes also included lots of strawberries and gobs of whipped cream so he was happy. Afterwards, Gail and I let them go their own way and we spent the rest of the day shopping. I love buying shoes here! They are beautiful, cheap, and very different. I'm almost sorry I'm not working any more as I stick to sandals and casual shoes but some of the dress shoes are gorgeous!
Tomorrow night we plan on going out on the pirate ship for dinner and show which is lots of fun and very entertaining. Wayne and I know we aren't ready to even think about leaving PV yet so we are going to speak with the manager and see if we can have our room for an extra week. We know the weather will get cooler as we head north and aren't ready to leave the sunshine and warm weather yet.
Until next time, we miss and love you all.

Day 32, 33, & 34 - Puerta Vallarta

We've settled in to quite a routine, which is both welcomed and relaxing. We sit outside and have breakfast, change into our bathing suits and lounge by the pool and after napping, snoozing, doozing and oh yes, tanning, we plan supper and then head for our respective rooms by 9 pm. It's a tough life. We have decided though that it's time to branch out and see some of the things we enjoyed last year so I expect the activity level will increase.
On the plane down here, Gail sat next to a girl who has been coming for a long time and knows the area quite well. She gave Gail a list of restaurants to visit and last night was our first try at some of her recommendations.
The first, and most exciting, was the Burro Bar in Old Town. It's on the beach and apparently later in the evening, when things start jumping, certain activities in the bar can require you to ride a burro around the place...sounds interesting. It may not be bull riding but may have to become the next best thing! Anyway, we are sitting on this beach bar, drinking 'Miami Vice', which is a large, tall glass half filled with pina colada and half strawberry daquerie (yummy) and someone yelled..."whales". About 100 yards off shore was a mother and calf, frolicking across the bay. The mother would breach out of the water and while the boats gathered in relatively close proximity to them, the whales would just lounge at the top of the water and watch those crazy humans watching them. The boats didn't get too close...all that stuff is closely monitored by authorities...but we had an exciting show for an hour or so. The surf is very high and rough in the bay and there were lots of kids boogie boarding, but they wear flippers to help keep navigate themselves away from the shore and the mega sand-burn they might get if they crash too closely to shore.
We took a taxi up to El Panorama restaurant and had the most wonderful dinner overlooking the city. It was one of the recommendations Gail had gotten and a real winner. The owner or manager is from Colorado. The service was second to none and the prices were very reasonable.
Today, Day 35, we are going to sit down and decide the week's activities as time is flying by quickly and we haven't even gotten a shopping excusion in yet! I've also got to get in to 'photo' mode and get my cameras out.
Until next time, love and hugs to everyone.