Sailing Encore

We have been here in Banderas Bay for a week now. The sun is shining and the temperature is around 82 each day.  Just saying…

Paradise Village Marina is situated on the grounds of a large resort with multiple pools and pretty beach fronts. And we are allowed to use all of it. The resort is full of vacationing Mexicans, Canadians and Americans.

We have worked on cleaning and organizing the boat. Vernon has buffed and shined all the way up the mast. I reorganized the supplies and clothes below and even labeled my pantry containers! We pulled out all the cold weather clothes we wore on the way down here. Clothes I don’t want to wear again on this trip. It filled a suitcase. I checked with the concierge at the hotel and find out that it would cost $180 to ship the suitcase home. So we will store it deep beneath the sails in the forepeak for now.

We hike out from the marina and walk for miles down the beautiful beach. We explore different roads and find some great little places to eat. We provision at a Walmart about 6 miles from the marina. (Yes there seems to be a Walmart in every big city south of the border too) And sometimes we hang at the pool in the late afternoon to cool off. I checked out my GoPro (thanks Hoagies!) and yes it is waterproof. Promise the next video will be of much prettier underwater sea life!

We travel into the city of Puerto Vallarta by bus and walk the Central district with its colorful waterfront and market areas.

The main city cathedral has a replica of Queen Carlotta’s crown atop. She was the wife of Maximillian, the French placed, short reigned king of Mexico in 1864(executed). We read a lot about the history of Mexico from the indigenous peoples and the rise of complex civilizations, before being conquered and colonized by the Spanish in the 1600s.

We take a long bus ride inland up into the Sierra Madre foothills to see the Botanical Gardens. It is tropical with many birds and beautiful flowers and trees that run along a small river.

They have many gorgeous orchid plants. Did you know that vanilla is an orchid plant? It was first discovered in Mexico and was used by the ancient inhabitants and it is the second most labor intensive spice in the world (Saffron is the first).

We eat lunch in the cool breeze and watch the birds enjoying some local treats.

And then we take the bus ride back. I have decided that they do not put any shock absorbers on buses in Mexico. Vernon thinks it would make a good Disney ride. When we get back to downtown I am sore from bouncing. Definitely more roughed up than our night trip from Cabo!

We put together a picnic dinner and cruise our dinghy around the estuary and canals that go deep into the area behind Banderas Bay.

Mangroves line the canals and birds roost in the trees.

And Iguanas. Lots of Iguanas! Iguanas in the trees and swimming in the water.

There are signs to “Cuidado con los Cocodrilos” but we look and look and don’t see any. And I suddenly realize how happy I am. (not about the crocs but about the trip).  It is probably the warm weather and the friendly Mexican people. It is probably being able to sleep long hours in a comfy bunk. It is probably steady wifi and contacting family. And it is just hanging out with Vernon. And of course picnics in the dinghy have always been my favorite thing. Cheers!