Vallarta Tribune - Issue 1170 September 5 - 11, 2019

NEWS

WELCOME HOME

Buying a new BBQ

Vallarta Abuelos

Page 06

Page 09

Page 10

New 200 pesos bill coming

CHARITY

September 5 - 11, 2019 Year 22 Free Issue 1170

FR EE

GU ID E

ALL-INCLUSIVE NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FOR PUERTO VALLARTA AND RIVIERA NAYARIT

Rio Horcones page 7

MAP OF BANDERAS BAY

PAGE 12-13

VALLARTA SHOPPING PAGES 14-15

ENTERTAINMENT PAGES 20-21

CROSSWORD PAGE 22

WWW.VALLARTATRIBUNE.COM | FB/VTATRIBUNE | TWITTER @VALLARTATRIBUNE | INSTAGRAM @VALLARTATRIBUNE

editorial

03

Editor’s

Note

editor@vallartatribune.com

H

appy September. It’s often oxymoronic to say that in Vallarta. It is the hottest, most humid and with the kids all back at school, nobody has any extra money – it’s all been spent buying uniforms, books, and shoes for school, and on and on it goes.

Many restaurants and bars just shut the doors. Some business owners take the month to repaint, deepclean, send all their employees off on vacation. That means for many, staying home because there’s no money left to go anywhere.

That’s a good thing! Look out the window, the sun is shining, the water in the bay is like a bath; it’s actually the same temperature as the air so there’s not much of a cooling effect, but it’s still refreshing, and half the world would trade places with you so, no bad talk about the weather. The beaches are quiet, no waiting for tables in the restaurants that are open and, overall, Vallarta has been really busy this summer and not just with National tourists.

The festivities coming up this month are terrific: my favorite Mexican tradition is September 15th at 11 pm – across the entire

your name on the pages of our community paper because we can.

Our contributors are amazing, and I love reading them first (and then fixing a few words here and there). Each one speaks from their heart – some about their work, even if it’s fishing like Capt. Greg. Some write with passion about the earth and the wounding of our planet; others spread their joy of plants and trees over acres of land and write with love about that protected space. We are a community of Republic is ‘El Grito’ – the ‘Shout’ English-speaking expatriates from for Independence. Take my word for all over the world, and the Tribune it and be in the Main Square early gives us a platform that reaches evening on the 15th. Many places all over that world while we teach, are celebrating Mexico’s freedom, sing the praises of, learn things and including Act II Entertainment enjoy our lives in this extraordinarily on the 13th. If your business has beautiful city we call home. We are a special night planned, please enviably lucky, and we never forget email me with details, and we’ll that for a minute. Join us in Puerto write about them next week.

Vallarta on your next vacation - you New businesses or ones that will be so happy you did. are moving or renovating, let me I might still be at this desk next know in an email who you are, week… what you are doing and where Saludos, we can find you, and we’ll splash Marcia Interim-Editor

T

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

State of North Carolina, District Court Division, Durham County, Elizabeth Moreno v. Victor Moreno Leyva, 18 CVD 22

To Victor Leyva: Take notice that a pleading seeking the relief against you has been filed in the above entitled district court matter. The nature of the relief being sought is: Divorce. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than 40 days from the date of first publication and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

Shelley Campen Brown, Attorney at Law, 1816 Front Street, Suite 130, Durham, NC 27705

DO YOU REALLY NEED

THAT STRAW?

Public invited to comment on climate change program

he municipality of Puerto Vallarta is holding public consultations on Climate Change in preparation for the development of a local program to address the environment, economic and social issues that may arise from global climate change.

People are invited to visit the government website at www. puertovallarta.gob.mx and write emails to: sub.medioambiente@ puertovallarta.gob.mx Visit the offices of Dr. Helios Hernandez Hurtado, subdirector de Medio Ambiente at Republica de Ecuador 650-A, col.

Coapinole, Puerto Vallarta from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

In addition three public focus groups were held prior to the publication of this week’s Vallarta Tribune.

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

Sin popote, por favor!

Read the first edition of the Best of Banderas Bay and Riviera Nayarit guide online www.vallartatribune.com

64

pages of information designed to make your stay in the area the best! From the best beaches to the best activities and more, you can download and view online at www.vallartatribune.com and watch for copies at your favourite VallartaTribune distribution points.

welcome

Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

A

t the Vallarta Tribune we want you to have the best experience possible while you explore Puerto Vallarta, the Bay of Banderas and Riviera Nayarit. Here are some helpful tips for traveling.

TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco and the southern part Nayarit are on Central time – if you’re heading further north than Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, remember the time change so you don’t miss your flight.

BUSES: A system of urban buses can bring you from El Tuito in the south to San Pancho in the north and all the spots in between.

Fares vary according to distances travelled, but the base fare is 10 pesos. If you’re going further than San Pancho, head to the main bus terminal to catch a ‘Pacifico’ bus.

TAXIS: There are set fares within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver. Make a note of the taxi number in case you leave something behind.

Drivers typically do not carry change.

UBER: New in 2017 to Puerto Vallarta, Uber is still experiencing some growing pains particularly in the state of Nayarit. Uber is cheaper than a taxi usually.

GETTING AROUND: In many places such as Centro Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta there are paths for bikes and pedestrians. Please be respectful of these designations.

MONEY EXCHANGE: The most hassle-free way to exchange money is to use your debit card in the ATM to withdraw pesos.

Exchange houses offer higher rates and banks are remiss to change dollars to pesos if you don’t hold an account with them. Best to use ATM’s that are affiliated with a reputable bank located in well lit secure areas.

TIPPING: In general you should tip 10-20% in restaurants and bars. Taxi or Uber drivers – 10-20 pesos. The person who bags your groceries or helps load your car – 10-20 pesos. Don’t forget to tip

your maid, bell boy, masseuse, the band, the entertainment on your tour. And by all means, tip more if you want, wages are extremely low in Mexico.

DRINKING WATER: While Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for the past two decades, the quality of the water tested at the source varies greatly from what comes out of the tap at the other end. Don’t wreck your holiday – buy bottle water.

EXPORTING PETS: Falling in love with the street dog outside your hotel is easy to do and it’s also easy to bring them home with you. The process is inexpensive and only takes a day or two.

You only need a certificate of health from a local vet and check with your airline for additional requirements.

COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and belligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here.

While Mexico is a tolerant culture, politeness is paramount. Don’t pee in the streets. Don’t flash your money or expensive gadgets. Pay attention to your surroundings.

Know where you are going. Pay your bills (and don’t forget to tip).

And have fun!

DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis or Ubers are cheap and plentiful. Fines are very expensive. You can go to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends, and you will be asked to take a breathalizer test 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 often guilt is presumed until your innocence can be proven. This is a very difficult lesson to learn if you are visiting from the United States or Canada. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Director Noemi Zamora noemi.zamora@cps.media Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team editor@vallartatribune.com Designer Cynthia Estela Andrade Gutiérrez cysandra@gmail.com

CALLING IN MEXICO

(UPDATED AUGUST 2019)

LOCAL CALLS WITHIN MEXICO All calls within Mexico can now be dialed using the 10-digit telephone number (usually a two- or three-digit area code plus an eight- or seven-digit number) from a landline or cell phone, eliminating the need for prefixes, such as 01, 044 or 045. In Mexico, most cities use a three-digit area code, notable exceptions being CDMX, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

LONG DISTANCE CALLS WITHIN MEXICO Same procedure as above applies.

LONG DISTANCE CALLS TO MEXICO FROM ABROAD If you are making a long-distance call to Mexico from abroad, simply add the country code (52) to the 10-digit number as described above.

Emergencies: 911 Red Cross: 065

INTERNATIONAL LONG-DISTANCE CALLS FROM MEXICO US & Canada: Dial 001 + Area Code + Number Elsewhere: Dial 00 + Country Code + Area Code + Number

CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS

(The following procedure predates the August 2019 update. We are waiting for specific information regarding toll-free calls within Mexico and to numbers elsewhere.)

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

IMMIGRATION: 322.224.7719 CONSUMER PROTECTION: 01.800.468.8722

FIRE DEPARTMENT: 322.223.9476 AMBULANCE: 322.222.1533

TOURISM OFFICES Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006

Ahoy Cruisers!

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 September and October Puerto Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit welcomes 59,044 passengers! Bienvenido!

NAME

CARNIVAL CARNIVAL CARNIVAL CARNIVAL PRINCESS CRUISES PRINCESS CRUISES CARNIVAL CRYSTAL CRUISES LINE HOLLAND AMERICA PRINCESS CRUISES PRINCESS CRUISES WINDSTAR CRUISES

PASS

DATE

3,200 04.09.2019 3,200 11.09.2019 3,200 18.09.2019 3,200 25.09.2019 1,974 25.09.2019 2,600 27.09.2019 3,200 02.10.2019 940 03.10.2019 2,106 06.10.2019 2,600 07.10.2019 3,600 10.10.2019 212 11.10.2019

NAME

NORWEGIAN CRUISES CARNIVAL PRINCESS CRUISES NORWEGIAN CRUISES CELEBRITY

DISNEY CRUISES LINE ROYAL CARIBBEAN HOLLAND AMERICA HOLLAND AMERICA PRINCESS CRUISES DISNEY CRUISES LINE

PASS

DATE

3,883 14.10.2018 2,680 15.10.2019 2,400 21.10.2019 2,240 22.10.2019 2,850 23.10.2019 2,500 24.10.2019 2,435 26.10.2019 1,820 27.10.2019 2,104 29.10.2019 3,600 30.10.2019 2,500 31.10.2019

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 * www.vallartatribune.com * https://www.facebook.com/VtaTribune/

Cut out and put near your phone for handy reference

04

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

news briefs

05

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Over 50% of Mexico has legalized same-sex marriages

T

he Oaxaca Congress approved same-sex marriage after a heated debate last Wednesday, making it the 18th state to support gay marriage rights.

The final vote was 25 in favour and 10 against, which came amid protests for and against by the LGBT community and evangelical Christians.

The bill removes the definition of marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman from the state’s Civil Code.

“Marriage is a civil contract celebrated between two people who unite in order to celebrate a

life in common, and to provide each other with respect, equality and mutual help,” the Civil Code now reads.

Evangelical pastors and like-minded citizens gathered Wednesday morning to protest

Updates to Vallarta’s Public Transit

the amendment, showing their support for the “original design” of the family, composed of a man and a woman.

Members of the LGBT community condemned the protest, considering it a type of hate speech. When the law was approved, however, they were jubilant, celebrating in the esplanade of the legislature in San Raymundo Jalpan, south of Oaxaca City.

Same-sex marriage is performed without restriction in Mexico City and in the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche,

Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo and San Luis Potosí, as well as in certain municipalities in Guerrero, Querétaro and Zacatecas.

Altogether, 56% of the population live in states and municipalities that perform same-sex marriage.

Legislation to change the laws covering same-sex marriage is currently proposed in almost every other state. In addition, courts in all states must approve marriage licenses for same-sex couples when petitioned to do so;

individual same-sex marriages have occurred in every state.

Since August 2010, same-sex marriages performed within Mexico are recognized by the 31 states without exception, and fundamental spousal rights (such as alimony payments, inheritance rights, and the coverage of spouses by the federal social security system) also apply to same-sex couples across the country In Puerto Vallarta, one of the largest Pride events in Mexico occurs for a week in the month of May; events often include a mass wedding ceremony.

Public consultation of the future of El Salado Natural park is underway

O

n August 29, 2019 a public consultation took place to plan the future of the El Salado Estuary located in front of Marina Vallarta. One of the most important eco-systems in the bay, the estuary is 135 hectares of protected land with 57 endangered species calling it home.

Plans for the area include stronger protections from development; joining forces with other important environmental destinations, El Salado will incorporate a network of Natural Parks. The overall goal is to protect the area but also encourage tourism and public participation in the estuary. To this end a bio-diversity centre and natural protected area have been proposed. MM

O

n August 30, the Mi Transporte program was unveiled to the residents of Puerto Vallarta. The program announced by Transportation Minister Diego Monraz Villasenor at its heart is aimed at reducing congestion in the downtown core of Puerto Vallarta adjusting routes and schedules throughout the Bay of Banderas.

It was noted that while a state run program, Vallarta is the first city to operate entirely under this new more efficient model.

Mi Transporte is designed to: • Offer better routes • Better trained drivers with improved working conditions.

• All buses with air conditioned (expected to be completed end of November 2019) • An electronic pre-paid system with free transfers 333 new Unibus buses have been added to the transit system of these 244 operate on natural gas and 204 have AC installed. ATM buses operating in Nayarit and Jalisco will need to comply with the new procedures in Vallarta.

Addressing the issues of accessibility the minister explained that in the coming weeks some buses will be equipped to accommodate people with disabilities by installing ramps.

At the moment all buses accept cash and 316 can validate pre-paid fare cards.

Pre-paid cards can be purchased and topped up at various points around the city including at the Medisim pharmacies. Fares will remain at 10pesos per trip.

Visit rutasvallarta.com/ to see all available routes and schedules. MM

New 200 peso bill coming in September

G

oodbye feminist poet Sister Juana and hello to Mexican independence icons Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos on the new 200 peso billed slated for distribution in early September.

The reverse side of the bill will feature an image of the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, a protected eco-region in the Sonoran Desert.

Banxico’s Alejandro Alegre told the newspaper Milenio that bills are changed for three reasons: to apply more elements that will prevent counterfeits; to make them out of more durable, longer-lasting materials; and to incorporate features that aid the visually impaired and money counting machines in identifying them, for this reason the bills will remain

different sizes.

Older versions of the 200-peso notes as well as the older 500-peso bills that were replaced last year

remain legal tender. The 20-peso bill is expected to be replaced with a new coin but a timeline has not been announced. MM

local voices

06

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

On The Water Capt. Gregory Pilkington Greg@fishfc.com

Capt. Greg operates the sportfishing boat TOPLESS II out of Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz.

Sailfish, Blue Marlin, and Black Marlin offshore.

Roosterfish on the beach. Anglers wanted

T

he marlin fishing is going off with sailfish, blue marlin and black marlin offshore and Roosterfish inshore. What’s missing are anglers to catch them.

While we joke about how great it is to live in an undiscovered paradise, it gets frustrating to know you are sitting on land when the Marlin fishing is as good or better than anywhere in the world.

So you may be asking, “why aren’t more anglers flocking this way?” In a word - reputation.

We have done a really poor job of getting the word out to the big game sportfishing community.

Which doesn’t seem to make much sense since (1) our tourist season runs opposite our big game fishing season, and (2) studies show that the destination marlin angler spends up to ten times the daily amount of a non-fishing tourist.

At some point, this will change.

In the meantime, take advantage of having a world-class fishery all to yourself.

Best Bet - Hardcore Angler Not many avid sport fishing anglers will pass up the chance to catch and release blue marlin. And right now, they are on the bite at Corbatena and El Banco.

While they are averaging 300-400 pounds, there are bigger ones around and it would pay to be fishing on a top boat with good

80-130 pound tackle if you want to increase your chances of success.

Marlin fishing is not for everyone as it requires a great deal of patience. On average you are only going to raise 1-2 fish per day. On a good boat, with top gear and an experienced crew and an experienced angler, you are doing great if you catch 60% of the fish you raise.

But, there truly is nothing else that compares to the adrenaline rush that comes with having a blue marlin hooked up. They are fast, jump all over the place and will keep the best fishing team on their toes.

Whether you are hooked up on your 1st or 100th marlin of your lifetime, you will never forget the battle.I

always tell people that if you want to experience the pinnacle of fishing, book a multi-day Blue Marlin trip.

With great deals available this time of year, you can enjoy a 4-night stay in a top-notch boutique hotel and 3 full days of marlin fishing for around $1000 per person. At most other world hotspots, you would easily be paying 50-75% more.

Best Bet - Weekend Warriors And Novice Anglers We love taking people around the corner of Cabo Corrientes and doing a mixed day of inshore and offshore fishing this time of year.

First, these remote beaches are a true treasure that most visitors and even long-time residents

never see. Here, miles and miles of gorgeous and deserted, white sandy beaches are home to one of the most sought after fish on the planet - The Roosterfish!

There are also some big Toro off these beaches. Pound for pound, both Roosterfish and Toro are amongst the toughest fish you will ever encounter. Put in a few hours effort here and chances are everyone on board will get a shot at a good fish.

After which you can head a short distance offshore and try to add in some trophy pelagic fish like Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, and Dorado.

There aren’t many places where you can catch an offshore grand slam AND a Roosterfish on the same day - but this is one of them!

Conservation Corner Marlin, Sailfish, and Roosterfish are such a prized catch that anglers are often talked into killing them by charter crews to get mounted. The crew gets a small commission from the taxidermy company and keeps or sells the fish.

Most experienced anglers now know that to get a mount of your trophy no longer requires that your prized fish is harvested. Simply measure the length and width of your fish, take some photos, and send your fish back to make someone else’s day.

Studies repeatedly show that the economic value of a sustainable recreational billfish fishery far outweighs the price realized for a dead fish to the local community.

However, there is a great chance your crew is unaware of these studies.

Topless Tip Your free time is valuable and limited. Keep the number of anglers onboard to 4 or fewer and you will have a much better experience.

Having more anglers on a boat might reduce your cost per person but it significantly diminishes your chances of catching a good fish.

local voices

07

From Here Marcia Blondin

marciavallarta@gmail.com

Aside from contributing regularly to the Tribune for several years, Marcia is a skilled artisan, specialized in repurposing jewelry and selling her creations at the Marsol Friday Market by the Pier.

“Cats”

I

finally got over to Manny’s Bar to eat last week. Cristobal, the new owner of Ropero de Jovany, and I sat outside and ordered prime rib for lunch. While we were waiting for food, I read him colleague A.J. Freeman’s article about attending Casa de Cristobal that appeared in last week’s issue of the Tribune. Hilarious as always, AJ finds an amusing side to everything, including hangovers.

If you missed it, check the Tribune’s archives. I have been reading online about Manny’s prime rib – served on Wednesdays – and was happy to try it. Served with the sweetest corn ever and potatoes I would eat daily, good horseradish and the meat was just fine.

Growing up in southern Al-

berta has made me a prime rib snob, I’m afraid. I love it just off the grill, cut at least an inch thick, bleeding profusely and so tender that a knife is only for decoration.

Barring a trip back to Canada, get over and try Manny’s prime rib.

A filmed version of my favourite musical of all time is playing at Incanto this Thursday, September 5th. “Cats” starts at 7 pm. I saw the stage production in Vancouver decades ago, and host of Summer Stock at Incanto, Dennis Crow says the filming is spectacular. I can’t wait to see it again.

Michel Giglia gave an enthusiastic crowd a helluva “Hello, Paris” show last week in Incanto’s Theatre. The best-loved songs from France

were sung over an interesting backdrop that constantly changed with shots of the Seine, Notre Dame, and other familiar Parisian places.

Michel is…adorable. Incanto owner Tracy Parks did a survey, and that word came up the most frequently. He is charming, sweet; an engaging entertainer, who touched, spoke with, sang to, or presented with a long-stemmed-‘IncantoOrange’-rose -everyone in the audience. His enthusiasm rolled off the stage and touched each and every one of us. Michel’s guitarist and accordion player were terrifically in sync and never overpowered the vocals. “Hello, Paris” was different, wildly applauded and I think we’ll be seeing and hearing from Michel Giglia again. And soon.

A little over a year ago, I joined Central Gym down on Morelos between McDonald’s and Woolworths. The price was unbeatable, and it was time before I fell apart completely and irrevocably.

I am a gym rat from years ago and have a terrible habit of training like a maniac with weights and then taking ten or 15 years off. I know, I know…it’s not right. So, I am back at it. I have to give a shout-out to Rafael, the owner of the three Central Gyms in town, mine, and two on Francisco Villa and as a member, you can use them all. Central was definitely a ‘grunt’ gym when I joined, and not all that well equipped. That has all changed. Now three floors stand ready to be utilized; bathrooms are being upgraded; walls painted; brand new equipment across the board. It will never be ‘fancy,’ and it doesn’t need to be. But two complete sets of rubberized dumbbells await. I am there when they open at 7 am.

Now I have to go to my other desk, put on the Interim-Editor hat, and get to work. Don’t forget free hugs at Marsol Friday Market and for the rest of the week, love the one you’re with, From Here.

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

The Río Los Horcones Canyon as an Essential Tourism Asset of Puerto Vallarta Pablo González G.

F

rom seaweed infested beaches across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, to an unprecedented number of fires raging in the Brazilian Amazon, there’s currently no shortage of alarming environmental news from the tropics. We’re entering a dark era in which the devastating reality of climate change related disasters aren’t just undeniable to those living in regions of melting glaciers and permafrost; we’re starting to see signs of it everywhere.

These disturbing phenomena evidencing a rapidly degrading earth are capturing the attention of people across the globe. While this often provokes thoughts of despair, helplessness and anger, our collective outrage can also be channeled to action in hope for a healthy future for our planet. Here in Puerto Vallarta we need to step up for conservation and ecology not just to do our part for mother earth, but to save our tourism based economy.

Civil society’s environmental awakening is effecting consumer decision making regarding leisure travel and vacation tourism.The tourism brand of Puerto Vallarta that we must build together cannot just focus on tequila and beaches; it must include all of us here in Vallarta agreeing to be become an environmentally responsible city.

This kind of responsibility means protecting our most crucial natural habitats including the Río Los Horcones Canyon which has recently been threatened by an illegal hydroelectric project that would also destroy the area’s scenic beauty. The potential dam and power plant and the proposed above ground metal pipeline to connect them would convert our city’s only stretch of scenic canyon highway into a depressing ride along kilometers of industrial sized steel tubing. The water war going on now here in Puerto Vallarta did not begin because we needed more electricity— that’s only a diversionary story being sold to us so this magnificent river is being channeled into a giant pipe. The obvious motivation behind this project is so this river’s water can be used for yet even more unregulated and unsustainable development, this time from Boca de Tomatlán towards Las Ánimas and beyond.

The Río Los Horcones Canyon is a place of inspirational wildness inside the city limits of Puerto Vallarta.

From its towering jungle cliff sides to its crystalline waters frequented by an abundance of wildlife from river otters to jaguars, it is among the most valuable natural tourism assets remaining within our city. The small amount of electricity that could be generated by damming

this river can never come close to the harm it would inflict, not just to natural ecology but also to our tourism based economy—the direct livelihood of nearly everyone working in Puerto Vallarta and the indirect livelihood of just about everyone else. Publicly unnamed yet well-known private interests are trying to steal this river and are receiving red carpet service from corrupt government officials who are supposed to be looking out for our collective interests. This is an environmental and human rights crime of the highest order, that must be opposed by everyone who wants Puerto Vallarta to continue succeeding in tourism. Hotels and fancy resorts are not tourism generators; fancy hotels are found the world over. What attracts tourism to Vallarta is the unspoiled beauty of much of our bay and mountains, the warm hospitality of Mexican people and the charms of Mexican culture. Without an outstanding and well preserved natural environment, not even the most impressive hotels will attract anything by themselves.

Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Vallarta residents and visitors agree with the recently launched online petition to declare the Río Los Horcones Canyon as an official Natural Protected Area. This petition, just launched in June, is nearing half a million signatures—making it the most numerically successful petition in the history of Puerto Vallarta and one of the most successful environmental petitions in all of Mexico. Public support is clearly for the preservation of our pristine natural areas and our tourism based way of life, not for an illegal dam.

To view the petition, go to Change.Org and search for “Horcones.”

Puerto Vallarta has only a few remaining intact natural areas capable of enticing vacation-goers from all over our planet, but not one of these left can be squandered. Tourist destinations that place short-term profits over the health of the environment will doom themselves to failure and abandonment, sooner rather than later. In competition to attract tourists, our local leaders should know that people are looking for destinations which prioritize preservation of the environment. Those destinations that commit to conserving the beauty of their lands and leading the world in environmentally sound practices will prepare themselves for the best possible chances of long term success.

The loss of the Horcones River would be a public relations and environmental disaster for Puerto Vallarta as the world finds out we are no better than those burning down the Amazon.

local voices

08

Vanishing Earth/ Vanishing Home John Warren

john3984@me.com

John Warren is in charge of publicity for the International Friendship Club in Puerto Vallarta (IFC). During the summer, he writes about traveling while also raising environmental awareness.

Good News For August

A

very respected reader of this column has complained that it is always full of doom and gloom and has very little optimism. So this week I look on the bright side. After all, Helen Keller said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” I agree. However, Sophocles mentioned that “It is the merit of a general to impart good news, and to conceal the truth.” Today, I will impart good news and will not conceal the truth. We’ll visit three spots around the globe to find what there is to smile about.

In the early sixties, the Canadian city of Sudbury was a smoke-filled, seared moonscape! The blackened landscape had been devastated by pollution from mining sites and industrialization. It was awful!

But now, thanks to decades of restoration and conservation work, the air quality is excellent, the landscape has come alive with trees and greenery and its lakes, which were once acidified and destitute, have become thriving ecosystems.

“The Sudbury story is a story

of success,” said Dr. John Gunn of Laurentian University. “One of the most damaged landscapes on Earth has made a remarkable improvement in the landscape and the lives of people as a result of industry, government, universities, and the public working together.”

Paul Kennedy, who is the host of the CBC radio program IDEAS, spotlighted the Sudbury story as one of his final presentations last season. “I tend to be a knee-jerk optimist on almost every issue, but the future of our planet can seem almost overwhelmingly difficult—too big, too complicated, too divisive. For me, Sudbury is an indication that we aren’t going to lose. Climate change is the biggest and most crucial challenge we face. There is hope.”

Now to Germany where Kuhn Schweitz, the German manufacturing company, has invented the largest electric vehicle in the world. It’s a massive construction vehicle used to transport limestone and rock from Swiss mountaintops to the crushing plant in the valley. It generates all of its own electricity and never has to be recharged.

The Electo Dumper works by ascending steep inclines empty.

Once it is loaded with up to 65 tons of ore, it uses a “regenerative braking system” to capture all of the energy that is created by traveling downhill. It generates and stores enough electricity in its batteries going downhill for its next uphill journey.

By making an average of 20 trips up and down a mountain every day, the trucks can generate more than 200 kilowatt-hours of surplus energy daily or 77 megawatt-hours per year. Researchers estimate that the vehicles will continue to save up to 1,300 tons of CO2 and 500,000 liters of diesel over the next ten years.

From the Swiss Alps to Hawaii where there is more good news.

After over four decades of federal protection, Hawaiian coral reefs are returning to their former glory.

The Hawaiian - Emperor Seamount Chain is an underwater mountain range in the Pacific Ocean. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the area was trawled extensively for fish by fishermen from around the Pacific. They dragged heavy nets across the seafloor looking for fish but, in the process, wrecked deep-sea corals and destroyed much of the underwater ecological community.

In 1977, the United States claimed the region as a part of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and prevented foreign fleets from trawling the area.

A recent scientific expedition to check out the current state of the reefs was led by Amy Baco-Taylor, a Florida State University Associate Professor of Oceanography. She and her colleagues led four research cruises out to the central and north Pacific Ocean to assess the damage caused by the trawling that had occurred decades ago.

She reported, “So, we explored these sites fully expecting not to find any sign of recovery. But we were surprised to find evidence that some species are starting to come back to these areas.” Now, after years of federally mandated protection, scientists see signs that this once ecologically fertile area is making a comeback.

Optimism and good news are always good to hear. But we also need to remember the words of comedian, Bob Hope. “The good news is that Jesus is coming back.

The bad news is that he’s really pissed off.”

However, I also like Margaret Atwood’s line: “Optimism means better than reality; pessimism means worse than reality. I’m a realist.”

Paradise and Parenting Leza Warkentin

mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

Leza is a nursery teacher and preschool coordinator at the American School of Puerto Vallarta.

To My Children in Middle School:

I

believe in you. I believe in you like every mother who sees her baby as the most beautiful in the nursery; as the mom who feels a burst of pride over the gorgeous natural curls, the eyelashes that go on forever, the delicate roseshaped mouth. I believe as the mom who saw you read early, who heard you sing like an angel from a very early age, who showed off your drawings on her Facebook profile page. I believe because I see your talents and abilities, your gift of humor, your musical skill, your writing ability.

I believe in you as the mother who has seen you fail, who held her breath when you fell, over and over, before you ever took your first step.

I believe as the one whose heart broke when friends walked away from you, when children made fun of your glasses, when they called you names. I believe as the mom who saw you make some mistakes, who found you a math tutor, who sat through meetings with the principal. I believe because every time you fell you stood back up, no matter how long you lay in the dirt, breathless, tears tracking the dust on your cheeks.

I believe in you as the mother who worries too much; who sometimes has a good cry in the bathroom, who puts her hands on your uniforms as she folds them to just will all that love into

the fabric. I believe as the mother who packs your lunches with all of your favorite things, who waves goodbye with a huge smile but turns away very quickly. I believe with every ounce of hope and faith that is in my body, because what child would not succeed when loved so very much?

I believe in you because I am your mother. I believe in you in spite of that fact. Like every parent, I have an idealized version of you in my mind, ready to pull out along with your most photogenic school pictures.

I have also seen you at your worst and at your most vulnerable, and I know, because you’re human, that you will face obstacles of your very own design. But I also know you are brilliant, beautiful, strong and resilient. You have already, in a very short time, met many challenges. You have overcome some of them. You have been overcome by others. And that’s ok, because you’ve learned something every. single. time.

You are fearful sometimes, and you don’t believe in yourself very often these days. But I want you to know that I believe in you like no one else. And that should mean a lot because I know you like no one else, too. When you come to me and lay your head on my shoulder and tell me you can’t, that you are afraid, that it’s just too much, I’ll listen. I won’t judge you, or nag you, or tell you you’re wrong. I’ll just believe in you like I always have, like I always will.

09

local voices Welcome Home

Sheryl Novak

sa.novak@solutionsmexico.com

Sheryl Novak is an expat Canadian who has owned a home in Mexico for over ten years. She is the owner of SOLutions Mexico and The Furniture Store by SOLutions Mexico. She is an expert on sourcing all styles of furniture for all sizes of budgets, in Mexico.

Tips on buying a good BBQ in Vallarta, Part I

M

ost people enjoy a perfect steak, fresh veggies, or set of ribs cooked on a grill. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a lot of homes in Vallarta have a barbecue or grill.

The key to getting good value is buying one that will both fit your needs and last in our climate.

Unfortunately, we are seeing too many cheap and poorly made barbecues flooding the market in Mexico right now. Buy one of these, and you are most likely to end up replacing it after one season. The salt from the ocean air and the humidity of our summers can cause rust and corrosion. This could also result in the barbecue being a health and safety hazard for you,

your family, or your guests/renters.

When buying a barbecue or grill for your home in Vallarta, here are some tips to get you the best value for your pesos.

The first thing to consider is whether you want the traditional charcoal type or gas. If budget is a major factor, opt for a charcoal barbecue since they cost less than gas. Charcoal barbecues give your food a smoky flavor that you won’t get with a gas grill. The downside is that they take longer to get started, and you need to always keep a bag of charcoal bricks on hand.

Gas grills are available with either a propane tank or hose to connect to a gas line. Gas grills that are hooked up to a permanent gas line means you never have to worry about buying charcoal bricks or being out of propane halfway through cooking dinner.

Make sure to confirm your

building or development has a gas line option in place before you purchase this type. Gas grills offer the convenience to get grilling immediately instead of waiting for the charcoal bricks to heat up. They also provide a more consistent temperature and so are better than charcoal for grilling.

Although not as popular, electric grills are also available here. These are portable and flameless and a good option if you do not have a balcony or terrace.

When checking out barbecues, compare the number of BTUs each model offers. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and it is the measurement that tells you the maximum amount of heat that all burners will generate in one hour.

The average homeowner will do well to get a barbecue with a BTU of about 100 per square inch of grilling space. Keep in mind that the higher the BTU of the grill, the more energy it requires. That means you will pay more for gas or electricity.

In part 2 of this article we will cover some tests you can do at the store to make sure whether a BBQ is well-built. I will also share my recommendation for the best BBQ in the intermediate price range available in Mexico.

Are you looking for a barbecue for your home in Mexico? Contact me for more information at furniture@solutionsmexico.com.

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Life in the Slow Lane Kelly Wilson

mybucerias404@gmail.com

Upon retiring in Ontario, Kelly and her husband finally arrived in Puerto Vallarta—via a one-way ticket during the summer of 2017—where they now call Bucerias home. As avid adventurers, they enjoy exploring the entire Banderas Bay area. Kelly owns an online career coaching business and spends time volunteering for various local organizations.

The Gynecologist Visit

I’m not sure if I mentioned, but the room is tiny. The gown now makes a second layer of clothing, and I’m quite anxious about what’s going n Ontario, once I reached a on, down there. I’m sweating to beat certain age, I was placed on the band. Wiping my face; blowing the provincial government’s on my eyeglasses to dispel the fog; “Screened for Life” tracking system breathing shallow. Similar to being for annual cervical cancer testing. in labour. Finally, the test part is I know I should keep up with the over, or at least the nastiest portion. tests, so I booked an appointment Now onto a blood pressure check at the ob/gyn office, conveniently and manual examination. located around the corner from our Doctor, stethoscope moving house in Bucerias. from place to place over my chest: Doctor: Buenos dias, Kelly. Kelly, do you have a heart?

Welcome.

I swear that’s what he said. I Kelly: Gracias, Doctor. thought he was having trouble Doctor: I have a few questions finding my heart beat - a little to commence your file before we disconcerting, especially since I take the sample, OK? know it’s there - I’ve heard it beating Kelly: OK, sure. in my ears like a bass drum for the We went through some last eight minutes. I tried to lighten preliminary questions; my date the moment when my heart can’t be of birth; how many full term found and said, “It’s very deep down pregnancies; date of last screening. and rather cold, but yes, I have a Although his accent was difficult to heart.” The doctor looks down at me, decipher, (all those words with a “v” a bit perplexed, and clarifies. “No, I that come out like a soft “b”), I was said, are you hot?” Well, ya, doc, grateful to visit an English speaking I’m a little sweaty. This ain’t exactly a doctor, and we established a fairly day at the spa. After determining my comfortable rapport despite the blood pressure is high, (no kidding), topic. Some of the questions he finishes with the stethoscope were progressively more difficult to and searches for any uterus pain by understand as we got into technical hand. A little to the right, a little to data. I was happy to finally have an the left, uppish, downish, inny, outty. easy answer to an easy question... Good grief, enough already!

Doctor: Kelly, when did you last Doctor: any pain here? Here? have relations?

Here?

Kelly: Well, my parents and Kelly: no, no and no sister visited last week, which was Doctor: OK, the final question. nice. We hadn’t seen them since An important one. Do you have any March. pain in your baheena?

Doctor: Oh. OK, we’re ready What? What the heck is my to move to the examination room. baheena? I’m a bit panicked. I Please remove your clothing from don’t have pain anywhere, but the waist down and put this gown on. maybe I just never thought of my I enter the tiny washroom/ baheena. Perhaps I’ve overlooked change room, disrobe and don my baheena my whole life? I’ve the gown, then enter the tiny never even heard any girlfriends talk exam room. I get on the bed, about theirs?!? place my feet in the stirrups and I dig deep to bring myself back assume the position. Giddy Up! to Grade 9 sex education class. In The doctor drags over a lamp that a startling revelation I realize what emits retina-burning light and has he’s said. I feel a little hysterical, a look. Isn’t it funny how they try giddy with embarrassment, flushed to relax you by making small talk with heat. I collect myself. while they’re poking around at eye Kelly: thanks for asking, my level to your bottom? I’m very warm. vagina is just fine.

I

charity

10

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

The Vallarta Abuelos

T

he Vallarta Abuelos is / are a group of Mexican and expats formed last December to provide Christmas gifts to low-income children in Col. 5 de Diciembre here in Puerto Vallarta. The word ‘abuelos’ means ‘grandparents’ in Spanish. Our founder Anne Marie Weiss-Armush had overheard the laments of a ten-year old whose mother warned him there was no money for holiday gifts. She quickly organized a project that matched local families with expats who were Santa to 84 local children.

Just in time for the beginning of school this year, our all-volunteer Vallarta Abuelos, has completed its second effort: The School Bag Project, which provided 355 at-risk children with new backpacks and school supplies. Most of our recipients are from single-parent homes. Noticing the high cost of school bags and supplies in Vallarta, the Abuellos discovered that many of our needy little neighbors didn’t qualify for the free back packs offered through government programs. Volunteers set up a GoFundMe page and collected $5,500 US to purchase

these items from manufacturers in the US and Jalisco. American Airlines donated the shipping cost, and other support was supplied

by Hospiten, WOW, the DIF and the office of Vallarta Presidente Municipal Ing. Arturo Davalos.

“The people of Puerto Vallarta have warmly welcomed me and my husband Tom as new permanent residents to Col. 5 de Diciembre.

As we have become integrated into our new community, we’re delighted for the opportunity to act as Abuelos here and give back to the neighbors who serve us on the beach, in food booths, restaurants and shops” says Vallarta Abuela, Chiara Montante.

Typical of the children served by the Vallarta Abuelos is our poster-boy Carlitos, who lives with his grandmother by Ley Supermarket. Her income from selling tacos at a bus stop is slightly above the minimum daily wage of 103 pesos, so the cost of school bags and supplies for two grandchildren is a challenge.

School expenses for secundaria (junior high) and peparatoria (senior high) are even higher, as students must pay for their own

bus fare and snacks, uniforms, and fees. Noting that limited income caused many bright students to drop out of school after sixth grade, our nonprofit group also offered twelve teens additional ‘education scholarships’ of 2,000 to 4,000 pesos.

Abuela Kay Lilley adds “During the summer months, Anne Marie noticed a large number of boys were left unsupervised in the streets while their parents worked.

The children began to gather at her home in 5 de Diciembre, and the BiciClub de la 5 was born.

Eighty eight refurbished bicycles have been distributed to these and other kids, and the older children have learned to paint and repair the bicis they received.

“‘Playing or studying one-on-one with the children in a ‘Safe House’ environment enables us to determine needs of individual children and to work with their guardian to offer support. My student is tenth-grader Ricardo Santillan, and I’m very proud to contribute to his future through this nonprofit effort’ adds Kay. Future plans include forming a soccer team for the children, and distributing Santa gifts to 350 children. Volunteers and sponsors are always welcome. The Vallarta Abuelos are registered in the United States as a 501c3 nonprofit.

For more information see the Vallarta Abuelos page on Facebook, or contact <annemarieweiss@ dfwinternational.org>,

Would you like a Bank that adapts to your needs

?

Discover all the options that INTERCAM offers you: Trust | Insurance | Personal Loans | Mutual Funds Foreign Exchange | ATM network | Private Banking and much more...

Contact our offices: Marina Office: +52 (322) 209 0696 | Downtown Office: +52 (322) 223 3080 Mega Flamingos Office: +52 (329) 29 661 63 | Sayulita Office: +52 (329) 29 88 921 Find terms and conditions at intercam.com.mx

9

8

PITILLAL

1

az Ord Díaz tavo port Gus l Air Lic. nationa r Inte

6

7

5 3

RIO AMECA

VIE

TOM

EV

OV AL

LA

RTA

S ATE

26

R

A VALL

CA

DE

NU

ENGLISH SERVICE & COMMUNION enEnglisngli in the ANGLICAN ~ EPISCOPALIAN TRADITION

 10 AM SUNDAYS 

TO SAYULITA



GRAND MAYAN PARADISE VILLAGE MEZCALES OCCIDENTAL NUEVO VALLARTA 5 HARD ROCK HOTEL GRAND VELAS RIVIERA NAYARIT DREAMS VILLAMAGNA HOTEL MARIVAL 6 RIU JALISCO 4 ACQUA FLAMINGOS RUI PALACE PACIFICO FLAMINGOS VILLA DEL PALMAR FLAMINGOS 4 VILLA LA ESTANCIA 25 4 ROYAL DECAMERON 24 BUCERIAS 23 PUNTA ESMERALDA B NAYAR 29 1 VILLA AMORE DEL MAR 5

7

The Rev. Canon Robert Webster, Rector Welcoming ALL to worship with us.

6

CA

Iglesia Cristo del Mar

2

1

INA MAR

BAY

VIDANTA

7

BO

Christ Church by the Sea

 

8

STATE OF NAYARIT



27

R B CLU ESTIN CE A W L O TA THE AN PA SALAD LLAR A Y MA A EL TO V IOTT R Y R PLA PUE AR LIA GNA M ME A ND SAM GRA W



1



Plaza Genovesa ~ Center Courtyard Palapa Av. Francisco Medina Ascencio 2015

22

PLAYA LA MANZANILLA

www.christchurchbythesea.org mypvchurch@gmail.com

P

W PUNTA MITA Agustin Flores Contreras Municipal Stadium

GRAND PALLADIUM VALLARTA HOTEL LA QUINTA DEL SOL

123 2

MESON DE MITA PUNTA MITA FOUR SEASONS

FRANCISC

O VILLA

PARA

ST. REGIS PUNTA MITA

SHERATON BUGAMBILLIAS

2nd Annual Reader’s Choice Awards 3

1000’s of votes for the

ISLAS MARIETAS

‘best of everything’ in Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay and Riviera Nayarit Best

Restaurants

Best Hotels

Best Salon

Best

Dentist

Best

Happy Hour

All the results are now online at: www.vallartatribune.com/best-of-banderas-bay-2019/

TOWNS & COLONIAS BEACHES

RESORTS MALECON SHOPPING/ARTWALK

BY SEA

LAND & AIR

1. MARINA RIVIERA NAYARIT 2. NUEVO RIVIERA NAYARIT 3. MARINA VALLARTA MARINA 4. CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL 5. LOS MUERTOS PIER/ WATER TAXIS

1. CENTRAL BUS STATION 2. VERSALLES BUS STATION 3. OLD TOWN BUS STATION 4. BUCERIAS BUS STATION 5. INT’L AIRPORT - PVR

SHO

2

1. GA 2. WA 3. CO 4. LA 5. PLA 6. ME 7. WA

BUENOS AIRES

8 8

5VERSALLES 5

5 DE DECIMBRE

HOTEL ZONE HOTEL ZONE

RTA RTA

11 11

GRINGO GULTCH CASA KIMBERLY HACIENDA SAN ANGEL CASA KIMBERLY HACIENDA SAN ANGEL 14 CENTRO 12 14 CENTRO 12 13 13

AMAPAS AMAPAS CASA CUPOLA CASA CUPOLA RESORTS

BY PINNACLE 15 RESORTS BY PINNACLE CONCHAS CHINAS

15

EL NOGALITO EL NOGALITO

CONCHAS CHINAS

PLAPL YA ALYA OSLO VILLVIL P P SANSANARSCAORC A MLA MLAYALAYEMPEMPMARMA S OS ERCER LOA LERAERA INORIN EDCEED S MOS MDORDO O R E U TROTSR PESTIPETERUTOERATO A A A PICOPICT HOIT H S S PLAPL VALLVALMLLALRMAARN HAON HTOEOL TEL A A RE R T T Y AY HYAHY TT AZTT A COANCON L RTLARSTHASSOERSTOERLT EL IVAZIVA CHACHINADOIND ORHOR GRAGR CO PCUOEPRUTECRASCAASSCHSINCHMIAORMAESR ES NDAND STA STAO VTAO VKAARKAASNAS F F S A R GARGA PLAYPLAIEYSTIAESTUARSRUERLRLEARLLTAMRATMA ZARBZA A PUA PUAMEAMESORSOAR A LABL NTANT RIC RIC T T HOTHNOCAANRCA NEAGNREGAN AN EL TMEL ESROES A RA OUMSOURTORT AII SAII

4 4

5 DE DICIEMBRE

VERSALLES

28 28 4 4

PUERTO VALLARTA PUERTO VALLARTAGRINGO GULTCH 5 DE DECIMBRE

2 2

STATE OF JALISCO STATE OF JALISCO

BUENAS ARIES BUENAS ARIES

10 10

NESNES MAROARO ND D A CA CAM GRAGRAN PLAPYLAVYEANTEUNRTAURA A AV E E S BUEBNUEPNREPMRIEERMIEARMBILMLBIAILLIAS VILLVAILLTAONTBOUNGBUGA A SHESRHERSA ET TS SECSREACMREBEMRBER NOWNOW LA SOLLSOL O DE DE CANCTANTLOAZAAZA ET P T PL S S SUNSSUNPSEELPICEALNICOANO A PLAPZLAUZLAESLES TA TA R LOSLTOSLTYUVLAYLVLAALLAR D FRIEFNRIEANPDEAPE AR R C SUNSSUNDSECL PEALLPMALNMAA A D VILLVAILLAAMEARMICEARICAN A FIESFTIESHTOALI OLI L A H A L RA A PLAPYLANYA KNRYKSRTYNSATVANEANVTEUNTNURRESROERSTORT HILTHOILTNODA BDUAEBUEEGOLGDOELDEN HACHIEACIPEANRPAADRISADISCELUBLUB N N E C CROCWROWPARAADRISADISE P N N CROCWROW ES S PA A AR ARE & S SP S M S M INA INA RT RT & TRE TRBE REBGREG RESORESO U

2 2

9 9

HOTHOT EL REL R OSITOSI A TA

FLUVIAL 3 FLUVIAL 3

30 30

LOS ARCOS LOS ARCOS

MISMALOYA MISMALOYA

BARCELO BARCELO

TO EL TUITO TO EL TUITO

BOCA DE T

BOCA DE TO COLOMITOS COLOMITOS LA TROVA TROVA CASITAS LAMARAIKA MIO HOTELITO MARAIKA CASITAS HOTELITO MIO

PUERTO VALLARTA VALLARTA PUERTO

20 20

LAS ANIMAS LAS ANIMAS

17 17

XINALANI RETREAT RETREAT XINALANIQUIMIXTO QUIMIXTO

MAJAHUITAS MAJAHUITAS RESORT MAJAHUITAS MAJAHUITAS RESORT HOTEL LAGUNITA HOTEL LAGUNITA

3 3

21 21

16 16

AGUAY

11 11

DE DICIEMBRE 5 DE5DECIMBRE 5 DE DECIMBRE

OPPING OPPING ALERIAS VALLARTA ALMART/SAMS CLUB ALERIAS VALLARTA OSTCO ALMART/SAMS CLUB A ISLA OSTCO LAZA ISLACARACOL EGA/ LA COMER BUCERIAS AZA CARACOL ALMART NUEVOBUCERIAS VALLARTA EGA/ LA COMER ALMART NUEVO VALLARTA

12 12

CENTRO CENTRO

GOLFING GOLFING 1. PACIFICO GOLF COURSE BAHIA GOLF COURSE 1.2. PACIFICO GOLF COURSE LITIBUGOLF GOLFCOURSE COURSE 2.3. BAHIA FLAMINGOS COURSE 3.4. LITIBU GOLF GOLF COURSE EL TIGRE GOLF COURSE 4.5. FLAMINGOS GOLF COURSE & 7TIGRE VIDANTA 5.6. EL GOLF COURSE VALLARTA 6.8. &MARINA 7 VIDANTA VISTA VALLARTA 8.9. MARINA VALLARTA 9. VISTA VALLARTA

PALAPA MARACU PALAPA MARACUY

19 19

15 15

13 13

POINTS OF INTEREST POINTS INTEREST 1. TURTLEOF RESCUE CAMP WHALE OF A TALECAMP HOLE 1.2. TURTLE RESCUE PLAYA ESCONDIDO 2.3. WHALE OF A TALE HOLE KISSING BRIDGE 3.4. PLAYA ESCONDIDO EL CORABRIDGE CROCODILE SANCTUARY 4.5. KISSING PUERTO 5.6. EL CORA VALLARTA CROCODILESIGN SANCTUARY ESTERO VALLARTA EL SALADOSIGN 6.7. PUERTO PITILLALEL PLAZA 7.8. ESTERO SALADO 8. PITILLAL PLAZA

18 18

‘OLD TOWN’ ‘OLD TOWN’

9. 5 DE DEC. CEMETARY CERRO DE LA CRUZ 9.10.5 MIRADOR DE DEC. CEMETARY 11. MIRADOR MALECONCERRO DE LA CRUZ 10.

12.MALECON VIRGIN DE LA GUADALUPE CHURCH 11.

13. VIRGIN LOS ARCOS 12.

DE LAAMPITHEATRE GUADALUPE CHURCH 14. LOS ISLAARCOS CUALEAMPITHEATRE 13.

15. ISLA LAZARO CARDENAS PARK 14.

CUALE 15. LAZARO OLAS ALTAS FARMERS MARKET 15.

CARDENAS PARK 15. OLAS ALTAS FARMERS MARKET

16. HIDALGO PARK 17. HIDALGO THREE HENS MARKET 16.

PARK 18. THREE MARSOL MARKET 17.

HENS MARKET 19. MARSOL MUNICIPAL MARKET 18.

MARKET 20. MUNICIPAL EMILIANO ZAPATA 19.

MARKETMARKET 21. EMILIANO CUALE CULTRAL 20.

ZAPATACENTER MARKET 22. CUALE 5 DE DEC MARKET 21.

CULTRAL CENTER 23. 5HUANACAXLE MERCADO 22.

DE DEC MARKET 23. HUANACAXLE MERCADO

5 5

24. FOREVER SPRING MARKET 25. FOREVER BUCERIASSPRING ARTWALK 24.

MARKET 26. BUCERIAS RIVIERA FARMERS MARKET 25.

ARTWALK 27. RIVIERA MARINA FARMERS ARTISAN MARKET 26.

MARKET 28. MARINA MOVIE +ARTISAN PICNIC MARKET 27.

29. MOVIE RED CROSS 28. + PICNIC 30. RED LOS CROSS ARCOS NATIONAL PARK 29.

30. LOS ARCOS NATIONAL PARK

www.vallartatribune.com

BANDERAS BAY SHOPPING AND SERVICES Thinking about selling your property?

Virtual tour Market analysis of your property Adverrsing on mullple plaaorms Alfredo Herrera

Call: 322 142 6296 Email: alfredoh@tropicasa.com

Find us at: Show Room @ SUCESOS BOUTIQUE Tuesday Market @ Nuevo Vallarta Thursday Market @ La Marina Vallarta Sunday Market @ La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

www.palmaleone.com

Tel. (322) 222 2675, (322) 222 5402, w Celular: 322 175 0412

LUNES-VIERNES: 9:00am - 7:00pm (Monday to Friday)

mundodeazulejos@hotmail.com www.talavera-tile.com

www.vallartatribune.com Re-Meet The Team

I

n the Tile Park, if you know what you’re looking for, you can go directly to the column your workshop did last year, or the bench you sponsored. At the time, you weren’t sure whether to choose red or orange for that one section, but you’re glad you went with red. It’s personal, that red. It’s part of the Tile Park story too, that red. It’s your own personal voice, narrating this one part.

At the dawn of a new season, we at the Tile Park like to take stock of the project. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the slowness of it all, the “how much there is left to do” part, without considering how much has changed. How much effort all those tiles represent.

Last year on our blog’s Meet The Team series, it was fun to be able to spend some time with the people behind the park, and get to know them on a deeper level. It’s apparent there too, when taking stock, how much has changed. Many team members have moved on for one reason or another, so we’ll definitely do a Meet The Team series for the 2019-2020 season.

Thinking back on the team last year, one thing is apparent: we were strong then, and we are strong now.

The changes are always incremental, sometimes almost imperceptible, but indeed upon reflection, on a long enough timeline, it is a different assortment of people entirely at certain points. All these unique voices. All these personal choices.

Our Place, For A Day Or A Lifetime The whole premise of this community-funded project is, well, the community.

Coming together as a group to complete this labor of love.

Some folks come through for just one workshop, and plenty of others become fixtures in the park, returning every year just to hang out with us and stick tiles. Likewise, we have some team members who don’t stay all that long,

Famous Mosaics For the Love of Public Art

MURPHY’S IRISH PUB Located on the Historic Malecon across from the lighthouse statue (El Faro) - beautiful sunset views every night!

Delicious traditional pub menu.

Live Rock Music - Thurs - Sat @10:30pm Watch all sports w 2 satellites.

Pool Table. Happy Hour Daily 3 to 6 pm.

2 x 1 Corona or Pacifico. 50 pesos Well Drinks.

By Emily Murray This summer the Tile Park is taking the show on the road! We’re paying a virtual visit to the most famous mosaics of the world... from China to Spain to the US... tile parks, record-breaking installations, ancient murals, points of interest and so much more. Join us!

484 Morelos - 2nd floor - Centro Vallarta Open daily 11 am

Murphys Puerto Vallarta

PUERTO DE LUNA 623 One-bedroom; two baths, 753 square feet 139,000 USD

R

ecently remodeled one-bedroom, two full bathrooms and complete kitchen, located on ground level facing the pool. Cool and sunny; lovely and quiet.

Contact information: BOARDWALK REALTY Office: 322 224 0014/322 223 0001 sal@boardwalkrealtypv.com Medina-Ascencio-623-Hotel-Zone-JAL-16395 https://bit.ly/2kpe4HD

while others are “lifers”. But everyone’s voice is there, will remain forever, if you know what you’re looking for.

“Should I bother re-posting that person’s blog?” I think to myself. (In other ch-ch-ch-changes, we have a completely re-built website too, necessitating a total backfill of all the previous blog content.) “They’ve been gone for over 9 months already.” It takes maybe 3

minutes of mulling over, and most of that is just accepting the clunky logistics of backfilling that much content.

Of course we should re-post their blog. They were here at one time. Their voice still echoes here. They still hold the same place of honor that was intended when the blog was originally written. “Here is this person, they are part of the team, and this is some of their story. We’re proud they’re with

us... this is an awesome team to be part of.” Very little about that statement is untrue now.

They’re no longer on the team, and that’s about all.

So, here at the park we’re looking forward to a new season of new faces, and the same old mugs too.

A chance to meet everyone again for the first time, and honor those who helped pave the road to here too. We’ll see you there.

local voices

16

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Creative hands of Mexico Leigh Thelmadatter

osomadre@hotmail.com

Leigh Thelmadatter is a professor 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 has just published a book on Mexican paper maché called Mexican Cartoneria. creativehandsofmexicodotorg.wordpress.com

The Glow of Mexico’s Amber

T

here are only a certain number of amber mines in the world. They have come about because there are certain conditions that must be right in order to form deposits. First, it is necessary to have forests of trees the exude sap, often as a means of protecting themselves against parasites. This excess sap runs down the trees, gathers on the ground and though runoff, streams and rivers winds up in shallow oceans. This process means that amber is never really pure tree sap; there will be impurities, but they often raise the value of the amber, not diminish it. The globs of sap undergo a process of fossilization anywhere from 25 to 50 million years, meaning that the amber is often from the sap of tree species long extinct. In the case of the vast majority of Mexico’s amber, that collection was in a shallow sea that eventually disappeared to create what is now the Yucatan peninsula, which extends into parts of the state of Chiapas.

Mexico mines a fairly large quantity of amber but it is not the most productive. That title is for a

mine located east of Kaliningrad, Russia, in the Baltic region. It provides 80 to 90% of the world’s amber, about 300 tons a year. Baltic amber is also found in Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and occasionally on the shores of Denmark, Norway and the UK. In the Americas, Chiapas is the largest producer, coming in at about 5 tons per year. However, the largest piece of amber in the world came from Mexico, weighing 11.7 kilos.

In Mesoamerica, amber was known and prized in rituals related to health as well as the funeral rites of nobles and warriors. Pieces have found in tombs in Oaxaca and Chiapas. Often called Chiapas amber (from the southern state of chiapas, Mexico. Though known to the ancient Maya, and traded or offered as tribute to the Aztecs. The Spanish conquestadors tell of the Aztec emperor, Montezuma stirring his chocolate with an amber spoon.

From that time to the present in Chiapas, amber has been considered to have protective qualities. It is not unusual today to see newborns with small bracelets of amber to “protect them from the evil eye.” The fossil is also believed to be effective against asthma, ear and throat infections as well as a

means to increase fertility.

Almost all of Chiapas’s amber is from mines located in the rural municipality of Simojovel, accounting for 90% of Mexico’s production. The rest is from adjoining municipalities with a minuscule amount from other places. The extraction and sale of raw amber is the main economic activity of the Simojovel, especially since the rise of mass tourism in the 20th century.

Mining is still done by hand using picks, axes and hammers as the ground is sandy. Chiapas amber has its own particular qualities and for this reason, it as received a legal denomination of origin status, the same that tequila has. This is to protect the amber from that of other places in the world, but also that mined outside of Chiapas.

The story of Simojovel’s amber production has had a downside.

There was a major boom in demand for Chiapas amber from 2012 to 2015, which led to careless exploitation of mines. Although demand has since eased, the municipality is still dealing with the social and environmental fallout from those years.

Chiapas amber comes in a

variety of colors ranging from a transparent yellow to a near-black.

There are varieties such as red, brown, blue and green, all produced by different impurities. Just about all of Chiapas’s amber is destined for workshops in the state, and almost all of that is used to make jewellery to sell in the state’s major tourist centres, especially San Cristobal de las Casas, with some going to fine jewellery outlets in other parts of Mexico.

One of this amber’s advantages is that it is one of the world’s hardest, registering between 2.5 and 3 on the Mohs scale. This allows for more precise and complex work and designs. The price of finished amber pieces depends on a number of factors, including, size, color, age, it’s working and last, but least, what kinds of foreign matter is trapped within it.

Pieces with well-preserved (entire) and/or rare insects or plant matter can raise the value of a piece considerably. Amber can even contain other animals such as small amphibians. One significant find was that of a frog found in a 25-million year old piece in Simojovel which belongs to the National Autonomous University of

Mexico.

Because amber jewellery is extremely popular among both locals and tourists, there is, unfortunately, a significant problem with the sale of fakes.

The counterfeits are made either with glass or plastic. Just about all of the “amber” sold on the streets of San Cristobal is fake as is the amber sold in Puerto Vallarta. If the price is low, it is most definitely fake as the working of amber requires specialized training. It is simply not possible to sell finished products at street prices.

Some vendors manage to trick the unaware, often by showing that the piece is “authentic” by showing that it does not burn, therefore not of plastic. However, not only does glass not burn, true amber will burn slightly. One of Chiapas amber’s unique qualities is that it gives off a pine resin like smell when subjected to flame.

Other ways to tell that an amber piece is real are to 1) put it in salt water to see if it floats, 2) test it under black light to see if it glows 3) to rub the piece vigorously between the hands to see if its smell appears.

However, most of these tests are either impractical or impossible to do before one buys. At point of sale, the best protection is a reputable dealer.

In San Cristobal, a visit to the Amber Museum is highly recommended. They have an amazing collection of over 300 jewellery and other pieces, prizewinners from the annual Amber Competition for the state’s artisans. Inaugurated in 2000, it is the only one of its kind in the Americas and one of very few in the world. It also gives talks and literature about how to buy authentic amber from reputable outlets (including the museum itself), some of which is in English.

Another recommendation is the annual Feria de Amber, usually held in August or September.

Ed. Note: A long time reader (and letter-to-the-editor writer), Frank Norton once gifted my mother and I two pieces of Amber, one orange coloured and the other emerald green, carved in the likeness of a butterfly. Unfortunately Frank doesn’t travel to Vallarta any longer, but he made many of his purchases here with the reputable jewellers. If you’re thinking about buying amber, consider the reputation of your shop/vendor.

All images by Alejandro Linares Garcia

local voices

17

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Real Estate John Swanson

john@boardwalkrealtypv.com

John Swanson is a real estate and lifestyle expert at Boardwalk Realty (www.boardwalkrealtypv.com) where he is co-owner and broker. He is a long-term resident, homeowner and raised his family in PV. From immigration to health care, he knows it all!.

Finding the right real estate agent

I

f you are like I was, you probably have questions about how to pick a real estate agent to help find a home and invest in Puerto Vallarta.

Here is my “Do’s and Don’ts” list to use as a guide and help ensure that you work with the very best agent!

Word of mouth can certainly be a good start, but if you ask one hundred people for their realtor suggestion then you will likely get one hundred recommendations!

I call this the “friend syndrome” where everyone recommends their favorite agent. There are a myriad of reasons including “she’s nice” to “we’ve become friends”. These are not bad traits to have, but this is business, a big investment in your portfolio and in your future lifestyle!

You want to work with a pro, not just somebody’s friend.

So, while we all appreciate working with nice, friendly people, in the end it is the voice of experience, discernable knowledge and intelligence that matters. It is also important to have an agent to really listen to what you want and a “go the extra mile” attitude from your real estate agent. It is a skilled agent that can help you make a sound, educated decision.

Let’s take a look at some qualities that mark Puerto Vallarta’s best agents and why they are important: 1.“Experience”while this perhaps sounds like an endorsement for old agents, it’s actually not. It’s not really “how many years” your realtor has been in the business. It is a feeling you get when you speak with your potential agent that they are true “students of the game” with a drive to be the best. I’ve met many the agent who has been in real estate here in Mexico for decades who are semi-retired, know little about updates in the legal system and rarely leave their own neighborhood.

Contrarily, the mark of some of the best agents is not their age, but, rather is a dedication to increasing their knowledge of how to find you a home that fits your needs and is true to its value. Most importantly, a

great agent has the skills, tenacity and strategies to get you the best price. Work with an “experienced” agent, no matter their age.

2.- “Knowledge and intelligence”let’s face it, your Mexico real estate agent is like a river- guide leading you on whitewater expedition down a river you’ve never been on before. I love Mexico and made it my permanent home here some 20 years ago, but investing here involves many differences (not the least of which is language). It is essential to have someone that can explain in clear and concise terms the what you should- or should not- do when considering owning a home in PV. “Knowledge is power” and you need to hear it in understandable terms from someone that studies all facets of their job. For example, did you know that how you purchase will likely greatly impact your taxes when you sell? How about your heirloom furniture, can you bring it down duty-free? Your car? Work with someone clearly informed and insightful. Combined with the last “experienced” dissertation, you might think “Smart and wise” for traits in your perspective agent.

3.- “A great listener”- while it’s great to have a smart, experienced agent, perhaps equally important is that your prospective agent make every effort to learn why you want to own here.

Frankly, every client has different desires, and an agent more interested in rattling off a canned speech or showing you what they want to sell is missing the point.

Nothing else matters more than an agent that makes the effort to get to know you and what you really want.

For many of our clients, owning in Mexico has been a dream of theirs made possible through decades of hard work! Owning here can truly be a dream come true and many are literally brought to tears when the open the door of their own home in Mexico. In summary, you should feel a connection with the agent you work with. They get you. While other qualities could be

measured, this is a quality you will feel more emotionally. A bond. A sense of trust.

4.- “A go-the-extra-mile” attitude.

There’s simply no substitute for hard work and a “try hard” guy will often have all of the previously mentioned qualities. He tries hard to know the market, he tries hard to be well-researched on both prices and lifestyles that certain locations have, he tries hard to listen intently to why you want a PV home, and tries hard to spend as much time as necessary to be a true help to you in your decision-making process. A common trait I notice in many great agents is they often can bring a lot of fun and adventure to the process!

They “know their stuff” and it’s fun to show off this wonderful town and share it with soon-to-be owners.

Lastly, unmentioned until now, I would work only with members of our real estate association here called “AMPI”. These agents receive dozens of hours of training every year, must pass tests and are held to a high standard with an honor and justice committee overseeing

its members. It’s simply the best group of agents that clear a higher bar, another sign of a “Try hard” agent. So how do you start? Here’s a few ideas that you can get started on long before you come to PV to shop: 1.- Google “Puerto Vallarta Real Estate” or something similar and check out agents and agencies.

Each seems to have its specialty, its style. Avoid the sites that say “ad” with their website- anybody can buy top spots, you want the “organic” sites that top agencies have earned by lots of loyal clients visiting their sites. Read the bios of the agents and write some of their email addresses. Write all of them a form letter with your desires and see who gets back to you in a reasonable amount of time with thoughtful answers.

2.- Even before you travel try to set up 15 minutes where you can chat with the agent by phone long before you arrive. Words on a page are nice but speaking by phone with someone is better for getting the gut feeling you have chosen the right

person. Go off the beaten path and ask about health care or charities they are involved with.

Trust your “gut”. It’s like when you pull on the right jeans, you will know when it’s a good fit.

3.- Then pick the agent that you like best and begin your journey online. Ask them to set up a custom property search before you arrive. Set up “black-out” dates where this agent can give you their undivided attention when you are here to tour properties and talk about owning here. Then, by the time you arrive, you have a great person to work with, a schedule, and some good possibilities for properties that you would enjoy visiting.

From my experiences, this is the system that gives you the best chance to get a place (and a lifestyle) you really love here in Puerto Vallarta!

Lastly, don’t forget to build in some “me time”. There’s really not a lot of things better than taking in a Vallarta sunset with your favorite drink in hand!

18

local voices Curator’s Clippings Horticultural Tips

Robert Price 322 223 6182

Founder and Curator of the Vallarta Botanical Garden

Cures for the Lures of Orchids

O

rchids are not only among the most exquisitely beautiful of flowers, but they’re also the most diverse. As a family, they boast over 30,000 species and over 200,000 hybrids with new descriptions continually adding to these numbers. In Mexico alone, there are over 1,200 native species and endless exotic imports, many of which are available for purchase. In Puerto Vallarta, we have an enviable climate that allows us to grow orchids outdoors that our counterparts in more northerly regions can only sustain as houseplants or in specialized greenhouses.

My first bit of orchid advice is more of a heartfelt plea: no matter how tempting, please never buy orchids from street vendors! By doing so, you encourage the growth of a black market that depletes wild populations of native plants that are endangered and protected by law.

Orchid seeds are smaller than those of any other flowering plant and measure in at roughly the size of a speck of dust. In nature, only a

few seeds in a million have the luck to land upon the right conditions to prosper. Humans are only able to cultivate these seeds in laboratories with sterile conditions and specially-formulated medium.

Plants sold from someone’s wheelbarrow or the trunk of one’s car didn't get there by lawful or ethical means: They are poached from our forests.

If you are keen on growing native orchids, we have many to choose from at the Vallarta Botanical Garden where we propagate responsibly from our legally - registered laboratory.

Another responsible grower who we highly recommend is Sandro Cusi of Orquideas Rio Verde near Toluca. His company maintains an online catalog on their website, www.orquideas.com.mx and they provide mail order service.

Phalaenopsis or “moth orchids” (native to Asia) with their showy, prolific and long-lasting flowers are an excellent choice for beginner orchid growers as they are known to be among the easiest to care for. If you’d rather cut your teeth with a native orchid, species of the Cattleya and Encyclia genera would be my top recommendations.

Every last species of orchid has

its particularities, but, generally speaking, studying the cultural requirements at the genus level can help guide you through the care of most orchids available for purchase.

One of the best free sources for such information is the website of the American Orchid Society www.aos.org. In addition to a bank of printable cultural sheets in multiple languages, they also maintain a list of frequently asked questions followed by spot-on answers, and a host of other resources.

Those looking for orchid events here in Mexico may also wish to visit the page of the Mexican Association of Orchidology (or AMO for its Spanish acronym) www.amo.com.mx.

Are you a veteran orchid aficionado with stories of your own to share? Or maybe a budding orchid novice with burning questions that you haven’t yet found answers? Please post these on the Facebook page, “Vallarta Garden Club.”

Not only does sharing your gardening experiences allow others to avoid repeating what you may have learned the hard way— it can often make for some very entertaining reading!

Author’s warning: Orchid collecting can be taken to extremes and should begin with caution and moderation. If you find yourself or a loved one depleting your financial reserves to support orchid cultivation habits, it is time to seek professional advice, or enjoy orchids on display elsewhere such as out at the Vallarta Botanical Garden!

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

SPCA of Puerto Vallarta URGENT: Flyers to VANCOUVER and EDMONTON needed!

S

ummertime means a lot less tourists in Vallarta and fewer available flights. This is a tough time for us, who adopt most of our dogs to Canada and the U.S., and rely on the help of volunteers, tourists who are kind enough to take a dog or two to their home destination.

WESTJET has already started their heat embargo and will not take any pets in cargo until October. We are urgently seeking AIR TRANSAT flyers to Vancouver and Edmonton who can help us take our dogs to their families anxiously waiting for their new babies. We make it very easy for you: we have staff to

help you check the dogs in at the Vallarta airport, and you will meet up with a staff member at the arrival customs who will clear the dog. All it will take you is a little more time on both ends. If you can help, please email us: spcapv@gmail.com If you are interested in visiting and giving our dogs some cuddles, walks or just receiving puppy kisses at our state of the art sanctuary outside of town, contact us at spcapv@gmail.com to schedule a tour. Tours leave from the Costco parking lot only on Thursdays during the summer and reservations are required.

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: SKY

W

e think this young girl is just the sweetest puppy! Sky is a 4.5 months old Labrador mix puppy weighing currently 16 pounds, she will be a medium size dog when fully grown. She is a very precious girl and we are looking for a special family to provide her a forever home. She has a medium energy level and an easy-going, playful disposition. Sky gets along with all other dogs and even cats. With her people she can be a bit shy initially, but warms up quickly and is soon ready for cuddles. Sky has been spayed, dewormed and vaccinated. If you are looking for a great companion animal, contact us at spcapv@gmail. com for an application to adopt Sky.

Photo by BOB &/or LEO: Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and/or Encyclia; the VBG’s orchid lab

riviera nayarit

19

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Life in la Cruz

The Healing Power of Plants Ricardo Mazcal

Cindy Bouchard

Ricardo is a fourth-generation herbalist from Nayarit and is available year-round at Marsol Friday Market by the Pier

Originally from Canada, Cindy Bouchard runs Villa Amor del Mar, a boutique inn, in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. Along with Chris, her husband, they are living and loving it in Vallarta Nayarit! She and her husband, Chris, are living and lovin’ in Banderas Bay. If you want more info on La Cruz or desire a very special vacation, drop her a line!

mazcalteotl@gmail.com

The Healing Power Of Plants Part II

P

lants and herbs are not drugs, but, on the other hand, plant-based active healing compounds work at a slower rate than allopathic medications. Plants and herbs by their complex structures create many of the same benefits as drugs, ordinarily without unpleasant side effects. Allopathic drugs are designed to attack a pathogen; plants and herbs, in addition to eliminating the pathogen, also provide additional benefits which can be called holistic.

Herbal Preparations Herbal Preparations can be taken internally or can be applied topically.

The most common way to use herbs is a liquid that is drunk in the form of an herbal tea, a plant extract or an herbal dry formula packaged in gelatin capsules or compressed powders to make tablets.

Herbal teas or tisanes are the resulting liquid of extracting the herbal compounds, aroma, and taste by boiling the herbs with water; here are a few different ways: Infusions are hot water extracts of herbs, such as green tea, black tea, cinnamon and apple tea, lemon tea, etc. Decoctions are the long-term boiled extracts, usually of harder substances like roots or bark.

Maceration is the cold infusion of plants with high mucilage content herbs such as sage or thyme. Plants are chopped and added to cold water to make macerates. They are then left to stand; most herbs sit for 10 hours.

Tinctures are alcoholic extracts of herbs, which are much stronger than herbal teas. Tinctures are created by combining 90 to 100% pure ethanol

cindy@VillaAmordelMar.com

or a mixture of 100% ethanol with water, with the herb. These are called hydro alcoholic extracts.

Alcoholic based tinctures are made using commercial products such as vodka, rum, Raicilla, or sugar cane alcohol, which are excellent vehicles for this process. A completed tincture has an ethanol percentage of at least 25% and sometimes up to 90%. Herbal wine and herbal elixirs are the alcoholic extracts of herbs, usually with an ethanol percentage of 12 to 38.

Extracts include liquid and dry.

Liquid extracts have a lower ethanol percentage than tinctures and are made by vacuum. Dry extracts are plant matter with all moisture evaporated. Then the plant or herb is ground and made into a powder to be further refined and packaged in capsules or tablets.

Topical Applications: Many herbs can be applied topically to the skin in a variety of forms.

Essential Oils: These extracts can be applied to the skin, usually diluted in a carrier oil.

Many essential oils are so potent they can burn the skin or are too high of a dose to be used straight.

Diluting them in coconut, olive, almond or other food-grade oil can allow these to be used safely on the skin.

Creams, Oils, Lotions, and Salves are a form of liquid or semi-liquid type of topical applications Taking a food-grade oil and soaking herbs in it for anywhere from weeks to months allows certain phytochemicals to leach into the oil.

This oil can then be formulated into salves, creams, lotions, or used as a topical application.

Many massage oils, antibacterial ointments, and wound-healing compounds are made this way.

Tatewari’s First Canadian Tour!

T

he boys of Tatewari, homegrown La Cruz favorites, bring their beautiful, classic flamenco-style music, infused with Rumba and Jazz, seasoned with a little Mexican heat that only Tatewari can deliver.

In the quaint fishing village of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, childhood friends Esau, Mimi, and Dani created Tatewari Banda in 2006; their dream was to become a ‘World-Class Flamenco Band.’ In the fall of 2011, Sonny joined forces with these ‘Sons of the Cross,’ and together they have forged a path to achieve their goal of mastering their talent and love of flamenco music in traditional performances, as well as creating their own compositions, improvisations, and interpretations.

‘Sons of the Cross’ refers to the English translation of ‘La Cruz de Huanacaxtle’ or ‘The Cross of Huanacaxtle.’ The magnificent trees that dominate the town square and the cross at the entrance to our town is made from Huanacaxtle, (also called Parota), a tropical hardwood coveted by fine craftsmen.

In the indigenous Huichol language, the word Tatewari means ‘Grandfather Fire.’ It is with pride and honor that the band members have adopted the name to represent the ‘fire’ within their own creative music. Those who have spent time in La Cruz will have had their musical senses delighted by this band. I adore their music and their onstage interactions. Mimi is the mischievous one, his antics getting Daniel and Esau to crack a smile during performances. Those who’ve watched them grow up have seen them evolve into great musicians and phenomenal young men! A

recent addition, Sonny adds a unique rhythmic touch.

Growing up as neighbors, the boys played basketball, watched movies, fished and hung out at the beach. Their musical chapter began when they were invited to learn guitar. Around 2003, Philo offered his bar and long-time expat ‘Guitar Russell’ provided free lessons for all who wanted to learn. There were twenty students in that first class.

Russell told me, “Esau and Mimi took to the guitar immediately, but it wasn’t natural to Daniel. It occurred to me that he might be a bass player so I introduced him to that and the rest is history.”

Esaú Galván Saltos, 32, is primarily a ‘flamenco-focused’ musician having studied the craft in Spain in 2010. He has reached a new level of excellence.

At 31, Cruz Alberto ‘Mimi’ Pérez TATEWARI Parksville,BC Duncan, BC Nanaimo, BC Vancouver, BC Vancouver, BC Vernon, BC Langley, BC

Ramírez, is an excellent guitarist.

Enjoying his solo ‘riffs’ is a religious experience! Over the years, he’s also learned flamenco guitar; his talent takes my breath away.

Daniel ‘Dani’ Márquez Ortega, 30, with his solid rhythm work provides a firm ‘bass’ upon which Tatewari builds the mood.

Maestro Russell told me, “My ‘nietos,’ (grandsons) as I call the three of them, always stood out.

After a while, it was like throwing gasoline on a fire. They are my most rewarding ‘planted seeds.’ I love them and what great men and musicians they have grown into.”

Sonny Davis, a lover of music and a student of rhythm, joined Tatewari adding a new beat playing the cajon or box drum. Sonny’s rhythmic and harmonic explorations have stretched over many styles and genres. A self-labeled tapper, slapper, banger and player of ‘all things drum-able,’ he went on to refine his approach as percussionist and drummer for a variety of worldbeat fusion, rumba, flamenco, African roots, jazz, dance, blues, funk, rock, and marching band ensembles.

They consider themselves ‘a brotherhood of crystallized talent,’ gifted musicians who enjoy a bond and synergy that is evident in their live performances.

Support live music, tell friends… enjoy Tatewari!

Canada Concert Series September 2019 - Sept 5th - Ground Zero Lounge - Sept 6th - Duncan Showroom - Sept 7th - Nanaimo Yacht Club - Sept 8th - Conscious Living Lounge - Sept 10th - The Sanctuary - Sept 13th - Paddlewheel Hall - Sept 14th - Ixtlán

www.tatewarimusic.com

entertainment

20

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Summertime Music and More

Vibes & Vices: Swell Beach Bar AJ Freeman

Christie Seeley

AJ Freeman is an adventurous spirit, serial friend-maker, and general enthusiast. He lives his everyday life hoping to demonstrate the nearly infinite potential for discovery and wonder on this small wet rock orbiting a dim yellow star in the backwoods of the Milky Way

From Oakland, California to Puerto Vallarta…lured by music of guitars and sounds of the sea. vallartasounds.com

cosmiccapt@gmail.com

T

hey say writer’s block is a consistent issue in the creative pursuits--so much so in the scrivener game that the writers that curate language named it after themselves--but I gotta be honest, it’s not really something I struggle with.

Maybe it’s because I follow that trusty advice to “write what you know,” which is pretty much just myself and my worldview, but then again that’s true of anyone to ever string together a sentence...not like one can write someone else’s thoughts.

Anyway, among the many descriptions of whatever it is I do for a living is “charismatic beach bum,” a position that maximizes the strongest branches of my skill tree. Naturally, I need a reliable office in which to conduct such important work, and that’s why more Thursdays than not I find myself in a beachfront lounger down at Swell...in a professional capacity, of course.

The Vibes: I strolled down the sandy stretch of boardwalk south of the pier toward my scheduled meeting with Lady Zen, who I was lucky enough to meet a few articles ago. Our personalities seemed to mesh at a number of key points, and so what started as a chance to meet a talented performer became a chance to experience a truly interesting human being.

This afternoon was the latest of our meetings since, and we couldn’t have picked a better one for it.

The Sun beamed benevolently

vezelay@mac.com

over the Banderas Bay; waves shimmering as they rumbled to shore and playfully chased frolickers from their domain. The sea breeze rode in on the current, gently wafting east to salve the beach in a cooling zephyr.

A wild beach vendor appeared selling bracelets, of which I clearly do not have enough, and I bid him good day with a polite “gracias.”

Swell.

Price of admission to the Pacific Coast Theatre is patronage at the establishment, so after exchanging greetings with my inspired friend, we summoned up a bucket of beer and settled in for serious business.

The Vices: The reason for the meeting that day was ostensibly to flesh out our idea for a short film hatched in a similar session, but in the interest of full disclosure I mostly showed up to catch a buzz and work on my tan (which goes all over, if you’ve ever wondered). The project is a layered commentary on [screenplay pitch redacted] and I’m pretty excited about it. .

Still, the third cap had been popped on my side of the table and try as we might, we couldn’t quite push through the fog of collaborative creation. The company was good, but there wasn’t much in the way of direct productiveness...both our pages remained expectantly blank.

“I’m more of a big picture guy,” I explained to my results-minded colleague, employing the official excuse of every shiftless slacker ever

accused of dragging his feet on the details.

After a while Lady Zen’s lady Aqua made an appearance, taking full advantage of her lunch break over at Ropero de Jovany. She came to share some laughs, but stuck around for a delicious looking watermelon salad which came in a bowl half the size of Sayulita. A second beach vendor came calling, apparently spotting an opportunity to offer oysters dripping with rapidly melting ice. “Gracias, suerte.” came the unanimously cordial dismissal from the group.

By the time Aqua had finished her lunch and headed back inland, the project was the furthest thing from either of our minds...and that, inevitably, is when the creative juices began to flow. “People like us are agents of gratitude,” mused Zen, igniting the required flame as sunset began to hint at its arrival.

At last, a breakthrough.

“There’s so much to appreciate about life, and real creativity is finding ways to celebrate that, even when the positive isn’t immediately obvious,” she continued. Soon afterward, another member of beach staff made his way to the table, this one collecting donations for a local women’s shelter. “We’re actually on vacation, my wife is back at the hotel kinda bummed because I’m out here doing this, but I promised I would and it’s a great cause so here I am.”

I’m not exactly flush with pesos, but I hope to never be so poor that I can’t dig a few coins out of my cargos for a story like that.

“Gracias.”

The Verdict: Swell Beach Bar is a perfect place to enjoy an afternoon of industrious leisure: you come out and they bring the chill, it’s really an excellent system. One of the unique features of this career path is that I’m never sure whether I’m at work or not, but in either case Swell is an ideal place to sit a while and figure it all out. Maybe I’ll catch you there.

Info: Amapas 182, Zona Romántica https://bit.ly/2lXxFiB

Building for a Future with Music

O

n Monday I took a bus ride up to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle to visit with Alfredo and Marichuy Jimenez, owners of Tree House Bar. As many of you who follow them on Facebook already know, their lease ran out last spring, and they had to find a new location for their popular entertainment venue. They were lucky to obtain the undeveloped property next door to their current locale, home, in fact, to the giant Huanacaxtle tree for which the club was named.

Alfredo and Marichuy and an entire community of friends and music fans have been hard at work making an old corral (on Coral Street) into a suitable venue for live music, dancing, and tons of fun when they open in the fall. When will that be? Well, Alfredo was off hanging out with the Rolling Stones and other incredible musicians in Denver, Colorado for a couple of weeks and things got a little behind “when the cat’s away”…so the actual date is slightly up in the air right now, but we are hoping for mid-October. What we do know is that once inaugurated, this place is going to rock! Lucky La Cruz de Huanacaxtle! Alfredo has lined up an exciting group of entertainers, and when the list is public, we will have many delightful surprises.

Alfredo was educated in Marine Biology, but then the music bug bit him. He and his wife Marichuy managed the celebrated Philo’s Club in La Cruz until Philo passed away and they went out on their own creating a restaurant/bar/ music venue in the courtyard of the

Octopus’s Garden where they grew their business and clientele for two full years. Last year was stellar as they attracted music from Puerto Vallarta and other areas to give more variety to the La Cruz audience. Big names like Amy Armstrong and Piel Canela, Tatewari, Media Luna, Lobo and friends, all played to full houses.

The couple is tireless and although they have a beautiful family and spend much quality time together, their days and nights are filled with providing excellent entertainment to the southern Nayarit area.

Following the tradition of Philo, who was a very well-loved resident of La Cruz and generous supporter of music, Alfredo and Marichuy sponsor a retreat to the magical city of San Sebastian del Oeste each year where guests stay in historic hotels around the elegant plaza and enjoy excellent food and live music performed by several of the best bands in the area. This year that event featured the marvelous gypsy rumba band Media Luna followed

by Cheko Ruiz as guests relaxed after dinner around a welcoming bonfire in the gardens of the hotel where the event was held. That celebration will happen again next year on February 29, so mark your calendars for a unique getaway.

Community is vital to the Jimenez family, and they do not miss a chance to lend a hand whenever needed. This year’s response to the flooding in Nayarit was commendable; the couple did not miss a weekend taking supplies to the worst affected until matters had stabilized.

There is nothing like music and good food to bring a community together, and that is what the Tree House Bar aims to do! Stay tuned!

entertainment Live Music Calendar

21

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

This list features bars and restaurants that may have live music and ongoing acts. We do not take responsibility for misinformation. Listings are published free of charge but are subject to space availability.

Email editor@vallartatribune.com to update or add your listings.

VALLARTA

Aloha Bar (Plaza Parabien #16) Thur: Dr. Groove 10 pm BabelBar (Aquiles Serdán 437, Isla del Cuale) Every Sunday in September at 1 pm: Nacho Flores and Carlos Rodriguez

Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse (Lazaro Cardenas 245) Mon: Hoochie Coochie Men 8 - 11 pm Wed: Tequila Rush 8 - 11 pm Thur: 3Tones 8 - 11 pm Fri: Dr. Groove 8 - 11 pm Sat: Soul Trip 8 - 11 pm Murphy’s Irish Pub (484 Morelos, Malecon) Thur: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm Fri: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm Sat: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm

Captain Don’s (Honduras 126) Fri: Tequila Rush 8 - 11 pm Sat: Da Crew 8 - 11 pm Chasers Sports Bar (Avenida Mexico 570A) Fri: Gecko Band 8 - 11 pm El Oasis de Holi (River mouth by La Isla Mall) Sat: Dr. Groove 6 pm Incanto (Insurgentes 109) Thur: Open Mic 7:30 pm Fri: Renteria Bros & Eduardo Leon 7 pm Sat: Benji Gutierrez & Aaron Hernandez 7:30 pm Sat: Derek Carkner 7:15 pm Sun: Joby & Tongo 5 pm Sun: Benji Gutierrez, Piano 7:30 pm Fri, Sat & Sun: Dennis Crow 9:30 pm

Que/Pasa (625 Aquiles Serdan) Tues: The Change at 7-10 pm Sun: Sylvie&The Zippers 7 - 10 pm Roxy Rockhouse (Ignacio L Vallarta 275) Nightly music after 11 pm with the house band Starwings (Avenida Fluvial 223) Wed: Black Mamba 9 pm

NUEVO VALLARTA Eddies (Boulevard Nayarit 70) Weekly - Live music 6:30 - 9:30 pm

BUCERIAS Drunken Duck(Avenida Mexico, Centro | Bucerias) Wed: The Gecko Band 9 pm Sun: The Gecko Band 5pm

LA CRUZ Ana Bananas (Tiburón #42 | La Cruz) Sun: Live Music 7 pm

OSO’s Oyster Bar ( La Cruz Marina) Sat: The Remedy 7 pm Britannia (Coral, La Cruz) Tues: Open mic with The Turn 7pm

SAYULITA & SAN PANCHO Don Pato (Marlin 12, Sayulita) Live music nightly

View these listings and more online at www.vallartatribune.com/eventos/live-music-calendar/

Upcoming Events September 15 and 16 Independence Day Festivities The celebration of the Independence Day Festivities is one of Mexico’s most treasured traditions, and in Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit makes the Grito, or yell, a very special occasion. The festivities begin on the evening of the 15th with the Grito de Independencia, a ceremony that’s replicated in nearly every plaza in nearly every Mexican town, along with fireworks and fairs. The celebration continues on the 16th with a military and sports parade to commemorate another year of Mexico’s Independence.

September 18 Democrats Aboard Monthly Meeting Don’t miss this chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Join the PV chapter of Democrats Abroad on Wednesday, September 18 from 5:00-7:00 pm at La Dolce Vita’s new location at Basilio Badillo 206, in the heart of the Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone.

September 20 Fridays For Future Global Climate Strike 11:30 am - 2:30 pm Organized by students around the world, Fridays for Future is a movement against global warming and climate change that began in when activist Greta Thunberg led a manifestation before the Swedish parliament in 2018. City Hall. Details at facebook.com/ events/404373453623018.

September 20 Joven Ballet HH 6 pm A young Guadalajara-based ballet company travels to Puerto Vallarta to perform classics of the repertoire, along with a few selections that

draw their inspiration from Mexico.

Teatro Vallarta. Details at facebook. com/events/525451278194854.

September 26 – October 04 San Francisco (San Pancho) Patron Saint Days Fairs, dances and jamborees with a special twist are a specialty in the charming village of San Pancho. These festivities honour San Francisco, also known as San Pancho, and are a very Mexican tradition.

September 27 Carlos Rivera in Vallarta 8 pm Mexican pop singer Carlos Rivera will present a concert at the city’s

Convention Center. With a huge following throughout Latin America, Rivera rose to fame by winning the third generation of La Academia, a reality television singing competition produced by TV Azteca, has released four studio albums and participated in six theatre productions. Details at facebook. com/events/1552558258212321.

October 2-3 Mexican Pacific League Baseball Exhibition Baseball fans will be thrilled with the return of the two day event featuring the best teams in the Mexican Pacific League to be held at the Augustin Flores Contreras Stadium in Puerto Vallarta’s downtown. Tickets to go on sale shortly.

September 28 – 29 Riviera Fest 7th annual exhibition of VW cars organized by the ANCVM (National Association of Volkswagen Clubs of Mexico). Music, food, pop-up market and more details found at www.facebook.com/Rivierafest/

November 14-17 American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf For the ninth consecutive year, the ultra luxury residential community of Punta Mita, will host the American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf, one of the most sophisticated culinary and golf events in the country.

The American Express Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf will feature international guests such as Craig “The walrus” Stadler and Lorena Ochoa, two golf legends.

Nayarit treasure and Chef Betty Vázquez and Antonio de Livier, founder and creator of the annual Pacific Cooks, as well 20 other nationally and internationally recognized chefs will create unique meals through the event as well as host cooking classes and more.

September 29 – October 03 11° Vallarta – Nayarit Gastronómica This is a gourmet week where professionals and lovers of gastronomy can come together to enjoy different events in Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit.

There will be workshops, pairings, tastings, dinners and special events for academia, culinary professionals and the most demanding foodies. vallartanayaritgastronomica.com/

22

games

September 5 - 11, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Anglican Church Puerto Vallarta

Iglesia Anglicana Puerto Vallarta

Worldwide Anglican Communion Anglican Church in North America

Puerto Vallarta (322)-308-0022

Read the first edition of the Best of Banderas Bay and Riviera Nayarit guide online www.vallartatribune.com

64

pages of information designed to make your stay in the area the best! From the best beaches to the best activities and more, you can download and view online at www.vallartatribune.com and watch for copies at your favourite Vallar taTribune distribution points.