Issue 1058, July 13 - 19, 2017 by Vallarta Tribune

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

RIVIERA NAYARIT

Page 06

Page 05

Page 19

Vallarta most certified beaches in Mexico

Hit Comedy Princesas Desesperadas

VallartaTribune.com

July 13 - 19, 2017 Year 20 Free Issue 1058

DE I U G

a or Ah en l Ã±o pa Es

E E FR

Teaching Braille to Emma

Lagunas Encantadas San Pedro Lagunillas Page 18 hibiscus to prevent aging Page 07

Featured Property of the Week Page 12

puerto vallarta sculptures Page 16

welcome

Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit Here is some advice to make your trip a little easier and more enjoyable. TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit starting from Guayabitos to the Ameca River and including Nuevo Vallarta. BUSES: A system of urban buses can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between. Current fare within Puerto Vallarta is $7.50 pesos per ticket and passengers must purchase a new ticket every time they board a bus. Hold on to your ticket. This is your proof and insurance should anything happen. Bus destinations are typically written on the front of the window. Those with a ‘centro’ sign will drive through downtown Puerto Vallarta and those with a ‘tunel’ sign will drive through the tunnel roads that go behind the city. TAXIS: There are set rates within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first. Price is per trip not person unless there are more than four passengers. Take note of the taxi number on the outside door and where it picked you up. If you lose an item this information will be vital to attempting to get it back. MONEY EXCHANGE: To exchange money you will need your passport. Best option is to use your bankcard to withdraw funds from any ATM machine. ATM’s in the banks are the safest to use and generally charge lower fees. USING PESOS OR USD: Businesses must display their prices in pesos and they may also post the prices in any other currency they choose. They cannot refuse to accept pesos. Some service staff may appreciate being tipped in USD and others in pesos. If you are concerned, ask. TIPPING: How much and when you tip are personal choices and unless otherwise noted a 10-20%

tip on food and beverage and services is standard. Tip the kids and seniors who bag your groceries. They work exclusively for tips. Have change at the ready for musicians and clowns that ride the buses – typically tipping 5 pesos or less. Taxi drivers do not receive tips unless they go to extraordinary lengths. DRINKING WATER: Puerto Vallarta’s water (at the source) is certified pure enough to drink. For many who live here long term, we drink from our taps with no issues. For those on vacation, it may be better to stick to bottled water. EXPORTING PETS: Falling in love with a rescue animal is easy – and it’s easy to take them home with you. The process is quick and inexpensive. You need a certificate of health from a local vet with the appropriate inoculations, among other things. The time of year that pets can travel in the cargo hold of the plane may be your biggest challenge. Contact your airline to double-check their requirements. COMMON SENSE: Just as you would not walk around your hometown drunk and belligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexicans are a forgiving bunch, basic politeness is appreciated. Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay your bills. Be courteous. And have fun! DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Fines are as much as 15,000 pesos. You can be taken to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends and you will be asked to blow if they suspect you have been drinking. LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not a valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that the system works much differently here than you are likely used to. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Director Noemi Zamora noemizamorareynoso@gmail.com Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team Information office ventastribuna7@yahoo.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cysandra@gmail.com cisandra@vallartatribune.com

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Calling in Mexico Calling phones in Mexico can be tricky. There are different codes you need to use depending if you are calling landlines or cellular phones and if they are local or long distance. LONG-DISTANCE CALLS FROM WITHIN MEXICO For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (U.S. and Canada country code is 1), so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number. CALLING CELL PHONES (FROM A LAND LINE) If you are calling from a landline within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, the 10 digit number. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. Cell phone to cell phone only requires the 10 digit number. PHONE CARDS Phone cards (tarjetas telefonicas) for use in pay phones can be bought at newsstands and in pharmacies. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a tarjeta LADA. CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS Some toll free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not. Those that do work are often not toll-free. You need to dial a different prefix. To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number

Emergencies: 911 Red Cross: 065 Fire Department: 322.223.9476 Ambulance: 322.222.1533

Ahoy Cruisers! NAME PASS DATE CARNIVAL MIRACLE 3,200 05/07/2017 CARNIVAL MIRACLE 3,200 12/07/2017 CARNIVAL MIRACLE 3,200 19/07/2017 CARNIVAL MIRACLE 3,200 26/07/2017

Immigration: 322.224.7719 Consumer Protection: 01.800.468.8722 Tourism Offices Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006

Consulates American Consulate 24 hrs 01-332-268-2100 Canadian Consulate 322.293.0098 322.293.0099 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

In port this month

In the month of July Puerto Vallarta welcomes 12, 800 passengers!

Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error. We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication edited, printed and distributed by Ediciones y Publicaciones Siete Junio, SA de CV Grupo Editorial Tribuna Calle 21 de Marzo # 1174 Col. Lomas del Coapinole Del. El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México CP 48290 Tel. 226-0800 editor@ vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

Cut out and put near your phone for handy reference

Editor’s

editorial

Note

editor@vallartatribune.com

More kitties, more Uber, less popotes, por favor

his past weekend I went to the two-day sterilisation event for cats and dogs sponsored by the municipality of Puerto Vallarta. I took three of the kittens I had recently rescued because it's important to not adopt out until they have been fixed. The world doesn’t need any more unwanted cats and dogs. Over 380 cats and dogs were sterilised over the two-day event that had 40 volunteers overseeing what was an impressively organised event. What struck me about this event was the different people and their pets. From the very old to very young, some obviously street worn and others fresh from the groomers. There was a golden retriever named Royal who must have weighed at least 200lbs and required two full-grown men to move his body around. I saw a dog I recognised from when I used to walk my dogs on the beach, he’s finally found a home that cares for him. It was very heartwarming to see all these people, often whole families, coming with their animals and getting the care they needed. Kudos to Puerto Vallarta and the various government agencies along with the volunteers and sponsors who included: Hotel Puerto de Luna, Hello Bike, Club Rotario Puerto Vallarta, Panadería Don Chonito, La Dulce Vista, Vallarta Shorex, Starbucks Café, Tíbet Canino, Heaven´s Pets, Ruímica Lab and Pet Palace for this life saving event. The kittens are now fixed and ready for adoption – in fact, I only have one of six remaining so we’re doing ok. If anyone is looking for a small female, grey and orange calico, I got one for you! I had a couple different emails

or messages this past week that I thought I should address. I have weekly emails from people asking how to share their events with our readers, and the best thing to do is to send the non-profit or fundraising event info to editor[at]vallartatribune. com and please also load the details on to our online calendar. Any event that is in good taste and open to the public can be posted online. This calendar is also regularly emailed to our online readers. It’s our goal to create the most comprehensive calendar of events in Banderas Bay. Please help by sharing this information and loading any events you might be coordinating! To list your events go to www. vallartatribune.com/list-event-free/ and see all the events online visit: www.vallartatribune.com/eventos/ The other message that was often repeated, and no doubt you are tired of hearing… Uber vs. Taxi. With the introduction of Uber to Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta a few weeks ago there have been reports of escalating tensions, which are common when Uber enters a new marketplace. I’d like to say that I have friends who are taxi drivers and I know them to be good people. Taxi drivers are caring and considerate men who work extremely long hours for next to no money. Most will go above and beyond to help their neighbours and the tourists in our city. There are a few bad apples and I have experienced both exceptionally good and exceptionally bad service. What the taxi drivers and their unions don’t address are safety and accountability. Whereas Uber is unlicensed and untrained but by virtue of how the business model is set up, you have better personal safety as well as accountability for the driver and the company. If something goes wrong in or with an Uber ride you have recourse. A taxi is less likely. To solve the impasse brought about by Uber's appearance on

the scene, the taxi unions and the drivers can make some reasonable changes (central dispatch, driver ID’s visible and metered fares) to their services and the playing field would be level again. Personally, I’ll use Uber if I’m leaving my house but will likely flag a taxi if I’m already on the street. Let’s not paint all the taxi drivers with the same brush. Most of these people are trying to earn a decent living and take care of their families. Finally, a few weeks back I wrote that you could buy the Pirate ship tours through vallartatribune. com (Full disclosure: our parent company owns the Vallarta Tribune and the Pirate ship.) We have better prices than anywhere on the internet. So, if you’re looking to take your family out on the Marigalante, visit vallartatribune.com and select tickets on the far right. We will be updating with new tours over the summer and have a more formal launch in the fall. That’s it for me this week. All out of space! Enjoy your vacation. Practice some Spanish and remember to say ‘Sin popote, por favor,’ the next time you order a drink. Safe travels, Madeline

DO YOU REALLY NEED

THAT STRAW?

IF YOU DON’T NEED THAT STRAW, THEN THE NEXT TIME YOU ORDER A DRINK SAY -

Sin popote, por favor!

Alegre Tours Calendar:

Alegre Tours

Sept 29-Oct 09-2017 Argentina/ Buenos Aires/IguazuFall/Mendoza Wine Country November 04-11-2017 Cuba Havana and Varadero Beach November 28-December 05-2017 Mexico City/Cernavaca/Valle de Bravo/Xochimilco/Taxco December 15-2017 Mascota/Talpa 1 Day Tour January 13-19-2018 Guanajuato/San Miguel/Leon February 12-15-2018 Tonala Original Special “Shop Till You Drop” Tour Visit Tonala Marketplace and Furniture Expo March 17-24-2018 Merida/Chichen-Itza/Becal/Uxmal

Reservations & Information: Roberta Valdez 951.760.1068 rvaldez714@hotmail.com

spca

SPCA of Puerto Vallarta By Janice Gonzalez he SPCAPV has started a new opportunity for businesses to contribute and become sponsors. Write to clare23leach@gmail.com to join us. Come and spend a rewarding afternoon cuddling the animals

at Puerto Vallarta’s SPCA Sanctuary. Our dogs and cats are awaiting “forever homes” and your help is needed to jump start their socialization. The goal is to get these animals adjusted and ready to interact in the real world. The majority of the

SPCA animals either come from extremely abusive situations or they have been abandoned. Your love and attention can make up for that sad history. During your visit, you can interact with the animals and even take a dog (or two or three) for a walk. Reservations to visit the sanctuary need to be made in advance. To make a reservation, contact us

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

at spcapv@gmail.com. We appreciate any donations you can bring for our rescues and also please feel free to bring treats for sanctuary staff as they truly appreciate it. To see our animals available for adoption, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/spcapv. Go to Photos where you will also find individual Albums for all the animals available as well as a bit of

their history. Please be aware that our adoption fee within Mexico is $1,500 pesos. To make donations via PayPal, select the “Donate” option on our Facebook page www.facebook. com/spcapv or on our website at http://spcapv.com/donate/. You can drop off any donations for the SPCA at Hacienda San Angel located at Calle Miramar 336, above Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Centro. Get involved…rescue, adopt, foster, volunteer, donate or educate. You can learn more about the SPCA Puerto Vallarta by checking us out at www.spcapv.com/home or on Facebook.

ADORABLE DOG IN THE SPOTLIGHT... SOPHIE

T Hello, we are here, to ensure your well-being.

We have come to Puerto Vallarta now to offer you the best healthcare and well-being that our 45 years of experience can provide.

his girl is guaranteed to make you smile! Sophie is an 8-year-old Cocker/Poodle mix weighing almost 20 pounds. She is the most happy-go-lucky dog around. She seems to always have a perpetual smile on her face. Sophie is good with other dogs and is okay around cats. She loves to play but when done prefers to snuggle in her human’s lap for a belly rub. Sophie has been spayed, dewormed and vaccinated. If you think this bundle of sunshine would be perfect, contact us at spcapv@ gmail.com for an application.

entertainment

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Hit Comedy ‘Princesas Desesperadas’ & All-New ‘Pearl’s Gurlz’ Drag Show To Play Incanto

erro Bravo Productions returns to Puerto Vallarta this summer with a limited run of the Spanish adapted version of Tomas Ustusastegui’s comedy “Princesas Desesperadas”. Under the clever supervision of multiaward winner, director Ramiro Daniel, and with the participation of award-winning actors Juan Pablo Hernandez, Juan Carlos Ramirez, Cesar Trujillo, and Cesar Bravo, “Princesas Desesperadas” is a fast-paced comedy that tells the story of four Disney Princesses who get together fifteen years after their “happily ever afters.” None of them is happy that they are not yet queens, and the sharp vaudeville-esque comedy quickly puts the audience in a voyeuristic situation, as each of the characters unravels as they peel off the tragedy of their lives piece by piece, drawing the spectators into a very private conversation amongst women; a conversation not meant to be heard by anyone else. “Princesas Desesperadas” - in Spanish - began in Puerto Vallar-

ta in April 2014, and has enjoyed overwhelming success ever since, playing to nearly two thousand people and receiving accolades from the media and the public. Pero Bravo’s co-founder Cesar Bravo says, “Those who have

seen this joyful production have become ardent – very ardent fans, with some having seen the production seven times!” “Princesas Desesperadas” plays Fridays and Saturdays, July 28, 29, August 4, 5 and September 1,

2 at 8:30pm. All performances will presented in Spanish. Incanto owner Tracy Parks’ hilarious version of the Aunt Pearl character he played in the Greater Tuna series of comedic plays in past seasons, has taken on a new life of its own! In addition to very successful weekly BINGO fundraisers held on Saturdays at 5pm benefitting local organizations, including the IAMPV Orchestra School and Ballet Folklorico Tradiciones, Pearl will host an allstar drag revue entitled ‘Pearl’s Gurlz’, for one night only, July 22 at 8:30pm in the cabaret. Starring four of Vallarta’s legendary veteran drag performers, the show features entertainers Angelica, Diva, Mauri & Ghia, who will lip-synch for their lives to their most popular music and comedy numbers. The glamour is sure to be over-the-top, with incredible likenesses of your favorite celebrities and gorgeous costumes. This special one-time event will kick-off the girls’ already mostly

sold-out tour in Canada later this month. Online tickets are now available. Newly formed band Azúca continues to draw nice crowds in the piano bar for their unique Gypsy swing, Latin jazz and Cuban music. They play Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:30pm. Open Mic will be held on two nights this week, Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm. Hosted by Tracy Parks, with Chris Kenny accompanying on guitar, local acts are encouraged take the stage. ‘The Joanie Show’ starring Joan Houston and Maestro Salvatore on piano plays on Fridays at 7:30. Chris Kenny’s solo guitar show, often with Special Guests, is on Saturdays at 8pm, followed by Spanish guitarist Gabriel Reyes at 10pm (also on Fridays). There’s much more to come this summer in Incanto’s comfortable piano bar, with ice cold air-conditioning and daily drink specials of 2x1 house cocktails/martinis/wine for the month of July. Hours are 9am -11:30pm Tues.Sun. with all-day meal service. Salvatore plays piano 10am-2pm. Happy Hour is 2-6pm. They are located at Insurgentes 109 (at the Rio Cuale).

news

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Puerto Vallarta has most Mexican firm invests in solar, certified beaches in the country wind energy

Thermion Energy will spend US $2 billion on 10 projects

uerto Vallarta celebrate its distinction of having the most Blue Flag certified beaches in Mexico with this weeks presentation of seven Blue Flag certificates including one that was presented to the Sheraton Buganvilia resort. This week Pronatura presented seven Blue Flag certificates for the 2017-2018 season and the blue flag to Sheraton to municipal tourism director, Ramón González Lomelí, and mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña. These Blue Flag beaches combined with the other recognized beaches in the area, make Puerto Vallarta a leqder in offering clean, secure and accessible beaches for its residents and the nearly four million visitors who come each year. Ramón González Lomelí explained that the municipality of Puerto Vallarta has six Clean Beaches, including a Sustainable Clean Beach, in addition to eight Blue Flag certified beaches which include: Playa Camarones, Playa de Oro, Palmares, Amapas, Conchas Chinas I and II, Garza Blanca and new to the list, the Sheraton. All eight blue flag beaches must meet 33 international criteria established

by Pronatura. Rebeca Sánchez Mijangos, technical coordinator of Green Key Mexico, in coordination with Blue Flag Pronatura, presented flags and badges to the municipality of Puerto Vallarta for the 2017-2018 season. “Thanks for everyone who has helped to develops in an optimal environment for the enjoyment of the beaches, this is a destination where sustainability is improving,” said Mijangos when recognizing the municipality for the work done to obtain these badges, “Puerto Vallarta increased its beaches from 3 to 7, not including the Sheraton, which is independent, thus remaining the coastal destination with the most Blue Flag beaches.” The director of the Sheraton Hotel, Álvaro Garciarce Monraz, said that the company intends to be respectful of the environment and preserving the environment is a priority, hence actively participating in international, federal and state events in support of the planet, protection of flora and fauna of the region and programs of social responsibility with the local community.

exico-based Thermion Energy is planning to invest US $2 billion in 10 renewable energy projects during the next three to five years. Company president Alberto Garza Santos said the 10 projects amount to a power generation capacity of 1.2 gigawatts, which could increase to 1.7. The projects will be in the states of Coahuila, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Sonora and Tamaulipas. Company CEO René Maingot van Beers said eight would be wind farms and the other two will be solar arrays. Maingot said an average of $200 million would be invested in each of the eight wind farms. “Our investment thesis focuses on supplying [energy] to industrial and commercial firms,” he added. That thesis will allow the power generation and distribu-

tion company to consolidate and continue growing, as the opportunities in the renewables market are large: projections indicate

that during the next few years the market will represent $182 billion in investment. Original: MexicoNewsDaily.com

New English strategy needs 1,020 teachers High school graduates expected to be proficient in English 20 years from now

he federal government has job openings for 1,020 “highly proficient” English teachers to staff Mexico’s teacher training colleges. The federal Education Secretariat (SEP) is to announce today an 800-million-peso (US $44.5 million) National English Strategy that intends to produce high school graduates who are proficient in English in 20 years’ time. The first step will be to recruit 1,020 English teachers and train 127 who are already in place at teacher training schools, known as normal schools. An important element, not surprisingly, is that “all teachers must speak English,” something that is not currently the case as studies have found that many teachers assigned to give English classes have limited command of the language. In 20 years’ time, high school graduates will be expected to have attained a B2 intermediate level, following the international standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). A B2-level English student can understand the main ideas of complex text, interact with a

degree of fluency and spontaneity with native speakers, can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. For the SEP, English is an “essential tool that facilitates dialogue in an increasingly interconnected world, for both students and teachers.” To achieve its goals, the Education Secretariat will promote learning English throughout the entire educational trajectory of Mexican students, from preschool to high school. English will not only be taught as a second language but through teaching other subjects in it as well. Along with classroom teaching, the SEP intends to make use of new electronic and digital educational materials and a long-distance education platform known as Learning Management System (LMS). The federal education strategy is designed to “remove all barriers keeping students from being proficient in English.” To this end, the SEP will design special programs and materials for indigenous

students, who will receive textbooks in their languages, and will learn English as a third language. The Education Secretariat has signed collaboration agreements with international institutions such as England’s University of Cambridge, which has already updated study plans and designed them to teach English as a second language. The embassies of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States will also collaborate by evaluating the quality of English teaching. Along with the Mexico-United States Commission for Educational & Cultural Exchange (Comexus), the SEP will promote scholarships in the two countries, while the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES) and the Federation of Mexican Private Institutions of Higher Education will promote teacher training efforts. Education Secretary Aurelio Nuño told Radio Fórmula that the English strategy is a process, observing that Mexico’s public education system is “gigantic,” being one of the worlds five largest with 34 million students.

news

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Mexican Students Prepare Ice Cream with Hibiscus to Prevent Aging

exican students have prepared a type of ice cream using hibiscus that accelerates digestion and prevents some of the detrimental effects of aging, the National Polytechnical Institute (IPN), the country’s main tech research center, reported on Sunday. The ice cream, which is made using hibiscus, blackberry and mint, and sweetened with stevia, was created by students with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

Center (CICS) in Mexico City, the IPN said in a statement. The homemade ice cream was developed to help prevent premature aging, the educational institute said. The dessert dish has the additional advantage of “getting rid of bad breath by 100 percent,” something that just eating mints does not necessarily do, according to students Laura Fernanda Sosa Roldan, Frida Alejandra Perez Zarate and Seleme Karina Mejia Diaz. A 125-milliliter (4.3-ounce)

serving of the ice cream contains 136 calories, 4.2 grams of protein, 1.2 grams of fat, 20.9 grams of carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, B1, B12, D and E, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and zinc. The Institute said that the dessert is recommended for people between ages 30 and 40, although it is suggested that people with kidney problems not consume it because hibiscus is a natural diuretic.

Mexico, Canada and Restrictions on Flights, Sign Drone Agreement

exico and Canada signed two agreements – the first to eliminate restrictions on flights between the two nations and the second to strengthen safety regarding drones – the Mexican Communications and Transportation Secretariat (SCT) reported on Monday. SCT secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza and Canadian Transportation Minister Marc Garneau signed the bilateral flight agreement saying that “any Canadian or Mexican airline may operate between any pair of cities in both nations,” thus eliminating restrictions on the frequency, number of passengers and number of airlines affected by it. In addition, the pact allows –

for instance – a Mexican airline to land in Canada, pick up passengers and continue on to a third country, and vice versa. Also, Ruiz Esparza and Garneau signed a joint declaration of intent on strengthening safety regarding drones. The two nations will exchange information on drone operations and each country will establish a legal framework to ensure the safety of activities involving uncrewed aircraft. Signing the documents will open the door “to better communications and better transportation between us” as well as providing greater benefits of an economic nature, Ruiz said.

Cheryl’s Shoebox 2nd Annual Summer Bash coming August 6

ounded by a wonderful lady named Cheryl Schrean in 2011, Cheryl’s Shoebox started out as an organization with the ‘sole’ focus of collecting and distributing shoes to the children, families and individuals in need throughout Puerto Vallarta and surrounding communities. Though, sadly, Cheryl is no longer with us, in her memory, today Cheryl’s Shoebox continues to flourish, collecting hundreds of shoes a year from visitors around the world. Realizing that much more could be done for local families in need, over the past couple of years, Cheryl’s volunteers have expanded their efforts and are now working with schools in low income areas to provide not only school shoes, but also educational supplies and support for local educators. To raise funds for school shoes and supplies for local primary and

secondary students and afterschool programs in Colonias Progresso, Lomas de Enmedio and El Satrillo, Cheryl’s Shoebox is hosting their 2nd Annual Summer Bash on August 6th, 2017 at Babel Bar on the Isla Rio Cuale. Come enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with live music by Gloria and Da Crew and The Zippers and picnic style games with your favorite restaurants, bars and shops competing for the title of Cheryl’s Shoebox Summer Bash Champions! Individuals and Businesses are invited to enter a team of 4 to compete for the Cheryl’s Shoebox 1st Place Traveling Trophy. If you’d like to sponsor a team visit cherylsshoebox.org to down load a form. Join us for a great afternoon of games, music and more! Presale tickets will be available soon. Tickets can also be purchased at the event.

news / local

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

The Seattle Money Grab Orlando Gotay, Tax Attorney tax@orlandogotay.com

Orlando Gotay is a California licensed tax attorney (with a Master of Laws in Taxation) admitted to practice before the IRS, the U.S. Tax Court and other taxing agencies. His love of things Mexican has led him to devote part of his practice to the tax matters of U.S. expats in Mexico. He can be reached at tax@orlandogotay.com, online radio at mixlr.com/orlandogotay or Facebook: GotayTaxLawyer.

T Aztec gold found in 15th-century sacrifice Archaeologist describes the jewelry as the finest ever made by the Aztecs

he centuries-old burial site of a wolf that was ceremonially sacrificed and adorned with remarkable gold jewelry survived the pillaging and destruction of the Aztecs’ capital city and public works projects carried out at the turn of the 20th century. The discovery was made last April in the heart of Mexico City, a few steps behind the Metropolitan Cathedral, on the spot where centuries ago a staircase began and led up to the top of the Huey Teocalli, the Great Temple of Tenochtitlán, known today as the Templo Mayor. The remains of the wolf cub, about eight months old when it was killed, were found in a stone vault, buried over a bed of flint blades and facing west. A belt made with seashells and an assortment of fine gold ornaments adorned the body, which represented the Aztec deity Huitzilopochtli. In the Aztec, or Mexica, culture, Huitzilopochtli was the god of the sun and war, and also served as a guide across the river of the underworld for fallen warriors. The gilded wolf was buried during the rule of Aztec emperor Ahuízotl, between the years 1486

and 1502. Archaeologists in charge of the excavation believe the jewelry is among the finest ever made by the Aztecs. The quality and quantity of ornaments is uncommon, and includes 22 complete pieces that include pendants, a nose ring and a discshaped pectoral armor, all manufactured with thin gold sheets, chief archaeologist Leonardo Náuhmitl López Luján told news agency Reuters. “These are, without a doubt, the largest and most refined pieces discovered so far,” he said. Forty years’ worth of excavations in downtown Mexico City have resulted in 205 distinct offerings, 16 of which contained objects made of gold. The vault where the gilded wolf was found measures 0.34 cubic meters, and included other layers with remains of land, sea and air animal species, all loaded with spiritual significance in the Aztec culture. These animals “communicated with the different levels of the environment where they lived, because they knew they had received the gift of life,” said religious historian Davíd Carrasco of the Harvard

Divinity School. Archaeologist López added that the experts’ preliminary theory is that the wolf cub’s heart was removed as part of the ceremonial sacrifice, which should be confirmed after the animal’s ribs are analyzed in a laboratory. Captured warriors were sacrificed in a similar manner, but Carrasco remarked that this violence was not gratuitous. The Mexica people “not only killed these creatures, or these people, and got rid of them. They cared for them in an elaborate and symbolic manner, because they honored their gods that way.” The discovery of the gilded wolf’s vault was fortuitous, as are many recent discoveries in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico. This time, the demolition of two buildings made the discovery possible. López told Reuters that the vault was damaged in the year 1900 when a water line was installed next to it. The workers at the time didn’t find the structure remarkable, but “if they had glimpsed the gold objects, they would have looted it immediately.

Original: MexicoNewsDaily.com

he Seattle City Council just approved an income tax. This is a very noteworthy development in a state that has no income tax. It may be tied in litigation soon but it’s a fact. They just enacted a city income tax. Roughly speaking, it’s a 2 percent tax on the total income of a Seattle “resident taxpayer” above $250,000. That means a lot of deductions and subtractions are not taken into account, and will make many eligible for this new tax. That will be 2% of a much larger pie. To be a “resident taxpayer” one has to either have a domicile for the entire tax year, or failing that, have a “permanent place of abode” in Seattle and spend more than 184 days of the year in Seattle. Why should you care? If you are one of my Seattle readers who lives part time in Mexico, you should definitely pay attention to this. If you are not a Seattle person I recommend you pay almost as much attention. I am afraid this is a development we will see more of in the future. Facing budget shortfalls, local jurisdictions will attempt to impose additional taxes, and liability for many of these may hinge on their definition of residency. Of

course, it will pay in spades to see what they are. One can either conform one’s behavior so as to not make oneself liable for the new tax or document that one is not liable. Who knew that staying a few extra days south could pay off so well? The Seattle income tax uses as a starting number the “total income” off one’s federal return. The good news is that number allows for the subtraction of the federal Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, if entitled. That may make one fall below the $250,000 Seattle threshold—for now. Many other local jurisdictions have income taxes already on the books. New York City and Philadelphia come to mind. Your time away from those places may help make a difference. In fact, the savings may pay for more than a few margaritas here. I always recommend you keep a journal with some narrative or evidence of where you spend your time, and that is good advice for both the Mexico part timer and for the year round dweller. The journal may help with the IRS, a state tax authority, and soon to come, the Seattles of the world.

THANK YOU, VALLARTA!

With your help, more than 500 meters of beaches were cleaned on 06 May 2017. On the same day, dozens of Intercam employees and their families throughout the Republic cleaned more than 10 kilometers of Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastline. Just one way Intercam Bank is responsibly caring for our planet. CENTRO VALLARTA (322) 223-3080

MARINA VALLARTA (322) 209-0696

BUCERIAS/FLAMINGOS (329) 226-6162

local

From

My Fitness Journey

Here

Marcia Blondin

Katy Saunders

rossFit is the new darling of the exercise world, though its been around for a few years now (since 2000), its becoming more mainstream. Take a walk through many of Vallarta’s public parks and if you see groups of people out rolling tires - you’re probably looking at a CrossFit class. Tell me your goals and I’ll tell you what exercises and with what frequency you should be doing them. There’s been a lot of hype about CrossFit making its way into mainstream fitness. Some love it, others don’t. While it all depends on your fitness level and goals, having the right kind of trainer with experience who can teach you correct posture and technique can make all the difference in reaching and achieving your fitness objectives. I bring this up because CrossFit isn’t for everyone, it’s not your average workout. It’s safe to say that CrossFitters are the “die hard” rebels of the fitness industry. CrossFit derives its roots from the Olympic training, taught to the weight lifting champion elites. If you are athletic, ambitious and like to push yourself beyond your limitations, this may be the thing for you, however, when it comes to CrossFit, the best results I see are from individuals who can recover quickly and who are not highly prone to injuries. The upside of this training is that it will get you into the best shape of your life, if you can perform each move with proper form and technique. The downside is that if you’ve never lifted heavy weights, and your muscles haven’t adapted to the force of the load you are placing in them, you’re in trouble, and in fact you can cause more damage than good. I’m not trying to discourage you from trying new things, I think testing your limits by training smart is what you want to do, and I want to encourage you to do more to perform more strength training

Leza Warkentin

marciavallarta@gmail.com

tksaund@gmail.com

CrossFit is it for you?

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

routines that will build muscular strength. Cross Fit is something to be approached cautiously, because there are many caveats to making it work for everyone. It’s so important that you have the right professional training you, because if you do you will likely progress and not risk getting injured. If you want muscle but think that CrossFit isn’t right for you, what should you do? The answer depends on a few things. What are your goals? Do you like being really fit? Then I suggest trying few CrossFit moves with lighter weights and higher reps for example. Do you like feeling energized? Try increasing your cardiovascular. Performing at home body weight exercises or going outside for a brisk walk or run can also give you that extra energy boost to get you through the week. Do you want flexibility? Try doing yoga and Pilates. Once you decide what you want, the work becomes easier, and it doesn’t matter as much what you do, rather, it’s about how consistent you are with your goals. For some CrossFit classes, try CrossFit Zapata with Carlos at the very top of Basilio Badillo. Great Zumba classes take place in the Lazaro Cardenas park, mornings at 9:00am with Fabiola and the best Tango Classes are with Al and Barbara Garvey on Wednesday evenings at J&B at 9:00pm. (Check the Internet to confirm dates and times). What have you been doing to get in shape? Let me know. Email me at:tksaund@gmail.com, I love hearing from you from my readers! As always, be healthy, be happy, be fit!

mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

Vallarta Rain

M Banks. I have always been slightly suspicious of them. When I was still in business on Vancouver Island decades ago, I received a notice from my bank that from that day on, I would be charged a fee for making deposits. This on top of per-check fee, cash withdrawal fees, monthly user fees and I think a fee to pay the person who sits at a desk thinking up ‘FEESable’ ways to screw you. That was then and this is now: meet INTERCAM here in Vallarta. Intercam has long been a financial house in Mexico but received Bank status just a few years ago. Here’s some info on Intercam – especially for you who are new to the area… English is spoken by all the employees. BIG bonus. I opened an account at the branch in Old Town in 2014 and have not paid one centavo in fees. Nothing for ATM or cash withdrawals, nothing for online banking. Nothing for deposits. No minimum balance. Nada. Oh, and they pay interest!!! Countable interest. Interest that doesn’t start with .000%. I receive an email daily letting me know what the exchange rate is for US and Canadian dollars; and a statement monthly. And they are GREEN, spending their days off cleaning beaches and helping to build sustainable businesses and supporting the education of students who will become Mexico’s next financial wizards and customs officials/ counsellors. You have a choice on where to put your money; why would you bank anywhere else when there is Intercam? The Theatre Group ‘Dioniso’ is

presenting “El Estigma Ardiente” in Spanish at Act II on the Main Stage. This riveting play, wonderfully acted by all four players on a minimalist set designed by Juan Carlos Ramirez who also directed. For those who are not fluent in Spanish (like me, sadly) please GO see this play and any others in town that are constantly happening this summer. Just go. Don’t be shy – believe me, the acting/directing/light and sound is so bloody good in Vallarta you WILL understand what’s going on. And you will learn a word or two more and your life will be enriched. For two nights last week, Incanto wowed Vallarta opera fans with Two Tenors, Jorge Echeagaray and Luis Banuelos accompanied by Mexico’s Liberace, Maestro Salvatore. The second half of the performance consisted of all traditional Mexican songs. The spirit of the whole room rose as Jorge strode through the audience, everyone singing along, smiling. Three encores later, we left them to get out of their ‘esmokins’ and join us on the terrace for drinks. The evening was an emotional tour-de-force. Most certainly one of Incanto’s finest moments thus far: Encore! Encore! A challenge with benefits: are you learning Spanish? Want to try your skills on other like-minded expats? Be at Vallarta Cowork next Wednesday, July 19th at 6:30 pm and be prepared to speak ONLY in Spanish for one full hour. The benefit? Comes with margaritas. Woo-hoo. In vino veritas… And, that’s it, Desde Aqui.

y husband and I have quite a few things in common, such as a love of Italian food and heavy metal music from the seventies, eighties and nineties. The other thing we share is a love of Puerto Vallarta rain. I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched that man stand in the heaviest downpour, hands raised to the sky, head bowed, long hair free and plastered down his back (He is convinced that rain is extremely beneficial to his hair. I married a vain man. But then again, it’s a safe bet that you did too). Rain in Vallarta isn’t a quaint smattering of drops around your umbrella, making a pretty little pitter patter sound and nourishing your gardenias with its goodness. Rain in Vallarta is a pounding, shattering torrent of water, complete with mind-shattering thunder followed quickly by blinding flashes of lightning, enough to send your dog climbing into your hair roots with terror. It’s cathartic and frightening all at the same time. It’s glorious. I can’t say that this kind of rain isn’t ever inconvenient. It’s caused a great deal of trouble in our lives, quite frankly. For example: It only shows up when I’ve hung up the biggest load of laundry in the entire week. It has ruined date night by making it impossible for the babysitter to catch a cab to our house. It has flooded every room that has an outside door in it. It has gotten into our wall and broken off huge chunks of plaster and forced my husband to use his “handy” skills. It likes to dump buckets when I am trying to cross the bridge over the Rio Ameca, convincing me that it’s finally going to kill me. So sometimes it doesn’t deserve our adoration. And yet we still love it so, as do our children. Which is very fortunate, because one of our kids bears the name Rain as a middle name, and if they hated rain, that would be a source of family discord. But they do love rain, and when a good rain starts outside, it’s quite

local

Medical

Two Expats in Mexico

Paradise

and Parenting

Matters

Paul Kurtzweil

Pam Thompson

www.qroo.us

pamela@healthcareresourcespv.com

Mexican Law Requires Businesses to Honor Prices

Pamela Thompson operates HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, a multi-faceted, independent, resource network that is here for your total health and well-being. We offer assistance to help find a physician, hospital and diagnostic service for any healthcare needs. www.healthcareresourcespv.com

lovely to see. When we hear the gentle pattering that starts a traditional storm, we look up from our respective tasks and head to the door. The first one there is usually Gilberto, and he calls us all down from our work (maiming aliens on the Xbox seems to qualify as work to The Boy). The kids run down, gladly, yelling about the ball and begging to wash the car (yes, they beg to do a job I dislike intensely. Another reason I’m fond of rain). In a few minutes, I head out to stand on our porch and watch the scene of Gil and the kids playing volleyball over the hedge, drenched and laughing, while the dogs bark from inside the house, begging the humans to come inside and save themselves). The rain is pummeling the roof, the skylight and everything in sight, so I can’t hear what anyone is saying, but it doesn’t seem to inhibit the fun they are obviously having. Neighbors drive by from time to time and all I can see through their dripping windows are furrowed brows and double takes, probably wondering aloud (again) who actually ARE these people who live on our quiet street and why are the weirdest every single day? I shake my head, grinning to myself, because we really ARE the weirdest, and isn’t it great? Then I go inside because soon the rain will subside and two kids and their dad will be clamoring for towels and clothes and hot chocolate, happy and all talking at once.

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

ver the last year, I’ve written a few articles dedicated solely to educating people about their rights under Mexico’s Consumer Protection Law (Ley de Protección al Consumidor). The goal of those articles was to help our readers avoid being overcharged or scammed by unscrupulous businesses while visiting Mexico. The government agency tasked with investigating and enforcing the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law is the Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor, more commonly known as Profeco. They have the authority to fine, suspend or even close down a business for violations of the Consumer Protection Law. Advertised Prices Articles 7 and 7bis of the Consumer Protection Law require that businesses honor exhibited prices. The intent of that law is to protect consumers from deceptive and misleading advertising. Unfortunately for many businesses, this law also applies to situations where a store employee makes an error on a sign. In such cases, Profeco will force the business to honor the price — no matter how ridiculously low it might be. Commas and Decimal Points Many of these ridiculously low prices are the result of an employee mistakenly putting a decimal point in the price where a comma should be. That’s how a couple in Juarez, Mexico was able to buy a stove valued at $14,999 pesos ($833 USD) for only $14.999 pesos ($0.83 USD). Although the store refused to honor the price, the couple filed a complaint with Profeco and the store was later forced to sell the stove for less than $1 USD. The same thing happened at a Coppel store located in Altamira, Mexico when an employee wrote $15.000 pesos on a 50” television instead of $15,000 pesos. Profeco stepped in once again and the happy consumer left the store paying less than $1 USD for their new flat screen. I think it’s important to mention that many Spanish-speaking countries actually write prices with a

decimal point instead of a comma. However, Mexico is not one of them. I guess that’s something to keep in mind if you’re a store manager in Mexico and you ask your new employee from Argentina to make your signs. Online Advertisements The law applies to the prices advertised on web sites as well. Last year, Dell mistakenly advertised Alienware laptops on their web site for only $679 pesos ($37.72 USD). The computers are valued at over $40,000 pesos ($2,222 USD) and hundreds of people placed orders before the price was corrected. Dell later made an agreement with Profeco to honor the price; however, they limited it to one computer per customer. Seriously? Although I wholeheartedly support enforcing consumer rights laws, there are times when I think that people take it way too far. A recent example comes to us from Altamira, Mexico where an employee of an Arteli store placed a sign next to the Axe deodorants. The sign says: All the Axe deodorants 96 or 112 gm $39.90 pesos. Obviously, the sign refers to all of the different scents of Axe deodorants but one young lady took it literally and attempted to purchase all of them for that price. When the store refused to honor the price, she turned to Profeco and they forced the store to honor the advertised price. She left the store with 235 cans of deodorant valued at almost $9,300 pesos ($513 USD). Before you cheer for the savvy shopper who beat the system, listen to this — according to news reports, the employee responsible for the sign is being required to pay for their mistake through payroll deductions. Although I’m considered to be very thrifty by many of my friends, I just can’t see myself taking advantage of a store owner who made an error in punctuation or syntax. For me, integrity is not a matter of whether or not I can do something; rather, whether or not I should.

Breast Imaging

f you have driven on Av. Francisco Villa, a few blocks north of Costco, you have seen a brand new building, bright white with blue trim. This is the new Diagnostic Integral Vallarta (DIV). They are just about completely moved in from their old location (across the street from the new one) and within the next week or so, the entire operation will be up and running. This diagnostic center will contain the CAT scan machine, the new bone density machine, X-ray equipment, ultrasound equipment and colonoscopy/endoscopy services. In addition, it will accommodate an ambulance bay with a separate entrance for patients being brought to the center for studies from other locations.A spacious waiting room and generous sized reception desk is located at the entrance. If you have ever been to the “old” DIV, you will understand better how thrilled and excited we all are for this new building to be completed. The staff at DIV is stellar and it is time that they have a stellar area to work in as well. They serve literally 1,000’s of patients in the area. I have commented in the past that recently it has felt like you are entering a MASH unit when entering and winding ones way through the maze of stretchers and staff. One of the stars of DIV is Dra. Claudia de Moral. She is a radiologist and breast specialist based at DIV. She will now supervise and oversee the splendid “Breast Imaging Center”.

This is her “baby” so to speak. She assisted in choosing the equipment and machine for her center. What is breast tomosynthesis? This is an advanced type of mammogram that can offer a better detection of breast cancer. It is now the standard protocol for all screening mammograms. Digital breast tomosynthesis (called DBT) can provide a higher diagnostic accuracy in comparison to the conventional mammogram. With DBT, like the conventional mammogram, compression is used to improve image quality and as well, decreases radiation dose. Digital breast tomosynthesis differs from traditional mammography in the same way that a chest computed tomography differs from a traditional chest x-ray. Think about the difference between a ball and a circle. The ball is three-dimensional and the circle is flat. In addition to the new equipment, it will now be possible to perform certain types of breast biopsies right at the imaging center. In the past, the needle would need to be placed guided by the mammogram. The patient would then need to go to another location a few blocks away which obviously was not the most comfortable option. Now, it can all be done in one location. Watch for grand opening events, tours and information. Of course, we will now hold all of our Mammogram Clinics here at the new Breast Imaging Center. As always, we are so very proud to work with top-notch professionals! Here’s to a snappy week!

his beautiful private villa in a gated beachfront complex is just steps from a sandy beach. The lovely custom entry features double height ceiling. The light and bright downstairs floorplan features ocean views framed by manicured gardens and swaying palm trees. The cozy dining room and comfortable living room open to the full length covered terrace; perfect for entertaining or just relaxing and enjoying the spec-

tacular view and ocean breezes. Some other features of this impeccable property include: covered two car garage and laundry area, downstairs powder room, marble floors and zoned air conditioning. The private beachfront community features 24 hr. gated security, tennis court, lovely common pools and entertainment area, on-site administration and manicured tropical grounds b o a r d w a l k r e a l t y p v. c o m / properties/punta-pelicanos-28/

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art & culture

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Creative

hands of Mexico Leigh Thelmadatter

osomadre@hotmail.com

Leigh Thelmadatter is a profesor at Tec de Monterrey, Mexico City, Wikipedian, and semi-professional researcher on Mexican handcrafts and folk arts. She has a blog called Creative Hands of Mexico and is working on a book on Mexican paper maché.

Handcrafts, identity and religion

he center of just about any community, large or small, in Mexico is its local Catholic church. I cannot tell you how many times I oriented myself in car, public transport or walking, by looking for bell towers. These churches replaced pre Hispanic temples as the center of Mexican life, legitimizing the new social and political situation. While religion does not play the all-consuming function that it did up to the late 19th century, the parish church still has a function in the identity of a place. It not only marks the geographic and political center (as the main government building is almost always on the same plaza), but it also reflects the cultural and economic bases of the people who live here. Mexico has quite a few towns whose main economic focus is the sale of handcrafts, the tourism it attracts or both. Some are quite famous, such as Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua and many others obscure. Although not all do, a number of the parish churches have elements related to this economic activity, and in some cases rather dominate the place of worship. One of the first churches of

this type that we discovered is the Nuestra Señora del Sagrario Church in the center of Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan. Santa Clara is famous for its copper working, and may be the only town left in Mexico dedicated to it. The Purhepecha had just developed techniques for working this metal when the Spanish arrived, but the emotional attachment to the office is related to the work of Vasco de Quiroga, who set up a system of trades and trading that allows the region to recover economically from the Conquest. Like many churches in Michoacan, the use of dark wood is a distinguishing feature. This provides the perfect backdrop for copper chandeliers and other elements. Another church in Michoacan is the Natividad de María parish of Cuanajo. This is a wood working town, specializing in furniture. The traditional furniture from here is colorful with raised images, although more simplistic and modern forms are becoming more popular. Examples of the traditional style can be seen on a couple of pieces near the main altar. The stand for the Bible is particularly interesting as it contains the old pre-Hispanic symbol for speech, as can be seen in numerous codices. The pews are also made in town, with finely joined parquet style piecing and the inner

doors show the fine work the local craftspeople are capable of. One surprise was 10 gigantic banners along the sides of the main nave, all cross-stitched by hand. San Bartolo Coyotepec is famous for its barro negro (black clay) pottery. The working of this clay goes back to the pre Hispanic period, but what made it famous was a technique developed by local potter Doña Rosa, who found that if the piece was burnished with a smooth stone before firing, the result was a shiny black instead of a dull gray. This pottery ever since has been a favorite with tourists to the central Oaxaca valleys. The San Bartolo parish has pieces of barro negro both inside and outside the church. Another pottery town, Metepec, State of Mexico, marks the importance of its wares on the Capillo de Calvario, which stands on the hill that overlooks the town center. The exterior wall has large ceramic suns with smiling faces in bright and/or terra cotta. These are one of several notable types of products made here. Part of the hill is covered with a “mural” made of ceramic tiles that tell the story of the town. The small community of Vizarrón, Querétaro has not one, but two, interconnected parish churches. The older one dates to the 18th century, with the newer one built in the 1990s. The older church faces the plaza, which is paved with the local marble in white, black and yellow. Inside the older

church, marble elements can been seen from the large block of black marble serving as the main altar to plaques indicating the stations of the cross and donors in rose or gray. These are significant because they date back to the beginning of the working of marble here in the 1950s (though mining it is older). These pieces show chisel marks from a time before the use of power tools in the artisan community. Marble nearly engulfs the interior of the new church, a modern circular building. The floors are of polished marble and the walls are lined with more roughly-hewed pieces. The main altar is of pink marble, with a high relief of the Last Supper. Even the priests’ seat on the main dais is of marble. The only breaks from marble here are the pews for congregants and the ceiling, formed with curved sections of brickwork. But the cupola at the center top of this ceiling is marble as well. Sometimes local craftsmen’s talents are used to create images related to the local economic activity. In the case of the parish of Papantla, Veracruz, there are wood panels along the walls of the church dedicated to the vanilla plant. This plant is native to the area, important both culturally and economically for millennia. Do you know of other churches that reflect the handcraft traditions of the community? All photos by Alejandro Linares Garcia and Leigh Thelmadatter

travel

On the Road in Mexico Chuck Bolotin

Chuck.bolotin.writer@bestplacesintheworldtoretire.com

As Vice President of Business Development for Best Places in the World to Retire, I had never actually lived abroad. Until now. Follow our story, as my wife and I take our huge white van with our two dogs and as much stuff as we can cram into it, as we drive from Los Angeles through Mexico, on our one year (and maybe more) adventure.

Arriving in Our Little Village in La Ventana Bay, Just Southeast of La Paz,

s you progress south on Highway 1 in Baja, you know you’re starting to enter La Paz because, just like in any other part of the world I’ve visited, as you enter a more densely populated area, the road adds lanes on your side, in this case, from one, to two, and then, eventually to three. The first major thing you see when you arrive driving south on Highway 1 into La Paz is… Wal-Mart. So we had driven 842 miles into Baja from Mexicali to La Paz, experienced beautiful beaches we previously didn’t even know existed, seen both the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez, stayed overnight in a yurt, drove 20 + miles on unimproved road, braved the terror of passing semis on a road with almost no shoulder or guardrails, all to arrive… at Wal-Mart. This Wal-Mart looked strange for two reasons. One was that, since leaving Mexicali several days earlier, we had not really been in an area populated enough to support a large store of any kind. The other reason it looked so strange was that it didn’t look so strange. It looked… like Wal-Mart. Just like the one we stopped in just before crossing into Mexico 4 days earlier. It was like we had driven through Baja to find the place where the universe had folded over onto itself. We certainly didn’t

see the need to stop in Wal-Mart, so we continued. We passed Sam’s Club and Home Depot, and in the distance, we could barely see a Starbucks. (I’m not making this up.) We were instructed by the vacation rental management company to look for a large supermarket called Soriana, which we soon found, right next to a huge, modern movie theater. (Among the other movies they were showing was something about Tortugas Ninjas.) We parked the van in the shade for our dogs, slightly opened the windows, and joined the procession into the store. Once inside, there were some minor differences compared to a typical large supermarket in the US, but not many. The biggest difference was that the produce and meats were priced per kilo (2.2 pounds), and the prices, which were slightly lower on many items, and denominated in Mexican pesos. The reason I mention what should be the obvious fact that the prices were in pesos is that there was so little else that was really significantly different, so it almost surprises you that they ask for payment in pesos. We had installed an app on our iPhone called Converter, which was very helpful understanding pricing in dollars and per pound. Another app we had installed would have been helpful with translation, except that our cell service didn’t work in La Paz. This seemed odd, because, before leaving the US, I had signed up for Sprint Open World, which advertises that it works just as well in Mexico (and for no additional charge) as

it does in the US. Well, in the La Paz area, it doesn’t work well. It only barely works at all, sometimes. It turns out that, in Mexico, Sprint partners with MovieStar, which, although it proudly announced itself on the display of my iPhone and let me know it had 4 bars, was pretty much useless. (I’m told that the only cellular service that works in Baja Sur is TelCel.) We paid for our items in this well-lit, very modern, clean, wellpriced supermarket, joined the dogs, and started towards our rental home, just south-east of La Paz, about 40 minutes away, if you don’t make any wrong turns. After asking for directions several times (of course, GoogleMaps didn’t work because we couldn’t get a cell signal), we finally got on what seemed like the right road, which quickly decreased to two lanes, and then back to one. It was mid-day, so we weren’t too concerned about running out of daylight. We could easily make out the cows crossing the road, as the pavement changed from rough, to having big potholes, to being newly paved, to not paved at all, and then back again. Of course, we missed our turnoff, because we didn’t see any sign. The only reasons we suspected we had gone too far was that it was taking too long, and we were now in an agricultural town called Los Planes that was definitely not on the sea. We turned around, identified our missed turnoff via some signs that advertised several businesses in the area that were much more visible coming from the other direction, drove through an incredibly beautiful valley of cardon giant cactus (very similar to the saguaro you see in Arizona), and then, to the little town of La Ventana, right on the sea of Cortez. We bounced over several topes (speed bumps). Some were marked, and some were not. After being in Mexico for a while, you start to get a feel for where most (but definitely not all) of where the topes will be. It also wouldn’t surprise me if they put just a few topes in random places just so you will drive more slowly in general. For whatever the reason, it was good to drive slowly through La Ventana. Taken at a more leisurely pace, and with the anxiety of not knowing where we were removed, we could see that the bay was really quite spectacular. Just as one gets accustomed to seeing one’s children and each of one’s children is beautiful in their own way, we had become accustomed to seeing unanticipated bay after another unanticipated beautiful bay on our drive through Baja, and each one was beautiful, but, if you took the time to notice,

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

different. The coastline of La Ventana waves back and forth gracefully, and as you drive and gain or lose a small amount of elevation, different views are revealed. Directly in front of the bay, about 9 miles away, is Isla Ceralvo, which creates a channel for about half of your view. On either side, the rest is open sea. The water is so completely flat that it almost looks like a big lake. To get to our rental, we had to drive about 5 minutes from where the road became unpaved, and then make a left, up a hill for about a hundred yards. From there, our 3 bedroom / 3 bathroom home with a very small pool ($1,200 / month) had more than a 180 degree view of the

bay and the island. You actually had to turn your had from side to side to take it all in. Dotted around the immediate area in between vacant lots with native plants and the occasional cow where very impressive homes that it turned out were owned by people from Calgary, Canada. Here is where we would spend our next six weeks, visiting the beach directly below our home as well as the surrounding beaches, the almost complete quiet, take a trip to Cabo, eat fabulous meals at 60% off, enjoy the rhythm of sea and life in a fishing village, the calm, clear water by day and the stars at night. It’s also where we learned what it’s really like to live in a small coastal village in Baja Sur. More on that next.

art & culture

July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

A Guide to Puerto Vallarta’s Sculptures Part One

hen visiting Puerto Vallarta, it is hard to miss the artistic nature that seems to exude from every inch of the friendly resort town. Spread from one end of the Banderas Bay to the other is a host of swanky art galleries and small shops that feature a range of classical paintings to exquisite handmade crafts, showing off the talent and artistic dedication of Vallarta’s people. The Malecón, is Puerto Vallarta’s beautiful boardwalk that hugs the shore of downtown, where the town’s extreme talent and artistic culture can be seen first hand in a display of sculptures that pepper the milelong strip. Visitors from all over visit the Malecón and snap photos of the ornate sculptures, but few take the time to learn about their background and the history that makes their presence in Vallarta so important. Here is a two-part guide that will take you through each of Vallarta’s sculptures, starting on the northern end of the Malecón and heading south toward Rio Cuale. Guía de Esculturas en Puerto Vallarta – Primera parte

“Origin and Destination” by Pedro Tello (2011) Photocredit: Gildardo Sánchez As a relatively recent addition to the sculptures on the Malecón, Origin and Destination brings a unique vision to the concept of time. This multi-piece work of art originally included eight distinct pieces, but only five have been placed on the Malecón in Puerto Vallarta. There is a boat, which characterizes mankind’s desire to reach

new horizons, a chimera, which symbolizes how society slowly replaced animals with machines in the workforce, a wheel , representative of humanity’s advancement in technology and science, a whale that symbolizes the seas of technological development humans are about to embark upon, and finally an obelisk, marking humanity’s spirituality.

“The Millennia” by Mathis Lidice (2001) Adorning the beginning of the Malecón is a magnificent spiral sculpture that encompasses the virility of life, evolution, development and time of the human race. The Millennia, a large bronze sculpture that marks the dawning of the new millennium, is situated where ships once unloaded their goods, before Puerto Vallarta was the thriving tourist destination that it is now. Inaugurated on October 31st, 2001, this amazing work of art symbolizes the passage of time with a series of individuals reaching out to the future. Photocredit: David McSpadden Beginning at its base, one can see the life giving waves that erupt from the sea. Following the spiral up, a strand of DNA and various creatures represent the process of evolution and the presence of Christ that have influenced history. The Charlemagne warrior, once the ruler of

“Nostalgia” by Ramiz Barquet (1984) the Franks in the eighth and ninth centuries guards the first part of the sculpture. Engulfed in flames, he emphasizes the violence that marked those 1,000 years. Continuing up the spiral, one will see Nezahulcóyotl, a poet king who symbolized the wisdom of the 15th Century with the two items he held in his hands, an atomic bomb and the moon. These symbols represent not only two of the most significant discoveries of the time, but two of the events that also brought about destruction like never before. The third, and last, millennium is represented by a woman reaching out to a dove, a symbol of the peace that has eluded mankind. This wish for the future is situated atop a round base that was designed to honor the Mesoamerican city of Teuchitlan, Jalisco, home of the impressive round pyramids.

Sculptor Ramiz Barquet proves that his love will surpass the test of time with this romantic sculpture of a man and a woman, sitting side by side as they gaze into town, much like he and his wife used to do. After trial and error, the two found everlasting love on the streets of this magical town. Mimicking the effect that Puerto Vallarta has on those who visit the seaside town, Nostalgia is a tender reminder to embrace the beauty that surrounds you, both in and out of your loving relationships. “The Subtle Rock Eater” by Jonás Gutiérrez (2006) Photocredit: Razumijin This controversial piece, standing at 7.5 feet tall, has many pondering either their love or rejection for Gutierrez’s work. The clown-like figure, featuring a variety of jagged edges, appears

to be eating stones, symbolic of the way in which we as humans often digest the negativity that surrounds us. The combination of rock and metal stand out from the Malecón’s other sculptures in a unique, yet mysterious way.

“The Good Fortune Unicorn” by Aníbal Riebeling (2011) Photocredit: Eric Gasca Standing at almost 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide, the Good Fortune Unicorn is a daily reminder of the luck that comes to those who live in this great city. According to ancient legend, anyone in the possession of a unicorn will find good fortune, and the people of Puerto Vallarta have done just that with the unveiling of Riebeling’s statue in January of 2011. Look out for next month’s newsletter to continue your artistic journey with A Guide to Puerto Vallarta’s Sculptures Part 2.

arte y cultura

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Guía de Esculturas en Puerto Vallarta Primera parte

uando visitas Puerto Vallarta, es difícil pasar por alto la naturaleza artística que fluye en el ambiente de cada pulgada de la pintoresca ciudad. De un extremo a otro de la majestuosa Bahía de Banderas, puedes encontrar una serie de ostentosas galerías de arte y pequeños talleres que ofrecen una amplia gama de pinturas que van desde lo más clásico hasta las más exquisitas artesanías hechas a mano, demostrando el pletórico talento y la dedicación artística del pueblo de Puerto Vallarta. El malecón, un hermoso paseo marítimo que bordea el corazón de la ciudad; en este lugar, los mejores talentos y su cultura artística se

pueden apreciar a través de la exhibición de las bellas esculturas que engalanan la zona del centro. Visitantes de todos lados caminan por el malecón para disfrutar del alegre ambiente, mientras aprovechan para tomar algunas fotos de sus obras de arte, pero pocos se toman el tiempo para conocer sus antecedentes y la historia que hace de su presencia en Vallarta algo tan importante. Aquí les presentamos la primera parte de nuestra guía de dos capítulos que te llevará a través de cada una de las emblemáticas esculturas de Puerto Vallarta, iniciando desde el extremo norte del malecón y en dirección sur hacia el Río Cuale.

“Los Milenios” por Mathis Lidice (2001) Decorando el inicio del malecón encontrarás una magnífica escultura espiral ascendente que representa la fuerza de la vida, la evolución, el desarrollo y el tiempo de la humanidad. Los Milenios es una escultura de bronce de gran tamaño que señala el amanecer del nuevo milenio; se encuentra ubicada en el mismo sitio en el que los pescadores alguna vez descargaron su mercancía, mucho tiempo antes de Puerto Vallarta fuera el pujante destino turístico que es ahora. Inaugurada el 31 de octubre del 2001, esta impresionante obra de arte simboliza el paso del tiempo a través de una serie de individuos que se extienden para alcanzar el futuro. Crédito de foto: David McSpadden Comenzando desde su base, uno puede apreciar las olas dadoras de vida que revientan desde el mar. Siguiendo la espiral ascendente, encontramos una cadena de ADN y varios elementos que representan el proceso de la evolución, además de la presencia de Cristo,

figura trascendental a través de los siglos. El guerrero Carlomagno, quien alguna vez fuera gobernante de los franceses durante los siglos VIII y IX guarda la primera parte de la escultura, éste se ve representado envuelto en llamas, enfatizando la violencia que marcó esos 1,000 años. Continuando por la espiral encontramos a Nezahualcóyotl, el rey poeta que simbolizaba la sabiduría del siglo XV con los dos objetos que sostiene entre sus manos: la bomba atómica y la luna. Estos símbolos no sólo representan dos de los descubrimientos más importantes del milenio, sino que también son símbolo de los eventos que provocaron una destrucción sin precedentes. La tercera y última parte de Los Milenios, está representada por una mujer que tiende su mano para alcanzar una paloma, símbolo de la paz que ha eludido a la humanidad. Este deseo para el futuro está situado sobre una base redonda, diseñada en honor a la ciudad mesoamericana de Teuchitlán, Jalisco, sede de las misteriosas pirámides redondas.

“Origen y Destino”, de Pedro Tello (2011) Crédito de foto: Gildardo Sánchez Más recientemente, Origen y Destino se incorporaron a la colección de esculturas en el malecón, esta proporciona una perspectiva única y novedosa al concepto del tiempo. Esta obra originalmente estaba formada por ocho diferentes piezas, de las cuales sólo cinco han sido colocadas en el malecón de Puerto Vallarta. Hay una lancha, que simbo-

liza el deseo de la humanidad por alcanzar nuevos horizontes; una quimera, que representa el lento reemplazo de la fuerza de trabajo de los animales por las máquinas, una rueda, símbolo de los avances de la humanidad en las áreas de la tecnología y la ciencia, una ballena que nos recuerda los mares de la tecnología y el viaje de la humanidad a través de las aguas del conocimiento, que frecuentemente tiene como resultados los grandes avances que conocemos, y finalmente un obelisco, marcando la espiritualidad de la humanidad.

“Nostalgia” por Ramiz Barquet (1984) El escultor Ramiz Barquet nos expresa que el verdadero amor es capaz de superar la inclemente prueba del tiempo. A través de esta romántica escultura, Barquet representa a un hombre y una mujer, sentados lado a lado con la mirada perdida en la ciudad, así como él y su esposa solían hacerlo. Después de varios intentos, estos dos enamorados finalmente encontraron el amor verdadero en las calles de esta mágica ciudad. Simbolizando el efecto que Puerto Vallarta tiene sobre todos los que nos visitan, Nostalgia es un cálido recordatorio del valor que debemos dar a la belleza en nuestras vidas, tanto la que nos rodea, como la belleza interior de nuestras relaciones amorosas. “El Sutil Comepiedras” por Jonás Gutiérrez (2006) Crédito de foto: Razumijin Esta controversial pieza de 7,5 pies de altura, cuenta con varias vertientes por las reacciones de amor y rechazo que provoca la obra de Gutiérrez. La figura de bronce y obsidiana nos recuerda a un payaso, por la serie de bordes en las formas irregulares con

los que cuenta. Este personaje, que aparenta estar comiendo piedras, simboliza la manera en la que nosotros, como seres humanos con frecuencia nos dedicamos a consumir la negatividad de nuestro entorno. La combinación de roca y el metal la destacan por sobre todas las esculturas que puedes encontrar en el Malecón de una manera única y misteriosa.

“Unicornio de la buena fortuna” de Aníbal Riebeling (2011) Crédito de foto: Eric Gasca Con sus casi 10 pies de alto y 4 pies de ancho, el Unicornio de la buena fortuna es un recordatorio cotidiano de la suerte que tienen todos aquellos que habitan esta hermosa ciudad. Según una antigua leyenda, cualquier persona que contara con un unicornio entre sus posesiones encontraría la buena fortuna. Por esta razón, el pueblo de Puerto Vallarta ha sido provisto de este precioso don desde el momento de la inauguración de la obra de Riebeling en enero del 2011.

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Lagunas Encantadas - Enchanting Lakes

outheastern Nayarit has two outstanding interior towns called Santa María del Oro and San Pedro Lagunillas. Both communities can boast uncommonly beautiful natural scenery that many vacationers are absolutely thrilled to discover. Off the beaten path, both these lakes are popular spots for weekenders from Guadalajara and Tepic, the capitals cities of Jalisco and Nayarit respectively. This area of Nayarit boasts numerous volcanoes and even a lava field. For the more adventurous, there are some spectacular hikes to gorgeous waterfalls and remote towns that offer a truly authentic glimps into life in rural Mexico.

Laguna de Tepetiltic

Santa Maria del Oro

Located about an hour from San Blas (and just a half an hour southeast of Tepic), and famous for its volcanic crater lake of the same name, Santa María del Oro has garnered an impressive international reputation for those vacationing in Nayarit. This area of Riviera Nayarit enjoys an average temperature of 77°F (25°C), and is the perfect location perfect for boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, water skiing, swimming, and sport fishing. Surrounding Santa María del Oro Lake is a hiking trail and the area is also great for mountain biking and bird watching. On the shores of Santa María del Oro Lake are a number of unique restaurants that serve fish and seafood, and there are two luxurious boutique hotels. In town, be sure to see the Templo del Señor de la Ascencion. A great alternative is Real de Acuitapilco, with a recreation center of luxury cabins amid waterfalls, springs and the ruins of an old hacienda. Santa María del Oro is ideal for those who want to disconnect from the world at a beautiful and quiet lakeside getaway.

Lagunas Encantadas San Pedro Lagunillas

Santa Maria del Oro

San Pedro Lagunillas

Located further south of Tepic, (and only about an hour from Rincon de Guayabitos) is San Pedro Lagunillas, a small town with its own clear water lake called Laguna de San Pedro Lagunillas. Along the lakeshore are a number of fine restaurants that serve fish and seafood. At San Pedro Lake, you can fish for bass and tilapia and photograph the beautiful surrounding scenery.

Santa Maria del Oro From the town of San Pedro there’s a small boardwalk to the lake with stands that are shaded by umbrellas and serve fried fish. The area around San Pedro is good for mountain biking, camping and canoeing. In the municipal seat, visit the

Templo de San Pedro Apostol (the Community Museum that has pre-Columbian artifacts) and Terebintos Garden. As well, just northeast of San Pedro Lake is The Laguna de Tepetiltic, which is another volcanic crater lake that is well worth the visit.

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Living In La Cruz Cindy Bouchard

cindy@VillaAmordelMar.com

Inspiring and educating children in La Cruz Summer School Amigos de la La Cruz with the leadership of Myra Franco is running the Summer School in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. Near and dear to Myra’s heart are community and children. When I interviewed her she told me, “I think we should all work for what we want in our town, focusing on how we want it to grow and, of course, take care of it.” Myra is at it again, for a second year, passionate about time with the kids. Myra told me “I work with and for the kids; they are always open to have fun and enjoy new experiences. Parents are excited to give their kids the opportunity to try new things. One of the highlights from last year were the swimming lessons, the teacher was great! In general, kids have fun doing different things with direction and purpose”. With the help of other teachers;

Lily Alcántara, Sergio Huerta and Xilonen Foster and volunteers; Manuel Torres, Maricruz Glez and Fiona Foster, the kids will experience swimming, music, dance and rhythm. They also create art using recycled items and more. Register for Summer School; July 26 thru Aug 5. Contact Myra solsequi123@gmail.com or at the Elementary School (Primaria); ages 6-14 . Scholarships available.

Teaching Braille to Emma.

Another inspirational volunteer in La Cruz is Shawna O’Neal; a teacher of the Visually Impaired in Portland, Oregon. Shawna came to La Cruz to work with 6-year old first grade student Emma; a twin, her

sister is sighted and Emma is blind. Shawna is being hosted by Amigos de la Cruz volunteer par excellence Carmen Tapia, a “retired” teacher from Tucson, Arizona who now makes Tucson and Punta Esmeralda her home. In order to work with Emma for five days, Shawna brought along a Brailler typewriter, a white cane and numerous other materials in order to assess and teach Emma. These items were from anonymous donors, Banderas Bay Charities, Inc and Shawna; they will remain in La Cruz. Emma was blessed with the help of little sixth grade student, Dunia or as I call her Dunita, as her mom, a local veterinarian, has the same name. Dunita will accompany and help Emma at Summer Camp and will practice Braille with her. Carmen shared with me recently that Emma is building up her awareness and is engaged in reading and writing. “We made a letter scramble in Braille of the FIVE letters she already recognizes in Braille. She was so successful in reading and writing the five letters that her face lit up SO many times!” Emma completes homework with her encouraging mom. She requested a three ring binder as a

place to put her work to create her own book. Emma has been introduced to different tactile experiences: the life cycle of a butterfly, a seed, and a frog. Emma said, “Let me see,” while searching for more pieces. They also worked on shapes with wooden and plastic pieces on a Velcro board and tactile Braille shapes on paper. Great news Shawna will return to continue working with Emma; the generosity of others is amazing.

Alaska Airlines is providing Shawna with a free round-trip ticket, and an anonymous donor was so moved that his family is providing a round-trip ticket so Shawna’s family can join her. Another anonymous donor is providing a house for Shawna and family to reside while she is in La Cruz. It appears that Amigos de la Cruz, with the help of many, have assisted in changing another life forever. May Emma be as independent as possible!

VALLARTA SHOPPING AND SERVICES Farmer’s Markets

ost Farmers Markets run from November through April, though a couple are all year round. Typically they start about 9am and end between 1 and 2pm. Each is a little different and all of them are fabulous! PUERTO VALLARTA Three Hens and a Rooster Market Saturday 9 – 1pm Year round at Venustiano Carranza 466 in Emiliano Zapata Marsol Friday Market by the Pier Friday 9:30 – 1:30 pm Year round at Marsol Hotel Lobby in Old Town. SAN PANCHO Mercado del Sol in San Pancho at the Plaza del Sol Tuesdays 10-2pm LA PEÑITA Mercado is every Thursday all year!

Events Calendar Have an event you want to promote? Email the details: Where, When, Who and What by Monday 5pm to Editor(at)VallartaTribune. com to be included in that week’s paper. All events can be found online at www.vallartatribune.com/events NOW ADD YOUR EVENT ONLINE – FREE ONLINE LISTINGS! July 15 San Blas Pee Wee Surfing League It’s San Blas’ turn to host this itinerant tournament, which visits different coastal villages of Nayarit in search of new talent in this sport. July 17 – August 11 La Patrona Atlética Madrid Summer Camp will be holding a Summer Camp - San Pancho Campus. This will include four weeks of training for kids and teens. For more information call 044 (322) 146 7714 or 01 (322) 297 2334 ext. 106. July 21-23 Abierto Mexicano de Surf (AMS – Mexican Surf Open) Mexicans and foreigners, professionals and amateurs: all surfers are invited to participate in this competition, which offers 100 thou-

sand pesos in prizes and will take place in San Pancho. July 22 Corona Sunsets San Pancho Riviera Nayarit This spectacular Sunset Corona concert returns to the Riviera Nayarit, this time to San Pancho, which will host nine national and international DJs led by Duke Dumont, Bakermat and Goldroom. Thousands of attendees will be on hand to enjoy this magical spectacle held at the Hacienda San Pancho. July 22-23 V Sea Turtle Festival This festival, held in the community of Platanitos, serves up activities aimed at protecting the environment and the conservation of the sea turtles.

FABFABRICFELLOWS Aprons - Pillows Masks - Cooling Ties Three Hens & A Rooster Market V. Carranza 466 Saturdays 9 to 1 Contact Bill Kelly at

unonumerobomb@gmail.com

Sherry Vallarta

Hand-made Mexican Tiles, Talavera, Saltillo, Mosaico

HOME DE’COR

Personal Shopper

Buy & Sell ~ Anything & Everything

sherryvallarta@yahoo.com 044 322 137 7063

599 Juarez, El Centro, Puerto Vallarta 322 206 2536 sales@colibridesignvallarta.com

Pandamonia Boutique

English Spoken Puerto Vallarta & Banderas Bay Real Estate * Trusts * Wills * Inmigration * Civil Criminal Specializing in Immigration. Real Estate. Condominium Law

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NEW LIGHTWEIGHT SUMMER FABRICS Ruanas, Ponchos & Kimono Jackets New pattern wine bags Ladies Size 9 & 10 Sandals

Three Hens & A Rooster Market V. Carranza 466 Saturdays 9 to 1 Contact Pat Thunherst Wagner at ptwagner@comcast.net

Marsol Friday Market by the Pier Three Hens & A Rooster Market on Saturdays

mexicasupplement@gmail.com

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Marsol Friday Market by the Pier She’s back! On her feet, that is. Almost fully recovered from a fractured foot, Andrea returned last Friday laden with her signature cupcakes and fabulous zucchini bread. Samples are always available – deliciously sweet, one bite cupcakes that truly taste as good as they look. Andrea bakes everything herself (imagine her kitchen in this heat!), and runs her very successful business from home. Except for Markets, she works strictly by order. Next time you need a birthday or wedding cake; with or without gluten, stop into Marsol Friday Market by the Pier and talk to Andrea. For jewellery made of silver see the Ruesgas and for everything NOT, see Marcia. Feathers and silk and mystery metal , yes; if it’s silver it’s by default. That’s what happens in recycling! Ricardo, our herbalist, is faithfully on hand every week keeping his clientele healthy. He tirelessly researches ways to make his products better and is

What to do if you see a turtle laying eggs Maintain a minimum 10m distance If you take photos, don’t use a flash Don’t block the turtle from returning to the ocean Don’t step on or dig around the nest area Report it to the Department of Ecology at 322 160 3279

Enjoy this miracle of nature! walking proof of their functionality. The Marsol Friday Market by

the Pier is open from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Three Hens & A Rooster Market News

ried chicken, potato salad, bagels, Italian sausage, perogies, jam, honey, quiche, coffee from Chiapas, peanut brittle, pickled beets, stuffed croissants, beef and kidney pie, carrot cake, macaroni and cheese. That list is a mere smattering of foodstuffs avai-

lable every Saturday at Three Hens Market. Not hungry? Then go fishing. Talk to Ticker about chartering a trip for marlin, tuna or dorado. See Bill at Fab Fabric Fellows Boutique for cooling ties that will drop your body temperature instantly and keep it down for

hours. Bill also has amazing aprons – all made here in Vallarta – for men and women…from useful and serviceable to downright fantastic. What about a painting or drawing for your (or someone else’s) walls? See Barb upstairs creating canvasses in oils and acrylics

in her studio/gallery; downstairs, Pat’s paintings are available in her Pandemonia Boutique. Barbara Peters carries small watercolors and acrylics that will fit nicely in your carry-on bag. If you want something to throw around your shoulders in the

evening, Three Hens can offer bamboo-fibre, cotton, silk and rayon shawls in many colors, lengths and patterns. Three Hens & A Rooster Market is open Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm at Venustiano Carranza 466 in Old Town Puerto Vallarta.

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July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com

Tony Bennett the last of the original pop stars Part Two: Rise To Legend By Fred Jacobs

ast week we followed Tony to the late 1950’s at the point of his rise to becoming a legend in music. Tony continued to work on and improve his nightclub act and followed the path of Sinatra and other top singers of the time. In June 1962, Tony staged a highly promoted concert at Carnegie Hall. The Carnegie Hall concert was a big success, solidifying his reputation as a star. Tony also appeared on TV shows, and in October 1962 he sang on the first broadcast of “The Tonight Show” starring Johnny Carson. Also in 1962, Tony released his recording of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, a little-known song originally written for an opera singer. Although the song reached only number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, it spent close to a year on various charts and increased Bennett’s exposure. The album

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and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance. Over the years, the song has become Tony’s signature song. In 2001, it was ranked 23rd on the list of the most historically

Fred Jacobs is a full time resident of Puerto Vallarta and the author of 3 books.

Where can I find the Vallarta Tribune?

8 222 667 .net : 322 Office@ronmorgan net an. info

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was a top 5 hit and both the single and album achieved gold record status. The song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year

significant Songs of the 20th Century. By 1965, The British Invasion of The Beetles and The Rolling Stones was fully underway, making it harder for pop singers of the day to find chart hits. Tony, while doing better than most singers, also had a hard time reaching audiences. His record label insisted Tony make albums of more contemporary Rock, but Tony did not like this format, and would leave Columbia records and join MGM Records. This lead to time in London where he hosted a TV show as well. The 1970’s were no kinder to Tony. By 1979, Tony had no recording contract, no manager, and was not performing many concerts outside of Las Vegas. His second marriage was failing, he had developed a drug addiction, was living beyond his means, and had the IRS trying to seize his Los Angeles home. After a near-fatal cocaine overdose in 1979, Bennett called his sons for help. Danny Bennett also was trying to make it in the music industry, but found he had a better head for business. Tony had tremendous musical talent, but had little financial sense. Danny would become his father’s manager. Danny got his father’s expenses under control, moved him back to New York, and began booking him in colleges and small theaters to get him away from a Vegas image. By 1986, Tony Bennett was re-signed to Columbia Records, this time with creative control, and released “The Art of Excellence” which became Tony’s first album to reach the charts since 1972. By the 1990’s there was a trend starting to get back to the classic sounds of 1960 pop music, as well as a whole generation did not know this music.

Danny began regularly to book his father on “Late Night with David Letterman”, a show with a younger, “hip” audiences, followed by appearances on “Conan O’Brien”, “The Simpsons” and various MTV programs. Tony was about to bridge the generation gap with full steam. His album “Steppin’ Out” (1993), achieved gold status and won Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance Tony’s first Grammys since 1962. Tony even appeared on the MTV Video Music Awards alongside with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Flavor Flav. Tony had solidly connected with a younger crowd. Who were raised on rock. After turning 80 in 2006, he released an amazing album called “Duets”, with the biggest singers at the time, including The Dixie Chicks, Barbara Streisand, James Taylor, Paul McCartney, Juanes, Elton John, Billy Joel, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, K.D. Lang, Sting, Bono, John Legend and George Michael. The 19 track album was a huge hit. In 2011, Tony released a second Duets album that included even more of the biggest singers around, including Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, Cheryl Crow, Natalie Cole, Queen Latifah, Faith Hill, Andre Bocelli, Alejandro Sanz, Carrie Underwood and Mariah Carey. “Duets II” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it Tony’s first No. 1 album and making him the oldest living musician to debut at No. 1 on Billboard. Since his comeback in the 1990’s, Tony has won 11 more Grammys, most recently in 2016. Tony has sold over 50 million records worldwide during his career and has no plans on retiring, even as his 91st birthday approaches.

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Over the past month we have been making small changes to our distribution locations; hopefully making it easier for you to find a copy. The Tribune will be available for pick up at the tourist offices in the main plaza as well as in Park Lazaro Cardenas, in Puerto Vallarta. You can

shop and pick up a copy of the Tribune at the Friday Marsol Market, the ‘Three Hens and a Rooster Market, Venustiano Carranza 466, on Saturdays’ and at the Amigo’s de La Cruz table at the La Cruz Sunday Market. In addition to all of our advertisers, look for the Vallarta Tribune

in restaurants, resorts, galleries and salons around the Bay of Banderas and north into Sayulita and San Pancho. We distribute 10,000 copies in high season from Mismaloya to San Pancho each week. Marina Vallarta: Benittos, The Coffee Cup, Re/Max, San Javier

Hospital Nuevo Vallarta: Eddies, Barracuda’s, Nopalitos, US Consulate, Chasers Sports Bar Bucerias: Mark’s, Sandrina’s, Yo-Yo Mo’s, Luna Lounge, Esquina 22 La Cruz: Oso’s Oyster Bar, Octopus Garden, Tescamala

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July 13 - 19, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com