Last Day Westin; Hello Grand Velas

Last day at the Westin, there was another lady with another hat just like the lady in the first hat. This one was restless. First her legs were down. Then they were up. Then down. What was it going to be lady? Relax. Unwind. Vacate your mind, you're on vacation!
She finally settled on one up and one down, but who knew for how long? I painted quickly.





Last day for a rousing water volley ball game with Mr. Wilson II with four players, a treat for Honey and me who had only played alone. Jorgia asserted rules into the game. We had to return the ball without smacking it-- fingertips only--no palms--silently--professional European style. I tried, but reverted to palms; my nails were too long.

No photos taken of that fun. No one was around to ask the favor. This was the off season. The spring breakers and their parents had all gone home. The pool was nearly deserted. Tomorrow there would be four less.

Our last day on the beach, Miguel and Jorgia rented a pergola to soak up as much sun as possible to take back to Seattle. We stayed under the protection of the Ficus tree. We were leaving the next day too, but not for home. We were going up the road a piece to the Grand Velas, an all inclusive hotel fifteen minutes the other side of the airport in Nuevo Vallarta, for some upscale fun in the sun.

The hotel change had been a last minute decision. A friend had said before we left that 12 days was too long in PV. Taking her at her word, a week before departure, we booked the Grand Velas for the last four days of our trip. I was looking forward to it.

The Westin, while being the best hotel in PV and certainly an excellent bargain,($1,300 for eight nights, off season, Expedia), needed renovation. While the rooms were fine, the bathrooms needed work. Updating--more than the euro style shower enclosure--like a new soap dish that wasn't black, a small grid, non skid tile floor and a single valve system. While the gardens were lush, the pool needed painting; it looked tired. As baths and pools are me, hotels with service amenities are Honey. Without the Royal Beach Club, the Westin didn't make his cut. Without the timeshare facilities next door open to guests and the pool left as is, the hotel didn't make mine. (There's some sort of feud going on between the properties and the Westin built a barrier fence with big gates. Open now, but who knows when guys are feuding)? I was looking forward to seeing Honey's Nayarit selection. It was going to be good; he's not into camping.


Courtesy of the great gobs of money we saved at the Westin, The next afternoon, I was looking over the balcony rail of our new, fully air conditioned digs in the very pricey high-tech Grand Velas, I thought, "Now there's a pool. A three-tier-infinity- chemically-balanced-with-no-yellow-signs-of-chlorine-depletion-in-the-water beauty". I hoisted my bathing suit up (was it getting a bit snug)? and slipped into my flip-flops.