My beautiful niece (who everyone says looks like me) came to visit for a few days last week. She is currently living in Queretaro with her husband, and she wanted some “warm weather.” I mean, I tried to tell her, guys, I really did. But she was adamant because she brought several pairs of shorts to Mexico and had yet to wear them, thanks to the truly temperate weather of central Mexico in October.
I have to tell you, I wasn’t feeling much sympathy for the poor dear, who had been experiencing weather in the mid-twenties (Celsius) ever since she arrived in August. It sounded pretty blissful compared to our mid-thirties and 80% humidity, but if she wanted warm weather, then warm weather she’d get.
She immediately remarked on the wall of humidity that greeted her as soon as she disembarked and eagerly changed into shorts once she arrived at our house. By the second day, she seemed a bit less enthusiastic about the warm weather, noting how curious it was to be sweating so much—more than she could remember sweating in her entire life.
All of the sweating aside, we had a wonderful time while she was here, and I recalled once again how great it is to see Vallarta through a visitor’s eyes. We often get wrapped up in our own little, moist worlds, especially as we try to survive the tropical heat of the rainy season. We tend to stick to the indoors and the A/C, which can really insulate us from what is beautiful about this city.
And I remembered, also, that you can absolutely enjoy what Vallarta has to offer, even in these hot, humid months. We walked on the beaches at sunset, when the temperatures started to decline (ever so slightly and yet so significantly). We stood and watched the breathtaking Papantla flyers in the drizzling rain. We took a cooling dip in the pool and chatted for hours, laying on our backs and enjoying the palm-tree-studded view of the sky.
We strolled through our outdoor shopping plaza, La Isla, dipping into stores for some air-conditioned relief every so often and trying new and delicious ice cream flavors. We took a walk through Versalles at dinnertime and ended up at one of our favorites, OPA Greek Bistro.
Was it warm? Oh yes, it sure was. My niece got her money’s worth from those shorts (which were too nice to stay in her closet in Queretaro). But was it fun? Oh, man was it ever. Not only was it not crowded in any of our favorite places, but the service was impeccable and the sights were unforgettable.
I can’t deny it—I look forward to December in Vallarta. I love the warm, breezy days and the cooler evenings when a cardigan is optional. But there’s something special about our city during the tropical summers, when vibrant flowers bloom in full color and the mountains are draped in lush green. I’m always proud of my Vallarta, and I never pass up the chance to show others just how wonderful she is.
