Puerto Vallarta is a place worth walking around. There's no other way taking the pulse of what's going on in the streets, of catching the innocent eyes of children, of exchanging smiles and have them coming back to you. Forget about hurriedness; cool your mind and relax the _expression of your face; be nice and you'll get tenderness, conversation and a shower of humanness and closeness in return. There're plenty of things to see, many zones with a personality of their own, with features and peculiarities of their own.

The downtown area reserves a more representative encounter: the Malecon (seawall), lying next to the sea, offers us an occasion to feast eyes on roadside sculptures, listen to music, tuck in something at a corner joint and watch a breathtaking sunset or a firework show when the clock strikes nine o'clock sharp.

A year has gone by and I still find myself running out to see them bursting out in the sky. The downtown area also features the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the City Hall Square and an assortment of restaurants, bars and stores. Sauntering down the Malecon, we'll get to the Romantic Zone, a place teeming with charms, cafés and outlets to have something to eat with the sea looming at the end of the street. The Marina is another lovely area full of boats and mountains.

Clamber the lighthouse and you'll have spectacular views before your eyes. Don't miss out on a walk around Gringo Gulch and drop by the Kimberly House, where Richard Burton and Liz Taylor lived their hot love affair.