Today’s post is 2350 words, 66 photos, 2 videos, an 11 minute read. Enjoy!
Hola amigas and amigos,
I’m taking a one week break from writing about my travels to Germany to bring you the news and views from the lovely Mexican city of Puerto Vallarta. My Traveling Partner and I returned last Monday (3/16/2026) from a four week plus a few days stay in the sunshine, blue skies, sandy beaches, and poolside margaritas. We arrived back in Madison the day after a late season several inch snowfall and high winds. Another inch was added the following day. I’m sure you can believe it when I said, “I sure do miss Puerto Vallarta,” as I shoveled the sidewalk. Never fear, spring temperatures have arrived. I saw my first robin on Friday, the first day of spring. A good omen, me thinks.
This is our second visit to Puerto Vallarta. We were there for a week in early January 2025. I wrote five posts about our time there. To read those stories, click here, here, here, here, and here.
The Trail to Puerto Vallarta
It was zero-dark-thirty when the alarm went off on Thursday February 12. Soon we were on our way to the Madison airport, courtesy of our neighbor Mike, to make our flight to Puerto Vallarta Mexico. 
Our connecting flight was in Minneapolis which was delayed because the co-pilot got sick at the airport and a replacement had to be called in. After waiting patiently for three hours, we were on our way. Since we were late into Puerto Vallarta, we arrived in a scrum of other flights. It took almost an hour to clear immigration and customs. Even though there was a lot of people, the process once reaching the head of the line, was efficient and quick.
The 10 minute taxi ride from the airport to our lodging at Bay View Grand was uneventful. It felt good to be in the warm weather, I couldn’t wait slip into shorts and a t-shirt, my attire for most our time in PV. We watched the sunset from the condo balcony. Nearly every evening for the next four weeks we’d watch the sun go down over the Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay or Bay of Flags). A site to remember.
Nearly everyday, a turkey vulture or two rested on ledge outside the storage room at the condo. They didn’t care to be photographed as evidenced by turning their back when I whipped out my camera.
We were also on the lookout for the resident black cat. Did you know that black cats are the subject of much superstition, both good and bad? Some cultures see a black cat as representing Satan, while in others (UK and Japan) they are seen as good luck and fortune. I think this cat was on the payroll of security, it seemed to eye us with suspicion. 
During our stay in Puerto Vallarta, we spent time walking the beach, sitting by the pool, and exploring the neighborhood in Marina Vallarta. Every Thursday evening, we would walk to the Marina for the weekly market. There are about 200 vendors selling fruit, bakery items, jewelry, rugs, home decor, t-shirts, handbags, souvenirs, prepared food, and countless other items.
We chatted with a few of the vendors. Meet Antonio (in the red shirt) and his son Antonio II. They are vendors of fine silver jewelry. My Traveling Partner and I purchased matching rings from the Antonios, two super nice fellows with excellent quality merchandise.
Meet Fermin Santos Salvador from Puebla, a city near Mexico City. He and his family are artisans of hand-hammered bark paper made from the bark or cuttings of the Jonete tree. After the bark is cooked it is hammered with a flat stone until grids emerge then dried in the sun. The bark is then decorated using patterns and textures then enhanced with beadwork and fine stitchery. Fermin showed us a couple of videos of family members creating the beautiful handiwork. The family has won many awards for their work.
Fermin told us that he comes to Puerto Vallarta for the winter months to sell the artwork. During the low season he returns home to his family in Puebla. Behind him, you can see some of the pieces for sale. Of course, we purchased a couple of small pieces for ourselves.
Meet Samuel Resendiz, photographer extraordinaire. Last year I purchased a photo from him, click here to see it. He’s got a great photo eye and works hard to capture the scene. He sells his photos, beach towels, and t-shirts at markets around the city. His English is excellent so stop for a chat and a purchase. 
The marina has many nice restaurants. We tried a few such as Victor’s Place where a drink comes with a complimentary shot of tequila. 
We dined at Fajita Banana a few times during our stay. The shrimp tacos and fajitas are top notch as are the margaritas.
Around Puerto Vallarta
We ventured out of the marina area on several occasions. We took our visitors: my Sister The Youngest and her daughter, the Youngest Niece; and our oldest daughter, The Eldest, and the Son-in-Law to Old Town, also known as the Romantic Zone.
We visited this home goods store with our friends Kathy and Gabor. We admired the many woven pillows, rugs, and bedspreads offered for sale. The young fellow showed us how they weave and dye the fabrics that go into these products. A store worth visiting again.
Meet Eric of Huaracheria Fabiola, a shoe and leather goods store. He helped me purchase a belt and my Traveling Partner a pair of sandals. He was friendly and helpful. The shop doesn’t look like much but the quality of the goods is excellent. Another good shop to visit. 
It’s always pleasant walking Puerto Vallarta’s mile long Malecón with numerous sculptures to look at along the way. The most famous is the one in the photo below. I’m guessing thousands of photos are taken every day at this location. It’s hard to get a photo without a person or family standing in front of the seahorse. In my case, two birds photo bombed the scene. The second photo is of my favorite sculpture on the Malecón titled Vallarta Dancers.
For refreshments, we stop by the Sea Monkey Restaurant and Bar located on the beach. We’ve had both drinks and food here. The view and people watching are superb. 
One Saturday we attended the Olas Altas Farmers Market in downtown Puerto Vallarta. It’s held in a park just off the Malecón near the Sea Monkey. In addition to the vendors, the food and live music add to the fun. Lots of Gringos attend this market. 
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a block or two off the Malecón. It’s a parish church, not a cathedral as it often called. The Crown on the top of central pillar symbolizes the Virgin Mary and appears in many photos and paintings of Old Town.
The Playa Los Muertos along the Malecon is very popular for swimming and sunbathing. Below are a few photos taken from the pier that extends out into the water.
During one of our visits there was a chalk art festival going on. I understand there were over a hundred drawings. Here are a couple of those hard working artists.
February 22
It was Sunday February 22, we’d been in Puerto Vallarta for ten days. At about 8:30 AM, we left the condo on our way to church, about a 15-20 minute walk. From the balcony we noticed some smoke rising from Old Town and the Romantic Zone. We didn’t think much about it but when the priest opened the service at 9 AM, he said there was some “cartel action” in the city but that we were safe. At the end of the service, the priest told us, “Go directly home. Eat and drink there.” He had just given a sermon on temptations that included drinking and eating. We had planned to walk to the grocery store about 10 minutes beyond the church. Instead we followed instructions and walked back to the condo. The stores were closed by then anyway.
The evening before the Mexican government had tried to take the CJNG cartel leader known as “El Mencho,” into custody. He was shot and died soon after the arrest. Authorities wanted to take him alive, he was on the most wanted lists in Mexico and the United States for many crimes such as drug smuggling, human trafficking, and scams involving timeshares.
In retaliation, his followers through out Mexico including Puerto Vallarta, initiated widespread attacks of retaliation by burning buses, cars, and trucks. There are some theories that they did this to distract authorities so they could escape the city. They also set fire to several OXXO convenience stores. We learned later this was because the owner is wealthy and has insurance to rebuild. They did not target family owned businesses, individuals, or tourists. Below is a photo from the condo of the fires in the central part of the city. Throughout the day, we could smell the smoke from the fires.
We sheltered in place on Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, the large pool at the condo was filled with people because they couldn’t go anywhere and almost everything was closed. The wait to place a drink or food order at the bar was about an hour. All the tables and chairs around the pool were taken. We hung out in the condo. Here’s what the sunset looked like the next day.
By Tuesday most everything was back to normal. Stores were open, taxis and buses were running. Some people who could leave, left. Most stayed. However, many tourists who had trips planned canceled them. We were told by a couple of business owners that the low season started early this year. Some of the hotels that expected to be full were 50% occupied after the cartel action. This event will have an effect on tourism for a while as it is perceived to be an unsafe area to vacation. We’ll be back next year, hopefully for a longer period of time. Below is a photo of one of the OXXO stores that was damaged during the action.
Mariposario Jardin Magico
When the Eldest and Son-in-Law were with us in Puerto Vallarta, we visited the butterfly sanctuary Mariposario Jardin Magico on the edge of the city. Created in 2019, it was set to open just before the Covid pandemic. It is the only butterfly sanctuary in Bandrars Bay and is licensed to breed 36 species of butterflies. They conduct research and work to establish pollinator gardens to increase the number of butterflies and insure their survival. 
Meet Fabian, the main guy at this impressive facility. He’s originally from Peru and has been in PV for a number of years. We had a tour of the gardens and at the end of our tour, we each got to release a newly hatched butterfly into the world. It was very rewarding. Fabian is passionate and knowledgable about everything butterfly. He works hard to keep things going with the help of a few employees. He’s well traveled and his English is excellent.
As we walked around the enclosed facility, I snapped a few photos of the many butterflies fluttering around looking for a place to land.
Flowers attract butterflies. Here’s a few photos of them.
This video shows a number of butterflies on this large plant. We never did figure out what it was.
As we were leaving the butterfly garden, we asked Fabian about the dogs. He said they sleep most of the day and wake up around 4 PM. What a life! 
Whale Watching Cruise
We also went on a whale watching cruise with The Eldest and the Son-in-Law. The sun was just coming up over the horizon when we arrived at the departure point in the marina.
Our guide for the four-hour excursion was Gemma, a biologist with over 20 years of experience. We boarded the small covered vessel after a short presentation about whales and their many relatives. The boat captain was Cesar. There were nine passengers on this excursion so we had a very up close and intimate tour.
As we exited the marina into the bay, the pirate ship Marigalante Galleon II, was ahead of us. This ship is inspired by Columbus’s Santa Maria. It’s known for the high-energy, pirate-themed dinner shows and day tours. 
The first critters we saw were bottlenose dolphins. These are permanent residents in the Bay of Banderas. Occasionally, we could see them from the balcony of the condo. They are very playful and put on a nice show for the tour boats.
This is a photo of our lodging complex from the water.
Our first whale sighting was a baby humpback. Humpback whales migrate to the bay to breed and give birth. Other species of whales may be spotted on occasion but humpbacks are by far the most prevalent. They arrive in the bay in November from their summer homes along the coast of the Northwest U.S. and Alaska. They leave for the trip back north in April. Whale watching tours end in mid-March. 
Warning – this photo may disturb some viewers. It’s a pair of sea turtles having sex out in the open in broad daylight!
We were lucky to see five male humpbacks chasing a female. We followed them for about a half hour, never knowing where they would come up for air. The males would sometimes fight to discourage and eliminate competitors from the chase. 
When we came back from the whale watching tour, there was a cruise ship in port. After the February 22 cartel action, the cruise ships stayed away from Puerto Vallarta for a couple of weeks. It greatly affected the business activity in the city. It’s one of their economic engines so it was good to see the ships returning.
We had a great time on the whale watching tour. We stopped in the marina for lunch where the Big Ten basketball tournament was on tv. While we ate we got to see Wisconsin play. They won that game but lost the next one and their first game in the NCAA tournament.
Pipis
I’ll end with a short video taken of some mariachi singers at the well-known Pipis Restaurant and Bar. It’s an experience, the food is decent, the margaritas excellent, and atmosphere lively and loud.
Next week I’ll return to my series on Germany. Stay tuned.
THE FIVE SENSES PLUS ONE
Saw – Whales, dolphins, sea turtles, fires, smoke, people by the pool and on the beach, pelicans and frigate birds riding the thermals
Heard – sirens, construction workers, birds singing, people talking in many languages, loud music
Touch – railings, elevator buttons, sea water, pool water, sand
Smell – food cooking, fresh air, smoke from fires, sewer gases
Taste – tacos, margaritas (mango, passion fruit, strawberry, and lime), shrimp, fajitas, tortillas, fresh baked rolls
Learned – some Spanish, about whales, dolphins, and butterflies, to relax by the pool
Until next week, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM