Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Travel Adventures

SANTA BARBARA/PUERTO VALLARTA SISTER CITIES CELEBRATE DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL 2023 by Bonnie Carroll

The 51st Annual Santa Barbara/Puerto Vallarta Visitation Trip to Puerto Vallarta included over 40 members of the Santa Barbara Sister City Committee, who spent 8 days visiting points of interest, celebrating Day of the Dead activities around Puerto Vallarta, enjoying breakfasts, lunches, and dinner celebrations as guests where special programs, including Mexican food favorites, dancing and celebrating the spirits of past family members was high on the agenda.

Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodriguez and Puerto Vallarta Sister City President Irma Lorena Perez Coultas and spouse Raul Coultas were hosts with the most at many of the organized events, and Raul stated he would be serving as President of the Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Commitee in 2024.

Puerto Vallarta Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodriguez & Puerto Vallarta Sister City President Irma Lorena Perez Coultas greeting guests at Ctiy Hall Dinner

We loved planning a trip way in advance and having something on the calendar to look forward to, especially the Day of the Dead Festiva, a ten day celebration of honoring the lives of deceased relatives tradition, which has becom a cultural phenomenon. Several of us brought candy to give to the children in front of the Hotel Los Arcos on Halloween and the children, with painted faces, loved visiting with us.

Member of the Puerto Vallarta committee created costumes and had their faces painted for a special Catrina and Catina costume and dance competition, with Marti and Gil Garcia, as well as Lisa Scott recieving huge kudos.

Planning and creating our own Sister Cities Catrina, which was dedicated on the Malecon, not far from the Puerto Vallarta world's tallest Catrina, was an amazing evening, as well as also being invited guests at the Panteon Municipal Cemetary to celebrate with a Hery Caballero, sister cities families and Puerto Vallarta Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodriguez and family. Such a special traditional event where a mass was celebrated with blessings, guests enjoyed foods that were favorites of the family members being honored in the cemetery, and everyone joined in this amazing celebration of life!

PV Mayor Luis Albert Michel (Center), SB President Margaret Zaavedra (Lcener), SB Board Member Bonnie Carroll (Rcenter) guests and Day of the Dead hostess (far R) Hery Caballero

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a longstanding Mexican tradition celebrating life, love and remembrance observed all over the world. But no place does it quite like Puerto Vallarta. For 10 days the streets of this seaside town burst to life with a captivating sensory overload.

Publisher/Editor Bonnie Carroll (Santa Barbara/Puerto Vallarta Sister City Member) with Puerto Vallarta Folklorico Dia de los Muertos Dancers.

The waterfront promenade known as the Malecon is adorned with vibrant marigolds, giant calaveras (“sugar skulls,” as you may know them), intricately designed memorial altars called ofrendas, and Mexican folk art called papel picado. Aromas of the traditional incense copal and Palo Santo guide visitors around the boardwalk. The vibe is equal parts poignant and jubilant, reflecting the duality of life and death the festival celebrates. Witnessing the connection between the living and the departed in this way, in this place, is truly profound.

The holiday season has officially commenced, and with it comes one of the most stressful (yet exciting!) times of the year, at least for me — finding the perfect gift for the loved ones in your life.

I curate TPG’s annual holiday gift guide, which this year features 23 of the best picks for travelers, with suggestions ranging from the hottest new travel tech gadgets to the best carry-on bags in the sky.

While you can peruse the full list of traveler-approved gifts in my guide, I wanted to highlight some of the favorites that have become game changers for me and my travel routine.

Best travel tech gear

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m not just a big traveler — I also love trying out all the new technology that can improve the travel experience.

This year, I’ve been especially impressed with all the airlines that committed to equipping their planes with Bluetooth connectivity. This means you’ll be able to pair your wireless headphones with the seatback screen sans dongle.

As wireless headphones are more popular than ever, I’d definitely recommend checking out Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro, which received top marks in my recent review of the six best noise-canceling headphones for travelers.

Other tech devices that I swear by — and would make great gifts — include the new iPhone 15 and a portable travel laptop, such as the MacBook Air.

And these days, I’m seeing more and more travelers using iPads when on the road. These powerful tablets come in a variety of models and are a frequent flyer’s best friend because they can used from takeoff to touchdown with no interruption.

Of course, no traveler should leave home without an AirTag or two. These item trackers are an essential part of any traveler’s packing list.

Looking for some more gift inspo? Check out my story where I reveal all the tech devices I always pack.

Best luggage for travelers

Earlier this year, the zipper on my trusty Away backpack broke. I brought it to the store, but they couldn’t fix it, so I decided to source suggestions from readers for the best travel backpack.

That turned into a handy review of the 10 best travel backpacks, any one of which would make a great gift for the road warrior in your life.

In terms of rollaboards, I’ve long been a fan of Tumi’s bags. This year, I’m recommending the Alpha 3 Continental expandable four-wheel carry-on, but I know some readers swear by other brands such as Rimowa, Briggs & Riley and Samsonite.

Best gifts for kids

What do you get the budding aviator and globe-trotter in your life?

Parents on the TPG team had great things to say about the Stokke JetKids ride-on suitcase. Not only does it come in five colors, but kids can also ride on top of it when they get tired.

As kids start racking up the miles, they might want to start tracking and scrapbooking their trips. I found the travel journal from Wanderlust Passport to be a great way to do that.

Best gifts for AvGeeks

No list of TPG gifts would be complete without a special section for the aviation enthusiasts in your life.

That’s where Zero Eight Left comes in. This AvGeek-approved shop specializes in art and lifestyle gear for those who love planes and airports.

Pick from airport diagrams, runway maps, aircraft metal art and much more.

Too bad my wife won’t let me get any more AvGeek trinkets!

Zach