Cruising the Mexican Riviera - Part II

Puerto Vallarta

Our cruise ship reached Puerto Vallarta, the second port of call in the itinerary, in the mid-morning hours of April 4. Stretching for miles along the beautiful Bay of Banderas, with the towering Sierra Madre Mountains providing a scenic backdrop, Puerto Vallarta was once a sleepy, fishing village unknown to the rest of the world until 1963, when actor Richard Burton embarked on a love affair with Elizabeth Taylor while filming ‘Night of the Iguana’ with Ava Gardner.

Today, Puerto Vallarta is a paradise for ecotourists, adventure seekers, beachgoers, aquanauts and many more. It is also a typical Mexican ‘pueblo’ – a moniker for Native American settlement of the Southwestern USA – but with growth and modernisation, while remaining true to its cherished Aztec heritage. And of course, just like other coastal getaways, it is a delightful seaside resort town for the rich and the famous, particularly ‘gringos’ (foreigners) from the North. Hence, it is a place where five-star hotels and Michelin Guide restaurants on cobblestone streets coexist with street side stands selling Mexican finger food.

Most of the cruisers on our ship opted for the faddish open bar cruises, touted as the perfect way to explore the spectacular coastline, hidden beaches, and isolated coves and cays of Puerto Vallarta. However, we took a guided tour of the city, which certainly has the ambience of a resort town, but on a scale that fits the budget of the not so well-heeled tourists like us.

From the pier, we drove through the upscale enclave of Marina Vallarta to the downtown area, where we took a walking tour starting from a beachside strip called the Malecón, meaning esplanade along a waterfront. It is a unique oceanfront boardwalk where nature and art coexist. Crowded with tourists and locals, the boardwalk is lined with nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, bars and gift shops. There are art galleries on just about every corner. At select points, local mariachi bands were playing popular Mexican tunes.

On the Malecón, we also saw many sand and bronze sculptures, traditional and surrealist monuments, and colourful graffiti. One of the most recognizable structures is a row of Romanesque arches called Plaza Los Arcos. The dramatic seaside arches also serve as an amphitheatre.

The downtown tour ended at one of the most iconic and endearing landmarks that dominates the skyline of Puerto Vallarta – the stunningly arresting Church of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The silhouette of the church is arguably the most definable image and its chiming bells is the most recognizable sound of this gorgeous city.

No visit to Puerto Vallarta is complete without a tour of the Old Town, separated from downtown by the Cuale River that winds down from the mountains and flows through the city. Also called Zona Romantica, Old Town is the busiest part of Puerto Vallarta. Shops, art galleries and jewellery stores showcasing Mexico’s famous silver and fire opals, bookstores, cafes, bars, restaurants and curbside food stands are part of the town’sscenery. One of the stores that drew our attention was Mundo de Azueljos – The World of Tiles. The store is filled with a vast array of brightly coloured, hand-painted ‘Talavera’ tiles and ceramics.

Although it is newer than downtown, Old Town does feel more like an old pueblo. The town’s white-walled, red tile roofed adobe houses, rising between the green slopes of the western Sierra Madre and the deep blue waters of Banderas Bayare, interrupted only by flowerpots blooming with bougainvilleas and hibiscuses. Talking of flowers, one of the eye-catching sights at Puerto Vallarta is the dazzling riot of yellow blooms on the primavera trees. Blooming during early spring, these trees lining the streets define the landscape and enhance the beauty of the city.

Our final destination was Hacienda Dona Engracia, home to one of the finest tequila factories in Mexico. Here, besides a first-hand look at the manufacturing process of tequila– a fermented and distilled agave juice called ‘The Nectar of the Gods’, we were given free tequila samples, too. The professional staff shared with us different techniques for tasting and explained how to recognize ‘good tequila’ from the bad ones which are exported to the Trumpian land. During a lunch of typical Mexican fare at the distillery, we were entertained with music by local artists.

In just one day, it was not possible to experience and enjoy all the wonderful things – the old and the new, the trendy and the traditional, the cultural and the cosmopolitan – Puerto Vallarta has to offer. Nevertheless, with its lush vegetation, colourful flowers that bloom year round and prominently displayed graffiti throughout the city, we found Puerto Vallarta to be a curious mix of ancient culture and modern life in a very romantic setting.  n

The writer is a Professor of Physics at

Fordham University, New York.

Photos: Mahjabeen Haider and the writer.

Cruising the Mexican Riviera - Part II

Puerto Vallarta

Our cruise ship reached Puerto Vallarta, the second port of call in the itinerary, in the mid-morning hours of April 4. Stretching for miles along the beautiful Bay of Banderas, with the towering Sierra Madre Mountains providing a scenic backdrop, Puerto Vallarta was once a sleepy, fishing village unknown to the rest of the world until 1963, when actor Richard Burton embarked on a love affair with Elizabeth Taylor while filming Night of the Iguana with Ava Gardner. Today, Puerto Vallarta is a paradise for ecotourists, adventure seekers, beachgoers, aquanauts and many more. It is also a typical Mexican pueblo a moniker for Native American settlement of the Southwestern USA but with growth and modernisation, while remaining true to its cherished Aztec heritage. And of course, just like other coastal getaways, it is a delightful seaside resort town for the rich and the famous, particularly gringos (foreigners) from the North. Hence, it is a place where five-star hotels and Michelin Guide restaurants on cobblestone streets coexist with street side stands selling Mexican finger food. Most of the cruisers on our ship opted for the faddish open bar cruises, touted as the perfect way to explore the spectacular coastline, hidden beaches, and isolated coves and cays of Puerto Vallarta. However, we took a guided tour of the city, which certainly has the ambience of a resort town, but on a scale that fits the budget of the not so well-heeled tourists like us. From the pier, we drove through the upscale enclave of Marina Vallarta to the downtown area, where we took a walking tour starting from a beachside strip called the Malecn, meaning esplanade along a waterfront. It is a unique oceanfront boardwalk where nature and art coexist. Crowded with tourists and locals, the boardwalk is lined with nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, bars and gift shops. There are art galleries on just about every corner. At select points, local mariachi bands were playing popular Mexican tunes. On the Malecn, we also saw many sand and bronze sculptures, traditional and surrealist monuments, and colourful graffiti. One of the most recognizable structures is a row of Romanesque arches called Plaza Los Arcos. The dramatic seaside arches also serve as an amphitheatre. The downtown tour ended at one of the most iconic and endearing landmarks that dominates the skyline of Puerto Vallarta the stunningly arresting Church of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The silhouette of the church is arguably the most definable image and its chiming bells is the most recognizable sound of this gorgeous city. No visit to Puerto Vallarta is complete without a tour of the Old Town, separated from downtown by the Cuale River that winds down from the mountains and flows through the city. Also called Zona Romantica, Old Town is the busiest part of Puerto Vallarta. Shops, art galleries and jewellery stores showcasing Mexicos famous silver and fire opals, bookstores, cafes, bars, restaurants and curbside food stands are part of the townsscenery. One of the stores that drew our attention was Mundo de Azueljos The World of Tiles. The store is filled with a vast array of brightly coloured, hand-painted Talavera tiles and ceramics. Although it is newer than downtown, Old Town does feel more like an old pueblo. The towns white-walled, red tile roofed adobe houses, rising between the green slopes of the western Sierra Madre and the deep blue waters of Banderas Bayare, interrupted only by flowerpots blooming with bougainvilleas and hibiscuses. Talking of flowers, one of the eye-catching sights at Puerto Vallarta is the dazzling riot of yellow blooms on the primavera trees. Blooming during early spring, these trees lining the streets define the landscape and enhance the beauty of the city. Our final destination was Hacienda Dona Engracia, home to one of the finest tequila factories in Mexico. Here, besides a first-hand look at the manufacturing process of tequila a fermented and distilled agave juice called The Nectar of the Gods, we were given free tequila samples, too. The professional staff shared with us different techniques for tasting and explained how to recognize good tequila from the bad ones which are exported to the Trumpian land. During a lunch of typical Mexican fare at the distillery, we were entertained with music by local artists. In just one day, it was not possible to experience and enjoy all the wonderful things the old and the new, the trendy and the traditional, the cultural and the cosmopolitan Puerto Vallarta has to offer. Nevertheless, with its lush vegetation, colourful flowers that bloom year round and prominently displayed graffiti throughout the city, we found Puerto Vallarta to be a curious mix of ancient culture and modern life in a very romantic setting. n The writer is a Professor of Physics at Fordham University, New York. Photos: Mahjabeen Haider and the writer.