It's a surreal scene.
Tall majestic swaying palm trees border Puerto Vallarta's famous oceanfront Malecón promenade.
Yet, right in front of the palms -- lined up in a neat row -- there are three burnt-out transit buses, grey and skeletal.
This is part of the aftermath in downtown Puerto Vallarta after it was hit Sunday by the cartel in retaliation for the military killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes 'El Mencho'.
Yesterday, NowMedia group did a story on retired Kelowna realtor Brenda Bachmann, who was hunkered down during the violence at the gated community where she spends the winter in Puerto Vallarta.
After the 'sheltering in place' order was lifted following a day of destruction, Bachmann ventured out with her camera to capture images of the fallout and shared them on her Facebook as well as with NowMedia.
"Calm and quiet with people cleaning up and (burnt-out) vehicles being removed," said Bachmann.
"Frankly, I was expecting more destruction than I saw today give the smoke and blasts (Sunday)."
Yet, there's still plenty of shocking scenery.
A scorched transit bus that just a day before shot out a burst of fire that ignited a real estate office in the ground floor of an adjacent building.
Burned-out and rolled over cars and pick-up trucks littering the streets.
At a gas station, a line up of torched cars.
Rubble blocking streets and sidewalks.
Firebombed OXXO convenience stores and a gutted mattress store.
The entire facades of buildings burned away.
"Lots of police and military showing they are in charge," said Bachmann.
"Quite a few people on the streets, many looking for food. The restaurants that are open have long lineups to get in."
Puerto Vallarta wants to get cleared up and cleaned up as quickly as possible so the popular winter vacation destination can continue to welcome tourists.
While all flights between Canada and Puerto Vallarta, including two WestJet flights from Kelowna, were cancelled on Sunday and Monday, they resumed today.
That means the WestJet upcoming flights from Kelowna to Puerto Vallarta tomorrow (Wednesday), Saturday, Sunday and Monday are a go.
The resorts that tourists stay at as part of all-inclusive packages were untouched by the cartel retaliation.
"No one in my area was injured, no personal property or private businesses were targeted except for cars," Bachmann summed up.
"Just like after a storm, everyone getting together to make things right. The Mexican people are amazing hard workers."
