Sunsets and Sculptures

The sun is setting behind the mountains surrounding Banderas Bay. The light spreads out behind the clouds in a constantly shifting canopy of colour and shade.

Each night people congregate at the shore to watch the sun's splendorous fall into the sea. Below are photos of sculptures along the malecon.

These larger than life-size figures celebrate a traditional dance of Mexico, a hybrid of Spanish and local colour and movement. These dances are exhibited by various local groups each Friday evening at a small open-air theatre close to our place. 

A closer look at the dancers' expressions.

This photo unfortunately will not allow itself to be repositioned upright. The boy on the seahorse is an iconic representation of Puerto Vallarta.

Stone sculptures of a sort

This momma is screaming for her two daughters to come down from a ladder pointed up to the sky from which they are gleefully hanging. I will include a picture of her daughters, recognizable by heads shaped like their mother's, in another post.

A dance of Neptune and a mermaid

The loveliness of the mermaid in close-up.

A family of dolphins cavorting above a fountain. There are other sculptures along the malecon that I will showcase in another post.

Late Afternoon on the Malecon

The light and its effects on the malecon's ambiance changes all day long and well into the evening. By the time most of these photos were taken, the sun was coming almost directly across the whole of the area as it approachesd its final dip over the horizon. This building and others like it are entrances to restaurants lined along the beach where many go to have a late afternoon drink or something to eat while absorbing the glories of the sunset.

The intensity of the sun washes through all in its way, making the umbrellas at the edge of the restaurant entirely futile.

Selecting a bag of lightly fried and salted potato chips from the senora's mobile stall. She is also selling cocadas: mounds of shredded and baked coconut, very sweet and tasty. She is parked outside a close-by OXXO store, the local 7-11 equivalent. 

To the left of the OXXO lies one of the family business stands that opens early each day and shuts down in the mid-to-late evening. A variety of dresses, t-shirts, bathing trunks, hats, and souvenirs are sold here to tourists. Generally one bargins at these shops as prices vary considerably according to the cut of one's jib.

This group of musicians in traditional dress appears every late afternoon on this spot. They play and sing old songs very nicely. Many locals and tourists arrange themselves on the benches opposite to enjoy the music and the delights of the dying sun. A violin case a few feet out from the musicians holds the offerings of their transient audience.

A heron or egret sits atop one of the huts that protected diners from the earlier sun.

This picture was properly rotated earlier but has found its way into this collection on its side. No matter. It shows an oft-repeated exhibit of a traditional rite practiced by one of the original indigenous groups of the area. Four men dressed in traditional costumes fall backwards from the top of this pole which is anchored by a fifth, who pipes their descent. With the pole's rotation they come closer and closer to the ground, held above it by an attachment to one of their feet.  A sixth man solicits donations from the passers-by.

The piper atop the pole.

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One section of a particularly beautiful sculpture at the far northern end of the malecon. The woman releases the bird to fly away.

Late afternoon drinks or early supper at the beach immediately in front of our building. The restaurant is called The Sea Monkey. 

Supper with Sue and Phil at the northern end of the malecon where we are interrupted by few salespeople. Our supper came in stages which we enjoyed as the sun went down. By the time the main dish, a grilled red snapper arrived, however, the sunset show was over and we were in entire darkness. Great hilarity as we attempted to distinguish between the head and the tail, the meat and the bones, and among the various vegetable accompaniments. No light or candle was available so our server gave us his cell phone which sported a flashlight app. Too funny.

Unit 804, Vista Del Sol

This post showcases photos that I took a week or so ago of the unit of which we will become the happy owners on July 1 of this year. We will come here most winters, though not all, as we plan other long distance journeys in southern hemispheres. We may rent the unit as do most owners when they are not using it. The lady from whom we are purchasing it had a practice of renting the place during high season to regular tenants. She would stay at a studio apartment close by, making a tidy net profit for her efforts. So with no further ado, may I present unit 804?

The balcony from which meals, books, and reveries will be enjoyed.

The master, or should I say, the mistress bedroom.

Another view, revealing the ample closet space.

Living, dining, kitchen space viewed from the balcony.  Back pillows on the couch pieces are removable, giving the place increased sleepabilities. The exit to the unit is from the kitchen, out onto another balcony that runs around the perimeter of the building. The views from there are up the hills and into the mountains that encircle the bay. Leaving the door and windows on that side open gives us continual north-south breezes.

Ensuite bathroom with soaker tub that will get little use. Showers after swimming more likely fit the bill.

Mark surveying the dining area which, if our practices here in unit 905 hold true, will be our desk area.

Here he is looking at kitchen details, considering the meals he can put together on its gas stove. The refrigerator is new.

I'm playing with the lamp to better examine the books that Susanne will be bequeathing to us.

The second bedroom on the south side of the unit, overlooking the exterior balcony and the hills. The bed can be taken in two for company that doesn't want to share.

And here is the kitchen. Some of the units close to ours have had their kitchens entirely redone, with elaborate islands and considerably more counter space, for example. Mark may yearn to do this at some point but this size works well for us so far. In the unit that we now inhabit the tiles on the counter are chipped. Susanne's, I may soon say our unit, is generally much better cared for.

One last shot of the dining room/office area. All of the furniture, dishes, linens, and most of the art work will remain when we assume ownership. It's exactly like buying a cottage. The sellers don't want to have the annoyance of getting rid of the stuff and the buyers don't want to start out from scratch. A very good system.

The Malecon and the Beach

I'll use this blog to post photos that we have been taking here in Puerto Vallarta. I find it hard to manage them in sync with the written word.

The malecon as seen from our balcony

Late afternoon action on the malecon close to our building.

People enjoying the beach and the malecon. Ice cream and chip sellers abounding.

Kids out on their surf boards

A hazy day looking across the bay with barely a sign of the hotel zone opposite.

A young female frigate bird coasting on the streams of air above.

Parasailer skimming along the coast, trailing behind a motor boat. Mark and his brother Bob did this two years ago. A tremendous view from that height!

Pelicans taking their early morning break on-board -- before the fishermen come to claim their boat!

Net fishing close to shore. We see men doing this from within the water as well. A method of getting supper undoubtedly very antique.