MS Amsterdam docked at 08:00 just before daylight at the Puerto Vallarta docks. Overcast sky, cool and slighty humid.
After customs clearance I took off to Old Town Puerta Vallarta catching one of the blue and white buses, which conveniently pass close to the dock. Fifty cents, a top speed ride, and a bums on experience of the not so smooth Vallarta roads later, I got off in El Centro. Being Boxing Day and only 9 in the morning, everything was still 'cerrado' (closed) and the town had not quite woken up yet. Headed for the one and only fishing dock, where Mexican families were catching lunch: Puffer Fish, Needle Fish and unidentified other floating objects. Some used weighted nets. Some flung hand held lines into the water. There were plastic Coca Cola bottles filled with something looking like fish food amongst the fishing paraphernalia. I asked one of the fishermen, what the story was behind that.
The bottles are filled with 'arena' (sand) and used to anchor the fishing line reel to the dock, he explained and demonstrated the procedure.
Ingenious!
Wore out my feet, walking along the entire Malecon (the seaside promenade), into the famous lacy domed cathedral, into a few early opening tourist shops, then headed into the cobblestoned side alleys and visited every art gallery - now open - that I saw. Vallarta must be inspiring as the art selection is incredibly varied and - best of all - very good.
One can only walk for so long and so far....about four hours and a wonderfully cool Pacifico cerveza later, I braved another one of those rattletrap rides taking me back to the ship and Soriana (the Mexican equivalent of the Great Canadian Superstore) to stock up on a couple of bottles of Chilean wine. Many of my ship mates, espying the prominent Walmart sign from the upper decks of the ship, chose to buy their essentials at this familiar establishment. And a Mexican Walmart does stock essentials, like wine and viagra and walking sandals! Soriana was closer to the ship, less 'recognizable' as a Superstore, and less comprehensive in its offerings, i.e. nothing apart from food, wine, beer and spirits, and pharmacia (so the Viagra consumers would probably be able to find their favourite brand).
So the 'tour' to town cost me $4 ($1 for return bus ride, and $3 for the cerveza)
The ship is still under strict sanitation protocol...on top of the obvious preventative measures (no self serve buffet, no hot tubs) no brochures or books in any displays, in case someone may read them and put them back in a rack, thus potentially contaminating the item. There is an army of polishers making their way along every brass handrail, and there are miles of that stuff on the ship. All diners are waylaid at the dining room entry by a very friendly, courteous but VERY conscientious uniformed attendant, who squirts blue stuff out of a bottle onto every pair of hands passing the gates to food heaven. All is executed rather 'discreetly', as not to frighten the guests, some of whom are still being observed by astute travellers NOT WASHING THEIR HANDS IN THE WASHROOM. With all those disinfecting efforts by the crew, however, one should be able to eat not only of every floor, but slurp the barnacles of the ship's keel.
Despite all caution, our Tasmanian table mate has mysteriously disappeared since two dinners. He prouded himself that the only time he had ever been sick in his apparently very long and wildy active life, happened when he had a hernia. Well, now he can add another bit of trivia to that history...the day he got 'sea-sick'. Whether it's 'mal-de-mer' or 'mal-de-bateau' is still up in the air, or down the toilet bowl...we may find out, when he staggers back to dinner....where we won't shake his hand in welcome. Handshaking is out of bounds as well.
Sea day today, 27th December. Sunny and getting hotter.
Captain's Reception tonight for the 71 World Travellers (out of 1000+ total guests) who will continue the hourney beyond Fort Lauderdale.
That's all, folks.
