Hola from Puerto Vallarta - May/June 2018 edition
May 31st, 2018, 04:19 PM
#3
Yes I am... went to Mayo Fest, celebrating Vallarta's 100 year anniversary, on the Malecon last night. With some amazing live bands playing, and (literally!) everyone dancing in the streets!!
Jun 5th, 2018, 07:23 AM
#5
gracias tom42. it's still HOT (ha-ha) but beautiful. My two favorite bands were a gipsy folka y rumba balcanica group from Guadalajara called Xiranda the band that played before the headliner Bomba Estereo from Colombia, who are every bit as fabulous to see live as I imagined.
May is a really busy month in PV. Pride Week wrapped before I arrived. Then Restaurant "Week" which i put in quotes because it's running for more like a month now (3 course, fixed price menus, at 50+ restaurants around the city). June feels noticeably more Mexican as the snowbirds head north and more nationals are vacationing in town. The Malecon on Sunday night was fantastic. Loads of music and street performers. A hula-hooping, fire-twirling duo I hadn't seen before was my favorite!
May is a really busy month in PV. Pride Week wrapped before I arrived. Then Restaurant "Week" which i put in quotes because it's running for more like a month now (3 course, fixed price menus, at 50+ restaurants around the city). June feels noticeably more Mexican as the snowbirds head north and more nationals are vacationing in town. The Malecon on Sunday night was fantastic. Loads of music and street performers. A hula-hooping, fire-twirling duo I hadn't seen before was my favorite!
Jun 8th, 2018, 06:15 AM
#7
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Naturally it's hot, it is the summer, Suze, the 36th summer for me as I''m here year round. Hurricane Aletta about 400 miles off the coast and moving away, a new depression forming down south, so hopefully we will click into our regular late afternoon rain downpours.
Jun 8th, 2018, 09:38 AM
#8
hola JR, yes of course i know it's the summer time. and yes i know you live there 
i was just making conversation. i'm home now but it rained only the last two nights, over night, of my time in PV.
i was just making conversation. i'm home now but it rained only the last two nights, over night, of my time in PV.
Jul 19th, 2018, 05:46 AM
#9
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Hi, Suze
After many years I am finally returning to PV in a few days. I'm going to stay at the Posada de Roger. It sounds like it's right up my alley.
Do people bother with umbrellas?
Unfortunately I pulled something out in my back and I really can barely get around. Hoping I can at least walk to the beach!
Thanks for your help with all things PV!
After many years I am finally returning to PV in a few days. I'm going to stay at the Posada de Roger. It sounds like it's right up my alley.
Do people bother with umbrellas?
Unfortunately I pulled something out in my back and I really can barely get around. Hoping I can at least walk to the beach!
Thanks for your help with all things PV!
Jul 19th, 2018, 10:27 AM
#10
hola cabovaca~ Posada Roger's should be pretty quiet this time of year. When you check in, ask if you can see a couple rooms. Are you going solo? Or with someone? I can suggest some specific room numbers I like. I say this because the prices are the same (rooms are priced per person) but some are a lot nicer than others. Also you can get a min-frig for $5/day extra, and I highly recommend this. They bring it to the room w/ a sturdy wooden table to set it on.
I probably would toss in an umbrella just because of the time of year. You might not need it, but I've been caught in downpours (that come conveniently right when you're trying to go out to dinner!). Good news is, from Roger's there are a dozen+ great restaurants within two blocks. Do you know the neighborhood?
Would you like me to list the cafes, bars, restaurants, bakeries that are closest to you?
How about the favorite places to get a massage?
~suze
I probably would toss in an umbrella just because of the time of year. You might not need it, but I've been caught in downpours (that come conveniently right when you're trying to go out to dinner!). Good news is, from Roger's there are a dozen+ great restaurants within two blocks. Do you know the neighborhood?
Would you like me to list the cafes, bars, restaurants, bakeries that are closest to you?
How about the favorite places to get a massage?
~suze
Aug 3rd, 2018, 08:11 PM
#12
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Another Trip Report - Mexico -
Hi, Suze! I am back! I had a wonderful time in PV and thereabouts. I almost cancelled because I strained my lower back such the the pain was intense even when I was sitting or lying down....but since I was traveling with my daughter I did not want to ruin things for her. It all worked out ok....but for the first three days I could barely walk.
I crept into the Roger with my cane - and the lovely receptionist said Oh, dear. We have you in a 4th floor room! Well the only other room was on the second floor and that was difficult enough - it wasn't an especially lovely room but I didn't intend to spend much time there. (DD was staying at a hotel at the beach). How wonderful that there are restaurants nearby!
It did rain a bit - but not enough to cause problems. We spent half the time at the beach and in the evenings we ate at Daiquiri Dick's sitting right on the beach at sundown, (maybe also Blue Shrimp?) ( something actually quite elegant), and another rockin' place in the same block as my hotel.
We wanted to try the Chiles Rellenos at Cafe Olla but it was a steaming hot night, our table wasn't great - so we had a drink and left for one of the beach restaurants. Much more fun.
We found a great driver to show us all around the city, up and down hills and in and out of many neighborhoods. He also drove us to Sayulita where we stayed for two nights. I haven't been in the PV area for several years and I am kind of looking for a good hangout in my old age. Well, Sayulita was a riot. Mid summer is when many Mexican families and couples and young adults go on vacation. The beach in Sayulita is really great. And the surf is just enough for mild surfers to have a great time. It was great fun to sit on the beach and watch the action.
We totally loved our rooms in the beachfront hotel: Hotel Peix. Newly redone. Simple simple rooms that were peaceful in style. I felt like I was on a yoga retreat when I was in my room. And then downstairs the hotel restaurant flowed out onto the beach. Pretty cool.
Here's how crowded the beach was: if you stretched your arms out in any direction you could touch the people who were planted next to you. It was packed. It was like a free day at Disneyland where you could bring food and drink, a boombox, all your friends....and the bonus is that vendors and waiters are there to deliver any number of delicious food and drinks. I didn't love the town. It really was too hot anyway - but there are a lot of hippies around and I'm sort of over the filthy looking clothes and hair. Not judging. It's just not appealing. But.....we had a blast.
Then we went to San Pancho for two nights. We both really loved it. People around - but not too crowded. Friendly people everywhere - (although that is Mexico in general). Our hotel was right at the beach. Bungalows La Perla. There is an absolutely wonderful restaurant two or three blocks away - called Barracuda. Definitely casual, but high-end. Exceptional.
On the flight home some moron man in the back of the plane started yelling some gross stuff at the top of his lungs at his girlfriend who was seated up front.
Welcome back to the USA!
I crept into the Roger with my cane - and the lovely receptionist said Oh, dear. We have you in a 4th floor room! Well the only other room was on the second floor and that was difficult enough - it wasn't an especially lovely room but I didn't intend to spend much time there. (DD was staying at a hotel at the beach). How wonderful that there are restaurants nearby!
It did rain a bit - but not enough to cause problems. We spent half the time at the beach and in the evenings we ate at Daiquiri Dick's sitting right on the beach at sundown, (maybe also Blue Shrimp?) ( something actually quite elegant), and another rockin' place in the same block as my hotel.
We wanted to try the Chiles Rellenos at Cafe Olla but it was a steaming hot night, our table wasn't great - so we had a drink and left for one of the beach restaurants. Much more fun.
We found a great driver to show us all around the city, up and down hills and in and out of many neighborhoods. He also drove us to Sayulita where we stayed for two nights. I haven't been in the PV area for several years and I am kind of looking for a good hangout in my old age. Well, Sayulita was a riot. Mid summer is when many Mexican families and couples and young adults go on vacation. The beach in Sayulita is really great. And the surf is just enough for mild surfers to have a great time. It was great fun to sit on the beach and watch the action.
We totally loved our rooms in the beachfront hotel: Hotel Peix. Newly redone. Simple simple rooms that were peaceful in style. I felt like I was on a yoga retreat when I was in my room. And then downstairs the hotel restaurant flowed out onto the beach. Pretty cool.
Here's how crowded the beach was: if you stretched your arms out in any direction you could touch the people who were planted next to you. It was packed. It was like a free day at Disneyland where you could bring food and drink, a boombox, all your friends....and the bonus is that vendors and waiters are there to deliver any number of delicious food and drinks. I didn't love the town. It really was too hot anyway - but there are a lot of hippies around and I'm sort of over the filthy looking clothes and hair. Not judging. It's just not appealing. But.....we had a blast.
Then we went to San Pancho for two nights. We both really loved it. People around - but not too crowded. Friendly people everywhere - (although that is Mexico in general). Our hotel was right at the beach. Bungalows La Perla. There is an absolutely wonderful restaurant two or three blocks away - called Barracuda. Definitely casual, but high-end. Exceptional.
On the flight home some moron man in the back of the plane started yelling some gross stuff at the top of his lungs at his girlfriend who was seated up front.
Welcome back to the USA!
Aug 5th, 2018, 08:06 AM
#13
Thanks for the trip report! Sounds like a wonderful time. Too bad you couldn't make it up to the 4th floor at Roger's. Those are newly added rooms and very nice up there (very popular and hard to reserve). Oh well. Sounds like you made the best of the back situation. hmmm... "rockin place" same block Posada Roger... maybe Joe Jack's Fish Shack or Margarita Grill?
And you certainly got around the area!!! Well done getting out of town too
And you certainly got around the area!!! Well done getting out of town too
