PixySix

We stayed at the Palladium Vallarta which is actually in Nayarit (about one quick half hour bus trip from ‘old Puerto Vallarta- or the main city center).

The hotel was so gorgeous that we almost didn’t even need to leave. I still reccomend seeing the city of course, but the hotel was fabulous too.

Peurto Vallarta is a vibrant, clean, but thoroughly tourist exploited city. The stores all sold the same mass-produced junk. The ‘time-share sellers’ were like rabid dogs at every turn. If you want to experience legitimate, traditional Mexican culture then don’t go to the shopping district in Peurto Vallarta.

Two amazing points here though go to A: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the Catholic cathedral was breathtakingly beautiful (even to an atheist such as myself). The Catholic religion was presented to early Mexican cultures by emphasising Mary and comparing her to the major mother goddess from their own religion. Christ is important too, but she is clearly the star and there are some very beautiful depictions of her. The architecture is amazing too. The crown on the top of the church was funded in part by Elizabeth Taylor when she moved uphill from there after filming ‘Night of the Blue Iguana’ in the fifties, or so said our tour guide anyways.

and

B: the pre-Christian Earth-goddess and Sun-god celebration ritual performed at the seaside known as the Papantla Flyers. They are basically four men who jump off of a 100 foot high pole and spins slowly around it all the way to the bround, suspended by a single leg and playing a very sweet song on flutes and drums. Apparently there is supposed to be a fifth person on the top holding a pole (which also has some symbolic meaning) but they weren’t present the day that I saw them. The lack of the pole-carrier did NOT lessen my amazement. This one you have to see to believe.

Now as for the hotel, I could write a book.

-The (private) beach was gorgeous, stocked with lounge chairs, FREE non-motorized water sport equipment (including two full catamarans), and sand so clean and fine that it felt like standing on ground chalk.

-The food was nearly all superb. You MUST get a ticket to the outdoor barbeque dinner on the beach at least once. The buffet was amazing (keep an eye out for the cactus and pork rib dish at lunch if you really want to experience something new). They had omlette stations every morning and pasta and pizza stations every evening. The dessert was most often flan, which is traditional, and it came in several flavours.

-The grounds were sprawling and gorgeous with a labelled forest of plants, free-roaming peacocks, and the cutest, smiliest staff that I’ve ever seen. Just say ‘Hola” (O-La = hello) and they’ll be sweet to you every day. There was also a small zoo which wasn’t bad. It could have been more spacious for some creatures, but they all looked healthy.

and finally

-Rooms were moderately well taken care of. Some pillowcases and sheets were minorly stained (but clean). Apparently some rooms had ant problems, but ours was great. (Here’s a clue, don’t leave spilled soda out just because you don’t own the place) The fridges were stocked every day with bottled water, though the ‘on-tap’ water and the ice were purified and drinkable. The bars were conveniently located a short stumbling distance from everything. I reccomend drinking a ‘Papagayo’ (Pah-pah-khai-yo with a gutteral h sound) My favourite was the ‘Secret’ Bar next to the adult pool. The adult pool was beautiful, but I wouldn’t go near there after 2pm unless I was already drunk and suddenly found the obnoxious, middle-aged, drunk white men funny somehow.

Ok. Blah blah blah. If you are thinking about going then feel free to ask me questions. Also consider getting the ‘Lonely Planet’ travel book from the library before going. Be nice, try to learn the basics of the language as it is respectful and you know that YOU appreciate when tourists speak some of your own language too. Oh, and HAVE FUN!!!