Thanksgiving in Puerto Vallarta
I just returned from an all-inclusive five-day trip to Puerto Vallarta. Many of us expats leave at this time of year. First, because it's Thanksgiving and our families are elsewhere; and second, because its fiesta time in Ajijic and the fireworks and rockets blast from six a.m. until very late in the night. Earplugs help, but nothing completely eradicates the noise.
My friend and I chose to stay at the Qualton Club this year. A few years ago, we stayed at the Blue Bay Club in Tenacatita. Several other choices are available as well. I don't go to the beach except in November through March. The rest of the year it's far too hot and humid for me. The Qualton is smaller than Blue Bay, but the rooms are nice and the staff made our stay pleasant.
Thanksgiving evening, the hotel served a scrumptious buffet. At the end of the line, a server carved prime rib. I asked, "No turkey?" already disappointed at the lack of mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberry sauce and corn casserole. At the same time, I felt ashamed of my disappointment because we were presented with such a wide array of other tantalizing foods.
" Si. Turkey," he responded and pointed back down the line. I checked again and the closest I could come to turkey was roast duck. One by one, friends returned to our table, plate in hand saying, "No turkey." It turns out the Spanish version of the label said pavo which means turkey, but the English translation said roast duck. We had a good laugh and returned for pavo.
Some angels from P.V. landed on my shoulder this year. One woman who lives there wrote asking how she could get my book and I mentioned I'd be visiting late November. She and another expat suggested they could organize a book signing for me. I love how women here (not in the corporate world) provide a circle of support for each other. So, I held my very first book signing in the patio of a lovely restaurant called Chile's (not part of the Chili's chain) and had the opportunity to meet many of the midlife mavericks of Puerto Vallarta.
One of the women I met, Pat Henry, is the first American female to sail solo around the world and is now writing her own book. Such courage and she's such a tiny little thing. I had trouble visualizing her managing a 28-foot boat across angry oceans. It took Pat eight years to complete the voyage and when I asked her what the scariest part was, she replied, "Sailing into a port with only $3.25 to my name and wondering how I'd get to the next destination." Painting and selling her scrumptious watercolors allowed Pat to eat and pay for boat repairs. Talk about a maverick.
And, speaking of angels, remember when I said a freelance editor and proofreader from the U.S. offered to edit my book in exchange for a trip to Mexico? Actually, she offered to do the work for free, but of course, I couldn't accept. So we arranged a trade. My editor and new friend, Carol Bee, came to spend two weeks with me in early November. We'd never met face to face before and had a wonderful time.
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