Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0053f781egdyul.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta</B></FONT> <B> </B><B>|    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta   |   <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="First Weekend at Hacienda del Mar"><U>First Weekend at Hacienda del Mar</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Main level"><U>Main level</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Upper level"><U>Upper level</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marina life"><U>Marina life</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Back to Grahams"><U>Back to Graham's</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta</div> <div> This is a report of my Thanksgiving vacation to Puerto Vallarta, a Mexican resort in the state of Jalisco from November 18 through December 1, 2003.  I usually send out the text of the message to an eMail distribution, and then incorporate it into my website, but will be doing the site first, adding some of the 123 pictures I took with a digital camera.</div> <bR> <div> I have two timeshares in PV - one is available for my use only on the odd year, and is in the marina - Velas Vallarta -  and the other is a ritzy resort-style located out beyond Nuevo Vallarta just before the Four Seasons resort, called Rancho Banderas.  Rancho is about 25 miles out of town, but is elaborate and elegant, with great facilities.  In addition, a friend of mine that I knew in New York City has built a wonderful hacienda just south of town.  I was able to stay there as well on this trip.</div> <bR> <div> My last trip to PV had been in 1999.  I should have gone down in 2001, but it was just after starting my business, and right after the 9/11 incidents in New York, Pennsylvannia and Washington, D.C.  Plus I'd been off for a bit more than a week that fall on a trip to attend my nephew Rob's wedding to Lisa in Virginia.</div> <bR> <div> So, I began making my arrangements for this trip about 10 months ahead.  I had the Velas week nailed down, and then augmented that with days before and after at Rancho, so that I could stay longer and enjoy two weekends over the holiday.  I talked with Barbara, my travel agent, about getting a ticket, but started looking at fares online.  Anxious to get a cheap fare, I foolishly bid $350 at Priceline and got my ticket for $449 - they don't really tell you about that $99 fee until after you're stuck with the ticket. And my routing was horrible - SFO to LAX in the evening, and 4 hours in LAX.  Then onto DFW, and 5 hours this time.  Finally off to PV, arriving at lunchtime.  About a month later, Barbara found me a charter for slightly less than $400, so I was sitting with 2 tickets until my birthday.</div> <bR> <div> On my birthday, Barbara called to say that Allegra, the charter company, had cancelled all flights because they were preparing for (or were declaring) bankruptcy.  Fortunately, that foolish Priceline ticket (which I'd tried to sell, return, get rid of) was still good, so I left home on 11/19 at 4 in the afternoon with a bag, a back pack and a case of wine.  I lost one of my credit cards in SFO, which I cancelled from LAX, and had meals in both LAX and DFW, getting to PV early, albeit 18 hours after leaving home.</div> <bR> <div> Mexican regulations limit you to 3 liters of wine without duty - I was entering with 9.  So I paid $20 in duty, and got through customs easily, and was out at the curb before Graham drove up.  We got my gear in the back of his SUV, and headed to the marina to have lunch.  Shrimp cerviche with cervaisa, and some smoked fish on tostadas.  Yummy.</div> <bR> <div> Our plan was to head out to Rancho, and relax and catch up - Graham had visited me in Pleasanton (California) in August, and there was much to discuss over beer and margaritas.  On our way out, we stopped to visit a tequila factory.  Surprise! It was a national day (Revolution Day) so much was closed, but we got an abbreviated and personal tour, including a tasting, and he picked up a split of gold tequila (the 750 ml bottle of white was $100 US!)  On into the state of Nayarit, through the fishing village of Bucerias and on to Rancho Banderas.</div> <bR> <div> After clearing the gendarme at the gate, we parked and I went and got our suite assignment, while Graham used the Internet terminal there.  The bellhop grabbed our gear and we moved into a luxurious 2-bedroom suite.  Graham took the back bedroom,  and changed into "bathers" - an Aussie term for a swim suit - while I took a much needed shower before grabbing a pair of shorts and joining him by the pool.  Graham was joyously reading the sections of the New York Times that I had brought along, and I settled into my second book, while a group of 8 adults played a modified game of water polo in the upper pool in front of us.  The waiter brought us drinks, and I thought I was in heaven, with warm sunshine and ocean breezes.</div> <bR> <div> Off to the left (from where we lounged at poolside) as a tube - a slide to the middle level pool.  There, seated on more lounge chairs in a foot of water were more guest/owners, who didn't get splashed when one descended via tunnel.  Another even lower pool was reached through yet another tunnel, and several steps took you down to a wide, clean white-sand beach.  Beyond the polo players was a large palapa (thatched umbrella-type roof) deck with a bar, the concierge, dining tables; all overlooking the Bay.</div> <bR> <div> After two rounds during happy hour of margaritas, we headed back to the suite and got out of swimwear and decided to go out to dinner.  Proceeding west, we poked into several exclusive residential areas, peeking at the homes of the very rich and somewhat famous.  Further out towards the Punta de Mita (the northern end of the Bay of Banderas) we arrived in the fishing town of El Anclote.  There were 3 open-air, two-story restaurants with seating under palapas on the beach to choose from.  I picked one, we went upstairs as the first diners and got a railing table with a great view of the bay as the sun set.  Of course, I had neglected to take the camera with me, but I do recall it was stunning.</div> <bR> <div> Our meal was a fisherman's special - a variety of fish and shellfish - cooked with much garlic and herbs, on a bed of rice.  We had a Chilean wine with dinner, and left stuffed.  On our return to Rancho, we sat up a bit, sipping on the gold tequila (drinking it like brandy) and discussed plans for the rest of my stay in PV.</div> <bR> <div> I didn't take any pictures while at the resort that first day - I figured I'd do so on my return.  Since I didn't come back, I'll provide several links:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ranchobanderas.com/main.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ranchobanderas.com/main.htm"><U>Rancho Banderas' website</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.intervalworld.com/iw/cs?a=1503&resortCode=RHB" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.intervalworld.com/iw/cs?a=150"><U>Timeshare information at Interval International</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ivacation.com/wr/property-tsr-1384.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ivacation.com/wr/property-tsr"><U>iVacation.com's webpage</U></A></div> <bR> <div> By the way, as of 12 January 2004, I've put my timeshare at Rancho Banderas on the Internet Market through CondoTrader.com - while it's a spectacular place, it's much more couple/family oriented, as opposed to my single social style.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>