Issue 909, September 5-11, 2014

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September 5 - 11, 2014 Free Issue 909

Travel

Luxury cruising

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Riviera Nayarit sea lion rescue

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Photo Madeline Milne

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Friday September 5 - 11, 2014 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 Editorial Board Marcia Blondin Raymond C. Beaty Lois Ellison John & Christie Forget Landon Hollander Nancy Van Landingham Robina Oliver Sales Team FERNANDO AYALA salestribune@outlook.com Rebeca Castellón rebeca.castellonn@gmail.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cisandra@vallartatribune.com cysandra@gmail.com Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and merely publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as soon as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error.

We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication edited, printed and distributed by Ediciones y Publicaciones Siete Junio, SA de CV Grupo Editorial Tribuna Calle 21 de Marzo # 1174 Col. Lomas del Coapinole Del. El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México CP 48290 Tel. (322) 226-0829, 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune

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Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fines are as much as 10,000 pesos.

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

LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not an valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that guilt is presumed until your innocence can be proven. This is a very difficult lesson to learn if you are visiting from the United States or Canada in particular.

Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

ADOPT ME Purring is good for your health and since you’re not getting any younger you should adopt little Serena. 10 weeks old, very cuddly but mature for her age. Rescued from the streets of Pitillal, this little purr monster could be just what your doctor ordered. If you have space in your home and heart for her please send me an email….

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

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

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

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

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

You need to dial a different prefix.

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

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

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

Tourism Offices Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006

Canadian Consulate 322.293.2894 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

Editorial 03

www.vallartatribune.com

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

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

W Editor´s Note Hello Puerto Vallarta, As I write this on Wednesday we are preparing for possibly the largest storm to hit our shores this season, tropical storm Norbert.

Who knows what will transpire between then and now. If it’s like the others this year, not much.

On one hand you don’t want too much rain as to cause damage but on the other, we really need it.

It’s been a hot, dry rainy season and that never bodes well for the less fortunate in our communities.

This past week has been busy as I have been preparing the fall

edition of Mexi-Go! magazine prior to heading up to Canada to put on two tradeshows on retiring in Mexico.

One in Calgary on September 27th and one in Vancouver on October 4th. If you are in the neighbourhood please drop by and say hello. More details at www.mexi-goexpo.com One of the best things about my job(s) is the travel and events that I get to attend in the name of work. The past couple months have been slow but as I review my calendar for the fall we have

Independence Day Celebrations

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exico's Independence Day celebrations are coming up. Don't miss the opportunity to escape the routine and enjoy the long September 15th weekend. In commemoration of Mexico's struggle for independence the nation officially comes to a joyful stop. Independence Day is celebrated with a colorful display of traditional parades, fireworks and the obligatory El Grito ('cry of independence') in all government palaces and plazas.

Puerto Vallarta joins in the festivities with the colors of red, white and green decorating the streets, the quintessential Mexican flag waving from all esta-

blishments, as well as images of the heroes Miguel Hidalgo, Jose Maria Morelos and Doña Josefa for whom many of our local streets are named.

And of course, the most anticipated moment falls on September 15th: the cry of independence, given by the mayor in the Main Plaza at 11 p.m. everything concludes with an evening of fireworks and music in the central plaza and the Malecon with its spectacular ocean views.

Visit us and celebrate Mexico's independence in Puerto Vallarta; if you've already experienced it then you know how amazing it is. If not then you'll love it!

plenty of things coming up both here and across Mexico. This week we publish a list of events around Mexico that you might consider checking out.

Plus it’s Independence Day here on the 15th which is always a great cultural treat. If you haven’t already, plan on heading to the Precidencia (City Hall-Plaza) for the calling (yelling) of the Grita and the ensuing marching, parades, fireworks and general mayhem.

In the meantime, batten down the hatches. Be safe. Enjoy the cool weather.

Madeline PS. Happy birthday to noodle who is amazingly 13 years old.

Time flies when you are so good looking!

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.

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.

PEACEAnimals Spay and Neuter Clinics SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE: September 3-6 No clinic this week. The team will be at a veterinary conference in León.

September 9-12 Valle Dorado, Nay. Calle Valle Hermoso #81.

As one drives on highway heading towards Nuevo Vallarta, there is

a SAMs club on the left and an exit on the right. Exit across from the SAMs directly in front of the Chedraui grocery store. Go four blocks down to the bus route and take a right on Valle de Mexico, then go seven blocks to Valle Grande. Turn right.

Clinic will be on the right hand side. There is a gym directly in front of the location. The gym is

called IDAF and has a big blue sign.

WE ALWAYS NEED GOOD LOCATIONS. PLEASE HELP. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AT THE CLINICS: While Paulina Stettner is on a leave of absence, please sign up with Dr. Poli: lopezruiz_poly@ hotmail.com

Letters to the Editor Dear Madeline Reading your article about dentists brought back many memories about the days way back when I was practicing in Palm Springs. One very famous man whose first name was the same as mine, asked me to do a reconstruction on one of his beautiful lady friends. I did as he asked giving her a gorgeous smile to go with her beautiful face.

She became my friend as a

result. Twenty five years later she contacted me here in Puerto Vallarta to tell me that she had broken some of her crowns. I was using one of the very fine dentists here who had the same advanced training by the same professors that I had, so I made arrangements with him to see her and to allow me to design her replacement bridge.

She was most happy to come down to have this new construction down by us.

With very little help from me, the result was as magnificent as the original work which I had done. But here is the bottom line: the price here 25 years later was much less than it was in Palm Springs originally.

In conclusion I agree that there are many fine dentists here, and the fees are much less than half of the costs in the USA Sincerely, Frank K. Meyer

Dear Madeline Thank you so much for the way you featured my article "The Met in HD". The black background with white lettering really made it "pop".

Do you have any interest in opera? If so, I would seriously recommend trying one of these simulcasts.

I´ve heard from some friends that they enjoy the "behind the scenes" interviews as much as

the performance itself. Paco Ojeda, the editor of Vallarta Lifestyles magazine and the weekly Vallarta Lifestyles e-zine, will give an introduction to opera lecture sometime in the near future, just before the start of the broadcast season which is October 11.

I hope you can join the growing number of fans of opera in Puerto Vallarta.

David Rohde

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Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

More American and Canadian retirees in Mexico

M

ore than 2 million retired Americans have chosen Mexico as their new home, a figure that continues to increase thanks to the pleasant climate and favorable economic conditions, Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara said. During Friday’s inauguration of the 1st National Forum for Retired Americans: Expectations and Solutions of Life in Mexico, the official said that Mexico offers such products as medical tourism, rest and relaxation tourism, and business tourism.

She said that retired Americans are a segment of great importance for developing the economy of the nation’s tourist destinations, and added that more and more Canadians also opt for retirement in Mexico.

Guevara said that the favorite retirement locations are Mexico’s northwestern states and the Yucatan peninsula.

At the same forum, the president of the International Community Foundation, Richard Kiy, said that 53 percent of retirees making their home in Mexico are under

Avocado exports exceed 500,000 tonnes for the first Mexico News Daily | Thursday, August 28, 2014

T age 65 and choose Mexico for the favorable living conditions and stable economy.

He said that Mexico being near their home country does influence their choice, as does the possibility of purchasing a home at a much lower price than in the United States.

He said that 34 percent say the economic recession has not affected their retirement plans nor their quality of life.

The study indicated that 93 percent of retirees say that drug-related violence, which has claimed nearly 50,000 lives in the past five years, is not a problem that would keep them from moving to Mexico. http://www.laht.com

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he production of avocados has soared in the years since import restrictions were lifted by the United States, to the point where in the 2013-14 crop year Mexico’s exports were a record 512,134 tonnes.

Restricting avocado imports in to the U.S. dates all the way back to 1914, when there were fears over avocado weevil outbreaks from the imported fruit.

In 1997, after much lobbying by the Mexican government, Mexican avocados were allowed to be imported into 13 states where the offending weevil would not survive the cooler temperatures: avocado-producing states such as California, Florida and Hawaii were out of bounds.

Restrictions were lifted 10 years later and today 84% of Mexico’s avocado production goes to the U.S. Not only that, but Mexico is now the world’s largest producer of the fruit, which is actually native to central Mexico.

The association of Michoacán avocado producers says there

were 60 producers in the export program in 1997. Now there are 11,202. Marketing director Eduardo Serena says the product is moved by land to U.S. markets, a process that has been streamlined to the point where it can be delivered to Texas in 48 hours.

Fruit that is harvested, selected and packaged on Monday is delivered to supermarkets on Wednesday.

Tests have been carried out to determine if it can be moved efficiently by water from the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán and Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, but land transport remains the favored method because it’s cheaper, said Serena.

By the time the avocado arrives in supermarkets in Los Angeles, California, its value has soared. Consumers are willing to pay between US $1.50 and $2.00 apiece for them.

But it’s not just improved trade relations that have contributed to the avocado’s popularity north of the border. Sales have skyrocketed due to changes in eating habits. Guacamole, says Shannon

Mexico´s Oldest Woman

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Mexico woman became the oldest human to have ever lived yesterday when she reached the grand old age of 127, it has been reported.

Chocolate-lover Leandra Becerra Lumbreras was born on August 31, 1887 - the year Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee. She was 27 when World War II broke out, already a pensioner at 66 when Queen Elizabeth ascended the British throne and 82 when man first set foot on the moon.

And the birthday girl's secret to a long life is eating well, chewing on chocolate, sleeping for days on end, and never getting married, according to her family.

Ms Lumbreras reportedly fought in the 1910-1917 Mexican

Revolution as a leader of the 'Adelitas' - women who went with their husbands to the battle front.

The former seamstress, from the western Mexican city of Zapopan, has already buried her five children and several of her 20 grandchildren - the last died in 2013 aged 90. She also has 73 great-grandchildren and 55 great-great-grandchildren.

Grandaughter Miriam Alvear, 43, told Mexico's El Horizonte newspaper that although she is now deaf and suffering from cataracts, Ms Lumbreras still often entertains her family with stories long confined to the history books. They include having to flee their homes and hide in caves to escape being forcibly recruited into the Mexican army.

Her only possessions help her

Explore Banderas Bay

P

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

remember years gone by - an old silver spoon made in 1847, a pair of gold earrings, a ring, and an old pocket watch engraved with a steam train.

Alvear said: "She is entirely lucid. She blows your mind with her stories from the revolution.

She was always a woman who fought. She was still sewing and

weaving until about two years ago. She never ceased to be active, that's why we think she's lived so long."

According to Ms Alvear, she also talks about the three great loves of her life, one of which, Margarito Maldonado, was a famous revoluntionary leader.

When asked about the secret

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.

O’Neil of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, has become a restaurant and home staple as opposed to the little known and exotic food that it was 20 years ago.

The avocado’s export growth has not been without ancillary problems. Drug cartels identified the industry in Michoacán as an easy source of revenue and began extracting payments from farmers and packers. According to one report farmers were having to pay up to 1,000 pesos per hectare.

But reports now indicate that the situation is improving through some weakening of the cartels.

And one of the main tasks of the new National Gendarmerie is to protect the production and harvest of important export crops, such as the avocado.

It should also be noted that guacamole, whose principal ingredient is the avocado, is one of those foods associated with Super Bowl Sunday when, according to one estimate, Americans eat about 8 million pounds of it.

Source: El Economista (sp), Forbes (en)

to her long life, another granddaughter, Celia Hernandez, said that she sometimes sleeps for three days on end, but when she's awake likes to eat, talk, and sing lullabies.

Hernandez said: "Her parents were singers. She loves to entertain her grandchildren with the old songs they taught her. She's always had good teeth, even at her old age. She has no diabetes or hypertension so can eat as many chocolates and sweets as she likes."

According to her family, she had told them what she wanted for her birthday party on Sunday was beans with tortillas, even though she isn't allowed solid food on medical advice.

Ms Lumbreras is 12 years older than Japan's Misao Okawa, currently the oldest documented living person in the world, according to Guinness.

NEWS 05

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com Domingo 31 de agosto de 2014 >> reforma

Peña Nieto put much political capital at stake to bring in reformsNo todo 2 Informe

By Armando González

T

ime flies. It seems it was only yesterday that President Enrique Peña Nieto took office, amongst protests and acts of vandalism.

Even after winning the election by almost seven points, Peña Nieto faced strong opposition from the left, headed by loser Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who claimed once again of a rigged result, despite losing by more than 2.5 million votes. On the right the National Action Party (PAN) fell to third place after being in power for two terms.

It’s been a little less than two years, and after a frantic effort in 2013 and 2014 to achieve the implementation of the Pact for México, an important number of much-needed structural reforms for the advancement of modernity in our country was passed.

They were labor, finance, education, telecommunications, political, tax, and energy reforms, all of which are fundamental for improving the structural deve-

lopment of our country. The last, of particular importance for economic development and the creation of wealth and jobs, breaks a 70-year-old taboo that banned private participation in our most important industry.

It was argued that in doing so we would be left helpless in the face of the power and manipulation of major transnational oil companies.

The institutional strength and the transparency of the México of today will enable Pemex to act with enough funding and autonomy, achieving its potential and getting the most out of our oil and natural gas wealth.

The economy, in the span of these 18 months, has not fulfilled its expectations.

Numbers are below the promised growth, creating doubts about the government’s ability to properly manage economic development.

There’s a high level of curiosity about what Peña Nieto will say during his second state-of-thenation report on Tuesday regar-

se está moviendo

ding insecurity and violence in the country. The “cockroach effect” has been unavoidable. Criminal groups move quickly, when cornered, into other, surrounding states. Criminality is controlled in Michoacán and immediately Una intensa campaña gubernamental skyrockets in the State of México, lleva como idea fuerzaand la frase “estamos Guerrero, Colima Jalisco. moviendo a México”. En una incesante The de most thing is to difusión spotsimportant de radio y televisión, acknowledge thatEnrique Peña Peña NietoNieto has el propio presidente habla de obras de infraestructura que at set much of his political capital se han iniciado, escuelas y hospitales stake, trying to achieve the necesinaugurados, programas sociales que sary reforms, knowing that the reconocen y atienden el hambre, y reforresults many of–enfatiza– them will hardly mas queof permitirán explotar al máximo losin recursos energéticos. be noticed the course of a few De cara a su Segundo Informe de years, even benefiting those who Gobierno, el Presidente dice en esos will be in office in future. spots que no hay que esperar a que México empiece a mover un martes Thesepresident’s public accepo un jueves, “como si tuvieratouna fecha tance rates, according surveys, en el calendario”. Y repite: México ya está are below 50%, to which his en movimiento. cabinet that it reformas doesn’t Asegurareplies Peña Nieto que las estructurales, “audaces y reconocidas govern based on polls. mundialmente”, signo de ese moviVicente Foxsonalways maintained miento. Y da por cerrado el ciclo reformahigh rates of (which was dor surgido delpopularity Pacto por México. hisPero main tookque fewlasrisks los goal), expertosbut afirman reformas son,fundamental si acaso, el piso changes, para emregarding prender un cambio de rumbo, y apuntan rendering his legacy as president al menos tres grandes áreas en donde los as meager disappointing. resultados aúnand no están a la vista: crecimiento económico, inseguridad y violencia,Original: y combateMexicodailynews.com a la corrupción.

Tres asuntos cruciales en los que México aún no está en movimiento.

Spanish firms interested in infrastructure deals in Mexico, minister says

S

panish Development Minister Ana Pastor said in an interview with Efe that she told Mexican Communications and Transportation Secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza during a meeting here that firms from Spain were interested in investing in infrastructure in Mexico.

The goal is to implement a bilateral cooperation agreement signed during Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s visit to Spain in June, Pastor said.

Spanish companies have the experience to “collaborate and support” Mexico in the railway, highway and airport infrastructure areas, among others, Pastor said.

“Over the past few decades, Spain has made an important effort in infrastructure investment and, today, Spanish engineering and Spanish know how

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

moderate two-hour stroll led by a certified guide.

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

in all areas of transportation are considered among the best in the world,” Pastor said.

Pastor was present on Tuesday for Peña Nieto’s announcement

during his state of the nation address at the National Palace that a new Mexico City airport would be built.

Ruiz Esparza agrees that more must be done to meet demand for air transportation service and bolster Mexico’s development, Pastor said.

The Spanish minister said she helped convene the bilateral “High-Level Group” that will “materialize cooperation and support” between Spain and Mexico. Trade “is growing and is more positive each day for the two countries in all areas,” Pastor said. The Spanish development minister thanked Mexico for the

show of confidence it made by accepting Spanish investment.

Pastor arrived in Mexico City on Monday night from Costa Rica, where she spent a few hours.

The development minister attended a breakfast meeting Tuesday at Spanish Ambassador to Mexico Luis Fernandez-Cid’s residence, where she met with representatives of Spanish firms that have invested in the country.

Isolux, Sacyr, Indra, Idom, CAF, AENA and OHL were among the companies represented at the meeting.

Source:EFE

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

jewelry, excellent restaurants, spas, theaters and more.

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

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

NEWS 06

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

GM corn cultivation remains off-limits following ruling Mexico News Daily

A Huge new airport is announced for Mexico’s capital

By Tim Johnson McClatchy Foreign Staff

Mexico City — President Enrique Pena Nieto announced plans Tuesday to build a new airport in Mexico City that can handle four times the traffic of the existing one, the second busiest in Latin America.

The new airport will have six runways and is projected to cost $9.1 billion.

Pena Nieto said the airport “will be the biggest infrastructure project in our country in many years and even one of the biggest in the world.”

It will be built on vacant federal land to the east of Benito Juarez International Airport, which handled about 31.5 million passengers last year.

Pena Nieto, in a 90-minute annual address to the nation, said Mexico couldn’t keep “postponing a solution” to the overcrowding at the capital airport, which regularly exceeds its operating capacity.

The bottlenecks at the airport “restrict movement around the country, limit Mexico’s ties to the world, put a brake on trade and investment, and create delays for users,” Pena Nieto said.

When engineers finished work on the existing airport in 1952, the capital had only 3 million residents. Since then, the metropolis has swollen to more than 20 million inhabitants, partially engulfing the airport, which occupies a dry lake bed.

A second terminal was added in 2007, but only two runways serve both terminals and they can’t be used simultaneously. The airport, which is Latin America’s second busiest, after Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, has surpassed the 340,000 annual takeoffs and landings experts say it’s capable of handling, hitting 389,226 last year.

That means aircraft take off

and land at a pace of nearly one per minute during peak periods.

The airport is less than three miles from the capital’s main square, and the standard landing approach has jetliners skimming over the city.

An annual report given by Pena Nieto’s government to Congress on Monday didn’t say how long it would take to build the new airport, which will arise on some 12,500 acres of mostly vacant land around the largely dry Lake Texcoco that’s contiguous to the current facility.

Once built out to a capacity of 120 million passengers a year, the new airport could be one of the largest in the world, depending on the pace of growth at busy airports in places such as Chicago, Dubai, Beijing and Atlanta. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest, handled 94.4 million passengers last year.

The Mexico City airport handles a third of all air passengers in Mexico and more than half of all airfreight. It’s more than twice as busy as the airport in the Caribbean resort city of Cancun.

The Mexican Institute on Competitiveness, a research center that promotes free-market ideas, issued a report last week demanding action on expanding the airport.

“The current maximum capacity of the airport is 32 million passengers. But last year, it moved 31.5 million!” the institute’s report said. “We’re facing an undeniable reality: Our airport has reached full capacity.”

Pena Nieto said his government would offer more details about the new airport Wednesday.

It’s already studied bids for the design, including one from British architect Norman Foster, who drew up plans for Beijing’s international terminal, the world’s largest at the time of construction.

restriction on cultivating genetically-modified corn remains in place following a court ruling yesterday in Mexico City. The Swiss agrochemical company Syngenta had filed an amparo (similar to an injunction) to have the restriction lifted.

A court ruled last September that the federal government must stop issuing permits for the experimental and commercial planting of GM corn.

The ruling was made in favor of a suit filed by Colectivas, a coalition of groups and individuals opposed to the cultivation of GM corn in Mexico based on concerns that existing varieties would be contaminated, with the result that corn’s genetic diversity would be threatened.

Although there are still 10 amparos outstanding, having been filed by other firms such as Monsanto and Dow along with the federal agriculture secretariat, activists were buoyed by yesterday’s decision, which was unanimous. They say it sets a precedent for the other challenges.

GM opponents say the limits and restrictions established in the federal law regarding gene-

tically modified organisms are inefficient, and they cite scientific evidence that shows there has been transgenic contamination of native corn in five different states.

Lawyer René Sánchez Galindo, a lawyer for the movement Sin Maíz No Hay País (without corn there is no country), said transgenic cultivation “violates our human right to biological diversity” and affects production of the second most important grain in the world.

The pro-GM movement lost another case last month when a Yucatán judge overturned a permit issued by the federal

government to Monsanto to plant 253,000 hectares of genetically-modified soybeans.

Mayan beekeepers and environmental organizations challenged the permit, claiming that honey produced near the GM plantings would be contaminated by soybean pollen.

European countries, an important market for Mexican honey, have strict regulations on GM content in imported food products.

The judge in the case decided that honey production and GM soybeans could not co-exist.

Sources: Sin Embargo (sp), El Diario (en)

Mexican Tequila Exports Grow 16%

M

exico’s tequila exports rose 16 percent to $568 million in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2013, the Agriculture Secretariat said on Wednesday.

Exports were boosted by higher sales of 100 percent agave tequila to markets such as China, Russia and the United States, the secretariat said in its preliminary report. Mexico exported 149.1 million liters of tequila worth $996.9 million in 2013.

Mexico currently exports tequila to 90 countries, including Australia, Spain, the United States, China, France, Japan, Lithuania, Panama, Britain and Russia, the secretariat, which oversees the Tequila Regulating Council (CRT) said.

The agave used to produce tequila was granted denomination of origin status in 1999 in an area that covers Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan and Tamaulipas states, the secretariat said.

LOCAL 07

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

Banderas Bay Initiative

Paradise and Parenting

By Minerva Zamora minerva@fundacionpuntademita.org

Leza Warkentin

The Sixth Mass Extinction

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arth’s last five mass extinctions- classified as such when 75% or more of the planet’s life dies out- were caused by unstoppable cataclysms such as giant asteroid strikes or massive volcanic eruptions. It is overwhelming then to realize that scientists are now comparing humans’ influence on our Earth’s flora and fauna at the same level as these catastrophic events.

Since the 1500’s species like the passenger pigeon, the Tasmanian tiger, and the Mexican Imperial Woodpecker have disappeared for ever form our planet, most of them through habitat loss or direct hunting. The West African black rhinoceros, the Yangtze river dolphin, and the Sumatran elephant still exist, but their numbers are so low we consider functionally extinct or very unlikely to recover. Over 20,000 species are considered under threat by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Even more worrying is that these numbers are probably underestimations, as many of the species going extinct due to human activity are small and hard to identify to begin with (for example, insects and amphibians). Even for animals still alive, the population of any given species on the planet is, on average, 28% smaller thanks to humans. All of these losses have given scientists an estimate of a current rate of extinction that is roughly 1,000 times faster than the average pace in Earth’s entire history, meaning it is the fastest, if not yet the biggest extinction event on record.

We do not have to travel to far exotic places to see a very close example of a species in danger due to humans, just think about world’s smallest porpoise, the “vaquita Mexicana” or “little sea cow”. This minute cetacean is endemic to Mexico, only found in the waters of the Sea of Cortez.

The main, and perhaps only, threat to the vaquita are the fine-

mesh gill nets deployed to catch totoaba. Totoaba is a fish roughly the same size as the vaquita whose bladder is highly valued in the Chinese traditional medicine market. Mexican fishermen have recently increased their fishing efforts for totoaba, as the Chinese have depleted their own stocks and are sourcing their fish from abroad. Because they are very similar in size, vaquitas are highly vulnerable to getting trapped and drowning in these fishing nets.

This year, the vaquita populations have reached critically low numbers, with an estimated population of only 100 individuals, including only 25 reproductively mature females. Scientists and activists alike have called the government to emergency action, if nothing is done, this very unique, and very Mexican species might be functionally extinct by the end of this year.

Efforts to conserve the species we have left are in vain if we do not all change our consciousness.

There is no point in bringing back the grey wolf from the edge of extinction if as soon as they are no longer under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, we hunt over one third of their population in three years. All is not grim however.

We are learning fast, and more and more people are becoming conscious of our footprint on this Earth, and active in protecting and bringing back those species we have affected the most. In the past few decades, invested individuals have brought back the blackfooted ferret from a population of just seven individuals, a pack of Mexican Grey Wolves just had their first litter of wild-born cubs since they were declared critically endangered, and they have vaccinated and hand-reared condors to relative abundance. Knowing about our impacts is the first step, what other steps will you take to share this planet with the rest of the life that inhabits it?

Extracurricular Without the Scars

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friend of mine posted the following comment on Facebook: How compulsory do you make “extras” like music lessons? I did not respond at the time because I knew that whichever answer I gave, I would enrage exactly half of all the mothers who would see the post, judging by the comments I read.

There were long replies about how we should let kids be kids and others with retorts about making kids accountable for things.

Gather ‘round folks, because here is the truth of it: no matter what path you choose, there will be someone anxiously waiting to tell you that you are scarring your children for life. My question is, at what point are we scarring ourSELVES for the rest of our (somewhat shorter) lives?

The reality is, if you sign up your elementary-aged child for a different sport and musical instrument for each day of the week, you are committing yourself to racing around like a maniac in your minivan (God help you if you have more than one child). There are people who will compare you to those parents on the show Dance Moms. Perhaps you saw the episode where they gleefully watch their pre-teen daughters perform a burlesque number in a flesh colored bodysuit. This is not a flattering comparison.

Now, if you can tell me that your child is unable to reign in his excitement for every class, throwing himself on that piano like a mini Schubert, then gas up that van and soldier on, my friend. Conversely, if you are unable to peel your child’s fingers from the van door because you are both sweating and crying so much you can’t get a decent grip, then I recommend re-thinking a class or two.

Ok, BUT, here’s the thing to remember when you are ready to toss it all in and trade in the van for a Harley: kids are not born with the innate knowledge that

they aren’t necessarily excellent at everything the first time they try it. We are the people who get to teach our children that it’s ok not to be great at everything and that they won’t know what they are truly good at until they give it their best shot. They need to know that there are lessons to learn from things at which they truly stink, and that anything truly worth learning is going to be a bit tricky sometimes. And they need to know that discovering that you really love something may not happen in the first month (or even three).

If we had allowed my son to quit violin during tough moments, we would have taken something from him that he now loves. Had we allowed my daughter to quit ballet after week five, we wouldn’t have the cutest video EVER from the Christmas recital.

Have we allowed them to quit things they have tried and didn’t enjoy? Certainly. But we have also made sure they walked away with some new knowledge or skill.

My advice, from one mom to another, is the following: Let them choose. Give them lots of downtime. Pack extra snacks. Learn when it’s time to allow them to let go of something.

Above all, don’t let them give up the minute it gets hard. The biggest smiles I’ve ever seen on my children’s faces were those moments they knew they worked through a really hard thing and knocked that thing right on the heinie. Turns out, those were my biggest smiles too.

local 08

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

New Market Co-op

Random thoughts from the Tribune Sports desk

by Marcia Blondin newmarketcoopvallarta@gmail.com

O

ne of our vendors is Krystal Frost, founder/ owner of Organic Select.

To put a single hat on this woman's head is impossible.

She is a good writer and I have a column she wrote six months ago all about WD-40. (?!)

It was so interesting and I cannot imagine how long it took her to research everything but I kept it and struggled with a window just today and went out, bought a can of WD-40 and badda-bing: window problem solved.

In the past while I watched Krystal help a mutual friend who was recovering from surgery and needed stitches looked at, bruising, swelling,needed tending to, bandages had to be changed.

She went to our friend's house and did everything necessary to alleviate stress so she could heal faster. She is a trained acupuncturist, yoga instructor and massage therapist, and has studied in Guadalajara and the United States.

Organic Select grew out of treating her patients for one ailment or another naturally - and thirty years later she is working with local farmers, budding cottage industries and agriculturalists to plant, grow and harvest without pesticides or chemicals of any sort. With our climate and her knowledge everyone is guaranteed the products purchased from Organic Select are as close to being 100% natural as is humanly possible. From raw coconut oil to free range eggs to grass-fed beef and everything in between, drop in and see her and Ana every Saturday at the New Market Co-op at Coco's Kitchen. Also visit their store in Colonia Versalles at Francia 169 where you will find their Tea Bar and glutenfree bakery! Phone number is: 222-1015. Their website is www. organic-select.com Speaking of bagels...our own bagel king was injured about ten days ago while moving his bakery. Infection set in and fever kept him away from Market last week. (Krystal where are you, honey, when we need you?) He assures me, however, his bagels and rye bread will join him this Saturday.

Mark Peters is having a sale:

buy one large container of bread & butter pickles and get a small one FREE! I did just that last week and will be buying more as they didn't last long...my cats again, I swear! Barbara Peters has introduced a fresh new hand painted top with wide straps but sleeveless. All handmade and painted with bright colors on white cotton. Very cool, indeed.

I searched Jorge's table for that gorgeous ring I mentioned last week: the stones are amythyst, citrine and peridot. It is so different - the three colors are outstanding together.

I brought home some of Mark Hughes' quiches as I was smack in the middle of moving my house and knew I had no food and what I did have I didn't relish cooking after hours and hours of moving stuff from one place to the next. I have had Mark's quiches before but never his mixed berry tarts and, like a fool, bought one.

What was I thinking?! This was brunch! And I only had ONE! Not a chance I could have eaten two but next time - believe me - I will have a choice!

See everybody next Saturday between 9 and 2 at Coco's Kitchen, Pulpito 122, across from the Paradise Community Center where repairs are still going on but Church service is happening every Sunday at 10:30 am.

Cheers everyone and if you find a tourist, please take them under your wing and see to it they enjoy our great, beautiful city.

www.vallartatribune.com

By Joel Hansen

H

ello loyal readers, it has been awhile. I hope you have managed the heat and the rain. I am sure you have been wondering where I have been. Well, the truth is, I have been locked in a cellar out in Ixtapa working on my fantasy football team and answering the tough questions like should I should draft Adrian Peterson or LeSean McCoy with my first pick.

When I wasn’t breaking down game tape from week 6 of last year between the Panthers and Buccaneers I was working on learning Spanish.

I have been studying for a number of weeks now and to be honest it is starting to stick. When I began at the Spanish Experience Centre I knew I would struggle, I mean I have lived here for close to four years now and could barely order a beer or fill up my gas tank at the Pemex.

But slowly and surely my teacher Sarai is getting through all the useless sports trivia that I have filed away in mi cabeza and is replacing those with something a little more useful.

So things like; Who won the

Heisman Trophy in 1990? Answer: Ty Detmer, are being replaced with things like, ¿Necesita ayuda para encontrar el Malecón? Si necesito ayuda para encontrar el Malecón.

Sarai, has proven to be incredibly patient with me, keeping me focused during class, even when my ESPN app buzzes on my phone to let me know that Johnny Manziel was on instagram with Floyd Mayweather.

She keeps the lesson’s light and many times we often spend part of the class simply conversing about our weekend or the previous evening in Spanish, which she corrects when I stumble or reach for the right word, which is often. I did leave my fantasy draft bunker last week for a trip to Guadalajara where I had dinner with some friends who I had not seen in a while and all of them pointed out how much my language skills had improved since the last visit.

If you are considering learning the language I cannot say enough good things about the gang at The Spanish Experience Center.

They offer classes for all levels and in addition to simply teaching they organize weekly events around town and encourage you to come and speak the language.

Check them out at www.spanishexperiencecenter.com

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

Faith Colectiva is Full of Heart

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n the States so many of us are in our heads. People are concerned with what college you went to, how smart you are and how quick you are. When you drop into the heart everything changes. Faith Colectiva presents to you the largest selection of heart accessories, adornments and decorations in Puerto Vallarta, in an effort to remind us how important it is to be aware of the heart!

Remember to join us for the Southside Shuffle block party starting November 14th on Basilio Badillo.

In the wake of an inspirational meditation retreat, held annually in Puerto Vallarta by Bart Smit, founder Katie Coleman felt moved to start her own company dedicated to producing designs that remind us to settle into our hearts.

Prayer beads known as malas or mala beads, meaningful jewelry and accessories have become the well-loved products that make

up the exclusive line in Katie’s company Lady Faith.

Mala beads consist of 108 beads with a tassel or larger gemstone called the guru bead.

In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions these beads are used to help keep track of mantra recitation or prayer, without having to “think” about it as you go.

When worn daily, the mala

reminds the wearer of their intentions and prayers. Malas are the heart of the Faith Colectiva store, where you will find a beautiful selection of heart-shaped, round and faceted gemstones and seed malas.

Perhaps the most special part of the Lady Faith line, offered at Faith Colectiva is that an incredible collective of happy women makes it locally!

They come with smiles ready to work and make anything from

necklaces, malas and wrap bracelets to the very popular angel Milagros offered at the shop. You can feel their energy in each and every piece.

Faith Colectiva is located at 314 Basilio Badillo in Old Town.

Please stop by and share in the journey.

If you’d like to find out more about malas and the significance of the number 108 or to buy online please visit www.ladyfaith.net.

Free shipping online.

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

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

Charming tranquility in the mountains San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco

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

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

A shining example of an ancient Mexican village and well known for its corn and cattle trade, San Sebastian is now cultivating coffee and agave in its lush mountainsides.

It was also home to Hollywood celebrities and today is a haven for

Guadalajarans and Puerto Vallartans looking for tranquil nature and a respite from the summer heat.

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

How to Get There From Puerto Vallarta take Highway 70 north past the airport.

Watch for signs but as long as you stay straight you can’t get lost.

The trip takes about an hour and a half. It’s 60kms of often single lane highway that winds through the farmland of the Ameca Valley, through the jungles, to the sierras of pine and oak forests at about 1,500 meters above sea level.

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

It is noticably cooler than the oceanfront towns of Banderas Bay.

Celebrating the 3rd Paper Lantern Festival Reviving the ancient tradition of paper lanterns, on September 27th San Sebastian del Oeste will being hosting their third Paper Lantern Festival in the main plaza.

Organized by the local Business Association for this beautiful town, locals and visitors are invited to participate in the making of a traditional lantern and setting it free along the streets of this Pueblo Magico.

The top three lanterns judged on creativity, flight duration and use of symbols to illustrate this magical town will win tours from Vallarta Adventures.

The Third Paper Lantern Festival

will be held on Saturday, September 27, at 5 pm; Registration for participation closes half an hour before the start of the launch of the lanterns in the main square. San Sebastian del Oeste is located 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta along the road to Mascota.

The Galerita San Sebastian A special place for special occasions

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his is the first ecotourism development of San Sebastián del Oeste, with three cabins nestled in a private and peaceful setting, surrounded by the forest.

Located only three minutes from the town square, the cabins share common areas and dining services. Visitors will appreciate beautiful panoramic views of the town and the lush greenery of the surrounding mountains.

For nine years, the owners and hosts Lorraine and Misael Gradilla, personally greet all the guests that come to enjoy a peaceful commune with nature.

Each cabin is in the style of a Mexican villa with rustic finishes, perfect for two people; each includes a bedroom, bathroom, study, fireplace, refrigerator, coffee and tea, satellite TV, DVD player and wireless internet and private patio.

The Galerita San Sebastián, is a special place for special occasions, ideal for couples, relaxation, privacy, meditation, artistic inspiration, intellectual concentration, hiking, horseback riding and appreciating the great out door.

Enjoy breakfast in the dining room, included in the room rate. With room for only 12 guests, quiet solitude is the norm.

Offering affordable prices, reservations can be made by night, week, month, or year, through the website, www.lagalerita.com or the phone number 322 297.3040

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

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

10% off

Lรณpez Mateos Nยบ 15, downtown San Sebastiรกn del Oeste, Jalisco Tel. (322) 297 2854 losarcosdelsol@gmail.com www.losarcosdelsol.com

ART & PERSPECTIVE

Perceptions

of Art

By Marcia Blondin marciavallarta@gmail.com

T

he biggest news this week is happening tomorrow in the Red Room so by the time this reaches you, dear readers, Whose Line is it Anyway? will be on hiatus. Next week I will have a report on the season finale and see what little tidbits I can pick up as far as changes, additions, new personnel, etc., and when, of course, will WLiiA? be back...and where?

There HAS to be an after-party even though all involved are planning to work together the entire time off-stage to get ready for Season II. From the first few shows beginning at Boutique and continuing at the Red Room Cabaret, the cast has morphed - some moved away, others had commitments in the States, many, many changes. Bottom line is the show is funny.

As with anything there has to be a first one, there has to be a last one and a couple of stinkers thrown into the works to make things interesting. Although I did not see

ALL the shows, I saw most of them and enjoyed the learning process - theirs, as a group of talented actors attempting to put a Mexican spin on a wildly successful American TV show that started more than twenty years ago.

Although they still use the basic outline of WLiiA?, they are wisely moving into areas that are more familiar to all involved as in “Where is it you Live?� Answer: Puerto Vallarta.

And, during the coming winter months the audience will be made of primarily tourists visiting our fair town.

As all of us who live here will attest: living in Puerto Vallarta REQUIRES a sense of humor and not a day goes by without something happening that will make you laugh.

Or cry. The choice is obvious.

To the cast and writers of WLiiA?...run with it. You have a lifetime of hysterical things all around you, all day long.

Break a leg.

OLAS ALTAS Olas Altas is the main street along the beach in Puerto Vallarta’s popular ‘Romantic Zone’. Along this charming cobblestone street you will find restaurants, shops, bars, real estate offices and just about anything you could want during your stay.

travel 15

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

World’s Largest Sloop Sailboat - Sailing Mega Yacht Mirabella V YachtPals.com

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urrently docking in the marina across from Galerias in Puerto Vallarta, the Mirabella V is the world’s largest sloop sailboat with the tallest single mast with a sail mast height of 88.5m (292ft). If you are looking for exclusive luxury vacation options this yacht is available for rent. Though you’d need to be extremely wealthy to afford it.

Think Beyonce, Shorty Guzman, Warren Buffet rich.

At 247 feet, the mega yacht Mirabella V is the largest single masted sailing yacht in the world (a cutter-rigged sloop). Large enough to hold a double-decker bus in her hull, Mirabella V is not only big, she is also beautiful particularly under full sail - looking like a much, much bigger version of the sloops many of us cruise and race ourselves. Though most of us can only dream of sailing the seas in such opulent luxury, if you want to dream, why not dream big?

Built in 2004, the Mirabella V mega yacht incorporates nearly every conceivable luxury. The yacht has a full beam owner’s suite, six staterooms with big windows and full size en-suite bathrooms, entertainment systems everywhere, and even a hot-tub and dip pool on the sail-

boat’s foredeck. The yacht also has a gymnasium and sauna, which are located on the lower deck, and all the latest satellite communications equipment, for keeping in touch with those poor wretches on shore.

Dining on the mega yacht is similar to smaller yachts, where one can choose to eat al fresco on the top deck, under the covered cockpit, or the main dining room.

The difference is that this main dining room is capable of seating

up to 20 guests in comfort. After dinner, well-heeled sailors can watch a movie under the stars on the outside projection screen (with wireless headphones), or on the projection screen in the yacht’s main saloon to enjoy full surround sound.

If you get bored while lounging about on the Mirabella V, there are an abundance of toys to keep you occupied. For motorheads, there’s a 29 foot Hinckley boat with 400hp engine (complete with

waterskis, wakeboard, kneeboard and tube), a 21 foot Castoldi with 240hp engine, a 17 foot RIB, and two SeaDoos. For the rag-baggers and paddle-pushers, there are four Laser sailing dinghies, two windsurfers, a two man kayak, and a rowing skull.

And for those who get their fun below the surface, there’s full SCUBA equipment and a compressor for unlimited diving.

Finally, for those looking for a bit of low-effort match racing, the

Mirabella V carries two replicas of itself which can be sailed by remote control. Now, if you’re starting to think that your own boat is coming up somewhat short in comparison to the Mirabella V (after all, most of us only have the one remote-control replica for use in the on-deck hot tub), you should take into account the price for all this luxury. At current rates, you can rent this megayacht for a mere $400,000 US per week.

Does that make you feel better?

LOCAL 17

Let’s Hear from You: First Person Expat Interviews

By Fabien Madesclaire Fabien@g3mex.com

and Neuter Clinics.

I administrate a group of 500 active Puerto Vallarta moms called Mamas in PV. We’ve had 2 terrific events. The third event is coming up on 27th of September.

This group has very successfully bridged a gap between mothers from other countries and local moms. We vent, exchange tips, make friends and work on how we can make Puerto the perfect place for raising children. To join or to find out more, go to: https:// w w w. fa c e b o o k . c o m / g ro u p s / MamasInPV/ What is your greatest passion?

Sales, songs, kittens, cooking for my loved one (and my daughter of course!)

How does Mexico compare to Canada?

I am a Mexi-Canadian and have nationalized here in Mexico.

I think the perfect country would be a blend of Mexico and Canada.

T

his week, local entrepreneur, animal activist and new mother, Nicole Martin, gave us her perspective on living as an expatriate in Puerto Vallarta.

Tell us a little about your background. Where you are from originally?

I was born in Victoria, British Columbia, and raised in a theatre and television background— performing professionally since the age of 5. I worked at BCTV and Butchart gardens.

When did you first visit Puerto Vallarta?

I came in 1989 on vacation with my mother to visit my sister Kim Martin who was already living here. We stayed for one month and found ourselves at home in Puerto Vallarta. We wound up staying-on, and spent our savings having a “wonderful time”.

Then we had the dilemma, what do we do now?

Why did you decide to move here?

We are a small family, and we stick together we’re three girls: my mother, sister and me. Our grandmother had passed away, and we were ready to make a new life. My adaptation to Puerto Vallarta didn’t come quickly. It was tough to adjust and earn a decent living. I learned to do business in Mexico by way of the school of hard knocks.

Can you tell us about your professional activities here?

After my arrival in Puerto Vallarta I owned 7 retail stores (Kids Only, Beaches, and Nicole and Co). After Y2K we closed our retail stores and I worked for 10 years at Prudential California Real Estate. As the real estate market slowed down I transitioned into Group Discounts and I am now a partner at www.CupoCity.com. All of my free time is dedicated to my 2-year-old daughter and working with the SPCA Puerto Vallarta, where I find peace and a true feeling of accomplishment using my networking skills.

Tell us about the numerous community and social activities in which you’ve been involved?

At the SPCA https://www.facebook.com/spcapv I’m a volunteer and run weekly tours to the sanctuary and manage the social media accounts.

I love uniting people in this cause. I truly enjoy working with founder Janice Chatterton and all that she has created. In two years over 200 animals have left the streets of Puerto Vallarta with the SPCA. I love being part of this miracle.

One out of 5 people I meet are converted into a potential donor, foster home or adoptive family.

The SPCA has united me with great animal loving friends.

I’m an advocate for spay and neuter and do my own catch spay neuter and release. (Go here to see a video of Nicole in action: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=g1Va-Bra3hQ).

I also highly support the efforts of Peace Animals and Colina Spay

How is it raising a child here?

Raising a child is hard EVERYWHERE. Mexico has advantages as having in home assistance is much more affordable here than in the US or Canada. I love being away from consumerism. When we have a birthday party, my greatest fun is HOMEMADE GIFTS! Or “from my garden to yours” What part of town do you live in, and why have you chosen to live there?

I’ve always lived in Conchas Chinas. The best beach in the bay! I also love mountain retreats to San Sebastian or El Tuito to cool off and garden!

What sort of future do you see for Puerto Vallarta and Mexico as a whole?

At this moment uncertain. I’m upset by the Malecon closing, poorly projected development growth in the Bay, lack of tourism and poor out of country promotion.

www.vallartatribune.com

Wanderings on Olas Altas

By Poncho Davalos alfonso@tropicasa.com

What does the Tourism of Board of Puerto Vallarta do to promote LGBT in the city?

H

ello everyone, A few weeks ago, I attended an interesting meeting at River Café where Maile Johnston from the Puerto Vallarta Board of Tourism talked about the efforts they are doing to promote the LGBT market around the world.

Some of the efforts she mentioned include: “ The Tourism Board of Puerto Vallarta thinks the LGBT market has been an important niche market for Puerto Vallarta, one that has grown organically and continues to maintain its occupancy in the destination.”

The tourism board became members of the IGLTA in 2011 and have participated in the Original Gay Travel Show in NY since 2012 and have continuously brought journalists from the destinations where we were proactively promoting. Maile said, “During the past few years, we have worked on increasing the involvement of the local community, including hotels, tour operators and other business that are either gay-owned or gay friendly to increase their presence in our activities.”

Other important information to consider was last year´s media coverage generated $234,858.75 USD in Public Relations value.

An interesting point was to discover that the Vallarta-Nayarit campaign included many co-op campaigns with companies that

have their own interest in the LGBT community, including Apple Vacations, Aeromexico, AirCanada and Delta Air Lines.

For their future efforts the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board is working on a commitment to have Puerto Vallarta be the destination sponsor of major US campaign for the remainder of this year and onto the next. They will also be working on other angles of the industry such as tour operators, meeting planners and travel agents in the LGBT market to increase awareness of the destination and its offerings. The meeting was very informative and it was great to see so many people participating in the meeting. The public came forward to to say the community is very open to participating and help the tourism board to improve their campaigns and their plans for the LGBT market.

OK Guys and girls, see you around Olas Altas and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Do you plan to stay here permanently?

No. But what would I do with my 14 cats!

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

TimWilson

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

travel 18

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

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Top 10 Natural Wonders of Mexico

W

hen it comes to flora, fauna, and amazing landscapes, Mexico is surprisingly diverse. In fact, it's one of the top five countries in the world in terms of biodiversity. This is because Mexico's topography is highly varied and its geographic situation places it between distinct ecozones. Mexico has so many stunning natural areas that it is very hard to select only ten, but here is a small sample of some of the amazing landscapes and natural features that you can enjoy on a trip to Mexico.

Discover Mexico’s Natural Beauty

1. Copper Canyon You can appreciate some of Mexico's most rugged and stunning natural scenery in the Copper Canyon, called the Barrancas del Cobre in Spanish. This geologically fascinating site is located in the state of Chihuahua. It is in fact a network of canyons which together are several times larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. As you ride on "El Chepe," the Copper Canyon railway, you can enjoy the natural beauty as you marvel at the feat of human engineering that this railway represents.

2. Sumidero Canyon Another impressive canyon is located in southern Mexico, in the state of Chiapas. The Cañón del Sumidero is deep and narrow with vertical walls of up to 2600 feet in some places.

The best way to experience this canyon is on a boat tour along the Río Grijalva, though there are also several lookout points where you can observe the canyon from above.

3. Monarch Butterfly Reserves Standing in a field surrounded by thousands of fluttering butterflies is a thrilling experience. Knowing that the butterflies flew over 2000 miles to travel to their wintering grounds in Mexico all the way from Canada is mind-boggling.

Hundreds of millions of butterflies make this trip each year, and witnessing the congregation of these bright beautiful delicate creatures makes for an awe-inspiring experience.

4. Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Mexico is home to the second

largest barrier reef in the world.

The Mesoamerican Barrier reef runs along the Caribbean coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula and is home to 66 species of stony corals, more than 500 species of fish, as well as several species of sea turtles, dolphins and whale sharks. This area offers the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the northern hemisphere.

5. Whale Sharks The largest fish in the sea make their way to the Caribbean off the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula every year betwwen May and September. You can get up close and personal with these gentle giants on a visit to Mexico.

Join a diving excursion in Cancun or Isla Holbox that will take you out to the open sea where the whale sharks come to feed. You will feel tiny swimming next to them.

6. Cenotes and underground rivers The Yucatan Peninsula has distinctive geological features: it is basically a limestone shelf. Since limestone is porous, it has many sinkholes and tunnels in it. In fact, there are over two thousand cenotes in the Yucatan Penin-

sula, and many are connected by underground rivers. These were the main source of water in ancient times, but were also important symbolically, since they were viewed as passageways to the underworld. Needless to say, exploring these cenotes and underground rivers is a fascinating experience.

7. The Sea of Cortez Jacques Cousteau called it "the world's aquarium" and undoubtedly the Sea of Cortez is one of the largest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Here you can see humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, and sea lions frolicking in the tranquil water, but you'll also spot a multitude of

marine birds. The Baja Peninsula's landscape is generally stark, but its rich marine life provides a steep contrast.

8. Sotano de las Golondrinas El Sótano de las Golondrinas known as "the Cave of Swallows" in English, is the largest known cave shaft in the world, and with a depth of 1400 feet, it is the second

deepest pit in Mexico. Located in the state of San Luis Potosí, A multitude of birds, mainly swifts and green parakeets, make their home in the cave walls, giving the cave its name.

This is a popular vertical caving destination, which delights thrill seekers and nature lovers alike.

9. Cuatro Ciénegas Located in the state of Coahuila in a valley in the middle of the Chihuahuan desert, Cuatro Cienegas is made up of numerous underground springs which have formed rivers and pools within the desert region. Declared a protected area, it is an isolated habitat of extraordinary biological diversity.

One of the natural pools, Poza La Becerra, is set up as a recreational facility; a cool swim in the middle of this desert landscape is an unforgettable experience.

10. Pico de Orizaba At 18,491 feet (5,636 metres) above sea level, this is the highest volcano and the 3rd highest peak in North America.

The Nahuatl name for the peak is Citlaltépetl which means hill of the star. It is a dormant volcano on the border between the states of Veracruz and Puebla.

The volcano is currently dormant, but not extinct, and a large number of climbers tackle it every year.

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Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

RIVIERA NAYARIT 19

Tourism is recovering in the Riviera Nayarit—and it shows!

T

he arrival of international tourists increased by 21% during the first semester of 2014 compared to the same time period in 2013; the income to the destination also grew by 27%, as did occupation stats and room nights. The tourism recovery in the Riviera Nayarit is well on its way and the numbers clearly show a positive increase, this according to the official statistics announced by the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

The most relevant data was observed within the increase in both the arrival of international tourists and the income to the destination achieved during the first semester of 2014 when compared to the same time period last year.

From January through June 2014 there were 341,174 registered foreign visitors, 21% more than the 281,391 international visitors registered during the same period in 2013.

The benefits of increased international tourism are reflected directly in the income to the destination and the number of room nights, as international tourists’ stays are longer and their average expenditure is higher.

There were $1,091,789,547 dollars generated during the first semester of the current year, an economic gain of 27% over the

Coming Soon: the 6th Annual Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica

O

same period in 2013. Room nights increased by 7% and general occupancy rates grew by 4.07% The first semester of the current year saw 57 activities established by public relations, which handled 235 domestic and international media representatives, achieving over 550 million impressions; the marketing department carried out advertising campaigns with 50

commercial partners, creating 51 million impressions.

There were 27 promotional activities, during which over 4,000 domestic and international travel agent trainings and updates took place; the bureau has also collaborated with the organization of 39 events, conferences and conventions to attract over 20 thousand specific visitors.

Sea Lions found in Nayarit waters

T

he Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) successfully rescued an adult male sea lion weighing about 60 kilos, and 2 meters long, which showed severe dehydration and malnutrition, according Omar Canovas Moreno, chief of the federal agency.

Canovas Moreno said that the mammal was found in, Playa Careyeros, and were advised of this finding by the Four Seasons hotel. The PROFEPA agency went to the beach to rescue the sea lion and found him in dire condition with a sever wound to his muzzle, like sustained by a propeller of a boat. The federal official said that similar to previous occasions Vallarta Adventures assisted in the rescue.

They are experienced and have experts in the management of this type of marine animals

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and have the facilities to house and provide relevant rehabilitation care facilities.

He explained that the sea lion may have migrated from the Guadalupe Island, which is located 241 km off the coast of

Baja California, in the Pacific Ocean. The prospects for recovery are good, and once the sea lion is healthy he will be returned to his natural habitat, which could be in a month and a half, Canovas Moreno concluded.

ver 25 personalities from the culinary world will offer conferences, tastings, show cooking and more from October 22-25, highlighting their gastronomic expertise.

Once again the Riviera Nayarit will welcome the Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica event, now in its sixth year. This culinary festival will be celebrated from October 22-25 at the Hotel Marival Resort & Suites in Nuevo Vallarta.

For four days celebrities from the world of gastronomy including chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, lecturers plus domestic and international exhibitors will come together in one place.

Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica will include an ample variety of events including lectures, show cooking, tastings, mixology, an exhibit floor for sponsors, private wine pairings and tastings, promotions offered by affiliated businesses and other activities of interest. Gastronomy is fast becoming one of the most important attributes of the region, among the biggest draws of the event will be the many culinary celebrities that will be present, much to the delight of the attendees.

Bricio Domínguez, Christian Bravo, Manolo Negrete, Pepe

Godoy, Alejandro Espinosa, Ema Bonilla, Luis Felipe Nuño, Fernando Ruiz de Chávez, Fernando Ávila and Juan Carlos García will be representing Mexico. The event hosts will also be participating, among them Hugo Ahumada, Tony Martínez, Leonardo Peña, Nacho Cadena, Evangelina Robles, Israel Díaz and Betty Vázquez.

The international community will be well represented by Spain’s Xano Saguer, Eva Millán, Miguel Sierra and Jordi Candela; as well as Yamir Peregrino from Cuba and Bernard Corriveau from Canada.

For more details please contact the organizers of the event, Consuelo Elipe and Carlos Elizondo:consueloeliper@gmail.com, celizondo58@gmail.com, or call 045 (322) 105 0778. Click here to visit the official website: http:// www.vallartanayaritgastronomica. com.

EVENTS 20

Friday September 5 - 11, 2014

September Events in Mexico

I

n Mexico, September is el mes de la patria (month of the homeland), and sometimes it seems as though the whole country is painted in the colors of the Mexican flag. Colorful and patriotic festivities celebrating the events that led up to Mexico's Independence from Spain are held throughout the country, culminating on the 15th and 16th. Here is a list of the major festivals and events taking place in Mexico this month:

ExPats In Vallarta September Schedule

D

uring the month of September ExPats in Vallarta will be having one Happy Hour gathering. On Tuesday, September 23rd at Langostino’s from 5:00 to 7:00pm.

Langostinos is located on Los Muertos Beach just north of the new pier.

To make reservations go to their website http://www.expatsinvallarta.com/ The local group of Expats In Vallarta is open to all ExPat residents, visitors and investors from other countries. The purpose of the group is informal fellowship and assistance for ExPats around

Mariachi Festival Guadalajara, Jalisco, August 28 to September 8 Guadalajara's most important cultural event of the year, this annual festival captures the essence of the city. Musicians come from around the world to listen, audition, and compete.

Performances take place on the streets and in various venues throughout the city.

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Fall Equinox

Chichen Itza, September 22 On the fall equinox, just like on the spring equinox, the angle of the setting sun makes a serpent appear on the steps of the Pyramid in Chichen Itza.

Vallarta for those considering the area. There is no membership fee or requirement; everyone pays for only what they use or consume.

If you are first timer be sure and introduce yourself to the greeter and they will make sure your meet other ExPats.

News!! PV Garden Club

Feria Nacional Zacatecas Zacatecas, September 4 to 22 A fair lasting two weeks with musical performances by big name performers, amusement rides for children, theater performances, and an assortment of regional cuisine. www.fenaza2014.com

Tepozteco Challenge (Reto al Tepozteco) Tepoztlan, Morelos, September 8 Performance depicting King Tepoztecatl's conversion to the Catholic religion. Procession leads toward the Tepozteco Pyramid, where people offer food and beverages. This event includes hypnotic chinelo dances, fireworks, and a food festival.

Independence Day - Día de la Independencia Celebrated throughout Mexico on September 15th and 16th Crowds gather in town squares on September 15th at 11 pm for the Grito de la Independencia, which commemorates Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's call for independence of September 1810, shouting "Viva Mexico!" On the 16th there are civic ceremonies and parades.

Festival Internacional Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, September 25 to October 5 The entire state of Tamaulipas is in fiesta during this festival featuring a variety of cultural and artistic events including exhibits, plays, concerts and cinema. This year's special guests are Yucatan state and Uruguay.

Fiesta de San Miguel San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, September 26 to October 4 This is an annual festival in honor of the city's patron, Saint Michael Archangel (feast day September 29).

The event involves parades, dances, concerts and fireworks.

Previously an important part of this festival was a running with the bulls similar to the yearly event in Pamplona, Spain, but since 2007 this activity has been discontinued.

F

rancisca Rodriguez, or the “Los Muertos Pier Street”, is a street in transition. This past April, the city made the final block to the pier a pedestrian-only street and the PV Garden Club provided funds to put in trees, bougainvillea plants, and other flowers. Another artist, Natasha Moraga, has peppered it with charming mosaic benches.

The street has become a draw for many people. It also promises to be a desirable dining destination point both day and night.

Recently PV Garden Club member Suzanne Kirkpatrick interviewed Cyndi Alpenia, owner of Archie’s Wok. She expressed excitement and optimism about the potential for outdoor tables and chairs at the many restaurants on the street, and those of us who enjoy al fresco dining look forward to the restaurant reopening in early October. She has been extremely helpful in creating a very attractive garden in front of the restaurant.

The city of Puerto Vallarta has put in little cement blocks as part of their landscaping, and the restaurant has filled them with grass (called adoquin), and laid flagstone stepping stones to make

it more attractive and safer to walk on. It is a beautiful addition to the street. Plus, Archie’s Wok has taken responsibility to maintain this space.

Adjacent to Archie’s Wok are palms, bougainvillea, and crotons, augmented with impatiens and, amusingly, a cantelope vine. Bob Price of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens added a favorite red hibiscus that drapes rather than climbs.

As winter season approaches, PV Garden Club encourages all the businesses on F. Rodriguez to join Cyndi in beautifying their storefronts. The Garden Club is pleased to raise funds to provide trees and plants in various parts of the city, but they are unable to provide the people-power to weed, water, and trim them. Beautifying the city is all of our responsibility.

We hope that Puerto Vallarta will develop a stronger reputation as a vacation destination through all of our efforts and help strengthen our economy.

Please contact Bonnie Mott, PVGC President, at bonmott@ hotmail.com if you can help or if you have an idea how we can assist you in helping the beautification effort.

CHARITIES 21

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Friday September 5 - 11, 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...BISCUIT & BANJO

Banjo and Biscuit are a bonded Chihuahua pair whose owners can´t care for them anymore and asked us for help. These two little pups are now at the sanctuary and we are hoping to get a home for them where they can stay together.

Both boys are cute as buttons and about 3 years old. The lighter colored Biscuit weighs 6.5 pounds and bigger buddy Banjo weighs about 8 pounds and together they still fit on any lap, and that´s their preferred place to be! 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 22

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

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

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

Vallarta´s only English newspaper

ADVERTISE HERE Ask for better prices!!

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

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

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

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 23

Friday September 5 - 11, 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.

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

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

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

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

Commonym

Wuzzles

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