Our Last Days in Puerto Vallarta - Bruised but not Beaten

One and all,

We are bidding you adieu from Puerto Vallarta, as today is our last day. Tomorrow we catch a morning bus for Guadalajara and our new digs! Actually, they are going to be fancier than we could possibly have imagined (or afforded). The place we had reserved, for some reason is now not available. So they moved us to another location with a pool and beautiful gardens, still not far from the central part of town. More on that when we arrive.

Thursday and Friday were our last kind of typical days. We were up fairly early on thursday. We were having coffee and sweets with the Heplers, Tom and Eileen, the people we met on our lunch journey to Moro Paradise. They have this wonderful terrace adn the place was to have a continental breakfast on the terrace. I stopped and got some wonderful pastries at a little French bakery not far from us (felt like was in Madrona Hill with Natasha!). We walked up to their place (someone described Puerto Vallarta as a sort of eternal "stairstepper") and I do mean up. A very good climb, but a wonderful view. Had a delightful morning with them and they are sure to be on our list for next year. I got a last photo before saying goodbye.


They also spend part of the year, near Atlanta, so if we find ourselves returning to Georgia for a visit (which we hope to do in the fall), we might see their new home.

Polley luxuriated with a pedicure that afternoon. On our way down to the beauty shop, I did get these shots of some the wonderful vegetation in town.




She spend the next hour in the pedicure. When she came out, she wanted another 20-30 minutes sitting and letting her nails dry. So we stopped into a place called Harry's Bar. It is just a basic bar owned by a British fellow. When we walked in and sat down, the guy behind the bar came over to ask us what we wanted. I said we would like a couple of margaritas. He sort of hesitated and then told us, "I don't really do margaritas." I was a bit aghast, being it is Mexico and all. He then said, "Actually, I'm the painter!" It was very funny! While I thought he was painting the walls, it turned our he was an artist and his work was handing on the walls. Also turned out he was from Scotland, so we had a lovely conversation with him and got his picture.



So, we had a beer and then moved on home. That evening we had a lovely dinner at the Hacienda Hxchoitl that we had visited a week before. This time it was with Pat and George and a fellow they had met, Tom, from Minneapolis. Lovely time, good conversation and very good food. Polley had the lettuce soup this time and I had a Chile Azteca. Unfortunately, I got so caught up in the food and festivities, I neglected to take even one photo!

Friday was beach day. Saw the fellow, Tom, that we had met the evening before and had another nice conversation with him before returning home, via La Fuente del Puente. That evening it was off to Daquari Dick's which has a very lovely setting right on the beach. However, a little drama happened as we headed to dinner. As we crossed the street to take the Rio Cuale park walk to the Malécon, Polley got taken with a very tiny kitten. As she played with the little devil, he got between her legs and she lost her balance, eventually smacking her head against the pavement! While she maintained it didn't hurt, she quickly had a severe bruise. We iced it as the restaurant and the put some peroxide on it, but it was not pretty.

We did have a nice dinner with a wonderful appetizer. It was a bruschetta with avacado, capers, red onion with some feta one top. I am sure you all will be sampling it our house when we return.

A quick stop at Candela, for the next to the last time and then home to call Sam for a report on the house and the cats. and then to bed.

I did capture the full effect of Polley accident in the morning light



Stay tuned for "Healing in Guadalajara!

Ed and Polley

A Gloriously Blue Day

One and all,

A late blog today, only because of some social obligations which I will share tomorrow. Yesterday was our next to the last day at the beach. We did the morning chores and then headed out. It was maybe one of the prettiest days we have had here. The sky was a glorious deep blue. We then proceeded on to the beach. While there, I nolticed a fellow across from us reading a book that like it had one some awards. As we have been collecting books for the trip, I aked him about it. It turns out to have won some Scandinavian Mystery awards. He told us he had become very interested in these crime novels from the dark north. We took the names and then he came over later to suggest another book based around slavery, called The Known World. Anyway, another interesting contact.

As we sat there the man who goes by everyday selling fully dress lobsters from two trays on his shoulder appeared. I had to get this shot.



It is amazing to have all these vendors, with trinkets, but fresh oysters and lobster is really something!

We left the beach after a couple of hours. Weather was very hot. Stopped for a little refreshment along the way before coming home for some lunch. We are, of course, trying to finish up all that is in our refrigerator before we leave on Sunday. Tough job, but someone has to do it.

Later in the evening, se stopped at Candela for a pre-funct glass of wine and then headed on to Joe Jack's Fish Shack. This was a place we ate early on. Polley had had a fabulous Nicoise Salad with Shrimp. We were going back to share a second one.


Delicious! Also took at photo of the atmosphere. This startled man was at the table next to ours.


A very fun spot. We had the nicest waitress, Ivette. So cute, with some Chinese writing tattooed down that back of her neck.


I asked her what it said. It was her daughter's name, Juliette, in Chinese. I asked about her heritage: pure Mexican who just liked Chinese lettering!

On the way home, we happened across what I think was a very public rehearsal of some Mexican folk dancing.


Young people keeping the culture alive. One last stop at Candela and done for the day. Getting down to the final 3.

Ed and Polley

A Couple of Busy Days

One and all,

It has been a couple of days since I last told of our adventures. Partly we were pretty busy (by Mexican standards) and I wanted to combine the activities into one action-packed tale!

Monday was really just doing some errands. As we headed down the hill I did catch this photo of a kind of amazing flowering tree.


Polley commented that the limbs look dead, but you have these beautiful blossoms. Wow!

We lined up a pedicure appointment for Polley and then wandered around to some hotels gathering brochures and prices as my brother and some others are interested in coming down next year. While the beach front places are expensive, there are some very basic, but clean places near us that are very reasonable. We saw a huge apartment just down from us for $85 a night. Others in the Mexican section of town, but relatively close to us for between $30 and $35. Not too bad.

While we were walking about I was able to get this picture of the watch repairman.


You are looking at his office, at the end of the bridge right near us. Talk about low overhead. He just sets a cloth and his tools out on top of the bridge pillar and people come to him, for repairs, batteries, etc. Quite an operation!

Anway, we just sort of whiled away the time, stopping for a requisite beer, of course, but early in the afternoon we returned to the apartment and read. I finished a book by John Banville, called The Sea. He is an excellent writer, but the detail in each paragraph is incredible. Thank god is was only 195 pages! Seems very in the style of Ian McEwan and others. Not a lot happens, but the intimate detail is remarkable. Polley finished Out Stealing Horses -- another good book. We are slowly lightening our luggage load.

Around 6 p.m., we went down to Candela. They had told us on Saturday that Monday they were starting a 2 x 1 Happy Hour, so we, of course, wanted to make sure we got off to a good start. We walked in and were the only people there except for the owner, who came to know as Francisco. He was setting with two other guys that we later learned were his brother and his cousin. I got this photo, with the cousin, the brother and Francisco from left to right.


We had a great conversation. We learned that the cousin was a graduate of University of Oregon, of all places. He had an uncle in Portland and other relatives around the state. Francisco also told us of his original Candela, which is a very successful establishment in of all places, Guadalajara! He leaves today for Guadalajara, so we have already planned to meet him in Guadalajara at that Candela. The social circle is underway in GDL and we haven't even arrived!

Polley and I left a little tipsy from Candela (beware of 2 x 1 vino de la casa) and went into the Mexican section of town to a very nice place that we hadn't gotten back to in nearly two years. It is a place called Naranjo.




Very nice ambiance and good food. We had a very interesting appetizer: a brie-like cheese, called Panela, that is baked and served hot. It is served with a sweet onion sauce. Going to try that when we get home. Then Polley had a crab bisque and I had a grilled vegetable salad -- and thought we shouldn't have, another couple of glasses of wine!

Having now lost all sense of propriety, we stopped back at Candela for a nightcap! Staggered up the hill to end the day.

Tuesday was another lovely day. The morning was very routine, but in mid-afternoon we had planned to go for lunch with our landlord, his wife and another couple, Tom and Eileen, up the Cuale River about 4 or 4 miles to a lovely setting on the river. After 3 or 4 miles os dusty dirt road, passing horseback riders, donkeys, chickens goat and more, we came to this little rustic Mexican restaurant on the Rio Cuale, Moro Paradise. Very lovely



We just sat and talked, drank beer and margaritas, shared some guacamole. For lunch, Polley and I shared a delicious seafood salad of a white fish, shrimp and octopus. Very simple, but very good. I did get this photo of the luncheon party



When we came back into town, we got out with Tom and Eileen so we could see there place. A really lovely two bedroom place, but the best part was the rooftop terrace. I got this shot just as the sun was setting



One of the most attractive setting I have seen since we have been in Vallarta. We have made plans to have morning coffee with them on Thursday. Very enjoyable couple

Polley and I then strolled down to La Palapa to try and catch out Scots friend, Bobby, as this was the last night he plays with this particular group. Sadly when we got there, Bobby was not playing. Don't know what happened. I hope we can catch him before we leave. I did however, continue to try and get the perfect shot of the waiters making their famed at-table Spanish coffees (Mexican?).



Polley and I then left and walked on this lovely evening, back up the Malécon. On the way, I got this shot of the reflection of a restaurant called Oscar's, reflected in the waters of the Cuale, just where it reaches the ocean.


Then, of course, a last visit to Candela and then home. A very nice two days, and a few more friends in Vallarta

Ed and Polley

Our Last Sunday in PV

My daily readers,

Little to report today except we are inside a week. Sundays always seem to be lazy days and given our day-to-day life style, that is a little scary. Got up around 7:30 a.m. and did the exercise routines. Saw our good friend, George, on the Malécon and made plans for a final dinner with he and Pat on Thursday. Did a little e-mailing, passing along some recipes that we had cobbled together from our trying things here and then headed down to the beach. We did manage to catch this picture of a tourist at La Fuente del Puente who was very proud of his new sombrero. Can you find the tourist in this picture?



Then we traveled on. Our friends, Dan and Susan had recommended a band, Los Bambinos, who were doing a free concert that afternoon from 2-5 p.m. Apparently they are not usually seen for free, so we got there in good time and secured a table near the front and then just sat and read and drank our requisite margaritas. The concert started about 2 and we were soon joined by Fred and January, our landlord and his wife. Los Bambinos are very good. It is 5 guys, 4 mainly on guitars and a lead singer who also plays the Conga drums. They played under the Ritmos Beach palapa and offered a wide range of music, from Mexican to the Beach Boys and the Beatles.


Most of what they do sound like the original arrangements and harmonies. Very good! Fred and January stayed for about 90 minutes and then about 4, we, too, decided to call if a day.

On our walk back, we stopped at Época for a beer and then home for a little lunch. We had not eaten since dinner the night before so we were very hungry. Of course, that ruined plans for dinner! However, about 8 p.m. we decided to wander down to the Malécon. It was a mob scene as it often is on Sunday evenings. Mexicans dancing in the square and tourists and Mexican families going up one side and down the other, not to mention the eternal line of cars cruising the road in front. We settled in to a little table in the open window of the Cuban Bodeguito that we have visited quite often. Great to watch the world pass by from that vantage point. I did manage to capture the fireworks that are fired off nightly from the Pirate Ship and does a dinner cruise (I have been trying to get shot off and on since we arrived in PV.



We also tried a Mojito, a drink which was apparently invented in Cuba. It is mashed up Mint, Sugar, Rum and Water. Sort of a Cuban/Mexican Mint Julip. Quite sweet and not for us, we decided. Wa drank it down and quickly switched to beer. We did order a ceviche that was very good. It is just chopped up onion, avacado, tomato, cucumbers, cilantro and some sort of firm white fish. All of it is marinated in lime juice for 12 hours. It was delicious.

Following that pause, we ventured back out on to the Malécon. It was still lively and I got a couple of pictures, one of the Cathedral at night and the second of this Cotton Candy vendor with various brightly colored options




WE picked up a little gelato on the way back home. Arrived home about 11:30 p.m. and caught the last hour of some preposterous James Bond film. Just couldn't seem to turn it off, I am a bit embarassed to admit. A very good day.

Ed and Polley

Two Days of Good Friends, Good Music and More Sun

Friends, Family and the Easily amused,

As I write this, we are down to one week in Puerto Vallarta. There is little happening here as we try to enjoy our last few days in this lovely beach town before heading to the big city of Guadalajara. Friday morning was just routine. Actually, it was a kind of extended routine as we wanted to head to Ritmos Beach a little later as our friend, Bobby Tansen, was playing on the beach in a Reggae Band. So we had a bit of late breakfast in our room and then got down to the beach about 12:45 p.m. The Danas, Dan and Susan, with whom we had dinner the night before were planning to join us. Susan arrived about 2 p.m., securing a table for the show that was about to get underway. We sat and listened to the band and its lead singer, a fellow from Jamaica. I enjoy Reggae, but there is a sameness to things. I found I most enjoyed Reggae arrangements of other tunes. They started with a Bob Dylan tune that translated very nicely. I have become fascinated with the notion of style and may use some of these examples in Fine Arts this fall.

Dan, who is on a working vacation, arrived around 4 p.m. and we just sat and drank, talked and occasionally even listened to the music for the remainder of the set, ending about 5:30 p.m. or so. Polley and I bid the Dan and Suan adieu (don't know where time will allow another contact or we will have to wait until next January. Anyway, we will stay in touch. Susan and Dan gave us a copy of Dan's book on Managing Differences which we look forward to reading (which Polley is already well into). We strolled back and had another drink at Época, as our favorite little bartender, Hannah, was there and then home, about 7 p.m. We decided to eat in, read a little and then get a nightcap (sombrero de noche?) at Candela. A really relaxing and satisfying day.

Saturday was another easy day. We had breakfast out as we were taking our landlord and his wife to dinner that night. We had a very good Mexican breakfast at La Fuente del Puente down the hill from us. Polley had a kind of Migas dish, oil-soaked tortilla chips under scrambled eggs with some wonderful potatoes cooked with delicious red and yellow bell pepper. I had scrambled eggs with chorizo and frijoles. Great! Then we headed off to get our bus tickets for a journey we will take on February 10th from Guadalajara to San Miguel de Allende, a place we visited last year. Our friends, Carolyn Gratton and her husband built a house there and we will spend three days with them. We had a glass of wine downtown and then went back up to the apartment for a long afternoon of reading and napping.

About 7:15, we walked with Fred and January Grieg down to Vitea, a place that is clearly our favorite restaurant in PV. Had another good dinner. Polley had their creamy gazpacho and I had some shrimp tempura for a starter. Polley and I returned to the fantastic Eggplant Ravioli while Fred had a Lasagne and January had shrimp and spinach dish. All excellent. We had to stop at Candela on our way home (not want to miss a night and disappoint the owner!) It was kind of sweet as one of the waitresses (from Santiago, Chile) thought it was our last night. She was so thrilled that we had another week before leaving. Again, I am struck with the charm and warmth of the Mexican people. Another easy, put very pleasing day.

A very Peaceful Day

Faithful followers,

There is little to report today. Yesterday was a lazy morning. We really stayed around the house in anticipation of going to lunch with Neal Higgins and his wife, Judy. Neal is a former Associate Dean in the Business School and we have socialized a bit with them, both early this month and last year. We had a little pre-func with our cameros at La Fuente and then wandered down to Neal and Judy's nice condominium which sits right above Época, a restaurant that we have mentioned often. We sat on their lovely balcony sipping a beer for an hour or so and then shared a cab out to a new place called Hacienda Xochitl. It sits east of the downtown and is still new enough that many cab drivers don't know how to get there. Ours struggled a bit, mostly from us trying to help him, I think. It is is a poor section of town and your drive through the pot-holed, dusty streets until you come to this bricd colored stucco building. You step inside and suddenly you are in this beautifu, lushl Hacienda courtyard. It was divine.


There was just one other couple there and they soon paid their bill and left and we had the place to ourselves the rest of the afternoon.


We had some drinks and shared two appetizers, one a chili-stuffed empanada, with a creamy dressing and a roasted pepper dressing. I ordered chayote with dollops of roasted bacon cream and a reduced basalmic vinegar. This is a recipe that we will be bringing back to the states.Polley had a fabulous spinach soup, while Judy had a lettuce soup. That sounds strange, I know, but reports were very positive . The women both had salads and Neal and I had a chicken in a delicious mole sauce. Just a great place, nice people and no sense of being rushed. It was 5 p.m. when we caught a cab for old town.

Polley and I headed home. As we walked along the Malécon, we stopped and shot a couple of pictures of on of the newest sculptures along the sea. This is in front of the enormous new set of condominiums and was done by the artist we met a few nights previously. It seems to honor the women who did their wash along the Rio Cuale which runs right next to the units.



Another of my favorite pieces along the Malécon.



We then headed home and tried to nap a bit , but gave up and just read. About 8 p.m. we strolled down to Candela and just enjoyed a glass of wine in the courtyard. The owner came up to us and expressed his appreciation for our regular visits. We told him we just loved the place and it was our pleasure. He was very touched and bought us a second glass of wine. A lovely night, hardly a breath of wind and just perfect temperature. With that we went back up the hill very contedted.

Ed and Polley

A New Day!

One and all,

The days seems to fly by as we are down to just a little more than a week before de change homes and move to the "Big City." Actually Guadalajara is the second biggest city in Mexico and is over 4 million. However, from our visit their last year, we did get the sense that the main part of town is very accessible. We also hope to do several day trips to smaller town and villages that lie outside the city limits. Anyway, more on that in a couple of weeks.

Tuesday was Inauguration Day and like most of the world we were glued to our TVs through the inaugural address. It was truly inspiring and as I said to someone last night, it has been 8 years since I have felt so connected to the country. Response was very positive here in Puerto Vallarta just as it seemed to be all over the world. It is a new day.

Following the transition of power, Polley and I headed off for more pragmatic duties, as we stopped to get our bus tickets to Guadalajara. I was pleased to have done it all in Español! Then it was on to Leys mercado to pick up some more of their delicious shrimp ceviche and to try their guacamole. Both were excellent. We had a quick beer at the Cuban Bedeguito and struck up a conversation with the owner about the place. Food sounds very good and if we don't get their here in PV, they have two locations in Guadalajara.

We were considering going out to lunch, but were so excited to have more ceviche and some guacamole that we talked ourselves into just going home and eating. I was also very much into Jeffrey Eugenides' Virgin Suicides. Sad, but very engaging book. Polley and I had read his Pulitzer Prize winning Middlesex while in France. So it was nice to get back to his first novel.

That evening we pre-func-ted at our little La Fuente place and then had a light supper of Tortilla soup and we shared a vegetarian tomale at Época. I got this shot as Polley wanted to show off the scarf that Francis Britt gave Polley for Christmas.



Our real intent, however, was to get down to La Palapa to see Bobby and his group. They really are good! Se sat in for the first set, talked briefly with Bobby about his upcoming gig at our beach on Friday and then strolled home on a very warm night. Had a quick glass of wine at Candela and turned in. Easy, but very nice day.

Yesterday was beach day. WE seemed to get up and going earlier than usual. It was a bit cloudy but the beach was very warm. Saw our friend Pat and met some other friends of his. Mostly it was quiet and we just read. I started "Out Stealing Horses," while Polley is reading "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao." Stopped the little "too much tequila last night" man and then home for a nap. The evening called for us to meet Dan and Susan Dana, a couple we had met about two weeks ago while at dinner. They are from Kansas City, KS and come down each year for about 3 months. They took us to a very nice, reasonable new restaurant (to us, not to PV) called Encanto. Food was good and the people were very nice. I had a garlic soup and warm goat cheese salad and Polley had their house specialty, Garbage Salad with vegetables, fruit mixed with greens. Dan and Susan had Coconut Shrimp and a wonderful looking pork chop dish. We went back to see their apartment and had a very nice conversation over a little more wine. I got these pictures, one of Polley with Dan and Susan



and then Dan took one of Polley, Susan and me.



Their were interesting, well educated people and we just seemed to click with them in terms of life philosophies, politics, nearly everything. A nice connection and one we can continue as we return to PV next year.

Polley and headed home from their place, about 10 minutes away in the more Mexican section of old Town. We stopped into see our waiter friends at Candela and then up the hill for home.

Ed and Polley

One and all,

It was another lazy Sunday and as you know by now, there was no blog on Monday morning. Sunday was not a beach day. We actually slowly made our way to the street about noon, after catching up on reading and e-mails. We had decided to do lunch out on Sunday and then have a quiet evening. For lunch, we tried a place not far from us that we meant to try last year, it is called Vegetarian Planet and many have talked very positively about it. It is a buffet that serves breakfast lunch and dinner.

It was very reasonable, just over $10 for the two of us. The food was, indeed, very good. There was a whole variety of salads. Some excellent greens with mushrooms, potato salads, a couple of interesting zucchini dishes and then a whole host of hot dishes: a very strange vegetarian stew which contained something that appeared to be either a meat (which it couldn't be at a vegetarian place) or a peasant bread. We never did identify what it was. The also had a very good soup, rice, fried potatoes, chile rellenos and black beans. All very good. Very small and the poor people seem to be cooking all the day.


Great experience and I hope to go back for breakfast before we head to Guadalajara.

Back home, very full, so it was time for a nap and, being Sunday, time for a little football. Later in the evening, we stopped out for a couple of drinks and some live music. Had a nice conversation with the owner of Época and then further down the Malécon for some live music by Steve York and his wife and the group we have seen before from Mexico City. Then home for the evening. However, not before we came across this concert celebrating the Rio Cuale, the river that separates the central part of town and the old town. Part of that excitement years ago, was the building of the bridge that united the two parts of town. The concert, featuring the "Culture of Movement" featured a pianist, electrified drummer and a firedancer.




We didn't stay very long as it was mostly loud. Home immediately after. Not very exciting, but very easy and pleasing day and maybe one of the warmest we had had.

Monday dawned and we realized that we now had less than two weeks left in Puerto Vallarta. It has truly flown by. After the walk that morning, we headed to the beach. It was a bit hazy, but very warm. Just sat and read (my turn to read the Virgin Suicides -- very captivating. Stopped at La Fuente del Puente for a little wine and then home for the afternoon, although it was already 3 p.m. by then. About 7 p.m. wen headed up the hill just above us for dinner at a marvelous little place Esquina de las Caprichos. It is a wonderful tapas bar and we had their wonderful aioli potato salad, tuna stuffed peppers, olives, and grilled calamari. While waiting for a table, we talked briefly to a couple also waiting for a table. Amazingly, they were from Battleground Washington. We talked a little more with them after dinner and discovered that he was a sculptor and not just a sculptor, but the sculptor of our favorite piece on the Malécon.


We finished up the night with a drink at Candela and I tried to get a good photo of the atmosphere of the place; it is truly a great place to just hang out in the evening.



From there it was home and we had a chance to talk to Polley's oldest son, Trent, about their exciting trip to Malaysia at Christmas. A very nice day.

Ed and Polley

Friends and Family,

Saturday was a pretty relaxing day, although we did walk a good deal. It was also one of the warmest, if not the warmest day since we arrived. Did the morning exercise routine, me walking and Polley spending time on the mat with her Pialtes. We did want to get some things from the store, so despite the fact that we were determined to get to the beach (clouds were predicted for later in the weekend), we needed to get to the store. We picked up some Fish Ceviche which we have really come to enjoy. Something we will need to try when we get back home. Polley and I walked down to Leys grocery store. We stopped at a kind of funky restaurant on the way back, Ciollo, at the sign of the large metal frog!


This was a place we had had some wonderful paella last year and tried to return to, but it was open and closed on some very odd schedule, known only to the gods! Today it was open so we stopped for a beer and talked with the woman who runs it (from Barcelona). Barcelona was a place we considered spending time next year, so we thought this might be a good connection, plus we remembered the paella as being delicious. We made a reservation to return that night at 8 pm.

Then it was back home and readying ourselves for the beach. We got down about 12:45 p.m., late for us. It was pretty crowded and very warm. We had our first requisite margarita, but then decided to try a drink we had seen others order, called "A Miami Vice." It is very pretty to look at as it is layered with the top being Piña Colada and the bottom being an alcohol-infused raspberry juice. The catch is that you have to order 2! Believe me they pack a punch and we both HAD to finish whole one (we usually split the two margaritas). That finished us for the beach and put us home for a brief lunch and a serious nap.

We got up about 6:30 p.m., needing the alarm to move us. Did a little pre-functing at the Cuban place just off the Malécon and then headed down for our paella. Last time we ate there we were the only ones in the place for the whole evening. Tonight it had other customers. Paella does take a bit of time, so we had a glass of the worst wine I have maybe every tasted! There is a wine served at a diner at Detroit Lake in Oregon that rivals this one, but I still think this may win the title. It was so undrinkable that we ordered a couple of Coronas to have something in its place. Then the paella arrived!



Looks great doesn't it! Unfortunately, it was very disappointing. All the seafood just tasted old! We were served about 9 clams and 6 of them didn't open, which means they were dead before the were cooked. Doubtless killed with some of the wine! The shrimp and the rice were good, but it was very disappointing. Strike Criollo off your list.

We paid up quickly, tipping minimally and headed out to see if we could wash the taste of the wine out of our mouths. It was a beautiful evening, and like so many weekend nights in PV, the Mexican families were out in force. Just a terrific sense of energy and of community. I really enjoy these nights



Even the Pirate dinner cruise ship was in close and I got another of the 37 shots I have of this -- this I think one of the best



Polley saw her little kitten again and continued to try to lure it into a serious relationship. Kitten is playing very hard to get.


We did stop into Candela for a nightcap and then headed home. We got to our place and discovered a wonderful surprise from our landlord


It was a bottle of wine and a note inviting us to come back next year. We had already discussed going back to two month here and that was exactly what he was proposing. So instead of worrying and waiting, we are set. he will just hang on to our deposit and we are looking forward to our time here again. A very nice gesture and it fits our plans perfectly.

A nice way to turn in for the night.

Ed and Polley

A Couple of "Busy" Days

Still Faithful, I hope,

Sorry to let a day go by with no entry. Just so busy! That is a sort of Mexican business. I know many will find it hard to believe that the day fills up, but it does.

Thursday was a beach day. That takes some organization! Anyway, it was, again, a lovely day (I hate to rub this in). Did strike up a conversation (when I say "conversation," believe me I mean it in the most limited way!) with two fellows from Italy. I heard what I thought was Italian and sure enough. They were from the Lake Como area in the north, near Switzerland. He was very pleasant, but if you were looking around to cast for Godfather IV, you might start with him. Anyway, I told him about our Lecce plans and he described the area as very beautiful and as we left the beach (not before draining our two margaritas) he wished us the best on our travels. It was a little further confirmation of our plans for April and May.

As we headed back up the hill for lunch and a nap, we did stop at La Fuente del Puente (The Fountain by the River), our
favorite little place at the bottomof the hill. Some of the very nicest waiters. I caught them in quiet moment next to rhythm-impaired pianist



The rest of the afternoon was lazy as we napped and read. Polley finished The Monsters of Templeton and I finished The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao and dug into a big old paperback I had picked up on the street for 20 pesos: The Instance of the Fingerpost, which was abest seller in the late 90s, but is set in Restoration England and is proving intriguing.

That evening was a real treat as we returned to Vitea. I really think it is one of the best values in all of Puerto Vallarta. The food is fabulous and the prices are quite reasonable for a very nice place. This time Polley has a fabulous Pumpkin soup with shrimp and pumpkin seeds; I had a Portobello mushroom that was covered with spinach, surround by escargot and bathed in Hollandaise sauce. It was amazing. We followed that with a shared Greek salad. A wonderful evening. Strolled home by was of Cafe Candela on a warm, soothing evening.

Friday we did the unthinkable; we set the alarm! I think it is only the second time we have done it since we've been here! We were going out to breakfast with our friends, Pat and George. They were nice enough to provide transportation to a place we just love, called Lindomar. It is a time share resort south of town and it has the most glorious setting and very delicious and modestly priced breakfasts.




I do apologize for the man's but in the photo (does block a bit of the view). Polley had scrambled eggs cooked in beer with a side of cactus. I had been so hungry for refried beans and they had just the dish: Molletos Mexicanas. It is a long loaf of French bread cut in half and each side smothered in refried bean and cheese. It came with guacamole and more beans on the side. I was in Heaven! It was a glorious day and we so enjoy our conversations with both Pat and George, seen her with Polley.



And then just to confirm that I am actually on this trip, George took on of Polly and me



We decided to take it real easy for the rest of the day, partly because we were stuffed. Mostly stayed in and read, before heading out in the early evening to catch our Scottish flutest, Bobby Mujir, at La Palapa.

On our way to La Palapa, we did catch an amazing sight: a Dancing Pharmacist! This famacia mascot was just dancing away in the entry to some little pharmacy just down the hill from us. I had to capture first the logo of the famacia


and then the amazing Dancing Drug Doctor!



Then it was on to La Palapa. It is such a nice setting and for the overpriced cost of a glass of wine (but quite good wine, not always easy to obtain in Mexico), we listened to their first set and watched the waiters perform their firey magic making Spanish Coffees at various tables . Of course, as you can see, I was too cheap to have them done at OUR table!



Following a set with the musicians, we again stopped at Cafe Candela for a glass of their vino tinto del casa. It was quite crowded, but again almost all locales. A truly hidden gem of a place. Home for a little snack, some limited reading and to bed. More, hopefully, tomorrow

Ed and Polley