Banderas Bay Revisited - with Kids

2-10-17  Nuevo Vallarta - Banderas Bay - Mexico

Almost exactly four years ago we left the Banderas Bay area and headed North.  Two mid thirties kids, on our little sailboat out in the big Pacific Ocean. Headed North to the Sea of Cortez for yet more fun in the sun.  No fears, no jobs, no time frame, no house and yep, no kids.  I guess it would be somewhat of an understatement to say that things have changed since then.  Four years later, two kids, a house, two full time jobs, and not so much vacation time; made it back. 

It was the first flight for our children and we had some apprehension about it.  In the end they did great.  No problems with the flying itself.  Maybe a little trouble with the "keeping myself occupied for 3.5 hours" for our 17 moth old son; but what can you expect.  We had hoped for a lot of sleep, but got almost none. Sydney was an excellent little traveler who seemed to enjoy the whole adventure.

  

Ready to go at CLE

Happy times for mom and dad on the first flight

Happy times #2

 Cleveland to Dallas to Puerto Vallarta.  Get a cab and to the Hotel.  Everything went smooth.  Lots of time at the airports and a nice layover helps the situation with kids. I guess I forgot to mention the "shark tank" as they call it in PV airport to Elizabeth.  It's basically a room that they force you to walk thru where you are promised the best and cheapest of all things from cab rides to whale watching trips to tequila tasting.  Lets just say the truth in advertising laws may not apply to Mexico.  You are supposed to hold your breath and just run thru this room, but I found myself holding Sydney with Ben in the backpack, pulling luggage with my mom following behind trying to convince Elizabeth that this really wasn't the BEST deal ever for a cab or any other thing in the Banderas Bay area.  My fault I should have discussed this situation before hand.  Note for others reading: just keep moving and don't make eye contact with anyone.  Trust me, there will be other opportunities to get a cab or find an excursion during your time here.

And we paid for a seat.  Silly us.

Syd gets a "big girl glass" at dinner at La Isla Restaurant

Swimming.  Lots of time spent here. Syd even braved the Crocodile slide
a few times

Little Benjamin having a good time

Evening swimming / Poolside dinner night

We made it to La Cruz for the Sunday market we used to love.  It has become much more popular than when we were there.  Read: way too many people to comfortably have fun. We did escape to the marina where no one seemed to venture since it was 200 yards away, where we indulged in one of the greatest parts of Mexican culture.  The purchase of ice cold single beers from the convenience store and then drinking them in the shade as you relax just outside the door.  E and me spent a lot of time at the La Cruz marina doing just that when we sailed there 4 years ago, so this was an activity that made us feel right at home.  Sydney kept asking us where Autumn Wind was?  I guess we may have talked about our trip a little to much over the years, or maybe not?

Syd at La Cruz Marina.  We spent some time on this bench in the past

La Cruz Marina

After a long day at the La Cruz Sunday Market

Sunset from the balcony.  

Sydney is infatuated with the "little baby turtles"

Ben doesn't quit get the "turtle" thing

Grammy and Syd say goodbye to the baby turtles

The walk back from turtle releasing.  Not to shabby.

Another sunset from the patio

We had the classic of all Mexican experiences on our trip to Puerto Vallarta.  In order to get out on the water at least a little, we took the water taxi from Nuevo Vallarta to the Los Muertos Pier in Puerto Vallarta.  The water taxi was really just a nice Panga with a steering wheel and a canopy overhead.  We knew that and that's what made it fun.  When we arrived at the boat ramp at Paradise Village in the morning, a fellow with absolutely no indication that he had anything to do with he water taxi approached us as asked if we were the ones taking the water taxi. "yes" we said.  "Ok, just give me the remainder of the payment and wait over there".  huh? Who are you I asked.  Why I'm capt' Tony your panga drive he said pointing to the sign with his picture on in it.  I guess he somehow knew that we were the white pasty family that scheduled the water taxi the day before, not the other dozen families that were milling about the area.  Anyway, we saw a whale up close as a bonus on the trip to PV.  The genuine experience was actually in the getting picked up.  Our captain Tony (Not sure if it's a crazy coincidence or he really likes Jimmy Buffett) was scheduled to pick us up at 1:00 PM.  We sat on the pier with all the other people, fisher men, tourists going to Yelapa, gasoline getting wheeled down the pier etc...  1:00 came and went.  No surprise.  A few minutes later our 17 month old son reminded us why we were usually punctual and no longer patient people.  We called Captain Tony.  He only had one stop before us at the marina in PV and then he would be there in 15 min.  Well the whole trip only took 20 min so I pretty much figured this was his alarm to get moving from Nuevo Vallarta.  It also told me I had plenty of time to go scout out an OXXO for one of the cold beers I previously referred to.   25 min or so later he arrived,waving to us as he come to the pier.  We pushed past the people waiting for other rides and jumped onto our personal panga for the ride back.  Just to male it a genuine experience, the tide had gone down a bunch and getting onto the panga was not an adventure for the mobility impaired.  I mostly grabbed a child and jumped to the floor before the panga moved to much, repeat for kid two and then help mom on.  No need to tie up the panga or get a ladder.  This lead to the thought that maybe Capt. Tony wasn't really supposed to be using the pier for his personal taxi service.  It was a great experience that makes you remember to trust the system, even if it feels a little out of your comfort zone.  Tony knew who we were, somehow, found us a whale as a bonus and saw us sitting on the pier from 1/2 a mile out as if we were the only people there.  It's a different world then we are used to, but somehow it all comes together.

Captain Tony, our ride to Puerto Vallarta on a Nice Panga

Walking the streets of Puerto Vallarta

Took this same picture (without 2 kids) 4 years ago.

Just cute

La Cruz Marina on the way home.

Little did we know it would be 13 hours until he fell asleep.

I miss the Mexico experience, the smells of food; of burning stuff; and the sort of dingy feeling the areas have, but in that very used sort of way, not the I don't care sort of way.  The way everyone is helpful and nice and they love children.  The way that you need to just know how stuff works, but that it all really does work.  Everything and everyone has its place and role to play here.  Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to figure it out.   Hasta Luego Mexico!