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Puerto Vallarta Mexico, mid February 2000

This set of pictures from our Mexico trip is more of a random collection. Some were taken during the wedding, others were taken on the whale-watching day-cruise we went on. I could have taken many more interesting pictures on the cruise (we saw more whales on the way back than on the way in, our lunch/beach spot on the cruise was a very nice spot), but ran out of space in my camera.

This shot is from the balcony/patio that the wedding was held on. It is looking down towards the end of the seawalk, with the small dock and the post with the moulded iguana on it. Above the walk, to the left, you can see some of the area that is the sets of the movie "Night of the Iguana".

This view from the patio is back towards the resort. You can just see the beach entrance arches behind the palm frond in the middle.

This is a large "strangler tree" at the restaurant. First, a palm tree grows. Then, a seed for a strangler lodges in the upper part of the palm, and sends roots down and leaves up. The roots grow and grow, and become a large tree-trunk completely around the palm. The palm can live on for quite a while, but I think most eventually die. Yes, this tree has power cords going up it.

Another view from the patio, this time out towards Los Arcos, with the condos (that are just north of the resort) to the right.

Some interesting old construction at the restaurant ("John Houston's").

A view out from the patio showing local greenery, with the Pacific Ocean in the background. This would be looking west, towards the end of the point.

Looking up the strangler tree. You can see the palm trunk still inside it.

Here is the trunk of the big strangler from above (the upper patio, where we had supper).

At night, they turn on the lights up in the tree. The lights can be seen from the beach by the resort.

Supper - a seafood combination. I shared this with one other person. Filling!

The lights in the tree, after dark.

The remaining pictures here were taken while out on the cruise. First we took a taxi into town, since the departure for us was from the main marina. The cruise, on a catamaran, headed out for some whale watching, and then went south, past the end of the coastal highway, to a private beach/restaurant area for lunch. Very nice! My sister and I went exploring some shallow caves (one pair had become a tunnel) on the north end of that beach area. Lots of interesting stuff - one small tidal pool contained barnacles, small fish, a sand dollar and a sea cucumber. Naturally my camera was out of shots by then!

Looking across Banderas bay. A small fishing boat can be seen.

Some sailing boats (too far away of course).

A whale is spotted!

A zoom on it. Naturally, there were better shots on the trip back, but my camera was out of shots by then. We also saw some dolphins on the way out, and I think we saw a large manta ray near the surface on the way back.

Another short-cruise boat. Ours wasn't quite that big, although we were on a comparable one for the way back. Both of ours were catamarans.

A closer shot of a small sailboat.

For much of the cruise out, we could still see the large white cruise-ship in the marina. It left at some point in our outward voyage, however. It is the white blob in the middle of this picture. The thing was enormous! Ten stories high, and a city block long.

Coming up on the north side of Los Arcos.

Looking west to the smallest of the set. You can make out an arching cave in the left side.

Starting between the larger pair. The arching tunnel through the smaller of the two is visible here.

Caves on the larger island. All the white streaks are guano. The smell was definitely noticeable.

Leaving Los Arcos, we passed in front of our resort. There was a paraglider out at the time, and we went right under him.

A sea view of the resort. The paraglider is coming in for his landing.

We thought this spot was where our cruise was ending, but the boat turned back a ways and landed at an earlier spot. This looked interesting because it seems to be a larger palm-thatched building.

The camera was now full. Aaargghhh!

Up Home

	This shot is from the balcony/patio that the wedding was held on. It is looking down towards the end of the seawalk, with the small dock and the post with the moulded iguana on it. Above the walk, to the left, you can see some of the area that is the sets of the movie "Night of the Iguana".
	This view from the patio is back towards the resort. You can just see the beach entrance arches behind the palm frond in the middle.
	This is a large "strangler tree" at the restaurant. First, a palm tree grows. Then, a seed for a strangler lodges in the upper part of the palm, and sends roots down and leaves up. The roots grow and grow, and become a large tree-trunk completely around the palm. The palm can live on for quite a while, but I think most eventually die. Yes, this tree has power cords going up it.
	Another view from the patio, this time out towards Los Arcos, with the condos (that are just north of the resort) to the right.
	Some interesting old construction at the restaurant ("John Houston's").
	A view out from the patio showing local greenery, with the Pacific Ocean in the background. This would be looking west, towards the end of the point.
	Looking up the strangler tree. You can see the palm trunk still inside it.
	Here is the trunk of the big strangler from above (the upper patio, where we had supper).
	At night, they turn on the lights up in the tree. The lights can be seen from the beach by the resort.
	Supper - a seafood combination. I shared this with one other person. Filling!
	The lights in the tree, after dark.

	Looking across Banderas bay. A small fishing boat can be seen.
	Some sailing boats (too far away of course).
	A whale is spotted!
	A zoom on it. Naturally, there were better shots on the trip back, but my camera was out of shots by then. We also saw some dolphins on the way out, and I think we saw a large manta ray near the surface on the way back.
	Another short-cruise boat. Ours wasn't quite that big, although we were on a comparable one for the way back. Both of ours were catamarans.
	A closer shot of a small sailboat.
	For much of the cruise out, we could still see the large white cruise-ship in the marina. It left at some point in our outward voyage, however. It is the white blob in the middle of this picture. The thing was enormous! Ten stories high, and a city block long.
	Coming up on the north side of Los Arcos.
	Looking west to the smallest of the set. You can make out an arching cave in the left side.
	Starting between the larger pair. The arching tunnel through the smaller of the two is visible here.
	Caves on the larger island. All the white streaks are guano. The smell was definitely noticeable.
	Leaving Los Arcos, we passed in front of our resort. There was a paraglider out at the time, and we went right under him.
	A sea view of the resort. The paraglider is coming in for his landing.
	We thought this spot was where our cruise was ending, but the boat turned back a ways and landed at an earlier spot. This looked interesting because it seems to be a larger palm-thatched building.