Just Saying...

My spouse Dolores and I started traveling to Mexico in the 1970 decade and finally purchased a Condominium near the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, MX, nearly 14 years ago.  Since then we have increased our time in-residence from 5 months annually until we decided to be full time residents at approximately 10 months of the year.  Many persons, both friends and acquaintances, have asked the question, “why, and how do you spend the time?”  Just recently, a friend, editor of the local English language weekly paper, gave us what Dolores and I consider the perfect response.  What follows is extracted from her article.

“…After all, when one lives here year ‘round, what is it that matters?  We take the weather for granted, so we don’t even think about it.  The way I see it, for most of us, our time is used volunteering, shopping, indulging in exercise of various types, getting together to play bridge or Mah Jong, learning Spanish, eating out …and attending Shuffles, Art Walks, fundraisers and other entertainment events such as live theater or movies – all of which may take up a few hours a week, but food is an everyday thing.

Consequently, the importance of the selection of restaurants our adopted home town offers. I

admit that we are truly spoiled in that category: Italian, Japanese, German, Austrian, French, Greek, Spanish, Thai & Philippine, Canadian & American, Peruvian, Indian, vegetarian, and of course, Mexican of all types. Everything from roadside stands to the most exquisite world-renowned gourmet cuisine, and I’m sure I’ve missed some. How can we complain?

And yet I do. Complain that is. I complain about the fact that I just received a letter yesterday, mailed from Canada two months ago. I complain about taxi and bus drivers who fly through red lights with total impunity, as do distracted driver chatting on their cell phones. I complain about tradesmen who say they’ll be right back only to return a few days later as if nothing was. I complain about people who wait until I put my little car in reverse to cross behind it. I complain about my neighbour who plays the same ranchero music over and over, at full volume…

 Nevertheless, in the grand scheme of things, all my menial complaints are inconsequential. I am blessed. I live in what I consider to be the closest thing to paradise and I never get tired of watching our spectacular sunsets, or listening to the songs of the birds that wake me every morning.”…  by Anna Reisman, She Said…

Puerto Vallarta City Paper “PV Mirror”, Issue 327, Saturday January 31 to Friday February 6, 2015

 In our case we wake up more to the sound of 7 roosters communicating, 2 Chihuahuas barking, an occasional raucous outburst from our three local Chakalaka’s, the first pickup from the daily garbage truck and a street vendor hawking fresh fish or vegetables.   

Our Seattle friends keep reminding us of how warm and humid it is in PV during the summer months and how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is in the summer time and we remind them that that summer in the PNW seldom occurs until late July and ends in late September and our visit is timed to make the best of that time.

We all have our thoughts as to where best to spend our golden years – Puerto Vallarta, MX. is our choice. Just saying..