The West Commences: More Mexico

This has turned out to be my second ‘shanks mare’ holiday of 2013, Beijing with Jay and now Vallarta. I swam in the Pacific every day in La Penita with Barb, but here in PV I’ve only been in the pool once. I’ve walked miles; however, to 4 dentist appointments with Dr. Adan Noel Michel Brixon, which have resulted in 2 crowns; to the jeweler’s, Diamante Azul, 3 times to have Jay’s medal altered, my grandmother’s ring strengthened and a pair of gold earrings made and to meet Dick and Ellen for 2 dinners, a breakfast and a shopping trip to the Sat. market at Lazaro Cardenas Park. Other walks have been more aimless tours of the town to see what’s changed and what hasn’t. The Emiliano Zapata market is still thriving up east of Insurgentes around Cardenas, a good place to buy fruit and vegetables. The small Spanish tapas place is still on Mina, but I didn’t eat there because I couldn’t quite make myself do it alone. I have no trouble being in coffee shops and some restaurants by myself; in fact, I enjoy eating quietly, looking around. I don’t even need to have a book to pretend to be reading, but I couldn’t do it there where service is so slow and the atmosphere so intimate. A Page in the Sun coffee shop has moved from Olas Altas to Madero, on the north side of Lazaro Cardenas Park. As it’s a book trading and coffee shop and its new location doesn’t seem to be quite as desirable as the old one, I wonder if that says something about the replacement of books by ereaders and ipads. I was looking for it because I had finished the book I started at Barb’s and I’ve almost finished Mansfield Park, the book I brought with me form Vernon. My flight home is going to be long, from PV to Regina to Calgary to Kelowna, so I don’t want to be bookless. I found a new coffee shop, Dee’s Coffee Company, just up from the ocean, past the big new pier near the south end of the Malecon. I began the mornings at first by buying a tamale from the woman who sets up her stand at about 7:30 am on the street just below my hotel and then going in search of coffee and a shady spot to sit by the ocean and enjoy both. Now that I’ve found Dee’s, I always get coffee there and sometimes also one of her muffins or buns. She’s originally from Calgary, and all the things in her shop are delicious. Her coffee has been voted best in PV 7 times, and I can see why. There’s another good place to eat in the Olas Altas area; it’s called Salud, Good Food. I’d eaten there before, but different people own it now. The centre of good eating seems to be shifting to the Olas Altas area, as is the shopping. I think it’s the influence of the gay crowd and the moneyed condoites in Conchas Chinas. Am I right or am I left?

Jay says it’s getting cold in Korea, and the emails from Vernon mention that next week is going to be cold, so I’d better soak up as much heat as I can to keep the batteries going through December. As it is I’m sitting in my room ‘glowing’ as mom would say, and that’s because I’m merely typing. If I even walk slowly on the shady side of the street, I begin to drip within 2 minutes, but I guess I’d better do it or I’ll wish I had when I get home. But I don’t like it. I prefer cool weather and quiet.

I forgot how I’d ended this entry this afternoon. It’s now about 9:30 pm, and I feel completely differently. This is the first of 3 Sundays when Juarez Street is closed to traffic at 5pm and the parades to the Cathedral to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe begin around 6. I had forgotten about this, but on my way to Dick and Ellen’s at around five, I asked a guy sitting on the street corner why Juarez was closed to traffic. He reminded me about the parades and it all came back. We enjoyed these evenings many times in the past. I continued walking along the Malecon to Dick and Ellen’s for our final margaritas and snacks before taking a taxi together through the tunnel to the restaurant La Bruja in Carranza. After sharing shrimp and chicken fajitas and some Pacificos, we said our final good byes. They took a taxi home, and I began to walk, warmed by the meal and their wonderful company and cooled by the breezes sweeping down from the Sierra Madres. Everything about Vallarta pleased me at that moment. It only got better as I joined the crowds on the Malacon and walked to the Zocalo where all was bright lights, music, dancing and food galore. Full as I was, I couldn’t resist a piece of pecan pie. Juarez was alive with people and stands selling tacos, tomales, popcorn and crepes, etc., etc.. I was in time to see the last pilgrims stride past still chanting encouragement to each other on their way to the Cathedral. How could I ever make a negative comment about this land of papaya, cilantro, limes, lovely children, easy-going adults, waves rushing over rumbling rocks, pelicans and sunsets. Ask me at noon tomorrow on my way to the airport and I may come up with something, but tonight I say again, Viva Mexico.