The traveling manatees by Nancy French: Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Early morning view from our balcony

It seemed as though we had barely unpacked from our last trip when we received an offer from our Vidanta Mexican timeshare that was too good to ignore. Since we would be able to stay for free and fly using our air miles, making the decision to go back to Mexico was a no-brainer. We had last visited this part of the country back in 2005 when we made a trip to the nearby Puerto Vallarta.

Located within the Riviera Nayarit, which consists of some historical areas and fishing villages, the extensive development of high-end resorts near Nuevo Vallarta is changing the face of this region. Not checking the weather forecast for the month of October prior to making our reservations, it turned out we were arriving at the tail-end of their rainy season---and rain it did---a lot. We did catch plenty of sunshine as well though and didn't let the rains slow us down too much.

The oceanfront Grand Mayan Resort offers gorgeous pools along with the beach access, so we took advantage of both. But in spite of the lovely accommodations, we didn't go to Mexico solely to hang out in the resort so we rented a vehicle for the week. First on the agenda was a drive to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, this fishing village has the largest and most modern marina in the area, but the reason for our visit was the fish market. With numerous vendors displaying their daily catch, we opted for grouper and shrimp. Our total $15USD purchase provided 3 dinners, so quite a bargain. Followed by a stop at the extensive La Comer grocery, we were set for the week.

Along the lazy river

Waking the next morning to sun, we decided to hang out at the resort and utilize some of their offerings. Playing a beach version of pickleball, floating in tubes down the Lazy River, oceanfront tacos and beer, and just relaxing poolside was a pleasant way to spend the day. But it had been a long time since our visit to Puerto Vallarta, so that was next on our agenda.

Driving through the large city, we headed to the Malecón. This mile-long promenade is flanked on

one side by the ocean and on the other side by shops, galleries, and restaurants. Numerous quality sculptures created by local and international artists decorate the walkway. Our timing was perfect to catch the "Dance of the Flyers" ceremony. Created hundreds of years ago in central Mexico, 4 men climb to the top of a 30-meter pole and then, attached to ropes, spiral their way to the ground. Sometimes a 5th member stands at the top of the pole playing a drum and flute. In the rendition we saw, two of the "flyers" were playing the instruments as they descended. We first had an opportunity to see this ritual in Tulum many years

earlier.

Left on his own, Alan probably would have spent hours combing the beach for the perfect rock for his collection, there were certainly countless choices. Dozens of rock balancing sculptures grace the beach at one spot where a local creates the works for tips. The rocks stay in place by design, with each one placed carefully according to its size and shape.

The following day we headed north to Sayulita. Driving along the twisty narrow road north of Bucerías, it almost felt as though we were hacking our way through the jungle. Though obviously not the same at all, it was a truly beautiful drive with huge ancient trees draping over the roadway. Roadside vendors were selling chilled coconut water, locally harvested sea salt, and durian, the stinking but tasty fruit we first discovered on our travels in SE Asia. Sadly, construction has started on new roads, so I'm afraid in the not too distant future that the special drive up Hwy 200 will disappear.

Primarily known for its surfing, the cobblestone streets of Sayulita are lined with restaurants, galleries, and shops. Impressive handcrafts made by the Huichol Indians who live in the foothills and

highlands of the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains (and are direct descendants of the Aztecs) are sold in a co-op here. We had considered a trip to the small village where the handicrafts are created but the residents speak the Huichol language, not Spanish, so we decided that communication might be too challenging. But we purchased a couple of small examples of the tediously created pieces at the co-op in Sayulita. This art form was first developed about 250 years ago. It consists of tiny beads being attached with wax to a form (wood, clay, or bone) one at a time. Traditionally the beads were made from bone, clay, semi-precious stones, and seeds. Later the beads came from central Europe and they are now sourced from the Czech Republic. The man we spoke with at the co-op told us that the art form is starting to decline because the villages' young people are not interested in pursuing the craft.

In spite of the almost non-stop drizzles the beach was fairly crowded and surfers were sometimes almost shoulder to shoulder trying to ride the consistent waves. Even though beach food was offered under umbrellas on the sand, we decided to eat under a roof at the waterfront restaurant, Don Pedro's. We made the drive to nearby San Francisco, a low key fishing/beach town, but heavier rains and a complete lack of parking persuaded us to head back to Nuevo Vallarta.

Located within the Bahia de Banderas, our next outing departed before sunrise and headed first to Puerto Vallarta to pick up additional tourists and then to our primary destination for the day, the Marietas Islands. This group of islands had been used by the Mexican military during the first half of the 20th century to test bombs since the area was uninhabited. Following efforts by renowned scientist and explorer, Jacques Cousteau, the islands

were declared a national park, and human activity was limited.

We had been monitoring the weather for this trip, but unfortunately, we chose a day when the sun failed to appear. Seas were rough for the 1-hour trip out, and the crew hustled to help the guests victimized by seasickness. Known for snorkeling, waters surrounding the archipelago were cloudy and visibility poor during our visit. The Marietas Islands are also the only place in the world, other than the Galapagos Islands, where the blue-footed boobies are found. After the snorkeling, we took a boat tour around the islands to check out the birds. Without question, we saw more of the boobies here than in Ecuador. Hundreds of frigate birds were also clustered around the islands, clinging to the volcanic rock. Landing on the islands is strictly limited, and National Park Service boats were on hand to make certain that tourists don't violate the restrictions. Hidden Beach, created by the bombing, is the only portion where land visits are allowed

but access is difficult and restricted. Only 117 people a day, 5 days a week, under specific guidelines, and with licensed companies, are allowed at this special beach.

Within the protection of the coves, lunch was served and an open bar was provided. Moving to Majahuitas Beach, the crew assisted guests with paddleboards, kayaks, a banana boat, and also continued serving drinks. On the return trip, this same crew provided a "floor show". Dressed in costumes and wigs, they lip-synched rock tunes from the 1980s. In spite of the marginal weather and poor snorkeling conditions, it was still a wonderful day.

We concluded our visit with another full day spent hanging out at the resort. Picture perfect weather was ideal for lounging poolside. Now time to return home for a while!