Touring the Ocean Villas

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  Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Saturday, April 29, 2006

Hola,


Busy, busy, busy! So much to see and do in such a short time. Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas will certainly be a destination again in the future. Although Rob and I wouldn't likely recommend the place where we're staying, The Casa Sombrero, we would absolutely recommend staying in Old Town PV. Although the all-inclusive resorts here and in Neuvo Vallarta are breathtaking and literally mind blowing, we think you get the true Mexican flavor living amongst them! I'm sure a few of our friends would disagree with us however and I can sort of see why after touring the Grand Mayan Resort - they thought of everything and then some.

Yes, we have attended a couple of "Time Share" tours while here. No we didn't buy in, but we were honestly impressed. This also is how we ended up with the Marieta Islands Snorkeling Tour, the cruise to Las Caletas for Rhythms of the Night, tickets to Sealife Park, a couple delicious gourmet meals and a couple of bottles of tequila. You see there are hundreds of resort promoters all over town, as well as Mazatlan, that offer you just about anything & everything to get you to tour their resort and sit through their 3 hour "promotion" with no obligation. We've gone to two of these tours to the Grand Mayan and the Playa del Sol, both in Nuevo Vallarta, and found them actually interesting but we simply weren't interested in buying. No problemo!

The one thing we have learned by staying here in Old Town PV is that although most of these people are what we Canadians would consider quite financially poor, they are seemingly quite content and happy with their rich cultural lives. The Mexican people also have a deep faith, 90% are Catholics, and they have extremely close bonds with their families. They absolutely love and cherish their kids and you see them playing games and singing with them all the time and everywhere. And.....you couldn't ask for nicer people (I sound like my Grandma Lois). I know this is a big generalization, but we literally haven't had one problem or 'snarl' from any Mexican. (Other than being simply and utterly awful drivers of course!) They have always been more than eager to help us out with any questions. We also haven't felt at all unsafe here although we're not unrealistic either to the possibility of crime.

I must also say that I think we've been received well and respected because we're traveling with our four kids, we're not staying at a posh resort, and it has been incredibly handy knowing a little spanish. It seems that the little spanish Shelby and I know has helped out daily and it seems that the Mexicans simply love you for trying. One day Rob was trying to tell a saleslady in spanish that "he knew only nine little spanish words" but instead he said that "he liked little spanish boys (ninos)". The lady and Shelby howled! .....the next spanish classes that I take, I will drag Rob along so he doesn't end up in a Mexican jail! Now he's pretty much leaving the espanol conversations to me and Shel.

Speaking of driving in Mexico. Rob and I have come to the conclusion that ALL signs, traffic lights and laws of the road are merely taken as suggestions. Seriously, I am not exaggerating. Easily the worst offenders are the taxis and buses and there are many of them. They have no respect for anyone and watch out if you're a pedestrian, they gun it for you. Rob, the designated driver here in Mexico (I'm too scared), is now quite used to the driving. The rule is to always expect the unexpected because it will happen. It is also wise to have everyone watching in all directions...........it's almost like living within a Gameboy. Scary.

Also another interesting fact, all Mexicans can go on to public Post Secondary schools in Mexico, free. Cool eh? If only we had that 'perk' in Canada! There are a few private colleges and universities as well that the very few of the wealthy population quite often prefer to attend. (There really seems to be no middle class here, it's either poor or quite wealthy)

Anyhow, we have had another interesting week (& month) touring several playas and rural villas including; Sayulita, San Fransisco, Punta Mita, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerias, Nuevo Vallarta (all in the state of Nayarit), Marina Vallarta, Pitillal, Los Muertos, Conchas Chinas, Mismaloya, Boca de Tomatlan and Las Caletas (all in the state of Jalisco). The lovliest beach we've discovered is the one at the truly Mexican villa of San Fransisco........it was just awesome with very few people, aka Paradise. The highlight of this week would absolutely be spending the day at Neuvo Vallarta at Sealife Park. They have an incredible water park with super slides but the pinnacle was Alia and Zane being chosen to participate IN the Big Dolphin Show and then Zane, Shelby and Rob swimming with the dolphins. What an experience!

Also, this past week has become much quieter now that all the Easter or their Holy Week(s) festivities are over. Thank goodness as interesting as it was. It now just seems like a normal dull roar of tourists are here and getting around is simply easier. It has also become much hotter too and thus we have moved from the high tourist season into the low season. We are told that from July through September that it becomes so hot and humid that most Mexicans can't even stand it.

People definitely come out more so in the evenings. The downtown is abuzz with all sorts of activities; shopping, eating, drinking, dancing, people watching, mariachis playing, vendors selling, mimes a miming, buskers a busking... till the wee hours. It's a good time. Also, every single evening there are fireworks...too cool, we never get tired of seeing them! Thursday is also the main day for cruise ships in PV and we've been warned not to shop on these days as most prices double in honor of the cruisers!?! (FYI)

We will be leaving PV early next week to begin our slow rise north. I hope to take many more shots of the streets and people of PV before we leave to share with you. It's certainly an amazing and interesting place. Thank you for your patience with me uploading our photos and stories. Things in Mexico just naturally happen at a slower pace and I'm at the whim of the free wireless internet signals that have allowed us to maintain this blog. Once we're back in the US, Arizona to be precise, I'm sure the blog will once again be more regular (and hopefully Rob's bowels too)

Hasta Luego,
Tracey Brosh

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