12/3 Bloomfield, IN to PV and 12/4 in PV

Thurs.12/3 to PV
Indy to Puerto Vallarta with a stop in Houston, 9AM-3PM. Smooth trip. Partly cloudy in PV, about 80F. Taxi to Hotel Azteca in Zona Romantica, 23US. Hotel Azteca 250pesos, about $20US, they didn't want
to deal with US dollars so I made a trip to the ATM for pesos after I checked in...the desk clerk said "I will trust you", in English even. Oh, the standard here is to pay the first night on check-in and the balance when
you check out almost always in cash. I unpacked, walked a couple blocks to beach, stopped at a gringo bar for a cervesa. Band members from cruise ship were there hammering drinks before time to race back to the ship and play music. Found a restaurant at the nearby mercado, 45p ($2) for chile rellanos and a coke. The exchange rate is between 12 & 13 pesos per US dollar. Back to hotel, many channels on old TV, a couple in English. Watching CNN, reading On Whale Island by Daniel Hayes, then to sleep. Earplugs are recommended and I use them.

Friday 12/4 in PV
Slept well, reasonably quiet, roosters crowing in the AM, TV came on at 0630, no remote, may be set for alarm timer, see if it happens again manana, this is typical Mexico. Hey, hot water in the shower! Off to find some breakfast. Great breakfast with real coffee 45p. Back to hotel to assemble my Ritchey BreakAway bike, no issues, met guides Basil & Alix, also 2 other riders, Roger & David from Bend,OR, joined the bike building on 2nd floor balcony. One has a Ritchey, the other a mountain bike. After a test ride and minor gear adjustment, I am off to find some lunch.

Very sunny today, stopped at the Burros Bar on the beach for more chili rellanos & cervesa. Back to Hotel Azteca for a siesta. Met Ron arriving from Canada, his bike is delayed. Off to La Bodeguita del Medio for mojito happy hour. A couple mohitos and Cuban food for dinner. No cruise ships today, less gringo touristas.

Came across a celebration of handicapped kids at the amphitheater on the way back, kids doing something like kareoke, very nice. Reading, sleeping, very quiet until 0630 when the TV came on again, followed by noisy activity downstairs and outside. Hence the earplugs.