After a flying day worthy of landing in Frankfurt and beyond, we finally arrived in Puerto Vallarta last evening. It was, for a reason we are still trying to fathom, a 15 hour day just to arrive on the Mexican runway.
We began by rising at 2 am to do final packing and to clean our way out the front door. The taxi, driven by a fascinating old hippie who was singing along with Brazilian love songs (many years in Rio!), arrived at 4 and we were at the airport for a 6:15 flight. Of course, there was no one in the Alaska Airlines queue and by 4:25 we were through security and ordering burned Starbucks coffee (the only choice at 4:30 am - be warned!) From there, all seemed to go according to plan and we boarded the plane about 5:45. Then we were told that because of air traffic in San Francisco, we would delay our take-off for thirty minutes. About 6:45 we did, in fact, take off and actually landed only about 10 minutes late in SFO - 8:10. We were then informed almost immediately, that our 10:40 flight was delayed until 11:20, which then actually became 11:45. There is a 2 hours time difference, so to make a long story short, we arrived in PV at exactly 5 p.m., being only about 45 minutes late.
The fun began in passport control. It was jammed! And to serve this horde, initially, there were 2 people to review and enter the passports! A third was eventually added, but it took a full hour to clear the passport section. Of course, our bags were waiting for us (where could they go!), but they Mexico has added a new security mystery. After we collected out bags, you had to send them through an x-ray machine -- on the way out! Bizarre!
Anyway, we got a cab, as our landlord who was going to pick us up, cancelled at the last minute, but offered to cover the cab fare. The only problem was that our location doesn't really have an address and cabs struggle to find it. After a half hour or so, we did arrive and Fred (the landlord) was there to meet us and take us to yet a new and different apartment. It was 7 p.m., 15 hours after our alarm clock had gone off in Oregon that morning. I think our reputation for adapting easily, is a curse. Fred knows he can throw us anywhere and we will make it work. Actually, this morning, Polley is in the process of doing exactly that - trying to make it work.
I have included a couple of pictures of the new place, as it appears at that moment.
I may send you updates as my little Martha Steward works her magic.
We had thought we would go to Vitea for a nice dinner upon arrival, but we had just enough strength to have two beers and some chips before falling into bed. But the weather felt great and Sunday evenings are always a treat as one sits and watches all the families stroll along the Malécon. But bed did finally call and we answered the bell and turned in for a good long rest. Hopefully the roosters and donkeys will hold it down to s dull roar and we will recover enough to begin to enjoy our time here. More later.
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