Issue 911, September 19 - 26, 2014

Catch us online @ vallartatribune.com

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News

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Cuisine

HISTORY OF AZTEC FOOD

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Travel HACIENDA HOTELS

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MEDICAL IN VALLARTA

September 19 - 25, 2014 Free Issue 911

Donations needed for our Los Cabos neighbours - more information on page 16

welcome 02

Friday September 19 - 25, 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.

NATIONAL CHARRO DAY IN PUERTO VALLARTA

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

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n Sunday, September 14th, El Dia Nacional del Charro (National Charro Day) was celebrated in Puerto Vallarta. At 11:30 am, more than 100 members of La Union de Asociaciones de Charros de Puerto Vallarta (the Union of Puerto Vallarta Charrors Associations) and delegations from seven countries (Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico) participated in a parade through town with great clamor. The parade started at Plaza Lazaro Cardenas and ended at the McDonald's on the Malecon. A large and enthusiastic crowd was on hand for the spectacle. More photos covering a wide variety of subject are available for your viewing on my web site at: www.BudEllison.com.

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

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Editor´s Note Viva Mexico!

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hat a weekend! So much going on and the added excitement of potential hurricane weather made this weekend seem extra-long. Having just moved into a new place with total ocean views, I was excited to see the storm come in but alas it wasn’t to be and the first few days in Casa Madeline were mostly boring grey skies.

I’m not complaining because everywhere around us from the south to the north to the west were savagely hit by hurricane Odile. (If my name was Odile I might be angry too….)

Our sister paper in Los Cabos sustained serious damages to their offices. At this time they remain without electricity, internet and water.

There are over 22,000 people affected in the Los Cabos area alone. We wish them a speedy recovery and are thankful that no

one was seriously injured. There are many drop off points where you can donate items and money that are sorely needed to help the people affected by the hurricane.

In my travels from one end of the city to the other these past few weeks I have come to realize most of the major roads have been resurfaced. It could just be the city was listening to my complaints and mapped out my daily route with new asphalt but I feel that

much of Vallarta and its colonias have recently been repaved.

How nice it is to scoot along without worrying of hitting an unmarked pothole - of course the refreshed topes are now inches taller – but Rome wasn’t built in a day…

On a much more superficial level I’m heading to Canada in a couple weeks and in the midst of sorting and packing for my move/ travels I realized that I no longer own shoes. I have flip-flops in many colours, sandals embellished with all sorts of sparkly baubles but I don’t have close-toed shoes – unless you count my sneakers which I only wear hiking or at the gym (ha!) or those divine five inch stiletto heels, which I never wear outside of my bedroom.

So, like the good little consumer that I am, I bought my first pair of sensible close toed shoes in about three years.

What is amusing about this is that my new shoes have hundreds of tiny holes in them and will most decidedly not keep the rain (or lord forbid, snow) out.

It remains quiet in town, though the masses were certainly out for independencia. Please support your local businesses, tip your waiters and waitresses generously and where possible give back.

These are lean times for much of the service industry staff. And if you have the resources, please consider donating to the rescue efforts in Los Cabos.

Have a great weekend everyone. And one more time - Viva Mexico!

HOMES NEEDED - CENTRO DE ACOPIO

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or the thousands of dogs and cats on the streets here and for dozens of healthy and beautiful dogs and cats at the Centro de Acopio, the city´s no-kill pound.

Open Monday-Saturday from 8 AM-2 PM. 293-3690. The Acopio is now holding adoptions every Saturday from 11 AM-2 PM at Plaza Caracol (back end of building near McDonald´s entrance) or at Macro Plaza. Please check with administration.

Dogs are walked twice a week by volunteers organized

by Friends of Puerto Vallarta Animals.

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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

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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. We hope all of our friends will be unable to resist purchasing a raffle ticket (or two!) and help us raise money so we can continue our efforts to help these animals.

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. Contact us at spcapv@gmail.com about purchase or stop by the Hacienda San Angel to purchase your ticket.

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.

You can come and spend a rewarding afternoon cuddling the animals at Puerto Vallarta’s SPCA Sanctuary.

Our dogs and cats are awaiting “forever homes” and your help is needed to jump start their socialization. The goal is to get these

animals adjusted and ready to interact in the real world.

The majority of the SPCA animals either come from extremely abusive situations or they have been abandoned. Your love and attention can make up for that sad history.

During your visit, you can interact with the animals and even take a dog (or two or three) for a walk.

You can also play with the animals, assist the vet or help with dinner time.

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.

We have an urgent need for used towels and bedding you longer need!

Please contact us a spcapv@gmail.com if you can help. Are you or someone you know returning from Puerto Vallarta to Canada and want to help us get more animals to fur-ever homes? Please contact us if you can be a travel companion spcapv@gmail.com.

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Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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Odile Degrades to Tropical Storm over Baja California

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Sustaining Culture: Tepoztlán, Morelos

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he pueblo magico of Tepoztlán in the central state of Morelos has a new asset to boast: the recently inaugurated Pedro López Elías Cultural Center.

In addition to promoting education, culture and arts in Tepoztlán, the center will be used to host cultural activities like film festivals.

Its library –the first privately owned library in the country to be incorporated into the National Council for Culture and Arts’ (CONACULTA) Public Library Network– has over 45,000 books and audiovisual titles and will shortly be receiving more from a private fund for the education of small local communities.

This is the first fully sustainable center of its kind in the country and, as such, will also be the first to obtain LEED certification for its eco-friendly architecture. The building is oriented so as to maximize the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy, thereby reducing dependence on heating and air conditioning systems; it also has rainwater collection and purification systems.

The first stage in the digitalization of the works of the National Anthropology Museum (MNA) has

almost been completed. Coordinated by the MNA –the most important museum of its kind in Latin America, located in Mexico City– in conjunction with the National Council for Culture and Arts and the National Institute of Anthropology and History, this first phase, which began in 2010 consisted of photographing some 8,000 artifacts recovered from archaeological digs. Between 12 and 24 photos were taken of each piece from different angles to offer a 360 degree perspective that makes it possible to appreciate their color, texture, and proportions. These 8,000 pieces represent only half of the artifact displayed in the museum’s 23 permanent halls and a mere six percent of the 128,000 artifacts in its vaults.

Parallel to that process, 6,000 pieces from the museum’s ethnographic halls and contemporary works and documents from its history archives were digitalized.

As a result of these efforts, people from all over the world can now access vestiges of the cultures of Mesoamerica, such as the Sunstone and the Maya stelae (carved stones) in the MNA’s safekeeping.

Explore Banderas Bay

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

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

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

In the winter and spring seasons

urricane Odile has been downgraded to a tropical storm after it hit tourist regions of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, where it caused severe damage to urban infrastructure and forced the evacuation of around 11,000 people without causing fatalities.

Odile, which on Monday reached category 4 on the Saffir Simpson (total 5 levels), was gradually downgraded later in the day when it blew ashore over Baja California.

The National Weather Service (SMN) said in its bulletin at 22.15 (03.15 GMT Tuesday) that the storm was 35 km south-southwest from Mulege and 95 km northwest from Lorete, in Baja.

The storm was moving north-northwest with a speed of 20 kph while generating sustained winds of 110 kph and gusts of up to 140.

The SMN issued a tropical storm warning in an area from San Lazaro to San Quintin on the state’s western coast, and also on the eastern coast from San Evaristo to Santa Rosalia.

The warning was also issued in the region from Topolobampo in Sinaloa state to Punta Libertad in Sonora State.

Authorities said that the towns of Los Cabos and San Jose del Cabo were cut off due to damage and floods caused by the storm.

More than 200,000 people were estimated to have no electricity in the entire state.

The authorities added that some hotels, which are temporarily sheltering thousands of tourists, were also cut off and relief teams were attempting to reach them.

Luis Puente, the chief of Mexico’s civil defense agency, said there were no immediate reports of fatalities and that 164 shelters were set up for the 11,000 people who were evacuated from their homes.

He also said that 30,000 tourists have been stranded in the

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

state and that the Mexican government had launched an airlift to evacuate the stranded tourists from Los Cabos and La Paz. Personnel from government naval, military and police agencies were being rushed to the storm-struck region to assist evacuees, help in recovery efforts and distribute food, water, shelter and medical supplies.

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.

The SMN reported that there was an 80 percent probability for a cyclone to develop south of Tehuantepec Gulf over the next 48 hours.

Currently it is located at 620 km south from Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, and is moving west-northwest with sustained winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 55.

Original: www.laht.com

NEWS 05

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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Mexico’s Pemex Announces $5.5 Billion in Spending on Various Projects

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he CEO of Mexican stateowned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos announced a total of $5.5 billion in investment in various industrial projects that he said are expected to create some 17,000 direct jobs. Emilio Loyoza made the announcement in a press conference after contracts were signed with several engineering firms to boost the production of cleaner fuels at Pemex’s Madero, Minatitlan, Salamanca, Salina Cruz and Tula refineries.

Those contracts amount to a combined $2.8 billion, or more than half of the announced investment outlay, and were signed with Ica Fluor Daniel, Tecnicas Reunidas, Samsung Engineering, Foster Wheeler USA Corporation, and a consortium made up of ACS, Dragados and Cobra.

The companies will build new plants and modernize existing ones to reduce the sulfur level in diesel by 97 percent and comply with environmental standards, Lozoya said.

These projects will create some 12,000 direct jobs and roughly 31,000 indirect jobs and have a positive impact on areas where the refineries are located,

the chief executive added.

They also will improve air quality by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by more than 12,000 tons annually.

Pemex currently produces some 100,000 barrels of gasoline per day that comply with rules on sulfur content and by next year ultra-low-sulfur gasoline will account for 100 percent of total production.

Lozoya also announced the start of Phase 2 of the Los Ramones gas pipeline, which will add 1.43 billion cubic feet per day of capacity to the nation’s pipeline network and transport natural gas from northern Mexico to the country’s central region.

Construction of that second phase will involve investment of $2.5 billion.

Lozoya said Phase 1 of Los Ramones, which runs from the country’s northern border to the state of Nuevo Leon, is under construction and is on schedule to begin operating in December of this year.

Pemex’s CEO said the remaining $200 million in investment was spent on acquiring the Agro Nitrogenados fertilizer plant, which the company will renovate.

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.

Mexico City Plans Environmentally Friendly Project in Tourist Zone

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exico City’s government plans to provide the tourist zone of the Xochimilco canals with environmentally friendly boats and barges and to gradually substitute the usual wooden ones, which have very high maintenance costs, officials said.

Mauricio Leon, director of infrastructure, modernization and innovation for the Federal District, unveiled the plan on Monday.

After presenting the first prototype of the ecologically sound craft last weekend, the plan is that the owners of the traditional gondola-like non-motorized boats form a cooperative to gradually replace them.

The traditional wooden vessels with their colorful arches, formerly used mostly to transport goods but now dedicated almost exclusively to tourism, constitute “an enormous expense” since they must be renovated every year due to “the deterioration in recent years” of the water in the canals and the fungi it contains that degrade the wood, Leon said.

Created by scientists at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, the so-called “tech-

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,

noecological boat” preserves the typical characteristics that have made it a symbol of Mexico worldwide.

The great advantage is that the new boat – called a “trajinera” – is made of recycled PET plastic (canal-polluting water and shampoo bottles and plastic bags), polyethylene and volcanic clay, a compound that provides the boats with greater durability and stability.

Since they are made of recycled material, unlike the traditional ones for which 20 trees have to be cut down to make each one, they are much cheaper, require less maintenance and their durability is much greater – they can last as long as 120 years.

The problem is the cost of the machinery, Leon said, so that the ideal solution would be for the oarsmen to form “a cooperative able to get financing for the machines,” which cost some 5 million pesos ($380,000). This is a long-term plan, because when the machines are installed, they can produce from three to four boats a week, and in Xochimilco there are currently some 1,500.

Source: www.laht.com

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 19 - 25, 2014

Deportations from U.S. Hits Lowest Level Since 2007

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fficials at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that between the beginning of the current fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2013, and July 28 of this year, ICE deported 258,608 immigrants

WASHINGTON – Deportations from the United States have dropped 20 percent over the past 10 months compared with the same period last year, to reach their lowest level since at least 2007 and represent the largest decline since Barack Obama has been in office, officials said.

Officials at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to Efe that between the beginning of the current fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2013, and July 28 of this year, ICE deported 258,608 immigrants.

That figure signifies a drop of around 20 percent compared with the same period in fiscal year 2013, when 320,167 people were expelled, the officials said, asking for anonymity.

Though ICE has not yet released an official figure for deportations in fiscal year 2014, which ends on Sept. 30, estimates released

Friday are the lowest since 2007 when there were 291,060 deportations, according to official data.

Obama has been called the “deporter in chief” by immigrant advocacy groups because deportations have surpassed a record 2 million during his presidency, though his administration seems to have renounced that practice as the chief executive studies possible executive action to ease the situation of the undocumented in this country.

Asked about the decline in deportations, the White House said that a possible cause could be Obama’s measures to shift resources to border regions to deal with the massive arrival of unaccompanied Central American minors.

“The shifting of those resources may have something to do with those numbers,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at his daily press conference.

Another probable cause is that, since the Obama administration decided in 2011 to focus on expelling undocumented immigrants with criminal records, other cases in the immigration courts have been delayed and, according to

Mexi-Go! Expo’s bring Vallarta-Nayarit real estate to Calgary and Vancouver

A some studies, it now takes several years to order each deportation.

ICE noted as another factor the changes in immigration patterns, given that in recent months the deportation of Central Americans has increased and that of Mexicans has decreased.

“The expulsion of citizens who are not Mexicans requires more time to obtain travel documents and to schedule flights,” an ICE official told EFE. Deportations from the United States topped 369,000 in fiscal year 2008 and continued to climb to more than 389,000 in 2009, more than 392,000 in 2010, and more than 396,000 in 2011, though they dropped in 2012 to around 366,300. Since then the decline has continued, according to ICE figures. www.laht.com

Foreigners obtain medical treatment in Vallarta at much lower cost

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ertification, language and competition are the three major challenges for medical tourism in Mexico, but an unprecedented effort by government and private enterprise is working to overcome them.

The objective of the Coparmex Medical Tourism project is to make the most of the market dominance Mexico has already achieved in positioning itself as a medical tourism destination. It is second only to Thailand, says ProMexico, a government promotional agency.

An important part of the project is integrating the series of services that a foreign patient needs in order to have surgery.

It brings together managers from the health and tourism sectors and representatives of government, hospitals, tourism agencies and others to create a product that includes flight, hospital and hotel.

Packages would be offered via travel agencies in the United States and Canada.

At present, facilitators currently act as intermediaries between hospitals and clients, charging between 15 and 20% of treatment costs.

Coparmex has been visiting interested businesses in cities such as Matamoros, Puerto Vallarta and Villahermosa to explain the development of clusters that would bring together the services that patients need. Meanwhile, the Secretariats of Tourism and

www.vallartatribune.com

Health have plans to support the project with marketing campaigns and financing through Bancomext, the state-owned development bank.

Medical tourism has grown over the last three decades without requiring a strategy, as many foreigners realized they could obtain treatment in Mexico at much lower cost.

As a result, many Americans and Canadians travel to Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana, Monterrey and Cancun, among others, for cosmetic surgery and dental and weight-loss treatment.

Medical tourists are estimated to number one million annually, about 4% of total foreign tourism.

Average expenditure is between US $5,000 and $20,000, rather more than the $1,200 spent by conventional visitors.

The challenges include certification by the International Joint Commission, something that only eight of more than 3,000 hospitals now have, and an important requirement to demonstrate quality of service.

Language is another: a great many medical personnel do not speak English. Competition is a third obstacle. Costa Rica was a pioneer in medical tourism, while Brazil and Colombia are gaining a reputation for cosmetic surgery.

Source: http://mexiconewsdaily.com/

sk your local realtor and they will tell you that Real estate sales have been improving in Puerto Vallarta and around the Bay of Banderas. More buyers are coming prepared to purchase property. In an effort to help educate and influence potential buyers, Mexi-Go! is holding two Real Estate Expos in Vallarta’s most popular markets, Vancouver and Calgary. If you are in Canada this fall, before you head down to your favourite Mexican spot join Mexi-Go!, Canada’s most trusted resource for information about travel and retirement to Mexico, at their Mexi-Go! Expos being held in Calgary on September 27th and Vancouver on October 4th.

Each event features vetted developments from Puerto Vallarta and beyond and local real estate agents including Canadian ex-pat who now resides in Bucerias, Victoria Pratt from Timothy Real Estate Group who will be presenting her properties along with speaking about the benefits of calling the Bay of Banderas home.

The Mexi-Go! Expos give the resort properties the opportunity to meet with 1000’s of interested buyers over the two, two-day events. There are seminars held all throughout the day on retirement, buying real estate, building in Mexico and more interesting and informative topics. As an added incentive, attendees who register are eligible to win a week long all-inclusive vacation (for 2

adults and 2 children) at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta including a $1500 flight credit from Westjet. All guests at both shows will receive a free copy of the latest issue of Mexi-Go! Magazine which features travel and lifestyle information around Mexico, including La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Puerto Vallarta.

More and more Canadians continue to make their tropical home dream come true. Did you know Canadian travelers to Mexico have increased from 750,000 to 1.7 million in the past 8 years? As much as 70% of vacation property sales in some tourist areas of Mexico are to Canadian buyers? Beach view condos are available for as little as $99,000.

From fractional to full-ownership there is something for every budget in Mexico.

Yes, you own the property. You receive the property title in trust for 100 years and it’s completely renewable. It is also constitutionally protected. Ownership in Mexico is safe. Buying property in Mexico couldn’t be easier. Many properties offer developer financing with generous incentives. As the fall market begins to heat up, realtors and developments alike are seeing buyers returning, this time ready to purchase. Mexi-Go! helps both the property and the potential buyer connect in a safe, unbiased environment.

For more information on the Expos visit www.mexi-goexpo.com

LOCAL 07

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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THEATRE PLEASE!

Perceptions

of Art

by Alain Perreault

alainperreault@telmexmail.com

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isibly rich and flourishing, live theatre in Puerto Vallarta can no longer be ignored. Theatre groups like Dionisio, Boa Viagem, Grupo Municipal de Teatro de Puerto Vallarta, Perro Bravo and others have been playing at establishments normally showcasing English-speaking performances including The Palm, Act II and Boutique.

The variety, availability and quality of theatre productions here in town attract more and more people to see plays. It is no surprise that when we have movie houses providing limited choices, and most of the time duplicating movies in over thirty theaters, the Vallarta public chooses to shift their attention to live performance venues for a true and unexpected artistic experience.

Artisans who hone their craft over a period of three months to showcase their work on stage for only two or three weeks, have achieved extraordinary results in changing the minds of people about entertainment, and steering them toward the theatre to see a play. Theatre is well and alive in Puerto Vallarta and it is here to stay. Lately most of these theatre groups have participated in, been nominated for and have won many prizes at different city, state and national festivals.

In doing so, not only have they shown there is a growing desire for theatre here, they have also proven that quality theatre promotes wellbeing in Puerto Vallarta, and helps portray the city as a beacon for art and culture.

Theatre groups have made Puerto Vallarta an obvious focal point for the different theatre festivals around Mexico putting the city on the map as a required stop for theatre aficionados around the state and country. In just a short period of time Vallarta people have quickly awakened to the theatre form of art and are now asking for more.

Last season’s hit Princesas Desesperadas is a good example of the enthusiasm generated amongst the people in our town.

Over one thousand people saw it, and, together with different media outlets, are asking when it will be back.

This is a great thing for Vallarta, and a clear shift in the minds of the people who live here. People

By Marcia Blondin marciavallarta@gmail.com

W

want more theatre and they are asking for it.

For local folks it means great things, and for just a few more pesos than a movie, they know they will enjoy a form of entertainment that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

Theatre has been transforming the lives of individuals for thousands of years, and it’s still going strong everywhere in the world.

Vallarta is versatile, generous and outstanding in its theatrical offerings, and has many surprises in store for the coming season.

By popular demand Princesas Desesperadas, under the production of Perro Bravo, is having a one-night-only event on Saturday, September 27th at Act II Entertainment's Main Stage, Basilio Badillo #300, corner of Insurgentes, above Wings Army.

ith retinas still throbbing from the amazing fireworks for Independence Day in Mexico last night I thought I should mention them. As an art form. I don't know the first thing about them, don't know how they are made or what they are made from and don't care to find out. My perception of fireworks is...w o w. In a whisper that sometimes leaps out of my mouth like I am being struck by lightening.

Here in Mexico the fireworks get right up close and personal probably dangerous as hell but who cares?

God they were incredible! I think the best I have seen, ever.

I also think I might say that every time I see close to half an hour of pyrotechnics. If memory serves the World's Fireworks Competition is here in Vallarta this year culminating New Year's Eve. I am going to be way closer this time with apologies to my eyes and ears.

The Mexican Show at Act II's Main Stage last Saturday was under attended and should have been packed to the rafters. Where WAS everybody?

It was the first time since Voice of Vallarta last season that Flor Hernandez has taken to the stage. She quickly became the 'darling' of that competition and won everybody's heart again with her Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma at this very Mexican show.

She is growing up beautifully and in a couple of years clear a path to the Latin Music Awards. Coral, the winner of V of V last season was resplendent in Ranchera costume and her unique voice reminded us again of why she IS the Voice of Vallarta. Speaking of V o V....the Second Annual auditions begin October 11 at 2 pm.

Auditions are open this year to the public and there will be a "season's pass" for Voice that will get you in to all the auditions, call backs and of course, the show itself set to debut December 7th and includes a cocktail whenever you come, so, if you think you can sing?

Prove it! Besides the wonderful Alas singers and their remar-

kable teacher Kharla Barragan, the Mexican Show debuted the ALITAS, little tiny kids, mostly girls but a couple of boys and one little guy - front and center - so cute, fooled with his gigantic (compared to him!) tie when the lyrics escaped him but he didn't miss any of the moves. So adorable.

Jose Maria sang the difficult and beautiful Malaguena and later joined with Juan Pablo Hernandez and Dorys Michel in a potpourri that ended with Volver Volver. A delightful, tuneful evening in honor of Mexico's Independence.

These concerts are incredibly important to the singers that work so long and hard to put them together, I am talking about the kids, the students that study voice and timidly at first, get on stage and do their best.

Sometimes with outstanding results and you know what one of the Mexican kids from Alas told me? They all scan the audience looking for foreign faces.

They already know from their Mexican families that they can sing but when they see Americans, Canadians, Brits - any Anglos in the audience THAT'S who they sing for!

Those are the people they have to prove themselves to and this young man said his heart 'jumps' when he sees OUR faces in the audience.

So next chance you get, come to theatre and support the local talent - you will be pleasantly blown out of your sandals!

Coming to the Main Stage one night only, Saturday the 27th, is Princesas Desesperadas. I saw this show at Boutique and am so looking forward to seeing it again. It's in Spanish so I NEED to see it again! And so do you - it is hilarious!

If it's Friday it must be Ladies Night in the Red Room. Jose Maria Caudillo has a different show every week but always includes his very best tunes in Spanish and in excellent English. Please join me for half price Cosmos and 'Tinis and no cover.

See you at 8!

LOCAL 08

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

New Market Co-op

by Marcia Blondin newmarketcoopvallarta@gmail.com

know it's hard to believe but new icing raises the level to dizzying heights. Buy two because one will not be enough.

With the freshest, most organic every-thing-in-season, see Krystal and Ana from Organic Select.

They had the most beautiful green onions last week.

I keep forgetting that the green part of Spring onions are supposed to be deep, deep green not pale like the supermarkets sell.

Mr. Bill did not let us down at New Market and returned last week with more spectacular masks from the artist he discovered outside of Guadalajara.

H

ope everybody's Independence Day was lively and fun. The snowbirds are coming back early this year and all of us at the New Market Co-op are happy to see them. If any of you wander by the Paradise Community Center and find it closed Saturday morning just look across the street at Coco's Kitchen and you will find us there, in the back, in the garden waiting for you!

house on Guerrero next week.

Everything will be available at my house next week - candles, saris, things for the house I no longer need, art work, mosaics, paintings, all kinds of goodies. See me at Market for details!

With the weather cooling off somewhat and Fall starting next week, it may be time to think about a new wardrobe or at least some additions.

And our other Mark, our tall, handsome, token Brit, will have fruit pies this week for sure. Get there early because I have been waiting for two weeks....and I am not shy about my certain fruit tart with the crumbles on top....that's warning number last!

Go to Barbara with your ideas and measurements and see what she can create and paint and make you beautiful and fresh! While I am on the subject of clothing I have some gorgeous silk shirts for men, cotton shorts, too, that I got in Canada and brought back in July.

They will be available at my

Mark Peters of Smoking Good Meats is promising everything he makes this week will be spicy so be warned!

Peter, our bagel king, will have Challah for Rosh Hashana: round, plain or with raisins. Delivery will be September 24th so get your orders in this Saturday for sure.

And Vallarta Bagel World has improved the Cinnabuns! I

www.vallartatribune.com

You really have to see these masks to truly appreciate the work, the artistry of each one - all decorated with found objects.

Superbly made and a bit on the heavy side but for all the interior designers and condo owners in Vallarta who are looking for affordable, one-of-a-kind piece of great art work, come and see Bill. They are amazing.

Daniel came with his unique colored water/sand/glass 'objects' that could keep you transfixed for hours on end watching the ever changing shapes inside the glass case.

Again, something you have to see to fully appreciate. And they aren't big and not heavy so certainly doable for people travelling back to the Frozen North.

So, that is it for me for this week. See you Saturday morning at Coco's Kitchen Pulpito 122 from 9 until 2 barring tropical storms and/or hurricanes in which case we will close at 1. See you there and Viva Mexico!

By: Stacey Elkins

Transitioning to a Life in Sayulita

M

oving from one country to another country can be a challenge, particularly due to differences in culture. However, Gabriel Jones, Sales Director & Contributing Writer of Mexi-Go!, and his wife, Wendy, did just did that when they made the leap from Vancouver, British Columbia to Sayulita three and a half years ago.

At the time, Gabriel’s employer Mexi-Go!, a Canadian publication, was transitioning to become a Mexican company. Wendy was employed by a Canadian company and was working remotely from home. When the opportunity arose to move to Sayulita, Wendy got approval from her employer to continue to work remotely from Mexico. This required a home with solid internet connection and a phone line, as Wendy’s job required numerous teleconferences. Through SayulitaLife. com they found a long-term rental and made arrangements to rent the house. Nick Sherman, former President of Pro Sayulita, was their property manager and became their first Sayulita friend.

He provided invaluable information to this couple. “He made our transition so much easier. He showed us how Mexican houses differ from Canadian ones, helped us roll with the punches during our first rainy season and a million little things like how to pay our CFE bill and Telmex bill. He really helped us in so many ways,” the couple says.

Gabriel and Wendy also relied on SayulitaLife.com forums and other social forums for information about transitioning to life in Sayu-

lita. “So many people, both Mexicans and foreigners, are willing to help. They share their experiences with what works and what doesn’t.

They offer suggestions as simple as where to purchase things or as complex as how to change over car titles and plates from Jalisco to Nayarit. Some foreigners believe there isn’t a lot of health care here, but there is on a lot of levels, which we have found through the referrals of others,” says Wendy.

Networking in the community was another immense source of helping this couple transition to their life here in Sayulita. Gabriel and Wendy have found that volunteering has been a great way to get involved with the community and meet a lot of great friends.Through SayulitAnimals, fundraisers at Costa Verde International School and river clean-ups through Eco Sayulita, they have met some of their closest friends.

“In Sayulita, locals are likely to have friends in various age categories. There is no border on age when it comes to friendship here.

We have friends that range in age from 20 years old to 70 years old.

Even the neighborhood children regularly stop by the house,” says Gabriel and Wendy.

While a lot of people do speak English in Sayulita, language can still be a barrier. Wendy is currently taking the intensive Spanish course at Experiencia Sayulita Spanish School and is very excited to be improving her Spanish and ability to communicate. Both Gabriel and Wendy have been able to pick up some key Spanish by spending time with Mexican neighbors, shopping and getting out in the community.

The couple feels that it is important to try to communicate in the native language and learning new Spanish words can be very rewarding. “After several months of ordering bacon a kilo at a time it was a big day for me when I mastered the word medio and could order just half a kilo of bacon” joked Gabriel.

Gabriel and Wendy have made Sayulita their home and have no regrets about their decision to move here. “This was the best decision that we have ever made.

That is why we are still here and we are so happy to be here.”

LOCAL 09

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

Paradise Marriott plans 35 new hotels by 2017 and T Parenting Leza Warkentin

Passing the September Test

I

like to look on September in Vallarta as my own little endurance test. If I can get through the whole back to school schtick while wading through 91% humidity and still keep a smile on my face, I can do pretty much anything. At first things like finding crabs behind the block area in my classroom and sweating all day starting at 6:04am made me wonder if Manitoban winters were really that bad.

But then I had kids and realized that there were more September challenges that Mexico wanted to throw at me, such as greeting your child after a 34C physical education class.

There’s nothing like gathering the courage to navigate the high seas of a tired, sweaty little person who still has to face violin class and homework before the day is done.

However, thank you very much, I do think I’m becoming more and more local with every September I manage to survive.

For example: 1) Not only did my daughter sport two evenly parted braids this morning at the Independence Day ceremony, they were FISHTAIL braids, yo.

Granted, they took at least an hour to make, and I was sweating profusely by the time I finished. I didn’t have the time or skill to braid my own hair, so my husband did it. My Mexican co-workers, kindly diplomatic, complimented my handiwork on my daughter’s hair, and then made a coughing sound instead of mentioning mine.

2) On an insane impulse, I bought my son a festive, plastic tri-colored horn that sounds exactly like a zebra is being strangled and which has so far brought him a joy that is inversely related to how much irritation it causes the rest of us. In other news, I’ve decided that

my brother’s children will each receive one in their care package at Christmas, in order to share in the joy of Mexican Independence. The thought fills me with such delight.

3) I put bright red lipstick on my eight-year-old daughter so she could dance onstage with her class. And didn’t even feel weird about my baby wearing a lipstick shade called Dangerous.

4) I spent a whole evening going to every Walmart in town because my daughter said that’s where I will find her required dress for the Independence Day ceremony. I realized once I got there that it was the same vestido tipico that was already hanging in her closet from last year’s dance. And I didn’t complain. A lot.

5) I found it a little “cool” a few nights before Tropical Storm Odile passed the bay. I actually needed a top sheet in order to sleep without getting chilled.

6) Our family went to check out the waves during Odile’s passing jaunt, and I was one of the only expats to brave the Malecon. I got soaked by the spray along with the rest of the locals and the first shriek out of my mouth was “Orale!”

7) I wear long pants every day to work without writing passive aggressive texts to my husband when he writes to say there’s nothing for him to cook at home.

8) My students come into the classroom on September 15 with drums, horns, and face makeup that they use to decorate other people, furniture, and items of my clothing. So I get them to paint my cheeks and then pass out the Mexican flags.

9) I cannot shout “Viva Mexico!” during El Grito de la Independencia without getting a very large, very proud lump in my throat. Because, with all my heart, I know that my Mexico Lindo will live forever in me, as well as on most of my clothing.

And I wouldn’t change it for all the snow in Manitoba.

he hotel chain JW Marriott will nearly double the number of its hotels in Mexico by 2017 with the opening of 35 new properties. It will bring to 60 the number of hotels it operates here, and represents a 140% increase in the number of rooms.

Marriott’s FibraHotel brand alone will see an additional 20 properties, while other growth will be accomplished through acquisitions of regional chains.

“Mexico is the star for Marriott,” said regional president Craig Smith last week during the World Travel and Tourism Council meeting in Lima, Peru.

“Our hotels in Mexico have increased their sales by an average of 20% in recent years and our margins are better than in the United States.”

Marriott also operates under the Ritz Carlton, Courtyard and Fairfield Inn & Suites brands in Mexico, and will soon bring its AC brand.

Smith says this is a good time

for Mexico. “The middle class in this country is growing, and the reforms promoted by the president will attract investment and that’s very important for our plans . . . .”

The chain is building hotels in beach zones such as Puerto Vallarta and Cancún, as well as in cities such as Monterrey, Mexico, Querétaro and León. “We’re positioning ourselves in sun and beach locations, as well as in the business segment . . . .”

Marriott also has plans to enter the all-inclusive trade, in which it currently doesn’t operate in Mexico, to compete with Riu, Iberostar and AmResorts.

Smith said the firm is looking for new partners to develop its new properties.

“We have nine very good Mexican partners, such as the Martínez family, Saba and Grupo Diestra, but we want to find a few more.”

Source: mexicodailynews.com

A brilliant new jewel in Puerto Vallarta

A

nnounced this week, Sapphire, Puerto Vallarta’s newest beach club will open in November on Los Muertos beach. This will usher in a new level of casual sophistication to Puerto Vallarta’s beach scene.

Situated steps from downtown’s Sapphire Ocean Club features a swimming pool, comfortable lounge chairs and cabañas, towel service, drink service, and fabulous breakfast and lunch menus from their internationally experienced chef.

Whether soaking up the sun or playing with the available water toys a day at Sapphire will be a great way to experience Puerto Vallarta’s most popular beach.

Sapphire Bistrot Local offers dinner guests the ambience of the tropics while dining on Mediterranean specialties that blend the best of European style with the freshest local ingredients.

Enjoy the ocean front sunsets while savoring grilled meats and fish and sipping one of the many wines from their extensive list.

Sapphire Lounge will provide guests with an always cool evening oasis compliments of the hottest DJ’s and/or the best live music. Enjoy the view and their specialty cocktails.

Host Michel Pascal Ferrari

has combined the sophistication of his native Switzerland with the welcoming warmth of his adopted Mexico to create a unique space to relax, savor and sip.

Ferrari has been a fixture on the Vallarta hospitality scene since arriving 6 years ago and opening Restaurant Michel’s, Olas Altas

Suites and Lido Beach Club, the latter which will be the new home of Sapphire.

“While Lido was a great beach club, I wanted to create a unique ocean front hospitality experience that provides a comfortable chic vibe both day and night”, said Ferrari.

cuisine 10

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

www.vallartatribune.com

The History of Aztec Food Ramiro López Macias rltribune@outlook.com FB Ventas Tribune

T

he food of the ancient Mayan, Mixtec, Olmec, Toltec, Inca, and Aztec, although separated by time and distance, all existed within a common agricultural universe cross-fertilized by centuries of conquest and commerce that formed Mexican cuisine as we know it today. The Aztec civilization is the last one of those pre-Columbian empires that shaped the Mexican cuisine before the arrival of the Spaniards. It is remarkable how they absorbed the cuisine from every town that felt under their control. They even adopted ingredients coming from as far away as the Inca empire in South America, such as the Sweet Potato (camohtli), that was domesticated in Peru around the year 8000 BC. The base of their food was corn, previously domesticated by the neighbouring tribes living in Coxcatlán Puebla.

The Aztecs were the last of the mythic seven “nahuatlaca” (1) tribes arriving to the lakeshores beside the great volcanoes Itztalcihuatl and Popocatepetl.

They followed a long pilgrimage, starting from their former home of Aztlán. This journey ended when they found the sign of their god (a Mexican golden eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a snake- which is the current coat of arms of México).

The site designated was a small islet, and the surrounding areas were already claimed by the warring tribes. The Aztecs didn´t have an option and so built their city in the lake, using a new method called “chinampa” (artificial islands), created by staking out the shallow lake bed and then fencing in the rectangle with wattle, layered with mud, lake sediment, and decaying vegetation, eventually bringing it above the level of the lake.

The three sisters

The chinampa is a method that produced very fertile land where it was possible to harvest their almost sacred maize three times per year. Labor and yield define maize’s role in Mexican food history and culture. Little work was required with no sophisticated equipment and the high yield obtained in return makes it one of the most generous plants.

Someone, somewhere at some time discovered the amazing process of nixtamalization and its benefits in the process of grinding or cooking the corn but an even better advantage is that the process also allows the human metabolism to completely absorb the nutrients that are unavailable with the pericarp intact.

The corn was always grown accompanied by its little but not less important sisters; the pumpkin and the bean. This technology meant that the same crops could be planted over and over without depleting the soils nutrients because the joint plantings enriched the soil in a symbiotic way and reduced herbivore infestations. These same “milpas” (2) assumed a huge role in Mexican gastronomic history, when their sides were fashioned into berms and then used as shallow ponds to culture fish or insects.

The two most common type of staple was the bean that included varieties like wax, pinto black and scores of others that were cooked with epazote (3) and chilies and the squashes and their seeds, added to masa or other constructs

Mexican food is succumbing to the onslaughts of the great North American Alimentary influence, Quetzalcoatl doesn’t returning to take revenge for not obeying the rules, but instead there is a Pepsicoatl snake who is devoring the health with their processed foods from Wal-Mart, Bimbo, and KFC to flavor and thicken.

The leaves of the squash were, and still are, used to wrap other vegetables or protein in masa and then steamed or fire roasted.

Often they were cooked in maguey syrup and the blossoms when stuffed were wrapped in masa and steamed. Dried gourds were used as storage containers or vessels.

The three sisters (corn, beans and squash) were in almost every meal, accompanied by an extensive use of vegetables, such as amaranth and chia, both considered the perfect seeds by modern food science thanks for their nutritional composition. The chia is the same pet plant found sprouting in homes around America.

Another of the products that we inherited from the Aztec civilization were, avocado, guava, nance, pineapple, sapodilla, sweet potatoes, yucca, chocolate, zapote, huitlacoche, squash blossoms, quintoniles, huauhzontles and cherimoya.

Meat, was a rare treat for most and usually confined to the Mexican nobility, wealthy merchant or warrior class in any frequency. A big list of wild game

was available and all kind of fishes and seafood were caught in the lake which also had fresh water algae, known today as spirulina, harvested.

The only domesticated protein sources were turkeys, doves, Muscovy ducks that nested in trees, several Chihuahua like and hairless Xoloitzcuintli dogs.

In those times, the Aztec food was either boiled, fire roasted or steamed on a rack, very much like the Chinese, in an earthenware pot called olla while stews or moles were cooked in a casserole called a cazuela, which was placed in or suspended over an open fire.

An estimated 200 plus insects’ varieties were and, in many cases, still are consumed by both ancient and current day Mexicans.

This wealth of insects, with protein levels ranging from 10 to 80%, includes the raw or cooked adult, eggs, pupae and larvae of hundreds of regional types.

This entomophagic menu lists a handful of maguey/agave cactus grubs and other delicatessen such as wasps, grasshoppers, dragon-fly larva, bees, flies, lice,

months, butterflies and caterpillars, worms, water bugs, cicadas and beetles. Cactus flowers, leaves, fruits, paddles and trunks were eaten in profusion and a mild alcoholic beverage, something like mezcal or pulque, was obtained by fermenting various parts of the cultivar.

Mexican food is succumbing to the onslaughts of the great North American Alimentary influence, there is not more Quetzalcoatl returning to take revenge for not obeying the rules, but instead there is a Pepsicoatl snake who is devoring the health with their processed foods from Wal-Mart, Bimbo, and KFC. The descendants of the Aztecs now consume more Coca Cola then their North American cousins and many younger Mexicans don’t like chili inspired dishes, they prefer the triple whopper with the Chinese toy included, accompanied with their coke.

The hand-held masa dishes of the past are being replaced by the pepperoni super-sized pizzas huge portions ollywood style. But many of these historic Mexican food cultivars, although unknown to us in our world, are still eaten in rural areas surrounding Mexico city, where subsistence farming is the norm and will never disappear since they are far too perishable to transport more than a few miles, giving us reason to travel to those places, back in time by touring through the historic towns.

Glossary of Terms Nahuatlacas: Tribes originating near the current state of Nayarit, the mythical place known as Aztlán, which they left for a long pilgrimage ordained by their god. They were the Xochimilcas, Chalas, Tepanecas, Coolhaus, Tlahuicas, Tlaxcaltecas, and Mexicas or Aztecas who founded “La Gran Tenochtítlan”, today known as Mexico City.

Milpas: Milpa is a crop-growing system used throughout Mesoamerica.

The word milpa is derived from the Nahuatl word phrase mil-pa "to the field" (Nahuatl mil-li"field" + -pa "towards").

Nixtamalization: typically refers to a process for the preparation of maize (corn), or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, and hulled.

The term can also refer to the removal via an alkali process of the pericarp from other grains such as sorghum.

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

What I love about summer in Puerto Vallarta

By Barbara Peters

I

t´s 3 p.m. on September 8th and I just went out on my terrace to look at the view. The sky is robin’s egg blue with a few fluffy white clouds and there is a delightful breeze coming from the sea.

Although September is supposed to be the hottest month, the temperature is around 85 and there was little humidity.

I went for a walk down the street earlier to enjoy the flowers Remember to join us for the Southside Shuffle block party starting November 14th on Basilio Badillo.

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

and tropical foliage and did not even work up a sweat.

Later in the afternoon some dark clouds will appear over the mountains, we will anticipate some rain later in the afternoon or in the middle of the night, and one of our daily spectacular sunsets.

Watching the sky here is an always changing scene of beauty from early morning pastels to clear blue to soft grays and blues and finally to the dramatic burst of reds , yellows and oranges of the sunset.

For those who have not experienced summers in Vallarta, don´t be discouraged by those who think it will be unbearably hot—there are many places in the world much hotter in summer and just as humid.

Personally I do not use air conditioning and keep my windows open to breathe in the fresh air from the nearby mountains.

Ceiling and standing fans are all you really need.

Another advantage here is you only need one type of wardrobe— cotton, casual and a light sweater for our “winter” or air conditioned places.

In summer the beaches and pools are not crowded, you don´t have to wait in line for your favourite restaurant and you can choose the coolest part of the day to exercise or walk your dog.

This is a perfect time to shop or dine at the hundreds of places listed on our VALLARTA SHOPPING DIRECTORY. You will find unique items in clothing, accessories, gifts and handcrafts and every type of dining from gourmet to small local favourites.

Mornings are a perfect time to shop at the local produce markets where you will be delighted at the great array of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and meat native to our area at low prices.

Lots of places have sales and there are good travel packages,

but be sure your stay is in the traditional Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco to enjoy the ambience of our paradise.

The first time I visited Puerto Vallarta 35 years ago was in summer. I fell in love with it then and still love it all year round.

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

APARTMENTS FOR RENT From $7,000 mxn 1, 2 & 3 bedrooms with or without furniture • The best location Secure • Pool • Terrace Air Conditioning • Laundry • Pet Friendly • Parking Rent month to month long - term

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OLAS ALTAS

By Ramiro Lopez Macias

Frankie’s Opens with the Force of a Hurricane

O

n September 10th, hurricane Odile hit the coast of Baja California where it caused the most damage, and arrived in Bahia de Banderas as a tropical storm. Coincidentally, it was the same day as the opening of Frankie’s Italian Restaurant. Despite the heavy rains, once the doors opened people flooded restaurant, and there was not even time to cut the ribbon.

Frankie, the owner tells how he felt in love with Vallarta. He first came from Ohio for the first time in 2004, returning frequently, until eventually retiring and deciding to move here in 2014.

Despite commanding his kitchen, serving drinks behind the bar and attending his costumers, he still considers himself “retired” because this restaurant is a way for him and his lovely wife Maria Rodolfa to enjoying Vallarta lifestyle, giving friends and family the food of Frankie´s

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.

native country; Italy. His priority he says, “is seeing satisfied customers, leaving with a smile on their faces after eating large portions at low prices".

The restaurant is not a large building, but its creation was large, with many fans who packed the place the first night

and a line-up of others who had to wait their turn to enter, but this is the kind of place where the wait is worth it, for the pleasure of having a great meal.

Be sure to try their Italian wines - the list is small but carefully selected.

Corazon Mexicano

One block from the Lázaro Cárdenas Park there´s a great new restaurant with a modern shabby chic essence. It is romantic yet casual while being family and pet friendly.

A couple of tables are located outside of the establishment which makes it perfect for people who want to bring their dogs.

The quality of the food was impeccable, especially the meatloaf which is called “albondigón”, and the seafood was extremely fresh. Their salads are crisp and fresh and their chips made at the moment, so I kind of jumped

on it and didn't leave space for the dessert. They have a lot of drink specials it was hard to choose just one but I stuck with the classic margarita and it was awesome.

Serranos Meat Serrano’s Meat is great, located opposite the beautiful park Lázaro Cárdenas, with a breathtaking view of the hills surrounding the city, and the Pacific Ocean.

The flank steak is an excellent recommendation and if you prefer thicker cuts, the Rib Eye is juicy and tender; with perfect cooking that does not allow further loss of meat juices.

Something unusual here is that you order by weight (talking about meat not your weight). The meat is cut in front of you so you can be assured of the quality.

They then serve it with handmade fresh tortillas, guacamole and salsas.

The wine cellar although not extensive has the perfect companions for each cut and they pour draft beer. They also open in the morning for breakfast if you want the option is very complete.

If you want a steak, this is the place for you.

I'll be back ... very good food, service, price and location what more could you want?

Ask about the first anniversary promotions.

local 15

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

PEACEANIMALS Valle Dorado Spay and Neuter Clinic

V

ALLE DORADO ("Golden Valley") is located about 40 minutes south of centro Vallarta, just a few minutes northeast of Nuevo Vallarta in the state of Nayarit. It is a colonia filled mostly with one-story cement houses and has the most most pockmarked roads I´ve ever seen.

Amanda Frederick Jimenez, a vet tech and her husband Fernando, a chef at Secrets resort, donated their home and also a couple of great meals. Amanda said that on the first day, someone who wanted to be sure of a space for his pets, rang her doorbell at 6 AM. Every day was a turn-away day for pet owners even though the team was accepting more than 40 animals on the full surgery days.

Since the response and need so great, the team returns next week for a Wednesday-Saturday clinic.

www.peaceanimals.org/

by Gretchen DeWitt

STERILIZATIONS AT VALLE DORADO CLINIC - SEPTEMBER 9-12: Female dogs: 65; Male dogs: 23; Female cats: 43; Male cats: 30 TOTAL: 161!!!!!

This is a record number for PEACEAnimals, and is the result of not only the great need in this colonia but also because we have a third vet, Dr. Jimena, on duty while Paulina Stettner is on leave of absence.

Amanda, who offered her home for the clinic, was able to help as a vet tech.

see 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. Drive five blocks east following the bus route of calle Valle de Mexico, then go five blocks to Valle Río Grande and turn right. Drive two blocks south to calle Valle Hermoso. Clinic will be on the right hand side at the end of this street. IDAF gym/ dance studio is directly in front of the house where the clinic is taking place.

DONATIONS AT VALLE DORADO CLINIC: $1,380 pesos

September 24-27 - At the home of local animal advocate, Candace Shaw - Calle Mar Blanco #475. Cross street is Oceano Indico - close to the square where Mar de Cortes and Mar del Sur boarding are, and the park which is very close to the market and IMSS.

PEACEANIMAL FREE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC SCHEDULE September 17-20 - Valle Dorado, Nay. Calle Valle Hermoso #81.

Driving south towards Mezcales and immediately after the turn to Nuevo Vallarta, you will

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llal - Casa de los Portales - home of Ron Harner and Clint Harris - Calle 327 Alameda - turn right five blocks after the plaza. Yellow walled house.

Animals clinic- Pets for Life (the vet team employed by PEACEAnimals) will be assisting the JARS/ MexiCan clinic in Guayabitos, Nayarit.

October 1-4 - colonia Piti-

More October dates to be announced November 5-8 - No PEACE-

Last two weeks of November No PEACEAnimals clinics - Pets for Life will be working in Oaxaca.

and will need a good scrubbing if you want to eat the skin.

Choose Loofah and gourds as they are great zucchini substitute, seeing that zucchinis are very susceptible to mold and mildew here.

Eggplants, chilies and corn will grow well no matter how hot it gets.

Try out sweet potatoes during the summer/wet season also starchy tubers such as yams, taro, cassava that are staples in tropical countries grow well in hot and humid summers.

Think about some tropical beans like snake and winged beans, which seem to do fine during tropical summers.

You can also experiment with mung beans, soybeans, cowpeas and peanuts.

Getting hold of seeds is a big challenge here, so you might consider ordering them or having someone bring some from the U.S. or Canada.

For a comprehensive look at gardening in hot climates, check out this excellent book: Tropical Food Gardens: A Guide to Growing Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables in Tropical and Sub-Tropical Climates.

And this website is an excellent resource: http://greenharvest. com.au/SeedOrganic/SeedsHotHumidAreas.html Here’s a list of some heat loving veggies: • Amaranth • Arugula • Asian Greens • Bell Peppers • Cassava

• Egyptian Spinach • Chard • Chinese Cabbages • Chili Peppers • Cucumbers • Eggplant • Endive • Jicama • Loofa • Okra • Peppers • Pumpkins • Radishes • Silverbeet • Squashes • Sweet Corn • Sweet Potatoes If you need help finding your perfect spot to build your potager in paradise or have other real estate questions, contact me anytime at G3MEX Real Estate Group: 322-209-0832. Saludos!

Vegetable Gardening in Puerto Vallarta

By Fabien Madesclaire Fabien@g3mex.com

I

n France my family always had a potager (vegetable garden).

Year round we enjoyed the freshest vegetables either just off of the vine or canned and preserved. Our family’s home was in Burgundy, which luckily has an ideal climate for fruits, vegetable and of course grapes! Many intrepid gardeners move here to Vallarta, buy a property with a little plot of land to commence with their favorite hobby and proceed to have the same disappointing experience. They plant their old vegetable garden favorites and then everything bolts to seed, is eaten by bugs, or just completely rots from the inside out. In time they learn to take into account the reality of planting and growing in hot and humid weather. Here some tips on getting the most out of your Vallarta vegetable garden.

Figure in the bug factor. Some of the critters are good and some are not so helpful.

With good soil your plants will withstand the bugs and heat a bit

longer, but sooner or later the heat will get to them.

Think about planting veggies that are indigenous to Mexico or that grow naturally in the tropics, such as tomatoes, and jicama.

They can stand some of the humidity and thrive in this climate.

Tomatoes will grow well during the winter/dry season, but focus on the heat tolerant types. Cherry tomatoes are a lot hardier than the larger varieties.

Lettuce is a hard one, though, if you have to have your salad greens you might try the oak leaf varieties, as they are the most heat resistant.

If you are addicted to your greens, like I am, Asian greens or Chinese cabbages such as mizuna, mibuna, tatsoi, wong bok, bok choi, or mustard greens and arugula can manage in the hot weather.

For fun plant the Asian cucumber variety called "Suyo Long". It’s tastes like your regular cucumber, though it’s pretty hairy

EVENTS 16

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

Teatro Vallarta offers free intro to Opera lecture

A

return of the popular free Introduction and History of Opera lecture will be held on Saturday, October 4 at Teatro Vallarta. Presented

by Paco Ojeda, the 90-minute event will be offered at Teatro Vallarta (Uruguay 184, Col. 5 de Diciembre) at 4 pm in Spanish and again at 5:30 in English, as part of the venue's strategy to increase interest among visitors and locals to enjoy its music and cultural offerings. During the

lecture, Ojeda will offer a concise and entertaining analysis of how opera has survived the test of time throughout more than 400 years of history, emphasizing key dates and events.

The lecture also serves as an introduction to the upcoming Met: Live in HD 2014-15 season of opera matinees held on selected Saturdays from October through April.

This will be the third consecutive year that Teatro Vallarta has joined important theaters in Mexico and the rest of the world in broadcasting the Met's opera performances, live from New York's Lincoln Center, using multiple high-definition cameras,

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Motos Extravaganza

by Carlos Contreras

L

ast Sunday, Jhony Palafox and his team of motocross riders set up a huge 23’ half-pipe ramp to demonstrate spectacular acrobatic jumps. The height of the ramp is such that it is possible to obtain zero gravity allowing riders the freedom to show their skill and handling of their bikes. Just spectacular. Enjoy these photos of some of the impressive aerials performed.

surround sound, and state-ofthe-art technology. Learn more at TeatroVallarta.com or by calling the theater at (322) 222-4525.

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

EVENTS 17

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TRAVEL 18

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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Mexican Refuges of Yesteryear A great way to relax and soak up some history is to stay at one of Mexico’s stately old haciendas turned luxury hotels.

by Pola Sáenz ProMexico Negocios

T

he cinema photographer Gabriel Figueroa captured magnificent Mexican skies, skies that reflect the surface of lakes, age-old trees and active volcanoes, the elongated shadow of archways on the dusty ground, the faces of beautiful women framed by shawls, horsemen galloping across the fields.

Through his lens we get a sense of a bygone Mexico lingering on in the sturdy walls of haciendas that have featured in more than one Golden Age film.

There are some 4,000 surviving haciendas in Mexico, a number of which have been renovated or restored to their former glory, reemerging as boutique hotels offering world-class amenities. Here, guests are guaranteed an unforgettable experience, steeped in authentic Mexican history and set against breathtaking natural backdrops.

Hacienda San Antonio Comala, Colima Luxury is waking up in the morning to a steaming cup of freshly ground and brewed coffee as you admire the tropical forest and mountains that envelop Hacienda San Antonio in the municipality of Comala, Colima.

The hacienda was built in 1890 by a German called Arnoldo Voguel, who discovered here the perfect coffee-growing conditions. The Fuego and Nevado de Colima volcanoes stand guard on

either side of the estate, whose main building is made primarily of volcanic rock and houses 25 comfortable, well-lit guestrooms, decorated with handicrafts that pay homage to Mexico’s rich and diverse artistic traditions.

Guests are welcomed by a beautiful, sprawling garden that merges with the outlying mountains and volcanoes.

As far as pastimes go, the options are endless: enjoy a refreshing drink at the Yellow Bar or in the garden as you watch the sun go down, read a novel in the Mirador Lounge, explore the foothills of the volcanos by bicycle or visit the nearby town of Comala.

Coriander soup and caramelized pears doused in tequila are just some of the dishes on Hacienda San Antonio’s delectable menu, which, like all the others, are prepared with fresh, local ingredients. www.haciendadesanantonio.com

Hacienda Santa Cruz Mérida, Yucatán Under a serene sky, concealed by the long branches of leafy peacock flower shrubs, sits a fiery red estate surrounded by exotic gardens. Located in the very heart of Mérida, Hacienda Santa Cruz began life in the 17th

Century as a Franciscan monastery and in the late 19th century produced henequen, a type of fiber made from the maguey plant, often referred to as the “green gold” of the Yucatán.

In 2007, this southern belle metamorphosed once again, this time into a luxury, colonial-style hotel with every conceivable modern-day convenience.

Past and present brought together under a cloak of palm, orange, flamboyant and other ancient trees.

Take a dip in one of the hotel’s two pools, enjoy a revitalizing or therapeutic massage or maybe a facial or honey and chocolate exfoliating treatment at the spa or in the privacy of your own room.

If you want to get out and about, visit one of the nearby cenotes or Santa Cruz, where we recommend you visit the Cuxtal nature reserve, a refuge for migratory birds and native plants.

And if you fancy sampling the local cuisine, the hotel restaurant, Creóle, serves up dishes like lime gazpacho and tuna panuchos marinated in annatto. www.haciendasantacruz.com

tecas in northeast Jalisco. It was built in the late 17th Century and is named after its original owner, Juan de Sepúlveda of Spain, who was given the land as a gift.

Today it is a fabulous boutique hotel with 23 guestrooms.

Historic figures like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Pancho Villa have seen the inside of this hacienda, whose decoration remits us to the past with hand carved wooden and tin sculptures, candelabras, antique stoves and radios.

Fresh air and clear skies made this the perfect place to sit back and take in the view or relax with a good book.

The hotel spa is housed in “El Aventadero,” originally an old winnowing barn dating from 1890. Here, guests can pamper body and soul with a relaxing hot stone massage, wine therapy and holistic treatments or a Reiki session.

Horse riding, barbecues in the garden and bonfires by the light of the moon are some of the other activities guests at Hacienda Sepúlveda can enjoy. www.haciendasepulveda.com.mx

Hacienda Sepúlveda Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco

Hacienda Santa Rosa Santa Rosa, Yucatán

Hacienda Sepúlveda stands on the old silver route to Zaca-

A path lined with palm trees leads to a blue façade with

elegant archways illuminated by candles. In the distance, the last rays of sun disappear behind violet tinged clouds.

This 19th Century hacienda was meticulously restored using Maya construction techniques for the floors and walls. High ceilings and wooden beams add character to spacious guestrooms bathed in warm light, while elegant pools that reflect the sky and fairytale gardens are just some of the amenities guests at thisluxury hotel can expect.

What better way to start the day than to wake to the sound of birdsong and enjoy breakfast in the botanical garden?

Come afternoon, how about a leisurely stroll through the courtyards and gardens or a trip to the community workshops that produce arts and crafts made of silver, henequen fiber and other materials found locally?

Bring the day to a close with an intimate dinner at the foot of an ancient tree as you commune with the sounds and smells of the night.

And if you have some time to spare, we suggest you join an excursion by bicycle or on horseback to other haciendas in the region, like Granada, Santo Domingo and Chunchucmil. www.haciendasantarosa.com

REAL ESTATE 19

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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11 Secrets To Buying Beach Front Property In Mexico

W

hether you are searching for your perfect beachfront home in Mexico or dreaming about it, these tips will help you discover and plan your purchase. From erosion to government improvements know what to look for when buying a beachfront home in Mexico.

1. The “Beachfront” Trap.

Don’t be fooled into purchasing a back lot at beachfront prices. The key to any purchase is to be certain there is plenty of space between the ‘beach road’ (road running parallel to the sea line) and the shore. Take into consideration the ‘federal zone” , the public beach area, and government building restrictions, to be sure the ‘lot’ is on the beach, and not located on a back lot with beachfront prices.

2. Erosion is the Enemy.

You have found the lot on the beach, now what? The next step is to make certain that it will still be there in the future. Seek high elevation from the sea level.

Obviously the higher the better but if you are on the windward or receiving end of a storm channel, seek at least 7 feet. This will help defend against erosion. (Erosion is the enemy – think Cancun and the hotel zone)

3. Long Live the Sand.

Beachfront vitality is important. Obviously when purchasing a beachfront home, you want to be sure there will be sand or beach for years to come, making a lot selection with evidence of a swash zone, a beach face, a wrack line, and a berm important.

1-The swash zone is where the waves usually break in normal weather.

2-The beach face would represent the area that is flat and often the place where you would put a towel down to tan on.

3-The wrack line is where the ‘high watermark’ can reach.. The latter would be in the case of foul weather or storm.

4-The berm is where you would see the rise of the elevation. Ideally this would have green plants growing on it, seeking to encroach the wrack line, showing strengths of little or no erosion.

(Green can’t grow where sea water is dumped.)

All four zones are important, however for price, you may consider sacrificing one or more at your own peril.

4. Run from the Wind.

10 or 15 meters. A smaller house next to you will not help your property value once improved, even if it will be 10-15 years from time of purchase. Some have seen this happen in sections of Puerto Morelos or even Playacar.

If you should come across that perfect white sandy beach on the windward side of the current, RUN! If nature can clean it, nature can take it. Look for trash; the more the better. This you can easily handle.

But the former, means having to fight Mother Nature and more often than not you will lose.

Erosion is a S.O.B. Unfortunately a large percentage of the Mexican Caribbean is like this.

10. Don’t Be Fooled At Closing.

5. Skipping Rocks.

Rocks on the beach are not a beach. It’s a coastline. Seek a ‘rock-less’ beach and a rock free sea floor in the immediate sea line.

First, rocks are not fun to navigate and second, exposed rock is a sign of erosion at some point.

6. Offshore Reef Protection.

If you are lucky enough to discover a beach with a protective reef offshore, this will aid in the fight against erosion, and in certain cases assist in providing some accretion.

I’ve been on beaches that had corner stones marked 40+ years ago and upon the rectification survey, the beach grew more than 20 meters. (that’s free money in my book…) It’s simply amazing what can happen on a class 10 beach. But not all reefs are the same. Costa Maya, the second largest reef system in the world, runs off that coast but it tends to hinder more beach than help.

7. Trouble in the Reef.

A reef exposed or just below the ocean surface will cause

the sea to become stagnant on certain days, while reefs deep below the surface will not work well in the battle of erosion. A dead or dying reef is a one-way ticket to future troubles of keeping your sand. Ask divers about Cozumel and they will tell you that it once was a thriving reef, but not anymore…

8. Hitting the Jackpot With Wetlands.

Finding all of the above with a major wetland or mangrove area behind, is like hitting the jackpot.

Buy all you can afford. The ideal location would have wetlands behind, to clean and fertilize or feed the underground water system that flows beneath your lot. The Government protects wetlands, because these areas provide the nutrients to support a thriving reef system.

Filling in wetlands will eventually kill the reef that protects the

beach from erosion.

In addition, wetlands behind the beachfront will limit future development, keeping the beach privacy, after all, that is most likely why you are buying. In Playa del Carmen, crowds of streets (60) now exist behind the beach. The first buyers knew of three streets, how do you think they feel about their private beachfront now?

9. Snoop Around.

It is now time to start checking out the neighbors. Like minds usually fit best next to each other.

If your goal is to build a quiet little beach house someday, make sure the next ‘all-inclusive party resort’ is not scheduled to be built next or close to the lot you have chosen.

Often, what you don’t see is most concerning. If you are buying 50 meters and intend to put a $400,000 USD house on it, don’t buy next to a lot that has only

Title issues remain an area of concern when buying property in Mexico, it is recommended to close with a notary or a government attorney that is tasked with overseeing the transaction. In addition, it would be a good idea to have your own attorney who represents you and exclusively you. Ask for a government certified translation of everything that they ask you to sign, this way you are not signing a blank check.

Many companies have you sign a big proxy or power of attorney at closing, then close legally without you.

Don’t be fooled. Bring your brain and your wallet when crossing the border.

Check the numbers, including the lot numbers and dollar amount. Be certain you have a cadastral number (lot number) in both English and Spanish.

If there is not a cadastral (lot) number, you are only spending money on dirt, not title to the property. Parcels included in your ‘meets and bounds’ description need to conform with previous title. When in doubt.. wait and ask questions.

11. Lifestyle In a perfect world you should not be more than 10 a minutes drive by car to a small town with a general store or simple restaurant.

This way you won’t be driving more than an hour for the simple necessities like beer or milk – which is often the case in Mexico when beachfront prices are most affordable/attractive.

Further, if the closest international airport is over an hour away, the price of the lot should reflect such.

Finding a lot that is close enough to the airport is the most important as most lots with the above characteristics are in the middle of nowhere and the drive from the lot to the international airport is over 2 hours.

Lastly, ask about electricity.

Some lots may not have the infrastructure to accommodate comfortable living.

Rural beachfront properties may not have access to everyday electricity for years.

CHARITIES 20

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Friday September 19 - 25, 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...STELLA

One morning, at 5:00 am one of our staff members arrived at the sanctuary to find a cab just leaving the property.

Our staff member found a dog and a note by the front door of the sanctuary. The dog seemed to be unable to move. We are not sure what happened to this dog. Perhaps she was born like this or hit by car.

We gave her medical attention and lots of love and Stella is now happy and healthy and ready for her forever home! Stella is a very sweet dog who

loves to cuddle and play. She is about 9 months old and she is a skinny little girl who only weighs 26 pounds. Please contact us at spcapv@gmail.com.

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

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

Families At The Dump: Supporting families living in the landfill or garbage dump thru education and sustainable opportunities. www.familiesatthedump.org or 297-7425 Fundacion Punta de Mita LDG. Ana Lilia Medina Varas de Valdés. ana@fundacionpuntademita. org Tel. (329) 291 5053 www.fundacionpuntademita.org Friends of PV Animals Volunteers working to enhance the lives of shelter animals. For info and donations visit friendsofpvanimals.com Grupo Ecológico de Puerto Vallarta: Arq. Luz del Carmen Pérez Alvarez cayro_13@hotmail.com grupoecologico.com

Horizonte de Paz: Shelter for men of all ages who are troubled with alcohol & drug addiction. Donato Schimizzi: 322 199 9523 or Roberto: 281 0644 dschimizzi@yahoo.com La Brigada de la Basur:a A weekly meeting of neighborhood children to clean Vallarta Streets. Contact Que?Pasa 223-4006 Mexico Ministries & Mission, Inc. raises funds to the poor in Vallarta. Contact Fr. Jack+ 044 322 229-1129 christchurchbythesea.org Navy League - assists in the transportation of donated medical supplies from the U.S., organizes work groups to paint and repair facilities, and operates the local Toys for Tots program. www.vallartanavyleague.org.

New Life Mexico - Challenging Child Poverty with health and education programs. Philippa Vernon pvp@ newlifemexico.com Paraíso Felino AC Refuge and Adoption Centre for cats and kittens in the Bay of Banderas. Luis Donaldo Cel. (322) 120-4092 Pasitos de Luz - substitute home for low income children with any type of handicap, offers rehabilitation services and special support to their families. 299-4146. pasitosdeluz.org

PEACEAnimals - Free mobile spay/neuter clinic operating 48 weeks a year, primarily in Puerto Vallarta.

Tax-deductible. peaceanimals.org

Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta Raises funds for Los Mangos Public Library.

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

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

Puerto Vallarta Garden Club: Beautify and protecting the environment. vallartagardenclub.com PuRR Project - A no-kill cat shelter, a natural un-caged environment. www.purrproject.com Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza- Shelter for Children. Tax-deductible. ccshf.ca Roma’s Kids - Educate the children of the Volcanes and surrounding area: Math, English and computer programs a priority. 100% goes to the kids. kids.romamexico.com The International Friendship Club (IFC) - Supports the Cleft Palate Surgery Program & families in need.

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

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

Vallarta Saludable (Healthy) – Healthy living through organics, stevias, cooking workshops, serums reversing dialysis and reality show.

NAOTF.org Suzy Chaffee suzynativevoices@aol.com

CLASSIFIEDS 21

Friday September 19 - 25, 2014

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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS OFF

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

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

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

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

Other Important Phone Numbers

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

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

Vallarta´s only English newspaper

ADVERTISE HERE Ask for better prices!!

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 22

Friday September 19 - 25, 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.

SILVER SCREEN Can you find the hidden names? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards. ANN BAXTER, AUDREY HEPBURN, AVA GARDNER, BETTE DAVIS, CAROLE LOMBARD, GLORIA SWANSON, GRETA GARBO, HEDY LAMARR, INGRID BERGMAN, JANE RUSSELL, JANE WYMAN, JEAN HARLOW, JEAN SIMMONS, JOAN CRAWFORD, JUDY GARLAND, LANA TURNER, LAUREN BACALL, MARILYN MONROE, MERLE OBERON, MYRNA LOY, RITA HAYWORTH, VERONICA LAKE, VIRGINIA MAYO, VIVIEN LEIGH.

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.