Thursday, February 9, 2012

Guest writer Shannon Yates on shopping adventures in PV

Yesterday I had to make a flying trip to Vallarta for supplies, toilet paper being first on the list. In one week with only 12 people on the property we went through 40 rolls of toilet paper. Mind you, they were all women so I guess no shakey, shakey with them. Since the pier is still NOT finished in Vallarta, I take the boat to Boca followed by the bus to PV. I board the bus in Boca and about 10 mins into the ride, it stops to pick up Elvis Presley, yup an exact look alike complete with shiny guitar. He boards and starts singing and strumming just like Elvis. Now this guy is smart; he gets on before all the pick ups, mostly gringos, from the villas, hotels and condos along the way. Within the 30 min ride to PV, from my vantage point he collected about 250 ps (25 bucks).

In PV, I get off the Boca bus and board the city bus for Sam's Club and Walmart. About midway, we stop at a light and next to us is a police pick up truck with the truck bed full of gringos (young, white men) handcuffed and tied up with rope. Some are bloodied up, most look hung over and/or still drunk. There are 4 police standing on the 4 corners of the truck bed with guns pointed at the yahoos. Right behind them is another police truck, this one loaded with a bunch of young Mexican women, some with black eyes and bloody mouths and all handcuffed and tied up. Same number of police. Everyone on the bus, mostly Mexicans, are yapping away about what all this means. The conclusion drawn over the next 15 blocks was a prostitution house gone wrong. Ohhhh, sure hope this doesn't hit the press -- another reason why tourists should not visit Mexico.

I get all my shopping down, about 100 lbs of it and am packing it into the good ole Mountain Equipment Coop rollaway bag. Once done with that I talk with the cab driver about the fare straight to Boca. In the middle of my conversation with this guy, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Turn around and standing there is a Mexican guy from Tino's Hacienda up around El Tuito way. He trains horses to dance and a year or so ago Mateo, David and I took a trip with Brad up through the mountains. We stopped at the Hacienda and drank some of the best tequila (brewed there) and watched this guy with his dancing horse. About 3 weeks ago he was in Yelapa with the horse as part of the entertainment for the campaign fiesta. It is election year and some of the candidates were holding a forum up by Manguitos. I went up and listened to some of it and talked with this guy and his horse again. Back to Sam's Club now -- he remembered seeing me both times and wanted to know if I was going to Boca. If so he would give me a ride. I was bit nervous about accepting but thought 'what the hell' all is likely good. Got to his truck and there is his wife, a gaggle of kids, 2 more men and a pile of shopping too. All the women, including me and most of the kids jumped in the truck bed and the rest in the front. Wowso! I always wanted to ride in a truck bed in Mexico, preferably without handcuffs. Got lots of stares from Mexicans and gringos on the road to Boca. They dropped me at Boca in time for the 3 p.m. boat back to Yelapa.

A day like this could never be planned. Made the dreaded shopping day loads of fun. Thank you Mexico!

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