Tag Archives: Puerto Vallarta

Jan25

Coming Up

Posted on January 25, 2023 by iamkaren23

I looked at the date on the calendar last night and wondered how come I have only two months left until I head back up north. The time is flying by way too fast. And the older I get the faster it goes.

I fly out of Guadalajara and will be back in East Wenatchee two months from today. Other than my trip to Culiacan, I haven’t done any other traveling this winter. I hope to go to Puerto Vallarta next month but that’s about it. I’ve focused on writing this winter and I’ve taken some courses online. So travel has pretty much been on the backburner this winter.

Tonight I’m doing a library program online from Washington. It’s about Mount St Helens 40 years after the blast. It should be interesting. And I’ll be participating in a Women’s study with Church of the Rock in Winnipeg for the next six weeks. Whatever did we do before we had Zoom?

I’m also going to be taking another psychology course but I haven’t registered for that one yet. I’m still trying to decide. There are so many available and they all appeal.

Duolingo……. I haven’t forgotten you either. I’ve actually come out of retirement and have referred you to a new student who is anxious to learn English. Such a fun place to learn a language!

But I do find time for friends too. I’m meeting a friend from Portland for lunch today. We haven’t seen each other since King’s Day and that was earlier in the month before I went to Culiacan.

Happy Humpday!

Sep1

A Week From Now

Posted on September 1, 2021 by iamkaren23

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A week from now at this time I will be landing in Guadalajara. I usually make this trip in late October, but nothing about this year has been usual.

When I booked my flights just over a week ago, my initial thought was to fly to Puerto Vallarta and spend some time on the beach. Thanks to Covid beach time has become more of a distant memory. But I opted to fly inland instead.

Flying inland seems to have been the wisest choice. Hurricane Nora tore into Puerto Vallarta this week, collapsing hotels and damaging bridges. Nora then made her way up the coast and caused extensive flooding in Mazatlan. It appears that once again my beach time has been put on hold.

That’s okay. I’m looking forward to getting back to Aguascalientes and seeing my friends. It’s been just shy of a year instead of the usual six months.

There has been so much talk of the new normal since Covid invaded our world. I’m trying to view it as the new usual. That seems a bit more positive.

Apr28

Thanks For The Memories

Posted on April 28, 2021 by iamkaren23

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Every day on Facebook I check out the Memories section. And I reflect on my life and all the different places I’ve been. I also can’t believe how fast the time has gone by and how much I’ve changed throughout the years.

Two years ago I was volunteering at Camp Heartbeat in Peshastin. It was the beginning of my annual children’s ministry experience at LCN.

Three years ago I was in Toronto visiting my friend Deborah. I recall long walks along the lake and the beautiful view of the water from her backyard.

Four years ago I was in Puerto Vallarta enjoying walks along the malecon and gazing out at the ocean from my lounger on the beach.

I found another memory where I was actually in Winnipeg at this time six years ago. That was a year before I discovered Leavenworth.

And then I found a memory from ten years ago. On my way back from a visit to my friend Rochelle in Los Angeles, I had stopped for some beach time in Mazatlan before returning to Culiacan.

Today I’m moving from Leavenworth to Dryden, a town about 10 minutes away. Not quite as exotic as other places I’ve been, but it will be a memory nonetheless to look back on one day.

Mar23

Not Just Another Day

Posted on March 23, 2020 by iamkaren23

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Aguascalientes City has taken COVID-19 seriously. Bars and restaurants have been closed for a week now. Meetings and other events have been cancelled. Group gatherings are discouraged. Workers are out trying to sanitize public areas.

I have bid farewell to coloring in the park for a while. I will probably limit my time to just short walks instead.

A short distance from where I live is a long street saturated with bars and restaurants. This is what it looked like on Saturday night.

Compare this with the chaos at the airport in Puerto Vallarta. Just think of all the potential diseases that are on their way to Canada right now. I feel that my decision to remain here in Mexico is a good one.

There is no country and no medical system prepared for this pandemic. Friends up north have told me of family members who are struggling with COVID-19 right now. I hear about shortages of masks and gloves.

But mostly I hear about people who believe they are invincible. They continue to go out on non-essential errands and visit with friends. They hit the grocery stores and hoard more than just toilet paper. I urge them to stop being so selfish. They are potential carriers and may be unknowingly spreading this horrid disease. Not everyone infected exhibits symptoms.

My friends in Mexico tell me the beaches are still crowded. Semana Santa hasn’t even arrived yet. I am so thankful that I live inland far from the tourist areas.

Stay at home and stay safe!

Dec30

Adiós 2019 Bienvenida 2020

Posted on December 30, 2019 by iamkaren23

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I was in San Ciro de Acosta, San Luis Potosí when this year began. About two weeks later I traveled to Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes.

A frenzy of visiting fourteen museums, countless churches and beautiful parks followed. I also went leather shopping in León, Guanajuato and visited the pueblo mágico of Calvillo.

Three months flew by and I found myself on a flight to Seattle from Puerto Vallarta. And shortly after I arrived in Leavenworth.

The months I spend in Washington state are filled with activity. I volunteer at church, teach fitness classes, belong to a book club, play bridge and am active at the senior center. But of most importance are the friendships I’ve made over the years and the time I spend with these special people.

This past summer I also took a side trip to Kelowna to see my granddaughter. Madeline was just a few weeks old the last time I saw her and at 17 months she was now an active toddler.

Other highlights of my time in Washington included Vacation Bible School at Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene, as well as attending the 9/11 service at Spirit of America in Cashmere.

All too soon fall arrived and I boarded a flight to Guadalajara. A short bus ride followed and I was back in Aguascalientes City.

I’m staying in the Las Flores area again. Last winter I found a church close by and it felt like returning home this winter. I truly am blessed to have a church family here in Mexico as well as in Leavenworth.

This winter has been very different. I am not running around playing tourist. I’m taking time for ME instead. I do have friends here and I am teaching English a few hours a week. But I find time to color and to go for long walks. I am really focusing on my Spanish language skills. Because I live in a very Mexican neighborhood where virtually no-one else speaks English, I am totally immersed both in the culture and in the Spanish language. I also watch movies in Spanish with no English subtitles.

Other than one trip to Culiacán, I haven’t traveled much this winter. However I do have some travel ideas for 2020.

I spent Christmas with friends and will be attending an event at my church on New Year’s Eve.

This is my last post for 2019. At this time I’d like to thank all my readers for taking the time to follow my blog posts. I wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2020. May it be another fabulous year for everyone!

Dec31

2015 The Year in Review

Posted on December 31, 2015 by iamkaren23

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I can’t believe it’s December already. The months have flown by quickly and 2015 has been quite a hectic year filled with activity. In reality, the older I get the faster the time flies by.

In January I was living in Tlaquepaque and teaching at Avery Franz De Witt. I was working on the final edit of my second book, Alive Again. And I bought a pair of mitts and a headband because it got so cold at night in Guadalajara with lows of zero degrees. But the fountains still flowed with water in the daytime.

February was another busy month of teaching and writing. I celebrated Valentine’s Day with Carlos. Then I found myself traveling to Manzanillo for a few days by the beach.

When I returned to Guadalajara I began the arduous process of preparing for a book launch in Winnipeg. March was the first of many stressful months. I had to book flights to Winnipeg and arrange a variety of appointments while I was there. I had medical matters and financial issues to deal with in addition to the book launch. I had to sort out accommodations and ensure that I had time to see my friends.

April was insane. Right after Easter, I headed to Culiacan for a visit with my family. Off to Mazatlan next where I reunited with Larysa whom I hadn’t seen in over twenty years. I also accepted a teaching position at a language institute. I headed south to Sayulita to visit with Debbie who now owns a bed and breakfast there. We also spent a day in Bucerias before I headed back down to Puerto Vallarta to catch my flight to Canada. Yes, four different beaches in just one week!

I flew to Winnipeg via Calgary. David met me at the airport and I moved in with Donna and Loris for a few days. Next it was Audrey, Nancy, Kyle, Carolyn, Kyle, Donna and Loris, then back to Mexico. I had my book launch at McNally Robinson, spent time with my friends and had a myriad of medical and other appointments.

I flew back to Mexico at the end of May and rented a room with a Mexican family in a working-class Mexican neighborhood. It was a fabulous opportunity to get immersed in the culture and practice my Spanish skills.

In June I taught staff English at Hotel Torres. July was a holiday month from teaching and left me time to explore Mazatlan and do quite bit of writing. I also volunteered at The Vineyard Church making sandwiches to distribute to the poor people out near the dump.

The months flew by and I was soon on my way to Toronto. I spent a couple of days with my friend Deb whom I hadn’t seen in years. I then joined my daughter Kimmy and the rest of the group at the airport and was on a flight bound for Punta Cana, the destination for her wedding.

What an amazing week that was! I spent many happy hours by the pool with my daughter and her friends and new family. Kimmy had organized a fabulous group event that included everything from cigar-making displays to horseback riding and everything in between. There were also family dinners, a bachelorette party and then finally it was the wedding day.

A friend of Kimmy’s performed the ceremony on the beach Thankfully the rain held off until after the big event, but the dinner on the terrace was moved indoors. And then it was off to the disco for dancing.

One more day of relaxing by the pool and then we were heading back to Toronto. Except that WestJet had mechanical problems so our return flight was delayed by a day.

I returned to Mexico and had a very busy November. I started teaching again and then made plans to move into a condo with another woman from Canada. But the condo wasn’t available until early December, so I wound up moving in with another friend for three weeks.

December was another busy month. I moved into the condo and began to settle in. There is a pool so it has been nice to get back into the water again. And of course there is another new neighborhood to explore. Christmas was approaching and I found myself traveling again, to Guadalajara and Tototlan.

I am now back in Mazatlan and happy to be home. I’d like to wish everyone all the best for an amazing 2016, a year filled with peace, happiness and good health.

Oct16

My Last Post For A While

Posted on October 16, 2015 by iamkaren23

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My daughter is getting married this month and I start my travels tomorrow night. When she got engaged and mentioned destination wedding, I was hoping it would be in Mexico where I live. But she has her heart set on Punta Cana in The Dominican Republic, so that is where I am heading. Tomorrow night I take an overnight bus to Puerto Vallarta. Saturday night I have booked a hotel room in Puerto Vallarta. Late Sunday afternoon I fly to Calgary. After a four hour layover I board a flight to Toronto. With the many time changes I arrive in Toronto at 6:45 am on Monday. I am looking forward to spending Monday with a friend and Tuesday with a cousin. Then early Wednesday morning I join the group and we all fly to Punta Cana together.

Then I can relax. Seeing as I live in Mazatlan which boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (pictured below), the beach in Punta Cana does not have the same lure as it does for the other guests from Canada attending the wedding. But I do intend to unwind for a week.

My daughter has requested that we all abstain from using the internet for the week that we are there. However I doubt that this is really possible. We have all become far too reliant on the internet. I check the weather and news daily and chat with friends on What’s App and Messenger. I submit contributions to writing groups. And of course I have my blog posts. I also practice my Spanish on Duolingo daily.

I have developed a strategy that I feel is a fair compromise. I will limit my time on Facebook and ignore Candy Crush. I will not submit any contributions to writing groups or write any blog posts. I seldom check email as to me it’s snail mail. But for my friends on What’s App and Messenger, I will be there both in English and in Spanish. And I will use Duolingo.

I vaguely recall vacations before internet. In many ways they were more relaxing because I could distance myself from the stresses back home. But I live in Mazatlan now and it’s paradise. And I don’t feel the need or have the desire to distance myself. I will be watching to see what others are doing, and I guarantee you that forty-three wedding guests will not be turning off their phones and tablets for a week. While it is an interesting concept, I highly doubt its practicality.

To all my readers and followers out there, have a great couple of weeks!

Adios y hasta luego!

Mar4

So I Went To Manzanillo

Posted on March 4, 2015 by iamkaren23

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I love my life in Mexico. Tlaquepaque is a delightful place to live. The one drawback is that there is no beach close by. By bus it’s just over five hours to Puerto Vallarta or seven hours to Mazatlan. I decided that the time had come to explore new beaches.

I headed for Central Nueva and boarded a bus for Manzanillo. I enjoyed the scenery as we traveled out of Jalisco and into the state of Colima.

As well as a popular tourist destination, Manzanillo is also a major cargo port and has a small malecon. The Centro area is that of a typical Mexican puebla with a sizeable mercado and streets lined with small tiendas.

I stayed at a hotel in the hotel zone area. There was very little within walking distance of the hotel itself; only a small mall and a few taquerias. However when I stepped out of my room, the view was spectacular.

Steps down from the pool was the beach. The red flags were out and the tide was high. But I really did enjoy the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. This beautiful music lulled me to sleep at night and woke me from dreamland in the morning.

I also enjoyed seeing the ships at a distance. Some were fishing trawlers and others were cargo. There were no cruise ships in view in the time I was there. Here are photos I took at sunset.

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This is my life!

Tag Archives: Puerto Vallarta

Coming Up

A Week From Now

Thanks For The Memories

Not Just Another Day

Adiós 2019 Bienvenida 2020

2015 The Year in Review

I can’t believe it’s December already. The months have flown by quickly and 2015 has been quite a hectic year filled with activity. In reality, the older I get the faster the time flies by.

February was another busy month of teaching and writing. I celebrated Valentine’s Day with Carlos. Then I found myself traveling to Manzanillo for a few days by the beach.

I flew back to Mexico at the end of May and rented a room with a Mexican family in a working-class Mexican neighborhood. It was a fabulous opportunity to get immersed in the culture and practice my Spanish skills.

In June I taught staff English at Hotel Torres. July was a holiday month from teaching and left me time to explore Mazatlan and do quite bit of writing. I also volunteered at The Vineyard Church making sandwiches to distribute to the poor people out near the dump.

The months flew by and I was soon on my way to Toronto. I spent a couple of days with my friend Deb whom I hadn’t seen in years. I then joined my daughter Kimmy and the rest of the group at the airport and was on a flight bound for Punta Cana, the destination for her wedding.

A friend of Kimmy’s performed the ceremony on the beach Thankfully the rain held off until after the big event, but the dinner on the terrace was moved indoors. And then it was off to the disco for dancing.

One more day of relaxing by the pool and then we were heading back to Toronto. Except that WestJet had mechanical problems so our return flight was delayed by a day.

I returned to Mexico and had a very busy November. I started teaching again and then made plans to move into a condo with another woman from Canada. But the condo wasn’t available until early December, so I wound up moving in with another friend for three weeks.

December was another busy month. I moved into the condo and began to settle in. There is a pool so it has been nice to get back into the water again. And of course there is another new neighborhood to explore. Christmas was approaching and I found myself traveling again, to Guadalajara and Tototlan.

I am now back in Mazatlan and happy to be home. I’d like to wish everyone all the best for an amazing 2016, a year filled with peace, happiness and good health.

My Last Post For A While

Then I can relax. Seeing as I live in Mazatlan which boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (pictured below), the beach in Punta Cana does not have the same lure as it does for the other guests from Canada attending the wedding. But I do intend to unwind for a week.

To all my readers and followers out there, have a great couple of weeks!

Adios y hasta luego!

So I Went To Manzanillo

I love my life in Mexico. Tlaquepaque is a delightful place to live. The one drawback is that there is no beach close by. By bus it’s just over five hours to Puerto Vallarta or seven hours to Mazatlan. I decided that the time had come to explore new beaches.

I headed for Central Nueva and boarded a bus for Manzanillo. I enjoyed the scenery as we traveled out of Jalisco and into the state of Colima.

As well as a popular tourist destination, Manzanillo is also a major cargo port and has a small malecon. The Centro area is that of a typical Mexican puebla with a sizeable mercado and streets lined with small tiendas.

I stayed at a hotel in the hotel zone area. There was very little within walking distance of the hotel itself; only a small mall and a few taquerias. However when I stepped out of my room, the view was spectacular.

Steps down from the pool was the beach. The red flags were out and the tide was high. But I really did enjoy the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. This beautiful music lulled me to sleep at night and woke me from dreamland in the morning.

I also enjoyed seeing the ships at a distance. Some were fishing trawlers and others were cargo. There were no cruise ships in view in the time I was there. Here are photos I took at sunset.

There is something so peaceful and serene about watching the sun slowly disappear from view in the evening. Do you agree?