Puerto Vallarta, The Boardwalk

If you don't see some of the local sights when you travel, then what, pray-tell, are you doing? I think you're missing out. We had a chance on the last night to find a new restaurant and see the local sights. So, let's get dinner up in the hills that look out over the marina and then head down to PV's boardwalk on a bustling Sunday night for some people watching, shall we?

The resort concierge hit the nail on the head with the recommendation of Vista Grill for a place with excellent food and a beautiful view. 

The best part was probably sharing four items off a special "guest chef" menu that this business was participating in all week, along with many other PV restaurants. 

We started with a wonderful, simple poached pear salad. Pear, greens, goat cheese, peanuts, vinaigrette. Chomp!

Then a velvety creamed corn soup with truffle foam, niblets, and a little, what I'll call, crab croquette. Slurp!

Poured table-side too...

Even on a hot PV eve, it was delicious. Then, on to an amazingly fresh, look-so-good-someone-that-doesn't-eat-fish-will-try-it tuna tartare. Gulp!

I believe it was torched on the top-side, raw on the other, with an excellent balance of avacado, onion, tomatoes, and a touch of vinegar. We tore through that in anticipation of our main course, a melt in your mouth steak, a smash of huitlacoche, seasonal veggies, on a bed of corn purée. 

Hard to get a great pic without a washout flash, but easily one of the best steaks we'd had in a long time. Double Chomp!

And though we didn't order dessert, they gave us a complimentary dessert amuse buche in the form of two small spoons of black sesame gelato. It was very thick and so unique...a good unique. 

Muchas gracias, Vista Grill y Martín. 

Once dinner was complete and we'd had enough time staring out over the city, we decided to walk all the way back down the high hill to the marina and boardwalk below, maybe ~2 miles. It was a lovely night with a great person to walk with. A person who helps me see the city at a slower pace, pointing out things I might not have noticed otherwise. Gracias mucho. 

Like this little street decorated with its own "streamers"...

And this mural right over old pay phones...

And once we found the boardwalk, I think we also found half of PV's populace spending a nice Sunday night on the boardwalk. It was bustling!

They were busy strolling, listening to music, getting a bite to eat, and, it seemed, just enjoying the night. 

Once past the throngs listening to live music, we found a more calm stretch of the boardwalk, well-lit and with more interesting things to see...

More detail...

Also more detail, all made of sand...

And finally, as we walked along, we couldn't help but notice a strange "pan flute" playing in the distance. As we got closer, we noticed something in motion high above the boardwalk. We investigated further and found men dangling from ropes high up in the air, and arrived just to see them touch down. We then sat down on the boardwalk and realize they would do it again, but when? We had to wait to find out. And lucky we did because it was very interesting to watch them set up and to perform the stunt. I'll try to show it below. 

As we walked up:

Just a guy waaaay up at the top. 

And their ropes still hanging low. The ladder is easily a twelve-footer. Then they all climb up a pole, must be 60' in the air at the top. 

Setting up:

One person on top, one more coming up to help "wind" the ropes...

2 people up

Now adding 3 and 4...

The Action:

All four on top, ropes wound around their waists and the center pole, waiting to drop over the edge and let gravity float them down...

 

They begin...

And the continue to wind all the rope out back to the ground, playing the pan flute and a simple drum the whole way, upside down...

They made it safely back. It was a unique display of talent that I for one was happy to witness. 

After the boardwalk, we walked a bit further but finally broke down and got in a cab to head back. I'd estimate we walked about halfway back the the hotel. For me, it was a great final night in Puerto Vallarta. Me gusta mucho.  

Puerto Vallarta, The Wedding

Ever thought of a destination wedding? I've missed my fair share over the years (sorry!), but this time I was welcomed at the last minute with open arms, pretty much literally. And was I ever glad. I couldn't think of a more perfect night with a more perfect group of friends and family (of which I didn't really belong to either group). They mentioned during one of the toasts that due to the expense of the weekend they trimmed a guest list down from 300+ to 60 people, and made damn sure they kept the 60 people they knew would have lasted the whole night as if all 300 were invited. They nailed it. 

For me, it did at times feel like I was barging in on a private event, but not ever due to others, just because I'm my mother's son and we don't go places without invites. 

To set the scene for the night, think of a movie-like private cove, set-up and staffed only for you, your soon-to-be, your wedding party and those sixty close guests. 

It was idyllic, secluded, and romantic all at once. And of course, it could only be reached by boat...

Nope, not this one. 

This one neither. 

We gathered in the PV marina by late afternoon, waiting for the charter boat to arrive. It would hold the entire group, and hand out drinks for the entire ~45 minute ride to the destination. Lots to see in the marina, plus some small shops.

With the boat docked and all of us boarded and accounted for, we set out for Las Caletas (The Coves). Plenty to see while we watched the waves go by too, plus a hearty breeze in our faces. 

As the ride came to a close, we all got a good look at the place we'd spend the evening at, it was jaw-dropping...

Once docked, we made our way off the boat and up the paths to the end of the coves. We would have the last cove all to ourselves all night long. Ceremony, reception, beach front dance floor, it was bananas. 

Due to the time of year, sunlight went pretty fast, but the staff had set-up candles and torches all over the cove. I don't think most of of thought it could get prettier at night, but it did. 

I will refrain from sharing details and people pics of the couples' night, but suffice it to say even more tequila was drunk (a fitting word) and everyone one had an amazing night. 

Two surprises of the evening:

1. Our waiter was pretty cheeky as soon as we sat down for dinner, and at one point said to me, "Hold out your hand?"  Thinking he was going to put a gold doubloon from Goonies in my hand, I did it. Well, no gold for me, just the most active hermit crab we'd ever seen. We dubbed him "Sebastian" and he hung out with us for ~30 minutes or so. 

2. Caletas arranged a pair of fire dancers for a late night treat, which started about 10:30pm. They were legit. 

Soon after the fire dancers, the last song was played, and our hosts invited us to get back on the boat for the somewhat shorter trip back. We made our way in the dark, lit by candles, back onto the vessel. All of us were tired (fine, maybe just me), but extremely happy. And on the boat they had more drinks. Yikes!!!

What to do when you get back to the hotel? Midnight ocean swim of course. 

The Boardwalk night is next. Be ready. 

Puerto Vallarta, Tequila Night

First of all, and I'm guilty of it myself, it's called "Puerto Vallarta" (PV), not "PuertA Vallarta", or "Puerdo Vallarda". If you know that now, you'll be that much further ahead of the game when you get the call-up from the vacation minors to the big-leagues of vacation destinations. 

International, check. 

Ocean, check. 

Hot weather, check. 

Resort set-up, check. 

Secluded cove wedding, check.

At least one alcohol to country's credit... ow, my liver hurts. 

I arrived in PV in the early afternoon of a Friday. As soon as I stepped off this plane...

... I began to sweat. It was gloriously hot and I had to wait for my friend and airport pickup. No problemo, Señor. I'm on vacation time now and don't mind slowing it down and waiting a bit. 

Once snatched (not by a rogue gang of Mexicans) from the quaint and perfectly perfunctory Ordaz aeropuerto (see what I did there, threw in a bit of my high school Spanish, there will be more), it was a short walk to a non-gouging cab and quick, if not bumpy, ride to PV's very lovely Marriott Casa Magna Resort & Spa. I mean, can it get much better?!?!? You don't see this kind of construction in winter-locked MN. 

We proceeded, quickly, to drop off my bag and change into swim trunks and sunscreen. I did the swimsuit install myself, but quickly learned that spray-on sunscreen at outdoor beaches is ideal...leave that creamy lotion s$&t at home. Next up - Hit. The. Beach. 

("Fat guy on a little rope...") 

After copious amounts of Vitamin D, it was time to meet-up with other wedding attendees and head to dinner, then a cocktail reception to follow. 

We made our way into PV's Old Town, up treacherous and exciting hillsides to a local restaurant called "Ah Carumba!". While I will admit it didn't look like much from the outside, as soon as you hit their backside, ocean-facing deck, the game was on. This was an amazing view to take in a glorious PV sunset. But, don't take my palabra for it...

The food was good, not great, but good. I'd also come to find out the service level in Mexico is above-average and attentive, but not prompt. It's something to get used to for most Americans, but also a subtle way to remind you you're on vacation. 

Alright, some more gratuitous sunset shots...

After a relaxed dinner, with a margarita or two, it was time to meet much of the wedding roster for a cocktail reception. This was just a short, albeit steep, walk from the dinner spot to a place named "Si Señor". 

Turns out to be another gorgeous Old Town spot, and inside also surprises with old steps leading up to many hidden levels. True to the blog post title, the tequila really began to flow.  Each of us were handed glass goblets of a lime-laden base drink, where upon a waiter would walk over to you and physically pour straight tequila into the brew. It was very good at the outset, but packed a wallop by night's end. Dios mio!

Pics at this time of "Tequila Night" were becoming less numerous, less quality, and more for keeping out of a public blog. I'll let your imaginations run away, but add a few of the useable ones...

Yeah, I don't think you want me to explain. I do know one of the feet, but my old wrinkled feet didn't make the cut. 

The evening ended with a relatively short, bumpy cab ride back to the hotel, with only a short stop at an ATM so yours truly could withdraw some pesos...and pay the cabbie.

Having enjoyed meeting the wedding party and tucked into bed, I couldn't wait for the events of the next day, when everyone would be taking a charter boat to a hidden cove for the ceremony and reception. Sign. Me. Up.  

Puerto Vallarta, Preface

What do you do when a trusted friend says something to the effect of, "...I have the hotel room in Puerto Vallarta for the whole weekend, come down if you want"?

If you're me, you weigh the pros and cons, mostly a cost vs. fun proposition. Quickly, I realized this would be relatively low cost for high, high fun. One could imagine or it might have seemed like it took more convincing, but this was almost a no-brainier. Three nights in 90+ degree weather in late November, international travel, sand, sea, tequila, a wedding to attend, and so much more. It was an easy choice. 

So, that will set up the next few posts, in which I'll simply recap each day/night. This includes my first night there, which I'll call "Tequila Night"; the second which everyone will rightly call, "The Wedding"; and the last night, which I'll call, "The Boardwalk". Here's a glimpse...

Sit back and wait for the full posts.