Food, Glorious Food!

One thing that I have found at this particular hotel, it isn't like other all-inclusives.

No buffets or hordes of people.

It's quiet and the waiters will serve you where ever you happen to be... poolside, restaurant, or in the room.

Room service 24/7.

Here is a sampling of some of the dishes we have been served:

seeing the ocean through the glasses on the bar

fish and chips for lunch

Cilantro and Roasted corn soup!
I had to try it and compare with my own cilantro cold soup
I should give them my recipe. While their soup was good, in hot weather,
my soup is much better....

this one is exceptional! Shrimp/avocado/mango salad

this one was so good I had it half eaten before i realized i hadn't taken a photo!
Spinach/walnut/apple/goat cheese salad with raspberry dressing

assorted fresh fruit for breakfast

Chicken taco, supposedly. They were delish!

my husband loves his desserts! Fruit crepe with coconut icecream

I am in love with Flan and I order it whenever I can....

Filet mignon with vegetables el dente

Caesar drink - made just perfect!

Last nights appetizer - cheese quesadilla with  salsa and guacamole  and a couple taquitos
These might look huge, but they aren't - they are mini servings....

this was left on our pillows at night, with turndown service 

....unwrapped it to find a coconut sweet inside! Flavor!

a wonderful tastey delish glass of chilean merlot shared with my husband

Our little place

Quite comfortable.

When I first spotted this place on the internet, I thought it looked nice.

This is what the hotel looks like from the beach

In person - it is fabulous!

While we didn't need a kitchen, it certainly is nice to have the fridge and occasionally the toaster when we order up food or need to freeze the waterbottles.

it's as nice as any kitchen i have ever seen - you can see the
#2 bathroom through the doorway to the left

Check it out!

The kitchen area and the eating area in front

The living room area as seen in the 7 foot tall mirror beside the flat screen tv
The master bedroom is through the door on the right

the #2 bathroom with shower

Master bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, two sinks and a shower and private separate
 toilet and shower areaboth with glazed glass doors

They provide robes and slippers

Crabtree & Evelyn products

Master Bedroom with Kingsize bed, flatscreen tv and turndown service

The view from the balcony is to die for:

Large balcony with table and chairs and 2 loungers
If you wanted, you could nude sunbathe with no one seeing you!
(and no, we didn't!)

3 jacuzzi pools and one infinity pool, one adult pool
Great poolside service!

And there you have it! This is where we are!

Well, technically speaking, mostly my husband is on the golf courses, since the whole package included unlimited golf on the local PGA golf courses.

And now, time to go for that 90 minute massage!

"And we all know, Security is Mortal's chiefest enemy..."

On our second day here...we were curious about the American Navy boat out in the harbor  and - later that morning -  a group of police  helicopters hovering overhead.

What I didn't realize is -   the Pan Am games are on here in Mexico.

Guadalahara is where the main events are taking place.

Saturday was the big Triathalon -  right here in Puerto Vallarta.  We could see the bike portion of the race from the back door of our apartment as groups of them whizzed by.

We were advised that the security was on high alert for the protection of the participants.

Thus the hovering waves of helicopters.

Yesterday my husband went golfing and he noticed that he was being followed on several of the holes.  He approached the young man and asked what he was doing.  "I am your security" he replied.  "There are bandidos that will come out and try and rob you, so I am here to ensure your safety."

Well, that's nice to know.  Except, all he has for a weapon is a can of mace.

Probably just as well.

Coming into our hotel, security is also very high.  They wouldn't let our taxi pass through the gates without having spoken to us and taking our names.

There are those with watchful eyes and every move is monitored....but very discreetly.

It is still the low season here and the hotel we are staying at only has approximately 70 persons staying here at present.

It's nice and peaceful.  I love it.

There are no buffets or loud annoying music by the pools.

Everyone is friendly and accommodating.

But there is a little air of reserve also.

This isn't the same Puerto Vallarta I knew when I first came by myself in the 1970s and wandered around carefree and uninhibited.

Innocence is gone.

But we can still enjoy the beauty of it all.

That much hasn't changed....

Vacation - getting there...

If you have never been to the Vancouver International Airport...I have to say, it deserves it's high ratings as one of the best in the world.  Even since my last visit, it's changed....

my husband sitting and waiting in one of the chair pods
Internet access is free for anyone

Lots of play areas for kids.  So cute!

the aquarium is huge and has all kinds of sea life! Above is
huge plates of glass with artwork engraved suspended from the ceiling

greenery with tables and chair pods interspersed along the flowing "river" and bridges

one of the restaurants. Regulations have pricing the same as outside the airport so no gouging

glass fish in the river

Then, once on the plane....we put on our sound cancelling Dr Dre headphones and watch the satellite tv....no charge.  By the way, the airlines we took also includes one piece of baggage in the price of the ticket plus 2 carry-ons.  Got to love that!

What we could see out the window

what surprised me, is that the Discovery channel was allowed to air the show "Mayday"
which tells the story of a plane crash

this is the plane that crashed.  At the moment of impact (simulated) our plane
went through a minute or two of turbulence - freaked me right out!

Great flight - once I forgot about "Mayday", and we disembarked and safely found our hotel.

Mexico!

Sparkling Hills Resort - Predator Ridge

Just north of Kelowna, British Columbia - another 20 minutes north of the Grey Monk Estate Winery where we ate brunch, is a breathtakingly beautiful Resort.

The welcome sign

The closeup of the crystals within the sign

The Hotel was gorgeous.

The hotel from the top of the drive

There were sparkles all over. There were special box signs outside with gorgeous patterns of crystal sandwiched between two panes of glass.

Two plates of glass with all kinds of crystals that spell the name and are sprinkled in a design. There are no less than 6 of these lining the drive to light the way at night

unique lighting along drive

The entire entrance had three tiers of cascading crystals hanging from the ceiling.

Cascading crystal chandeliers

You could wander around to the lobby that looks out over the lake:



The Deck was beautiful, with an arch that could be in a Wedding.



The view was beyond words.



There were beautiful Lounging areas just inside the deck's doors, complete with a unique ring chandelier and fireplace.






Look at the banisters!




There was an interesting "coat" made of wood that you could open and stand in for a photo! Of course I did that!  It almost looks like a sarcophagus.



The Reception desk has a very unique picture set over the desk.  Gorgeous. 



I think we will make reservations for this coming month -  it just happens to sit on the top of the hill in the heart of the Predator Ridge Golf Course (the one that temporarily, during the Predators vs Canucks Hockey duel - was called Canucks Ridge )

Take a look at their "cold spa".... minus 110 Celsius - the only one in North America! (FYI - minus 40 is the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius)

You can see the Sparkling Hill Resort just at the top of the hill where the distant hill meets the ridge.

It was a great trip, and we are determined to return - my husband for the golf, myself for the spa!

The exit "goodbye"