Every Wednesday, in Puerto Vallarta, the International friendship Club (IFC) hosts a "House Tour". This event takes as many people as they can, this week they filled four full tour buses, to tour four houses in the area. These houses are usually top end properties and are either for sale or rent and the owners lend them to the tour to get exposure.
Outside on the road waiting for the bus at eight, getting on the bus at 8.25 and downtown for the next bus at 8.50, on the next bus at 8.27 and arriving at the IGC sales booth at 9.15. Waiting in line to buy tickets one learned that it is "first come, first served" so get back early if you want a good seat on the bus. Now off to breakfast at the Cafe Tizoc. Fortified by a full Mexican we go back to the crowd and stand around for twenty minutes get on the third bus and head out of Town - I'm not going to bore you with all the details but a description of the first place should indicate just what we looked at for three and a half hours on a hot Mexican morning. Five miles out of Town sits the Villas Las Puertas. This seven bedroom (one bedroom
in the pic on the left), 6.5 bathroom four level villa overlooks the sea, but isn't on it. You stroll through a lobby fit for the Four Seasons and pass the private pool on the way to the patio and sixteen seater jacuzzi. Pics of one of the seven bedrooms should show why this place rents out, with a maid and gardener, for $1950 USD per day.
The IFC, and its volunteers (one of them - Al, from Boston, is shown in the pic on the right), use the proceeds from these tours to run three valuable local charities: the Cleft Palette program for kids, the Children of the Dump programme and a programme to install toilets in schools. All very worthy causes and we were glad to support them in our quest to be entertained.
Naturally by the time the tour was finished it was time for a drink. With so many bars to choose from we headed for Cafe Roma, a second floor bar catering to locals and visitors alike. The reason I picked this one was that this is the hangout of "Fox" a fellow who runs the best website for Vallarta information. Beer was 15 pesos and the welcoming shots of Tequila free. But because the food being offered was Pizza, and we didn't want pizza (had it last night in the room), we set off to cash in the "Free Margarita" coupon the IFC had handed out with the price of the ticket. On our way to the bar a sign, in the lobby of the Santa Barbara Theatre enticed us in - Special: Hamburger Steak and Smashed Potatoes. Doreen has had a craving for mashed potatoes for the past couple of days, now was the time to satisfy it. Great meal, great price; $7.50 USD.
Now off to the Margarita place. The IFC must have had a sweetheart deal with the bar because the bar did not want to swap Ms for beer. Leaving, after taking a pic of the best Mens' facilities in PV, the four free coupons found a home with a very surprised tippler in the bar. Noticing a couple sipping Ms, approaching them and said, "Would you like four free Margaritas?" After figuring out there was no catch, they nodded, gulped and gasped - "Yes". Damn doing good feels good!!!
BTW I couldn't resist posting this - a pic of the Men's room
Back on the buses and finally reached the resort at 7pm. A long day
Pic of the Day - remember the guitarguy on the bus, well they also have clowns that perform political satire
Outside on the road waiting for the bus at eight, getting on the bus at 8.25 and downtown for the next bus at 8.50, on the next bus at 8.27 and arriving at the IGC sales booth at 9.15. Waiting in line to buy tickets one learned that it is "first come, first served" so get back early if you want a good seat on the bus. Now off to breakfast at the Cafe Tizoc. Fortified by a full Mexican we go back to the crowd and stand around for twenty minutes get on the third bus and head out of Town - I'm not going to bore you with all the details but a description of the first place should indicate just what we looked at for three and a half hours on a hot Mexican morning. Five miles out of Town sits the Villas Las Puertas. This seven bedroom (one bedroom
in the pic on the left), 6.5 bathroom four level villa overlooks the sea, but isn't on it. You stroll through a lobby fit for the Four Seasons and pass the private pool on the way to the patio and sixteen seater jacuzzi. Pics of one of the seven bedrooms should show why this place rents out, with a maid and gardener, for $1950 USD per day.
The IFC, and its volunteers (one of them - Al, from Boston, is shown in the pic on the right), use the proceeds from these tours to run three valuable local charities: the Cleft Palette program for kids, the Children of the Dump programme and a programme to install toilets in schools. All very worthy causes and we were glad to support them in our quest to be entertained.Naturally by the time the tour was finished it was time for a drink. With so many bars to choose from we headed for Cafe Roma, a second floor bar catering to locals and visitors alike. The reason I picked this one was that this is the hangout of "Fox" a fellow who runs the best website for Vallarta information. Beer was 15 pesos and the welcoming shots of Tequila free. But because the food being offered was Pizza, and we didn't want pizza (had it last night in the room), we set off to cash in the "Free Margarita" coupon the IFC had handed out with the price of the ticket. On our way to the bar a sign, in the lobby of the Santa Barbara Theatre enticed us in - Special: Hamburger Steak and Smashed Potatoes. Doreen has had a craving for mashed potatoes for the past couple of days, now was the time to satisfy it. Great meal, great price; $7.50 USD.
Now off to the Margarita place. The IFC must have had a sweetheart deal with the bar because the bar did not want to swap Ms for beer. Leaving, after taking a pic of the best Mens' facilities in PV, the four free coupons found a home with a very surprised tippler in the bar. Noticing a couple sipping Ms, approaching them and said, "Would you like four free Margaritas?" After figuring out there was no catch, they nodded, gulped and gasped - "Yes". Damn doing good feels good!!!
BTW I couldn't resist posting this - a pic of the Men's roomBack on the buses and finally reached the resort at 7pm. A long day
Pic of the Day - remember the guitarguy on the bus, well they also have clowns that perform political satire
Now I have a craving for hamburger steak and mashed potatoes too.
ReplyDeleteCould you take some pix of the food? Would love to see some of them, especially the "full Mexican`` you had for breakfast.