m.i.a.

I'm not exactly sure why I haven't posted in almost a month.  I guess I kind of got lethargic when I ran out of Puerto Vallarta pics.  Anyway, I'm back and my apologies for the extended absence.

At any rate, the past month hasn't been lacking activity or interest, just lacking photos to go with them.  Our big news is that Geoff and Carmen are expecting a baby in December!  Dan and I will be first-time grandparents and I'm so excited!  I've been spending an indecent amount of time on Ravelry looking at baby patterns and have got a wee sweater on the needles.  I'll post pics when it is finished.  We don't know the baby's gender yet so the little sweater is white.  I'm anxiously waiting for the first ultrasound so that I can decide on patterns and colors for either a boy or a girl.

I've been going to a yoga class once a week and helping teach two spinning classes each week.  Both have been great!  I love spinning classes, both taking them and teaching them.  It's wonderful to share my passion with like-minded people.  Deb is the other instructor and it's great to work together because we do so many things differently.  We certainly prove a point that spinning can be approached successfully in a myriad of ways.  Deb is also responsible for introducing me to the yoga classes at Bodhi Tree Yoga.  At first, yoga was painful and it was a good thing that my friend Rhonda was also going or I might have dropped out but it is gradually getting better so I guess my body is starting to respond.  It helps that the Yoga for Backs class is individualized treatment and I'm understanding my alignment and pain triggers better.  Sarah, the instructor, is a wealth of knowledge!  I should have been doing this years ago.

A few weeks ago I did a dyeing experiment for my own interest.  I dyed four fingering weight skeins of different fiber and twist combinations in the same dye pot to see how each took the dye.  I knew that they would be different but was fascinated by how different they turned out.

Left to right:  55% BFL/45% silk, 80% BFL/20% bamboo, 80% high-twist BFL/20% nylon, and 75% lower-twist BFL/25% nylon.

I also finished spinning up some merino/bamboo from Spinning Awesome Good in the 'Ghosts and Gremlins' club colorway.

 118 g, 484 yds., chain plied

I wasn't really excited by the color while I was spinning it but after chain plying and finishing the skein, I like it.  I'm thinking socks and wondering whether the yarn would self-stripe but sock knitting has been shelved while I knit for baby.

 

last PV post, I promise

We received good advice from our travel agent before we went to Mexico.  She told us that the hotel maids really appreciate tips because they don't make very much money in wages.  She also buys small toys and other little treats like fancy hair bands and bath beads at the dollar store before leaving and gives them in addition to the monetary tips.  Most maids are working moms and very much appreciate these small things for their children.

I saw our maid the first day that we were in PV and, through gestures and limited language skills on both of our parts, learned that she had a ten year old boy and a five year old girl.  So each day I left her items for both of the children along with her tip.  In return she left us little origami-type treats made with towels that became more elaborate as the week progressed.

So clever and cute!

Finally, I really debated posting about a medical issue that I had from the flights but decided to do so in case other people have the same problem and don't know why.  It isn't a common problem and getting a diagnosis can be difficult. 

After we arrived in Puerto Vallarta I noticed that I had a rash on my lower legs and feet.  I have a history of getting rashes when we go away* and we thought it was kind of funny at first.  The rash went away in a couple of days so I didn't think much of it.  However, after we flew home the rash reappeared on my legs and was more intense.

Apparently the skin on my legs and feet is thinning because of my diabetes and isn't thick enough to protect the capillaries from the air pressure changes when taking off and landing so they burst.  I also have some genetic tendency toward this because my grandmother lost both of her legs due to poor circulation and she didn't even have diabetes.  Frankly I find this news quite depressing although I'd rather find out about it now when I might still do something about it.  I am monitoring my blood sugar more closely and exercising more in the hope that I can slow down the progression of this problem.  There is one small upside to all of this - my normally hairy-as-all-get-out legs don't need shaving nearly as often as they used to.  For future flying, my doctor suggested wearing compression stockings during take off and landing and to take an aspirin to guard against the compression stockings affecting my blood circulation.  Oh, the joys of getting older.

*I developed a red, raised rash all over my body on our honeymoon.  It was a contact allergy to something that was used in the laundry of the linens in the hotel room.  My skin felt like it was on fire and it hurt to the touch so it put a bit of damper on being close to my new husband, to say the least. 

city tour and Mismaloya

Another highlight of our trip to Puerto Vallarta was a tour of the city and nearby Mismaloya.  Dan heard an announcement at the hotel one evening that there would be a free city tour the next day from 10 am to 3 pm so we signed up.  I didn't hear the announcement, or much of anything really, while we were gone.  If Dan hadn't have been with me to let me know the important or interesting details, I would have missed a lot.  I have suspected for quite a while that I was losing some hearing but the trip really confirmed it.  It convinced me to get my hearing checked when we got home and I am losing most of the higher range of sounds.  I will need hearing aids at some point but can get by for now.

There were ten of us from the hotel to join our taxi van and driver the next morning.  We were exceptionally lucky to have Jose as our driver and he was the best tour guide ever!  Here he is cheerfully posing with my sock-in-progress while we overlooked the city from Ah Carumba! restaurant (he says he takes his first dates there).

 If you ever want to see the Puerto Vallarta area, get him to take you (padillajosemanuel@yahoo.com).  He's enthusiastic, informative, and just plain fun!  He suggested extra side trips along the way and asked, "See it or leave it?"  Of course we wanted to see everything.  The tour was supposed to end at 3:00 and we got back to the hotel at 5:30.  A really great day!

There were so many things that I can't show you because the pictures were taken through the window of the van while we were moving so are blurry.  It was interesting to see the areas of Puerto Vallarta where most of the people live.  There are open air markets for shopping (the locals can't afford to shop in the tourist areas).  Most live in apartments, often with more family members living in a small suite than we can imagine.  Wages are low for most people so they can't afford more than the basics, especially if they don't speak English.  Even so, maybe because tourism is such a large industry in PV, there doesn't seem to be the abject poverty that we see in pictures of other places.

We visited a Tequila Factory which is actually a small museum to show visitors how authentic tequila is made.

 

 We saw the houses where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton lived in downtown Vallarta (Gringo Gulch).  There is a small road between the two places over which is a wooden walkway to connect them.  Since then, the walkway has been torn down when they were estranged and rebuilt when they were together, repeatedly.

There are spectacular homes in the lush jungle vegetation on the side of the mountains above the city.

If you look closely in the center top of this picture is a condo with a pool on each terrace that flows down to the next one on each level.  (You can click on each picture if you want a bigger view.)

The road to Mismaloya offers amazing views of the bay!

Los Arcos

We saw what Jose described as a rare black gecko.

and saw another one shortly after.

There were several iguanas.  I snapped this pic as the iguana was scuttling away from me.  I guess I got too close for his comfort.

The small town of Mismaloya is not as modern as Puerto Vallarta.

There were chickens running on the road not far from here.

We had lunch there at an open air restaurant with breathtaking views.

We capped off our afternoon with a side trip north of the city, along a dusty rural road.  I don't think it's included in most tours; it was one of Jose's "see it or leave it" ideas.  I'm very glad we saw it.

But I wouldn't want to see it any closer than this!  Along an estuary is one of few places in the world to see crocodiles in their natural habitat.  Local fishermen visit daily to throw the crocodiles the fish heads and whatnot from their catches so the crocs can frequently be seen here.  This big guy put on quite a show for us, rolling and snapping his jaws before moving on.  It was so cool!  There is barbed wire along the bottom of the chain link fence to keep the crocs away from nearby cattle.

I haven't included the downtown stops we made on the city tour because I covered those in a previous post.  We did make one downtown stop that I will always remember - a store with amazing fire opal jewelry.  I bought a modest ring while we were there (talk about an unplanned purchase) and it will bring back lovely memories of our trip and the bright colors of Mexico every time I wear it.

it's beginning to look a lot like...

Easter?

Mother Nature gave us one last (I hope) taste of winter.

Our winter was so mild and dry that we can't really complain.  It's already melting quickly so it won't be around for long.  The trees haven't leafed out yet so the moisture in the form of snow is fine.

A couple of days ago (in lovely warm weather) I took my annual pic of the rhubarb coming up in the garden.

I actually noticed the shoots before March ended but didn't get my act together to get a picture until now.  I checked my past blog posts to see how this year's timing compares to the last few and it's definitely earlier than usual.

I still haven't finished my posts about Puerto Vallarta but have had major pain issues the last few weeks so it hurts to spend much time on the computer.  We've been home for over a month and I still haven't organized all of the photos.  More to come.

Las Caletas

Dan and I went to Rhythms of the Night, cruising across Banderas Bay to Las Caletas, where John Huston lived for many years, and it was definitely a highlight of our trip!

We left in the late afternoon from the marina.

 

The ship in the background is a Disney cruise ship.  Massive.  I'd never seen a cruise ship in person and was quite stunned by the immense size of it.  The guards are heavily armed as they patrol the marina.  I would have loved to have taken a picture of one of them with my sock-in-progress but I didn't have it along for the evening.  Of course it's entirely possible that the guards might have arrested me on the spot had I stopped them with pointy sticks in my hands (and that wouldn't have been good) but talk about a great picture if they had agreed to pose for me!

The boat trip took about an hour to get to Caletas and the staff made sure that everyone was entertained and served refreshments along the way.  The passengers had trouble standing and walking on deck while we were sailing but those guys could carry two drinks in each hand and climb the steps to the top level of the boat without spilling a drop.  As Dan said, they obviously had done that a few times before.

When we arrived at Caletas the sun was setting.  The shore was lined with tiki torches and the dinner staff waiting for us.  It was so beautiful!

Notice the little waterfall in the center of this picture.

As we walked up the path the dancers and musicians that would perform for us later in the evening welcomed us.  They represented ancient Mexican civilizations and wildlife.

Then we had a lovely dinner in the dusk, listening to strolling musicians and to the waves lapping at the shore..

After dinner we walked further up the path to the outdoor theater.  We were allowed to take some pictures of the warm-up part of the show but then were asked to turn off the cameras for the main event.

This guy was the comedian to warm us up.  Without speaking a word of any known language, he managed to crack everyone up.

And these guys up the trees right over us were simply amazing, giving us a taste of what was to follow.

 

The show was superb and reminded me very much of Cirque du Soleil.  I found out later that the creative director and choreographer is a retired Cirque du Soleil performer.

The only downside of a wonderful evening was hearing people calling for doctors shortly after the show began.  We weren't close enough to see exactly what happened but people around the incident were turning on their cell phones for light.  I heard someone say that he had a history of cardiac problems.  There must have been a doctor in the audience because he was bent over the man for a long time.  As we were leaving to get back on the boat, a woman was asking everyone for aspirin (not Tylenol, not Advil) so I assumed that she was looking for help for the cardiac patient.  We never did learn exactly what happened but it made me feel kind of sick to my stomach to think about a family dealing with a loved one's heart attack in such an isolated location.

The boat ride back the marina was lovely under the night sky.  Away from the light of the city, the moon and stars were bright.  The staff of the boat got people dancing for a while.

Then they mellowed the mood with romantic music and encouraged people to just enjoy the beautiful evening in the moonlight on the Pacific.

downtown Puerto Vallarta

Dan and I hopped on a bus to go downtown.

Buses are inexpensive and there are lots of them so it's easy to go just about anywhere in Puerto Vallarta.  Most of the locals use the buses for everyday transportation. 

The bus drivers take your fare and make change while pulling away and driving so you need to hang on.  No time is wasted.  Traffic is goofy in PV.  There don't seem to be too many traffic rules and the aggressive drivers demand right-of-way.  It seems as if driving is akin to playing chicken to see who backs down first.  In spite of that we didn't see any accidents.  It was fun to watch but I was glad that I wasn't driving on the congested narrow downtown streets.

When we first got on the bus it was full so we grabbed a post and stood but a man popped up and indicated that I should take his seat almost immediately.  The Mexican people are unfailingly polite and respectful.

We rode as far the the Malecon, the oceanside boardwalk where vehicles aren't permitted.

 There are beautiful sculptures along the Malecon including sand sculptures.

If you put a coin in the box under this sculpture, it moves!

There's a real live person under that sand.  Apparently someone frequently spritzes him with water so that he doesn't dry out and crumble.

The distinctive crown at the top of The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe dominates the downtown skyline.

A Lenten Mass was just ending when we were there in the early afternoon.

There was a group of school girls waiting for their parents to pick them up on the front steps of the church.  You can see one little girl in her red and white school uniform in the background of the picture.  The street in front of the church is typical of a downtown street, two lanes of one way heavy traffic.  Parents stopped their vehicles to pick up their children, effectively blocking traffic as there is no parking lane.  Cars abruptly cut off the other lane of traffic to go around the stopped car but nobody seemed at all put out about it.  It was fascinating to watch the traffic chaos and see how it all worked out without the  rules we are used to in Canada.

The downtown area is home to small shops, flea markets, and pubs.

There are colorful souvenirs and clothing as well as jewelry for sale.

Plants flourish in the warm climate.  I don't know what kind of flowers these are but there were a lot of them wrapping themselves around posts.

Walking along the Cuale River bank we saw this tree.

  A nearby vendor told us that it is a rubber tree.  It was so large that I couldn't get the whole tree in one photo.  So beautiful!  Going through these pictures this evening makes me long to go back.  I have no doubt that Dan and I will take another trip to PV in the future.

a little vacation pictures break in honour of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow

the beach

 Puerto Vallarta is blessed with consistently gorgeous weather during the winter months.  There is a cooling breeze off of the ocean and the sun is warm.  Because of its location in a bay, the water is comparatively calm.  We waded into the water and it was surprisingly cold.  The lovely warm pools are more attractive than the ocean to most swimmers and there are no sneaky undertows to worry about in the pools.

There are plenty of activities to keep you busy on the beach if you get bored.  The hotel provides Spanish and mambo lessons as well as massages.

If you feel the need to shop, there are lots of beach vendors that are happy to oblige.

I enjoyed finding another knitter on the beach!

She lives in Oregon and kindly agreed to have her picture taken when I explained that I have a knitting blog.

I can say with certainty that I was never bored.  It was lovely to relax on a comfy beach lounger knitting, reading, and people watching.

Then, as the sun was setting, this curious sight appeared.

We found out that there is a show aboard the galleon in the evenings called "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate (No beavers were hurt during the preparation of tonight's cruise)".  I guess you can tell that 70% of tourists in PV are from Canada.  I wonder if the organizers of the evening cruise know that Saskatchewan is completely land-locked.

PV, the beginning

We flew out of Regina late on a Saturday evening in a snow storm (a rare event here in this mild winter weather we've had this year).

It was only the second time in my life that I've been on a plane; hard to believe in this day and age, huh?  We found out that we'd been upgraded to first class on this flight which was a great thrill!

We arrived at our hotel at about 5:30 a.m.  I decided that I'd better take some sunrise pictures because I would not be up to do that any other time, night hawk that I am and all.

The hotel lobby was completely open to the outdoors on either side which blew my prairie girl mind - we have triple glazed panes and screens on our windows and the hotel didn't even have walls!  The notion of being completely open to the elements is very foreign to my mindset.  The lobby itself was gorgeous.

The hotel, Friendly Vallarta, lives up to its name!  All of the employees waited on us hand and foot with unfailingly cheerful and friendly eagerness, from the beach staff to the porters and maids.  With all of the bad press that Mexico has been getting, I have to say that we found the Mexican people to be completely delightful and respectful.  We felt welcomed and safe everywhere we went.  Tourism is big business in Puerto Vallarta and many depend on it for their survival.  It is a city of over 350,000 people so I'm sure there are unscrupulous people there but we certainly didn't experience any problems apart from charming and pushy time share salesmen.  We received excellent advice from our travel agent about what to expect and what to avoid and the airline had a representative employed at the hotel to provide guidance as well.  We wouldn't hesitate to go back.

I will leave you with a pic of our view of the water aerobics class from our lunch table in the buffet restaurant (look! no screens in the windows).