A Romantic Port Stop- Puerto Vallarta
The state of Jalisco is home to two significant indigenous populations, the Huichols and the Nahuas.
December 23, 2013
Puerto Vallarta, Pacific Coast, Mexico
``Donde esta Wal-mart ?" I asked as we got into the port of Puerto Vallarta. In reply, a local smiled and pointed just across the road from where we were standing.
You might think that we are the proverbial North American shoppers who can't stop, but it is so easy to forget something when you are going on along trip like this. Bert asked me if we had a bottle of mouthwash and I was not sure. We still had one suitcase that had been unopened. It was half full of toiletries and the rest were presents for friends and family whom we were going to meet during this trip. I had a wishful thought and didn't want to unpack this suitcase in case the cabin fairy gave us an upgrade to a balcony.
This was our first time in Puerto Vallarta.
From the dock, there are cobbled stone streets that run all the way to the jungle. Several restaurants lined the coast where you can get cheap cervezas, margaritas, and tacos. There is a small craft market selling cheap souvenirs. There are also bars and restaurants overlooking the marina and the water providing a perfect spot for watching the afternoon sunset.
La Playa's Jalapeno margarita is among the best in Vallarta.
Outside, there were plenty of cabs and locals touting for the tour spots, but it was not noisy and crowded. One of the places being promoted was the Casa Kimberly. This is the house that Richard Burton purchased for Elizabeth Taylor while he was filming the Night of the Iguana. He also bought the narrow cobbled street and connected the two with a pink bridge. Apart from this; the beach of course, is the number one attraction. Several tour companies offer zip lining in the jungle, kayaking in the lagoons, swimming with the dolphins, and whale watching.
Together with our friend, Jeff, we hired a cab that took us to the old town for US$12.00. In Puerto Vallarta, taxi fares between zones are posted on a big bulletin board at the dock. The posting of fares is written in Mexican pesos and the equivalent in US Dollars on a per zone basis. There is a central square called Plaza de Armas, where a Starbucks coffee bar attracts locals and tourists alike for both coffee and Wi-fi. The town is full of colonial architecture. One of the central figures and the religious anchor, is the cathedral of our Lady of Guadalupe on Calle Hidalgo. It was fully decorated for Christmas both inside and outside!
Looking at the Malecon, a walkway along the bay, I can see why Canadian Snowbirds, American Gringos, and European sun lovers flock to this lovely City. The city is laid back and clean, and the temperature is perfect. Tequila, margaritas and cervezas are cheap. Seafood is abundant and reasonable but most of all, people are friendly.
The Malecon boardwalk is the heart of downtown Puerto Vallarta. Lined with local business and iconic attractions, it's a gathering place for tourists and locals.
A very interesting sight for us at the Malecon was a very tall metal pole planted on the beach, higher than the palm trees around it,but sways like it. It is similar to a May Pole in Europe except that in this one, each of the four guys climbed all the way to the top. They are the native Indians of Mexico. They are very short but very lean. They all wear bright red cotton pants matched with white shirts which were brightly embroidered on the front. Perhaps you may have seen something similarly thrilling at the Circus de Soleil or on America's Got talent. Once on the very top, they tied ropes on their waist and bound it around their crotch making me think that their testicles could be as hard as leather boots from El Paso. Then they turned upside down and with one guy blowing the trumpet,they started to careen round and round the pole, going ever faster and faster. While the ropes became longer as they unwrapped from the pole. Each turn, they made, it was just a bright red blur. It is like those swing chairs in carnivals that go higher and oh, so fast! This is the reverse, they go downwards. With their speed, it took a few minutes before they reached the ground still in that head down position.
We watched, and we took many pictures. “I sure hope they didn't eat breakfast!” I exclaimed. We laughed and walked away after dropping a few dollar bills into their hats as a tip!!
Still at the Malecon, I spotted a group of Mexican Aztec dancers in their colorful costumes. Their headdresses are made of real bird feathers. Some of the feathers were more than a meter long. It was amazing how their colors, and their texture came together as a real colorful piece of art. “It's a toucan feather, this one,” the leader said. “It's so beautiful,” I answered admiringly. On the one hand, it is something that would make Audubon members and bird lover gag and throw up. To me, everything blended so well from their body tattoos, to their attire and facial makeup.
One of the shorter guys blew a conch shell as a signal to begin their dance. Once they started dancing, I was mesmerized not just by the colors of the flumes but their rhythm as well. It was like watching an Aztec street dance minus the boobs and the bums. With that, it was a series of click, click, click from my camera. Sometimes I would switch between taking video and still shots because I did not want to miss the “real action”.
About a dozen bronze sculptures were present and strategically located at the Malecon for everyone to admire. A few are so popular that one has to line up for a chance to have their photo taken with the sculpture. Alongside these beautiful whimsical bronze sculptures were sand sculptures ranging from giant iguanas to festive Christmas trees, and a few popular cartoon characters.
Like most boardwalks, Puerto Vallarta's promenade, known as El Malecon, is dotted with sightseeing opportunities, cafes, shops, galleries, and performers.
Once in a while, the waves came crashing and plumes of water sprayed down on people and on the sand sculptures.
From the Malecon, our next stop was Wall-Mart to get our must- buy mouth wash, and from there we went to the small market near the dock. It was filled with all kinds of vendors selling silver trinkets, pottery, leather, and woven goods. There were lots of charming things to lookout.
The entrance to the port now had become crowded. Bus loads of ship passengers were now being dropped off from their day tours. Local people sat and stared,waiting for the sun to set. The cloud was a deep purple haze and the sun was a giant
orange glow.
Hand in hand we joined the crowd and waited for the moment everybody was waiting for. This is where I began to think that our life has been so beautiful and blessed. In an afternoon like this, I may not have the diamonds that Elizabeth Taylor received from Richard Burton; but we certainly have had so many precious journeys together. The memories of those journeys for the past seventeen years including this one are priceless!
Seconds and minutes slip by, and after the sunset, we decided to hurry back to the ship. There was no pink bridge linking the ships gangplank to our cabin. But you bet, we are happy we got that mouth wash.....
I told Bert that a Mexican band was playing mariachi at the Terrace Grill on deck 8th. He didn't seem to hear!
Comments
Ohhhhhhh Charlotte!! Tell me...would one of the "cheap souvenirs from the market" be a handsome Aztec warrior??? lol....Also, that headdress he was wearing would cut down my cost at Rosa's for the gray hair coverage! hahaha... Stopped at Yassirs for a salad and a birthday hug. Can't believe the little runt is 50! All is well here, weather, not bad...many people are asking/missing you at the Den of Bloody Twits!...lol....take care....stay well and have FUN for all of us up here!! From Marcelle, on Jan 1, 2014 at 04:00 a.m.
Puerto Vallarta is one of my very favorite spots and I have been there 20 + times. I often go at Christmas where it is common to watch in the old part of Puerto Vallarta, children breaking pinatas, blindfolded and join candlelit nativity processions throughout the cobblestone streets... I am surprised that you and Bert have never been before!
From Christopher Lee, on Jan 1, 2014 at 07:56 p. m.