Friday, February 19, 2010

ROMANTIC VACATION IN PUERTO VALLARTA

Well, I just joined Facebook and I cannot believe the time all this stuff takes! I have to put a photo on my page there. Of course every site is different when trying to add things. I thought I was putting a bio on Newsvine and it came back to me as a comment from a reader. I guess I'll deal with that another day as I want to write this blog.

Back to Mexico! Harry and I stayed as usual at the Fiesta Americana Hotel in Puerto Vallarta. We love the balcony overlooking the Bay of Banderas. We can see the town from it as well as the huge ocean liners coming into port. It's a view of which I never tire.

I look forward to breakfast on the beach every morning where I can order whatever I wish including fresh papaya juice. The members of the wait staff have become old friends and they really try to please. I wanted a little more pulp in my juice so I mentioned it to Antonio, the Captain of the morning and lunch settings, and presto, there was more pulp. He really has his staff trained well. His assistant this year was Isabel who always met us with a smile.
Unfortunately the evening offerings are not as good nor the staff as well trained. Because we were quite tired from the trip and elected not to go out, we tried the two hotel restaurants three times and were disappointed three times. Often the young waiters see a couple or group who they think may be big tippers and away they go. (This problem is not exclusive to this hotel.) It took me well over 5 minutes to get some bottled water and only 4 tables were filled. The food was very mediocre. Antonio assured me that he would alert the mangers so that next year would be better.

In past years many of the evening meals have been memorable. There would be extensive buffets on the patio. This year the hotel was only partially full and only limited menus were offered. On the other hand, because of the light week which we had chosen, the rooms were on special - about half what we usually pay. By the way, you have to upgrade to get a full view of the bay from your room. It was a little more but well worth it!

There are so many really good restaurants in Puerta Vallarta that we didn't have enough days to dine at each one. Our friends Ron and Lois were vacationing there, too, so we had dinner with them a couple of times. Here we are at La Vitae which is a new eatery right on the walkway along the bay. On Sunday night you can sample authentic Mexican food from a huge variety of booths along the walk. Not to mention all kinds of crafts.

We sometimes have a difficult time finding an evening to get together with Ron and Lois in Sawyer where Harry lives, but in PV we had more time to enjoy our friends.

Several times a day we would go out on the balcony to enjoy the view.
Puerto Vallarta is one of the most romantic cities in the world Harry and I have been traveling here since we first met over five years ago. Part of the Romance Game is keeping romance in our lives. Harry is very thoughtful that way and we have wonderfully romantic dinners where ever we are. Every couple needs to spend time with each other away from the problems of daily life.

Harry keeps busy with his blogs and has been working on a new series of paintings. (I'll include a couple on a future blog.) John Straun, who owns The Loft gallery in Puerto Vallarta, has a few of Harry's earlier painting/digital designs and would like have several paintings in this new series.
That's it for this post. This is a photo of the two of us having a romantic dinner. Cheerio.

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