Richard, Andrey and Maks sailed Issuma from the Sea of Cortez (where the last blog entries were) to Puerto Vallarta, where Andrey left to return to work.

I started experiencing Mexican culture right outside the airport - with the public bus ride to the boat! The driver's personal music soundtrack was blaring, the speed was high, the doors didn't always close, the ride was bone-jarring, but the other passengers were very friendly. They included a local soccer coach who gave great advice on surfing.

Some last minute errands included a long walk to the gas station to top off jugs for the generator. Luckily, my new crewmate Maks is great at finding favors and got us a ride back into town in the back of an old pick up truck. The friendly, young driver stopped for tacos at a great roadside stand, pictured. The cocinero mesmerized us with his speed and grace in slicing a portion from the stack of pork onto a tortlla, then topping it with a slice of pineapple from the top of the rotisserie, all in fast fluid food service to keep those tacos al pastor coming. The street food here includes amazing fresh salsas and is so delicious!

The last chore was sailing over to the Puerto Vallarta marina to formally check out of the country, which Richard understood as typically Latin American layered with forms and authorities. The bay, Bahia de Banderas, was full of pelicans, flying fish, eels, dophins and more! So the best farewell came from the whales slowly breachng as we passed.