Fun town with great restaurants-from fun bars like Carlos and Charlie's and Senor Frogs to very high-end gourmet dining at Cafe des Artiste.

Walking at night along the Malecon.

An afternoon spent at the beach shacks next to Mismaloya Hotel.

Quick Tips:

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club for snacks and food for the condo.

For better beaches, head to Nuevo Vallarta via a ferry that runs four-times daily, or buses that leave from Wal-Mart-it's about a 1/2-hour bus trip, and costs about per person.

Pick up a dining guide for menus from restaurants.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxis are readily available, either flag one down or they are lined up at the hotels.

Buses run every 30 seconds-really-there's always another one coming along. About 30 minutes to go downtown, but they only run until 11PM.

From the Sheraton you can easily walk to town in about 15 minutes, and there are numerous restaurants and resorts within walking distance. I especially like Fiesta Americana and Petit Paris; restaurants that I reviewed in another journal.

The smiles on our faces as we checked in were returned by staff, very happy to be working again after being closed for repairs for over one year after destruction by the hurricane. Everything is spruced up -- brand new pools, tiles, brick work, stone work, plantings, waterfalls, new paint, and soft goods in the rooms. We have a two-bedroom -- no lock off here – which has very large rooms, with two bathrooms, one king bed with a water view, one twin with no view, and a pull-out sofa with an ocean view. The balcony extends across the master suite and living room. The partial kitchen has a full refrigerator, microwave, two burners, and the usual coffeemaker, blender, etc. Although the furnishings are sparse -- cookware made of aluminum -- and the kitchen storage minimal, the unit is very comfortable. It has plenty of closets and drawers for the six guests that it accommodates. All units have either ocean or pool views in three buildings that range from three stories to a 25-story tower, and all have patios or balconies, with a couple of plastic chairs and a small snack table.

I love this pool, with its swim-up bar, jacuzzi hidden in the rocks with a waterfall and bridge, and an area only one foot deep for children or just lounging in shallow water. Lounge chairs and towels are all new, giving the area a feel of luxury.

A beautiful, very large palapa covers the oceanside, open-air restaurant that serves three meals daily. The floor is marble, the counters granite, the chairs rattan, and it has a great Polynesian feel, but it’s way too expensive -- $8 omelets, $13 fish, and $11 chicken for lunch – and not many were eating. Poolside drinks were in the $5 range. There is poolside service for food and beverages if you can't pull yourself away.

There are no umbrellas here, and there weren't any at the Westin Club Regina either (did they all blow away in the hurricane??). My daily challenge is to keep moving my chair to the shadows of the palms and buildings as the sun keeps changing.

A new foyer and entrance has been created away from the hotel for the timeshare section; there is no evidence of sales here for the time being (not the usual welcome package for an invitation to the "90-minute" presentation). Right now, this is a very peaceful and quiet environment just outside the bustling, fun area of Puerto Vallarta. Book it quickly when you see it if you want an exchange while it's available.

Okay, we'll have dinner and take a cab to town. Well . . . we never made it to town. This is leisurely dining. A large octagonal bar and grand piano are in the first room you enter. Candlelit tables with lacy cloths are well spaced to allow private conversation. Diners were well dressed and are mostly couples and foursomes that chatted quietly. Walls are covered with French art. Service is prompt and attentive. We were asked if we'd care to linger over our cocktail or prefer to see a menu. We chose to linger and were then served a complimentary slice of pork pâté (rillettes), crunchy thin bread rounds, and a basket of warm assorted homemade breads.

Upon requesting a wine list, a cart was rolled over to our table with dozens of bottles, each with a bib displaying its price, both by the bottle or by the glass. If you are trying to decide between two bottles, you'll be offered a tasting!!

The piano player is there from 8pm to 10pm, but seems to play for only a half hour at a time. A very talented and friendly performer, he gave us recommendations for dancing clubs and offered to make us a CD of the music he played between sets.

Oh, the food was incredible-the best meal so far. There was the crisp duckling with an orange/brandy sauce and shrimp baked with creamy tomato/cheese sauce. Indescribable flavors-there is no way could I reproduce them or even come close. Deserts were good, but not as tasty as anticipated.

I'm sure that we'll take the chance of possibly not making it to downtown once more this week to savor Chef Cadena's wonderful creations and to pick up our CD.

Abadia is done in monochromatic shades of white, grey, and beige, with tables for two and four people. There is quiet music and a decor of vases with branches and lots of mirrors. Abadia quickly brings on a very relaxed feeling.

The martinis are large and very chilled. The wild mushrooms in cream sauce and thyme, served in a puff-pastry shell, were a great choice, an introduction of what was yet to come.

Next, we had the classic coq au vin in the most intense red-wine sauce, duck breast in a coffee sauce (yes, coffee), and best of all, dessert--chocolate marquis with creme anglaise and orange rind!!

The prices are so affordable:

Appetizers and salads: $6-8
Main courses: $13-18
Martinis: $5-6

They also serve an $8 prix-fixe lunch and an early-bird $16 dinner (three courses and a glass of wine). Should we go back again tonight??