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Puerto Vallarta ...

February 2020 - May 2024
We are trying something different! Wehave rented an Airbnb and will be sharing the space with friends for two weeks. We have never stayed anywhere for two weeks before ... nor ... have we shared our space with others for that long! Read more
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  • Puerto Vallarta ...

    Uhmmmm ??? Weather ???

    February 1, 2020 in Canada β‹… 🌬 10 Β°C

    GROANS: We are two sleeps away from leaving ... and ... look at the weather forecast!! 40-50 mms of rain expected to greet us upon our arrival. And then, another 10 to 15mms for us to enjoy on my birthday. 😟

    GAH: Fingers crossed that things improve! John says I shouldn't look up the weather forecast in advance. Perhaps he is correct ... πŸ™„

    GIGGLES: Well ... upon further reflection ... wet + warm = perfect bathing suit weather! Maybe I should layer my clothes over my tankini so I can strip down to something more sensible when we get off the plane?? πŸ€”πŸ˜‚    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    Day 2

    And So It Begins!

    February 4, 2020 in Mexico β‹… β›… 20 Β°C

    GRIPES: Day 1 is a day late ...........so .... it is being posted as Day 2! 🀨

    GROANS: I was a little dismayed as we packed and prepared to leave. As in my prior post, 40 to 50 mms of rain was forecast for Puerto Vallarta. And then... the day before the weather forecast changed! They were now expecting 100mms ... with 100% probability. I reminded myself we had 2 full weeks ... we we going to get good weather eventually!!

    Our departure day got off to a bit of a rough start! I had been struggling with my Samsung tablet prior to leaving! I was beyond frustrated because it kept restarting itself in Safe Mode. It concerned me that perhaps one of my apps was corrupted but I couldn't isolate the problem. I tried everything that Googlr recommended. It would work for a while and then go back into safe mode!!😩🀯

    GRRRRS: I got to thinking maybe it was the device ... so ... I got a brand new one the day before we left. The smile had returned to my face when I had it all loaded up. We were just getting ready to leave and there was an update recommended. So ... at 5:20am, just before we headed out the door, I did the update on my brand new tabletand guess what??? It reopened in Safe mode. I think I dropped a few very unladylike expletives that I will leave out of this narrative. 😰😱

    I wasn't even going to bring it along ... but decided to do so. I thought I'd try to fix it one more time. So ... got to the airport ... prepared for a fight. And guess what .... it restarted just fine!! Whatttttttt??πŸ˜πŸ˜œπŸ€— I could not control the smoke on my face!!

    GRATITUDES: And so ... we hopped on the plane ... and after a bit of a delay with de-icing we were up and away! All was well until we landed. Our taxi driver had no idea where our Airbnb was located. We had given him the address ... it was just 10 minutes from the airport. About 40 minutes later I cued up Foogle Maps and we found I!

    We were so damn happy to arrive! And ... with one sleep under our belt, we are ready to start the vacation!! I'll talk to you later... hopefully ... as long as my tablet keeps working!πŸ˜‰    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    4121
    Day 2

    Our first Official Day in PV

    February 4, 2020 in Mexico β‹… ☁️ 24 Β°C

    GRATITUDES: My tablet is not acting up .... so ... here I am with a little update from our first official day of vacation here in PV. We started with wonderful breakfast just down the street from our condo! The server had to find someone who could speak English because we are staying in a local neighborhood where English is not typically spoken.

    GAHS: I enjoyed a couple of eggs with a side of beans sprinkled with cheese. There was salad on my plate .... but ... I was afraid it might have been washed with local water, so although it looked fresh and scrumptious, I wasn't brave enough to give it a go. The other had lovely omelets ... with ham and mushrooms and peppers. However, I wasn't a fan of John's because it was made with weiners! 😬 Other than that, I enjoyed our breakfast immensely.

    GALAVANTING: After that, we hopped on a local bus ... costing 10 pesos each (70 cents) and took us it took us down to the old "Centro"downtown area. We found a beautiful little restaurant on the beach where we could sip our drinks with our toes in the sand overlooking the ocean! It was two-for-one happy hour! I dared to have a lime margarita (crushed ice and all!) And, I'm happy to say ... so far so good! We also had some delicious coconut shrimp skewers and John had some Marlin tacos that he said were fabulous. And .... no rain!!!

    GIFTS: After that we wandered the streets and enjoyed the moments that the day offered. We logged almost 10 km wandering around before we hopped on another local bus to get us home. It was a lovely lovely day and a great introduction to PV!!

    And we're back at the condo now the boys have headed over to the pool to cool off and we're going to join them in chaise lounges poolside. The palapia at this condo is really very nice!! The boys headed off to get a pizza to go from up the street! We're hoping they get back before the rain starts!! They're calling for rain overnight and well into the afternoon tomorrow ... but so far so good!

    I'm heading to bed early and looking very forward to see what tomorrow brings! Good night for now ...k & j    Read more

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  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    Day 3

    Gifts Galore!!

    February 5, 2020 in Mexico β‹… 🌧 20 Β°C

    GIFTS: I's my birthday today!! And ... I was surprised to see I wasn't ready to raise until I'd been in my little twin bed for almost almost 11 hours. I swear that when all your usual habits and routines are also on vacation, there is nothing quite as refreshing while travelling as a nice restful sleep! And then ... I awoke to a beautiful surprise! I've been trying to find another pair of silver hoops .... wanted some that are a bit bigger than my favorites. John surprised me with a pair he got in Costco ... and .... they are PERFECT!

    GRINS: Oh, when we arrived, we stopped at the grocery store to get a nice beverage to celebrate our arrival. There were lots of beers and coolers and various alcoholic beverages ... but NO wine. πŸ₯Ί I was reduced to sipping on John's beer to commence the Mexican style fun and frolic! And while I got so excited about how much I enjoyed my slushy lime margarita on the beach yesterday ... I forgot to mention that we found some wine for me after all. 😍 I haven't tasted it yet ... but we got it at the Farmacia! Who would have thought?? πŸ€” Oh ... wait .... Jody reminded me that tequila is medicinal! 😁 Maybe all alcohol is considered to be so here in PV??? πŸ˜œπŸ˜‰

    GLOATS: Our day commenced with a beautiful breakfast at home ... and then .... because it had rained so much and was threatening to keep raining until late afternoon, we packed up some drinks and snacks and headed out to the palapia (cabana) to play one of our favorite card games! When we were out in Pittsburgh in October, Rod and Barb taught us to play "Golf"... and we love it!! And well ... at the risk of gloating too obnoxiously ... the birthday girl kicked all their asses on the front nine! Not that I'm competitive! πŸ˜‰ Leroy is convinced that things will change when we play the last nine holes ... but ... I'm claiming this victory unabashedly ... until such thing happens.

    GRATITUDES: After that, we wandered down the street to get a nice baguette from the bakery to go with the roast chicken and tossed salad and gouda cheese for supper. This delicious spread was followed up with a lovely rendition of "Happy Birthday" as they presented me with a platter of chocolate for dessert.

    I've been banished from the kitchen today ('cuz I'm the birthday girl) and have been thoroughly appreciating all the messages and birthday sentiments that have been so generously gifted to me throughout the day!

    And ... after supper we headed out for a lovely little walk ... tried some pork that was being roasted streetside like a donair and figured out how to get to Sayulita from here! All in all it was such a relaxing day ... and ... a great way to spend my birthday!

    With warmest smiles ... k&j    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    1
    Day 4

    Another day in the neighborhood ...

    February 6, 2020 in Mexico β‹… β›… 15 Β°C

    Well ... not entirely! We started out in "Rustico" Mexico and then hopped another local bus and adventured out to "Americano" Mexico after breakfast! Our friends have friends staying in a luxurious condo at the Marina and our plan was to meet up with them first ... and then ... meet up with other friends from back home for drinks at one of the lovely restaurants that frame the edges of the horse-shoe shaped marina.

    GOODIES: We didn't want to arrive empty handed so we stopped at a grocery store to get some wine ... and that was when John discovered the bakery! So, after observing the customs in the baked good section ... John put his selections onto his silver tray and waited in line for bagging. I'm not sure why he did so, though, 'cuz one this items didn't land in the bag for more than a second before he was happily wandering the store sharing his large cookie very generously! Oh ... and it was fun to see that the Mexican people are wise enough to put the whole party in a box! You can buy one bottle of wine with four stemmed glasses! I've never seen anything like that before! Clearly, they realize that wine never tastes quite as good out of a cup. Well .... except if it's your go-cup when you are on vacation! πŸ˜‰

    GUFFAHS: One of my Mexican missions for today as we headed to the more touristy area was to find a really, really good margarita! The one I had on the beach was pretty good ... but ... not 'to-die-for delicious like the ones I remembered having in San Antonio when I first discovered that I could actually even enjoy them. So, when we reconnected with Rod and Janine I ordered a margarita, but then, remembering that I am a top shelf tequila girl, I pointed to the Patron on the menu to ensure I got the tequila that pleased my picky palate. Somehow .... when all was said and done, I ended up with a tequila highball in a short glass. It was tasty .... but nonetheless ... I'm still on the search for the ultimate fish-bowl shaped stemware filled with a slushy cold margarita! 🍹🍹

    GRINS: Every Thursday they line the edges Marina with a fabulous market! It was phenomenal to sit on our friends balcony, sipping cool beverages on a warm, sunny day (no rain!) and watch them set up endless rows of white tents filled with marvelous Mexican markerables for the event. Gosh ... it was so fun to wander and shop and eat and enjoy! John discovered a taco stand ... loved it so much we went back for more! The vendor even asked if they could put a picture of us on their Facebook page. We smiled for the camera but were were so eager to gobble up our goodies that I never even asked what the name of their company even was .... duh. πŸ™„

    GRIPES: I also forgot to mention that the humidity has been so high with all the rain that John's phone alerted him that his phone or his charger had moisture in them. So .... it refused to change until we got it dried out!! 😩😡 It actually took the better part of the day for us to get it up and running again! But ... at least it did! Yahoo!!! 🀩

    All in all, it was such a great day ... we never got home until about 9:00ish. And, I was too tired to post this blog .... so ... here I am doing it with my morning coffee instead. The weather is supposed to be great so I can hardly wait to see what joys await us today!!! πŸ€—    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    Day 5

    Wandering the Malecon into Romantica

    February 7, 2020 in Mexico β‹… πŸŒ™ 22 Β°C

    After a nice chorizo and mushroom omelette at our favorite local restaurant, we hopped the bus down to enjoy the Malecon and the Romantic zone. It was a great day for seeing the sights,

    Highlights of our day:
    *Hausy found his mangos
    *John loved the marlin and shrimp kabobs ... and was tempted to get a spicy mango skewer but restrained himself. BTW ... it was the only moment he resisted the urge to indulge in the experiences that presented themselves today!
    *Jacky thought the coconut shrimp at Gaby's was the "ultimate"
    *Finny's funny bone was tickled by all the t-shirts tackling Trump on the Malecon
    *Karen couldn't get enough of the views and the abundance of good wine available in the Romantica zone!

    But .... wait ... we forgot to mention the fabulous Maui Maui fish tacos at "The Sea Monkey". The server assured us he'd bet double or nothing that we'd love them .... and .... they did not disappoint one little bit. And, listening to the saxophonist playing in the background was so enchanting too! πŸ’–

    I shall not name names but there may or may not have been some pilfering of rubber coasters today! Coasters are essential in this climate because the glasses and bottles sweat so much in the heat and leave water rings everywhere. Unfortunately, we don't have any at the condo but once again, I shall not disclose if there were or were not any wagers on how many could be acquired today! πŸ˜‰

    It was a great day in terms of weather ... everyone is looking a little sun kissed today. I'm looking forward to more good weather and equally wonderful experiences in the days to come! BTW ... look at the way the rocks have been balanced on the beach! Absolutely unbelievable. 😲    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    Day 6

    On the hunt ...

    February 8, 2020 in Mexico β‹… β˜€οΈ 26 Β°C

    GALLAVANTING: It's hard to believe that today is already our 5th day here! Our Mexican mission for today was to pick up a few things we needed. A couple of the items proved to be entirely elusive!!

    1. Toaster ... they provided one in our condo but it doesn't work. We looked for one yesterday, to no avail, at the Mega store. We were convinced we'd be able to find one at Walmart ... but alas ... no. I guess the locals favor tortillas over toast , so toasters aren't stocked on the shelves here. Oscar, the concierge at Walmart, assured us we could get one at "Liverpool" (which we learned is the Mexican version of Macy's). And, well, Oscar was absolutely correct. The problem was that it was a glossy, red enameled version ... clearly very upscale in the world of toasters priced at 8900 pesos ... which is nearly $63 CAD!! 😲 And so .... we were told to try another grocery store called Soriano. It was too hot to walk all the way over today ... so ... the only thing that will be toasty today is the tourists! πŸ˜‰

    2. We ran out of coffee cream today. We didn't expect it to be a problem to replace .... but .... we had no luck with finding cream either. We stopped at no less than 5 places and could not find any. We finally settled for something that might work (Pookie can you tell me what it is?) .... but .... I'll get back to you tomorrow morning! It's time for cool drinks now instead!

    GIGGLES: Which brings me back to our game of Cut throat Coaster Collecting. I successfully pulled into the coaster collection lead by purchasing a 4 pack of purple rubber mesh placemats at Walmart yesterday. I cut them up into 48 coasters. Finny only has 4 so far ... 😏. I don't expect my amigos are going to let me walk away with the win this easily! I'll keep you posted on this as well!

    GRATITUDES: We also checked out the Municipal Market .... got some potatoes and green beans to serve aside our roasted pollo ... and ... some fresh mangos for our smoothies in the morning! The markets are always so amazing .... we saw some plump prawns and are planning to get them for another day!

    And then, we opted to head home to our palapia to escape the heat and dip into the pool. All in all, it was a nice relaxing day that filled our spirits despite our lack of success in finding things. Perhaps tomorrow? 😊    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    Day 7

    Laundry Day .....

    February 9, 2020 in Mexico β‹… β›… 24 Β°C

    GOOD GOLLY: The weather has heated up and so have our arm pits .... so ... the laundry has been quickly accumulating! And so, we packed up the fixings for sandwiches πŸ₯ͺ and headed over to our new amigos who are at the Marina to use their stackable washer, dryer and outdoor patio with drying rack!

    And well, as you can see by the pics .... doing laundry has never been so gruelling. πŸ€₯ Jacky and I only had one load each ... so ... imagine my surprise to see that it took two dips in the pool and nearly a whole 750ml bottle of Pinot Grigio to get the job done! 😁πŸ₯‚ It took a little longer for things to dry ... so we even wandered over to a book store and had a nice espresso.

    GARGANTUAN GOODNESS: We finished up the day with a burger and fries at the outdoor burger joint on the corner. No walls .... just a few tables and lots of toppings and some really happy customers! πŸ”πŸŸπŸ₯€

    GROANS: The cream that we bought wasn't good for the coffee ... we'll have to save it for salsa and chips instead!

    GASPS: We noticed a few critters throughout the day. A small crocodile lazing in the sun, an iguana camouflaged on the rocks and two more up a tree! I can'tadd any more pics here so I'll post the pics in an aside ....

    GOOD NIGHT to all from warm and wonderful PV! πŸŒ…    Read more

  • Puerto Vallarta ...
    4
    Day 8

    Belly Laughs and Bus Rides!

    February 10, 2020 in Mexico β‹… πŸŒ™ 20 Β°C

    GRINS AND GIGGLES: There is nothing quite as delightful as starting the day with big old belly laughs. πŸ˜‚πŸ€£ This is the price we are paying from sharing space with such great senses of humor! πŸ˜πŸ˜€

    GALLAVANTS: Some of our amigos were ready to laze by the pool ... but I was missing my cream in my coffee this morning so the old boy and I hopped a bus to see if we could find some at Walmart. And, it took us about 6 hours before we walked through the checkout at Walmart with it!

    GIFTS: We found ourselves back at the Marina to pick up a new belt for the old boy ... and then ... it was so hot already that we needed some refreshments! We landed in some comfy chairs with a slushy mango margarita and a lime one on the rocks! Summers!!!

    And then, as we were headed on foot to the Walmart, we found ourselves stepping onto the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus! We have always enjoyed getting a better sense of the lay of the land and popping on and off when the mood strikes. We only popped off once .... it was so darn hot .... we were drawn to wander through the waves and let the water cool our legs! It was absolutely lovely!

    GOODNESS: And then ... we had a short wait before we could get back on the bus .... so ... we stopped for a little vino blanco! We sipped on a couple glasses and put the rest in our trusty go- cup to enjoy on the bus! πŸ˜‰πŸ˜

    GASPS: It was a bit cloudier when we got back up on the double-decker so we stayed on until they invited off for a "short 10 minute stop." Little did I know it was a money making venture for the locals with the Iguanas! 😬

    GRATITUDE: It truly was an exceptional day! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐    Read more

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