Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico SAFE!!
There were quite a few folks that were nervous for me to go to Mexico for a week. I tried to let them know Putero Vallarta is safe as can be. Don't get me wrong there are places like Mazatlan that has made a turn for the worse, the cruise ships don't stop there any longer.
Now as far as for my wonderful Mexico experience...
I flew directly from SFO to PVR. Megan was flying from Salt Lake to AZ then to PVR. My flight was 45 min late so I waited maybe 2 minutes for her in the customs area. She was still dressed for UT snow. It was 32 degrees when she left.
The lobby of Krystal Hotel and Resort. My parent's friend, Bernice, invites our family every year to come hang with her at her timeshare here. This year my parents, Megan and myself took her up on it.
We got in at 5pm and the heat hit us like a dump truck. We walked around the villa, went to the ocean, and then chillaxed in the lobby our first night.
Our first day we decided to lay out ocean front. The vendors were constantly buggin' but look at that view...we forgave them.
The first night out we went to this place downtown that served Brazilian food with 12 types of meat. The second meat they brought out was by far the best meat I've ever had in my life. After they served us all the types we asked if we could have another taste of #2.
Me excited about the second helping of no. 2!! Meg was lovin' their beans and rice.
This was our schedule for 5 days. I was up at 6:00 and did homework in the lobby while the rest slept. At 8:30 Megs and I went to the gym, came back, and ate breakfast. Then we laid out in the sun with LOTS of SPF from 10-4. Then, back to the villa to shower, go into town and eat dinner. After we'd walk around for a few hours and in bed by 9:30. (Such party animals!)
Day 2 we hung out around the pool area. There was going to be water aerobics there but it never happened. No instructor showed, could have been there was just a handful of us at the pool.
For dinner another night we went to a place called NACHO DADDY. We played BINGO for 3 hours, for charity, and ate a delicious Mexican meal.
I love this store. Last time I was in Puerto Vallarta I went to this store and bought the coolest wooden rooster. This year it's full of Day of the Dead stuff. Mom loved everything inside.
I just love this place! I'm a tree hugger :0) My cheesy pose with a Coca Cola Light
Megs and I ventured out one night by ourselves and took the city bus. We wanted to be inconspicuous by taking the picture during our bus ride. We arrived downtown right at sunset. We ate dinner at the Cheeky Monkey.
Photos with the Cheeky Monkey!
Next day at the pool. If you look real close you can see the iguana by the table and chairs. This was the second day we'd been seeing them. Megan got up to get a close up. The day before we saw a possum just walking around, yup during the day. Here's a photo of Megs with the man behind her trying to get those tan lines taken care of.
Megan and I enjoying our virgin Pina Coladas (crisp, clean, and refreshing!)
The last evening together we went to a place that the front desk peeps suggested to Megs and I called Mi Quisiera.The atmosphere was amazing except for the fact the AC vent was right above Megan and the condensation would drip on her every once in awhile.
Megan enjoying her Coca Cola Light. A group shot. Me with the Day of the Dead lady doing the Macarena. :0)
The Malecon has been revamped since I was there 2 years ago but the statues are still there. Some have been moved and some are right were they were. Megan is the on the latter with the aliens.
The last day of sun bathing was 11-11-11. Megan and I talked and we had decided to do something memorable. I asked the parents if we could take a picture with their kids and told them what we wanted to do. They were like, of course, yes do , please please. We grabbed our favorite 4 Mexican kids at the pool we'd seen the last few days and I explained to them what it was for. The boy as you can tell wasn't that happy to get out of the pool for a stupid picture but bless his heart he did it anyway. That's us posing for 11-11-11.
Ahh our last day at the pool. I was able to read 4 books during our time there. I loved every minute of it.
Megan and I at the airport showing off our tan lines and very bummed out saying good-bye to PVR. I told Megs later that evening there was about a 10 second period as I got on the plane I just wanted to cry my eyes out for having to come back to responsibility, stress, bills, work, school, and just life in general. I needed another 5 days. All the more reason for a speedy return!
Now as far as for my wonderful Mexico experience...
I flew directly from SFO to PVR. Megan was flying from Salt Lake to AZ then to PVR. My flight was 45 min late so I waited maybe 2 minutes for her in the customs area. She was still dressed for UT snow. It was 32 degrees when she left.
The lobby of Krystal Hotel and Resort. My parent's friend, Bernice, invites our family every year to come hang with her at her timeshare here. This year my parents, Megan and myself took her up on it.
We got in at 5pm and the heat hit us like a dump truck. We walked around the villa, went to the ocean, and then chillaxed in the lobby our first night.
Our first day we decided to lay out ocean front. The vendors were constantly buggin' but look at that view...we forgave them.
The first night out we went to this place downtown that served Brazilian food with 12 types of meat. The second meat they brought out was by far the best meat I've ever had in my life. After they served us all the types we asked if we could have another taste of #2.
Me excited about the second helping of no. 2!! Meg was lovin' their beans and rice.
This was our schedule for 5 days. I was up at 6:00 and did homework in the lobby while the rest slept. At 8:30 Megs and I went to the gym, came back, and ate breakfast. Then we laid out in the sun with LOTS of SPF from 10-4. Then, back to the villa to shower, go into town and eat dinner. After we'd walk around for a few hours and in bed by 9:30. (Such party animals!)
Day 2 we hung out around the pool area. There was going to be water aerobics there but it never happened. No instructor showed, could have been there was just a handful of us at the pool.
For dinner another night we went to a place called NACHO DADDY. We played BINGO for 3 hours, for charity, and ate a delicious Mexican meal.
I love this store. Last time I was in Puerto Vallarta I went to this store and bought the coolest wooden rooster. This year it's full of Day of the Dead stuff. Mom loved everything inside.
I just love this place! I'm a tree hugger :0) My cheesy pose with a Coca Cola Light
Megs and I ventured out one night by ourselves and took the city bus. We wanted to be inconspicuous by taking the picture during our bus ride. We arrived downtown right at sunset. We ate dinner at the Cheeky Monkey.
Photos with the Cheeky Monkey!
Next day at the pool. If you look real close you can see the iguana by the table and chairs. This was the second day we'd been seeing them. Megan got up to get a close up. The day before we saw a possum just walking around, yup during the day. Here's a photo of Megs with the man behind her trying to get those tan lines taken care of.
Megan and I enjoying our virgin Pina Coladas (crisp, clean, and refreshing!)
The last evening together we went to a place that the front desk peeps suggested to Megs and I called Mi Quisiera.The atmosphere was amazing except for the fact the AC vent was right above Megan and the condensation would drip on her every once in awhile.
Megan enjoying her Coca Cola Light. A group shot. Me with the Day of the Dead lady doing the Macarena. :0)
The Malecon has been revamped since I was there 2 years ago but the statues are still there. Some have been moved and some are right were they were. Megan is the on the latter with the aliens.
The last day of sun bathing was 11-11-11. Megan and I talked and we had decided to do something memorable. I asked the parents if we could take a picture with their kids and told them what we wanted to do. They were like, of course, yes do , please please. We grabbed our favorite 4 Mexican kids at the pool we'd seen the last few days and I explained to them what it was for. The boy as you can tell wasn't that happy to get out of the pool for a stupid picture but bless his heart he did it anyway. That's us posing for 11-11-11.
Ahh our last day at the pool. I was able to read 4 books during our time there. I loved every minute of it.
Megan and I at the airport showing off our tan lines and very bummed out saying good-bye to PVR. I told Megs later that evening there was about a 10 second period as I got on the plane I just wanted to cry my eyes out for having to come back to responsibility, stress, bills, work, school, and just life in general. I needed another 5 days. All the more reason for a speedy return!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
October Runs
There are two months in the year I'll run multiple half marathons, March and October.
October had 5 weekends in the month and so I signed up to run 4 half marathons. There was one that I did not make. (Dang CSET prep course!)
October had 5 weekends in the month and so I signed up to run 4 half marathons. There was one that I did not make. (Dang CSET prep course!)
Anyhoo...the first was called the Urban Cow Half Marathon in Sacramento, October 2nd. The last few years that I've ran it I haven't had very good runs. Last year I had the worst allergies and was miserable the entire 13.1 miles because of it. This year I had 3 asthma attacks that turned into panic attacks. But to say the least I finished with a cow bell medal.
On October 23rd I ran the Stockton St. Joseph Half Marathon. That was maybe the prettiest run I've done aside from New Zealand (duh). No lie they took us along the nicest parts of Stockton. (I know right...I didn't know they existed either!) The weather was perfect also and guess what...no asthma/panic attacks. Whoop Whoop!! I cut my time by 10 minutes.
I will add that I've never ran with so many cheaters. There were so many people that were taking short cuts and getting off the marked path...are you kidding me?!? Why run and pay and do all the training if you're not going to keep it real??
Side note: Don't you worry, Stockton was represented with a homeless man with his cart that was running along side of all of us saying, I'm running too I'm running too.
The last one I just did was October 30th, Folsom Four Bridge Half Marathon. Let's talk about this one...this is the 3rd time I've done this run and afterwards I wonder why I do it. Folsom=hills and Manteca=flat land. I'd say 99% of the run is along the bike trail that they close off for just us runners. Halla!!
The trail is my old training grounds when I lived in Northern Sacramento. The course is super pretty but it looses it's luster at the last half mile that is freakin' up hill. Who does that? I was happy with my time because it was the same time I ran the Stockton Half in and this had hills. No asthma/panic attacks either. I did take a few puffs before it started because I knew I'd be breathing harder with this one of all.
I love to see a hill in front of you and just hunker down (that's right, I said hunker down) make your body aware that it's time to focus on those hamstrings and hustle your butt up that hill.
The sensation is interesting once you use your hamies for a long distance and then when you go down right after you come up you have to focus on a completely different group of muscles. Holly and her husband Jeremy did it as well. They are crazy fast so to say the least they were there waiting for me at the finish line. Good times!!
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