Al returned to the boat on Nov. 15th to get Chez Nous ready for the cruising season. All the sails had to be put back on there roller furling systems and mast tracks. Canvas removed and shade cloths put back up. Even though we had someone looking after the boat over the summer it still needed a through cleaning.
It had been so hot when Al came down for a brief check on the boat in Sept. that he decided we needed an air-conditioner. So he purchased one when he got back to LA and had a good friend of ours Lloyd Clauss bring it down on his boat, knowing that he would be here in Paradise Village after the HaHa. The installation seemed to go without a hitch. Well, I wasn't here. I just know that when I arrived on the Nov. 23rd the boat was nice and cool with no evidence of all his hard work like scattered tools or saw-dust. All you can see are three vents. One in the galley, one in the main salon plus the air intake vent below the salon seat where the unit now lives.
The Vallarta Yacht Club had a great Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixings, plus a live band and dancing after dinner. It was nice to visit with Club friends from last year, some who stay all year and some like us who just returned from Canada and the US. Even though it was nice we still really missed being with family and we missed seconds and left-overs.
DAY TRIP BY BUS TO SAYULITA fun getting caught in the rain.
Boat cleaning and re-organizing continues. All the kayaks and sails had been stored down below while we were gone. Al has been waxing the hull and polishing stainless plus cleaning the dinghy which really got mildewy under the cover in the heat. I have to say it is really shines now.
Needing a break we rented a car for a day trip up to San Sebastián which is only a couple hours north east of the boat. Lets just say the whole experience was not as relaxing as one might think. Puerto Vallarta traffic is jammed in the morning. If you don't have clear directions it can be frustrating with limited access and one way streets, median dividers and no left turns. One of the roads I told Al to take turned into a bumpy half flooded dirt road behind the airport. We were just going to swing by Costco's on our way out of town so Al could order new sunglass but turned into a lengthy ordeal. Needless to say turning on my roaming data for a more direct way back to the road to San Sebastián made life much more peasant. Oh yes, he did order his glasses.
The town, once a thriving mining town of 20,000 people was founded around 1650. The gold, silver and iron mines are now closed and the 600 residence make at least part of their living on the tourist trade. There are several very old well maintained Hotels, artisan shops and restaurants and a terrific coffee roasting and grinding shop. One really nice silver workshop run by a father and two sons designing pieces using pure silver and lost wax methods.
The most remarkable thing about the town are the roads. It's in the mountains so roads are narrow and steep. They are hand placed stones layer in a pattern with 3 or 4 rows layer in the direction of the road and the others all in laid cross ways. I should have taken a better picture. All were perfectly smooth and contoured to allow water runoff. All the different levels of the town were were supported by stone walls and houses all had stone foundations. A pretty town and worth the effort.
Next week we fly to Bozeman, MT for our grand daughter, Cassie's college graduation then return on the 20th to get ready for Kevin and his family's visit after Christmas. Can't wait.
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