TGIF, amigos! Hope you have had a GREAT week! Here's what we have been up to lately--
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO THIS WEEK?
Greg-- I can walk again! Woo hoo! One of my crutches broke so I was kind of forced into it, but I can finally walk (mostly) pain-free, albeit a little slow. I am still a long way away from running another ultra-marathon, but for now just walking to Oxxo feels like enough of a journey!
Thank you to everybody for all of the kind words and well wishes!
Hillary-- The time changed this week in Mexico so I have been waking up without an alarm and THAT is what adults dream of (right?!) I ran 6 miles on Monday which is the most I have run in a long time and have spent the rest of the week recovering from that :) I cooked some meals at home and even baked chocolate chip cookies for a friend.
THE BEST FOOD OF THE WEEK
When most people come to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico they typically want Mexican food, but Puerto Vallarta has so much more to offer than that. We recently tried a Greek Restaurant called Opa Greek Bistro- The Original and it was delicious! We ordered an order of tzatziki and gyros and we were not disappointed. If you are looking for fresh pita or just something a little different, we highly recommend trying out Opa. Each gyro cost about $100-120 pesos. Address: Francia 199 D, Versalles, Puerto Vallarta
SPANISH TIP OF THE WEEK
Watch Netflix!
Netflix is a great language-learning resource. If you are at the beginner-stages of learning Spanish, we recommend watching kid's shows that are in Spanish (with Spanish subtitles). It can feel a little silly to watch a kid's show, but you would be surprised at how helpful watching them can be!
If you understand a good amount of Spanish, the next thing step is to watch shows or movies you are very familiar with in Spanish. For example, I know almost every line of the movie Forrest Gump. Watching it in Spanish (with Spanish subtitles) was really entertaining and I had the benefit of learning some of my favorite movie lines in Spanish!
With that said, I hate watching shows or movies that are dubbed over. It is so much more enjoyable to watch something in its original language. Here are a few of our Spanish language Netflix recommendations:
Oscuro Deseo (Dark Desire) - Set in Mexico
At first it seems like a "Fifty Shades" kind of knock off, but it's not that at all. It turns out to be a very intriguing murder mystery show.
La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) - Spain Spanish
Think Oceans 11, but way better.
Unstoppable - Set in Mexico
Three "fresa" girls set off on a road trip across Mexico, but things don't go quite as planned. (Perfect for learning Mexican slang)
Casa de Flores - Set in Mexico
Follows the hilarious drama of a "perfect" family after everything falls apart
Luis Miguel - Set in Mexico
Tells the story of the famous musician, Luis Miguel
If you're like us and are looking to improve subtle pronunciation differences (or looking to start from scratch), we have two different resources we would recommend:
♦︎ Pimsleur Spanish Program: We would recommed Pimsluer if you are starting from zero or have a basic understanding of the language, but want to advance to a more intermediate level. You can try a lesson for free and then the cost is $20 per month for access to the entire Pimsleur library. The great thing about Pimsleur is that it is a great value for the amount of Spanish that you will learn in 1-3 months' time.
♦︎ Baselang: We would recommend Baselang if you are more of the beginner-intermediate level and want to take your fluency to the next level. Baselang is $150 USD per month and includes access to unlimited one-on-one personalized classes with live instructors via Zoom. We have yet to find such a complete, well-rounded program that will most definitely help improve your Spanish! Baselang has its own curriculum that you can follow, tons of electives to choose from, or you can use your class to talk about or study whatever you want!
Try Baselang for one week for just $1 dollar! THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
Slow down. You don't have to always be in a rush. We are reminding ourselves of this more so than you all know! We went to breakfast this past Sunday and it took foreverrrrrrrrrrr. I mean, forever. We waited to be sat at our table for at least two hours. Needless to say, I was a little peeved... (that's my way of saying I was about to kill a waiter!)
Don't get me wrong, that's way too long to wait, but we had nothing to do! We were just sitting and talking, so why was I so rushed and so angry? The only thing we wanted to do that day was go to breakfast, so who cares if it took all day! That's what Sundays are for, right?!
After breakfast, I had to remind myself to go slow.
To not be in a rush.
Especially on a Sunday.
We are so used to being on the go, to being in a rush, that we even rush around to rest. How fast can we get through this restful activity and get to the next? So here is a gentle reminder to ourselves (and to you!) to take it easy, to slow down, and to relax.
Slow Dance by David L. Weatherford
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight, or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly, when you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow, and in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a friendship die, 'cause you never had time to call and say hi?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day, it's like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life isn't a race, so take it slower, hear the music before your song is over.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
We slept in a shipping container...
This place is truly unique and such a cool experience! You can book your stay at this hotel by clicking here.
PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK
Día de Muertos is coming up next week! Obviously, the celebrations will be a little bit different this year, but we can't wait to celebrate and share with you how this holiday is celebrated here. Also, we are planning to visit THREE Pueblo Mágicos that we have never been to before! Stayed tuned for new videos coming soon! Until then...
We hope you all have a great weekend!
PS-if you're looking to travel soon, you can check out some of our favorite AirBnbs by clicking HERE. If you're looking to book a hotel, you can book through our affiliate link HERE and we will earn a percentage of your booking at no additional cost to you! Thank you so much for supporting our work :)
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P.P.S. If you are looking for a good travel credit card for 2020 (or maybe 2021? 2020 wasn't a great year for traveling!) we have a few good recommendations for you :)
