16 Wednesday Oct 2013
We have so much time in Puerto Vallarta — six months! — that we’re determined to spend a respectable part of it pursuing worthy causes. After all, there’s only so much hangin’ out by the pool that a person can endure.
It is with these lofty intentions that we have embarked on a research project that will benefit all our soon-to-be-visiting friends. With benevolence in mind, we have set out to explore PV’s gringo bars.
13 Sunday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
Tags
The street that fronts our apartment at Los Tules is named Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio. It’s a long name for a long street. Walmart is on this street. So is Costco. You can buy a Ford or a Chevy on this street, or souvenirs at Señor Frog’s.
With all that industry, it’s no surprise that Ascencio is not only long, but wide — eight lanes wide. Eight lanes of rattly buses, death-wish motorcycles, and cars — lots of cars, all traveling at homicidal Mexican speed. We cross this road almost every day. Our nearest grocery is on the other side of Ascencio and crossing it is like playing the game of Frogger — for keeps.
11 Friday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
Just arrived in her private room, Louise smiles with anticipation.
October 10, 2013, 6:30 AM
I awaken to our warm bedroom. The bedroom is upstairs and heat rises. We don’t use the air conditioner up there because it makes noise and we prefer to hear the surf at night through the open window. In the kitchen I fix one cup of coffee — for myself. There will be none for Louise as today is the day she is scheduled for surgery.
Continue reading
07 Monday Oct 2013
Posted in Travel
Tags
Well yes: you can Google Walmart and read about their oft-quoted unfair labor practices in the US, but in Mexico — where benefits aren’t expected and a living wage is a fraction of what’s required in the US — people love the place. It’s only about two miles up the road. Naturally, we had to pay it a visit.
03 Thursday Oct 2013
Posted in Sentiments
Tags
Blue agave plants growing on the grounds at Los Tules
Those of us in the US tend to forget that, like our own, Mexico is a country of united states — 31 in all. The Mexican state that we’re living in is Jalisco. Among other things, Jalisco is where the blue agave plant (above) is grown, and the sweet syrup from the agave is used to make tequila.
Continue reading
01 Tuesday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
Tags
Los Tules at sunset
:::pinch::: :::pinch:::
We’re pinching ourselves in disbelief. This can’t really be happening to us.
We have arrived at our home-for-six-months in Puerto Vallarta and we’re dumbfounded. Dumbfounded and a bit bruised from all the pinching. This place has to be seen to be believed. Continue reading
26 Thursday Sep 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Short, Travel
Tags
We are sooo ready for Mexico! But not for the reasons you may think.
18 Wednesday Sep 2013
Tags
That’s not a typo. The saddle in question is Buzz’s saddle. Buzz is my (electric) bike. You sit on bike saddles, not in them. And Buzz is in Portland — which is as close as we come to having a home. So you see, I’m back in (and on) the saddle again, both figuratively and literally.
I’ve been thinking about what that means to me.
Continue reading
11 Wednesday Sep 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Short, Travel
Tags
My Galaxy Tab, along with the keyboard/case that I bought to accompany it.
I have a modest laptop. Not too big; not too small. Enough oomph to render a video (slowly) now and then. It has now traveled to Mexico, Spain, Greece, France, and Italy and served me well. It is named “Gulliver,” in honor of its many travels.
Alas, with accessories, Gulliver weighs more than five pounds. He travels with case, a power brick, a wireless mouse, a charger for the wireless mouse, and a backup hard disk.
09 Monday Sep 2013
Posted in Short
Tags
Like us, Abbey Kaye is an expat and a travel blogger. She writes with a wit that’s not that common among travel blogs, and she travels compulsively. I only “follow” half a dozen blogs personally, and Abbey’s blog (titled “I Love Airplane Food” http://iloveairplanefood.com) is one.
The other day, Abbey nominated us for the Liebster Award, which is given to “up and coming” blogs. A liebster (as an adjective, translated from the German) is beloved, or liked very much. Wow. Thanks, Abbey!
Part of the responsibility in receiving the Liebster Award is to “list eleven random facts about yourself.” Okay. Here goes:
The Expat Almanac 