Didn't need to collect firewood in our last days at Puerto Escondido as the scorching heat continued. It was Pat's turn to go to the same doctora (different antibiotics!) and same haircut place. The handiest local transit has been the many collectivos, 50 cents to go into town or back. You might share the ride with a mariachi band or a weathered woman hauling a bucket of fish for dinner. Escondido has been a casual unpretentious place to come back to for the surf...
Then a 2 1/2 hour bus ride through dry dusty scrub to Huatulco. It's being marketed as the next big tourism town with 14 distinct sculpted bays in a row. They've even prettied it up with wide landscaped boulevards and daily street sweepers. But we found out almost all of the bays are taken up by members-only "beach clubs" or are accessible only by tour boat. And the air was blisteringly hot with arid winds that dried your skin like yesterday's tamale. Luckily we stayed in a charming older part of town with traditional village square and church. The church ceiling has the largest painting of Our Lady of Guadeloupe in all of Mexico. But overall Huatulco was a disappointment and unimpressive. Ironically, 80% of tourists here are from Canada but of course they stay at package hotels.
Then The Day From Hell going from Huatulco to Puerto Vallarta. What should have taken 4 hours dragged into a frustrating 15. Flight delay (no explanation) another flight delay (no co-pilot!?!), another flight delay, mechanical failure taxiing out and arrival after 1 am. No food, no apology. "Thankyou for enjoying your pleasant time with Aeromexico" said the cheery recorded voice. A jarring decrepit bus ride into PV and a walk to the pre-booked room about 7 hours late. The Hotel Azteca was where we stayed on our first time in Vallarta, last century. The nostalgia was lost forever when we woke with multiple bites in multiple hard-to-scratch places...
Things are looking better for the final month. The rental in Vallarta is a half-block from the ocean in a funky old part of town. We're among the gay zone, gringos prowling for the latest restaurant fad, dog walkers, a handy wide oceanside no-car avenue, bus routes, street markets, and the usual hundreds of coffee shops. The apartment is our largest yet at 800 sq. ft. with a comfy living room, much better kitchen than last time, and a balcony overlooking the buzz. Off to the grocery store to load-in supplies and cravings for the month! The sunset pier is one street over. All's well that ends well?
Then The Day From Hell going from Huatulco to Puerto Vallarta. What should have taken 4 hours dragged into a frustrating 15. Flight delay (no explanation) another flight delay (no co-pilot!?!), another flight delay, mechanical failure taxiing out and arrival after 1 am. No food, no apology. "Thankyou for enjoying your pleasant time with Aeromexico" said the cheery recorded voice. A jarring decrepit bus ride into PV and a walk to the pre-booked room about 7 hours late. The Hotel Azteca was where we stayed on our first time in Vallarta, last century. The nostalgia was lost forever when we woke with multiple bites in multiple hard-to-scratch places...
Things are looking better for the final month. The rental in Vallarta is a half-block from the ocean in a funky old part of town. We're among the gay zone, gringos prowling for the latest restaurant fad, dog walkers, a handy wide oceanside no-car avenue, bus routes, street markets, and the usual hundreds of coffee shops. The apartment is our largest yet at 800 sq. ft. with a comfy living room, much better kitchen than last time, and a balcony overlooking the buzz. Off to the grocery store to load-in supplies and cravings for the month! The sunset pier is one street over. All's well that ends well?
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