We arrived in Cabo San Lucas on 11/24 and stayed at the main marina where the action was non-stop. There were two cruise ships in Port when we arrived. They left and the next day there were three different cruise ships. One of them was the Amsterdam. That was the cruise ship Ralph and I and his family were on for our Alaska cruise several years back. The ships disembark their passengers close-by so, of course, there are lots of restaurants, shops, and bars which ring the marina. Most seem to blast music. It was quite the change from being quietly lulled by the sound of the sea....But, fun.
Where's Waldo?Our boat is on the second dock. You can see that there are mostly big motor boats in here. Ours is the sailboat in the middle of the dock - if you can spot the green canopy, you have found it! Fishing expeditions are a big business here. Also, there are alot of rich people here - hence the large yachts. However, there are also lots of pangas and small ventures that take people out to snorkel, view the arches, and test their limits on booze cruises. All the activity makes for interesting maneuvering when coming into Port.
We spent the next morning at the Inspiration Spa. Yes, the boat exterior needed cleaning after being in all the Baja dust! Who needs to pay for exercise and saunas (it was really humid)?After that, I took a walk on the beach. This picture does not show the opulent hotels, condos and private residences that ring the entire bay and then proceed up the Sea of Cortes side into La Paz. It is unbelievable. All the pools in the hotels were full of folks, but some people played on the beach, as well.
Both nights in Cabo, we walked outside the tourist area in search of "tipico Mexico" cuisine. On our way to the neighborhoods, we passed by many of the popular tourist joints, such as this one. Our mission was to taste and compare taquerias, not margaritas. We found a great palapa style one the first night and had asada, chorizo, and pastor tacos. And, we found an even better one, the second night, with the same choices. This one was a street stand without the palapa!We did not have the Mamarita!
We did go to Cabo Wabo for a taste of Cabo Wabo tequila (Tim calls it "ta-kill-ya), and some live music and managed to stay up until 11:00 p.m. that night. However, the music does not stop on the Marina until after 2:30 a.m. I know that because I woke up at 2:30 and it was going strong. Oh, to be young again!We left Cabo on the morning of 11/26 for the two day crossing to Banderas Bay - Puerto Vallarta and our marina at Neuvo Vallarta. We are not wearing layers anymore. Swimsuits are the uniform of the day. It finally feels as if we are in the tropics. The water temperature is about 91 degrees! On our first night out, we again saw lots of stars - the Milky Way, Big Dipper, North Star and all those stars that flash red, green and white (honest!). I wish I could take a picture that would convey the magic of the night. We watched the sun set and then the moon rise each night.
Since we had anticipated swell and waves and winds that would make for a rocky ride, we planned a simple Thanksgiving meal. We had turkey meatloaf and napa cabbage slaw and chardonnay. I obtained the slaw recipe from Katie and Dennis Nelson when I visited them in Phoenix on my way to San Diego in October. It has a great dressing and blue cheese. Perfect for the day! As it turned out, it was a calm day at sea, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the day.
We arrived at the Neuvo Vallarta Marina on 11/28. We have now come 1,000 nautical miles from San Diego and 2,500 from Olympia! And, we notice lots of boats from the Pacific Northwest. One is called Sunseeker/Seattle. This photo is taken from our boat at Neuvo Vallarta and shows the Marina where we are currently moored.
Our neighbor at Neuvo Vallarta suggested we go to Titi's Restaurant for shrimp dinners. It is another neighborhood restaurant frequented mostly by locals. These shrimp plates were about $9.00! And it is not farmed raised shrimp.We spent a day or two lazing around and we took our dinghy out on the canals for a tour. Signs advise that we not swim because of crocodiles. So, we'll be walking to the beach to get wet!
We sadly bade farewell to Tim on 12/2. It was great to have him on board for the trip down. His good cheer, great menu ideas, sharing of traditions, and seamanship skills will be missed. He also made a great pot of coffee each morning. Thanks, Tim! And, thanks, Suone, for your support in this endeavor.
Our friends the Rolland's were in Puerto Vallarta when we arrived. This is the view of the Puerto Vallarta beach from their condo. It has great grounds, and is in a great location for both beach walking, and for exploring the city.We went into Puerto Vallarta for dinner on 12/2 and were able to see one of the parades in honor of the Virgen de Guadalupe. They have these parades for the first 12 days of December. A major street is closed down each night, lights go on, food vendors come out and the long procession to the Cathedral starts. We also went in on 12/3 and saw another one that honored children with disabilities. It was very touching and very festive.
Both nights we had great food and great company with Jim, Susie, and Jim's cousin, Mary Beth. On 12/4, we went into Puerto Vallarta and walked the Malecon and saw the Cathedral by day. We had last been here 24 years ago, and the changes are dramatic. Since then, we have been on a few bus trips to Punta de Mita via Bucerias which is north of here. These places remind us of the Puerto Vallarta of 24 years ago, but there is much development which includes many luxurious beach front hotels and condos. We are planning to leave this area tomorrow for our trip down the "Gold Coast". We will be at anchorages for quite some time and so this will be the last post until next year!So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to one and all!
