Vallarta Tribune - Issue 1172 September 19 - 25, 2019

ART

LOCAL VOICE

INSIGHT

Los Colibries, Hummingbirds

Electric Bikes as Ecofriendly Transportation

Imagine A Puerto Vallarta Prayer

Pages 14

Page 18

Page 18 September 19 - 25, 2019 Year 22 Free Issue 1172

FR EE

GU ID E

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

Climate Change Consciousness Edition

MAP OF BANDERAS BAY

PAGE 12-13

VALLARTA SHOPPING PAGES 14-15

ENTERTAINMENT PAGES 20-21

CROSSWORD PAGE 22

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editorial

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Editor’s

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Note

neilg@vallartatribune.com

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s a longtime Puerto Vallarta resident and regular reader of the Vallarta Tribune, I’ve had nearly a decade of looking forward to each issue and especially the columns of some of my favorite local writers. So it’s now with great delight that I accept an invitation to serve as interim editor of this hub of the Vallarta community!

Its weekly supply of concise coverage of important news along with opinions, commentaries, ideas and information from a diversity of local voices serve the essential roles of a true community newspaper. Its stylish layout and eye-catching imagery balance its thoughtful arrangements of content from its much-appreciated advertisers who allow it to remain a FREE resource and cultural companion to Vallarta residents and our visitors.

So in many ways, I’ll do a good job as long as I can just help keep a good thing going!

I’ve already accepted a stack of gracious welcome emails from our team of contributors along with much-appreciated help and guidance of Vallarta Tribune staff.

By Oscar Frey of Ocean Friendly Tours Now I look forward to hearing from our readers and advertisers to continue evolving this paper and its accompanying website and social media to serve and entertain you as best as possible.

A welcome is also in order for a new contributor with his first ever English article running in this week’s edition. Many of you know Ricardo Murrieta from his years as the director of the Biblioteca Los Mangos. He’s since traded shelves of books and magazines for tools and gears and now works in his own bicycle shop in Versalles.

Biking is a great ecofriendly

segue to the theme of this week’s edition of the Tribune: Climate Change Consciousness.

September 20th has been declared for a Global Climate Strike in which citizens of the world will unite in a message to governments and businesses with their concerns over the future of our troubled planet.

In Puerto Vallarta we are so immersed in a world teaming with such natural abundance that climate change can, at least temporarily forgotten as we enjoy strolls along beautiful beaches, watersports out in the Bay of Banderas, hikes in our

verdant forests, and soaks in rivers.

But like any conscious community, we should be ever vigilant of global and local trends that can place these priceless natural treasures and our enjoyment of them at risk.

Even for those among us who prefer manmade recreation to the gifts of nature, nurturing our planet and local ecology remains essential. In Puerto Vallarta, our tourism-based economy depends upon a brand that includes unspoiled natural areas, a cornucopia of fascinating wildlife, and a community who cares to protect it. Our actions today will

determine our success for the years ahead. This all starts with being conscious about the state of our planet, our collective impacts, and what we can each do as individuals to help sustain the natural systems we as an international community rely upon for our very existence.

Never before have we been presented with a greater challenge as a society, but there’s still hope if we can each become the hope that our planet needs to prosper and to sustain us.

Saludos tropicales, Neil Gerlowski Interim-Editor

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

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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

Archive photo

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

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September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

news

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September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Legalization of Cannabis to be Debated Next Week

D

ebate on the legalization of cannabis will begin in the Senate next week, Ricardo Monreal Ávila ,the leader of the Morena party in the upper house of Congress said on Friday.

Senate committees will review proposals to legalize use of the drug and that legislation could be drafted by the third week of October.

13 proposals will be debated

in open sessions says Morena Senator and marijuana advocate Jesusa Rodríguez Martínez.

In February the Supreme Court determined that the criminalization of cannabis is unconstitutional and lawmakers are charged with updating the laws.

While the laws remain in flux, it is important to understand that the use of marijuana remains largely illegal.

International arrivals to the Riviera Nayarit increased by 3.5% Puerto Vallarta named Best Destination 2019

by Apple Vacations

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ost notably the arrivals of tourists both national and international is now spilling over into traditionally ‘slow’ periods, suggesting that tour operators and local businesses should plan for longer ‘seasons’.

The Riviera Nayarit registered an increase of 3.5% in the number of international visitors from January through June 2019 with respect to the same time period in 2018, according to statistics compiled by the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The number of foreign visitors in the first six months of the year reached 417,101 versus 402,977 in 2018. The number of domestic visitors reached 804,838.

The same report states the average hotel occupancy was at 82.36% with an average nightly rate of $4,092.93 MXN for 5.84 nights with 2.44 guests per room.

The data also reveals the total dollars spent was $933,222,618 USD, of which $734,136,464 USD were by international tourists; the percentage was equal to that

of 2018. The economic spillover generated by national tourists was $199,086,154 USD. The statistics suggest a reduction in the seasonality in the region, with a substantial improvement for the sector outside traditional high seasons. In other words, “slow” periods—such as those following Easter, Holy Week, and especially the period immediately following summer vacation—have seen an uptick in recent years.

MORE INFO: The top countries of origin for tourists to the Riviera Nayarit continue to be the United States (53%), Canada (41%).

The top Latin American cities of origin for tourists to the area during the first semester were Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Medellin, Panama, and Sao Paulo, thanks to the increase in connectivity with the Copa Airlines via the Hub of the Americas.

Note: The average currency exchange rate for the first semester: 19.17 MXN.

P

uerto Vallarta was named “Best Destination 2019” along with Riviera Nayarit by Apple Vacations during its annual Crystal Apple Awards event. Apple Vacations is one of the largest vacation companies in the USA. Pioneering all-inclusive vacations and a pivotal partner in expanding tourism in Mexico.

According to Apple Vacations, “Puerto Vallarta has everything for every kind of vacationer, from hiking up the Sierra Madre mountains to parasailing in the Bay of Banderas, taking a stroll on the Malecon to a taco tour. You may remain active on your vacation, with many hotels having exercise programs — including Olympic-size swimming pools — or just relax at the Bay of Banderas, the second-largest bay in North America. There are plenty of ways for you to enjoy your vacation in Puerto Vallarta.”

Puerto Vallarta is promoted as

‘Mexico’s beach destination with a pueblo heart’ with its historic Centro neighbourhood named a Jalisco Heritage site in 2018. The city is rich with 100+ years of history, gastronomy and architecture. It is also a popular destination for outdoor activities, including hiking, bird watching and paddle boarding and a special retreat for wellness seekers.

The annual Best Destination

winner at the Crystal Apple Awards is selected based on the Vacation Satisfaction Questionnaire completed by Apple Vacation customers upon their return home from their vacation.

“We are more than honored to be recognized in such an important industry award ceremony,” said Javier Aranda, Director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board.

Original: eturbonews.com

Jalisco adds 21.9% of the country’s total new jobs Of 36,000 new jobs, 8,000 were in created in Jalisco

J

alisco drove national employment growth in August, creating 21.9% of all new jobs across the country.

Official statistics show that the Mexican economy added 36,631 new jobs last month and 8,019 of those were in Jalisco.

Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez said that last month’s job numbers are 54% higher than the historical average for Jalisco during August.

Statistics from the Mexican

Social Security Institute show that Jalisco ranks third for job creation during the first eight months of the year behind only Mexico City and Nuevo León.

The Jalisco economy added 39,138 formal sector jobs between January and August, maintaining an employment growth average of 2.2%, which is 0.5% higher than the national average.

Federal government officials are predicting economic expansion of 3% in Jalisco in 2019, a figure well above the central bank’s latest outlook for the national economy of growth in the range of 0.2% and 0.7%.

Original: Mexico News Daily

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September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Canadians Voting for Conservation with their Wallets Neil Gerlowski

neilg@vallartatribune.com

Canadian Expats can Now Vote in Federal Elections

T

housands of Canadians living abroad who weren’t allowed to vote in the 2015 federal election will be able to cast ballots next month under new rules, according to an expat organization.

In the past, expats who’d lived more than five years abroad were barred from voting. Last year, the Liberal government passed electoral reform legislation that scrapped the five-year cap, and the Supreme Court of Canada later ruled in favour of removing the provision.

That means that, this fall, anywhere between 1.5 and 1.8 million expats are eligible to vote, according to The Canadian Expat, an advocacy organization that works with expats across the globe and studies their voting habits. The group says that figure is up from about 1 million in 2015.

But only a fraction of those voters – an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 -- are considered likely to cast ballots, according to Allan Nichols, founder and CEO of the organization. Regardless, that would be a significant jump from the estimated 5,000 to 8,000 expats who voted in the last election.

“Can it make a difference?

Conceivably, yes, it could make a difference,” Nichols told CTVNews.ca.

“We’ve seen that the Canadian expat community is a mirror of the Canadian general population,” he said.

Recent polling by Nanos Research shows a tight race between the Liberals and Conservatives for front-runner status. In the last election, 22 ridings were decided by narrow margins of 1.5 per cent or less.

Nichols doesn’t think the influx of potential new voters will decide the election. But he does think they could make a difference, calling the potential for new votes “gigantic.”

“I think every vote counts,” he said.

In the lead-up to the election, The Canadian Expat has been working with business organizations across the globe to inform expats of the new rules and encourage them to register. Nichols said they’ve seen plenty of excitement on social media, particularly among expats working in business.

“They’re responsible for billions of dollars in bi-lateral trade, they’re expected to submit CRA tax

Canadians Voting from Abroad Canadian citizens who live abroad may apply to be on the International Register of Electors, which will allow them to vote by mail-in special ballot.

To be on the International Register of Electors, you must: • be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old on polling day • have lived in Canada at some point in your life You must provide a copy of one of the following pieces of ID with your application: • pages 2 and 3 of your Canadian passport • your Canadian citizenship certificate or card • your birth certificate, showing that you were born in Canada You do not have to provide proof of address.

If you apply to vote online Elections Canada must receive your completed application by Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

Eastern time.

To apply visit https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx

returns. Most have plans to return to Canada,” he said, noting that exchange students and young people are considered less likely to vote.

“These are people who are hyper-influential in promoting Canadian tourism, the economy, Canadian culture. And they have always been engaged and will continue to be so.”

Since January, long-term expats have been allowed to register with Elections Canada.

Their votes will be counted in the riding where they last lived.

Pinpointing the exact number of expats at any time is difficult because Canadian citizens are not required to report their departure, according to Statistics Canada.

The Supreme Court decision in January solidified voting rights for citizens living outside Canada.

Chief Justice Richard Wagner said that the government failed to offer “compelling” justification for the five-year cap.

“The vague and unsubstantiated electoral fairness objective that is purportedly served by denying voting rights to non-resident citizens simply because they have crossed an arbitrary five-year threshold does not withstand scrutiny,” Wagner said.

“There is little to justify the choice of five years as a threshold, or to show how it is tailored to respond to a specific problem.”

The five-year limit was part of the Canada Election Act for decades, but it wasn’t until former Prime Minister Stephen Harper took office that the government began actively enforcing the provision.

International voters are sent a special ballot voting kit once the writ is dropped. Most ballots are mailed in ahead of Election Day. The deadline for expats to submit applications to Elections Canada is Oct. 15. Mailed ballots must reach Elections Canada in Ottawa by Election Day on Oct. 21.

Original: https://election. ctvnews.ca

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he idea of “voting with your wallet” means that every purchase you make can be done with intention, and that collectively, we as consumers wield incredible power over what is produced and how it is produced. By skipping out on carne asada one or hamburgers one day to try a vegetarian dish instead, you have little effect on world markets. But if millions of people cut down on beef consumption, we could actually reduce the amount of forests cleared each year for grazing. That’s one way to vote with your wallet.

This summer, 2,000 acres of pristine forest in British Columbia along a fjord called “the Yosemite of the North” was put up for sale. It could easily have been purchased for lumber harvesting or development, but instead, concerned Canadians rallied to fundraise for it to be conserved by the British Columbia Parks Foundation. A fifth grade class helped lead the charge to inspire their Vancouver community by dedicating their summer fair to raise money for this natural area they had only seen in photos. In just three months from the start of the campaign, a total of 3 million Canadian dollars was raised and this beautiful natural space

Photo by Ana Nuño

is now protected forever. In this very specific election over the fate of a natural area, wallets were generously opened for a landslide victory!

Here in western Jalisco there is precious little land designated for long term preservation. Many proposals have been submitted to government authorities to change this situation, chief among them locally that of the University of Guadalajara’s Dr. Jorge Téllez Lopéz to protect over 100,000 hectares of mountain forest in and around Puerto Vallarta. While this proposal has been shared, discussed, and refined countless times over the past 20 years, the land and wildlife that it proposes to protect has diminished and what remains is now more vulnerable than ever. But perhaps voting with our wallets could be a solution for this challenge and other local conservation goals. If a community in BC can raise 3 million in three months, imagine what a focused community of Mexicans, Canadians, and Americans can do in a year or two. All we need to do is appreciate the value of the natural world surrounding us presently enough to act now to secure its future. Our wallets can be one tool to accomplish our conservation ambitions in a vote for our planet and local ecology.

local voices

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September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Life in la Cruz

Cindy Bouchard

cindy@VillaAmordelMar.com

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!

Dr. Erik Taking Care of Others, All Across the Bay

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y sentiment through the summer months is somewhat schizophrenic… thrilled to be ‘back home’ with family and friends, yet missing folks and services in La Cruz. After a very busy summer I’m – my body is – missing Dr. Erik Fulfer; he’ll be one of the first folks I visit upon my return. I’m a ‘lifer’ chiropractic believer and Dr. Erik is one of the best I’ve been treated by.

Not only does he know his stuff, he cares so much.

Erik and his family moved to Vallarta January 20, 2010. After the housing/economy collapse of 2008 they, as a family, decided to take their chances on Mexico making many trips to coastal towns. The Bay of Banderas checked off all the boxes. Two years later, Michelle, my wife of 19 years and our daughter Sofia loaded up a trailer and our 4Runner and headed south. We’re pleased to have family here as well; my brother and sister-in-law with their two children. My mother and father-in-law spend about half the year, too.

Erik told me that “Living in Banderas Bay has enabled us to

be more active, much more social, eat healthier and grow our business organically. Practicing Chiropractic in Mexico has been an absolute blast!”

Erik has two practices, “Initially, I only had one practice in Puerto Vallarta in 2010. I worked three and a half days per week and my clientele was growing. I met Dr. Dennis, in Bucerias at the Mega Mall, who got me through an episode of intense low back pain and we decided to take care of each other. A friendship was created and when he and his wife decided to head back to the States, Dennis called me to, “run something by me.”

It was at that point, almost five years ago, that I took over his practice ‘American Chiropractic’ to continue to deliver quality chiropractic care to friends and families of Nayarit. I divide my time equally between both offices. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Mega mall and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

in Vallarta. Both practices focus on the biomechanics of the spine and its relation to the Central Nervous System. By improving the structure, we can reduce the stress on the nervous system, which leads to optimum function, reduces pain and discomfort and allows for an overall healthier lifestyle.”

Dr. Erik is a self-described people person enjoying making a difference in peoples lives; “Nothing beats high-fives and hugs all day. Both offices are super fun environments.

After nearly twenty years in practice I’ve seen it all as it relates to chiropractic care, from the miracles, the patch and fixes to the long-term maintenance patients. I find them all to be extremely rewarding.”

His patients are overwhelmingly ex-pats from Canada and the U.S. with some visiting for three to six months per year and others living here year-round. Erik also serves a significant number of Mexican nationals.

He is inspired by, “Taking care of people who have reached the later years and still have it going on; super fit, eager to travel and learn new things, staying active and social. I’ve noticed that the thought of growing old and sedentary never enters their minds, attacking life with a zest and exuberance that’s infectious!”

Erik loves being on the water; “Paddle boarding, surfing, sailing, fishing or cruising… I enjoy them all.” He cooks at home but has no particular favorite recipe. “My Mother-in-Law and I usually tackle Thanksgiving and cook with a theme or ingredient in mind; bacon, maple, chipotle, etc. and include them into all the dishes somehow.”

The area’s changes are ‘for the better’ Erik agrees, “I remember the first few years when the season would come to an end and I would basically not work for an extended period of time. I’m noticing the increase in population and the lack of a true slow season has improved the lives of so many.

Sure, the traffic can get a little overwhelming at times but it’s a small price to pay to be able to live and work in paradise!”

As always I asked, “What one thing do you think people 'about town' don't know about you?” and I learned something new! “Most don’t know that I served four years in the

U.S. Army as a Paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 508th Airborne Battalion in Panama.

I also attended culinary school prior to enlisting in the Army.”

The good Doctor’s favourite quote: "The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." ~ Thomas Edison Erik’s most proud of, “Being a husband, father, chiropractor and a veteran are my greatest achievements.

Contact Dr. Erik at either of his offices or at bahiachiro@gmail.com.

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We Sue Brokerage Firms to Recover Losses Free Consultation*Contingent Fee

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RHR@dmrslaw.com www.RexSecuritiesLaw.com

local voices

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Welcome Home

Sheryl Novak

Pam Thompson

sa.novak@solutionsmexico.com

pamela@healthcareresourcespv.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.

To spray or not to spray? It’s no longer a question!

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othing takes a beating in your home in Mexico like your upholstered furniture.

Every piece must withstand harsh environmental conditions such as extreme humidity, hungry bugs, and direct sunlight. Everyday use also takes its toll more so than back home. Sun creams, lotions, and bug sprays easily rub off, causing stains. If you enjoy entertaining, there are sure to be some spills regardless if your guests are adults or grandchildren.

Upholstered furniture has three components that must be protected. Most people focus on the making sure the cover looks good and wears well. To protect your upholstered goods, it is important to look for ways to also safeguard its wood frame and foam cushioning.

Up until the 21st century, the main solutions to protect your sofa, sectional or occasional chair

were either to use a slipcover or to coat the piece with an after-sale protective spray purchased at the grocery store. Most may recall Scotchgard. Although still available on supermarket shelves, it is no longer the best solution.

Did you know that spray-coating upholstered furniture with an over-the-counter solution is not a one-time process? If you are like me, I wiped the surface after a spill and mistakenly thought the sofa was still protected. What I sadly found out is that if you drop something in that spot in the future, the protection is gone and the stain remains.

A store-bought after-sales spray may protect the cover from staining but it will not necessarily keep liquid from soaking through to the cushion. If the liquid has an odor, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to remove the smell.

Worse, wet foam that does not dry out is prone to mildew and mold.

From an aesthetics perspective, after-sales sprays often add a sheen to fabric covers. This can significantly alter the look and feel of the major décor pieces in your

Pamela Thompson operates HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, a multi-faceted, independent, resource network that addresses all things related to your health and well-being. They offer assistance to help find a physician, hospital and diagnostic service for any healthcare needs.

Healthcare Resources

T Mexico home.

The worst downside of using a store-bought after-sales spray is that no matter how hard we may try, the coating will never be applied consistently. There is no way to tell when you have missed a spot until you see the fading or discoloration after a couple of years. By that time, it is too late to reverse the look of the lighter colored arm or seat cushion.

The far superior solution is performance fabric. Performance fabric is water and stain resistant.

Liquid will bead on the surface of this fabric. It never soaks in; it never stains; it never smells. In

addition to the cover looking new for years, the cushion and frame will also be better protected. There is no change to the matte or sheen of your sofa since the material is pre-treated before your upholstered furniture is produced. And, because the treatment is done in a controlled manufacturing environment with precision machinery, the coverage is complete and consistent.

Sofas, sectionals, sofa beds, recliners and ottomans made with performance fabric are now available in Mexico. For more information including which stores offer them, email me at sa.novak@ solutionsmexico.com.

here is no doubt that we have excellent medical care and services here in Puerto Vallarta. Board-certified physicians who travel the world to attend ‘congressos’ to stay up to date on current medical trends in their specialties. From rheumatology to plastic surgery, we have the specialists!

In addition to this, the medical equipment for diagnostic studies continues to expand and grow.

There are two new brand new items!

MRI: (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

DiagnostiK (on Francisco Villa) now boasts a 1.5 MR General Electric SIGNA machine. This is with top-quality resolution, performs a faster study and broad spectrum of body parts, including full body MRI. This is a 1.5 Tesla machine.

It is a ‘donut’ style machine. Not open but not really closed either.

Last week I was with one of our radiologists who was comparing a study of a patient who had an MRI of the brain last year and another follow up last week. Even with my completely untrained eye, I could see a huge difference in the quality of the images!

Magnetic resonance imaging is a medical imaging technique used to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body.

MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body. If you would like to take a look at the machine, just let me know! And of course, if you need an MRI scheduled as advised by your physician, of course I am happy to set that up.

local voices

09

Medical Matters

The other new ‘equipment’ is an update and huge modernization of the cath lab at Hospital San Javier Marina.

A cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a “cardiac cath lab,” is a special hospital room where doctors perform minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. Sometimes the studies are only diagnostic and other times the physician finds severe blockage in an artery, or more than one artery, in which case stents are placed. As well, in the cath lab, pacemakers are placed.

A cath lab is a place where you want QUALITY over CHEAPER PRICE. In a cath procedure, there is always a cardiac interventionalist along with the cardiologist.

Once again, if you would like to take a look at the cath lab, just let me know and we can show off the new equipment!

September is beginning to wind down and the amount of people returning for the winter will begin to increase each day. I can tell by the amount of emails I am now receiving from those planning to return with questions covering everything from traveler’s insurance to the scheduling of appointments. Yes, believe it or not, I am scheduling appointments all the way into December already! Go figure!

For those returning here soon, as always, please do your homework. Make sure you have insurance coverage. Make sure you bring a sufficient amount of your medications and see if we have them available here.

Hopefully by the time you read this, our October newsletter and special Breast Cancer Awareness calendar of events will be out. If you would like a copy, just send an email. We have so many events planned for October.

Pink Cocktail, Pink Brunch, Pink Bingo and more!

As always, any questions, just shoot me an email!

Here’s to a snappy week!

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Paradise and Parenting Leza Warkentin

mommyinmexico.wordpress.com

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

Weird Mom

P

arents of teens, here’s a fun fact: if you plan enjoyable activities for your family that don’t involve a PS 4 or at least an iPhone, you will be unpopular. If you don’t plan any enjoyable activities at all, you will be unpopular.

If you acknowledge them in the morning, you will be unpopular. If you acknowledge them in public with any form of physical affection, you will be unpopular. If you sit beside them in the living room and breathe, you will be unpopular.

Allow me to use a bit of shorthand here, because my hands are cramping from the typing: if you are the parent of a teen, you will be unpopular.

I hate to tell you this, because maybe you have school age children who think you’re great sometimes, and they are aware that you know a couple of things.

They listen to your stories, and they love your mom or dad jokes like: “Did you know the first french fries weren’t actually cooked in France? They were cooked in Greece.”

These of the pre-tween set might think you’re mean or boring at times (and that’s fair, let’s be

honest), but at least they don’t think you’re unintelligent and out of touch. But what I’m trying to say here is this: Just. Wait.

The other day I was trying to explain to a colleague that I was trying to watch Japanese cartoons called anime because my kids are into it, so I wanted to at least make an attempt to see what it was all about. She said “Oh yeah, I get that. You want to be a cool mom.”

Let’s get something straight here: I have never aspired to be a Cool Mom. It’s not because I’m too cool to be a Cool Mom (Cool Moms aren’t cool, because if you have to try, you’ve already failed). I don’t aspire to be a Cool Mom because I haven’t ever been a Cool Anything.

I was one of those teenagers who didn’t catch on to acid wash until it was already declining in popularity.

At that point I bought the jeans AND the super-long denim jacket and wore them until they nearly fell off my very uncool body. I was fortunate in that my closest friends were cool, and thus I could be cool by association.

And hey. I’m in my forties and my children are teenagers, so being cool would have to be my full time job. I already have one of those PLUS two teenagers, so

I’m just not going to do it. What I HAVE decided to do is to be the Weird Mom. Because, let’s face it, I already pretty much had that gig down pat my entire life (see above re: my acid wash phase).

Being a weird mom has benefits. I am not expected to Get It, because a Weird Mom is too busy sending llama-a-day memes to her fourteen-year-old son who has never mentioned llamas a day in his life. She’s responding to the anime obsession with Japanese recipes.

She’s introducing Stephen King books to her teens not because he’s still cool, but because SHE needs someone to talk to about his new novel. She’s watching anime because her kids like it, and she likes her kids, and she wants to breathe in the TV room without irritating the thirteen-year-old.

When you’re a weird mom, your kids put up with you because it’s kind of cool to have the oddest quirks that are not widely accepted in society.

So you can be cool by default, or you can just sit back and be your weird self. Either way you win, and either way your kids will roll their eyes at you and close their bedroom doors when you ask them to watch “Young Sheldon” episodes with you (season two is out on Netflix).

So I’m not worried about my temporary, unpopular status in my house. I’m a weird mom, and I’m ok with it.

I’m married to a weird dad, and we have two kids who are probably going to be weird parents to their own kids someday. I hope their kids roll their eyes and let them watch whatever indecipherable show is currently their favorite.

local voices

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September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Starting over in Vallarta

Jennifer Mann

jenniferwriter@gmail.com

Jennifer Mann is a long-time business writer who has covered everything from the maker of Twinkies to Hallmark Cards who now makes her home in Puerto Vallarta.

Goldie and the Gang

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he showed up at the garden gate and started howling.

It was an early afternoon in late July, and soon my downstairs neighbor called up, asking, “Hey, Jennifer – do you know anything about this dog...”

Indeed, moments before when the howling had ensued I’d gone out on my veranda, as I always do when unknown sounds erupt here on the edge of the jungle, to check it out.

She was cute as a button.

Shiny, gold, young, big pink tongue. She sat right at the gate, put her cute, round, black-rubber nose in the air, and hoooooowled.

It was kind of hilarious. Right away, she made you smile.

After letting her into the entrada — and away from my friend’s four dogs — we huddled over the situation and came up

with a plan. We were just sure she was lost and someone was very, very upset and looking for their precious puppy.

I snapped a couple of photos, and composed and printed out copies of “found” posters to put up around the neighborhood. My friend then drove them down the road to alert the neighbors we had a lost dog!

Nightfall came and nobody came looking.

Since my friend already had her four dogs downstairs, I volunteered to let the howler stay upstairs with me until her owners came to claim her, surely in the morning. They must have been sick with worry...

Of course, everyone knows how this turns out. She’d been dumped, likely not long after weaning a litter of pups. Her “owners” probably picked a road, headed up to the hills, until there was no more road — only the compound where we live. Even

so, there were other homes in the hood she could have howled at.

But dogs are smart. They know where to go. Take the four dogs who were already living their best lives up here on the hill.

Baby, a Dobie runt rescued by my friend from the jungle upriver on the Pitillal. Andrew, a German shepherd-ish guy named after Andy Rooney’s eyebrows. Missy, the quintessential “Mexican” dog – yellow, short-haired, and block-headed with prehistoric paws. And finally, Woolly, a 20-pounder who looks like a tumbleweed of steel wool.

All but Baby, literally scooped up from the jungle floor, had each made their own way up here to end of the road, somehow sensing they’d find heaven on Earth. And they did.

On the second day of her stay, we had to give her a name. Her coat, smile and personality glow.

The newly-dubbed Goldie, likely of lab and retriever lines, became

her name and it personifies her.

I mentioned an amiga in the colonia who might give Goldie a home, but not surprisingly, my friend had fallen in love yet again.

Goldie wasn’t going anywhere but downstairs.

Meanwhile, Missy, the grizzled old-girl Mexican pup was failing and fast. One week she was fine

and then she wasn’t. She rapidly lost weight. We fed her chunks of pork, steak and grizzle to make her last days delicious.

In early August, before I went north for my mom’s 90th birthday, we transitioned Goldie to her new downstairs haven. And while I was gone, my friend, engaging mercy, had Missy put down.

So Goldie, now spayed (yea!), slipped right into her new life, albeit last in line in the pecking order of pups, even behind little Woolly, who in her head and heart, is an 80-lb. pit bull.

I love Mexico. I love Puerto Vallarta. And I love the people of PV, and I understand why having an un-spayed, litter-bearing pup may have been too much. So let’s all celebrate how lucky it is that the darling Goldie ended up here, on the hill.

And, she doesn’t howl anymore!

Casa Lalo Three bed, 2.5 bath, 1,506 sq. ft. $119,000 USD

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ovely, newly remodeled single-family home at an outstanding value!

First floor offers spacious living-dining room opening to a private patio-garden. Brand-new kitchen, featuring granite countertops and durable cabinetry. Half bath on the first level is perfect for entertaining.

Mountain breezes sweep through the second-level den and adjoining balcony. Access to two additional bedrooms, and shared full bathroom give the home a perfect layout for families or guests. Tranquil master suite is located at the back of the home overlooking the back patio, offering seclusion from neighbors. Private bathroom off the master and space to add a walk-in closet, if desired. Off-street parking and large laundry-room/ storage area make this an easy ‘’lock and leave’’ home for short or longterm residents.

Contact information: BOARDWALK REALTY OF: 322 224 0014/ 322 223 0001 christina@boardwalkrealtypv.com https://bit.ly/2m0ckos

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

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Christ Church by the Sea

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

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PLAYA LA MANZANILLA

www.christchurchbythesea.org mypvchurch@gmail.com

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W PUNTA MITA Agustin Flores Contreras Municipal Stadium

GRAND PALLADIUM VALLARTA HOTEL LA QUINTA DEL SOL

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MESON DE MITA PUNTA MITA FOUR SEASONS

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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

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HOTEL ZONE HOTEL ZONE

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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

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EL NOGALITO EL NOGALITO

CONCHAS CHINAS

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5 DE DICIEMBRE

VERSALLES

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PUERTO VALLARTA PUERTO VALLARTAGRINGO GULTCH 5 DE DECIMBRE

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STATE OF JALISCO STATE OF JALISCO

BUENAS ARIES BUENAS ARIES

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

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LAS ANIMAS LAS ANIMAS

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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

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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

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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

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‘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

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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

BANDERAS BAY SHOPPING AND SERVICES Famous Mosaics For the Love of Public Art

By Emily Murray

www.tileparkpv.com

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.

Los Colibries, Hummingbirds

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s you might already be aware, the Tile Park has two hummingbird pieces: one using light colors, the other dark. These two offerings are meant to pay homage to the duality in all of us… the light and the dark… just like the two vortexes <https:// www.tileparkpv.com/blog/

our-venerable-vortexes>.

Much of the Park’s underlying design plays on this light/dark/yin/yang dynamic. Here, in a place that is accepting of all people, there is space for and acknowledgement of both energies.

You know that old saying about not being able to appreciate the light without the dark? This rings true for us. So we make space for both in the park, giving

a nod to both, whenever possible.

Hummingbird Symbolism Light, quick and graceful, who doesn’t love hummingbirds? A symbol of courage, determination, flexibility and adaptability, their appearance is always a welcome one! They feel like little buddies, somehow.

Hummingbirds also symbolize love... the charming, flirty, come hither kind of love. Their magical wings flit ever so gently, inviting you to follow wherever they lead.

Keeping hummingbird images, figurines, or even the real thing around you in your everyday life, will invite more of that playful kind of love into your sphere. And since we happen to have two of them, Romeo, you could probably just hang out in the park a lot and be all set. Yawelcome.

Some hummingbird

species migrate each year across thousands of miles of open ocean. Some reach as far north as Alaska before their annual pilgrimage is complete. During the whole flight they don’t ever stop, they just learn to slow down. So, where spirit animals are concerned, hummingbirds are noted for their endurance.

Interestingly when they make these annual migrations, they return to the exact same place year after year (sound familiar, snowbirds?) so in this way they also symbolize respect for the beloved places we call our own. Loyalty. Our home(s).

Native American folklore attributes similar meanings to the hummingbird. Joy, speed, and endurance are the qualities their symbolism plays on the most. They also believe that spirits of loved ones who have passed on are carried by hummingbirds.

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.

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

Here in Vallarta we have an abundance of hummingbirds, and we’ve had to say farewell to a lot of friends too. What a sweet reminder for us - that light and dark making an appearance once again enriching our lives. Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.

The hummingbird’s main symbolic power revolves around movement. They migrate long distances.

Their impossibly fast wings spark curiosity. They visit the same places over and over, developing a unique

Murphys Puerto Vallarta

loyalty for those spots. They can fly backward, and stop on a dime.

Yes, they are masters of movement, of the purposeful direction of their energy.

Their maneuverability knows no bounds, and is matched only by their endurance.

Our spirit animal, the hummingbird. May they bring you joy, peace and strength.

Be sure to check them out next time you visit the Tile Park! You can usually find them along the west end.

www.vallartatribune.com

www.vallartatribune.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

local voices

16

On The Water

Capt. Gregory Pilkington greg@fishtfc.com

With Capt. Greg Pilkington onboard TOPLESS II out of Marina Riviera Nayarit www.fishtfc.com +1(435) 901-4564

It’s an angler’s El Dorado

C

alm seas, good weather, no crowds, great bargains AND an ocean full of big fish. What more could you ask for?

Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, and Sailfish are getting bigger and more plentiful each week. There are Yellowfin Tuna and Rainbow Runners still hanging around at Roca Corbatena. And, Dorado can be found under anything floating.

Inshore, along the beaches and rocks, you will find Roosterfish, Toro and Cubera Snapper.

Fishing success is a matter of place and time. And, there is no better place than the waters off of the Bay of Banderas and no better time than now.

BEST BET (9-12 hour day) It’s big marlin season.

However, they are a bit spread out from El Banco to Corbatena. So, I

would run out towards El Banco and work my way over to Roca Corbatena. (Of course, stop if you see signs of fish on the run out.)

If your crew knows how to bait and switch a billfish from a hookless teaser to a pitched dead bait you will increase your odds of not only seeing a strike of a lifetime but also catching and releasing your fish.

I’d recommend having at least two rods of different weight classes ready with pitch baits on circle hooks so that you can match the gear to the size of the fish you raise. The marlin are mostly big, averaging over 500 pounds, but there is always a chance of a really big girl over a 1000 pounds (called a Grander) showing up, so having a heavy tackle setup is required.

This style of fishing will also pay dividends if you happen to

mark some Yellowfin Tuna down deep, as you can more easily stop the boat and drop some weighted speed jigs down to them.

BEST BET (7-8 hour day) They say variety is the spice of life. So this week, I’d head northwest off of Punta Mita a few miles in search of Blue Marlin, Sailfish and Dorado.

Find where the water changes color from green to blue and you should find the fish. Find weed lines or floating debris and your chances of success will go up exponentially.

Trolling dead baits like mullet and large ballyhoo should do the trick. If you find floating debris and don’t get a strike slow troll some live goggle-eyes around the area.

BEST BET (4-6 hour day) There are Toro, Bonito, and Skip Jacks chasing bait in the bay and all of these fish fight great for their size.

Combine your trip with some sightseeing such as a trip to the waterfall at Yelapa and I promise you will have the best day of your holiday.

Conservation Corner Because we just celebrated a holiday, there is likely to be more trash on beaches and out on the water. Please pick up any plastic you come across while out on the water. Use a gaff as it will be more fun and improve your gaffing skills.

Topless Tip Our seas are usually comparatively calm to other locations. In addition, we also have an abundance of marine life with turtles, dolphins, whales, and seals present at various times. These characteristics present the ideal opportunity for inexperienced anglers and boaters to get out and enjoy their best day ever out on the water.

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Poof! Civil Confiscations in Mexico Orlando Gotay, Tax Attorney tax@orlandogotay.com

Orlando Gotay is a California licensed tax attorney (with a Master of Laws in Taxation) admitted to practice before the IRS, the U.S. Tax Court and other taxing agencies.

Pop! Goes the Tax Weasel

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ate on a recent Sunday night my “teletype” sprang to life, alerting me to important news on the Mexican tax front.

And there sure was. The López Obrador administration issued its budget document for the following fiscal year. Much like in the U.S., this voluminous proposal has to be approved by the National Congress.

But unlike up north, this budget contains a number of very specific tax measures, all designed to increase federal revenue, without enacting any new tax. How does one do that? Simply by finding gaps in existing tax collection schemes and plugging them.

The digital, shared economy is a major object of the tax reform package.

It does this by, among others, imposing a VAT (value-added tax) collection obligation on out of Mexico digital service providers that serve the Mexico market…think of all those media streams into the country.

The Mexican government has also set its gaze on the many apps that many of us know so well: Uber, AirBnB, Rappi and so many others. If the tax bills are approved, VAT tax withholding obligations will be imposed on the platform operators. It makes sense from the tax administrator’s viewpoint. So all those app users will come in one way or another into the taxman’s radar screen.

Another area of interest: property rentals. The budget document states that a large percentage of

rentals go unreported as income.

So the proposal says: if you are a landlord and you have to sue for rents, you have better had issued facturas (fiscal receipts) for the sought rent. Otherwise, the court where you sue will be required to tell the SAT tax service. Fair enough, landlords were required all along to report the rent, but I know many landlords that don’t issue facturas, mostly because their tenants either don’t know or don’t care to ask for a factura. Still, that’s the proposed requirement. It will be interesting to see how that proposal fares in the Mexican Congress.

Reading tea leaves here: The authorities are finding money that was “left on the table” because technology advances allowed for the creation (and now, identification and collection of tax) from that revenue. Not discussed here, but Mexico is also focusing on foreign participation in the national economy and is figuring ways to capture part of that benefit, even if the entities or persons themselves are not in Mexican territory.

If things continue to trend in this direction, and consistent with the “no new taxes” mantra of the López Obrador administration, it would not be far-fetched to see increased efforts in policing the economic activities of non-local nationals within Mexico. That may not be the best low hanging fruit (withholding VAT from the Uber Eats or AirBnB provider is so much easier) but it is clearly within on the horizon.

Municipalities are also taking notice, imposing fees and taxes on AirBnB rentals and enforcing their rules. More to come, I’m sure!

local voices

17

The Healing Power of Plants

Ricardo Mazcal

mazcalteotl@gmail.com

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

High Blood Pressure, “The Silent Killer”

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atural herbal solutions for high blood pressure provide alternatives to drugs like statins and treatments such as open-heart surgery, balloon angioplasty, or stents to clear deadly plaque from your arteries.

The healing power of plants has been managing blood pressure for well over 6,000 years. Big pharmaceutical companies have developed many drugs to try to cure high blood pressure. Drug groups such as diuretics, calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors provide a business netting pharmaceuticals billions of dollars annually.

There are more than 74 million patients in North America taking high blood pressure medication.

If you grew up eating a poor diet, by the time you reached 30, your arteries have begun to clog with calcium plaque as the walls of your arteries narrow. This means blood has a harder time getting through and high blood pressure results. As you age, the situation gets worse; after 65, nitric oxide levels decline to the point that blood flow becomes harder or stops, leading to a stroke or death.

When a person goes for a routine checkup, and the doctor detects high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure, he says, “Your blood pressure is high,” and the drug prescriptions begin. Often the patient becomes medicated for life, without ever being asked about diet, exercise or lifestyle changes, much less being offered

natural alternatives.

According to The National Institute of Health (NIH), the most commonly prescribed blood pressure drugs DON’T WORK for 53% of folks who take them!

Since there are hundreds of pharmaceutical choices to reduce high blood pressure, the patient becomes a guinea pig jumping from one drug to another, hoping one eventually works. In the meantime, the patient’s blood circulation diminishes, and they suffer from headaches, dizziness, hacking coughs, low energy, leg cramps, skin rashes, constipation, and more.

With years of using plants and herbs, our ancestors found ways of controlling calcium plaque and putting calcium back where it belongs - in the bones. Herbal tinctures exist to make blood vessels soft and flexible while encouraging healthy blood flow and eliminating inflammation in the arteries.

Mother Nature is wise and offers solutions to get rid of high blood pressure. Here are some options: Green tea tincture. Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine have relied on the inflammation-fighting power of green tea to treat patients for numerous health problems for millennia. What makes green tea so potent? Scientists discovered

that it contains polyphenols called catechins. Research confirms that regular use of green tea can reduce inflammation and normalize blood pressure.

Red wine contains a high concentration of an antioxidant called resveratrol which protects arteries, cardiovascular health, and blood pressure.

Blueberry skins contain a powerful antioxidant and can reduce inflammation in arteries, soften hardened arteries, and help keep them flexible.

Declining Nitric Oxide can be remedied with the consumption of watermelon and Chinese melon.

Grapeseed Extract: Nutrients found in grapeseed extract include polyphenols, phytonutrients, and antioxidants to nurture and rejuvenate your arteries.

Optimum levels of calcium in your bones make you feel strong, but if calcium builds up in your arteries, you are in serious trouble.

Our body contains a remarkable transport service, moving calcium to proper areas and removing it from bad ones. The answer is Vitamin K, the blood-clotting nutrient found in green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin K2 or menaquinone controls calcium utilization in your body, promoting healthy blood flow.

Tiff seeds control and balance cholesterol.

Moringa (Moringa oilifera) works as an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory for a healthy circulatory system.

Neem aids compromised immune systems by controlling high blood pressure and regenerating cells. Neem helps heart conditions, retards coagulation in the blood, fights arrhythmia, and regulates arterial tension.

Turmeric contains bioactive compounds with medicinal properties called curcuminoids, or curcumin (Curcuma longa). It has anti-inflammatory effects and is a potent antioxidant. Curcumin is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of many anti-inflammatory pharma drugs.

Curcumin targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway at the molecular level.

Before you commit to the treatment of heart disease, think about natural solutions for clearing deadly plaque from your arteries without dangerous open-heart procedures, surgeries, expensive angioplasties, dangerous stents, or side-effect-ridden drugs.

Go natural with healing plants, herbs, and spices— washed down with your favorite red wine!

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Curator’s Clippings Horticultural Tips Robert Price

www.vbgardens.org

Robert Price, Founder and Curator of the Vallarta Botanical Garden

Preparing for a Floral Harvest This Fall

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fter yelling out a “Grito de Dolores” in celebration of Mexico’s Independence, those with an eye toward a horticultural calendar should consider getting some marigolds and zinnias in the ground (or containers) in preparation for a seasonal splash of color this fall. The Mexican marigold, tagetes erecta, native to Puebla and neighboring states, is perhaps best associated with Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations by many indigenous cultures, perhaps most notably the Aztecs. For this reason, Aztec marigold is another common name for this species.

The stereotypical Mexican marigolds that thrive in Puebla, and closer to us, the highlands of Michoacán, are not suited to the hot humid summers of Puerto Vallarta and shouldn’t go in the ground locally until after the Day of the Dead. The variety better suited to do well locally at this time of the year are known as cempasúchiles enanos (dwarf marigolds). These have less of an inclination to become “leggy” but the plants should still have their tops pinched off once they become established.

This will encourage them to grow bushier and help induce blooming.

Zinnias are another excellent native Mexican wildflower to plant now for the fall season.

They have even greater variety of color than marigolds and they’re excellent butterfly attractants. At

the beginning of the rainy season few butterflies can be found in their adult stage, but they’re emerging now in full force and will remain at their peak abundance until about November. So your zinnias will provide you not only with color for your home landscape, but with a source of delight to enjoy the interactions with our favorite pollinators.

The Vallarta Botanical Garden has a supply of wildflower seeds for sale as do Home Depot, Walmart, and many local grocery stores.

Online suppliers are also offering products on Amazon Mexico and Mercado Libre.

Those with the option to travel this coming month might consider a road trip through the highways and byways of Puebla. By mid to late October the countryside becomes dominated by vast fields of vigorously growing marigolds in preparation for harvest just before the day of the dead. This bright brassy sheen of blossoms gives way to backgrounds of towering volcanoes, including ever-active Popocatépetl, often blanketed in snow by that time of year. While in Puebla some off the beaten path treasures can be found in the town of Cholula including an intimate and inspiring ethno botanical garden and a pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, which, when measured by volume, is larger than any of the pyramids of Egypt.

Mexico has no shortage of surprises for those with a heart for adventure, but its greatest treasures are its incredible natural assets. Long may we steward them for future generations.

local voices

18

Insight

Martin Rosenberg, PhD

martysanmiguel@gmail.com

Marty journeyed from Anthropology Lecturer at the Museum of Natural History, N.Y.C., President of Illinois’ CPA Society, CEO Tomorrows Software, film producer, and author of three books and many articles. As Director of Posters International Gallery in Puerto Vallarta he is surrounded daily by creativity and European history. www.rosenbergcollection.com

Imagine: A Puerto Vallarta Prayer

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n our cooler early morning walks along Vallarta’s Malecon we take joy in visions of fisherman on shore, boats heading to Yelapa, dodge an occasional cyclist and smile at dog walkers greeting canine loving friends.

Blessed are we who begin each day in paradise. We are as buoyed as the ocean markers rising and settling with each wave.

John Lennon gifted the world peace and hope when he wrote

“Imagine” one morning in his bedroom in 1971. Yoko Ono was added to the writing credits forty-five years later. Before his death in 1980 Lennon said that a lot of the lyric and concept originated with Yoko.

Imagine is one of this century’s most performed songs. I believe that our words, thoughts and dreams influence our future.

While the law of attraction has many followers intellectually, our power lies in deeply believing that the universe will provide us what we are clear about. Our conscious feelings become ‘manifest’. Meaning

they are true and we are open to receiving what we wish for. El amor todo lo puede…Love will find a way.

Writing costs virtually nothing.

Investing a few minutes in taking action to note our wishes and feelings on paper can return wonderful dividends. The words are mirroring back to us. Validating our thoughts and releasing us from them. If recent research is valid we yawn to release our over-heated brain. Yawning is involuntary but writing is exercising our “free will” to control our mind. After that walk and coffee, share your prayers.

I imagine that: Wars will cease to be fought as they only result in a winner and a loser.

Religions will respect each other’s universal message of love and compassion for all living things.

Every day one percent of the world’s 7.6 billion people will reach out to help another person or family.

Every child has access to food, shelter, clothing and loving care.

Governments exist only to serve the needs of their citizens.

Fear becomes an ancient feeling that no longer exists in our consciousness.

My northern residing visitors to Vallarta are filled with questions about life in Mexico. I offer them a suggestion to just enjoy each experience. A longtime Vallarta national offered me this advice…

No hay que a hogarse en un vaso de agua…Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.

Thank you John and Yoko. “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us and the world will be as one”.

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Biking Around Vallarta Ricardo Murrieta

ricardomurrieta@gmail.com

Ricardo Murrieta is the owner of Aequilibrium Bikes + in Puerto Vallarta’s Versalles neighborhood on Calle Vienna near its intersection with Francisco Villa. He’s also on the board of Vallarta En Bici, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting biking in and around Puerto Vallarta.

Electric Bikes as Ecofriendly Transportation

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nything that defies gravity is sure to catch my eye, so I clearly remember the first time I saw what I later identified as an electric bicycle or “e-bike.” I was walking along the Malecón and saw a heavyset police officer atop a bicycle coast up the bridge over the Río Cuale without a single pedal stroke.

Something about the bicycle looked different and, as it turns out, I was looking at an earlier model e-bike donated by the Santa Barbara Police Force to their colleagues in their Sister City of Puerto Vallarta.

That was a few years ago and e-bikes are now becoming very popular. For many of us half of the point of riding a bicycle is the workout. But there are several reasons to consider the option of going electric: physical disabilities, current lack of conditioning (many of us are no longer in the shape we used to be!), or not wanting to work up a sweat on the way to an office or dinner date.

We’re not talking about an either/or decision. Almost all e-bikes still have pedals and gears to allow you to ride without

electric assistance. Yet it can be liberating and reassuring to know that a battery supported boost of energy is available whenever you need it and for virtually as long as you need it so long as you keep everything charged up.

One of the most economic and nature friendly ways to go electric is to install a kit on your conventional bicycle. If you’re sufficiently mechanically-minded, you can probably find the right parts online and make the upgrade yourself. Otherwise, your neighborhood bicycle shop likely has staff with the knowledge and experience to take care of this for you for a reasonable price.

Are you an avid biker looking for an adventure this fall? Then mark your calendars for the weekend of November 16 and 17 for the annual Puerto Vallarta to San Sebastián Challenge—a 70 kilometer route climbing from our coast up to a Pueblo Mágico of nearly 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) in elevation.

Register today: www. aequilibriumbikes.com.mx. If you don’t feel quite in shape for that much of a climb, now just might be time to buy an e-bike or install a conversion kit!

Remember: keep Puerto Vallarta safe and friendly by always sharing the road with care and looking out for bicycles.

local voices

19

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.

Strike!

D

riving Miss Daisy, starring James Earl Jones and Angela Lansbury was a huge hit at Incanto last week.The play, filmed in Australia, was funny, heartbreaking and ultimately a story of a bittersweet friendship.

Thanks to Dennis Crow for acquiring this truly splendid 90-minute movie. I loved the earlier show time (4 instead of 7), did you? Incanto is now officially on hiatus until October 3rd.There is movement afoot across the street from my house at the now-defunct, El

Patio de mi Casa. After more than a year of total quiet, holes are being patched in walls and ceilings, and new cement is being poured. Rumor has it a new resto is coming!

Another business has relocated to my neighborhood, right across the street from Ropero de Jovany. La Bohemia has moved their beautiful store to Guerrero #235.

All the clothing is handmade and hand-painted here in Vallarta.

Marisa carries those shoes from San Miguel de Allende, gorgeous leather handbags and wallets, and jewelry designed to go with the brightly

Vanishing World Vanishing Home

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.

Hope Springs Eternal

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dapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.” True words, written

by H.G Wells a hundred years ago, and words that are blindingly true now. Those are our choices. Adapt or Perish!

Last week, the UN’s Global Commission on Adaptation issued its report on the state of the planet <https://gca.org/global-commissionon-adaptation/report> and found that there is hope. That’s good news!

Here’s an excerpt from the Global Commission on Adaptation’s website: We face a crisis. Climate change is upon us, and its impacts are getting more severe with each

“

colored fabrics. Welcome to the ‘hood, Marisa, and La Bohemia.

They are open 10 to 6 for now and closed on Sundays.I was invited to meet the publishers of the Gay Entertainment Directory at Hotel Mercurio last week.

Editor-in-Chief, Michael Westman and Eric Davis, Head of Sales, were kind enough to spend some moments chatting and telling me about their magazine.

The Gay Entertainment Directory loves Puerto Vallarta and is promoting it hard as a destination for LBGTQ folks living in the western United States.

Even better than just promoting Vallarta, they are using their influence and urging their readers to come here OFF SEASON! To actually miss the crowds instead of being part of them;

to enjoy our city’s slower side during the day. (Hey, our gay bars are never quiet at night, I’m just saying.)

They will be promoting a Wine Festival here in Vallarta next May. Stay tuned for details.

Thanks, Michael and Eric; it was a pleasure to meet you both and good luck with GED!The Charro parade was charming as ever – the weather could not have been more superb.

Often the cobblestones are wet from the rain, and it’s so scary to see a horse lose its footing. I took lots of pictures that will keep until next year’s parade!

The city went all out for Independence Day celebrations.

Rather than using Los Arcos Amphitheatre, an enormous stage was plunked on the street and mariachi, Xiutla dancers, the Four Tenors from Morelia and Johanna’s Band, entertained for hours.

The fireworks (set to music!) were in the corner by the Naval Museum (no castillos this year), and the Grito was moved to a different balcony at the old Presidencia. So well-organized and much better to use the street and the Malecon rather than just the Main Square. Everybody

had room, it wasn’t hot, and a full moon shone on us all. ¡Viva Mexico!

Tomorrow is Friday, the 20th of September.

A worldwide General Strike has been called to make everyone aware of the dangerous climate changes all around us. If you can’t take the day off work, you can still participate: walk, don’t use your car; leave your air-conditioners off; pick up some garbage; turn off your lights in the middle of the day; don’t smoke or burn trash.

Be conscious of the air you breathe and the water you use and the land you walk on. For at least one day. Just do it. With love, From Here.

human toll, causing widespread increases in poverty and severely undermining long-term global economic prospects.

The good news is that adaptation, done right, will lead to better growth and development. It will also protect nature, reduce inequalities, and create opportunities.

We can do it.

A young woman in Bangladesh hears a siren announcing an incoming typhoon and moves her family to safety. A farmer in Zimbabwe uses a new variety of maize that is more resistant to drought. In Mexico, engineers redesign city streets to make them less prone to flooding. A business executive in Indonesia uses data and maps on water risk to plan his investments. An urban planner in Columbia paints roofs white to reflect dangerous heat. This is what climate adaptation looks like.

Bangladesh is a striking example of the power of adaptation. In 1970, Cyclone Bhola killed 300,000 people; 1991 Bangladesh cyclone BOB 01 caused 138,000 deaths; in 2007 Cyclone Sidr was responsible for 3,363 deaths; and, earlier this year, the latest Bangladesh cyclone killed just five people. Scaled-up disaster response has included early warning systems, cyclone shelters, developing civic awareness,

strengthening buildings, and improving post-disaster recovery.

These changes appear, so far, to have eliminated the catastrophic death tolls of the past.

In London, England, the Thames Barrier is another example of planning and preparation. By holding back storm surges and high tides, it helps protect 1.3 million people, billions of dollars’ worth of property and tremendous numbers of places of high cultural and historical value from flooding. The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan sets out a long-term approach to managing flood protection, river access, species habitat, and quality of life into the next century.

The report mentions that, “Cities and water utilities are adopting integrated approaches that, together, address flood and heat management and protect water sources. Green roofs and greater tree cover can cool cities and reduce energy use.” Hmmm. It looks to me that in Colonia Emiliano Zapata the massive construction boom has the opposite effect here in Puerto Vallarta. Is this city’s planning department planning for the future or not?

There are many bright spots around the world, but, so far, they have been gravely insufficient. The climate crisis is here. Wildfires ravage fragile habitats; city taps run

dry, droughts scorch the land and floods destroy people’s homes and livelihoods. Government officials and business leaders need to rethink, radically, how they make decisions. Adaptation can bring out bold ideas and inspire innovation beyond what people currently think is possible. Most of all, we need political leadership that shakes people out of their collective slumber.

The Global Commission on Adaptation’s report is encouraging “We are working with many partners to support a Year of Action, starting in September 2019, that will jump-start the necessary transitions for change. We have reason for hope. Throughout history, people have adapted to change in turbulent times; they have found ways to reduce risk and create new opportunities. With ingenuity and resourcefulness, people have overcome the most extraordinary challenges — from eradicating disease to rebounding from the devastation of war. We need this courageous spirit today.

We call for global leadership on climate adaptation to create safer, stronger, and thriving communities around the world.”

Many, many people know about the threats facing life as we know it.

Knowing it, we must act. We have a choice. We can ADAPT or PERISH.

“

John Warren

passing year.

Global actions to slow climate change are promising but insufficient. We must invest in a massive effort to adapt to conditions that are now inevitable: higher temperatures, rising seas, fiercer storms, more unpredictable rainfall, and more acidic oceans.

We are not starting from a standstill. There are many bright spots where adaptation efforts have begun — but we need more urgency, innovation, and scale.

Adaptation is not an alternative to a redoubled effort to stop climate change, but an essential complement to it. Failing to lead and act on adaptation will result in a huge economic and

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

entertainment

20

Summer Music and More

Christie Seeley

vezelay@mac.com

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

Paris and Django

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any people would wonder why I chose to come to France - not for shopping, paintings, monuments or excellent cuisine, although I expect to find plenty of that, too - to contemplate the life and work of a man I fervently admire, Django Reinhardt.

I came to know the music of Django Reinhardt many years ago when traveling with a friend in the southwest of France and upon entering a small family-run restaurant in the countryside we were welcomed by the recorded music of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. My friend, who grew up in a music-loving environment, immediately commented and that was the beginning of a grand love affair with the sweet restaurant and the enchanting music. Madame and Monsieur were great fans of Django and his Jazz Manouche as were most of France and much of the world. I guess I will never disassociate the passionate music of Django and the marvelous farm-made foie gras served by our hosts.

Over the years, I have become even more involved with the life, culture, and music of this talented musician. His story is fascinating, and I wanted to shadow some of the same territory he did - especially in his younger years and the last few years of his life; both times of innocence and relative peace.

His was a short but super-packed life: Django passed away at age 43, in 1953.

As a young boy, Django and his younger brother Nim Nim, ran all over Paris playing music on street corners for centimes and sometimes sneaking into the cinema to see maybe the only thing that interested them about non-gypsy life – Hollywood films.

Their lives in the Zone (referring to the Roma encampments surrounding the city) was carefully monitored by their single mother, Negro. She kept tabs on the

boys to the best of her ability, but sometimes they were just too slippery and stayed away playing their banjos or guitars for days at a time. When Django was hired by a well-known entrepreneur who heard his music, his mother allowed him to take the job although he was only 14, saying at least she would know where he was, and she dutifully met him at the club late each night to make sure he got back home safely. With this new “paying” job, Django was able to marry his girlfriend, Bella.

Her family gifted them a caravan where they lived surrounded by friends and family for several years.

One fateful night, just after being approached by the very successful impresario Jack Hylton, who offered him a super contract which he accepted, Django returned to the caravan with his good news. Upon his arrival, his wife accidentally knocked over a candle incinerating hundreds of celluloid flowers she had made for a funeral the next day.

The caravan burst into flame immediately, and Django was just able to save her. He suffered horrible burns that almost killed him and left him with only three functioning fingers on his left hand.

He was years recovering, and no one thought he would ever play again. Django suffered a great deal in the hospital, and his mother finally got him released to care for him at home. His wife Bella and son Henri (Lousson) who was born while he was in the hospital, left and never returned. Django was readmitted to a nursing home for physical therapy, and during that time, his brother brought the despondent young man a guitar. Django worked at developing a new way of playing, utilizing only the fingers he had running them up and down the guitar neck while making minimal use of his two shriveled fingers on chords, double-stops, and triple-stops.

When he finally left the hospital, his first love Naguine was waiting for him, and the two remained together for the rest of his life with

their pet monkey and young son Babik.

Sometime later, he surprised the entire community when he brought out his guitar and played like an angel. There were no more Jack Hyltons in his life, but lots of successful engagements kept Django busy over the years.

During the war, although Hitler had outlawed jazz, the troops were so fond of it that they tolerated and even encouraged Django’s music. This was an extremely difficult time for the entire gypsy community as the Nazi’s rounded them up and destroyed their camps. Django composed a mass for his people, but it was never performed, and little of it remains.

There were, however, great successes for Django including a trip to the USA to tour with Duke Ellington and a concert at Carnegie Hall. But that is another story…

World War II brought many American servicemen, including musicians to Paris, and many of them loved the freedom and decided to stay. France was crazy about jazz. The group formed by Hugues Panassié and Charles Delaunay and friends in the 30’s called the Club Hot de France had been the primary vehicle

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

for the new sounds produced

by Django and fellow jazzmen.

The introduction of Be-Bop from America drew the attention of Django and Charles, but the old guard of the jazz aficionados did not think it was “true” jazz and rejected it. A schism occurred in the group with Delaunay and Django on one side and Panassié on the other.

The result was a kind of Jazz-concert-standoff with Delaunay and Django in Paris and Panassié organizing a festival in Nice. In the end, Django did play in Nice, and it was a success, but Django and friends were not happy to be playing the “old” music. The real event became the jam session afterward where bebop could be performed until the wee hours of the morning. This was perhaps one of the happiest times of his life.

Django, however, reacted to the politics with a decision to leave music entirely and paint. He moved his family to the Pigalle area of Paris where artists thrived and did just that. It took an offer of a one-man showing of his paintings to coax him back to performing. Some of his most moving pieces, including the breathtaking Anouman, were composed and recorded during this period. His art was well-received,

and eventually, he moved his family to Samois sur Seine where he could paint, fish—a lifelong passion for him—and spend time with his wife Naguine and son Babik. He played little during those years.

Django was plagued with headaches, and Naguine encouraged him to consult a doctor. With terrible memories of his time with physicians, he refused. One morning having his usual tea with friends in the local cafe before going out to fish, he passed out, and although he was rushed him to Fontainebleau hospital, he never revived.

According to gypsy tradition, his home and all of his belongings were burned. A funeral was held several days later and was attended by many close friends from the jazz community. I will visit Paris, Nice and Samois sur Seine on this trip. Since that first festival in 1948, Nice has hosted an annual jazz festival which I have been fortunate enough to attend.Django’s resting place, Samois sur Seine, is also home to a yearly Django festival which is extremely popular. Django events are now held regularly all over the world.

entertainment Live Music Calendar

21

September 19 - 25, 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 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

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

Roxy Rockhouse (Ignacio L Vallarta 275) Nightly music after 11 pm with the house band

Murphy’s Irish Pub (484 Morelos, Malecon) Fri: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm Sat: Adriana and the Freaks 10 pm

NUEVO VALLARTA

Que/Pasa (625 Aquiles Serdan) Tues: The Change at 7-10 pm Sun: Sylvie&The Zippers 7 - 10 pm

Starwings (Avenida Fluvial 223) Wed: Black Mamba 9 pm

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

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

Britannia (Coral, La Cruz) Tues: Open mic with The Turn 7pm

BUCERIAS

SAYULITA & SAN PANCHO

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

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 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.

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/ 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/ 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.

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.

22

games

September 19 - 25, 2019 www.vallartatribune.com

Palos Sculpture Studio Open House Anglican Church Puerto Vallarta

Iglesia Anglicana Puerto Vallarta

Worldwide Anglican Communion Anglican Church in North America

DO YOU REALLY NEED

THAT STRAW?

Wednesday, October 16, 6 – 10pm, 2019 1039 Brasil, entre Argentina y Venezuela Colonia 5 de Diciembre, Puerto Vallarta www. palosstudio.net

Email: palosstudiopv@gmail.com

Palos Studio and Casa Alexandra

2nd Annual Reader’s Choice Awards

1000’s ofNEED votes for the THEN THE NEXT IF YOU DON’T THAT STRAW,

TIME YOU ORDER A DRINK SAY ‘best of everything’

in Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Sin popote, por favor!

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/

Looking out over the waters of Puerto Vallarta, Palos Studio at Casa Alexandria is an arts destination designed to inspire and enable your creativity. Palos Studios offers year-round classes for beginners and accomplished artists to build their work in paradise.

Master Sculptor Manuel Palos honed the ancient skill of stone carving and sculpture by living and studying in Italy and now holds workshops and retreats for others to learn first- hand the philosophy and practice behind these ancient art forms.

Manuel will be teaching a sculpture workshop that will begin on October 6 -18 with students from the USA and Puerto Vallarta. His daughter Alejandra Palos also a sculptor, coordinates and hosts all of the workshops and will be available to answer any of your questions about the program.

During the Open House the public will have an opportunity to meet Master Sculptor Manuel Palos, along with other guest artists and students, tour the studio, guest house, and participate in the unveiling of the mosaic mural by artist Nancy Page.

In addition to his work, Manuel also has an Architectural, Ornamental and Custom sculpture company and also teaches stone carving in his San Francisco studio.

To learn more please visit: www.manuelpalos.com www.palosstudio.net Email: palosstudiopv@gmail.com Whatsapp: 01 510 472-6604