For about a year, I have been planning a blog project. I want to drive north from Barra de Navidad to Puerto Vallarta and stay one night in each of the luxury hotels along the way.
It would get me out of the house and give me some interesting tales to relate.
Well, it was a good idea until I started penciling out a budget. I now know why travel writer’s accept Caesar’s coin before writing those lavish praise pieces. It may be some time before that idea gets beyond the concept stage.
In fact, I had never even stepped foot in the hotel that would kick off the trip – the Grand Bay Hotel on Isla Navidad, just across the bay from Barra de Navidad.
It is impossible to miss the place if you visit this area. It sits perched above the bay like some Kubla Khan-ordained Xanadu. But whether or not it is a “stately pleasure dome,” I had no idea. Until Sunday.
So far, I have shown Brian and Holden what a regular day is like in Melaque. On Sunday, that means church services followed by lunch at some local eatery.
So, we were off to one of our informal worship services. This week there were thirteen of us. And seven decided to head off to lunch. Including us.
But the spot was new for me. We drove over to the Grand Bay Hotel. It is hard not to compare the rather ragged roads and houses on the outside of the gated property with what lies inside. On the inside, well-maintained roads wind through a golf course that would have pleased Charles Foster Kane.
And the hotel itself with its yacht-studded marina perfectly completed the picture. That is it at the top of the post – as seen from Barra.
I then introduced Brian and Holden to one of my favorite places. The mirador overlooking Melaque and the Pacific Ocean. In the week since I was last there, it has greened up with our summer rains.
Then, a real Sunday tradition. I gave them a couple hours to relax at their pool while I headed off to take a siesta (that just did not happen). We were then off to dinner. Does there appear to be a theme there?
I wanted them to experience one of Melaque’s nicer beach restaurants – where the food does a passable job of matching the view.
And to give them a chance to experience one of Melaque’s best attractions – the sunset. Sunday was a particularly nice show with its reverse sunset turning the sea into that delightful pink tinge I have noticed in my garden during summer evenings.
When they arrived, I told Brian and Holden I had no set agenda. We would do whatever the day seemed to lead us to do. So far, that has worked out.
I just hope the day leads us to a nice snorkel trip before they return to Los Angeles.
