Puerto Vallarta and the Attack of the Gringos ~ Derek's Travels

Despite knowing that Puerto Vallarta would most likely be inundated with tourists, the natural setting of the place still sounded appealing, and it was on my way, so I figured a few days in the place couldn't hurt. I took a few buses from Mexcaltitán, and I arrived in late afternoon, a bit thankful that the clouds above helped to moderate the heat and humidity that I'd encountered in every coastal city thus far. Passing through town on the way to my hotel in the Zona Romantica (the Romantic Zone, as opposed to the Hotel/Tourist Zone), I found the city to be fairly nice, despite the obvious gringo influences of the high rise hotels, Burger Kings, Applebees, etc. My small, dark hotel was pretty similar to what I've stayed in throughout this trip, so there were no surprises there, and I was happy to be in the area near the beach, yet away from most of the high rises and timeshare presentations. Of course, there were still locals walking along the beach and adjacent streets, trying to sell colorful hammocks, silver jewelry, bracelets and everything else. The thing that impressed me about the town most was the natural setting, decent beaches backed by large mountains covered in rainforest, also making the bus ride through the green valleys an interesting sight. The countryside actually reminded me of some of some of my long trips through Costa Rica, and I have been surprised to find such lush greenery here in Central and Northern Mexico, as I had the misimpression that those verdant green valleys would only be found further South of here. Also running through the middle of town, down from the mountains, is a decent sized river, separating the Northern section of town from the slightly less developed South section of town in which I stayed. A few roads and bridges traversed the river, even leading to a small island in between which was densely populated with local vendors and a few tourist restaurants.

My first foray outside the hotel was to check out the beaches nearby, since this is, in fact, a beach resort town. As I said, some dark clouds loomed overhead, and being at the end of the rainy season, the ocean water seemed to resemble something more like a murky brown with hints of blue than the ''sparkling blue'' description that the place claimed. Even so, the beaches weren't bad, and I walked along the shore until the last beach gave way to some large rocks and a hidden hotel on top of the hill. Walking back, I was ready to eat, and I wanted to take advantage of the tourist atmosphere and try to find some pasta or something like that. Not quite pasta, I found the best alternative just along the waterfront. An ''Italian'' place that also served sandwiches offered up the best meatball sandwich that I've had in a long, long time, a huge hoagie roll stuffed with meatballs, overflowing with hot, melted cheese and marinara sauce. Given the low tourist season, the place was also offering a free beer with any sandwich, so I went for a Corona and had a brilliant meal all to myself. After dinner, the sky was growing darker, so I headed back for the night, ready to explore more of the town the next day.

The next morning, the heat and temperature had returned, and I began my long walk, which I tend to think is the best way to see and get a true feel for a town. I walked amongst the cobblestone streets and trees of the old town before moving to the more touristy boardwalk and shops of the tourist zone. Surrounded by obnoxious American tourists barking instructions in annoyed English to taxi drivers and tour guides, I couldn't help but get the feeling that not all, but some, Americans do deserve the bad reputation that we have abroad. Even so, I'm not really above that myself, as I contributed by going in and out of the air-conditioned shops, looking at the same cheesy products over and over. However, I did pick up a cheap shirt and new swimsuit, so the day was fruitful for me. Moving up the steep hills and narrow steps of the city streets, I found some nice views of the impressive church and town squares that spread out along the waterfront. Tucked away in an alley up in the hills, I also found what was rated by a few magazines as ''one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the world.'' This veggie buffet was amazing. For about $5, it was all you can eat with all kinds of marinated vegetables, tortillas, taquitos (fried, rolled tacos) filled with potatoes, chiles, and any type of side dish with a Mexican touch. The price also included fresh squeezed pineapple juice. After a few huge plates and some telling stains on my clothes, I waddled out of the restaurant, thankful that it was downhill back to my hotel. Again, the clouds of the afternoon were rolling in, and I was thankful that my long, sweaty walk was nearing an end. Later, I made my way back out to the beach, just in time for another picturesque sunset along the waterfront, listening to the mariachis move from table to table, playing a few songs for each group, hoping for a bit of money in return.

Overall, I wouldn't mind returning to Puerto Vallarta, as it really was a nice place, despite the feeling of sometimes being surrounded by more Americans than Mexicans. But, since there is so, so much left to see in this varied country, I'd be leaving by bus the next morning, heading inland in search of some of the typically colonial towns and a bit cooler climate.