Puerto Vallarta

What a beautiful view we have from our bedroom at Casa Mis Rocas, the airbnb rented by our friend Larry. The rest of the group had been staying at a resort, Paradise Village, just to the west of downtown Puerto Vallarta, so we were the last to arrive. The others were standing out on the stone terrace watching whales swim. Not long after, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner prepared by our chef, Francisco.

As we settled in our room, we were treated by this gorgeous sunset. To the other side is Los Arcos, this beautiful trio of rocks. The whales have come by every day, more than once, putting on a show of jumping, rolling, and tail slapping on the water. Many fisherman put in lines around the stone monoliths each morning and more trawl through the passage between Los Arcos and shore. When the whales appear, usually a couple boats follow slowly, some getting a little close for my comfort when one of the animals breach close by.

Traveling into the mountains to Rancho Santiago was the adventure on the first full day, Tuesday, but I stayed back for the day to recover from our travel day. At the ranch, my husband and our friends had bbq and listened to a really good cover band. The intention had been to attend the headliner, Elton Juan, but they left after the first group.

On the schedule for our second day, Wednesday, we headed to the Puerto Vallarta Zoo to be followed by a trip to Jardins Botanico Vallarta, the Botanical Gardens, which was the one place I most wanted to see on this trip. At the zoo, as we bought tickets, the cashier saw my friend, Brynn, in her wheelchair and me in mine. He told our host friend, Larry, that there was one big hill and we all took this to mean there was an initial incline and then a walk around the zoo. We were wrong.

As we ascended the cobblestone path, I walked, planning to use the wheelchair after we got to the top of this. There was no “getting to the top and then around.” The cashier had said, “One big hill,” but he meant, “The zoo is one big hill.” We went up and up and up. I sat in the wheelchair occasionally to rest and Wolf, my husband, did push me, too. Turns out the light travel wheelchair I’d inherited from my mom wasn’t built to travel over cobblestones.

A visit to the zoo involves walking an hour and a half, or thereabouts, on “paved” paths. Their idea of paved and mine differ, but all it would’ve taken was googling the zoo to find out there is a lot of walking involved and at this time it’s not handicap accessible. Considering Larry’s wife Brynn is completely confined to her wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis, I assumed he’d check this before planning it as one of our adventures. I walked up at least a mile and then down the other side. It destroyed me. I was so looking forward to the Jardins Botanico but couldn’t make the second part of the day.

This zoo encourages you to feed many of the animals with a variety of snacks including carrots, corn kernels, pellets, and peanuts. The flamingos were interested in the pellets and, when they ate out of your hand, it tickled the palm. When these two approached simultaneously, I put some pellets on the concrete edging. They ate and then became quite aggressive with each other. Yikes!

Not all of the habitats were as lush and large as the one inhabited by the flamingos. The living quarters for the large cats were particularly distressing to me, with small spaces and very little stimuli.

The monkeys were fun to watch, of course! The zookeeper in charge of the monkeys and habitat below said he has to keep the water colored so the animals don’t know it’s only a few feet deep. Boy, if your peanut lands on the water, though, they use branches to swing out over and grab it. There were probably six of them.

Feeding the giraffe was bittersweet. He was sweet and gentle, traveling between this guest and that, taking carrots with his lips brushing against your fingers, but he was alone and his habitat was sad.

On the descent, we saw many birds and smaller mammals. All the way through, wild coatis from the surrounding Mismaloya mountains followed people, eyeing the little brown bags they knew to contain a variety of snacks. Guests are advised, though, not to feed them as they can become aggressive.

By the end of the visit, I knew I wasn’t capable of going on to the botanical gardens, which broke my heart. Instead, I stayed at the house resting, missing out on lunch. This happens each day. We have a great breakfast and then everyone goes on an excursion of some type, and eating lunch in restaurants is the order of the day. I’ve eaten trail and chex mix that I brought for plane snacks.

On Thursday they went on a hike through the jungle to beaches and bars that dot the coastline and could only be accessed by foot or boat. I spent that day mostly in the pool and hot tub.

While the group went to a beach for the day on Friday, my husband took me to the Jardins Botanico because he knew I really wanted to see them. I nearly didn’t go, though, because I was still so wrecked from the zoo. We had a wonderful lunch on a veranda overlooking the gardens. Spectacular! the view and the food.

The pathways and trails were cobblestone and dirt/sand with a few concrete sections thrown in. Again, I walked mostly because it was much more practical than maneuvering the wheelchair with me in it. We did see a couple of greenhouses as well as a succulent area and a butterfly garden. It was a truncated visit but the drive there and the general surroundings were incredible in themselves.

Today, Saturday, the rest went into town to a large beach, shops, and restaurants. I’m here writing while looking out through two open glass doors at the beautiful plants on the grounds here and the ocean with several boats on the water.

I sent my husband with a short shopping list and, although the shops were the only thing I really wanted to do besides the gardens, he’s texting pictures and I shopping from a distance; he’s my Amazon today! Pain woke me up in the middle of the night and has continued today. The combination of fatigue and pain is overwhelming and I just couldn’t make it today.

Honestly, the view from our house and use of the pool and hot tub are enough. Tomorrow is Larry’s birthday, thus the airbnb rental, and I haven’t heard a plan yet. We’ll see. I know we have a wonderful dinner of steak and coconut shrimp planned and birthday cake will be our dessert. The day after tomorrow, we fly out.

I’ve questioned whether or not it was a good idea for me to make this vacation since the day after we arrived, but I am glad to be here at the ocean. This is Wolf’s first tropical vacation and I’m so happy he’s having this experience – day trips and the whole enchilada! Going upstairs now to see what Francisco will whip up for a light lunch today; so glad we got that set up. Later? Probably the pool and hot tub again.