the story...

Okay, since getting back everyone in bloggerville (well, not all of you, but enough) have said things about wanting to hear all that happened while I was away in sunny Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

So, here it goes:

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006:

We rose at the crack, I mean the crack of dawn to catch our shuttle. You remember, the one I set up last week? Well, by 5:00 it wasn't at our house yet and it was supposed to be there at 4:45. I called and spoke with the same woman who set up the pick up and she's confused as to why it isn't in the log. She got a cab to the house and away we went.

Plane ride, turbulent flying into San Fran. and the stomachs were lurching. Not fun. Flying into Mexico we looked out at sunny skies and could not wait to get off the plane and through customs. We bustled through pretty quickly (odd side note, when at the counter I noticed an earring and felt sad about some woman losing her earring...it was my Mamasita's!!! Had I known at the time, I'd have picked it up for her). Mamasita and Walterita were waiting for us. We grabbed the shuttle to the hotel and checked in. Rooms weren't quite ready, back down to the front desk. Got rooms that are clean and away we go back up.

The hotel was lovely. Open air, squawking parrots...the whole nine yards. We took our things to our rooms and decided to put on our suits and sit in the sun overlooking the ocean. The vendors were done for the day by that time so we got to sit and enjoy each others company while we sipped our margaritas and cervezas. The sunset was beautiful (see post prior to this one). We ate at the hotel that night and made the plan to meet in the morning for a day by the pool the next day.

Monday, Jan. 2, 2006:

Up early and to the beach for me, dressed in my yoga togs and ready to practice. It is an amazing thing, practicing on the sand with the sound of the waves crashing. So peaceful and serene. Although the headstand remained elusive...very difficult to kick up in the sand. Ah well, the practice was great.

We went down and met for breakfast in the open air dining room. There was fresh fruit, omelets to order, wonderful fresh fruit juices (I can almost taste the strawberry juice still on my lips). We ate and then decided to grab our towels for a day by the quiet pool. Yes, this place had two. One where you could play and they were blasting music and one where you could sit and sip your drink while you laid back and enjoyed the sun (don't worry, none of us got burned and all used high spf sunscreen!). We dined at the hotel for lunch before heading into the old part of Puerto Vallarta to have dinner at The Shrimp Factory. The garlic shrimp Mamasita and Catherine shared were yummy. I had the beer battered shrimp, which were also quite tasty.

After dinner we walked along the Malecon (the boardwalk) for a while and watched some street performers. Kev and I walked the mile or so back to the hotel and the other three grabbed a jalisco (taxi) back. We enjoyed walking hand in hand in the warm night air.

Tuesday, Jan. 3rd:

We got up and of course, met for breakfast. We decided that we were going to go to Bucareas for the day. We discussed our options of either grabbing two cabs or hopping on the bus. We opted for the bus. It was a rather quick ride, and this bus was not an old school bus, but had nice plush seats (I'm thinking to make up for the lack of shocks). We spent the day there at a table on the sand by our favorite restaurant (damn if I can remember it's name now...). We sipped our drinks, ate our food and just enjoyed the day (can you sense a theme here?). Kev and I took a walk down the beach where I found the one and only thing we brought home with us...a green piece of beach glass.

We got back to the hotel and turned in our towels. We all went to our rooms and had some nap time before heading down for dinner and drinks and the show. I think it was the Mime night. The hotel was full of people from Canada. Let me just say, they like their mimes! Was fun though, even though I'm not a huge fan of the mime...

Wednesday, Jan. 4:

We spent the morning by the pool before heading into the old part of PV where we sat, ate guacamole and drank mango margaritas by the sea. We did much of this the entire time. After sitting and enjoying the sunset we walked to a restaurant called Pipi's. So good. Margaritas as big as your face. Kev and I opt to walk back to the hotel again while the others grabbed a jalisco again. We had one drink downstairs at the hotel before heading to our respective beds.

Thursday, Jan, 5:

We eat breakfast before Mamasita and sistersita and I head for our massages. OMG. The sound of the waves crashing as she made me melt into one big Shanny puddle was amazing. The other two were in a room together and I was alone. It was such an amazing way to end my day yesterday...yesterday, that is so sad for me to write. I can't believe I woke up yesterday morning in Mexico...

However, we are back and the animals are all happy. I have fun stories of them, but will wait until tomorrow...as of now, I have to go pick Kev up from work.