Shortly after crossing the bridge, you will pass by Plaza Lázaro Cárdenas. This Old Town plaza is a well-manicured park with stage and seating, across from Playa Olas Altas. Sometimes it hosts free performances such as the Xuitla Dancers. Even in the absence of a performance, it is a beautiful and serene place to visit, with its many benches, gardens, and lovely center kiosk. There is also very convenient and economical parking right underneath the plaza.
Back in Old Town, you are in for another treat! Sometimes when you least expect it, the soulful, soothing sounds of the live mariachi greet your ears. The mariachi may be in a restaurant, or sometimes they are out on the sidewalk. Perhaps they will even serenade you, if you allow them. You could also find yourself swept away in some impromptu salsa dancing to the live band playing their hearts out in a stylish café lounge. It is amazing how the feet suddenly come alive when the ears hear the catchy and uplifting beats!
Living in this area of Vallarta opens the door to another great opportunity: learning Spanish! What better way to learn Spanish than by immersing yourself in the language while chatting with the locals. Whether you are taking group classes, have your own personal tutor, or are just winging it, talking with the locals in their language is an unparalled way to learn Spanish. Many locals also speak some degree of English and are eager to learn more, so you have a chance to give back as well.
Now here's some food for thought: how about learning to cook all of your favorite Mexican dishes? You can sign up for Mexican cooking classes, whether you do that in someone else's kitchen... or maybe even in your own! How about hosting a Mexican dinner party one evening, and as your guests rave about how delicious the food is, you can beam with pride at having prepared everything yourself! Also, if you are a food and wine aficionado, you will probably enjoy the yearly gourmet and wine festivals held in Vallarta.
Latin dance lessons are also something fun to do, and are a great opportunity to firm up those muscles while socializing. Why sit on the sidelines when you can be in the spotlight showing off your new moves? Many places offer lessons, and some of the nightspots themselves offer lessons and then you can stay on to dance the night away into the wee hours.
Mexico is well known for its fiestas, and indeed the people know how to throw a party! There are many hotels and restaurants nearby that put on colorful Mexican Fiesta nights so you can sample the food, music and old-time traditions of Mexico. A single entrance fee rewards you with an open bar and Mexican buffet, and entertainment like mariachis, folk dancers, lasso-spinning charros, ranchero singers, cockfights, do-it-yourself bullfights, raffles and contests, piñatas, and sometimes fireworks. You can also experience a traditional fiesta at a real working ranch in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, a short drive from the city. They might even have dancing horses there!
Bullfights, called "Corrida de Toros" in Mexico, are another cultural spectacle to behold. They are held weekly, November through April, at the Toros Plaza across from the Maritime Terminal.
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