Old Vallarta is the busiest, most lively part of town with more shops, bars and restaurants per square inch than anywhere else. It's a fun place to roam but really? There's an awful lot of gringos.

It's for those who want to escape northern winters and find a beach with just a touch--a bare hint-- of old Mexico. 

Mexico has many faces, yes, and this is a shiny clean one. There's nothing wrong with that if that's what you want. It's safe, has great food, gorgeous beaches, beautiful sunshine, a Walmart and a Costco and we're trying hard to adjust our expectations and be content here--as many obviously are.

We have paid accommodations for 5 weeks. Perhaps by the end of that time we'll have been converted. We have to I get our heads around what PV does have to offer and go from there.

 Where we're staying saves us though. We're in a very traditional Mexican neighborhood where you only hear Spanish on the streets, the neighbors give you the "are you lost?" look and the streets are such broken uneven cobbles you can hardly walk them--makes driving nuts.

There's a quinceanera going on across the street now--a young girl's coming out party. The block is filled with music and families and lots of laughter. Mexicans play their music so EVERYONE gets to enjoy it. It's great. I love it.

Back to Viejo Vallarta...we went in the morning to the market then back in the afternoon for the NFL playoffs to watch the Seattle Seahawks.