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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Shop ‘til you Drop…The Tonalá Experience
Signing on with Roberta Valdez of Alegre Tours we joined a group of travelers at the Puerto Vallarta Mega, loaded our luggage, boarded the TTur bus at 6:30AM and headed north out of Puerto Vallarta with a brief stop at the Nueva Vallarta Mega to pickup the balance of our group. The objective – to prowl the environs of Tonala for special purchases - needed or just desired.
In my opinion there are a lot of positives to be said for this kind of travel. All the planning on the best route to take, stops along the way, hotel reservations, driving, meals, etc. are whisked away. You travel without pressure and arrive safely and rested. And all the while you’re meeting new people from many different places and backgrounds. Additionally, traveling with a knowledgeable bi-lingual guide who can assist you with any problems or communications is a powerful and positive asset.
In my opinion there are a lot of positives to be said for this kind of travel. All the planning on the best route to take, stops along the way, hotel reservations, driving, meals, etc. are whisked away. You travel without pressure and arrive safely and rested. And all the while you’re meeting new people from many different places and backgrounds. Additionally, traveling with a knowledgeable bi-lingual guide who can assist you with any problems or communications is a powerful and positive asset.
So said, after a couple of rest and sightseeing stops we arrived at our destination Hotel in Tonalá.
Why Tonalá? The shopping village of Tonalá, Jalisco, is probably one of the best places in the Guadalajara area to find beautiful handmade crafts such as silver, blown glass, ceramics, fine pottery, and paper mache. The noted Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante is reported to have his primary studio in the Tonalá area, with his main gallery being located in nearby Tlaquepaque. Tonalá is more of a big outdoor shopping market and a wonderful one at that! The Tiangis is held on Thursdays and Sundays. Most of the art found in Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara is manufactured here. The prices are unbeatable and the high quality of each handmade product is clearly evident - the number one reason people flock back for more.
Why Tonalá? The shopping village of Tonalá, Jalisco, is probably one of the best places in the Guadalajara area to find beautiful handmade crafts such as silver, blown glass, ceramics, fine pottery, and paper mache. The noted Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante is reported to have his primary studio in the Tonalá area, with his main gallery being located in nearby Tlaquepaque. Tonalá is more of a big outdoor shopping market and a wonderful one at that! The Tiangis is held on Thursdays and Sundays. Most of the art found in Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara is manufactured here. The prices are unbeatable and the high quality of each handmade product is clearly evident - the number one reason people flock back for more.
The Hotel that our group stayed in is centrally located and the lobby is setup to focus on groups and their purchases. The lobby has dedicated space set aside for completed purchases. Most all of the stores deliver to the hotel several times daily and place the purchases in a space with your or group name. In this manner you need not worry about carrying around your packages or returning large items to the Hotel yourself –its all delivered at no expense to you thereby freeing you to continue your quest for more treasures.
After check in we regrouped to have lunch and the appropriate refreschas in order to refuel the “hunter-killer” instinct needed to find the hidden treasures of Tonalá. Even though there was an general itinerary most of the pro-shoppers already knew their first designations and were off immediately while the inexperienced stayed close to the leader while they familiarized themselves with the layout and variety of treasures. Dolores and I had committed to take several shoppers to visit an Arte Krystal shop that specialized in manufacturing beautiful hi-end multi-lenses and vases of every shape and color. Leaving our friends deciding on their purchases, Dolores and I moved on to place some needed orders for her Essence Of Cuisine Cooking School. The day ended with an impromptu wine happy hour at the Hotel and a late dinner in a local restaurant for a remaining few brave high energy souls. Tomorrow is the famous Tonalá Sunday Tiangis (flea market).
The next morning most of the group was out and having a breakfast by 9:00 A.M. ; h
owever, several of our shoppers had already hit the streets and were already returning with purchases. Since we had purchased our required items the evening before, we rose late and enjoyed a wonderful brunch by ourselves. By the time we set out to acquire some personal small items the lobby was already filling up with packages. As the day progressed, the space in the lobby rapidly filled with packages of every size and shape from the several groups, individuals, and store buyers that were staying at the Hotel. There was everything from small miscellaneous packages to large items of furniture, lamps, end tables, mirrors, dishes, wall hangings, candelabras, vases, marble tables, and on and on. While Dolores went out to explore on her own I stayed and worked on my computer in the Hotel lobby and watched the incoming deliveries. They arrived by cart of every size and shape, bicycles pulling custom trailers, wheel barrows, pickup trucks, sweating strong youngsters, and the occasional shopper. Finally, our group began to trickle back to the hotel to check whether their purchases had arrived and to rest before the final splurge to pickup miscellaneous items that they had seen during shopping but had delayed making a commitment to purchase. At 7:30 PM we all joined together in the lobby to travel to a wonderful Italian restaurant in downtown Guadalajara. This was done with our custom motor coach and driver. What a twist to the popular phrase – “ride the bus and leave the driving to us.” That extra glass of vino was wonderful! My wife was really feeling pampered by all the special service.0The next morning we once again enjoyed a leisure breakfast then got ready for checkout. Some of our group needed to visit a store that specialized in marble furniture to place final purchases for custom designs. Upon leaving Tonalá we immediately proceeded a few miles to a glass factory where many of us added glassware items to our already sizable inventory of purchases. From the glass factory we motored to Tlaquepaque to walk the streets and plaza, finding additional treasures.
How much is the shipping cost?The name Tlaquepaque (or San Pedro as it’s often called) derives from the Aztec language and means "place above clay land". The area is famous for its pottery and blown glass. Tlaquepaque features El Parián, a large plaza flanked by columned arcades and surrounded by restaurants and bars. The main street is lined with shops and restaurants of every kind. The past several years have seen a much needed and welcome upgrade to the area. Tlaquepaque is known for its mariachi bands. The restaurant we chose to gather at and enjoy a late lunch was visited by a wonderful all female group which entertained us royally.
Finally, it was time to re-board our motor coach and leave Tonalá-Guadalajara-Tlaquepaque and head home to Puerto Vallarta. Roberta Valdez, our leader, had made available some movie DVD’s to help while away the time and magically we arrived safe and rested in Puerto Vallarta, a magnificent way to spend a weekend. I’m looking forward to the next “Shop ‘til you Drop” Tonala adventure.
Merry Christmas to All!Friday, December 11, 2009
Settling In...
Puerto Vallarta, JAL, MX - It’s been 6 weeks since we returned to Puerto Vallarta from our 90 day visit to the PNW. We’ve been enjoying the wonderful weather in PV while monitoring the frigid temperatures in the Seattle metro area. They haven’t reached a high of over 30 degrees Fahrenheit for the past week. It looks as if we made our escape from the “Northlands” just in time. We had a wonderful visit with our families, got reacquainted with old friends, and made some new friends.
Dolores attended classes at several cooking schools, honing her skills and observing other class techniques, and also did a sold out appearance as a “guest chef” with Jeannie Judd’s Sweet Basil Cooking School in Edmonds, WA, one of our favorite cooking school venues. The reminder of the time was spent watching sports on the tube and getting all our “ducks lined up” for the return.
Dolores had decided that our guest bathroom in Puerto Vallarta needed remodeling as it supports the guests of our cooking school and would benefit from updating with more striking fixtures and color. We had shopped locally and in some interior cities but hadn’t found anything to our liking. An acquaintance had told us about getting qualified as a “Known Shipper” with Alaska Airlines and we could ship as much as we wanting – inexpensively. While in Seattle we applied, were investigated and received our shipper credentials. Now we were on-a-roll. We finally identified and made all the purchases of the fixtures, received same from the factory and set about packing for the shipping to Puerto Vallarta. I won’t make this a long story – Checking in with Alaska Air Freight we got instructions from the desk that went just the way we anticipated. The following day we had a couple additional questions and recalled the freight desk. This time a 30 year veteran answered the phone. Are you seeing what’s coming? This was an intelligent person who knew all the answers and you could see her shaking her head even over the phone, NO! NO! NO!,.. ETC. By the time we would have paid the upfront fees of both Alaska and the Mexican Broker fees + plus having all shipping and custom forms translated into Spanish, etc., we would be in way over our budget. They suggested FedEx which had it’s own service, forms and Brokers. Sitting with $2000.00 worth of fixtures, Dolores headed for FedEx. Score! - they would do all the work. Repackaging the items, Dolores went to the FedEx office, filled out the forms paid around $300.00 with a promise it would be available in PV on November 5, four days after we arrived. Wheeeew!
Upon arrival, we were told that they had tried to deliver it October 30th, two days before our arrival. Talk about Mexican time in reverse. The delivery arrived November 3 and a Broker bill of an additional $2,400.00 pesos (something the Seattle FedEx people had failed to disclose). Well anyway, it’s all here.
Puerto Vallarta seems to be recovering very positively from the earlier effects of the negative world media N1H1 attack and its devastating impact on Mexico’s and PV’s economy. More and more tourists are definitely returning (maybe to escape the N1H1 flu virus in the States). The city is looking good and people are surviving. Many problems still exist as a result of the difficulties, and we see many empty store fronts; however, we seem to be on a strong upward surge towards recovery. Real Estate is seeing buyers and delayed construction has restarted. Stores and markets are beginning to restock with needed merchandise, and civil projects are reemploying laborers. It will take time, but it’s happening.
Dolores attended classes at several cooking schools, honing her skills and observing other class techniques, and also did a sold out appearance as a “guest chef” with Jeannie Judd’s Sweet Basil Cooking School in Edmonds, WA, one of our favorite cooking school venues. The reminder of the time was spent watching sports on the tube and getting all our “ducks lined up” for the return.
Dolores had decided that our guest bathroom in Puerto Vallarta needed remodeling as it supports the guests of our cooking school and would benefit from updating with more striking fixtures and color. We had shopped locally and in some interior cities but hadn’t found anything to our liking. An acquaintance had told us about getting qualified as a “Known Shipper” with Alaska Airlines and we could ship as much as we wanting – inexpensively. While in Seattle we applied, were investigated and received our shipper credentials. Now we were on-a-roll. We finally identified and made all the purchases of the fixtures, received same from the factory and set about packing for the shipping to Puerto Vallarta. I won’t make this a long story – Checking in with Alaska Air Freight we got instructions from the desk that went just the way we anticipated. The following day we had a couple additional questions and recalled the freight desk. This time a 30 year veteran answered the phone. Are you seeing what’s coming? This was an intelligent person who knew all the answers and you could see her shaking her head even over the phone, NO! NO! NO!,.. ETC. By the time we would have paid the upfront fees of both Alaska and the Mexican Broker fees + plus having all shipping and custom forms translated into Spanish, etc., we would be in way over our budget. They suggested FedEx which had it’s own service, forms and Brokers. Sitting with $2000.00 worth of fixtures, Dolores headed for FedEx. Score! - they would do all the work. Repackaging the items, Dolores went to the FedEx office, filled out the forms paid around $300.00 with a promise it would be available in PV on November 5, four days after we arrived. Wheeeew!
Upon arrival, we were told that they had tried to deliver it October 30th, two days before our arrival. Talk about Mexican time in reverse. The delivery arrived November 3 and a Broker bill of an additional $2,400.00 pesos (something the Seattle FedEx people had failed to disclose). Well anyway, it’s all here.
Puerto Vallarta seems to be recovering very positively from the earlier effects of the negative world media N1H1 attack and its devastating impact on Mexico’s and PV’s economy. More and more tourists are definitely returning (maybe to escape the N1H1 flu virus in the States). The city is looking good and people are surviving. Many problems still exist as a result of the difficulties, and we see many empty store fronts; however, we seem to be on a strong upward surge towards recovery. Real Estate is seeing buyers and delayed construction has restarted. Stores and markets are beginning to restock with needed merchandise, and civil projects are reemploying laborers. It will take time, but it’s happening.
We attended the annual SPCA-PV fundraiser event held at the Hacienda San Angel “Puerto del Cielo” ($100 per ticket) which overlooks Banderas Bay and is just behind the Cathedral de Guadalupe with its lighted Crown. The party was overflowing with attendees, the dinner consisted of filet mignon and red snapper and was accompanied by Mariachi music by Joya de Mexico (the best group in Vallarta), with pre-dinner entertainment provided by a local group named Katmandu, and featuring a belly dancer several months pregnant – that’s right. It was a first for me and many others and the performance was wonderful. The pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres once again included rack of lamb filets, my personal favorite. Dolores and I bought $200.00 pesos of tickets for the drawing and wound up winning three dinners out, including Joe Jacks and Freddie Toucans – two of our favorites. We must have been enjoying the drinks since we gave away the third award to the fellow sitting next to us. In all, an unforgettable evening!
The Cathedral de Guadalupe
Mariachi Group - Joya de MexicoWe’ve held three Essence of Cuisine Cooking classes since our return, another one scheduled for the 28th and commitments for two classes in January – so that’s going strong. Working on an on-line identity for EOC in mid-January; however, the webmaster has dengue fever, which has become a serious problem in Vallarta. So we’ll see. We are traveling to Tonala (Guadalajara) this weekend – more dishes, glasses for our classes (as if we didn’t already have plenty). Oh well.
From December 1 through 12th Guadalupe Processions to the downtown cathedral take place daily. Almost every business, hotel, restaurant, neighborhood and civic association makes a procession to the church for a special mass they have devoted to the Virgin. Some of the larger groups resemble a small parade, complete with folkloric dancers’, floats, and singing. This ends on the 12th which marks the day the Virgin Guadalupe made her miraculous appearance to a peasant, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. As I write one of the processions is just this minute passing our condo, complete with drums and singing.
The weather gave us some heavy evening time rains beginning November 30th and ending December 7th. This is the first time I’ve seen consistent heavy rain in PV at this time of the year. Fortunately it ended the day of Paco and Toody’s first wine tasting party this season which is held in a restaurant with an open courtyard. Good omen for the season. The menu was French and wonderfully tasty. Paco shared some of his 1st release under his own label, a Chilean Malbec. Of course we bought a split case of red/whites for our school.
More when we return.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Return...To the PNW and Back to Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta, Jal, MX – Yes, we really are alive and well back in PV. Our trip to the PNW started August 4, with the final destination at Lynnwood WA, a community bordering Seattle to the North. We arrived late in the evening to nice weather; but true to my prediction, we awoke the next day to overcast skies and a day that reached a high of 65 degrees. No complaints from these expats as a review of the same day in Puerto Vallarta showed a “feels like” temperature of plus 100 degrees.
Initially we were kept busy getting all the lines of communication reset – new telephone numbers for home and mobile, wideband/wireless reset, and seeing old friends, family etc. The weather was just right for us returnees even though it was cool – reminded us of early fall. They (weather folks) did predict a warming trend to the high 80’s, low 90’s. Our car A/C was on the fritz, so with Dolores urging I rushed it to a repair shop in order to be ready for the heat. It worked perfectly, the A/C blows cool air and the warming trend didn’t happen, temperature remained in the high 60’s to mid-70”s for an additional two weeks – wouldn’t you believe it!
The Cast and Fans_Christine with Dolores
We arrived back in PV mid-afternoon, November 1 accompanied by 5 checked luggage weighing 50# each and 2 carryon’s. As the luck of the draw would have it, there were 5 international flights that had arrived at the same time – we were number 5. The line up was clear back to the airplane arrival ramps. However, with my bad knee’s (another story) Dolores had arranged a wheelchair and we “excuse me” and “honk and honked’ pass all the passengers to the head of the line. After a quick argument with a new Customs trainee on what paper work was required to handle a returning resident/foreigner (FM3+stamped red-white FME form) plus the fact that the trainer was nearby, we were processed and reported for duty at the luggage carousel. With the new system (?), we (Dolores and wheel chair pusher) had to drag all that luggage to the security check through where we were immediately marked for the “alternate Red light”. This led to a quick review of all the checked luggage (Dolores had receipts for all) and we were quickly released into the outside environs of PV. When we arrived home, our 7 niño’s were waiting and all was deposited quickly into our condo. Many refreshments followed!
So we’re here – ready and anxious to ramp up. On a cautionary note, we visited SAM’s to stock up on needed items and I used my debit card to withdraw cash from the HSBC machine. We withdraw cash to use for purchases instead of using the card for purchases – less exposure in theory. Arriving home I checked online banking and found a temp hold for an unrecognizable amount against the card. Being Sunday I delayed calling till Monday morning. The temp hold was a fraudulent charge for kids beachwear, Bahia. After notifying the Bank they had to reissue my card since there were 7 other attempted charges (all rejected). A call from the bank security representative said the initial “hit” was within 17 minutes from my withdrawal time. Be careful out there everyone – my card had not even left my hand. Fortunately the bank returned my $$$ this date.
Initially we were kept busy getting all the lines of communication reset – new telephone numbers for home and mobile, wideband/wireless reset, and seeing old friends, family etc. The weather was just right for us returnees even though it was cool – reminded us of early fall. They (weather folks) did predict a warming trend to the high 80’s, low 90’s. Our car A/C was on the fritz, so with Dolores urging I rushed it to a repair shop in order to be ready for the heat. It worked perfectly, the A/C blows cool air and the warming trend didn’t happen, temperature remained in the high 60’s to mid-70”s for an additional two weeks – wouldn’t you believe it!
Dolores in Her Domain
We did a weekend with 8 other travelers and the Everett Parks department on an overnight wine tour to Yakima, WA. Dolores found out about this from the tour leader, Jeannie Judd of the Sweet basil Cooking School while she was visiting Jeannie in preparing for an appearance as a guest Chef at the cooking school. Since the upcoming weekend was my birthday and the environs around Yakima is our favorite bird hunting grounds she signed for the trip as a mystery BD trip for yours truly. It was a memorable trip in a private van with wonderful new acquaintances, much wine and as you might suspect tremendous food. Jeannie’s husband, Will Judd, GETS MY VOTE FOR THE WORLDS WORST JOB – a wine lover who gets to drive a bunch of winos to 8-10 wineries, and a great Italian dinner, and because of the Park Department policy can’t have as much as a sip of win
Sagelands at Yakima_Good Wine and View
Returning from the tour, Dolores began preparation for her cooking school guest appearance. The school, Sweet Basil, is located near us in Edmonds and is owned and operated by the aforementioned Jeannie Judd. The class is conducted very similar to our Essence Of Cuisine school in Puerto Vallarta. The classes hold from 25-30 students and this one was sold out with a waiting list. Will’s hobby is gardening and raising Japanese Koi fish in several ponds in back of the school. The surroundings are beautiful with the raised gardens, nutshell paths, seating areas and the Koi ponds. Jeannie holds an average of two classes a week and occasionally has a guest Chef – hence Dolores appearance. The family had a great time cheering from the back of the class, drinking more wine (this time with Will), and enjoying the food.
The birthday activities continued with a dinner at the Renton Keg Restaurant hosted by my son Bob and his wife Marlene. We were also joined by my grandson Brad who was working locally and joined shortly after we arrived. What a great way to highlight a birthday. The steak and lobster dinner make this restaurant chain one of my favorites.
The remainder of the 88 day “pop in-pop out” visit was spent reacquainting ourselves with family, old/new friends, medical checkups and fine tuning, attending cooking classes (Dolores), watching football and baseball on TV (Robert) and preparations for the return to PV, including purchasing and shipping articles to PV for some remodeling (that’s another story). The family gatherings (hers and mine) were wonderful and we got to see Dolores daughter Christine in her new production at Teatro ZinZanni. After completing the Seattle Tour in early 2010 she’ll open their new theater in Chicago.
The Cast and Fans_Christine with DoloresWe arrived back in PV mid-afternoon, November 1 accompanied by 5 checked luggage weighing 50# each and 2 carryon’s. As the luck of the draw would have it, there were 5 international flights that had arrived at the same time – we were number 5. The line up was clear back to the airplane arrival ramps. However, with my bad knee’s (another story) Dolores had arranged a wheelchair and we “excuse me” and “honk and honked’ pass all the passengers to the head of the line. After a quick argument with a new Customs trainee on what paper work was required to handle a returning resident/foreigner (FM3+stamped red-white FME form) plus the fact that the trainer was nearby, we were processed and reported for duty at the luggage carousel. With the new system (?), we (Dolores and wheel chair pusher) had to drag all that luggage to the security check through where we were immediately marked for the “alternate Red light”. This led to a quick review of all the checked luggage (Dolores had receipts for all) and we were quickly released into the outside environs of PV. When we arrived home, our 7 niño’s were waiting and all was deposited quickly into our condo. Many refreshments followed!
So we’re here – ready and anxious to ramp up. On a cautionary note, we visited SAM’s to stock up on needed items and I used my debit card to withdraw cash from the HSBC machine. We withdraw cash to use for purchases instead of using the card for purchases – less exposure in theory. Arriving home I checked online banking and found a temp hold for an unrecognizable amount against the card. Being Sunday I delayed calling till Monday morning. The temp hold was a fraudulent charge for kids beachwear, Bahia. After notifying the Bank they had to reissue my card since there were 7 other attempted charges (all rejected). A call from the bank security representative said the initial “hit” was within 17 minutes from my withdrawal time. Be careful out there everyone – my card had not even left my hand. Fortunately the bank returned my $$$ this date.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
About to Return to the PNW
The final “closeout” days of the 2008-09 season are creeping up on us. Seven more days exist until we wing our way to the PNW for a cool and refreshing (weather wise) 90 day stay. Yesterday almost caused a reschedule when we had a Skype telecom with some of the children and heard that a heat wave was forecast for Seattle the week of our arrival – 95 to 100 degrees. What have we done wrong? Oh well, assuming the forecast accuracy is as good as when they predict sunshine in the PNW we shouldn’t have a worry. It’ll probably be 65 degrees and raining.
Most of our activity will now focus on putting all our affairs in order prior to leaving, primarily getting the household straightened and in order for our arrival back in November. Dolores wants me to focus on the booze collection (tough) and the dresser drawers I use to toss every miscellaneous item that I was supposed to place in order during the season.
Today we’ve invited seven Niño’s into our condo to watch the 2009 Gold Cup soccer championship between, you guessed it, the EAU vs. MEX, and we are getting our asses kicked. The kids keep rushing out on the veranda with each score announcing to the city that MX. has scored again, and again, and again,..boy, it’s good I’m not into soccer…cinco?? Think I’ll go swimming.
The days have become lazy, hot and humid. Lazy mostly because it seems a twitch of the finger produces a pint of sweat! The pool is used in the evenings to refresh; however, we haven’t had much rain up to this time and even the pool is overly warm. It’s now 8:00 PM and just started to rain, maybe we’ll have a cool evening and morning and some fresh water to cool the pool.
It’s now 10:00 AM the next morning. So much for the rain last evening…heavy for maybe 20 minutes then showers along with a beautiful, and loud, display of lightning and thunder then a quiet and humid night. This morning is clear and sunlit, Dolores is off to a cooking school, the maid has arrived and I’m moving from computer to computer trying to stay out of the way.
Most of our activity will now focus on putting all our affairs in order prior to leaving, primarily getting the household straightened and in order for our arrival back in November. Dolores wants me to focus on the booze collection (tough) and the dresser drawers I use to toss every miscellaneous item that I was supposed to place in order during the season.
Today we’ve invited seven Niño’s into our condo to watch the 2009 Gold Cup soccer championship between, you guessed it, the EAU vs. MEX, and we are getting our asses kicked. The kids keep rushing out on the veranda with each score announcing to the city that MX. has scored again, and again, and again,..boy, it’s good I’m not into soccer…cinco?? Think I’ll go swimming.
The days have become lazy, hot and humid. Lazy mostly because it seems a twitch of the finger produces a pint of sweat! The pool is used in the evenings to refresh; however, we haven’t had much rain up to this time and even the pool is overly warm. It’s now 8:00 PM and just started to rain, maybe we’ll have a cool evening and morning and some fresh water to cool the pool.
It’s now 10:00 AM the next morning. So much for the rain last evening…heavy for maybe 20 minutes then showers along with a beautiful, and loud, display of lightning and thunder then a quiet and humid night. This morning is clear and sunlit, Dolores is off to a cooking school, the maid has arrived and I’m moving from computer to computer trying to stay out of the way.
Monday, July 13, 2009
More trips to the Interior - Morelia/ Pátzcuaro /Uruapan
In early April 20+ travelers re-joined with Roberta Valdez of Alegre Events & Tours to experience our third trip of the year to Mexico’s beautiful and splendid interior. This time the trip took us the state of Michoacán and, initially, to the magnificent city of Morelia. Our bus stopped in Tonala for lunch at the restaurant Hacienda la Divina (a favorite), then on to Morelia where we checked into the Hotel Virrey de Mendoza, located on the Main Square in the historic district. Originally built in 1565 and the second story in 1744, this magnificent hotel has 41 Rooms/15 Suites/3 salons. Arrival cocktails were hosted by Roberta in a large suite that overlooks the Main Square and Cathedral.
Morelia was known in colonial times as Valladolid (or Nueva Valladolid), because it reminded the "Conquistadores" of that Spanish city. In 1828 the name changed to Morelia, in honor of its most famous hero Juan Maria Morelos y Pavón, a priest who led the struggle for Independence against Spain and was executed in 1813. Morelia is considered to be the most noble of all Mexican Colonial towns. The architecture has been kept in the tradition of old Spain. The Cathedral by the main plaza, was constructed of pinkish stone (cantera rosa) dominating all surrounding buildings with its 200 ft. towers, which took over 200 years to build. Another significant landmark is the massive and yet elegant aqueduct built in 1790 with more than 250 arches. As it should be at the capital city of Michoacán, the handicraft activity is predominant, mainly wood-carvings, pottery, copper and lacquerware, and woven goods.
On the first evening we walked several blocks to Los Mirasoles, a nice renovated, avant-garde space in a 17th century house with an aristocratic aura, decorated with furnishings that evidence the craftsmanship of the area - large granite rocks form the walls, hanging inverted patio umbrellas trimmed with fine lace, and which features the areas largest Mexican wine cellar. The walk back to the hotel was a welcome exercise by most of us.
The next day consisted of tours , visiting the highlights of the city (viewing the Aqueduct, Sanctuary Guadalupe, Monument San Morelia’s, Fountain Tarascan women holding fruit basket) then shopping at Casa de las Artesanias. That evening we joined at San Migueletos, famous for High Mexican cuisine, and a whimsical decor replete with Michoacán crafts, antiques, paintings -- 95% of everything is for sale!...even the furniture and tableware. This is a fun restaurant where every table has a different design and setting. One of the dining rooms called “El Cuarto de las Solteronas (The Spinster’s Corner ) is decorated with 365 distinct statues of St. Anthony set upside down. The belief is that if you stand this saint on his head and pray really hard, you’ll get a husband! El Altar de las Conversaciones (The Altar of Conversation) is a communal table decorated as an altar.
Leaving Morelia the following day on our way to Patzcuaro, we stopped briefly in the village of Tzintzuntzan to visit an ongoing bazaar then on to Ranchero La Mesa, located on the San Jose Plateau and surrounded by a forest of pine, willow, and oyamel trees (a fir tree sometimes called Sacred Fir due to the use of its cut foliage in religious festivals in Mexico) coupled with a magnificent view of Patzcuaro and the lake of the same name, Lake Patzcuaro. The outdoor restaurant-bar serves delicious dishes such as fish, rabbit, turkey, chicken, beef and their specialty, ostrich, which is grown at the Ranchero. On the way down from the plateau we a stopped in Santa Clara del Cobre to visit a Copper factory to see a demonstration at the foundry of pots/pans/etc. being formed. I noticed the foundry foreman had a sling/cast on his left arm – when I asked how many injuries occur in the foundry he said very few to none during his 15+ years. Asked what happened to his arm, he “sheepishly” admitted he‘d been trimming a large tree in the courtyard and fell out of the tree.
Finally arriving in Pátzcuaro we checked into the hotel, then toured the teinda being setup in the main square. Pátzcuaro, which means "city of stones" in the Purepecha language, is a city and its surrounding Municipalities in the central part of the Mexican state . Its early inhabitants believed Pátzcuaro to be the doorway to heaven where the gods ascended and descended.
Pátzcuaro is hidden high in the mountains of Michoacán at 7130 feet of elevation. It is veiled from the outside world by a curtain of high fir trees and Oyamel trees. To the north is Lake Pátzcuaro one of Mexico's highest lakes. The butterfly fishermen who dip their nets into the lake in search of whitefish, have become a trademark of Pátzcuaro.
The Dance of the Viejitos (Old Men), one of the best and most widely known native dances of Mexico, is presented in the Plaza Grande on weekends. The dancers wear wooden masks that depict smiling old men to show that, at least in Mexico, old age is not a time of listless despair, but rather a season to enjoy the fruits of life.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5219031765679231955
On day 5 we departed to Uruapan, a city and municipality in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The town and surroundings are world famous in part because of the great quantity of avocado farming and packaging, exported in large parts to the United States and other countries.
Uruapan is one of the oldest cities in Mexico. Its main natural attraction is the Cupatitzio River (dubbed "the river that sings"). The National Park Eduardo Ruiz is home of "La Rodilla del Diablo", the source of the river which courses through the city and out toward "La Tzaráracua" and "La Tzararacuita", waterfalls on the southern outskirts of the city, and flows eventually to the Pacific Ocean. Paricutín volcano emerged in the vicinity in 1943, scaring away much of the population.
Our arrival in Tonala was not in time for shopping so most had dinner and rested in their rooms. We left Tonala at noon the following day and arrived back in Puerto Vallarta with wonderful memories.
Morelia was known in colonial times as Valladolid (or Nueva Valladolid), because it reminded the "Conquistadores" of that Spanish city. In 1828 the name changed to Morelia, in honor of its most famous hero Juan Maria Morelos y Pavón, a priest who led the struggle for Independence against Spain and was executed in 1813. Morelia is considered to be the most noble of all Mexican Colonial towns. The architecture has been kept in the tradition of old Spain. The Cathedral by the main plaza, was constructed of pinkish stone (cantera rosa) dominating all surrounding buildings with its 200 ft. towers, which took over 200 years to build. Another significant landmark is the massive and yet elegant aqueduct built in 1790 with more than 250 arches. As it should be at the capital city of Michoacán, the handicraft activity is predominant, mainly wood-carvings, pottery, copper and lacquerware, and woven goods.
On the first evening we walked several blocks to Los Mirasoles, a nice renovated, avant-garde space in a 17th century house with an aristocratic aura, decorated with furnishings that evidence the craftsmanship of the area - large granite rocks form the walls, hanging inverted patio umbrellas trimmed with fine lace, and which features the areas largest Mexican wine cellar. The walk back to the hotel was a welcome exercise by most of us.
The next day consisted of tours , visiting the highlights of the city (viewing the Aqueduct, Sanctuary Guadalupe, Monument San Morelia’s, Fountain Tarascan women holding fruit basket) then shopping at Casa de las Artesanias. That evening we joined at San Migueletos, famous for High Mexican cuisine, and a whimsical decor replete with Michoacán crafts, antiques, paintings -- 95% of everything is for sale!...even the furniture and tableware. This is a fun restaurant where every table has a different design and setting. One of the dining rooms called “El Cuarto de las Solteronas (The Spinster’s Corner ) is decorated with 365 distinct statues of St. Anthony set upside down. The belief is that if you stand this saint on his head and pray really hard, you’ll get a husband! El Altar de las Conversaciones (The Altar of Conversation) is a communal table decorated as an altar.
Leaving Morelia the following day on our way to Patzcuaro, we stopped briefly in the village of Tzintzuntzan to visit an ongoing bazaar then on to Ranchero La Mesa, located on the San Jose Plateau and surrounded by a forest of pine, willow, and oyamel trees (a fir tree sometimes called Sacred Fir due to the use of its cut foliage in religious festivals in Mexico) coupled with a magnificent view of Patzcuaro and the lake of the same name, Lake Patzcuaro. The outdoor restaurant-bar serves delicious dishes such as fish, rabbit, turkey, chicken, beef and their specialty, ostrich, which is grown at the Ranchero. On the way down from the plateau we a stopped in Santa Clara del Cobre to visit a Copper factory to see a demonstration at the foundry of pots/pans/etc. being formed. I noticed the foundry foreman had a sling/cast on his left arm – when I asked how many injuries occur in the foundry he said very few to none during his 15+ years. Asked what happened to his arm, he “sheepishly” admitted he‘d been trimming a large tree in the courtyard and fell out of the tree.
Finally arriving in Pátzcuaro we checked into the hotel, then toured the teinda being setup in the main square. Pátzcuaro, which means "city of stones" in the Purepecha language, is a city and its surrounding Municipalities in the central part of the Mexican state . Its early inhabitants believed Pátzcuaro to be the doorway to heaven where the gods ascended and descended.
Pátzcuaro is hidden high in the mountains of Michoacán at 7130 feet of elevation. It is veiled from the outside world by a curtain of high fir trees and Oyamel trees. To the north is Lake Pátzcuaro one of Mexico's highest lakes. The butterfly fishermen who dip their nets into the lake in search of whitefish, have become a trademark of Pátzcuaro.
The Dance of the Viejitos (Old Men), one of the best and most widely known native dances of Mexico, is presented in the Plaza Grande on weekends. The dancers wear wooden masks that depict smiling old men to show that, at least in Mexico, old age is not a time of listless despair, but rather a season to enjoy the fruits of life.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5219031765679231955
On day 5 we departed to Uruapan, a city and municipality in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The town and surroundings are world famous in part because of the great quantity of avocado farming and packaging, exported in large parts to the United States and other countries.
Uruapan is one of the oldest cities in Mexico. Its main natural attraction is the Cupatitzio River (dubbed "the river that sings"). The National Park Eduardo Ruiz is home of "La Rodilla del Diablo", the source of the river which courses through the city and out toward "La Tzaráracua" and "La Tzararacuita", waterfalls on the southern outskirts of the city, and flows eventually to the Pacific Ocean. Paricutín volcano emerged in the vicinity in 1943, scaring away much of the population.
Our arrival in Tonala was not in time for shopping so most had dinner and rested in their rooms. We left Tonala at noon the following day and arrived back in Puerto Vallarta with wonderful memories.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The ”Hurricane” That Never Was
WOW – the excitement! Schools closed down, kids reported a Hurricane on it’s way; Hotels were sandbagging their property for the expected surge; masking tape sales were reported at an all-time high (to protect from flying glass – what else!); visible whitecaps were on Banderas Bay, etc. The expected landfall – 11:00 PM in the evening.
We were sitting on our pool deck supervising 6 Niño’s who were swimming as our guests, when all of a sudden this news descended on us almost like the light rain that was falling all around us. Dolores went to check the internet and could not find any threatening news of a pending hurricane; but, wondered if we should take precautions. Even with my pooh-poohing, all the pool deck furniture was immediately stacked and stored protectively as the Niño’s finished their swim.
The fear-factor and excitement seemed to create visual white-caps in the Bay and I went upstairs to the condo to check on storm warnings, etc. Nada! My “WeatherBug programs’ wind-gauge was indicating 6 mph wind from the WNW and a 30% chance of rain, mañana. Hmmmm! During all this research I could hear Dolores moving about the condo, some scuffling sounds, some minor mumbling under the breath; however, I stayed focused and finally discovered a tropical storm 160 miles south of us that had reached landfall south of Manzanillo and created some damage. Going to the living room to pass this along to Dolores I found what all the sounds had been about – everything (all but one item) that had been outside was now happily residing inside the condominium. The one exception was the 8 foot tall, 500# Multi-lens art object. And guess what, with the help of our security guard, Dolores giving direction and with my to-be sore back it was moved to its inside location with me protesting all the way. Our Administrator dropped by for a discussion on an upcoming paint project and said positively the storm was already at the far reaches of the bay and would be here at the already dreaded hour of 11:00 PM. When I said “but”… Dolores issued a stern warning (category 2 on the stern warning scale) and suggested I sit down and stop trying to put down everything with the info that the wind was only 5 mph…
Now what to do – wait for the boom to be lowered at the expected hour – 11:00 PM. All the locals were waiting outside for the event. At 11 PM sharp – the rain had stopped and the wing gauge indicated a positive 4 mph WNW. Hmmmm, Hmmmm. What next – more time? At 12:30 AM I turned off the computer (3mph WNW) and went to bed. What do you think I said to my wide awake spouse? You guessed it, Good Night , dear! I’m learning.
Arising early at 9:00 AM I busily moved half the indoors back outdoor and made coffee. Dolores arose at 10:00 AM saying she had stayed awake till 5;00 AM guarding our safety from the wind that never was. At least the kids got another day off from school and the stores had a positive day selling all their stocks of masking tape… and my neighbor and I got to wrestle the 500# monster back to its outside living quarters. WOW again!
We were sitting on our pool deck supervising 6 Niño’s who were swimming as our guests, when all of a sudden this news descended on us almost like the light rain that was falling all around us. Dolores went to check the internet and could not find any threatening news of a pending hurricane; but, wondered if we should take precautions. Even with my pooh-poohing, all the pool deck furniture was immediately stacked and stored protectively as the Niño’s finished their swim.
The fear-factor and excitement seemed to create visual white-caps in the Bay and I went upstairs to the condo to check on storm warnings, etc. Nada! My “WeatherBug programs’ wind-gauge was indicating 6 mph wind from the WNW and a 30% chance of rain, mañana. Hmmmm! During all this research I could hear Dolores moving about the condo, some scuffling sounds, some minor mumbling under the breath; however, I stayed focused and finally discovered a tropical storm 160 miles south of us that had reached landfall south of Manzanillo and created some damage. Going to the living room to pass this along to Dolores I found what all the sounds had been about – everything (all but one item) that had been outside was now happily residing inside the condominium. The one exception was the 8 foot tall, 500# Multi-lens art object. And guess what, with the help of our security guard, Dolores giving direction and with my to-be sore back it was moved to its inside location with me protesting all the way. Our Administrator dropped by for a discussion on an upcoming paint project and said positively the storm was already at the far reaches of the bay and would be here at the already dreaded hour of 11:00 PM. When I said “but”… Dolores issued a stern warning (category 2 on the stern warning scale) and suggested I sit down and stop trying to put down everything with the info that the wind was only 5 mph…
Now what to do – wait for the boom to be lowered at the expected hour – 11:00 PM. All the locals were waiting outside for the event. At 11 PM sharp – the rain had stopped and the wing gauge indicated a positive 4 mph WNW. Hmmmm, Hmmmm. What next – more time? At 12:30 AM I turned off the computer (3mph WNW) and went to bed. What do you think I said to my wide awake spouse? You guessed it, Good Night , dear! I’m learning.
Arising early at 9:00 AM I busily moved half the indoors back outdoor and made coffee. Dolores arose at 10:00 AM saying she had stayed awake till 5;00 AM guarding our safety from the wind that never was. At least the kids got another day off from school and the stores had a positive day selling all their stocks of masking tape… and my neighbor and I got to wrestle the 500# monster back to its outside living quarters. WOW again!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Pressures Off – Again
Dolores’ Essence of Cuisine Cooking School last “Open Class” was held on the 7th with a normal attendance of students, great for this time of the season, especially with the negative press in the US news media these days on the H1N1 scare - virtually “emptying the city, going and coming. There will possibly be a few “Private Classes” classes in the offing; but, the 2008/2009 season ended very successfully with last Thursday’s Asian-Mexican Fusion Theme.
One of the surprises with this class was the inaugural use of our just installed 2 Ton BTU Mini-Split Air-Conditioner system. WOW! What a difference for the students, the teacher, and most of all, yours truly – the dishwasher. The weather had just “turned”, hot and humid, and it performed beautifully. And then, the biggest surprise.
The local publication, “VALLARTA Lifestyles” (virtualvallarta.com) has just published their Spring-Summer 2009 Issue featuring the annual “Best Of” edition. This issue is dedicated to showcasing the best of Puerto Vallarta. To quote directly from their Editorial, “We have taken into account the many tips we receive throughout the year from readers of our publications, along with contributions from our editorial staff….Behind every innovation we’ve encountered over the past few months lies the enthusiasm and creativity of a person, group of people or business enterprise who firmly believe in Puerto Vallarta as a place worth visiting, preserving, living and investing in, effectively making the best of Puerto Vallarta.” Within the magazine the editorial staff put together, “The Best of Vallarta 2009”, highlighting, quote, …some of the exceptional reasons Puerto Vallarta remains a fabulous place to live and to visit. The Categories include (in order), Food and Dining, Non-Profit, Public Improvement, Green Environment, Sport and Activities, Arts and Entertainment, and All Around. To make a long story shorter, under Food and Dining/Best New Trend For Food Enthusiasts - Micro Cooking Schools, Essence of Cuisine was the first of four such schools listed.
Now we get to relax, plan for next year, read our books, visit with our neighbors and friends before returning to the “North” in August. At the moment “tourism” is at a standstill. The streets are essentially empty (many parking spaces), restaurants have been closing early, theaters and schools are still not open, and the last two trips north past the airport to Home Depot have been almost eerie to see no airplanes on the ground. Since Puerto Vallarta has had no cases of H1N1 (formerly known as the swine flu) and the state of Jalisco, which includes Guadalajara, a city of several million, has only had 3 verified cases, I believe Mexico is being scapegoted. In other words, as headlined in a local pub, “Pigs Are Getting A Bum Rap.”
One of the surprises with this class was the inaugural use of our just installed 2 Ton BTU Mini-Split Air-Conditioner system. WOW! What a difference for the students, the teacher, and most of all, yours truly – the dishwasher. The weather had just “turned”, hot and humid, and it performed beautifully. And then, the biggest surprise.
The local publication, “VALLARTA Lifestyles” (virtualvallarta.com) has just published their Spring-Summer 2009 Issue featuring the annual “Best Of” edition. This issue is dedicated to showcasing the best of Puerto Vallarta. To quote directly from their Editorial, “We have taken into account the many tips we receive throughout the year from readers of our publications, along with contributions from our editorial staff….Behind every innovation we’ve encountered over the past few months lies the enthusiasm and creativity of a person, group of people or business enterprise who firmly believe in Puerto Vallarta as a place worth visiting, preserving, living and investing in, effectively making the best of Puerto Vallarta.” Within the magazine the editorial staff put together, “The Best of Vallarta 2009”, highlighting, quote, …some of the exceptional reasons Puerto Vallarta remains a fabulous place to live and to visit. The Categories include (in order), Food and Dining, Non-Profit, Public Improvement, Green Environment, Sport and Activities, Arts and Entertainment, and All Around. To make a long story shorter, under Food and Dining/Best New Trend For Food Enthusiasts - Micro Cooking Schools, Essence of Cuisine was the first of four such schools listed.
Now we get to relax, plan for next year, read our books, visit with our neighbors and friends before returning to the “North” in August. At the moment “tourism” is at a standstill. The streets are essentially empty (many parking spaces), restaurants have been closing early, theaters and schools are still not open, and the last two trips north past the airport to Home Depot have been almost eerie to see no airplanes on the ground. Since Puerto Vallarta has had no cases of H1N1 (formerly known as the swine flu) and the state of Jalisco, which includes Guadalajara, a city of several million, has only had 3 verified cases, I believe Mexico is being scapegoted. In other words, as headlined in a local pub, “Pigs Are Getting A Bum Rap.”
Sunday, March 29, 2009
More Travels in Mexico
Inland to Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende, León, and Tonala
Last year, Dolores’ brother and his wife, Jose and Stephanie, joined us on a trip to Mexico’s central region which was in the reverse order of this year’s re-visit. It was a first for the four of us and was a memorable experience not to be forgotten. This year we re-joined Roberta Valdez, Director of Alegre Events, her assistant Patty and 36 other travelers to explore the “heartland of Mexico” and some of Central Mexico’s so called “colonial cities.”
Our first stop, Guanajuato (the name means “place of frogs”), is one of Mexico’s most beautifully preserved colonial cities. Located at the bottom of a scenic canyon it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Leafy plazas, narrow, flowered, walking streets, and ornate mansions are the charm of this city. Attempting to understand Guanajuato’s narrow streets is an impossible task for the visitor. The streets simply follow the dictates of the terrain instead of a logical grid pattern. Traffic going west to east uses an antiquated tunnel which follows the original path of the Guanajuato River under the city. Little more than illumination and paving stones were used to turn the main tunnel into a traffic artery. A confusing network of subsidiary tunnels were added to alleviate heavy traffic. The cities layout was never intended to accommodate automobiles. The best way to check out the city is on foot along the narrow cobblestone streets, which lead to plazas and small squares. All this adds to the overall charm of this city. Our two-night stay was at a historic hotel off the centrally located Jardin Union, a park with an old fashioned, romantic atmosphere shaded by Indian laurel trees, and planted with flowers of all colors. This park has old fashioned lampposts, tiled, tree shaded walkways, outdoor cafes and a band shell for musical performances. You can see a group of Tunas (traditional university music group) traveling through the streets singing to the crowds. These colorful groups have their origins many centuries ago and the clothing (called "cricket" in Spanish) is derived from that of Iberian students of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Jardin Union
Tuna Monument
While most of the travelers went on a guided walking tour of Guanajuato (been there-done that) the next morning, Dolores and I descended from our “lofty” hotel room (5th floor straight-up) for a leisurely breakfast. We ordered egg omelets with a variety of different ingredients, i.e., onions, peppers, bacon, cheese. It arrived all cooked together, circular and flat, or as I’m often inclined to say, “stomped-on.” Contrary to its visual appearance it was tasty. Finishing our leisure breakfast san any company other than the waitress who I think also doubled as busgirl, and most likely cook, we departed the hotel to stroll about the narrow streets, exploring stores, discovering a wonderful candy emporium near the square, a purse store, the opulent Teatro Juarez (very European in appearance), and the Church of San Diego. We sat in the park and watched the strollers then eventually went back to our hotel and climbed “the stairways to the stars” to take a mid-day nap.
That evening we joined the rest of our group at the park, boarded taxis to take us to our planned restaurant, a beautiful hotel/restaurant with an unsurpassed overview of the city. Roberta, our tour director, had arranged for a private seating for the 20+ persons in our party. As drinks were being ordered I became a little concerned when ordering a vodka martini I saw my waiter furrow his forehead, write down the order then consult the floor manager standing close by. His question was “do they use vodka in martinis?” When the waiter returned with our drinks (late) we immediately placed our order and asked for separate checks by couple around the table. With a very perplexed face he again conferred with the floor manager and disappeared. While many of the other couples were conferring over the menu as to what they wanted to feast upon, our food arrived along with the drink order and Dolores and I enjoyed a satisfying meal. I watched as others received the main course before the appetizer, or the appetizer and no main course, or nothing… Eventually, when the bill was requested we received ours immediately while the waiter toured the remainder of the guests asking what they had for dinner. Just another reminder about being proactive while traveling! We went out to the veranda and enjoyed the view while the others settled there affairs.
Leaving Guanajuato after two nights we traveled to Dolores Hidalgo (known in Mexico as The Cradle of National independence). On September 15, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla of Dolores gave the venerated Grito de Dolores(cry for freedom) , a proclamation that first declared Mexico’s freedom from Spain and ignited the 11 year war for independence. The statue of Hidalgo stands in the main square where vendors on each corner hawk their wares under square trimmed trees. Not the least among them are the various ice cream vendors with not only traditional flavors; but, exotic flavors such as Tequila, Beer, Pulque, Watermelon, Corn, Mole, Rose, Beet, Shrimp, etc. As we motored (?) around the square our guides and hosts were kept busy taking and filling orders from our fellow travelers. Did I get exotic…pistachio…I’d already tried Tequila from our last visit.
Father Hidalgo started the local tradition of making ceramics here, and today the town is famous for the Talavera Ceramics (pottery). We stopped at both ends of town to allow the shoppers there time to perform! The magnificent Independence Monument can be seen through the bus window.
Continuing from Dolores Hidalgo we arrived in the PM at San Miguel de Allende. Historically, this town is where local born Ignacio Allende and Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla planned the original uprising that led to the War of independence. As we arrived a scenic outlook gave us a wonderful overview of the town spread out and filling a bowl-shaped valley, dominated by the multispired parish church, La Parroquia. The many bright red and orange facades of the buildings added a Disneyesque touch to the overview
.
Because of its location, San Miguel’s weather is warm and dry most of the year. Winter nights can be chilly and we experienced one of those nights on our second day. High winds coupled with 50 degree temperatures made most of us grateful we had brought jackets and sweaters. The inn that we stayed at was roomy and comfortable and approximately a 5-8 minute trip to the main plaza. Shaded by laurel trees, it’s a great place to relax and observe the local scene. La Parroquia is located at this plaza. Most of the cities attractions are within easy walking distance and San Miguel shoes are sold by several stores near the plaza. Why would I mention San Miguel shoes – Dolores would have to answer that since she owns 30+pairs and purchased three more styles
Can I have them all?
The first evening Roberta took us to a 275 acre development only 2.5kms. from San Miguel de Allende named Los Senderos. Even our driver had to search for the location, but after a couple false starts he located the street and then the entrance. The coach cleared the security gates by barely inches then we proceeded along a primitive but graveled road with three jack-rabbits leading the way. This secure parkland includes a 10,000 square foot winery, an Equestrian Center, planned home sites, event facilities, a Thermal Spa - and a Bistro, our designation for the evening. They grow much of their food in gardens adjacent to the bistro which are surrounded by electrified fencing to keep the jack rabbits and other local animals at bay. The menu had been preplanned due to the large size of our group and the food, wine, and warm evening were superb. This place is a must repeat!
Los Senderos -The Bistro
And the Gardens
A fellow Matador
Last year, Dolores’ brother and his wife, Jose and Stephanie, joined us on a trip to Mexico’s central region which was in the reverse order of this year’s re-visit. It was a first for the four of us and was a memorable experience not to be forgotten. This year we re-joined Roberta Valdez, Director of Alegre Events, her assistant Patty and 36 other travelers to explore the “heartland of Mexico” and some of Central Mexico’s so called “colonial cities.”
Our first stop, Guanajuato (the name means “place of frogs”), is one of Mexico’s most beautifully preserved colonial cities. Located at the bottom of a scenic canyon it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Leafy plazas, narrow, flowered, walking streets, and ornate mansions are the charm of this city. Attempting to understand Guanajuato’s narrow streets is an impossible task for the visitor. The streets simply follow the dictates of the terrain instead of a logical grid pattern. Traffic going west to east uses an antiquated tunnel which follows the original path of the Guanajuato River under the city. Little more than illumination and paving stones were used to turn the main tunnel into a traffic artery. A confusing network of subsidiary tunnels were added to alleviate heavy traffic. The cities layout was never intended to accommodate automobiles. The best way to check out the city is on foot along the narrow cobblestone streets, which lead to plazas and small squares. All this adds to the overall charm of this city. Our two-night stay was at a historic hotel off the centrally located Jardin Union, a park with an old fashioned, romantic atmosphere shaded by Indian laurel trees, and planted with flowers of all colors. This park has old fashioned lampposts, tiled, tree shaded walkways, outdoor cafes and a band shell for musical performances. You can see a group of Tunas (traditional university music group) traveling through the streets singing to the crowds. These colorful groups have their origins many centuries ago and the clothing (called "cricket" in Spanish) is derived from that of Iberian students of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Jardin Union Tuna MonumentWhile most of the travelers went on a guided walking tour of Guanajuato (been there-done that) the next morning, Dolores and I descended from our “lofty” hotel room (5th floor straight-up) for a leisurely breakfast. We ordered egg omelets with a variety of different ingredients, i.e., onions, peppers, bacon, cheese. It arrived all cooked together, circular and flat, or as I’m often inclined to say, “stomped-on.” Contrary to its visual appearance it was tasty. Finishing our leisure breakfast san any company other than the waitress who I think also doubled as busgirl, and most likely cook, we departed the hotel to stroll about the narrow streets, exploring stores, discovering a wonderful candy emporium near the square, a purse store, the opulent Teatro Juarez (very European in appearance), and the Church of San Diego. We sat in the park and watched the strollers then eventually went back to our hotel and climbed “the stairways to the stars” to take a mid-day nap.
That evening we joined the rest of our group at the park, boarded taxis to take us to our planned restaurant, a beautiful hotel/restaurant with an unsurpassed overview of the city. Roberta, our tour director, had arranged for a private seating for the 20+ persons in our party. As drinks were being ordered I became a little concerned when ordering a vodka martini I saw my waiter furrow his forehead, write down the order then consult the floor manager standing close by. His question was “do they use vodka in martinis?” When the waiter returned with our drinks (late) we immediately placed our order and asked for separate checks by couple around the table. With a very perplexed face he again conferred with the floor manager and disappeared. While many of the other couples were conferring over the menu as to what they wanted to feast upon, our food arrived along with the drink order and Dolores and I enjoyed a satisfying meal. I watched as others received the main course before the appetizer, or the appetizer and no main course, or nothing… Eventually, when the bill was requested we received ours immediately while the waiter toured the remainder of the guests asking what they had for dinner. Just another reminder about being proactive while traveling! We went out to the veranda and enjoyed the view while the others settled there affairs.
Leaving Guanajuato after two nights we traveled to Dolores Hidalgo (known in Mexico as The Cradle of National independence). On September 15, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla of Dolores gave the venerated Grito de Dolores(cry for freedom) , a proclamation that first declared Mexico’s freedom from Spain and ignited the 11 year war for independence. The statue of Hidalgo stands in the main square where vendors on each corner hawk their wares under square trimmed trees. Not the least among them are the various ice cream vendors with not only traditional flavors; but, exotic flavors such as Tequila, Beer, Pulque, Watermelon, Corn, Mole, Rose, Beet, Shrimp, etc. As we motored (?) around the square our guides and hosts were kept busy taking and filling orders from our fellow travelers. Did I get exotic…pistachio…I’d already tried Tequila from our last visit.
Father Hidalgo started the local tradition of making ceramics here, and today the town is famous for the Talavera Ceramics (pottery). We stopped at both ends of town to allow the shoppers there time to perform! The magnificent Independence Monument can be seen through the bus window.
Continuing from Dolores Hidalgo we arrived in the PM at San Miguel de Allende. Historically, this town is where local born Ignacio Allende and Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla planned the original uprising that led to the War of independence. As we arrived a scenic outlook gave us a wonderful overview of the town spread out and filling a bowl-shaped valley, dominated by the multispired parish church, La Parroquia. The many bright red and orange facades of the buildings added a Disneyesque touch to the overview
.Because of its location, San Miguel’s weather is warm and dry most of the year. Winter nights can be chilly and we experienced one of those nights on our second day. High winds coupled with 50 degree temperatures made most of us grateful we had brought jackets and sweaters. The inn that we stayed at was roomy and comfortable and approximately a 5-8 minute trip to the main plaza. Shaded by laurel trees, it’s a great place to relax and observe the local scene. La Parroquia is located at this plaza. Most of the cities attractions are within easy walking distance and San Miguel shoes are sold by several stores near the plaza. Why would I mention San Miguel shoes – Dolores would have to answer that since she owns 30+pairs and purchased three more styles
while there – she is giving Imelda Marcos a run for the money.
Imelda Competition
Can I have them all?The first evening Roberta took us to a 275 acre development only 2.5kms. from San Miguel de Allende named Los Senderos. Even our driver had to search for the location, but after a couple false starts he located the street and then the entrance. The coach cleared the security gates by barely inches then we proceeded along a primitive but graveled road with three jack-rabbits leading the way. This secure parkland includes a 10,000 square foot winery, an Equestrian Center, planned home sites, event facilities, a Thermal Spa - and a Bistro, our designation for the evening. They grow much of their food in gardens adjacent to the bistro which are surrounded by electrified fencing to keep the jack rabbits and other local animals at bay. The menu had been preplanned due to the large size of our group and the food, wine, and warm evening were superb. This place is a must repeat!
Los Senderos -The Bistro
And the GardensThe next day I accompanied Dolores, Ruth and daughter Elaine to discover San Miguel shoes and the purchases mentioned earlier. Dolores was not feeling her normal 100 percent so we left San Miguel shopping to the capable hands of the mother-daughter team and returned to the hotel for relaxing. Later that evening, at Dolores insistence, I re-joined Ruth and Elaine for a special dinner of venison at Nirvanas, an outstanding restaurant with a courtyard and a nicely decorated inside lounge/dining room. The venison is farmed in Mexico and was excellent. Seeing Roberta just before I left for dinner I asked if she would check on Dolores later in the evening. When I returned I found that she had ordered hot chicken soup, rolls and tea, brought it to Dolores then spent dinner with her in our room. WOW! Way above and beyond. .
After two evenings in San Miguel we departed in the AM for Tonala (Guadalajara) via León which is the fifth most populous city in Mexico. It has a strong leather industry, offering shoes, boots, belts, jackets, and other leather accessories both to national and international markets. It is also called the “footwear” capital of Mexico and has excellent prices. In the 1 ½ hours we were allowed to shop I managed three pairs of shoes, two leather belts and a camera case, while Dolores added two more pursues to her collection. Many of our fellow travelers did as well – or much better. We then went to lunch at the notorious Panteon Taurino restaurant. This fun restaurant was started by three retired matadors, is designed like a bull ring, the granite tables are like gravestones with the names of famous bull-fighters and the bull who “won.” The food is wonderful and after several tequilas they get the “braver” patrons to get on stage and act like matadors. I was under the table…lol.
After two evenings in San Miguel we departed in the AM for Tonala (Guadalajara) via León which is the fifth most populous city in Mexico. It has a strong leather industry, offering shoes, boots, belts, jackets, and other leather accessories both to national and international markets. It is also called the “footwear” capital of Mexico and has excellent prices. In the 1 ½ hours we were allowed to shop I managed three pairs of shoes, two leather belts and a camera case, while Dolores added two more pursues to her collection. Many of our fellow travelers did as well – or much better. We then went to lunch at the notorious Panteon Taurino restaurant. This fun restaurant was started by three retired matadors, is designed like a bull ring, the granite tables are like gravestones with the names of famous bull-fighters and the bull who “won.” The food is wonderful and after several tequilas they get the “braver” patrons to get on stage and act like matadors. I was under the table…lol.
A fellow MatadorAfter lunch we departed for Tonala, checked into our hotel and went shopping for “whatever each traveler had to have? Dolores needed some additional dishes to add to our cooking school collection; however, the evening was late, most of the stores had closed, and we had to wait until morning. With an early wakeup, and a quick breakfast at our favorite cantina, we were able to make all our purchases, have them packed and delivered to our hotel for loading onto the coach, with minutes to spare! Departure was a 12:00 PM with arrival back in Puerto Vallarta at
Decision/Decision/Decision
Roberta always brings a DVD series along to show on the bus video system. This time it was the first two seasons of the HBO series “Rome.” This was a great distraction to the long bus ride.
Another adventure concluded with abundant smiles by all!
approximately 6:00 PM.
Decision/Decision/DecisionRoberta always brings a DVD series along to show on the bus video system. This time it was the first two seasons of the HBO series “Rome.” This was a great distraction to the long bus ride.
Another adventure concluded with abundant smiles by all!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
More Roaming in the State of Jalisco
A Mystery Trip to Mayto, Jalisco, Mexico
We have a small gourmet group who get together every two months to enjoy fine food and each others company. The group started out eight strong, but due to many commitments and other demands on each person’s time it has now stabilized at three couples. Last year one of the couples, Earl and Carole, introduced a new theme, for want of a better name, called “mystery trips.” These trips are normally overnighters to an interesting location that features fascinating scenery, fun activities and good food.
This seasons trip took us to a beautiful, unspoiled location that Dolores and I have wanted to visit for several seasons – Mayto, located just north of Tehuamixtle on the Costalegre, Jal., MX. Our destination, the Hotel Mayto, is located on a tremendous pristine beach that seemingly goes on forever.
The early departure was thwarted by the Immigration presentation at the IFC (International Friendship Club) on volunteering and other impacts to persons holding FMT, FM-3 or other form of non-immigration visas. As a result our departure was delayed to just before Thursday noon. After picking up and loading the two other couples we headed south towards El Tuito. Our drive along MX200, while very beautiful, averaged about 20 mph with the heavy traffic coupled with the Mexican aversion to Topes (speed bumps). You can almost do lunch waiting for the car ahead to traverse more than a couple of simultaneous topes. We continued approximately 2K past El Tuito to the newly remodeled Rancho Altamira for lunch. This property has been recently reopened after an extensive remodeling. The grounds are beautiful, including the man made bass lake, paved roads and restaurant. The menu has been revised and a new chef presides. Our waiter, Frai, was an aquaintence from the Botanical Gardens. The remodeling is ongoing to enventually grow into a full scale resort.
Returning to El Tuito, we turned at the “Mayto” sign, traveled into town and at the end of the plaza, turned left and began the 43K trip to Mayto. Part of the road is paved, while the rest is an “improved” dirt road. Approximately half-way, we turned right at the schoolyard in the village of Llano Grande then continued straight until we saw the signage for the turn to Hotel Mayto. Another 100 yards further and we were there –the hotel, the swimming pool, and, the beach.
Having arrived at mid-week, we were able to select from the best rooms since no one else was in residence.. The grounds are beautiful with a large swimming pool, wadding-pool, and restaurant. Some of the group took short naps, some dozed while reading on the room verandas and others went to the beach to read and put bare feet into the sand. We reconnected at approximately 5:30 PM and decided to travel a short distance to the next town, Tehua, and eat at the appropriately named Tehua Café, which featured, among other delicacies, a two Lobster dinner for $180 pesos. You arrive at this quaint fishing village at the top of a cliff, overlooking the harbor and miscellaneous boats, fishing ponga’s, cabin-cruisers, sailing boats, etc. It looks like a cutout picture of the French Riviera. Water colores are by artist Bill Paarlberg.
Coming down the road to the village entrance you stay left through the massive welcoming arches and proceed downward, straight through town, to the waterfront. We were just in time to watch the locals returning in their boats from fishing. Entering the Tehua Café the owners eyes lit up when she saw 6 persons entering her empty cafe. We were welcomed, quickly seated with the prime view, and presented with the menu. Most of us ordered what we came for - the lobster dinner. Dolores added a breaded shrimp plate as an hors d’oeuvre. It was a magnificent meal and the perfect way to put an exclamation mark on the mystery trip’s first day. We finally departed from the Café (the complete town seemed to have gone to bed) and safely groped our way through the dark back to Hotel Mayto to complete the evening.
The next day was spent exploring the beach, watching the tidal pools for the many different life forms, swimming, reading, and munching goodies from the restaurant. Our leader went and rented an ATV and went exploring the bay, some 8-10K long. Upon returning, the rest of us (couples) took time to also drive several kilometers down the beach looking for whatever. One sad sight was the carcass and shell of a turtle which had obviously died on the beach. This was the first time on the beach with an ATV for Dolores and I and Cal and Virginia. It was a fun and exciting thing to do.
All to soon in the afternoon we gathered up our goodies, loaded the car and headed back to Puerto Vallarta. We stopped in the main square of El Tuito for a much needed “nature call”, rushing into the courthouse then nonchalantly studying the displayed photo murals as if that had been our original intent, then departed to search for a place to refresh the “hungries.“ After searching El Tuito for a newly reported restaurant and failing, we headed back to Puerto Vallarta and stopped at the Linda Mar beach club and had a happy hour repast. Later we all parted in “Old Town” ready to grab a well deserved spot on our favorite piece of furniture and begin planning the next event.
We have a small gourmet group who get together every two months to enjoy fine food and each others company. The group started out eight strong, but due to many commitments and other demands on each person’s time it has now stabilized at three couples. Last year one of the couples, Earl and Carole, introduced a new theme, for want of a better name, called “mystery trips.” These trips are normally overnighters to an interesting location that features fascinating scenery, fun activities and good food.
This seasons trip took us to a beautiful, unspoiled location that Dolores and I have wanted to visit for several seasons – Mayto, located just north of Tehuamixtle on the Costalegre, Jal., MX. Our destination, the Hotel Mayto, is located on a tremendous pristine beach that seemingly goes on forever.
The early departure was thwarted by the Immigration presentation at the IFC (International Friendship Club) on volunteering and other impacts to persons holding FMT, FM-3 or other form of non-immigration visas. As a result our departure was delayed to just before Thursday noon. After picking up and loading the two other couples we headed south towards El Tuito. Our drive along MX200, while very beautiful, averaged about 20 mph with the heavy traffic coupled with the Mexican aversion to Topes (speed bumps). You can almost do lunch waiting for the car ahead to traverse more than a couple of simultaneous topes. We continued approximately 2K past El Tuito to the newly remodeled Rancho Altamira for lunch. This property has been recently reopened after an extensive remodeling. The grounds are beautiful, including the man made bass lake, paved roads and restaurant. The menu has been revised and a new chef presides. Our waiter, Frai, was an aquaintence from the Botanical Gardens. The remodeling is ongoing to enventually grow into a full scale resort.
Returning to El Tuito, we turned at the “Mayto” sign, traveled into town and at the end of the plaza, turned left and began the 43K trip to Mayto. Part of the road is paved, while the rest is an “improved” dirt road. Approximately half-way, we turned right at the schoolyard in the village of Llano Grande then continued straight until we saw the signage for the turn to Hotel Mayto. Another 100 yards further and we were there –the hotel, the swimming pool, and, the beach.
Having arrived at mid-week, we were able to select from the best rooms since no one else was in residence.. The grounds are beautiful with a large swimming pool, wadding-pool, and restaurant. Some of the group took short naps, some dozed while reading on the room verandas and others went to the beach to read and put bare feet into the sand. We reconnected at approximately 5:30 PM and decided to travel a short distance to the next town, Tehua, and eat at the appropriately named Tehua Café, which featured, among other delicacies, a two Lobster dinner for $180 pesos. You arrive at this quaint fishing village at the top of a cliff, overlooking the harbor and miscellaneous boats, fishing ponga’s, cabin-cruisers, sailing boats, etc. It looks like a cutout picture of the French Riviera. Water colores are by artist Bill Paarlberg.
Coming down the road to the village entrance you stay left through the massive welcoming arches and proceed downward, straight through town, to the waterfront. We were just in time to watch the locals returning in their boats from fishing. Entering the Tehua Café the owners eyes lit up when she saw 6 persons entering her empty cafe. We were welcomed, quickly seated with the prime view, and presented with the menu. Most of us ordered what we came for - the lobster dinner. Dolores added a breaded shrimp plate as an hors d’oeuvre. It was a magnificent meal and the perfect way to put an exclamation mark on the mystery trip’s first day. We finally departed from the Café (the complete town seemed to have gone to bed) and safely groped our way through the dark back to Hotel Mayto to complete the evening.
The next day was spent exploring the beach, watching the tidal pools for the many different life forms, swimming, reading, and munching goodies from the restaurant. Our leader went and rented an ATV and went exploring the bay, some 8-10K long. Upon returning, the rest of us (couples) took time to also drive several kilometers down the beach looking for whatever. One sad sight was the carcass and shell of a turtle which had obviously died on the beach. This was the first time on the beach with an ATV for Dolores and I and Cal and Virginia. It was a fun and exciting thing to do.
All to soon in the afternoon we gathered up our goodies, loaded the car and headed back to Puerto Vallarta. We stopped in the main square of El Tuito for a much needed “nature call”, rushing into the courthouse then nonchalantly studying the displayed photo murals as if that had been our original intent, then departed to search for a place to refresh the “hungries.“ After searching El Tuito for a newly reported restaurant and failing, we headed back to Puerto Vallarta and stopped at the Linda Mar beach club and had a happy hour repast. Later we all parted in “Old Town” ready to grab a well deserved spot on our favorite piece of furniture and begin planning the next event.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Mexico City with “Make a Wish Mexico”
A group of 36 intrepid travelers from Puerto Vallarta joined with Roberta Valdez of “Make a Wish Mexico” to fly to Mexico City to begin a 6 day bus whirlwind tour of Taxco, Cuernavaca, Puebla-Cholula, then return to Mexico City to honor a wish from a very special young boy.
The first day we gathered together at the Mexico City airport (travelers arrived on one of two flights, boarded our beautiful private coach and departed for Taxco, a silver-shoppers” paradise. Arriving at approximately 8:00 PM, the “real” adventure began.
Taxco streets in the center of the town are so narrow that a coach or large truck cannot navigate, so an amazing solution has been devised – Volkswagen “Bug” taxis modified to exclude the front passenger seat for easy in-out thereby limiting the passengers from 2-3 depending on certain girths, swarmed all over the streets. They were like busy working bees buzzing the hive with a few VW Combi’s acting as buses. Our coach was parked near the outskirts of town, our luggage was offloaded into a pickup, we were loaded 2-3 at a time into one of the VW Bugs which quickly deposited us at our hotel, the Agua Escondida. This hotel is a historic house from the eighteenth century and is the only hotel located right at the 'zocalo' so every attraction in Taxco is within walking distance. You get a wonderful picture of the city from the many terraces.
After a quick and efficient check-in organized by Roberta Valdez, most of us returned to the “streets” to do some intro silver shopping, then to various restaurants to satisfy our hunger. Many of us found an establishment within two blocks of the hotel which provided roof-top dining overlooking the ‘zocalo’ and the beautiful Santa Prisa Cathedral. The next morning we enjoyed a quick breakfast at the hotel restaurant and hit the streets to discover silver treasure and bargains.At 3:00 PM we departed the hotel for Mexico City via a short stop in Cuernavaca. On the way to Taxco the previous day we had noticed the many roadside stands featuring roses o
f many colors. The coach driver had been asked to stop at one of the stands as we traveled to Cuernavca. Image the surprise to the vendors as a large custom coach from Mexico City stopped just past their location and some 25-30 persons rushed up to negotiate purchases. With Valentines day coming quickly I was able to purchase a beautiful bouquet of tightly budded pastel pink roses for my wife Dolores – 5 dozen long stem beauties. You read correctly, 5 dozen, and I got back change from 100 pesos. How’s that for a Valentines day bouquet guys? (Note – when we left our hotel 4 days later they had just began to open, no more than ½ way). They were left for the maid to enjoy.Entering Cuernavaca our first stop was the main Cathedral. Cuernavaca is the Capital City of the State of Morelos, Mexico. It is famous for its spring-like climate and lush vegetation year-round and is also known world-wide as "The City of Eternal Spring.
The Main Cathedral or Assumption's Franciscan Ex-Convent is an amazing architectonic complex formed by an atrium surrounded by tall "battlemented" walls. The Cathedral has been remodeled in the last 20 years and murals depicting the martyrdom of St. Felipe de Jesus were found all along both sides of the walls. There are also some interesting original paintings which date back to the XVII century. In the same complex are found the Chapel of San Jose, The Chapel of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, the Chapel of Carmen as well as the Temple of Tercer Orden. Also close by is the Palace of Cortes or Cuauhnahuac Regional Museum. The Palace dates back from the colonial era, built in 1533 over a Aztec Temple. It served as the summer residence of the conqueror Hernan Cortes and houses one of Mexico's finest museums.
From the Cathedral we taxied to the best gourmet Restaurant in town for dinner. This is a 5 star offering with beautifully visual gardens and lawns, with exotic birds and chattering monkeys roaming the beautiful tropical grounds of the colonial hacienda. The restaurant is known for its preparation of authentic Mexican and international dishes served on its covered and open-air terrace.
The food and service was superb! After dinner we taxied back to the Main Cathedral where our coach was waiting. Two of our travelers were fortunate (?) enough to get a rookie taxi driver who didn’t know the Cathedrals location and were able to practice their knowledge of Spanish while viewing every street and alleyway in that part of town before arriving to the coach 35 minutes late. Some of the wags on the coach suggested they might qualify for a guides license after their experience. An hour and one half later we were safely checked in to our location in Mexico City – the Hotel Emporio on Av Paseo Reforma.
The remainder of the trip was based in and from Mexico City. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at El Izote, owned and operated by Patricia Quintana, She is an acclaimed chef, teacher, and author who started Mexico City’s first culinary institute, penned over ten cookbooks, and continues to run the immensely popular Mexico City restaurant El Izote, named for the orchid-like flower of the yucca plant. She has traveled the world as an ambassador of Mexican cuisine, and was the executive chef for the Mexican Ministry of Tourism. The six “foodies” in our party thought the dinner was “out of this world” and were especially thrilled to meet with Patricia who spent several minutes talking with all of us!
Highlights of the days based in Mexico City include: 1) The Zocalo; National Palace (Diego Riveria Murals); 2) the Museum of Anthropology; 3) the Frida Kahlo Musseum; and, 4) San Angel Bazaar (major local art displays). Highlights out of the city included: 1) the Teotihuacan pyramids; 2) Cholula (where a wonderful pageant was being enacted-loudly with simulated gun-fire), and 3) Puebla
However, the major highlight of the Mexico City stay was the Make a Wish Mexico ceremony held Valentines Day, Saturday 14th, at the Focolare Restaurant, located in the Zona Rosa. A small cantina at the entrance offers relaxing after dinner aperitifs; however, immediately upon entering the main dinner/show you see the raised center stage, walls sponged in a sunny yellow, a sea of colorful basketry suspended from the rafters and a rooster that crows from his cage in a far corner of the room.
This was the venue where Ricardo Ortiz Cruz, a 11 year old boy who is a victim of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a very high risk illness due to his age., was granted his wishes by Roberta Valdez , joined by Edgar Martinez, Coordinator for Make a Wish Mexico.
Ricardo, accomplied by his mother, Felipa and a cousin of his age, live in Valle de Chalco, Mexico State, and was transferred to Mexico City, the previous day. This in spite of having been in the hospital for 22 days and having Chemo the day before. The family was provided accommodations courtesy of Hotel Emporio. It was very evident that Ricardo is a brave fighter from all his smiles, focused attention, and energy displayed during the festivities.
Ricardo, accomplied by his mother, Felipa and a cousin of his age, live in Valle de Chalco, Mexico State, and was transferred to Mexico City, the previous day. This in spite of having been in the hospital for 22 days and having Chemo the day before. The family was provided accommodations courtesy of Hotel Emporio. It was very evident that Ricardo is a brave fighter from all his smiles, focused attention, and energy displayed during the festivities.
His wish that was granted by Make a Wish included a Nintendo DS, Games, transportation to Mexico City, all thrir meals, special dinner show, and funds to go see a movie at a movie theater, and a special gift from our group to make their lives easier in the coming days.As we adjourned the festivities Ricardo solemnly shook hands and thanked each one of us. There weren’t many dry eyes in our group of travelers. I’m certain that this was one of the great days of his life and will give him hope and strength to continue fighting this illness.
Thank you, Make a Wish Mexico, Roberta, Delia, Edgar, Hotel Emporio, Focolare Restaurant, and fellow travelers. We’re all better as a result of this event and it will focus our memories of this trip for many years to come.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Roaming South in Jalisco
La Manzanilla, Melaque, and Bara De Navidad
On a trip last season we revisited a small Mexican town named La Manzanilla. When we ended the visit we reserved a two bedroom suite for three nights at our rented condo named Brisas del Mar . With the holidays over, our Essence of Cuisine Cooking School (EOC) going strong, we were fast approaching the reserved date for a revisit to La Manzanilla and a well deserved respite from the daily activities. We had asked our daughter Nicole to do a “mule” trip, bringing some much needed items from Seattle, even though she and a friend would be visiting us during the month of February for a visit to Mexico City. She arrived on the day of an EOC class, so she was able to visit with one of our condo owners who had just arrived from the frozen northland – Chicago.
The next morning, as agreed, we arose, finished the school cleanup, loaded the car and got our early start on the small vacation jaunt down Route 200 – MX. to La Manzanilla at 11:00 AM – well it is Mexico!
The highway is very good; but, curvy, so averaging around 40-45 mph for the 210 Km was the best we could do. After you travel through several small towns south of Puerto Vallarta and continue over some small mountains the road becomes straighter and you enter an Ecological zone known as Costa Alegre, or Cheerful Coast (sometimes known as Happy Coast). This starts near the village of Playa de Quemaro and continues for some 57 miles. Following MX 200 past many small and picturesque towns highlighted by many Topes (speed bumps), some indicated by a yellow graphic sign and others clearly marked by a few skid marks, we arrived at the Dolphin Statue indicating the turnoff to La Manzanila at approximately 2:30 PM. When you travel this route be cautious. There are now 4 Pemex Gas Stations in route, only two operable, 5 miles apart, with approximately 150 miles between. Not a problem going, but after traveling about in Melague, Bara de Navidad and other local sightseeing you might want to check your fuel load before returning to Puerto Vallarta.
Being without rains for several months La Manzanilla appears to be a small dusty Mexican Village without much to offer. Having been there three times over a period of 6-7 years previously it appears nothing much has change, then you notice that the main street is being paved with brick and the street around the square is undergoing preparation for the same treatment. Squeezing our way down the one-lane portion we turned just before we arrived at the village square (zócalo) and proceeded past the church and up the hillside to our place of lodging – Brisas del Mar. As agreed upon it was open and we proceeded inside to a magnificent view of the beautiful Tenacatita Bay. Not only was the view as wonderful as memory serves, the rooms were immaculate, cool, and I was able to commandeer one of the two lounges on the veranda. The place is screened, fans in every room, B/R air-conditioned, and the top floor is all recreation with kitchen, refrigerator, Baños, large lounges, table/chairs and laundry facilities.
After a refreshing nap on the veranda lounge the evening began in earnest. We watched the sun set behind the mountain view to our left. As the dusk crept over the town zócalo in front of us we became aware of the townsfolk and beachcombers going to and fro in the shadowy dusk with a total silence that seemed to accompany the approaching evening, almost as if we were watching
an old black and white silent movie.
That evening we went to an Italian eatery named Figaros, previously named Coco Loco. I asked the owner what prompted the name change, and after a slight hesitation to see whether my question was serious, he answered as expected – “the new name better implies that this is an Italian restaurant. Amazing. As I wrote before, after eating our way through Italy on a trip to Europe and enjoying many of Seattle finest, Figaros still stands up to the best. I enjoyed a repeat of last visits repast, a beautiful starter of Calamari Fritti followed with a main dish of Pasta Puttanesca, to me one of the true tests of an Italian kitchen (the other – Meatballs). My wife Dolores (EOC Cooking School) also repeated last year’s main course, Pasta Alfredo con Gamberi (pasta with shrimp in a cream sauce with nutmeg) . She was joined in this treat by Nicole and they shared a Pizza pepperoni from the restaurants locally famous pizza oven for the first course. My only disappointment resulted from the fact that I had previously experienced two Italian restaurants in Mexico named Cocos and now there is only one!
The next day we drove to Melaque, some 11 Km away to have brunch and introduce Nicole to a restaurant named Maya. This is a place owned by two Canadian ladies, Peg Montgomery and Anne Manning, formerly of Delilah's, Vancouver, BC. whom we had the fortune of visiting twice before after being introduced by my sister and brother-in-law, the Sacamano’s, now residing in Sicily. It’s located on an absolutely beautiful beach that runs for several miles. The brunch, food, music, and ambiance were wonderful.
Taking our leave we had decided to drive to Bara De Navidad , a small charming fishermen’s village located in the heart of the beautiful region of the Costalegre.The town is built on a sandbar which separates the great lagoon from the ocean. Our intent was take a boat, skiff, panga’s, or whatever, to visit the Grand Bay Hotel, located on a peninsula across from downtown Bara De Navidad. This has been a desire of Dolores for several years; however, the town was crowded by tourist and locals leaving no place to park the car so we decided to drive around to the Hotel.
The Grand Bay Hotel combines the best of Pacific Coast splendor with the romance of Old Mexico. It is a Spanish-style luxury resort designed to reflect the rich heritage of Old Mexico while providing a modern-day facility for golfers, beachgoers and water-sport lovers. Enhanced by scenic grandeur, our drive led us through a 27-hole Gold Medal golf course that featured wonderful vistas with greens carved into ocean dunes against a backdrop of mountains. We wandered through the Hotel grounds and the pool area to get a “feel” of what tourist’s experience. We finally departed and had an exhilarating mountain drive back to Brisas del Mar.
That evening we tried a different restaurant in La Manzanilla named Yolanda’s which advertised Asian-European food. This palapa style restaurant is owned by a charming Dutch couple and is a great place for locals to surf the net with their wireless Internet as they enjoy an evening drink while taking in the sunset. We had dinner amongst a dozen or so focused laptop denizens, visited with owner Yolanda Hendriksen, then departed promising to return for the next morning’s breakfast. They also host rice table dinners. A rice table (in Dutch, rijsttafel) consists of rice accompanied by 12-20 side dishes served in small portions. It is a Dutch colonial adaptation of the Indonesian dinner. The following morning we did return for breakfast featuring Dutch pancakes. A real treat!
Checking out at after 11:00 AM Tuesday morning we began the 3 ½ hour trip back to Puerto Vallarta arriving in mid-afternoon, indulged in a quick nap, and then had dinner at Joe Jacks Fish Shack. What better way to end such a wonderful road vacation!
On a trip last season we revisited a small Mexican town named La Manzanilla. When we ended the visit we reserved a two bedroom suite for three nights at our rented condo named Brisas del Mar . With the holidays over, our Essence of Cuisine Cooking School (EOC) going strong, we were fast approaching the reserved date for a revisit to La Manzanilla and a well deserved respite from the daily activities. We had asked our daughter Nicole to do a “mule” trip, bringing some much needed items from Seattle, even though she and a friend would be visiting us during the month of February for a visit to Mexico City. She arrived on the day of an EOC class, so she was able to visit with one of our condo owners who had just arrived from the frozen northland – Chicago.
The next morning, as agreed, we arose, finished the school cleanup, loaded the car and got our early start on the small vacation jaunt down Route 200 – MX. to La Manzanilla at 11:00 AM – well it is Mexico!
The highway is very good; but, curvy, so averaging around 40-45 mph for the 210 Km was the best we could do. After you travel through several small towns south of Puerto Vallarta and continue over some small mountains the road becomes straighter and you enter an Ecological zone known as Costa Alegre, or Cheerful Coast (sometimes known as Happy Coast). This starts near the village of Playa de Quemaro and continues for some 57 miles. Following MX 200 past many small and picturesque towns highlighted by many Topes (speed bumps), some indicated by a yellow graphic sign and others clearly marked by a few skid marks, we arrived at the Dolphin Statue indicating the turnoff to La Manzanila at approximately 2:30 PM. When you travel this route be cautious. There are now 4 Pemex Gas Stations in route, only two operable, 5 miles apart, with approximately 150 miles between. Not a problem going, but after traveling about in Melague, Bara de Navidad and other local sightseeing you might want to check your fuel load before returning to Puerto Vallarta.
Being without rains for several months La Manzanilla appears to be a small dusty Mexican Village without much to offer. Having been there three times over a period of 6-7 years previously it appears nothing much has change, then you notice that the main street is being paved with brick and the street around the square is undergoing preparation for the same treatment. Squeezing our way down the one-lane portion we turned just before we arrived at the village square (zócalo) and proceeded past the church and up the hillside to our place of lodging – Brisas del Mar. As agreed upon it was open and we proceeded inside to a magnificent view of the beautiful Tenacatita Bay. Not only was the view as wonderful as memory serves, the rooms were immaculate, cool, and I was able to commandeer one of the two lounges on the veranda. The place is screened, fans in every room, B/R air-conditioned, and the top floor is all recreation with kitchen, refrigerator, Baños, large lounges, table/chairs and laundry facilities.
After a refreshing nap on the veranda lounge the evening began in earnest. We watched the sun set behind the mountain view to our left. As the dusk crept over the town zócalo in front of us we became aware of the townsfolk and beachcombers going to and fro in the shadowy dusk with a total silence that seemed to accompany the approaching evening, almost as if we were watching
an old black and white silent movie.
That evening we went to an Italian eatery named Figaros, previously named Coco Loco. I asked the owner what prompted the name change, and after a slight hesitation to see whether my question was serious, he answered as expected – “the new name better implies that this is an Italian restaurant. Amazing. As I wrote before, after eating our way through Italy on a trip to Europe and enjoying many of Seattle finest, Figaros still stands up to the best. I enjoyed a repeat of last visits repast, a beautiful starter of Calamari Fritti followed with a main dish of Pasta Puttanesca, to me one of the true tests of an Italian kitchen (the other – Meatballs). My wife Dolores (EOC Cooking School) also repeated last year’s main course, Pasta Alfredo con Gamberi (pasta with shrimp in a cream sauce with nutmeg) . She was joined in this treat by Nicole and they shared a Pizza pepperoni from the restaurants locally famous pizza oven for the first course. My only disappointment resulted from the fact that I had previously experienced two Italian restaurants in Mexico named Cocos and now there is only one!
The next day we drove to Melaque, some 11 Km away to have brunch and introduce Nicole to a restaurant named Maya. This is a place owned by two Canadian ladies, Peg Montgomery and Anne Manning, formerly of Delilah's, Vancouver, BC. whom we had the fortune of visiting twice before after being introduced by my sister and brother-in-law, the Sacamano’s, now residing in Sicily. It’s located on an absolutely beautiful beach that runs for several miles. The brunch, food, music, and ambiance were wonderful.
Taking our leave we had decided to drive to Bara De Navidad , a small charming fishermen’s village located in the heart of the beautiful region of the Costalegre.The town is built on a sandbar which separates the great lagoon from the ocean. Our intent was take a boat, skiff, panga’s, or whatever, to visit the Grand Bay Hotel, located on a peninsula across from downtown Bara De Navidad. This has been a desire of Dolores for several years; however, the town was crowded by tourist and locals leaving no place to park the car so we decided to drive around to the Hotel.
The Grand Bay Hotel combines the best of Pacific Coast splendor with the romance of Old Mexico. It is a Spanish-style luxury resort designed to reflect the rich heritage of Old Mexico while providing a modern-day facility for golfers, beachgoers and water-sport lovers. Enhanced by scenic grandeur, our drive led us through a 27-hole Gold Medal golf course that featured wonderful vistas with greens carved into ocean dunes against a backdrop of mountains. We wandered through the Hotel grounds and the pool area to get a “feel” of what tourist’s experience. We finally departed and had an exhilarating mountain drive back to Brisas del Mar.
That evening we tried a different restaurant in La Manzanilla named Yolanda’s which advertised Asian-European food. This palapa style restaurant is owned by a charming Dutch couple and is a great place for locals to surf the net with their wireless Internet as they enjoy an evening drink while taking in the sunset. We had dinner amongst a dozen or so focused laptop denizens, visited with owner Yolanda Hendriksen, then departed promising to return for the next morning’s breakfast. They also host rice table dinners. A rice table (in Dutch, rijsttafel) consists of rice accompanied by 12-20 side dishes served in small portions. It is a Dutch colonial adaptation of the Indonesian dinner. The following morning we did return for breakfast featuring Dutch pancakes. A real treat!
Checking out at after 11:00 AM Tuesday morning we began the 3 ½ hour trip back to Puerto Vallarta arriving in mid-afternoon, indulged in a quick nap, and then had dinner at Joe Jacks Fish Shack. What better way to end such a wonderful road vacation!
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