On the was back from Puerto Vallarta, we decided to visit San Francisco. Snake had mentioned this place when he knew we were going to be near there. It has a Mango processing plant, and a pretty nice little beach. Not much else there, but it�s a nice place. After spending the day in busy, expensive Puerto Vallarta, we sure were glad to get back to our Casa Bougainvilleas in La Penita! We just stumbled onto this place, and it�s been wonderful! Here�s a first, I haven�t been in a Walmart for 2 weeks. We went right by a Super Center today, and didn�t even stop! I did shake a little, but it passed.

This man on the horse was carrying a load of Sugar Cane. A couple seconds after I snapped this picture, he moved to the sidewalk and dumped it. Guess that was his delivery spot.

Hey Tim, here�s one for sale in San Francisco. (I never did see the Golden Gate)

These girls were having a wonderful time zipping around town on their 4 wheeler! The sweepers are residents of San Francisco.

A place that makes and sells furniture in San Francisco.

I love pink Flamingos, but Pat said I couldn�t put one in the yard, and Preston said he wouldn�t carry on home. Guess I�ll have to stick with the pink crab on a stick for now.

A nice looking Hotel on a side street. Less dollars than the beach side, but still a lot of money. We�re very happy where we are up the coast a ways in real Mexico!

Now we know what it takes to make Preston smile!

This river runs out into the Pacific here. You used to see ladies out pounding and washing their clothes in it, a little farther down, but not any more. It�s also been totally cleaned up, the water is clear, and there is no trash in it. What a difference a few years make! It used to sort of divide the tourist area from the other part of town, but that�s not the case anymore.

The old man of the sea relaxes in Puerto Vallarta. It�s been five years since we were here last, and really suffered from �Sticker Shock� today! Everything has gone up a lot in price, there are many new tourist related businesses, the streets are cleaner, it�s come a long way toward modernization. Where we are here in La Penita, very few people speak any English, but in Puerto Vallarta, it�s uncommon not be able to find an English speaking person in most businesses. The Public Market and the huge Flea market of the past is all cleaned up, and the prices have gone up accordingly. Bartering is very limited now too, not like in the past. We all decided we were glad to have seen it before the changes.

The Hooter�s here has been around a long time, and shows it. The outside hasn�t been well maintained. Looks fine from a distance, but up close you can see the ravages of sun and weather that have taken place over the years.

Galleries are abundant in the tourist parts of town. There are many jewelry stores, art shops, and things made by the local artists. All expensive. I liked this picture.

There are a dozen or more weird statues along the sea wall. Some are very nice, some are�..well, different! But all are somewhat interesting.

Karen met up with the �Devil of evil Cervesa�. They hit it off pretty good!

When the parasail takes off, it rises mightty fast! I wanted to get her just leaving the ground, but couldn�t get the camera ready in time.

Took this from our table in the Cuban Restaurant.

We�ve been to several Hard Rock Cafe�s around the country. We first tried this one back in 2001.

This is inside a Cuban Restaurant. Walls signed by a lot of famous people. Overlooked the Malecon and the sea. Very nice place.

There was a lot of art work along the Malecon. Here�s just a small example.

We passed this small lagoon and the way to Chacala. This road was about 5 miles long, off of Hwy 200 north of Puerto Vallarta. Most of the side roads are dirt, so this was a pleasant surprise. Looked like a good motorcycle road.

Example of a store, Bar and Grill away from the beach side. It looked cool and inviting inside.

This did remind me a little of Cooper�s Bar B Que, in a somewhat smaller scale! The sure put some good food out from this little pit. This morning for breakfast I had a large Chorizo sausage, it was excellent! Bought it right off a grill in town.

Joker seems to be everywhere. That guy gets around! I should make a blog of just Joker pictures. No wonder he rides such a big motorcycle, he has businesses everywhere! (Some look a little questionable)

We picked Chico�s to eat. It was early, so there weren�t a lot of people there. We got a beach front table

Fish of all kinds and different preparations is the specialty here. This was my lunch. I gave the others my beans and rice, the fish was totally delicious!

I didn�t eat any of the hot fresh tortillas that they served in hot towels in a basket. But, I did a pretty good job of slicking up the fish!

Karen had a little trouble getting around the eye ball, but the fist tasted so good she finished it off with smacking lips! I think the more of the Grande Margarita she shared with Preston may have helped too.

The beach at Chacala. Pat wasn�t expecting rain, the bumbershoot is for the sun.

This little guy was one of the many beach dogs hanging out in Chacala.

Karen and Pat each bought a Mango on a stick. The man put in deep cuts, squeezed lime juice all over it, sprinkled it lightly with powdered chili. He was selling all kinds of fruit in his booth.

On February 12th. There is a battle of the bands her in Los Romas. We were trying to decide the best time to get there. It�s a fiesta of some sort, and they will have some horse events too. And, I don�t know what all.

This vendor had a bunch of pretty birds for sale. I liked this one the best.

These guys are hanging out at the end of a market day in La Penita. Drinking Modelo, smoking some horse manure or something, and kicking back. I took this out of the car window.

We also visited Chacala today. It�s a nice little cove, one of the first harbors in this area. Because of the natural rock protection on each point, and the fairly deep harbor, it was a place for pirate boats to hide and spend some time in the �old days�. Now, it�s known for it�s several good seafood restaurants, and the good swimming beach. This is the one street along the bay. Eating and entertainment on one side, some shops like these on the other side.

Karen bought some shoes from this lady. If she doesn�t have what fits or what you like, she�ll custom make you a pair right there.

More of the local color. We stay amazed at how many dogs there are around here. Our neighborhood is just full of them. All very rough looking, skinny, and hungry. And, they bark at all hours of the night. We have seen a few cute ones.

This is one of the finished arrangements made by the guy in the last picture. He usually has a whole wall full of his work for sale, and seems to do a good business.

This little band was playing extreme Jungle Music! It�s market day in the Square, there are lots of vendors and extra people out today. It was amazing the sound that comes out of the drums these guys were playing.

This young man is a local florist. He sets up near where I check the e-mail daily. He does some beautiful work.

This paw print is on a brick on an inside wall of our house. We�ve visited a brickyard here, so it�s easy to understand how this could have happened. I think it give the wall some extra character. And,����.it makes you remember to �paws and reflect�.

We saw two different ladies carrying loads on their heads here today. They just strut along with a heavy load

Karen and Preston bought this sink to put in one of their bathrooms at home. They had a lot of selections, it was hard to choose!

One of several night clubs in Rincon de Guayabitos. Pat and Karen are on another walk!

Same horse I posted yesterday, but a better picture. Taken from the entrance to our patio. This man goes by a couple times a day. I�m not sure what he carries in the milk can.

Pat has been spending a lot of time on the phone. Her 95 year old mother came down with a urinary tract infection last Monday, and is in the hospital. She is doing well and will go home today. The phone system doesn�t work too well, and it�s expensive to use phone cards, which we�ve been doing. Our house has a phone, but it was disconnected, and would take a long time to get it re-instated, so we�re making do. My cell phone was suppose to work here, I paid for Sprint Global. But�.it doesn�t work. I�ll settle up with them when I get home!

Statue along the Avenue Emilio Zapata, the main (and only paved) street in town

This was the �Great spider hunt� from yesterday. Preston took this while I was in hot pursuit. He got away.

Preston looking out to sea. This is the end of the street from the Plaza in our town.

Interesting place in Rincon de Guayabitos. We walked the town some after leaving the beach today.

It was very windy as you can see by Pat�s hair and the palm trees. Only 80 degrees today, coolest day since we�ve been here. We didn�t stay on the beach too long.