This Chalk Art Festival in Puerto Vallarta is a Must-See!
La Catrina Was Still There Saturday!
Happy Travels!
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival is Amazing!--By Sister Cities Puerto Vallarta and Santa Barbara
Friday, November 11, 2022
Holiday Joys and Hazards in México ⚠️ An eBook Sale!
Holidays
in México are Festive!
Jon and I had a lot of fun this year during Día de Los
Muertos, the Day of the Dead celebration. And then we had some terrible
trouble! The lessons we learned apply to all of the popular upcoming holidays
in México.
Don't Miss This eBook Sale Price
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(Starting Nov. 10, 8 AM PST)
(Starting Nov. 10, 8 AM GMT)
Through November 16!
Sunday, November 6, 2022
Día de Los Muertos 2022— Altars, Catrinas, Fun Parade, and a Street Party!
Our Condominium's Altar was for Bella and Other Pets
Dia de Los Muertos, the Day
of the Dead, is a joyful and positive celebration in México, honoring those who
have passed from this life. It has become a popular, festive holiday that lasts
for days beginning November 1.
From the moment we walked out our condominium door that day, we saw flags and alters being constructed for the evening street party. Altars for dead loved ones are built in homes and on the street with marigolds, sand designs, candles, photos of the loved ones, food, drink, and articles of clothing or other objects that belonged to the person or animal.
Restaurantes La Palapa's and El Dorado's Altar
Our condominium had a beautiful altar in honor of the pets who
have lived there and passed on, including our beloved dachshund, Bella. There
was what looked like a replica of Bella’s skeleton with a big bowl of dog kibble, and now that we understand
the beliefs behind this celebration, it brought joy to my heart. Bella looked happy.
Pet Altar Honoring Bella and Other Pets Who Have Died Here
The Pinnacle Condominium team created a nice Catrina for the
street party. She wasn’t as beautiful as the award-winning Catrina on
the Malecón, but she welcomed those coming up the stairs and funicular
to Calle Púlpito in her pretty pink skirt.
Pinnacle Condominium's Catrina
Puerto Vallarta's Sexy Catrina
The 2022 Día de Los Muertos Puerto Vallarta parade was
the first in three years due to the pandemic. The city went all out with
displays on the Malecón this year, especially with the tallest, most beautiful, sexy Catrina. We wanted to see the parade, but after my pickpocketing episode on the Malecón, I was hesitant to get into another crowd.
So, we walked over to Restaurante L'Angolo di Napoli and settled in
with salad, pizza, and wine to wait for the parade to come to us. We were just
guessing this was on the parade route which hadn’t been published, but if nothing
else, we would enjoy some of the best pizza Puerto Vallarta has to offer.
L'Angolo di Napoli's Colorful Ceiling
We Shared an Insalata Mixta, Fresh and Healthy
There's a Good Reason Their Pizza is #1 on TripAdvisor!
Our Waiter Posed for this Photo😄
It was nearly dark by the time the parade reached Old Town, so
my photos are not the best, but I hope it shows the community's efforts to bring
the spirit of the Day of the Dead back to Puerto Vallarta. We were in a
perfect, crowd-free place to enjoy the parade!
A Horsewomen's Group Dressed for the Parade
We
headed back to the street party but were too full for tacos. After a little
dancing and talking to neighbors, we said, “Buenas noches” and headed to our
little, quiet haven in the condominium. It was a fun Día de Los Muertos holiday.
I even Convinced Jon to Dance on the Stage with Me!
Do you or someone you know consider moving to México? If so,
you might like to read my book Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico eBook #2, in which I wrote about the whys, where, hows, and pros and cons
of our move to this wonderful country. Over seven years later, we’re still grateful that we retired early and chose Mexico as our new home.
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Thursday, November 3, 2022
Pickpocketed in Mexico During Día de Los Muertos
I WAS PICKPOCKETED!
Beware of Pickpockets in the Crowds!
I
made a newbie mistake Sunday night on the Malecón in Puerto Vallarta. After
living in México for many years, I let my guard down in a crowd for the first
time and a skillful pickpocket helped himself to the contents of my backpack
purse.
Puerto Vallarta's 2022 Beautiful La Catrina
I brought my Canon digital camera to try to get better photos
of this year's Día de Los Muertos Catrinas, especially our record-making
tall beauty. I had raised my arms over the heads in front of me to snap a
couple of shots of the Beatles—they were great!
The Beatles Catrinas
When I turned to find my husband, Jon, I immediately realized
my backpack was significantly lighter. Every zipper on the back was wide open!
A slick pickpocket got my Clinique bag containing paracetamol, ibuprofen,
carbidopa/levodopa for Jonathan's Parkinson's disease, and other miscellaneous
OTC meds. No big loss. I hope they were greatly disappointed. But he or she
also got my cell phone.
My Gratitude for the Day, Week, and Month: They didn't get my
wallet with my ID, debit card, and money. And I’m happy that I got some nice
photos of the Catrinas and displays on the Malecón with my Canon camera.
There Were Some Great Older Model Cars Displayed
It's crowded out there during the parade and evening viewings
of the Catrinas. It’ll continue to be crowded in tourist cities from now
through the holidays. Beware of pickpockets! Another Lesson Learned...
My Canon Zoomed to Capture the 23-Meter-Tall Catrina's Face
The two women who helped me at the Telcel store with a new phone both said they
had had phones stolen. One said she was taking a photo with her phone and
someone snatched it out of her hand! The other had it taken out of her front
pants pocket. They were both coaching me on how to hold my backpack purse—it
was so sweet! Most Mexicans are so caring and helpful. It’s during these busy
holidays that the thieves come out to work the crowd.
After their advice, I’ve been carrying my backpack purse in a front/side position with my arm hugging it. I've always kept a leash from my purse to my belt loop or my chair at a restaurant so it can't be snatched. But during these crowded holidays, skilled pickpockets don't need to snatch your whole purse—just smoothly remove the contents. Fortunately, I’ve always kept my wallet in a secret pocket. Now my phone will be stored there, too. We can’t be too careful.
To read about “More Lessons Learned”, check out my latest book
available on Amazon worldwide. Thank you for reading my blog articles and
books.
Terry L Turrell