A Trip to Puerto Vallarta

It's time to check out Puerto Vallarta which is actually in a different province even though you never leave the Banderas Bay area. A 30 minute bus ride on two busses takes us from Nayarit to Jalisco. The first bus is what a friend would call a sofa bus. Sofa busses are air conditioned and have comfortable, often reclining, seats. They are clean, fairly new and more expensive than chicken busses. Chicken busses are none of the above. Although I have never actually seen a chicken on one of these busses if I were going to bring a live chicken home (for whatever reason) this is definitely the kind of bus I would choose. I never feel more like I'm in Mexico than when I'm riding on a chicken bus. Bouncing along in the standing room only bus we come to our first stop, a little cigar shop that Bill and Joanne are anxious to show us.

The shop is run by a family who grows the tobacco and cures then hand rolls it. Oh yeah, they make tequila too, that they share with their favourite customers. While we sniff the various hand rolled cigars and make our selection (Joe seems to have forgotten that he just quit smoking cigars). Out come the tiny shot glasses. Much nodding and smiling ensues while we sip the smoky concoction. Now any fragment of memory that may have been lingering in Joe's mind about the not smoking thing has just flown out the door as he pays for his selected package of cigars. He swears that he's figgered out how he gets hooked on them and he's not going to do that again. (I thought that it was smoking them that got you addicted but apparently not)

We mosey down the streets (carrying our bundle of cigars) stopping to look in various shops selling everything from home woven tablecloths to pottery and glassware to clothing. Making purchases from time to time and keeping some shops in mind for the future. The rule of thumb about bartering here is if you're in a store with prices marked on items, they rarely negotiate the price downward unless you're purchasing multiple items. If you are buying from a vendor on the beach, ask the price of an item that interests you and start by offering half of the requested price. I usually have a price in mind that I'm willing to pay for a given item before I begin negotiating. I am also aware that this is how they make their living and I want to pay a price that's fair to both of us. On the other hand I have no trouble walking away (often with the vendor in pursuit agreeing finally with the price I am willing to pay) when it looks like I won't get close to the price I'm willing to pay.

Food stands dot the cobbled streets and serve hot tacos, tostadas, chilis relenos and the like. Contrary to all the warnings we have recieved, none of us have become sick from eating at these primative stands and their food is delicious. We each order 2 fish tacos (fish tacos have quickly become a favourite of ours) with pieces of battered deep fried fish folded into a fresh taco. Onions, lettuce, salsa and hot sauces are available with which to garnish your taco and we sit eating them on the steamy street corner with the juices dripping down our chins and hands.

After a little more shopping the guys think it's time to stop for a drink, and we must keep the guys happy. It's amazing how much more animated they become when we're looking for a beverage rather than a table cloth. Giddy as 2 boys they lead the way 'til we find an enchanting little bar that has a pina colada special, 2 for 35 pesos or about $3.50. The breeze wends through the open space while the overhead canopy of greenery provides welcome shade. We settle our hot bodies down for a break and all order the pina coladas which are whirred in a blender to a slushy consistency. Soon the 4 of us are clutching our heads to try to relieve the freezer brain.

Once refreshed our quest leads us across the swinging bridge that spans a shallow, tumbling stream. An open air market shaded by huge trees awaits us on the other side. This is a bartering market where much good natured negotiation takes place and real bargains can be found. As Joanne and I shop our way through the marketplace, Joe and Bill move from one shaded bench to another to keep us in sight.

Another refreshment stop then a walk along the malecon (sea wall) stopping here and there to purchase necesseties, snacks and drinks. Before we know it the sun is taking it's nightly dip in the pacific and the welcome cool settles upon us. With our knapsacks full of the day's treasures we climb onto a chicken bus and begin the journey home.

At sun up we weigh anchor leaving "Tica" and Punta de Mita behind. "Tica" has reservations starting tomorrow so will remain at Punta Mita another night before making their way in. Christmas is only 3 days away and all reports are that there is no room at the inn (or marina in this case). Having no idea when we would leave we were unable to make reservations until it was much too late. Undaunted we chug hopefully toward firm holding at one of the 3 marina's . The sea is much more kindly today as we set a course that takes us directly toward the rising sun. P.J. is bathed in the shimmer that the sun casts on the water as though our destination were some mystical unseen place over the fiery horizon. Again picking our way through the fishing boats that dot the bay this time it's the sun making it difficult to see the boats.

"There's a whale! Get the binoculars!" " Forget the binoculars, get the camera that one's just the baby." "Holy cow would you look at the size of that mama." As she surfaces for a huge lungful of air we're filled with awe, the camera forgotten in Joe's hand as we gape at her seemingly endless expanse. Mother and baby feeding in the visible line where current meets current, ignoring our presence as they sustain their mass on the sea's abundance. Looking fore, aft,starboard and port for the next glimpse when they submerge for a time. As we squint at the undisturbed surface coasting in neutral our course unimportant for the moment, mama surfaces close enough to alarm us, her young charge close beside her. "We're going to hit her, put the boat in gear" Joe shouts from his post on deck. Of course the whale knows exactly where we are by the thrumming sound of our engine and is in little danger of an unwanted collision. In all liklihood she's enjoyng the shouts of alarm their presence produces.

About an hour out I call the harbour master at Marina Nuevo Vallarta and ask if he has a place for a 40 foot sailing vessel. The answer, as expected, is no. OK, plan B. With fingers crossed I ask "Do you have a place where we could tie up for the day?" Pause, "Yes Pacific Jade you can tie up at the concrete wall on the west side for the day" Yay, this means we can get a start on our check in, buy fresh vegetables and other necesseties. We'll anchor at la cruz for the night if we must. At the helm Joe smiles and sets our course. We have a destination if only for a few hours "Thank you Marina Nuevo Vallarta, we'll be there in an hour".
Juan, the harbour master meets us a the dock and informs us that we can stay the night if we wish. Happy news for us, we'll be able to do a little Christmas shopping as well as the tedious paperwork. We quickly tie up and rush to get a start on the paperwork and Christmas preparations.

It turns out that there is no rush. Our 1 day stay becomes a 17 night stay. During the night a powerful surge makes the harbour entrance treacherous and a creaky night ensues as our fenders grind noisily against the dock. Joe is up numerous times adjusting lines and fenders to keep the heavy encrustation of oysters, barnacles and mussels from raking the side of our boat.

During our stay here the tides grew to 7 feet (7 foot difference between high and low tides) and keeping P.J. from being ground to a pulp or crushed beneath the concrete dock as the water level fell lower than the concrete became a constant job for Joe. Eventually he kedged us off with 2 anchors (set anchors out to the side to keep P.J. away from the dock) but even they required constant adjustment.

Our friends aboard "Tica" are unable to come in the next day. At anchor in Punta Mita they barely sleep in the rolling seas hoping their anchor holds. By the next day (Dec.24th) the entrance is once again navigable and a joyous margarita reunion takes place. Christmas eve is spent sipping margaritas (Bill has now perfected his recipe) beneath the banana and coconut palms and jumping from the hot tub into the cool crystal pool. We have the entire pool area to ourselves since everyone else has been here long enough to make other plans and Bill and Joanne are docked right next to the pool area.

Christmas morning dawns sunny and warm and we dig out the special coffee and foods that we've hoarded for this day. While sipping our hazelnut coffee we unwrap our gifts with delight. Even though we shopped for them together 2 days ago and know what each package holds we feel like a couple of kids and try on our clothes and play with our gadgets.

After our special Christmas lunch aboard "Tica" the 4 of us tuck our boogie boards under our arms and head for the beach.The afternoon is spent playing in the surf 'til our tired muscles can barely support us.
Christmas supper consists of Canadian tacos aboard "Pacific Jade" with all our favourite toppings. The merriment lasts until about 8:30 when exhaustion overtakes us all.

Our friends putt home in their dinghy with the phosphorescence twinkling behind them and we fall into bed thankful for a fabulous day and thinking of our family and friends in Canada.