A few words about accessible accommodations in Vallarta

Accessible can mean a lot of things here in the Vallarta area. Be sure to ask questions. Ask for pictures. Most of all know that it is the cultural norm here to say "yes". Yes, it is wheelchair accessible, yes, the shower will work, yes, we have ramps, and yes to any other thing you ask for. This is because the host is willing to make the property work for you. That might mean having a long hose from the shower so you can clean yourself in the living area and a maid to clean up when you finish. It might mean that after you arrive, they will build whatever ramps you need. It might mean that they have no idea what your needs are, but they are willing to do whatever they can to make things work.

On the otherhand, there are resorts that will tell you they have accessible rooms (and they do), but both of them are occupied when you arrive and they have no other room available that will work for your needs. Many of the local accommodations have assistive devices like manual wheelchair and shower benches. That does not mean that they have them available for your use. They may be available only for emergency use. Ask questions and ask for pictures. Ask about their use policy what guarantee you have that the room or equipment will be available. Ask for a confirmation from the manager in writing. All of your diligence MAY help to avoid problems when you arrive. Beach Crossers does not accept same day or next day reservations, nor same-day cancellations. This can be a problem if you find out at the last second that you rented something you don't need, or need something you didn't rent. We recommend renting what you need, and if you have to cancel less than 24 hours before delivery (when no refunds are allowed), then we can issue you a credit for a future rental. If you need something last minute, we may not have the product available, or we may not have the time for delivery available on the schedule. Our delivery schedule is set two days in advance.

Traveling with a Service Animal is Scary.

Where have I been?

I haven't written anything in a long time. COVID quarantine would have been a good time to blog away, but like many people, I had plenty of time and not nearly enough motivation. Okay, we did build a new house in a country where the workers speak a different language, but that is no excuse. Hey, maybe I should write a blog about that experience. I don't think the architect would like to read it, but I'll have to do some catch-up stories. Tonight I have some mounting motivation that I need to spill onto some virtual paper. 

I'm scared!

Jedaiah

The closer it gets, the more apprehensive I get. Yes, I'm getting ready to travel by myself again. It doesn't seem like a big deal. I've traveled so many times to so many places. I love to travel! But nowadays, I have a health condition that at any moment can make me the center of attention in a very busy airport. I'm a pretty open book, but I am purposely not going to discuss my health condition. Here's why. My health condition is easy to talk about. But many people have embarrassing or complicated health problems. They shouldn't have to talk about them. So out of respect for medical privacy, I will not give you any reasons to believe my service animal is legit other than my word. 

So, think of running into me in a busy airport with my adorable service animal and I look perfectly fine. Think of me as a complete stranger running through the airport with my adorable service dog in his cute little vest. How do you react to that picture? 

I am thankful to have Jedaiah to keep an eye on me when I get distracted with things like checking in my luggage, grabbing a snack, boarding the plane, claiming my bags, etc. The airport can be a crazy place. I can handle it just like anyone else. Well, unless that pesky medical thing gets in the way. Otherwise, and hopefully, you will never see my disability. 

R.I.P. Gracie

So, why am I scared? Well, you would think that I was scared to have a crowd gathering situation in a busy public place, but that isn't the scariest part. I'm scared because I did this once before and it was HORRIBLE! There was not a single day that people were not rude to me and Gracie while we were traveling. Oh, how I miss her. She took her job so seriously.  She was always watching me and always being treated badly by strangers.  I'm scared to travel with my service animal because there are ugly people out there. 

Yes! I'm really scared. Jedaiah is clearly so much sweeter than Gracie was and she was so loveable. I loved her and after she was gone I didn't want another service animal. Someone pointed out that "You don't want your (health condition censor) either, but you've got it. You need a service dog." 

So, I have Jedaiah. A little side note: his name means "God knows". I really didn't want him and it's a long complicated story how he ends up being my guardian, but I love him now and I need him to travel with me. He's not as serious as Gracie and was a little slower to understand his job. But, he has officially passed all of his public access skills tests, knows how to alert me if I need to sit down NOW! He knows how to go for help, but is still perfecting bringing help back. He's as sweet as they come. And God knew I needed him. And that makes me scared. I don't know how he will handle rude people. Of course, I'm doing everything I can think of to shelter him from stranger hostility but I know from my last experience that just won't be possible. There are people, a lot of people, who will be mean to us just because they can't see my health condition. How did it become okay to treat disabled people and highly trained animals with such hostility? 

But then, there's also you and that guy on the plane.

You are that nice person. The ones that make up for all of the ugliness out there. The ones I count on to help me (and others like me) just by being you. 

So, I need to tell you (the nice ones) a few things about my service animal. He's not a pet when he's working. He's like a wheelchair. Wheelchair races are super fun and we have been known to play with our equipment from time to time.  I also play with my service dog a lot of the time. But when he's working he is a tool, not a toy. He knows the difference. I hope you do. But don't make assumptions. Just because someone is playing in their wheelchair does not mean that they don't need it to get around. The same applied to Jedaiah. Just because I play with him does not mean that he is not essential. Service Dogs Need to Play

Being a pet is part of what Jedaiah does. But he's more than a pet. He's a medical alert service dog. If he wasn't, I could take him along when it's convenient, and leave him at home when it's not. With Jedaiah, I have to take him always. Sometimes it is exhausting. There's that extra bag I have to carry all of the time. The one with wipes, bags, spray, food, water, ID cards, and of course cookies and toys. I have to ask clients if they mind having a service animal in the vehicle before I can pick them up by myself. I can never just grab my keys and go. And, service dogs in Mexico is a topic of its own!

I don't want to minimize pets. I think that all pets are emotional support animals. That's after all why most people get a pet, isn't it? But, you don't have to have your pet with you at all times. And, unless you need some emotional support beyond the happy face greeting you at the door when you get home, then it's your personal choice to have a pet. No one makes the personal choice to have a diagnosed medical condition. I could be wrong on that one, but speaking for myself I'll say that it's true. 

Speaking of support, emotional support animals are another thing. Some people need them to live a full and productive life outside of their homes. They are vital and often underappreciated by strangers. ESA's and their health partners were hurt irreparably by people who abused the system. There's no way to go back and fix it.

I'll say two things about the system and the exploitation. 

1. Shame on the airlines for charging so much that people were willing to go to extremes to save some money. The price to take your pet along and have them fit under your seat should never have been so high. With costs up to $200 in each direction AND losing one of your carry-ons, it's no surprise that people lied. People will lie for $1.50! People lie in front of their 5-year-old when they are teaching them to tell the truth to get a lower price at the movie theater. Of course, people lie to save hundreds of dollars. 

2. Shame on the media for telling us all across the country every time someone exploited the system. NEWS FLASH: That's not news! If some lady in Newark tries to claim a peacock as her service animal that is not news on the west coast. That is the manipulation of people's emotions for ratings. When you see stories like that ask yourself, "why are they telling me this?" Because we all know that there was that lady with the peacock. We are all quick to judge her as the perfect example of abusing the system. But did you think that maybe the peacock was her service animal? I'm not saying the airline should allow peacocks to fly as service animals. I'm saying that none of us know what the peacock was or was not trained to do, what the health condition was that could be made better by that bird's presence, and what the policy said at the time. It's possible that she had read the policy, that the bird provided some sort of medical support, and that she had a health condition that was somehow made better by that peacock. It's also possible that she was just manipulating the system. The fact is that people use her as an excuse to be cruel to me. That brings us back around to me being scared. 

The Real Peacock Story

Who's to blame for me being scared? 

Well, it's not me! There are a lot of people who are not to blame. I don't blame the people for trying to save a buck. I love a good bargain. I don't blame people for being angry when others exploit a system that is meant to help people. We all need advocates. I don't blame the many kind people out there that had no part in my trauma the last time I traveled. I especially don't blame the nice man on the plane who spoke up when the woman behind me slid down in her seat and kicked Gracie in the nose while announcing proudly, "I hate dogs." I was speechless, but the hero in the aisle seat said (and loudly) "I hate rude people, but I don't kick them under the seat!" I cried. I held Gracie. The flight attendant told me, "The dog needs to stay on the floor." I cried some more. I cried for most of the flight.

I do, however, blame all the people who think they know more about my health condition than my doctors just by looking at me as I go through an airport. It took my doctors a lot longer to figure it out. I blame all the people who mistreated Gracie. Every one of them. They are the reason I am scared to do this again. I also blame every single person who would rather be cruel than kind. I blame the people who cannot rise above the media manipulation to treat strangers with respect. People who cannot be helpful to people who are already struggling just to keep up. I can't imagine, and I'm sure you can't either, being harsh to a stranger just because they might be manipulating the system. And, I blame the system that gave people permission to be hateful. 

But This Time The Rules have Changed.

The new airline rules went into action in January 2021. (Service Animal Ruling) These new rules actually make it much easier for me. They clearly describe what the airline defines as a service animal and what they expect from me and Jedaiah. Gracie and I didn't know the rules and made a lot of mistakes last time. We got a lot of harsh reprimands. Now, we know the rules and thankfully, my baby boy, Jedaiah, is highly qualified for this new job description. 

The short version of the rules. Two for me, two for Jedaiah:

1. I have to have a diagnosed disability 

2. My disability must be helped by the presence of a specifically trained service animal

3. Jedaiah needs to be specially trained to help ME with MY disability. 

4. Jedaiah needs to behave to a high standard that is clearly outlined in the public access test. Here's a short version Public Access Test in 60 seconds

It is exhausting!

There's a long version but you get the idea. Not everyone who has a dog has a disability. Not everyone with a disability has a dog. Not everyone with a disability and a dog that can help have the high level of training that allows them legally into all public areas. And, even if you can check all of those boxes, not everyone has the patience to live your life with a dog by your side AT ALL TIMES! It can be exhausting!

What can you do?

Being scared of hateful, ugly people will not stop me from traveling. I will try to protect Jedaiah from cruel people. I have strategies for each step of the way. But, your help would be appreciated. When you see us, believe us. If we are faking the whole thing then at least you will have been unjustly kind instead of unjustly cruel. 

But there are tangible things you can do as well. Ignore Jedaiah. Think of him as a wheelchair. Would you pet someone's wheelchair? You might ask, "Wow, that's a cool wheelchair. I've never seen one like that." But you wouldn't ask to pet it or play with it. That's just weird! 

If you are playing with Jedaiah, he might not notice a change in my body chemistry. He's got a tricky job. It requires his attention in the craziest of places. You can help by not distracting him. 

I don't mind questions. I spent most of my life teaching. As a teacher, there were plenty of students that did not have the patience for their classmates' questions. Some of those impatient people now have invisible disabilities and service animals. We are all different. "Do you mind if I ask about your service dog?" is probably okay with me but maybe not with someone else. The best thing you can do is to completely ignore Jedaiah. It makes both his job and my job much easier. 

You can smile and give me a little encouragement. You can be confident that someone else has already been rude and your smile might tip the scales. If you see me juggling my bags, my dog, my coffee, and my boarding pass, you can ask if I'd like you to hold my coffee for a minute. I might say no. Maybe I want to figure out how to juggle. I might say yes and thank you. 

Hey, I've got a crazy idea. Let's treat all strangers like we care about them. Smile, offer encouragement and offer to hold their coffee if they are struggling. It radical I know. And it's far different than what I experienced last time. But that would make me less scared. Then I would only be scared that I might need emergency medical attention at gate C10. Even that wouldn't be scary if the people out there in the big bad world were kind to each other. 

Beach Crossers Delivery Options

Use the map to determine if your location is within our free delivery area. Delivery is free to these areas with a minimum 3-day rental. If you are located outside of the shaded areas, we are happy to meet you at one of the free delivery meeting points.

Wheelchair accessible La Cruz and San Pancho

Today we went scouting in the north bay. We are always looking for areas where we can take clients that they can move along independently. We spent time in both La Cruz and San Pancho today. Here are a few notes.

In La Cruz de Huanacaxtl we were pretty happy with what we found. We started at the fish market. Unfortunately, there was no reserved parking. There were ramps, but most of them had cars parked in front of them. As horrible as that seems, it was workable. There is a drop off area where we can easily drop the ramp. The manager at the La Palapa restaurant said security would let us park in the drop off area without any problems. He also said if we called ahead they would put cones in the spots near the ramp. Not idea, but it would work. Hey, why not just paint a few blue curbs so people who don't need a ramp don't park in front of it? I know, crazy thinking so far outside the box.

We walked all around the marina area. It was very accessible. The public boat dock even had a nice ramp. Unfortunately, the yacht club was not accessible. They said if someone wanted to go to the restaurant on the 3rd floor that the waiters would carry them and their chair up the steps. Hey, how about we just eat somewhere that went out of their way to make us feel like a complete human being? The restaurant near the fish market, La Palapa has wheelchair access to both the upper and lower levels. The upper level doesn't smell as fishy, still has a great view, and has bathrooms that are not bad. They could use some grab bars, but the sink is accessible and if a wheelchair would not fit into one of the two stalls, there is a privacy door that would allow for assistance. The menu looked and the prices were reasonable. It is a definite win in our scouting adventure.

Another big win was finding the Octopus Garden. It was listed as a cultural location so we navigated the back streets until we found it. It is a bit out of the way, but well worth it. As you roll through the front door there is a coffee roaster. The smell was very inviting. They sell their own roast both by the cup and by the bag. They will grind it for you if you wish. Just past that entrance is an adorable restaurant. They have a stage and regularly scheduled performances. I hope we can make a few of them this season. Across the restaurant area is a bit of a museum area. There is huichol art and other treasures. There are some interpretive signs so you can learn as much as you are interested in learning.

The menu changes weekly. There are a couple of good plant based choices along with some gourmet choices for the omnivores in the group. Finally, upstairs (not accessible) were rooms for rent. The staff of the three businesses were all incredibly friendly and helpful. The coffee roasters, the restaurant/gallery and the hostel were all charming.

On the way out, we went back to the circle where we had seen the vegan ice cream shop. Okay, I have to say that was a treat we had not expected. Oil free, plant based ice cream. It's been almost a year since my doctor suggested a plant based way of eating and ice cream has not been on the menu since then. What a happy find. I had the choco-monkey and the banana cinnamon. Sheri had the mint chip and the mocha. Wow were they delicious. Here's a link to their page. http://www.veganparadice.com.mx/ I guarantee we will be back.

We left La Cruz and headed up to San Pancho/San Francisco. We always like it there. The main street is tile instead of cobblestone. That means that even if the sidewalk is not accessible, the street is. The parking is problematic though. There are ramps, but cars are stacked 2 to 3 deep in front of it. On the plus side, the public restroom is accessible and even has a roll in shower.

We walked around just a bit. Had a bite to eat at Organi-K and headed back to Nuevo Vallarta. I was way past my afternoon coffee time.

Accessible Vallarta

Here is our usual recommendations for Banderas Bay

Starting in the North

San Pancho is pretty accessible in public areas. We aren't familiar with any specific accommodations there, but the streets are tile instead of cobble, there are ramps in most places, and even the public restrooms are accessible. The restaurants at the beach have seating in the town square, but there is no way to get down to the beach without a few steps.

Punta Mita has a lot of accessible options and a lot of very inaccessible options. Shop carefully. The same can be said of the water front. A few places you can get into and a whole lot that you cannot.

Sayulita is very inaccessible. We have several clients who stay there regardless of the challenges. There are a lot of challenges. Cobblestone, narrow streets, few ramps, cars parked in front of the ramps, steps everywhere, and narrow doorways. Cute bohemian vibe, artist, surfers, etc. but most chairs or scooters will not work there. The beach wheelchairs work, but are too wide for some places.

La Cruz is not very accessible. The market is nice, but very crowded and not practical with mobility equipment.

Bucerias is a mix as well. The streets are a challenge, but some of the properties are very accessible. They have a nice art walk weekly that you could not do in a wheelchair.

Nuevo Vallarta West is the most accessible area. The sidewalks are generally wide enough for a wheelchair or scooter. There is a beautiful bike/walking/wheelchair path that runs for miles. Many restaurants are accessible and most of the resorts. Some of the resorts have small elevators and will not guarantee an accessible room, but there are others that will. Paradise Village has fully ADA compliant rooms. As far as we know they are the only resort in the entire bay that can say that. In addition, they have ramps to the beach, wheelchair accessible palapas, and a zero barrier ramp into one of the pools. There are other accessible resorts in Nuevo Vallarta (Grand Velas, Hard Rock, RIU, Marival, Villa del Palmar Flamingos, etc.) but Paradise Village is the most accessible. Also, Vidanta is accessible, but is a huge property and getting from one place to another is a challenge.

Marina Vallarta has a beautiful area around the marina that is quite accessible. There are many condo buildings in the area. Some are fully accessible and some are on the 3rd floor with no elevator. The sidewalks are good, but choose your accommodations by asking a lot of questions. Many of the condo buildings have rentals through internet sites like Airbnb. We have had clients at the Westin and Mariott. Both had challenges but everyone has different needs. Some clients have love each and some could not function with the challenges.

Hotel Zone has new sidewalks that help a lot. The sidewalks do not go through the entire Hotel Zone, but as you get closer to downtown the bike lanes an other ramps have really improved the options. We have a lot of clients who love the Sheraton. It is close enough to wheel to downtown and is very accessible. Now Amber and Secrets on the other hand is a challenge. Only one accessible room and you cannot reserve it in advance.

On a side note, the new luxury mall La Isla is beautifully accessible unless you want to shop. Every store has a step to get inside. It's unbelievable in this day and age that they would build a mall with beautiful ramps throughout but not provide an opportunity for you to actually shop from a wheelchair.

Downtown is a mix. Buenaventura is mostly accessible, but the pools are not accessible and there is no way to get to the beach. Both seem important to me.

Romantic Zone has a lot of new condo buildings that are very accessible. Again, many are listed on internet based owner rental sites like homeaway.com or VRBO.com or Airbnb.com.  The sidewalks have improved over the last few years. You can't get everywhere, but you can get a lot more places than you could just a few short years ago.

South of Vallarta is more and more challenging. Some of the villas have elevators, but there is one repairman in the entire region. If the elevator is not working it can be a month before they can get it repaired. Make sure they have a back up plan. Barcelo is pretty accessible.

Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan would be difficult with mobility equipment.

Hope this helps. If you have information to share, drop us a note and we can include your recommendations.

Marina Vallarta Crocodile or Cocodrilo

Stopped by the marina today with some Beach Crossers clients. This crocodile was swimming leisurely past. According to the man that works at the marina "this is the small one." He said there are two crocodiles that hang around the marina in Vallarta. We will have to go back and take a look at "the big one".

My experience with medical care in Puerto Vallarta

Since we have Beach Crossers mobility rentals, we have a lot of experience with people who need some medical services as well. We have clients that are treated at the Lyme clinic, come to Vallarta for joint replacements, elective surgeries, stem cell injections etc. However, recently I've have some personal experience with the medical services here in Puerto Vallarta. 

In February, I started having some chest pain. It's a busy time for Beach Crossers, so I put off going to the doctor. At the first possible opportunity, Sheri and I headed to see Dr. Romo to see if he could shed some light on my chest pain. I have a history of bronchitis and pneumonia. I was 10 weeks premature and always attributed the less than strong lungs to that situation. Just my opinion, with absolutely no support for my theory. 

This felt different. It was more of a constant pressure. It also felt like I had swallowed a big vitamin and got it stuck somewhere between where it went in and where it should have landed. 

Why Dr. Romo?  Well ... first of all ... he's our landlord. Yep, his wife was born in the oldest building of our 4 building apartment complex. So, we have known him for a while. Sheri went to see him last year for some back problems that were improved so much that we would both consider him our local doctor. 

Dr. Romo was out of town. The attending physician did an EKG (or ECG. It's an ElectroCardioGram, but usually called an EKG). It was abnormal. Hmmmm. No heart problems in the family. I have perfect numbers for blood pressure and cholesterol. I have never been a smoker and work out regularly. I eat healthier than most. I do not eat french fries or drink Pepsi (a quote from one of the doctors "you'll need to give up the french fries and Pepsi" ... really?)

I was checked in. Blood tests were done to confirm that I had not suffered a heart attack. Yes, the EKG was that bad. Dr. Romo called me that evening just to go over what I should expect. A couple of hours later, a Cardiologist came by. He had seen my bloodwork and EKG and wanted me to just rest. They were going to repeat both of those things in the morning. I also had a chest X-ray just to rule out any lung interaction. 

The next morning the blood work and EKG were repeated. Dang if they didn't come back the same. The cardiologist, Dr. Nieves came to see me again. He went over the EKG and blood work. I had a few very bad things on the EKG that he was worried about. Something about my RST waves and another place where I should have something that goes positive/negative that was just going positive/positive. Well, I am a very positive person. 

His recommendation was to go to Guadalajara to have a nuclear stress test. I don't know if that can be done here in Vallarta. I would think so. We have amazing hospitals. I am guessing that he is not affiliated with one of those hospitals. I called Pam Thompson for a recommendation. Her first recommendation was to get a second opinion. Hey, that's a good idea. I should have thought of that myself. So, off I went to see Dr. Hernandez at San Javier. There are three cardiologists at San Javier. He has the first available appointment. 

He looked at the EKG and talked to me about my health history. Then we went next door and had another EKG. Dang. There is was again. That weird looking EKG. As a biology teacher, I know what an EKG should look like. This is not it. He said I had a 50/50 chance of a sudden death event and should get into surgery now!!!  Well, it was Friday. I told him that I absolutely was not going to go into surgery right now. I would take my 50/50 chance and think about it until Monday. I promised the rest of my family that I would sit my butt in a wheelchair and not doing anything that might increase those odds before getting medical treatment. I did a lot of research, praying, and deciding over the next 48 hours. By Monday morning I had a plan. We could do the angiogram, but only for diagnostics. I was not okay with the idea of being knocked out and having the doctor look around, do a stent if needed, or two, or three, or four, or five. If there were more than 5 needed then they would just do a bypass while I was there. Now, don't get me wrong. I have complete confidence in Dr. Hernandez. I just like to know what's going to happen before it happens. I felt like in this situation that should be possible. Dr. Hernandez was not willing to do an angiogram for diagnostics without having permission to fix it if he found something life threatening. Okay, I get that. He couldn't very well go in there, find something that was going to kill me and sew me up without fixing it. Fair enough. That didn't make me any more okay with the knock me out and do whatever you want scenario. Dr. Hernandez recommended a angiotomography diagnostic test in Guadalajara. We left that same afternoon. Thank you Stephanie for coming from Ajijic to take care of Beach Crossers (and Sheri and me) for awhile. I'll never forget Stephanie calling. 

Stephanie "I got to cross something off of my bucket list today"

Sheri, "Really, what?"

Stephanie, "I got to walk across the lobby of a luxury hotel carrying a toilet seat."

Me, "Hahahahahaha. Welcome to the world of Beach Crossers."

Sheri and I headed for Guadalajara. We found a room on hotwire.com at Country Club Inn or something like that. The hospital was Country Club Hospital and the neighborhood shares the name. Yes, there is a country club nearby. The room was less than $30 USD and was very nice. 

The hospital was beautiful and very modern. I suppose I should have said the same about San Javier. It is a beautiful hospital. The procedure was pretty much like a CAT scan. Some high tech 3D imaging of the heart. I debated over the dye. Mom always insisted on no dye so I felt like there was probably a good reason to say no. Not knowing what that reason was, I went ahead. Just for the record. Someone should have mentioned that you feel like you wet yourself. I really was not sure if I had or had not!  Luckily it was the latter. 

The whole experience was weird only because I have so little experience being on the receiving end of medical procedures. We hung around GDL until the results were printed. That's something different (in my experience). In Mexico, they tend to hand you your diagnostics. So we waited until the films and the report were ready and took them with us. Doctor Ramirez didn't consult with us, but had talked to Dr. Hernandez before we met with him the following morning. To recap, Monday we met with Dr. Hernandez, Monday evening to GLD, Tuesday for some imaging, Wednesday back in to see Dr. Hernandez, and surgery scheduled for Thursday morning. All of that seemed very different than in the states. Again, I have limited experience there. 

So the imaging showed a 60-70% blockage of my main artery. To make things worse, you actually have 3 arteries that nourish the heart with oxygen filled blood. Like having 3 freeways that serve a city. For most people those freeways are divided with something like 40/30/30% of the traffic. Well, my arteries were divided 80/10/10. That means that the primary highway was blocked nearly 70% and the supporting highways were really more like country roads. My odds took a serious turn for the worse. 

Thursday morning bright and early I was in for my angiogram.  Now, you can make your own decision here, but I'm going to stick with the miracle viewpoint. There was no blockage. Three EKGs and an angiotomography, 3 cardiologists in 2 cities, and classic symptoms all say that I had a serious blockage. The video from the angiogram says different. There was not only no blockage, but no plaque build up at all. 

So, for awhile, Dr. Hernandez was able to say, "I told you so." and did more often than was probably appropriate. Now, he was completely baffled. What he says now is that if I had not gone to Guadalajara for the angiotomography that he would have sent me away and said that I didn't need a cardiologist. All of my symptoms and the multiple EKGs clearly pointed to a blockage. However, since I had the imaging diagnostics, we know that I have a left bundle branch blockage, an enlarged heart, and a below normal blood flow. Lots of things can cause these problems. One of which is a coronary artery blockage. Maybe it's a question of which came first...the coronary blockage or the electrical blockage? Anyway, the coronary blockage is gone but the rest remains. 

While in the hospital, Dr. Romo had one of his nurses bring me a book called Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. It was fascinating. I left the hospital and watched the movie, "Forks over Knives". By the time I had the angiogram I had been vegan for 8 days. There was some debate as to whether or not the plant based whole foods way of eating could have dissolved the blockage so quickly. I reached out to Dr. Esselstyn, who amazingly replied and scheduled a phone conference. I learned a lot speaking with both Dr. Esselstyn and his wife Ann. One of the things I learned is that, "The diet absolutely could not have worked that fast. The earliest results we have seen is three weeks." Well then. Back to a miracle. 

I've continued with the plant based whole foods way of eating (PBWFWOE). Seriously, they use the acronym. I continue, not because my heart can be fixed, but because the health benefits were so amazing. I'm enjoying fruits and vegetables like never before. Eating whole grain (oil free) breads, pastas, and desserts. I've tried grains I had never heard of. I thought hemp was used for rope making. Now I eat the grain. Whoever heard of nutritional yeast? I'm ready to buy my second big jar. I've made more oil free hummus than I can believe. I usually cook the garbanzo beans in the crock pot, but my quick batch is

a can of garbanzo beans

a big handful of fresh cilantro

a can of Herdez Casera

a bit of salt to taste. 

In a matter of minutes I have my favorite salad dressing, a dip, a sandwich spread, a potato topper, and an appetizer. Just for the record. I never really liked hummus. Home made is hands down the best option. Don't skimp on the flavors. 

So, to get back on topic. I'm feeling amazing. I still have a heart problem and likely will for the rest of my life. Sometimes if feels like a ticking time bomb. I honestly don't think I could have gotten better medical attention in the states. I didn't wait more than a couple of hours to see a cardiologist and really a matter of minutes before having the first EKG. At my 3 week follow-up with Dr. Hernandez. He said my numbers aren't terrible. My heart is a little enlarged. My flow rate is a little low, and I definitely have a left bundle branch blockage. It's not impossible that it would go away, but unlikely (I'm remembering a recent miracle). The entire situation including 3 EKGs, an over night in the hospital, 5 consults with 2 cardiologists, two sets of blood work, a chest x-ray the angiotomography, the angiogram with sedation, and some medications that I am currently choosing not to take came to just under $10,000 USD. 

Now, I don't have insurance in either country so $10,000 is a lot of money. I'll be the last one to argue that point. However, it was less than $10,000!!!  I'll be paying on that credit card with way too much interest for a while, but there are no liens against my house. 

All in all I'm going to say that I was very satisfied with my medical care. I will go back to Dr. Hernandez in a year or if my symptoms change. For now, I'm loving my PBWFWOE and having more energy in my days. And, I'm shopping for insurance. 

10 ways to be like a local in Puerto Vallarta ... according to Beach Crossers Mobility Rentals anyway.

10 ways to act like a local (totally my own opinion)


1. Watch where you walk. The sidewalks and cobblestone are more deserving of your attention than the other distractions. If you want to look at something else. STOP and enjoy the sights.

2. Ditch the closed toed shoes. Unless you are in the gym, let your feet enjoy the tropical adventure.

3. Get a massage. Locals get massages regularly. It's inexpensive compared to other parts of the world and you will be better for it.

4. Go to the beach when you only have an hour. Sunset and a cold drink are worth the time.

5. Walk! Take your time and enjoy it. It's about the journey as much as the destination.

6. Relax. If the store isn't open yet, wait. If the car cuts you off, let them go first, if you have to wait in line, people watch. Just relax.

7. Eat dinner for less than $5 USD. You can choose almost any cuisine and make this happen.

8. Say hello. Okay, Buenos dias/tardes/noches would be better. People talk to each other here. People talk to strangers. It's not creepy. It's polite. Say hello to the people you pass on the street.

9. Ditch the bracelet when you are away from the resort (there are instructions on YouTube that tell you have to take it off and on.)

10. Don't cross in front of moving vehicles. Pedestrians here go BEHIND the car as it goes by. Don't stop for that pedestrian either. They are likely to run into the side of your car as they are actually timing their steps in order to step out directly behind your car. Now, on the other hand. There are plenty of tourists in Vallarta that will step out in front of you, so watch out for them.

Life in Vallarta is a treasure. Enjoy it, share it, become it.

Hot and Humid Vallarta

Wow, it's hot!  Okay, the temperature is only 81F/27C with a high of 88F today. Don't let that fool you. We have 89% humidity today and it is stinking hot already at 10:00 a.m. So, I'm inspired to write this "What to do when it's too hot" blog.

There has been a lot of questions floating around the Puerto Vallarta forum lately about what to do when it's so hot outside. Well here are a few of the favorite answers.

1. Catch a movie. Most movies release in PV in English first with Spanish subtitles. The movie theaters are pretty cool. You might even need a sweater. The food at the movie theaters in Mexico is definitely a step above what we find at a typical theater in the states. Many have service to your seat, but most have great buffets that you can take your tray (with arm attachment) to your seat. It is great quality and selection. All of the movie theaters I've visited in Vallarta are wheelchair accessible.

2. Starbucks. Every Starbucks is cooler than it needs to be. The coffee is great, the wifi is free, and you can usually find someone to visit with if you are interested in learning something from the locals. Most of the Starbucks are wheelchair friendly. The one on the north end of the Malecón is not.

3. Casino. Puerto Vallarta has many casinos. All of them have the air conditioning set at a cool temperature. This might not be the most cost effective way to escape the heat, but it is definitely an option. Many of the casino's have the sports competitions on TV. Buy a drink and hang out in front of the TV for a while. Hopefully the game goes your way so you can keep cool. If a casino is not wheelchair accessible, they are going to pick you up and help you inside. I think most of them are accessible.

4. The Costco cooler. Yep, it is a favorite of the locals on a hot day. You can wander in there just long enough to be happy to get back out in the heat. Definitely accessible in Vallarta.

5. The mall. The biggest option for a cooler day. You can search out whatever interests you, or just hang around in the comfy seats and people watch. The mall is a great place to go to cool down. And as a bonus, there is usually inexpensive ice cream cones to be found on a hot day. All of the malls in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta are accessible. There is plenty to see and a wheelchair is not going to slow you down one bit.

Now, it is worth mentioning before you head to the beach, that it may not be the best place to cool down. You may find some nice ocean breeze, but don't expect the water to be refreshing. Often times the water is just as warm as it is outside. You will be wet and overheated both in and out of the surf. So, even with a beach wheelchair, you might not find the beach the best place to cool down. Some of the resorts (Paradise Village for sure) have accessible pools. They are hard to find in the area, so ask that question when making your reservation.

It is important to stay hydrated, but water alone will not do the trick. You will need some electrolytes. There are several choices including Gatorade, mineral water with added salt (Penafiel orange is my favotite), and various other options. Stay hydrated, stay in the shade, and get out of the heat from time to time.

If you are in a wheelchair, make sure to have your personal fan and an umbrella. Beach Crossers has both available if you rent from us.

Even in the hottest season, September and October in Vallarta, it is a beautiful place with so much to see and do. You will find good discounts from airlines and accommodations as well making this an affordable time to visit.

Just remember to plan for the hot, humid Vallarta summer.

Summer Rain in Vallarta

What a beautiful thing, when it rains in Vallarta.

Taking a Wheelchair outside of Vallarta

I wanted to write about some of the small towns we have visited that make great day trips from Vallarta. We've been looking around at places to take our clients who cannot get out of their wheelchairs to walk. It's been an interesting adventure, and it will continue as we explore this beautiful Banderas Bay.
  

One of the first towns that we took clients to was San Sabastian de Oeste. It's a beautiful town that is just far enough up in the mountains to be cooler than the summer heat in Vallarta, but near enough that it can be enjoyed for a 4 hour tour. We picked up our guests and headed to Las Cazuelas in El Colorado for breakfast. This is definitely my favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is all from Grandma's recipes and you won't find anything more authentic or unique. If you're a foodie, you need to try this place. We had a leisurely breakfast, enjoying the sights and sounds of rural Mexico at it's best. There was a lot going on at Las Cazuelas. If you stop here, don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table. It's very popular with the locals.
   

After our wonderful breakfast, we made our way into San Sabastian. We were able to park at the police station right near the town square. Unloading the wheelchair wasn't a problem. We had visited the town earlier and checked for accessibility. We learned a valuable lesson. Looking around for ramps and passable thresholds is very different than riding around in a chair. The sidewalks and square were pretty accessible. Unfortunately, getting across the street from the square to the sidewalk was difficult cobblestone. We had a nice visit, but I don't think I would recommend it for wheelchairs. Not yet anyway. They seemed to be making improvements to all of the walkways that included consideration for wheelchairs. Maybe soon.
     

So, in an effort to be more prepared and more aware, we packed the scooter into our wheelchair accessible "Blanca" and headed north. We went as far as Guayabitos. We stopped at a few road side venders along the way, just to see if they were accessible.

     

Well, there were a couple that were accessible. I rode the scooter through the aisles without any problem. The restrooms were not accessible, but I'm not sure someone visiting Mexico for a short time needs to be exposed to the rustic restrooms of a roadside fruit stand. There is a very nice OXXO just up the road with an accessible restroom if needed.

 

When we got to Guayabitos, the first thing we noticed was the pace of life. It was hectic. There were buses and taxis driving around like a big city. The beach was nice, but unless there is something unique to Guayabitos I can't imagine taking our clients there. It is a beautiful town, don't get me wrong. It's just that it has the big city feel that you can get in downtown Vallarta. The next stop was Lo de Marco. I've heard and read a lot about this little town and was hopeful that it would be a good destination. They have a great cultural presence in the area and host a number of events. The beach was beautiful, the accessibility not as much. It would be a nice day trip for someone who has no physical limitations. From there we headed to San Pancho/San Francisco. I'm still a little confused on where it is San Pancho and where it is San Francisco. They seem the same place to me. Perhaps the town is San Francisco and the beach is San Pancho. I'm not really sure. Anyway, we had been there once before and I loved the ambiance. If you've been to Sayulita then you know the hustle and bustle of a tourist beach. It is packed with venders selling everything from surf lessons (we recommend Patty) to chairs and umbrellas for day use. It's very Bohemian with artists and surfers aplenty. It is not accessible with a standard wheelchair or power chair. With a beach wheelchair you can visit Sayulita. It's a great day trip. You still won't be able to get into the galleries, but there are plenty of street artists. Well, San Pancho feels like Sayulita must have been 20 years ago. There are still artists and surfers, but the number of venders is small and they aren't selling you a piece of the beach to use for the day. The streets are tile instead of cobblestone making them passable for any wheelchair. The sidewalks generally have ramps at the corners and they are ramps that you can actually use. There are a few ramps in the middle of the block here and there where there used to be a step that were passable, but it was nice to have someone at the back of the chair for an assist. I have to commend the town for putting ramps almost everywhere that used to have a step. I really had no problem getting around this town in the scooter. We stopped for coffee at a corner coffee shop. It had counters at a good level for the wheelchair. I couldn't go inside, but had no problem ordering from the sidewalk and enjoyed the hand rubbed wood counters. It had a good selection of barista brews and even had coffee ice cubes for the iced drinks. There was a book shelf and games for customer use. It was a cute place I would definitely visit again. We had lunch at the Italian restaurant "Toscana" which is owned by a man from Italy. I mention that because, like Sayulita, San Pancho is very international in it's population and food choices. I've been to Italy and I have to say that this was very Italian Italian food :)  Oh, and "a portion of bread" is a basket enough for the table. We each ordered one LOL.


After lunch we headed for the beach. I remembered from our previous trip that there were ramps down to the beach, but didn't remember what was at the bottom of the ramp. There are two restaurants at the beach. The one on the right has some seating at the square that you can get to in a wheelchair and a couple of tables sidewalk level in the square. The restaurant on the left has a section of the bar that you can reach with a wheelchair. Neither one can you get to a beach side table with a wheelchair. If we were able to take a beach wheelchair along it would work well here. There are a couple of reasons that we love San Pancho and will recommend it to our clients. First, it is very different than Vallarta. If you're going to take a day trip to another beach, it should be something a little different that what is in front of your resort. The people and atmosphere of San Pancho and welcoming and beautiful. Second, it is the most accessible destination we have found. There are very few places you can't get to. Getting inside the small stores and galleries is not possible, but the shops are so small that you really can look at most of the wares from the doorway.

   

Beach Crossers Gives Back.

People are so kind and gracious in their support of our Beach Crossers mobility rental business. Our customer's often give us a bonus because they "want to support what we're doing." This week, we went to buy a scooter that we found on Craigslist in Tuscon. We were road tripping a second accessible van down to Vallarta.  The owner of the chair had just lost his Mom a month ago. He listened to our story and then gave us part of our money back along with a shower chair and some cold drinks for the road. This kind of generosity happens often. We are so thankful for the donations of money and equipment that have allowed us to keep our costs low and be able to give back to the community. We always recognize the smiles on peoples faces when we have given them something special, but we don't always realize that it has become part of who we are as Beach Crossers. Lately, we've had some good reminders of that so we wanted to share a few of our stories.

From the beginning we have donated use of the chairs to people who couldn't or wouldn't have ever dreamed of going to the beach again. Amazingly, there are people who have lived right here in Vallarta for 50 years that have never been on the beach. We often see families carrying loved ones with mobility problems from the pavement to the sand so they can sit on a towel and enjoy the sunset. The first time we gifted the chair, we had only one chair in Mexico and were staying at Paradise Village. We were sitting in the lobby when a lovely woman in a wheelchair checked in with her daughter, son in law, and grand daughters. She reminded me of Mom. I told Sheri, "We're giving her the chair." She laughed and said, "Of course we are." We approached the family and told them we weren't selling anything, but wanted to let them use the beach wheelchair for the day. They were pretty sure we were scamming them at first, but finally decided that we were legit and took the chair. They were to return it to our room at dark. When 10:00 rolled by, I started getting nervous, when 11:00 came along I started making calls. It turns out that they had walked down the beach, gone into the pool, dipped in the hot tub and then gone back to the beach. The daughter said that her Mom was having the time of her life. She and I cried together. Sheri and I knew from the beginning that this business was always about Mom. This was the first time we saw that commitment in action. Mom would have loved that beautiful woman in the wheelchair and would have been proud of us for helping her to the beach. 

This became a normal practice for us. We look around and try to find someone to loan the chair to. I wish I had a picture of the first woman, but here is a beautiful picture of a gentle man who we loaned the chair to.  He was sitting by the pool with his son, daughter-in-law, grand children, and great grand children. I would guess he was in his 90's. He was non-verbal and no one in the family spoke English. I did my best with Spanish and gestures and got the point across that we wanted to loan the chair to them so they could take "Abuelo" to the beach. His smile was priceless. The family took tons of pictures and insisted that we be in their photos. It was so much fun and so rewarding to see his smiling face. He gave us the "it works in every language" thumbs up and waved excitedly to us as we were leaving. 

We still love this game and on days when we aren't busy or if we are staying at Paradise Village with family or friends, we take a beach wheelchair and look for someone to gift it to for the day. Try to imagine how fun that is. 

We have had the opportunity to help with World Access Project for the last 2 years. Here's a link to some information about their project  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYX7aXoDtfY  

Richard Dennis is the founder of the organization. They bring wheelchairs to people in the area, teach them how to use them, put on a sports camp, and bring them to the Malecón. That's where we come in. We have our beach wheelchair at the Malecón and shuttle people to the beach. The first year that Sheri was in Vallarta by herself. She had help from some of our friends and was able to shuttle most people to the beach. The second year, Sheri was in the states and I (Terrie) was in Vallarta for the event. I recruited help from friends once again and also put the word out in the Facebook community. With the extra help, we were able to get people not only to the beach, but a few actually made it into the bay for a swim. 

When it comes to paying it forward, I think these two pictures speak volumes. The young man, the picture speaks for itself. The older woman? It took almost an hour to convince her that it was not a burden or inconvenience to take her to the beach and that we didn't mind helping her from one chair to the other and back again. She had a wonderful time. 

   

These are some examples of how your rental with Beach Crossers helps others. We appreciate your help in allowing us to do what we do. 

Wheelchair Accessible Sayulita

Yesterday we took some clients up to Sayulita for lunch. First, let me say that I always enjoy time in Sayulita. The beach is beautiful, the people watching is top notch, the food choices are varied, and it has a great Bohemian vibe that is exciting. Yesterday, however, we wanted to take an honest look at accessibility.

We picked our clients up at the RIU Jalisco in Nuevo Vallarta and loaded 2 scooters, a wheelchair, and 4 passengers into our wheelchair accessible van. Yes, we were loaded and dragged across a few of the many speed bumps, between here and there. We were happy at how the 2 scooters fit side by side and everyone still had plenty of room. 

Some time last season, we rented a beach wheelchair to a nice family who were staying in Sayulita. We met at the Mega in Bucerias, so we never got a chance to see the Debug around Sayulita. At Beach Crossers, we try to match people and chairs and knowing what the area is like is really helpful. They told us that the chair worked out really well on the uneven pavement and that they would definitely recommend it as an option for Sayulita. 

Yesterday, we did not spend the day with our clients, but we saw them a number of times as our paths crossed in this small Mexican Magical City. Our clients were able to take a few steps, so here and there they would stand up and some nice people would show up to help them over a bump or down a step. That's one nice thing in Mexico, people will come to assist you without hesitation. On the other hand, there is a lot of help needed. 

When we arrived in town, we pulled down a very narrow street that there is no way in the world I would have driven down, but Sheri is an expert at squeezing the van through tight spaces so she didn't even hesitate. We pulled to the end of the street, stopped right in the middle (no one was likely to come down that street behind us) and dropped the ramp. We unloaded the 2 scooters and off they went. Sheri and I drove around town a few times before heading out of downtown to find parking. We ended up parking on a dirt road that would have been passable for the scooters, but not good for them. I wish clients wouldn't take our equipment on roads like that. 

It wasn't too far to walk back to town. I should have taken pictures, but as Sheri and I walked around we saw that most ramps had cars parked in front of them, or sign boards standing in the middle of them. In a town that is so parking congested I don't think this can really be helped. It was interesting to see ramps that lead down to steps, or a ramp on one side of the street and a curb on the other. There is a bridge in Vallarta like that. They call it the "Miracle Bridge" You can roll up one side and you must be healed at the top to get down the other side where there are about 30 stairs. 

So, I don't think there was any area of Sayulita that I would say was accessible. With that said, we did see one restroom in the downtown that was accessible. I didn't go in, so I have no idea if there were support bars, but the door was wide enough for a wheelchair and there was no step. Like most restrooms in Sayulita, there was a $5 peso fee to use it. There is a fee for most everything in Sayulita, I don't really mind paying $5 pesos to use a clean bathroom that has paper, soap and towels, but where we stopped yesterday for $5 pesos had none of the above. We got paper and if you didn't mind reaching over the dirty dishes you could wash your hands at the restaurant sink, but there was no option for drying them. 

There were many restaurant choices as most have tables in the street. The streets are cobble stone. There is some random water running in there street here and there. We haven't had any rain, so I'm not sure of the source. The traffic moving quickly so it's not a casual stroll down the street. Some of the side streets are too narrow for a car, but perfect for a wheelchair. As you get close to the beach there are some streets that have big speed bumps. I don't think it would be possible with a scooter or wheelchair, but the beach wheelchair would go over it without any problem. 

Overall, I think the beach wheelchair would be a must. It would allow you to cross the small curbs, maneuver the cobble stone, and access the beautiful beach. Unless you have an all terrain wheelchair I wouldn't recommend anything else. The dirt, water, cobble stone, and random obstacles would make a visit to Sayulita frustrating. 

At this time we deliver and pick up from Sayulita for a $40 fee, (that's $20 USD each trip). That is added to your shopping cart when you make your reservation. 

Totally wheelchair accessible options in Vallarta

Okay, so this post will have a lot of edits at time goes by. I want to talk about places that are totally wheelchair accessible for the clients of Beach Crossers Mobility Rentals in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta. I've asked a lot of people and there isn't anything out there. Please comment if you have something to add. This may seem like I'm rambling and disorganized, but perhaps in the future when I have these scribbles to look at I will put together something more organized. Hopefully, even in this rough form this will be helpful to locals and visitors of Vallarta who are using a wheelchair to get around. I'm also going to mention places that we've found that are NOT accessible. When I have a good compilation, I'll figure out some sort of organization.

Nuevo Vallarta/Bucerias and North

Resorts
I'll start with Paradise Village because it is my top recommendation in the entire bay. They have some beautiful, fully accessible, and fully ADA compliant rooms when there is no such thing here in Mexico. You can roll up to the sink in the kitchen and bathrooms, there is a roll in shower, the microwave is lowered, etc. It's the most accessible room I've seen in Vallarta and I've seen several of the resorts. . To add to this description, I'll mention that I have not seen another resort that has a ramp into the swimming pool. This is great, especially if you rent the Hippocampe or Sand Rider that can go into the water. There are definitely some things that could be better (like people park on the sidewalks or in front of the ramps, but ... what can you do?) The thing to note here is that no one made them comply with ADA standards. It is a philosophy. That's why they are my top recommendation.

The RIU Vallarta (according to our clients) has doors that are less than standard size. They had to take the wheels off of the Debug beach wheelchair in order to get it into the room. The rest of the resort is very accessible though. If you have a narrow chair this might be a good place. The lobby and common areas are accessible. The ramps to the pool and beach are located on each side of the lobby. It's not the most direct route to the pool, but they do have ramps and they are manageable. The elevators will be a challenge for large scooters.

The RIU Jalisco has very small and very slow elevators, but we have rented a variety of chairs to clients at this resort who have stayed without complaint. From our observation there are ramps and wide hallways and a very helpful staff (although the wait to get help can be lengthy). This is probably a good option.

RIU Palace, like the other RIU properties has very accessible common areas. I don't know about the rooms or pools.

The Hard Rock Nuevo Vallarta has very accessible grounds. The common areas are easily managed with any type of mobility aid. The rooms our clients stayed in have been large enough that they didn't need to reserve an accessible room.

Villa del Palmar Flamingos also has beautifully accessible grounds. The staff is helpful and the resort has a nice ambiance. Unfortunately, there is no ramp down to the beach. I don't know if all of the resorts have ramps, but I know that this one does not. The staff is eager to help get a beach wheelchair to the sand and back, but it is a bit of an inconvenience.

Marival Residence and Spa has accessible grounds. We rented a rollator to a guest there, but never saw the rooms. We've been around the grounds a bit and it seems to have mobility built in. I would need more information before making a recommendation.

Marival Resort has a ramp that has a sharp turn. Not all scooters will be able to make the corner without adjusting. The elevators are too small for most scooters, but wheelchairs should fit fine. The grounds are pretty open so getting around seems good. Some of the curbs are not accessible and ramps can be a distance away. As an all inclusive resort, be aware that not all of the restaurants and bars are accessible.

Dreams Villa Magna. We've had a couple of clients here, but only with rollators or walkers. I really don't know if there are ramps, accessible rooms, accessible common areas, restaurants, etc. This will have to wait for another day.

The Royal Decameron in Bucerias worked out well for our clients. The room was moderately accessible, but this client was able to transfer, stand, and walk a few steps. We've been around the grounds, which are pretty accessible. Getting to a ramp isn't always convenient, but it seems possible to get around by going just a little bit out of your way. It's pretty accessible and is a good choice in Bucerias. We did have a beach wheelchair on the beach there. There is a sidewalk along the beach so this is easy access once you get to that level. Just a word about Bucerias, there is a lot of cobblestone and the market has dirt streets.

Vidanta. So, I hate to even add this information, but it must be said. We tried for 2 hours to deliver a wheelchair to a very nice man who was staying at the Grand Luxxe. He was 81 years young, a retired physician, and had fallen and hurt his leg. We chatted with them on the phone and headed to the Vidanta complex to deliver the chair. When we arrived at the gate, the security called the room and talked to the guests to confirm that they were expecting a wheelchair. They then informed the guests that they would need to come to the gate to get the wheelchair. Really? He needs a wheelchair, that's why we're here. Um, he's not able to come to the gate. The guests informed security that they would not be coming to the gate and that they needed to figure out how to get the chair to their suite. Well, we had 2 chair with us as we had no idea what size the gentleman was. Their first suggestion was that they would take the two chairs, collect the money and bring us back one chair and the rental fee. Well, that wasn't okay with us. We like to meet our clients and fit the chair to the rider and show them the features of each chair. So, after 45 minutes of trying to get permission for us to come on ground, the security guard apologized and sent us around to the employee entrance to see if we would have any luck there. By sent us around, I mean we had to go across the river to another state and back around to get to the employee entrance which was walking distance from our location. Anyway, when we got to the employee entrance a nice man met us who was under the impression that he was going to take the chair to the guest. He had no idea that there were two chairs and that we were not surrendering the chair to anyone other than the client. Another 45 minutes later we had a security escort (2 guards) put our chairs in the back of a golf cart, A concierge who brought us two wrist bands and took our driver's licenses and off we went. When we got to the guest the guards accompanied us into the room to oversee the entire interaction. It was a little awkward and the guests were completely embarrassed. We made arrangements to meet them at the airport to retrieve the chair so none of us would have to endure this again (yes, we were told it would be exactly the same the next time and that we would not be allowed onto the property). Well, they escorted us off the property, cut off our wrist bands and then HAD TO CALL FOR PERMISSION to give us back our driver's licenses. Seriously overdone. "Fort Vidanta" or "The Grand Jail" are common names for the property on social media and in conversations around town. The Grand Mayan, Grand Luxxe, Mayan Palace and Grand Bliss are inside this security gate. Guests have told us that it is just as difficult to get out. That they want to walk to the restaurant that they can see, but security will not let them leave the property without taking a taxi (that charges double the usual rate. I don't feel like I can remove this portion as the plan hasn't really changed. However, we have been successful delivering wheelchairs if the client is with us. We stayed at the resort and found that accessibility is not too bad. They have a couple of wheelchair transports that can take you and your power equipment from one place to another. It's important to note since the property is huge. If we are picking up clients, or dropping off clients we are allowed onto the property. If we are dropping of or picking up wheelchairs then there is no system in place for that. All of that aside, the property is beautiful, the restaurants we visited at the Grand Luxxe and around the pools were very accessible. I did not see any lifts or ramps in any of the pool areas, but the resort is large so I'm not going to say they don't exist.

Grand Velas doesn't get it's hotel rating for no reason. The grounds are beautiful and quite accessible. There is no access to the pool if you have limited mobility and I don't know about a ramp to the beach, but the grounds and rooms are manageable.






Shopping
Paradise Plaza is mostly wheelchair accessible. Not much handicapped parking, but there is a parking garage with an elevator. There are some nice restaurants fast food, and a grocery store. The grocery store isn't perfect because you have to enter through the exit, but it has wide isles once you get inside. Some of the boutiques are too stocked to allow a wheelchair access, but they are happy to bring items out for you to see. Again, not ideal, but pretty all around accessible.

Lago Real is another accessible option for Nuevo. Walmart is the anchor store. Not all of the stores are easily managed from a wheelchair or scooter, but overall it is accessible.

Restaurants

I'll have to work on this section. There are some accessible restaurants in 3.14. There are some restrooms in the center section of the building that are shared by all of the establishments. They are accessible. La Dolce Vita and Mr. Cream's are both accessible as is the yogurt place and other smaller restaurants.

Sonora grill has some accessibility, but you will not be able to order your own food because the first step of the process requires just that, a big step of it's own.

House Mama is accessible for the enclosed outdoor seating. They have a good breakfast and I've heard the dinners are good. The indoor seating is not accessible, but the outdoor seating is very nice, so it's not a negative.

D at Marival is accessible with outside seating shared with Nikkson.

Insu at Marival Residence is accessible and has a view that is worth the trip to the rooftop restaurant. The elevator will probably not accommodate a large scooter.

Fajita Republic was accessible. It has a dirt parking area, but is accessible.

Puerto Fish and Wings Army are accessible and have outdoor seating.

There are many more accessible restaurants in the area.

Outdoors
There is a fantastic path that is mostly finished that goes throughout the resort area. It is in the middle of the tree lined median with nice ramps to transition from each area. You could walk or roll the path for a few miles.

Also definitely worth mentioning is the free tourist shuttle. It looks like a trolley car and has a wheelchair lift. It takes you from Paradise Plaza, past the Mayan properties where there are many restaurants and shopping (we'll have to explore, but there is at least a good attempt at accessibility). It goes past 3.14 and along Paseo de los Cocoteros, the street with all of the resorts on it's way back to Paradise Plaza. It's about a 40 minute route and they will let you off and pick you up most places along the way. It's a fun, accessible, free tour of the neighborhood.

Marina/Hotel zone

Beach Crossers often goes to the Marina for the Thursday market. It can get pretty crowded, but not a problem getting a wheelchair around. The sidewalks are a little bumpy, but passable. There are ramps that go up on the inland side of the marina. They get you into many stores and restaurants without any problem. We never did find an accessible restroom, but there may be one. Our best suggestion here would be to go into the Starbucks and use theirs. The door is wide enough to get a chair through and there are hand rails for support. More importantly, it is the only restroom I found that didn't have 5-10 steps to access.  I'll keep looking :)  There are a number of great restaurant choices here. Note that the accessibility comes from the inside walkway and not from the marina side.

Resorts

The Mayan Palace in the Marina is pretty accessible. The room doors are narrow and some areas have walkways that are also narrow that make turning around a challenge. The elevators are equally narrow. That being said, the grounds are pretty good and the room we were in, although not ADA was far more accessible than some other resorts.

We had a client (para) stay at the Westin without any complaints. The grounds were definitely accessible. The room was manageable, and he got around without problems.

Casa Magna Marriott seems accessible. We pushed a chair around and found ramps everywhere we went. We talked to some people who were using a wheelchair and they said they were not in an accessible room, but that the rooms were spacious so using a chair was not difficult. I'm not sure what the bath or kitchen are like. I know they have accessible rooms because this pair had stayed in the accessible room the year before and opted for a standard room this year.

Melia has beautiful accessible grounds. They have an accessible room (maybe more). We haven't seen the room for ourselves, but out clients said it was manageable.

We have a client at Villa Del Palmar that says the room is NOT very accessible. She is a para and has had some real challenges at that resort. In addition, they told the resort multiple times that they would need a wheelchair accessible van to go on the timeshare presentation and they showed up with a suburban expecting to lift her into a seat and her custom chair into the back. They didn't go on the tour. They did pass along the Beach Crossers information so maybe they would use our accessible van in the future. Who knows?

Canto del Sol is NOT accessible. A great staff and they certainly try to help, but the rooms are small and not accessible. The grounds are pretty accessible and again, the staff is wonderful, but probably not the place if you are using a wheelchair.

Pelicanos has beautiful grounds that are accessible. We did not see the wheelchair accessible rooms, but the room we saw had plenty of space. The hallways and doors were a good size. The elevator was kind of small, but we have certainly seen smaller. We would need further information before recommending this resort, but our friends that stayed her loved the small size and when we visited we didn't seen any major challenges for someone in a wheelchair.

Now Amber and Now Secrets were very disappointing. 700 rooms and only 2 accessible. For a newer build in the area that is very disappointing. In addition, the common areas are not fully accessible. There are a few places where there are small steps that could be a problem. We wouldn't recommend these properties for limited mobility clients.

Fiesta Americana has accessible common areas, but we don't know much about the rooms. We have had clients with power equipment that had no problems. I think there is only one accessible room, but the other rooms are roomier than other resorts.

Krystal is another resort that we don't know much about. We have had both beach wheelchairs and power chairs rented to clients who stayed there and heard nothing negative. Perhaps it is a good choice.

El Centro

To the North of the River Cuale there are some restaurants that have sidewalk level outdoor seating. The restaurants are not accessible, but there is accessible seating. There is a place called Day Off that has music and drinks. Unfortunately, the restrooms are not accessible.

The Malecon
This is pretty funny, because if you ask people they will tell you that the Malecon is completely accessible, but it is NOT. The 12 block beach walk is beautifully accessible, but very few of the businesses could you get into with a wheelchair. Where there are ramps, they are steep and sometimes have a 90 degree turn somewhere along the way. There are ramps down to the beach and to the restrooms, but they are for both coming and going and if someone is walking down or up, there is no way to get a chair through. People are good about waiting at the top or bottom so the chair can pass, but ...

Being a Starbucks fan I'll say that we took Mom in her wheelchair to the Starbucks near the main plaza many times. It appears to be inaccessible, but through the entrance to the East of the store is a side entrance with a ramp. In addition, there is a restroom in that same area that, although difficult to get into, is open enough inside for a wheelchair to maneuver. I don't believe there are any hand rails however.

Beach Crossers took a walk of the Malecon from Starbucks to Starbucks. Recently restaurants have moved tables down to the pedestrian area. This makes many of the restaurants that are not accessible a good option. I don't know if this will be a permanent move, but as of now they have tables that any wheelchair can scoot right up to. We also found an ice cream place with a ramp and room to get in and out with a wheelchair. There was only one souvenir store that a wheelchair could get into and only part of the store had aisles wide enough to maneuver. There is a flea market like area just south of McDonalds that has a ramp and the stores there are mostly accessible.

Romantic Zone and South
My best experience with an accessible place in downtown is V 399. It's a long story how we ended up staying in this very upscale condo complex, but we did. The room was accessible, the building accessible, and the rooftop terrace accessible. In addition, the neighborhood right around this building has mostly improved sidewalks with realistic ramps and wide sidewalks. You know sometimes in Vallarta there is a ramp that has a pole right in the middle of it? That would be a whole different blog. LOL.

Andale's Dance and Dinner
Our clients started at the North end of the Malecon looking for somewhere to have a drink and listen to music. They ended up all the way south in the romantic zone at Andele's before they found someplace where she could get her chair inside. They wanted to do some dancing. There are some other places along the way that maybe they missed, but for a place to dance without a cover charge they ended up at Andale's.  There are definitely other places to have a drink and listen to music.

Daiquiri Dick's is fully accessible. You have to go outside to move from the upper inside seating to the lower outdoor seating, but it is possible to get there. The restrooms are fully accessible.

La Fuente del Puente is on the river. You can roll right in. It has pretty authentic Mexican food.

Pipi's restaurant is worth stopping by if you can take a step or two. They have a ramp up to the restaurant and then there is a step to get inside. They will lift even the heaviest scooter to get you inside and are used to doing so. It's not the most authentic and I would even call it Cal-Mex, but the guacamole made fresh at your table and the entertainment is fantastic.

Gaby's restaurant has authentic Mexican, but it is far from accessible.

Roberto's in the romantic zone does not appear to be accessible, but according to Roberto himself, he has a ramp he uses when someone needs it. It may be the same with other restaurants in the area. There is just a small step and maybe they have a small ramp.

We stopped by Los Arcos with a scooter just to see how it would go. We were not able to get the scooter into a bathroom in the lobby area. The staff showed us two different bathrooms that we could try, but it just didn't work. Kudos to them for a good effort.

Villas Mediterraneos has to be mentioned because we stayed there. There is NOTHING about this place that is accessible. Stairs up, stairs down, stairs up again. It's beautiful, but if stairs are an obstacle then this place is an obstacle course.

Garza Blanca.  We had some clients stay there and there were definite challenges. The room they had reserved was on the upside of the road. There is a shuttle that runs, but the shuttle is not wheelchair accessible. Fine if you can transfer, but impossible if not. The part of the resort that is on the ocean side of the road. is mostly accessible, with the exception of some small single steps here and there. They have a ramp that they built for our clients that is now available if you ask. They worked very hard to accommodate.

Today we retrieved a beach wheelchair from Suzie at Hyatt Ziva on the south side of the bay. She is a para staying in a non-accessible room. She told us that although the room was not classified as accessible that it was great. The resort is all inclusive, so there is no kitchen, but the bathroom was large and manageable. There are two towers in the complex. According to Suzie, one is very accessible and the other not so much. All but one of the restaurants (Asian) are in the accessible tower so they were happy with their choices. She did say some of the ramps were quite steep. We only made it to the lobby, but the ramps were wide and not too steep. The common areas appeared to be wide and without unnecessary obstacles. It looked like a good choice for an all inclusive on the south shore.

Other areas

One of my favorite restaurants is very accessible. It is a bit out of the way, but worth the drive. Just about 15 minutes East of Las Juntas in El Colorado. It is owned by a Martha who uses all of her mother and grandmother's recipes, uses natural ingredients and is bilingual. The restaurant has a flat parking area, wide areas between tables, and accessible restrooms. Well worth the drive.