Retirement Before the Age of 59: November 2023

Before We Started Walking to the Bus

Ready for Thanksgiving at VBG

Thanksgiving dinner at Vallarta Botanical Garden is one of my favorite reasons to visit. This year, we took a slightly different approach to this adventure.

Where is the Tuito/VBG Bus Stop?

We decided to ride the Tuito bus, which gave us a good walk looking for the bus stop. The location seems to change from year to year. After asking a few locals, we found it at the right corner at Calle Aguacate and Basilio Badillo. At a fare of 50 pesos per person, the bus saved a significant amount of money since Uber would be at least 300 pesos more each way.

When we arrived at the beautiful gardens, I offered Jon an alternate way to enjoy it this year. We would first look at the gorgeous orchids and other tropical flowers. There are so many varieties, I'll just show a few here.

Then we would check out the newest pond and see how the plants and fish are doing. We watched the many varieties of dragonflies flit about for quite a while. Can you see the gorgeous dragonfly on the end of the stick? Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Rather than hike the many trails we have in the past, we chose to go to our favorite sites, find a bench or chairs, and sit quietly while we looked at the beauty around us. The Rhododendron House, the Conservatory, and the Holstein Tropical Plant House are always nice places to relax, so we sat and enjoyed the serenity and surroundings in each.

During this visit to VBG, I wanted to watch the birds and butterflies more than in the past. We were glad we hadn't brought Sophie, our Mexican Chihuahua, because she would have scared them away. Three of the adult Guineafowl followed us into the Tropical Plant House, looking for a puddle to drink from.

We wandered through what I call the Butterfly Garden near the River Trail. Looking for a quiet place to sit, we found this gorgeous bush with a nearby bench to rest on while we watched the activity around this lilac-like shrub.

We saw Yellow Winged Caciques, hummingbirds, a Great Kiskadee, three chachalacas, and several colorful birds we couldn't identify. The butterflies and moths danced around the blossoms. Here's a short video:

By that time, we were hungry and ready to head to the Restaurant La Hacienda de Oro. We wandered through the Cactus House on our way to check in for our American Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was yummy, including the pumpkin pie and real whipped cream!

I love these peaceful experiences that include nature and good food. I've written five books about our adventures in Mexico in the Healthy Living in Mexico series. I hope you will download and read them, FREE with KindleUnlimited.

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Terry

Terry L Turrell, Author

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November 2023 Newsletter

I Took Photos of Our Plants Before Hurricane Lidia,

Fearing They Would be Thrashed by the Severe Wind

Lidia was not the first hurricane we've experienced in Mexico, but she was the scariest. The ferocious wind took down many beautiful mature trees, power lines, solar panels, and roofs and shattered numerous windows.

Thank Goodness We Charged Our Kindles Before Lidia!

Jon and I spent the dark evening reading on our Kindles. We waited the storm out in an inner bedroom away from all windows. Hearing the crashing noises outside was very frightening. Our condo unit was undamaged, we were safe, and our plants survived. Many were not as fortunate.

Preparing Supplies for Hurricane Victims

Jon, I, and many others volunteered at the Vallarta Food Bank to package basic cleaning supplies and food for families who had lost so much. Read more HERE.

𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚!