Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This is a beautiful port city with a vibrant population not anything likethe border towns I have been to on so many occations The city is clean, they love tourists and it is a different and interesting city. I made sure my guide (again I passed all the taxi stands) could actually speak English. His name is Ricardo Pena and he had loved in Colorado and spoke better English than I did.

We negociated a fair price and wanted to show off his town. Like the others he wanted to know why I wanted to go to the police headquarters. Although it was a Saturday and none of the big wigs were there, I see their HQ, talk to some (well armed) working-class officers and visit the Police Academy across the street.  It was walled in as well.

After a good police visit, the same thing: cops all do the same job just difference circumstance. No one could break away from duty because the bosses weren't there. As they said, they don't do anything unless their boss says they can.

I asked Ricardo to take us to eat where he does lunch. Well back from the beach and most (not all) of the tourists.

They made the salsa and guacamole at the table.

I thought this was the lunch special but, no...

...this was. A huge they cooked shrimp, pork, chicken, catus, 

stuffed pablano peppers and who knows what else all together.

Of course, Ricardo knew the owner (and his dog wondering around the open air restaruant. He may say this to all the tourists but, he offered if I cme back that I could stay at his home with his family.  We traded looks at each others' families and contact information. He has his late parents' three story house and he is paying off his five brothers' shares to be able to keep it as his own. We went by, it is a very nice three story home.

After lunch, I needed a few things.  We when to a local Woolworth's Store. I didn't know thet still exisited. The prices were less than at a Walmart (which they also have here.) We cruised the old city neighborhoods were he grew. With all the honking and waving, it was apparent he knew just about everybody.

Ricardo showed me where Elizabeth Taylo and Richard Burton lived, across the street from each other while they were both married to other people. Because of the Catholic Church they could not live with each other, so Burton build a bridge three stories up across the street. Ricardo said the story went that, both being very volatol they would get into fights. Burton was so made he had the villagers know the bridge.  Pretty soon, they made up again and they rebuilt the bridge. They celebrate their love here.

Richard and Liz

I took so many great photos here, there are too many to post.  Here are some of favorites: