Puerto Valolarta Research Paper

Once named the friendliest city in the world, Puerto Vallarta in my eyes continues to carry that reputation. The people who live there are what make this place so special; it is my most desired place to travel to. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico sits along the coast of Banderas Bay in the Pacific Ocean. Along with having exotic scenery, they are known for having an exceptional variety of food. With the dark frigid winter creeping up on us, my head wanders to memories of missed friends and 90 degree temperatures. When traveling to a foreign country you never know what to expect. Curiosity of people and cultural norms race through your head. That is how I felt the first time I flew into the Puerto Vallarta airport with my friend Ashley.

As early as eight in the morning, beaches are packed with people sun bathing in their new swim suits. Coming from the depressing artic winter in Minnesota, the hot sand on my back and gold sun on my face is what I had been missing for months. While gazing out into the sapphire ocean it is not uncommon to spot the black and white fins of killer whales. It is truly a sight to see, although the beach is not the only admirable scenery in Puerto Vallarta. Looking inland, steep and narrow cobblestone roads lead up to mountains that fill the sky. There is a mile-long promenade along the ocean that extends from one side of town to the other called the Malecón. Along the Malecón are palm trees, rock statues and sand sculptures. It is considered a main attraction for everyone. Most of the popular restaurants, nightclubs and stores are located

After an eventful night of dancing at nightclubs, I never expected to have the most flavorful tacos reach my mouth. At four in the morning we found ourselves at a small, local hole-in-the-wall where most tourists would not be caught dead at. Even though they were the greatest tacos I have ever had, what I ate most while I was there was tortilla soup. Topped with melted cheese and strips of fried tortillas I devoured a bowl from a place our friend Oscar worked at, Margarita Grille. I am not a soup person but this is something I still crave weekly, as well as the salsa they served. Fresh roasted tomatoes were crushed at our table and mixed with garlic, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and juices of a lime. A scoop of the colorful vegetables on a warm, salted tortilla chip will satisfy your taste buds and keep you going for more. Because Margarita Grille was only a couple blocks from our hotel in the “old town” of Puerto Vallarta, we ate there five or six times. Being an outdoor restaurant, there were always stray cats meandering around for scraps of dropped food. People were told not to feed them, but I think they were a pleasant reminder of being away from