Issue 908, August 29 - September 5, 2014

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

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Healthcare dentists in mexico

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Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014 Free Issue 908

Expat interviews tori and mauricio

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Travel mexico city

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Photo Courtesy of Puerto Vallarta Tourism

welcome 02

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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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.

The pier on Los Muertos Beach Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fernando Gonzalez Corona Director DAVID ROJO sjcbcs@yahoo.com.mx Director noemi zamora noemi_zamora_reynoso@hotmail.com Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team FERNANDO AYALA salestribune@outlook.com Rebeca Castellón rebeca.castellonn@gmail.com

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.

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) 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

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 Congratulations to Chef Xavier Perez Stone for winning the International Iron Chef 2014 competition this past weekend in Toronto!

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 Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

SPCA of Puerto Vallarta

Editor´s note

T

his week was wonderful.

That rain from tropical storm Marie was a welcome respite from the heat. I even slept underneath a sheet for a couple of hours. Ahhhhh, the things that make me happy.

Well, I have taken the plunge and decided to move again. I haven’t lived in one place for more than six months since moving to Mexico. I started in Bucerias where I went from gated townhouse to oceanview mansion (which I totally couldn’t afford but needed…) with a brief stop in Ajijic and back down to Puerto Vallarta where I have lived in Versailles, Pitillal and soon 5 de Deciembre.

I am really excited. I am getting my own huge garden and panoramic views of the bay. I will be in walking distance to all the restaurants, art galleries, beaches and the malecon. It’s been a long time coming to figure out what works best for my family in Mexico but I feel confident this new place is the one (for now).

Last year I thought I wanted a pool but since then I have swum in my pool less than a dozen times.

In the winter the water is too cold and in the summer it’s too hot.

(Oh, the challenges I face!) I would have chewed my right arm off for air conditioning this May-June (or the months of hell as I like to refer

ADOPT ME to them as). And while living in a gated community has its perks (mostly security) with four dogs it is not convenient.

So, like anything there is a bit of trial and error in determining which neighbourhood, style of home and amenities are needed to make an otherwise challenging living situation more comfortable.

And by saying challenging I’m not complaining, just being realistic.

Moving to a foreign country with limited language skills, a non-existent budget and a slim understanding of the day to day hubris that surrounds us can create some challenges. Some funny, some enlightening, some horrible, but challenges nonetheless.

Living in a very Mexican colonia has been eye opening. While there are many differences between Canadian and Mexican lifestyle the similarities far outweight the differences. Here families are up early getting their kids off to school, in the evening they are washing their cars, walking their dogs and sitting outside with friends and family while the kids play ball in the street.

Exactly like the scene I left behind in Vancouver, Canada.

Perhaps there are a few more dogs on the street, and the kids aren’t wearing the most expensive shoes and your underwear is drying off the balcony for everyone to see, but the sentiment, the

joy and the love that families share is as apparent here as anywhere.

And I expect no matter where I choose to lay my hat next, this will remain so. Have a great week. If you want to help me move, just let me know.

Madeline

30 minutes of purring keeps the doctor away I recently read a report that suggests having a cat in your life helps keep you healthy and to live longer. Since none of us are getting any younger…

A couple weeks ago I found a beautiful tiny female kitten with the most gorgeous green eyes.

Now at about 10 weeks, she will be spayed this weekend at the PEACEAnimal clinic in Coapinole and then available for adoption.

If you have space in your home and your heart for this adorable little purr monster, please consider adopting as my four dogs are relentlessly chasing (harassing) her.

ADOPT ME

Win 7-night stay at the Hacienda San Angel + your flights! Raffle tickets only $35 usd

W

e are in desperate need to raise money for our no-kill sanctuary.

The summer months are particularly difficult for us as there are limited donations from tourists visiting town.

The winner of the raffle will receive a 7-night stay at the Hacienda San Angel Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, and a $1,500 cash airfare credit. The Hacienda San Angel is a gorgeous boutique hotel here in town. If you are unfamiliar with the hotel, check out their website at www.haciendasanangel.com.

Raffle tickets are $35 each, with only 350 tickets issued. You can purchase tickets via PayPal or credit card when you go out to our website (www.spcapv.com/ donate).

In the PayPal optional message field please be sure to note that the donation is for the raffle.

Unless otherwise specified, a ticket will be mailed to the address reported to us from PayPal. The hotel package is valid January 6, 2015 through December 14, 2015.

The drawing will be held on December 5, 2014.

Winner

need not be present but will be contacted on this date by email.

Winner’s name will also be posted on our Facebook pages (www.

Facebook.com/PVCACanada and www.facebook.com/spcapv).

Please spread the word and help us make this a successful fundraiser.

website www.visitpuertovallarta. com I found this information which is valid from March to December 31st, 2014 according to them….

Enjoy and please let us know your experience.

Discover Historic Downtown Puerto Vallarta through a free sightseeing tour where staff from the Municipal Tourism Administration will guide you on a walk through the most legendary places in the center of the city.

These free tours take place every Tuesday and Wednesday on two schedules.

The first leaves at 9:00 a.m. and the other at 12:00 p.m., and Saturday there is only one, which departs at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting place is at the offices of the Municipal Tourism Administration at the main square directly across from the Church of Guadalupe. For more information call 222-0923.

Tour the SPCA

You can come and spend a rewarding afternoon cuddling the animals at Puerto Vallarta’s SPCA Sanctuary. We have scheduled tours each week starting at noon.

We ask everyone to meet in the Costco parking lot beside the large tree. You can either caravan in your own vehicle or ride with us out to the Sanctuary (reservations necessary). The length of the tour is at the discretion of our visitors and can be from two to four hours in length.

Please contact Nicole Martin at nicole@cupocity.com to make a reservation.

To see all the animals available for adoption, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ spcapv. Go to Photos where you will also find individual Albums for all the animals available as well as a bit of their history.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor:

L

ove the paper. I want to do the walking tour but am not sure of the starting spot.

Article says Municipal Tourism Office. Your map shows "Municipal offices" which I´m assuming to be the old City Hall. Confirm please on City Hall thoughts and let me know if this location includes the tourism office.

If memory serves me

correctly.....and that is a large assumption.....this building is two story with a courtyard in the center. Where.....if I have the right building.....is the tourism office? Article on walking tour mentions tuesday, wednesday and saturday tours.

Are all still correct or did anything get cut back due to summer season?

Thanks for helping this old Gringo find his way around! Email

response would be appreciated.

Jack Mc

Hi Jack

Y

ou are correct with your assumptions. City Hall, Municipal Hall and Tourist Office are all the same place – across from the Los Arcos Amphitheater. I would say Starbucks on the Malecon, but now there’s two.

From the Puerto Vallarta Official

NEWS 04

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

New Economics of street vendors Mexican cell service W provider

By Charlie Golf

A

new low-cost mobile phone service provider began operating this week, and it’s 100% Mexican. Maz Tiempo will charge 97 centavos per minute to any destination in Mexico, without conditions, and without “the small print,” says the company.

Maz Tiempo joins Virgin Mobile, Tuenti, Megacable and Maxcom as the country’s first Mobile Virtual Network Operators, providers that do not have their own licensed radio spectrum or network infrastructure. All three are using the Telefónica network.

The new operator will begin offering service in Mexico City and later rolling it out to other regions, and is projecting a client base of 3 million in the first year.

It says its air time will never expire and phones are priced from 249 pesos with 300 pesos of air time.

Company chief Moisés Payán points out that the new telecommunications law states that users can buy service from another provider once they have finished paying for a phone purchased with a contract.

Maz Tiempo says the company was formed by a group of Mexican investors with more than 15 years’ experience in telephony, with an investment of about US $25 million.

“With national coverage and the best speed, Maz Tiempo’s signal will run on a 3G network with the highest connection levels for data and voice reception,” said Payán.

There are roughly 103 million cell phone users in Mexico, of whom 84% use a prepaid service, by means of recharges, according to the Federal Telecommunications Institute.

Source: CNN Expansion Originally posted at mexiconewsdaily.com

hile stuck in traffic, I watch the “vendedores ambulantes” weave their way through the cars and trucks.

My mind frequently flashes back to my college accounting professor. He taught me terms like FIFO, LIFO, overhead costs, and value added.

At the time I had decided to file all that information in my brain’s category of “when is this going to be of any use to me?” Yet right in front of me I see those economic terms played out in real life.

“Vendedores ambulantes” are vendors who set up a stall at the beginning of every workday and take it down at night.

They pack up all the merchandise and store it for the night in some other location, frequently in a nearby parking lot.

Some vendedores ambulantes staff a stall while others look like walking display counters.

They exemplify low overhead.

They don’t pay for a building and all the intendant costs in order to make profit even if they sell a meager amount.

My favorite low-overhead sellers are the silver jewelry vendors at Xochimilco. They work their way up and down the canals through the “floating gardens”, but not by paddling their own boats.

They skillfully step from boat to boat, timing their movements to show their wares to the boat’s passengers and then make a graceful exit onto another passing boat. Essentially they are walking on water. Most vendors buy their inventory wholesale and then simply sell them at higher retail prices.

But some have figured out how to add value to what they sell.

A good example are the Castro brothers at Teotihuacan who sell postcards.

Postcards?

You might have thought they went the way of travelers’ checks and public telephones, but the Castros do a brisk business selling postcards of the pyramids

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

– 10 cards to a packet.

Their father, the late Paciano Castro, came up with one of the most marvelous marketing schemes I’ve ever seen.

Buying postcards from him became a history lesson.

During the viceroyalty period cochineal dye was the second (after silver) most important source of wealth for Spain from Mexico.

Paciano Castro would demonstrate where the dye came from by smashing cochineal insect eggs infesting a flat leaf cactus paddle.

He then would rub the bright red die on an envelope containing 10 postcards.

Then he would take sap from the cactus and use that to seal the dye on the paper.

Visitors wanting a souvenir of cochineal buy a packet of postcards from one of the Castro brothers. The Castro sons have ratcheted up the value added by selling the envelope inside a bag made from century plant fiber.

Managing the amount of inventory is key for vendors. I remember learning about two strategies for moving inventory in that same college class—LIFO (Last in First Out) and FIFO (First in First Out). Those are helpful

concepts when waiting in line too.

While waiting in line in a bank or government office you definitely want to be FIFO. In these queues I move quickly to get to the head of the line. However there are some queues that are best to think of as LIFO – such as when boarding the shuttle bus from the airport terminal to the car rental depot. It’s best to be the last one to board those shuttles to be first on line at the car rental counter.

Sometimes businesses want to hold no inventory. Just-in-time production is the catch-phrase.

The parts arrive at the assembly plant just as they are needed. It takes skillful coordination or an assembly line can come to a halt for lack of a part.

Today’s package express companies with guaranteed delivery times are an essential part of this manufacturing concept.

But you don’t need a big assembly plant to take advantage of just-in-time inventory. I found it on the beach at Chachalacas, Veracruz.

Far from town, close to the hillsized sand dunes, with a spectacular view of the Gulf of Mexico, was a six-table restaurant with an extensive menu. The structure

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.

over the tables and the adjacent kitchen were all made with palm fronds—low overhead.

I figured out the inventory system when a member of my party asked for an uncommon soft drink.

The grandmother first said it wasn’t available and then corrected herself. Out of the corner of my eye I’d seen a young man who I thought was a customer nod affirmatively.

When our orders for fish and soft drinks had been placed the “customer” got up, walked around behind the kitchen and departed on a motorcycle.

From the kitchen came chips and salsa, and before they were finished I heard the motorcycle returning.

Immediately after its arrival, the soft drinks came from the kitchen. Soon I could hear fish sizzling on the grill. No inventory.

No waste. Everything just in time. *Anthropologist and longtime Cuernavaca resident Charlie Goff can be reached at < charlie@ cemanahuac.com>. Carol Lamb Hopkins, Cuernavaca resident, former teacher and school administrator collaborates on this column. Previous Charlie’s Digs are posted at charliesdigs.com.

NEWS 05

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Mexican President Peña Nieto starts California tour in Los Angeles

M

exican President Enrique Peña Nieto arrived to the International Airport of Los Angeles to begin a visit to California, home of some 11.5 million people from Mexican heritage.

Peña Nieto and his wife, Angélica Rivera, as well as their entourage, were received at 2:30 pm by Chief of Protocol Charlotte Schultz, the Joint Protocol Chief of Los Angeles County, Lourdes Saab, and Mexican ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora, among others.

The President is looking forward to improve the positive relationship with California and the close cooperation between both governments. It is hoped that it will also help to improve the relationship with the people of Mexican origin in the state.

According to the presidential agenda, the visit aims to offer them better consular services and praise them as determining factors of development, prosperity

T and growth. Peña Nieto will meet with the Governor of California, Edmund G. Brown, and the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti.

The border between Mexico and California is 145 miles long, representing 7% of the total of 1,969 miles between Mexico and the US. The Tijuana-San Diego area is one of the most active borders in the world and Mexico is the main

destiny for Californian exports, being the third commercial partner of the state, after China and Japan.

In 2013, the bilateral commerce ascended to 60,174 million dollars, almost the same as the commercial exchange with China. Mexico exported 36,933 million dollars to California.

Source: www.eluniversal.com. mx/ www.theyucatantimes.com

W

Moreno of the regional geology institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

The issue had been sensationalized, he said, explaining that a fault will generally change the levels of the ground.

The earth was at the same level on both sides of the fissure, he pointed out.

Measuring some eight meters in depth and three meters across, the crevice marks the course

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

Developers in Puerto Vallarta Focus on Luxury Senior Housing Options

by Jason Oliva

The earth opened but it was only rainwater and not a fault line, says geologist hat some thought was a fault line has turned out to be a stream bed.

A large fissure opened up in the earth near the community of Suaqui de la Candelaria, Sonora, last week, sparking concerns that it meant an earthquake was imminent.

The kilometer-long crevice, which appeared last week, is the result of an underground flow of water, said geologist Rafael Pacheco Rodríguez of the University of Sonora, after visiting the site. He rejected the theory that it was a fault line.

Another geological expert confirmed that pronouncement.

“It definitely doesn’t represent any cause for alarm among the population,” said Martín Valencia

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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.

of a current of rainwater which removed sediment on its route, creating a hollow space.

Gravity did the rest and the earth opened up.

In earlier reports, some residents had wondered if it was created by an earth tremor. Suaqui de la Candelaria is a community in the municipality of Hermosillo, Sonora.

Source: Excélsior (sp) Original: mexiconewsdaily.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

hrough an agreement with the Las Palmas Hotel, Puerto Vallarta-based Front Beach Retirement converted the 225 rooms of the all-inclusive hotel into an independent and assisted living community, Front Beach Puerto Vallarta.

“We’re offering a buffet-style of living,” says Front Beach Retirement and Mexico Assisted Living Marketing Director Joshua Ketner. “Rather than convert rooms into apartments, we left them at resort-style living.”

Though the company declined to disclose costs associated with the senior housing transformation, Ketner—who previously worked for A Place for Mom and as a caregiver at Aegis Living— told SHN that the overall spending on the conversion was minimal, as many of the rooms and accessibility features, such as hand rails, were already in place.

The main cost, he says, was to convert a room into a doctor’s office.

The community embraces its hospitality roots, offering amenities like housekeeping services, two swimming pools, various dining venues, large common areas, direct beach access, a Tiki Bar and Internet accessibility.

Where the campus caters to its senior clientele becomes apparent with medical alert systems in every room, daily activities programming, transportation to medical appointments, wheelchair accessibility and 24-hour care provided by on-site nurses as caregivers and a resident physician who also lives within the community.

Aside from the seaside real estate and all the resort-style amenities included, the biggest draws for the Puerto Vallarta

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.

community are its lower price points on monthly rent and healthcare, says Ketner.

For $3,000 a month, residents at the Puerto Vallarta community can enjoy rooms with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, as well as utilities such as air conditioning, electricity and water that are included in the rent.

For double occupancy rooms, the monthly rent is $4,600.

In the U.S., the costs for assisted living are considerably more expensive at $3,500 per month, according to the 2014 Genworth Cost of Care Survey.

While this figure signals a 1.45% increase in the last year, costs for assisted living have grown 4.29% annually on a fiveyear basis—the highest of all long-term care settings recorded

by Genworth.

A unique feature of the community is that it doesn’t restrict its age-50 and up cliente to a one-month stay minimum.

In another attempt to target those “snowbird” vacationers heading for warmer weather during their retirement years, Front Beach also offers one-week stays at $780 for single occupancy and $1,100 for doubles.

Additionally, a two-week stay runs $1,509 for a single and $2,140 for a double room.

Still in its early stages of operations, with a grand opening slated in the next couple of weeks, Front Beach Puerto Vallarta has seen about 10 leads looking to move in come September so far.

“There’s quite the misconception of Mexico, but the economy is growing and there is a large middle class here,” says Ketner.

“It’ll just take more time getting people accustomed to the idea, and us a few months to figure out what our niches are.”

http://seniorhousingnews.com

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 cocktail and let it all slip away.

Once the sun has set, the

LOCAL 06

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Paradise and Parenting Leza Warkentin

Getting Back The Routine

I

f there are any of you who do NOT find the end of August to be a challenging time in your family, who aren’t bothered by the alarm clock ringing out in the DARKNESS, who enjoy tedious projects such as creating a Master Calendar for scheduling all the children’s activities and projects, who enthusiastically use a Bento Box for school lunches instead of repurposing it for leftovers that you then “forgot about” in the back of the fridge, then you are probably a droid.

Which sounds kind of nice.

Here are my current challenges during the first days of school, as both a mother and a teacher:

1) I am requiring my children to return to their normal, academic routine after spending the summer creating Middle Earth out of Lego and taking turns shooting each other with a gigantic splash park water bazooka. I am a monster.

2) It’s a fact that it was much more fun outgrowing all my shorts and pants when there was my mother’s rhubarb/apple pie close by. Now I’m back in Mexico, starting up the school year, and I can’t button the top button on my work clothes.

Explore Banderas Bay 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

www.vallartatribune.com

Banderas Bay Initiative

f you grew up watching “The Jetsons”, “Back to the Future” and “The Bionic Man”, you might be a little disappointed that we aren’t cruising around in hover cars and taking holidays to the moon. However in many ways science is catching up to science fiction. And it isn’t just video games and smart cars that are changing our understanding and interaction with our surroundings.

The pressing environmental needs of our planet and the sheer volume of information left to discover about our natural world have served as catalysts for amazing ideas, discoveries and innovations. People across the globe are working together to find innovative ways to fill our needs in a way that has a neutral or positive impact on our environment and they are finding new ways to overcome the negative effects we have already had.

You might have heard about one of these ideas.

The Ocean Cleanup Array project went viral online some time ago. The idea came from 19 year old Boyan Slat and consisted of floating platforms on the giant trash gyres (or trash vortexes) that can be found in our oceans.

Their recently completed feasibility study suggests it is a viable method to remove almost half of the plastic from the North Pacific Garbage Patch in 10 years.

They are hoping to crowd source funding for their first platform at http://www.theoceancleanup.com/ Advances are also making

it possible to learn things that would’ve previously been impossible. On July 8th of this year Fabien Cousteau, grandson of famous Jacques Cousteau completed a journey which would’ve felt at home in Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues under the Sea.” After a year of preparation the team of “aquanauts” spent a month 60 feet below the surface in a 43 foot long laboratory aptly called Aquarius.

The team of scientists was able to study the impact of changing seas in underwater life and had the ability to leave the submarine several times a day to collect frequent samples and observe the marine habitat in the middle of the night.

And it isn’t just your phone that is connected nowadays. Off the coast of Victoria, Canada 500 miles of cabling is bringing live feeds of information from the ocean floor. This huge network is accompanied by a wondering robot exploring geothermal vents and all of this information is shared with researchers world-wide. We are getting closer to exploring the alien world that exists below the surface of the water. Check out the live feed from their webcam at: http://www.oceannetworks.ca/ sights-sounds/live-video Technology has moved so quickly that we haven’t quite made the jump to solar, wind and other renewable energies and hybrid technologies are already being developed. The Solar Wind Energy Tower is the first-to-market solar-wind hybrid technology.

The system uses solar energy to evaporate and absorb water into hot dry air. The resulting cooler air falls through the tower and into wind tunnels where turbines power generators to produce electricity.

Not everything is high-tech and computers though and we can all make small changes in our lives to benefit the environment.

If you have ideas, be they easy, ambitious or quirky, we encourage you to participate on our Green Heroes campaign on Facebook.com/FundacionPuntaMita to share with others and recognize the efforts you and others are making to decrease our impact on the environment.

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.

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

This is a problem because most of my job involves bending down and asking children why they are upset/ happy /kicking that tricycle.

3) I am probably spending too much time dreaming up ways to redesign a girls’ school uniform to more closely resemble Elsa’s in the movie Frozen, although I am convinced that this could revolutionize morning wake-up routines all over the world.

With all of these challenges, I looked for ways to get back into the routine (and possibly a size 6).

But then I realized that our routine wasn’t all that stellar to begin with.

It’s kind of hit or miss if we have sandwich bread in the house on any given day (today we don’t).

Going back to our old routine would be setting the bar pretty low.

So then I looked for ways to get back to our routine, with a little organization thrown in.

It turns out that many people actually make a great living out of helping other people organize their families’ lives.

These are exactly the droids I am looking for.

The site familyeducation.com is one of the sites that inexplicably comes to my inbox (I think they can digitally sense my need for intervention), and it features articles such as 12 Real TimeSavers for Busy Moms. A quote that has validated my entire life as a working mom: “No household ever fell apart from a mom… cutting a few corners.” It’s like they knew me.

You should also check out the article, “10 Ways to Help Your Child Get Organized”, because then it’s not just on YOU when your child doesn’t do the poster of Everything That’s Ever Happened To Him/Her in Their Whole Lives (with photographs).

Unfortunately, it does encourage parents to teach their children to be organized, which probably involves a little modeling and a lot of wishing for droid-like tendencies.

After all is said and done, we are getting back on the wheel and I have even printed out the “Printable Homework Completion Chart.” I might even hang it on the fridge this week. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. 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

By María del Mar Zamora maria@fundacionpuntademita.org

Science Fiction or Reality: Environmental Advances

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LOCAL 07

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Perceptions

of Art

By Marcia Blondin marciavallarta@gmail.com

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he production "El Hombre sin Adjetivos" now on the Main Stage at Act II Entertainment, begs the question "who is crazy and who is not". The acting abilities of all three gently flawed characters are extremely good; one, however, is extraordi-

nary. He is Juan Carlos Ramirez as "Millan", the Man Without Adjectives.

Juan Carlos has one of those faces that appear to melt from one expression to another rather than merely changing.

The scene that follows after

Explore Banderas Bay 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 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

he swallows a handful of sleeping pills is like watching butter warming in a pan - his face and his entire body in this case fading into sleep but fighting against it was as classic as Jim Carrey.

Cudos go also to Samantha Duenas as Diana and Omar Lucian as Isaac.

Three very physical, very funny actors. All shone under the directorship of Juan Pablo Hernandez - last season's host of Voice of Vallarta and on stage in recent plays in the Red Room and at Boutique.

Whose Line is it Anyway?

Every Wednesday night continues to attract more and more aficionados of Improv Theatre.

The group will be on hiatus in a couple of weeks so get there now if you want to be a part of the show before the season finale. Based on the popular TV show that began in the late 80's, the Vallarta Version is becoming - as it should - more and more centered around things that go on in Puerto Vallarta. We can all relate.

A chat during intermission in the Red Room with some audience members gave me their take on the show which I passed on to the writers and we'll see what they do with the advice and comments!

Jose Maria Caudillo wowed the ladies last Friday night with a brand new look and new line-up of songs. Many more English tunes have been added and I must say Jose Maria aces every single one.

By that I mean he doesn't sound like a Mexican trying to sing a popular song in a language he doesn't speak.

Most of the time it can be a disaster, (remembering Beatles Week during Voice). I think that was the first time I heard Jose Maria sing in English and he received perfect points for his efforts.

The song was Oh! Darling. Oh darling, indeed. He sings to every single woman in the front row like she is the only woman in his life.

His sincerity and genuineness as an artist brings tears to my eyes every time he sings. For me.

Just... dreamy.

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

www.vallartatribune.com

Serving in Silence

By Terry Connell

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hile in the middle of an intensive month-long yoga teacher training at Kripalu (several years ago), I woke up one morning in the dorm room I shared with five other guys, and got ready for my day in a funk that grew worse as the minutes passed.

It could have been whatever toxins were released from the hot stone massage the night before. It could have been a side effect of three hours of heart opening postures I practiced the day before. I’m sure living in a cramped room with 5 strangers for three weeks – without coffee – didn’t help.

Whatever the reason, I didn’t even want to be with myself. I was a live wire filled with bile and venom.

When one of my roommates woke up and began bouncing around me like Tigger on crack, I walked out of our room without saying a word and made a beeline for the kitchen, where I knew I’d find exactly what I needed: a name tag with “Serving in Silence”

typed out in bold black letters.

These tags were used by volunteers at Kripalu, who chose to do just that – work throughout the center (in the kitchen, grounds keeping, house keeping) without talking, even during meals.

The minute I pinned a tag on my shirt, I felt my spirits lift. I didn’t have to speak to anyone – all day.

What a gift!

I listened to lectures, took yoga classes, ate meals without saying a single word. It was exactly what I needed. My classmates didn’t know what to do with me. Some treated me like a 3 year old in the middle of a tantrum, talking in a soft voice and asking if I needed anything as they pat my shoulder or rubbed my back. Others would see my tag, apologize quickly, and run away to find someone else who had words to share.

A select few took my mute state in stride, nodded their head, and talked to me as usual; recognizing it didn’t mean anything that a few less words were being tossed around for the day.

morning clean-up with the local children and then they all head to Que Pasa restaurant for breakfast, activities and friendship.

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-

HEALTHCARE 08

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Dental care in Mexico

One sampling of comparative prices for dental procedures:

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t is well known that out-of-pocket dental and healthcare costs in Mexico are cheaper than in Canada and the United States.

For years Americans (and some Canadians) have been crossing the border into Tijuana for cheap dental care but in recent years that has changed dramatically with high end resorts and prestigious hospitals offering surgery, dental and medical care in the luxurious comfort of five-star hotels. For a fraction of the cost, with top of the line equipment and internationally trained doctors and surgeons, Canadians and Americans are traveling to resort towns such as Puerto Vallarta to enjoy both the tropical weather and the affordable top notch care available.

A long-term care facility has recently joined forces with a resort in Puerto Vallarta to offer an all-inclusive retirement home setting for a fraction of the cost of such care north of the border.

As Boomers retire and their parents need more continual care, countries such as Mexico offering both medical and care facilities to North American standards will attract many new snowbirds.

A recent article in the Calgary Sun highlights the lure of affordable dental care for Canadians.

‘Albertans beating a path to Mexico’,

By Bill Kaufmann, Calgary Sun

“For a growing number of Albertans, sitting frozen on a Mexican or Thai beach is mission accomplished.

That anesthetic numbing their jaws is a reminder why they made the trip to the sun — for dental work whose cost back home has become prohibitive enough for them to board a plane for relief.

Earlier this year, Don Stilwell was squeezing Cancun sand between his toes, chewing through spicy Mexican fare with a new set of teeth bought at a price far easier to swallow than in his home province of Alberta.

• Cleaning, one mouth: • Porcelain crown: • Single tooth X-ray : • Single tooth extraction: • Wisdom tooth extraction: • Laser whitening: • Filling, one surface: • Filling, two surfaces: • Implant:

Calgary — $144; Mexico — $30 Calgary — $1 .500; Mexico — $335 Calgary — $31 ; Mexico — free Calgary — $81 ; Mexico — $60 Calgary — $300; Mexico — $150 Calgary — $7 50; Mexico — $200 Calgary — $1 18; Mexico — $7 0 Calgary — $167 ; Mexico — $80 Calgary — $5,000; Mexico — $1 ,400

Dental services costs per household, 2011 • Canada — $338 • Que. — $352 • N.B. — $262

“I needed four implants and I was looking at $16,000-$20,000 for them, which just really turned me off,” said Stilwell, 59.

The Leduc resident said he began researching out-of-country alternatives, but did so with a jaundiced eye.

On the Internet, he’d become acquainted with horror stories related by those who landed in the chairs of dodgy dentists, leaving them with a mouthful of trouble that needed costly repair work once they’d returned home.

“I investigated over the last four years about the opportunities, but I was quite apprehensive to go down there,” said Stilwell.

“There are bad dentists down there and from all the research I’ve done, there are a lot of them.”

But working through an Arizona-based medical broker, Stilwell chose a Cancun dentist and became what some are saying is a growing legion of so-called Alberta dental tourists.

After two enjoyable Mayan Riviera beach jaunts, the Albertan said he received four perfectly executed implants for just under $6,000.

Even with the cost of travel figured in, Stilwell said he might have still halved the expense of his dental work.

“I haven’t even come close to what it would have cost me in

Explore Banderas Bay 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.

www.vallartatribune.com

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

• Alberta — $344 • Sask. — $31 1

• B.C. — $369 • Ont. — $337

Canada,” he said.

Albertans beating a path to Mexico and other countries for discount dental work“ I couldn’t be happier — I can chew again … and I got to spend some weeks in Cancun.”

The experience has been so positive, he said, more dental visits to Caribbean Mexico are in the cards.

“I think more and more people are going to be seeing dental work abroad is a good idea,” he said.

What some are calling a gap in Canada’s medical coverage system is as glaring as a toothless grin is at the root of the dental tourism phenomenon.

According to Statistics Canada, Alberta households spent the third-highest amount in Canada on dental care, closely behind only B.C. and Quebec.

In Alberta, where a single porcelain crown can take a $1,500 bite, nomadic patients can have the procedure done for $335 Canadians, particularly Albertans, have steadily become a more frequent presence in Dr. Jorge Carrasco’s dental chair.

Their share of the Cancun dentist’s business has now reached 50% among North Americans — level with that of Americans, said the 30-year-practitioner.

“We also have patients from Russia, Australia, New Zealand … the Russians usually stay a

month,” said Carrasco, 53.

There’s no doubt the Mayan Riviera’s numerous tropical charms are a big draw for his practice, says the dentist, who also seems to wear a tourist promoter’s hat.

The lure of Mayan ruins, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, nightlife and “beautiful beaches” all drop from his lips.

So does the demand for the most sought-after procedure among Canadians — implants.

Carrasco said he’s no stranger to dental tourists, having treated thousands of them in the country’s northern states, before following the sun and beach gringos to Mexico’s Yucatan.

For some of the more complicated procedures, he strictly forbids patients’ smoking and drinking for several days to aid in recovery, he says.

“They tell me ‘how can you say

w w w. c a l ga r ys u n . com/2013/08/31/albertans-beating-a-path-to-mexico-and-othercountries-for-discount-dentalwork#!

find in ‘Centro’ including galleries, restaurants, clothing stores, spas and more. Venture off the malecon to find the perfect souvenir.

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 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

that to me — I’m in paradise,’ ” says Carrasco.

He acknowledges warnings about Mexican dentistry voiced by his counterparts in Canada and the U.S. “It’s professional jealousy, it happens,” he says, adding his ethics and qualifications are interchangeable with Canadian practitioners.

Besides, he says, he uses the same high-quality brand materials employed by North American dentists.

Before he hangs up the phone, Carrasco offers to summon a car to Cancun’s airport for a reporter.

“I can get you a special hotel rate,” he adds.

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

Summer Sale at Galleria Dante

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alleria Dante is having a Summer SALE! If you've been eyeing one of more than 1700 gorgeous works of art on our webpage, now is the time to make it yours! Until September 30, 2014, all Gallery works are 20 - 30% off, www. galeriadante.com Estate Sale items are 20-60% off the listed price.

Alejandro Colunga, Patrick Denoun, Alejandro Mondria, Guillermo Gomez, Luis Espiridion, Israel Zzepda and Jesus Tellosa are just a few of the artists represented on our Estate Sale, so take a look!

Want to make an offer? We will entertain those, too!

Just email galeriadante@ gmail.com, or call 322 222 2477 or Cel: 044 322 229 6648 Galeria Dante and DiVino Dante (the lovely wine and tapas bar located above Galeria Dante) will be closed for the month of September, but please visit them on October 1st Di Vino Dante

Vallarta Shopping Directory News

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opens from 2 to 11 p.m. Monday –Saturday. Basilio Badillo 269, Zona Romantica Remember to join us for the Southside Shuffle block party starting November 14th on Basilio Badillo.

Southside Shuffle Nov 14 & Nov 28, 2014 Dec 12 & Dec 26, 2014 Jan 9 & Jan 23, 2015 Feb 6 & Feb 20, 2015 Mar 6 & Mar 20, 2015

he Vallarta Shopping Directory is the best and most complete guide on the internet where new visitors and residents can find the top dining and shopping spots in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

There are 19 pages of categories such as boutiques, jewelry stores, handicraft shops, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, beauty shops and spas, organic and specialty food, tours and travel agencies, boutique hotels, real estate offices, florists, sportswear, services, opticians, interior décor, leather goods, glassware, tile, bars and entertainment.

Each listing contains the logo of the business, address, contact information, link to their website and Facebook pages, a description and photos of their products and services.

Since the directory is always kept up to date you won´t waste time searching for businesses that have closed or moved away.

A good idea is to keep a copy on your computer desktop for quick reference for telephone numbers and hours that businesses are open, and to find new places that have just opened. Go to http://vallartashoppingdirectory. blogspot.com and browse through the pages.

There is also a Facebook page connected to the direct o r y — w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / vallartashoppingdirectory.

If you would like your business to be included in this online directory please email puertovallartashoppingguide@gmail.comfor

more information, and if you would like to have an ad like those below for Elements of Design, Galleria Dante, Cassandra Shaw, Galeria Vallarta, Colibri, Nacho Daddy, Faith Colletiva, Bumerang, Patricia Gawle Arte, DiVino Dante, Vallarta Food tours and Los Bambinos you can contact for more information about their very reasonable prices.

This page is exclusively for members of the Vallarta shopping directory. Remember the Vallarta Tribune is the only English newspaper distributed both in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit.

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

Puerto Vallarta 10

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

The Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta Betsua Salazar, OCV

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he Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta has become one of Banderas Bay’s most iconic sites to see, attracting the highest number of tourists in Vallarta-Nayarit. Even if it’s not their first time there, they always tend to return.

The Zone covers what many know of as Old Vallarta, the historic centro with the Malecón, Olas Altas and the famous Los Muertos beach. It’s an area where many go to enjoy the city’s picturesque vistas and ocean views.

For gourmands, Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone offers restaurants with all types of cuisine, from Brazilian to Argentinian and Mexican. There are also bars, art galleries and of course the famous Rio Cuale market, where colorful local handicrafts are always on display. Here you’ll find gifts for the entire family, from a handmade bracelet or small key chain to a beautiful painting of Puerto Vallarta.

The Romantic Zone is currently being renovated in order to become even more attractive to tourists, following the Los Muertos Pier which was recently re-inaugurated after being remodelled with an exciting

“

The romantic zone of Puerto Vallarta is one of the most frequently visited places in the region; a favorite site for taking photos as a couple”

new structure. In the evenings it comes alive with colored lights that stand out against the darkness of the sea; the perfect place to experience the romance of Puerto Vallarta.

If you haven’t been to the Romantic Zone yet, make it a priority during your next visit. It

Explore Banderas Bay 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

is easy to get there - just look for Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón (another of the city’s icons) and you’ll be very near. A walk along the waterfront beneath a glowing sunset will make you swoon- I bet you’ll fall in love just like those who return year after year. www.visitpuertovallarta.com

or dive trip. This is one of the deepest ocean valleys in the world and home to turtles, whales, dolphins and the bluefooted Booby. 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

Bay of banderas 11

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board

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uerto Vallarta is located in Mexico’s largest natural bay, the Bay of Banderas. The horseshoe shaped bay, known for its exquisite deep waters and rich biodiversity is a member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays Club, a select club regrouping the world’s most impressive coastlines. Banderas Bay shelters numerous diverse ecosystems, including tropical lagoons, rainforests, mangroves, pristine beaches, waterfalls, and spectacular mountains, making it a prime ecotourism destination.

Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins are a common site in the area’s waters, but for those visitors who would like an up close encounter with these fascinating animals, the town is also home to one of the best dolphin education and research facilities in the region. Banderas Bay is also the birthplace of the magnificent Humpback Whales. Every year, from December to April, humpback whales migrate to the area to breed, and visitors can watch in the whales play in the calm waters of the bay. The Olive Ridley marine turtle is also protected under a government sponsored conservation program. From July through November, Olive Ridley Turtles come to lay their eggs on Puerto Vallarta’s beaches. A hotel and government sponsored initiative invites children and adults to partake in the protection of this beautiful species in an annual nighttime ceremony in which the baby turtles are released into the ocean.

The Sierra Madre Mountains are also a center of many ecological wonders, with its wide array of vegetation and wildlife including tropical flora, fauna, amphibians, reptiles, deer, hares, and mountain lions. Visitors also have the chance to explore high above the forest floor in a canopy tour offering up-close views of the areas native birds, including woodpeckers, parrots, yellow winged cacique, and parakeets.

From the highly educated eco-tour guides to the government sponsored conservation programs for endangered species, Puerto Vallarta exemplifies a responsible ecotourism destination. Every September, the community joins together for its annual beach and underwater clean up and awareness day, an event which is organized by the local Center for Marine Conservation. A collection of rich ecosystems, and incredible diversity, the following is a compi-

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Discovering a natural paradise blessed with ecological diversity and beauty

lation of just a few of the locations that Puerto Vallarta has to offer its eco-friendly travelers.

LAS CALETAS ISLANDS

In the southern section of Banderas Bay lies Las Caletas, a hidden cove made famous for being a favorite retreat for renowned film director John Huston. Las Caletas is a secluded paradise, with a spectacular backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains, beautiful beaches, and even a tropical reef. What’s more, Las Caletas offers visitors an endless number of activities, including snorkeling, sea kayaking, bird watching, and hiking through jungle trails to lovely orchid gardens.

LOS ARCOS NATIONAL MARINE PARK Los Arcos is another popular diving and snorkeling destination for visitors in Puerto Vallarta.

Located near the small village of Mismaloya, this protected park consists of towering rock arches, caves, tunnels, and reefs full of marine animals including angelfish, butterfly fish, puffers, eagle rays, sea turtles, and giant mantas.

For the adventurous travelers, Los Arcos offers an amazing opportunity to dive the “Devil’s Drop” underwater cliff, an approximate 1600 foot drop to a spectacular underwater mountain range.

YELAPA & MAJAHUITAS

The small fishing villages of

Yelapa and Majahuitas are two relaxing and unspoiled paradises.

With their calm, glittering waters and white sandy beaches, these secluded locations offer visitors a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the wildlife inhabiting the hills of the jungle, and the sea turtles and dolphins that call Banderas Bay home.

COLOMITOS

Southeast of Puerto Vallarta lies Colomitos beach, a remote cove hidden in a valley of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Hiking through the tropical forests and over a rope suspension bridge, visitors observe iguanas, red foxes, armadillos, yellow-winged cacique, and colorful dragonflies.

Upon arriving at the sparkling waters of Colomitos beach, visitors can choose from a variety of activities including snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking. A hidden jewel, Colomitos Beach is an exotic and relaxing getaway for all travelers.

EL SALADO MANGROVE ESTUARY The Estero del Salado lagoon is a paradise for birdwatchers; a beautiful expanse of white mangle, palm trees, mosses, ferns, and fauna. The estuary is also a sanctuary for fish, crustaceans, reptiles and assorted mammals. Visitors can enjoy the fabulous vegetation as they kayak down the narrow canals deep in the mangroves.

Flower of the Week

By Sandra Cesca

Elderberry Sauco Sambucus mexicana

M

exican Elder; large shrub grows to 30 feet. White flower is a cluster resembling a snowball and mistaken here for Ixora.

Berry clusters are dark purple with the extract used as an ancient remedy for colds, flu, and fevers. Also popular in cooking to make juice for jam, wine, and cordials; from Italy we have Sambuca, a licorice liqueur distilled from the berries.

This plant is one of over 200 found in Sandra’s new color-coded 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.

Did You Know: Almost 1/2 of the tomatoes and 2/3 of mangoes consumed in the US are from Mexico?

local 14

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Interesting Tale to Tell?

Kathleen Phelps

PV´s very own bunny

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here are so many interesting people who have immigrated to Puerto Vallarta!

Many have had brushes with greatness or are great themselves! We’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to tell us your interesting tale. Each article will include a story provided by a resident or visitor to Puerto Vallarta. In general, we’d prefer your story to be true, but many of our stories happened many years ago and can’t be documented At least we’ll hope that they are credible…no visits with Abraham Lincoln or marriages to Cleopatra.

Please contact Kathleen Phelps at kphelps1948@gmail.com or 322-142-2245.

It’s your choice whether you want your name and picture attached to the story or if you’d prefer

to remain anonymous.

To get started here’s a story from an anonymous newcomer to Puerto Vallarta….

It was 1968, I was working my way through the University of Illinois in Chicago by working as a Playboy Bunny and living in Hefner’s Gold Coast mansion.

Hefner had three dormitories that housed twenty-two bunnies that were cheap, secure, and clean. I had worked very late one Friday night so had slept quite late and came down to eat around 2 p.m.

We had a small common dining room where Hefner’s guests could eat and the bunnies could order from a very inexpensive menu.

As I entered the room I became aware of a single black man sitting at one of the tables. I asked him if he minded if I joined him without

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Banderas Bay Butterfies

introducing myself so I had no idea who this person was. We started chatting and that began a four hour long discussion!

This person was probably one of the most fascinating people that I have ever met even to this day! He was doing research for a book about his ancestry and had travelled throughout the south in the United States and had even visited the village where his grandfather had been enslaved in Ghana. His energy was absolutely infectious!

One of his stories was about his visiting his grandfather’s village in Ghana. His translator had made arrangements for some of the villagers to paddle up the river to meet them near Accra.

As they waited on the river bank, a dugout canoe manned by two men glided to their feet.

The boatsmen took one look at him and said, “You can’t be our brother”. “Why not”, he asked.

“Your skin is too light” they said. The translator had to explain that, his grandfather had been the same color as they were, but, due to intermingling, he was now much lighter. They finally understood and he was able to return with them to his village in the dugout canoe.

Of course, most readers of a certain age will know exactly who this person was but I certainly did not! After four hours, I finally stood

up and said that I really had to get ready for work. I reached out to shake his hand and said my name.

He replied, “So nice to meet you.

I’m Alex Hailey.” Not an important

meeting, but one that I’m very grateful to have as a memory.

Now, dear reader, it’s your turn!

Share your memory . I would love to talk to you and share your story!

of condiments and smoked meats and natural (and some smoked) cheeses. His is the happiest table in the entire Market...full of tasty tidbits to try-before-you-buy! The pickled beets are better than my mom’s. Way better. Try some! He is moving into a vegetarian phase - that is, he is creating goodies with chickpeas and lentils that I don’t understand but judging from his sales? What do I know? Again, give them a try.

Mark’s mom, Barbara Peters, shows no signs at all of slowing down. Besides running Galleria Vallarta she makes time to design light cotton clothes for women then paints them and then designs

jewelry - earrings and necklaces to go with! She is one of Vallarta’s first ex-pats going back more than 30 years and remains a stalwart champion of all things downtown Old Vallarta.

I will have silk, of course, and also some beeswax candles for sale this coming week as well as the usual recycled jewelry and a

few vintage pieces just for fun.

We are an eclectic mix, come and join the fun every Saturday morning from 9 am until 2 pm this week. We normally close at 1 but we will try an extra hour and see what happens! See you at Coco’s Kitchen, Pulpito 122 in Old Town across from the Paradise Community Center.

by Moralea Milne

Texan Crescent (Anthanassa texana) Texan Crescents are small (approx. 1.5 in or 4 cm) butterflies found throughout Mexico, in many different types of ecosystems.

They lay their eggs on low lying members of the Acanthus family which generally have colourful, tubular flowers such a wild petunias, flamingo plants, black-eyed Susan vine, shrimp plants and others.

These delightful small butterflies are quite common, but information on them is not. A paucity of information on most butterflies found in Mexico is more the rule than the exception. Still, I am grateful to find out any facts, particularly their identification and their larval food plants

New Market Co-op

by Marcia Blondin newmarketcoopvallarta@gmail.com

T

o all of you who have been asking - Peter of Vallarta Bagel World, returns to Market this Saturday with bagels, rye bread and his amazing Cinnabuns. I suggest getting there at opening time which is 9 am, as he has been known to sell out within the first hour. An even better idea is to come early for breakfast at Coco’s (the food is wonderful). The reason is you are never supposed to shop for food on an empty stomach...hey! I’m trying to help; your partner might not understand why you had to buy two DOZEN Cinnabuns. I’m just saying...

And we have Jorge’s gorgeous silver jewelry and his lovely daughter Paola as his able assistant. A striking sterling silver ring really caught my eye last week: it was set with three

different colored baguettes that were at least an inch long! Deep amythyst, citrine and I forget the third one. Gorgeous!

Christel’s river pearl necklaces compliment the oh-so dainty feather earrings. I love her different mixes of sizes, colors and shapes of the feathers. Very light and unusual.

Mark Hughes’s quiches are a summertime delight and remember to take home some fruit tarts - one must have dessert handy at all times. (For yourself, of course.) Stock up...everything freezes beautifully! Oh, and Lorene from Artisan Bakery in Versalles is away but Mark carries all her best sellers. Again, come early so you won’t be disappointed.

Mark Peters continues to expand his already extensive list

MEZCAL 15

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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Mezcal, the father of Tequila

By Thomas Swanson

O

ne of the most important contributions to Mexican cuisine and culture that comes to us from Oaxaca has got to be mezcal. It is unclear whether the native cultures ever mastered the art of distillation, but their Spanish conquerors certainly did.

It did not take long for them to find that they could distill the liquid that was fermented by the native Zapotecs using the roasted and pressed hearts, called piñas, of the maguey agave. Its popularity grew rapidly. Protectionist economic policies of the Spanish Crown made the traditional European distilling of sugar cane and grapes illegal in the colonies, and a more affordable alternative, such as mezcal, was strongly encouraged by the colonial government as a source of tax revenues.

The original mezcals were first known as aguardiente, or literally, fire water. As tequila, made almost exclusively with the blue Weber agave, was discovered and became more popular, the name mezcal became more common for the type of liquor derived from the types of the maguey agave. This is not to be confused with pulque, which is made from fermenting the sap of the living maguey.

Today the most common maguey used is known as the Espadín. The vast majority of mezcal now comes from the villages in the highland valleys of central Oaxaca.

A bottle of mezcal will often come with a worm in it. This is actually the larvae of a moth that eats the maguey. There are conflicting stories as to why it is added after bottling. Some say

that it is simply a macho marketing ploy. Some say that it is there to prove that the mezcal is fit to drink, if that makes sense, and still others state that the larva is there to impart flavor.

Like tequila, mezcal has different denominations, according to how long it has been aged in oak casks. The blanco, or joven, meaning white or young, has a distictive smoky quality found nowhere else.

Aging adds what I call a whiskying aspect to the original taste. It is almost always sipped straight, at room temp, often accompanied by a cold beer and a tray of salted peanuts fried with garlic cloves and served with lime.

Much like tequilas, the village the mezcal is made in always imparts a special flavor, as soils, small climate variations, the exact type of maguey used, and recipes vary. There is some mass production, but the more memorable brands are artesanal. A village can contain dozens of production houses, called fábricas or

palenques, each using their own secret methods that have often been passed down through generations, some using the same techniques practiced for over 400 years. As with tequila, the phrase “100% de agave” should be on the bottle. Everybody has their favorite, ours comes from the pueblo of Santiago Matatlán, nick-named the “Mezcal Capitol of the World”.

The maguey was one of the most sacred plants in Mesoamerica, the fiber from the leaves, or pencas, was used to make rope, baskets, and even clothing. The spines were used for needles, punches, and nails. Foods were wrapped in the pencas while cooking to impart flavor, the plants themselves used for hedges, fences, and soil retention.

The extract from the heart is used for a sweetener and flavor enhancer and, of course, to make mezcal.

The Zapotec natives have a story It is said that a lightning bolt struck an agave plant, cooking

and opening it, releasing its juice.

For this reason, the liquid is called the “elixir of the gods.” There is also a very popular saying around Oacaxa. “Para todo mal mezcal, y para todo bien también”, “For all

things bad, mezcal, and for all things good as well”.

Thomas Swanson can be reached at http://www.ColibriDesignVallarta.com

Expat interviews 16

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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Let’s Hear from You: First Person Expat Interviews

By Fabien Madesclaire Fabien@g3mex.com

M

any expats don’t necessarily choose to live in another country, but for various reasons they are forced to move abroad. This week we spoke with Tori Martinez, teacher, mother of two, and the wife of a Mexican citizen. Her husband, Mauricio Martinez, is the owner of a local company: Fresh Personal Chefs, a private chef service that provides chefs for private homes and villas.

Tell us about your decision to move here to Puerto Vallarta.

I met Mauricio many years ago. He was 16 and had come to the U.S. to find more lucrative employment. We worked together in various restaurants for a while and then went separate ways.

Years later we ended up back in the same place we met. We fell in love, got married and had two children.

I was fully aware of the fact that he had come north of the border without papers and of his immigration status, but assumed, as so many have, that things would work out.

The current rule is that if you entered the United States illegally, after the age of 16, you are subject to a mandatory 10-year bar from returning to the States. Even if you are currently working; are married to a U.S. citizen and have children from the U.S. I mean, in Mexico, if you have a child born here, you automatically receive residency and work status!

During the period that they started imposing the restrictions on people without correct immigration paperwork, we thought it would be best to take a more proactive approach.

We hired an attorney and started Mauricio’s paperwork. We found that after 10 years back in Mexico you could then reapply for U.S. residency.

However, right now we are waiting on a “waiver” to that

10-year rule. It basically asks immigration to “waive” the bar and allow my husband to have legal status in the states.

Though, your ability to receive residency is very much in the hands of the people that process your immigration paperwork.

So basically Mauricio had to head back to Mexico to wait out the process, and we had to find a place to live down here. I checked out a variety of locations throughout Mexico, and Puerto Vallarta seemed like a good option. It has a large bilingual community, with more teaching opportunities for me. There are some decent schools here and Mauricio would have a better chance of finding a job as a chef, because of its great reputation as a tourist destination.

And, of course PV is beautiful!

Did Puerto Vallarta work out for you?

Yes and no. I found work teaching, but much like the U.S., teaching jobs barely offer a subsistence wage.

On average an English teacher in Puerto Vallarta will earn about $10,000 pesos per month. It’s hard to live down here (in a way that’s comparable to the comfort we had in the U.S.) on a salary like that!

We chose to send our children to bilingual schools, which are private. And though they are cheaper than in the U.S. it quickly became much too costly for us.

The public school system here is not terrific. Usually the classes are terribly overcrowded, there is no English being taught, and the school day is only about 4 hours, which ends up being really inadequate on many levels.

Mauricio began working at some high-end resorts and restaurants where he was making on average of up to $20 USD per day (for an eight hour shift), as compared to the $20 USD per hour he was earning in the United States.

We decided that our best option would be to open our own personal chef business - where my husband could work in private villas and homes, and it’s really worked out well!

Are you able to work during the low season, as well?

It’s much harder for me. I have some remaining college debt, so during the summers I’ve had to pack up the kids and return to Wisconsin.

We stay with my parents, and I work at a seasonal restaurant, where, in a day, I can make as much money as I would in an entire week here in Vallarta.

It must be incredibly hard to be away from Mauricio for so long.

It’s just horrible. My children are 5 and 8, and they need to be with their dad! I just spent the last 6 months up in the U.S. and the kids are overjoyed to be with Mauricio again.

My hope is to expand our business. We’d really like to even-

tually try to live in both countries – 6 months here, 6 months there!

I do love it here, but the children obviously need a consistent school situation, so I’m trying my hand at homeschooling for the next 6 months.

Are you frustrated by the policies of the Obama administration?

wonderful learning about Mexico.

My kids speak fluent Spanish, and now know much more about their father’s culture. I’ve met some terrific people, and I will always come back here.

To find out more about Fresh Personal Chefs services, go to their website at: pvfreshchefs.com

What are some final thoughts on your “exile” in Mexico?

Note: “Of the 1.4 million Mexican immigrants and their children who returned to Mexico from the U.S. between 2005 and 2010, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates that anywhere from 5% to 35% were sent back by U.S. authorities at some point during that five-year period and remained in Mexico as of 2010. The other 65% to 95% returned to Mexico voluntarily.”

Data is from www.pewhispanic.org

The hardest part is being away from the family, and being so split up. Oddly enough, most of Mauricio’s siblings also live and work in the States!

The economics of it have been REALLY hard. We had an amazing life in Wisconsin. Good wages, a nice home, decent schools, but in reality it’s been an incredibly

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. Or check our website out at: www.g3mex.com

Somewhat, though he really has his hands tied when it comes to legislation. I would love to see the United States, Mexico and Canada come to a more workable agreement. It’s not fair to break up families and force people to live this way.

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

RIVIERA NAYARIT 17

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Riviera Nayarit Travel Guide What It’s Like

W

ith over 190 miles of beautiful sandy beaches, wonderful resorts, and world-class golf, it’s surprising that Riviera Nayarit is still somewhat under the radar.

Punta Mita and Nuevo Vallarta are probably the most wellknown places in this vast region, offering all the features of other resort communities -- including wonderful restaurants, several championship golf courses, and high-end resorts -- but Riviera Nayarit is also home to many charming little beach towns that are worth a visit.

The most developed area is located between Nuevo Vallarta (just a few miles north of bustling Vallarta) and Litibu -- but north of that the landscape becomes wilder and the jungle thicker.

Even in the most populated areas the crowds are still smaller than at other Mexican beach destinations and the ambiance less party-oriented.

For those whose ideal vacation involves snoozing under a straw umbrella on a gorgeous sandy beach, the shoreline is beautiful and varied.

The most popular beaches are on Banderas Bay, but it’s worth exploring the beautiful stretches of sand farther north.

Sayulita and San Pancho are wonderful picks and offer good waves, but those with some extra time might also want to travel further afield into the wild regions bordering the state of Sinaloa, where there are some of the region’s most remote stretches of sand.

However, Riviera Nayarit offers much more besides beaches. Visitors will also find myriad small towns with colo-

nial architecture and Mexican culture; zip lining; surfing; hiking; and even rock climbing.

While the rainy season is, well, rainy, showers usually only take place in the evening for a couple of hours; the temperatures rarely dip below the 70s at night and the high hovers above the 80s during the day year-round, so outdoor activities can be enjoyed even in the off-season.

The region is also on the migration path of several types of whales, and whale-watching

tours are one of the most popular activities between December and March, which is also peak season. Riviera Nayarit’s stunning archaeological sites don’t get a lot of tourist traffic but are highly recommended.

One of the best examples is Alta Vista, home to over 2,000 stone engravings (or petroglyphs) thought to have been carved some 2,000 years ago.

The ancient settlements are mostly located inland, but can be reached easily from beautiful, interesting towns such as Tepic

and Compostela, which offer a completely different experience from the seaside communities.

With historic centers, museums and tons of local charm, this is where visitors can get a real taste of the traditional Mexican culture. This doesn’t mean there aren’t any tourist areas or souvenir shops here, but fewer foreign tourists venture inland.

Where to Stay

Riviera Nayarit offers myriad accommodation options, from beachfront resorts along

Banderas Bay and all the way to Punta Mita and Litibu, to small inns in charming little towns, such as San Pancho. Those looking to splurge might want to consider the luxurious resorts in ritzy Punta Mita. Sayulita is also home to a couple luxury resorts, with secluded locations just outside the town and private beaches. Visitors looking to explore Sierra Madre mountain range might want to consider heading inland and stay in Tepic or one of the quaint, historic towns around it.

TRAVEL 18

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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Vibrant Mexico City

Exciting worlds are to be found on every street of Mexico City. The Mexican capital is one of the most vibrant metropolises in the world. The energy felt on its streets mixes up with the diversity of its inhabitants, and adventure is a part of everyday life. It is a universe of diversity and variety.

Mexico City is also a kind of museum to major chapters in the country’s history.

It is a synthesis of the whole country and each of its areas is its own unique Mexico at the same time.

It is a counterpoint and a paradox –a city where an entire universe is to be found around every corner.

By Karla Bañuelos Sáenz

T

he frontier between a neighborhood that recalls scenes from a Buñuel movie disappear as we cross the avenue to encounter picture postcard scenes of a more modern city.

These contrasts flourish on every street and at every station. Always striking, they give rise to a whole range of sensations from nostalgic to colorful. The metro lines run like veins beneath the concrete of one of the belly buttons of the world. Not for nothing has Mexico City been nominated as one of the finalists by the New Seven Wonders organization to hold the title of Wonder City.

Cardinal points

Getting to know a city on foot is an adventure that is the best way of discovering its secrets. The neighborhoods of Mexico City are an experience in themselves that allows us to see up close and enjoy the range of architectural styles they were built in: Colonial, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco –as well as individual buildings by acclaimed architects such as Luis Barragán, Teodoro González de León, Mario Pani and Ricardo Legorreta. Neighborhoods like Condesa, Roma, Polanco, Coyoacán, San Ángel and Santa María la Ribera make for ideal walking, both for the wealth of their architecture and history and for their restaurants, bars, galleries, boutiques, cantinas, bookshops and fashionable spots. An

ideal starting place for getting to know the riches of Mexico City is its Historic Downtown Area: the Alameda Central, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Torre Latinoamericana, the National Museum, the Franz Mayer Museum and Café Tacuba are just a few of the sites that everyone who visits this vibrant city should not miss.

Cuisine, traditions, and history: all of that is to be seen in the historic heart of Mexico City.

Condesa

Once a racecourse, Condesa is one of the most sophisticated areas in the city, where a lot of the city’s cultural events take place.

Home to writers and artists, sites to visit in the Condesa include the Capilla Alfonsina –home to the renowned Mexican writer Alfonso Reyes for 20 years– and the Bella Época Cultural Center, a complex comprising the Rosario Castellanos bookshop, the Lido cinema and the Luis Cardoza y Aragón gallery, all to be found in the former Bella Época cinema, with a vast range of books set out under a luminous ceiling designed by the Dutch artist Jan Hendrix.

Other iconic buildings in the area include the Basurto and Jardines buildings.

The broad streets are also home to two of the most famous

parks in the city, known as Mexico and Spain parks, both full of life as residents walk their dogs, work out or just enjoy the peace of the tree-filled space. They are surrounded by cafés, bookshops, boutiques and restaurants offering a wide diversity of cuisine. To that may be added venues for concerts such as the Plaza Condesa, with a smart design and select program: Nick Cave, Kraftwerk, Patti Smith and a diverse range of musical genres.

Roma

Bordering Condesa is another of Mexico City’s neighborhoods with a lot of personality, La Roma. It was laid out in 1902 by Edward Walter Orrin around what was then known as La Romita, a village on the outskirts of the city. Over its history Roma has been home to many artists. It has elegant street lighting and architecture, notably Art Nouveau and French-style buildings, and broad streets with medians, together with a whole collection of statues and fountains.

The works of architecture of note here include the Santa María de la Natividad church, dating from 1530, the 17th-century San Francisco Javier church, the parish of the Sagrada Familia, the Francia building –Art Nouveau– the Balmori building, and Casa Lamm.

Avenue Álvaro Obregón is a local highlight, with a central promenade that fills with temporary markets, especially on Sundays, with an interesting range of books, antiques and other curiosities. The avenue is lined by bistrots, cafés and bookshops such as El Péndulo, located

in a beautifully converted house and offering records, art films and cultural activities. La Roma is also well known for its nightlife. The Artemisia Bar is an ideal option if you are tempted to try its absinthe, an old favorite of Romantic writers and artists. Other key points to visit in the neighborhood are the OMR and Traeger y Pinto galleries, La Roma Records and the boutiques found all along Colima street.

Coyoacán

Coyoacán means “place of coyotes” in the Náhuatl language.

A colorful neighborhood with sites and customs that evoke the Mexico of the past, it is one of the most visited areas by tourists interested in Mexican folklore. Its center was decreed a “Typical and Traditional Zone” as far back as 1934, and in 1990 the Unesco declared it a Zone of Historical Monuments. The historical spaces worth seeing include the San Juan Bautista church, the Centenario gardens –where the famous coyote fountain is located– the Hidalgo gardens, the Conchita plaza and chapel, the House of Cortés, and the Red House. Special mention must be given to the Blue House, a museum created in the former home of painter Frida Kahlo. On show here are furnishings and personal objects belonging both to Frida and her husband, the painter Diego Rivera, together with some of their works and a collection of pre-Hispanic pieces.

Other museums of interest in the area are the National Museum of Folk Cultures, the León Trotsky House Museum and the Viveros

TRAVEL 19

Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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THE MET IN HD is Back in Vallarta

by David J. Rohde

T

his Spring opera lovers in PV were concerned about the renewal of the Metropolitan Opera´s HD Simulcasts on Saturday afternoons. Teatro Vallarta renewed the series and we breathed a sigh of relief. Then the con-tract negotiations at the Met this summer set nerves on edge. That also has been resolved and the show will go on. This is a series of “live” broadcasts shown around the world at select theaters. We are fortunate in PV to have such a venue available to us. There is also an added bonus of having ENGLISH SUBTITLES for our greater enjoyment. If you are a fan, please join us again this season. If you have never attended one of these broadcast, give yourself a treat and try one.

de Coyoacán, a plant nursery that functions as a public park and also holds flower growing exhibitions. The experience is rounded off with a stroll along Francisco Sosa street, where the Panzacola chapel, a bridge built in 1736, the Casa del Sol, the Casa Alvarado, the Santa Catarina de Siena chapel, and the Jesús Reyes Heroles Cultural Center can be seen.

Polanco

Polanco is a synonym of luxury.

One of its principal avenues, Presidente Masaryk, is a showcase of boutiques and showrooms by exclusive designers and brands: Dior, Burberry, Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gucci, among others. Located in the west of the city, close to Chapultepec Park, this neighborhood is also home to fashionable bars, internationally- ranked restaurants, five-star hotels, museums and galleries.

Some of the mansions and buildings in the area are built in a Californian style, which contrasts with more avant garde architecture. A perfect example of the

latter is the Soumaya Museum, whose shining, asymmetrical structure seeks to evoke a sculpture by Rodin. It was designed

by Mexican architect Fernando Romero and houses a collection of European and American art from a range of historical periods.

Polanco is also a delight for the palate. Here are to be found some of the most famous restaurants in the city, such as the Pujol, headed up by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, which regularly appears on international lists of the best restaurants in the world.

The Biko, Quintonil, Morimoto and Dulce Patria are other outstanding options for a special gastronomic experience. Other key sites in Polanco are Lincoln Park and Campos Elíseos streets along which are to be found some of the most luxurious hotels in Mexico City.

Santa María la Ribera

Located close to Mexico City’s Historic Downtown Area, the neighborhood of Santa María la Ribera is a real experience. The traditional district is considered to be the first modern develop-

ment of the city. One of its jewels is to be found in its central plaza, the Alameda de Santa María: a Moorish-style bandstand constructed from metal with a capricious design in 1884, originally to represent Mexico at the Paris Universal Exposition. It returned to the Mexican capital in 1910 and was refurbished 100 years later. In the vicinity of this plaza, delightful spots are to be found such as a restaurant of traditional Russian food where you can try a delicious borsch –the vegetable soup typical of that part of the world, together with Russian dumplings: ideal comfort food. Its traditional neighborhood essence is to be found on every corner, with typical types of premises like old-fashioned hardware stores, pulquerías selling fermented cactus juice, markets and mansions.

Other icons of Santa María la Ribera include El Chopo University Museum, originally built in Germany in 1902 as an exhibition pavilion, and the UNAM’s Geology Museum, home to the most important collection of rocks and fossils in the country, as well as a mammoth and fragments of meteorites.

Where to stay

Luxury Hotels in Mexico: The Brick La Roma is a historic residential neighbourhood in the throes of reinvention in the heart of Mexico City and The Brick is its newest luxury boutique hotel. Declared a cultural landmark by the National Institute of Fine Arts, The Brick offers carefully restored details of the original 1902 mansion with retro/modern architectural elements, putting a contemporary spin on this hip hotel. With just seventeen luxuriously appointed rooms, each decorated with

The experience is different than in attending a performance in a hall or opera house. A host or hostess welcomes you to The Met and gives a brief synopsis of Act I. At the end of the act the same person awaits the cast as they file offstage and one of the leads is handed a microphone and interviewed on the spot.

Conductors, other cast members and sometimes technicians are also interviewed.

The camera work brings you right on stage and up close and personal with the cast. This year the schedule includes ten simulcasts: October 11 October 18

November 1 November 22

December 13

January 17

January 31

February 14

March 14

April 25

MACBETH by Verdi at 11:55 a.m.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

by Mozart in a new production at 11:55a.m.

CARMEN by Bizet at 11:55 a.m.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Rossini at 11:55 a.m.

DIE MEISTERSING von NUREMBERG by Wagner at 11 a.m.

THE MERRY WIDOW

by Lehar in a new production at 11:55 a.m.

THE TALES OF HOFFMANN

by Offenbach at 11:55 a.m.

IOLANTHA by Tchaikovsky and BLUEBEARD´S CASTLE by Bartok in a new production 11:30 a.m.

LA DONNA DEL LAGO

by Rossini Met Premier at 11:55 a.m.

CAVALLERA RUSTICANA by Mascagni and PAGLIACCI by Leoncavallo 11:30 a.m. in a new production

Seats are all reserved and will be available at the box office at a later date. There is the possiblility of lectures before each simulcast, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Support of any art venue in Puerto Vallarta is always GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Mexican style and bold mid-century furniture, the rooms offer smart fresh design and a unique use of space.

The gourmet mini-bar (complete with condoms and a hang-over kit), Kiehls bath products and extremely comfortable mattresses and bedding make your stay that much more enjoyable.

Head downstairs to the Bras-

serie La Moderna for classic French cuisine or enjoy a coffee on the corner terrace of Loncheria Olivia while watching the neighbourhood pass you by.

In recent years many excellent boutiques, cafes, galleries and bars have moved into the La Roma area and along with a vibrant street market offer the traveler many days and nights of exploration.

CHARITIES 20

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Friday Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

Non-Profit and Charitable Organizations F or 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.

victims of domestic violence. www.compassionforthefamily.org

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

Bucerias Bilingual Community Center: Supporting families, seniors in Bucerias. www.buceriasbilingualcommunitycenter.org

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

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

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 SETACGLBT – 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

ADORABLE DOG IN THE SPOTLIGHT...BUDDY

We think Buddy is a just a gorgeous looking guy about a year and a half old. Buddy had been living under a car outside of a bar/coffee shop where customers would occasionally provide him food. He is now safe with us at the sanctuary and ready for his fur-ever home. Buddy has a calm temperament, is good with other dogs and very eager to learn.

At 17 kilos or 37.4 pounds he is a medium sized dog who just loves to cuddle. He can be a bit shy in the beginning but once you gain his trust he will be your best Buddy! Please contact us at spcapv@gmail.com.

Corazon de Nina A safe, loving, home-environment for 20+ girls rescued from high-risk situations. Donations & volunteers always welcome! Totally self-funded. www.corazondenina.mx abundancia@corazondenina.mx

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 Friends of PV Animals Volunteers working to enhance the lives of shelter animals. For info and donations visit friendsofpvanimals.com Grupo Ecológico de Puerto Vallarta: Arq. Luz del Carmen Pérez Alvarez cayro_13@hotmail.com grupoecologico.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.

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 Esperanza- Shelter for Children. Tax-deductible. ccshf.ca 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 Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

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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

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

Café Roma Encino 287 Centro Mon-Sun 10:pm -3:00 am Beboteros Diaz Ordaz 565 Malecon 322.113.0099 Benito’s Paninoteca Bar Nima Bay, Local 12, “Marina Vallarta” 322.209.0287 El Patio de mi Casa Guerrero 311 esq.

Matamoros 322.222.0743 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

Vallarta´s only English newspaper

ADVERTISE HERE Ask for better prices!!

Las Adelitas Av. Fluvial Vallarta 234 322.293.7778 / 22.113.0373 Nacho Daddy

287 Basilio Badillo nachodaddymexico.com Philo’s Delfin15, La Cruz de Huanacaxle”329.295.5068 Thu-Sat 8:30 pm Que? Pasa Aquiles Serdan 625, Col Emiliano Zapata 322.223.4006 The River Café Isla del Rio Cuale Local4 Centro 322.223.0788 Vitea Libertad Edificio Malecon 2, Centro” 322.222.8703

LIVE MUSIC VENUES

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

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

Other Important Phone Numbers 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 Aug 29 - Sep 5, 2014

SUDOKU

easy

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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.

Wuzzles

Commonym

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.

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!

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

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