Puerto Vallarta Condo Rental

Shopping in Paradise

For many weary tourists the most wonderful thing about Playa de Los Muertos is
not the soft white sand, or the warm Pacific Ocean. It’s not even the sight of
dolphins playing off shore in a bay so magical that whales come here to have
their babies.
It is the happy fact that you can sit in a comfortable deck chair, drinking 2
for 1 margaritas a few feet from the surf, and have everything you could
possibly want delivered right to you by a colorful parade of vendors.

Why shop till you drop when you can relax under a big beach umbrella and select
from an endless variety of whatever your heart could desire? And it’s all so
unreasonably cheap, especially with the benefit of a good exchange rate. You
can buy something fabulous for everyone you know regardless of your budget.

Have personalized bracelets hand embroidered for the kids while they choose
funny little bobble headed critters for their friends at $1 a piece. Meantime
you can select lovely silver jewelry and gleaming hand carved wooden animals
for your friends at $10 or $20.

You can take home an entire wardrobe from hat and bag to handmade shoes. The
sarongs and dresses are gorgeous and there’s every kind of shirt from ´get a
laugh souvenir´ style to elegant embroidered cotton.

Teens getting restless and want more of an adventure, but you don’t want them
out of your sight? Jet skis and parasailing, banana boats and surfing are all
right there in front of you.
Little ones sad ‘cos they want to go parasailing but are too young? A superhero
parachute toy that flies just like the big ones is guaranteed to make them
smile. Get them a few sand toys to keep them further occupied, order another
margarita, and get back to shopping as it should be in Paradise:

A woven rug or an Aztec carving? A bright pottery plate or a dancing skeleton?
A colorful basket or a beautiful poncho? And what about a hammock or perhaps a
hammock chair so you can really take the Mexican feeling back home with you?
Decisions, decisions…

So many choices will work up an appetite; fortunately that too is infinitely
well catered for. How about pastries and freshly sliced and peeled fruit
for starters; followed by fresh caught shrimp or mahi mahi on a stick with
lemon, sauce or salt. Coconut juice or palm heart to offset those margaritas,
and homemade flan and cheesecake or maybe ice cream for dessert? All of these
and so much more are beautifully presented to you right there at your chair.

There is no shortage of entertainment at Los Muertos, a group of dreadlocked
drummers circle up and pound out ancient rhythms that soon have people dancing
and cheering.
Various Mariachi bands rove about playing Mexican Ballads in immaculate
traditional costumes. You see solo guitarists, and five piece brass bands, and
everything in between, there is even a wonderful musician on a full sized
harp. You never know what you’ll see next.

In addition to the endless parade of beautiful men and women in spectacularly
skimpy bikinis, you see a tiny old lady in a flowered straw hat wink at you as
she collects your used cans in a big plastic bag. A tousle headed toddler
drawing pictures in the sand with a shrimp stick and a young woman with eyes
as big as saucers seeing the ocean for the very first time. The look on her
face causes you to see it through her eyes; your gaze is drawn out to the
definitive line between dark blue ocean and light blue sky, and you are caught
there, suspended in the awe that the ocean eternally inspires in all who gaze
upon it.
Take a deep, grateful breath of that fresh salt air and feel your spirits soar
with the great Gaviota birds, they look just like fighter jets with their
streamlined bodies and sharp wingtips, a truly thrilling sight.

The beach gets a little crowded in high season, but everyone is so open and
friendly you feel like you all went there together. You know you’d be welcomed if
you wanted to join that game of beach volleyball or help with a sand castle, or
you can just bury your nose in a book and tune out everything but the pounding
of the waves. It’s Mexico, it’s ALL good.

And right now its mid afternoon, time to kick the deck chair back into a more
reclined position and follow the very sensible Mexican tradition of siesta.

It’s been a big day; you’ve bought all your gifts, maybe had a henna tattoo, a
massage or your hair braided, and now its time to relax, lay back and feel the soft
sea breeze on your skin. Look up into clear blue sky and wonder how the
parasailers feel sharing space with the great line of pelicans heading for
their marine sanctuary home at Los Arcos.
Make a mental note to go snorkeling there before you leave, the Spotted Eagle
Rays are back in the Bay and they love Los Arcos…

So much to do, so much already done, all without even leaving your chair,
you’ve definitely earned a nap.

Jeff Musto
3206 Red Oak Dr.
Eagan, MN 55121
Tel.# 612-424-5445