Simcoe Muskoka travellers in Mexico recall violence

A pair of couples from Simcoe County on vacation recall their experiences amid the violence and unrest in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Travellers from Simcoe County and Muskoka who are on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico are recalling their experiences amid the recent violent cartel attacks in the country.

Tiny Twp. Resident Rob Reader, currently vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, said he was watching the Canada versus U.S. gold medal game when unrest started to unravel.

“We were midway through the second period and some of the other clients in the bar started to get notifications that there was an explosion,” said Reader.

He and his wife had to make the scary trek back to their condo where their daughter and her friend had just woken up and realized what was happening.

“You can hear distant gunfire,” Reader continued. “We passed dozens of burning busses and cars, businesses, a Honda dealership that was on fire. The roof collapsed as we made our way by.”

• IN PICTURES: Simcoe County locals document devastation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The couple managed to make it back to safety.

Barrie couple Anita Blaszczak Dizgun and Pierre Mallette also vacationing in Puerto Vallarta said they had to return to their hotel amid the chaos and from there, it was a full lockdown situation, where they stayed for 20 hours.

The couple said things have been going back to normal since the violence and with major Canadian airlines resuming flights to Mexico on Tuesday, they are planning on heading back home with Air Canada on Wednesday.

But they’re not that anxious to come home to the cold weather yet.

“Sure, I’d give up my seat for a stay here for a few more days, yes, I would.”

The Readers’ daughter and her friend are heading home for their university classes on March 3 with Flair airlines.

“I think there’s probably a lot of Canadian students in Puerto Vallarta right now and a lot of Canadian professors in Puerto Vallarta right now. So I think there might have been some sympathy there.”

For others trying to get home, Will McAlleer, the executive director of Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada said to pack your patience and prepare to wait.

“Flights have resumed back there but they’re going to be slow to become and there’s going to be pretty significant demand, so you might have to sit and wait a little bit,” McAlleer said.

For those with March Break plans to head for a warm escape to Mexico, the government has a level two travel advisory in place urging travellers to proceed with caution and be prepared with travel insurance.

With files from CTV’s Mike Lang and Jack Morse