BOTANICAL GARDENS REVISITED

It has been a while, so maybe you have forgotten my post on Puerto Vallarta's Botanical Gardens.   It was just before summer when I went and a lot of the gardens were drying up.  I wanted to go back right after the rains stopped, but there was Turkey, problems with the apartment, the Holidays,  my fall, and my general laziness.  On a spur of the moment one day I decided to go by myself.  I had tried for some time to get my friend interested in it, but he was not.

It is still only 20 pesos for a one way bus ticket, but the entrance fee is now 60 pesos.  They call it a 'donation' but I could not figure out how to get in without paying it.  I skipped the 5 peso map and was surprised to see a friend sitting behind the desk (another turns out to be a waiter there).  My, my I am becoming a local here.  The gardens were much prettier and there were more flowers in bloom.  I am still fascinated by that yellow and purple vine that looks like a type of wisteria.  I also had not noticed the last time, that much of the jungle you walk through has vanilla orchids wrapped around tree trunks.  Yes, vanilla beans to not come from a tree, but an orchid plant.

 

This time I did more of the trails that take you deep down into canyons of green ferns, vines and ferns.  At the bottom is a river and there were little creeks running all through the park.  Of course there is a swinging bridge over one of them.   Some of the trees were in bloom and the water lily pond reminded me of Monets water lily lakes in Giverney.  Much of the ground is covered in very colorful leafed plants.

The restaurant on the second floor of the bouganvilla covered building is quite charming, offering vistas of the park.  The food is quite good too.  One woman from my bridge club was there and told me she has had Thanksgiving dinner there for years (something I would like to do next year).  It is a very pleasant day for about $15.00 including lunch.   They are in the process of building a large green house for orchids, but it has been in progress for some time.


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