Friends and the Curious,

The week has flown by and it has been about 3 days since I last wrote. Some of the time, of course, was recovering from Polley's endless Birthday celebration, while the remainder of the time was spent struggling to maintain our routine. Somedays it is more difficult than it looks.

The weather has been lovely for the most part. Nights have warmed a bit, but the last couple of days we have had some sort of strange haze that seems to hang about the bay and back on the hills. Nothing to really spoil things, but it takes a bit of the shine off the place.

However, yesterday was a bit different. As we have told people when they ask about our time here and what we do, we often answer that rather than being tourists rushing about to do this and see that, our goal is to try and find the rhythm of the place and live as the residents of the place live. That means things like attending the markets, strolling through galleries, sitting by the beach and reading, taking the bus to Wal-Mart! Ideally we like to get absorbed into the community. To be a regular. A couple of years ago that worked beautifully in Lecce, Italy. After 4 years here, there is a sense of that as well as we talk a bit with the laundry lady, Malena, speak to the woman who lives down the hill from us, Lupe, and, of course, our endless raft of waiters and bartenders with whom we spend a great deal of time, for sociological purposes, of course.

Yesterday, I had was invited to walk with Rafael, a waiter at La Fuente del Puente. He sees me walking rapidly past the restaurant each morning as I head up the hill. We also discovered that we were the same age and we gave him a nice bottle of tequila for his birthday which fell just 3 days before Polley. Out of all this chatting, he extended an invitation to me to accompany him to some family property up in the mountain jungles just south of Puerto Vallarta. So yesterday, about 4:30 pm we took off.

We traveled by bus about 3 miles south and go off at a stop. We turned immediately east on foot to begin our 30 minute hike straight up the side of a mountain. The first 3/4 of a mile is accessible by car, but after that it is a narrow path that is not much wider than your shoe. It is over very rocky terrain and back and forth across a small creek, jumping nimbly from stone to stone. I caught this picture of Rafael leading the way about halfway to our destination.

After that brief photo-op, we hit the trail once again. As I say, it was a hard 30 minutes before we arrived at his little jungle paradise. It is property that has been in the family for some years and I am not sure how much it serves to provide food. There are dozens of mango trees and avocado trees. I got this photo of his small pineapple plantation

While I say there are fruits and vegetables there, I think a great deal of joy for Rafael is that he has a place that is quiet and lets him get away from all the noise of downtown PV. He has a small, very primitive cabin there.

It has s mall table, a place to cook over an fire and a small bed always convenient for a siesta. It also allows him to have a certain number of tools that he can keep there

AS I say, it is very primitive. There is no electricity and no running water. All the watering plants must be done by hauling water up the steep hill in buckets. Rafael, a rail-thin, but very strong man, made two trips while I sat and rested for the return trip

After about 30 minutes in the peaceful paradise, we turned and made our way back to the road. We caught a bus back to the city (seeing a whale burst out of water in the bay) and went our separate directions, headed for home. I felt that the goal of being absorbed into the daily life of PV had taken a real step forward and it is these private personal moments that make it all worthwhile and will be ones, regardless of photos, that I will never forget.

Like a Fine Wine

Friends,

I could talk a bit about our several days of doing very little, but reading, drinking and eating, but as most of you have been kind enough to send birthday wishes, I should dispense with the trivial and get to Polley's 74th!

Yesterday we had a lovely day celebrating #74. I got off to my walk and was able to return with a small, humble bouquet of flowers for Polley. I captured her with them as she sat in the sunlight letting her hair dry (we go nowhere until the hair is dry!)

We decided to do a late breakfast at a place that is new this year, on the ground floor of yet another PV condominium unit. It is call the French Riviera Bakery and it has a lovely setting that catches the morning sun. I caught Polley as she prepared for breakfast, already well into her Mimosa!.

Sadly, the location is lovely, but the breakfast was a bit disappointing.

From there, we strolled up to La Fuente del Puente, our favorite place, for just a glass of wine. However, when you have a birthday on St. Valentine's Day, people remember. Sure enough, Aurora, the owner had a gift of Hersey Kisses, a private serenade by the Marimba Duo


and a special birthday cake (Just what we needed after a full breakfast!).


It was a dirty job, but we had to eat the whole thing!

After waddling up the hill to our place, we spent the afternoon reading, resting, feeding the little kittens and collecting our laundry.

However, that evening we had a birthday dinner at our favorite place, Vitea. We were joined by a lady we met these last few weeks, Marsha, and had a great time.

The evenings are really becoming wonderful and tropical. We were a bit embarrassed that we had had such a day, that a stop at El Patio was not in the cards. Ah well, there is always tonight.

Much thanks to all of you who sent birthday wishes. I tried my bet to make it a day that we all think she deserves. More later

Change is in the Wind

Friends,

It has been 4 days since I last post. Little has occurred in that time, which is just the way we like it! OUr routine, which I went over a few posts ago, is about the same. The "Hounds of the Bastardville" are unleashed about 7 or 7:15 every morning so even if we chose to sleep in, there is no way to surmount the incessant barking. Actually, we tend to wake about 6:30 with the sun peeking in around 7:30. The change I refer to in the title is really about the air temperature. It has gotten warmer! While we still carry an extra layer with us in the evening, some nights it is nearly unnecessary.

Monday we had a nice early evening with our friends (and a former UP colleague) Neal and Judy Higgins. They invited us to have a drink with some Canadian artists, Jack and Lorraine, who are both quite well known potters from Toronto. Neal and Judy have moved into a new condominium unit and we had a nice evening out on their balcony. I took this picture of the sunset from there place.

Despite my best efforts to avoid another sunset photo, they seem to insist on my capturing them. From Época, our little beachside haunt run by a fellow from Portland, the sunsets are truly spectacular. Part of my fascination is with they way they keep evolving. You think you have caught the best moment,

and then it changes and another photo is called for;

soon another is required.

And then, almost as suddenly, it is gone! So, each evening that we are down there, I come home with half a dozen more images of the sunset.

Have eaten in the last couple of nights, just going out for drink. Have spent some lovely hours just sitting in our place or on the beach reading. We continue to whittle away at our stack of book. Have enjoyed "The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet," "The Secret Scriptures," and "Let the Great World Spin." No real clunkers so far, but those three have been strong.

AS we stopped at Época yesterday we did capture a gathering (perhaps a "gaggle") of Red Hat ladies parading down the Malecon.

Very flashy and lively group.

As we left there yesterday and head up our hill, I did get a picture of one of the little kittens who had fitted him(her)self into a tree branch and was just gazing out at the world

Polley continues to feed them, but they are still very skittish and I don't know if we will ever gain their confidence to the point of actually petting them.

But most important, the weather is now grand. Nearly everyday is blue sky and their is hardly a cloud to be seen. Had dinner last night with Neal and Judy at a place call La Tia Catrina. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays dinners are half price! Really good food and our whole bill for food was about $8.00. It may become a regular Thursday night haunt.

Anyway, life is good and things are looking up for out last month in PV. More later

A Bit of PV Culture

Friends and other readers,

I will keep this brief as it was another slightly overcast and cool day in Puerto Vallarta. We did very little. Read a good deal, did the walk and a bit of grocery shopping. We are joining former UP Business School professor, Neal Higgins and his wife, Judy, for some drinks this evening. So I picked up a bit of wine and a wonderful artichoke and jalapeño dip. I make it at home, but I must admit that this one is better. I was told the secret is in baking it for a bit to let the flavors mix. I can't wait to try that once we get home.

Lasst night we had a lovely evening. It was, of course, Super Bowl night. As we strolled along the Malecon it was great fun to tell the promoters trying to draw us into each bar and restaurant that we weren't doing the Super Bowl, we were going to the ballet! We did stop for a bit of Pre-Func at a bar that had the game turned up to a volume that would make most people's ears bleed. We sat as far outside as possible and enjoyed the passersby. We then went on to the new Performing Arts Center downtown for the ballet, Romeo and Julietta. This was a Russian troupe that was passing through. The place was packed. I took this one photo prior to the show

but, as a polite, respectful audience member I did not take photos during the performance, although a good deal of people did. I was surprised that there was no announcement, as we now always get, about turning off cell phones and no photography. Apparently those rules do not apply in Mexico. Each of the seats in the auditorium also had a cup holder and people were freely bringing in cups of coffee, wine and other more potent beverages.

The performance itself was really very good. The woman that danced Juliet was wonderful. Mercutio and Paris were also very strong. I was not taken with Romeo and as I continue to have contact with the play, I grow increasingly convinced that he is not really that important to the story. It is really about Juliet.

Anyway, it was well received. Polley and I picked a bit at the costuming choices and some of the acting/dance interpretation seemed a bit overdone. But it was nice to have the opportunity to see if and, of course, we both love the music.

So, a bit of culture beyond two beers for the price of one. Stopped for a drink on the way home and watched more of the Sunday evening crowd. We get down to the Malecon very little at night. We were reminded of how lively and enjoyable it is to just sit and watch the Mexican families and gringo tourists. A most pleasant day.

A PV Cold Spell

Friends and Unknown Readers,

I have been out of touch for a few days. Really just a lack of much to report. The weather has been awful (by PV standards that is). It has been misty, cloudy and very, very cold (PV standards applied again). Evenings have been so cold that Polley and I have eaten in our room with layer upon layer to protect us. Gloves would have been nice. We just weren't prepared for this sort of cold over here. We had our bout in Guadalajara last year, but, ironically, it is warmer in GDL than in PV at this time. We not only long for gloves, we are envious of those lucky souls who live in accommodations with WINDOWS!

Anyway, we have been limited in our travels about town. We have made it down the hill and yesterday, as it was a bit brighter (though the wind was blowing fit to knock you down) we went over the the Happy Hour at Epoca to see our friend Bobby and his fellow musicians warm the place up a bit.


It was a pretty good crowd

Also had a chance to sit with retired colleague, Neal Higgins and his wife Judy, under their palapa. In the sun it was quite pleasant, but still the wind was pushing at us from behind. We chatted and watched the crowds come and go.

Also caught our favorite bar maid, Hannah, up to her elbows in dishes.


We did stop in at El Patio on the way up the hill. In that walled courtyard it was surprisingly calm, so we enjoyed a respite from the pummeling wind. From there it was on up the hill a few steps more, when the craft lady, Marsha, caught us for a moment that turned into an hour of some pretty powerful vodka and mango juice! Then it was home for some serious cold-weather dressing and dinner indoors.

That has been the routine for the last 3 days. Limited walking about, a lot of lying under the covers in bed with our books, cursing the fact that it is so hard to turn pages in gloves. Did manage to catch some pretty impressive sunsets during the nippy evenings. Thought I would share this one with you

We are off to lunch this afternoon, looking forward to some excellent looking calamari at La Fuente. Home for a brief nap and, perhaps, a bit of the first half of the Super Bowl and then we are off to the ballet. A Russian company is passing through town, doing Romeo and Juliet. Critics' report to follow soon.

Doing?

Friends and all,

We are into the beginnings of month number 2 as the calendar turns over to February 1st. As I mentioned in the last report, we are back to establishing (re-establishing?) a routine. That sense of "the regular" got me to thinking about the notion of "doing." People down here ask us what we've been doing, what did you do today, what are you doing in your retirement, etc. There seems to be this need to "do!" Polley and I, as we fall into our routine, are trying the opposite approach; we are trying to "not do."

That doesn't mean we don't have things that we do. It just means that there is no need to do. Our typical day, and I say this with no sense of shame, means awaking around 6:45 or 7 a.m. Polley is usually still trying to sleep, so I spend a half hour to 45 minutes reading the New York Times and assorted promotional e-mails (never anything from someone we care about) on my i-.touch or i-pad. About 7:30 the day begins and for the next hour, we drink coffee, attend to the toilet, read, return to the toilet, etc. At 8:30 I am out for an hour's walk. Now these rapid strolls can be either of a practical nature, a stop at the store to stock-up, or they can be purely for the exercise. Usually, it is a combination of both. Occasionally I'll run into others we know in PV and chat for a few minutes, then on my way. I am gone about an hour.

The rest of the morning is caught up in tidying up the apartment, reading a bit more, a shower, a bit more exercise and then, whenever we wish, we stroll down to La Fuente del Puente (The Fountain at the Bridge) for a beer, some fun with the waiters, some music,

and some serious people watching. Actually, given the variety of people who pass through, a good deal of it is not serious at all. The variety of tourist that come to PV is fascinating! From the Tea-Party, Nascar, World Wrestling crowd to the most stylish and sophisticated appearing, you see them all.

Of course, occasionally we side-step La Fuente and go down to the beach and have a beer and enjoy the sunshine. There is this one amazing musician who wanders by and each time we witness him, we have to tip him, primarily for his ingenuity. He is somewhat crippled and has strapped a harmonica and an old flashlight to his crutch. He holds the crutch and plays the harmonica and sings (often seemingly at the same time!) and strums the rough edges of the flashlight edge for his percussion. I provide you with a photo, but a video may at some point be called for.

Amazing!

Around 1:30, we make our way up the hill for lunch and the always important SIESTA! Around 4 we are up and do read for a couple of hours before making that difficult decision about where to eat. Last night we wandered up to a place in the Mexican section call La Tia Katrina's. Of course, we first had to stop and provide a bit of food for our family of cats.


and catch a bit of a sunset

The food at La Tia was Excellent. Polley had Chile Rellenos and I had a terrific seared Tuna. We had a lovely talk with with the owner and then, of course, needed to stop at El Patio before arriving back at the house, bringing our "typical day" to an end. While we "did" a number of things, it never felt we had to "do" any of it. It is Heaven!