March 12, 2010 - Day 1: Travel.
The trip got off to an inauspicious start. I was booked on a red-eye flight out of Sacramento on Mexicana Air. Interestingly they had changed my flight from 11:50 PM on Thursday to 12:20 AM on Thursday, a 23 jump back into time! I was informed of this as I proceeded to check in at the slowly progressing check-in time. Even the customer service representative I called the day prior was unaware of this change, he had thought the flight was pushed back a half hour, to 12:20 AM on Friday. Despite the trouble and added anxiety I kept cool as Mexicana was able to accommodate me as there were obviously many others whose flight was changed from Friday to Saturday who were also unaware. Flying out of Sac International was ok, the terminal small and we were the only international flight at this time. Alas, we made it off the ground on-time; heading to Mexico! I had a Sol with Lime and a Tylenol PM and zonked out for a few hours, landing in Guadalajara around 6 AM local time. I took a short shuttle over to my terminal to wait for an 10:30 AM puddle jumper to PV. Again, the flight was on-time which was nice ... kinda surprising. I spoke with a Latino from Chicago who was headed to PV for some sailing lessons and races; he called me a tourist for carrying a PV guide book; sucka! The guide book was really useful and helped me acclimate quickly and identify some good eats and activates.
I arrived into PV around 11:20 AM, got the bags quickly and shared a taxi from the airport with a couple from Elvarta, CA; small world eh? Without issue, I checked in at Villa Del Palmar Resort; travel complete! All and all, the travel was good; it would have been nice to be travelling with a friend though.
I relaxed a bit at the hotel and prepped for the arrival of Reid, Holly, Dennis, Jen, and Trevor by hitting up the local grocer for some Pacifico and Sol! I relaxed at the pool, checked out the beach, got acclimated to Villa Del Palmar’s layout, and took a much-needed nap. I was ready for some amigos!
Dennis, Jen, and Trevor showed up around 4:30 PM and we were enjoying our first beers in Mexico by 5! Salud! Apparently the lines through PV customs / immigration were long for them ... bummer. Reid and Holly’s flight was delayed an hour but made their grand appearance a couple hours later. The companions had gathered; let the games begin!
We enjoyed some more tasty Mexican brew at the hotel then headed into the city to Pipi’s for some food – people were starving! Pipis gave big portions and catered to Americans, slightly expensive for the fare. The place was packed with tourists and buzzed with the sound of a 3 piece band. The traditional Mexican grub was good and they served giant margaritas for the ladies. I had a combination plate of enchiladas & taco (~$14 USD) which hit the spot. The service at Pipi’s was FAST, they were ready with new beers just as your finished and they were expertly poured with flare each time! Pipi's did the job but I hadn't yet satisfied my hunger for authentic Mexican grub. The trip was off to a good start and everyone started to relax.
We walked along the crowded beach walk and found a bar on top of a building to enjoy some more beer and take in the sights. We made it back to the hotel and did a little late-night hot tubbin’ before being unceremoniously kicked out because we were past closing time. They were nice enough about it and we complied. Day 1 in the books.
Day 2: Decompression
Decompression is different for everyone. For Jen and Holly it is about relaxing at the pool, getting some sun, and having a couple beverages. They can “decompress” all day long I learned! For Reid and Trevor it’s about having some beers, chillin, and maybe a few Jaeger Bombs! I decompressed on day 2 of the escape to Puerto Vallarta by going for a seaside run, hitting the gym with the fellas (“gettin’ swoll!”), relaxing by the pool for a few hours with the crew, and having a couple drinks. It was nice – the run was a good one; it’s always different and challenging running barefoot at the beach.
We met some interesting people at the OPP (old-person’s pool) on day 2. First was a big guy in his late 30’s perhaps who was visiting from Wisconsin. He was a jolly fellow even as I ribbed him about Gonzaga’s victory in the Maui Invitational. He offered our crew a couple Corona Lights in a sign of good-sportsmanship. We ran into some spring breakers from Kansas State and hit the hot tub. It’s always good to meet new and interesting people while travelling.
Reid suggested an impressive place for dinner, La Rumba. It was so authentic that even the taxi did not know where it was. La Rumba is a small little place in Vallejo Vallarta (Old Vallarta, also known as the Romantic District by tourists); the service was excellent by an older mustached happy man. The food was very generously priced (~$12 / plate) and $1.50 beers! I asked what the specialty of the house was and got the “Mexican Plate” which was a combination of sorts. There was some carne asada, a fabulous chile relleno, a kind of taco with chicken and cheese and verde sauce, very tasty black beans with crumbled cheese, and rice. The service here was top class – it was apparent that the man serving us got enjoyment from our happiness and he did everything he could to accommodate; he showed us the snapper, brought extra guacamole, serrano peppers for Trevor, and just had a real genuineness about him. La Rumba was small with only 3 or 4 other tables and one other group came in. I was very happy with the food, service, and authenticity! Muy bueno.
We did some exploring around Viejo Vallarta stopping for a drink and just taking in the atmosphere. We headed back to the hotel and played some epic games of 13’s. It was fun getting everyone around and playing some cards; I dominated ... good cards helped! :)
I think everyone was pretty well decompressed at this point! A planned move from our Villa del Palmar to a resort up North, the Grand Mayan was on the agenda for day 3.
Day 3: Grand Mayan Luxxe
We made it to the Grand Mayan in Nuevo Vallarta as planned. I had no idea what to expect but soon found out that the resort is SUPER SWANKY. Trevor’s parents just upgraded their membership to the highest level, so we had plenty of perks and amenities. If we weren’t already spoiled enough vacationing in Mexico just for kicks we had our own Executive Lounge where we had a really nice check-in. We checked out the pool and the premises. The Mayan really catered to those who wanted to lounge by the pool and have drinks brought to them all day. It is more of a pampering and service-oriented resort than a party-going resort. Some of the highlights included a really nice gym and spa, a lazy river, free internet in the executive lounge, and some impressive architecture including 40 ft. Mayan statues in the darkened entryway. The room was really comfortable too with a 2 bedroom suite on the 8th floor overlooking the pool area; really sweet setup for 6 people.
Reid, Dennis, and Trevor went shopping to Wal-Mart on Day 3 and came back with the essentials for the week – beer, beer, and more beer ... oh, and a little food too! We ate in the room that night; a scrumptious meal of hot-dogs and sandwiches prepared by Jen and Holly. Kinda chilled out that night a bit and played some 13s; Trevor and I stopped by the bar in the lobby which was decent for an after-dinner / early evening drink. Met a few Canadians and a girl who seemed to be best friends with her breast augmenter! Dios Mio!
Day 4: Canopy Zip Lining
By day 4, I was itching for an adventure and zip lining hit the spot. I used expert negotiation skills to get a killer deal on the adventure. For all you negotiating newbies out there, listen up. When you’re in Mexico and want to score a good deal, use this tried and true method.
1) Don’t show much interest in the item but inquire about it
2) Always offer 1/3 to ½ less than the original asking price; they expect Americans to barter
3) Get the price down to the “best price”
4) Tell the merchant you have something else to do or saw a better piece of merchandise elsewhere
5) Ask for a lower price; what you are really willing to pay
6) Merchant will refuse, so tell them thank you and walk away
7) Merchant calls out to you as you are about out of distance and re-negotiate your best price!
8) BAM!
I was able to get $75 canopy zip-lining tours for $40 per person which was a pretty stellar deal.
We rounded up the troops and headed into PV to catch our ride up into the mountains. Good times all around as we chilled and had some beers while waiting for the open-air truck to show up. The road up into the mountain was awesome, meandering through the jungle and along ridges up a few thousand feet in elevation. Good thing we had beers because the girls (mainly Trevor!) were scared as we approached cliffs and the tires of the truck driven by a seemingly 16 year old Mexican came within a few feet of the edge. We were sliding and bumping around all over the place. After about a 40 minutes of this we approached the zip line site; three Mexican hombres approached us with unbounded energy. We limbo’d our way to the staging area while “El Nino”, “Captain Jack”, and “The He-She” cracked jokes and ribbed us the whole time. The zip lining was pretty sick; we careened around the canopy from 10 to 100 feet off the ground and over a river’s ravine. The longest ride was about 1000 ft long and took maybe 20 seconds; I’d imagine we were hitting speeds of 20-30 MPH. Naturally us boys were expert zip liners in no time and began riding backwards, upside-down, with no hands and no pants! :) I went inverted like Maverick in Top Gun across the gaping river ravine; one of the highlights of my trip.
After a baker’s dozen zip lines, we ended at a little homegrown cantina and enjoyed some celebratory adult beverages, excellent guacamole & chips, and a ballin’ quesadilla! There was some complimentary tequila tasting of a locally grown and distilled tequila with flavors such as cappuccino, jack fruit, vanilla, and blanco. The zip lining was a blast and I’d recommend it to friends – just remember to barter and let it all hang out! Play hard amigos! We did our tour with Vallarta Adventures (
http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/). I think you’d get the best price if you go to their home-base in PV’s northern hotel district to purchase your adventure.
We jetted back to the hotel; nothing too noteworthy except we passed a Corona distributor.
I was really satisfied that we finally had a unique adventure!
Day 5: Aye Carumba
Day 5 was pretty chill for a Mexico vacation day. I hit the beach for another run and cooled down with a swim in the ocean. I was starting to feel a little jealous of those lucky souls who get to live on the beach all the time. The gang hung out by the pool for a bit and took a ride on the lazy river; it was a really nice sunny day out. Trevor and I hit up the Tequila Volleyball; lots of college kids ... a little too college! :) I had one stellar spike and had a good time.
We decided as a group to go into PV for dinner that night (Tuesday). Reid had read a review about a really good joint called Andale, but when we got there it was closed – disaster! We had to rely upon the local taxi driver and he recommended “Aye Carumba”. He advertised as it “muy authentico” but it wasn’t quite what we were looking for. It ended up being a good seafood place with a good view of the city and ocean. There were some fireworks down by the water which we had a really nice view of.
My dinner entree was awesome – I went with the whole red snapper, vera cruz style. It came with salad and some other tasty sides. Although it looked rather unappetizing it was actually really good. Reid even ate one of the eyes; I did too. Holly and Jen squirmed. :) Good protein!
After dinner we walked down a crazy steep hill where the ladies had trouble because of their heels but they were troopers and made it. We hit up a Cuban joint for some beers and then went to a club called Mandela. It was a cool open-aired place with a view of the Malecon (boardwalk). You know we had some drinks and did some shakin’ on the dance floor.
One funny thing happened at Mandela ... As I set down my beer, a drunk-as-a-skunk spring breaker picked it up and started sluggin’ on it. Party Foul! I grabbed it of his mouth with Chuck Norris inspired reflexes and in the process spilled a bit on him; he didn’t seem to notice. His friend sitting with him explained that he was hammered and didn’t know what he was doing. I asked them to buy me a replacement drink but they refused; karma is a B#%*$!
Day 6: Tour de Taco
The Tour de Taco was definitely a highlight of the trip. Reid had done some research on the best spots to get street tacos in Viejo Vallarta. Reid, Dennis, Trevor and I headed into PV via a city bus. It would be a boys only adventure! Obviously we were the only whiteys on the bus and there was even a mariachi band; I was watching my wallet but at the same time really enjoying the culture.
We arrived PV after a bus transfer and made our way to a local restaurant run by ex-Pats. I don’t remember the name of this place, but I do remember the $4 half-gallons of beer they served. On a hot Mexican day, that is the way to start a Tour de Taco.
We were about to begin on a taste-bud tantalizing experience. At the first spot, we had carne asada tacos. The quality is so good, the food so fresh, and cooked right in front of your eyes. Part of the experience is just being there and trying to communicate with the street vendors who often don’t know much English. We were getting looks from the locals who were just getting their normal grub on. The second joint we had beef. The third joint I had the best quesadilla EVER. It was nothing like an American quesadilla. We washed these down with $1 Coronas. The next joint it was smoked marlin with more $1 coronas. This experience was one of my favorite experiences during the escape to Puerto Vallarta.
After all those tacos and beer, what could we possibly want? Hmmm, how about tequila? :) We happened to find a deserted bar called “The Hangout” that was being manned by what must’ve been a 16 or 17 year old bartender. He was pushing 2 for 1 tequila shots which you know we couldn’t resist. We were able to upgrade to the Resposado which I thought was actually very good even though I’m not much of a straight tequila fan. It was fitting for the boys adventure. Salud!
After leaving the bar, we stumbled upon an authentic Cuban cigar shop. The owner was of Cuban descent and really had a passion for cigars. He spent 15 or 20 minutes helping us understand what to look for in a cigar and how to find one that is good for you. Priceless information.
At this point, Reid, Dennis, and Trevor headed to another watering hole and I headed nearby to check out some art that I’d noticed on a previous trip into Viejo Vallarta with the whole group. I found the gallery and art I had spotted earlier. I thought the price was $4,000 pesos, ~$350 USD. It was a really cool piece of abstract art. Alas, turns out it was $4,000 USD! That just wasn’t in the cards – maybe sometime in the future. The piece is by Alfonso Pena at Quadro Galleria (www.quadrogaleria.com).
I rejoined my amigos for a last $4 half gallon of beer; we headed back to Nuevo to meet the ladies for dinner at a pizza joint, Godfathers. :) It wasn’t the American Godfathers – different but tasty and $2 beers never hurt. :)
I reflected on the trip over a few drags off of Trevor’s Cuban cigar from the balcony as I overlooked the resort and Pacific Ocean; this was my last night in Mexico.
Day 7: Back to the US of A through Denver!
The flights back were ok – I made my way through Denver for the first time and arrived in Spokane on Thursday evening. Myself and some good buddies had tickets to the Friday / Sunday NCAA basketball games in Spokane; another adventure to write about on another day.
Mexican Brew Review
My experience in Puerto Vallarta gave me a chance to try many of the local Mexican beers. Here is my top 10 list from best to better. Mexican beer = good.
1) Indio
2) Estrella
3) Pacifico
4) Negro Modelo
5) Bohemian
6) Sol
7) Tecate
8) Corona Light
9) Sol con Lima
10) Corona
Try a Michelada when you are in Mexico (or at home) – pour Mexican lager over an ice filled glass with lightly salted rim and plenty of lime juice. Very delicious on a hot day.
Check out Holly and Jen's Facebook for more pics!
