Monday, 2/20 Pulling it all together

Looking forward to Martha's arrival with several friends on Thursday, we reviewed our meal plans and food-on-hand.  Linda and Claudette were setting off to rattle around in town, taking a modest shopping list; Carolyn would continue whittling away on the menu plans.

 
 The logical place to start a day downtown is a ramble down "The Malecon," an elevated breakwater right on the seaside. 











You might start off enjoying a grizzled old working boat, at rest in the waves. 

In Puerto Vallarta, many sculptures have been added since we were last here.  And there's often live entertainment ... turn your head sideways and enjoy the video of the aerialists! 

 

 

A stroll around the old city led to discovering a shop full of beautiful handcrafts, then a short break for a brew on a warm, sunny day.

Off to Walmart ... where AGAIN there were no poblanos, and no tomatillos EITHER.  Growf.  A line of a dozen or more was waiting for cabs, but eventually both travelers and groceries arrived home ... tired but satisfied. 


Well, if you're not up for a sunny day on the Malecon, you can always watch grass being sown on the par-3 course being built right before your amazed eyes. 










First the big white seed bags seemingly sprout right from the ground...







and before you turn around twice, half the fairway is planted.  Amazing!

When not distracted by the lawn progress, Carolyn was trying out new recipes with an eye to dinner. 

 Spicy Pasilla-Mushroom tacos were a full-flavored starter garnished with cilantro and a sprinkle of cheese.

 

 Some detail had gotten lost in translation; the shopping list asked for "4 pieces" of skirt steak (arrachera)...maybe a pound or so.  What arrived was four cryovac'd SLABS of skirt steak ... enough for a crowd to be sure.  We'll take three up to Tepic, but the one we sauteed up was a very nice neighbor for plantain-cheese empanadas & some guacamole.  The plantain dough was challenging to work with, but the result certainly was tasty!