Punky Junky Mother Load

There was only one thing I wanted to bring home from my recent trip to Mexico: Punky Junky.

Punky Junky is a type of hair gel made in Mexico. A few years back when we were traveling in the country, my husband had bought a bottle on a whim.

What started as a fanciful I'll-try-this-foreign-gel quickly became an obsession. Punky Junky became his favorite hair gel of all time.

It's not sold in U.S. stores (or not anywhere near us that we've been able to find). We finally found a guy who was starting up a business selling it online at -- where else? -- PunkyJunky.com.

Nonetheless, even though we are regular customers here, I thought that since I was actually going to be in Mexico, I'd scout it out at its source.

Look at how many bottles are lining this shelf! And the rows went four deep!

When in Mexico, Drink Mirinda

I love Mirinda!

It's an orange soda made by Pepsi that I first discovered it in Mexico a few years back. I developed an addiction for it. As far as I'm concerned, it's way way way better than Fanta, or Sunkist or Crush.

Sadly, it's not something I can just pick up at my corner store here in Minnesota. Pepsi doesn't sell Mirinda in the US, which is something I just can't understand, especially considering Pepsi sells it all around the world (read more about my Mirinda obsession here).

I've tried the Pepsi orange pop version that is sold here in the US -- Tropicana Twist. But even still, it just doesn't taste the same.

On my recent trip to Mexico, one of my fellow travelers pointed out that Mirinda isn't made with high-fructose corn syrup (that evil sweetener prevalent in soda). Instead, Mirinda is made with sugar. It says so right on the label = azucar.

Could this be the secret to both Mirinda's different taste and the reason it's not sold in the US?

Hmmm. I wouldn't be the first wonder about the big money and big business behind high-fructose corn syrup.

New Hobby -- Label Spotting!

Here's a new spin on sign spotting ... label spotting.

I spotted this label on a make-up bag for sale in a mall in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

I think that it's sensational indeed!

Puerto Vallarta Sign Spotting

It's always fun when you come across a sign or menu in a foreign country that has a problem with its English grammar.

While this slip up (spotted in the Puerto Vallarta airport) isn't all that bad, it gave me a smile and I couldn't help but take a picture.

Perhaps I'll send it along to the Sign Spotting web site.

Worst Airport Souvenir Ever

That pesky rule requiring I arrive at the airport two hours prior to my international flight when I flew from Puerto Vallarta back to Minneapolis the other week assured that I had plenty of time to browse every single gift shop in the place.

In my browsing, I came across this -- a little ceramic toilet with the words Puerto Vallarta, Mexico painted on it. And a marlin. And a sunshine. What's up with that?

Who would want such a thing? A spring breaker? Maybe?

It seems more of a gag gift than anything else, but it did give me a chuckle.

Bedside Kleenex Art, Jala, Mexico

Coming home from a press trip to Mexico means I have lots of pictures to sort through.

Among the pictures I took and then quickly forgot about was this one.

It's an elaborate flower made from several pieces of Kleenex and set upon my beside table in my hotel room at the hotel La Casona de Xali in Jala, Mexico. Isn't it admirable?

True Notebooks by Mark Salzman

This book has been sitting on my book shelf for a couple years.

My aunt gave it to me. She found it in a hotel book exchange while on vacation somewhere in the Caribbean (I totally dig hotel book exchanges, but that's a topic for another time).

Anyway, she picked it up and sent it to me because of the topic. It's a memoir written by a man, Mark Salzman, who is a writer. He volunteers to teach creative writing classes at a juvenile prison and this book chronicles his experiences. Seeing as how I used to be a public school teacher and now work as a writer, my aunt thought I would enjoy this book.

The fact that it's languished on my bookshelf for so long is more a reflection of my long reading list and not of the author. I was actually excited about the book when I got it. I recognized the author's name as I had read two of his other books: Iron & Silk and Lying Awake.

Iron and Silk is a travel memoir about the two years he spent teaching English in China. I've always remembered that title fondly.

Lying Awake is a novel about a nun who has divine visions and thus believes herself close to God. But then she learns that she is ill. Her illness has been causing her visions and now she wonders just exactly how close to God she is.

Now, this book that I just finished, True Notebooks, was a really good read -- and on so many levels.

First, as a citizen, I was totally hooked reading about the criminal justice system and how minors are treated.

Second, the teacher in me was totally hooked. I couldn't imagine myself teaching these kids to write. I would have pulled out my hair!

Third, the writer in me was totally hooked. Within the last month, I wrote a story about a group of women in a corrections facility who were writing poetry. I interviewed their teacher. Reading this book was like going deeper into that article I wrote.

Forth, throughout the course of True Notebooks, while the boys in the juvenile prison are struggling to write, the author is also struggling to write. He's having problems finishing his novel, Lying Awake. As I'd read that book, I found it fascinating to read about its creation.

All around, True Notebooks was a really great read. I highly recommend it.

Cowboy Up at the Hamel Rodeo

One of the things I like about living in the Twin Cities is that you can quickly get outside of the city and find yourself in the county.

This means it's pretty easy to take a one-day road trip and in that small amount of time, feel like you've really gotten away from your city stress.

For example, a friend and I hit up the Hamel Rodeo. It was a 20 minute drive to get to the rodeo grounds, and once we were there, we weren't in the city any more. We were surrounded by cowboy hats, cowboy boots and Budweiser.

The rodeo started at 7:30 pm and didn't finish until 10 o'clock.

Cowboys rode bucking broncos and topped the night off with the grand finale -- bucking bulls.

Cowgirls competed in barrel racing, a touring family of cowboys wowed us with fancy rope tricks and then more cowboys participated in calf-roping events.

The Hamel Rodeo claims it is the largest rodeo in the state of Minnesota, which I find amazing considering it's so close to Minneapolis.

By far, the best thing we took from the night was a line uttered by the announcer, who yelled while pumping the crowd at the start:

"Let's cowboy up and getter done!"

Walleye Fishing on Leech Lake

Last month, Hubby and I took a road trip up to Walker, Minnesota with the intention of going fishing.

The city of Walker sits on Leech Lake, a massive lake in northern Minnesota. The fishing here was supposed to be amazing. Our goal was to catch walleye.

Hubby likes to fish and as a Minnesota girl, I grew up fishing. I even know how to fillet a fish!

It's been years, though, since I've either fished or filleted a fish. And truthfully, I'm not so sure I could stomach cleaning a fish anymore.

So. Did we go fishing? Did we catch anything? Did I reconnect with my fishing roots enough to warrant the purchase of this pink "Mrs. Walleye" fishing pole?

You'll have to read my story on GoNomad to find out. Here it is:

Finding My Inner Fisherwoman

Or read my blog posts from our trip there:

Leech Lake Blog Posts

Salmon Fishing on Lake Michigan

A few months back I interviewed a man name Don Oberg.

Oberg runs a charter fishing service called Leprechaun Fishing. His fishing business is based out of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin even though he makes a home in a Minneapolis suburb.

I'd never given much thought to the idea of chartering a fishing captain to take me fishing on one of the Great Lakes. However, Leprechaun Don (as his mates call him) was so enthusiastic about fishing lake Michigan that perhaps I'll have to hire his services one of these days.

Until then, though, I was happy to see my story made the cover of Maple Grove Magazine. I'm really digging the cover shot, which was taken by Marshall Long.

If you're interested, here is the story:

Lucky Catch

Art Bras Raise Money for Cancer

It's back to the office grind for me, which means catching up on emails and paperwork.

This article of mine was published recently. It's about a art contest that accepted submissions of decorated bras.

The bras are on display through next week in downtown Excelsior (a suburb here in the Twin Cities) and are helping to raise money for cancer research.

If you'd like to learn more about it, you can always check out my article:

Artful Bras Help Draw a Crowd

Photo by Mark Trockman.

Saying Goodbye, Dreams Hotel, Nuevo Vallarta

The road trip through Nayarit, Mexico must come to an end.

Before packing up and flying home, we've got one more night. Rooms at the Dreams Hotel in Nuevo Vallarta ensure we're close to the Puerto Vallarta airport.

From my balcony I've got a nice view of the hotel pools (so many!) and the ocean stretching far beyond.

Upon check in, we all discovered a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket, just waiting for someone to pop the top.

And pop the top we did. Before saying goodbye to one another, the ladies of the press trip gathered round and shared a glass of the bubbly.

It always amazes me how quickly friendships can be formed on the road.

Close proximity and days of shared views, meals and road weariness either create friendships or enemies. And yet, in all my travels, more often than not, friendship is the result.

Just one more thing I love about travel.

Tamarind Margaritas in Punta de Mita, Mexico

This was the longest, most indulgent lunch I've ever experienced!

We stopped at Cafe des Artistes in the Hotel des Artistes, which is in Punta de Mita.

Before any food was served, we toasted our trip with tamarind margaritas. Delicious! The rim was dipped in a chile-salt mix that gave off a perfect bite when combined with the sweet tamarind.

The cocktails were followed by wine (two bottles of Malbec).

And appetizers (cheese plate, salad, lobster bisque).

And a main course (duck, snapper, osso buco).

And dessert (chocolate, sorbet, berries).

And coffee (cappuccino).

All of this was accompanied by long beautiful views of the ocean and lots of laughs.

It lasted three hours and when it was done, even though I don't smoke, I was hard pressed not to light one up when one of the other writers on the trip pulled out a pack.

The entire experience inspired this haiku:

cocktails before lunch

T - R - O - U - B - L - E

I forgot myself

What I won't forget is the wonderful feeling of lightness and shared humanity I felt while dining here.

Gallery Hopping in Sayulita, Mexico

Sayulita is a funky little beach town up the coast from Puerto Vallarta.

It's the sort of place I'd love to spend a few days.

I can picture myself with a room here, lounging on the beach during the day and wandering up and down the thin, cobbled streets in the late afternoon while the sun light lingers still but isn't quite so hot.

The town is home to artists and surfers and gallery owners. We spent a few hours browsing through shops here, but not nearly long enough to satisfy my curiosity.

Instead, my curiosity has been piqued.

There is a gallery that only sells handicrafts made by the Huichol, a tribe native to the area. It is called Galeria Tanana.

It's full of beaded work, greeting cards featuring native art and all sorts of other little trinkets you want to pick up and look at.

And then there are all the other galleries filled with the work of artists living nearby.

Oh, how I would like to return to Sayulita.

Serenity in San Pancho, Mexico

Press trips don't offer much in the way of down time. The pace of travel is pretty quick. Stop here, see this, move on to see something else.

Luckily, I found this small moment of serenity in San Pancho.

San Pancho (which is the nickname for the town of San Francisco) is a small little community that looks out over the Pacific.

It's a place where baby boomers are buying property and building houses. Yet the developers are taking a very sustainable, low-impact point of view about it all.

They are rebuilding the local schools, rehabbing the local polo court (yes, polo), teaching community members how to grow organic crops and putting in a playground built entirely of recycled materials.

I sincerely hope it all goes according to plan as the beach is tranquil and the views are long and I'd really like to come back here some day.

Shimp Hotdogs in Jala, Mexico

Sometimes you get to a place and find your food options are limited.

In Jala, we had plans for a nice dinner at a place on the edge of town, but strong afternoon cocktails rendered the driving distance a less-than-smart idea.

Instead, we struck out on foot, determined to have dinner within walking distance of our hotel.

We came to Bambu, a little spot overlooking the central plaza. The coffee counter promised all sorts of smoothies and lattes so we figured it was good bet.

The food menu, though, was cause for some giggles. Under the hamburger listing was a "Vagetariana" hamburger. "Jamon" (ham) was the first ingredient of this vegetarian fare. Hmmm.

Also on the list was a shrimp hot dog. We were expecting ground shrimp formed into the shape of a hot dog. Instead it was a hot dog bun with a couple shrimp in it, topped with hot dog fixings.

But you know what? Even though we were skeptical, once we started eating, nobody had any complaints.

And when the bill came, again nobody was complaining. The place was priced for locals and after 5 of us ate dinner, the bill was only $220 pesos, which was about $20 US.

Lovely & Laid-Back Jala, Mexico

We've arrived in the town of Jala, Mexico.

Jala is in the state of Nayarit. It's up in the mountains, inland from the beaches and ocean coast. But it's lovely. It's quaint and colonial and laid-back.

We're staying at a hotel called La Casona de Xali, which is the most surprising find. It's architecture has been fully resorted. It boasts a spa, a restaurant, a bar and in-room bathrooms with modern, chic fixtures.

When the check-in gal handed me the key to my room, I was happy to see my key ring was the Eiffle Tower. Something about that cosmopolitan icon seemed so in juxtaposition with this colonial hotel in the mountains of Mexico, and yet its aura seemed to fit exactly with the touch of refinement La Casona de Xali was out to capture.

Santa Maria del Oro, Mexico

Santa Maria del Oro is the name of a town and the name of a lake in the state of Nayarit.

The lake, which is a crater lake, is sunk deep into a range of mountains just beyond the border of the town.

All along the shore of the lake are restaurants and camp grounds. There is also a hotel by the name of -- what else? -- Santa Maria del Oro.

The journey down the mountain to the crater lake and the hotel is a stomach churning one. I was very glad I wasn't the one steering the car, but watching our decent from the back seat knowing I was completely out of control wasn't comforting either.

Once we arrived at the hotel, though, I forgot all about the harrowing ride down and just enjoyed the views.

The water reflects the color of the sky. When the clouds parted, the water shone crystal blue. When the clouds filtered overhead, the water turned muddled.

The lake was lovely with its steep green-covered banks rising steeply above it.

And the hotel grounds were so well manicured. I had fun posing with this jackfruit tree. Look ma! It's bigger than my head!

Magical Island of Mexcaltitan, Mexico

A day trip north from the town of San Blas took us to an island called Mexcaltitan.

The island, some theorize, is where the Aztecs originated.

Some say that before the Aztecs set out to wander Mexico for 300 years looking for the eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake, which was to be their sign from their god as to where they should re-establish themselves, that they were living here on the island of Mexcaltitan.

Well...that's what some say.

Whether or not you want to believe the legend is up to you. What is certain, however, is that the island has been designated as a "Pueblo Magico", or magic village, for its unique history and way of life.

It's unique way of life, while it may have been something stellar in the past, is quite depressing right now.

The village is a bit in shambles. Jobs are scarce. Most make their living from fishing. There is nothing much to do but apparently wash clothes. Clean clothes flitted from clothes lines all about the island.

We did, though, eat a very fresh and filling meal of shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp that, according to our waitress, had just been pulled in two hours ago.

It was an interesting place to visit and I was glad that it was a stop on our route. I tend to like historical stuff, so it was up my alley.

I would even recommend it should someone be in the area as it was a pretty boat road out to the island.

Garza Canela Hotel in San Blas, Mexico

Nothing about my stay in San Blas, Mexico has been quite what I expected, but that's not to say the town hasn't exceeded my expectations.

In fact, I wish I could pass another day here. Part of the reason I'd like to stay longer is the hotel where we've been staying.

The Garza Canela Hotel is run by just the nicest, cutest people ever! It's owned by the Vazquez family.

The family's four sisters Josefina, Doris, Betty and Diana all take a role in running the place, as does their mother, Dora, who must be in her 80s (or older), and their four dogs, who greet every single customer to pass through the doors.

Betty is a rock star chef who trained in Europe but returned here to little San Blas to set up shop inside her family's hotel. Betty's food is amazing! Eating one of her meals is a luxurious experience.

Or, as she told us herself, eating one of her meals is a memory for the heart. You can not re-eat a great meal, she said, but you can remember how it made you feel forever.

Yes. And something else I will forever remember about my stay at the Garza Canela is what was waiting for me inside the bedside drawer in my room -- a copy of the New Testament and a copy of The Teachings of Buddha.

And you know what? There was nothing remotely strange about that at all (well, okay, at first I thought it was strange). But after staying there and experiencing the welcoming warmth of the Vazquez family (and their dogs) first hand, it seemed perfectly natural.

La Tovara National Park, San Blas, Mexico

The town of San Blas is a starting point for exploring Mexico's La Tovara National Park.

The park is a huge swath of protected mangroves and marshlands that is a bird-watching paradise.

Every winter the area is taken over by birds from both North and South America who have descending upon it for its abundant food supply (read lots and lots of mosquitoes).

The park is also home to a considerable number of crocodiles.

We took a boat ride through the mangrove swamps, spying all sorts of birds along the way.

We also spotted some newly hatched crocodile babies and a couple of full grown ones lurking in the depths.

The ride ended at a crocodile park where the beasts are protected and bred.

Unlike the ones we'd spied during our boat ride there, these big lizards are kept in cages so their eggs can be scooped up and hatched, then sent out to other parts of Mexico that are experiencing a shortage in their wild crocodile populations.

San Blas, Mexico

Our road trip up the coast from Puerto Vallarta-Nuevo Vallarta has finally landed me to the town of San Blas. Yeah!

I've been looking forward to visiting San Blas since I found out I would be coming here.

I didn't know anything about the town before arriving other than that it was the title of a popular song by the rock band Mana (En El Muelle de San Blas).

So here I am and as it turns out, there's not really a "muelle" (or pier) here in town like what I had imagined.

There is, though, a government program to build a modern marina for vacationing yachts.

The views from the San Blas marina, however, just can't complete with the views from the San Blas beach.

But we didn't spend too much time chillin' in the sand before heading back into town and wandering it central plaza and quaint brick streets.

Then, to catch the sunset, we headed to the old Spanish counting house, perched high on a hilltop over town and lined with colonial-era cannons.

Mango Madness in Nayarit, Mexico

Oh Joy! It's mango season here in Mexico!

A handful of years ago, I went to Belize and missed mango season by a month. I was so sad!

Then a couple years ago, when I was in Southeast Asia, I also missed mango season. Bummer!

Miraculously, somehow I have now ended up in Mexico during mango season.

And better yet -- my road trip is taking me north of Puerto Vallarta and the into the Mexican state of Nayarit, which is low in human population but high in mango trees!

Crates upon crates of mangoes are for sale up and down the roads in Nayarit and oh how I wish I could buy them all and eat them!

Bucerias, Mexico

I'm not really an all-inclusive sort of girl. It's nice to be pampered at a fancy, beach side hotel, but truthfully I'd rather spend my time exploring and venturing into the country I'm visiting.

I was happy, therefore, when we went beyond the confines of the Puerto Vallarta - Nuevo Vallarta hotel chains and headed just north of them both to the beach city of Bucerias.

Bucerias was certainly geared up for tourism. The streets nearest the beach were filled with booths selling t-shirts and all sorts of tourist knick-knacks and wares. Some restaurants advertised fancy, polished menus.

But Bucerias also felt very real. Elementary aged kids were making their way home from school dressed still in their uniforms. Men were hanging out and playing checkers on the sidewalk. Tamale vendors were doing brisk business in the plaza.

After strolling up and down the thin cobbled Bucerias streets, I left thinking that if I were to return to this area for a beach vacation, perhaps I'd seek out lodging here.

Taming El Tigre in Nuevo Vallarta

One of the great things about being on a press trip is that you get behind-the-scenes treatment.

For example, today I got to pet a real, live, cute and cuddly baby Bengal tiger!

The tiger -- Junior -- lives at the "El Tigre" golf course in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. He's about a month old right now.

He was rejected by his mother, which is why he now hangs out in the golf course offices.

The golf course's director, Jesus Carmona, has a fondness for tigers and a flair for raising them.

A couple cages on the golf course house adult tigers Carmona rescued from bad situations. When those tigers breed, Carmona tends to the cubs until they are large enough to be transferred to a zoo that can care for them.

So far, about 70 Bengal tigers have been born at El Tigre golf course.

If you go golfing there, you can stop along the way and take a peek at the tigers. Or, if you're vacationing in the Puerto Vallarta-Nuevo Vallarta area, you can head to El Tigre for it's Sunday brunch and then see the tigers once there.