South of the Border,

Episode 9     Dec 27-31  

Puerto Vallarta 2

Thar she blows! I had often read this in stories about Whales, like Moby Dick, Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef and the like. To me then, it was just another ‘fishy’ phrase just like ‘ anchors away’ or ‘Hard Port’ & so on. That, to the tar, these words meant a lot, but to a landlubber like me, it was some sort of gibberish! However, as one grew up, my love for nature became more inclusive, having started from just Birds, and going on to animals, reptiles & so on.

To be honest, channels like National Geographic & Discovery have brought Nature right into our homes & hearts. I was always fascinated by the pictures that were published in NG and at the same time, marveled at the passion, dedication & application of those numerous ‘researchers’, who have risked their lives in order to get closer to creatures, with whom we are destined to share this world.

So, when plans were being made of our trip to PV, ‘Whale watching’ got a 100% thumbs up. Of course, each one had something different in her/his visualization of the watch. 28^th afternoon, we all proceeded in a mini-bus to the wharf at the Opequimar Marine Centre,  from where, we were to embark upon Op WW (pl figure that out!)

The wharf area was packed with craft of all shapes & sizes, an indication that yatching/sailing was very much the culture of PV! While the formalities of the trip were being concluded, everyone played the guessing game of “which is our boat”?  Finally, the guy at the place pointed to a vessel coming our way, indicating that we were going on that one, The Acalli ! 

After the yacht docked/berthed (whatever!), we all climbed up the ladder, with sparkling chrome side bars. Our shoes were told to be kept aside & we all went to the front of the yacht, where comfortable seating/lounging arrangements had been made. Having cast off, we headed in the direction of the open sea, watching the wharf & other buildings fall back, till they were just a blur. 

There was the lounge below, with a bar & barman in place, the wardrooms below ( visited only to use the banos!)  & the upper deck. The first hour or so was generally spent in exploring the craft, with drinks & snacks doing the rounds & photo sessions! Soon, we realized that the waters were looking darker & the skipper had reduced the speed considerably. His first mate goaded the kids to say, ”whale whale, show me your tail”!!

At the same time, we were trying to get as much info from the skipper as to percentage of sightings, whether other craft in the area share info, ‘ how do you know where to look’ & do the whales attack the boats?  The sun was slowly sinking, the skies turning a different colour, light slowly fading, as were our hopes. The yacht had changed direction now & executing a wide turn! This is it, I thought. End of the ride!! But the skipper knew the ocean ( at least that part)  like the proverbial back of his palm.

And suddenly, someone below shouted (I was on the upper deck) ,”Look, look , whales. Mad rush & a scramble to get ringside seats, except that here, everyone had a ringside seat. After fixing ones gaze in ‘that’ direction, we saw what looked like  big black curved shapes, going under the water. There was no knowing where they would surface next (hopefully not under us!), but the skipper had not earned his cap for nothing. He pointed out to  us,  the general area to look at.

A slight digress. I am of the firm belief, that animals, birds ( all God’s creatures) have been blessed with an extraordinary sense of “threat”, and yes, a sense of humour! The readers must’ve  read or heard of creatures  putting up a display, when their sixth sense told them, “all is well”. It happened to me in St Louis, when a hummingbird, whom I was trying to film, just refused to stay in one place. This went on for almost a month! And one day, the guy decided that I was a good chap & need to be rewarded with the best profile shot! And I got a fantastic result…..that too with a Canon Digicam!

Of course, in the wild, the creatures have the right of way & out here, we were among one of the biggest creatures, the Humpback Whale. So, having ascertained that our intentions were honourable, the whales , so I would like to believe, put on a show of ‘sounding’ & spraying. 

Their going under was so fluid & fast, that it was mesmerizing. The misty sprays were now audible & cellphone cameras were working overtime. At one point, a ‘pod’ was so close to us that we could hear the water as it closed over the whales backs!!

At the same time, I couldn’t shake off a feeling of guilt, in the sense, that were we trespassing the whales territory, disturbing whatever activity they were supposed to be doing? Were they feeding? Was there a cow with a calf?  And many such doubts! However, I also had a feeling of calm that I/we had not created a nuisance, had not knowingly disturbed the whales, had not polluted the seas and were returning with a happy state of mind.

By now, the sun had already set, we had set course for the marina……. And it was time to cut the cake for Arindam’s birthday! The birthday boy, had put up a very brave front all along, as he suffers from seasickness! Getting ones feet on terra firma was a very welcome ‘step’, but not without a nod in the direction of all those who have made the seas, a second home, despite al perils!! And of course doing a 'Titanic' in reverse!!

And so, ended one more ‘voyage’ of the Sindbad’s, only to get ready for the next, known as ‘The voyage to Las Caletas’!! 

Hope you enjoyed the Whales as much as we did. Tomorrow, we shall spend a more relaxed day at the Island Paradise!!

Till then TC

Hasta Luego!

KalpanAshok

South of the Border,

Episode 8     Dec 27-31  

Puerto Vallarta- 1(CDMX-Gaudalajara-P Vallarta)

Long ago & far away………. was when I last wrote about our visit and a lot of water has flown under the proverbial bridge!! There have been a lot of happenings out here, (including my visit to Pune for some urgent issues), the degree of each, in terms of  awe, increasing with each, giving me the feeling that the best is yet to come! And on that “ummeed”, took each one, as it came. So, here goes!

As mentioned earlier, the Pais had come down from India via Dallas. On the 26^th, we were joined by Arindam & Sudipta, with their 2 boys, from Dallas, The quorum for our first beach resort trip was complete. All arrangements in terms of vehicle, logistics, timings had been worked out, so the men-folk proceeded to pick up the cars/vans whatever.

However, to prove that the best of plans can go awry, we were informed that the vehicles earlier allotted were not available then!! To cut a long story short, we finally got a 12 seater that looked more like a delivery van and the departure, planned for 10 am s-t-r-e-c-h-e-d to late afternoon!

With Arindam at the wheel & Kalpana as the navigator, we were soon out of the city limits and ‘winging’ our way on 150 (route). 

Of note, was the excellent roadway system, which, we were told, has been in place just under 10 years. Vast stretches of semi-urban landscapes, gradually becoming more ‘pastoral’, were all really a pleasure to behold.

There were the customary stops to relieve the drivers (as well as our ‘systems’) & to pick up some nourishment en route!  We saw large bodies of water, literally upto the horizon, but there was no way of finding out the source of water. Probably underground springs or plain rain water. There were the usual tolls,  mostly chip-activated, some manual & the odd petrol pump, all breaking the monotony of an otherwise superlative highway! There was one very interesting diversion, but we have not been able to decipher the acronym!!

To get back to the top of the page. Puerto Vallarta is a sea-side resort, about 900 kms, slightly North-West, in the State of Jalisco. Satish (Pai) had done the spadework of reservations, trip itinerary etc. at the Sunscape Resort & Spa. However, we were doing this in 2 phases, the 1^st being CDMX to Guadalajara & Guadalajara to Puerto V.

Without any incident, exciting or eventful, we reached The Hilton, G’jara just as night fell! After the check-in procedure (which did take its time) & getting our room keys, everybody trooped off for a quick wash, to catch the last dining slot! The dining room had all the necessary trappings, the cynosure being a huge showcase displaying various liquors (esp Tequilas) in bottles of varied shapes. 

Tequilas

Since it was also the year-end, the hotel had put up all the typical X’mas & NY decos. 

But the cottage &  Clock tower were truly a treat to watch… & eat, they being made of confectionery items. Unfortunately, these were to be cut on 31 Dec, to our bad luck! 

The food was very typical Mex, served with very volatile sauces/salsas. The Reds  were a good wash-down,  the  desserts being kind of so-so.

I would like to believe that this property was a franchisee of the Hiltons! I’ll leave it at that.

We were looking forward to an early start, as there was a hilly (mountainous) stretch to negotiate & traffic promised to be heavy!!  So, after a quick but sumptuous breakfast, off we went; but, again a catch! There was a unscheduled stop (they call it a “technical stop” in the Rlys!) at Walmarts, where the ladies wanted to lighten their purses! That over, we took the designated route to get back on the highway.

As expected, the roads were amazingly smooth & well maintained. The signage was very efficiently placed & of course, the traffic well behaved. 

A few miles out & the landscape gradually started changing and the flat open spaces soon turned into what is always referred to as “gently rolling’ hills. On the horizon, hills loomed large, adding a touch of green all over. The blue-green combination was constantly changing, due to the fickle cloud cover.  

We soon started passing small homesteads & clusters of houses, dotting the area. All of a sudden, there appeared neat blue-green patched of cultivation, which we soon discovered to be Agave! The tequila plant!! There were nurseries & nurseries of this plant & the fields were as though arranged according to the age/size of the plant. The town of Tequila was off this route & a mental note of the same was made by all!  

Almost as though on cue, the end of the Agave plantation gave way to a gradual climb and as the road assumed elevation, the green cover too became more pronounced.

Now, some very interesting sights appeared along the roads & if the language on the boards weren’t in Espanol/Ingles, I would have sworn that I was travelling into the Konkan Region of Maharashtra!! The houses too, bore a striking resemblance to the ones back home! And to complete the picture, were  the ubiquitous tyre (“punchur”) repairs a la Anna! ( see pic)

'Punchur' shop

I’ve made a mention somewhere earlier of a possible link in the (ancient) cultures of India & Mexico. More striking is the similarity of the flora, so obviously weather & soil conditions too! To stretch a point, it does not rule out the theory of the continents being fused, eons ago! There were orchards of Mango, Coconuts & Bananas, all over, with small shacks selling local produce. The Jackfruit,  is another favourite in this part of the State, including candies/sweets made from it. The coconuts were huge & so was the water content, which was equally sweet. Out here, after you’ve finished the water, the kernel is cut up in pieces & seasoned with sour lime juice & chilly powder!

As we moved along, the forests on either side became denser, providing a continuous shade to the travelers. I noticed an interesting feature of the road, in that, there were proper cemented slopes along the road edge that were part of channels, built to carry away rain water! Along with the forestry, the traffic too became denser. The only other thing I felt was, that the roads could have been broader. 

Perhaps the State gives priority to environment as against “progress”! Since there were settlements along the way (& obviously shops too), there were times when the traffic literally crawled. But, yes, but, in all this, not one vehicle tried to overtake the other or form a 2^nd lane! And no Cops in sight. (We are so “flexible” that our drivers convert a Three Lane road into a Five Lane one!). Yet, the slow pace was quite ok with most of us, especially me, as I could really take in the jungle. Surprisingly, there was no sign of any wildlife, especially birds. The odd Grackles & Sparrows we saw, we at the foothills.

We passed some shops (shacks) selling interesting things & made a mental note to stop by on the return. By now, the green cover had thinned somewhat & in the distance,  a  range of mountains came into focus. 

There was a distinct descent as we moved along and encountered small stand-alone restaurants, hotels & shops. And suddenly, Arindam announced,” your first view of the Pacific Ocean”. To the right, against the glare of the sun, made even harsher due to the reflective waters, was the Pacific Ocean. 

First glimpse of the Paci

There was a kind of excitement about it & I could relate to the explorers of yore, who discovered new lands (In this case, it was the reverse!)

As we entered the fag end of the journey, the Hotel seemed even further away, especially with heavy, holiday traffic all along. This was  so typical of the posters that one had seen. Hotels, Inns, Restos, people & more people.  As we took the detour to our destination, there was a sculpture of a Humpback Whale with a Pup! We were hoping to see these beautiful creatures in flesh! 

In the distance, I thought I saw what looked like a hotel with compact rooms, a few stories high. As we neared it, I realized it was a Cruise Ship (Carnival) that had berthed here. And just a bit away, was a Yacht, with a helicopter perched  on it. We were in the land & company of the rich & the famous!!

This excitement was heightened by our arrival at the Sunscape Resort! This was  huge & imposing, what with fountains, umbrellas, lounging sofas, the works, strewn all over, in a calculated  casual manner.  As though on cue ( of course well practiced!), the moment we stepped out, welcome drinks (Hibiscus Tea) were served all round, our bags were tagged………..& we had to wait for almost an hour for the rooms to be allotted! This was necessitated due to minor adjustments had to be carried out, some rooms weren’t ready etc! All in the game.

That over, we all trooped into the dining area, where after proving our bona fides, we all sat down for lunch. The  layout was quite typical as we find in resorts. The swimming pool was right in the centre of the premise, dining area all around, the beach within a holler & beyond, the big blue deep!! 

This could have been Goa, Miami or any other beach resort, the few changes being the cuisine & the  language. But, this is not what Puerto Vallarta was all about. The two adventures planned were, One, a visit to a private island, with all that goes with it (scuba, snorkeling & of course food) & Two, Whale watching!! Boy, this is what most of us were looking forward too!!

So, post lunch,  some swam , some sank   ( into the luxury beds) & others went exploring.

This was just getting from Point M to P! The real thing starts tomorrow! Till then, do try & find out the reasons of similarity in the landscape & flora. As regards the similarity in the ancient civilisations of the Two countries..........watch out for more on that subject later. Till then TC

Cheers

Hasta Manana

AshoKalpana

                                                                                                                                           

South of the Border,

Episode 7     Dec  ’17   

Ciudad Mexico

   

 To err is human & to forgive, is even more human! I ask for forgiveness for having bungled up the numbers of my dispatches, ‘cause somewhere, I couldn’t locate No 4! After many hours of going through them all, I found that No 4 was ‘overlooked’! My family, esp my sibs will confirm that I was not much of a guy  as far as numbers were concerned.( what would you think of a a chap who thought 1/16 was greater than 1/8!!)  Let’s leave it at that shall we?

The best way to experience a place is firstly, to take in as much with your mouth & secondly, through your eyes! For the latter, the ideal way is  to take a bus that allows you to hop on/off at pre-determined halts, at your pace!

The Pai’s (2+2) and us decided to do the above, in that order, one bright morning. Cut to Posadas. Remember a name I dropped in that event. Omar! Yes, the owner of Two eating joints called Aquiles, serving Salads & Chilaquiles! This is another Mexican delight & it was to be a brunch at this place. Driving through a different route, marveling at the commercial & residential buildings as well as the very orderliness of street food carts, we decided to build up an (some!) appetite before the kill! I must make a mention here that besides parks (huge) with statues that are well maintained, Street or Wall Art is another thing  that stands out (literally)

Walking down a lane that took me back to Colaba area ( big houses on both sides, with lots of trees & clean!), we arrived at our destination. A very unpretentious place, with Two long tables that could seat 12. 
There were tall stools & a few single/dbl seate rs. The Salad Bar was across the room & the Chilaquiles, as you enter! This again is an assembly-line item, with the square shaped tortillas over which simmering Green or Red Salsa is poured. Thereafter, it’s your choice of toppings (ham, beef, pollo, etc) topped with a cheese & cream! A look at the bowl in which this magical mix was going to be stirred, & most of us weren’t  sure if we could down this all! But one look at the end product (the procedure was behind closed doors!)  threw such ideas out of one’s mental window! Unfortunately, the stock of beer had not been replenished, so there was no choice but a lemonade to wash down the food.  

While the orders were being prepared, we busied ourselves by walking around the area. There was this very interesting contraption (again) for getting one’s shoes polished. On the other side, were stalls of street food, dishing out delicacies with speed & accuracy! We made a mental note of trying out one of these, some day.   

                                                              

A point that I must make a mention of here, is, that the girl at the billing desk refused to take even a ‘phuti’ peso as payment, After trying all the Four ‘nitis’, and an offer that Don Corleone was famous for, the senorita let on that she was under the oath of omerta by  Omar! So Janu called up Omar, only to be told that the treat was on the house!!! That’s Mexican hospitality & largesse!

Having walked to build up an appetite, now it was imperative that we walk the remaining distance, in the misplaced belief that walking is a sure way of burning calories!  With heavy hearts (& heavier guts) we did cover a lot of ground, till the Angel. Will power wilted here, so we took a cab to Pasaje Polanco. Janu & Co had a head start as their cab came asap, so she buzzed to say that they were waiting in  Staarbucks!   

This is one of the, if not the, high-end localities of the City. All the  top Fashion Houses have a tremendous presence here, and the displays are matched by very smartly dressed folk.

Since we decided to walk a bit, we took some  time to visit a chapel right on the street we were on! Poinsettias (this time White) were seen in abundance in the chapel, adding beauty to the grandeur of the place! among the many plants that were grown all along, I couldn't help but take a picture of the purple flower, which is quite common in Maharashtra & used to make braids, which is known as "Koranti". Food for thought as regards the commonalities of the flora in both countries.

The rear exit of Starbucks opened out to  beautifully designed boutique shops & residential area, which one cannot discern from the street. Each shop is a temptation for the shopper, as the photos show. The place is also interspersed with eateries. We were told by Jenny that lunch hour is around 3 or 4 pm, since breakfast is heavy & latish. That explained the rush of diners. And of course, there was a lot of local colour like shoeshine men, with their colourful stands, dog-walkers & the  odd street musician.            

Having had our choice of coffee & cakes, it was time to head in the general direction of home!

Tomorrow, we take the bus trip and explore the city, not once, but on Two days.

Till then,
Hasta Manana!!
AshoKalpana