Villa Amor

Just Down the Road

Having changed from our sweater, jeans and jacket into shorts, T shirt and flip flops, we left the last bit of Seattle behind and crossed the bridge into Sayulita. Bridges are like that—allowing us to cross from one land into another.

Ready for a different kind of vacation, we had asked around for possibilities.

“You ought to check out Sayulita,” our friends told us. “It’s just down the road from Puerto Vallarta, but a world away.”

“Oh yes,” his wife gushed. “There is a town that is so different, so alive, so Bohemian, so unique. It’s really hard to explain.”

“Okay,” my wife and I told them. “We’ll take a chance.”

Just down the road from Puerto Vallarta—more like an hours drive—we pulled off the highway and into Sayulita. Crossing the bridge into Sayulita was indeed crossing the bridge into another world. Suddenly we were met with a cacophony of sights and sounds that were at first overwhelming. Dogs barking, roosters crowing and street vendors selling fruits and vegetables, fish and meat taco stands, old and young walking down the middle of town—lots of sounds. And colors—bold blues and yellows and greens! Never had we seen such color!

Parking our car, we embraced this new experience. The cobblestone streets were quaint and inviting. People moved through town, stopping for conversation, laughing and smiling. Young people walked in groups of two or three carrying their surfboards, heading for the beach, while parents carried their children, purchasing food for their evening meal.

While at first it was too much—too much noise, too much color, too much traffic—our excitement quickly grew. The sounds and colors and people and sea air combined to create something quite intoxicating—life! Vida feliz—happy life!

“Wow!” was all I could say to my wife, as she smiled broadly back at me, stopping every few feet to peer into the shops.

We walked the happy streets, ate the happy fish tacos and strolled the happy beach. With the sun shining brightly, we settled into a beachfront restaurant to enjoy shrimp quesadillas and Pina Coladas, watching the surfers and allowing a year’s worth of stress slowly melt away.

Perfectly relaxed, we decided to do a bit more exploring, seeing a colorful hotel tucked high into the hillside overlooking the beach.

“What is that?” we asked a couple sitting next to us.

“You haven’t been there?” they asked, sounding surprised.

“We haven’t been to a lot of places,” we said.

“That’s Villa Amor, and you’re in for a real treat,” they continued. “You’ve got to stay there. They are a first-class hotel with exquisite Mexican architecture. Be careful, though. You’ll want to buy at first sight. We did.”

My wife and I walked along the beach to the hotel and were immediately greeted by the friendly staff. Being curious by nature, and absolutely in love with the Mexican culture, colors, textures and architecture, we asked if we could see a room.

“Of course,” the woman said, proceeding to show us one of their condominiums with a breathtaking view of the ocean. With open-air living, palapa roof and vivid colors, we were taken with the beauty.

It was there and then I decided to explore ways to assist couples in a setting that promoted health and healing. Working closely with Villa Amor, couples are able to reserve a three day Marriage Intensive while staying at Villa Amor for a special rate. What better way to work on your tan and marriage at the same time?

Call Dr. David Hawkins at 360.490.5446 or write to me at YourRelationshipDoctor@yahoo.com for this special opportunity.