I’m sitting at a little wooden table for two. My husband and I are drinking designer coffees listening to soft jazz tones from a YouTube channel over our heads. Palm plants form one wall and snake plants, and philodendron plants form the opposite wall. Behind me is a kitchen and more indoor seating at this little cafe.
We just finished a walk around our little Mexican suburb in Puerto Vallarta where we are living for three months this winter.
At one time, we thought we would live downtown in the tourist area of Puerto Vallarta, but it would have meant a shorter visit on the budget we have, so here we are a 20-minute bus ride from Centro (downtown).
It’s my version of adventure. It was my husband’s dream since before I met him. There are many compromises to living the dream and yet if we didn’t do this much, we wouldn’t even have a glimpse of it.
The boulevard with palm trees down the centre confirms the busyness of city traffic around us. But the fan above my head helps it feel like ocean breezes are cooling me.
This is not a hallmark movie. The buildings are not whitewashed clean; most have bars on the windows. They are in varying states of repair and disrepair. We walk on cobblestones—uneven and wobbly. The sidewalks are narrow and inconsistent.
Yet, the smiles and greetings of total strangers erase the messiness of the area. The sunshine in the blue, blue sky relaxes me and makes me want to shine just as brightly.
When we want to be with other tourists we take the bus downtown. Taking the bus is mostly fun. We join our neighbors jolting and jiggling while the driver makes up time in the straight stretches or races with another bus next to us. When it’s busy and standing room only, holding on is a challenge. Helmuth simply holds on to the overhead rail. I must clasp the seats’ back bars. I try to smile and laugh and greet others, but inside I’m giving myself a pep talk to stay upright and not lose my balance. After the first month I start feeling a bit more confident.
Once downtown, we walk along the Malecon, the beach sidewalk, with all the little shops, cafes, bars and sidewalk vendors.
Our favorite place besides the beach walk, is a little cafe that sells used books (yes, in English) called A Page in the Sun. We often meet friends there. I’ve met people for the first time there that have since become friends.
One day we decided to meet two couples for coffee, but while we were there another couple of friends arrived—my old friend telling a new travelling companion, “This is Laurie’s favorite hangout…oh look there she is!”
While we were there, friends we had arranged to meet were surprised to see people they knew, and conversations and talking groups were breaking out all over. You can see why it’s my favorite place!
On other days I attend a Writer’s Group and Helmuth plays Bridge. There is an organization for international visitors that offers many activities.
Retirement allows us to do things we couldn’t do before. I challenge you to do something you have thought of but not done. What kind of arrangements could you make?
Mick Jagger sings, “You can’t always get what you want / But if you try sometime, you’ll find / You get what you need.” A winter stay, living in the suburbs of Puerto Vallarta fits the bill for me! What fits the bill for you?
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Laurie Mueller, M.Ed is retired and living in Victoria with her husband, Helmuth. She recently published The Ultimate Guide on What to Do When Someone You Love Dies, available on Amazon. More about Laurie can be found at www.lauriemconsulting.com or on Facebook.