Gotta Love Mexico!!!

It has been 10 days since we returned from our fabulous Mexican vacation and I am missing the warmth and ease of the Mexico lifestyle. Tequila volleyball in the infinity pool during the late afternoon, karaoke in the Bar Nautico at night, gorgeous mature palm trees shading the poolside lounge....ahh bliss!

Our room was absolutely beautiful, dark wood interior, tile floors, dark wood shutters separating the living area from the sleeping area and even sheltering the room from the heat of the day. We couldn't have asked for a better room. The view from the 6th floor balcony of the blue waters of the Bay of Banderas was a feast for our eyes as we were treated to views of the wild dolphins feeding near the surf, cruise ships leaving Puerto Vallarta, parasails, motor gliders, and skate fish lingering near the shore. I cannot describe the beauty in this blog. It was glorious.

We began each day with coffee and a light breakfast on the balcony, listening to the songs of the many birds as they made their rounds of the morning. We were so close to the beach that we could hear the surf long before opening the sliding glass doors to the balcony. The mornings were the perfect temperature and every day I watched the sun rise over the Sierra Madres. Pink, orange and gold filtered in through the mountains to awaken the surf and send the breezes into motion.

The warmth of the day would begin by 9 am each morning. The sun had a heaviness that rested on your shoulders and warmed you from the top down. When it became too intense, we would don our swimsuits and ease our bodies into the pool, or walk the six steps to the beach to slip under the tiki type shelters and lie on the lounge chairs to soak up the sun. The Mexican beach vendors would saunter up to us with their silver and textiles, urging us to barter with them for their trinkets. You could either wave them off with a relaxed sweep of your arm, or sit up for a closer look. No pressure, truly.

It fascinated me that they would spend an entire day walking up and down the beaches in front of the hotels wearing their pristine white shirts and pants (or skirts for the ladies). Their mastery of the english language, though heavily accented, was astounding. They completely understood the nature of the all mighty American dollar, and would accommodate nearly every request. They seemed to be grateful for your business....how refreshing!

Happy hour began at 5 pm and I fell in love with a tropical drink..the Blue Hawaiian. This drink embodied all the flavors of the tropics...coconut, rum, and pineapple. It was the perfect drink to watch the sunset by. I also enjoyed the mexican beer Tecate Cervases. This beer was the perfect drink to smooth into the evening with. On several occasions I found myself teetering around the hotel with a happy go lucky buzz of Blue Hawaiians and Tecate Cervases!

The absolute best part of our trip has to be the spectacular sunsets. You have to admit, the West has the edge when it comes to displaying the last light of the sun. You could almost hear it sizzle into the ocean as it slipped down past the horizon. Pink and blue at its finest. There is nothing finer to end a day with than a Mexican sunset. Bliss.

My impressions of Mexico exceeded my abysmal expectations. Brian and I both dreaded the heat and humidity, as well as the long plane ride from Seattle to Puerto Vallarta. The plane ride was spot on, but Mexico itself was inviting, warm, and truly different from the US of A. It is strange to be in an entire town that caters to the tourists. Being their main source of income, the hawking for your dollar starts the minute you exit the airport. There are whole throngs of taxi drivers shouting out their low prices for driving you to your destination. There are even more men trying to whisk you away to your hotel for almost free, in exchange for your attendance at a time share presentation. Nope....not that gullible.

The American influence is abundantly clear as you drive through the tourist cities of Mexico, but there is a definite difference in the culture and business practices of the locals. Entire storefronts falling down or decayed into rubble that are fully functioning and open for business. They just don't have the same concern that their streets and businesses have to look attractive. Home Depot on one end of the street, a Mexican market with huge chunks of concrete falling off the front of it on the other end. Dust everywhere and the smell of exhaust everywhere.

Their roads post no speed signs, but they control the speed of traffic with steel bumps in the road and potholes as big as a minivan. The driver either slows down completely, or risks losing parts of their vehicle barreling through the obstacles. Roundabouts replace street corners and coconuts fall into the streets at whim. Paradise.

Isabelle got to swim with the dolphins and was a little nervous receiving a kiss from one of them. She relaxed enough to enjoy the experience and we got many pictures of her once in a lifetime event. The iguanas and geckos lived in all the majestic palms around the hotel and throughout the town. So odd to see a giant reptile acting like a squirrel in slow motion....creeping up to you for a treat. Their vibrate green color and spiny back tell you you're not in Kansas anymore!

Our trip to Mexico was the best vacation of my life. Hands down. We have always enjoyed the beach, sunsets, and surf, but the Northwest can't summon up enough heat to make you want to strip down to your swimsuit and jump into the salty water. It was truly paradise.