Yoga & Kiteboarding

There are some moments when I'm on this island and I feel like I have to pinch myself because it's so beautiful.  This happens every time I go to my new yoga class.

When we first arrived, I was fortunate enough to have some friends invite me to a yoga class at their condo, Orilla del Mar, which is very near ours.  In the beginning I would either walk there or take the motorcycle.  Although it's less than a mile, back then I felt uncomfortable on the bike and this was as far as I really wanted to go on it.  I enjoyed the classes at Orilla del Mar but they really are geared for those who are absolute beginners.  Grace, the yoga instructor invited me to a more challenging class she holds at Ocean Point which is on the other side of Cabarete.  At first there was no way I'd want to ride the bike that far.  Now that I'm much more comfortable on the bike and actually enjoy riding it, I decided it was time to check out this class.  What an experience!

the view from my yoga mat

Grace of Saving Grace Yoga

The classes at Ocean Point are held in an open air palapa next to the beach.  It's set on a small point so whatever position I'm in I always see the ocean.  And the ocean breeze is wonderful!  I'm sure anywhere else a yoga class in a resort area next to the ocean would easily be $25 per class.  In Cabarete, it's about $7.  It feels like something from the lifestyle of the rich and famous, but on a retiree's budget.  Plus I love the opportunity to ride through Cabarete in the morning.  It's always quieter at this time.  The kids are heading off to school.  I see the fruit truck parked on the west side of Cabarete with their load of fresh pineapples, mangoes, papayas and some fruit I still haven't figured out what it is or how to eat it.  And then there is the Bavarian Bakery.....yumm.   A loaf of fresh baked bread for 800 pesos ($2 USD) and some of the most incredible pastries I've ever seen or tasted.  Makes me wish the classes were held more than twice a week!







Cabarette is famous for kite surfing.  It's the #1 destination in the world for kiters.  There are only a few kites at "our beach", the beach near our condo.  But once you go into town, you see hundreds of kites zipping through the water.  Nothing Matt and I would try, it's definitely a young person's sport, but they are beautiful to watch.  We've taken pictures of the kites, but it's hard to capture in a photo.  A few weeks ago, Jim and Cheryl were staying at our condo and they have a great lens on there camera that allowed him to get some great pics of these kiters.  Check them out.  Once the kiters saw Jim taking pics with his long lens, they flocked to zip near him and to get some air for his shots.

La Crux de Huanacaxtle

We are down to less than two months here so we're really starting to seriously investigate options for the coming winter.  We are looking at condos near the Puerta Vallarta area.  We've found one in the town of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.  I have no idea how to pronounce that, but I understand it's commonly referred to as just La Cruz.  It's a quaint little fishing town less than an hour north of Puerta Vallarta.  We can get a small casa there for a very reasonable price.  We like the idea of being out of the touristy part of PV, but still near enough for shopping and entertainment.

Mexico immigration laws have changed this past year and still seems to be a lot of confusion.  It's a much more complicated process to file for a residency visa than it had been in the past.  And, after such a great experience in the DR, I'm not sure we want a residency in Mexico.  We could stay without a residency visa but I think we'll have a problem keeping our car there for over six months.  If we go with this option, we may drive our car out of Mexico when we leave the Lake Chapala area in September and then just fly to our new winter home.  It sounds like a car wouldn't be necessary in this little town, and I guess we could always get another motorcycle.  But we're still looking, we have lots of options!

And an update on Wallita, the little Dominican dog that Camille tried to take back to Minnesota with her.  American wouldn't allow Wallita to fly as the temps were too low in Minnesota.  But Judy's Pet Lodge, a no kill shelter in Sosua, housed Wallita for a couple of weeks and then made arrangements for her to go out on another airline.  Poor little Wallita spent two days traveling, but she did make it to Minnesota. I do hope she adjusts to the winter....first cold weather she has ever experienced in her six months.  But I'm very glad she's no longer a street dog.