Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Our arrival was pretty easy with only a short wait in customs. We navigated our way through the airport and found the Grey Line shuttle service and we were off to the resort. It was short ride to the resort which seems to be situated right in the middle of Puerto Vallarta. We are staying in the Preferred Club section so we are getting a little extra special treatment, we have our own butler, Carlos. And they aren’t kidding when they say “you can have anything and everything you want at an all-inclusive.” We were joking with Carlos when he showed us to our room and asked him for a bottle of Tequila and when we got back to our rooms in the evening there was bottle of Tequila waiting for us. We are getting spoiled here. As Rob, Tami, Amy and I were going through the check in process Matt and Teresa arrived. We spent the rest of the day catching up by the many pools. (All-inclusive means Brian needs to control himself.) The boys thought it would be fun to wear matching shirts. The girls were surprised

and we got a lot of head turns to see the goof balls that looked alike. We ate dinner at Oceana, one of the resorts many restaurants, the food was good with small portions but the service was slow. Then we ended our first night walking around the resort trying other food spots. We had some sushi, stopped at the buffet, all while sipping on drinks. It was a great first day!

We enjoyed a full day of sun and fun around the pool and beach. Drink of the day/week is a Paloma. Tequila, lime juice and Fresca. We have been drinking them since we got here and they are very refreshing in the very warm, humid weather. As the sun was getting warmer Brian decided he wanted a hat. There were many vendors walking up and down the beach trying to get our attention. Well one got my attention and I signaled him over. That started the bartering, however, Amy is the queen of bartering! It started with $45 for one hat, and after much negotiation and lots of laughter Amy negotiated three hats for $50. We were told by “Ranger Rick” that was a really good deal. Now we are the three amigos with matching shirts and amazing hats!

Then, of course, we thought we should take a dip in the ocean, wow the under tow was strong and we rolled in the waves but thankfully recovered. After all that time in the sun we retired to our rooms for a much needed rest. Met up again for drinks on the patio bar and a beautiful sunset then off to the Hibachi Japanese restaurant for an amazing meal arranged by our new friend, Carlos. The hibachi experience was super fun and delicious. And Brian caught the shrimp in his mouth when the chef flung it at him.

Today we are off for an adventure of yachting across the bay to do some snorkeling! We get to the Port Authority location to check in with our reservations and… oh no, I forgot my ID. After a little bit of panic the nice gentleman allowed us to use Amy’s ID for the check in. Whew, crisis averted! We were on a luxury yacht that supposedly held 45 people. Our group was 21 people, and that felt a little crowded. I guess we are “Yachties” now and enjoy the finest thing in life. Anyway, it was an hour and a half ride across the bay to get to our private beach and snorkeling area. We enjoyed drinks, guacamole, and coconut shrimp on the yacht. Amy and I decided to go snorkeling, which was our first time. We found some beautiful king angel fish, sturgeon, and many others. We had a lot of fun exploring the underwater world. Swimming in the ocean is a lot harder than we thought it would be. We were thankfully we did not see any sharks. After that we had to swim to the beach to meet up with Rob, Tami, Matt, and Teresa. The beach had lots of seating, buildings, bathrooms, and a bar. My kind of beach. Time to head back to the yacht for lunch and drinks. But first, we had to swim against the current to get there. That proved to be a little challenging. Finally back on the yacht, had very nice charcuterie lunch and relaxed. Both Matt and I got to sit with the captain and drive the yacht! After all that I am happy to say that nobody needs to “chum the waters.” Dinner tonight was at Bordeaux’s, the resorts only French restaurant. And let me tell you, it was the best food and absolutely amazing. We indulged in a six course meal with an amazing service staff that took such good care of us and tended to our every want! We all stepped out of our lane and tried some new things, like Escargot. It was so buttery, garlicky, and melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Plus some of us had Foie Gras and Steak Tartare. Wow, what a meal!

It seems like every night is a loud music thumping night here at Secrets Resort. Everybody is always having a good time!

Our last full day was filled with a trip downtown to the boardwalk for shopping and some authentic Mexican food. The boardwalk was just coming alive when we got there. We came across some street performers that climbed a tall tower, wound themselves around the top and hung off backwards as they spun around until they reached the ground like a very large May pole. Scary and amazing at the same time. Then we found a little artisan shop that hand made these unbelievable beaded figurines and statues. The artistry is amazing and we brought home a cute sea turtle as our souvenir. Matt got a recommendation from the shop owner of a really good place to go for lunch and it did not disappoint. Casa Tradicional Cocina Mexicana restaurant was amazing! The food, atmosphere and Neno, the manager, couldn’t have been better. Our margaritas were made with their families’ tequila and they were fantastic! So much so that we all bought a bottle of the tequila to take home with us. Raygoza artisanal Reposado Tequila is the name of it and you cannot get it in the states. By the time we got back to the resort it was hot and muggy so straight to the pool. We met two fun couples from Oregon. We had a good time partying in the pool with our new friends! Then we ended the evening with dinner at Capers Italian restaurant.

Well it’s time to pack it up and head home. We’ve had a great time with awesome friends, met some wonderful people, and enjoyed the hospitality of the Mexican culture…and tequila!!

Travel Tips:

1. When going to an all-inclusive resort bring lots of small bills along for tipping the staff. They work hard and treat everyone to some amazing service!
2. If you want something ask your butler!
3. Remember to duplicate everything, passports, drivers licenses and any other important information.
4. Remember your sunblock…and to take time to re-apply.☺️
5. Learn to embrace Mexican time…mañana!
6. Always remember your ID when going out on an excursion, especially when you are in a different country!Ha ha, not funny.