Sunday brunch at La Huertas in the Hills

Saturday we spent trying to find a place to rent for next fall/winter. We were so lucky to meet Robin and Serge because they wanted to come with us and having their car was a godsend. We saw some beautiful and some terrible places but nothing that we wanted to commit to so far in advance.

Sunday we planned a day in the hills just on the outskirts of Vallarta for a birthday brunch for another friend we have met. Jamie and Darren are a young couple who live here full time. They are both from Oregon and have a beautiful condo in the Marina. They have just bought a 34 foot sailboat to use for charters. Jamie's adorable 9 year old daughter Hanna has captured our hearts. She is just at that perfect age, wanting to be grown up but still a kid. Darren's 38th birthday was Sunday. Juan Carlos, the waiter at Cafe Roma told us about this hidden gem of a place called La Huertas where every Sunday they have a fantastic Mongolian buffet with an hour of live mariachi music for entertainment. The locals all come on Sunday to enjoy the day off. The place is right on the River Cuale outside Vallarta. The sides of the river are sheer cliffs but the kids in the village have climbed the face to attach a rope to a tree growing from the rocks and use it to Tarzan swing into the river. They have a ball and it is so much fun watching them.

Juan Carlos (wearing an Alexander Keith's Pale Ale t-shirt no less!) came with his family, including his very handsome grandfather, who used to be a soap opera star here in Mexico! He was introduced to us and is very gallant and charming.

Serge and Robin picked us up and we met the others there. We had a fabulous brunch under the huge palapa, with avocado, mango, papaya and more fruit trees all around the perimeter. Wild parrots and exotic birds were all around and we watched the kids swinging into the river. The coronas and tequila were plentiful lol!!