Author Archives: Paige
Nice – Antibes – Juan les Pains – Cannes
It was high time for a holiday again! Actually, the quasi-plan for this one was hatched back in the fall when a song came on iTunes and I looked at Kirk and said “I want to go to France! I want to go to France in May! I want to sit at a cafe in France, sip cappuccinos and nibble on criossants!” Kirk said – “Sounds great!” The next questions was where in France. I’d been to Paris and didn’t really feel like going to a big city. So, we settled on Provence. Now…where in Provence? I was missing the Mediterranean, so we started to look at the Cote D’Azur. A woman in my office was in the South of France for a month in the fall, so I asked here where a nice place, not too crazy busy, not too terribly touristy, but on the Mediterranean might be. She … …..continue reading →
Home again, home again
We didn’t fly out until 5:30pm so we got up when we woke up, had breakfast and took a taxi into town to look for some ceramics and a gift for our critter sitter to bring home. We picked up the critter sitter a beaded turtle from a local artist shop that I’d been into several times. He carves out a figure in wood, then coats the entire surface in beeswax by hand. Then teensy tiny coloured beads are painstakingly pressed into the wax in elaborate and traditional patterns. they are amazing. With the gift out of the way, we wandered up and down the streets looking for a ceramic store I’d seen earlier in the trip. Didn’t find it, but found a different one that was adequate, and purchased a couple of small hand painted plates. That out of the way, we caught a taxi back to the mall … …..continue reading →
Into the Mountains
Yesterday was exhausting, but today eight of us managed to drag our tired butts out of bed and meet up before 8am to head out for more adventure. We grouped, walked over to the Vallarta Adventures office and met up with our guide for the day – Mary-Lou. She turned out to be an absolute delight. She ushered us into a truck that was built in the 1960′s and which looked to be the likes of something one would expect to see loaded with fully armed soldiers in Afghanistan, albeit painted a different colour than our transport. From the hotel area we headed out through Old Town and up into the mountains. If we thought taxis had been exhilarating, they didn’t hold a candle to this ride! Along the way Mary-Lou filled our heads with information on Mexico; its people, its tumultuous history, its flora and fauna – terrestrial and … …..continue reading →
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We are exhausted!
Exhausted, that’s about the only word I have available to me right now. While the first part of the week was all work for Kirk and relatively relaxing for me, the last two days have been over the top busy Yesterday we were up early and out with the entire group onto a 60 foot powercat. We headed off to the South and say a couple of manta rays swimming in the bay. We stopped for an hour or so of snorkeling and saw puffers, eels, an octopus, and many colourful fish that I can’t identify without a book to help me. Back on the boat, we carried on until we reached Yelapa where we stopped for a few hours and had lunch and a few drinks after taking a walking tour of the town. After that we were back on the boat and stopped at a beach owned by … …..continue reading →
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Catching up on the trip – Majahuitas, Yelapa, and Rhythms of the Night
Today was a busy day. The entire group (save one or two who were injured or ill) boarded a 60 foot powercat and headed South on Banderas Bay toward Yelapa. On the way we stopped by these small islands (or large rocks, take your pick) and saw the blue footed booby birds nesting in the crevices. We saw manta rays in the waters and watched the frigates and brown pelicans soaring overhead. We then moved on towards the peaceful and isolated cove of Majahuitas. Situated on the southern coast of the bay the Majahuitas is accessible only by boat. We snorkled for an hour or so (and burned our backs of course). We saw pufferfish, snowflake eels, an octopus, and many colourful reef fishes. Back on board, we headed off towards Yelapa, another location accessible only from the water, where we disembarked and toured the village before ending up on … …..continue reading →
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Bullfights & Flying Whales
Kirk was busy again the past two days, so Monday I wandered off the hotel strip and walked along the edge of the cruise ship berthing area and over to a shopping centre where I drank in the air conditioning after the heat of the the walk. The humidity is high and it’s hot and muggy. I had some entertaining moments debating how to cross 8 lanes of traffic and finally managed the courage to jaywalk, or jay”dart” might be more appropriate. There are two centre roads that are the speed zones and left hand turns are not permitted from these. Cars wanting to turn left have to exit these roads and move to the outer roads running parallel on the right hand side. From there, when the light allows them to, they make a left hand turn across up to 6 lanes of traffic. So jaywalking takes a bit … …..continue reading →
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No, Gracias
“No, Gracias.” I have become very good at uttering that phrase. I have discovered a few things in Puerto Vallarta. According to the shopkeepers in Old Town, it appears that many shops stock products that are “Almost Free! Taxis are everywhere, and they really, really, want your business. But they accept the turn down politely. Busses come in every shape and size. Jaywalking, actually even crossing the road, across 8 lanes (four divided roads going in two directions) is a life threatening prospect (that I am happy to say I survived). If you are walking, keep one eye on the sidewalk at all times. It can be quite the potential hazard, changing width, height, it can disappear completely, it can contain holes that will at best swallow your foot, at worst swallow you whole. Cockroaches here are about as big as the ones in Hawaii! Don’t be surprised if an … …..continue reading →
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Puerto Vallarta June 5
Most of the guests arrived Saturday evening and there was a meet and greet cocktail and dinner party on the terrace at the edge of the beach. A wedding was taking place a few hundred yards away on the beach, the sea breeze making a beautiful spectacle of billowing white fabric. When the sun set what I am assuming to be tree frogs started up their nightly symphony. We hung out for awhile, then went and changed into our swimsuits and slipped into the pool for a late night swim. Who closes a pool at 7pm? The staff don’t really seem to care much if you are in after hours though. I gather that unlike North America, if you do something stupid and cause yourself injury, the fault and blame lie solely with you and you can’t stupidly turn around and sue someone for failing to protect you from your … …..continue reading →
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Frying in Mexico!
OK, so I’m an idiot. The day before yesterday I again spent the day on the balcony at Dave’s penthouse condo, out of the sun, marking and finishing up some website work. At least I believed I was out of the sun. I still think I was, since I remember the sun arriving on my feet and thinking, “better get those out of there, don’t want a burn” and moved inside onto the chair. All I can think of is that the reflection from the marble decking nailed me. I gave myself a fabulous burn over the my left leg, left arm, left shoulder and the left side of my neck. Seriously, I hadn’t put sunscreen on because i wasn’t in the sun! That sun is sneaky in Mexico, let me tell you! Oh well, now I need to burn the white skin to match the rest. The three of … …..continue reading →
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Chilling in Mexico
Kirk works for a wholesale company and every year they put on a trip/conference for its top dealers. Last year they were in Whistler, this year they opted for Puerto Vallarta. Kirk has to work, but there was no way he was going without me, so I am along as a +1. I had to bring some work with me, but there are worse things than sitting on the balcony of your husband’s employer’s penthouse suite in Mexico and mark some papers and do some website work. Kirk and I came down early as Dave is building a new house and wanted Kirk to go through the wiring plans to make sure everything has been done properly according to his design. Meanwhile, I get to hang out here and do what I like for a couple of days, which has mostly been just enjoy the view, listen to the cicadas … …..continue reading →
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