SUCCUMBING IN PUERTO VALLARTA

OK, I admit, I succumbed to the wiles of a charming younger man! When I stepped off the plane last Tuesday evening, I heard, "Taxi? You need a taxi, miss?" With a beguiling smile, tall, slender, handsome, Anuar beckoned me over to his desk where I presumed I could negotiate a prix fixe taxi fare into Puerto Vallarta. $20, seemed a bit steep, but I had no idea how far out we were.

"Oh, here's the possibility. I can get you a free taxi ride into the city, if you would like to come see this beautiful place called The Flamingos. Free transportation and free beautiful breakfast, all for 75 minutes of your time!" By the time Anuar (pronounced Ahn-war) and his equally handsome cohorts had beguiled me with their promises to help find an apartment, not to mention show me where to dance salsa, I gave in.

That's how I found myself the next day savoring the beauties of this elegant resort out past Nuevo Vallarta. Of course, that was preceded by numerous questions about my vacation habits (they didn't know I sometimes stay in hostels), and listening to not one, but two presenters, one a gentle young guide, and the other a savvy Russian named Marina whose toughness was no match for my slipperiness. When she couldn't sell me the timeshare, or in their lingo, persuade me to "Join the Club," whose exclusivity costs a mere $19,000, she tried to persuade me to work there. The 75 minutes stretched into about 4 hours.




However, this was my reward:

A swim in their lovely pool after the presentation
A discount card for numerous restaurants in town, plus access to the facilities at their other resorts if I choose to go there
A free taxi ride from the airport into town
Free taxis to and from the resort
A free taxi ride through Bucerias, a nearby town I wanted to explore.
A delicious FREE MASSAGE in their exquisite spa
AND, a bottle of tequila which is still sitting here in my new apartment.


Given my tendency to interview, I heard about my young guide's fiance and her need for freedom, as well as Marina's hysterical tales of her Jewish grandmother, who told her at the age of 7, "You vill suffer een zees life." Sassy and sexy Marina has survived 4 husbands (She doesn't date well. She just gets married.) and she's raking in commissions from gullible travelers here in Puerto Vallarta. I thought the day was worth it for the stories!

THE BIG LEAP!

Though it's taken a bit longer than I originally thought, I did sell my house in Pittsburgh in the fall of 2009 as part of my dream/vision/intention to find my place to live by the sea. Which sea? I don't know. Which country? I don't know. Fortunately as an artist, I seem to have developed an ability to live with the unknown. After all, we don't really know what is going to happen tomorrow. We just think we do, because we become so used to our routines that we think they will automatically continue.

Those of you who receive my newsletter know that I de-accessed everything except my art work, a few photography books, handmade dishes and favorite artifacts, now scooched into a 7' x 10' storage unit in Pittsburgh. I packed the remaining clothes, important papers, and miscellaneous paraphernalia I believed I might need into my van and headed to Indiana. Once there, familial concerns took over after my father's death, and we helped mom move into assisted living, then I coordinated the emptying of the family home and prepared it for sale.

So, two houses emptied, and Mom settled, I began my journey, returning to see dear friends and tie up loose ends in Pittsburgh, then up to Deer Isle, Maine. Once there, invigorated and inspired by views of the sea and contact with new and old friends, I began writing again. When the chill of Fall approached, I drove back to Indiana and then on to Houston for Christmas with my son.


Though I have been officially "homeless," and an artistic nomad for over a year, I have been ensconced with friends or family for most of the time, but now it's time for a leap into the unknown. Wanting to find a quiet place to write and also discover a new place to live, I first proposed driving into Mexico. This plan was denounced as unwise by all who heard it. Plan B was to fly to San Miguel on the recommendation of friends. When I heard how cold it was there in January, I switched to Plan C and booked a ticket to Puerto Vallarta. Now I was back to downsizing as I took a pile of clothes to Good Will, and packed one suitcase and a rolling computer bag for the trip. (OK, I didn't get rid of everything. The van and its contents remain in Houston.) Here's what it looked like in Houston as I was packing up. First the chaos!

So check in soon to hear what happened after I landed in Puerto Vallarta!