Goodbye

[Zane]

HEHEHE, I'm off to Mazatlan for eight days of sun, warmth and cactus juice.
Youall behave yourselfs while I'm gone :D :D

[Bryan/BC]

Hey!!!!! Wheres the airline ticket you promised??????? :mad:

[PK]

I was just there 2 weeks ago on our 30 day cruise.. went fishing.. oh well ..you'll see.. enjoy your trip

[Don c]

Zane, Worth seeing there is the market place and the big
shrimp factory when operating.
Don

[Howard/Jax]

Hey PK, if your boat stopped in Mazatlan, did you also get to Puerto Vallarta?

[PK]

yop.. we did ..the day after Mazatlan we hit PV.. only got to go to the 'old El Centro' section.. didn't have enuff time to get to where you go..and to see your jewelery store compadres in the newer section.. I screwed up....hay I'm a 'touron'... here's a few pics in an online album at PV.. you might recognize a few places..
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/562672106YgtPrr

[Howard/Jax]

Yepper, recognized everything. in your picture 6463, the White building on the left is the Marina de Oro. We have the end second floor suite there. On 6454, the stepped building left of center, is the Velas Vallarta, where we have another suite. Both Times shares. Bryan has been at both too.

[PK]

yop .. you are 'livin' large'.. nice places..

I wanted to get down to the Marina area.. and to the newer part of PV.. just didn't have the time.. like I said.. I messed up.. as of right now we're planning on doing that same cruise again next March..

when we pulled into the cruise ship docks.. I.. as alway..s was up on top deck taking pics.. sunrises.. etc.. there below me I am staring at a friggin' WalMart and Sams Club.. they are getting ready to start building a new Costco also a few blocks to the right of WalMart.. who woulda thunk it..

first time we've been over to the Mexican Riviera and 'south-er-er' from there.. I just never paid attention and never knew how big those cities like Acapulco.. PV..Mazatlan were.. I always thought they'd be like the way Cabo is..sorta rustic.. laid back... guess I was wrong..

[Howard/Jax]

PV has grown a lot in the 24 years we have been going, But, it still has areas that are like old Mexico. Every year we seem to enjoy it more.

[Bryan/BC]

It doesnt take much to find the "old" Mexico. Carolle and I spent a day touring with Capt. 'Berto, Howards friend and panga skipper. A couple of hours south of PV he showed us an old traditional town where his family lived. It was like stepping back in history-- for example, the red flag flying at the local butchers shop meant a cow had been slaughtered that day, and best to get it quick!! We ate lunch where we virtually chose which chicken running around was to make the supreme sacrifice for our lunch.

There was none of the time share BS or begging that the bigger centers have to endure. And we found the people most welcoming. A friendly wave and a smile at the gringo and gringa who had taken the time to "explore".

I have not been too enthusiastic about cruising ( maybe because I havent taken any!!!) but you report has got the juices flowing-- maybe its time to take the plunge. Thanks!!!

[PK]

cruisin' ain't for everyone.. we got to like it.. we know a lot of the staff when we get aboard and are treated very well on Holland which has a few of the smaller capacity ships 1200-1400 compared to the other mega ship style cruiselines at 2500-3K and above..

[Howard/Jax]

It was probably El Tuito that Beto took you to. Hope when you were there you got to sample some Racilla. El Tuito is where the best comes from. Beto's family has loads of property there.

[Bryan/BC]

Twas El Tuito :D No racilla, but several bottles of Pacifico as it was warm.

[PK]

PV has grown a lot in the 24 years we have been going, But, it still has areas that are like old Mexico. Every year we seem to enjoy it more.

forgot to mention this..the frugal way to see PV... got off the ship about a half hour after the mass exodus..not so bad as it's a smaller ship only 1200 passengers .. anyway.. tried to get a taxi at the port.. guy said we had to wait until he got 4 people to carry.. waited 5 minutes.. I said I ain't got time for this crapola.. walked out the gate.. met a couple of people who knew the area and been there before ..said to hop the El Centro bus.. heck. why not.. so we did.. for a buck total for the two of us.. that's 'fiffy cent each' what a bargain.. we took a mini tour to El Centro.. what a hoot.. and we were inside the bus sitting down.. not hanging off the outside on the back the way it use to be in Brooklyn when I was a kid :D

after walking around the old district for a while playing 'tourons' we decided.. why not take the bus again back to the ship.. so we did.. had to watch for the bus that was marked 'Wal Mart' since it's right across from the cruise ships docks.. hopped on .. paid the buck.. bus stopped at every corner going back.. a full tour of the city... the bus driver who spoke limited Spanglish even told us when our 'get off stop' and Wal Mart was about to come up.. life is good:p