Just a quick update to give me an excuse to post photos. We are living marina life for an entire week.  The last time we were on a dock was two days last December. We finally made it to Paradise Village Marina near Puerto Vallarta, where we were hoping we could live the good life: the life of laying around by the swimming pool and ordering Happy Hour drinks. Alas, that has yet to happen, although we did get one evening of pool and hot tubbing.

While enjoying the pool we had a short conversation with a woman who was sipping on a frosty pink concoction she called a Miami Vice. She had two of them because she ordered during two-for-one happy hour. Mexico loves it some two-fer deals when it comes to alcohol. So she was holding one in the swimming pool while the other awaited her attention on the table. I’m pretty sure these were not her first drinks of the day; wink wink, and we both said silent prayers that she would keep her drink in her cup as she paddled around. We asked her what was in them and she had no idea. But she knew she liked them and highly recommended we try one. I guess that’s good enough. According to our new friend, we had just missed happy hour. She was having a good time so I imagine we’ll hit up a happy hour or two once we get all our work done. Talking to pleasantly drunk people in the pool: it just doesn’t get better than that for free entertainment.

This is the river where the marina is located. This water is deceptively still looking. It took us three tries to get into the slip due to current and wind.

Paradise Village is a resort and everyone here is on vacation. Everyone except the cruisers that is. So it’s pretty interesting in terms of people watching and we had a great visit with a few people sitting in the hot tub with us. It may have been my imagination that the woman next to me moved over just a bit when she found out we lived on a boat. When she asked if we had brought the boat down from Washington, just the two of us,  and I said, ‘Yes’, she just shook her head and looked away. I think she just didn’t know what to say. Sometimes I feel that way, too, lady so it’s okay. We know we’re weird, believe me.

Anyway, this place is like a cruise ship on land. This kind of resort takes the term ‘one stop shopping’ and cranks up the volume full tilt. Right here on the property you have your room, entertainment, food, swimming pools, spas, the beach, massages on the beach, craft vendors, even an American style shopping mall (such as it is), and unlimited bars. It’s kind of like being at Disneyland, only without the rides. For me and Mike, it’s like visiting an entirely different country. It’s not quite Mexico, and it’s also not quite any other country either. Anyway, after our dip in the pool and our hot tub visit we were ready to get back to the boat, so we decided to take a pass on ‘Western Night’, (complete with barbecue ribs, a mechanical bull,  some kind of western town mock up that looked like a movie set, and a live band). I’m sure it must have been a real hootenanny.

How I wanted that water slide with the big teeth to be open! Alas. But the hot tub is in that cave in the back. Pretty cool.

Anyhoo, we have been working pretty hard since we got here; gearing up for journey south. My first effort has been cleaning all the upholstery on the boat. It was getting annoyingly salty, which means it never felt dry. Now we are working on cleaning the deck. Unlimited fresh water with decent water pressure? I haven’t seen such a gift since, hmmm. I’m trying to remember. Marina Real up in San Carlos was rationing water when we were there in December, so we had it for one day and the pressure was not great. Puerto Escondido had water back in the spring, but again, not much pressure at the dock for some reason. So we are giving the boat a good scrub, hitting the stainless with vinegar, and generally doing some much needed house keeping. Honestly, unlimited fresh water is such a treat. I can’t wait to have a full water tank again.

Meanwhile, this evening we went on a little foray up the river in the dinghy; looking for crocodiles. There are signs everywhere warning you not to swim in this river (as if I would – no thanks) because of crocodiles. But I’m beginning to wonder if these are mythical crocs because we sure haven’t found any. There are plenty of places around here under the mangrove trees that look just right for a croc to haul out onto the bank, but nada. Still, we saw literally hundreds of the crocodile’s smaller cousin: iguanas. I am not exaggerating. The trees were filled with iguanas of all sizes laying around on branches trying to blend in.  I was in a moving boat, but I did manage a few portraits. Their expressions are fascinating but I’m still hoping for crocodiles while we are here.  Enjoy.

Hard to imagine, but this is just a representative tree of hundreds of trees filled with iguanas. Who knew they were so big? They are like small dragons.

I wonder what they talk about.

Smug Iguana.

Sly Iguana.

Shy iguana.

Green iguana! Do you see the tail of his friend?

There were dozens of these nice Yellow Crowned Herons in the trees. This one had just caught a fish and had his feathers all in a ruffle.

S/V Galapagos, standing by on channel 22a.