Or should I say -- one more thing a man can do to exasperate his wife! Let me just start by saying we are loving our stay at Villa La Joya on Isla Mujeres. The view from the room is beautiful and peaceful looking over the turquoise blue water of the bay back toward the night lights of Cancun. And the lapping of the waves on the shore is a wonderful sound to lull you into an afternoon nap in the hammock. And that's just what I did this afternoon.
We'd returned from a lengthy trip to town where we'd hunted seaglass, stopped for an oatmeal cookie at the Island Bakery, rented a golfcart, and then lunched at the Mango Cafe on the way home. Since I'm still a little punk, I decided to take a nap in the hammock while Craig took one of the kayaks out for a spin. I was just about asleep when
this a-hole (pardon my French) came speeding past fairly close to shore. I realized I'd just seen Craig in that location in the kayak, so I grabbed the camera to get a snapshot in case the boat had hit him. After taking the photo, I jumped up and grabbed the binoculars from the table to locate Craig. There he was in the water hanging onto the side of the kayak waving his arms and paddle frantically at me. OMG! What do I do? It's not like I have a number for the Mexican Navy! I took off on a dead run, out the front door of the room and down the series of steep stairs that lead to the pool and the beach below. I tripped on the lower set of stairs, ripping all the polish from two of my carefully pedicured toes. Ouch ouch ouch, but I regained my balance and was on down the last set of stairs to the beach. Craig, still hanging onto the side of the kayak, waved again.
Wading out into the water over the rocks up to my knees, I wondered how the hell I was going to get him in. I'm a fairly good swimmer, but the water's not all that warm and he's a big guy. I yelled, "Are you hurt? Do you need help?" And he, of course, replied, "I'm fine. I was just waving at you!" He'd been using the kayak as a buoy while he snorkeled out in the water, and the speeding boat had not knocked him out of the kayak.
I won't tell you what I yelled back at him, but what the heck?!!! I would think wildly waving your hands while hanging onto the side of a kayak would strike most people as a universal distress call?
After spitting out a few more kind words, I limped back up the flights of stairs, trying to ignore the questioning stares of the two couples on their balconies who had witnessed the strange woman barreling down the stairs to the beach. By the time Craig got back to the room, I was trying to glob some polish onto my broken toenails.
It's all water under the bridge, but this incident is being added to my list of stupid men tricks! Meanwhile, here are a few snapshots inside the walls of Villa La Joya.
I've been sitting on the balcony wondering if my yacht has arrived. The other thought that comes to mind is whether there's someone with a large telescope watching me from that large boat! Craig thinks the windows don't look quite right for a yacht, but it's dropped anchor out there and hasn't moved since we arrived.
A tiny beach and the kayaks (known to some people as snorkeling buoys) are accessible by stairs leading down from the hotel.
The hotel has lots of Mexican pottery decorating the nooks and crannies.
And beautiful bouganvillea decorating the grounds.
More gorgeous tropical vegetation.
A tile mural down by the pool.
My favorite mix of Mexican colors -- yellow and blue.
Craig launching his kayak yesterday. If he pulls that silly trick on me again, I might launch that paddle upside his head. Just kidding!
If parting Isla is sad, then arrivals should be sheer excitement. Our arrival on Isla Mujeres this trip was just a little subdued because my teeth were chattering from fever and chills. We did make a run into the colonias last night for dinner at Basto's, but by the time I'd picked up a few things in the supermercado, I had to get back to the room -- pronto! I'm not sure what the heck is going on, but hopefully, I'll be 100% by tomorrow. No seaglass hunt and beach day for me.
The airport was crowded yesterday afternoon, but I guess that's normal for Saturday. Craig noticed a line at immigration to the far left that only had three couples in it (the rest of the lines were packed), so we jumped over there and were through in a matter of minutes. The customs line was long and winding, but we moved through quickly and dodged the pesky mosquitos in the lobby who pose as Best Day. We quickly hooked up with the real Best Day and headed towards Gran Puerto about 5 minutes later. I think that's a record! We arrived at Gran Puerto and had a 15 minute wait for the 6:00 p.m. ferry.
Gran Puerto at dusk.
I love the blue lights on the ferry at night! I probably need a head check because I insisted on sitting up top for the ride. It was a cool wind and that probably made my chills worse.
Pulling into the Isla dock, I noticed my favorite fish restaurant. Mocambo's! We talked about stopping there with our bags, but decided we'd better get to the hotel and check in.
After a rough night of fever, aches, and pains (head and shoulders knees and toes, and don't forget the lower back), I woke up to this view out my window. Not a bad place to be sick. I finally bucked up around noon and we made a trip into El Centro for pesos at the ATM and groceries. The HSBC was out of money, so we used the one on Juarez. Along the way, we stopped at Bally Hoo for some shrimp tacos. I decorated them with the tamarindo sauce and they were excellent! I forgot the camera, so you'll have to take my word for it. By the time we got to the cab stand for the trip out to Villa La Joya, it was pouring. Craig actually tried to rent a golfcart down the road at Playa Indio's today, but he wasn't around at the time. We were really glad of that fact as we sped home in the taxi in the pouring rain.
One more day before we hop on the flight to Isla Mujeres! I've decided the thirteenth must be a lucky day for me. When I got home this afternoon after coffee with friends, I found two offers for work projects in my email box. Instead of getting up at 5 a.m. to walk the dog, get dressed, and drive the 30 minute commute to the job site, I'll be working from home on the big project that starts in March. There was also an offer for a short project in February, so that's just icing on the cake. I'm actually looking forward to that pesky seasonal job this year!
Here's a slideshow from our July trip to whet your appetite for Isla. I'll try to post a little from the island if I have a decent WiFi connection. See ya later!
It's really time for me to close the book on our December trip so I can get the bag packed for Isla! Here are a few more strays from Yelapa. I apologize if any of these have already been posted. I'm dizzy trying to keep track of 1000 photos.
Early morning from the living room.
Beach buzzards.
We nicknamed this guy Pay (Pie) Dog. Whenever we passed with pie, he was extremely persistent. If we were empty-handed, he was inert.
If only we'd bought the hat! When we saw these little Mexican sombreros with the grasshoppers attached, we immediately thought of Saby posed in her tiny sombrero. But the thought of dragging the tiny hat with the grasshopper on top to and from Yelapa on the boat and then back to Phoenix on the plane squashed the deal.
Everyday in Bucerias, the senor with the sombreros would park his car on Lazaro Cardenas and quickly convert his automobile into a hat shop on wheels. Then he'd pace back and forth with the large grasshopper poised for flight on top of his head making calls on his cell.
We recently came into possession of a baby picture -- Saby's to be exact! We'd always wondered what she looked like as a puppy since she didn't come to live with us until she was nine. Michael asked a friend and presto -- he sent a photo. Is she cute or what? I assumed her muzzle turned white as she aged, but it appears she always had those distinctive markings and the black eyeliner around her eyes! It does appear that it took her a while to grown into that tongue!
Only a week and a day to go now until I'm knee deep in those beautiful blue waters of the Caribe again! I figure I'd better tie up the loose ends on the Bucerias/Yelapa posts so I can get busy packing!
Part of the reason we travelled to the Puerto Vallarta area in late November was to simply see what we thought of the flip Pacific side of Mexico. So here's the unleashed unvarnished trip report!
Nothing compares to the gorgeous turquoise water of the Caribe! I kept trying to compare Bucerias and Yelapa to Isla Mujeres, but they're manzanas and naranjas! Craig told me to quit it when I started comparing the food and restaurants, but then he found himself doing it too. Isla Mujeres is still number one in our book, but the terrain around Puerto Vallarta is quite striking with lush jungle covered mountains rolling right down to the sea.
Waterwise, I only waded in Bucerias and Yelapa because the Pacific in December is just too dang cold. I did manage to swim in the unheated pool at the condo which was quite a feat considering I quit swimming at home when the water temp dips below 84 in the pool. I'm guessing the pool water was in the lower 70's. The beach in Bucerias was amazing for walking. We'd walk the beach for an hour in one direction, and then turn around. I think the sand goes for 13 or 14 miles! And we did find seaglass in both Bucerias and Yelapa. Not as good or plentiful as the stuff that washes up on Isla Mujeres, but I was pleasantly surprised!
Isla definitely wins in the food category, and I have an all new appreciation for the variety and quality of food on Isla. In Bucerias, the restaurants in general we dined at were more expensive than Isla. Here's the list of places we tried with good food in Bucerias: Adauto's, El Brujo, Adriautico, Claudio's, Sweet Things, and Karen's. Overall, we were just a little disappointed because we never found the place that we wanted to go back to night after night. I'm sure those restaurants are there -- we just didn't find one.
I'll note a few stinkers so no one else wades in if they're headed that way. There's one right off the square in Bucerias, Miguel or Michael Angel's. I also heard someone refer to it as Michelangelo's. We'd noticed it walking past, but had no interest until the owner chased us down on the street and gave us a cloying plea along with a coupon for a free drink. Note to self: If a restaurant has great food, the owner won't need to chase people a block away! Craig ordered a carne asada dish that tasted like day old roast beef from Denny's. I made the mistake of ordering chicken enchiladas in mole and the sauce was a bitter inedible concoction. The service was like watching paint dry. We waited forever for drinks and then forever for the food. The crowning glory came with the bill. 570 pesos to be exact. I fortunately caught it when I saw Craig putting a 500 and a 200 down on the check. WHAT! The actual tab when corrected came to 240 pesos. After questioning the waiter about the amount, Miguel rushed to the table with a gushing apology explaining he had personally misfigured our bill (by a whopping 330 pesos). Hmmmmmm. Every evening after that when we'd near the Bucerias square, he would dash towards us as we ran the other way. One night he yelled, I see you! I see you! How are you tonight? LOL!
Another restaurant on our avoid list is Eva's Brickhouse. Note to self: If the restaurant looks empty every time you walk past, there might be a reason? We were fooled by its number one rating on Trip Advisor, but I've come to the conclusion that Trip Advisor reviews are often skewed by an owner's personal posse. When a place gets a bad review, they call in a load of friends to bury it. I ordered a shrimp and avocado salad for 120 pesos that I assumed by the price would be entree size or at least side salad size? It literally came out on a small saucer that was by no means heaped with the finely chopped ingredients. The world's smallest salad! Craig and I laughed until we cried. I wanted to take a photo, but Eva was lurking because we were her only customers. The food didn't taste bad -- it was just grossly overpriced and the portions were tiny. Who knows, maybe all the salad plates were dirty that night, so they whipped out a saucer? No bread, no booze, and the tab was 470 pesos for my tiny tablespoonfuls of salad and Craig's five pieces of shrimp, 3 tablespoons of rice, and 3 pieces of broccoli. After the mugging, we hungrily foraged for food on the way home from dinner.
Yelapa saved the vacation when it came to food! The Bahia Cafe, Tacos y Mas, the Eclipse, the Yacht Club, Brisas, the little cafe at the town waterfall -- we had wonderful reasonably priced food at all these places! We didn't have a single bad food experience in Yelapa. Since it was still slow season, Yelapa didn't have quite the selection as far as number of restaurants open nightly, but the food there reminded us of the quality of food on Isla.
In Bucerias, we stayed in a penthouse condo just a half block away from the Kissing Bridge where the markets are located. We visited Sayulita to the north for the day and it had a younger cool surfer dude vibe -- the first time I've experienced that in Mexico! We just scratched the surface of Sayulita and I could have spent another day roaming the village area. We rode the bus up there and that was an experience in itself. Note to self: Don't wait until 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. on Saturday to take the bus home. Standing room only!
My big regret is that we didn't travel farther north to San Pancho and beyond. Craig would like to return to the Puerto Vallarta area someday and spend a few more nights in San Sebastion.
Yelapa was a truly unique experience. For me, getting there in the water taxi was quite the adventure! I learned that I can ride in a small boat without getting motion sickness, and somehow some way, I can depart that small boat on the beach. When we return to Yelapa, I'll choose a rental with doors and windows that close. I'm just too big of a worry wart to deal with the possibility of human and creepy crawlers prowling about when I'm sleeping. There was a locking concrete walled bodega in the house for valuables, but that still didn't keep me from waking up in a panic in the middle of the night after hearing a few horror stories from locals. We slept in a fold down bed on the lower level with the mosquito net pulled over us. I even pulled the sheet up over my head for good measure. Extra scorpion protection? And no, we never saw the dreaded scorpion. I'm guessing they were all hiding since the nights were quite chilly! And that's the other reason for a rental with windows. With everything open air, I got cold the minute the sun went down.
We weren't prepared for the cobblestones in the Puerto Vallarta area! Silly us! I packed my normal beach vacation shoes -- flip flops and walking sandals. Ouch, ouch, ouch! Craig and I both had sore feet every night from walking up and down the cobblestone streets and paths. Next time we travel to a destination with cobblestones, we'll definitely pack some type of heavy soled running shoes or hiking boots!
This trip was more about adventure and touring than kicking back and relaxing on the beach. We saw so many new things and had a blast, but I'm so glad we have a trip planned to Isla Mujeres in another week. The trip to Bucerias and Yelapa just made us more homesick for Isla!
This is Chapter 3 or 4 in my I Should Have Been Born Catholic series! Since moving to the Southwest, I've been fascinated by the ornate interiors and architecture of Catholic missions and churches. The church in San Sebastion del Oeste was no exception.
I grew up Baptist and the focal point in our church was a plain wooden pulpit and window with curtains covering the River Jordan baptismal scene. Very plain Jane. We lived a block away from the small Catholic Church, but I can't ever remember stepping through the doors. My minute knowledge of Catholicism included the facts that they couldn't eat meat on Fridays, the children had to study very hard for their first communion, and they seemed to have a get out of (jail) school pass for several extra days a year. That last fact, of course, was paramount in my mind.
The Catholic Church in San Sebastion del Oeste, dedicated to San Sebastian, was originally built in the 1600s, but was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1868. In ornateness, this church doesn't really compare to other missions I've visited, but it's still beautiful!
The bell tower shot from Gregoria's upstairs window.
It was hard to get a good exterior shot since the church is surrounded by a wall. One book referred to it as a walled fortress.
The sign above the door reminds visitors that the sanctuary is a place of worship.
I decided to search my Mexican wallet yesterday to see if I had a card for our tour guide from Bucerias -- Gustavo. Magically, I found a card with his information written on the back. Several people have inquired about how I found him, so I'll pass on the information.
Gustavo took us on the guided day tour to San Sebastion, and also drove us to Boca de Tomatlan to catch the boat to Yelapa. We were going to take a taxi to Boca, but Gustavo offered and his charges were much less. On the way to Boca, he even gave us the scenic tour of Puerto Vallarta when he discovered we hadn't been there yet.
Gustavo and his wife, Veronica, own a small sweet shop on Morelos just off Lazaro Cardenas in Bucerias, a short half block before Morelos runs into the beach. The sweet store, Dulce Galeria, is open everyday, so it's easy to drop by and talk to them about what tour you might like to take. Samples of all their wonderful selection of candy are included with the discussion. : ) In addition to San Sebastion, Gustavo also does tours of Puerto Vallarta, beach towns north of Bucerias, and shopping tours to towns in that area of Mexico. Veronica and Gustavo are also planning on adding overnight tours to San Sebastion soon. We might do that on a future trip!
Craig and I both highly recommend Gustavo Arce. He speaks perfect English and drives customers in his Ford Explorer. He's very careful and stops anywhere you like along the way. In addition, he knows the history of the areas he travels and includes that in his tour. Native to Mexico, he and his wife have also lived in Europe and the United States, so there's never a lull in conversation along the way! His local number in Bucerias is (322)1215834.
Craig and Gustavo on the bench at the coffee plantation in San Sebastion.
I did a thorough search through my Mexican wallet to see what else was stored in there. I wish I had a card for the best lavanderia we've ever used in Mexico. (That tip came from Gustavo!) It was on a side street in Bucerias up by the main highway. We took our whites there and they came back looking brand new. Craig wished we'd brought our entire wardrobe with us so they could make everything look new again! No card for the lavanderia, but I did discover 840 pesos in that wallet! That's enough to fund us for dinner and the supermercado trip in La Gloria our first night on the island until we can get into town to use the ATM! I love a nice surprise!
(By the way, I added that hyperlink on Lazaro Cardenas because I often wonder who people are when their names are on streets in every Mexican town.)
I wish I had a 500 peso bill for every time I've gotten that panicked question in relation to our trips to Mexico. If only I could charge, my name would be Gordita (I think I've heard that name whispered anyway) and I'd be permanently wedged into a white plastic chair with a Sol insignia glued on the back at a little palapa bar down Mexico way. And if only I could receive 1000 pesos for every inquiry as to whether I'm afraid of the drug cartels when I travel to Mexico, I could build a home on Isla Mujeres and retire!
But back to the food question. I hear the questions about food from family and friends and even other tourists while we're there. People either assume dining in Mexico is one big Tex-Mex fest with an endless string of burritos, nachos, and chimichanga platters, or they fear they'll be poisoned by unsafe food because anything not consumed from an all-inclusive buffet is a ticking time bomb. I recently even had a friend ask me if the bottled water in Mexico is safe to consume.
Well, vaya con Dios my darling. Hopefully, no one will die on the voyage and the food will be a far cry from the standard fare at the local Garcia's. Ha! I bet if I had 2000 pesos (I'm upping the tariff) for everyone whose ever gotten sick at the all-inclusive buffet in Mexico, I could probably live on a yacht moored in the Bay of Mujeres!
So here's the drill! When in Mexico, eat with wild abandon!
I will begin with the cautionary note! This, my friends, is what could kill you in Mexico. It is the green sauce in the little bowl. At one of our favorite restaurants on Isla Mujeres, the waiters always warn people that the green sauce is MUY CALIENTE! It will make you scream for your mama!
Since we visit ocean/beach destinations in Mexico, seafood is the local cuisine. One of my favorite must have's is the shrimp cocktail!
While the fried fish is technically bad if consumed everyday, I still eat it! And yes, it comes with those supposedly risky vegetables (read that silly warning the first time I went to Mexico) and the usual side of rice, and I eat that too! Yes, you can eat vegetables and salads in Mexico!
Here's another point I haven't quite been able to get across to a lot of my friends. Food in Mexico derives from all cuisines, just like here in the U.S. They have Italian, Asian, Sushi, Middle-Eastern -- you name it! The above is a plate of West Indian Tacos from The Mango, filled with chicken and slaw tossed in a fabulous peanut type sauce.
Now here's a plate that's probably more traditional Mexican. Enchilada suizas. And this could probably lead to an early death if consumed on a frequent basis because it has cream in it. But in all likelihood, it'll be death by heart attack, not salmonella!
And yes Dorothy, there is pizza in Mexico! In fact, it's a Milagro! The best pizza I've ever consumed in my life! (two more weeks, two more weeks)
Here we have more fresh food from the sea. A stuffed fish. A stuffed red snapper with shrimp to be exact. We discovered that the traditional red sauce on the left coast of Mexico is much more tomato-y. Not as spicey. More like tomato soup, but still wonderful!
And yes, I also ate the pay (pie)! I ate the pie and I did not die! In fact, the lady, evidently Chelly, carries the pie around on her head all day in the hot sun in Yelapa and it does not spoil. Tee hee. I would show you a photo of the slice of chocolate pie we purchased, but I ate it quickly before the thought of photographing it even crossed my mind. It was so good, especially the chocolate coconut, that it might be well worth the plane ticket and boat ride back to Yelapa just to buy the pie! And if I ever make the trip again, I WILL eat pie everyday!
Another favorite on both sides of Mexico is the guacamole. This is real guacamole, mashed from real avocados. No mayo and it does not come from a plastic tub at Costco! Sometimes if we don't want to go out to eat, we buy avocados and a bag of tostados from the supermercado and make it ourselves. Then we drag beach chairs out on the sand to the water and have our own little cocktail party.
Here's another dish that is fresh, good for you, and not dangeroso! Fruit platters are a common breakfast menu item in Mexico. After all, you're in the tropics! The fruit's often accompanied by yogurt and granola to be spooned over the top.
We often see the fishermen carry their fish directly from the panga to the restaurant. Here we have another red snapper -- the whole pescado. He was winking at me, but I've learned to ignore the eye. I don't eat the eye despite the fact that some think it's a delicacy. We did notice that plates weren't as likely on the left coast of Mexico to be accompanied by fresh crisp veggies. The salad, pictured here, was the usual side along with rice and beans.
So go! Abandon the all inclusive with its stamped out buffet line and discover all the great food Mexico has to offer!
You will be safe my friend! You WILL be safe! (I got that line from the hotel clerk who knocked on my hotel door at 10 p.m. the night of Hurricane Ida after he'd discovered I was still in the hotel. It's a good line!)
Oops! Forgot my second cautionary note. People who follow this advice are likely to gain weight! HA!
