Bahía de Banderas

...or "Bay of Flags". That's where we escaped to last week. With Puerto Vallarta nestled at its center, Mexico's largest natural bay is hugged by >40 miles of coastline. The occasion: anniversary and birthday celebrations, and a chance to cash in on travel points! Moments I'm cherishing from the trip...

• Savoring la buena comida (good food). (Que ricisimo!)
• Getting a kick out of travel agents calling out "Hey, Honeymooners!" as we passed their stalls, hand-in-hand. (Happy 7-years, Sweetie.)
• Strolling down the Malecón in El Centro to Playa de los Muertos, and marveling at the unique sculptures and impressive sand "monuments".

• Shrugging off the SNAFU that cancelled our day-trip to San Sebastián in the Sierra Madre mountains and spending another day by the alberca (pool) instead. (Hey, relax...)
• Basking in the alberca with my ears submerged in the thick underwater silence. Gazing up at V-shaped flocks of pelicans and Pterodactyl-looking frigatebirds circling above.
• Forcing myself to use my limited Spanish vocab to warm up to locals who seemed pleased (or at least amused) at the attempts. (Para mi, sopa de tortilla, por favor.)
• Did I mention la comida? (Es stupenda!)

It was Captain Steuben and his Love Boat crew that first introduced me to Puerto Vallarta as a little girl. Amazing how this idyllic Mexican town on the Pacific Coast still holds romance and intrigue for me, 30 years later.