Just like with boats, RVs don’t fare well when left sitting. We spent two full months in Mazatlan and the day we left I started the engine and discovered that the rear main seal was leaking again. That’s the one that leaves a puddle of oil on the ground after starting the engine up for the first time during the day.
Leaving Sayulita after three weeks of immobility we pulled out onto the highway to discover that the blinkers were no longer working. I should have known that getting the oven working was not going to put me any further ahead on the to-do list.
So, yeah, we left Sayulita and headed south. Not far, just to Puerto Vallarta, to show the kids around their birthplace/old stomping grounds. We’ve got a few odds and ends to clean up, and then we’ll be off again.
After a couple of days here in PV, however, we’re contemplating which way to go. It’s only mid-April, and we figured we’d have at least a few more weeks of bearable temperatures along the coast, but the heat here has been pretty exhausting already. Exhausting because by about three o’clock the heat and humidity has sucked any energy we had right out of us. So, we’re up in the air at the moment—maybe we continue south, maybe we crank the wheel inland.
Sayulita campground friends.
Ouest’s doll, Molly, has to be one of the greatest pieces of Chinese made junk ever made. I mean, I wouldn’t have given this doll a year to live when she first arrived. Now here she is strapped into her bike seat three years later. Lowe has one too—Minnie. They both sleep with them curled up right next to their faces.
Everybody has a job to do. Mine is to hold the windshield washer boy.
Beginning of a day bumming around Puerto Vallarta.
It’s been years since we made her this bracelet. She wore it for a long time, then it got put away in her jewelry box. It was fun to see her bring it out again today.
The malécon has a statue on each block, all of which seemed designed to allow kids to climb all over them.
I’ve probably eaten a hundred tacos from this carnitas stand (corner of Lázaro Cárdenas and Aguacate). I love them. If we were in the second grade and I told you how much I loved these tacos you would say, “Why don’t you marry them, then?” And I totally would.
I asked the owner how many years he’s been at it—twenty-seven. I wish I would have thought to ask him how many kilos of meat he goes through in a day, because this stand is always busy.
When you walk up he asks, “Taquitos?”
“Si.”
Then if you want to sound like you know what you’re doing you tell him how many you want on each plate, not how many tacos total.
“Tres, dos, dos, dos.”
Grab your plastic bag sheathed plates of deliciousness, pile on your salsa and jalapeños, and eat. Go back up for more, because you will want to stuff your body full, then when you’re all done, and only then, do you pay the girl.
We walked up the hill to take a look at the condo we used to rent in the summers, or when Lowe was born. This picture is of the hill going one block further up than we had to in order to get to our place. That one probably would have broken us. It was a hard enough climb already.
While we were standing on top of this defunct lighthouse thousands of bees suddenly came down the hill and flew right through us on their way to a mango tree across the street. Funny how cool you play things when the kids are around. If it had been just Ali and me we would have been flying down those steps three at a time, not just sitting there really still.
I oftentimes wonder how scenes like this are wiring my kids’ brains for who or what they’ll become in the future.
16 Comments on “Reminiscing in Puerto Vallarta”
Is it just me or does the taco dude look like Obama? Not exactly, but close enough that I did a double take.
@ ha, Duck, you made me check too and yeah there are similarities.
@ Bumfuzzle, cant remember reading about it but yeah that’s me, why not travel further down the Americas ? Language for a while will be the same until you reach Brazil 🙂
Great photos as always!
Greetings from another RV family. I’ve yet to convince my wife to head south of the border.
Cheers!
We only had one week in Puerto Vallarta, and I can see now why you love it so much. What a great place. Great photos and stories as always.,
That picture of Lowe sitting on the statue has got to be my favorite to date. Freaking adorable little man!
Your photo of the little girl selling beads and your accompanying comment about wiring the kids’ brains for the future meshed nicely with your photo of Lowe as windshield-washer-boy.
First of all… THAT SMILE! I love those toothless grins kids their age have.
Secondly:
“I oftentimes wonder how scenes like this are wiring my kids’ brains for who or what they’ll become in the future.”
Anything (and anywhere) they want, great or small. You’re showing them a WORLD of possibilities, rather than just the American “Dream” (nightmare?). They are getting first hand knowledge of what it takes to make it in multiple cultures. You can’t buy that kind of education.
Yep you’re right about the heat/humidity….time for us to head north for the summer…..Just love the pics of the kids and of ‘Molly’…she sure has hung in there. Love PV…..Safe travels for you and family. Marilyn
I can feel the heat and humidity in your writing. And your photography continues to refine and delight. Too many fine shots to mention but Lowe’s stone throw into the ocean knocks me out.
LOVE it when your posts are so full of photos like this one. I can’t even decide on a favorite. Saturday morning Bumfuzzle fix makes my week 🙂
The rear main seals on the older mopar V8’s was a miserable thing to change – and get right the first time. Hopefully the non-working turn signals is just be a bad flasher module.
OH!!! Child neglect..child abuse..climbing that high ladder w/o helmets or safety lines!! OMG!!!
<;-)!!! Sorry couldn't resist
It's like what kids use to be allowed to do when I was a kid..kids in the US aren't allowed to be kids anymore. Wrapped in bubble wrap, escorted everywhere and must have set "play-dates..so sad!!!
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Great pics as always, Pat, but for me the pick of the litter is the one of the little blond-haired, blue-eyed Mexican blasting through the plaza on her Razor, rockin’ her Live Simply cap and gorgeous tan, scanning her surroundings for her next photo-op. Meanwhile, in the background, her proud Papa has captured N.Dakota Ken and Barbie, freshly arrived in PV. Ken wrangles their luggage as the cab departs, while Barbie stands in a state of culture shock, wondering, “Jeez, where’d all these Mexicans come from?” 🙂
TJ
Me encanta “la abuela”
You guys could do worse than heading inland and up in elevation.
About a decade and a half ago spent some time in some of the old “colonial” cities inland – Guanajuato to name one. Stayed at a 400 + year old converted hotel. I had been to PVR the year before (loved it too) but the interior is way less touristy.
Guanajuato was an interesting city to visit. A mix of very old and new. Saw milk being delivered by ox cart. Interesting culture and history. I think of it as old, quiet Mexico.
Been following you guys since you were on the cat.
Deep joy. Best wishes.
I remember those fish taco like it was yesterday, not 15 years ago! They are the standard for us, the benchmark! Thank you for taking me to PV. I was the happiest when I lived at Marina Vallarta on my boat and took the buses into old town.