The tour of the senses provided by the "Café des Artistes" is a perfect choreography of colors, flavors and sounds. Nature is our permanent travel companion, and the author has managed to make it an ingrained part of her life, and her best ally after all. The dinner kicks off at “Thierry Blouet, the Author's Kitchen," the newest part of the eatery named after the owner, chef and soul of the place. Sitting in a corner, we make out the branches of a huge tree dangling over our heads. They seem to be there just to remind you of where you are; they hug you and, at the same time, stay out of your space to let you enjoy every dish.

I choose the chef's hors d'oeuvre and main course from the menu of the "Café des Artistes, Bistro Gourmet." It's a brain-racking experience, indeed. I finally make my pick: fresh foie gras slightly fried and figs, together with arugula salad (some kind of purple-hued lettuce) to begin with. Before that, a waiter serves me a welcome cocktail, water and an assortment of bread rolls and buns. I love to see the candlelight glaring in the cups; they look as if they were alive, singing their own music while ferns in the garden dance to their crooning melody. A leaf falls down and reminds me of the most beautiful autumn. The entrance is lovely. After that, I walk into the garden -still preserving the old outlay- to enjoy the main course. Candles set the tone all over again. Now it's the sound of water and the smooth notes of a distant piano. Flowers fall and everything seems so peaceful, so quiet. The last rays of Puerto Vallarta's setting sun leak through the window panes, with different colors and shades, bringing different moments and frames of mind.

My shrimp and octopus risotto is blessed with an original and intense flavor. It's 8:30pm. Golden-hued reflections paint the silhouettes of each and every leaf, of all things around the garden. Golden, orange, rose... it feels so great to gaze at the rainbow while reveling in that dinner, the wine. It seems as if the whole wide world were dancing just for you. The end is now close at hand, and dessert is served at the original hall of the Café des Artistes, Bistro Gourmet. I caught my breath as soon as I sat down. Right before my very eyes, through the windows, a symphony of fuchsias and roses are up in the sky, an almost surreal beauty under the hanging glass drops that look up gloomily at the ceiling fans dancing in the air. The chocolate napoleon is a sublime closing treat. The array of flavors is endless, mixing the sweet and the bitter in perfect harmony.

The farewell place is a gift for the senses: the Constantine Bar Lounge. This is an intimate bar that plays live music and that, unlike the other halls in which white is the dominant backdrop for both meals and natural phenomena, red is the star of the show. Now, with a reenergizing tea, I may get carried away with sounds, living the memories of this tour all over again, a tour that brings up all of Puerto Vallarta's magic. Guadalupe Sanchez 740. Centro. Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Phone: 222 32 28, www.cafedesartistes.com.