Puerto Vallarta Paradise

Bit of a gloomy day today, overcast and occsional, well, not sure what. Can't call it rain, really, not even a drizzle. Just occasional drops that fall from the sky. But by and large it has been sunny and warm, just like it is supposed to be.

When we first got here last Monday, the bay was just filled with pelicans. Hundreds, if not thousands. I have never seen so many before and a couple of people who have lived here for over thirty years said the same thing. For some reason the bay was just teeming with bait fish and the pelicans were having a feast.

Just A Few From My Window


It is interesting to see the bait fish swarm or school or whatever they do. They form what looks like a big black squirming ball that is quite bizzare. The first time I saw one I had no idea what it was. Some kind of a spooky sea monster coming up from the deep. The Bay of Banderas was supposedly formed by an extinct volcano so who knows what may be lurking down there.

We have improved television service this year so I was able to watch the Super Bowl in the relative comfort of my "unit." Not as crazy as a bar, but most places required a reservation and I was a bit late in trying to make one. The places that didn't require one you had to get to about three in the afternoon and I didn't feel like sitting in a bar all that long. I must be getting old. At the risk of offending any Patriots fans, I was glad to see the Giants beat them once again. If not the Jets (maybe once more in my lifetime) than it might as well be the Giants. The odds of the first score of the game being a safety was 50 to 1 and at least one guy put a thousand bucks on it. He made the news because he was going to contribute his winnings to some charity.

If you want to buy your NFL poncho, I know just the place.

Almost Free Today


We saw those ponchos (real, not Sears) on the way to Joe Jack's Fish Shack, one of my go-to places here. The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I had been there earlier and shared a whole grilled red snapper. Simply delicious. I was going to get the octopus too, but the waitress warned us that the fish would be plenty for both of us, and it was. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera. While we were eating it the guy at the next table ordered the octopus and it looked great. This time we both ordered it.

Nothing Like A Tender Tentacle


An octopus is so smart that if you cook them slowly enough they can actually grab spices and season themselves.

She Didn't Believe Me Either


We went to a street market and this tee shirt caught my eye.

"One Advantage Of Being Overweight"


Yesterday it was just beautiful, sunny and warm, so a few of us headed out to a new, out-of-the-way restaurant. And when I say out of the way, I mean out of the way.

First, A Bus To Boca


Things are always changing here and now they have newer orange and white buses that depart to Mismaloya and Boca every fifteen minutes. And you catch them in a sifferent spot where they line up ready to go. Makes traveling a bit more convenient. And still only 7 pesos or about sixty cents.

Then, after you get to Boca you catch a panga or little boat to get to the restaurant.

The Local Taxi Service


You could walk to the restaurant from Boca, but it is a bit of a hike. No roads though.

Ocean Grill


Someone had a bit of a vision to build a restaurant out here. Not like you are going to be getting any walk-by traffic. It has been getting a lot of buzz, though, because the food is supposed to be excellent and reasonably priced. Plus, they send a panga over to get you and bring you back from Boca for free.

Not Our Panga


It was quite rough when we arrived so I was hanging on for dear life and couldn't really take any pictures of our landing. But you get the idea.

The Restaurant On The Deck


It really was a nice place and there is a lovely little beach right next to it where you could easily spend an afternoon just lolling about and maybe taking a little swim. We did neither, though, but we did have lunch and a few drinks.

More Tentacles


The octopus was great and really tender. I also had some cerviche and some kind of smoked fish tostados. Everything was very good and the margaritas weren't bad either.

We sat around a chatted a bit and then it was time to head on back.

Waiting For Her Panga
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Then the long walk up the hill to catch the bus back to town.

Working Off Her Lunch


And soon enough the bus came to carry us away.

The Bus, The Bus


After getting home we had time for a shower and a change of clothes and then we headed off to El Dorado for a few cocktails and an evening listening to our friend Randall, the electric mandolin player and his band. But that will be my next post, so stay tuned.

I would try to catch up on my Costa Rica adventure, and even the rest of my Russia trip, but those pictures are all at home on my PC, so that will have to wait as well. I will try to post a bit more often about what is happening down here, though, so stay tuned.