Blake and Deb Far Away

The Hotel Zone is at the north end of Puerto Vallarta and, as the name implies, is a center of tourist activity. Some visitors come here and never leave their resort, which is a shame. Still, the beach here is quite nice – good for long walks. All the beaches in Mexico are public property – the resorts don’t own them – still, it took us awhile to find the public beach access without having to sneak through the resort fortresses, which often identify their patrons by a colored wristband. (photo by Deborah) Who needs a storefront? Or even a cart? Purveyor of sunglasses (photo by Deborah) Sign where a river meets the ocean. (photo by Deborah) This egret seems unconcerned with the crocodiles. (photo by Deborah)

We’ve been to a lot of botanical gardens all over the world, and Puerto Vallarta’s version certainly isn’t among the best, but it was at least worth the 45 minute bus ride south of town. It covers a fairly large area but the “cultivated” part of it is limited; The majority is mostly wild with a network of trails running through it - some rough and steep enough for Deborah's hairdressing knees to be complaining for two days afterward. There were very few other people visiting when we were there so it made for a very peaceful break from the city, especially down by the river that runs through the property. (photo by Deborah) (photo by Deborah) Orange Oriole (I think) Chapel in the botanical garden grounds (Available for weddings!) Tourist Tree, presumably named for the red peeling skin. Bougainvillea grows very well here. (photo by Deborah)

Puerto Vallarta has many different neighborhoods and associated nearby communities. We’re making it a point to visit many of these to get a feel for the place. At the northern end near the airport is Marina Vallarta, an upscale residential and business development dominated by resorts, luxury condos, a golf course and, unsurprisingly, a marina. It doesn’t have the Mexican village charm of old town, but it is certainly quieter and it was interesting to visit for a day. Marina Vallarta. There is a nice boardwalk circling the marina, surrounded by condos, shops, and restaurants. Every marina needs a resident crocodile. Could be a good security system for the many impressive yachts. The rather odd looking Westin Resort At one of the luxury condos  Me on the breakwater (photo by Deborah) Video of a parasailer

We are staying in the historical center of Puerto Vallarta – specifically, the Romantic Zone – and we love it. This is where you’ll find narrow cobblestone streets, historical buildings, and the highest concentration of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, galleries and performing arts. And of course the beaches and the Malecon. All that charm comes with crowds and noise, but now that high season has passed it’s not so bad. We don’t have a car here and don’t need one. Most places we can walk to, otherwise we use the local buses or Uber for further destinations. We’ve managed to find our favorite little mom and pop restaurants, including one where we can get chips and salsa, soup, a main course, tortillas and a drink, all for $4. There is a farmers market a few blocks away for all our fruit and veg needs, and a tortillaria for those freshly made tortillas we love. The food here has really been amazing. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s west coast, will be our home for at least a few weeks, or possibly several months. (How’s that for being decisive.) It’s a place we’ve always heard good things about from friends who have been here. It’s a resort beach town known for being lively, artsy and gay friendly (always a good sign). In addition to all the beaches, restaurants, bars, clubs, galleries and shops, it has a mile-long (1.6 km) seaside promenade called the Malecon, which is in the historical center and is the perfect place for a stroll. We walk there most days. And we are not alone. We arrived just in time for Easter so, as you can imagine in this very catholic country, it was mobbed. Easter is the traditional end of the high season, and now that it has passed things have calmed down considerably, which suits us fine. Puerto Vallarta's Malecon Sand sculpture Many sculptures grace the malecon Fruit vendors (photo by Deborah) (pho