What do you mean by “documentation?”

When I am talking about documents I mean things like:

• Your birth certificate,
• Driver’s license,
• Your passport,
• Visas,
• Shot records,
• Work authorizations.

Not all of these apply to everyone or where you are planning on going, but at least one or two will apply to you.

What do you mean by “access?”

Access to documents will mean different things to different people – and part of this is generational. Old school access would be having photocopies of your important documents that you carry with you. If you are going this route, make sure that the copies are readable and up to date. For documents that need to be certified (often your birth certificate), a photocopy probably wouldn’t be acceptable, but you might be able to get the process started with un-official documents. You might put those copies in an envelope and stash them in your carry-ons or suitcase.

Where you put them is a matter of personal preference. For example, I don’t travel without my laptop that I keep in a backpack. That’s where I would keep the backup document envelope. My backpack is never out of my sight. If I keep the documents in my suitcase, I would probably worry about something happening to my suitcase either at TSA or with the baggage handlers. (I have seen suitcases pop open on the asphalt when baggage handlers were loading them.)

Most newer hotels, resorts, and cruise ships have safes in each room, so when I get to my destination all of my documents go into the room safe until I leave. That’s also where I put my wallet, and electronics when we leave our room.

New school access means you save a digital copy somewhere that you will have access to while traveling. That may mean the copies/photographs have been saved to you OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, your phone, or some other digital storage device. The idea behind this and the process are similar to old school – you’re just saving it to a different location.

Both methods have the positives and negatives. Photocopies mean you don’t have to have Internet access or your phone to provide the documentation to get a new/replacement passport. However, photocopies can be less secure and more easily stolen. Digital copies require access to at least your phone and perhaps the Internet, but this method is more secure.

What to do if you do lose your documentation

This step is a little harder to be specific about. You will need to contact the closest office of the issuing agency to have your documents replace. It would be a good idea to have done some research before you travel to find that information when you are less stressed about what is happening. If you are working with a travel agent they can probably help you out with this! A US embassy or consulate is probably your first call for major documents like passports. They could also advise you where to call for visas, work authorizations, etc. By the way, if you are on a cruise ship, your way to get off and back on the ship is usually some kind of medallion or ID card. If you lose that while you are on a tour, you will need some proof of who you are to get back on the ship. Passport or drivers license is best choice but I have seen people use a credit card. It took longer with more hoops to jump, but they were able to get back onto the ship.

Bottom line

The choice of how you carry backup documentation with you is totally yours. The wise traveler will opt for one or the other because lost documents while traveling could ruin your trip. Remember that planning ahead is crucial to have a more enjoyable trip.

And yes, I know some of you out there  will do both just to be sure!

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Looking for Deals

If you are looking for deals and like to haggle, there are several places to shop in Puerto Vallarta. Most of the ones listed in this section don’t have set prices. The price they start with  can vary on the day of the week and the time of the day. Days that cruise ships are in port are days that the prices tend to be a little higher. Days without cruise ships tend to be a little lower. Ships used to port primarily on Wednesdays and so those were the days we didn’t like to go down town. Now cruise ships may port any day of the week. Not only were prices higher, but the shops and restaurants were crowded. However, the last couple of trips seem to have a variety of days those ships ported. I am not much if a haggler. I want to know the price, let’s pay it and be done. Kim likes to haggle so these are some of her favorites.

Cuale Island Flea Market

There is an island in the middle of the Cuale River – Ok calling it a river is generous for most of the year. For most of the year it is a small stream that sometimes runs on both sides of the island. It is below the surrounding streets so you will need to go down some stairs to access this area. When you walk along the island, there are shops set up on either side with all kinds of merchandise for sale. There are several restaurants there too, but this post is about shopping. All these shops are open to haggling so be prepared for variable pricing on all their wares.

Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale

This “flea market” is on the north bank of the Cuale. It is a two-story shopping area that has many of the same goods you would find down on the island. If you were to ask a taxi driver to take you to someplace where you could shop for souvenirs, you would probably end up here. There are stalls inside the mercado (market) for each of the vendors. Again, we had our favorites, but there have been changes here too. New vendors in and old ones out. Again, haggling is the name of the game here.

Real Market

This is located west of Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale and is like the mercado. You can find similar merchandise here as in the mercado or on the island and put your haggling hat on for here too. Prices in all of the will probably be about the same, but you may find what you are looking for in the color you want one place but not at the others.

Picis Artesanias Mexicanas

This store is not for haggling but usually has some nice art pieces probably created in Mexico, not China. We will go in here if we are looking for something special as a gift for people at home. Prices here are usually firm

Señor Talavera

Talavera tile and pottery are special/unique finds. The true Talavera comes from the town Dolores Hidalgo, just outside of San Miguel de Allende and is handmade and hand painted. If you think of Mexican tile or pots or dishes or sinks, you are probably thinking about Talavera. This shop is located just west of the Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale. This is one of several different places to find Talavera – I will talk about our favorite a little later.

The Opal Mine Puerto Vallarta

There is a lot of opal mined and worked into jewelry (especially with silver) in Mexico. There are several locations in Puerto Vallarta, two of which are on the Malecón. Prices will be firm here and the pieces will be more expensive tan you want to pay.

Tierra Huichol – Galería Malecón, Puerto Vallarta

The Huichol are indigenous people, tribe, from the area around Puerto Vallarta, Nayarit, Jalisco, and other states on the west coast. They are know for the bead works of art. Again, if the art was truly made by the Huichol people, it will be expensive. This gallery is on the Malecón and if you are lucky, you may see someone in the gallery creating a piece while you watch.

General Items

Market Place

There are several markets/stores/supermarkets available for general merchandise. We tend to shop at these when we are staying at a villa, a time-share, or someplace with a kitchen. We also go there for water and if we forgot to pack something. Speaking Spanish is a plus, even at Walmart.

Those include:

• Walmart
• Sam’s Club
• Mega/ Soriano
• Casa Ley

Farmacias

There are farmacias (pharmacies) on almost every corner and often in between as well. The quality and selection varies greatly so use your best judgement when shopping at these. Prices are fixed and English is ify.

OXXO

These are roughly equivalent to a Seven/Eleven or CircleK in the states. Again, a wide variety of what you will find in these. Prices are fixed and English is ify.

Looking for Specialty Items

Mundo de Cristal/Mundo de Pewter/Mundo de Azulejos

The Mundo stores are all located in the same area of old town. If you are looking for truly unique gift items of souvenirs made of glass, pewter, or Talavera, this is where you need to go. They do wrap things very well for you to take with you and offer shipping on many items. We never go to Puerto Vallarta without at least stopping in to one or all of these. It’s fun to just browse even if you don’t buy. These are so popular that cruise ship tours often stop at one or more of these on their tours.

Tequila stores

Tequila originated in this area of Mexico and the true tequila, not what you buy in the States, is smooth and needs no lime or salt to drink. It is just fine to sip it and enjoy. There are many tequila shops in Puerto Vallarta that will be happy to let you sample – you just need to look around. If you try the tequila and it has a bite, say thank you and walk away because it’s not the real thing.

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What is Wellness?

Being healthy is absolutely part of wellness. Keeping up with visits to various doctors, dentists and other health professional is the start of wellness. But topic goes way beyond just those things. If you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy, those things are at the bottom of his pyramid in the Physical and Safety Needs areas. Don’t get me wrong, those things are required, but people need more than just their physical and health needs covered.

Being part of a groups

Being a member of a group is in the middle of the hierarchy but it can be an important part of how people fare in this world. Humans are social beings. Yes, some more than others, but if you look at how we evolved, we won’t have survived without the help of others – our group, our tribe. We are not the fastest animal on the planet. Nor do we have sharp claws or the most muscle. We have survived because we can work with others to achieve a goal – survival initially. That group or tribe may start as family or just the people around us but it should grow to a larger group; perhaps our community, or state, or country, or world. Being part of something larger helps us to put our lives and problems in perspective.

Esteem

An outgrowth of being part of a group can and should be a sense of confidence in what we do and the respect of others. By working with and helping others, we gain more confidence in what we can do. It could be as simple as helping others to read or raking up leaves for those who can’t or helping build a house for Habitat for Humanity. But whatever the activity is, it helps us to feel more confident in our abilities as a person. I grew up backpacking and at that time the motto was, “Leave it better than you found it.” Working to help others is one way to leave the world a better place than when we came into it and helps build our own self-esteem.

Self-actualization

The top level of the hierarchy is about becoming more. More through finding a purpose for your life and pursuing it. A Buddhist might say it is part of working toward enlightenment. Rick Warren, in The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for? says “Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction and events without reason. Without a purpose life is trivial, petty, and pointless.” Too many people are just going through the motions without a reason or purpose to their life. This kind of a life is existing, not living! To have an enjoyable, fulfilled life, people need to identify and pursue a purpose. That purpose may change over time as we go through different life stages, but at least there is something to strive for.

All of these things contribute to a person’s physical and mental wellness.

Now the second part of the initial question – why should employers’ care

At first glance, from a bean counter’s perspective, worrying about employee’s wellbeing has nothing to do with the bottom line and so is a waste of time and resources. Yes, I understand that no employer is responsible for every level of Maslow’s Hierarchy for all their employees, but a deeper dive into the facts will show that in many cases it does make sense for an employer to consider some of those needs.

Absenteeism

From a strictly health point of view, wellness programs lead to reduced absenteeism. People who are physically healthy and who make sure their families are healthy too, miss less work. But there’s more to it than that. Looking back at Maslow’s Hierarchy, we see that people also need to be mentally healthy; for example, feeling connected  and part of a group. People who are mentally healthy are less likely to take “mental health” days off. Fewer days off can lead to less disruption of production and greater output. Both of those aspects can be helped by insurance and wellness programs in companies.

Disability claims can be reduced

When I was younger, I worked in an RV trailer plant. Every spring as we were gearing up for the summer camping season, we would work 10 sometimes 12-hour days. It wasn’t unusual for us to work Saturdays too. The money was great, but the number of injuries went up. The more we worked, the more tired we got and the more likely it was that we got hurt from a lack of focus. Almost everyone missed some time because of an injury. That left crews short of people and less productive. Being aware of what people are capable of for a job can help them know the limits of their bodies and minds. Wellness programs can help employees and employers understand these limits better.

Reduced turnover

I worked for one company that kept wages low and provided little to no employee wellness programs beyond just basic health insurance. Their philosophy was that there were always people looking for work so we aren’t going to take care of our people. Yes, there are always people who are looking for work, but it takes time to teach them how to do their job and more time for them to learn how to work efficiently. If that person only lasts 4-6 weeks, then you are pulling another staff member from their regular duties in a never-ending training cycle. A short-term gain in wage reduction rarely outweighs a long-term loss in productivity. Being part of a company the shows its employees it cares, helps to reduce the turnover with all its hidden costs.

Happier, more satisfied employees

Happier, more satisfied employees tend to be more productive and more involved on the company. Satisfaction can lead them to contribute more to the growth of the business. From a social media standpoint, their posts and pictures will help sell products and find quality employees. Angry reviews on Indeed don’t lead good candidates to apply for open positions. Also, some of the best ideas for improvements in products and production come from the people who are making the widgets you sell.

Back to the RV plant, there were times that the engineers would design a new trailer and then send us the drawing to make a prototype. Working though the build of the prototype, we occasionally found huge design flaws that would have made the trailer unstable. We would talk it over with our bosses who then brought the designers out to rework the drawings. Sometimes the people who make your products know more the them than the people who design it.

Having happier, more engaged employees can lead to better products and processes.

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Places to Go

Naval Museum Secretary of the Navy of Mexico

The written history of Banderas Bay where Puerto Vallarta is located goes back to the early 1500’s. The bay gets it name from the flags made from feathers the indigenous people flew when going into battle. The town of Puerto Vallarta grew out of one of the many fishing villages that lined the bay in the mid to late 1800’s. So, Puerto Vallarta has a long relationship with the bay and Pacific Ocean and the museum tells some of that story.

One of the things that we have heard about but never stopped at is the naval museum; which is pretty strange since we have walked by it hundreds of times. It is located on the south end of the Malecón’s main plaza. You can find it just beyond the arches and amphitheater.

The museum serves both English and Spanish speakers with several interactive exhibits. It traces the long relationship the Puerto Vallarta has with the ocean – both fishing and trade. There are many displays, some of them cross-sections of ships for you to view. There is also a café in the museum. Several people mentioned that this was a good stop to get out of the heat if you are walking the Malecón. The cost at the time of this post was $30 pesos for kids and $45 pesos for adults. At the current exchange rate that is about $1.50 and $2.50.

Plaza de Armas

This plaza is toward the south end of the Malecón. There are several local art displays there with constantly changing performers, small shops, and entertainment. There is also a small amphitheater for the occasional performance. If nothing is happening when you go, you can always step across the Malecón for a snack or adult beverage and check back later.

Botanical Garden

The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden is actually located south of the town. It is a 30-minute drive by taxi or Uber (there are tours available that can take you there on a bus if that’s more your speed). Plan to spend at least a couple of hours there. The flowers are gorgeous! Since Puerto Vallarta is in a tropical area, you will see some vegetation you have only seen in movies about exotic places. There is a restaurant on-site if you want to sit and relax with some food or an adult beverage.

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church

This church is a few blocks east of the Malecón overlooking the bay. It was built between 1930 and 1940 and is open most days for worshippers and visitors. It can be recognized by the crown at the top of the bell tower. It is located about three block east (up the hill) from the Malecón’s main plaza. Because it is still a working church, please be respectful during your visit.

Gringo Gulch – Taylor/Burton villas

from Wikipedia

Gringo Gulch is and area south of Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church that is a neighborhood many Americans and Canadians have purchased or rented houses in the past – hence the name. One of the more famous houses/villas is a pair that were rented by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor for the filming of the movie The Night of the Iguana. The story goes that Burton had a walkway built from his house to hers over the street so he could visit her at night.

Tours

Whale Watching

There are many companies that will take you out on a boat to try to find whales and/or other marine life. Banderas Bay is one of the wintering areas for Humpback Whales so if you go at the right time, chances are good that you will get to see whales. Note: we have had clients that saw whales sitting in an upstairs restaurant on the Malecón. Other wildlife tours may include porpoises, seals, etc.

Snorkeling

Another tour may take you to see fish, and other marine life while snorkeling. Both of these boat tours can be a little spotty as they can be affected by weather, migration patterns, jelly fish, and other things that may impact the tour.

Rhythm of the Nights

Finally, one of our favorite things to do or send clients to is Rhythm of the Nights. This is a 4-hour boat ride, dinner, and Cic du Soleil style show. The show often includes some of the indigenous stories and folk tales. If you have the chance to go, try to catch a night show as that will increase the magic of the experience.

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Why 10,000 Steps?

So what are the real numbers?

What your expectations are for walking, will determine how many steps you need each day. Is your goal to lessen the changes of heart attack? Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to stay mobile? Your goal(s) are what decides how many steps you should be taking every day.

Less Than Minimum Steps

You should try to get 5,000 steps a day if you don’t want to be counted as sedentary. Sedentary lifestyle is often called being a couch potato. Instead of exercising, you probably spend more time sitting at a computer or other device, watching TV, looking at your phone/tablet, or playing video games. Your sedentary lifestyle may come from your job or how you spend your leisure time.  You travel by car, on buses, or on trains instead of walking. The effects of a sedentary lifestyle are numerous:³

• Obesity
• Heart diseases
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Stroke
• Metabolic syndrome
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Osteoporosis and falls
• Increased feelings of depression and anxiety
• shorten life expectancy

Minimum Steps

Truly the minimum steps you should get every day is more like 7,000 to 7,500. Getting at least 7,000 steps every day contribute to:

• reduced mortality risk by around 50%
• improved cardiovascular health
• reduced risk of diabetes
• reduced risk of cancer
• reduced depression
• Better weight management
• better sleep quality

My story

I successfully lost about 60 pounds several years ago, mostly by walking. I started off with the common belief about the 10,000 steps. What I learned however was that I needed more than 10,000 to lode weight. There was a time when I was getting 15,000 to 18,000 steps every day. That many steps combined with a sensible diet allowed me to lose all that weight. Then I got injured, then the weather changed, and probably a dozen other lame excuses meant that I put most of that weight back on.

Reviewing what I had done and testing it out with more recent experimenting got me to my optimal step count – 12,000 steps daily. When I get at least 12,000 steps every day and eat right, I will lose weight. I didn’t do anything magical to discover this. I just kept experimenting with different counts – and kept a log. Someone once said, you can’t change anything that you don’t keep track of. You need to track your steps, your exercise and your food intake. These are the only ways you will be able to successfully control your weight.

Please remember, it isn’t just about the cardio. You should also be doing some resistance exercises too if you really want to get in your best shape. But always talk to your physician before starting any new exercise or diet routine!

¹  https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/walking-10k-steps-a-day-fact-fiction

² https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/03/watch-your-step-why-the-10000-daily-goal-is-built-on-bad-science

³ https://medlineplus.gov/healthrisksofaninactivelifestyle.html

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Restaurants – El Centro/Romantic Zone. This is a section of Puerto Vallarta that includes the old town and the Romantic Zone.

Puente Cuale Restaurant and Bar/ La Fuente Del Puente – Puente Cuale is on the one-way road headed north from the Romantic Zone toward the Hotel Zone and the airport. You can recognize it by the statue of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton just inside of the fence. The reason for the statue is that Taylor and Burton stayed up the hill in an area known as Gringo Gulch while filming the movie Night of the Iguana. Whether or not they ever ate there I don’t know. The restaurant is airy and open and allows good people watching opportunities. We had both breakfast and lunch there and they were both very good. The cuisine is Mexican, and the prices are very reasonable. It is a good place to take a break after shopping in either the flea markets or on the island. Here is their TripAdvisor page with reviews.

Vallarta Chocolate Factory Restaurant and Bar – The Vallarta Chocolate Factory Restaurant and Bar is almost directly across the street from the Puente Cuale Restaurant and Bar. Again that is on the one-way road headed north from the Romantic Zone toward the Hotel Zone. This is a small restaurant that does include chocolates and a cigar area. We held a welcome dinner there for one of the groups we took to Puerto Vallarta a few years ago. The cuisine is a mix of Mexican and Italian, again with reasonable pricing. They have a distillery and do make some of their own liqueurs. Two of our group found a liqueur that they couldn’t find elsewhere. They also make a wide selection of chocolates, pastries, and in-house ground coffees. Here is their website.

Daiquiri Dick’s on the beach – Here is another restaurant and bar that is right on the beach. It is on the south end of the Malecon across from Lazaro Cardenas Park. There is inside seating, or you can choose to sit out on the beach feeling the sand between your toes. This was closed for several years while they were refurbishing the restaurant but has been open for at least a year. They have a mix of cuisines with American and Mexican options. They are in the medium price range, but again you are paying for some experience with your food. Side note – be careful of the margaritas as they are large and strong. Here is their website.

Restaurants – Marina. There have been many changes in the stores and restaurants in the marina but there are two still there we like.

La Tavola di Vittoria – For us this is a recent addition to our list. It is close to the end of the road but not quite as far as El Callejon Mexicano that I covered in the first post. Both of them are on the marina side of the road. We happened to be across the road from where we were staying on our last trip. This location has gone through several changes over the last few years. When we first started going there it was called Pizza and Beer on one side and Tacos and Beer on the other. Hopefully, this version is here to stay because we enjoyed it so much we eat there twice in two days. This is also a higher end restaurant serving Italian food.. Here is their website.

Restaurants – Other.

La Palapa – While this restaurant is technically in the Romantic Zone, I put it in a category of its own. While they serve meals all day, this is the place for classic, romantic dinner on the beach. A spot for you to share with your significant other to build memories. Sharing a dinner and a glass of wine while watching the sun set. It is pricier than some of the others on my list, but you are going here for the experience as much as the food. The cuisine is upscale local with a lot of fish options. Here is their website.

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He had a double bypass. He the surgery made him weak for an extended period of time, he had to change his diet, and he had to get more exercise. He had a path that he walked every day for the rest of his life. He had to give up regular cheeses, which he loved, for non-fat cheese. He had to give up chocolate that he also loved.

Twenty years later, despite his rigid following the guidelines, he had to have a quadruple bypass with a valve replacement. He was never the same after the first surgery and lost several days memories from the second.

He passed ten years later with a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Heart disease didn’t take my father’s life but I’m sure it contributed to the decline in his health. Even though the body has multiple parts, it is a single system. In western medicine we tend to treat one part of the system without always recognizing the effect on the entire system.

What is Heart Disease

Heart disease is a general term for several different afflictions to the heart and circulatory system. Some of those include:

• Angina
• Arrhythmia
• Atherosclerosis
• Cardiac arrest
• Cardiovascular disease
• Congenital heart disease
• Coronary artery disease
• Endocarditis
• Heart failure
• Heart murmur
• Heart Palpitations
• Heart valve disease
• Hypertension
• Peripheral artery disease
• Stroke

What are the Numbers

According to the CDC, in the United States:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups.
• One person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
• In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease. That’s the equivalent of 1 in every 5 deaths.
• Heart disease cost about $252.2 billion from 2019 to 2020.2This includes the cost of health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.

https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

Things You Can Do

So, you do need to pay attention to your heart health. Here are some suggestions from a variety of sources about ways to take care of your heart:

• Get Enough Quality Sleep
• Eat Better
• Be More Active
• Control Cholesterol
• Manage Stress
• Manage Blood Sugar
• Control Blood Pressure

More References for You

https://www.heart.org/en/american-heart-month

https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/HeartWalk_Landing_Page.html

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/american-heart-month

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/take-action-your-heart-get-started-fact-sheet

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/heart-smart-basics-what-know-keep-yours-healthy-fact-sheet

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Restaurants – El Centro/Romantic Zone. This is a section of Puerto Vallarta that includes the old town and the romantic zone.

Paradise Burger – Paradise Burger is located on the Malecon north of the central plaza where you can take your picture by the Puerto Vallarta sign. The restaurant is actually upstairs so be prepared to climb a set fairly steep steps. The menu includes Mexican, American, and seafood options. With a full bar, you will be able to order almost any adult drink you want. If you get a seat overlooking the Malecon and are lucky, you may even see whales out in the bay.

When we went there last, we had the bacon-cheeseburgers with nachos as an appetizer. All were very good! I don’t drink much anymore but I have it from a good source that the margaritas there are excellent. Here is their Yelp review.  (Update: check to see if they are open. They have been closed a few times.)

Oscar’s – Oscar’s is on the island in the Rio Cuale that run’s through central Puerto Vallarta. While the food there is excellent and we have had breakfast there several times, we usually just go for a snack while shopping. The snack is of course, guacamole. I don’t know what it is about guacamole in Mexico, but it  tastes better than it does in the US. Of all the guacamole we have had in Mexico, Oscar’s is the best! We have taken several people to Puerto Vallarta, and always try to take them to Oscar’s. One of our friends swears he hates guacamole but insists we go to Oscar’s when in Mexico – just for the guacamole. Here is their Yelp review.

Trio – Trio is an upscale restaurant in El Centro. You might need to get directions because it is on kind of a back street not on a main thoroughfare. Don’t worry, it is safe to get there. The cuisine is Mediterranean. We ate there once with friends. It is only open for dinner, and you will probably need a reservation. If you are looking for a nice, romantic dinner in a quiet spot, this may be your place. One of our friends loves octopus. He said they had some of the best octopus he ever had. Here is their website.

Los Muertos – Los Muertos is a pizza place. While in Puerto Vallarta we have guacamole as a snack, but we will have pizza for lunch. Los Muertos is located in the Romantic Zone and can be a little hard to find so again you might need Google or a taxi ride. One of the nicest things about Los Muertos is its special. You can get a large slice of pizza, a salad, and a drink for about $5. My wife has her favorite local beer as Los Muertos is a brew pub. This place can get crowded so you might need to stop by a couple of times to get a table. Here is their website.

Restaurants– Marina. There have been many changes in the stores and restaurants in the marina but there are two still there we like.

El Callejon Mexicano – Compared to some of the other restaurants on my list, this may look like a hole in the wall. Don’t let looks fool you! To get there you need to go to the marina and go almost to the end of the road toward the entrance of the marina to the ocean. The marina busses run out to the end and then take a break before returning to El Centro. It is an easy walk from where the buses stop to El Callejon Mexicano.

The food here is very good and the prices are reasonable – especially for being in the marina. The cuisine is more traditional Mexican. We’ve never had anything there we didn’t like. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn’t work there anymore but the current staff is just as good. Here is their Yelp Review.

Over the next several weeks I will have other restaurants, places to shop, and things to do.

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One month ago today is the day that most New Year’s resolution die. I notice that there are fewer people at the gym than there were three weeks ago. Did your resolutions die, or are you still plugging away? If you are struggling to keep your resolutions, here are some tips to help you.

Using your willpower

If you are relying on your willpower to keep your resolution going, you will most likely fail. No one’s willpower is strong enough to keep them going to the gym or skipping dessert they really don’t feel like it. In Atomic Habits, James Clear says there are several reasons why your willpower will fail. A couple of those are changes in environment and lack of sleep.

When we start out on a resolution, we tend to set the stage perfectly to keep going. Clothes are laid out the night before, there are no sweets in the house, etc. But over time, we forget to keep the environment set up for success. We get home late and are too tired to lay out the clothes. Or we forgot to wash them and so now they don’t smell so good. It’s somebody’s birthday and it would be rude not to have a piece of cake and some ice cream.

Perhaps there was a movie marathon last night with your favorite actor. The kids were sick, and you were up all night trying to help them feel better. Any number of things can contribute to your being too tired to stick to your resolution.

Habits are easier to keep

Habits are things you do repeatedly, without thinking. You probably put the same shoe on first every time. You probably drive home the same way too. We set up habits to help ourselves with our mundane, everyday tasks. Brushing out teeth, taking medication, preparing a meal, and other repetitive tasks. I tell my students that if they stopped and thought about everything required to walk down a flight of stairs, they would end up a pile of broken bones at the bottom. There was a time when we were very young that we did have to think about it. Watch a toddler trying to navigate stairs to see how much thought is required. As we got older, we learned, and those movements became habits we don’t think about anymore.

If you want to keep your resolutions, you have to move them from will power, something you think about, to habit, something you do without thinking. Exactly how long that will take is open to debate. (The common number is 21 days but there is evidence for both side of this.) But it will take time. If you have kept at your resolutions since January 1st, they should be habits soon if not already. If you are restarting your resolutions, just remember that they will take conscious effort for a while to become habits you no longer have to think about.

Not enough sleep?

Here is the one I struggle with all the time! While my sleep has improved over the last several weeks, I still have a long way to go. I have tried many of the following to improve my sleep and you should think about them to help yours. After all, James Clear says that better/more sleep will help you keep your resolutions.

Before going to bed try a relaxation strategy. This may include mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation, or some other metal/physical activity. My mother practiced a Tai Chi/Qigong breathing exercise I taught her before going to bed and it improved her sleeping dramatically.

Have a set routine around bedtime. It may be a bath, or reading (but no screens), laying out clothes for the next day, writing a gratitude list, or all of the above. By having a set routine, you are telling your body its time to go to sleep.

Get more exercise during the day. Exercise will help your body to work out stress and cleanse it of chemicals/toxins you need to release. Just remember to not exercise for 2 or 3 hours before bedtime because the adrenaline may still be in your body. The adrenaline will make it harder to sleep.

Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Midnight snacks may sound good, but if you eat too late, your body will be busy digesting, and it will be harder to sleep. Alos watch how much caffeine you have after lunch as that may keep you awake. Finally, watch your alcohol intake. Alcohol may knock you out, but the quality of sleep you will get will be poor.

How you set up your room can contribute to how well your sleep. A darker, cooler room promotes better sleep. The bedroom should only be used for sleep, not eating or watching TV. Set your body’s expectation that when you go to bed you are there to sleep!

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When most people think of wellness travel they think of a yoga retreat. But wellness travel can take many forms. You bet, your version may be a yoga retreat, but someone else’s may be volunteering to build house. A third person might be interested in eco-tourism – staying in a tree house and moving through the rain forest on elevated walkways.

With wellness travel there is no one-size fits all. Below are some thoughts on how you might get the most out of your travel experience. I am skipping over the standard questions like where would you like to go, how many are in your party, and what’s your budget and going straight to the wellness questions. (These are some of the questions I ask clients if they are interested booking wellness travel.)

What Do You Want To Do

This may seem like an obvious question, but it’s really not. Some people have only a vague idea of what activities are available. You need to ponder this for a while. Not only do you need to think about this, it needs to be a discussion with everyone going. There are all kinds of retreats with all kinds of activities. A short list includes: Yoga, Tai Chi, massages, fitness activities, meditation, swimming, tennis, hiking, boating, golf, learning new skills, environmental activities, spiritual activities, spa treatments, or structured exercise programs.

Do Your Research (or have your travel agent do the research for you)

We know some people that went on a yoga retreat and were miserable. Don’t fall into the trap of think that a yoga retreat is a yoga retreat is a yoga retreat. To start with there are many different types of yoga. Also, some retreats offer voluntary classes for 1 to 4 hours a day and the rest of the day is yours. Other retreats are full immersive retreats where your day is fully planned – including the meals. The couple we know ended up leaving the retreat several times because the meals were vegetarian, and they went to get a hamburger. Read the fine print and make sure the experience you are going to have is the one you expect to have.

Level of Activity

Most retreats will give you some idea of the level of physical activity you can expect while your there. Look for words like: easy, moderate, very active, and extreme to give you hints. We took a trip a few years ago large chain hotel in Mexico. I didn’t do enough research before going! There were no elevators on the property. I was recovering from a knee injury. Our room was on the fourth floor, so I had to go down 4 flights of stairs, then 2 more, cross by the pool, and then back up 2 flights to get a meal. After a couple of days, I found a way that I could go down the 4 flights and walk around the back of the property on ramps to eat. Twice the distance but fewer stairs.

There are some retreats that you will be on a bike for 30 to 60 miles a day or hiking up and down mountains with 100’s of feet in elevation changes. There are also retreats where you sleep in, down some mild stretching, and then lay by the pool. Again, it’s up to you to decide the level of activity you want.

What to eat

As mentioned earlier, we know a couple unhappy with the meal choices. Do you have specific dietary needs? Do you want macrobiotic, vegetarian, gluten-free, or paleo options? Do you want to help cook the food? Do you not want to worry about that and just eat? Are you looking for nutritional counseling as part of your trip?

What area do you want

Finally, the area you go to may be an important consideration to you trip. Some people want to be by water, That could be a lake, a river or the ocean. Looking at the water may be enough for you. Or you may water to be in or on the water – boating, surfing, or fishing. Do you want to be somewhere warm? Many people look to warmer climates during the winter. Is the desert your thing? Do you love the colors of the rising or setting sun over an arid landscape?

Final thoughts

I can ask you all the questions we cover in a blog post, but you should really consider adding wellness trip to your bucket list. Just make sure you have made the arrangements to have the most enjoyable and fulfilling experience you can.

The post What Should You Look For In A Wellness Retreat? appeared first on Your Wellness Experiences.