Friendly Favours

(My apologies for not posting something sooner but I've been having major headaches with my ISP! I had a terrific blog started on Sunday but lost it when CosmoRed crapped out on me! Thank you for your patience. -- Juliana xo)

Lately, there has been a lot of controversy in my life about "favours". Frequently, I am asked by my friends (and even blog readers I've never met) what I need/want from NOTB. Usually my frivolous requests for gum or candy are granted and the gifts are delivered by happy people on vacation who are thrilled to do this small favour for me. I remember I felt the same way when I was a tourist, bringing stuff down for the people who lived here. For the most part, the satisfaction I received from giving was enough repayment. I didn't ask people to reimburse me for my gifts although I'm sure they always offered, as I do now.

My first true experience with this "give and take" down here was during the initial Goddess Convention. My friend John Russell offered to pick the four of us up at the airport and transport us to our accomodations at Puesta del Sol. In exchange, we agree to bring numerous pints of Guiness for John. I had never met John in person but we had corresponded online for quite some time. What a great trade I made that day! Not only did I make a friend for life, but I experienced the joy of giving and receiving a favour from a friend (although the sight of John's car was a little disconcerting!) ;)

When I first moved here in October 2003, my future "landlords" were still in the process of closing the deal on the condo in which I was going to live so I needed to find another place to stay upon my arrival. I called my friend Jeff Musto about his place at Plazamar. I had stayed there before and really liked it. I have also referred numerous people to Jeff since then so I was confident that if he was able to rent me one of his units, he would, even on short notice. I only needed two nights accomodation and was surprised when Jeff said to take it for five nights, at no charge. Apparently he was familiar with real estate deals in Mexico! I will always be thankful to him for that. (You can see Jeff's condos at http://www.internetpv.com/!)

Shortly after my arrival here, someone did me a small favour and as is my custom (and maybe yours), I said to her, "I owe you one!". She jumped all over me, telling me that wasn't necessary and that's not how things "worked" down here. Well I can tell you from my experiences living in PV, that nothing could be further from the truth. If there was ever any place in the world where the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back" philosophy was embraced by so many, it is here in Vallarta! From the tour guides to the OPCs, from the restaurants to the jewellery stores, EVERYONE here does for one another and there is always some type of exchange involved. I get a discount or a free drink whenever I take new people to a favourite restaurant. We pay commissions to anyone who sends potential customers to our store. It is a way of life down here and it works!

I was recently berated online because I asked someone to bring me some Hershey's kisses. I was told that I could buy them here, at Sam's Club. All I had to do was find the time to go out there and get them. Oh and buy a membership card too! This was my reply: "People who have visited PV before know you can't always get "stuff from home" here and being generous of spirit, they are always asking us what we need/want. I can hardly say "Bring me your unmarried sons!". When I was a tourist, I used to offer all the time! It was a way for me to say thank you to the people down here who were giving me their time and advice. I didn't mind then and I certainly don't mind being on the receiving end now! I really don't see what the big deal is! If you don't want to do it, don't do it. No one is DEMANDING that you bring them anything! Better yet, direct your generosity towards the refugio or the cats by the Rio. I don't really need no stinkin' chocolates! Fair enough?"

My two "brothers" down here are perfect examples of this give and take. One wanted a job so I asked my boss if she was hiring. He came in to meet her, aced the interview and is now impressing the hell out of her! I got my job at Viva through a friend. I am so happy to be able to pass on this good fortune to someone else, especially someone as deserving as James. My other "brother" gave me some money last summer so that I could fly to Vallarta for a week. He just wrote out a cheque and mailed it to me, no strings attached. I was in the position to return this "favour" recently when Mary Sue was looking for someone with his skillset. Jeff is now working for Viva too! MSM calls me her own private personnel agency. ;)

So try not to forget the nice things that people have done for you in the past. If you have the chance to "repay" them, please do so. If they're gone from your life or not in a position to accept your favour, pass it on to someone else. It will be good karma if you do.

Live Webcam!!!

They've installed a webcam at Cuates y Cuetes, one of our favourite watering holes right on the beach. Here is the link:

http://www.cuatesycuetes.com/home.htm

If you don't have Java installed, you will have to download it but once that's done, you can see what we see, especially at sunset.

Last night you would have seen John, Myles and me posing for the camera around 7PM. We might try again tonight, right before sunset so if you're interested, check us out!

Juliana xo

Inquiring Minds Want To Know!

I received two emails yesterday asking me as follows:

Sherry: What's your plan, Amiga? Staying for the steamy weather or bailing out and heading for Toronto?

Linda: Did you ever make a decison about this summer?

So here's the answer you've all been waiting for ... (insert drum roll) ... I'm staying! I feel a lot differently about living here than I did last spring. There are a number of factors involved actually. My boss wants me to stay and I want to stay. In fact, my job seems to be more clearly defined this year with regular hours and that makes life easier. I'm earning more money than I did last year because I'm working more. Hopefully, things will slow down soon so I can take a vacation and see a bit more of this gorgeous country!

I feel happy and content here. I know more people and my Spanish is improving a lot. As a result, I feel more confident dealing with Mexicans in every type of situation and I feel more like a local. Plus I'm not homesick for Toronto like I was last year but still miss my friends and family! So a quick trip to Canada is in my, hopefully, not to distant future. I need to do my taxes, renew my passport and visit with everyone up there who is too reluctant to take a trip down here. With all the bad weather reports I've been hearing lately, I don't understand why more people aren't getting on the next plane and getting the heck out of there!

So what happens now? Well, Colleen is heading back to the U.S. on April 14th and our rent is paid until April 15th. I need to move out of here then and move into the cute little apartment I found yesterday! It's on Calle Naranjo ("Orange Tree Street"), about 1.5 blocks from El Brujo (a great restaurant), 1.5 blocks from Macchi's BBQ (another great local restaurant), 1.5 blocks from a gym and about a five minute walk to work!

My friend Valerie (from Canada) is living there now but she goes home to BC every summer so it will be available. The apartment is quiet and clean but very small. There is no stove so I need to get a microwave. There is cable TV but no phone. I would rather have the latter so I want to speak to the landlords about getting that hooked up if possible. I'm also thinking of buying a laptop with wireless capabilities so I can be online while I'm at home or outside when I'm not working. Everything in due time ...

I will miss the convenience of having a washer and dryer right off my bedroom like I have here but there is a laundrymat right around the corner! The coolest thing about the apartment is that is contained on two levels! The living room and kitchen are downstairs and the bedroom and bathroom are upstairs. There's no view of the ocean but that is not important to me. As soon as I saw the place, I knew I could live there and love it! I'm really looking forward to making it my home.

If you haven't already planned a trip to PV this year, what are you waiting for? I love having visitors and look forward to seeing you soon.

Busy, Busy Bee ...

Geez, even my Mom has started emailing me to tell me I'm not writing enough in my blog! :)

Before The Party

It's been a very busy fortnight. As you may recall, we had our very first trunk show at Viva last Tuesday night, highlighting two very talented, young female designers from Mexico City. In order to prepare for the show, they sent us about 15 kazillion pieces of their jewellery to be prepared for the party. Guess who got to mark it all? I worked ten days straight, including 10 or more hours the day and night of the party as well as the next day.

At The Party

In order to display their handmade jewellery, primarily made of leather and semi-precious stones, we had three huge display ramps made and pinned all the jewellery to them in various combinations of colour. ISHI bracelets and necklaces are meant to be wore 2 or 3 at a time and the effect is quite striking. This year, we had live music and served wine with finger sandwiches. Gina and Claudia were overwhelmed with the store, our staff and the people who came to see them. The party was a huge success.

The Day After The Party

We continued the trunk show on Wednesday since there were four cruise ships in port that day. At some point on Wednesday afternoon, the store was so crowded with cruiseship people, it felt like we were all back at the party from the night before! And people wonder why all I want to do is sleep on my day off. LOL

The Rest of This Week

I finally took a day off to recuperate as I had also worked Sunday (my usual day off) so on Thursday, I was able to join a group of friends down on Los Muertos beach for a get together of friends from the internet. Technically it was called a "beach party" but we ended up having lunch on the patio at the Lazy Lizard for a couple of hours. They grilled hamburgers, chicken breasts and chorizo (Mexican spicey sausage) for us on the BBQ and the beers were deliciously cold. I think at some point there were 16 of us sitting there, enjoying the day, which was sunny, breezy and warm. A perfect Vallarta day!

Friday and Saturday I returned to work. There is still so much merchandise to be marked, I'm not sure when I will get through it all. Easter is fast approaching and once it is over, the high season ends with it. At that point, we will all be able to take a breath, take one more day off a week and try to rest over the summer before starting it all up again next November.

The Becas Ball

Today, as Mary Sue and I were going over the price of things in the back room of the store, she got a phone call and near the end of it, she turned to me and said to her caller, "Yes, I have a willing victim standing right here in front of me". I wasn't sure what she meant but I am prepared for just about anything at this point in our working relationship. :) She asked me to do her a big favour -- she wanted me to go the Becas Ball at the Westin Regina in her stead. All she wanted to do was have a quiet evening at home so how could I resist? It was a chance to dress up, wear fabulous jewellery, eat free food and meet new people in a posh setting.

I popped into my local hairdresser (Salon Dili is right around the corner from where I live) and asked Benjamin if he could "do me" before tonight. We made an appointment for 6PM. I rushed home, showered and washed my hair before heading out to Chili's for a quick lunch. Then I came back home, laid down for 45 minutes before my appointment. Benjamin did a fabulous "up do" for only 200 pesos and I was on my way to looking incredible. After an extra meticulous make-up job, I donned my gorgeous Denise Cruz top, black slacks and black leather espadrilles and headed over to Viva with a mission to find the perfect jewellery to go with my ensemble.

Having a whole store at your disposal might sound like a dream come true to most women but the fact is, the choice is overwhelming. And I've heard this many time from people who come to the store for the very first time. There is just too much to take in during one visit. So many people come back 3 or 4 times during their vacation. I sort of had an idea of what I wanted but relied on the evening staff to help me, particularly Amaranta who has an unerring eye for what looks good. Plus, we have sort of the same taste so I knew I would love whatever she picked out for me and I did! A beautiful pair of chandelier earrings made of sparkling faceted blue topaz briolettes on sterling silver chains meant no necklace was required but the outfit was still missing something. Donna helped by placing a 3" wide bracelet set with Swarovski crystals on my wrist. Now I was ready for the ball ...

I arrived in time for the free bar and silent auction. I bid on two framed Marta Gilbert posters and a Salon Dili gift certificate. I was outbid on all items. I didn't know any of my dinner companions at Table 12 but I knew people at every table around me including Lucy from Lucy's CuCu Cabana and my friends Donna and Irv, who were sitting at the table right across from me. My hosts, Pat and Richard, were intrinsically involved in the planning of the Ball so I felt very fortunate to sit with them for this wonderful event. Dinner was surprisingly good (given the number of people being served) and was complimented by two great bottles of wine from Oregon, bid on and won by one of my table mates who graciously had both bottles uncorked for our enjoyment. A scrumptious chocolate cake rounded out our meal. Ymmm!!!

Items up for live auction included two rounds of golf at the Four Seasons golf club valued at (get this) $4,950 pesos! EGADS!!! One of the most interesting items up for auction was a backgammon set purportedly owned by John Huston but there was no certificate of authenticity so I had to let that one go to another bidder. :) All in all, it was a tremendous evening, benefitting a very worthy cause. Becas Vallarta, A.C. is a non-profit, tax-deductible Mexican foundation started in 1961 to raise funds for scholarships for students in grade 8 through university. The annual Becas Ball is the main source of funds for supporting the deserving students, and at present the foundation is giving grants to 286 students, 79 in Secundaria, 136 in Preparatoria and 71 in University. The bar for receiving a Becas scholarship is deliberately set high. Families must demonstrate real economic need and students - with their parents' full support - must be fully committed to serious educational progress. Students must maintain at least an 8.5 grade point average. The grade point average of students who receive scholarships is actually much higher than that, with many perfect 10's among them (copied from www.banderasnews.com).

That's it, that's all for tonight folks! I'm off again tomorrow for my regular day off and then back to the grind on Monday. I hope you're having a wonderful time wherever you are and look forward to seeing some of you very, very soon. ;)

One Month to GCIV!!!

THE GODDESS HANDBOOK

Goddess Heirarchy

Julie Anne is the Head Goddess. This doesn't mean she knows everything but she knows enough. Besides, she organizes the convention every year so that, in itself, gives her certain rights and privileges. Juliana says, "It's my party and I'll invite whoever I want!"

Rose is the next best thing to Julie Anne. She is Julie Anne's 2IC (Second In Command). If Julie Anne is too busy or too tired, speak to Rose. When it comes to matters of good taste, speak to Rose. When in doubt about proper Goddess behaviour or attire, speak to Rose.

Heidi is the Mini Goddess. She may be the smallest Goddess you'll ever meet but she's got the biggest attitude. Watch and listen to Heidi -- you can learn a lot about Goddess behaviour from her!

Beatrice is the person most likely to lead us into trouble. Watch out for Beatrice! She is also our resident "Frida-phile" so if you see anything Frida-related, tell Beatrice. Beatrice also has the strongest liver of any Goddess you will ever meet. You will be taking your life into your hands partying with Beatrice. She also is the most fun! Oh, and if she has an idea for a group shot, go with it.

Mary Ann is also very capable of leading us into trouble. So make sure you follow her and do whatever she does. When she starts drinking margaritas, watch out! Either get out of the way or join in. Joining in is much more fun. Mary Ann has a great nose for wine and bars where good looking guys can be found. Like I said, follow her anywhere and you are guaranteed a rip snorting good time.

Goddess Behaviour

You must be over 40 to be a Goddess.

If you're under age 40, you are a GIT (Goddess-In-Training).

If you're confident, funny, outspoken, assertive and friendly, you are definitely a Goddess!

Every Goddess has a Spanish or Mexican name. Choose one for yourself and advise the Head Goddess or the 2IC. The following names have already been taken:

Juliana - Julie Anne
Rosa - Rose
Nancy - Heidi (it's a long story!)
Frida - Beatrice
Mariana - Mary Ann

If you're too shy to wear your tiara in public, you are not Goddess material.

A diva is not a Goddess. A diva is too high maintenance to hang with the Goddesses (you divas know who you are … don't bother coming to the party).

If you have to ask a fellow Goddess what to wear, more than once, you're a diva so get lost!

If you complain ad nauseum (that's Latin for "a lot") about your weight or hair or makeup or clothes or anything else (other than men), you are a diva. Take a hike!

If you talk incessantly about your husband, boyfriend and/or children, you are a diva. Shut up and go away!

However, if you have a husband AND a boyfriend, you are a Goddess.

Goddess Attire

Tiaras are MANDATORY for all Goddess Events.

When not worn, tiaras must be kept in a place of honour.

Tiaras can be worn anywhere on the body.

Tiaras are not to be used for home decoration. (Martha Stewart is a diva!)

Tiaras can be handmade, store bought or priceless family heirlooms. It's the thought that counts, not the value (unless you count sentimental value).

Boas are not mandatory but do add style and flair to goddess functions. They also make you feel like a million bucks. (FYI -- boas and hot flashes do not mix well together!)

Name tags can be worn anywhere on your body and/or clothing.

Anything with the word Goddess on it should be bought immediately, preferably in bulk.

If you see anything with a tiara on it, including jewellery, cards, pins, tshirts, hats, WHATEVER, buy as many as you can immediately! If you have to wrestle small children for these items, please feel free to do so but don't let their mothers catch you doing it.

Only past attendees of the Goddess Convention are allowed to buy and wear the official Austrian crystal Goddess pin. See Julie Anne for details.

And finally, it's not what you wear, it's how you wear it!

Goddess Law (there's only one)

What happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico!!!

Goddess Sayings

I am SUCH a Goddess!

You are SUCH a Goddess!

She is DEFINITELY Goddess material.

Oh my Goddess!

Thank the Goddess!

It's not a crown -- it's a TIARA!

Get your hands OFF my tiara!

What time did we get home last night/this morning?

Did you say 2 for 1?

Do these shoes match my tiara?

BYOB -- bring your own boa.

What do you mean you want me to cook? I did that once already this month!!!

Give and Take

Have I told you yet about my new friend Candice? I met her a scant three days after her initial email to me on February 2nd. The subject line on her email was "Incoming Goddess". She was only in Vallarta for a few days so we agreed to meet at CCs on Saturday February 5th. She plied me with gifts of Kit Kat Chunky chocolate bars and a magic Goddess wand. We spent the evening together with some mutual friends and since the next day was my day off, I took her on one of my famous "walking tours" of Vallarta. After a long hard day of seeing the "real" Vallarta, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Coco Tropical before she left early the next morning for Talpa and beyond.

I knew she was returning to Vallarta with her husband for one night before flying back to Seattle. I thought it was last Friday so I was more than a little disappointed when the day came and went, but no Candice. :( Well, silly me had the day wrong! They were in town last night and showed up at my Spanish class (after receiving directions from someone at Viva) and invited me out for drinks. Drinks turned into dinner and they insisted on buying and then walking me part way home. Dick wanted to smoke his cigar and we were all loathe to let the evening end, so I offered to take them for a nightcap at La Palapa.

We walked into the bar and found Alberto, the owner, playing live music as he does every Monday and Tuesday night. I haven't been there this year so it was a real treat to hear Alberto, Memo and Bobbie playing together. Dick and Candice were utterly delighted with the bar, with the restaurant and with the music ... Candice was particularly transfixed by Alberto. If you haven't seen him before, you won't understand what I'm talking about but trust me, a photo is coming! Anyway, it was the perfect ending to a perfect evening with wonderful new friends. It was an unforgettable way for them to spend their last night in Vallarta.

Today I was super busy at work. I have a kazillion pieces of merchandise to mark in preparation for a huge trunk show Mary Sue is planning at Viva next Tuesday night. So when Liliana called me on the in-house phone to tell me I had a "visitor", I was less than thrilled to go downstairs, looking for someone who told Lily, "Juliana doesn't know me". Imagine my surprise when I was approached by an attractive woman, around my age, who introduced herself as Annette, a lurker on JR's board (http://vallartascene.com/forum/phpBB2/) and also a big fan of my blog. She and her husband, Richard, are from Illinois and as we started chatting, she handed me a shopping bag and said, "This is for you."

Lately, I've been receiving many thoughtful gifts from old friends and new friends but none as amazing as this. Inside the shopping bag were TWO velvet bags with the word "GODDESS" inscribed on the outside in Swarovski crystals -- one in black and one in red. I couldn't believe my eyes so I laughed and enveloped Annette in a huge hug! How could someone who has never met me before pick out such a perfect gift? Also enclosed was a Goddess bumper sticker that matched my uniform. I made them promise to meet me for drinks on Saturday night so I could introduce them to some other board members and thank them for their generosity.

So I've been asking myself lately what I'm giving back as a result of all this generosity and the answer is probably not enough. Hopefully, when time permits and as my work slows down, I will be able to find some way to give something back to this wonderful cyber community. If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them!

Only In Mexico ...

I have a nine piece mariachi band playing LIVE outside my window! It is Arturo's birthday (my gay landlord). He is 37 today and since Monday is his day off, he decided to throw a party. He knows I work days and has been very concerned about inconveniencing me. He even told me about the party in advance and offered to put me up elsewhere. I told him not to worry about it. It's his birthday after all. He also mentioned that it would be from 8PM to midnight -- NO LATER!!! LOL Let's just say I'm not holding my breath with respect to the time the party will end and I'm warming up my earplugs ...

Not that they would block out the mariachis who arrived punctually at 10PM. They are incredibly loud but I'm thrilled. I love mariachi and they look so great in their matching dark teal suits (not to mention the tight pants!). They're not the best mariachi I've ever heard but then, they're the only ones I've ever had right outside my bedroom window. *sigh* Life is good. Time to finish my Spanish homework, grab a glass of wine and head downstairs! :)

Isn't She Fabulous?

You can always tell when I've been watching Sex and the City re-runs on TBS because I talk about my girlfriends. They are coming (let me count) in approximately 45 days. Heidi, Rose, Beatrice (all from Toronto) and Mary Ann from Dixon, CA. I've arranged for them to stay for two whole weeks at a condo on the beach with a pool on the roof and I can't wait to see them! I expect to have a great time while they are here. We will be out almost every night, eating in all the best restaurants (you know, the ones I've been saving to try while they're here). You'll recognize us by our tiaras, boas, bejewelled black panti-liner name tags and other Goddess paraphernalia. We will be the talk of the town for two weeks. Look for the boa-wrapped palapa on the beach and you'll probably find one or more of us sipping a margarita, looking at young men in tight bathing suits, yelling "Get out of our way -- we're fabulous!"

Well February is half over and that means that Valentine's Day has come and gone for another year. Is anyone else tired of the commercialism of this "event"? Or am I jaded because I didn't have a valentine? Well, technically I actually had TWO! My friends Tim and Susan arrived from San Francisco on February 14th and took me out for dinner. How's that for a friendship that started in PV (we met through a former boyfriend of mine) and has managed to last more than a year via email? My friend Darlene (also known as my much shorter sister) is also in town for a month and she arrived on Saturday despite much speculation about her health. Having gone through two back surgeries within less than four months at the end of last year, we were unsure of her progress prior to her arrival. She has surprised us all with her resilience and fortitude. No doubt the warm weather and sunny days here will help in her recovery. Much more relaxing than being in Winterpeg! I'm so glad she's here ...

We had three ships in port today. What a crazy place this city becomes when the cruise boats arrive. We were extremely busy in the store and apparently there are two more ships tomorrow. Oh well! It's time to "make hay while the sun is shining". So hard to believe that the high season will be over in another six weeks. Where did the winter go? I start Spanish lessons tomorrow. I saw an ad in the Tribune for a teacher located directly across the street from the store so I talked my friend Scott into going with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work at 5PM. Since we are the only two in the class, we hope to help shape the lesson plans to coincide with our work at Viva. How do you say "espadrilles" in Spanish? LOL BTW, they called me down to the floor today to speak to a woman in French! I nearly died ... I can hardly remember any French anymore and when I try, I can't seem to flick the switch in my brain over from Spanglish. I kept saying, "Si Madame" but I understood "chapeau blanc" and "valise" so I was able to figure out that she wanted a white hat that she could pack in her suitcase. We muddled through it somehow and I made the sale. :)

On a completely unrelated topic, what's up with people's feet? I see many more feet here in PV than I ever did in Toronto. I am always very conscious of having a nice pedicure and clean, soft feet because of my job and my overall fastidiousness with proper grooming but do other people care about this? Apparently not! I am constantly being assaulted by the sight of some people's feet. To see a woman with bad foot hygiene is just shocking to me but I find men's feet particularly repulsive. Do they think we don't see them in their sports sandals? Guys, no one wants to look at your unclipped toenails and hard callouses. Get a clue and get a pedicure! They are relaxing and healthy. Last year, for Valentine's Day, my boyfriend got himself a pedicure. It was one of the nicest things he ever did for me ...

Small World

I'm walking down the street tonight on my way home from work, just after 6PM and I pass a guy wearing a tshirt from "Ethel's". Something tweaked that name in my memory and I recalled that it was the name of a popular university bar in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where I grew up. So I turned around and said, "Have you been to Ethel's in Waterloo?". They stopped and said yes. I explained that I recognized the tshirt and the young woman told me she had worked at Forewell's Variety for 9 years. I explained that I went to school with Susan Forewell. I told her I went to St. David's (junior high) and then Bluevale C.I. This same young woman went to St. David's and her boyfriend/husband went to Bluevale. Cool!

The other day in the store, I was waiting on two ladies who, through the course of our conversation, admitted to living in Toronto. Most people in Southwestern Ontario will say that even though they live hours outside of Toronto because no one knows any of the small towns close by. Well, I grew up in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, about an hour's drive west of Toronto. It turns out one of these ladies lived just outside Stratford, which is about 20 minutes from Waterloo. The other one lived downtown Toronto and when I asked her where, she said "Bloor and Sherbourne". After a quick geography lesson, we determined that she lives in the same condo building as my friend Rose. Very cool!

It's a small world after all ... :)

Looking Ahead

I've been thinking a lot about staying here vs. moving back to Toronto for the summer. I think I could live here year 'round. One thing I did notice on my four plus months at "home" last summer was the fact that I felt fearful. I don't feel that way here in Vallarta. My Mom said I never felt that way about Toronto before I lived in Mexico and she's probably right. (I hate when that happens!). I think I have lived with fear all my life, as most women do, but was so used to it, I never gave it a second thought. We are taught to be afraid of men, to be afraid of speaking out, to be afraid of success and so on. Why is that? My fear was exacerbated living in a large urban area. The fact that I am not afraid here is so incredible. Most people, when I tell them I live here, have a hard time understanding why I'm not afraid. They have difficulty believing me when I tell them I feel SAFE here. Most of the crime here is against property, not people. It's so very different than at home. It's hard to explain to someone who has never been here.

The sun finally came out on Sunday after a spectacular sunset on Saturday night. After six days of rain, everyone was smiling. I just feel sorry for those vacationers who were only here for one week. They certainly received a very grim impression of Vallarta; far from the sunny, warm, breezy days we are experiencing right now. Frankly, I enjoyed the change in the weather but I wouldn't want to have more than a week of clouds. Reminds me too much of the summer we had in Toronto last year. It was so dismal (and I was so miserable), I had to come down here for a week to warm up!

I am expecting a lot of friends in town this month so I don't know how much time I will have to 'blog'. Unfortunately, blogging is a solitary venture so if you like what you're reading, drop me a quick note to say "hi". I sometimes receive an email from someone I don't know, who reads this and enjoys it. And once in awhile I meet someone who says, "You don't know me but I read your blog!" I would like to thank all of you for your continued support of my efforts and I will do my best to keep you up-to-date on my adventures.

Rain, Rain, Go Away! :(

This is the fourth day in a row that has been overcast with showers. Enough already! I shouldn't complain since we've been really busy in the store as a result. What else is there to do in Vallarta but eat, drink and shop when the sun is being elusive? It's really windy tonight and spitting a little bit. I just came back from the garbage drop off corner and the store. I wore my pajamas with my jean jacket and sports sandals. No makeup, dirty hair in a ponytail -- what a Goddess!!! No one saw me ... I hope. LOL And who cares if they did?

I'm off tomorrow. There is no merchandise in the store to mark. The boss is still away in the U.S. until Tuesday night. Hopefully, those wonderful guys at UPS or DHL will deliver something tomorrow. If not, I'm off until Monday ... what to do, what to do. I think I will sleep in and then try to talk Colleen into going out for breakfast. She was out all day today on a friend's boat, came home at 7PM and went straight to bed. Maybe the sun will come out so I can go down the beach and work on my non-existent tan. Or maybe I'll go shopping. The possibilities are endless! :)

It's Raining, It's Pouring ...

It is raining like a BITCH here right now. In fact, it has been raining pretty strongly for three hours now. You might be saying to yourself, so what? Well, rain in January in Vallarta is not unheard of (just ask my friend Mary Ann -- it rained every day she was here last January!) but it is a little unusual. The locals call it Las Cabañuelas and supposedly, the upcoming rainy season can be predicted somehow by these early rains. We had 9 straight days of rain last January and October was the hottest month of 2004. Very strange weather indeed ...

In fact, the weather has been strange everywhere. Snow and well below seasonal temps all over the continent. Can you say 'global warming'? Kind of makes you give that movie "The Day After Tomorrow" a second thought doesn't it? Other things are happening in our world as well. The crime rate just keeps going up and up. In Toronto, we have our share of violent crime but last week, two young people were wounded in a random drive by shooting in my neighbourhood. It kind of makes me think twice about going home.

And before you ask -- NO, I still don't know what I'm doing at the end of this season. Although this week, I am leaning towards staying for the summer, if I can swing it financially. The boss hasn't mentioned anything to me yet (she's out of town again, shopping for stuff for the store!) but with only two months left in the high season, we will all have to start thinking about how we're going to get through the low season. A part of me would really like to stay. It is hard to make an informed decision on whether to live here without staying a full 12 months. I'll make a deal with you though! As soon as I know, so will you.

By the way, check out Mary Sue's latest article in The Tribune (http://www.vallartatribune.com/paginas/marysue.htm). I helped to write it!

Philosophical Question

If a large tree falls in your driveway less than a minute after you walk by the exact same spot, does that mean you've cheated death or are there simply too many termites in your neighbourhood? LOL

This morning, as I left for work, I walked down the driveway towards our gate and heard a noise behind me. As I turned around, a large, 20' tree fell slowly over in the neighbour's back yard, across the brick wall that separates our two properties and it is now leaning across the driveway like a beautiful canopy, waiting for the tree cutter to come and take it down.

I guess today wasn't the day I was being "called up" after all ... better make the most of it I guess. Time for my nap! :)

It Must Be A Full Moon

I cooked tonight! I hardly ever cook. Last night, after looking in Guadalajara Farmacia for hair conditioner, Raid plug ins and other sundries (and finding nothing I wanted), I decided to take the bus up to Mega around 7PM. I only needed a few things ... yeah, right. Almost an hour and 350 pesos later, I was taking the bus home, loaded down with all kinds of goodies including pasta and sauce.

So tonight, I threw chopped garlic, button mushroms and green olives in some olive oil in a small pot with Italian seasoning added to taste. Then I added a bit of red wine and let that mixture simmer. I started water boiling for the fusili. Once the wine had reduced, I added plain tomato sauce (Hunts!) and continued to simmer the sauce. My pasta was done in eight minutes so I dumped the sauce on top. Add one glass of red wine and you have a meal fit for a Goddess! :)

Best of all, I have leftovers!!!

Excuse Me!

I know I've mentioned to you before how polite the Mexican are. Would you believe they have three different ways to say "excuse me"? The first is quite formal: "Con su permiso" or literally, "with your permission". You use this when you are trying to squeeze by someone on the sidewalk. Shorter versions are "con permiso" or just "permiso". I find the young Mexicans to be are notoriously immoveable on the sidewalks down here! The second saying is "Disculpame". This expression is used when you are approaching someone you don't know to ask them for directions, for example. The third is "Perdoname" or simply "perdon". You use this when you accidentally bump into someone or step on their foot trying to get to your seat in the dark movie theatre. I'm not sure what I would say if I accidentally ran over someone's foot while trying to squeeze by them at the grocery store while asking them for directions to the cracker aisle. LOL

TIDBITS

We have to carry our garbage to the curb for pick up. Unfortunately, the curb in question is almost two blocks away! Garbage pick up is every single night in Vallarta. Not a small feat when you consider how big this city is. So we lug our garbage bags down 45 stairs, down the driveway, through the 7' gate, down the laneway and down a block to the "drop zone". Every morning, there is a man there sweeping and washing down the corner, in anticipation of the evening's collection.

Milk and eggs are not refrigerated here. You simply pull a cardboard carton of milk off the shelf and take it home. Once opened, it must be refrigerated. Eggs are stacked in the produce section beside the tomatoes and avocados. Apparently they never have to be refrigerated but I do it anyway. You can also buy any odd number of eggs (11 or 13!) at the local mercado. They gingerly place them in a plastic bag so you can carry them home.

We have performers on the bus. They jump on, usually with musical instruments or painted faces and perform for the captive audience of bus riders. At the end, you are expected to pay a small propina (tip) regardless of how bad the performance might have been. Usually the "plays" are in Spanish so I have no idea what the hell is going on but I hand over my pesos just like every one else. It is also proper to tip the grocery bag boys a peso or two after they have placed your paid for groceries in bags at the store. But you NEVER tip taxi drivers unless they help you with your bags or luggage.

In Toronto, when you enter a subway car, get on the streetcar or bus, you always look for a seat by yourself. If you have to sit beside someone else, as soon as there is another empty seat available, you move to it. In Vallarta, when you get on the bus, it is customary to remain in your seat for the entire duration of your ride. The entire bus could be empty, but if there is someone sitting beside you, they will not move to an empty seat. I think moving to a different seat implies that there is something wrong with the person you are sitting beside. Very impolite!

Conversations are constantly interrupted down here by people trying to sell you stuff. You could be discussing world politics or religion or why you're breaking up with your boyfriend but if there are silver bracelets or wood carvings for sale then, darn it, they are going to interject into your conversation to ask you to buy. I found this extremely disconcerting when I first got here (knowing how polite Mexicans are) but am now used to it. Everyone has to make a living somehow!

The healthcare system is remarkable. I had two wonderful experiences last year at two different hospitals here. One Sunday night, I attended at Emergency at CMQ (one of the local hospitals) and was seen by an internist who treated me very compassionately. I was hooked up to an IV, given a list of medications to take and discharged all within 45 minutes. The cost was around $90US. Waiting time: 15 minutes, PLUS the doctor gave me his home AND cell phone number, plus a free follow up visit the next day in his office. The second occurrence was at Medassist. I attended at the lab for some blood work and then met with the doctor who sat with me for 10 minutes, discussing my life in Vallarta and the meds he wanted me to take. He also gave me his home and cell phone number should I have any questions and insisted that I follow up with him in a few days, at no extra charge. I think that visit cost me $45US, including the lab work.

Dr. "Lupita" is a female doctor of some renown here in Vallarta. My friend Ruben says that Dr. Lupita saved his wife's life when she was in labour with his youngest son. Another friend considers her care to be the best she's ever had! I was intrigued and wanted to meet with her to discuss some minor health issues. In short, I wanted her to agree to take me on as a patient! On Saturday, I dropped into Medassist to make an appointment to see her, thinking that I would probably have to wait a week or more. "Hasta lunes a la una y media" I was told. "Not until Monday at 1:30 p.m." TWO DAYS LATER!!! I couldn't believe my luck.

I arrived at the appointed hour today (truth be told, I was a few minutes late but this IS Mexico!) and got in to see her about 20 minutes later. I found her to be charming, direct, intelligent and funny. She answered my questions, agreed to take me on as a patient, told me I was beautiful and sent me on my way, all for $350 pesos. This I paid to the receptionist on the way out, in cash. She put the money in an envelope, on the side of which she wrote my name, in pencil, and the amount, and placed the envelope in a drawer of her desk. Very efficient! Canada and the U.S. could learn a lot about healthcare from Mexico!

We had a beautiful sunset tonight, the first in a very long time. Most evenings have been overcast and gloomy but we were rewarded with 30 minutes of rain last night. Today was clear, warm, breezy and 28C. I believe the full moon is tomorrow night so be careful out there! I know most of you are buried under a shitload of snow. Don't strain your backs and drive slowly. Taking a few more minutes to reach your destination won't kill you whereas rushing to get there might. Stay warm and throw another log on the fire. Spring is only a few months away ... hehe! [insert evil laugh here]

Cock-A-Doodle-Don't

Two of the women I work with have hired hit "men" to kill the roosters in their neighbourhood. Apparently, for 50 pesos a head, you can get them "taken care of" and the local kids are lining up, fighting for the job. It all started with a couple of noisy roosters with no sense of timing. That old adage that roosters only crow at the first sign of light is a crock! They do it all night long, in the middle of the night, the early morning and sometimes even in the afternoon. They have no concept of time. Anyway, Jane* and Cathy* (*names changed to protect their right to hire unlicensed poultry hunters) got tired of listening to the roosters in their vicinity so they "put the word out". They are paying 50 pesos per rooster. So far, Jane* has spent 150 pesos, Cathy* has put up another 150 pesos and the guy downstairs is also on board. As far as I'm concerned, all we need is one GOOD cock to fertilize the eggs. All the rest are simply superfluous!

What The Hell?

There is some kind of conspiracy going on around here. Three women in three days have told me that I look like I've lost weight. And since they weren't hitting on me, I know they were telling me the truth. The fact that I've lost any weight at all is practically impossible because my diet lately has consisted primarily of Cheetos and Hershey's kisses! I only went to the gym twice this week and couldn't walk or sit properly for three days after my leg workout. So I'm not sure what's going on but I hope it continues ...

I had a bit of time off work this week. I left early on Thursday but had to come back to do a style show at 6PM that night. I was off on Friday and Saturday but got called in today (Sunday) for a couple of hours because we were expecting 30 people on a tour bus to come into the store. They never showed up. Not having worked a Sunday morning in well over a year now, I was a little disconcerted by the number of seniors coming and "going". The regular staff called them the "bathroom brigade" -- they come in to use our facilities, pick up their free gift and leave. LOL

My boss decided we all needed two consecutive days off to recover from the holiday season. This was in addition to our fabulous all-inclusive Christmas party at the extremely sexy Nikki Beach on January 6th (think Sultan's Harem meets Hawaiian fire eaters), our gifts to one another (we draw names) and Mary Sue's gift to all of us (any watch we want from the store). She's a great boss and I love working at Viva!!! I'm still working days, down to five shifts a week (Monday to Friday, 10AM to 6PM) with the odd style show thrown in for fun. Make sure you drop in next time you're in Vallarta!

I've met some interesting people lately. Gabriele is a psychologist from San Francisco with a passion for scuba diving. Andrea is a single mom from Vancouver who is just starting the journey in the second half of her life (can you say Goddess?). Stephanie is the young friend of my roommate and she stayed with us unobtrusively for almost a week before I properly met her, face to face. And I've reconnected with old friends from last year -- Sheri, the beekeeper from Wisconsin; Irene, the business woman from London, Ontario; Caryl, the Libra from L.A. who is now working here in her husband's real estate office. These women come from all over the world and bring so much into my life.

Which leads me to the main focus of this week's blog. People are starting to ask me when I'm going home. The short answer to that question is "I don't know" and "Ask me next week". I will seriously start thinking about it in April, after the Goddesses leave. Usually I'm so homesick by then, all I can think about are the things at home I can't get here. Number one on the list (after friends and family) would be convenience ... it is just easier at home to pay bills, get money and buy clothes. The selection of food is better too. I miss Wendy's fresh salads, Quizno's subs, Chunky Kit Kat bars and Excel peppermint gum. I miss Steve, the olive guy at the St. Lawrence Market, who flirts with me while I pop samples into my mouth at his family's stand. I miss the selection of cheeses, (especially cheddar and feta) and bread! I miss the variety of so many things, including wine and beer and salad dressings. I miss Pad Thai!!!

I know this probably sounds whiney to you. You're probably reading this while winter howls outside your door and all you have to look forward to are short days and long nights until June because you've already had your winter vacation. The fact is, the selection is getting better here because there are more people like me living here. And therein "lies the rub" since one of the reasons I moved here was because it was so very different from home -- I loved the fact that Vallarta was still so "Mexican". But nothing stays the same and that is more true here than anywhere else. I'm not sure I made my point but you can get the gist of what I'm saying. For now, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Are you sure you shouldn't be here too? :)

Why Is That Woman Smiling?

Lately, people have been asking me why I look so happy. One friend went so far as to ask me if I was "getting it" from some young stud ... of course I didn't give him a straight answer but do you think he reads my blog? Haha! In fact, many people have commented that (a) I look happy (b) I look content and (c) I look just downright amazing. OK, well maybe the last comment came from a timeshare rep on my way to work one morning but every positive comment counts!

My friend John loves to tell the story of how I used to look when I first arrived after a summer of working for "those lawyers" in Toronto. Apparently my brow was constantly furrowed and I was "stressed out" looking. Then he says, "Look at her now!" Coming from John, this is a compliment. I know when I went home last April, all my friends commented that I looked younger and more relaxed. I guess that's what living here does for me.

I have noticed a preponderance of smiles lately. Last night, as I walked through town, I kept track of the all the smiles I saw and there were quite a few. The tourists leaving the Burros Bar had large smiles, no doubt tequila-induced. The young Mexican boys playing soccer in front of Plazamar were giggling and smiling as they taught their younger siblings how to kick the ball. The girl selling roasted nuts on the beach was smiling as she handed a prospective customer a sample. The vendors along Los Muertos smiled at me as they offered me their wares and I smiled warmly while telling them, "No, gracias".

Mexico is a country of politeness, of warmth and generosity of spirit. You cannot help but become a nicer person living here. Her people wear down your sharp edges with their compassion and soon you find yourself walking around with a big grin on your face and have people constantly asking you what you're doing that makes you looks so happy ... :)

First Blog of 2005

Well it is another beautiful day here in Puerto Vallarta. Feliz Ano Nuevo to everyone! I woke up early and decided to languish in bed until after 9AM. I haven't had a Saturday off since early October so I thought I would take advantage. The morning was eerily silent, except for the birds and the roosters. Not a lot of traffic or music or "people" noises if you know what I mean. Just the breeze rustling through the leaves and the sound of acorns hitting the cement outside my window.

I treated myself to a pot of Tim Horton's coffee this morning and that made me homesick so I called my good friend Rose in Toronto and had a wonderful chat with her. I left the house around 10:30AM and headed north. I wanted to see what was open today besides Viva. Guadalajara Farmacia was open. The cheap internet cafe on Insurgentes was open. As I wandered over the bridge, I decided to take some back streets in order to get out of the sun. I ended up in front of the big church on Hidalgo and went inside. It was about 3/4 full but there was nothing going on. I sat for 15 minutes, counted my blessings and left. Once outside, I realized there was a mass scheduled for 12 noon and when I went by at 1PM, people were spilling out of the church onto the steps for a chance to hear what was being said inside.

I walked up Juarez and looked in a couple of shop windows but Centro was deserted. I found Woolworth's to be open so I was able to buy a few necessities such as shampoo, chocolate, etc. I paid 49.50MXP for a bag of Hershey's kisses. UNBELIEVABLE!!! :) Then I had a craving for McDonald's so I went there and had my annual Big Mac attack. It was predicably bad but what the hell ... I was reminiscing about the same trip made with a girlfriend the year before. Her boyfriend is a vegetarian and would have died if he knew she wanted to eat at McD's!!! LOL

I walked back along the Malecon and was ignored by every single timeshare person. My transformation into a local must now be complete! After I got home, I took a nap. What's the point of having an extra day off if you can't relax so that's what I did. I needed to meet a woman at 5PM to see her condo so I did that and then wandered over to Sweeney's for dinner. I started to eat alone but my friend Jennifer soon joined me and after she left with her take out, my friend John joined me. We had a beer, watched the end of the Rose Bowl game and then I came home. On Sunday, I ate breakfast out, did my grocery shopping, grabbed a matinee with Colleen and watched a video before bed.

I guess those of you who thought I lead a pretty amazing life must be bored stupid by now! Actually, work keeps me fairly busy and most nights, unless I have friends in town, I usually just come home and relax. I expect February to be very busy with friends visiting from all over North America so I'm resting now. The store is practically empty since we sold everything in it during the last two weeks. I have tons of merchandise to mark and once I do, the store will look totally different than it did before Christmas. Make sure you stop by to see us when you're in PV. We are also ambassadors for PV so don't be shy to ask if you would like a recommendation for a nice place to eat or any other tourist information. We are MORE that a jewellery store!

Bite Me!

I set my alarm for 6:30AM this morning so that I could arrive at the gym by 7AM. I haven't been going because (1) I was sick for over two weeks and (2) I became a sloth in that period of time. Anyway, after noticing that my uniforms had "shrunk" in the last month or so, I decided to get back into my workout routine. Since it is so "cold" here in the mornings, I figured I could stay warmer by wearing a hat. I grabbed my favourite ball cap (the one that says "Canadian Girls Kick Ass") and prepared to head out. Imagine my surprise to find a nice hole, the size of a quarter, chewed in the middle of it!

I know I've mentioned a lot of the wildlife I deal with here on a regular basis but I have failed to tell you about the termites! They are everywhere. Everything that is wood here is likely to succumb to their voracious appetites. In my room alone, the dressers, the night tables, the doorframes and the wooden screen that hides the laundryroom, are all tasty morsels for these pesky creatures. I never realized that they wanted variety in their diet (ie. cotton!) or I would have bought them a stick of dynamite to chew on! Grrr ... anyway, after I returned from the gym, I dumped the entire content of my drawers on the floor and sprayed them all inside with bug spray. With my luck, they will probably inhale the stuff and mutate into something that eats hair! LOL

So Christmas is finally over. Thank the Goddess! I used to have fabulous Christmases when I was a kid but the ones in my adult life have never quite measured up. The frenzy experienced NOTB is somewhat muted here but working in retail allows me to see the best and worst of people when they are shopping. December 23 was a great day in the store -- we were incredibly busy and everyone was in a generous mood. By December 25 (one day before the full moon), people were definitely in a different frame of mind and it was hard to maintain my enthusiasm while working. I spent Christmas Eve at a friend's house, enjoying her hospitality and a wonderful homecooked meal. Dinner on Christmas Day proved to be somewhat of a disaster since the restaurant I chose was overbooked and understaffed. I would have been happier at home with a bag of cheesies.

Next comes New Year's and this is a much happier "holiday" for me. I never feel the pressure to have a date for New Year's Eve, either here or in Canada. December 31, 1999 saw me celebrating the millenium with two girlfriends, drinking champagne in one of the unfinished penthouse suites in my brand new condo building. I think I stayed home alone the next year and it was wonderful. Last year, I spent New Year's Eve on Los Muertos beach, drinking margaritas, watching fireworks with the ocean and palm trees as a back drop and then dancing the night away on Olas Altas. I swear every gay guy in town was out that night. What a blast! Some old friends will be missing this year (and yes Medina, I'm talking about YOU!) but there are always new friends to fill the void.

I don't expect this December 31st to be the same as last year but I am hoping for a few giggles anyway. Then I have a two day weekend afterwards. I can hardly bear to think of what I'm going to do with myself! LOL It will probably take one whole day to recover from my hangover. Whatever you do on December 31st, and with whomever you do it, please be careful and mindful of those around you. The world is a fragile place and we must look out for one another. All the best to you and yours for 2005. I'll be here for a while yet.

The Battle of the Sexes

I had a psychology professor in university who felt that women were definitely the stronger sex. I was in my late teens or early 20's at the time and I didn't really believe him. But his "philosphy" must have registered somewhere in the back of my brain. I can always remember his telling us that women were tough and that's why they had babies. Or maybe having babies made them tough. Hell, I can't remember his exact words but I took his Psych 101 class once a week for a year and he hardly ever neglected to comment on his favourite subject.

My roommate Colleen and I just finished watching three back-to-back episodes of the "Sex and The City" on DVD tonight. In one of the episodes, Carrie (the character played by Sarah Jessica Parker) asks, "Are we the new bachelors?". Colleen and I howled at this one because we think it's true! Lately the men we've been meeting are all about relationships and commitments and "making love" and we just want sex! Is there ever a point in our lives when men and women are on the same wave length?

When we're young girls and women, we dream of getting married and having babies. I never actually "dreamed" of getting married but I did it 'cause everyone else was doing it. I feel it was a relationship that "went too far". In retrospect, we should have never gotten married. Then, in my early 30's and after my divorce, when most of my school chums were raising their families, I was single and still trying to have relationships with guys my own age. For the most part, they hadn't been married yet or, like me, had been married for a short period of time with little or no prodigy. We went to "meat" markets, partied a lot and tried to form relationships with people we barely knew. It was a sad, lonely time for many of us and I never want to repeat that decade.

Once I turned 40, I was well entrenched in a successful career, was close to buying my first home and living a somewhat sophisticated lifestyle downtown Toronto. Most of my friends were female, in their 40's, divorced with no kids, single and professional. We ran around in packs and had fabulous, boozy dinner parties in each other's homes or went to the theatre or out for dinner to the newest, hottest clubs and restaurants. Once in a while, one of us would get tangled up with some guy but it never lasted, especially if the "girls" didn't like him. They were my barometer against which I measured all my men. And not many measured up.

It was in my late 30's and early 40's that I discovered the unique experience of dating younger men (Dad, if you're reading this, you might want to go get a drink of water or something!). The first one was nine years younger than me and he was SO sexy, with his tattooes, multiple piercings and Harley. When he came to the office one day to show me his newly pierced nipple, the girls I worked with went crazy! He was lean and handsome in a rakish kind of way, with long black curly hair. We had absolutely NOTHING in common yet I dated him for almost a year and we stayed friends for a long, long time after that. I think I passed him on to one of my girlfriends.

Since then I've dated guys of all ages but lately, just those much older or much younger than me. Guys my own age seem to be in short supply. Most of them are gay. The rest are married to my girlfriends and therefore, become great friends to me but nothing more. Ideally, these would be the guys with whom I have the most in common but there are none available. The older guys I meet might be financially stable but they can be quite boring. The younger guys I know provide fun and excitement but they are often starting to think about having a family and I'm not!

I've decided I'm not cut out for a long term relationship. I like to sleep alone too much! And the older I get, the harder it is for me to meet someone who can stimulate me on all levels. I need about four different men to keep me interested -- someone intellectual, someone to confide in, someone to get zany with and one muscle-bound sex machine. But if I had to choose any one of the above, I would choose the last one. Less complications that way and my girlfriends can fill in for all the others! :)

A Week of Wonders

Last weekend (Dec. 11 and 12) marked the end of the feast of the Virgin and the final processions in her honour throughout the City. It is a week filled traffic chaos, religious devotion and food. The processions wind their way through town, causing major headaches for drivers as one of the main arteries in Centro is completely closed off to vehicular traffic and food stands sprout up everywhere. The processions themselves are beautiful with their costumed performers, ancient pagan rituals, familiar, haunting music and drum beats. The processions at night are especially beautiful, lit with candlelight. There is something very moving to see young and old, Nationals and ex-pats, mingling together to celebrate one of Mexico's oldest traditions. It is truly a powerful expression of faith.

On Saturday afternoon in the store, Luis manhandled two huge pinatas up the stairs. I had no idea what they were for until around 5PM when Ana Margarita yelled for me to come downstairs to see the children. The tunnel to the store was filled with small children, all dressed in costume, two representing Mary and Joseph. Apparently, they go from one stop to the next, on their journey looking for food and a resting spot for the pregnant Mother of God. These kids were so small ... I can never get over the difference in size between Mexican children and the kids in Canada. Most of them didn't appear much older than 3 or 4 as they looked at me with huge shining eyes and big toothy grins. It was amazing.

One night on my way home from work, as I walked by Cafe de Olla, the man who cooks on the barbeque outside the restaurant greeted me with his usual smile. As I reached out my hand to shake his in our regular form of greeting, for some inexplicable reason, he enveloped me in a warm hug much like I would expect from my father. I don't know his name and he doesn't speak a word of English but it made feel fuzzy all over just the same.

On Wednesday night, it started to rain around 12:30AM. I lay cuddling my teddy bears in bed, listening to the sound of the rain on the leaves and the thunder rolling in the distance out over the Bay and I thought I had never been more content than right at that exact moment.

On Thursday night, I shared a romantic dinner on the beach with a friend before we headed down south to Dreams (the former Camino Real resort) for an outdoor concert. Paco Renteria was playing to a small crowd outdoors. I had seen him last year at Los Arcos, a huge venue with thousands of people. We were maybe 100 people on Thursday night and as he strummed the first few notes on his guitar, with the quarter moon floating above us and the palm trees waving in the cool night breeze, I felt tears roll down my face. There is something about his music that reaches me like no other ... maybe because wherever and whenever I play it, I am always taken back to Puerto Vallarta.

Back Online

Our computer has been down since last Friday with a blown out video card. We got a new one installed but things are still looking a little bit wonky. At least it's working! I haven't been able to check my emails, read the Board (http://vallartascene.com/forum/phpBB2/) or blog anything. Funny how you get so used to having a computer every day, it seems strange when it is gone. After being offline a week, I was started to get used to having a bit more free time. LOL

Not much new around here other than the weather which was unseasonably warm and humid today. As I walked home from work just after sunset, I noticed some dark clouds and thought that it looked like it might rain. We did get a few drops about an hour later and I've been hearing thunder but nothing major is happening right now. A good downpour would give some welcome relief although I'm still finding it pleasantly cool.

The town is relatively quiet this week, no doubt in preparation for all hell to break loose next week when the Christmas crowd arrives. It is always difficult for me to get excited about Xmas (as I call it). I find it to be overly commercial (she said, working full-time in retail) and far too frantic. Everyone is rushing around, looking for gifts for people who don't really need anything. I prefer a quiet evening of sharing good food and good wine with good friends.

I'll keep this short as I have a TON of emails to answer. I hope you aren't stressing too much about the coming "season" and find the time to be thankful for all the blessings in your life.

Mid Week Blog

Thanks to everyone who called, sent an email or pushed wishes of good health out into the stratosphere -- I am on the mend! I tried to go back to work yesterday but my boss insisted that I go home after our one hour staff meeting. She didn't want me having a relapse. I guess she didn't think an unconscious employee lying on the floor in the middle of the store would be good for business! Actually, I thought it was very sweet of her to be so concerned. So I came home, tried to sleep but couldn't even though I was operating with only 3.5 hours from the night before (frickin' insomnia). I went out for a quick, light dinner at Mama Dolores around the corner. I never met Dolores but the new owner, Grant from Toronto, makes a mean margarita! :) Everyone down here keeps telling me that tequila is the cure for my cold.

But after being in bed since Saturday, I was bored, lonely and checking for bed sores. So I went into work today for my first full shift. It was an extra zany day for some reason. Wednesdays are always a little crazy because the Viva models do a show out at Paradise Village in Nuevo at 2PM. That means four or five young beauties, running around, getting dressed, donning jewellery and blasting out of the store for the 45 minute drive up there, so they can walk around on the hot beach promoting the store, all the while looking cool and chic. What a job!

We are also promoting the store with a local modelling agency at different venues around town which means organizing pareos (sarongs), hats, shoes, sunglasses and jewellery for TEN more models (8 women and two men). This takes HOURS of prep work, including writing down a list of everything sent out in the hopes that we get it back. Fortunately, none of these jobs fall within my list of duties (thank the Goddess!) but I get to watch everyone else run around like headless chickens.

BTW, we had a group photo taken of the new staff at Viva (finally) and it up on the website. Check us out at www.vivacollection.com. Or better yet, drop into the store and see us "live"! The person recently responsible for our marketing "department" (I say that facetiously because the department consists of one person -- Nathan) is leaving to go back to school so we had chocolate cake at the meeting yesterday morning and then went to Burger King tonight after work as sort of a farewell. You might think this sounds a bit odd but Nathan is, without a doubt, the biggest junk food junkie I've ever met! So his going away "bash" was appropriate.

Nathan's replacement, Scott, is turning out to be a good friend. Actually, we are discovering that we are a lot alike and I call him my "alter ego" at work. We like the same kind of jewellery -- when something new comes in, I ask Scott, "Do we love it or hate it?" Invariably, we agree close to 100% of the time. Other than the fact that he is (1) a man (2) gay and (3) blonde, we are identical twins! LOL We joke about it all the time. We keep each other "sane" at work on the days when everyone else is driving us nuts! And he missed me terribly when I was off sick. It is nice to be needed ... BTW, I have a sign in the back room where I work. It says, "Welcome to the Marking Department" and then below that a big circle with the words "BANG HEAD HERE" typed inside. I've been told to move to a location with easier access for all employees. Haha!

After the junk food festival at Burger King, I walked home along the new bridge so I could look at the ocean. The water was wild tonight! There was a huge bank of black clouds in the south end of the Bay and I could swear it was raining south of Mismaloya. The ocean was churning out huge, angry waves and the wind was whipping the crap out of the palapas along the beach. So far it hasn't rained here but it seems to be pending. Weird weather for December. It's been really cool lately. So much so that this acclimated Canadian actually took her jean jacket out with her last night to ward off the chill! Oh that reminds me, it's snowing in Toronto. [insert evil laugh here]

I hope you are happy and healthy wherever you are. And remember, if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with!

"Sick As A Dog" Blog

Tengo la gripa. That means I have the flu. Some of the people at work insisted on coming in, even though they were deathly ill. So now I'm sick. Really sick. I have a philosophy about being sick and work. Whether or not you get sick days, DON'T GO INTO TO WORK, for three reasons: (1) Obviously, you will infect everyone else around you and, in our case, even our customers. "Thank you for shopping at Viva ma'am ... cough, cough." (2) You need rest when you're sick in order to mend. Go home. Sleep. (3) The work you are doing is probably well below standard. Mistakes happen regardless but when you're sick, MORE mistakes happen.

Thank goodness for Colleen, my roommate, and my friend Bill, who have been nursing me with food and drugs since Friday. I am very grateful not to be living alone right now. Yesterday I was too weak to even make myself a bowl of soup and I couldn't sleep either. So combine insomnia with the flu and you've got a good idea of how I'm feeling. To add insult to injury, I got severely bit by something last night and have two huge welts on the side of my neck. If it was a vampire, I'll let you know.

Right now I'm drinking some tea while thinking about having a shower and washing my hair. Something tells me my energy level for the day is at its highest right now and I should take advantage of it while I can. So this blog is going to be short today. Sorry about that. Please send your wishes for my speedy recovery up into the air and direct them south to Puerto Vallarta where, hopefully, I will receive them. And if I'm still sick tomorrow, you can bet I won't be going into work ... :)

The Week in Review

I've been getting a lot of "flack" from fans of my blog about not posting. I have no real excuse but I can assure you that I have working every day as well as going out almost every night. Life in Vallarta is interesting, challenging and always changing. The noises I hear at night through my bedroom window would probably cause most of you to head to the airport and catch the next plane back to civilization. I just smile, adjust my ear plugs and try to go back to sleep.

Lately, I've heard coconuts falling. It actually sounds like someone on the roof is tossing bombs over the side which crash through the trees before slamming onto Arturo's patio below my window. The other night, he and a friend woke me up trying to wrestle the coconuts off the patio and onto a huge, noisy, plastic tarp so the friend could haul them away. Did I mention this occurred at 1AM? It's difficult to get angry with Arturo. He is our landlord and incredibly handsome. He thinks Colleen and I are the most beautiful women in Vallarta. Oh, and rich too since we're always working. Too bad he plays for the "other team"!

And then there is the "new" dog in the neighbourhood. He must be very big because he is very loud. And he always starts his barking AFTER 11PM, like some kind of weird, inverted noise by-law. One night last week, at approximately midnight, I threw my jean jacket over my PJs and headed outside with a flashlight to investigate. There is a condo building way up on top of the hill directly east of our house. This poor dog was out on the balcony, whimpering, barking and pawing at the glass doors. If I can ever figure out a way to get up there, those dog owners better watch out! Thank the Goddess I know how to say "SHUT UP" in both English and Spanish.

I can't remember what I did on Monday other than work my usual eight hour day. With any luck, I came home and went to bed early. On Tuesday, we had our usual staff meeting at 9AM and I worked until 6:30PM, changed and went across the street to Lucy's CuCuCabana. Lucy's husband Gil was holding a book signing party for his two books, both of which I already own, already signed by Gil last year and the year before. However, a party is a party and they were serving free margaritas! I said hi to Gil and headed to the back of the store where I could see Lucy waving a ladle at me over a huge jug of already mixed margaritas. My friends Martin and Missy arrived shortly thereafter, as well as David and Nancy. We all bought something in the store which is the least we could do considering all the margaritas we were consuming!

Lucy left to fire up the band and the next thing you know, we had a four piece Norteño band playing live music on the street outside the store! Norteño music is kind of like Mexican polka music since the accordian is the most predominant instrument. These guys were good and very resplendent in the their matching chocolate brown suits and white boots. Besides the accordian player, there was a guitar player, a bass player and a percussionist banging out the beat on a little wooden box strapped to his waist about the size of wallet and two inches thick. These guys were awesome and not one of them was under 50 years old! A couple of Mexican ladies started dancing together on the sidewalk. My friend David knew all the words to one song and was singing to us. The band members were flirting outrageously with all the women passing by them. Ahhh ... Mexico!

We dragged ourselves away from this party and started another across the street at Cafe Frankfurt. We decided we needed to fortify ourselves with German food before commencing the Black Death Mexican Open. It was time for our annual dart tournament, the name of which sprung from Martin's overactive imagination. I think it had more to do with the fact that Cliff kicked Martin's ass playing darts one night last year and Marty wanted a rematch. Anyway, after a scrumptious dinner and more libations (I stuck with tequila, drinking my infamous "Tequila Ceasar"), we made our way to the back corner of the restaurant where Mike hides his dart board.

Cliffie and John squared off against Martin and David. Cliff's team won by ONE throw! What a game! What suspense! *YAWN* We woman sat around and talked while the guys played. Then they decided we all should play and two teams of four players each were formed. It takes a long time to play a game of darts with eight people, especially when you have to wait for people to come back from the washroom and drinks to arrive. After much laughter and good sportsmanlike behaviour, one team was victorious over the other. I can't remember if I was on the winning team or not -- by this point it didn't matter because I was laughing too much. Someone took photos. I hope I get to see them before next year's tourney.

On Wednesday, I worked a full day but I was finally getting caught up on all the merchandise to be marked and felt like I was really accomplishing something. As a result, I actually left work a few minutes early (*gasp*) and took a taxi up to Barcelonas Tapas to meet all the same people from the night before (and then some) for dinner. Bill, the owner, offered us a set price meal (195 pesos) with enough tapas to fill everyone up. Tapas are small, appetizer size dishes, ideal for sharing but there were 15 of us at the table. I was curious to see if we would get enough food. The sunset was outstanding that evening and by 7PM, we were all eating.

We each received a small bowl of shrimp bisque. Then we were all served a small green salad with pear slices and goat cheese. Then the tapas started to arrive. We were served five plates of the same dish so in fact, one dish was shared by approximately three people. We had tuna canneloni, sauteed mushrooms, chicken salad, eggplant and mozzarella with fresh diced tomatoes, beef skewers, garlic shrimp, and probably a few others I've forgotten by now. It was a lot of food. Then there was flan for dessert and ice cream in a biscuit with whipped cream. After the wine, sangria, coffees and liqueurs were consumed, the bill arrived and it was just over $5000 pesos for 15 people. Service was efficient and courteous. We left a 20% tip. The cost came to approximately $35US per person. After eating all those small bites, most of us wanted to walk home to wear off dinner so we strolled, en masse, along the Malecon, enjoying the night air, the sights and each other's company.

Are you tired yet? I'm exhausted just writing this ... I can't imagine how I did all this and got up for work every morning. But Thursday arrived just like any other day and I was at the store before 10AM. Imagine my surprise to find 17 huge boxes had arrived the night before from McAllen, Texas! So much for being caught up ... it was a crazy day and American Thanksgiving as well. I had made tentative plans to meet my friends, Bob and Kathy, at Northern Delights for a turkey dinner at 6PM but with those 17 boxes piled around me, I didn't leave the store until much later and simply walked two doors down to Steve's Bar. There I met Colleen and some of her friends for dinner. I knew from talking to Teri (Steve's better half) that she was expecting a big crowd and was planning to cook 9 turkeys. Dinner, with salad and dessert, was 120 pesos.

I don't know what I was expecting but the meal they served was incredible! Caesar salad with fresh French baguette bread and herbed, garlic, whipped butter to start. Dinner was served on a platter and consisted of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cooked carrots and cranberry sauce. I ate every single thing that Teri cooked but passed on the canned cranberries. I even ate half of my piece of pumpkin pie even though I don't usually like it. It was that good! With two beers, dinner and a tip, my dinner there was $180 pesos or $20CDN.

By now, you are probably picturing me at 200 pounds. I don't know why I'm not getting fat but I'm not! I didn't even go to the gym this week so I don't know what I'm doing right but whatever it is, I'm going to keep on doing it. I think we're up to Friday now. Friday was another hairy day at work but I got a lot accomplished and the boss was smiling at the end of the day. We had a very busy day in the store since we decided to have a sidewalk sale. This always brings people into the store, including actress Jennifer Tilley, who was trying on espadrilles with my friend Karin when I left at 6:30PM. After changing out of my uniform, I freshened my makeup and loosened my hair. I have to wear it tied up or back at work and it always a great feeling to "let my hair down" at the end of a long day and ditch the uniform as well.

I made my way down to the beach to meet friends for drinks at CCs (2 for 1 margaritas for 40 pesos), followed by dinner at Langostino's next door. I think we were 18 at the table. The food was good and the conversation was great! I waddled home around 10PM and tried to get to bed early but I stayed up for a while reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" -- a gift from my friend Anna, the editor of the Tribune, Vallarta's weekly English newspaper. This book is a bestseller about grammar. Anna knew I would love it so she had her ex-husband buy it in Canada and bring it down for me as a late birthday present. This book is so funny, I can't put it down! It will no doubt make me even more insufferable (is that possible?) when it comes to your punctuation, grammar and spelling mistakes. LOL

Today was my short day at work (only four hours) and I managed to get two big designers marked so that the models could wear the jewellery this weekend when they are out doing their "style shows" at the various restaurants around town. I think they visit approximately 20 restaurants each night, dressed in Viva's beautiful sarongs and decked out in our fabulous jewellery. Maybe you've seen them when you've been here? Combine that with our sidewalk sale (on again tomorrow), and it was another busy day in the store. Mary Sue asked me to look at a blurb they were using for advertising and I made a few changes to the wording. She liked it so much, she asked me to help her to write her weekly article for the Tribune. So add that to all my other duties at the store plus my busy social life and you'll probably won't get an email from me until sometime in April 2005! LOL

I'll just keep blogging away if that OK with you ... Tonight I went to a party with some friends at a beautiful condo north of Gringo Gulch up near Ay Carrumba Steak House. The hills were so steep, my friend Patricia got vertigo during the taxi ride up there. Finally we arrived at Patrick and Ron's place. Naturally, they live in the Penthouse and the place is immaculately decorated. What is it about gay men that gives them such a great sense of style? I had to laugh as Ron told us about a couple of their friends who were having their place decorated by a "straight guy". He was sure they were going to have to "tweak" the place when the decorator was through. If their home is any indication of their talents, their friends could do a lot worse.

Anyway, the evening was very enjoyable and I met a ton of new people. The food was incredible and the view of the sunset was spectacular. Unfortunately, I ate something that did not agree with me so I had to come home from the party a little bit earlier than planned. I'm not sure really what it was but I am feeling better now that I am at home. Plus, I'm tired. I wonder why? So I will sign off now and crawl into bed for, hopefully, a good night's sleep. I have a brunch date at 10:30AM, followed by plans for a relaxing day on Los Muertos beach, one block from my house. I hope you are spending your Sunday doing something special. Hasta luego!

Sleepless in Vallarta - Take II

It's 3AM and I'm awake. Something weird happened tonight as I was lying in bed. I felt something grab my hand and bite it, playfully. And before you ask, YES I was sleeping alone. Then I felt something grab my hair on the pillow, sort of playfully, like a kitten would. Except I don't have a cat! So I jumped up, turned on the light and grabbed my flashlight to look under the bed and behind the headboard. Nothing there ... so it must have been a weird dream but I can't sleep now. Go figure!

I went to bed at 8:30PM tonight. I've been doing that a lot lately (on the nights when I'm not out, tearing up the town!) but I usually only need about 7 hours sleep so I'm usually awake by 4AM. It's quiet this time of night, especially on a Sunday. No dogs, no cats, no birds, no burros, no roosters, no music, no cars, no NOTHING! Last night (Saturday), I heard music blasting until 7AM. No wonder I'm tired! OH! I spoke too soon! Just heard a dog barking ...

I went to Punta de Mita today with one of the women I work with and some of her friends. As you know, Sunday is the only day estoy descansa (I'm not working) so I like to get out of town and do something different. I must say that I do not care for this beach at all. It is too rocky! The rocks extend far out into the ocean so I had to wear my sports sandals into the water and I'm not sure how they are going to stand up to all that salt water. I was going to say that the only redeeming quality of this beach is the fact that the water remains shallow far out into the ocean but then I realized that this doesn't allow you to really swim because the water isn't deep enough.

Anyway, it was a nice day, spent with friends but I won't be going back there any time soon. Next beach on my hit list is Destiladeras! :)

The Goddesses

The Goddesses were "founded" in April 2001 as a result of an innocuous comment made by my friend Rose during our "girls only" trip to PV. Rose, Heidi, Louise and I had rented a two bedroom condo in Puerto Vallarta for 9 days. We were all remarking on how fast our nails and hair were growing and how soft our skin felt. She said, "I feel like a Goddess!" and the idea was formed. She also came up with "The Goddess Convention" as the title for this annual event (we decided after that initial trip that we would try to come to PV once a year). We had so much fun, we hoped to include other women and started spreading the word.

The second convention in 2002 was bigger and included my friend Winnie, her two sisters and her two daughters. Rose and I were also there, along with two new friends, Beatrice and Mary Ann. We held the event at Casa Andrea and invited other women, including Andrea, to join in the fun. And it was a lot of fun! Rose bought cheap, plastic, dimestore tiaras and we wore these around town during Goddess-related events and just for a laugh! Mary Ann brought some boas with her and we drapped them across our shoulders to add a bit of glamour. People started noticing how much fun we were having and started asking questions. I noticed that other women seemed particularly interested ...

In the intervening year, I developed a small website with the help of a Canadian Goddess I met online and wrote a campy "Goddess Handbook". It was mostly tongue in cheek but the main theme that ran through it was that Goddesses were superlative women -- strong, independent, funny, interesting, intelligent and knew how to have a good time. The tiara became our main focal point and I had beautiful Swarovski crystal GODDESS pins handmade for the core group plus a few other women who had attended GCII.

The third convention was smaller and consisted of only Rose, Heidi, Beatrice and Mary Ann. I was already living here so their visit was extra special because I missed them all so much. We had dinner out at a friend's restaurant, wearing our tiaras and boas, and caused quite a commotion, especially among the female patrons. They all wanted to know what they had to do to "join" the group! We felt special; we felt silly; we felt powerful -- heck, we felt like Goddesses! LOL

GCIV is scheduled for the first two weeks of April 2005. At that time, it will have been a year since I've seen Mary Ann but she is constantly in my thoughts. In fact, every time I open my lingerie drawer and see the "boa bra" she bought for me, I giggle! Beatrice was just here for a week but it was a very relaxing trip for her without any of the usual Goddess silliness. I miss her already! And I miss Heidi and Rose every single day I'm here ... we send emails or call and, on some level, that does help minimize how much I miss them. But it's not the same as breathing the same air as them. April 2005 will be a special month for me because I'll have all "my girls" back in the fold.

The Rent Is Due Tomorrow!

I guess I will find out how good the Mexican banking system is going to work for me when I go to withdraw money from my new account for the very first time. First I need to find out how much is in there and I tried to register for online banking but apparently, I don't have a chequing account with eleven digits so I can't. :( My rent is due tomorrow so hopefully, there is enough in there to cover it!

My weekend was spent recovering from my last week of excess -- I was out every night for dinner and didn't really spend much time at home except to sleep and change clothes. I managed to get to the gym three times last week so I hope I don't see any extra pounds creeping back on. I'll let you know after I try to squeeze into my uniform tomorrow morning! It felt good to have an evening to myself on Friday night.

On Saturday, I only worked from 10AM to 3:30PM and then headed over to the gym. It actually rained yesterday AND today ... very strange. The mosquitoes are back out in full force but the air is definitely cooler. I met my friends Dave and Nancy at Langostino's on Saturday night with another couple, Ned and Cindy. They are all staying at Casa Andrea for two weeks. My friend Cliff is here with his Mexican girlfriend, Leticia, whose English is improving faster than his Spanish! We all had drinks and dinner together ... what fun!

Today, a bunch of us went to the beach at Conchas Chinas since it is closer to town. The boys wanted to cut our weekly excursion short so they could go to Steve's Bar at 3PM and watch the CFL semi-finals. The beach was crowded with Mexican families and even some people we knew. The water was definitely cooler -- a welcome relief to this Canadian Goddess! I came home and did laundry. LOL It's been a quiet night and I am ready for another work week starting tomorrow. More friends are arriving this coming weekend and I need to rest up for that!

Remember to tell the important people in your life how much you love them. You never know what tomorrow will bring ...

Social Butterfly

I know, I know ... I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been busy with guests: my friend Lauri from Ontario, my "brother" Mikey from Alberta, my best friend (ie. known her FOREVER and she knows where all the bodies are buried -- LOL) Jo-Anne from Ontario and my friends Linda and Denny from Kansas City. Plus I've been working six days a week. *sigh* I am tired already and it's ONLY NOVEMBER!!!

Last Friday night was Mikey's last night in town and he wanted to go to Oktoberfest at Cafe Frankfurt. This is an annual event where the owner, Mike Pohl, puts on a huge buffet, all you can eat and drink (think cold Corona beer on tap) for 180 pesos. The food is German and very, very good. This outdoor restaurant is beautifully decorated with palm trees wrapped in lights and very condusive to good digestion. The amount food was staggering and consisted of home baked bread, salads of all kinds, roasted potatoes, spaetzel (did I spell that right?), ribs, chicken, ribs, beef, pork, schnitzel, dessert, etc.

At the end of dinner, Mike invariably provides you with a shot of "black poison". My friend Vera (travelling with Jo-Anne) asked me again what "that drink was called" and I told her, "black poison". I don't think she really believed me until we literally bumped into Mike on the street last night and got the same answer from him! :) A word of caution: whatever you do, DON'T TRY THE LIME POISON!!!

On Saturday night, my boss gave me four free passes to the opening night of the Puerto Vallarta Film Festival. The presentation was a film entitled "Around The Bend" starring Michael Caine and Christopher Walken. Very good film. You know you live in a small town when you know half the people in the movie theatre. LOL

On Sunday, we decided on a day trip to Sayulita. My friend Gerry offered to escort Jo-Anne, Vera and me for the day and volunteered to drive us. What a sweetheart! We arrived at this small fishing community around 11Am and left 5 hours later. It was a glorious sunny day with a strong breeze. Not enough to make any big waves for the surfers but enough to keep us cool and comfortable for most of the afternoon. We had drinks, ordered lunch, the girls bought stuff from the vendors and frolicked in the ocean.

Gerry & I took a long walk down the beach and discovered a charming little boutique hotel called Casablanca (www.casablancasayulita.com.mx). We walked in and it was practically empty. We made our way to the front desk and asked to see a room. All the rooms are actually suites with fully equipped kitchens and air conditioned bedrooms. The hotel is immaculate and decorated in cool tones of white and blue. Very, very secluded and romantic. What a wonderful spot for a weekend getaway!

On Monday, back at work sporting my new sunburn, I stopped marking merchandise at 4PM so that I could transform myself, along with four of my fellow workmates, into VIVA Divas for a fashion show up at Casa Isabel. We donned brightly coloured pareos, Riviera hats and gobs of jewellery for our appearance at Isabel's annual "girls only" week. We were so happy to be invited up to parade all the new goodies we have for the coming season at VIVA. The show was a huge success and the ladies proved their fashion saavy by asking all the right questions about our attire. We were each treated to a pina colada for our "hard work" and posed for a photo with our charming hostess.

Back at the store, I quickly changed back into my uniform and headed home to get ready for Jo-Anne's 40th birthday party at Cafe de Olla. She said she wanted shrimp and Fermin had promised to serve up some huge prawns for her. I invited along my friends Linda and Denny, plus their travelling companions, Fred and Jayne. Jo-Anne's friend Vera and their new friend, Peter, rounded out our table at eight.

Dinner as always, was delicious. The margaritas were strictly off limits for me since I had to work the next day but everyone else was on vacation so ... we barely had room on the table for the food when it finally arrived. Jo and Vera had the shrimp, Linda and Fred had the ribs, Jayne the enchiladas, Denny had sopes, I had filet mignon and Peter had "shrimp and bananas". At least that is what he thought he was getting when, in fact, Fermin had said "shrimp empanadas" and Peter misunderstood. But he enjoyed it anyway, even without the bananas. LOL

After being serenaded by a couple of different strolling musicians, I gave Fermin the nod and they brought out the Birthday Girl's "surprise". It was an "anatomically correct" choco banana! They turned out the lights and blindfolded Jo-Anne before "feeding" it to her. She's a great sport and played along. We took a lot of photos so I hope some of them turn out. She had this crazy grin on her face and stuff was dripping off her chin ... you had to be there! Haha! It was a very "sexy" dessert -- nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

We agreed to meet Linda and Denny for a night cap at La Palapa so Jo-Anne and I walked back to her hotel to drop off her roses. At that precise moment, a burro came galloping down Calle Pulpito right in front of her hotel! This wasn't the tranquilized burro the drunken tourists ride at Andale's -- this was a real, live burro!!! I've never seen anything like it and probably never will again. In fact, the last time I saw him, he was turning left onto Olas Altas. I still don't know what happened to him but he was running like the devil was after him. Or maybe he was just very, very happy to be free ...

Opening a Bank Account in Mexico

I haven't opened a new bank account in a long time. While I'm down here, I simply access my Scotiabank account via one of the three Scotiabank banking machines in town. I've never been charged a service fee but when VIVA deposited money into my Canadian account last spring via wire transfer after I returned to Canada, the cost was $20CDN -- per deposit! So when Ana Margarita told me that we were switching to direct deposit, she told me that I had to open a bank account. I will miss being handed that wad of cash twice a month ... LOL

I was allowed to go to the Bank during working hours. Good thing too since I work the same hours the Bank is open. It would be virtually impossible for me to go on my own time. I took the bus at 2PM and met with "Hector", the account manager at the Scotiabank Inverlat on Juarez. He speaks English. I was told to bring (1) my passport (2) my FM3 and (3) proof of domicilio. We checked and were told that my internet bill would suffice, even though it is in Colleen's name; just as long as it had our address on it and was currently dated.

When I got there, I had to wait a few minutes since I didn't have an appointment. But this was was fine since the Bank is air conditioned. BTW, the $CDN was trading at 9.24MXP today! :) In a little while, Hector invited me to sit down and asked me for "my papers". I handed everything over and he started to input information into the computer. It seemed very high tech and although his typing skills left a lot to be desired, he at least spelled my name right the first time (always a major hurdle in my life!).

Then he asked me for two references. I was stumped! Who do I know here who would vouch for my financial capabilies? Well my boss for one and since he already had all her information (the company banks with Scotiabank), that one was easy. But since my Palm died a couple of weeks ago, I don't have information on anyone so I eventually used my friends Larry and Sharon. Fox, if you're reading this, please answer the phone and be nice when the Bank calls about me! PLEASE ...

Then we got to the dreaded CosmoRed bill. Apparently it was acceptable to the Bank Manager (who coincidentally had the same last name as Hector's middle name -- a little nepotism perhaps???). Most Mexicans have two or more surnames; one from their mother's side of the family and from their father's side of the family. My guess is that Hector is the son of Fernando's sister. Anyway, Fernando said it was OK but when Hector tried to input the information, the computer wouldn't accept it.

So he called my office and asked them to fax him a phone bill from the store and they used that! Can you imagine doing this in any of the big banks in Canada or the U.S.? At this point, for some reason, he had to re-input (is that a word?) all my information again, including my "new" address of Basilio Badillo 274 (the address of the store). I know I work a lot of hours and sometimes I feel like I spend more time at work than I do at home but I am certainly not comfortable with that being my HOME ADDRESS!!! ;)

Then the whole system froze, no doubt as a result of the fraudulent information being fed into it by the nepotistic nephew Hector. He asked me to come back in 30 minutes so I could sign my application. Thirty minutes is a long time when you're on the clock at VIVA so we settled on 20 minutes and I came back in 15 minutes after wolfing down a Whopper con queso at Burger King. Everything was fine and I got to sign everything, in duplicate, many times. I haven't got a clue what I signed because it was all in Spanish.

Hector then took me up to Cashier Number 5 so I could obtain my ATM card. In this regard, the Bank in Mexico has it over the banks in Canada. I seem to remember having to wait for my ATM card to arrive by registered mail to ensure that the home address I supplied was indeed my domicile. Apparently no such safeguards exist in Mexico! Good thing too because mail delivery is virtually non-existent here within the city. I'll receive mail from another country without incident but the phone bill from TelMex will never reach my door!

At this point I was asked if I wanted to make a $2,000 peso deposit. "Uh, I don't think so!" I explained that I don't usually walk around with that kind of cash on me. Hector shrugged his shoulders and instructed the cashier to proceed. I signed two more times and was handed an information package (all in Spanish) and a secret PIN code along with my new ATM card. Hector then advised me to IMMEDIATELY change my PIN code at the banking machine outside the bank. Well I don't know about you, but I never knew you could do this!

Hector The Gallant, took me outside and showed me how to change my PIN code at the ATM. He even turned his head as I was punching in my new four digit code. What a guy! With that last transaction, I shook his hand and was on my way back to the store, a scant 90 minutes later. I will keep you apprised of my attempts to withdraw cash on the 15th of the month as well as the cost of each transaction. I think if I have a minimum balance of $2,000 pesos, I will not be charged any fees. My next feat: online banking in Spanish!!! Watch this site for details. LOL

It's A Small World After All ...

Work was crazy today! We had two ships in PV and I think everyone on board came to our store. The people I met were so nice and had great things to say about VIVA! I finally got my "lunch" break at 3:30PM and headed down the street to Steve's Bar. Steve is from Vancouver and has an air conditioned bar with good food. He makes excellent french fries so on a hectic day, nothing satisfies me more than a club sandwich, fries and a diet Pepsi.

When I returned to the store 20 minutes later, I walked by a woman in the tunnel who looked familiar but I couldn't remember how I knew her. BTW, the tunnel is the long hallway leading into the store with lit glass window cases on both sides, showcasing different designers of jewellery. I zipped into the washroom and when I came out, I walked right into her! She looked at me and I looked at her and she said, "Hello! I know you from Toronto. You go to my gym." Her name is Helen and she is in Puerto Vallarta for a friend's wedding. First time in PV. We live within six blocks of each other in Toronto which is the largest city in Canada. Neat eh?