Into the Beautiful North -- Great Mexico Read

I lost myself in this book! I wanted to do nothing more than sit on my back deck with my eyes sheltered by a picnic umbrella and my feet basking in the summer sun while sipping iced tea and reading.

Not only was it a winning piece of fiction, it also took place in a region of Mexico I recently traveled to -- the swampy mangroves north of Puerto Vallarta.

I didn't know this when I picked up the book. I only knew that I had read one other book by the author, Luis Alberto Urrea.

A few years back I read his nonfiction book, The Devil's Highway, which blew my mind! I pushed it on everyone I knew for months. I still think of it and wonder at how fantastically it was written. It's about the trials of crossing from Mexico in the U.S., about the coyotes and the loans they give and the interest they charge. It was soooo interesting.

But anyway...back to the book I just finished -- Into the Beautiful North. This book is a work of fiction.

It starts in a dying Mexican village that is so tucked away in a mangrove swamp that even the Mexican government isn't exactly sure whether the town is in the state of Nayarit or the state of Sinaloa. The village is dying because all the men have left to seek work in El Norte.

One day, the young women of the town suddenly realize that there are no men left, which poses a very big problem as it means none of them have boyfriends. And what is life without a little romance? Nothing!

And so, they devise a plan. They also plan to go to El Norte, but they aren't going there to stay. They are going to find young, able-bodied men. They plan to recruit them and bring them back to their town.

Can they do it? You'll have to read the book to find out -- which isn't a bad thing at all as the book is -- did I already mention this? -- fantastic!

Saying Goodbye, Dreams Hotel, Nuevo Vallarta

The road trip through Nayarit, Mexico must come to an end.

Before packing up and flying home, we've got one more night. Rooms at the Dreams Hotel in Nuevo Vallarta ensure we're close to the Puerto Vallarta airport.

From my balcony I've got a nice view of the hotel pools (so many!) and the ocean stretching far beyond.

Upon check in, we all discovered a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket, just waiting for someone to pop the top.

And pop the top we did. Before saying goodbye to one another, the ladies of the press trip gathered round and shared a glass of the bubbly.

It always amazes me how quickly friendships can be formed on the road.

Close proximity and days of shared views, meals and road weariness either create friendships or enemies. And yet, in all my travels, more often than not, friendship is the result.

Just one more thing I love about travel.

Tamarind Margaritas in Punta de Mita, Mexico

This was the longest, most indulgent lunch I've ever experienced!

We stopped at Cafe des Artistes in the Hotel des Artistes, which is in Punta de Mita.

Before any food was served, we toasted our trip with tamarind margaritas. Delicious! The rim was dipped in a chile-salt mix that gave off a perfect bite when combined with the sweet tamarind.

The cocktails were followed by wine (two bottles of Malbec).

And appetizers (cheese plate, salad, lobster bisque).

And a main course (duck, snapper, osso buco).

And dessert (chocolate, sorbet, berries).

And coffee (cappuccino).

All of this was accompanied by long beautiful views of the ocean and lots of laughs.

It lasted three hours and when it was done, even though I don't smoke, I was hard pressed not to light one up when one of the other writers on the trip pulled out a pack.

The entire experience inspired this haiku:

cocktails before lunch

T - R - O - U - B - L - E

I forgot myself

What I won't forget is the wonderful feeling of lightness and shared humanity I felt while dining here.

Gallery Hopping in Sayulita, Mexico

Sayulita is a funky little beach town up the coast from Puerto Vallarta.

It's the sort of place I'd love to spend a few days.

I can picture myself with a room here, lounging on the beach during the day and wandering up and down the thin, cobbled streets in the late afternoon while the sun light lingers still but isn't quite so hot.

The town is home to artists and surfers and gallery owners. We spent a few hours browsing through shops here, but not nearly long enough to satisfy my curiosity.

Instead, my curiosity has been piqued.

There is a gallery that only sells handicrafts made by the Huichol, a tribe native to the area. It is called Galeria Tanana.

It's full of beaded work, greeting cards featuring native art and all sorts of other little trinkets you want to pick up and look at.

And then there are all the other galleries filled with the work of artists living nearby.

Oh, how I would like to return to Sayulita.

Serenity in San Pancho, Mexico

Press trips don't offer much in the way of down time. The pace of travel is pretty quick. Stop here, see this, move on to see something else.

Luckily, I found this small moment of serenity in San Pancho.

San Pancho (which is the nickname for the town of San Francisco) is a small little community that looks out over the Pacific.

It's a place where baby boomers are buying property and building houses. Yet the developers are taking a very sustainable, low-impact point of view about it all.

They are rebuilding the local schools, rehabbing the local polo court (yes, polo), teaching community members how to grow organic crops and putting in a playground built entirely of recycled materials.

I sincerely hope it all goes according to plan as the beach is tranquil and the views are long and I'd really like to come back here some day.

Shimp Hotdogs in Jala, Mexico

Sometimes you get to a place and find your food options are limited.

In Jala, we had plans for a nice dinner at a place on the edge of town, but strong afternoon cocktails rendered the driving distance a less-than-smart idea.

Instead, we struck out on foot, determined to have dinner within walking distance of our hotel.

We came to Bambu, a little spot overlooking the central plaza. The coffee counter promised all sorts of smoothies and lattes so we figured it was good bet.

The food menu, though, was cause for some giggles. Under the hamburger listing was a "Vagetariana" hamburger. "Jamon" (ham) was the first ingredient of this vegetarian fare. Hmmm.

Also on the list was a shrimp hot dog. We were expecting ground shrimp formed into the shape of a hot dog. Instead it was a hot dog bun with a couple shrimp in it, topped with hot dog fixings.

But you know what? Even though we were skeptical, once we started eating, nobody had any complaints.

And when the bill came, again nobody was complaining. The place was priced for locals and after 5 of us ate dinner, the bill was only $220 pesos, which was about $20 US.

Lovely & Laid-Back Jala, Mexico

We've arrived in the town of Jala, Mexico.

Jala is in the state of Nayarit. It's up in the mountains, inland from the beaches and ocean coast. But it's lovely. It's quaint and colonial and laid-back.

We're staying at a hotel called La Casona de Xali, which is the most surprising find. It's architecture has been fully resorted. It boasts a spa, a restaurant, a bar and in-room bathrooms with modern, chic fixtures.

When the check-in gal handed me the key to my room, I was happy to see my key ring was the Eiffle Tower. Something about that cosmopolitan icon seemed so in juxtaposition with this colonial hotel in the mountains of Mexico, and yet its aura seemed to fit exactly with the touch of refinement La Casona de Xali was out to capture.

Santa Maria del Oro, Mexico

Santa Maria del Oro is the name of a town and the name of a lake in the state of Nayarit.

The lake, which is a crater lake, is sunk deep into a range of mountains just beyond the border of the town.

All along the shore of the lake are restaurants and camp grounds. There is also a hotel by the name of -- what else? -- Santa Maria del Oro.

The journey down the mountain to the crater lake and the hotel is a stomach churning one. I was very glad I wasn't the one steering the car, but watching our decent from the back seat knowing I was completely out of control wasn't comforting either.

Once we arrived at the hotel, though, I forgot all about the harrowing ride down and just enjoyed the views.

The water reflects the color of the sky. When the clouds parted, the water shone crystal blue. When the clouds filtered overhead, the water turned muddled.

The lake was lovely with its steep green-covered banks rising steeply above it.

And the hotel grounds were so well manicured. I had fun posing with this jackfruit tree. Look ma! It's bigger than my head!

Magical Island of Mexcaltitan, Mexico

A day trip north from the town of San Blas took us to an island called Mexcaltitan.

The island, some theorize, is where the Aztecs originated.

Some say that before the Aztecs set out to wander Mexico for 300 years looking for the eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake, which was to be their sign from their god as to where they should re-establish themselves, that they were living here on the island of Mexcaltitan.

Well...that's what some say.

Whether or not you want to believe the legend is up to you. What is certain, however, is that the island has been designated as a "Pueblo Magico", or magic village, for its unique history and way of life.

It's unique way of life, while it may have been something stellar in the past, is quite depressing right now.

The village is a bit in shambles. Jobs are scarce. Most make their living from fishing. There is nothing much to do but apparently wash clothes. Clean clothes flitted from clothes lines all about the island.

We did, though, eat a very fresh and filling meal of shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp that, according to our waitress, had just been pulled in two hours ago.

It was an interesting place to visit and I was glad that it was a stop on our route. I tend to like historical stuff, so it was up my alley.

I would even recommend it should someone be in the area as it was a pretty boat road out to the island.

La Tovara National Park, San Blas, Mexico

The town of San Blas is a starting point for exploring Mexico's La Tovara National Park.

The park is a huge swath of protected mangroves and marshlands that is a bird-watching paradise.

Every winter the area is taken over by birds from both North and South America who have descending upon it for its abundant food supply (read lots and lots of mosquitoes).

The park is also home to a considerable number of crocodiles.

We took a boat ride through the mangrove swamps, spying all sorts of birds along the way.

We also spotted some newly hatched crocodile babies and a couple of full grown ones lurking in the depths.

The ride ended at a crocodile park where the beasts are protected and bred.

Unlike the ones we'd spied during our boat ride there, these big lizards are kept in cages so their eggs can be scooped up and hatched, then sent out to other parts of Mexico that are experiencing a shortage in their wild crocodile populations.

San Blas, Mexico

Our road trip up the coast from Puerto Vallarta-Nuevo Vallarta has finally landed me to the town of San Blas. Yeah!

I've been looking forward to visiting San Blas since I found out I would be coming here.

I didn't know anything about the town before arriving other than that it was the title of a popular song by the rock band Mana (En El Muelle de San Blas).

So here I am and as it turns out, there's not really a "muelle" (or pier) here in town like what I had imagined.

There is, though, a government program to build a modern marina for vacationing yachts.

The views from the San Blas marina, however, just can't complete with the views from the San Blas beach.

But we didn't spend too much time chillin' in the sand before heading back into town and wandering it central plaza and quaint brick streets.

Then, to catch the sunset, we headed to the old Spanish counting house, perched high on a hilltop over town and lined with colonial-era cannons.

Bucerias, Mexico

I'm not really an all-inclusive sort of girl. It's nice to be pampered at a fancy, beach side hotel, but truthfully I'd rather spend my time exploring and venturing into the country I'm visiting.

I was happy, therefore, when we went beyond the confines of the Puerto Vallarta - Nuevo Vallarta hotel chains and headed just north of them both to the beach city of Bucerias.

Bucerias was certainly geared up for tourism. The streets nearest the beach were filled with booths selling t-shirts and all sorts of tourist knick-knacks and wares. Some restaurants advertised fancy, polished menus.

But Bucerias also felt very real. Elementary aged kids were making their way home from school dressed still in their uniforms. Men were hanging out and playing checkers on the sidewalk. Tamale vendors were doing brisk business in the plaza.

After strolling up and down the thin cobbled Bucerias streets, I left thinking that if I were to return to this area for a beach vacation, perhaps I'd seek out lodging here.

Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta

I made it.

My plane touched down in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Then I gathered my bags, met my driver and arrived at a hotel north of the city.

I'm staying in the municipality of Nuevo Vallarta at a place called Villa La Estancia.

The hotel is beyond belief. It is absolutely gorgeous. Even though it is nearly almost brand new, it has this old world charm about it. The wood work is a deep, dark hue. The lobby furniture is solid and heavy.

And the service is divine. As soon as I climbed out of the car, a bell hop met me with a cool, scented cloth. Next, I was given a mango smoothie to sip while I signed all the check in paperwork. A fruit plate was delivered to my room while I was still checking out all the closets.

But the best, by far, was that when I came back to my room after dinner, not only was a chocolate tartlette waiting by my pillow, but a secret fairy had slipped into my room and filled up the bathtub with hot bubbles, topped the bubbles with flowers, lit several candles and a relaxing stick of incense!

Bound for Mexico and San Blas

I'm bound for Mexico.

I'm headed there on a press trip for GoNomad. After my journey, I'll be writing a story about what I experienced for the site.

My trip will take me into Puerto Vallarta, but that's not where I'll be staying. After getting my bearings and finding my group, the trip will take me north into the state of Nayarit.

I'm going to be traveling along the coast of that state, in an area called the Riviera Nayarit, and checking out the small beach towns there.

The one I'm most excited about visiting is the city of San Blas.

I'm a fan of the Mexican rock band, Mana. One of my favorite songs by them is called En El Muelle de San Blas.

It's about a woman who says a tearful goodbye to her sailor boyfriend and vows to wait for his return on the pier of San Blas. She waits and waits and waits but he never comes back.

Once, years ago, I remember Googling "San Blas" and discovering that it was a real town on Mexico's Pacific coast. And now I'm off to see it for myself.

To help you get inspired about my trip, you can listen to Mana's San Blas song...