Trippin': Puerto Vallarta - Malecon

While in PV, a must checkout spot is the Malecon. It's this boardwalk lined with all these super cool sculptures and statues. On one side, you have stores and shops and cafes and restaurants. There's a lot of exploring to be done and lots of stores offering the same souvenir type of things. On the other side of the boardwalk is this awesome and unobstructed view of the ocean. Gorgeous. The only complaint I have would be about the horrible weather. As I have mentioned before in a previous post, it was HAWT! HUMID! BLAH! It just made taking an enjoyable stroll down the Malecon just miserable. I was sweating faster than I could hydrate myself. Several times, big poppa and I had to seek out refuge in some shop just to cool down for a bit. I was an unsightly mess. Hair stuck to my face, rivers of sweat streaming down my body and my face was bright pink! Yick! But overall, I still had a great time. Unfortunately, we had to rush a bit cos we had a wedding to go to early that evening.

Wedding: Thu & Tory - Pt.2

Vietnamese weddings are a super all day long event. It starts off with a tea ceremony EARLY in the morning. It's this traditional brouhaha that this generation's bride and groom basically have to do to please the parents. I don't think my parents nor big poppa's parents really care about that. I hope note! Anyhow, since it starts early, that means the wedding party all have to get up at a ridic hour to get all that good stuff done like hair and make-up. When everything is in place, the groom along with his family and groomsmen march up to the bride's house caravan style bearing gifts. The gifts are for the bride's family, much like a dowery. It's just this little silly game the family's play with each other. Then the bride and groom present a cup of tea to all the elders and adults in their family. It's very long and boring. But in exchange, the bride and groom get lots of jewelry and money from these family members. Then everyone breaks for a quick lunch before the bride and groom are off to the church. If it's a Buddhist wedding, everyone stays put and endures hours and hours of praying. Yeah. Fun stuff! This blog is the collection of photos from the tea ceremony.

The roasted pig. It's a much for all types of special occassions. Birthdays, grand openings, weddings. They're not cheap either! And they shouldn't be. People should always pay big money for the death of an animal.

The bridesmaids dresses were gorgeous!

All the ladies gathered at the window to watch the groom and his peeps.

Her mom's, new and old, decorating her in some jewry [sic].

With the groom's parents.

With the bride's parents. Notice the dramatic delta height. For all you none science nerds, that means change in height. Haha.

Jumongo family. Mostly from the bride's side.

He's got to be the coolest grandpa I know.