Thanksgiving Week in Puerto Vallarta 2011

 

Determined to explore more Mexican territory and experience more local  color,we drove for close to 9 hours to Puerto Vallarta for the week of Thanksgiving.  It was Mexican Revolution Day and we passed many elementary schools holding small parades where small school children were dressed as revolutionaries.

Mexican Revolution Day, all school kids get to dress the part

As usual, along the way we made sure to feast our eyes on new scenery, from high desert, through lush green mountains, winding down through tropical jungle until suddenly the  Pacific Ocean stretched before us, glittering like a sea of sapphires and diamonds.  Rolling the windows down to inhale the salt air mixed with a little California beach nostalgia, we found the air very warm, humid and delightful.  Having left San Miguel where nights had started to turn cold and days  are warm while you have the sun on your face, this balmy weather was welcome.

Tossing our belongings in our room, we hit the boardwalk looking for a casual restaurant on the sand that would offer us fresh seafood and cervezas.  During our stay, we had some of the finest seafood prepared in authentic Mexican style,  El Dorado w/ cilantro sauce, chipotle prawn tacos, salmon with blue corn tortillas and orange-habanjero sauce, shrimp and lobster ceviches.

Upon returning to our fabulous condo which our friends so graciously gave us the keys to for the week, we discovered that it was turtle hatching season.  Hundreds of baby leatherback hatchlings were crawling along the sand toward the lights from our condo.  As fast as we threw them into the water, more came crawling up.  Nature has its own way of maintaining a species and  memories of our visit to the Galapagos Island Turtle Hatcheries and their efforts to protect turtles made us throw them faster…..or maybe the after-dinner drinks did!

Our 4-bedroom condominium penthouse owned by our friends who live 6 months at the beach and 6 months in San Miguel

Step out of the door straight into the ocean day or night!

Hundreds of baby leatherback turtles tried to climb the beach wall toward the lights of our condo. We tossed them back as fast as we could pick them up.

Our group of 11 rented a sailboat and crew of 3 for a day of sailing and snorkeling.  Included was a hot Mexican breakfast, a mid-morning snack which consisted of guacamole w/chips,  tostaditos, margaritas, mimosas, beer, or whatever you wished.  Late lunch consisted of sushi,  California rolls wrapped with a thick layer of masa instead of rice, coleslaw w/ jicama and mandarin oranges, and of course the full bar and tequila cups.  Snorkeling, although fun, lacked the bountiful and varied schools of fish we have encountered in the Carribean waters.

A day of sailing and snorkeling we'll never forget.

A school of dolphins swam with us most of the day.

This guy was heading down into the galley to pass tequila through the portholes at our feet......he kept them coming, too!

Looking for a new adventure for the day, just south of Puerto Vallarta we came across a quiet cove with less than a dozen small homes and a small seafood eatery on the sand.  This was also the head of a strenuous hiking trail that led up and down along the rocky coastline to another secluded place, Las Animas.  Along the way we heard pairs of scarlet macaws squawking at each other.   We reached Las Animas in 2 1/2 hours, plopping down in sweat and exhaustion under a palapa while a local fisherman’s wife prepared a huge red snapper and an equally huge El Dorado for our lunch.   Taking a water taxi back to the cove seemed like a better idea than hiking back as the last 30 minutes of our hike had been almost straight down, jumping from rock to rock as we descended to la playa.

A secluded beach where we started our hike south along the rocky ridge.

Dicey hiking along an area where a wood suspension path crossed an arroyo and was in dire need of repair!

End of the path onto la playa.

Some left Puerto Vallarta early; four of us stayed.  Bus transportation around Mexico is really quite easy and relatively inexpensive.  Like airlines, there are several to choose from, price=class+ services and it DOES matter.  Arriving home  Friday evening, as we got off the bus we were rapidly reminded of winter nights encroaching on San Miguel.  It was downright cold and the air is thin!   Saturday morning it was 30 degrees, Sunday 30, Monday 28 and Tuesday 23!  Of course due to the freeze, many of our  plants have changed to a peculiar shade of ebony, and have positioned themselves for the next production of “Dark Forest”.

Now back at home, we are back to conjugations, puppies, canaries and life as we’ve learned to love it. Que tenga buen vida!

Dia de los Muertos in San Miguel de Allende

Deep rooted traditions delight and inspire those here who seize the opportunity to immerse themselves in the vast array of community activities.  You may have noticed we are clearly guilty of  fully submerging!

From October 30 to November 2, Día de los Muertos activities bring out the little kid in everyone, with costume balls, a Catrina parade, hundreds of little kids with plastic pumpkins to hold their “loot”, people walking around with “tequila cups” hung around their neck, professional dancers, singers and band performances.  Elaborate altars are constructed not only publicly, but also in private homes which are then opened to the public for viewing.

This altar covered the entire inner courtyard of Camino Sylvestre.

Painstaking attention to detail while making an Altar

Another altar in the Jardin

The first evening of festivities for us began at the Mask Museum which is open free to the public only on this day each year.   Displaying over 500 masks from Central and South America, each has a short story which draws you further into the old customs of the given area. Following the museum, we meandered our way down the cobblestone streets and alleys until we arrived at Fabrica Aurora’s art galleries.  Each gallery had created altares honoring deceased artists.  Many were dressed in ghoulish costumes or as Catrinas.  La Catrina, with the elaborate hats and dresses, represent the rich and powerful women that are just as susceptible to death as the poor.

Dos Catrinas at Fabrica Aurora Galleries

Tribute to a local artist.

November 1st is actually called Dia de los  Santos Inocentes (day of the innocent saints)-children.  November 2nd is the official Dia de los Muertos.  On that day, the largest celebrations take place, including the aforementioned Catrina Parade.  Over 250 women dressed in beautiful dresses and extravagantly plumed hats, with faces painted in masks of death.  Many men also participated, wearing tuxedos and formal stovepipe hats.  As we entered the staging area,  tiny pottery cups were hung around our necks so we could sip  tequila while awaiting the start of the parade.  At 8:00,(mas o menos), we emerged into the Plaza where thousands of children waited to receive the candy we were handing out.  Jim and I hung onto each other while wading through the crowd and managed to pass out two full shopping bags of candy as we strolled the perimeter of the jardin.  Once we reached the Parroquia, we stopped to watch the dancers on the stage and to view more of los altares before joining the other paraders at Pescau’s, a fabulous seafood restaurant.

Jim and Kathy in La Catrina Parade-hey took 2nd place out of 250!

The "heads" of the event!

All of the paper picados (banners) have cutouts that are a tribute to Los Muertos

Made from petals and seeds, many painstaking hours. Reminded me of a smaller scale version of creating a Rose Parade float.

Rae Miller, Maryann, Joy Wesson

For days earlier,during and after these holidays, you can delight your taste buds and ojos with the colorful and sweet alfeñiques sold from every corner around town.  These are small replicas of little skulls, fruits, skeletons, animals and dishes filled with food, all made of sugar.   Centuries ago before Christianity was introduced, a sacrificial offering of a pumping heart was made to the spirits.  Horrified priests soon changed the offering to bread in the shape of a heart with crossed bones on the top, sprinkled with sugar.  Heavenly smells emanate from every bakery in town as  pan de Muerto is mass-produced.  Jim was thrilled when I bought one for him, but quickly became disenchanted when he found out it wasn’t a gooey doughnut.  He licked off the sugar and tossed  the rest to our puppy.

Setting up along the side streets and for blocks in front of Panteón de San Juan de Dios, a “Living” historic cemetario established in the 1700’s, flower vendors prepare to sell massive quantities of flowers for the candlelight vigils to be held each evening on the 1st and 2nd.  Pedestrian and taxi control is a major task for the policia as thousands descend upon the graveyards.  The profusion of color and floral scent is intoxicating as literally millions of flowers and altars are laid out by the grave sites and the mausoleum walls.

Even the most humble grave-site is well-adorned. The scent was intoxicating!

Even mausoleum walls receive major attention.

That IS a sombrero protecting Jesus from the sun!

The gated section is for Gringos.

The Gringo section: Clearly we aren't as well thought of by our relatives as the Mexicans.

Another exciting chapter in our experiences here.  However, back to conjugations!