February 28, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Exploring.

Anna and Abe are doing a great job of exploring this place.  Every day they walk on the beach, always walking in the shallow water.  As Abe does not swim, I have urged them not to get into the water because a wave could knock him over.  But they enjoy walking in the shallow water.  Later in the day they walk throughout Nuevo Vallarta.  They just select a direction and head out.  

They have taken the jungle boat tour to see the crocodiles and the birds.  It is a two hour tour.  They enjoyed themselves.  And they took a four hour boat trip on the bay to see the whales and islands.  They enjoyed that journey too.  And they saw several whales which pleased them.  They can easily get to and back from the Plaza and Paradise Village and to Ken and Anne's boat.  And they have taken the van to Walmart and back.  So they are comfortable getting around this area.

They also speak to everyone  both the english speaking people and the spanish speaking too.  Some how other, they manage.  Now they are used to exploring.  They are having a good time.

February 27, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. New Shift.

We have a new shift at the condo.  Kenny and Anne have moved to their boat where they will stay until they leave for  the French Islands.    They are turning over control of the kitchen here in the condo.  Anna will be doing the cooking.  Also Kenny and Anne must fly to Mexico City to request a long time visa from the French Embassy.  They leave on March the 1st.

My friend Sara Lou has come to visit so she has taking over the bedroom just vacated by Kenny and Anne.  So we have a new shift here at Playa Royale.  Anna will be changing my foot wound and taking my glucose levels, all taught to her by Anne, who previously had been taught by Wonderful Wendy.  So we have been making a big shift in people here at the condo.  Everyone is happy with the switch.

February 26, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Dentists.

Everyone in our little group, except me, are going to the dentist.  On Friday, Anna and Abe had their teeth cleaned at a dentist right across the street in the same building as the hospital.  They reported a very good cleaning.  Anna had some issues with two teeth so she must return tomorrow to make the repairs. Tomorrow, Ken and Anne are going across the street to the same dentist to have their teeth cleaned before they head across the Pacific to the islands of the south seas. All four are pleased to have their teeth attended to right across the street.

Ken and I have used the Mexican dentist ever since we moved here in the winter.  At that time, there was only one dentist available so obviously we used her.  Her office was in the Plaza on the second floor.  But now there are three dentists in Nuevo Vallarta.  Two are right across the street.  Why walk down to the Plaza when the dentist is right across the street.

Everyone here uses the dentists.  The cost for the procedure is less than half the cost in the US or Canada.  And they are high tech.  And well trained.  Who would have thought that all the Canadians and Americans who live here in the winter all have their dental work in Mexico.  Pretty nifty.

February 25, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. My Thumb.

Yesterday, the dermatologist dismissed me.  I do not need to go to see the doctor any more.  My thumb is in the process of healing.  There is no longer any infection but it is still red and a bit swollen so I must still treat it with three lotions.  But my thumb is healing and does not hurt.

I am in the third part of the treatment where I must perform the drill every other day for a week.  After that I must use the anti bacterial spray every day along with a cream used for healing.  But I am not to use the cortizone.    I am to continue those two items until all the redness disappears which she said may be as much as a month.  The doctor told us that for the best healers, it would take two weeks for my skin to heal.  Unfortunately, I heal very slowly.

The doctor also gave us a small sample that I should use if I get another infection.  As this is the only time I have had an infection at the base of my thumb I hope I do not need to use that cream.  But who knows.  I had no clue where my thumb got infected.  But I will be ready.  For now, I am on the mend!

February 24, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Public Transportation.

 The public transportation in this area is excellent.  Ken and I took the buses and vans all the time.  The big buses are owned and run by the government and serves the people far and wide.  They are air-conditioned and comfortable,  You could go anywhere on those buses both close by and far away.  In addition to the system run by the government there is a private system that is not supposed to be used by tourists.  But we took them often.  These vans are privately owned and are local.  They go to all the little towns up in the hills.  The front of the white van tells the final destination.  A passenger gets in and sits down and calls to the driver when the passenger wants to get off.  Then the driver is paid.  Great service.

Anna and Abe took one of those little vans to a Walmart.  It cost 20 pesos each.  !8 pesos costs a dollar American.  The driver told them where to get the van back to Playa and they did.  They were left off right in front of Playa Royale.  It certainly beat the price for the taxi.  I had told them about the excellent bus system so they asked at the Plaza and were told about the van to Walmart just outside of Bucerias.  So they took it.  And they were delighted with the ride and the price.

Not many tourists use the bus system.  They use the taxi system.  But is if fun watching the local people in action so Ken and I used both the official bus system as well as the vans, which you see everywhere.  Anna and Abe just got their first experience using the local public transportation.  And they were delighted.

February 23, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Balcony.

 I am doing it again.  In the condo building, there is an outside balcony from one side of the building to the other.  The elevators open onto the balcony, then everyone walks to their own unit on the balcony.  It is on the opposite side of the building, which of course looks out on the ocean.  But the balcony has just as pleasant a view, which is the mountains.  There is also always a breeze and it is shaded.  So for several years, I have used the balcony for walking.

Since mid July, I have not been able to walk because my foot hurt.  I could only walk unless absolutely necessary.  This was not a good thing because bit by bit I lost fitness.  But now finally, I am able to walk without my foot hurting or making the wound red and swollen.  This only happened three weeks ago.  Now I am trying to retain my level of fitness.  I know to take things slowly so I have been walking in the condo.  But this week I began walking on the balcony.  I still am not able to walk a long way but at least I can do it.  My legs feel terrible when I walk but at least I can do it.  Once again, my balcony is my friend.

February 22, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Curling.

Anne, Kenny and I intended to watch an episode of Fake or Fortune.  Anna and Abe had gone to the hot tub.  But when Kenny turned on the TV to find YouTube, we spotted curling on the TV.  So Anne and I decided to watch the curling.  The games were being played in Kamloops and was the Canadian women's championship called the Tournament of Hearts.  BC was playing Quebec and it was a good game.

Ken and I got hooked on curling many years ago when we were in Nova Scotia.  The Canadian mens championship was being played, called the Briar, and we watched every day.  We knew nothing about curling so we were forced to try to figure out the game.  We knew nothing.  Not the scoring nor the verbiage.  But by the end of the week, we figured it out.  We have enjoyed curling ever since.

But in Mississippi, trying to find curling on TV is almost impossible so I do not get to watch much curling on TV.  But here in Mexico, curling is on TV, of all things.  And I will enjoy. 

February 21, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. This evening.

Our little family is quiet tonight at 9:00.  Abe has gone to bed.  Every other evening after dinner Abe and Anna had gone down to the hot tub.  But not tonight so he has gone to bed.  Abe is one of those fortunate people who go to bed and goes to sleep immediately.  Anna is working on her computer and is quiet as a mouse.  She is busily doing some accounting plus dealing with her e mails.

Anne is on the floor cutting out the fabric to be made by her for the hatch covers.  She sewed the first one today so by this time tomorrow night both covers will be complete.  They will be going to the French tropical islands where it is hot.  And it rains.  When they are sailing in British Columbia and it rains, they just close the hatches.  But in the tropics when it rains and the hatches must be closed, the boat will be hot inside.  Thus the need for waterproof hatch covers which Anne is making.  They must make a system where the rain will run off so it is a bit tricky.

Kenny is reading.  Right now he is checking the locations of several friends who are on the high seas.  One friend is now going to Australia from New Zealand.  Last year they were in Mexico.  They are from Vancouver.  These sailers keep track of each other.  I have found it impressive.  Kenny also has been answering questions from Anne concerning the dimensions.  So he is doing triple duty.

I have done my foot bandaged by Anna.  And after Anne is finished her cutting with the hot scissors, she will deal with my thumb which still needs to be treated twice a day.  My thumb is doing well so we are all pleased about that.  Earlier I read on my iPad.  After dinner, which we eat on the balcony, I always wait until the night is totally black before coming inside.

This evening our condo is a beehive of activity.  But it is quiet, very quiet.  We all like that.  

February 20, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Exploring.

Anna and Abe are having a good time exploring this area.  The first day they were here Anne took them on a tour of Playa Royale so they could get to the pool and beach.  So every morning  they walk the beach, always walking just into the water.  One morning they go in one direction and the next day the other.  And each day they go a bit further.  They arrive home just before lunch, which for us is around 1:00.  Anna collects shells which she will bring home for the grandchildren.

The second day Anne and Ken walked with them to Paradise Village where they exchanged pesos for dollars.  And they all went to see the boat and to the Plaza so every afternoon they walk to the Plaza to explore the shops.  So far, the only thing they have bought are two baseball caps.  But they are looking at everything for sale, always figuring out the price in dollars.  

Every evening after dinner, when it gets dark, they go to the hot tub and enjoy the night sky.  And they talk with everyone they meet.  During the day, the hot tub can be full of people but at night, only one other couple has joined them.  So they talk.  Soon tonight they will return and I will find who they met tonight.  They will continue to explore this area every day on their walks both in the morning and afternoon.  And they are having a good time.

February 19, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Tortillas.

 Tonight for dinner we ate fajitas, prepared by Anne and Ken.  They served them with beef plus an abundance of vegetables with avocado, salsa and yoghurt on the top, all wrapped in a tortilla.  They were delicious.  All five of us ate everything including all the tortillas.  Clearly we all enjoyed them including Anna and Abe who are not used to Mexican food.

I asked Abe if he liked tortillas because I told him, Mexicans use tortillas with everything.  Yesterday we ate a BLT for lunch but we always eat them on a tortilla and Abe enjoyed the BLT.  But when I asked Abe if he liked tortillas, he said that he did not really enjoy them in Nova Scotia because he said they are tough.  Here he said, the tortillas are soft and delicious so he likes them here in Mexico., which is a good thing because we eat a lot of tortillas.  

Every restaurant and every family in Mexico begins the day by making tortillas so the tortillas are always fresh.  Ken said that many small markets keep in a small cooler full of fresh cooked tortillas which you can take home with you.  You must know about these warm tortillas because there is no sign.  In addition, the Mexican flour is different.  Anne bakes a lot of bread and commented that using mexican flour when making bread makes for not good bread.  But the flour is excellent for tortillas.  The tortillas are better here because they are fresh.  Plus they are made with Mexican flour.  Makes sense.  

February 18, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Update Anne and Ken.

 They have made a list of everything that needs fixing or checking before their journey.  The Polynesian Islands are a long way away, 2700 nautical miles, so everything needs to be in top condition on the boat Naida.  Anne has her sewing machine out on the boat and is busily sewing while Ken is dealing with mechanical issues.

Two days ago Ken went to the top of the mast to make a repair.  This is not a place I would wish to be because it is 60 feet high.  But it was done.  Tomorrow Ken will take apart, clean and grease all the winches while Anne will make covers for the hatches because in the islands it will rain, and it will be hot, so the hatches need to be open even when it rains.

They wish to get an extended visa in the French Islands  and to get one they must fly to Mexico City and visit the French Embassy in order to request the visa.  Their appointment is for March 2 so they fly there on March 1.  The embassy keeps their passport, then sends the visa and passports back via courier.  This traveling around the ocean is complicated.  Every day their list gets shorter.  And by later in March they hope to be on the high seas.  I am so pleased and excited to be a small part of the journey.  I am vicariously making this journey, enjoying every decision.  Great fun for me.

February 17, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Changing of the Guard.

 This afternoon Wendy and Ken flew to Ontario.  My main supporters had gone.  But an hour later, Anna and Abe arrived at Playa Royale.  And they will help look after me.  In addition they will have a little vacation,  enjoying the warm air and sunshine.    This evening, Anne showed Anna how to bandage my foot wound.  Wendy had taught Anne so she could in turn tell Anna how to look after me.  Pretty good changing of the guard.

Anna and Abe now have their green card so they are able to work in the US.  Since they crossed the border in September to activate their green card, they have been visiting their daughter in Massachusetts. as well as helping with siding a barn.  They stayed 5 weeks.  Then they drove to Pennsylvania to visit another daughter and her family.  And they have been working hard renovating an old house.  Now they will enjoy a little break from work.

Anna helps me in Nova Scotia and she will help me here.  Kenny and Anne are still with me and we are delighted to have them arrive.  They have never been to Mexico so they will enjoy their visit.  And we will enjoy them.

February 16, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Wendy and Ken.

Tomorrow afternoon, Wendy and Ken fly home to Hamilton.  I feel as though I am losing my best friends.  Ken found Fake and Fortune which is on YouTube and we have been watching the episodes on our television. And anytime I needed a strong right arm to go up or down stairs in the Hard Rock Ken was always right at my side.  And trouble with my blog he was always ready to fix.  And of course, he cooks dinner every night.  So I appreciate his presence here in Mexico.

Wendy has been doing everything for me.  She has always prepared my breakfast and lunch which we eat on the balcony  But this year she has had additional burdens.  Every other evening she changes the bandage on my foot wound.  And she takes my glucose levels in the morning which she sends to my Mississippi doctor every few weeks.  She has accompanied me to the four doctor appointments and she obtains my medications from the pharmacy.  My legs are so unstable that she makes sure I do not fall when I shower.  In other words, she has been invaluable to me.  To say that I will miss her understates the case.  

Last year, when we were organizing the dates,  Wendy and Ken decided to return  home to Ontario on February 17.  They will have been here since December 19.  But now that they are leaving, I wish they were staying.  Kenny and Anne will still be here with me and Anna and Abe arrive tomorrow to look after me.  But I will miss my Wonderful Wendy and Ken.  We had a great time together.  Now I wish them safe travels.

February 15, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. My Thumb.

Two weeks ago I had a sore spot on the left corner of my thumb so applied Polysporin.  But it got worse instead of better.  Along the cuticle it got red and swollen and seemed to be infected.  Finally last Thursday, we had the doctor at the Hard Rock look at it .  She prescribed antibiotic and a different cream.   And we were to soak it three times a day.  But by Saturday she looked at my thumb again and it had gotten worse so she told me I must go the hospital and have it drained.  We took her advice and took a cab to the small private hospital in PV.  

The surgeon drained the infection and prescribed a stronger antibiotic plus a stronger cream.  And I was to keep it wrapped.  Wendy followed the procedure twice a day.  But it got worse.  It was still swollen and draining.  So yesterday we walked across the street to the hospital.  The doctor in the ER  gave us another cream which included a cortisone, antibiotic cream and an antifungal which we were to use twice a day.  No soaking and no bandage.  And she urged me to see the dermatologist.  Wendy made an appointment for me for today at 5:00.  Interestingly, my thumb looked better this morning, and was not as red or swollen.

Sure enough, we have a new therapy.  I am to finish the strong antibiotic, which ends on Friday.  She thinks that the infection is gone.  It does not look like fungus she said.  And we must allow the skin to heal.  Now I use a cortisone cream, an antibacterial spray and another cream to promote healing.  And I am to return in a week to see her. No bandage.  No soaking.  If it gets worse, I am to call for an appointment . So Wendy and I have seen four doctors in six days .  Now I am hope we are on the right direction.  

This is another thing to try the soul.  Just another in a long series of troubles for me.  But I am still walking and talking and not complaining .  So here we go.

February 14, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Valentines Day.

We did not celebrate Valentines Day, here at Playa Royale in Mexico.  I saw many men carrying pots and vases of flowers, all being delivered to the office building across the street so somebody celebrated Valentines.  But not us.  No chocolates and no flowers in our condo.  And we enjoyed our day.

My father did not like either Valentines Day or Mothers Day.  He felt that the love of your life should be honored every day of the year.  The same for Mothers Day.  He thought that the greeting card companies always pushed the celebrations so he refused to participate.  I suspect that both Kenny and Wendy caught the same spirit.  Certainly, after two weeks at the all inclusive resort we did not need any chocolates and sweets.

Instead, Kenny and Anne worked on the boat this morning while Wendy and Ken enjoyed the beach.  Tonight we all five enjoyed another edition of Fake or Fortune ?  And we had a good time celebrating Valentines Day. 

February 13, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Dick Tracy.

 Many times I hear people speak of "The good old days," as something that was better years ago.   I am sent pictures of the good old days as if the life pictured was superior to the life of today.  I do not subscribe to this attitude.  I like today for no reason other than communications.  For instance, last week I played Dick Tracy.

My friend David N. called me.  My phone was in another room but I could hear it and I could feel my Apple Watch vibrate on my wrist.  So I put my watch up to my mouth and spoke into my watch.  And friend David answered.  We had a brief conversation and we signed off.  And I laughed.  I had just played Dick Tracy just as I could see in the comics where he would talk into his phone.  

When I fell in Nova Scotia in July, David and Suzanne were visiting me.  They immediately went out and bought me an Apple Watch.  They showed me what to do with my phone which included having a phone call to Suzanne, merely by speaking her name.  It worked and I marveled at the technology.  But then I forgot all about the fact that I could make and take a phone call.  But then my phone rang and I answered the call on my phone.  I was just like Dick Tracy.  And I loved it.

February 12, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Super Bowl.

Tonight, we five did everything people do at the Super Bowl.  First we sat in the living room and nibbled on appetizers.  We ate guacamole dip and chips along with sliced cucumbers and olives all the while we watched the football game.  I like games with lots of scoring so this was certainly a good game for me.  Just when the appetizers were finished,  the first half ended so we went outside for dinner.

Ken had prepared a delicious dinner: roast pork, with lots of vegetables cooked in the same pan as the roast.  The sun had just set so the sky was lovely.  While we enjoyed dinner, night fell and Venus appeared once again.  Again our timing was perfect because as we finished dinner, half time was over and we retreated to the living room and football.

The game is remarkable.  At this moment, the score is tied.  And I will return to my family and the game.  Many Super Bowl games are a bust but not tonight.  Great plays from beginning to the end.  Great fun. 

February 11, 2023. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. We Move Again.

Once again we packed up our meager belongings and moved back to Playa Royale.  Our stay at the Hard Rock Resort was delightful.  We decided a year ago to spend two weeks right next door to us.  All five of us were involved with the decision.  And we did not make a mistake.  We enjoyed our time being wined and dined.  The service is impeccable.  One day early in our visit Ken asked the butler for a drink of bourbon and a bottle of bourbon arrived at our suite.  The food was delicious and abundant.  We enjoying living in the lap of luxury.

But now we are happy to be in our condo at Playa Royale.  We are now settled in.  All our devices are plugged in and the chargers ready for use.  The locker is empty.  Now we will enjoy ourselves.

We are recalling all the aspects of life that we like at Playa Royale.  The first thing we recalled is how quiet it is here.  We did not notice the noise so much at the Hard Rock but we are enjoying the peace and quiet since we have returned.  The balcony we use all the time.  It is a pleasant place for meals and of course for watching the sunsets.  The balcony at our Presidential suite at the Hard Rock was not appealing and we never used it.  But since we have returned we have been outside on the balcony all the time.  And we like that.

And we will enjoy our simple meals here at the condo.  We are pleased to be home.

February 10, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Zen and Ciao and Frida.

 We have enjoyed the restaurants at the Hard Rock Resort, obviously some more than others.   Two of the five restaurants we went to once and never again but the three others were wonderful.  Every evening our butler would make a reservation at the restaurant of our choice.  When we arrived at 7:00 our plum table was ready for us, with our name at the table.  We always sat at the same table, all ready for us to arrive.  Pretty nice.

Zen ia an Asian restaurant at the front of the resort.  It was the place that first enticed me into the place.  Our table was in a separate spot of the restaurant so it was quiet.  And the service was excellent as was the food.  

Ciao is an Italian restaurant at the far side of the resort and just beside the beach.  You sit at dinner and watched the sun set.  It is a beautiful place for dining.  And the food was excellent.  But the first two times we ate, the service was terrible.  It took us three and a half hours for dinner.  The next day I spoke to someone official about the slow service at Ciao and we mentioned it to our butler.  The next time we dined we were back to the room in 2 hours.  I should have said something earlier.

Frida is a restaurant at the other side of the resort from Ciao and is right next to the beach.  We liked their food best of all.  The food is delicious and the service quick.  Tonight we will eat our last supper at Frida's

February 9, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. The Sunset Cruise.

 The cruise  was everything the four expected of the cruise...and more.  Even though Kenny and Anne have sailed into Nuevo Vallarta, they still wanted to take the sunset cruise so they could really see the towns without distractions.  So Wendy, Ken, Anne and Kenny took a sunset cruise of the Bay of Banderas.  The cruise began at 4:00 from the yacht club.  From there they cruised into Puerto Vallarta, to pick up 4 more people and to take a look at the town.  They cruised along the whole Malecon to see the statues and of course took multiple pictures of the photogenic church.

On the way to the islands they came upon 9 whales all doing what whales do, which is flapping their flippers and blowing water in the air.  They were very close to the whales so it was exciting for them to both see and hear the whales.  One man on the trip commented that he had seen more whales that evening than he had seen on a whale watching trip.  Only 30 people were on the boat with only our four on the second deck so they all had a birds eye view of the whales.

Some days from our condo we can see cliffs at the island but usually we can see only the shapes of the islands.  But on this sunset cruise they saw the rugged cliffs and the arches.  And on the way home, the sunset over the Pacific which was beautiful.  I stayed home and cheered them on.  The sunset cruise was everything they expected and more.

February 8, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Stages of Retirement.

Kenny and Anne retired early.  They were around 60.  Their plan was to spend several years cruising around the world in their big sail boat, something that are now doing.  One of Kenny's friends from work told them the three stages of retirement:  First was GO GO.  Next was GO SLOW  And finally was NO GO.

Kenny and Anne are in stage one.  They are enjoying going.  Soon they will sail across the Pacific Ocean to the French Polynesian Islands.  Then on to New Zealand.  This summer they went camping in Northern British Columbia.  They are definitely in the GO GO phase.

I am in the GO SLOW phase.  Ken and I had been in that phase for quite a while.  We went places and did things but did them slowly.  I still spend my time in Nova Scotia and Mexico but I don't do much when I am there except enjoy the weather.  I am definitely in the GO SLOW phase of retirement.

For the past two summers, Dave and Irene have not come to Nova Scotia.  They have decided that staying home is easier than going anywhere.  They are happy staying at home.  They have arrived at the third stage of retirement, the NO GO phase.  And they are happy staying at home.

It is fun being a part of the GO GO phase for Kenny and Anne. I am happy for them.

February 7, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Weddings.

 Destination weddings seem to be in style.  Paradise Village, the time share/hotel averages one wedding every day.  The Hard Rock Resort is also a popular spot for a wedding.  This past weekend there were two weddings held.  It was fun to watch the action and all their parties.

One wedding was a Mexican family and was smaller, with maybe 75 people in attendance.  The actual wedding was held on the beach with the reception around the pool.  The men wore suits and ties and the ladies wore fancy dresses both for the actual wedding as well as all their own events.  Of course, the bride looked beautiful.

The other wedding was unusual.  First it was huge.  And all the people were from India or of Indian descent.  Everyone wore Indian clothes, both men and women.  The resort was overrun with fancy Indian clothing.  It looked exotic.  Their wedding was also held on the beach but at the other end of the beach from the Mexican wedding.  Both had live music both at the wedding and the reception.   All the ladies had been painted with Henna, all done sitting around the pool.  This wedding lasted late into the morning.  Those folks from India know how to celebrate. 

We enjoyed the weddings at the Hard Rock Resort.  It is a perfect spot because everything is all set for eating and playing.  All you need to do is to pay the bills.

February 6, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. San Sebastian.

San Sebastian is an old mining city in the mountains not far from Puerto Vallarta.  They mined for silver and gold.  The mines were already in production when the Spanish arrived.  The Spanish took over production and the town grew.  At one time, 30,000 people lived there.  It was a prosperous, wealthy city.  But in the 20th Century, the mines no longer were productive so the city began shrinking in population.  It was still in a lovely location in the middle of the mountains and it still had beautiful large houses gracing the town square but the city had hard times.

The town has now become a tourist destination.  And Mexicans have taken to have a country home for the summer, where the mountains are cool.  Fifteen years ago, Ken and I went to San Sebastian.  We enjoyed the drive to the country but we decided that the old town was not ready for prime time.  Wendy and Ken took the trip three years ago and they enjoyed their day.  They found it to be quaint and charming.  Clearly, the good folks of San Sebastian had been working hard to improve their town.

Today, Kenny and Anne took a day trip to see the old town and they reported even better comments.  It has become a tourist mecca.  More of the old houses have been restored and the place looked spectacular.  The town square is all spruced up perhaps because yesterday was a celebration.  San Sebastian is still small but it is charming.  It is now ready for prime time.  

February 5, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Security.

 This morning right after breakfast, Kenny and Anne went to their boat, which is docked at the Paradise Village Marina.  When they arrived back to the Hard Rock, Kenny was a few steps ahead of Anne and she ran a few steps to get through the revolving door.  Immediately, a man in uniform approach her to ask if she was staying at the Hard Rock.   The official, who was a security officer thought that Anne was trying to get into the building with Ken.  He did not know they were together until Kenny realized what was happening.

We all wear bracelets but Anne had a bag covering her arm so the official could not see her bracelet.  There was no problem because once the official saw their bracelets and talked with them, all was well and Anne and Kenny went about their business..  But we five discussed the issue of security both at Paradise Village and the Hard Rock Resort.  The security people can never be seen but the minute something happens, they spring to attention.  Last week two men were sitting in the VIP section and were quickly escorted to other palapas.

I like the level of security here, both in Playa Royale, the Hard Rock and Paradise Village.  You can only stay in those places if you are supposed to be there.  You are checked in every time you arrive.  These security folks are always hiding in the shadows, ready to help if trouble appears.  This is a good thing.  

February 4, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Cancelling.

 Up until now, I have never cancelled an event, one I had booked a long time in advance.  But I have just cancelled a cruise for the Fall of 2023.  Wendy found about this cruise last year at Playa Royale.  I wanted a cruise to begin in Halifax and she found a Silverseas Line that goes from Halifax down the Eastern Seaboard, stopping at all the cities along the way and ending at Fort Lauderdale.  I had been to all the cities but never from the Ocean.  So I booked the 12 day cruise, beginning at the end of September.

But I began to rethink my decision.  I did fine on the cruise this Spring.  But I have just had a major set back with my walking due to my foot.  I have not been able to do much walking so my legs are still shaky and weak and I am afraid I will not be fit enough by the Fall.  I can now walk without pain but I must build up my stamina bit by bit.  I did not think that I would be able to take any excursions so I finally decided to stop wasting the money.  And I cancelled the cruise.  Now when I leave Nova Scotia I will fly to Mississippi.

The Silverseas Cruise line refunded my deposit and cancelled the cruise for me.   They were nice about it. But I was irritated to hear that they withhold $250 per person as an administration fee.  I objected and told them that it was extortion but to no avail.  Even though I spoke to a boss, they would not budge.  So they stole my $500.  But my cruise on the Silverseas has been cancelled.  I do not know if I am pleased or sad.

February 3, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Entertainment.

Every evening at 9:00, the Hard Rock Resort has an hour of entertainment, held at an outside theater.  The setting is lovely,.  The first time we stayed at the resort Ken and I went to the show every evening.  We never missed a performance because we wanted to know what they would be doing night after night.  Other than one or two evenings  the entertainment was not good.  In fact it was awful so we have never gone again, even though we have stayed here several times.

The first evening we were here this year, Wendy, Ken, Anne and Kenny attended the Fire show which they enjoyed.  But they have never returned.  The balcony of our presidential suite over looks the stage and the audience and we can hear the music.  So if the show is interesting, everyone could watch the show from our own balcony.  The music can be heard easily from outside but is muted with the doors and windows closed, which is a blessing.  No one yet has returned to actually attend the entertainment each evening at 9:00.  

Putting on entertainment must be difficult so I do not envy those who are required to put on a show every evening.  But surely there must be talented people here who can put on better shows.  But at the moment, we will stay at home and avoid the outside theater.  

February 2, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Mobility.

For me, mobility is an issue.  I need a walker for me to get around both inside and outside.  And my legs have gotten weak since I have been unable to do much walking.  Ken remembered that my Ken struggled getting around at the Hard Rock when using his walker.   So we were fearful that I would have trouble.  It is true that there are lots of stairs so the first day, the staff hauled me around in the wheelchair.  Our butler even wheeled me down to dinner.  It turns out that every restaurant has a ramp so by the second day, I figured out how I could get to dinner.

We now have dined in every restaurant and have been able to get to those places easily, of course with the help of my friends.  Going down ramps is especially difficult so I hold a rail and an arm when going down any slope.  Using stairs I do the same, holding a rail and a strong arm.  If there is no rail, I hold two arms.  On the level I use my walker and going up a slope is easy.  So I am getting more walking done and so far my wound is not getting red or swollen.

What at first appeared to be a problem for me turns out to be a piece of cake.  Mobility is not a problem, which is a very good thing.  

February 1, 2023. Hard Rock Resort, Nuevo Vallarta. Resort Restaurants.

Here at the Hard Rock Resorts we have five options for our dining pleasure.   We now have eaten at all five and we will decide what will happen next.  For sure we will not visit the Ipanema, the Argentine Steak House.  Perhaps we caught them on a bad day, but we have four other options so we will not visit them again.

This evening we ate at Frida.  The restaurant is actually under construction but the Frida food was served tonight in the Market, which is usually a buffet venue.  But tonight we sat and were served and with a menu.  The food was all Mexican, but no Tex Mex in sight.  The food was delicious.

Tomorrow evening we will eat dinner at Zen, the Asian restaurant and the one we enjoyed the first night we were here.  That restaurant was the one that brought us to the Hard Rock Resort.  The service was good and the food was excellent.  The next night we will go to Ciao, the Italian restaurant.  The location is perfect, right by the beach so as the sun sets, you can enjoy the wonderful evening sky.  When we went on Monday, the service  was terrible.  We arrived at 7:00 and got home at 10:00.  The next time we go there we will book our reservation at 6:00 and hope they are not as busy.

The Market is always a buffet and is open for all three meals.  At dinner last evening we decided that we liked it because it was quick.  You can just get up and get any food you would like.  Also it was not crowded at all.  The food was indifferent but it was quick so we will go there again..

In addition, you can order room service at any time.  Also when you at a palapa you can order lunch.  So we do not lack for food options.  By now, we are getting picky.  We are eating well.