And the ”Fine Tuning” Continues…

Preparing to return to PV

Lynnwood, WA. Sometime in downtown Seattle… all I heard was a loud voice shouting “Robert, wake up, Robert, wake up, Robert…” and I instantly woke , somewhat confused between wondering if I was being called for dinner, or had fallen asleep at the wrong time, i.e., just as the Seahawks scored a touchdown – highly unlikely. Then with a rush into reality I realized I was in the surgical recovery room, alive and in the presence of a cheerful medical staff charged with seeing that I was functional and soon ready to be transferred to where I would spend the next three nights before going home!

Let me back up for just a moment. My orthopedic surgeon performed the left knee replacement back in July and was firm on not doing the right knee until approximately three months passed, hence October12 for the right knee. Even though I had wanted to do both at the same time he won the argument – thank god someone knew what they were doing! So October 12th was scheduled. The left knee has and is healing beautifully and gave me time to exercise and prepare for the next visit to Swedish Orthopedic!

So at 10:30 AM on the appointed morning I was standing at the receiving desk with my carpet bag and a black clothes bag filling out the remaining paperwork. After 30 minutes of reading medical journals, watching the early morning TV news and scanning the local paper a distant voice asked for “James” (my alter ego). Seeing me raise my hand she helped me collect my little bags and led the way into the maize of the pre-op world.

Taking me into one of 10 rooms full of medical “gadgets” and a Z-bed, she asked me put on the reverse gown and put everything into my bag(s), then make myself comfy in the Z-bed. With that she handed me the Z-bed’s flight controls and pulled the cockpit curtains closed. I quickly undressed/dressed, sat on the Z-bed and began my education with the control panel, barely mastering the control and finding a comfortable position before she returned and helped me adjust the “uniform” then proceeded to run tests and attach me to the IV and make me more comfy. After that I finished reading the paper, talked with Dolores and other miscellaneous players (O/R nurse, anesthesiologist, my surgeon and his assistant), then they wheeled the Z-bed and me to the O/R, transferred me to the surgery table, gave me a shot…and the next thing I remember was a loud voice shouting “Robert, wake up, Robert, wake up, Robert…”

The next three days were full of checking my vitals, walking the corridors, doing therapy, and joining a group séance to make certain we were all doing things correctly and teaching us how to get in/out of a car, and up/down stairs. Dolores stayed in the suite everyday and overnight making certain I was comfortable as possible, had “good” meals, and that the nurses and attendants were aware of any discomfort. She almost wore herself out running all the necessary miscellaneous errands and making certain that there were no miscommunications. At nights she slept on a pad that was designated as a guest bed. As good as the staff was I would have been miserable without her presence. I called her FSFN (F…Super Florence Nightingale). I was able to walk to and return from the sessions without assistance (only an assistant to make certain I didn’t fall), On Friday, at noon time, Dolores loaded me into our SUV and headed home. Since this was the right knee and the railing for the 17 stairs to our condo is on the left, Dolores didn’t have to carry me upstairs – even though I think she was prepared to do so!

With all the in-home nurse (vampire) and physical therapy (terrorist) service available, and with Dolores feeding and wearing herself out filling in to assist me on all the things I was unable to do for myself (plus many things I took advantage of or as Dolores phrased it “goldbricking”), things Have been and are very positive. The recovery is proceeding fast – almost a quantum improvement over the left knee (which was also very good). This week I graduated from the in-home services to out-patient therapy and ventured out to a party last evening.

For all the above reasons we have firmed up our return back to Puerto Vallarta on November 22 and look forward to foregoing the average fall temperatures n the PNW of 50/40 degrees.

The Maid vs. the Router - A Three Day Saga

Our maid visits us twice a week to dust, straighten out things and mop the floors. Typically, the “maidly” duties are performed very well! However, on rare occasions something happens – never serious, dangerous, or expensive $$ wise. During these twice weekly visits, Dolores and I try to stay out from under her feet. Often we’ll go shopping, go to lunch or visit with friends, and then there are those days when we just try to be in a different room as she cleans throughout the condo. This was one of those days when we were “caught” at home with no place to go.

I was on my computer located in the back guest bedroom and Dolores was on the veranda when I heard something fall to the floor. Not a big alarming crash just a tiny tinny bump. I listened, temporary, and when nothing seemed to happen went back to working on my computer research activities. The maid completed her work and headed out, Dolores went to her computer in the main bedroom to do Dolores things and the day passed comfortable.

The next morning we arose, I turned on the coffee, then headed to my computer and turned it on. My I-Touch was lying on the computer mouse pad so I turned it on and hit the weather icon. Nada – hmmm. Then my computer finished loading and I noticed the email account was still off. Checking, the internet was not available so I hurried to the master bedroom to see if the wall power switch which controls the router power was on or off, then looked at the router and saw no lights flashing, then finally at Dolores who was just about to say something significant like “what the h… is going on with the internet.” Checking the router I notice the case was “loose” and realized what the tiny bump noise heard the previous day was – a bouncing router accidently knocked to the floor by some vigorous dusting actions. She’d obviously picked it up, saw it was working and put it back in its holder – upside down. It finally went to router heaven quietly in the early morning hours. The result - there was no online service available for two persons who spend several hours daily with the internet. Now the Saga begins.

My router is “rented” through Telemex. Rented means a one-time charge and it’s yours for the duration. The problem with Telemex is they don’t feel the need to hire English speaking reps. (Wow, it is Mexico isn’t it!?), even though 40% + of Hi-Speed internet clients are English speaking. Oh, they do have one/two, but they are never available when I need to communicate with someone. I called our Admin who is multi-lingual and he sent an email to Telemex outlining the problem. Day 1 went by without a response. The next day a telephone call was made and we were informed that we needed to report the problem from my telephone so some tests could be conducted. The fact that the router was “stone dead” meant nothing; the test would generate an official Problem Report so that a replacement router could be made available. Tony (Admin) drove to my condo and the call was made and the test conducted. I was provided with a Report number and told to come to Telemex the following day, Day 2. Dolores was about to go into severe withdrawal.

On Day 2 our plan was to go to Telemex together with the defunct router, but we were being delayed due a problem the Spanish speaking remodeling contractors working on our guest bathroom were having. Get the picture - Robert is dispatched to Telemex with Problem Report in hand and with his somewhat limited Spanish vocabulary (Una cerveza más, por favor) to make the exchange and get (?) instructions on installation. Getting close to Plaza Caracol (Telemex service Hqtr) I realized I didn’t have any dinero – after a wild search of the car I came up with 6 pesos and it takes 8 pesos just to park. I then diverted to nearby Costco to use the cash machine. Entering Costco I reached into the billfold and realized Dolores had used my card for her BD present on Cinco de Mayo and still had it. Thinking fast I realized that I had a $20.00USD bill so I grabbed a bag of pretzels, paid for it, received my change in pesos then headed back to Plaza Caracol and Telemex. Upon arrival guess what? – the parking barriers had malfunctioned and they were letting patrons park gratis – gezzz! There went my squirreled cash. Finally, arriving at Telemex I pantomimed my way through all barriers with my magic Problem Report in my hand, got my replacement router and headed home with my troubles behind me? By the way they didn’t even want to see the Problem Report – just my saying I had one was adequate.

I tried installing the router using the enclosed CDROM. It keep giving an error message that I needed to remove the old installation to proceed. That I did; however, the error message would not let me continue with the CDROM instructions. I quickly placed the CDROM in my Vista machine (the router installation was for XP) and was able to read it. Realizing that to continue the setup I needed an XP machine -my backup net book that did not have a DVD drive; however remembering some old tricks I copied the CD to a flash drive then used that to setup my net book computer. Proceeding onward I was able to configure the router for DSL cable use but not wireless.

After 3 hours of trying I gave up and called a local guru who said he’d come over mañana, Day 3, and help me out. Within the hour after his arrival, he had everything setup, including the new wireless network for all 3 computers and the shared wireless printer. When I explained the difficulty I’d had with the CDROM he laughed and said the first thing needed with that CDROM was to find a wastebasket to break it into.

Oh guess what he charged me for coming to my condo and completing the installation - a total of $150 pesos - $12.00 USD. Did I tip him?...absolutely! A saga with a happy ending plus a bag of pretzels!

Will I tell the maid? No, she’d probably think “only in gringo land!”

Trip that Never Was

Have you ever been told that something was not available to you and furthermore was taboo? I’m not talking about something that is morally corrupt, or restricted to all persons, or belongs to someone else, or etc. I’m not alluding to something that is dangerous or harmful to your person. I’m talking about rules in place that restrict you from traveling throughout the world. Rules that when originally established were necessary and had good purpose in being; but now are outdated, restrictive, and unnecessary. Most countries are now open for visiting. However, one island nation not far from our land still has severe travel restrictions and remains currently outside of our reach. I’ll initially refer to this nation as “Never-Never-Land.”

Dolores and I spend the majority of each year in our adopted city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and being homeowners we have a document, FM 3, that allows us to spend 12 months in Mexico before renewing. Using this document we are able to obtain a travel permit/visa as Mexican residents to travel to “Never-Never-Land.” WOW! On April 10th we joined with Roberta Valdez, Director of Alegre Events and Tours, and 36 other travelers to do this very thing!

Departing PVR on Aeroméxico we arrived at Mexico City and made the transfer to the International Terminal to board our Mexicana Airbus 320 to “Never-Never-Land.” After a comfortable 2 ½ hour flight we arrived, passed customs and were transferred to our designation Hotel and a welcome cocktail party complete with multiple Mojito’s. That night we discovered that this location was the headquarters of the “Buena Vista Social Club” group and there was a dinner and show that evening. Guess what many of us did? You win!

Never-Never-Land, aka, Cuba “is the largest island of the West Indies group (equal in area to Pennsylvania), It is also the westernmost… and 90 mi south of Key West, Fla., at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. The island is mountainous in the southeast and south-central area (Sierra Maestra). It is flat or rolling elsewhere.

Our destination was Havana (Habana) the capital and largest city with a population 2,686,000 (metro. area), 2,343,700 (city proper). Our Hotel, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a 5 Star property, is an eight-story Spanish-style building that rises on a hill-top overlooking the Malecon, affording guests panoramic vistas of both the Old Town and Vedado district. It was once a site of pirate landings and a Cuban stronghold. Now the majestic gardens that surround the hotel are a place as formidable and welcoming that you could hope for to relax with a drink while enjoying a sweeping view of the Caribbean. The first evening’s cocktail hour was held in the Hotels Club de Golf that featured pictures of a guest-list crammed with such personalities as Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Keaton, Stan Musial, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner and illustrious figures like Winston Churchill and the Duke of Windsor - a window to a bygone era of class and distinction.

The next day’s agenda found us taking a private motor coach City Tour. Havana exemplifies one of the finest Spanish colonial cities in the Americas. We visited the National Capitol, styled after the Panthéon (Paris), and looks similar to the U.S. Capitol. Across the street is the Gran Teatro de la Havana, the oldest operating theatre in the western hemisphere resplendent with an Angel on top. We viewed Havana’s main thoroughfare bustling with vintage 1950s taxis, and Parque Central, featuring a huge marble statue of Jose Marti, the Cuban hero and writer, then took pictures of the Plaza de Revolution with its 138 meter tower, again honoring Jose Marti and surrounded by high-rise buildings with iron murals (caricatures) of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, a popular leader in the revolution.

Then we arrived at The Havana Craft Market. This was interesting, not so much for the variety of ‘goodies’ but for the way it was organized. The market consisted of a series of individual metal container equipped with a locking roll-up door for overnight security. Each was equipped with display tables and shelves for a variety of merchandise. Around the perimeter artists displayed there paintings and drawings for sale. All this was located within a covered warehouse structure that protected the market from the weather plus added additional security. Several of our travelers found there way back 2-3 occasions.

Close by we joined with others for a walking tour of Old Havana. Old Havana (La Habana Vieja) contains the core of the original city of Havana. The positions of the original Havana city walls are the modern boundaries of Old Havana. It is one of the oldest settlements in the America's - full of charming, weatherworn buildings and narrow, intriguing roadways. The predominant style of architecture in the heart of Old Havana is what has become known as "tropical baroque" a simple, graceful combination of column, arch and volute born of the union of Spanish-Moorish (Mudejar) and Baroque influence from Southern Spain with Cuba building materials - mahogany, cedar, and coral limestone. La Habana Vieja, contains more than 900 important buildings, which are slowly being restored to their former glory. We strolled through the main shopping street in Old Havana (Calle Obispo), a long narrow street and the busiest street of Old Havana, with many restaurants, bars, and the famous hotel Ambos Mundos where Hemingway often stayed, ending at Plaza de Armas, where our guide pointed out a unique “cobble wood” street. Wooden disks, rather than cobblestones, were installed to mute the rattle of the many passing carriages doing business in the past. On the western edge of historic center of the city is the restaurant El Floridita, Hemingway’s favorite place for enjoying his Daiquiri’s, a cocktail that combines the Cuban rum, lemon juice, sugar, some drops of maraschino and frappe. Finally, the group split – some remaining in Old Town, some returning to the Craft Market and others back to the Hotel to rest and prepare for an evening out at the restaurant or club of there choice.










After breakfast on our third day we boarded the Motor Coach for an all-day excursion to the Pinar Del Rio Province (northwest of Havana), the land reputedly where the best tobacco in the world is grown, the third largest province in the country, and more specifically the Valley of Vinales which is famous for its pincushion hills, called mogotes. The spectacular landscape features the most interesting and varied geological formations in the Caribbean, from carved limestone cliffs rising hundreds of feet and pockmarked with caves to agricultural vistas of green valleys and red-soil (iron oxidize) fields.

A visit to a cigar making facility took us through the hand rolling/density QA (airflow through the product/color matching/packaging and or boxing of the cigars then to the gift shop where we could make our purchases – including bottles of Havana Club Rum - the national replacement for Bacardi (no longer produced in Cuba).

Cuba has often been called the "Isle of Rum", due to a combination of world famous sugar cane, a favorable Caribbean climate, fertile soil and the unique know-how of Cuban master rum-makers. In the western end of Cuba (and the Valley of Vinales) can be found the Guayabita del Pinar tree. It grows nowhere else in the world. It is said that the local tobacco growers would take a drink of harsh aguardiente (brandy) in the mornings so that they could face the cold winter mornings in the plantations. Rather than drink the harsh brandy the local farmers in the mountains of Pinar developed a drink made from the fruit of the dwarf Guava tree, the Guayabita. This fruit was collected during the months of July and August from the eight foot tall trees and mixed with vanilla, sugar, caramel, distilled water and rum and soaked in oak chips and aged in old cedar barrels. It is surprisingly smooth and a unique addition to any rum collection.

The next day we visited the Bocoy Rum Factory on Avenida Máximo Gómez in Havana which was established in 1878. Ron Bocoy is a small rum distillery/bottle ling plant employing less that 25 persons. The “Oak Rum Cafe & Tobacco Store” shares the Bocoy facility and one of the great pleasures of a tour is at the end when the bottles are lined up and patrons can sample the different offerings. At the far end of the room, cigars are available for the aficionado to purchase. It is considered impolite to not make a purchase following a tour and sampling session but Cuban rum is inexpensive, and of high quality, and many packages were loaded onto the motor coach.

We also visited the Hemingway Museum located nine miles outside the city of Havana at Finca Vigía, or Lookout Farm, where Ernest Hemingway had made his home from 1939 to 1960, and where he had written seven books, including The Old Man and the Sea, A Moveable Feast and Islands in the Stream.

It was turned into a museum after his death in 1961 when his widow and fourth wife, Mary Welch, signed the house over to the Cuban government, along with the author's collection of books, photographs and letters, and drafts of his novels. Visitors are not allowed inside, but instead look at the rooms and their contents through open windows and doors. It is exactly as it was in 1960 when Hemingway left for America, unaware that he would never return. Also on-site is the boat, Pilar.

The final event was a motor coach trip to the beach resort of Varadero, the main sun and sand tourist destination in Cuba, with more than 20km of white sandy beaches. Varadero receives about 500,000 visitors per year and is primarily visited by European, Latin American and Canadian tourists. A point of interest to me are the rest stops along the freeways. Most have a full scale restaurant, gift shop, and a Pina Colada Bar. You order a “Virgin” Pina Colada (sans rum) or they’ll give you one with rum and then set the bottle on the table in case you need more liquor. They also have booths supporting sales of misc tourist items, and cigars - and almost always there is a local band that strikes up ”Cuanta la Mera” (Guantanamera) upon arrival then pushes there latest CD for $10 CUC. You can also buy a variety of “munchies” refreschas and cervesa. Have a fun vacation at the rest stop and drive “happily” on…

Prior to this visit I talked with many persons who have commented very negatively on Cuban food. Most said that while they enjoyed the visit and the people that they felt the cuisine available was not good. As a result, Dolores and I were extremely surprised at the high quality/taste of the varying food experiences we encountered. The beef meals (steaks) were excellent, especially considering that beef is difficult to obtain for the average Cuban, the pork was very good, the seafood outstanding (several of us had the best lobster meal ever), and the overall quality of the meals was great.

The return to Puerto Vallarta was uneventful with the exception of wandering between Mexico City’s Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. That’s another story!

This was one of the most exciting trips Dolores and I have been on and should be on every traveler’s agenda!

Whaling…Modern day excitement

Puerto Vallarta, Jal., MX, Banderas Bay – Dolores has been wanting to take her neighborhood niño’s out into Banderas Bay to see the Humpback Whales. The Bay of Banderas has been important as a breeding and calving ground for the humpback whale north pacific population and the Humpback has been described as the most playful and majestic of all whales. During the winter months, Humpback Whales migrate to Banderas Bay to mate, calve, and play in our mild tropic waters. A local acquaintance’s son owns a well equipped 28 foot boat and soon negotiations were concluded to do a 3 hour whale watching trip in the south bay near Los Arcos and Mismaloya.

The niño’s had already gotten clearance from their respective families to join us on the excursion, and were instructed on what to bring for the trip – sunscreen, hats, towels, etc. Dolores had purchased water, chips/papas, and then made 11 peanut and jelly sandwiches that morning. We were scheduled to meet the boat and skipper at 9:50 AM at the Los Muertos Beach Pier. The skipper said his modus operandi was to arrive approximately one hour early.
Setting the alarm for early rising, we meet our niño’s and fellow whale “hunters” out in front of our condo at 9:15 AM. They were all eager to proceed, and were loaded with their goodies all concealed in various sized backpacks. They had all that Dolores had requested along with the inevitable cell phone (to be able to stay in touch with civilization). The pier is only 6 blocks away; however, due to other needs we loaded the car and parked it on Fca. Rodriguez, the street that leads to the pier, thereby, contributing to our early arrival of approximately 30 minutes. This allowed us to enjoy watching all the early morning activities along the Malecon and the fishing off the pier for the next hour – yes, our skipper had been delayed at the Marina due to the fact that the gas- barge attendant had overslept – Ah, Mexico.

Quickly loading ourselves and provisions into the beautifully maintained panga, we commenced the journey south to what we hoped would be a successful “hunt.” The morning couldn’t have been more perfect for the event. Dolores had made certain that lifejackets were available for all; however, the sky was bright blue and cloudless, the water was calm, the temperature approximately 78 degrees F and an hour later we noticed no one was wearing any jackets. Everyone had grabbed a favorite spot in the panga as we slowly proceeded south, enjoying the panorama of the Puerto Vallarta skyline, El Púlpito (the rock formation at the end of Playa de los Muertos that’s shaped like a pulpit), the beaches of Playa Los Amapas, Playa Conchas Chinas, and the Sierra Madre mountains as they marched down to meet the waters of the bay.

Arriving near the underwater park at Los Arcos (Las Peñas), located a short distance offshore from Mismaloya Beach we had our first sighting of a humpback whale, a rare sighting of a mama with her baby, both frolicking on the surface near the rock formations. We were able to watch for several moments after which mama and baby seemed to disappear. Also we motored pass a sea turtle, and got a glimpse of one manta ray. Suddenly many gulls descended on us to snatch at the potato chips the niño’s were consuming, several of the gulls brazen enough to grab the chips from many quickly outstretched hands.

The rock formations are very interesting up close. Each had local names, El Angel so named because there has not been any boating accidents when traversing its large tunnel, El Diablo, named after a lightning strike carved a figure that approximated the shape (with imagination) of the devil, El Tortuga because its profile looks like a sea turtle, etc. With the gulls escorting us we proceeded between the rock formations south towards the village of Boca de Tomatlan, a small town (10 miles south of Puerto Vallarta) located at the mouth of the Rio Tomatlan. It has an enticing beach and is sheltered by a narrow cove. In the past year they’ve built a new dock so that water taxis, panga’s, small boats of every type can depart/arrive from the north (PV) and depart south to Las Animas beach, and on to the coastal villages of Yelapa and Quimixto carrying passengers, foodstuffs, animals, and building materials.

Turning back at this point, Dolores handed out the P-B sandwiches which were consumed enthusiastically, by the adults, then we began the return to Puerto Vallarta, once again passing landmarks such as Chee Chee’s a large convention style facility once owned by Big Al Cardena (who passed away last year) and is now for sale by the Cardena’s family heirs, Le Kliffs restaurant (with reportedly the world’s biggest palapa, and Mismaloya Beach where “The Night of the Iguana” was filmed along with several other movies. As we arrived back to the Los Arcos rocks we commented on the large number of boats that had arrived after our earlier visit to scuba dive and snorkel. Then, just north of the Los Arcos rocks, a large humpback whale rolled in front of us. Immediately behind us mama and baby humpback appeared. Now the family was complete – mama papa, and baby. Several times they swam in circles around us, and then as if to complete a choreographed greeting, a small school of porpoises joined in. Talk about an excited crew of niño’s and adults. Approximately an hour later we disembarked at the Los Muertos Beach Pier and headed for the car. Half of the niño’s wanted to walk home while the others continued with us to the car. On arrival the “walking” group was waiting for the key to

our garage with silly grins and guffaw’s. Go figure!

*Note: Credit for the breaching whale picture: Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaengliae) Breaching Banderas Bay, January 2009 - Copyright © 2009 T.K. May

The Quinceaños

A few weeks ago we were told by our neighbor that we would be receiving an invitation to their daughters Quinceaños to be held the day after Christmas. Having heard of the Quinceaños; but knowing very little we began researching the internet and asking neighbors what it was all about. Little did I know that this was a major event in the life of a young girl?

The Quinceaños, or Quince años ("fifteen years" in English), in Latin America culture, is a coming of age ceremony held on a girl's (the Quinceañera) fifteenth birthday, comparable to a Sweet Sixteen celebration in the United States. Like many other coming-of-age ceremonies, the Quinceaños is associated with the Quinceañera "becoming a lady".

The Quince años ceremony came from French culture during the later part of the 1800s. In Mexico this period is comparable to the Victorian era in Anglo-speaking countries. The Mexican president, Porfirio Diaz, brought this celebration to Mexican culture due to his admiration of French culture. Quince años celebrated in the United States reflect the family's economic and social status, as do the society debutant celebrations in the States. The ceremony has become a means of preserving their culture as Latinos become more Americanized. Quince años are, today, a unique feature of Latino culture.

The invitation, beautiful and formally framed, was delivered a couple weeks later and included two tickets for the formal reception to be held at the Sheridan Hotel complex. We were invited both to the religious church ceremony and the reception. What an honor and thrill.

The celebrations religious portion is significance for Spanish-speaking Roman Catholics. It begins with a religious ceremony in which the Quinceañera affirms her faith. The people gathered at the church were stunned by her presence as she made her entrance, beautifully gowned, and preceded to her place in front of the altar. A local Mariachi group provided all the music during the ceremony. It is customary for the Quinceañera to receive gifts that are religious in nature, such as a cross or medal, a Bible, rosary, or scepter. The presentation of these gifts by her Padrinos and/or her family members, along with their blessing by the priest, often forms a part of the ceremony.

After the conclusion of the Roman Catholic religious ceremony, the reception was held at the Sheridan in a beautifully appointed banquet hall that could hold over 300 persons. The decor of this reception resembled that of a wedding. We arrived shortly after the church ceremonies, considerably ahead of most guests. We were immediately seated at our assigned table and served our choice of beverage, while we watched the other quests that began arriving over the course of the next hour and one-half.

The Quinceañera's court is typically composed of her padrinos (godparents) and the Chambelan, a young man who is her companion and date for the evening. In our case there were five young men sharing this role each wearing a white dinner jacket. The Chambelan typically has the first dance with the Quinceañera, a traditional ballroom "waltz". The Chambelan initiates the waltz by requesting a dance, to classical music, with the Quinceañera. This was followed by dances with her father, and then her godfather. After that the young lady and her white tuxedoed entourage entertained the guests by performing several well choreographed dances.

Following these initial presentation dances, the guests join the dance floor as well. Godparents play a significant role in the preparations for the Quinceaños, often handling arrangements for the party, church and celebration. The event is the culmination of the godparents' responsibility to oversee the religious upbringing of their goddaughter. Otherwise, it is customary for the Quinceañera’s parents to arrange the celebration.

We joined with approximately three hundred friends and family members. All were dressed in the best finery, many of the niño’s had on tuxedos. We enjoyed drinks and refreschas, a wonderful meal, then talked and danced until 5:00 AM to live music – not us but our friends told us about the lateness, even though we heard a few as they arrived safely home.

We continue to be thrilled and amazed by all the wonderful customs of our adopted country.

Closeout of the First Decade of 2000 Era…

The final days of the decade since Christmas of 2009 have been filled with friends, acquaintances, special celebrations, and parties for every reason. One special event was our first Quinceaños which I plan to delineate in my next Blog. While the peacefulness of the first day of 2010 is wonderful, Dolores is heading out to the marketplace to buy groceries for the next EOC cooking class this coming Tuesday. Additionally she has invited the local Niño’s in for hotdogs and the year’s first swim at 6:30 P.M.so tranquility is as always a short term happening. Also New Years day day was the return to the states of the owners of the condo above us – Rick and Tita. It’s been great to have them here and it’s always a sad feeling to see others needing go to back to the realities of everyday demands and pressures and depart from our piece of paradise. In other words – “mejor que nosotros”…LOL!

We were taken out to dinner to a new (to us) restaurant named “No Way Jose.” Discovered by our friends who live in the nearby Molina de Aqua condo complex, this marvelous establishment is just two short blocks from their place at 5 de Febrero #260 (at the corner of 5 de Febrero and Ignacio L. Vallarta). Lucky for us reservations had been made - the place was jamming. A table had been setup curbside more as a determent to cars from parking directly in front, so to cut the waiting time short, Julie, one of the owners, offered it to us. With the waiters bringing out the chairs and cushions within minutes we were seated and the drinks were flowing. Everyone ordered something different and from the conversations and expressions on all faces all the dinners were wonderfully prepared and presented. The cool breezes that flowed around us were in contrast to comments from other guests to the fact that we were so fortunate since the lack of cooling, due to the hi-density of people inside, was uncomfortable. The evening was topped by Alfredo “José’s” (the other owner) spectacular presentation of Spanish Coffee. Even the store immediately to the west turned off their lights to highlight the flaming presentation – and I didn’t bring the camera. Oh well, absolutely another trip!

For New Years Eve, we were invited by friends, Tony-Grace, to join them for dinner with others and enjoy the many firework celebrations that occur in Puerto Vallarta. We had drinks and dinner then enjoyed viewing approximately 12 major celebrations held by the local municipalities, resorts, and major hotels. It was a warm, pleasant evening, crystal clear weather, and a small breeze that kept us cool. Near midnight the bay had filled with boats of every size that came to watch the firework displays. This evening the waters were calm – not like last year when one boat actually sank (no injuries). The displays were spectacular and some of our young people saluted them back with some small hand-rockets.

After the displays and bidding farewells to our hosts for the wonderful dinner, drinks, and conversations we returned via the “back roads” to our condo. Our street was full of celebrants including all of our niño’s and the partying went on into the wee hours.

Que tengan un Año Nuevo lleno de alegria!