Vallarta Et Al.

Above and below is a sampling of photos from my trip to Puerto Vallarta. Rather than put too many, I put ones I find beautiful, or ones that have a story behind them, like the ones of Pachita.

Pachita is an 83-year-old woman who lives in San Sebastian, a town of 531 people in the Sierra Madres. We flew 15 minutes in a single-engine turbo prop to get there. The old road that winds through the mountains is a two-day journey otherwise. I hope you can get a sense of the imp that she is—from her smile, her smooth skin, her piles of junk. The junk comes from an old store she ran, which is temporarily closed, I don’t know why. She has been writing verses daily for years. She read one, which our guide simultaneously translated, about love.

She has never married, but is one of 21 children so her family is extensive. Most have left her tiny town, however. She is well looked after by the townspeople. The children buy candy from her, and their parents donate goods for her to sell.

I asked her if it was acceptable for a woman in her day, in her part of the world, to remain single her whole life. She said the priests once asked her to become a nun, which she agreed to, but then changed her mind about. And yes, it is perfectly acceptable to remain alone, she said. Besides, she has had 16 marriage proposals in her life.

Other points of interest, maybe:

Agave plants make tequila.

I do not have photos of hanging out with sea lions or flying through the tree canopy, although those things stand out in my mind, after meeting Pachita.