Page 66 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER SPRING 2022

Gardner there to film “The Night of the Iguana” Zona Romántica is a trendy area with
in 1964. They set the movie on the beach in narrow cobblestone streets lined with quaint
Mismaloya, a few kilometers south of courtyards cafes, shops, and art galleries
downtown where Elizabeth Taylor came to alongside bougainvillea-splashed boutique
rendezvous with Burton and continue their hotels. After about an hour of shopping and
affair. Their dalliance was plastered on tabloid gawking, we wandered toward the popular Los
covers around the world, which also put the Muertos Beach to search for a lunch spot,
pueblo on the celebrity and fan radar. John hoping to find the Cuban restaurant we
Huston’s sprawling estate nearby is now a enjoyed in PV years ago. We couldn’t
tourist attraction and can only be reached by remember its name but knew it was along the
boat. Malecon.
Since we had one day in the port, we took a We strolled the boardwalk at Los Muertos
cab into Zona Romántica, the old town area with its modern, iconic pier. The beach is lined
just on the other side of the Rio Cuale. To get to with umbrella-shaded restaurants and bars
the taxi stand outside the terminal, we had to that draw buskers and ever-present strolling
wend through a shopping center built hawkers selling everything from hats to “Rolex”
especially to tempt cruise ship passengers. It’s watches. A walk over a bridge brought us to an
great for cruisers who don’t want to go into area dotted with dozens of large sculptures,
town, but if you just want a cab, it’s a slog. including the famous boy on a seahorse.
Expect to pay more to get to town than to get Colorful parasails bobbed in the wind, waiting
back. (The four of us paid $18 to go and $10 to for the next daredevil to soar over the ocean.
return.) Make sure you and the driver agree on We had walked almost three miles. Hot and
the fare before you get in the car. hungry, we were about to choose any eatery

66 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2022