How it all began....

For those of you who may not know the whole story about La Palapa....here it is, as I have heard it throughout my 28 years of being a part of the Perez family. Alberto is my husband, and he is the 11th of 11 children born to Enrique and Eduarda Perez Gonzalez. One of Alberto's older sisters, Rodelinda was a local native beauty, a very exotic and elegant Mexican girl. She fell in love and married a retired American war veteran from Oregon, Guy Dickey. Puerto Vallarta in the fifties was emerging as a jet setter's paradise, where private jets and wealthy adventure seekers could come and experience a true Mexican tropical culture in an unspoiled, flower filled village of cobblestones and horse drawn carts.  Playa los Muertos,  so named for archeological evidence of turf wars fought by pirates (ok, human bones...) was a beautiful wide beach where families would come to spend the day. Rodelinda and Guy decided to open the first restaurant on the beach in Puerto Vallarta.  Was there a bridge to cross the river to get to their new place? No. Were there cruise ships and tour companies or even airlines to bring tourists? No. But their business thrived as the two taxis in town forged the river to bring guests, to a huge "palapa" or "thatched roof" beach cafe.  In 1959 La Palapa was born, and so was Alberto...Rodelinda's youngest brother and the future caretaker of this family treasure.  Who knew? Story to be continued.....
Saludos de Puerto Vallarta!
Renee