Issue 896, june 6 - 12, 2014

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

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Art & Culture GARY THOMPSON

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June 6 - 12, 2014 Free Issue 896

Cuisine

mayan world

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Travel top dive spots

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Photo credit: Madeline Milne

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Friday June 6 - 12, 2014 PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fernando Gonzalez Corona Director DAVID ROJO sjcbcs@yahoo.com.mx Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Editorial Board Marcia Blondin Raymond C. Beaty Lois Ellison John & Christie Forget Landon Hollander Nancy Van Landingham Robina Oliver Sales Team Rebeca Castellón rebeca.castellonn@gmail.com Community Manager / Sales Julie Mongeau juliemongeau@gmail.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cisandra@vallartatribune.com cysandra@gmail.com Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and merely 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 soon 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. (322) 226-0829, 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

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Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

Here is some advice to make your trip a little easier and more enjoyable.

TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit starting from San Blas in the north.

BUSES: A system of urban buses with different routes can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between. Current fare is $7.50 pesos per ticket and passengers must purchase a new ticket every time they board another bus. There are no “transfers”.

TAXIS: There are set rates within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first. Price is per trip not person.

MONEY EXCHANGE: Although you may have to wait in line for a few minutes, banks will give you a higher rate of exchange than the exchange booths (caja de cambio). You will need your passport. Better yet, use your bank card to withdraw funds from any ATM machine. Note that ATM’s in the banks are the safest to use and generally charge lower fees.

DRINKING WATER: For the 17th year in a row, Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for human consumption. The quality of the water tested at the purification plant varies greatly from what comes out of the tap at the other end. So do be careful. If you want to be doubly sure, you can pick up bottled water just about anywhere.

EXPORTING PETS: Fall in love with the street dog outside your hotel or a puppy on the Malecon doesn’t mean they can’t come home with you. The process is fairly inexpensive and only takes a day or two. You need a certificate of health from a local vet among other things. The time of year that pets can travel in the cargo section of the plane may be your biggest challenge.

For the most up-to-date information contact the Puerto Vallarta SPCA at spcapv@gmail.com.

COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and beligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexicans are a forgiving bunch, basic politeness is appreciated.

For the guys, peeing in public is a major faux pas and if you are caught, can get you tossed in jail or an expensive fine.

Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay your bills. Be courteous. And have fun!

DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis are cheap and plentiful.

Fines are as much as 10,000 pesos.

You can be taken to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends and you will be asked to blow if they suspect you have been drinking.

LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not an valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that 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 in particular.

Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Calling in Mexico Calling phones in Mexico can be tricky as it is different than in the US or Canada. There are different codes you need to use depending if you are calling landlines or cellular phones and if they are local or long distance.

Long-distance calls from within Mexico For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Calling Cell Phones (from a land line) If you are calling from a landline within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, then the 10 digit number including area code. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. Cell phone to cell phone only requires the 10 digit number.

Phone Cards Phone cards (“tarjetas telefonicas”) for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30, 50 and 100 pesos. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a “tarjeta LADA,” because pre-paid cell phone cards are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling Toll-Free Numbers Some toll free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not.

You need to dial a different prefix.

To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number

Emergencies: 060 Red Cross: 065 Non-Emergency Police Immigration: 322.224.7719 322.290.0507 Consumer Protection: Fire Department: 01.800.468.8722 322.223.9476 Ambulance: 322.222.1533

Consulates American Consulate Nuevo Vallarta: 322.222.0069 24 hrs Guadalajara: 333.268.2145

Tourism Offices Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006

Canadian Consulate 322.293.2894 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

Editorial 03

www.vallartatribune.com

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

Letters to the Editor Dear Madeline: Thanks so much for running my story on “Spirit.” I hope it will bring a real awareness to tourists and residents regarding the homeless animals and the grief connected with non-sterilization. You added a lot of information from my blog, so thank you for that too.

Editor´s Note Editor´s Note

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ropical storm Amanda came and went and with it she cleaned the dust from the jungle leaves, put water back in the dry river beds and cleaned the streets but in that process she also caused me to fall off my scooter and hurt my knee.

Disclaimer: Nothing terrible happens in this story. I was riding home after seeing a friend’s show at the Boutique Theater, Who’s Line is it Anyways? (which is gut splitting, breath catching hilarious good fun every Wednesday starting at 7:30 for only 50 pesos) and it had been raining so the roads were a little wet but mostly dried by this point. Except for the tributary that is called Francisco Villa.

There’s some poor engineering right there. I was going carefully because I know it’s slippery and it’s dark out. But I went to switch lanes because of a lake that was on the road up ahead when my tire caught the raised edge of the cement road panel and off I flew.

A nice cab driver stopped to help me and aside from a little embarrassment and some pain in my knee from where I broke

my fall, I was essentially unscathed. Seven days later, my knee is still bothering me and I’ll likely go get it checked out next week if it doesn’t miraculously heal on its own. What is really bothering me though is the conditions of the roads in this city.

For reasons that are too infuriating to get into, my car has been out of service for the past 6, nope 7… ummm… 8 months and in that time I inherited a scooter from my brother who was visiting and left it when he went back to Canada.

I love it. It’s cheap, easy to drive, fast to get from one end of town to the other and perfect for quick errands. As a mother of a non-driving teenager, I have never-ending errands. And I am not the only one.

A quick look down any calle in this town will show you nearly as many scooters and motorcycles as cars and trucks. Often driven with entire families aboard.

At issue is the cobblestone roads that are main thoroughfares.

Calle Torres through Colonia Los Sauces I’m looking at you. Also the topes that bracket nearly every block. And the potholes that only grow larger with each rain fall; many would suck me, the scooter

and my son into their deep depths.

Aside from the fact that all (that I’ve been too) major tourist cities in the country besides Puerto Vallarta have decent roads; the safety of the citizens and visitors of this city are put in danger every time they venture out. Particularly during rainy season. Sure, if you’re driving an H3 hummer, the roads are no problem (though Mother Nature’s wrath will likely smote you one day) but most of us aren’t. The damage to our vehicles, the danger to our lives and the unsightly disaster of the roads all add up to a mess that does Puerto Vallarta (and me) no favours. Apparently 10’s of millions of pesos have been earmarked to fix the roads around town. Apparently Calle Torres is one of those streets.

I have no solutions, but I did hear a rumour once that if you can prove the conditions of the road damaged your vehicle you can sue the city. In the meantime, I’m in the market for a whole bunch of Jetta TDI parts, if you know where I could get some…

Stay cool. Stay dry. Stay out of the potholes.

Madeline

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I will be most grateful if, from time to time, you could include more information on the clinics. We need donations and volunteers!

Kindest Regards and Thank you again...

Gretchen DeWitt PEACEAnimals

Help Your Neighbourhood Animals This is a very small list of the many organizations that assist animals in the Vallarta area.

FREE CLINICS www.peaceanimals.com www.facebook.com/ ColinaSpayAndNeuterClinic www.sayulitanimals.org jaltembabayanimalrescue.com SHELTERS www.spcapv.com Centro de Acopio Animal Costa de Oro No. 703 Col. Lindavista Oceano Puerto Vallarta (322) 293-3690

Around town with Julie he town is slowly changing, the pace has shifted and PV is more and more deserted.

We see less and less familiar faces around. Is it because everyone is gone or because we are cooking out there? I was carefully warned about the heat factor in Vallarta, but I was also told that it wouldn’t be so scorching until the end of June. Well, I think Mother Nature is a little angry with us, and she is finding various ways to remind us to be a little more considerate towards our beautiful planet. We are blessed to be completely surrounded by such natural wonders; the beach, the mountains, the rivers and should

mmilne@vallartatribune.com

embrace it all and do the utmost in our powers to salvage and take full advantage of this beautiful land. Easier said than done of course, especially when it’s so hot and all you want to do is find a cool A/C venue where you can sip an ice tea, browse the web, read the Tribune or a good book.

Being that this is my first summer in PV, if you have any suggestions on what to do in order to find a way to enjoy outdoor activities or better yet how to escape the heat, please feel free to share with me your very welcomed advice.

Until next week, keep cool!

Smiles Julie

www.paraisofelino.com www.purrproject.com/ ADOPTION www.mexpup.com

juliemongeau@gmail.com

NEWS 04

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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NEWS BITES Southwest Airlines, the US low-cost airline, will offer flights to Mexico for the first time as part of its opening to international routes after being an exclusively domestic carrier for 43 years.

Interjet, the Mexican airline, increased its fleet of Superjet 100, receiving the sixth of 20 aircraft of this type, to complement its fleet of Airbus A320.

Mazda, the Japanese auto maker, opened its first Mexican production plant in Salamanca, Guanajuato, with a total investment of 770 million dollars and the creation of 4,600 direct jobs.

Nissan and Daimler will pool the development of their compact cars -Infiniti and the new generation of Mercedes GLA sports utility vehicles, respectively- to cut costs and expand the German manufacturer’s North American production.

BMW, the German car maker, launched its 2014 bike collection, which will be available on-line along with accessories at www. bmw-shop.com and from distributors in Mexico at the end of April.

Convertidora GMV, the manufacturer of flexible plastic packaging and easy-open bags, plans to invest 5 million dollars in expansion, including a new plant adjacent to its current installations in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco.

Cinépolis will invest almost 900 million pesos over the next two years to expand its presence in India. With this capital, the Mexican cinema complex chain will grow from 84 to some 400 screens in 2017.

Grupo Empresarial Dental Perfect is to invest more than 50 million pesos over the next five years to install 15 leading-edge clinics, to be located in Toluca, Cuernavaca, Pachuca, Querétaro, Puebla and Tijuana. The clinics will generate over 500 direct and

According to production values published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United States, China and Japan are the top three largest economies in the world.

Mexico is ranked 14th, above countries such as South Korea, Indonesia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.

more than 1,000 indirect jobs, and will add to the 12 already in operation.

Petco and Grupo Gigante will invest 50 million dollars in the opening of 50 pet stores in Mexico and Latin America over the next five years.

The Tec de Monterrey and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) signed a collaboration and research agreement through which both universities will contribute to form teams of researchers, professors, students and money for joint projects.

Mexico exported 26,072,685 pairs of shoes in 2013 with a value of 592,630,225 dollars, of which 17,873,667 pairs were made in Guanajuato, reported the Chamber of Footwear of the State of Guanajuato (Ciceg).

Mexico received 11.8% more tourists by air in January 2014 than during the same month in 2013, according to figures from the National Immigration Institute (INM).

Explore Banderas Bay

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uerto Vallarta is located in the middle of Banderas Bay, one of the largest bays in Mexico at nearly 100km in length. It is bounded in the north by Punta de Mita and in the south by Cabo Corrientes.

It straddles the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, divided along the Ameca River.

The bay is home to many wonderful communities and an abundance of natural wonders.

In the winter and spring seasons

The Limpiemos Nuestro México (Let’s Clean Up Our Mexico) Cleans Up

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Remittances from Mexicans living abroad back to their families in Mexico amounted to 1.578 billion dollars in January 2014, 8.0% more than in the same month in 2013, according to information from the Bank of Mexico (Banxico).

he yearly trash cleanup project headed by TV Azteca arrived at El Naranjo Turtle Camp, where the participants cleaned seven kilometers of virgin beach at Costa Capomo.

TV Azteca’s domestic campaign, Limpiemos Nuestro México (Let’s Clean Up Our Mexico), celebrated its sixth year on Sunday, May 25th. The Nayarit Ecologists Group requested to be part of this project and thus participate with the cleanup of Nayarit.

This civic association is dedicated exclusively to the operation of the El Naranjo Turtle Camp, which is located on the beach just past the Peñita de Jaltemba and is part of the Costa Capomo development.

Ricardo Villaseñor, president of the association and the person in charge of the camp, worked together with his team to unite over 50 locals to take part in the cleanup of seven kilometers of virgin beach.

“It’s important to begin the beach cleanup in June, because the sea turtles will arrive soon. We also put together three more cleanups besides this one during the course of the year, basically one every two months once the rainy

you can witness the awe inspiring beauty of the humpback whales as they calve in the warm waters of the bay, in the summer you can experience the majesty of the sea turtles hatching and returning to their watery world.

The fall brings renewed vigour

to the mountains and rivers with the fresh rains and revived vegetation. No matter when you visit, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit will share their wonders with you.

Here is a selection of some of the many things you can do while visiting us.

ECONOMY The Mexican economy will grow by 3.9% in 2014, according to estimates from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) and private analysts.

Mexico’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) could total almost 31 billion dollars in 2015, as a result of reforms approved during 2013, with which it would surpass the annual average of 24 billion dollars since 2000, according to Consultores Internacionales (CISC).

Mexico occupies eighth place in the world in export expectations for 2014, at 32%, above the global average of 18%, revealed a survey of business owners in Grant Thornton’s International Business Review (IBR).

season starts,” he explained.

The rainy season brings in the most trash as the rivers flow to the sea, taking with them all the waste, which washes back up onshore. It then creates an obstacle course for the turtles.

Francisco, Mendez, regional delegate for the Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR), was present at the event, participating in the cleanup with his family alongside the rest of the locals.

Families from Tepic, Compostela, Bahía de Banderas and Puerto Vallarta all came together for this cleanup. Afterwards, they all enjoyed a family day at the camp’s beach facilities.

Limpiemos Nuestro México is a domestic campaign inviting citizens each year to participate in the biggest cleanup in the history of the country, raising awareness along the way for people to put trash where it belongs.

The Riviera Nayarit was part of this important environmental consciousness movement, which brought together over 85 million volunteers who cleaned up 42 thousand tons of trash on the aforementioned date.

NEWS 05

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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US will renew deferred action As labor costs rise rapidly in China, American

T

he administration of U.S. President Barack Obama says it wants to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which benefits some 600,000 undocumented immigrants in the United States, most of them from Mexico.

Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Jeh Johnson made the announcement to legislators in Washington, and dismissed Republican criticism that the program has led to a privileged class of undocumented immigrants.

“We have reached a point where we are on our way to renew (the program),” he said. “That’s no revelation and no great secret. I anticipate the DACA program will continue.”

Appearing before the judicial committee of the House of Representatives, Johnson said his office will seek to improve the program, which comes as an executive order from President Obama.

“My overall assessment is that the program is working well,” he said. “But I am interested in understanding it better to see if there are ways we can manage it more effectively.”

Under the program, which was implemented in June 2013, eligible youth obtain protection from deportation for two years, as well as a work permit for the same

duration of time. Each order of protection is eligible for renewal.

To become enrolled in the program, youth that arrived in the United States must be younger than 16 years of age and have resided in the country continuously for a period of at least five years previous to their application.

In addition they must be pursuing higher education or have graduated from high school with a general education degree (GED) and must also be serving or have served in the armed forces or the Coast Guard.

At the time of registration, the youth applying must have no criminal record either.

During the hearing, Johnson said that the United States is talking with the governments of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala to coordinate the response to the growing number of undocumented and unaccompanied minors flowing into the country.

“I have had these conversations with the ambassadors of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala,” he said, and announced that next July he will travel to those countries to speak with authorities on the matter.

Originally published at www.thenews.com.mx

manufacturers are looking South to Mexico

W

ith labor costs rising rapidly in China, American manufacturers of all sizes are looking south to Mexico with what economists describe as an eagerness not seen since the early years of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the 1990s. From border cities like Tijuana to the central plains where new factories are filling farmland, Mexican workers are increasingly in demand.

American trade with Mexico has grown by nearly 30 percent since 2010, to $507 billion annually, and foreign direct investment in Mexico last year hit a record $35 billion. Over the past few years, manufactured goods from Mexico have claimed a larger share of the American import market, reaching a high of about 14 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund, while China’s share has declined.

“When you have the wages in China doubling every few years, it changes the whole calculus,” said Christopher Wilson, an economics scholar at the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. “Mexico has become the most competitive place to manufacture goods for the North American market, for sure, and it’s also become the most cost-com-

petitive place to manufacture some goods for all over the world.”

Many American companies are expanding in Mexico — including well-known brands like Caterpillar, Chrysler, Stanley Black & Decker and Callaway Golf — adding billions of dollars in investment and helping to drive the economic integration that President Obama and President Enrique Peña Nieto have both described as vital to growth.

As that happens, some companies are cutting back in China and heading to Mexico to manufacture an array of products, like headsets (Plantronics); hula hoops (Hoopnotica); toilet brushes (Casabella); grills and outdoor furniture (Meco

Carlos Slim opens aquarium in Mexico Associated Press

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exican magnate Carlos Slim on Friday inaugurated a four-level, underground aquarium that is one of the biggest in Latin America, housing 3,000 animals belonging to 230 species.

The first visitors took an elevator underground to start the tour of the 400,000-gallon glass tank where blue, yellow, orange and green fish swam among sharks and manta rays.

In another floor there are several types of jellyfish and

a separate massive fish tank houses piranhas, crocodiles and tiny turtles. There is also a small lagoon where visitors can touch a ray.

Inbursa Aquarium director Alejandro Nasta says the water was brought from the Gulf of Mexico.

“We decided to have the most striking (species), which is what everyone wants to see,” Nasta said. Nasta said penguins are among the main attractions that have not yet been brought to the aquarium.

He added that he hopes the

Explore Banderas Bay Walking Tours Take a tour through Puerto Vallarta’s Historic Downtown to learn about this city’s rich history, famous people, architecture, and cultural and ecological heritage; all this on an easy to

moderate two-hour stroll led by a certified guide.

Tours leave from the Municipal Tourism Office every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.

aquarium will eventually become home to as many as 10,000 marine animals belonging to 307 species.

The aquarium was built in a upscale Mexico City neighborhood that is home to gleaming office towers largely built by Slim and across the street from the Soumaya Museum that he constructed to house six floors of works

by Impressionists, Old Masters, Mexican muralists, anonymous Mesoamerican craftsmen and others.The aquarium has an entry fee of about $10. www.washingtonpost.com

Shopping in the Zona Romantica – this charming neighbourhood is also called Old Town and is a popular residential area for expats and Mexican families. Along the main streets you will find shops galore, filled with wonderful authentic crafts, clothing,

jewelry, excellent restaurants, spas, theaters and more.

Vibrant and friendly, this area offers an excellent day or two (or more!) of exploring. Close to Los Muertos beach, consider ending your day with a sunset margarita at any of the many beachfront restaurants.

Corporation); medical supplies (DJO Global); and industrial cabinets (Viasystems Group).

And while in some cases a move to Mexico is tied to job cuts in the United States, economists say that the American economy benefits more from outsourcing manufacturing to Mexico than to China because neighbors tend to share more of the production. Roughly 40 percent of the parts found in Mexican imports originally came from the United States, compared with only 4 percent for Chinese imports, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, a private research group.

Such comparisons appear to have blunted some of the scorn that greeted American companies moving production to Mexico in the 1990s. And yet, for the economic relationship to reach its full potential, experts, officials and executives say, the United States needs to make trade efficiency as important as border security. Long waits at the border continue to frustrate many companies. At the same time, Mexico needs to overcome longstanding problems like education, organized crime and corruption.

Source: www.nytimes.com/ Originally published at Yucatan Times

ART & CULTURE 06

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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Gary Thompson Receives Plaque of Recognition...an Interview

by Marianne Menditto www.colibridesignvallarta.com

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uerto Vallarta’s Centro Cultural Cuale recently awarded a plaque to Gary Thompson, of Galeria Pacifico, for 35 years in Puerto Vallarta, promoting art and artists, recognizing his efforts even before he opened Galeria Pacifico, 27 years ago. Part of our laughter punctuated conversation follows.

Marianne: So whose inspired idea was it to give you this plaque?

Gary: Francisco Quintero, the ceramics and sculpture instructor at the Centro Cultural Cuale. He had come up with the idea originally a couple of years ago and they gave Jan Lavender from Galeria Uno a plaque for over 40 years promoting art...that’s in fact where I started out, being there at Galeria Uno. So at any rate, he approached me earlier in the season, that they were thinking about giving me a plaque...and then every once in awhile, he’d stop in and have a beer and he’d say “Well, we’re workin’ on it.” And then a couple of weeks before it actually happened, I saw him and it was just after Easter vacation, when they were closed...so I said, “I’m gonna be gone from the 21st and the 27th, so it needs to be the 14th or the 28th.”...because they said they wanted to do it on an Art Walk night, thinking that there would be a crowd, I guess, but it’s been pretty slim in May. At any rate, then he came in on the 7th and said “Well we’re going to do it on the 14th, they ordered the plaque.” And then I didn’t hear from him, so I called him on the Monday before the Wednesday that I got it, and I said, “I haven’t gotten my invitation yet...you have sent them out, right?” and he said, “No, we haven’t invited anybody, have you?” I said, “No, I thought you were...!” Fortunately, I’d been preparing a Spring newsletter anyway, so we tacked it into that and sent it off. Carlos

Hugo Barajas & Brewster Brockmann @ event for Gary

Gary & Sergio Zepeda

did some stuff on Facebook, I called Nelly Barquét and she called some people. You and a few other people shared it to their Facebook friends and it turned out to be a really nice party, we ended up getting, well, Carlos estimates maybe 50 people, at one point...and a lot of them stayed. One thing I discovered is that politicians like to drink cold beer as much as artists do...on a hot night!

wanted to be a metal sculptor and was hanging out in a studio but, I discovered that I was a little too accident prone for metal shop...I hooked my scarf one winter on a grinding wheel and just about kissed the stone. But, luckily my mom had knitted it, so it broke... improper workmanship....

Marianne: I guess so...that’s one thing we can all have in common.

Gary: I helped!

Gary: No, but when I was in the States, I was trying to open a gallery, before I came here. I had spent a couple of years trying to find a location in Bellingham, Washington, that would appeal to weekenders from Seattle and Vancouver, the North Cascade Mountains and the San Juan Islands, Bellingham is right in between all those places, so it was a destination for people from all over boaters, climbers and so, I was trying to find some kind of a funky barn or gas station that I could buy and turn into an art gallery.

Marianne: Good job! So, how did this all come about? Why and when did you decide to commit yourself to the promotion of artists?

Gary: When I was in High School, I ran for office...successfully...and I had a buddy of mine, who was good at art, make posters for me. In watching him make the posters, I became enamored with watching the artistic process. So, any time there was an artist in action or an artist working Plein-Air, that I came across, I would just stand there and stare...for as long as they would let me. At one point, I

Explore Banderas Bay Sunsets on the Malecon Sitting on the edge of the Pacific Ocean never fails to give us a sunset each night. Grab a seat at any of the number of excellent bars and restaurants along the malecon, order your favourite

Marianne: Oh no...and did you try any other art media after that?

a little bit nervous that we could handle it together alone, so he mentioned it to a third guy, who thought it would be a great idea for just HIM...so, he went to the realtor a couple of hours before we were going to sign the papers and screwed us out of the deal.

Marianne: That wasn’t very nice...and...?

Gary: So, my response was to go to México! And as I was driving out, I drove by the place and saw him up on the roof discovering that he needed a new roof. Then evidently, he later went underneath and discovered he needed a new foundation, plumbing and electrical wiring...since I didn’t have enough money for any of that, it was good that I didn’t get it.

Marianne: Why choose Vallarta?

did

you

Marianne: So, did you find one?

Gary: Well yes, I found one, but, needed a partner to make it work financially and he was

Gary: Ahhh...I’d always been fascinated with México ever since I was a kid. I’d seen a slideshow from a class-mate’s father when I was about 11 or 12. It was the first day of school and he brought his dad and they did a slide-show of a 2 or 3 month road trip through México, hitting all the major sites.

I’d never seen a slide-show or México before so, I was blown

cocktail and let it all slip away.

Once the sun has set, the malecon comes alive with families out for a stroll, plenty of live entertainment and later in the night, the nightclubs beckon.

Sayulita – A short 45 minutes north of the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Sayulita is

the surfers mecca of Nayarit.

A funky town with a wonderful protected beach, this laid-back town has a hippie vibe with the organic cafes and the yoga studios to prove it.

Visit the Huichol Cultural Centre for some wonderful hand-made beaded jewelry or grab a surf

away. We’d only had a TV for about 5 years. At any rate, I was blown away by it and the fascination stuck. When I was 15, I tried to take Spanish but my wellmeaning step-father pushed me into Latin instead. Then, when I graduated from college, I treated myself to a trip to Guaymas. Much later, in the mid-seventies, I spent a winter in Guadalajara studying on the GI Bill. After that, I was touring the coast. One of my room-mates from Guadalajara had gone to Yelapa, so I came looking for him and spent a couple days in Vallarta and then hung out in Yelapa. So, when I left, although I thought Yelapa was a pretty crazy place, I had a list of things that I would bring with me when I came back to spend a few months the next winter, which I did. I came back with a girlfriend and rented a palapa in Yelapa.

Marianne: So, Bellingham’s loss was Vallarta’s gain. You mentioned that you were helping out at Galeria Uno...

Gary: Well, a friend of mine was dating Jan Lavender. I’d go by to say hello to him and back in those days it was really hard to get a phone. To get a postal box you had to wait for somebody to die. There was a year waiting list

lesson from one of the many vendors on the beach.

Cooking Classes – Recognized as one of the world’s leading cuisines, there are a number of great schools in the Puerto Vallarta area that will teach you how to master tortilla soup, enchiladas, salsas and more.

ART & CULTURE 07

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

there’s a lot of uncertainty and so that’s important that we can communicate. When I can find other venues for them in other cities and countries, I try to help them. It spreads their name and it takes a little pressure off me in terms of their life support system.

It’s a lot of responsibility working with an artist that shows only with you and you’re their only income... and when things get tight, I loan money, you know, to keep them afloat.

Marianne: interesting...

I

bet

that’s

Gary: That’s why I own some of the art I own.

Gary, Maria Jose & Carlos with the congratulations cake

to get a phone and it cost several hundred bucks.

So, she let people get their mail there and use the phone, so I would hang out there and eventually I started realizing that I should be paying a few dues for the services. So, I started helping out a bit, hanging shows and got to know them better.

Then with time, I started to realize that they were only working from 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 8pm. And in between 1 and 5, I would see people staring in the windows, as I would walk or drive by. Then, after 8, I would see them also, so I proposed to Jan that I open it when she wasn’t open and I would work for commission only.

At that time I was selling real estate, or trying to and I thought that it would be a way to meet clients. I didn’t sell anything but a $20 dollar poster for a couple of months but then, one night, I sold 3 bronzes and it just really started clicking.

A couple of months later, I was doing well enough that they asked me to become a partner. Then, when the junior partner died, I got kind of elevated.

representing a line of lithographs from México City. I opened up the first dedicated coffee shop in Vallarta, ironically, across the street from where Starbucks is on the plaza. It’s now a couple of boutiques.

And it was successful. I sold art posters and had a deli counter, I sold bulk coffee and had an expresso machine. At any rate, the landlord wanted it back and eventually, about the time that I got tired of fighting him, some artist rom Guadalajara talked me into going back into the art business. So, on Nov. 27 of 1987, I opened Galeria Pacifico on Juarez, between Galeana and Mina. It’s kind of a department store now.

Marianne: Tell us about your work with Biblioteca Los Mangos.

Gary: In late 1984, I left Galeria Uno and went into the coffee business. I was kind of fed up with the art business, although I was still

Gary: I do a couple of different things. Number 1, I collect donations for them on my free Malecón Sculpture Walk tours that I do every Tuesday morning for about 5 months during the high season.

We’ve been raising, in the last few years, about $2,500 dollars in donations every year and we’ve gotten some publicity for them, through the press about how they need funding.

Number 2, they have a big fundraising art auction every year at the end of January and I’m the

Fresh seafood, abundant fruit and veggies and a sophisticated community make Vallarta a foodies dream destination. Look for a school that will take you to the markets or introduce you to the farmers and fishermen for a truly cultural experience.

Don’t want to cook? Try one of

the Food Tours available. Eat like a local and for three hours you will enjoy everything from Tacos to Pozole.

Art Galleries – It is said there are more galleries per capita in Puerto Vallarta than any other place in Mexico. Many of these galleries are along the side

Marianne: Then, when did you decide to go it alone?

Nelly Barquet & Buri Gray

co-auctioneer, with María José Zorrilla, who does it in Spanish and I do it in English. I go out there and help them select the work a day or two before, as to what’s going into the auction. I help them organize it, help publicize it and contribute to different fundraisers.

Gary: Well first of all, I try to have a variety within every artist, I encourage them to try different

mediums, I try to get them to do a variety of sizes, which also usually means a variety of prices and I try to convince the artists that if they want to do a really big painting, make it a diptych... makes it easier to ship and I can then get it in the door. Someone might buy a small one for a few hundred, one year and then the next year buy a bigger one for a few to several thousand, I’ve seen that happen, numerous times. I try to be supportive.

I view my role as like, somewhere between Big Brother, Camp Counsellor, Salesman, Banker... I have to wear a lot of hats. I just try to be supportive in whatever way I can and I try to promote them. I like to write, so I write about them and get the word out about them.

When certain themes or colors have been very successful in the past, I try to remind them of that, you know, without seeming too pushy...but, if I can occasionally make acomment that maybe steers somebody into a direction that might be more commercially viable sometimes that can be helping us both.

Of course, they all want to sell too. It’s important to me that I can communicate with the artist well, that we don’t have any personality conflicts, that we can get along in what is basically, kind of a stressful business. You know, we get to eat what we kill every day,

streets that run through Centro.

Stop at the Tourism Office in the Main Plaza for a map or take advantage of their free walking tour. Many galleries carry high quality local crafts, established Mexican and international artists and more.

Volunteer - There are many

wonderful organizations across the Bay that can use your help. Both time or money will be appreciated. On Sundays, the Brigada de Basura does a morning clean-up with the local children and then they all head to Que Pasa restaurant for breakfast, activities and friendship.

Marianne: Yeah...very cool!

So, how did the Sculpture Walks go this year?

Gary: They went pretty well, we pulled in good crowds. The local press and especially, the Tribune has been very, very kind in helping us to promote it. We got a lot of reviews in Trip Advisor and Facebook and even some newspaper and magazine articles.

There was a profile on me in the April issue of ‘International Living’ which has half a million readership between the print and the on-line version. I mentioned the Sculpture Walk and the Art Walk in that, for example. They had 3 different stories on the area in the article, it’s entitled “Inexpensive Living on the Beach in Puerto Vallarta”.

Marianne: Do you influence or guide your artists’ development?

Marianne: Would you like to leave us with some parting thoughts?

Gary: Well, I really value my lifestyle, you know, I like being able to work around beautiful things and work with creative people. I’m a very right brain oriented, lefthanded person.

I’ve always gravitated to artists, entertainers, writers and ummm, partiers...but, I feel really lucky to live in Puerto Vallarta. I feel lucky that the town and the local citizens have let me be here and embraced me and lately, honored me and allowed me to be part of their community and I really feel lucky to work with all the talented people that I do. I feel really incredibly lucky to have Carlos Santana Villaseñor helping me out, which is an understatement... he pretty much, you know, does everything and I just open and close the door when he comes in and leaves. Carlos has been with us 15 years. Martina Ponce, our maid and guiding spirit...she’s been with us 16.

Tito “El Perro” Rubio, 4 years.

At any rate, I feel lucky. As we all know, for the last several years the economy’s been bad and it’s been like an act of love more than a really wonderful commercial venture. But, I love art so much and I love living here so much, that it’s all been worth it. Plus, I’ve done it so long now that it’s hard to visualize doing much else.

LOCAL 08 Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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Let’s Hear from You: First Person Expat Interviews

By Miguel Fernandez Miguel@g3mex.com

T

his week I met with Tatjana Haas, a German native, and a massage therapist and acupuncturist at Alkaemia Massage.

When did you first come to Mexico?

It was 1989, I was in my early twenties, and traveled to Playa del Carmen from Germany with five girlfriends. Two of which also ended up staying here permanently.

What was your first impression of the country?

I loved it! The ocean, the people; it was the best experience of my entire life. I didn’t want to leave.

After about five months we were completely broke, and had to return to Germany.

How did it feel to return home after your adventure?

I was completely energized. But after two weeks that energy was gone, and all I could think of was returning to Latin America.

So, I got a job in a popular nightclub, and worked hard to saving money for my return.

It was 1990, and I’d saved up about $5000 dollars. I did some research and found out about some intensive Spanish language programs in Guatemala. So, I flew into Antigua, stayed with a family there and went to Spanish classes every day for about 6 weeks. At that point I was very restless, and decided that it was time to travel.

Where did you go from there?

A friend and I decided to travel to the Río de la Pasión, which is up near Chiapas. We ended up out in the middle of the jungle, and didn’t realize that we’d traveled over the border into Mexico! We were near

Palenque, and I was concerned that we didn’t have a Visa for Mexico. I had about $40 left for my trip back to Playa del Carmen, half of which I lost when we inadvertently traveled over another border into Belize, when I was forced to pay for my passage.

So you were flat broke when you arrived in Playa del Carmen?

Yes. But I knew some people there, and set myself up in business on the beach selling Guatemalen souvenirs.

It was also in Playa del Carmen that I met my savior friend from San Francisco. She was a massage therapist, and she offered to teach me massage. Which I loved! I began working for her.

So that’s where you began working as a massage therapist?

Yes. I did that for a while, and then ended up being dumped by my boyfriend, so it was clear that I needed a change. I met some people from Tepoztlán, Morelos, who offered me their house there.

Tepoztlán is one of Mexico’s magic villages, so there’s a big spiritual scene. Also, I didn’t realize that my friend’s house was actually part of a commune!

Did that freak you out?

No, I loved it! It was a great experience. Up in the mountains, with meditation, yoga, lots of spiritual stuff.

I spent about 5 or 6 months there, and then decided to return to the Caribbean. I then worked in Playa del Carmen during the season and back to Tepoztlán in the summer.

That pretty much sums up my first 10 crazy years.

Explore Banderas Bay Ride the bus - Buses in Puerto Vallarta are an experience all their own.You can tell the general destination of the bus by what is written on the window. Costco, Sheraton, Centro, Mismaloya you can go just about anywhere

in this city on the bus.

Only seven and a half pesos (per bus - there are no transfers) this is a great way to explore the neighbourhoods.

Head south on the bus and get a front row seat on some specta-

When did you come to Vallarta?

I arrived in Vallarta in 1999. My boyfriend and I borrowed a house in Punta de Mita, which is very small and quiet back then.

When did you return to Vallarta?

After about 8 months. I worked here as a massage therapist and incorporated acupuncture into my practice.

Did you fall in love with Puerto Vallarta?

Yes! I loved the authentic village feel and natural beauty. I loved the people here. And, at the time, it was quite small, and there were lots of opportunities.

We met Ricardo Farkas, the owner of Vallarta Adventures. He, at the time, only had one boat and was giving tours. He really liked us. He also had the concession at Las Caletas, and was trying to decide what to do with it. He took us out there and we were blown away.

Basically he handed the project over to us. That’s when me, my boyfriend and another couple developed the Rythms of the Night concept. We brought in dancers from Mexico City and I ran the spa, gave massages and lived out in Caletas. After a while it became too isolated, so my boyfriend and I moved to Calle Matamoros, in El Cerro. I continued to commute via panga over to Las Caletas. After five years I felt like I needed a change and decided to travel to Sri Lanka to study acupuncture, which is something that I’d always wanted to do.

When did you start Alkaemia?

With my partner Ezequiel in 2006.

I was pregnant with our daughter, and we wanted to go into business for ourselves. Alkaemia offers massage, acupuncture and hot stone treatments.

cular scenery on your way to the Vallarta Zoo. Or hop the Bucerias bus in front of Walmart and 30 minutes later you are exploring a charming beachside town.

Tip: Sit on the non-sunny side of the bus. Trust me. It gets hot.

Support Local Business - One of the most popular reasons

visitors love Puerto Vallarta is because it’s a thriving city not just geared towards tourists. A fine example of this is the many small businesses that you can find in ‘Centro’ including galleries, restaurants, clothing stores, spas and more. Venture off the malecon to find the perfect souvenir.

What part of town do you live in currently?

We are in Fluvial. We chose it because it’s close to schools, shopping and movie theatres.

I inherited some money and wanted to invest it in something.

I never imagined that I could buy a property and build a house for such a small amount. Ezequiel and I shopped all over town, and finally managed to negotiate a great deal on one of the remaining lots in our area of Fluvial.

We designed the house ourselves.

And then had an architect friend draw up the plan for approval and permits.

How long did the process take from beginning to end?

We bought the lot in October, began construction the following January, and moved in that August.

How was the building process?

Ezequiel was very hands-on throughout, and went to the site everyday during construction. He also did most of the finishing work himself. We traveled to Guadalajara to purchase old carved wooden doors and some fixtures.

What is it like to live in a house that you’ve designed yourself?

Great, though now I see some changes that I would like to make.

I love that we went with a more open-air concept. We have indoor gardens and we chose to have high ceilings. Also we used adobe for part of the house, which is very fresh during the summers.

Do you see yourself spending the rest of you life in Mexico?

I don’t know. Right now it’s perfect for raising my daughter, and, you know, I’ve lived more years in Mexico than anywhere else.

Who knows about the future? You can have plans and life can unfold differently in front of you.

Are you an expat, and do you have a story to tell. If so, please contact us a G3MEX Real Estate Group, and set up a time to be interviewed. Our helpful staff is always available. The office number is: 322-209-0832 or you can contact us via email at: info@g3mex.com.

COMMENTARY 09

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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Voting Is Essential

you need to re-register, go on line today ( www.votefromabroad.org ) and take 10-15 minutes to fill out a registration form from the last state in which you lived, your right to vote from abroad has now been assured by law. You don’t have to leave your home or your local internet café. Let’s face it, we all blow off 15 minute chunks of time down here every day; heck, it’s one of the reasons we are here. Also, throughout this year, members of Democrats Abroad will make themselves available to you if you are having problems registering.

By law, a person of any party is welcomed to take advantage of this service. So keep an eye open for the next registration event near you. “They aren’t excited by either candidate:” Seriously!? If you are a multi-millionaire who is down here

because you have gotten sick and tired of your government stealing your wealth, while bums sit home and drink beer on your dime, you have a dog in this show. If you are someone who cares about “the little people” who have watched the accumulation of wealth in America start to choke off the life-blood of the middle class, you have a dog in this show. These two parties and their candidates could not be more different one from the other.

Bottom line, unless you have no feelings left for the United States of America, this mid-term election is every bit as important as the presidential election.

“My vote does not really matter”: As a human being, do you matter, or is it OK with you that any stranger that comes along can just walk all over you? Please,

reconsider this one. One of the great fortunes for those of us alive today is that we were born in, or intentionally became a citizen of the USA, the most influential nation of this modern era. We may not always be very pleased with the decisions that are being made, but you are a citizen of a nation that was founded on, and has been molded by, the notion of the sanctity of the “individual.”

To not vote is the equivalent of looking yourself in the mirror and seeing someone who does not matter. Please, voting matters, because each and every one of us matters.

“Nothing ever gets done anyway”: Oh my goodness…the rights of African-Americans were finally recognized; the rights of women were finally recognized; the issues affecting hard working and contributing members now living in the US and who came from Mexico are on the table; the issues affecting wealth creation and having a means by which every citizen can live a decent and fulfilling life in America are on the line; issues concerning how America as a society will treat old people, handicapped people, abused children, people with pre-existing medical conditions; on and on I could go.

These are highly significant questions about what America is going to be in the 21st Century.

Each and every one of these issues and dozens more will get addressed in these next two years. Plenty will get done and/ or blocked, one way or the other.

Preaching was not my profession, and I don’t respond very well to professional preachers pointing their finger at me either. I am simply imploring you to consider just how easy it is to vote from abroad these days, and just how important you are in what happens over these next few years. The citizens of the world need you to sit down at your/a computer, go to www.votefromabroad.org fill out the easy to follow FPCA (federal post card application) and register to vote.

“Be an absentee voter, not an absentee citizen.”

most popular day tours - the Canopy Mundo Nogalito Tour with the only tunnel zip-line in town. If you’re feeling the heat, stop at the Punta Negra bridge and take a drip in the river. Lovely fresh water, lots of little pools to splash in and rocks to dry off on. If you’re lucky, a vendor will

come by with snacks and drinks - otherwise pack your own.

Mismaloya 15 minutes further is Mismaloya, a small town set back from the water along a river that leads to the ocean and a number of beach restaurants.

This bay looks onto Los Arcos

and is a great place to grab a panga boat for a tour of the impressive rocks.

If you have time, book a snorkel or dive trip. This is one of the deepest ocean valleys in the world and home to turtles, whales, dolphins and the bluefooted Booby.

By John Wilson-Bugbee

I

n 2008 there were 40 million more people who voted that year in the US presidential election than voted in the 2010 mid-term election cycle. 40 million!

40 MILLION! Personally, I just don’t get it; but then, I was raised by a father who was the 7th soldier in to liberate the prisoners of Dachau Prison in late April 1945. My dad was also the commander of the honor guard for his American Legion Post, and week after week he left his roofing business to honor those who had fought serving their country. The whole idea of voting was not just some civics lesson in our house, this was a right that needed defending to the death if necessary, and for his generation it was far too necessary and far too common.

The main reason people give for not voting, and I’ll quote a USA Today article: “They’re too busy.

They aren’t excited about either candidate. Their vote doesn’t really matter. And nothing ever gets done, anyway.”

I wonder if US citizens remember the first day in South Africa, after Nelson Mandela had been freed by his Afrikaner enslavers, and all citizens of that country could vote for the first time. They stood in some of the longest lines imaginable, just for the right (in most of their minds, the obligation) to vote. Iraqis had a similar scene after the fall of Sadam, and when they were given an opportunity to vote, purple fingers were proudly displayed for all to see. And most recently, citizens of Afghanistan went to the polls in record numbers despite the Taliban’s threats resulting in 23 deaths on April 5th and 3 more on Sunday the 6th. The right to vote is a cherished and essential part of citizenship across the world, and yet many US citizens look upon it as some sort of burden.

I fully appreciate that this upcoming US election does not carry any of those outwardly powerful impacts. Americans are, however, looking at the decline of the middle class, threats to Social

Security and Medicare/Medicaid, stalled immigration reform legislation, road blocks to a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body, science deniers who stand in the way of efforts to control climate change, and renewed efforts to undermine voting rights. Furthermore, the people elected in these upcoming elections will likely be involved in determining the direction of the Supreme Court. I am asking those US citizens who now live in Mexico and don’t intend to vote in our elections to seriously reconsider that decision.

“I’m too busy”: Start by going to www.canivote.org , use the dropdown to select the state you last voted in and determine if you need to re-register (not all states require you to re-register in 2014). Then if

Explore Banderas Bay Conchas Chinas The south of Puerto Vallarta is a thick jungle full of adventure and excitement. Head south along the 200 highway and you will find the architecturally inspiring community of Conchas Chinas.

The beach cove here is excellent for snorkeling.

Nogalito The first town South is that of Nogalito. Set back in the jungle it is a charming Mexican village that also is home to one of the

LOCAL 10

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

Paradise and Parenting

By Leza Warkentin

Keep Looking

A

fter living in a beautiful seaside resort town for fourteen years, people might think that seeing the beach everyday wouldn’t necessarily thrill the soul of a Canadian prairie girl the way it once did. I think a more accurate way of seeing it is that sometimes I stop looking, that in all the bustle I can no longer see the beach (cool tropical living) for the sand (daily life with a family).

As far as weeks go around my house, this past one was pretty good. We made it to 4 out of 5 after school sports classes including a soccer game. We showed up at a birthday party with a wrapped gift this time. News from Canada indicated that, while my mother did fall while cleaning her windows again, there was nothing broken beyond a few ladder rungs.

The pizza restaurant on the corner began playing vintage Bon Jovi with the doors open every evening while I walked the dogs.

In other words, I had a lot to be thankful for.

I suppose there was only one real hiccup in the week. Our dogs must have overheard our children mention that the little songbird burbling outside their window every morning at 6am was a bit tiresome. As home security personnel, Max and Lucy tend to take these sorts of complaints very seriously, and the bird met an abrupt, and from what we can gather, violent end in the laundry patio area.

Things were tense around the house. The dogs were feeling shame and confusion at the enmity with which this act was greeted. My children were bereft, knowing the little bird, however

irritating, was forever silenced.

My husband and I decided it was time for a nice long walk on the Malecon (after the burial and the rose petal flinging). And that’s where I felt the cookie crumbs and soccer turf fall away from my eyes and I started looking again. There I was, the girl from Manitoba, listening to her children order crepas con fresas in flawless Spanish from the friendly street vendors and wandering down the Malecon with a cup of elote con queso y chile, breathing in all that’s good about salty sea air.

We made our way to the pier, sitting on giant rocks while our kids twisted through, under, up and over the waves like baby seals.

We called them out just as the waves began to rise and smash themselves against the piling. Our baby seals scampered to us, gleaming wet and sticky with sand.

Lining up with the rest of the first-timers, we watched as the sun finally laid its rays on us all like a blessing before dipping gracefully into the sea.

It didn’t matter that we’d be probably be sweating buckets and bickering long before we made it back to our car. It didn’t matter that tomorrow I needed to take my son on a search for red plasticine for his science class heart model.

It didn’t matter that we needed to catch up on a month of reading log entries for two kids. It didn’t even matter that we might forget to come back again for awhile.

What matters is that I am here right now, and that I’m still looking.

Explore Banderas Bay Back behind the town, check out the Vallarta Zoo where you can play with baby monkeys, tigers and lions.

Boca de Tomatlan Boca de Tomatlan is the last town along the ocean and the

place to grab a boat to the small beach communities of Quimixto, Las Animas and the very popular Yelapa.

Looking for romance - book a table at the nearby Le Kliff for spectacular views and sunsets.

www.vallartatribune.com

Flower of the Week

by Sandra Cesca

Orchid Tree Árbol de Orquídea (Spanish) Bauhinia sp.

C

amels Foot (from shape of leaves); Kachnar Tree in India. An ornamental growing to 40 feet, it often is mistaken for the Amapas Tree (Tabebuia rosae) when in full bloom. This tree is important in the healing practices of Ayurvedic medicine.

Bark extract is used to cure asthma and ulcers; the buds and

roots for digestive problems; the leaves as flavoring in Indian foods.

The flowers attract hummingbirds. This plant is one of over 200 found in Sandra’s new colorcoded guidebook, Tropical Plant Walks of Puerto Vallarta.

Available now at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens’ gift shop www. vbgardens.org, Page in the Sun Bookstore and from Sandra at

the Paradise Community Center Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

Information on her many walking tours can be found at: www.escaperoutevallarta.com.

Banderas Bay Butterfies

by Moralea Milne

ELF (Microtia elva)

These small, approximately 1-1.5 in (2.5–3.5 cm) butterflies can be found flying throughout the year along both coasts of Mexico, often in open areas in lowland tropics.

Like most butterflies, they select certain plants on which to lay their eggs, in this case on members of the Justicia family (shrimp plants), which have tubular flowers. They

can be found nectaring on a variety of flowers; I have often found them on the small wild marigolds. They are very alert and it is not easy to catch them at rest for long.

LOCAL 11

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

PEACEAnimals Cinics COLONIA LÓPEZ MATEOS

By Gretchen DeWitt

T

he colonia was named after the 48th president of México, López Mateos, a member of the PRI party, who served from 1958 until 1964. To arrive at this colonia, which is fairly close to the center of old town, one drives on the “libramiento,” also known as the “tunnel” road, and makes a turn at the stop light opposite the corner where la Cruz Roja is located. The wide, cobbled streets are clean and as in every colonia, there are always cats and dogs in sight.

In a light rain early Thursday morning, the shy black homeless cat I have been feeding on my way to yoga, walked up to me meowing.

I was able to pick her up and drive her to the clinic.

A woman who has forty rescued cats brought in six newly rescued kittens. One of the kittens was

paralyzed because a boy had stomped on it. All of the kittens were young and pretty. The woman was crying and asked Paulina to euthanize all of them plus an adorable white Terrier/Poodle Mix she had found on the street. The distraught woman wasn´t able to keep any more animals and didn´t want these animals to starve, contact diseases, get hit by cars or attacked by dogs.

All animal refuges are over capacity in Puerto Vallarta. It was a blessing for the paralyzed kitten to be put to sleep, but none of the kittens should have been born, and once born, shouldn´t have had to be euthanized. This particular situation at a clinic is extremely unusual, and it is a very sad business, especially for Paulina, our director and vet tech. Paulina wouldn´t euthanize the very sweet dog, who is about ten years old, blind in one eye and has a severe case of manage on his rear. She made two phone calls and found

www.vallartatribune.com

a temporary home for it at the SPCAPV. Also unusual at the clinic, because they are normally used for breeding purposes, a beautiful Belgian Shepherd, her five-month old daughter and a young male St. Bernard, a breed that does not do well in this climate.

STERILIZATIONS MAY 28-MAY 31

Female dogs - 40; Male dogs - 6; Female cats - 43; Male cats - 20 TOTAL: 109 Sadly, 6 kittens euthanized at request of rescuer because there was no place for them to go.

This project has been made partially possible with the support of the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust. The generous donation of $5,000 USD underwrote 3.3 clinics @ $1,500 USD each.

Our goal was to sterilize an average of 90 cats and dogs per clinic for a total of 293 animals sterilized thanks to the Marchig

Animal Trust. Crediting 36 of the 109 animals at the López Mateos clinic plus the 279 cats and dogs sterilized at 3 other of these sponsored clinics, PEACEAnimals sterilized a total of 315 animals, exceeding our goal. (The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust is headquartered in Scotland).

UPCOMING CLINIC SCHEDULE: JUNE 4-7 Plaza Caracol 11-14 San Pancho (Pets for Life clinic) 15 Tepic (Pets for Life clinic) 18-21 Pitillal (exact location tba) 25-28 La Cruz (exact location tba)

DONATIONS AT LÓPEZ MATEOS CLINIC: 1,710 pesos plus one pizza brought to the team

by Luz Wong.

Schedule, including directions and other miscellaneous information are always on website: www.peaceanimals.org

VALLARTA SHOPPING DIRECTORY The only complete guide for Vallarta´s best galleries, boutiques, spas, restaurants and more. vallartashoppingdirectory.blogspot.mx

Basilio Badillo 269 A Puerto Vallarta, Jal Mon - Sat 4-11 pm (322) 223 3734 From USA or Canada 1-269-282-9550 info.divinodante@gmail.com www.divinodante.com

MEN AND WOMEN’S JEWELRY AND ACCESORIES. CASSANDRA SHAW JEWELRY 223 9734 BASILIO BADILLO 276 OLD TOWN OPEN DAILY

Nacho Daddy Mexico is the place in Puerto Vallarta where American, Canadian and European ex-pats and tourists across the globe gather to drink, eat, dance, listen to great music,watch football and having a rip-roaring good time.

287 Basilio Badillo in old town 322 223 0838 www.nachodaddymexico.com

Sites Marina

El Tigre Villa For Sale Located on the 10th Tee

The Best Price $/m2 in El Tigre Fully Furnished 4 Beds 4.5 Baths This stunning home includes maids quarters, stunning kitchen and majestic living room that looks on to a glorious pool and outdoor entertainment area. Enjoy magnificent golf course and heavenly views from this divine residence. If you are looking for a Million dollar home, but not the price, this is your only option.

www.remaxinpv.com

Charming tranquility in the mountains San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco

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his magical town was officially recognized as a Pueblo Magico in 2012. Originally settled in 1605, this secluded 17th century mining town reached its peak of prosperity in the 1700s, when over 30,000 people inhabited the area. Over the years, the town’s population fluctuated wildly as gold and silver were mined intermittently between the 1600’s and the 1930’s.

A historic town with a rich past, this once booming mining town was the second city in Mexico to get electricity. Although those gold rush years are long gone and settlers have since moved on, this beautiful mountain village of just 600 residents has kept its true colonial heritage.

A shining example of an ancient Mexican village and well known for its corn and cattle trade, San Sebastian is now cultivating coffee and agave in its lush mountainsides. It was also home to Hollywood celebrities and today is a haven for Guadalajarans and Puerto Vallartans looking for tranquil nature and a respite from the summer heat.

The white and red buildings, cobblestone roads, stone bridges and stunning mountain vistas transport visitors to a time before iphones and flatscreen tv’s. But don’t worry, there is wifi in the town plaza and at most of the restaurants and hotels.

The town continues to grow with the inauguration of the new business association. There are approximately ten hotels

El Fortin de San Sebastian

and twenty restaurants. Freshly prepared meals made from local ingredients, flaky pastries from the Italian bakery and warm, rich cups of coffee will give you the energy to spend the day exploring the town and surrounding hills and a couple raicillas will mellow you out after a long day.

How to Get There From Puerto Vallarta take Highway 70 north past the airport. Watch for signs but as long as you stay straight you can’t get lost. The trip takes about an hour and a half. It’s 60kms of often single lane highway that winds through the farmland of the Ameca Valley, through the jungles, to the sierras of pine and oak forests at about 1,500 meters above sea level.

The air can be a little thin but it’s humidity free which is a blessing in the summer heat.

Enjoy the culinary tradition of this destination, offering treats such as huitlacoche stewed with onions and spices, or mixed platters that include a stuffed chili pepper, gordita, machaca and nance flavoured aguas frescas.

And you can’t ignore the “chocorraiz”, a chocolate drink with “Raicilla” (a local moonshine) and, for desert, enjoy peaches with rompope and cinnamon.

Above all, take advantage of nature’s generosity, offering guavas, lemons, plantains, oranges, peaches, arrayan and “faisan” berries.

To truly enjoy the local fruits visit in May and June.

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pening their cafe in 1999, Gabriel Cardeñas and his wife Margarita Macias recognized the town of San Sebastian as a place of great natural beauty, and the perfect place for the newly emerging tourist market. Gabriel has been pivital in bringing tourism to San Sebastian and helping the local businesses organize and train to be better prepared for the level of services the tourists are demanding.

Located on the Main Plaza, El Fortin was one of the first places to open to the tourist market in San Sebastian. This charming restaurant and gallery offers traditional Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. Recognizing the abundance of the area and the importance of supporting the local producers, Gabriel and his wife who is the head Chef use local products such as raicilla, arrayan (lemon-orange citrus fruit) and locally grown coffee and handmade cheeses from the area. El Fortin specializes in fresh creative food with such popular dishes such as Tamarind Chicken using a homemade curry sauce, Huitlcoche Cream Soup (a delicious corn fungus – so much better than it sounds) and Fried Panela Cheese served with olive oil, herbs and a touch of raicilla.

The outside deck overlooks the patio and is a great place to take your afternoon espresso with a slice of the decadent elote (corn) pie or chocolate brownie served drizzled with caramel flavoured tequila. Inside there is a small gallery featuring local artists and a selection of locally made products including Raicilla, flavoured tequilas, fresh roasted coffee, preserves, sauces and more.

This colourful café is a flavourful treat and the perfect place to wind down your tour of the area. Enjoy a sumptuous meal, a bracing stiff drink of raicilla and pick up enviable gifts for those whom you left back home.

High in the mountains, only one hour from Puerto Vallarta, San Sebastiรกn offers a different experience.

Cool mountain air, tranquil nature and historical charm await you.

CUISINE 16

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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Food of the Mayan World

By Ramiro Lopez

And so the food was found and entered into the flesh of the created man...from this food was made the blood of men. Thus corn entered by grace of the progenitors. - Popol Vul

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n addition to their contributions to science, the Mayas; the men of the corn and magnificent creation of the gods, made great agricultural advances.

They were excellent producers of corn, cacao, mango, watermelon, tobacco, beans, avocado, tomato, peppers and chaya (1), among many other products.

Tabasco is colossal paradise Tabasco emerges bleary-eyed, after crossing the long rainy area of the Grijalva river. This Mexican state is, considered the “Gate of the Mayan world”, it is located in the southeastern part of Mexico, a zone rich in protected areas, with invaluable natural diversity perfect for such eco-tourism adventures as cave diving, river sports, climbing, camping, hiking, observation of the many exotic specimens of flora and fauna, as well as exploration of the ancient archaeological sites of the Olmec and Zoque-Mayan civilizations.

Villahermosa (beautiful village), known as the "Emerald of the East", is the lovely capital of Tabasco state, located in the central region. In this cosmopolitan city you can visit the park-museum “La Venta”, and see some of the colossal Olmec heads, stunning archaeological pieces that were discovered in the northwestern part of the state.

Gift of the gods and legacy for generations The fertile soil of Tabasco, the humidity with rains year round, warm weather of temperatures from 24 ° C to 29 ° C, along with the creative spirit of these people, descendants of the Mayans, are all reflected in Tabasco´s food.

It is literally a paradise, where vegetables and fruits of incredible quality are produced.

The protagonists of the Tabasco kitchens are the herbs and seeds that abound in the area, such as “achiote”, a paste used by the Maya for flavouring and coloring their food, along with chaya, parsley, epazote , cilantro, chipilin (2), amashito chili, and banana leaf. These are the ingredients that provide the local dishes with their unique smell, color and flavor.

Many fruits are grown in this land, particularly the Tabasco banana, which was introduced in the 1900s and adapted extremely well here. It is prepared roasted, and prepared with marshmallows, corn flakes, and even bread.

In Tabasco there are also many cacao plantations, where the revered seed, native to this land, is processed to produce chocolate; the drink of the gods that conquered palates world-wide, and today is the base of many desserts, drinks, and savory dishes. A visit to the cacao farms in the region will allow you to delve into the process of making cocoa paste, and learn of artisan methods that are still working in harmony with their environment.

Veins of water that feed the life Deep into the state, the village markets are flooded with flavors from their watery environment; crossed by rivers dotted with lakes, swamps, coasts and lush vegetation, Tabasco’s warm humid tropical weather creates the perfect conditions for the production of fish, seafood and reptiles, which have a notable impact on the local cuisine.

Examples of this are the Tabasco style snook, tenhuayaca (3) crappie fish prepared in "chaya" leaf and the most requested of aquatic delights in Tabasco; the garpike, which is prepared in mole sauce or just

grilled, and then topped with lemon juice and a touch of slightly sweet chili amashito that is used in almost everything eaten in Tabasco.

For seafood they have “Tapesco oysters”, cooked with a fire of dried palm leaves on a bed made with green trunks of palm, and seasoned with chipilin. Yet another of the seafood delights to be found there is the acamaya (4) which is prepared with garlic.

Unfortunately, the indiscriminate consumption of these species has put them in danger of extinction, and their culinary use is at risk of becoming merely an historical anecdote.

So too are other highlights of the exotic dishes of Tabasco, such as the "chirmole" of iguana, turtles hicotea and pochitoque (5); part of the traditional menu that is still consumed underground, in violation of government regulations of recent years.

Other animals that have been endangered by indiscriminate hunting for their culinary appeal, are the armadillo, the lowland paca and deer.

“The Food of the Mayan World” In the state of Tabasco lives the Chontal ethnic group, which stems from the ancient Mayan culture.

The Chontal indigenous cuisine is varied and extensive, thanks to their antique, pre-Hispanic recipes, and the abundance of vegetables, fruits, and animals existing in their communities, thus creating an extensive list of dishes that evoke in all the senses their earliest legacy.

And it is now in our hands to preserve this heritage forever.

If you have ever wanted to experience the cuisine of the Mayan world, and of Tabasco, Foods replete with flavors, unique smells, colorful and intense aromas are waiting for your discovery.

Photo Credit Joel Hansen, Mexi-Go!

Tabasco: More than a sauce

Glossary 1 Hoja santa; Known in Tabasco as Momo, is an aromatic herb with a heart-shaped, velvety leaf which grows in the tropic zones of México and Central America. The name hoja santa means "sacred leaf" in Spanish.

2 Chipilin; A Nahuatl word meaning Quilitl-tender edible vegetables.

It is native to southern Mexico and Central America, and its leaves are used in most of the cuisine of Chiapas and Tabasco, from stews, soups, rice, and particularly the typical chipilin tamales.

3 Tenhuayaca; Type of crappie, which is the favorite amongst locals because of its rich flavor 4 Acamaya; The acamaya is a crustacean very similar to the blue shrimp, but slightly larger. As one of the main resources for income in the Chontalpa region, due to its high market demand, the acamaya has been the most over-fished species within the coastal communities, and is now in danger of extinction.

5 Pochitoque; Species of turtles native to the southeast of Mexico, both land and fresh water, are part of the local daily cooking and are extensively marketed, although they are an endangered species.

Tabasco cold avocado soup Formerly from the coastal state of Tabasco, where a chilled dish is always welcome, this soup is a perfect first course for a light summer meal, such as grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons butter • ½ medium onion, chopped fine • 2 serrano chiles, chopped fine • 4 cups cold green vegetable broth • 4 avocados, pureed with a bit of the vegetable broth • ½ cup Mexican crema or heavy cream • chopped cilantro for garnish In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, add the onion and chile, and sauté over low heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Remove pan from heat.

Add the vegetable broth, avocado and cream, stirring to blend well after each addition. Chill, covered, for 1 hour.

Serve cold with a garnish of chopped cilantro and tortilla chips.

Serves 4.

Ramiro Lopez Wirrarika warrior. Chef by profession, writer by vocation and conviction. Originally from Nayarit, began his culinary career in Mexico City, and consolidated it in USA, there winning several prestigious cooking awards. His passion in the discovery of native flavors brought him back to Mexico, where he focused on exploring the secrets of local cuisines and also launched Food Revolution, a national nutrition, coupled with an understanding of the importance of organic and local products and long-term sustainability of natural resources.

www.vallartatribune.com

RIVIERA NAYARIT 17

Fun on the Riviera Nayarit

By Cat Morgan www.rivieranayaritfun.com

Energy Medicine and Vibrational / Quantum Healing

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piritual enlightenment is very much alive in the PV area and along the Riviera Nayarit. Many people practice enlightenment in many ways, such as yoga, meditation, and energy medicine healing like Reiki, Kirtan chanting and other heart centered modalities that create balance in the body, mind and spirit.

I am starting a summer article series about Energy Medicine, Vibrational Medicine, and the energetic aspects that govern the human body. Most folks know me as the “RivieraNayaritFun. com gal, advertising on the town websites and Google promotion.

However, another one of my “hats” and my true vocation is as an Energy Medicine Specialist.

I have decided to write a few columns about Energy Medicine and Vibrational healing / Quantum Healing so more people can have some sort of “frame of reference” for it. There is actually an insurance code now, (for about 7 years or so) for “Disturbance in the Energy Field” in America. It’s quite easy now to have photos taken of your energy field (commonly

known as an Aura), which actually started in the 70’s! Quantum physics and healing has come a long way! Today, I thought I would start with the vibrational aspect of the sacred sound of “OM”.

It seems to be such an appropriate place to begin!

The Sacred Sound of “OM” OM is a Sanskrit symbol; a sound from Hindu origin, and not actually a word. It is a mysterious and tiny sound, yet mystics and yogi’s say this sound contains everything. In the Bible it states “In the beginning there was the word”. Word = Sound, or Vibration.

If you have ever taken a yoga class, this mantra is used in the beginning and end of class. It is said to be the soundless sound; the sound of eternity, and a constant companion.

There are many symbols for OM. It depends on the language.

The first one is Hindu, and is the one I see to be most common. The second is Devanagari, as per the

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

Vedic scripts; third is Tibetan, and the fourth is from the Oriya-Assamese and Benngali alphabet.

There are also many others.

OM is pronounced AUM.

The word OM means nothing in a written alphabetical context. It contains three sounds, A U M. All sounds come from these three sounds. (Aaaah, Uuuuu, and mmmm.) The practicing “Zen” people say it is the sound of one hand clapping. It is not polluted with any attached meaning, and when the mind is silent, and the body, mind and soul are balanced and functioning together, and the manifest and un-manifest dance together, this is the inner humming sound you hear; the vibration that is heard. It has no meaning, yet fills one with joy and dance.

Most faiths have trinities in their roots, and Hinduism does as well. These syllables represent the heavens, earth and underworld, pertaining to Hindu Gods Brama (Creator God,) Vishnu (Sustainer God) , and Shiva (Destroyer God, or the Transformer), and the waking, dreaming and dreamless states.

The sound first cropped up in the Upanishads. The Mandukya Upanishad, which is entirely devoted to OM, begins like this: “Om is the imperishable word.

Om is the universe and this is the exposition of OM. The past, the present, and the future, all that was, all that is, all that will be is OM. Likewise, all else that may exist beyond the bounds of time, that too is OM.” That pretty much covers just about everything..All that is!

The Sanskrit word “Upanishad” means sitting down near while receiving esoteric knowledge or setting to rest ignorance by revealing the knowledge of the supreme spirit.

Chanting (singing) the Mantra OM Try this mantra. It feels very good to sing / or chant. It’s super easy. First take a deep breath in your nose, and then exhale with a smile. Ahhh…that feels good within itself!

Then, take another deep breath, and start with Ooooooooo Uuuuuuuu Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Hold the “M” as long as you can.

The Crown Chakra

The crown chakra, which is located on the top of the head, is also associated with the sound OM, in the musical note of B. This chakra color is Violet, and the functions and qualities are about perfection integration and unity with the omnipresent being, divine wisdom and purpose, universal consciousness, bliss, understanding and enlightenment. When this chakra is functioning properly you feel that you’re are consciously living your divine purpose, and in complete harmony physically, mentally and spiritually; feeling one with God and all creation. The verb for this Chakra is “I Know”.

When singing or chanting OM, you may visualize this crown

chakra spinning clockwise up off of your head, violet in color, and hold intention to connect to your source.

Thanks so much for tuning in this week. I am looking forward to expanding on Energy Medicine and Vibrational Healing.

The next article will be about the Chakras….What is a Chakra Anyway??

Many Blessings of Loving Kindness, and, as always, Namaste’

Catherine (Cat) Morgan is Usui Reiki Master and Usui Tibetan Reiki Master and Instructor, Certified in Healing Touch, Energy Medicine Partnerships, Access Consciousness Bars, Hypnotherapy, Massage, also brining to the table Sacral Cranial Movement, Axiatonal Alignment, Focusing, Therapeutic Touch and Reflexology, as well as Advanced Hypnotherapy Techniques that include Past Life Regression and Life Between Life Regression. Her most recent certification is with Access Consciousness in the Bars work. Running the “Bars” clears the emotional triggers that cause the suffering from thoughts and feelings.

She teaches a seven level course in energy medicine, from beginning to advanced, and also teaches classes on Abundance, Learning how to See Energy Fields, and Releasing Your Suffering.

Feel free to write with any questions, appointments, or discover how you can coordinate a course in your area, or promote your own business with RivieraNayaritFun.com Cat@NewEnergyConsciousness.com or Cat@RivieraNayaritFun.com Skype Phone: 970-704-6345 Mexico Cell: 332-728-6897

Events 18 18 TRAVEL

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

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MEXICO, An Underwater Wonderland BAJA CALIFORNIA

By Patricia Peña

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orth to south, east to west, all paths lead to the ocean. Like the song of the mermaid, Mexico’s crystal clear waters have enamoured many a soul with their enigmatic beauty.

The dolphin noticed the diver and started swimming in circles.

But before he could react and take a photo of the 300-kilo animal, it swam off, flashing its white belly and gray tail. The diver followed it, waving his right hand to attract the attention of the group he was with. To his surprise, it came back, this time accompanied by another six of its species, which dipped under the water when their leader shimmied up to the diver.

Diver and dolphin stared each other in the eye with an inexplicable mutual curiosity in the placid waters of the Maya Riviera. It is a moment that Arturo Ramírez Martell, a Mexican who has spent 30 of his 48 years as a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Instructor Development Course (IDC) Staff Instructor for the Mexican Diving Federation, will never forget.

Arturo knows how lucky he is to be able to explore the depths of Mexico’s seas, rated among the most beautiful in the world by colleagues as prestigious as the father of modern day diving, Jacques Cousteau, after whom an island in the Sea of Cortés in Baja California Sur was named.

The Frenchman was a regular visitor to these waters, which he dubbed the “world’s aquarium”.

Like Cousteau, for many diving is a lifestyle, an adrenalin-packed passion born of an ethereal connection with nature.

But it doesn’t take great physical strength and you certainly don’t have to sign up for a daunting ocean expedition to experience the thrill of coming face to face with the monsters of the deep or discovering the microscopic organisms that bring life and color to this fascinating underworld.

Mexico has an abundance of seas and oceans brimming with unique flora and fauna, not to mention specialized instructors and world famous dive sites like the Sea of Cortés, the Revillagigedo Islands and the Maya Riviera, whose best known spots include Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel-Isla Mujeres.

MAYA RIVIERA Ideally located on the Mexican Caribbean in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, it is no coincidence that at least one of the Maya Rivera’s 26-plus dive sites appears on every list of the best diving spots in the world.

Solitary reefs, cenotes (underwater sinkholes), islands, shipwrecks, walls and underground river systems have earned the Riviera a reputation as the best cave diving destination in the world. Plus tourists can dive with sharks, turtles and dolphins, snails, sea urchins, starfish and lobster. Then there is Xel-Há, an eco-park where you can dive or snorkel in the lagoon or explore the caves of its underground river. The Tres Ríos eco-park has eight cenotes, while budding underwater archaeologists can visit the remains of ancient Maya civilizations at Xcaret, which features 600 meters of caves, tunnels, natural pools and underground rivers swarming with tropical fish. Playa del Carmen, host to the Great Maya Reef, has coral reefs and underground rivers that connect with the cenotes Chac Mool, La Ponderosa, Dos Ojos, NohochNa-Chich, El Gran Cenote, Car Wash, Chikin Ha, Taj Majal and Angelita.

Also in the Maya Riviera is Majahual, whose coral reefs provide a refuge for starfish, seahorses, dolphins, turtles and sponges. Isla Mujeres has virgin areas and quiet beaches like El

GarDepending on the depth and time of year, visibility averages 20 meters, increasing to 40 meters in summer and fall.

Some of the region’s more famous dive sites are Aktun Chen, a natural park with a 12-meterdeep cenote, and Xpu-Há, an ecopark with a route that takes in 61 cenotes, including one called Manatí, which boasts an enormous lagoon. In the same area is the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, whose 47.5-kilometer strip of coastline is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, populated by tropical fish, sponges, pink rafón, El Farito and Manchones, whose crystal clear waters are perfect for snorkeling.

Finally, there is the island of Cozumel on the Yucatán Peninsula, a diver’s paradise famous for its coral formations, shallow walls and mysterious freshwater cenotes, with packages to accommodate all levels of expertise and every budget.

RIVIERA NAYARIT

Winding along Mexico’s Pacific coast, the Riviera Nayarit has a great selection of diving programs for both amateurs and experts with “magical” spots like the Marieta Islands Marine Reserve, part of an underwater mountain whose peak emerges above the surface, marking the entrance to Banderas Bay. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau’s underwater expeditions of the 1970s, the reserve is ideal for beginners, with depths of 7.5 to

23 meters and average visibility of 12 meters.

On the shores of Banderas Bay, some 10 kilometers west of the Marieta Islands, is El Morro, whose rocky pinnacles conceal tunnels and caves. This site is suitable for small groups of certified divers, with depths of 45 meters below sea level.

Another option for certified deep-sea divers is Los Anegados off Banderas Bay, halfway between the Marieta Islands and El Morro. Just 10 meters below the surface are caves and rock formations that beg to be explored. Here, you’ll see giant manta rays, sharks, eels and tuna. Depths go from nine to 25 meters, with visibility ranging from nine to 28 meters.

Some five kilometers away is La Corbeteña, recommended for experienced divers only due to its strong currents flush with marine life and depths of 40 to 60 meters. In the same area, opposite to Rincón de Guayabitos, are the islands of El Cangrejo and El Coral, whose coral reefs are rife with manta rays, turtles, starfish and rainbow colored fish. Isabel Island is another popular destination in the Riviera Nayarit for a diving holiday and a mandatory point of call for migratory birds and humpback whales as they make their way south to reproduce. On the beaches of Monas and El Cantil del Faro and the walls of El Cerro Pelón, you can spot the world’s largest fish, the whale shark.

The Sea of Cortés is a watery Pacific paradise in North Mexico.

Declared a World Heritage Site, this natural aquarium never ceases to amaze with its colourful marine vegetation, shoals of tropical fish, sea lions, giant manta rays, whales and hammerhead sharks. Jacques Cousteau was so fond of diving at Cerralvo Island that it was renamed after him in 2009. Measuring 29 kilometers long and seven wide, it lies just 65 kilometers from La Paz, Baja California.

Also in Baja California, some 400 kilometers south of Cabo San Lucas, is the Revillagigedo Archipelago, formed by four islands –San Benedicto, Socorro, Roca Partida and Clarión– that are sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of Mexico. Experts say this is the best place to dive with large species like the giant manta ray of the Pacific, which can measure up to seven meters from fin to fin.

Sharks are a major attraction and, if you’re lucky, on one single expedition you’ll get to see the hammerhead, whitetip, silvertip, silky, gray, Galapagos and tiger varieties. And if you’re even luckier, the whale shark, especially if you visit in November, December, April or May. Pods of dolphins invade the beaches between January and March, when humpback whales come to the islands to mate and give birth.

THE VERACRUZ REEF SYSTEM

Comprised of 17 coral reefs and 350 shipwrecks concentrated in an area near the port of Veracruz, this is a favourite spot for adventure seekers, with flora and fauna you’d be hard pressed to see anywhere else in the world, like green moray eels, whiprays, silky sharks and whale sharks. According to the experts, the best time of year to dive in the Gulf of Mexico is between May and September, when visibility is on a par with that of the Caribbean Sea. Veracruz has programs and expeditions for divers of every level, from beginners to the more experienced. Other good dive sites in South Mexico include the Montebello Lakes, a national park in the state of Chiapas, and the Pacific waters that lap the coast of the state of Oaxaca.

Originally published in Negocios ProMéxico

SPORTS 19

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Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

Random thoughts from the Tribune Sports desk

By Joel Hansen

Garry Bettman

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o we get the Los Angeles Kings vs the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final and a repeat of last year in the NBA finals with the Heat playing the Spurs. That little troll, Garry Bettman, could not be happier; two biggest TV markets head to head and no other distractions in either town.

As for the NBA final this reporter could not be happier, last year’s final was a classic. These teams do not like each other and add another year to that and it should be very good basketball, as long as Tim Duncan and his back hold up.

Still working on my Spanish with the help of the great teachers at the Spanish Experience Center here in our fair city. Thanks to the hard work of my tutor Sarai I was able to understand what the guys sitting beside me watching El Tri lose 1-nil to Bosnia were actually saying between all the pinche this and the pinche that. Not sure what to expect from Mexico at the World Cup, they are so hard to figure out, but most of my local friends think they will fall flat.

L o c a l ly the Vallarta Torpedos football de Americano youth

teams are in full training mode for their first match of the season against the hated Northerners from Tepic. When reached for comment starting safety Maxwell had this to say about the rivalry.

“Dad leave me alone, I am playing X-Box with my friends” So there you have it.

Finally, with the start of summer and the rainy season on us I look forward to those sneaky potholes filled to the top with rain water. They lay hiding themselves at each intersection until it is too late when my car falls victim to their camouflage and I find myself repairing yet another tire.

I love Puerto Vallarta and I would not want to live anywhere else but the condition of the roads and the clear fact that someone is syphoning off money meant for the city maintenance department is shameful, and don’t get me started on the fact that we have the worst topes in all of Mexico right here in PV.

Our Surfers are the best in Mexico

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or the third year in a row, the Mexican Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Team that recently won 6th place at the World Surf Tournament in Nicaragua was made up solely of athletes from Nayarit.

For three years in a row, the Mexican Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Team has consisted of surfers and paddlers from the Nayarit.

The large majority of the participants selected for the national team are from Sayulita, the Surf Capital of the Riviera Nayarit, though there are also athletes from Punta de Mita and San Pancho this year. Last year there were also competitors from Bucerías and San Blas.

The 2014 World SUP and Paddleboard Tournament was held in Nicaragua in early May,

where Mexico was awarded 6th place out of a group of 27 countries. Last year the team obtained third place in the competition in Peru.

The Technical Sub-Director for the National SUP & Paddleboard Team, José Luis Caselín, assured they have always sent in the best athletes in the country, which have been chosen from the domestic qualification heats with participants from Colima, Quintana Roo, Baja California and Nayarit.

“Sayulita is the hotspot in Mexico for SUP in terms of practice and boards, which extends to Bucerías, Punta de Mita and other coastal towns along the Riviera Nayarit.” explained Caselín.

All the team members this year are natives of Nayarit, except for Gaby Farías, who currently lives

in San Pancho and represents the state. Here is the complete list of surfers and paddlers, the pride of Nayarit: SUP SURF Hector “Papas” Gonzalez (Sayulita) Tzahui Poo Vazquez (Punta de Mita) Karen Jacobson (Sayulita) SUP RACING Fernando Stalla (Sayulita) Javier “Bicho” Jimenez (Sayulita) Esperanza Mares (Sayulita) PADDLEBOARD RACING Gaby Farias (San Pancho) Oliver Cruz (Lo de Marcos) Antonio Valdez (Sayulita) TECHNICAL DIRECTORS Alfredo Salafranca (DF) Leyla Morris (Sayulita)

CHARITIES 20

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Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

Non-Profit and Charitable Organizations For visitors to Puerto Vallarta who wish to support the less privileged in our paradise, this is a list of some of the many organizations that could benefit from such kind gestures. If you would like your organization recognized here, please email details to editor@vallartatribune.com.

Acción En La Cruz: aid residents of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle by providing provisions in exchange for community services performed. www.landon5120. wix.com/accionenlacruz Alcoholics Anonymous: In English Puerto Vallarta Alanon Club - Basilio Badillo 329 www.recoverpv.com Amazing Grace Missions Assisting families in Majisterio & Progreso with necessities and job training and English. Children’s programs also. Tax-deductible in USA & Canada.

Contact slw2014nv@gmail.com American Legion Post 14: raises resources and manpower to improve facilities needing building maintenance www.americanlegion14.org Asilo San Juan Diego Home for the Elderly - Contact: Lupita Sanchez Covarrubias 222-1257 or malupita88@ hotmail.com or www.mexonline.com\ asilosanjuandiego.htm Asociación Down - Assistance to persons with Down’s Syndrome – Contact: Ana Catalina Eisenring at 224-9577.

Banderas Bay Women’s Shelter - Safe shelter for women & children victims of domestic violence. www.compassionforthefamily.org Becas Vallarta, A.C. – Provides scholarships to high school and university students. Tax-deductible in Mexico and USA. Polly Vicars at (322) 223-1371 or Buri Gray at (322) 221-5285. www. puerto-vallarta.com/amf Bucerias Bilingual Community Center: Supporting families, seniors in Bucerias. www.buceriasbilingualcommunitycenter.org Casa Hogar - A shelter for orphaned, abandoned, disadvantaged or vulnerable children. Luz Aurora Arredondo at 221-1908, Rita Millan (322) 141-6974. casamaximocornejo@gmail.com Centro Comunitario SETAC-GLBT – Services the GLBT community, including treatment and referrals, education, English classes, HIV testing and counseling. Paco Arjona 224-1974 or paco@ setac.com.mx Clinica de Rehabilitación Santa

Barbara - Rehabilitation of the handicapped. Contact: Laura Lopez Portillo Rodriguez at 224-2754.

COLINA Spay and Neuter Clinic - Free and by-donation sterilization clinic in Old Town. Only open Sundays, Contact: cez@rogers.com or 322-104-6609 CompassionNet Impact – Transforming the lives of people living in chronic poverty. Job creation, education, emergency food, medicine & clothing.

Tax-deductible. Cell: (322) 133-7263 or ric@4compassion.org Cruz Roja (Red Cross) - Handles hospital and emergency service in Vallarta. It is the only facility that is authorized to offer assistance to injured people on the street. Contact: 222-1533, 222-4973 Desayunos para los Niños de Vallarta A.C. Feeding programs, education programs, day care centers for single mothers. 22 343 11 or 22 225 72 FB/desayunosninosvallarta Discapacitados de Vallarta, A.C. (DIVAC) association of handicapped individuals dedicated to helping one another. Ivan Applegate at 221-5153.

Families At The Dump: Supporting families living in the landfill or garbage dump thru education and sustainable opportunities. www.familiesatthedump. org or 297-7425 Fundacion Punta de Mita LDG. Ana Lilia Medina Varas de Valdés. ana@fundacionpuntademita.org Tel. (329) 291 5053 www.fundacionpuntademita.org Grupo Ecológico de PuertoVallarta: Arq. Luz del Carmen Pérez Alvarez cayro_13@ hotmail.com grupoecologico.com Friends of PV Animals Volunteers working to enhance the lives of shelter animals. For info and donations visit friendsofpvanimals.com Horizonte de Paz: Shelter for men of all ages who are troubled with alcohol & drug addiction. Donato Schimizzi: 322 199 9523 or Roberto: 281 0644 dschimizzi@yahoo.com La Brigada de la Basur:a A weekly meeting of neighborhood children to clean Vallarta Streets. Contact Que?Pasa 223-4006 Mexico Ministries & Mission, Inc. raises funds to the poor in Vallarta.

Contact Fr. Jack+ 044 322 229-1129 christchurchbythesea.org

Navy League - assists in the transportation of donated medical supplies from the U.S., organizes work groups to paint and repair facilities, and operates the local Toys for Tots program. www. vallartanavyleague.org.

ADORABLE DOG IN THE SPOTLIGHT...CHARRO

New Life Mexico - Challenging Child Poverty with health and education programs. Philippa Vernon pvp@newlifemexico.com Paraíso Felino AC Refuge and Adoption Centre for cats and kittens in the Bay of Banderas. Luis Donaldo Cel. (322) 120-4092 Pasitos de Luz - substitute home for low income children with any type of handicap, offers rehabilitation services and special support to their families.

299-4146. pasitosdeluz.org PEACEAnimals - Free mobile spay/ neuter clinic operating 48 weeks a year, primarily in Puerto Vallarta. Tax-deductible. peaceanimals.org Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta - Raises funds for Los Mangos Public Library.

Tax-deductible Ricardo Murrieta at 224-9966 or Jimmie Ellis at 222-1478.

Proyecto Pitillal, “Busca un Amigo” Association created by underprivileged mothers of paralyzed children. Contact: 299-4495.

Puerto Vallarta Garden Club: Beautify and protecting the environment. vallartagardenclub.com PuRR Project - A no-kill cat shelter, a natural un-caged environment. www. purrproject.com Refugio Infantil Santa EsperanzaShelter for Children. Tax-deductible. ccshf.ca

We just love our sweet little Charro. What a cutie he is. Charro was rescued from the streets along with another pal and brought to our sanctuary by one of our staff. He is a 3-4 year old Chihuahua, just 4 kilos or 8.8 pounds. He gets along with all the other dogs. He truly deserves a fur-ever home. So if you are looking for a precious lap dog, look no further. Please contact us at spcapv@gmail.com.

Roma’s Kids - Educate the children of the Volcanes and surrounding area: Math, English and computer programs a priority. 100% goes to the kids. kids. romamexico.com The International Friendship Club (IFC) - Supports the Cleft Palate Surgery Program & families in need.

322-222-5466. ifcvallarta.com. ifcvallarta@gmail.com.

Toys for Tots Vallarta - Distributes toys and constructs playgrounds for Puerto Vallarta area during the Christmas holiday period. Jerry Lafferty 322 221 6156 or Lourdes Bizarro lourdes. bizarro@marriotthotels.com.

Vallarta Saludable (Healthy) – Healthy living through organics, stevias, cooking workshops, serums reversing dialysis and reality show. NAOTF.org Suzy Chaffee suzynativevoices@aol.com

CLASSIFIEDS 21

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS OFF

Emergency Phone Numbers Havre No.111 Col. Versalles Fluent Englis Spoken

The police station or the fire department is 060. For Non-Emergency calls, dial (322) 290-0507 for the Police Dep & (322) 224-7701 for the Fire Department.

Ambulance Services Red Cross Ambulance: 222-1533 Global Ambulance: 226-1014

Hospitals Ameri-Med Hospital: 226-2080 Cornerstone Hospital: 224-9400 San Javier Hospital: 226-1010 Medasist Hospital: 223-0444 C.M.Q. Hospital: 223-1919 I.M.S.S. Hospital: 224-3838 Regional Hospital: 224-4000

LIVE MUSIC VENUES Please be sure to contact the venue to confirm all events.

Nacho Daddy

287 Basilio Badillo nachodaddymexico.com

Café Roma Encino 287 Centro Mon-Sun 10:pm -3:00 am

Philo’s Delfin15, La Cruz de Huanacaxle”329.295.5068 Thu-Sat 8:30 pm

Beboteros Diaz Ordaz 565 Malecon 322.113.0099

Que? Pasa Aquiles Serdan 625, Col Emiliano Zapata 322.223.4006

Benito’s Paninoteca Bar Nima Bay, Local 12, “Marina Vallarta” 322.209.0287

The River Café Isla del Rio Cuale Local4 Centro 322.223.0788

El Patio de mi Casa Guerrero 311 esq.

Matamoros 322.222.0743 El Rio BBQ Bar 322.222.2510 www.elriobbqbar.com Encore Lazaro Cardenas51, Bucerias 329.298.0140 La Bodeguita Del Medio Paseo Diaz Ordaz 858, Malecon” 322.223.1583 Tu-Sun 9:30-2:00 am Murphy’s Irish Pub Morelos 484 Altos 1, Centro La Palapa Pulpito#103, Playa los Muertos” 322.222.5225 Las Adelitas Av. Fluvial Vallarta 234 322.293.7778 322.113.0373

Other Important Phone Numbers

/

Vitea Libertad Edificio Malecon 2, Centro” 322.222.8703

PLACE YOUR AD HERE

Vallarta´s only English newspaper

ADVERTISE HERE FOR ONLY $ 250 / WK

PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE TRIBUNE AT TOURISM OFFICES SATURDAY MARKET A PAGE IN THE SUN FREDY TUCAN´S PANCAKE HOUSE CONSULATE OFFICES YO-YO MO´S MARINA RIVIERA NAYARIT

American Consulate: (322)222-0069 or 01-333-268-2145 Canadian Consulate: (322) 293-0098 Motor Vehicle Dept: 224-8484 Consumer Protection (PROFECO): 225-0000 Immigration Office: 221-1380 National Telegraph: 224-7970 Electric Company (CFE): 071 Water Company (SEAPAL): 223-1516 Municipal Services: 223-2500 Tourist Protection: 223-2500 Ministerio Publico: 222-1762 Animal Protection: 221-0078 Wake-Up Service: 031

Emergency Phone for Sayulita Dial 066 from any standard land line. Dial 080 from Mexican cell phones. To report suspicious activity in Sayulita, please dial 045-322-141-5994.

Emergency Numbers for Bucerias & La Cruz Numbers for the Police Department in case of emergency are 291-0049 and 291-0666.

Emergency number: 066 Police, Bucerias & La Cruz: 298-1020 Civil Protection (Fire, Ambulance): 291-0295 Ambulance, Santa Rosa Clinic: 298-0157

BRAIN TEASERS 22

Friday June 6 - 12, 2014

SUDOKU easy

www.vallartatribune.com

Challenge your brain! Sudoku is easy to play and the rules are simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain only one of each of the numbers 1 through 9.

medium

Number Blocks

hard

Word Search

What’s a number block you ask?

The numbers in each row add up to the totals to the right. The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom. The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right. Some of the numbers are missing. Try to fill in the missing numbers between 0 and 12.

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards. BIRDS ALBATROSS, BUDGIE, BUZZARD, CANARY, CORMORANT, CRANE, CROW, DOVE, EAGLE, EMU, FINCH, FLAMINGO, HAWK, HERON, JACKDAW, KESTREL, KOOKABURRA, LAPWING, LARK, NIGHTINGALE, OSTRICH, OWL, PARROT, PENGUIN, PIGEON, QUAIL, RAVEN, ROBIN, SANDPIPER, SEAGULL, SPARROW, STORK, SWALLOW, TERN, TOUCAN, VULTURE.

1. Green - Moola - Dough 2. Playing - Time - Greeting 3. Punch - Hair - A Volleyball 4. High - Balance - Laser 5. Human - Rat - Relay 6. Cat - Dog - Gold 7. Toad - Foot - Bar 8. French - Eskimo - Hershey 9. Area - Fire - Zip 10. Gray - Red – Timber

Commonym 12 Answers 1. slang for money 2. types of cards 3. they can be spiked 4. beams 5. races 6. fish 7. stools 8. kisses 9. codes 10. wolves

What’s a commonym you ask? A commonyms is group of words that have a common trait in the three words/items listed. For example: thewords; A car - A tree - An elephant.. they all have trunks. These will make you think!

Wuzzle 12 Answers 1. Better safe than sorry 2. Wheel of Fortune 3. Hard times ahead 4. Black eyed peas 5. Jumbo Jet 6. Minimize

Commonym

Wuzzles

What’s a wuzzle you ask? A wuzzle is a saying/phrase that is made up of a display of words, in an interesting way.The object is to try to figure out the well-known saying, person, place, or thing that each wuzzle is meant to represent.

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Francisco I Madero # 202, corner Pino Suarez, Emiliano Zapata Olas Altas Reservations 222 6593 www.latiavallarta.com e-mail latiavallarta@hotmail.com