Art Along the Malecón--One of the great pleasures of strolling Puerto Vallarta's malecón is taking in the fanciful sculptures that line the seaside promenade. Among the notable works on display is Nostalgia, across from Carlos O'Brian's restaurant. Created by Ramiz Barquett, it depicts a couple sharing a romantic moment while gazing out to the bay. Farther south is the sculpture group at the Rotonda del Mar, locally known as Fantasy by the Sea. It's an array of sculpture "chairs" by renowned Mexican artist Alejandro Colunga. This wildly creative series -- a large octopus head tops one chair, and another bench has two giant ears for backrests -- always seems to draw a crowd. (Although one of the original sculptures washed out to sea in a 2002 hurricane, at press time a stunning replacement that pays homage to the power of the sea was in the works.) Closer to the main square is the Boy on the Seahorse sculpture, an image that has come to represent Puerto Vallarta. Don't miss the fountain across from the main square; its three bronze dolphins seem ready to leap right into the bay. Other sculptures along the malecón include the controversial "ladder to heaven" by Sergio Bustamante, and Mathis Lidice's interpretation of the passage of time, across from Hotel Rosita at the northernmost edge of the malecón.