A Spring Concert at Bellarmine

Today, I listened to the "Spring Concert" at Bellarmine College Prep, where my son, a freshman, plays the trumpet. The music program was extensive, but it was sad since Frank and Diane Wyant left Bellarmine.

I enjoyed the whole program, but especially liked  "El Arco de Los Cabos" by Ed Huckeby.

Music Program

Director: Diane Wyant
Assistant: Ryan Stohs

Symphonic Band

1. "Propulsion" by Robert Buckley
2. "Earthdance" by Michael Sweeney
3. "Aztec Fire" by Jay Bocook
4. "Pirates of the Caribbean" arranged by Ted Ricketts

Soloists

1. "Sonata", arranged by Sigurd Rascher
• Largo, Courante
• Adrian Cordero, Alto Saxophone
2. "Sonata No. 30" by Ludwig Van Beethoven
• Ben Hvyer, Piano
3. "Serenade" by Robert Planel
1. Wilson Skjerven, Oboe
2. Ben Hvyer, Piano

Wind Ensemble

1. "El Arco de Los Cabos" by Ed Huckeby
2. "Vesuvius" by Frank Ticheli
3. "The Incredibles" arranged by Jay Bocook

Awards

• Spring Concert Awards

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Surfing Lessons with Bud

After surfing at Pleasure Point alone, I set up two-hour, two-person private lessons with the Surf School of Santa Cruz. I had to re-schedule a few times (due to high surf) but finally settled on Sunday, April 22.

We arrived a bit early (the lesson was scheduled for 10:00am), arriving around 9:20am (before the shop was open). The owner was there soon, and we picked our wetsuits. I had a 3mm Billabong, while Alex had a 4/3mm. The owner suggested 9-foot boards for both of us. We loaded up the van and headed to Pleasure Point (a couple of blocks away)

At first, we were shown the proper surfing technique on land and did many practice pop-ups.

We were given the following surfing instructions:

• Pop-Up
• Stand up by first putting the right knee down and then the left leg up
• Keep the legs far apart for balance
• Keep the knees bent
• Arms should be separated for balance
• Watch where you are going
• Wherever you look, there you will go naturally
• Paddling
• Keep the nose from sinking
• Keep the legs together
• Kick for additional speed (when trying to catch a wave)
• Speed when on a wave
• Accelerate by moving forward
• Slow down by moving backward
• Small Waves
• Move forward to get speed quickly
• Larger Waves
• To avoid going too fast (and falling off), move back quickly
• Right of Way
• Surfer riding the wave closest to white water has the right of way

We caught many waves and enjoyed our surfing lessons. I had many long rides, and riding the same wave with Alex was fun. We did much better with the longer, foamy boards than we did on our own the week before.

After we finished surfing, we returned our gear. We stopped by for some pizza at  Pleasure Pizza for a slice of Popeye (spinach, feta, tomatoes) and Santa Barbara (mozzarella, artichoke, parmesan). Alex had the Pepperoni slices.

We also stopped by the downtown RipCurl store to pick up a 4/3mm Dawn Patrol wetsuit for Alex in medium and two 8' Wavestorm Surfboards at Costco ($99/each). Our surf instructor told us that they were a good deal for beginners learning to surf.

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Sharks vs Ducks Stanley Cup Playoffs

When I was offered to attend the Sharks vs Ducks Stanley Cup Playoffs (Game 3) for free, I jumped at the chance.

I was uncertain as I had never seen an NHL playoff game live.

I arrived early - around 18:30 - and found some nearby paid parking for $15 under the I-880 bridge. I walked to the SAP Center (there were some periods of heavy rain). I quickly got inside and tried to find some food to eat. I did not like most of the choices and eventually settled on a burger.

As 19:30 game time approached, I found the elevator to take me to the 4th floor and the box where my seats would be.

Plenty of burgers, chips, wine, and beer were in the box (I could have skipped ordering food earlier). The Sharks fans were in force and very loud. I was one of the few people NOT wearing a Sharks jersey.

Our box was full of food, and we had multiple TVs to see the action closer! Sliders, sandwiches, cheeses, dips, and many other snacks were there. I liked the chocolate-covered marshmallows. The salad was proper.

It was fun to watch the Sharks absolutely destroy the Ducks 8-to-1!

There was a "mandatory" fight between the players.

I enjoyed the playoffs and hope to see another NHL game.

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Surfing Pleasure Point

After surfing in Sayulita, Mexico, Alex and I decided to try surfing in Santa Cruz. I found a well-regarded surf sport called Pleasure Point in Capitola and a nearby shop to rent gear - RipCurl (on 41st Avenue). The rental prices are high - $25/board and $20/wetsuit.

We rented two NSP 60 fishes and a wetsuit for Alex (I had my own) and walked downhill to the Cliff Beach surf spot. The surf looked relatively high - 4-6 feet, but we were eager to try the new boards.

The ocean water was a bit cold - especially on the exposed hands and feet - but I got used to it after a while. Paddling into the surf took some practice on the shorter fish. Balancing oneself was definitely more challenging.

My first focus was to learn duck diving. Due to their buoyancy, my board was too complex to duck dive, and I did Eskimo rolls instead. They were also much more challenging to get planing - perhaps they were not ready for the shorter boards.

We spent a few hours trying to catch waves and avoiding being overwhelmed by vast monsters barreling down. I had a few rides but could never stand for more than a few seconds (before falling).

After surfing, we stopped by for a slice of pizza at the local Pleasure Pizza (which served thick-crust pizzas). It looked like Pizza My Heart in Los Gatos - complete with hanging surfboards and surfing photos. The pizza is quite different from the thin crust version in Pizza My Heart but still delicious.

We also stopped by for a quick bite of ice cream at the Penny Creamery nearby.

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Rhythms of the Night - Savia

In the late afternoon, we took a short taxi ride to Vallarta Adventures, where we boarded boat #4 for the one-hour sail to Las Caletas for the Rhythms of the Night - Savia dinner and show.

We saw a few people dressed in attractive costumes when we arrived onshore in Las Caletas.

Drums were being beaten, calling us to dinner (I presume).

We were guided to our table for three, then got in line for the buffet. There were many delicious items, including salads, fish, meats, and desserts. All were delicious and expertly prepared.

I filled up my plate and went back for seconds and thirds!

There were wandering musicians walking around, singing and playing for us. It was adorable and romantic. Here is a short video recorded on my Canon G7x Mark II:

I

I did not know that portable harps existed or could be played so well!

After dinner, the bell rang, and everyone was invited to the show. We did not purchase priority seats, but still had an unobstructed view of the show.

I recorded parts of the show with my Canon G7x Mark II. Here is a video of this recording:



The show reminded us of Cirque du Soleil, with lovely acrobatics, dancing, fire-throwing, and numerous other stunts. We really enjoyed the whole Mexican-Mayan pyramid scheme.

There were many exciting costumes, some from the Mexican Day of the Dead.

Overall, the show was fantastic; we would gladly see it again.

On the way back to Puerto Vallarta, our crew entertained us with lip-sync performances of popular American bands. It was such a great ending to our Puerto Vallarta vacation.

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Jet Skiing and Boogie Boarding in Nuevo Vallarta

When we finally found a working ATM (not especially easy in Mexico), we took out some extra money for jet skiing.

Here is a GoPro Hero 4 Silver video I recorded of our jet skiing in Nuevo Vallarta, off the beach of Villa del Palmar Flamingos hotel:



The cost on the beach at Villa La Estancia was 1100 pesos for 30 minutes (or USD 60 per 30 minutes). The last time Alex jet skied at Lake Tahoe, he really enjoyed it. We also had a fun jet-skiing session in Nuevo Vallarta.

Alex and I took turns riding the jet ski on the beautiful Bay of Banderas. Afterward, we rented two boogie boards to surf some waves.

We enjoyed catching the small waves on the beach.

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Swimming with Dolphins

Inna was looking forward to swimming with dolphins in the wild, and she scheduled a half-day session with Mexican Ecotours for Tuesday, April 2. We departed our hotel at 7:50 am for the Puerto Vallarta Marina, where Ecotours is located.

When we arrived there, we checked in and were given snorkeling gear. In addition, we were also shown videos about dolphins and whales in the area. At around 9:00am, we boarded the boat (there were 6 of us plus 2 crew).

Melissa (our guide and marine biologist) explained some of the Bay of Banderas's main features and told us about the many kinds of dolphins and other marine animals that live there. We motored for about an hour when we encountered a small pod of dolphins. Since one of the dolphins had a rope on its dorsal fin, Melissa called in for help to see if someone could rescue it. We stayed in the area for a bit until help arrived, then continued to another area where more dolphins were spotted. Inna and the other passengers went for a swim to see if they could encounter the dolphins, but I stayed on the boat.

Inna did not encounter any dolphins, and we proceeded to another snorkeling spot off the coast. When we arrived, the water was rough and had low visibility (quite murky). I didn’t think one could see anything in it.

After picking up our snorkelers, we returned to port, arriving around 2:00 pm. Since we ate sandwiches on the boat, we weren't hungry (though there were many exciting restaurants just around the corner). We returned to our hotel and spent part of the time in our room, as it was scorching outside.

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Surfing in Sayulita

In the morning, we decided to skip breakfast and head for the famous surf town of Sayulita. It is renowned as hippie heaven, with lots of surf and yoga shops (at least that's what we were told). Alex and I had plans to surf on the beach (though the surf forecast promised small waves).

The taxi ride from our Villa La Estancia Beach Resort and Spa in Nayarit took about 40 minutes for 300 pesos (about USD 17).

We were hungry when we arrived, so we decided to get a quick breakfast at the nearby breakfast joint called ChocoBanana.

Alex and I had a homemade Mexican breakfast bowl while Inna selected a delicious omelet.

She also tried chai with milk, but it was too sweet. Alex drank the Mexican hot chocolate made with real chocolate. After breakfast, we headed through downtown to the beach.

On the beach, we rented an umbrella and three chairs from a Mexican lady vendor – dozens of vendors offered chairs, umbrellas, pineapples, nuts, etc.

Since the waves were small, I decided we should try stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) first. The first surf shop - Lunazul - was out of SUPs, so we proceeded to the one nearby (Stand Up Paddle Mexico). We rented two SUPs at 190 pesos per hour (per board).

Here is a GoPro Hero4 Silver video of my SUPping at Sayulita:



The first board I tried was too small for me, so I immediately exchanged it for a larger, 10'6" model. Eventually, Alex also swapped his SUP for a larger model. The 10'6" SUP worked well for me.

After spending one hour stand-up paddleboarding, I took a break while Alex continued trying to surf the small waves. A small part of the beach is extremely rocky, and Alex and I were cut up on the rocks when we surfed there. I returned both SUPs to the Stand Up Paddleboard Mexico shop, and everyone rested under the umbrella. After another hour, Alex finished his paddleboarding and looked a bit tired.

By this time, the beach was overflowing with beachgoers; I had never seen it so crowded! Being a bit hungry and thirsty, we tried some fresh coconuts and peanuts from local vendors on the beach. They were pretty delicious! Alex still wanted to surf, so I rented a few surfboards while Inna explored the town.

I rented two surfboards at the Lunazul Surf School, and we were off surfing. We were immediately doing much better, and I could surf 4 waves. Alex also caught a few waves and was much happier with his progress. After about an hour, Alex got stung by a jellyfish, so we decided to stop and return all the gear to the shop. Lunazul staff poured some vinegar on Alex's hand, and it helped to heal the irritation. By this time, Inna had returned, and we decided to have dinner in Sayulita before heading back to our hotel.

We looked for open restaurants, but many were closed (despite showing as Open on Yelp). Inna finally settled on an organic restaurant named Ino Laboratorio Gastronomico, and we sat there.

We ordered some drinks and chips with guacamole & salsa for our appetizer. The chips and salsa were really amazing! Inna ordered Chicken with Mole sauce for her main entree, while I selected the Lamb. Alex chose a Margherita pizza with pepperoni. All of the food was fantastic and relatively inexpensive.

My ribs were so delicious! Alex raved that his pizza was one of the ten best he had ever eaten. Inna also commented on the delightful mole sauce. She really enjoyed it!

After dinner, we stopped across the street at the Wa Kika ice cream shop and tried a couple of unique Mexican flavors, like jackfruit (which I really liked).

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Enjoying Las Caletas Beach Hideaway

After eating breakfast at the nearby El Patron Mexican restaurant in Villa del Parmar Flamingos, we boarded our taxi for the short ride to Vallarta Adventures in Nuevo Vallarta (a 15-minute taxi ride).

After checking in at the Vallarta Adventures lobby, we purchased the additional flyboard activity for Alex  ($39 extra) and waited for our turn to board boat #6 for Las Caletas Beach Hideaway. The boat first traveled to Puerto Vallarta to pick up additional passengers, then continued for another 45 minutes to Las Caletas. (The boat ride each way took 90 minutes because of a stop in Puerto Vallarta).

We were entertained on board with the fun crew of Boat #6 – Alan and the gang. We were also offered plenty of margaritas, rum punch, and soft drinks. We arrived at La Caletas at around 12:30 pm.

We were scheduled to have lunch at 12:30pm, followed by several activities planned. We were seated at a table and had an excellent selection of Mexican specialties, including multiple salads, chicken, beef, fish, guacamole, and chips.

The guacamole and chips were incredibly delicious! (Much better than our hotel's!)

After lunch, we rushed to the 1:30pm Encounter with Animals. Inna, Alex, and I all got to experience a squirrel monkey on our shoulders.

Besides, we also held Macaws and small parrots.

We took turns holding birds and monkeys.

After these encounters, we headed for the beach with multiple outdoor activities. There was kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, and swaying hammocks.

Here is a GoPro 4 Silver video of our kayaking, paddleboarding, and other fun:

At first, Alex tried the SUP, while Inna and I tried the sea kayak.

The paddleboard area was limited, so we quickly became uninterested in this activity. Also, there was a long line to rent paddleboards. Nearby was the fly-boarding (which Alex had reserved for 3:30pm); it looked fun.

After these beach activities, we headed to the Teen Adventure Cove. A few unique, somewhat extreme activities were available for Alex and me: the Blob, the zipline, the Step Up, and the Slide' N Fly water slide.

Alex tried the Step Up activity first. In this particular event, he must step up on narrow tree stumps to a soaring height. Alex started out fine, but stopped two-thirds of the way through as he was scared (despite wearing a harness). Eventually, he overcame his fear of heights and reached the top.
After finishing this, we decided to try the zip lines since the extreme water slide was closed (due to low tide). The zip line started at the top of a cliff and finished on the water. Unlike most zip lines, this one was moving really fast. Alex went first, followed by me. I hit the water fairly hard – like a vast jolt – and was quickly unhooked.

Here is a video recording of Alex's descent on the zipline:



The next activity was the "Blob". I didn't understand it until I saw Alex thrown 10-15 feet into the air. He said that it was pretty scary! It was my turn to go next, and I jumped onto the inflatable tube and crawled to the end.

Here is a GoPro Hero4 Silver video of Alex trying "The Blob":



Then, one of the other operators jumped onto the other end. I didn't know what to expect and was completely surprised by the sensation of being thrown upward into the air, like from a cannon!

Here is a GoPro Hero 4 video recording of my encounter with "The Blob":



I did an inadvertent backflip. It was quite an unusual experience.

After finishing these activities, we rushed to the beach for Alex's flyboarding session at 3:30pm. In flyboarding, a jet ski provides thrust to a small device worn on one's feet, allowing one to fly over the water. Alex quickly figured it out and flew around quite well. He almost looked like the Green Goblin from Batman.

Here is a short video of Alex's flyboarding:



After finishing flyboarding, we decided to rest in the hammocks on the beach.

We rested there until Boat #6 came back to pick us up (They were about 30 minutes late). The ride back was fun and entertaining, as the Boat #6 crew did many lip-sync impersonations of popular bands, including ZZ Top, Wham!, Prince, and Bruno Mars.

We returned home quite late – around 7:30pm. We were pretty tired but exhilarated from our Las Caletas trip.

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