Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/937416
Photos: Teresa Bergen least three round trips on this mile-long seaside walkway during my brief visit. Frequented by both tourists and locals, it brings together public art, snack and trinket vendors, beachgoers, and general people watching. Los Muertos beach is at the end of the Malecon. I was there on a Sun- day, and it was nuts. A bazillion local kids splashed in the water, Zumba music pouring from beneath every colorful beach umbrella. A little far- ther and the Latin tunes changed to disco, the male swim attire skewing toward Speedos. Gay Vallarta was in full swing. I took a morning yoga class with Terry Connell at Yoga Vallarta. Ter- ry, who's also an acupuncturist, moved to town about ve years ago. e pace is much slower than his Boston area home. " ere's a di erent mind- set when you're here," he said. Terry led his class of visitors and expats through a slow, alignment-focused ow. He had a discerning eye, busting me for rib aring and other yogic transgressions. Terry has miraculously taught his two dogs, Sadie and Chuy, to limit their cavorting to before and a er class. Terry recommended the climb up to the Mirador de la Cruz, a view- point marked by an old iron cross on the hill above downtown. It turned out to be way more of an adventure than I expected. Not being the most adept at following instructions, I missed or misinterpreted the sporad- ic signage. Good-natured locals steered me out of their backyards and construction sites. At one point I found myself walking up a steep grade between barbed wire fences and a sign that I think was warning me not to feed trash to pigs. But eventually I summited, dripping buckets of sweat, and admired the coastline and town laid out below. Shoppers love Vallarta. Roving salesmen with cases full of silver jew- elry are everywhere. Folk art and knick-knacks ll the stalls on the lit- tle island in the Cuale River, also the best place to iguana watch. My favorite store was Cassandra Shaw Jewelry. is expat designs most of the jewelry herself, but works with 12 other designers and silversmiths around Mexico. Devoted dog rescuers, she and her sta have adopted out 80 dogs from their shop! Chihuahuas serve as jewelry models on shop business cards. VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS Vallarta has a surprising number of veg restaurants. Planeta Vegetariano, in business since 1995, o ers a bu et breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a di erent menu every day. Dinner features about 15 di erent salads, most of them vegan, plus a hot bar. It's cheerful, with bright yellow walls, funny murals, and bossa nova music. It's a comfortable place to dine alone. Restaurant Vegetariano Mary is a similar setup, with a di erent buf- fet theme every day. It's a little further from downtown but still close enough to walk. A psychologist-turned-restaurateur owns Veggie Table, an all vegan-restaurant downtown. Salud Superfoods has a full juice and smoothie menu, and about two dozen vegan or vegetarian sandwiches, salads, wraps, and bowl options. IF YOU GO I booked an Alaska Airlines vacation package for my short trip. At press time, round trip air plus three nights ranged from around $500 per person in a modest downtown hotel to around $1250 per person at an upscale all-inclusive resort. Hugo, a Puerto Vallarta native, drove me back to the airport at the end of my trip. "We made safest city in Mexico on the list this year," he bragged. Forget Acapulco or Mazatlán, he said, Puerto Vallarta is best. His hometown pride was contagious. "Great city," I agreed. And I felt just as safe as I would at home. February/March 2018 25