That's a new term from the US. It means people who sap your energy dry, perhaps because they may be too loud, have nothing worth saying, or just plain self centred. This hotel (Westin Spa and Resort) in Puerto Vallarta Marina is full of them!
The hotel is actually a very lovely beach hotel, with swimming pools exclusively for adults, and a chic looking bar on the beach with white divans to recline on. I do remember Clare, Julee and I went to a sister bar in Miami and decided that the people there were not quite "us".
The hotel is free! Courtesy of Shaun´s points scheme. However, just a sandwich and a drink wipes out my daily budget! Shaun´s card comes to the rescue there too. It seems to cause staff to doth their cap and bow and scrape even lower, and breakfast and early evening drinks and canapes are free! Good nosh, and good Californian fizz too. The only problem with the free cocktail (two) hour is that you have to suffer the conversation, if you can call it that of wealthy Americans. "I have a black American Express and I can do what I want"! The other talk is about how many condominiums they visited and how much they are paying for it, or how much the women have spent on jewellery that day. The other downside of the hotel is that you have to avoid all loby (it is an American hotel) staff, or else the will try to wear you down into attending a Time Share presentation.
The nearby marina is full of expensive looking yachts with US registrations, and plenty of Stars and Stripes flying if you weren't quite sure who has the money. I think that probably makes Puerto Vallarta more like a US version of Marbella than Benidorm. Mexico has been described as a suburb of California, with every US fast food chain you can imagine, and roly poly people too. You have to run the guantlet of touts try to sell you sea fishing trips. Aggh...with lines like "where's your wife?", to which I replied, I don't have one but my boyfriend is right here" puting my arm round Sahun, who played along with the game. That stopped their super slick sales pitch!
Why did we come to Puerto Vallarta? Neither of us would go again. Perhaps it was the weather, which at this time of year is fantastic, blue skies every day, and a comfortable 30 degrees. Perhaps is was the gay scene here. The most famous club, Paco Paco, is clearly past its sell-by date. We did find the super cool Mañana where the beautiful sip cocktails and dance under the stars, in a colonnaded courtyard with palm trees and a pool. There were plenty of Californian muscle marys there.
So, here I am at Mexico City, the third time I have arrived on a long distance bus at the bus Terminal del Norte. Good public transport here. Imagine puting a Metro station right outside the bus station, which is on the same line at the station for the airport! Less than ten pence for the ride too.
Next stop Habana, Cuba. There I should be Gringo free at last, as they are not allowed to go there by their country.
Nos vemos en la web desde Cuba!
Chris xxx
Terre sans mal
Voici le site de l'association Terre sans mal. Deux de ces membres sont partis à la rencontre d'acteurs du développement durable et témoignent des programmes mis en place en Amérique du sud....