Week 11-12 April 1-10 Bucerias – Final Days – Final Thoughts

It’s hard to believe we have been living in Bucerias for three months – sun and fun every day, and the time went by so quickly. We missed our family and friends, but it would have been depressing being at home for the three months dealing with the cold and damp winter in the BC lower mainland. Many of our friends also escaped to warmer climates and we stayed in touch with Skype and emails, as we also did with our grandchildren. And of course we made many new friends while in Bucerias, which has been the highlight of our trip. We shared many moments together at daily happy hours, potluck dinners and visits to local restaurants. There have been many unforgettable moments and highlights to remember, such as:

• Sisters Julie and Shirley spending two weeks together
• The release of sky lanterns that filled the sky during a wedding ceremony
• Long walks on the beach and stopping to join a volleyball game
• Swimming in the ocean
• Watching fishers and divers each day in front of the condo
• Watching hundreds of pelicans for a week in front of our condo feasting on fish
• Watching kite surfers and sail boats fill the bay
• Watching sunsets every day
• Observing the blessing of the boats, which included a festival, carnival and dancing horses
• Bar-top dancing at the Drunken Duck (seniors gone wild)
• Visits to Puerto Vallarta, La Cruz and Sayulita
• Valentine’s Day celebration in PV old town
• Going to the local Sunday markets
• Bartering with the locals
• Helping a street dog find a suitable home – thanks Leslie and Kosta for adopting Libra
• Feeding and making friends with the street cats 

Check out Picasa Week 11-12 photos Potluck3 (CTRL+Link to open in a new tab)

Week 11 Bucerias – Who let the dogs out!

The Mexicans love their special breeds, such as pit bulls, boxers and chihuahuas, but don’t care for mutts, which end up on the street living off the generosity of humans. It seems like the non-Mexicans (gringos) have an affinity for abandoned dogs, which we experienced while in Bucerias. There are three dogs highlighted that were all adopted by Kosta and Leslie:

Mamma was a street dog taken in by Leslie and Kosta to keep their new boxer (Coqueta) company. The name ”Mamma” was given her because Coqueta was still a teenager and Mamma provided the development for her. Mamma belonged to a local resident, but was spending more time with Coqueta, and eventually adopted by Leslie and Kosta. As it turned out Coqueta got pregnant and gave birth to 11 puppies, which Mamma helped to nurture. When old enough, Coqueta’s pups were given away, but, during an outing Mamma, Coqueta, and one of her pups got lost but only Mamma returned home.

Cleo was found in a ditch, possibly hit by a car. Leslie and Kosta took care of Cleo, bringing her back to health.. This is one cute, but crazy dog. Cleo was very young when found; hence Mamma was able to take her under her wing.

Libra was the latest dog adopted by Leslie and Kosta. She first appeared at Vista Bahia and became very friendly with the residents, who fed her. Libra (so named by Kosta and Leslie) was very skinny, and only when a resident had her spaded did they discover 11 puppies, which were aborted. Libra and the puppies would never have survived the birth. As it turned out Libra became the premier guard dog for Kosta and Leslie.

Now there are four females in Kosta’s life – Leslie (the best of them all), Mamma, Cleo and Libra. Thank you so much for your generosity and adopting the three dogs.

 Check out Picasa Week 11 photos Dog Day (CTRL+Link to open in a new tab)

Week 10-11 March 16-31 Bucerias – Dining Out

Dining out in Bucerias is great experience, with many restaurants to choose from. Below are our favorites or highly recommended by friends. I’ve also listed a few restaurants in Puerto Vallarta worth visiting.

Bucerias casual dining

Saiya – Asian cuisine – try it if you are tired of Mexican food – great Thai

Los Pericos – breakfast, lunch and dinner

Luna Luna – popular breakfast and lunch, with musicians on the weekend

The Fat Boy Seafood – on the beach, great for lunch and lounge chairs

Sweet Things – popular for breakfast and lunch

Yo Yo Mo's Pizza and Sports Bar – great pizza

Drunken Duck – great for their music and dancing (Sunday at 6pm)

Flaky's Fish and Chips – try it if you are tired of Mexican tacos

Fine dining

Sandrina's – very romantic setting for dinner

Karen's Place – popular for breakfast, lunch and dinner

El Brujo – romantic setting, local cuisine at a reasonable price

Check out other Bucerias restaurants at TripAdvisor

Check out other restaurants close to Bucerias: TripAdvisor

Check out http://www.bestofbucerias.com/ for other information about Bucerias.

La Cruz (Close to Vista Bahia)

Philo’s – casual dining – pizza and ribs, with great music

Mariscos El Coleguita – a very popular traditional Mexican restaurant – big portions and inexpensive

Puerto Vallarta Restaurants – Day trip to PV

We’ve not stayed in PV for over 7 years, but we take day trips in from Bucerias 2-3 times month. The walk along the Malecon and old town is beautiful. However there are far too many people in PV and the reason we no longer stay in town, however we do love a few restaurants when we visit.

Fusion Gourmet

Across from Hotel Tropicana (old town), one block from the beach in a beautiful garden setting

#1 choice, fine Mexican cuisine at a reasonable price

La Pena Andaluza

Close to the bridge overlooking the river and markets below

Traditional Spanish tapas and cuisine at a reasonable price

Zoirahuen Café

Pino Suarez No. 217 (old town)

Fine Mexican cuisine at a reasonable price, however only open after 5pm

Cheeky Monkey

On the Malecon, with great views of the ocean

The food is okay

Dollar margaritas are the draw, but forget it, stick with the beer (also a dollar) or try the restaurant across the street Paradise Burger

Week 9 March 9-15 Bucerias About the Coconut Tree

Did you know that the word “coconut” is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish term “Cocos”, meaning “ginning face”. Take a look next time you get a coconut and observe the three small holes on the coconut shell that resemble human facial features. The coconut is delicious. When green the milk is delicious, but when ripe it is the nut “meat” that is used for cooking or eaten raw. Without a machete the nut husk is difficult to crack, but it can be done – with a large screw driver puncture the skin and pry a small piece and continue to do this for the entire husk. Take the seed and smash it against the concrete to crack the shell, and then scoop out the meat with a sharp knife.

The coconut tree is a large palm growing up to 30 meters tall and the tree can yield about 75 fruits per year. As the tree grows, old leaves break away, leaving the trunk smooth. The tree is a natural resting spot for birds, but also for iguanas, which is the case at Vista Bahia. An iguana is seen climbing the tree on a regular basis.

The coconut tree creates a beautiful setting that is photographed by many tourists. The tree is seen in the background of many family photos and is especially beautiful during sunsets. However the tree can be dangerous as the nuts can fall without warning, hence many resorts and property owners have the nuts removed to avoid damage to property. This is the problem at Vista Bahia, when the nuts fall on the palapa roof and break the tiles. Therefore the gardeners come to prune the tree, which is interesting to watch. The gardener, who is barefoot, climbs the tree like a monkey and while perched at the top cuts away the nuts and older leaves. There is no safety harness, but the gardener seems to be agile and able to easily maneuver amoungst the branches. What was interesting about the visit to Vista Bahia was the surprise of the gardener when the iguana jumped from the top of the tree to the palapa roof. The iguana survived, but two more tiles where broken.

Check out Picasa Week 9 photos Coconut Tree (CTRL+Link to open in a new tab)