The ship arrived very early to the port of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. By the time we headed off for breakfast at 8am, we were already docked. Looking out the window on the port side, we could see the part of the harbor where other ships dock. Today there was the vessel, Hurtigruten Expeditions of the Roald Amundsen group. And other than a small cruise ship anchored offshore (not in use) by the name of Vidanta Elegant of Vidanta Cruises, there were no other cruise ships here.
For some reason, it had been decided not to change the clocks to local time. We just had to remember that in town, the time was one hour ahead. The only difference it might make is that lunch time might be over by the time we arrived to Old Town. And naturally, if we were not careful, we could miss the ship. All aboard was 4:30pm…..no exceptions.
There were a whole lot of tours offered today. Many were water-related like the catamaran sail and snorkel for 7 hours. Other water sports were swimming with either dolphins or sea lions for 3 hours, while a lunch with a city tour was 5 hours. Out of town treks went to the Sierra Madres with rappelling, a mule ride, and zip line for 6 hours. Really? And there was a horseback riding tour for 4 ½ hours, or an easy drive to Old Town with tequila for 5 hours. The prices ranged from $65 to $150. Many of these same tours were being sold independently in the cruise terminal.
Speaking of the cruise terminal, nothing looked at all familiar to us. A new building was blocking the view of the gardens we usually see. We figured that the last time we were here was in May of 2019, and this new shopping complex was just in the beginning of the construction. It is called Puerto Magico.
We left the ship around 10am with strict instructions regarding wearing of our masks. They would be required going off and on the ship, as well as being worn outside and inside all venues in the city. In other words, don't take them off. Obviously, the virus is still active here, as most all the locals we saw were wearing masks. It did take us a while to be funneled through this modern mall with high end shops, but eventually we did find the exit. We had bypassed the little park with parrots and souvenir kiosks, which is vacant now. At the far end, there still is a small flea market, which is accessible by turning at the corner gas station.
The weather today was pleasant early on, with mostly sunny skies, a breeze, and temps in the high 70's. It was not extremely humid, but it did heat up later on. Today would be the ultimate test of the new knee. The estimated walk to Old Town was 3 ½ miles, but going beyond to the Rio Cuale and the River Café, would add an additional ½ mile. Total miles walked one way was 4 miles. The saving grace was that it was all flat ground.
Three years has made a big difference in the local upgrades and developments. Back in the old days (not so long ago), there were no good sidewalks from the pier to town. Most of it was torn up concrete with stretches of sandy trails. Cobblestones as well. Today, we found about all of the sidewalks have been repaired and widened with added trees and even a separate bike lane. And many benches to sit, which really helped on the way back. The impossible hard to walk cobblestones had been floated with concrete with a much smoother surface.
We passed the familiar hotels and restaurants, noticing that many more new ones had popped up. Traffic was as busy as ever, even though today was a Thursday. This is where we came across the usual souvenir stores and the many Senor Frog's Restaurants and shops. Must have been five in total. Near to Old Town, the road was blocked for traffic and walking became easier along the malecon, or seaside walkway. A crowd was forming near the tall pole where the four Indians climb to the top and hang upside down and spin as they lower themselves to the ground. A fifth person stays on top and plays a flute. This is a tradition here, as well as in other neighboring countries, and has a story, which we do not know. Really neat to watch, locals passed around the $ bucket after the performance.
Another favorite photo op has to be the bronze statues that are placed along this malecon….some are bizarre to say the least. The most famous of these statues has to be the seahorse, that was lost during a massive hurricane here. Eventually, it had been replaced, but when the original was found under the water in the Banderos Bay, it was resurrected. Now they have two.
Near the main square and the Cathedral, were extra- large wooden rocking horses for the kids to ride. Vendors were selling everything from iced drinks to popcorn, and fresh fruit. And the always stands of jewelry, silver or not, or beaded, are popular souvenirs here. Our destination was lunch at the River Café located on the Isla Cuale Island in the center of the Rio Cuale. Hopefully it was opened.
Getting there, we found a new exit off of the bridge that spans the green river. Yes, they were opened and we got seats right over the river. The patio gazebo in the center was closed. It looked like it had been damaged. But it was a great spot to see the many iguanas that were always here.
They used to scare the heck out of our favorite port lecturer, Barbara Haenni, who always dined here when we visited Puerto Vallarta. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but her memory will always be in our minds.
Our lunch was really good, starting with Pacifico beers. They come in the new sized cans these days, but are priced right…..about $2.50 USD. The first thing you are served here is a gravy boat of fresh chopped salsa with a bowl of thick tortilla chips. Absolutely one of our favorite appetizers. We added one order of cheese nachos, also good. Ending the meal, we had a shared serving of a rich vanilla ice cream drizzled with a stream of chocolate sauce. A roaming mariachi player moved around the many tables as we dined, which is common in the more traditional Mexican eateries. It was so pleasant sitting under the ceiling fan, we hated to move. We asked the waiter (owner) where the iguanas were. He said that during the last hurricane, they were washed out to sea. There had been a lot of damage at the time, taking out the bridge as well. We bet in time, the iguanas will be back in their manmade fern garden below the patio. Time to go, it was already 2pm, and we had a long walk ahead of us.
It took us about 2 ½ hours to make it back to the ship by 4:15pm. All aboard was 4:30pm, so we did not have the time to stop at Fiesta Americana Hotel this time. It is fairly close to the pier, but it is always nice to sit and sip ice cold sodas by their pool. One last stop at the Puerto Magico and Diamonds International, where one more charm was collected. The vendor asked what I thought the charm was, and I guessed it right…..the seahorse. Totally guessing, he said I may have cheated, but no, I learned the seahorse was famous here after it was missing at sea.
We had plenty of ice cold sodas when we got back to the room. Planting ourselves on our lounges, we enjoyed the sail out of the harbor, while one of us proceeded to work on pictures. As for me? I stayed planted on that lounge until it got chilly.
Dinner was in the dining room with the usual starters and one lasagna, and one green chicken – not really verde, but an added splash of guacamole on the side. Both were good.
Tomorrow will be a day at sea……thank goodness.
Bill & Mary Ann
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Report # 125 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 7am-5pm Thursday - April 21, 2022 Sunny & 80 degrees
