Puerto Vallarta: Triumphs and Topes - Eric

You've never lived until you've seen a Puerto Vallarta sunset

We've been in Ajijic in the central highlands of Mexico for almost a month now but I want to record a final farewell to Puerto Vallarta.
When we first arrived in Puerto Vallarta in February, I suggested we call this blog "Triumphs and Topes."
Topes are speed bumps in Mexico--some are small, others are humongous. Some are well marked while others sneak up on you.
Triumphs and Topes is an apt metaphor for living in Puerto Vallarta.
Trying to make an expat life in Puerto Vallarta, or anywhere in Mexico, brings speed bumps you have to figure out how to navigate.
Our first big tope was when we discovered that the condo we had rented, sight unseen, for four months was not within practical walking distance to the ocean or other major attractions. That was the top feature we wanted. We felt isolated on top of the hill.
Eventually, we found the road out front stretched for a long ways, allowing us some walking exercise and good views. But it was not the same.
The only way to the beaches or other scenic spots was to drive down tope-strewn rough roads. Otto needed his daily exercise so I would pick my way slowly down to Shrimp Beach or other beaches 10 minutes below us. They weren't Otto's favorites but they were OK.

Picture-perfect San Pancho beach

In our final month, I discovered the public access points to Gold Beach in the hotel zone and the beach in front of the marina hotels. Since it was no longer high season they were not crowded. I could let Otto run free. He enjoyed that immensely.
In addition, the sand was much better. The drive took 20-25 minutes but the main road was a smooth arterial.
So, for me, the original speed bump of not being able to walk to the beaches turned into the triumph of realizing, "Hey, with a 10-25 minute drive I can be on a tropical beach!"
And the isolation of the mountaintop meant we had a sweeping view of north Banderas Bay and the almost nightly fireworks shows.
Of course, the biggest tope was not being able to speak the native language. Marge was great. She signed up for three levels of intensive Spanish lessons--three hours a day, three days a week with massive homework. As for me, I dropped her off at class or left her behind to study while the dog and I had fun.
The tope hardest to overcome was not the heat but the humidity. I know! I know! Everybody says the trick is to go out early and siesta inside from 11-6. But nobody contemplating retirement says, "What I really look forward to is getting up earlier."
Our original plan was to stay in Puerto Vallarta for four months and that's what we did. We beat it out of town before the really bad humidity began.

For this reluctant draftee to Mexico, Puerto Vallarta wore down my resistance with so many great experiences. Among them, the beaches, Rio (River) Cuale and surrounding neighborhoods, the malecon (boardwalk), restaurants on and off the sand, strawberry margaritas, the marina, music in the bars, towns to the north like Bucerias and San Francisco/San Pancho (" I Left My Heart in San Francisco"), the mountains, the jungle and the sunset. You've never lived until you've seen a Puerto Vallarta sunset

Giant strawberry margarita

There's something about living in a place that other people travel distances to visit. I got a little bit of that feeling living at Alki Beach and above Seahurst Park. But people never booked airlines or cruise ships to Alki or Seahurst.
Now we are in Ajijic, whose own triumphs and topes will be the subjects of further posts.

A Puerto Vallarta beach during Easter Week