Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco - Mexico

 This morning I was wandering around the decks on my usual morning walk and out in the distance I could see where the huge Mexican mountains (Sierra Madre Occidental) were plunging straight into the ocean. It was like our Great Dividing Range … but right at the oceans edge.

 It was a warm misty morning and today will be our last day in a port in Mexico. 

Unlike Huatulco, today there was an horizon and a pretty yellowish sunrise, a bit like we get in Australian if there is bushfire smoke in the air.

  The oceans on this cruise have been an ever changing feast of colours and this morning in the ships wake it was a yellowish green and the ships wake was tipped in off-white!

Today we are back on one of our included HAL big bus tours.

Our thoughtful tour guide was wanting to get us all in the FMM (Festa Mexican Mood) so Tequila shots were handed out within the first 10mins and happily received by a bus load of willing FMM supporters! 

 First is a 30 minute drive to a beach restaurant to have Tortillas and Margaritas for lunch.

The water so blue.

The sands so white that the sunnies never come off. 

The restaurants atmosphere, location as well as the great music play list with the likes of The Champs “tequila” so many ✅’s, 

Fillings for the tortillas all in beautiful bowls on such a colourful traditional woven cloth we so yummy!

But my dear readers my heart is still back in Huatulco where the ancient grain tortillas were just simply the best I have ever had.

The bus trip through the old town revealed quite a modern town, well maintained yet still with some older traditional areas but it appears not to have as many of the social issues that we have seen at some of our other recent cruise stops.

Visited a stunning 1912 church with it’s decorative wrought iron crown, siting on top a hill over looking old town and the beach below.

Beautiful decorative brick work to the front two sides showing great skill and care in construction.

Where as the sides of the church that were not generally seen by the people were almost medieval in appearance with only some structured brick work but mostly stone and rubble.

The congregation were in mourning for Pope Francis and the church was decorated beautifully as you would expect.

Being there on that day with only a few of the bus load of the subdue “FMM people” was super special.

I just love all the workmanship!

Back on the bus and off to The Mayahuel stage production, it was put on in a tiered theatre back in town and was just a superb stage production showing the traditional people in huge fabulous feathered head dress with painted athletic bodies all the while recreating dances and conveying their stories from a bygone era. 

Telling in dance the story of a big storm and about the agave plant being hit by lightning. Then after that storm the cave dwellers coming out to discover and taste for the first time … that new sweet flavour of the agave plants that had been cooked by the lightning.

Then the awesome feeling of “mystical pleasures” that they experienced for the first time or, into days terms they were 

“p***ed as newts” … 

This feeling of pleasure came from drinking some of the agave juice weeks later unbeknown to them … fermented. … 

So my friends TEQUILA was born!

This incredible show depicted 

Love - Lust - Myth - Creation - Fire - Water - Earth - Air 

To watch the dance of fire was truly visually stunning and dramatic in a darkened theatre after several more tequila's.

Just saying that OH&S in Australian, on a indoor stage with lots of very FMM viewers with so much 

🔥🔥 🙀 🫣 🙀 🔥 🔥

would not let this sort of show be preformed inside … on a stage with curtains and combustable feathers on so many heads 😂  

but as I’m writing this blog we all some how survived!

All making this show for US, one of the BEST ever depiction of a traditional and cultural show that we have ever seen while travelling around this wonderfull world we have. 

💚 💜 🔥 🙀

Huatulco - Mexico

The typical colourful tourist signs that we are seeing all round on this cruise in the Caribbean and here in Mexico, this one is high up on the hills.

Add a beautiful & colourful Sands to complete the picture 💚

The old town picture our funky glass wearing Antonio is holding is what it was like in 1989 before tourism hit the area.

Antonio grew up here and tells us fondly of being a kid here and having all this to himself to explore and today it is now his livelihood. I was lucky to sit in the front seat as I got some great one on one info while we were driving place to place.

 It is back to back port days, so we were up and running early this morning before it gets to hot as today Antineo is taking us on a private small tour to show us some sights and to make … 

🥁 🥁 🥁 but most importantly EAT some 

soft ancient grain cornmeal Tortillas. 

WOW WOW WOW 😮 😮 

I can hear you say, so what’s the big deal Pete … they are tortillas and any supermarket in Australia has them.

BUT

To be able to taste them in Mexico, authentically made and cooked over a wood fired on a hot plate in a tiny tin humpy on the side of a road in a small village … it just could not get any better than that! 

And then it did get better … we added some 

Oaxace cheese … salty and stringy which ments perfectly into the center of the folded tortillas plus with a spoon full of tomato and chill which have been charred in the coals of the fire and pulverised into a flavour bomb of a spicy sauce.

FOOD HEAVEN AGAIN!!!

As I mentioned when I got pictures back that I would introduce you to the man we were told to look out for on the 

end of the pier. 

We were instructed to come thought immigration and just at the end of the pier as you turn left into town your guide will be waiting for you with the tour name and to help see him he will be wearing a beige waist coat.

I must say I was expecting someone slightly taller!!

But today was bring your kids to work day for the kids to learn some english from the cruise ship tourist.

 They were so cute and talkative and I am always up for a chat with a little person.

 

Some day to day life happening outside the vans windows

 Yes Yes another church … and I do love to take pictures of  them for their different architectural styles …  it is a big part of life here in Mexico.

All todays the mod cons inter-placed into old walls

And being a lines person here would be challenging 

to say the least!

Hot and dry make Tamworth look like a tropical oasis! 

Past the beach I so wanted a swim in … but time was not on our side today being out with the real people not the tourist was just wonderfull thanks to Antonio.

Heading back to our Mother Ship (HAL Left) for some A/C, a shower and a cold beer🍺 

We leave behind a dry arid Mexico.

The trees on the hills around the bay are in the dormant season waiting for the rainy season which is due to start in June then this whole area will be green again.

Tomorrow we have another sea day before our next and last Mexican port.

Puerto Quetzal - Guatemala

 Another hot and steamy day coming so I’m doing my early morning laps of the deck 3 prior to docking in Guatemala. 

From a distance it is looking like an industrial port with huge ships which are being filled with gravel apparently to be sent all round the world. 

In the oceans off the west coast of Guatemala there were dozens of similar ships waiting in line. 

The haze of the humid morning air mixed with a bit of industrial smog still makes for a striking vista.

As we were cruising early in this morning the smokey grey ocean seamed to have no horizon before the sky takes over and only the huts with their darker grey thatched can be seen poking through letting you know that there is also people living on the black sandy shoreline's. By the time I took this picture the haze had dissipated and you can now see the thatched roofs.

 

Today is Easter Sunday so at the breakfast buffet are some yummies.

And we all know how much Pete loves a little treat or 10 😂 

It probably contains enough sugar to keep a primary school class on a sugar high till they reach high school but I'm up for the challenge, besides I’m hoping my morning walks are 

a good counterbalance!!

Unfortunately today is a bit to risky to leave the ships port as there is a huge Easter festival with over 1 million people on the little dodgy roads so getting back to the ship in time is risky so we will have to stay close. 😞 😞 

But the Cruise Ships Port has been transported into a festive market all under thatched roofs with loads of colourful handy crafts, live local music being played.

 

Check out the smaller drums turtles bellies!

and a bar with local 

“Gallo” (Cerveza) which is beer 

to help drown your sorrows 🍻 

so twas a great day anyway.

Had a drink with one of the apprentice captains and it turns out he is from Ireland and well he was good at drinking on his day off and I am always up for the chat. 

It was also a 2 shirt day! and a jade medallion on a leather string all made in Guatemala so not a total disappointment. 

Sandy says I’m a shop assistants dream, I don't like to barter and if the price is fair well out comes the 💰 

Cotton from a plant the lady said about my shirts and they are so soft and breathable so will come in handy heading into hot humid Mexico where the temperature is apparently going to get even hotter. 

Both my shirts are short sleeved, one is classic black with a 20mm wide rainbow of hand woven trims around the sleeve and up the front where the buttons are, so a bit more dressy for night time dinners and late night 💃🏼 🕺 🪩 on the ship.

The other is white with little green Resplendent Quetzal which are the national bird of Guatemala so bit more fun for lounging by the ships pool.

Saw this guy tucked away in the corner,

 somedays I’m sure we all know exactly how he was feeling.

But he looked to peaceful to wake for a sale … 

snooze and you loose

Again it is just a colour overload is the order of the day with all our favourites being represented.

These are for the day of the dead which is celebrated 

1st November

Under the tropical tree canopy made for a much 

cooler day in the shade

The jade man is now my screen saver. One cool looking character and now I too am the proud owner of some Guatemala Jade.

Now it’s time to head back to the Mother Ship 

as this evening we set sail for Mexico