January 30th, 2012
Sunsets in Puerto Vallarta, a Surprise Blogger & a Wedding (Mexico Part Two)
Even though we were just down for a week, the Mexico trip was so much fun it needs two posts. In Part One there were baby sea turtles and lots of SPF 110 in the hopes of keeping my tattoos colourful- in the second half of our trip we went exploring Puerto Vallarta, I got to have a surprise meet up with one of my favourite people on the planet & our sweet friends got married!
Scroll on… :)
So, I did get a sunburn- and of course it was a second degree burn. I was reading a great book and got carried away! While I was wearing SPF 110 & SPF 60 I ended up getting burned while no one else was affected. I didn’t like not being able to hang out with our new friends from the wedding party on the beach, but in the middle of the trip I had two days of time to nap, rest, read and relax in a gorgeous, soft bed.
During the day there were butterflies and pelicans everywhere, strong coffee and sea breezes, and manta rays that would swim beside you in the waves. At night, music would waft up to the balcony and the ocean would send giant waves crashing up and down the beach- just perfect for falling asleep to.
Evidence of my resting & enjoying myself way too much while doing it!
The resort was right outside of Puerto Vallarta, which has a huge boardwalk stretching along its coast. As soon as I was feeling better I got to take advantage of the short cab ride from town so I could explore the markets. Along the boardwalk there were huge, amazing sandcastles, colourful shops and vendors with little carts selling candy, toys, and food while the sun set.
This was my first time travelling as a young woman with visible tattoos, and honestly I was a little worried. I’ve been to the Mayan Riviera before, and there was always a lot of shouting at women as everyone walked through the towns and I wasn’t sure if PV would be the same, or how people would react to my tattoos. While I was definitely stared at in town and didn’t see any other women with visible tattoos, people were really incredibly nice. I didn’t hear anyone cat calling tourists and I wasn’t approached by shop owners nearly as much as in my previous trips to Mexico. It was a very pleasant surprise!
Close to the end of the trip I got the chance to see my friend Andrea from Kempt Life. Andrea and I have been friends for years and have always kept in close touch since we found each other’s blogs. I knew that she’d slipped away from Canada and moved to Mexico but I only found out that she was living a half hour from my resort right before I left for Mexico! We made last minute plans and were incredibly lucky to be able to connect- especially without the help of cell phones and 3G internet on my part. After years of stories, laughing & tears- while being on opposite ends of Canada, we got our first full day together… in Mexico. Why not!
We slipped out of the city and back to the resort and caught up over two meals, many drinks, a number of restaurants, a couple of beach chairs… and also over a giant iguana who was sunning himself directly under my chair as we ate lunch!
Honestly, if I’d moved my chair at all it would have been a very bad situation. I don’t know if iguana’s attack, and I’m glad that I didn’t have to find out!
The highlight of the trip – and the whole reason for it – was definitely the wedding. It was a short, sweet ceremony with a really fun reception that even included a dance battle. I couldn’t say enough good things about the wedding party or our friends getting married, but I do wish we could go back and do it all again!
By the end of the trip I was completely relaxed & recharged- and getting a little restless. Being away from reliable Internet access, Freckled Nest & my puppies was a great break but it reminded me how incredible it is to have a life built on all of these small pieces of things that make me so happy. The only way I could have stayed in Mexico and had fun was if I brought everything I have in Winnipeg and moved it there- including the restaurants, our tiny house, my family & friends, and all of it. It was a great feeling to know in my bones that I couldn’t wait to get back to real life!
While I loved the getaway, I’ve taken some lessons from the time away and have started stitching them into my daily life.
Seeing the great group of friends in the wedding party, and spending time with Andrea, reminded me that it’s important to be active in my friendships & to invest and make those connections deep. The time away from e-mail and notifications made me realize that I don’t need my e-mail open all the time to be on top of what’s happening, and helped me see that I’m more effective when I only check in during set times. Having a week away from crafts and handmade made me miss it terribly, and dive into my projects with more enthusiasm. And the week of time with Jesse made me fall in love with him again, in a whole other way, which has to be my favourite part of being married to such a sweet man.
And, of course, being away for the first week of The Bachelor made be realize that I’m a hopeless addict with no shame (or pride!) when it comes to those dopey kids and their crazy rose ceremonies. Send help!
Thanks for reading while I was away, and I’m excited to get back to normal around here with more projects, recipes and hands on ways to take the every day and turn it into a creative, beautiful life :)
Very lovely photos! I can’t believe there was a lizard under your chair!! I definitely would have freaked out a little bit, haha. :)
I’ve had some horrible burns (mostly as a child), and even one from being in the shade (costa rica), so I try not to expose myself to the sun anymore. Big hats, shawls, you name it!
Being from Texas, I have visited Mexico with frequency since I was 17 (my friend went across the border to get her belly button pierced… I did not partake). Puerto Vallarta has a very special place in my heart, and it’s definitely somewhere I would love to revisit someday. Glad you had an amazing and relaxing time.
So excited to see another post about PV :) Since we went in October, I’ve had daydreams about moving there. For now we’ll just have to make trips down there as often as we can. & what a gorgeous wedding!
What an amazing trip. And I am glad you got to attend a beautiful wedding and meet up with your blog friend.
The pictures are all truly beautiful.
I love all the pictures! I too am a wearer of the crazy heavy SPF. I am pasty white.
I think the best vacations are the ones when you’re *ready* to get back to reality. That’s how I felt after our Orlando vacation last fall and after our staycation over Christmas. I guess I’m the kind of person who thrives on schedules :)
I’m glad that you had a relaxing and restorative time away, you definitely deserved it. And I’m SO glad you didn’t get attacked by that iguana! Freaky!!
Wow, it looks like you had a super wonderful time (^_^) Gorgeous pictures and what a pretty wedding! And I can totally understand about the whole sunburn thing; I’m so fair, I have to literally bathe in the stuff else I fry! And I live in England too, so it’s not like we get loads of sun anyway! Oi, my life (^_^)
I find that in general I get sexually harrassed less now that I’m super visibly tattooed. I take that as a good thing, maybe they’re scared of us, haha. BUT when I spent a bunch of time in Mexico I found I was treated much much worse than all the other foreign girls (I went to an international school for a semester)…I also had super long dreadlocks too though. Who knows what people thought.
When I wrote about that part of the trip part of me thought but maybe theyre scared of me because Im obviously so huge, scary and strong! ;)
Ive heard that a lot of tattooed women have problems with strangers grabbing them or touching them without asking, so I was a little worried about that- but I didnt encounter it at all and havent had that happen at home in Canada. Maybe its an American thing? Is that something youve encountered?
Glad you had a great trip. Sorry about the sunburn. If it makes you feel better, I’ve lived in Florida ALL MY LIFE and I still get burned each year on my first day out. :)
That does help! Everyone was amused by my crazy SPF until I got burned whole everyone else was untouched lol At least Im in good company with you :)
It sounds like you had a such a fun trip and nice little vacation getaway. I love the lessons you shared; they are definitely something I need to remember from time to time. :)
What lovely pictures! So glad you had such an amazing time!!!
What a wonderful getaway! I love the color of the bridesmaid dresses & the guys’ ties! Looks like you had a wonderful time!
I am glad you learned some things on your vacation and can apply them to your everyday life! I did the same when i got back from Paris!
Some amazing photos did you take those on your phone??
Nicolette xo
I took the photos with the frames on my iPhone 4, and the wedding photos I took on my real camera. It was just too heavy to lug around in my beach bag the whole time! ;)