What Would I Remember?  Doing It, Or Not Doing It? by Jussta

A Series About My Healing Adventure in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

What would I remember? Doing it, or Not Doing it? by Jussta        

03/20/10 12:27 AM -0500

Jussta's Site Map

It was over a year ago that I attended the Brother Benno’s Annual Fashion Show and bid on a week Timeshare many places in the world – it could have been Costa del Sol in Spain, Colorado, Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta all in Mexico.  One woman was bidding against me and really pushed the price up.  She begged me to let her have it.  I ended up winning and had a year to choose where I wanted to go and when.

The year was almost up – after numerous surgeries and various health challenges; I called Brother Benno’s and asked for an extension, which I received.

Each time I wanted to book – another severe health challenge would haunt me.  Finally, I decided that I would book December 10^th to December 17^th, 2005 at Conchas Chinas.  I chose Puerto Vallarta because it was on the coast almost equal to San Miguel de Allende where I had lived several years ago for several months.  My thinking was that I would go to Puerto Vallarta for the week and then travel to San Miguel de Allende for Christmas and New Year’s since I love it so much.

I invited a neighbor to join me, to pay half of the timeshare and her own expenses.  After doing the math, she decided she could not do it.  I invited both of my sisters to join me – it would be our first vacation together since very young children.  At first, they were both excited and agreed they were going to come.  The deadline for booking their flights at a reduced price was looming, when my younger sister’s husband would not permit my younger sister, Gloria, to go because she has multiple health problems and MediCare does not cover anything in Mexico.  My older sister is also disabled and has numerous health problems – and her family would not allow her to go either.

I was doing the math myself at this time – and realized this was going to cost me much, much more than I had spent for the week timeshare.  I decided to try and sell it.  I ran an expensive ad – and did not receive one telephone call or inquiry.  I tried to list the timeshare week on EBay – the first time I tried, it said I had to register with SquareTrade which is an auditing group of EBay to prevent fraud in selling timeshares or travel packages.  So I went to the SquareTrade website and had everything entered to register and pay my fee – when their entire website crashed!  I then found ‘Other Travel’ on EBay and discovered that I could list the timeshare week.  However, TWICE EBay stopped the auction.  The first time, I thought I had ‘fixed’ the offending line in the description of the auction.  The second time, was told I had to register with SquareTrade.  Sheesh!  By now, it was too late to try and sell it on EBay.  In the meantime, I discovered a dear friend sells timeshares and has one of the most visited web sites and he allowed me to post a free ad.  Nada!  Zilch!  No one inquired or was interested.

Everything else in my life was flowing – but trying to sell this timeshare was totally blocked.  I had just gone through a month of having a severe allergic reaction to MSG – including Hives –, which I have never had in my entire life.  I had to do a search on the Internet to find photos of the ‘welts’ that would form under my skin and then disappear.  I did more research on allergic reactions to MSG and discovered that I was unknowingly ingesting MSG in ‘hidden forms’ such as in Whey Protein Powder with organic fruit in smoothies.  I could not eat solid food at all without breaking out in hives and itching inside and out all over my body. 

Thank heaven; a new neighbor was moving into my community from his organic property he sold in Solana Beach.  He gave me cases of organic fruit including oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons and limes, crabapples and kumquats.  Another neighbor gave me organic Persimmons from her son’s property inland from San Diego.  The Persimmons worked miracles for me because they stopped the itching and hives immediately!

The timeshare week was looming closer and closer.  I kept thinking – what will I eat?  What will I do there?  Finally, I surrendered and prayed to Virgin Guadalupe to guide me.  I asked, ‘should I lose the week?  Should I use the week?’  I traveled, worked and lived around the world for 18 years – alone, all alone.  So it was not about traveling alone.  My prayer was answered with my own question, “What would I remember?  Doing it or not doing it?”

I decided to go with the flow.  I booked a courtesy airline reservation on a direct flight from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta through America West.  I had 24 hours to decide.  Turned out, the flight cost was CHEAPER than it had been a couple of week’s prior by over $75.00!  I called before the 24 hours was up and requested another 24-hour extension on the courtesy reservation and was granted the extension saying the price would not increase so it was fine.

Now I had to book Queenie at the Holiday Pet Hotel in Encinitas.  I was surprised when they gave me a reservation during this prime holiday vacation time.

I checked the airline fares on the Internet and found the prices had increased by over $100.00 for the same flight!  I quickly called America West.  Another obstacle – my one legal name of Jussta.  I had not flown internationally since the end of 1994 when I flew back to Australia and returned – before 9/11 and all the new security measures were put into effect.

The airline ticket must match the name on the passport or identification exactly.  Well both my passport and my driver’s license have the one name of Jussta.  The reservations clerk had to check with several supervisors prior to issuing the electronic ticket and it was decided to use Ms Jussta – both for my ticket and my new Flight Fund membership.  However, she urged me to arrive at least 3 hours prior to boarding because of security measures telling me that the plane could not be held for me to board if I had problems.  I agreed.

Now I wondered how to get to the airport?  I checked many of the airport shuttle services – and found they were very expensive (almost a hundred dollars), and I knew from experience how much additional time was required because of pickups and drop-offs.

I searched the Internet once again for off airport parking and found the cheapest was $10.00 a day.  I called; the woman gave me directions and said they would have space.

Off airport parking made sense, because I would have to drive Queenie to Encinitas that morning prior to leaving – and if I took the shuttle, I would have to drive back home, only to be picked up by the airport shuttle service.  I packed on Friday.

Saturday morning, I had to pull the futon out from under the bed to get Queenie out – she knew something was up and was not going for it.  Queenie bellered all the way to Encinitas, and I lost my tapper on my IPAQ because I got lost trying to find the residential street for the Encinitas Pet Hotel.  I was tapping their contact info to telephone when my tapper flew into the air in the car and went somewhere under the seat.  We got there – I was only two blocks away and had turned too soon.

Queenie had a corner condo with a window view and was hissing at the other cats in their condos.  I placed her scratcher, her bucket, and her 24-karat rimmed glass for water, her Chinese bowl with her food in her condo.  I kissed her hasta la vista and ordered playtime every other day.

I arrived at the off airport parking within 20 minutes from Encinitas!  There was a disabled parking space right next to their entrance and exit gates.  As I stepped out of my SUV, the free airport shuttle pulled up behind my SUV.  The young man grabbed my bags and loaded them as I searched for my tapper.  It was nowhere to be found and I had to board the shuttle.

I was at the airport in five minutes.  The porter took my check in bag and I pulled my carryon up the escalator to the check in counter.  Instead of a person – there was an electronic push screen for check in.  The young porter helped me figure out how to work it.  All I had to do was enter my Flight Fund number.  The machine confirmed my boarding pass – but nothing came out!  An America West counter person came over to me and I told him nothing came out.  It turns out the boarding pass and baggage claim check come out in back.  He asked to see my passport.  I showed it to him and he stamped my boarding pass with Secure Documents Verified!  Sheesh, this was it?

Uh, no.  He told me to ignore a call for Secure Documents check but advised me to go through security in about an hour – no longer.  I went back outside the terminal to smoke.  The sun was shining and it seemed like everything was going to be just fine.

I was talking with a young woman also smoking who turned out to be the PA for a cruise line and had just returned to San Diego from Tennessee where she had been vacationing.  I could see the massive cruise ships in the harbor across the way.  I told her some friends of mine many years ago had told me that a person can get really cheap cruises at the last minute – but I could never figure out how to do it.

She told me all I had to do was pack my bags, come to the offices of the cruise ships at 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and ask to be put on ‘standby’.  By 3:00 p.m., the cruise lines would notify me if I had secured passage – at a really, really cheap price – like a couple hundred dollars for First Class accommodations.  Now that I realized, I live about 35 to 40 minutes from the Cruise Lines and knew how to get these great deals – I am going to do it after the first of the year.

She left her cigarette lighter, so I used it and when I was putting it into my purse pouch – I noticed that my diamond bracelet on my right wrist was GONE!

I searched the area – I looked inside my purse and carryon bag.  It was nowhere to be found.  I went back up to the check in counter and asked the clerk if anyone had turned in a diamond bracelet.  Nope.

Now I had lost my tapper AND my diamond bracelet.  What kind of signs were these???  They certainly were NOT Divine!

Time to go through Security, which I was dreading.  The TSA woman asked to see my boarding pass – then she asked to see my Passport.  She barely looked and said, “Put away your passport NOW, Jussta,” and smiled at me.  I walked up to the scanners and placed my carryon and my beach bag, which also contained my video and digital cameras and my purse onto the conveyor belt.  I was about to take off my shoes, the girl said metal?  So I stuck my foot with a shoe on into the body scanner and it didn’t go off.  So I didn’t even have to take off my shoes!

My stuff came through, I picked it up and I had cleared dreaded Security!  I think America West had spoken with TSA and told them of my dilemma – they gave other people a lot more inspection than me.

Now I had more than 2 hours in the airport prior to boarding.  I went to Starbucks and had a Caramel Frappacino.  I walked around the shops.  I ate a turkey sandwich and was delighted that I didn’t start itching or breaking out in hives.

I telephoned the off airport parking and asked if they could look around my SUV for my diamond bracelet.  He put me on hold and went and looked, returned to tell me nothing there.

I could have sworn I heard something drop when the young man was taking my luggage out of the back of my SUV.

So my diamond bracelet was gone.  My tapper was gone.  I was on an adventure which I was determined was going to be healing – and only healing!

Eventually, I went to the boarding gate and took a seat.  The clerk started telling people this was a small plane and the overheads were smaller than usual and we would all have to check our carryon bags.  Bummer.  So I opened it and took out my digital camera and my IPAQ.  Now my beach bag was really bulging.  My carryon with the wheels was much smaller than anyone else’s.  So when another clerk came up to the counter for boarding, I asked her about checking it and she said, ‘no, yours will fit’.  But now it was too late to reopen the carryon and replace my digital camera and IPAQ.

The boarding was fast – the flight was only 2 hours instead of 2 hours and 20 minutes so we arrived early – even though Puerto Vallarta is 2 hours ahead of California so it was almost 8:30 p.m.

I followed the instructions and flagged a taxi after a porter helped me with my luggage.  I was off to Conchas Chinas!

I arrived at 9:00 p.m. and the security gate was still open.  Gabriela was still at the desk to check me in.  She told me I was one level down.  I was so bummed!  I told her I wanted an ocean view!  She insisted several times that I would have an ocean view.  Yeah, I was thinking as the taxi driver followed the two of us as he carried my luggage down the flight of stairs – yeah, an ocean view…a little slice.  Ah well, I was here.

She opened the door and the blinds were closed.  I paid the taxi driver and he left.  She walked across the room and opened the blinds and the double glass doors and I gasped!

I stepped out onto the balcony and could not believe my eyes.  I had a 190-degree ocean view of all of Banderas Bay, the city of Puerto Vallarta and down the Coast.

She showed me the kitchen, which had everything anyone could possibly need.  Then she showed me the two bathrooms, one with a shower, the other with a full bath and a shower.  The closets had an ironing board and iron, beach towels, extra pillows, blankets and sheets.  The bedroom was huge and she opened the center window, which had no screen.  More ocean view!  I could hear the waves pounding beneath me on the rocks and on the shore.  She showed me the ‘comment book’ where guests entered their comments on Conchas Chinas and things to do and not to do in Puerto Vallarta and the tour binder and the television list of channels and how to work the remote control.

I walked back out to the balcony and was still in awe.  I looked down and could see the pool and Jacuzzi to my left.  I asked when they closed and she said 9:30 p.m.  By now it was 9:15 p.m. – I told her I was going to take a quick Jacuzzi.  She left – I jumped into my bathing suit and down and down I went to the Jacuzzi.  She appeared and showed me how to turn on the jets.

So there I was, under a waxing Moon with millions of stars, with the Jacuzzi bubbling away all the tension and stress of making up my mind to come on this healing journey – and now, the healing had begun.

 The healing Jacuzzi – taken from my balcony in the daytime at Conchas Chinas – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? by Jussta

Part II

     I returned to my beautiful condo, showered and unpacked.  I turned on the television – checking the guide for those satellite channels that were both in English or Spanish.

Hmmm…my television only spoke Spanish!  I tried all the menu buttons for setting it to English and 25 minutes later, I went down and got the Security Guard, Juan.  Juan, “Mi Television sola hablar Espanol”.  I was hoping I said it correctly, but close enough!  Juan came to the room with me and he kept going in circles with the remote for about 20 minutes, when I saw something I had not seen before, I asked for the remote and changed a setting and now my television spoke English!

Mostly, I sat on the balcony, mesmerized by the moonlight shimmering on the ocean.

Reading the ‘comments’ book from previous occupants, I found some great information – especially on Timeshare salesman that hound you every second in town.  I put it in my mind file to remember.  Highly recommended, was the orientation the next morning in the game room.  I read through the binder on the various tours offered in Puerto Vallarta, becoming more and more excited about the week ahead.  I then read the entire comment book and entered my first night’s impressions of Conchas Chinas – of course, rave reviews while lying in bed.  I got up to sit on the balcony after looking at the clock and realizing it was 2:00 a.m.  When I walked out onto the balcony, once again all I could do was gasp!  The moon was low on the horizon and the moonlight was sending a wide beam of light directly at my balcony.  I took a Moonbath – something I invented on the weekend in Malibu, which I conducted for a Japanese Documentary on me as one of the world’s top Gurus.  (Yup, I was as surprised as you are J)

          The mattress was on a platform and much firmer than I am used to – I was going to miss Queenie sleeping next to me and my NovaForm mattress cover for sure – and I wished I had brought my favorite pillow.

          I awoke at 6:00 a.m. – not even sleepy or tired.  I made coffee and once again parked myself on the balcony.  I watched the Blue-footed Booby birds do their Kamikaze type dives into the ocean for fish.   I heard and then saw, a huge flock of green parrots swoop right next to my balcony.

          The orientation was at 10:00 a.m.  It began with a video of the various tours and then a talk by Lenore, the tour coordinator.  I had no food in the condo, so I loaded up on biscuits, orange juice, and coffee.  Because it was prime season – and one of the main reasons I came to Puerto Vallarta, was to swim with the Dolphins, I stayed after and booked for Monday at Noon in Nuevo Vallarta for the Swim With The Dolphins event.  While I was waiting to book, I was standing outside in the courtyard near the central fountain.  An American man began speaking to me – we discovered each of us was here alone – he was staying at Alta Vista (a part of World International Vacations).  He said we ought to go to his favorite restaurant for Tortilla Soup one of these nights – I said that would be great and bid him ‘hasta la vista’ after giving him my name and condo number.

          Time to see Puerto Vallarta.  Neomi called a cab for me that was here within 3 minutes.  I had my video camera and a very old purse with a long strap that is more like a triple wallet which I had transferred everything into for sightseeing.  It was very secure, snapped or zipped shut and hung next to my body under my arm.  I didn’t know where I was going so I asked the Taxi driver to take me to the Flea Market – certainly there was a Flea Market on a Sunday afternoon in Puerto Vallarta.  Sure enough, there was a huge Flea Market – which is all along the riverbank on both sides that goes for blocks and blocks.  I needed Pesos, and I found an ATM for HSN Bank – from Hong Kong.  I went in and inserted my bank card and thought I was going to get $50.00 worth of Pesos and instead, I got a 50 Peso note – which is only $5.00 – yikes, I hoped the machine had not given me the wrong amount.  Turned out, I got $5.00 Mexican Pesos for almost $9.00 – not a good deal for sure, since conversion rate is almost 11 pesos to the American Dollar – which included a $3.00 bank fee.

          So I walked through the Flea Market a bit – and realized, I really did not want anything.  I could see the top of the Cathedral of Virgin Guadalupe, so I walked toward the Cathedral.  There were many processions along the way and many men were setting up giant speakers and a huge screen outside of the cathedral.  I had shorts on so I could not enter the church, but I went in far enough to bless myself with the sign of the cross with holy water and backed out.

          Neomi had recommended MEGA for grocery shopping and I thought I should at least have fruit, dates, raisins and some yogurt.  So I took a Taxi (they take US Dollars and love it).  I was searching for raisins and dates when a young man who appeared to work at the huge market asked if he could help me.  I told him what I was looking for; he disappeared and reappeared with a package of Raisins.  He wanted to know what else I wanted, so I told him fruit.  He escorted me over to the produce section and then told me he wanted to take me as his ‘guest’ to a five-star resort.  I told him that would be lovely.  Then he whipped out his pad and said he needed some information.  I noticed there was a box for Credit Card…Aha!  My mind bank pulled up the info from the comment book and immediately I told him – ‘no credit card’.  He was obviously shocked and dismayed at this terrible news.  I insisted apologetically, ‘no credit card’.  He thanked me and took off in the opposite direction.  Aha, so this was one of those Timeshare guys.  In the comment book, several prior occupants had warned of Mayan Timeshare who claimed for attending their 90 minute pitch, they would give you $200.00 US – BUT you had to give them a credit card – and the 90 minute pitch turned into a 4 ½ hour agonizing high-pressure pitch!  Turns out they offer different tours for coming to their Timeshare presentation – when you don’t buy, they charge your credit card for the tours and forget about getting the $200.00 – so they have taken your precious vacation time And charged you top price for a tour or tours.

          I found great bananas, mangoes, papaya, dates, raisins, organic yogurt, bottled water, a bag of ground coffee, a quart of milk, a box of oatmeal.   I took a taxi back to Conchas Chinas.  I opened the taxi door and Gabriela (the night clerk) came running out to tell me I had a telephone call.  I paid the taxi and took the call at the desk.  It was Mike, from the morning orientation.  I told him he had excellent timing since my taxi just pulled up.  I asked him to call me back in about 20 minutes to allow me to put my groceries away.  He called again and we made plans to go to dinner at Ernesto’s for Tortilla Soup.

          I showered again and put on my white cotton off-the-shoulder culottes dress.  I debated – and decided to wear my boobs (my silicone prosthesis).  For the first time, I wore my ocean foam-green Pashmina around my shoulders.  I took a taxi down the hill and met him at the Pemex gas station and we continued on to Ernesto’s.  Only problem, Mike was taken their by a friend years before and did not know the address or street where it was, only a general direction.

          The taxi driver was getting very frustrated, so I suggested in my broken Spanish that he ask another taxi driver if he knew where Ernesto’s Restaurant was.  The first taxi driver he asked knew!  It was next to the Versailles Cinema.  We were only a few blocks away but never would have found it.  When we pulled up – it was closed!  Sunday night – and it is in more of an industrial area.  Mike said we should go to the Malecon (the boardwalk – that has no boards) – but is a cement walkway on the beach for blocks and blocks with many beautiful sculptures along the way.

          We got out and started walking on the restaurant row side and a young man urged us to come into their restaurant.  We told him we only wanted Tortilla Soup – he said he would ask the Chef.  We took our seat on the balcony.  He returned saying the Chef could not just do Tortilla Soup – but, he had a special offer.  The Chef had agreed to give us each Tortilla Soup and ONE Winter Package (whatever that was) for $11.00 US.  Tortilla Soup in Puerto Vallarta is at least $4.50 each bowl anyway, so we said okay, especially when he threw in 2 drinks each for the same price – alcohol or non-alcohol drinks.

          I ordered a Marguerita and Mike ordered water (he is a recovering alcoholic, 11 years sober).  We barely got our drinks and the waiter brought chips, guacamole, & other dip.  Within a couple of minutes he brought five bowls or plates of salads – including potatoes, ceviche, shrimp salad, pickled vegetables and some other dishes, along with giant bowls of Tortilla Soup.  What a feast!

          We talked and talked and ate and ate…I had another Marguerita…everything was so delicious.  Jussta when we thought we were done, the waiter brought a huge wooden board filled with Fajitas of Beef, Pork, & Chicken and vegetables, along with a large basket of tortillas.  We could not resist.  Amazingly, neither of us felt really stuffed.  Then he brought dessert!  Flan melted in your mouth.  Mike treated dinner, and yes, it was all for only $11.00 US.  If you are ever in Puerto Vallarta, the restaurant is:  Merendero San Pancho Calle 21 Octobre, No 128, Col. Centro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.  He gave us really cute postcards and I told him I would promote the restaurant at the Timeshare – and Mike would promote it at his timeshare.

          Turned out that Mike and I have so much in common!  He is divorced 9 years and lives in Iowa and is an electrical contractor.  He bought his Conchas Chinas timeshare in 1986 sight unseen from someone in Iowa that was selling their timeshares for them.  He bought two more weeks over the years and comes every year.  This time, he was here for two weeks, one week at Alta Vista and this week at Casa de la Playa that was recently rebuilt after being totally wiped out by the Hurricane a few years back.

          After dinner we walked out of the restaurant and Mike wanted to show me this artist on the Malecon that creates art with spray paints and then scrapes it with newspaper or cardstock.  The paintings are amazing!  More Sci-Fi types, not my style, but amazing to do with spray paint and scraping!  He bought me cotton candy that I got all over my face and my video camera and it turned out on the bodice of my dress – but I felt like a child on the boardwalk with all the people, the souvenir stands and a group of dancers and singers in front of huge arches with a backdrop of the ocean and Banderas Bay.

          I heard a flute and drum and hurried along the Malecon pulling Mike along.  Turned out men were up on top of a 150-foot metal pole sunk into the sand on the beach, the base surrounded by huge boulders.  One man was playing the flute, the other man beating the hand drum.  The Malecon was packed with people, children playing.  Mike had watched them the night before and said it is spectacular.  The event was delayed and finally a fourth man showed up and climbed the pole – obviously stuck in traffic.

          The drum playing became faster and faster and soon the men DROPPED backward from the pole and were dangling on ropes wound around one of their ankles!  As the metal platform at the top turned, the rope unwound, swinging the men from their ankles further out and farther down.  The entire time, the drummer drummed and the flute player played.  Finally, their heads were almost touching the huge boulders at the base of the pole and they simultaneously turned upright and ran around the base of the pole.  I ran out of video battery and videotape before the men dropped.  This would have to be a picture of the heart.

          Everyone applauded and we walked back down the Malecon, through the park to the Cathedral of Virgin Guadalupe.  The streets were packed and lined with people waiting for the big procession (parade).  Mike and I kept walking toward the Cathedral and climbed the huge stone steps.  Mike was wearing shorts so I told him he could not enter.   The church was packed like sardines – no one could possibly move in there or out in front of the church where the speakers blared the service and the huge screen showed the altar and priests saying Mass.

          I told Mike I needed to pay respects to Virgin Guadalupe for bringing me to Puerto Vallarta for my healing journey, and he offered to stand guard at the door.  I did not know how far I could go, but I entered and found that I was the only White woman as far as I could see – it was all Mexicans.  Women were carrying bouquets of flowers and Icons of Virgin Guadalupe and holding them up above their heads.  I still do not know what was going on – but the sea of people parted enough for me to pass and walk forward toward the altar.  If you saw how packed it was – you would not believe anyone could move, but move I did.  It was as though I was ‘lifted’ through the mass of people crushed together toward the altar.  Within minutes, I was standing in the very front before the Communion Rail.  I felt as though I were alone, even though I was surrounded by the masses of faithful.

          I made the sign of the cross and thanked Virgin Guadalupe for bringing me to Puerto Vallarta to celebrate her apparition to a poor Mexican man on December 12^th where she made roses appear in winter in the mountains and for further proof to the Bishop, left her imprint on his serape, or was it his undergarment?

          I looked around at the faces of people of all ages – and an older woman behind me was singing with a most beautiful voice, everyone appeared to be in total bliss, as I was.  I was the only Caucasian in the entire church – I think they were as surprised at my presence as I was that I was the only one.

          Again, the masses parted and allowed me to move to the side door and exit.  I walked around the side of the Cathedral and found Mike at the door.  I apologized to him for making him wait for me.  He responded that even though he is anti organized religion, he found it fascinating to watch the faces of the faithful packing the streets around the cathedral.  We walked thru old town over the bridge, past the Flea Market.  I flagged a Taxi after Mike said he wanted to walk to his condo.  He gave me a hug, insisting we still had to have Tortilla Soup at Ernesto’s.

          It was Midnight by the time the taxi dropped me off at Conchas Chinas – but I was wide-awake.  I sat on the balcony and wrote in the comments book.  I turned the television on the table so I could sit on the balcony and watch it.  There was a really good movie on, but now I can’t remember the name or who was even in it.  Once again, it was 2:00 a.m. when I sat in awe at the Moon shining on the ocean – feeling as though it were bathing me in healing light.

          I crawled into bed, turned off the light and listened to the waves crashing on the beach and rocks below.  I once again thanked Virgin Guadalupe for bringing me to Puerto Vallarta  – a smile on my face as I fell asleep, to dream sweet, sweet dreams.

Figure 1 Bedroom View of Ocean - Window opens with no screen.

Figure 2 - King Size Bed You can see the ocean thru the window.

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? By Jussta

Part III

             I spent the night waking up every hour – obviously worldwide earthquakes.  Luckily, I could get back to sleep pretty quickly.  I was waking up at 6:00 a.m. almost every morning even though I went to sleep at midnight or later.  The mornings passed quickly as I sat mesmerized sitting on the balcony watching the changing colors of the ocean in Banderas Bay.

            Because it was Virgin Guadalupe’s Saint Day and the peak of the celebrations with all government and banks closed, there was much traffic and I had to leave by taxi at 10:30 a.m. for my Noon adventure.

            The traffic was intense.  I had forgotten what a thrill a taxi ride in any part of Mexico is, but now it seemed even more of a daredevil thing to do here in Puerto Vallarta.  These taxi drivers have a lead foot on the accelerator and do not believe in brakes or at least using them.  It cost me $25.00 one-way for the taxi to Nuevo Vallarta where the Dolphin Encounter takes place.  We arrived at 11:30 a.m. – It was an hour’s journey.

            I was directed to pay the balance on my reservation in the office/gift shop and then I went outside and ordered breakfast – a frijoles (beans) and cheso (cheese) bagel with huevos (eggs).  I sat at a table under an umbrella, studying the people as I ate my breakfast.

            The crowd was diminishing, I kept seeing them walking up a path, I asked the girl once again if they had called my name – she kept saying no.

            The delicious breakfast consumed, I gathered my beach bag with my video camera inside and walked up the path to discover all the people had come into a waiting area.

            My heart sunk when I saw how many people there were!  “Oh, no!”  I thought, “this is going to be terrible with all these people – I’ll be lucky to get near a Dolphin!”

            I jostled my way up to the front of the low rock wall, removed my video camera, and began videotaping as one of the trainers signaled the Dolphins to enter a huge ocean tank.  Ten minutes later, one of the staff announced that those participating in the Dolphin Encounter would be going first.

            Thirty or so adults and children moved up to the gate and produced their tickets.  They were directed to shower and then escorted down the walkway to 4 holding tanks at the end of the very large ocean tank.  The Dolphins were jumping and playing with one another, swimming in and out of the individual tanks.

            Everyone left in the viewing/waiting area watched as the participants were guided to step down onto a wooden platform of waist high ocean water.  There were two corner platforms in each corner where four people stood on each platform.  The trainer signaled and two Dolphins came into each tank approaching the participants.  The participants could stroke the Dolphins with a flat hand on their backs – and then they turned over and the participants stroked their bellies.  It only lasted about twenty minutes.  All the participants returned and once again showered.

            Now it was our turn.  I was surprised and relieved when many of the people in the viewing/waiting area did not produce tickets and move toward the gate.  Instead of being directed to the showers, we were directed to a long thatched roofed area with bar stools along a very long counter overlooking the huge ocean tank with the Dolphins rollicking, jumping and playing with one another.  One of the staff told us this would be the orientation part and all were directed to put the headphones on that were in front of each seat.  No cameras or video cameras allowed to be used in this area.

            I put on the headphones and looked over the edge of the low wooden wall in front of me, delighted to see a huge Iguana sitting on the rock below me staring up at me.  I turned my focus back to the vocal orientation coming through the headphones but was once again distracted by seeing another large Iguana on a pile of huge rocks to my left – this Iguana was also looking at me.  In fact, there were 3 Iguanas – as each of them stared at me.  I waved to them and pointed as other participants began to ooh and aah.

            The orientation continued and told us we were actually listening to underwater microphones of live clicks of communication between the Dolphins.

            We were given history and various facts about Dolphins including their use of Sonar and the government research on Sonar technology.

            The orientation over, we were all directed to shower thoroughly to remove all hairspray, body creams, or tanning lotion to prevent making the Dolphins ill.  There were five large outdoor showerheads with a pull chain.  Men and women alike, stepped up, and showered – almost everyone shivering from the cold, cold water.

            As different people stepped out of the shower, each were directed to lift both their arms and other staff personnel fitted each person with a life vest.  We were told, “the tank is 30 feet deep.  You are on vacation and I doubt if any of you want to tread water for 30 minutes!”  Everyone laughed, some women looked frightened at the thought of 30 feet of water, but they complied.  When all had been fitted with their life vests, we followed the staff down the ramp and were split up into four different groups.  The other groups had 10-12 people in their group. My group had only 6 people!  Each group was assigned a corner.  We walked down to the nearest far corner and stood while the trainer signaled the two Dolphins that would be with us in our corner.  The names of our Dolphins were Tinda and Noura, a mother and daughter Dolphin, both pregnant.  In fact, 6 out of the 8 Dolphins in the tank today were pregnant!  All by the same male – and we were told he was the one with the great big smileJ The six Dolphins had all become pregnant in the last 6 weeks.

            Our trainer instructed us to get into the water either by climbing down the ladder or jumping in; and cautioned us to not be ‘Dolphin Chasers’.  The Dolphins would need time to get to know us and become comfortable.

            A couple  and another woman jumped in before me.  A woman was about to jump in when I stopped her.  “You still have your glasses on!”  She felt her face and shook her head and walked back to the corner.  I stepped up.  It was now my turn to jump into the tank.  A man had jumped in before me and I shooed him back so I would not land on him or come up underneath him.  A woman already in the water cautioned me to hold my nose.  I pinched my nose and jumped, surprised at how deep I went in the water, the life jacket pulled me up to the surface.  I swam over near the woman who had jumped before me and saw that her lower jaw was shivering.  I advised her to keep moving and to kick her feet to get her blood moving when she told me she was freezing!

            I didn’t notice the temperature of the water – I was too excited about interacting with the two Dolphins.

            Within a minute, we were all in the water where the trainer had told us to go.  The two Dolphins were in the corner with the trainer.  She introduced them as Tinda and Noura.  Immediately the two dolphins turned and swam around us.  I reached out to pet the one of the Dolphins with my flat hand – NOT on the head or near the blowhole as we had been instructed.  Dolphin’s eyes are amazingly small and very sensitive with only a light covering of mucous.  It would be terrible to poke one in the eye.

            The Dolphins turned over and swam around us.  Next came a test of the willpower of the Dolphins.  The trainer sent two people farther out and then placed a fish in each of the mouths of the Dolphins.  The Dolphins swam out to a person and offered the fish to the person.  The person then took the fish from the Dolphin and gave it back to the Dolphin who promptly swallowed it.  After we each had our turn, the Dolphins began to swim around us once again.

I placed both my hands on its belly.  Amazingly, the Dolphin pulled me along even though I was not hanging on to any part of its body.

            The other Dolphin was behind me, rubbing against my body.  I felt a surge of electricity go through my entire body – not unpleasant, but more of strong tingles in every cell.  My heart was smiling and my soul was rejoicing!  I could feel the joy of both of the Dolphins – I have never sensed such utter, complete joy and unconditional love emanating from both of them – and now it was reflecting off of me back to them!

            Both of the Dolphins swam between us, rubbing up against our bodies, turning on their backs and then again onto their bellies.  Everyone had many opportunities to stroke them repeatedly.  The trainer told us the Dolphins actually look forward to their human encounters and enjoy it tremendously.

            Their bodies were massive – yet they were so gentle, it was as if they knew how much pressure to put against our bodies.  Every time that I would stroke the Dolphins on their bellies, they would turn over on their backs and pull me along without any effort whatsoever!  Our trainer told me it was not time to ‘ride’ them and I was not trying to – I could not figure out how the Dolphins were pulling me along when I was not holding onto any part of their body, I was simply placing my hands on their bellies!

Next, we swam out a bit and were instructed to wave both our arms above our heads and to turn in the water, both of the Dolphins joined us – one next to me and the Dolphin raised up in the water and twirled next to me, waving its pectoral fins – we were dancing together!

Afterward, both Dolphins swam around us bobbing their heads up and down in the water.  Then they ‘kissed’ one another as they swam around.

We were told to lie back in the water with our ears underwater and we would be able to hear the Dolphins communicating with their clicks.  I put my head back, only to feel a Dolphin under my head!

There was one couple that had come together.  The two Dolphins swam over to them and each kissed one of the people on the cheek!

The other four of us had come alone, so we each got double kisses, one on each cheek from each of the Dolphins at the same time.  I kissed each one of them back, and then was allowed to hug them.

            The trainer called us over to a sidewall and called one of the Dolphins.  She had it turn over and it lifted its wide tail (that looks like a very small Whale tail) onto her lap.  She told us this is how they would draw blood from the Dolphins on a weekly basis by drawing the blood from their tails.  The Dolphin kept her head under the water while the trainer spoke.  I voiced my concern that the Dolphin could not breathe.  She told us that Dolphins could keep their heads underwater for up to ten minutes without breathing.  She showed us where the babies came out and how the nipples of the Dolphin are retracted and only protrude during nursing.  They place where the nipples are retracted look like two small slices.

            Every once in a while, the trainer would treat the Dolphins with a fish snack.  She explained to us that all the Dolphins eat 42,000 lbs of fish every week.  The fish are shipped fresh from Alaska every week.  There is a marine biologist who checks every shipment of fish prior to shipment and arrival to assure it is fresh and of the highest quality.

            Dolphins in the wild live to be approximately 35 years old, barring attack by a predator or being caught in fishing nets.  In captivity, Dolphins live to 50 years old because they have constant veterinarian care, no predators, and are fed only the best fish.

            Dolphins are pregnant for 12 months.  This facility had a separate ocean tank for the mother and baby Dolphins away from this tank and encounter area.  The babies are with their mother’s for another 12 months while they nurse and are eventually weaned.

            While the trainer had the Dolphin on its back with its tail in her lap, she invited us to each come up and feel the teeth and tongue of the Dolphin.  The teeth of this Dolphin looked perfect and as though a dentist had just cleaned them.

            After everyone had a chance to feel the teeth and tongue, we were paired off to ride belly-to-belly on a Dolphin – one person to a Dolphin.  The Dolphin swam on its back and we held on to the pectoral fins, our arms around the outside and hands holding on to the base of the fins.  The Dolphins then swam in a large circle around one end of the tank.  I kept dipping my head down and kissing the chest of the Dolphin carrying me – a lot of saltwater went up my nose and into my eyes, but what a thrill!  When we got close to the wall, we were instructed to roll off gently away from the Dolphin and the next couple of people would take their ride.

            We were instructed to get up against the wall of the tank and to hang on with our hands above our heads and to keep our feet down against the wall.  We were told the louder we yelled, the higher the Dolphins would jump.  The Dolphins swam up and down past us, jumping higher and higher, splashing us, and almost touching us.  They jumped higher and higher and then swam under the water right next to us, faster and faster they sped past us, splashing us as they raced by the line of people.

            The two Dolphins then did back flips, up and down in front of us.

Then they ‘walked on water’ moving swiftly across the water using only their tail fins to propel them.  Then they jumped up and twirled in the air.  One of the Dolphins did a forward double somersault!  Then two of the Dolphins waved goodbye with one of their pectoral fins as they swam past the line of people hanging onto the wall as we waved and yelled goodbye to them.

            The two Dolphins then stood upright in the water while we applauded.  The head Trainer stepped down into the water and was rapidly pulled around the tank with the upper half of his body above the water.  He was standing on the backs of two of the Dolphins.  They swam up to the wall and rose up out of the water, catapulting him onto the walkway around the tank!

            Our trainer was Ana Banana (yup, her real name).  We climbed out of the tank and were told we had a bonus surprise and to walk around the tank and get into line.  It was then I realized how large the other groups on the other corners were and how blessed we were to have only 6 people in our group!  WOW!

            As we stood in line, every single person in our group and some people in the other group in front of us were saying, “This is by far the best thing I have ever done in my life!”

            I tried to put this experience into words, but words cannot describe the experience.  In fact, every single person agreed that they could not express nor would they be able to tell their family and friends of the awesome encounter with the Dolphins.  Instead of 30 minutes, it had been almost 45 minutes of pure bliss.  Truly an unforgettable experience!  Interacting with the Dolphins was not only healing, but also it was one of the best experiences of my life – and I have had some awesome experiences!

            The line moved pretty rapidly and before I knew it, I was next.  Standing on a platform on its front fins was a large Sea Lion giving kisses!  There was a photographer there taking photos and I turned to look at the Sea Lion when it gave me a great big kiss on the lips!  I could feel its whiskers on my face.

            As we all took showers after our life vests were removed, everyone was grinning from ear-to-ear.  The water in the shower that had felt so cold before the experience, now felt warm.  There was a changing area and I changed out of my wet bathing suit and into my terry cloth shorts jumpsuit.  I walked up to the counter and saw a bank of eight television screens showing the photographs of various groups and DVDs of each of the corners.  I filled out an order form from the clerk and ordered the DVD and four photographs, two of the Dolphins kissing me, one of me hugging the Dolphins and one of the Sea Lion kissing me!

            While I was waiting for my order, I realized I was famished.  I ordered a sandwich for lunch along with a Smoothie and had my lunch.  I bought a Dolphin Adventure pink cotton T-Shirt with two Dolphins embroidered on the front with clear rhinestones for each of their one eyes that showed and the words Dolphin Adventure embroidered underneath the two Dolphins.

            I am wearing it as I write this.  I have been watching the DVD in between writing this to get the sequence of the experience in the proper order.  Each time I watch the DVD or look at the photographs, my heart smiles, and my soul soars, and I feel the healing energy permeating every cell and atom in my body!

            A healing experience to last a lifetime!

Close Up of Dolphin Kisses – Long Kisses, too!

Sea Lion Kisses!  Oooh, those whiskers tickle!

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? Part IV

 Dolphin Hug – Tinda & Noura So loving!

        I had planned to go into town and walk the Malecon (boardwalk), but after eating lunch and picking up my DVD and Photos of my Dolphin Encounter, I realized I was truly exhausted.  The taxi ride back was $22.50 US Dollars after negotiating a couple of dollars less, but all I wanted to do was rest and savor the experience with these loving, healing beings.

I returned to Conchas Chinas and sat on the balcony, my heart still smiling with memories of earlier this afternoon – I could still feel the electricity coursing through my body.  I walked into the living room and plopped up the pillows on the sofa, laid down, staring out into the azure sea of Banderas Bay.

I awoke to a blazing sunset feeling totally refreshed and renewed.

  After all, today was Virgin Guadalupe’s Saint Day and I had come on this trip because of her.  I dressed quickly.  I asked the Taxi driver to drop me at the Malecon, but when we got into town, the traffic was totally jammed because of all the processions, so I paid him and walked down to the Malecon.

I watched the painter making Sci-Fi paintings with spray paint and scratching the surface with newspaper or card stock, still amazed.    I bought myself a homemade Blueberry Cheesecake slice from one of the vendors on the Malecon and sat watching the performers in front of the arches with a backdrop of Banderas Bay.

I could hear music coming from the gazebo in the park across the street, so I followed the music to find the wonderful female Violin player accompanied by the keyboard player.  I videotaped them when I noticed the Cathedral in the background all lit up and the bell began to clang.  I sat on a low wall to put away my video camera when I noticed a sign stating, ‘Masaje’.  Aha, Massage!  This was certainly a healing day, and what better way to add healing by getting a massage.  There was a line of all Mexican people sitting on a low wall, so I took a seat at the end of the line wondering how long it would be before it would be my turn.  Within a few minutes, a woman approached me and motioned me to follow her.  She took me to the front of the tent made out of sheets hung on rope.  She asked me if I wanted a ‘Masaje’ and I asked her how much.  She told me ten minutes by donation, 30-minutes for $10.00 U.S.

I told her that would be ‘bueno’.  Instead of telling me to return to the line, she pulled aside a sheet and gestured for me to take a seat in a folding chair at the end of one of the massage tables.  There were 3 massage tables with people being massaged.  As I watched, I realized that all 3 of the massage therapists were blind.  There was one man and two women massage therapists.

I pointed to the man to indicate I wanted the man to massage me.

Within a few minutes, the man had finished his massage.  The woman escorted me to his table and indicated for me to remove my top and my shoes and to lie on the table face down.

She placed a towel over my pedal pushers.

The man bent over and whispered in my ear.  ‘Usted mucho dolor?’  (You have much pain?).  ‘Si’ I replied, ‘mucho, mucho dolor’.  My neck had been bothering me since the airport – must have been that huge beach bag carryon with not only my purse loaded with stuff, but also the digital and video camera bags.

The blind man continued whispering in my ear, “muchas accidentes aqui?”  Wow, this guy was good.  ‘Muchas, muchas auto accidentes” and I threw my head back after placing his hand on my neck to indicate many whiplash auto accidents.

“Si, si!”  He began massaging my neck and asked if he should do ‘fuerte’ (stronger).  I told him, Si.  Deeper and deeper he massaged my neck and shoulders, and my low back after he had pushed the elastic of my pedal pushers down below my hips.  Oh God, it was as though he was erasing my body!  His hands were hot like a furnace as the healing massage became deeper and deeper.  The woman came over to the table, bent down and told me, ‘Face Off’.  Hmmm, I was really out of it and didn’t quite comprehend what she meant by ‘face off’?  Huh, Oh, yeah, Face UP!  I laughed and turned over as she placed a towel across my chest.  I told her, no Face Off – Face UP.  She giggled and walked away.  The massage therapist worked on the front and sides of my neck, my upper chest and top of my shoulders, his hands on fire with healing energy.  I don’t know where I went, but I was ‘gone’ from my body after he began massaging my face and skull.  I came back into my body when the man was gently tapping my cheek saying ‘finish, finish, Masaje finish’.

It took me a minute to get my bearings and for my soul to settle back into my body.  I felt as though I was glowing enough to light up the night.  I dressed quickly and thanked him profusely, squeezing those hot hands.  I asked for his name – but could not comprehend what he was saying.  I asked him and the woman running the massage tent where for more Masaje?  He pulled a paper from his top pocket and handed it to me.  I walked outside of the tent and said to the woman, “Dias minutos?”  She looked shocked and said, “No, no, trente minutos!”  Wow, 30 minutes?  I sure had left my body!  Speaking of my body, what body?  It truly felt as though it was erased.  I handed her a $10.00 US bill and asked if it was okay and she said it was ‘bueno’.  I put the paper with his contact information carefully into my wallet, promising myself that I would have another massage before I left Puerto Vallarta.

I was still in sort of a daze as I walked through the plaza toward the Cathedral of Virgin Guadalupe.  I had no idea what time it was but as I neared the Cathedral, there were masses of people lining the streets, in the streets.  I maneuvered in between and around the people and found myself climbing the steps of the Cathedral and entering the foyer.  I blessed myself with the holy water, turned and once again, the sea of people parted and I was magically allowed to pass through the impassable toward the altar.  A choir of children sang like Angels as I easily moved forward up the aisle, saying my confession to Virgin Guadalupe and asking for her grace, thanking her for bringing me to her and for all the healing of this day, in this place and for this wondrous week.

Without effort, I found myself in the front at the bottom of the rail to find that Holy Communion was about to begin.  I stepped forward and received Holy Communion from the Bishop – and was amazed when he gave me a special blessing.  I realized I was the only Caucasian to receive Holy Communion as I studied the faces of the masses.  No American tourists here.  I made my way to the side entrance of the Cathedral and walked down the steep steps.

I walked into a shop that sold only Virgin Guadalupe merchandise, but I was not in the mood to shop and was ready to return to Conchas Chinas.

I walked the streets that were all blocked off for the coming procession until I found an unblocked street and flagged a Taxi to take me home.

The security guard, Juan, opened the gate as the Taxi pulled up and drove around the central fountain.  I paid him off.  I told Juan that I had been to the Cathedral for Virgin Guadalupe, ‘mi Buena amiga’ (my dear friend).

I made myself some Chamomile Tea, sat on the balcony to enjoy the moonlight on the bay and vowed to rest, to allow the healing to settle into my body.  I plugged in the video camera to recharge the battery.  I opened my wallet purse and found the information on the Massage Therapist.

I read:  Masajes Muscular Terapeuticos

Atencion a Padecimientos

Atencion Personal por:

Perla Y Eliseo

Masoterapeutas

Tienda naturista “Miriam”

Naturist Store “Miriam”

San Salvadore No. 471

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

Tel:  (01 322) 222-9720 or 299-1677

Horas:  10:30-3:00 PM  5:00-8:30 PM

    That night, I slept and dreamed wonderful dreams of hot hands burning away pain and tension in my body and of the Dolphins speaking to me, telling me of love and healing and friendship.  And of Virgin Guadalupe smiling down on me, opening her arms to welcome me to her grace and blessings.

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? by Jussta

Part V

         I took two days off, more or less – I lay out by the pool and visited with other guests.  There was a large library off of the pool and I found Memoirs of A Geisha, which I began to read.  I decided to book tours because this was the high season and I definitely wanted to go Whale Watching before I left and the season started December 15^th and I would leave December 17^th.

            I was on standby for Whale Watching on Thursday…it was too iffy and conflicted with being able to do another tour I truly wanted to do.  Neomi shuffled things around and I gave her my deposits for three tours.

            I continued reading Memoirs of A Geisha, which was difficult to put down and ended up taking another siesta.  Mike called and wanted to take me to dinner at Ernesto’s for Tortilla Soup.  Mike knew the American owner married to a Mexican National and got them to give me their original family recipe.  The Tortilla soup was okay…but I did not eat that much – it did not feel right.  I realized why later that night when I read the recipe…the recipe called for chicken bouillon, which has MSG in it – not again!  But this time, thankfully, I did not break out in hives or itching.  We walked the Malecon, and I heard the drum and flute and urged Mike to follow quickly.  I had missed videotaping the Voladores de Papantla from Vera Cruz, descendants of the Aztecs because my battery was dead and my videotape had run out.  The four spinning men represented the four worlds and the Eagles, which were the 5^th creation who dropped from a 150-foot pole by a rope tied to the ankle of one leg.  This time, I had my battery charged and plenty of videotape.

            Puerto Vallarta now seemed empty after the exit of the faithful who had come to town for the celebration of the Virgin Guadalupe.

            Mike came over from Alta Vista (another part of World International Vacation Club) and we played Ping Pong in the game room and watched my Swimming with the Dolphins DVD, which he loved and inspired me once again while Neomi kept calling the telephone number for Eliseo that morning and finally booked a massage for both Mike and myself at 1:30 p.m. at the Tienda.

            We walked down the very high hill to the bottom to the highway and caught a bus to a few blocks from the Tienda and walked the rest of the way.  The shop was not at all what I expected – it was a Naturalist shop, but also a candy shop and the woman sat in the front making huge Piñatas.

            I went first.  It was heaven to be healed by those hot hands of Eliseo once again, this time, the massage felt as though it was going deeper and deeper.  This time, Eliseo heated two glass cups and placed them on my back along my spine – but unlike the Chinese Acupuncturist in Hong Kong 20 years ago who had heated 6 glass cups and kept them stationary on my back, Eliseo moved the two heated glass cups in a rhythm that resembled the sound of Mariachis – all up and down and across my spine.  I arched my back several times in pain – it felt as though he was pulling masses of blocked energy out of my back and spine.  He finished with Calendula cream and once again, my pain was erased.

            Mike returned to the shop as I was getting dressed.  I stepped out from behind the curtain which marked off the massage area in the back and lifted the back of my shirt and asked Mike if I had red marks from the cups – he said no, my back had no marks at all.

            That surprised and confused me…but I felt great.  Mike went behind the curtain and I told him I would return in about a half hour.  Mike must have misstepped on the cobblestones; because his foot was swollen twice the size and he had been limping all morning and on the walk over to the Tienda.  I was hoping Eliseo could heal him so he could enjoy the next 10 days in Puerto Vallarta.

            I returned in 30 minutes, but Eliseo was still working on Mike, so I took a seat and watched the woman cutting and curling the tissue paper around dowels to make the custom Piñatas.  Instead of 30 minutes, Eliseo had worked on Mike for almost 50 minutes.

            Mike appeared from behind the curtain glowing.  His massage was only $15.00 US for all that time and healing.  Mike said he wanted a daily massage before leaving.  Wow, he liked Eliseo and those hot healing hands.  We both booked a massage at Casa de la Playa (Mike’s timeshare beginning Saturday, December 17^th) between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m.  Eliseo said it was no problem for him to come there, and it would be easier on me then take a taxi from my tour to Casa de la Playa, then to go to the Tienda, return to Casa de la Playa to get my luggage and then a taxi to the airport.

            Mike said he was starved and we walked next door to a new restaurant.  We had 8 Jumbo Shrimp – 4 each.  The shrimp were so huge they were the length of a man’s large hand and so delicious.  There was rice and vegetables and tortilla chips and salsa and I got a free Marguerita.  The entire lunch was $16.00 US.

            After lunch, we went by Casa de la Playa and I made arrangements for my luggage to be kept behind the counter by the Security Guard after I would drop it off early Saturday morning before my last day’s tour.

            We walked the Malecon for a while and then I was ready to go home in time for another spectacular sunset and to read Memoirs of a Geisha.  I had booked tours for the next three days – long tours and then Saturday night I had the flight out – so I wanted to rest up, allow the healing massage to settle in and awake refreshed.

            The sunset was spectacular as it was every night.  I could not put down Memoirs of a Geisha.  I was still reading at 2:00 a.m., so I got out of bed and sat on the balcony, mesmerized by the almost full moon lighting up the ocean beneath me in a beam directed at my balcony.  I took off my nightgown and took a Moon Bath, spreading my arms wide above my head and dancing in the moonlight on the balcony – celebrating life and healing.

            I got up before the alarm on my cell phone went off and turned it off before 6:00 a.m. – I was exhausted.  I had not slept all night.  Earthquakes and/or Volcanic eruption, I was certain.

            I debated whether to go…when I checked my deposit, I would lose too much money – I could rest when I got home.

            The tour bus picked me up at XXOO at 6:45 a.m. – an hour and a half before the tour was to start – they had to pick up all the other passengers.

            We finally arrived at the central pick up point, by this time; I had seen every major hotel and condominium in Puerto Vallarta.  We switched buses and within minutes we were on our way up the Sierra Madre Mountains.

            We stopped for a bathroom break where I could videotape a dormant volcano off in the distance and traveled on to our first stop in a small Oceanside village for an incredible buffet breakfast.

            During the bus trip, Miguel, our tour guide, who had lived with the Huicholes Indians up in the mountains; gave us their history and beliefs that date back many, many years.  He kept saying that when we arrived at this lower mountain village of Mesa del Nuevo Bale`, Najarit, Mexico, where 130 family members had moved down from the high mountain communities, that we not see them as poverty stricken because they have a very different value system.  This particular community had moved down at the urging of the top shaman’s son, Santos Rodriguez Lopez, who was studying to be a lawyer.  He would be the first lawyer of the Huicholes tribe.

            When Miguel had gone to live with them for six weeks several years ago, he had to travel by boat for 5 hours and then walk for 9 hours up a treacherous mountain to get to their communities.

            The Huicholes are truly one of the last indigenous tribes of Mexico that have not yet been corrupted by Western civilization.  This is one of the few ancient tribes in the world, which has managed to maintain its culture through the centuries up to the present.  Their art is highly symbolic and reflects their religious relationship with nature.  This is the tribe that does all the beadwork of bracelets, earrings, but much larger pieces of their traditional religious symbols including giant Iguana, deer, mountain lions, peyote, wolves, serpents, turtles, scorpion, corn, birds, the sun and moon.

            I found it fascinating that my power totem is the Mountain Lion, which came to me in Australia when I began conducting firewalks and the totem I painted on my favorite drum.  In Native American folklore, the Mountain Lion represents courage.  In Huicholes tradition, Mountain Lion (Puma)  is the Messenger of the God of Fire!  They are called Mayetze in the Huicholes language and are the custodians of a Shaman’s sacred vows.

            The bus drove onto the scorio rock road leading into the community, (I was puzzled once again since I had not seen scorio rock since a young girl in North Dakota).  Scorio is large clay chunks that are laid over dirt roads to absorb moisture and stop the dirt from washing away.

            We began to see the adobe shacks with tin roofs.  Only one of them was on stilts – the traditional way of building their dwellings.  This community had moved here so they could attend a school that the government had built for them and also to sell their art in Puerto Vallarta at some of the galleries.  Now the tourists came to them on Thursdays to buy their art, which supposedly saved them from traveling via bus to Puerto Vallarta, and were helping to eliminate the middleman of the shops selling their art.

            We walked up to the gates of the school, which was a rustic building.  As we walked down into the central plaza, the barefoot, dirty children began to run around us and past us into the area in front of their temple.

            We were told to form a circle around the Shaman who was traditionally dressed and sat on a folding chair in front of his altar.  The altar contained a gourd, a giant peyote button, his Muwieri that is a stick with two feathers on it used for cleansing energies and other power items.

            I stood to the right of the Shaman (their name is Mara’akame or Spiritual Healer.  He is the one who presides over their five annual religious ceremonies, receives divine messages, cures the sick and interprets dreams.

            We were told that we would be allowed to enter their temple, however, we would all have to be cleansed by the Mara’akame prior to entering.  The Mara’akame walked in front of me – threw his head back, stopped and turned on his heel and walked to the person on his left and began clearing the energies of all on the tour standing in a tight circle under the beams covered with palm fronds above our heads.  I was relieved that the Mara’akame did not start with me.  I realized what he realized, that as he cleansed everyone else, I was absorbing everything they threw off.  When he finally approached me, he did an extra long cleansing and beat me on the head 3 times with his Muwieri, which he had not done to others.

            We entered the round adobe temple with the altar on the West wall.  We were showed the opening of the door of the temple which always faces the East to receive the rising Sun.  In the center of their temple is a large hole.  The Huicholes consider corn sacred and the first harvest is always offered to Mother Earth and placed in this hole.

            The altar was a surprising mixture of their ancient naturistic religious beliefs combined with western religious icons of crucifixes, icons of the Virgin Guadalupe, corn, Gila monster tails, plants, rocks, candles, crystals, incense and other objects I did not recognize.

            The tour list indicated that photographs were not allowed, however, I had brought my video camera so I could at least video the trip up and back.  Before we arrived, I asked Miguel if we were allowed to video or photograph in their community.  To my surprise, he replied, ‘yes – but do not make it obvious’.

            So I kept my video camera lens off and the viewer open and tipped up so I could see it without being obvious.  I videotaped some of the cleansing ceremony, inside the temple, and outside in the courtyard where tables had been set up with art of the Huicholes available for sale to us.  I chose a rainbow-beaded bracelet from one Huicholes woman and another beaded bracelet with five symbols – corn, peyote, deer, snake, and peyote.

            I had taken Peyote when I lived on Maui and trekked down into the volcano, Haleakala, and spent a magical, spiritual night awakened by Nee Nee Geese.  The rainbow-beaded bracelet reminded me of the colorful hallucinations on sacred Peyote and feeling one with everything and everyone.

            When I had paid for one of the bracelets, I gestured for the Huicholes girl to please put it on for me.  I wanted video of her, she was so beautiful, and so I pushed record and set the camera on the table while she was putting the bracelet on my wrist.  Suddenly – my video camera began TALKING!  NOT mumbling, but speaking very loudly – but at the time I could not make out what the camera was saying!  Startled, I began tapping the top of my camera, talking to it and telling it to SHUSH!  HUSH!  The camera kept speaking.  I closed the viewer, which turns off the camera, but it kept talking!  It was then I saw the Mara’akame standing in the doorway behind and next to the table smirking at me.  The girl began giggling and then laughing aloud the more I tapped the camera and tried to quiet this bizarre behavior!  Then I laughed, too.  The joke was on me.  I thought I had been discreet with my videotaping, but I had not fooled the Mara’akame and he was making it very clear he knew and it was okay.

            Participants of the tour had made their purchases, we loaded the buses (there were two) and Santos (the son of the main Shaman) sat opposite me in the other front seat.  He kept looking at me and smiling such a beautiful, wide smile.  I smiled back as I studied his traditional embroidered dress, his hat with the little balls that bounced, the feathers in his hat, and the bracelets and necklace around his neck.  He carried a woven, embroidered bag.

            Miguel had taught us a few words in the Huicholes language – it is unrecognizable from Spanish – not even close!  Their numbers for counting are also totally different.  For instance, Que a ku = Buenos Dias or Buenos noche o` tarde.  It means all three things, but has no relation to the Spanish language.

            Santos and this community had to learn Spanish in school as part of their curriculum so they could interact with Spanish society.

            Santos told us of some of their beliefs and told us that the Huicholes in this community now work for farmers, they refuse to work at the Sugar Cane Factory in the town below their community.  They are hard workers and receive top pay from farmers for the work they do.  Huicholes do not drive vehicles of any kind.  The government taxes them so now they need money (where they never needed it before) to pay the taxes, to buy the yarn to embroider clothing, to buy beads to create the art of their sacred symbols.  The beads on the larger pieces of art are actually inserted into beeswax covering over carved wood or formed clay on their pots.  While we were there I was able to watch a young man inserting the beads into a large mask of a Puma.

            Our next stop was a 5 Star Hotel and dining room where we were served a 5 course delicious meal.  Speaking with others at my dining table, not one of them had been able to sleep the night before either.  Santos wife met us there and had set up a table in the lobby with not only her art, but Santos’ as well.

            I looked at some of the items, but truly, I was happy with my bracelets.  Santos smiled at me and gave me another sheet of history and symbols of the Huicholes Indians, which he pulled out of his bag.

            I embraced him and thanked him and boarded the bus.

            This was a long, long trip by bus.  I could not imagine having to walk 9 hours after a 5-hour boat ride, so I was grateful the community had moved down the mountain.  But I was torn, too.  I felt we were corrupting them just by coming into their community.  At a bathroom and food break at a fruit, candy and souvenir roadside stand, I purchased homemade peanut toffee and began speaking with two guys from San Francisco.  One of them had been on the Huicholes Indian tour for 9 years out of the past 12 years.  He went to another community on a boat trip across a lake after flying there on the airplane tour.  I told him that I was conflicted – that I had felt honored to visit them – but did feel we were corrupting them.  He agreed.  He said that when he first started taking the tours, the Mara’akame cleansing was totally different.  Sometimes, he would refuse to allow certain people into their community at all.  Also, when he did a cleansing, he would blow on the people and sometimes spit on them, as well as using his cleansing feather tool.  Obviously, this offended the tourists and the cleansing was modified to please the tourists.  He also said that it was sad to see only one of their dwellings up on stilts – whereas in the beginning, all of their dwellings were on stilts, which was to keep their pigs and other critters out of their homes, such as scorpions and snakes.

            He also told me that several years ago, a photographer from National Geographic had come on the tour incognito and taken photographs that were published.  It outraged the Huicholes who expressly forbid use other than personal so they had stopped the tours for a couple of years, and would stop the tours if any of their photographs were published again.

            I was exhausted when I was the last person to be dropped off at XXOO after 9:00 p.m. that night, it had been a 14 hour journey after no sleep the night before.

            The most beautiful myth of theirs speaks volumes of their beliefs.

            The Huicholes live high in the Sierra Madre in small communities made up of their extended families.  All of the communities have a view to the West, which includes a large jutting rock.  The Huicholes believe that Father Sun is ‘cut’ by the rock and bleeds (the sunset each day) before going to sleep.

            I will never look at another Sunset without thinking of the beautiful, innocent Huicholes Indians.

            Uxa-aTuvita`  (Hasta Luego – until we meet again).

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? by Jussta

Part VI  Tale of the Whales!

             I woke up irritated at the alarm ringing on my cell phone.  I was weary from the extremely long tour up the Sierra Madre Mountains to visit the village of the Huicholes Indians.  The security guard telephoned to wake me.  Once again, I resisted going on this tour and wrestled with whether or not to lose my deposit and my chance to go Whale Watching – besides, we probably would not see any Whales anyway.  I poured a cup of steaming, hot coffee and drank it down in a couple of gulps, shook my head to try and clear it, grabbed my video camera and my beach bag that I had packed the night before.

            I looked for Juan, the security guard, but he had left early!  I finally figured out how to call a taxi on the phone on the reception counter.  My broken Spanish did not convey my urgency.  Now I was going to barely make it to the Marina to catch the boat to go Whale Watching.

            Of course, since I was already in a very vile mood, the taxi was late.  I kept showing the booking slip to the taxi driver to tell him where I needed to go – forgetting that most low-income and older Mexicans cannot read!

            He kept nodding his head that he understood – and I prayed he did.  He was heading in the right direction.  It was almost an hour’s drive again to the Vallarta Marina.  I had not been to either Marina so had no idea exactly where I was supposed to go and had counted on Juan to be able to tell the taxi driver the directions.  Grumble, grumble, mumble, curse and whine.  The taxi driver was taking forever.  Finally, he pulled into the gate of the Marina – it did not feel right to me, but he assured me this was the place.  A young man came up to the taxi and I told him I was going sailing and was this the place?  He assured me it was.  I paid the driver the $10.00 that Gabriela had told me was the fee the night before and walked up to a window to buy my ticket to enter the Marina.  The girl gave me my change and I stuffed it into my wallet and raced into the enclosure where Vallarta Adventures had a booth.  No one was at the counter; I tapped my foot impatiently, clearing my throat trying to get attention from anyone in the back room behind the door.  Finally a young woman came out.  I showed her my reservation and deposit slip and she told me, no, no – not here!

            I looked at the large clock and my heart dropped.  It was 8:45 a.m., the meeting time to leave for Whale Watching.  I refused to panic, but my heart was pounding and I was extremely irritated.  She told me it was another Marina – not this Marina.  “How far?  Can I walk?”  I asked her.  It was like pulling teeth trying to get the correct information out of her.

            “Two blocks, only two blocks!”  She sensed I was not happy.  “Can I walk, should I walk?”  I begged her to just tell me what I needed to do to get there.  “No, you are late.  You better take a taxi.  This Marina is where the big statue of the Whales is…tell the taxi driver.”

            I went outside to the street and found a man in line to buy my ticket.  He said I needed to give him the token.  I told him I was not given a token.  He told the girl in the ticket window and she insisted she gave me the token.  I argued, even more irritated.  She kept insisting she gave me a token.  Finally, I realized that she had given me a token with my Mexican coins.  I dug through my coin purse and finally found the token and gave it to the man, running off toward the taxis.

            “No, no!  Taxi on street.”  The taxi director told me.  Well, holy tamale!  What else could go wrong this morning?  The main street was a very long block past the entrance gate to this Marina.  I took off at a fast pace toward the street – I crossed in the middle to a gas station and saw a taxi and flagged it down when a police car pulled up.

            I cringed.  Obviously, it was against the ‘rules’ to flag a taxi this close to the Marina – but I said a quick prayer to Virgin Guadalupe to please get me to the boat on time.  The taxi ignored the police car and I told him Vallarta Marina and he sped off after the signal turned green.  I was sitting on the edge of the back seat, searching the left hand side of the street for the sculpture of the Whales – I remembered seeing it on the way to my Dolphin Encounter – but not where it was in relation to where I was now.  Well, the young woman had said two blocks.  Two blocks became at least 3 miles.  Elated, I pointed at the Whales and exclaimed, “Aqui!  Aqui!”

            The taxi driver made the left turn and it was then I saw that he understood where I was trying to go.  He had hesitated at the Whale sculpture until I screamed at him, “Andale` Vamonos!”  He stepped on the gas and sped down the street for many more blocks and made another left and came to a screeching halt in front of Vallarta Marina Vallarta Adventures office!  Finally…I practically threw the money at the poor, confused taxi driver mumbling gracias.

            I could see many people seated in plastic chairs on the patio looking up at a video playing on a screen – so maybe I was here in time.

            I raced into the office with my reservation/deposit slip in hand and interrupted someone at the counter and asked the clerk if I was in the right place.  “Yes, yes.  Okay, okay!”

            I stepped back and took a deep breath.  A young man came up to me and asked to see my slip and I showed it to him and he said, “You are with me, boat #3.  My name is Pablo.”  He smiled a sweet smile.

            “I thought I had missed the boat.”  I muttered to him.  “No, no, you are fine – no problema.”

            I sighed with relief and waited my turn.  Finally, the young girl motioned for me to step up to the counter.  I stepped up and handed her my slip and opened my wallet.  A young man barged in and started talking to her in very rapid Spanish.  I was not in the mood to be gracious or patient.  “Excuuuuse me?  I was here!”

            He stepped back as though I had slapped him in the face and the girl seemed a bit shocked at my behavior.  Hey, this was not the day or the time to mess with me, I thought.

            The girl processed my reservation and I paid the balance.  Her smile was meek and apologetic as she told me to relax and have some coffee and breakfast out on the patio, there was plenty of time.

            I walked out of the office muttering to myself about plenty of time and two blocks and miles and people butting into line.  Sheesh, I needed an attitude adjustment very badly.

            I poured a cup of coffee and chose different breakfast muffins to place on my paper plate.  I couldn’t carry my food and my large beach bag, so I left the food and went and found a plastic chair and came back for the coffee and plate and carried it over to the low fence.

            Finally, I took a deep breath.  I sipped on the coffee and ate the breakfast muffins – or rather gulped down the breakfast muffins.  I kept watching for Pablo who was nowhere in sight.  I walked over to the other patio and saw that all those people watching a video on the other patio were on a different tour.

            “Oh no!”  I thought.  I missed the boat!

            I was standing there looking around, obviously looking very confused when Pablo called my name and said we were ready to go now.

            I followed the crowd, keeping Pablo in my sight.  We walked down a long walkway and then down the plank onto the wharf, past other boats and turned.  People had fallen back so that now I was in front and Pablo was somewhere behind me.  Pablo stood back and called out for everyone to take off his or her shoes.  I had brought my tennis shoes, and worn them for the first time this morning specifically to wear sailing.

            I was worn out trying to control the uncontrollable and just let go and surrendered to whatever the day would bring.  Off came my shoes and socks and I stepped onto the boat with assistance from a young man who handed my bulging beach bag up to me.

             I took a seat near the helm and staked out my space by placing my video camera in the case next to me.  An older couple sat in the cockpit opposite me. The rest of the tour members moved to the front of the boat.

            One of the young men had placed all of our shoes in a huge plastic bag and was walking down the pier.  Pablo called out…”well, there go your shoes never to see them again!”  We all laughed and the young man brought the plastic bag back on board and took it below.

            Pablo introduced Hugo and Armando and told us that we would be motoring for the first half of the trip because there was not enough wind to sail, but we would be sailing back.

            We were on a beautifully maintained 47’ sailboat that had been built in the 1950’s.  As we motored out of the Marina, I was surprised at the massive size and amount of luxury yachts – many of them 90 feet or longer.

            I had no idea Puerto Vallarta was such a popular destination for luxury yachts.

            Within ten minutes, the crew asked us for our order for drinks.  I was seated next to Pablo at the helm and ordered Tomato Juice.  He gave me a wink and said, “Vacation…vacation…Tequila Sunrise?”

            I smiled at him and ordered a Tequila Sunrise.  Like the song says, “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” – even though it was not yet 10:00 a.m. in Puerto Vallarta.

            It was a glorious sunny day without a cloud in the sky.  The sun shimmered, reflecting off the water as we motored out past the yacht marina into the open ocean.  Pablo asked me to take the helm and I quickly stepped up.  He pointed to where we were headed.  There was a point of land that I used for my indicator.  Pablo and the crew disappeared below deck.

            I barely touched the wheel and the boat swerved severely!  The others on the tour, turned to see who was at the helm and then understood.

Wow, I have been at the helm of a Maxi-Yacht while sailing in the Whitsunday’s in Australia and many times sailing out of Newport Beach, California on Shearwater, an 81-foot schooner – and was shocked at the response to such a light touch.  Gordon, the older man across on my left in the cockpit remarked that the response must have been from so many people laying or sitting in the front of the boat.  Ahhh, that made sense!

Jussta at the Helm, drinking my First Tequila Sunrise.

            Within twenty minutes, the captain, Pablo, and the two young crewmembers appeared from the galley to serve each of us a beautifully presented half-watermelon or half-pineapple filled with mixed fresh fruit.

            I surrendered the helm to Pablo and sat down to eat my fruit bowl and drink another Tequila Sunrise.

            Pablo asked me to take the helm once again, which I did for a few minutes and then I asked Gordon if he would like to take the helm and he eagerly stepped up to the wheel.

            All morning, I had been struggling to control the uncontrollable and I had been thrust into control of the sailboat.  Now I vowed to surrender to the experience and let it all be.

            Pablo popped out of the galley to announce that he heard on the radio of a Whale sighting not far from us.  He took over the helm, pushed the accelerator to speed us toward the reported sighting.

            Within five minutes, there were five Whales blowing huge sprays of seawater very near us.  Pablo cut the engine to avoid scaring them off.  I was told that the best way to Whale watch is sailing, because the engines do not scare them off – and sure enough, this was proving true.

Everyone stood up as the Whales submerged, only to re-emerge within minutes.  I had walked to the front of the boat to videotape the Whales when a massive Whale surfaced against the boat!  We could see down into its’ blowhole!  It made a big blow as if to tell us, ‘I don’t think you are a possible mate!’ and disappeared beneath the sea.

The Whales surrounded us as we watched their tails flip in the air; they waved at us with their pectoral fins, mesmerized by the sea spray from their blowholes.  It was brilliant!

This is NOT my photograph, but from the brochure of Vallarta Adventures.  They retain all copyright and rights.

Pablo started the engine and we motored off.  I asked him why we were leaving – I, for one, could not get enough of seeing the Whales.  Pablo smiled and responded, “We are on a schedule”.

Other Whales came into view, some close, some far off in the distance.  All together, we saw 9 Whales!

I suggested to Pablo that Vallarta Adventures install underwater microphones like the ones they had in Australia when I went Whale Watching.  There, too, a massive Whale, had come up to the much larger boat and did a ‘blow’.  I explained that on this Whale Watch adventure, when Whales were spotted, the underwater microphones were lowered and all on board could hear the Whale songs live through loudspeakers on the deck.  He loved the idea and said he would make a suggestion.

We motored to Punta Blanca (White Point) where we anchored.  Pablo pointed out the construction of massive luxury homes on the cliffs above the Bay of Banderas and told us that the price range was over one million – one specific home that was currently under construction was $2,400,000 US Dollars.  He said this was only for the very rich and famous as these would be one of their many private vacation homes.  The homes were so huge they looked like luxury hotels.

We had anchored here to give participants a chance to snorkel or swim, or walk the beach in search of seashells.  Several people dove off the back of the boat.  I was not one of them.  They did not have wet suits and the few people in the water said it was really cold and reported that the water was murky.

Except during the encounter with all the Whales, Pablo and his crew played music over the loudspeakers.  They had excellent taste, most of it American rock and roll music of Kool And the Gang, The Eagles, all of it great dance music.  I was the only tour participant who danced on the deck in the cockpit – joined by one or the other of the sweet crew of Hugo or Armando; others took a nap under the noonday Sun.

A half-hour later, those that had chosen to swim or snorkel were called back to the boat and lunch was served.  Cold cuts of various kinds of meat, cheese, crackers filled large, individual plates for each person.

More drinks were served, I had lost count by now how many Tequila Sunrise drinks I had consumed, and cared less because I now had my major attitude adjustment!  The best Guacamole with tortilla chips was served an hour later.

The flag indicated the wind had come up as predicted.  Pablo and the crew set the sails as he headed the boat across the Bay of Banderas.  More whales were sighted off in the distance and a couple of them were close enough to see their tales slap the ocean surface.

It was another beautiful day in paradise.  Before coming on the trip, I had checked the ten-day business weather forecast.  The forecast was for clouds with partial Sun and rain almost every day except Wednesday.  Ha!  Boy, were the meteorologists wrong.  There had been very few clouds early in the morning – and scattered clouds late in the afternoon that made the Sunsets all the more glorious.  As a professional photographer, I realized long ago that you couldn’t have a spectacular Sunset without clouds.

I returned to Conchas Chinas in time for another awe-inspiring Sunset.  I sipped Green Tea on the balcony and had time for a long Jacuzzi before it was time to pack.  I had to check out this evening before Gabriela left at 10:00 p.m. because I would be going on an all-day tour on my last day in Puerto Vallarta and it would be too much hassle and far too expensive to have to return to Conchas Chinas to retrieve my luggage.

I cleaned out the refrigerator and the cupboard and gave most of the food to Gabriela when I checked out.  I brought dates, raisins, and peanut brittle with some fruit to Juan the security guard, confirming that he would come up before he left work at 7:00 a.m. to bring my large suitcase down to the reception area.  I left shampoo, hairspray and face creams for the maid along with more fruit.

Taxis could not be booked prior to pickup, so Gabriela wrote out specific directions for the taxi driver – along with a drawn map to the Maritime Marina – in case he could not read.  She had been very upset when I told her of my problems getting to the Vallarta Marina for sailing.

Packing went quickly as I realized that I had not purchased many souvenirs, only the DVD and photographs of swimming with the Dolphins and the special kiss from the Sea Lion along with the two bracelets from the Huicholes Indians.  I laughed at myself, thinking I was running true to form in my travels – I was never much on souvenirs, I preferred taking great memories of my adventures, photographs, and videos with me as opposed to ‘things’.

I set up the coffee pot so all I would have to do is push the ‘on’ button and then laid out my clothes to wear on my last day trip in Puerto Vallarta.  I set the alarm and spent the night dreaming of Whales telling me tales of their own long annual journey from Alaska to Mexico and back to Alaska.

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it? by Jussta

Final Part VII

            Juan called before he came and took my large suitcase down to the reception area – I had already showered and had my first cup of coffee, unplugged my video camera and packed it in the case, checked that I had my reservation and deposit slip for today’s tour to Las Caletas.

            Las Caletas is the property formerly owned by John Huston, the movie director, who filmed Night of The Iguana in this area.

            It is accessible only by boat.  The taxi driver looked at the directions in Spanish that Gabriela had written out for me, but he looked perplexed.  Not again!  Saved by a maid arriving early to work, she read the directions and told the taxi driver in Spanish where he was to take me – including that we would have to stop at Casa de la Playa to drop off my suitcases.

            Thank you, Virgin Guadalupe and this maid for showing up and saving me any hassle.  This was one of the sweetest taxi driver’s I had the entire trip.  He had no trouble driving directly to Casa de la Playa.  The security guard was there as promised and fully informed to receive my luggage and to keep it safe behind the reception desk until my return at the end of the day.

            The taxi sped off, and within 20 minutes left me at the Maritime Marina where I had been taken by mistake the morning before.  I knew to buy the token to enter the Marina and, this time, the same clerk, handed me the token separately – she obviously remembered me freaking out the morning before.

            I entered the Marina and went up to the Vallarta booth.  The young girl appeared immediately, took my reservation slip and I paid the balance owed on the tour.  She gave me directions where to go and told me that I was very early – that I had more than an hour prior to boarding.

            Well, at least I was not late and all frazzled.

            I smiled at the construction sign apologizing for the inconvenience and adding, “Thank you for your comprehension” and took a picture of it.

            I walked over to the boarding area and waited as more and more people joined me to board various tour boats.

            I spoke with several different couples – we compared various tours and adventures, sharing what each of us felt was the best.  No one I had spoken to had done the Swim With The Dolphins and most were leaving tonight or tomorrow.  What a shame, they had no idea what they had missed.

            The Catamaran pulled up to the dock and a large group of people boarded.

            There was coffee, juice, fruit and breakfast rolls spread out on the bar in the main lower cabin.  I grabbed an apple and a banana and a breakfast roll and placed them in my beach bag and made for the top deck to get a seat on the outside, hoping to see more Whales on the trip to Las Caletas.

            I put my beach bag on the seat next to me and a couple I had been speaking with on the dock joined me on the upper deck, Jessica and Mike were from St. Louis, Missouri.

            Within moments, the lines were cast off and the Catamaran headed out of the harbor.

            Kimi, the head tour operator, got on the microphone and began describing our 45-minute trip to Las Caletas.  Other crewmembers circulated pouring coffee and offering more fruit to all the passengers.

            As we traveled south in the Bay of Banderas, I could make out Conchas Chinas perched on the side of the mountain.  I waved goodbye…and thought; well maybe it was Hasta La Vista – Until I see you again!

            Rock and roll music blared from the large speakers as Kimi began dancing in the aisles between the white plastic patio chairs filled with tourists.  Each of the crew, young men and women, took turns dancing for us – egged on by all the applause and hoots and hollers.

            I studied the brochure of the schedule of events.  Many things overlapped, so I knew that I would have to pick and choose.  I was going to pass on the massage at the spa since I had already booked a massage with blind Eliseo at Casa de la Playa after the tour and before I left for the airport that night.

            Kimi directed us all to meet at the central area on the beach to begin the day’s activities.

            Large canvas beach lounge chairs were set out in rows and quickly taken.  I parked my belongings when Kimi announced that everything was safe here, not to worry about our belongings.

            Kimi didn’t have to ask me twice, I sped up the stone steps to the shed where the life vests, snorkel masks, and fins were handed out in exchange for an ID card or a room key.

            I passed a long line of people and headed back to the beach to put on my snorkeling gear.  Jessica offered that I should walk backward into the water with the fins on my feet – she was right.  I still was not graceful and stumbled and fell and twisted in the tiny waves lapping at the shore.  The bottom was very uneven and others much younger than I am had already swam off with Kimi into another cove.  I was about to swim over when all of them started swimming very fast toward me!  I struggled to my feet, able to stand in this depth of water and heard what the commotion was; a jellyfish had stung someone.

            At least it was not a shark.  Kimi motioned for everyone to follow him to a cove in the opposite direction and cautioning everyone not to touch the coral because it would be damaged and they could be scratched.  I swam over – farther out than the others – it was way too crowded for me.  I kept my face in the water and was thrilled to see the water much more clear away from the masses of people.  There were so many different kinds of fish, blue and yellow fish, black and blue and yellow fish.  I saw an Eel – a really big, long eel, about 4-feet long upright in the deep water in between the coral reef.  A huge school of fish swam beneath me.  There must have been hundreds and hundreds because it took almost 40 seconds for all of them to pass.  Other fish of every color and size swam up to me and almost touched my fingertips, then quickly turned and swam away.

            I loved the silence under the water; the only sound was my rhythmic breathing into the snorkel.  Mesmerized by all of the colorful fish, I lost track of time and when I looked above the surface – everyone else was gone.  They had all swam back to the main beach.

            I took my time swimming while snorkeling back to the beach and struggled to get out of the water with the fins still on my feet.  I fell several times when the tip of the fins got stuck in the sand.  Now I had half of the sand from the beach up the bottom of my bathing suit.  I finally crawled out on my knees far enough to pull the fins off of my feet and walked up the beach.  A crowd was gathered around Kimi and a young man who had been stung by another jellyfish.  Actually, jellyfish had stung several people and that is why everyone had gotten out.  I guess I was lucky, whatever would have happened; I would not have missed seeing all those fish and that eel for anything.

            The Kayaks were being pulled to the edge of the water, they were two-seaters and I had no partner.  An older man saw me looking around and offered his young son who was about 19 to Kayak with me.

            We paddled out and both decided to move North in the Bay.  The water was like glass, the sunlight shimmering, and sending prisms of light bouncing off the kayak and the rocks along the shore.

            The young man, Thomas, told me he could paddle, I told him I was fine, but he insisted, so I just sat back and enjoyed the view and the ride.

            A small Dolphin swam right up and under the boat; I could have reached down and touched it.

            Ours was the last Kayak to come back to the beach.  I asked a young man to take my photograph on the beach before I returned my snorkeling equipment and life vest.

After Kayaking we all received a lesson in how to prepare Paella.  We all gathered around the huge outside grill with the special Paella pan.  The young Mexican woman showed us the Saffron soaking in water.  I took photographs of each step in making the Paella.  After the rice was added to the vegetables and various kinds of seafood including jumbo shrimp, calamari, squid, and others, we all met to go on a nature walk while the Paella boiled down until all the water was gone which would take about 45 minutes.

          Kimi led us on a nature walk up in the rain forest where we saw many kinds of orchids, poisonous spiders and plants unique to the area.  A massive buffet was ready for us on several outdoor dining areas overlooking the bay of Las Caletas.

Mike & Jessica joined me near where the Mariachis were playing for us while we ate the Paella along with so many other offerings, I cannot recall.

After lunch, I went to the Bird & Monkey encounter, which was about to close, and had a red parakeet sit on my head and pull my hair.  I visited the John Huston museum where I took photos and suddenly, it was time for the return trip back to Puerto Vallarta.

Once again, Mike and Jessica joined me on the top deck of the catamaran.  Kimi was entertaining everyone by selecting those with a birthday and calling them to the microphone.  It was Jessica’s birthday the day before, so she qualified and I took photos of her for souvenirs for them that I would email them later.

The music was blaring and I left the top deck and went below to the back of the boat.  When I returned, I could hear the music from above, and was certain that the staff were once again dancing.  I climbed the stairs and at the top was surprised to see no one dancing – so I danced up and down the aisle to hoots and hollers and applause.  I took my seat, and another young woman who had been at the back of the boat with me walked up the stairs and everyone started applauding and she, too, danced a few steps and then sat in her seat opposite me.  I leaned over and told her I had danced too – she grabbed my hand and we both went out and danced for the crowd to great applause.

When I sat down, several older men gave me the thumbs up.  The young woman was 40 years younger than I was, but had nothing on me!

Kimi did a rock and roll revue lip sinking in different costumes, playing air guitar on a stick when whales were sighted.  It was a mother, baby and a male guarding them.  It was a beautiful end to another beautiful day.

Jessica was a medical tech or nurse and three years previously had grabbed for an overweight patient who was falling and injured her low back so that she had severe bulging disks.  She had been in constant pain for the past 3 years.  I told her about my scheduled massage with the blind Eliseo at Mike’s timeshare.  I invited them to come and meet him and possibly book a massage.  They enthusiastically agreed.  Mike was gracious about it.

It was 5:15 p.m. and we were all enjoying the Bay of Banderas view on the balcony when I realized the time and telephoned the Tienda to find out if Eliseo remembered our appointment.  He got on the telephone and I told him I had two more new clients for him.  He told me he would arrive in just a few minutes.

Mike went down to escort him up the 4 flights of stairs and to my surprise, Eliseo had brought Perla – the female blind massage therapist.

I asked Eliseo if it would be all right to massage all of us this evening and he agreed.  I put sheets on Mike’s bed and then towels and Jessica and I were going to go first since I had to leave for the airport.  I was on one side, Jessica on the other.  Perla massaged Jessica while Eliseo massaged me.  Once again, after the initial massage, Eliseo used the heated glass cups along and on my spine.  It was not as painful this time, but still felt like he was sucking toxins out of my spinal column and the muscles along my spine.

Jessica mumbled to me that Perla’s hands were also very hot and then moaned in ecstasy.

Forty-five minutes later, Eliseo bent over and whispered in my ear, ‘massage finished’.

Perla had also finished the healing massage on Jessica so both of us dressed and told the two Mike’s it was their turn.

Jessica and I stood on the balcony enjoying what would be my last sunset in Puerto Vallarta.

Her husband, Mike, came out of the bedroom about 45-minutes later, he, too, was absolutely glowing.  Both Jessica and Mike were thrilled with their massage and just wanted to return to where they were staying and go to bed and rest.  We promised to email one another and bid goodbye.

My flight was not until 9:45 p.m., but suddenly I was getting antsy.  I had to repack my carryon luggage to take out my purse and switch it for my beach bag so I went in to Mike’s bedroom where now Perla was massaging his feet and Eliseo had attached electrodes to his back, so he had both of them working on him.  I told him, ‘hasta la vista’ and went down to the reception and repacked.

Eduardo who worked the reception desk told me it would cost $10.00 to get to the airport.  All I had left after paying Eliseo were 500 Mexican Peso notes and I sure was not going to pay $50.00 to a taxi driver.  His security guard went out to the main boulevard looking for change for me and after about 15 minutes returned with a taxi driver who had change.  The security guard had him change my 500 Peso note before loading my luggage into the car.

I was advised to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours prior to leaving, but now it was 8:10 p.m.  The airline clerk gave me my boarding pass and recommended that I be at the gate no later than 8:30 p.m.

I got hung up in Duty Free and was trying to find a list of departing flights and the correct gate for my flight.  The screens were down and I had missed the audio announcement of my gate.  Finally, one of the screens came up and it was Gate 2.  I was at the opposite end of the terminal which thank heaven is quite small.  I walked quickly toward the gate and discovered that I had to walk up stairs to Gate 2.  I had almost reached the top of the stairs with a young girl a couple of steps above me.  Suddenly, the young girl who was about 9 years old turned and sneezed full on right into my face!

I could feel her spittle on my face, lips and surmised it had to have gotten into my eyes since she caught me totally off guard.

“Last call for Boarding” came over the loudspeaker.  I wanted to strangle the little girl, but didn’t have time.  I raced past her and discovered that I was the last person to board the empty bus to take me to the plane.

I had misread my printout of my reservation.  My return flight to San Diego left at 9:05 p.m. – NOT 9:45 p.m.  It was lucky I made the flight at all.

I was seated on the window next to a very handsome man in his early 40’s.  Rather than taking my seat even though he invited me, I asked the Stewardess if there were any empty seats.  She showed me to empty seats a couple of rows back.

Halfway through the flight, my nose became stuffed up and I could not pop my ears.

I got through customs and immigration and went out to the Shuttle stand.  The shuttle for my off-airport parking was just pulling away when I yelled and waved and a man banged on the door and got the driver to stop.  There was only one other person on the shuttle returning to the parking lot.

We got to my car in 4 minutes.  The driver took my large suitcase down for me and placed it in the back of my SUV.  I thanked him and began looking under my car for my lost bracelet with my big Magna light flashlight.  It was not there.  Still, I felt it was here somewhere.  I walked around to the passenger seat and felt around on the floor.  I had thrown print outs of directions to other off-airport parking on the floor and when I picked them up – out fell my tapper for my IPAQ!  Great, I had my tapper.  I felt under the front seat where I had searched for my tapper and found my diamond bracelet!  I put it on my wrist, climbed into the drivers seat and headed home.

I pulled into my garage within 35 minutes of leaving the airport.  I left my luggage in the car, undressed, washed my face and climbed into bed.  I was so tired; I don’t remember my head hitting the pillow.

So in the end, nothing had been lost, and so much joy, healing, adventure and a lesson to go for the gusto had been gained.

Jussta's Site Map

What would I remember?  Doing it or Not Doing it?  By Jussta

©  Jussta 2009-2010 All Rights Reserved

This web site, all pages, text, art images, & photographs are the copyrighted property of Jussta