Destinations

Aaaahh, Puerto Vallarta, images of palm trees, beaches, tropical drinks and mountain scenes conjure up in my mind. Its Logan, “The Sea, The Town, The Mountain”, pretty much sums it up. No other popular touristy beach town in Mexico offers the backdrops that Puerto Vallarta does. The town faces Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay) and behind it are the beautiful Sierra Madre Mountains. For those who enjoy romance, seclusion, yet close enough to population, and places to party at night, Puerto Vallarta is one great place to visit. It’s not for nothing that Richard Burton’s, The Night of the Iguana, chose such a beautiful location to be filmed in. PV (Puerto Vallarta) still maintains that small town atmosphere with its cobblestone streets, the main plaza in the center of town and the church, Templo Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.

Puerto Vallarta started becoming a resort town in the 1960’s and since then it has grown into a town of nearly 350,000 people. Most are locals but many are retirees and anyone who decided to visit it often enough to purchase a condominium there. This growth has prompted the development of many hotels and condominiums. The area of newer development is called Nuevo Vallarta, which is mainly a hotel zone. So if you like to be in the middle of all the action, day and night, than staying in a hotel in Nuevo Vallarta is the place for you; many touristy shops and restaurants are located here. However, there are other locations such as Zona Hotelera and Zona Marina that offer beautiful hotel accommodations as well.

In Puerto Vallarta the tourist can enjoy everything under the sun including golfing, whale watching, sport fishing and ecotourism. Surfers from all over the world have even found a place to surf in the northern town of Sayulita, about 25 miles north of PV. However, for off the beaten path beaches you may want to take a water taxi ride to the small fishing town of either Quimixto or Yelapa. To get to these towns you will need to get to the suburb called Boca de Tomatlan, reached by taking the Barra de Navidad road or carretera, traveling south of Puerto Vallarta; getting to the fishing towns could be on either taxi or public bus. Once there, you will find a few small water taxis (basically small fishing boats) that will transport you to one of the three small fishing villages. The first stop is Las Animas, next is Quimixto, and the final one is Yelapa. If agreed, the water taxi will drop you off where you wish in the morning and will come back for you at a predetermined hour in the afternoon. Quimixto is the most recommendable of the three to visit; but going early is the best bet to avoid crowds. In Quimixto you will find a hiking trail leading to a beautiful water fall; this area is wonderful for hiking.

A few hotels, especially those located in the southern parts of Vallarta such as in Conchas Chinas and Mismaloya offer their own private beach, such as Dreams Resort and Spa. However, there are many alternate hotel options, for an array of budgets, with a short distance to the beaches in that area. This area is surrounded by more tropical greenery and you will also find eco adventures such as canopy tours.

On the opposite end, the Northern side is what many refer to as the Riviera Nayarit (Nayarit is the state bordering north of Jalisco, which is the state Puerto Vallarta is in), but the official name is Punta Mita. Punta Mita is also a beautiful location, without the closeness of the mountains as found in the south, but a beautiful area with newer developments. One of these new developments is the exclusive and luxurious Four Seasons Hotel; located about 42 km from Puerto Vallarta airport.

Puerto Vallarta has everything a beach town can offer; beach, nightlife, small town ambiance, archeological site (Ixtapa) and it has been transformed into a creative and artistic Mecca. Many talented retirees and professional artists have made this town their home. This makes Puerto Vallarta a great place to view art displays as well theatrical events. It’s a good idea to always check with your hotel concierge or front desk for information on performances during your stay.   In the evenings one can enjoy anything from a loud, fun atmosphere of the restaurant bars found on the Malecon, to a quieter seafood dinner , to a possible art exhibition, whether it be performed or displayed.

Puerto Vallarta is a very unique destination in Mexico. Many tourists are repeat tourists for many reasons and the best part is that the place maintains its beauty and charm. So whether you travel alone, with your loved one or your whole family I am certain that Puerto Vallarta will not disappoint.

See you in PV and Happy Travels!

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It was my lucky day to be chosen to go on board the Queen Victoria while it was docked in San Francisco. I only had a brief time on board, but during that time I imagined what it would be like to experience an around the world cruise and I came to the conclusion that on the Queen Victoria it would be a dream of a lifetime. As I entered the ship the first thing I noticed was the ships excellent condition. An Italian designer who chose soft elegant colors designed the interior. The atmosphere is retro but with an updated elegant feel. It looked as though the carpet and all of the interior walls were just installed that morning.

We strolled around the ship looking at various sites including:

The Winter Garden, a lovely, light-filled indoor/outdoor poolside setting with a retractable glass ceiling was lovely.  I could only imagine sitting in the Winter Garden with a good book in hand and having a glass of champagne.  There are two swimming pools on board. One of the pools is located in the back of the ship perfect for sunbathing and enjoying a view of the ocean. Queens and Princess Grill dining.  The restaurants are identical.  Elegant surroundings, lovely ocean views, expansive decks and a private lounge for cocktails and meeting friends.   A courtyard connects both restaurants. Queen and Princess Grill passengers can mingle with each other and enjoy el fresco dining in the lovely Tuscan-inspired setting of The Courtyard. The Queens Room (ballroom) is elegantly appointed and is the perfect setting for the Royal Nights themed balls. Hemispheres with its 270-degree ocean view and circular skylight for stargazing was beautiful.  There is a special designated area for around the world passengers to meet and socialize. I’ve seen photos of the Library but it is even better then portrayed in the photos.  Two storeys of rich polished woods linked with the spiral staircase.  We were told that there are nearly 6,000 titles available to the passengers. The Royal Spa has a large hydro-pool and heated lounge chairs. The fitness center is located at the front of the ship and all of the treadmills face out to the sea. The Royal Court TheatrePassengers can reserve a box for $25.00 per person evokes the grand theatres of London’s West End, and offers the first private boxes of any theatre at sea and unobstructed sightlines.  Thirty minutes prior to the production there is a private lounge where they will be served champagne and dessert. A few minutes before Showtime a Cunard White Star escort takes them to their private box where they will enjoy champagne, truffles and an entertaining production.  This special event cannot be reserved until the passengers are on board.  Best to reserve as soon as you get on the ship. It is a popular event. I had lunch in Britannia Restaurant.  The food was quite good and the service excellent.  It is a two-storey venue and has an elegant and intimate atmosphere.  We had a peek at Todd English’s restaurant and I would feel confident to recommend it for a special evening. Cost for Todd English is $20.00pp for lunch and $30.00pp for dinner. A lunch at the Golden Lion Pub of fish and chips is complimentary ConneXions Internet Centre had an adequate amount of computers setup in private cubicles.  2 hours is $47.95, 4 hours is $89.95 and 8 hours is $167.95.

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AMERICANS LOVE London for a lot of reasons, aside from what we laughingly say about Londoners speaking almost understandable English. It’s a city with endless diversified pleasures for all tastes.

In the summertime it’s a great place to join with people from all over the world. I spent a week there last summer savoring the scene, before taking a Princess cruise around the British Isles.

Dining, drinking or walking the summer streets in London is almost like being everywhere else at the same time. The joyful chatter coming from visiting tourists is a cacophony of up to 80 different languages and it’s mostly happy talk. The attraction of London is universal.

Being in London is an immersion in culture, entertainment, shopping, dining or simply pub crawling. The London pubs are so crowded on weekend evenings, it’s standing room only extending out on the sidewalks. Soho is the place to see and be seen. Londoners are beer drinkers and the suds flow freely from taps not bottles. Any pub will have an assortment of up to a dozen or more different beers and ales to pull.

Daytime in London is a totally different scene, whether it’s upscale shopping at the world’s greatest department store, Harrods, or mixing with the lower end at Camden Lock. There are thousands of stalls at Camden Lock selling everything from far-out clothing and jewelry to trendy and more traditional things. For people watching it’s hard to beat this outdoor circus atmosphere.

Not to be missed is the London theater scene, better than New York’s Broadway for a number of reasons. London theaters are many, and mostly on the small side. No matter where you sit to watch a performance you feel more intimately involved because you are closer to the stage. And the cost of admission usually is less.

Except for the few truly hit shows, which are sold out well in advance, half-price tickets are the rule rather than the exception. In Leicester Square the city operates a booth selling tickets for many of that day’s matinee and evening performances at half price. Private ticket agents with stalls and offices in the surrounding streets also offer bargain-priced tickets for shows that may not be available at the city booth, and you can get tickets there for future performances.

One way for an economical theater evening is to purchase a package deal, dinner and the theater at cut-rate price for both. Numerous ads for this are available by looking for “London theater-dinner package” on Google.

London is a shopper’s paradise. If its toys you’re after, London has the greatest toy store in the world, Hamley’s. This store on Regent Street, near Oxford Street, is 249 years old with five floors of extensive displays of things to amuse and delight youngsters. It’s more than just displaying toys. It includes demonstrations. Hamley’s employs 50 young people to show you what you can’t live without once you see what it can do.

For a unique dining experience my favorite is an off-beat crypt in St. Martin in the Fields Church, at Trafalgar Square. The crypt floor consists of well-trodden tombstones of historic church figures. It’s a huge room with open seating tables. There is a self-service, cafeteria-style section serving both hot and cold dishes, all delightfully prepared. But the piece de resistance is a superb bread pudding, the like of which is unmatched even in the city’s high-priced restaurants.

London can be expensive for a visitor. The exchange rate with the pound hasn’t been good for the dollar lately. Hotel rooms do run high. But, there’s a good way to lower that cost. If you plan to stay at least a week, rent a furnished apartment. You get all the comforts of home in a prime area at maybe half the price of what a hotel would cost. Search for these apartments by Googling “London furnished flat.”

The song may say, “I love Paris in the springtime.” But summers in London are cooler in temperature and warmer in almost every other way.

Ed Arnow can be reached at BrentwoodBuzz@aol.com.

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