Puerto Vallarta Malecon

Posted on May 26, 2012 by rchatalas

This morning was one of my favorite ways to start my day.  Make our coffee, take Zeus for a little walk, buy a muffin from the muffin man on the Malecon and then come back and sit on our balcony watching the activity on the beach and Malecon.  The muffin man promised me coconut/pineapple muffins this morning and he delivered with the best muffin I have had from him yet.  They are so good!  We are so lucky to live where we walk out our front gate to the beautiful PV Malecon.  They just renovated it this last year and it has been awarded the Best Urban Design Project in Mexico at the XII National Biennial of Mexican Architecture 2012.  This is the most important award given by the Federation of Architects Colleges of Mexico!  Even during the low season here there is an abundance of activity and things to see and do when you walk the Malecon.  Just a few pics to give you an idea…

Took us awhile to figure this one out. Ira got up close for a little more research!

Our favorite street taco stand, you don’t want to miss this one!

Always interesting collections of art on the Malecon

I don’t know how they sit out in the heat covered in sand all day long, but they do. I understand they can make up to 3000 pesos a day doing this!

Love the sand art on the Malecon! Very cool!

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Movie production in Puerto Vallarta, ‘I Brake for Gringos”

Posted on May 24, 2012 by rchatalas

Well along with our blog, we are sure to become famous down here!  As we were walking to our local market for supplies for dinner, we saw quite a commotion on the street.  Large trucks, cameras, crews and massive people.  It appeared they were filming something.  The next day we walked by a large open lot where they have set up crews and support and we were stopped to see if we wanted to be an extra in the movie.  They were looking for Americans.  They need one person to run around naked on a boat but we don’t think the world is ready for that from us, nor are we!  They also asked us if we had any children staying here that would like to participate.  I think that was a polite way of saying we might be a little too old!!  Sounds like it is going to be a ‘Hangover’ type movie. Who knows you might be wanting our autographs soon.  Since I am not doing much in the way of work these days, the 500 pesos a day is sounding pretty good!

No stars to be spotted yet!

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Dog Food in Mexico

Posted on May 15, 2012 by rchatalas

Had to take Zeus (our Standard Poodle) to the vet today.  He is trying new food and it is not agreeing with him.  He is chewing on himself constantly.  We are on a wheat free food but I think it is the lamb.  You are going to love this story.  I take him to the vet.  No appointment.  The vet is making a house call to an elderly lady and will be back in an hour.  I go back.  He looks at Zeus under a light.  No flees or ticks.  Doesn’t appear to be the food but might be too early to tell.  He gives him a shot and a pill and tells me to watch him.  If he doesn’t improve, then it is probably the food and I have to take him back to be groomed anyway.  I ask how much?  He says 80 pesos!  That is about $6.50 American money.  He probably spent 20 minutes with Zeus.  We can’t walk into our vet for less than $100 in West Seattle.  I was impressed.  Now part of my retirement routine is making Zeus his dog food.  I can’t say I’m excited about it, but Zeus is very happy about this problem!  2 kilos of fresh fish, 4 sweet potatoes, 6 carrots, green beans, rice and Zeus is in heaven.  This will be a research project for us here in Puerto Vallarta!

May not look appetizing to you, but Zeus is loving it!

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Infused Pineapple Vodka Martinis…deadly!

Posted on May 13, 2012 by rchatalas

I’m surprised I am blogging today after the success of our pianapple vodka.  Better than we even thought.  Served it tonight to some guests and realize we will need to make a double batch in the future!  Love entertaining in PV.  So relaxed, great kitchen to cook in and great people to visit with.  Served shrimp with veggies and pasta, salad, bread and wine.  Finished the evening with some very fine tequila and looking forward to the next day.

Now for the recipe I promised…

A fifth of good vodka.  Good but doesn’t have to be great.  One good pineapple, actually should be a great pineapple!  Maybe that is why these work so well here in Puerto Vallarta!  Layer the pineapple in the container and pour the vodka over the pineapple making sure it is completely covered.  Seal the container and now for the hard part…wait 10 days.  Strain the vodka and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.  Ours has never made it a week, so can’t tell you what happens after more than that.  It does not freeze, we tried it.  The pineapple is very strong but I just tried making a cake with it.  Was good but I am still perfecting that recipe so it will have to come later.

Out to the pool.  Seems like a good place to celebrate Mother’s Day with my Mom who is visiting us this week!

Day two, only eight more to go!

 

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Beginning of our trial retirement in Puerto Vallarta!

Posted on May 8, 2012 by rchatalas

Well we have traveled over 2800 miles to get here and spent almost 3 weeks together on the road and in the car and still married and mostly a happy couple!  Our home looks great thanks to our daughter Andrea managing our property while we were away and it feels fabulous to be here.  We planned our trip to arrive in PV in time to celebrate Bob’s birthday.  Ernesto had a beautiful tres leche cake (this cake is amazing if you have not tried it before) ready to go and Andrea joined us for a birthday celebration at one of our favorite restaurants here in PV, No Way Jose.  Just one block away from our home which makes for a safe walk home!  Bob enjoyed one of their chili margaritas.  You have to try it to really appreciate it, very refreshing!  The setting upstairs at No Way Jose is the perfect place to celebrate Bob’s birthday and the beginning of our trial retirement!

Standing on our deck at sunset before going to dinner

Zeus is still not sure where he is, but feeling better when he sees Andrea!

Birthday celebration at No Way Jose

Bob’s tres leches birthday cake. I think I need to work on my photo skills!

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Driving to Puerto Vallarta

Posted on May 7, 2012 by rchatalas

Palm trees and water, we’re here!

Our trip has gone so smoothly!  Our standard poodle, Zeus, has done awesome.  I am dreading the drive we have ahead of us this morning.   Be drove it last fall with a trailer from Tepic to PV and I would not recommend anyone do this.  The longest 3hr drive of my life.  Today will be easier because we are not hauling a trailer, but it is a very curvy and narrow road and the Mexican drivers pass at high speeds on any road including blind corners!  Actually had the same experience in Tuscany.  One of the reasons for staying in San Blas was to avoid about 1hr of highway 200 from Tepic because the road from San Blas is supposed to be much better.  Although our new route is still curvy, it is much better than driving from Tepic.  We will plan on this route again in the future.  The positive part of this drive is coming into Puerto Vallarta.  You begin to see the jungle, the palm trees and you know you are almost home.  It is very difficult to describe what driving through the jungle is like.  Everyone should have that experience in their lifetime.  Had a few fun sites along the way.

Fun VW

 

Approaching the jungle

So beautiful! Muy hermosa!

copper shopping along the road!

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Last stop before Puerto Vallarta, San Blas

Posted on May 6, 2012 by rchatalas

A little place to relax looking out to the water

our view

We made excellent time driving from Los Mochis to San Blas.  Great roads and easy driving from Los Mochis to Mazatlan.  The road leaving Mazatlan is good until about 30 minutes out from San Blas where you turn off to drive a curvy road for about 20 minutes to San Blas.  Takes you to the water and we stayed in a cute bed & breakfast on the water for the night.   The bed & breakfast was ok so I’ll pass on giving out any names.  Not much happening so played some cards and got a good night’s sleep for our 3hr drive in the morning.  I am not looking forward to the road we have to drive to get to PV.  Am ready to be at our home in PV!

Courtyard at our B&B

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Los Mochis, Mexico…so beautiful!

Posted on April 29, 2012 by rchatalas

 

About 9 hours of driving and we arrive in Los Mochis.  I am not a fan of being in the car for long periods of time, but time goes fairly quickly.  Lots of small towns and topes (speed bumps) that slow things down, but you make good time driving in between the towns.  Speed limits don’t seem to mean much in Mexico!  Nothing true about what you read in the papers about driving in Mexico, at least when you stay on the toll roads.  Federales all along the way and you wonder how anyone could even try to attack you on these roads because they have no shoulders.  Not a problem this time driving, but no shoulders on the roads when you are pulling a trailer is a big problem.  Was not fun when we did this on our first trip down to bring some of our things.  The reason you don’t want to drive at night is because there are no shoulders and no lights!  Just dangerous driving, but not the kind of dangerous you read about in the US papers.  After lots of desert you know you are arriving in Los Mochis because of the beautiful, lush, green fields.  A large agricultural area probably because it is getting close to water and the mountains and terrain begin to change here.  Becomes a really pretty drive and much better roads once you get to Los Mochis.  We stayed in a nice little hotel right in the city.  Had a great dinner while Zeus took a rest in our room and got up feeling rested and ready for another day of driving.  All in all, a good day and we are half-way!

 

miles and miles of crops

Not sure what they are growing here, tomatoes possibly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Crossing the border to Mexico…

Posted on April 26, 2012 by rchatalas

I can honestly say that I do not look forward to crossing the border after our first experience last year where we were there for 4hrs and $400us dollars later, they finally let us through.  Of course hauling a trailer stuffed with our belongings does tend to draw attention to itself.  This time we just had our car and our dog and it was smooth sailing.  Our car was completely full though, couldn’t even see out the back.   Arrived at the Nogales border at 8:00am and we registered our car and paid a $400 deposit against the car which we are supposed to get back when we cross back into the states.  We had already purchased car insurance online prior to getting to the border so that saved us some time.  Off we go!  I can honestly tell you I am not in love with the terrain in northern Mexico for the first part of our trip.  Looks just like southern Arizona really.  Very dry and lots of cactus.  Took a few photos of how some Mexicans live out in the small towns.  Pretty amazing how they can get by with so little!

Had a little market going on in this town.

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