Puerto Vallarta - Botanical Gardens
Chris and I flew in to Puerto Vallarta at 6:00 on Saturday night. The Jacksons and Theurers picked us up at the airport and we went straight to Pepe’s for dinner. So good. Great guacamole and street pork tacos with yummy sauce. Then we walked downtown by the boardwalk and then over to Lix for some ice cream. So wonderful to be walking around in perfect weather on vacation with great friends.
The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort
The resort was great. Our balcony looked out to this view and it was just incredible. Early Sunday morning I woke up, picked up my camera and wandered the beach by myself. Beautiful.
We headed to church at 9:00 in Puerto Vallarta. Fun to see this cute little Mexican ward, and hear their service in Spanish. We had actually gone to church at this same building back in 2017.
We had Pedro stop the car when we unexpectedly spotted BYU graffiti. Who knew we’d find a Y in Puerto Vallarta?
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
After church we headed south about an hour to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. It was such a nice day and so relaxing to wander through the trails and check out the unique trees and plants. We even saw an iguana and a tiny little snake.
Lunch at the Botanical Gardens Cafe
We had heard the the Cafe at the Botanical Gardens was awesome, and it was. Great food, great atmosphere, an iguana staring at us from a nearby hanging flower basket and a friendly staff willing to take a picture of us. My three different enchiladas were perfect.
Festival of the Birds Celebration
When we finished our lunch, we could hear traditional music downstairs and headed down to check it out. It was a dance festival to celebrate the special Festival of the Birds. I love how colorful the decorations and costume accents were. It was really fun to watch.
The Beach at Sunset
We drove an hour along the coast back to the resort and settled into some lounge chairs by the water to relax and chat. The sound of the water, the warmth of the air, and the colors in the sky reminded me that this is my happy place.
After the sun had set we walked over to the marina and wandered around looking for a place to eat. We saw a sign warning about crocodiles so we took a closer look and spotted a large crocodile lurking in the marina water. We decided on a great Italian place. Chris and I shared a Pear Gorgonzola pizza and strawberry salad - which were both great. Then back to the resort for some Bluebell ice cream.