Playa Las Animas, lovely beach

For the last day in Puerto Vallarta J had a great idea to spend that on close by Playa Las Animas beach. Although I missed girls already before the bus there. Well, we had agreed to see at bus station at 11, but received a message, that let’s see already 10:30, so I run like crazy to the bus station, but was still delayed. As I couldn’t see them and reach by phone I assumed they were already on their way and took the next bus. (You can’t trust you would receive all sent messages, at least not in time.) But they were even more late and as such took the 11 o’clock bus after all. So we met only on the beach. 😄 After all they were more devoted to the beach by checking also the close by uninhabited beach.

When arriving to Boca de Tomathan from where a boat taxi would take to Playa Las Animas I was immediately asked ”Have you been there before?” The only correct answer is ”Yes”. I hadn’t, but with this answer he continued: ”How much did you pay back then?” I knew the pricing so answered 50 for return ticket. ”Oh, but nowadays its 100 one way...” From my face he saw, that I wouldn’t take that for an answer, so he showed me from where I could get more reasonable price, but without suncover on the boat. Well, it was 10 min boat trip, so I felt safe to stay that time in direct sun.

While walking to the other pier I met a nice couple J&P from San Fransisco. They obviously seemed more wealthy as a woman was requesting them 500 for a return ticket -and 200 extra if I will join. Not a change! I continued to the pier and J&P followed. I was looking to the sea and yes, a boat almost leaving returned. The local men sitting in that boat suggested me to join them to Playa Las Animas where they were heading. And yes, 100 for return. And yes, 300 for three persons. I winked my eye and said to P: ”You own me a beer.” ”Or even two”, he answered.

We arrived safely to Plays Las Animas, but skeptical me didn’t allow us to pay more than 200 now -the rest after return.

We planned to hike to the close by waterfall, but now we were adviced, that for that we should have taken the next beach. 🤷🏼‍♀️ On the other hand we also heard that it could be reached through the jungle, but I have lately seen so many waterfalls, that I decided just to stay by the beach. And even went swimming as the currents didn’t seem as strong as in Puerta Vallerta. Or atleast there were no warning flags 😁 and I assumed I could atleast reach the long pier or one of those many boats full of tourists. And loved it! Pacific is almost as refreshing to swim as my dear Baltic Sea. 😉🌊💙

We sat in one of those beach restaurants and as I don’t drink beer P kindly offered me a diet cola. As we sat there one of those men that had taken us to the boat came by selling piece of jewelleries. He told us, that the boat driver was the restaurateur’s son and as such, we could also have our return later -he would just call his son. Well, we kept our plan and so did our driver. I saw he had checked his watch carefully when we said we would like to stay for two hours. And never before in Mexico (or even after): our driver was 15 min early in the pier waiting for us.

I had been concentrating only to the sea and photographing, so I was quite happy when J&P arrived to pier bringing two tacos, nachos and guagamole in a dogy bag. I probably needed salt already. When you can’t travel with your parents, adopt ones and they will assure you won’t get headache from too much sun. 😉😎

Not only our driver was early, but when I had paid our missing 100 to him and P without knowing that offered another one, he refused. Just said, that I already paid it. Sooo lovely experience after fooling taxi drivers in turistic areas. ❤️

I was thinking this all in a bus on my way back to Puerta Vallarta. This is the most turistic area I have seen in Mexico and as such you don’t see so much poverty in here. But dogy bag is always a must when travelling in not so wealthy countries. Restaurant portions are always way too big and there are always someone on the streets missing their daily meal... I only ate those nachos and guagamole, so when leaving the bus as last person I showed the tacos to the driver and he was happy to take those as his afternoon snack. ☺️ Money well spent J&P. 😉

But now it will be jungle, vulcanos and trekking in Guatemala for a while... I will miss the sea already. But we will meet soon again in beautiful Belize.

P.S. You know my weak point for souvenirs is piece of jewelleris, so yes, I bought something from the man that had so kindly taken us into their boat. Lovely pink bracelet, turtle earrings and medallion, all in silver. The suggested price was 200+400, but I got those in 193 pesos. It was all the cash I had with me. 🙈🤷🏼‍♀️