Our family trip to the Mexican Riviera was comprised of three stops. Our first stop was Puerto Vallarta. The weather at this stop was fantastic. We disembarked and met our tour guide, Raul, who directed us to our tour bus. Soon enough our tour took off on a very long and meandering voyage to a hacienda. After a forty minute ride we finally stopped at the Hacienda Don Engracia Tequila Factory.It was here we tasted six different tequilas. Senior Mom, The Wife and The Girl also participated in the tasting event. Of course I got all the tequila they did not like. I left the tasting room a bit buzzed and headed out to the buffet luncheon. There we watched dancing and listened to music. Eventually I was dragged up with two other men to participate in a tequila shooting contest. We were to down a triple shot of tequila and make a Mexican shout. I came in second and received a Cohiba cigar. The Girl won first place in a tortilla making contest and both The Boy and The Girl participated in a traditional dance. We then headed off to some rushed shopping and back to the ship.
The next day we were in Mazatlan and toured on a double decker bus. Mazatlan was filthy. Gang graffiti was on every single available wall and surface. The only thing not tagged were the religious monuments and cathedral. Even the massive statues and exhibits were tagged. It was sad. After a quick visit to the local cathedral we were stopped at an intersection because of a traffic accident. Actually, some woman was hit by a car and lying partially in the one lane road. A local police officer was on scene and then pulled away leaving the woman and some citizens with the woman. Our bus driver pressed forward and squeezed by the woman lying in the road barely missing her head. We saw quite a few local attractions before being shuttled for more rushed shopping at the local downtown. The best shopping was at the shops near the port terminal. Mazatlan was a filthy dirty town and I would not want to return. I can get the same flavor for gangs and filth by visiting my own inner city.
The final stop was in Cabo San Lucas. We were shuttled from the ship on a tender. The marina was far too small for any cruise ships to dock. We embarked on a whale watching expedition and saw many gray and humpback whales with their calves. The whales were awesome as was the free beer and food on the double decker catamaran. After returning to the marina we walked into town and shopped for a few hours, visiting Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo and many other local shops. The stop in Cabo was a short one. All of us agreed Cabo San Lucas was the best of the three stops and we enjoyed it immensely. The Wife and I are entertaining the idea of returning to Cabo for a vacation on our own so we can explore and see all the sights.
Back on the ship we continued our hedonistic food orgy, partaking in the nightly dinners and enjoying the morning room service. We also enjoyed the many shows and comedians aboard ship. Our return to Los Angeles was uneventful which belied the issues we were about to encounter upon leaving the ship.
However, more of that later...it is time to watch some America's Most Wanted to see if any of my relatives appear. I could use a decent reward...
The next day we were in Mazatlan and toured on a double decker bus. Mazatlan was filthy. Gang graffiti was on every single available wall and surface. The only thing not tagged were the religious monuments and cathedral. Even the massive statues and exhibits were tagged. It was sad. After a quick visit to the local cathedral we were stopped at an intersection because of a traffic accident. Actually, some woman was hit by a car and lying partially in the one lane road. A local police officer was on scene and then pulled away leaving the woman and some citizens with the woman. Our bus driver pressed forward and squeezed by the woman lying in the road barely missing her head. We saw quite a few local attractions before being shuttled for more rushed shopping at the local downtown. The best shopping was at the shops near the port terminal. Mazatlan was a filthy dirty town and I would not want to return. I can get the same flavor for gangs and filth by visiting my own inner city.
The final stop was in Cabo San Lucas. We were shuttled from the ship on a tender. The marina was far too small for any cruise ships to dock. We embarked on a whale watching expedition and saw many gray and humpback whales with their calves. The whales were awesome as was the free beer and food on the double decker catamaran. After returning to the marina we walked into town and shopped for a few hours, visiting Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo and many other local shops. The stop in Cabo was a short one. All of us agreed Cabo San Lucas was the best of the three stops and we enjoyed it immensely. The Wife and I are entertaining the idea of returning to Cabo for a vacation on our own so we can explore and see all the sights.
Back on the ship we continued our hedonistic food orgy, partaking in the nightly dinners and enjoying the morning room service. We also enjoyed the many shows and comedians aboard ship. Our return to Los Angeles was uneventful which belied the issues we were about to encounter upon leaving the ship.
However, more of that later...it is time to watch some America's Most Wanted to see if any of my relatives appear. I could use a decent reward...
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