Our Thanksgiving Day at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens was Beautiful!

 A Lovely Garden Walk in the Sunshine Before Dinner

Jonathan, Terry, and Our Friend Barbara

Beautiful Chapel Artwork

Hector Played Violin Romantic Music at Our Dinner Table

The Vallarta Botanical Garden Walkways Blend
Nature with Landscape Plants and Art, Providing
A Healthy Place to Walk, Sit, and Reflect

I hope my American friends had a Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Weekend to all🌺!

Terry

A New Healthy Way to Experience Vallarta Botanical Gardens🌺

 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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I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter, published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

Thank you for reading my books and blog posts.

Terry

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

7 Fun-Filled Days with Family in Puerto Vallarta! Feliz Navidad!

 Feliz Navidad from Puerto Vallarta!

Jon and I are so grateful that some of our family from Oregon came to visit us in Puerto Vallarta last week. We maximized our fun without paying tour guide prices. By midweek, our family was comfortable enough to do some exploring without us.

You might like to follow this activity plan if you have seven days in Puerto Vallarta. It was a wonderful week!

Day 1: Afternoon Arrival. We walked a little on the Malecón (boardwalk) past the Los Pescadores / The Fishermen sculpture by Jim Demetro to Cuates y Cuetes for dinner on the beach, a sunset view, and watched the Los Muertos Muelle (pier) change colors. A relaxing and beautiful first evening!

Day 2: Day to Rest after Traveling. 

Read more HERE.

Thank you to everyone who downloaded my books from Amazon this year. Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Terry L Turrell, Author

In Sickness and In Health 2-Book Series

(Book 3 is in the Works)

My March HEALTHY LIVING AND TRAVELING IN MEXICO Newsletter has been Published

Visitors From Oregon and Editing My Latest Book

     March has been a busy month for us here in Puerto Vallarta. It's been great to have friends visit from Oregon! We toured the Vallarta Botanical Garden and dined at some of our favorite restaurants with them. Dinners on the beach always include gorgeous sunsets, delicious food, lively Mexican musicians, perfect weather (is it really winter?), and showy fireworks.

Lunch at Hacienda de Oro in Vallarta Botanical Garden

     I’m thrilled that people are traveling to México and enjoying life here.

     Good news! I've been focusing on the final edit of my book, Living in Mexico More Lessons Learned: Healthy Living in Mexico #5. I'm getting close to finishing it. 

     Read more of my March newsletter HERE.

     Thank you for reading my books and blogs. My books are available on Amazon worldwide. If you enjoy them, please leave a brief review.

     I wish you Happy and Healthy Travels,

          Terry

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

Happy Holidays from Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico (My 'Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico' Newsletter)

 Celebrating Life in Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico

Celebrating Life at Don Pedro's Restaurant

Happy Holidays from Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico!

I hope you and your family are well.

Jon and I are happy to be back home in Sayulita, where we are thankful to live in a little piece of paradise in the heart of the Riviera Nayarit. Though the pandemic is still spreading, we are finding ways to safely celebrate life. Life is short--we celebrate often.

       Last evening, we celebrated life at Don Pedro's restaurant, beginning the evening with a delicious Tempura Crab Sushi roll. Our main course, filet mignon with scalloped potatoes and sauteed vegetables that we shared was the best we've had in Sayulita, cooked perfectly, and split for us in the kitchen! The staff at Don Pedro's takes great care of us. (Yes, it's one of our second homes.)

       Every week or two, we head to Don Pedro's beach and rent two lounge chairs and a sun umbrella for 200 pesos ($10.00 U.S.) We celebrate life by having lunch and doing some boogie-boarding. We're grateful to have this big wave pool three blocks from home!

     Continue reading at December 2020 Healthy Living And Traveling In Mexico Newsletter.

     Thank you for reading my books and blogs.

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

Vallarta Botanical Gardens--We Can't Get Enough!

What a Delightful Place to Take a Fresh-Air Walk!

The Blooming Orchids Change Each Time We Visit

     We typically visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens once or twice a year at different times of the year to see what is currently blooming. We always look forward to their delicious fish tacos and Margaritas at the restaurant in the Hacienda del Oro.

     This year we decided to attend the Thanksgiving Event and it was wonderful! We made our dinner reservation for 4:00 in the afternoon so we had time for a walk through the gardens beforehand. Our stroll in the fresh jungle air and sunshine was delightful, a perfect way to work up an appetite for their delicious turkey dinner. Masks were required, but once we were distanced from others, we could remove them and breathe the floral garden scents.

Signs Say, "For Your Safety, Don't Touch the Plants"

This Flower, Imported from Africa, is Toxic

     The orchids that are blooming change each time we visit. We always spend the most time in the Rhododendron House where many orchids, hanging baskets, Tropical Rhododendrons, and other tropical plants are artfully displayed. Signs posted throughout say "For Your Safety, Don't Touch the Plants", as some are toxic.

Our Lady of the Garden Chapel

Beautiful Stonework Path Up to the Chapel

     Our Lady of the Garden chapel, previously the family chapel, is now used for weddings. I enjoy sitting inside for a few minutes of peaceful reflection and prayer. The beautiful stonework path up to the chapel is worth seeing.

The Pineapple Garden Accented with Coleus Plants

One of Many Varieties of Exotic Coleuses 

     We could hear the river flowing over rocks down the hill and decided to hike the Rio Path down. On the way, we passed the Pineapple Garden accented with coleus plants. We had never seen this garden on previous visits, so it might be new, and we found it very interesting to see pineapples growing. I fell in love with the many varieties of exotic coleuses on this trip.

The River At the End of Rainy Season

View of the Back of Hacienda del Oro from the River Path

     In November, it’s the end of the rainy season so the river was still flowing well, adding a musical sound to our walk. Some people were playing in the pools near giant boulders upriver, but it looked too cold for us to dip our toes in. On the way back up we caught a view of the back of the Hacienda del Oro and hoped we would get to dine at our favorite table on one of the balconies overlooking the valley and the river.

     We strolled through the butterfly garden looking for the newly arrived Monarch butterflies. The butterflies arrive at their roosting sites in this area of Mexico in November and remain during the winter months before migrating north again. We thought we saw a Monarch, but he flitted away so quickly we couldn’t be sure. It was time to browse in the gift shop for glass hearts to hang in our garden at home and then check in for dinner. Our stomachs were growling in anticipation of turkey, dressing, gravy, and pumpkin pie.

Wood-burning Oven Where the Fresh Bread was Baking

We Did Get to Sit On the Balcony Overlooking the River!

We Were Entertained by the Golden-Cheeked Woodpecker

     Dinner was delicious, the pumpkin pie with sweetened whipped cream was exquisite, and the setting was perfect. The hummingbirds and woodpeckers entertained us and the sound of the river drifted up to our table. We enjoyed the water gardens and giant coy on the way out and then rested on a bench in the Vallarta Conservatory of Orchids and Native Plants. 

One of the Water Gardens Viewed from the Hacienda

An Orchid Inside the Conservatory

     The staff was extremely helpful in calling a taxi to pick us up. After we each had two Margaritas with our dinner, it was great to relax and let someone else chauffeur us to our Airbnb condo in Puerto Vallarta. Even the drive along the ocean is a pleasant experience. 

     I wonder what will be blooming next time we visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

     Follow me on my "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" Facebook page for more information about life in Mexico and my Amazon Author Page for updates on my books and blogs.

Have you read my book, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2? I hope you'll read it and tell your friends and family about it!

     

I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Monthly Newsletter, with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

Terry L Turrell, Author