So many times we see only what we see. Our narrow vision then becomes the total of what's around us. We all do it. We may try not to, but it's like swimming upstream. This trip we've spent entirely too much time around gringos to have any kind of idea of the "real" anything.

But this may show more of Puerto Vallarta then you've seen before, and totally more than anyone staying in the hotels along the Malecon will see. Course, any picture of PV absolutely positively has to include the Malecon--it's just so much of what PV is that I've thrown a bunch more of those in too. We kept being pulled back there.

The house we rented a room in was in a real working class neighborhood. Taxi drivers thought they'd heard us wrong when we asked for Agua Azul, the Colonia (neighborhood) we lived in. On our short walk to the bus stop we passed upholsterers, iron workers, garages, mechanics, wood shops, tiny tiendas, families spilling out on to the sidewalk to eat dinner--visit--cook.  

Only two people on our block spoke English and that includes our hostess. 

Out our kitchen window we could hear trucks go by selling strawberries, avocados, propane, mattresses, scrap metal, ice cream---almost anything you could want would eventually come driving down that rough cobble stone street.

You want a fish taco? One of the neighborhood kids will run to the corner kiosk and get you one. Need eggs? You buy them by the "each" and they're put in a little plastic bag like a pet goldfish. Do not run with the bag or you'll have scrambled eggs shell and all before you get home.