Hola, and welcome to OnVallartaTime! We are back to our winter home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! We are back to our beautiful apartment, back to our neighborhood, back to the beach, back to some of our favorite old haunts, and back together with our Puerto Vallarta friends once again. It feels really good — comfortable and familiar.

It’s been three weeks since we arrived — where does the time go… It seems like just yesterday we stepped off the plane, and going up the gangway got a first taste of the heat and humidity before stepping into the air-conditioned terminal.

After a quick stop at immigration we got a cart for our humongous pile of luggage and lined up for customs, but once again we got the green light and before we knew it we were in the main terminal getting a taxi to our apartment! The taxi ride was great as usual, as we took in remembered sights along the highway: the hotels, the restaurants and businesses next to the road, and once in the Centro and south side, the cobblestone streets. I turned to Peggy with a big grin and said, “Well, we’re here!”

Our apartment was clean and inviting, with everything intact after our long absence. Our landlord had arranged for some tile work in the bathrooms, a welcome sight. Once we were unpacked, it felt as if we had never left! But actually, before unpacking, we headed to the beach for happy hour at Cuates y Cuetes, our annual arrival tradition.

Back to Our Apartment and Neighborhood

Everything was clean and bright in our apartment. That’s my “desk” in the foreground where I’m writing this.

All our knick-knacks are intact!

Plants are thriving on the deck.

A shot of part of the neighborhood.

In the background is a giant gray concrete condo building going up into our view — there’s an unbelievable amount of construction going on in this town!

Looking down on our neighborhood in the evening. Our apartment is almost at the far end of the street on the right.

Peggy at Cuates y Cuetes our first night — two-for one drinks and free popcorn!

And here I am that first night. The restaurant is right at the base of Puerto Vallarta’s famous pier. It’s great to be back!

Back to the Beach

It has been incredibly hot and humid here, at least for us Oregon Coasties. The weather has been slow to change this year; usually by this time the humidity moderates and the dry season begins. It’s beginning to happen now, but for a couple of weeks it was difficult to get out and about. Luckily, we have A/C in the bedroom so sleeping hasn’t been a problem, but during the day, we are soaking wet by the time we get down our stairs to the street!

Our one escape? The beach! There’s usually a slight breeze, we can sit in the shade with an icy drink, and if it gets too bad we can go in the water, which has been an astonishingly warm 85 degrees but still refreshing.

Swell Beach Club, our usual hangout at Los Muertos beach, taken from the bar area. We sit up in front, by the ocean.

Peggy in our usual spot.

An unusual optical effect captured by Peggy in her water glass.

Looking south.

Looking north. Paddleboards for rent.

Pretty big waves today — it’s hard to get into and out of the water when it’s like this.

Something new, at Blondie’s on Pulpito street near the beach — cocktail slushies! Check out the menu.

Los Vinolentos

Our ukulele group, Los Vinolentos, meets on the beach every Tuesday afternoon. We even let some guitars join in. Really fun! “Los Vinolentos” means “winos,” but we prefer the definition “fond of wine.”

Under the palapa at Fidencios bar.

Jamie, along with Rob on electric bass.

Earle, Vic and I.

Odds and Ends

For you foodies, a picture of the fabulous nicoise salad with grilled shrimp at Joe Jack’s Fish Shack.

From the “Only in Mexico” file… They switched out the telephone poles across the street from our apartment, and to remove the old poles, they chopped them down with an axe!

Here they are loading the last old pole onto a dump truck.

Here’s where the old pole was, alongside the new one.

And finally, as a parting shot, sunset at the pier.

 

We have been invited to Kai Doyle’s house in El Tuito, up in the mountains, for Thanksgiving later this week  We had a wonderful time last year. We are thankful for all of you, our family and friends. May you have a truly blessed Thanksgiving!

Stay tuned for the next issue of OnVallartaTime!