www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 285 Saturday 12 to Friday 18 April 2014

Transcription

www.pvmcitypaper.com
Issue 285
Issue 285
Saturday 12 to Friday 18
April 2014
April 2014
2
Need to Know
manners to present the check before it is
requested, so when you’re ready to leave,
ask «La cuenta, por favor» and your bill
will be delivered to you.
MONEY EXCHANGE: Although
you may have to wait in line for a few
minutes, remember that the banks will
give you a higher rate of exchange than
the exchange booths (caja de cambio).
Better yet, if you have a «bank card»,
withdraw funds from your account back
home. Try to avoid exchanging money at
your hotel. Traditionally, those offer the
worst rates.
I
f you’ve been meaning to find a little information on the region,
but never quite got around to it, we hope that the following will help.
Look at the map in this issue, you will note that PV (as the locals call
it) is on the west coast of Mexico, in the middle of the Bay of Banderas,
the largest bay in this country, that includes southern part of the state
of Nayarit to the north and the northern part of Jalisco to the south.
Thanks to its privileged location -sheltered by the Sierra Madre
mountains- the Bay is well protected against the hurricanes spawned
in the Pacific. Hurricane Kenna came close on October 25, 2002,
but actually touched down in San Blas, Nayarit, some 200 miles
north of PV. The town sits on the same parallel as the Hawaiian
Islands, thus the similarities in the climate of the two destinations.
AREA: 1,300 sq. kilometers
POPULATION: Approx. 325,000
inhabitants
CLIMATE: Tropical, humid, with
an average of 300 sunny days per year.
The temperature averages 28oC (82oF)
and the rainy season extends from late
June to early October.
allowed under certain circumstances
but fishing of any kind is prohibited.
Every year, the Bay receives the visit
of the humpback whales, dolphins and
manta rays in the winter. During the
summer, sea turtles, a protected species,
arrive to its shores to lay their eggs.
FAUNA: Nearby Sierra Vallejo
hosts a great variety of animal species
such as iguana, guacamaya, deer,
raccoon, etc.
ECONOMY: Local economy is
based mainly on tourism, construction
and to a lesser degree, on agriculture,
mainly tropical fruit such as mango,
papaya,
watermelon,
pineapple,
guanabana, cantaloupe and bananas.
SANCTUARIES:
Bahía
de
Banderas encloses two Marine
National Parks - Los Arcos and the
Marieta Islands - where diving is
CURRENCY: The Mexican Peso is
the legal currency in Mexico although
Canadian and American dollars are
widely accepted.
Index
BUSES: A system of urban buses
with different routes. 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 the town. Do not enter
a taxi without agreeing on the price with
the driver FIRST. If you are staying in a
hotel, you may want to check the rates
usually posted in the lobby. Also, if you
know which restaurant you want to go,
do not let the driver change your mind.
Many restaurateurs pay commissions to
taxi drivers and you may end up paying
more than you should, in a secondrate establishment! There are 2 kinds
of taxi cabs: those at the airport and
the maritime port are usually vans that
Issue 285
can only be boarded there. They have
pre-fixed rates per passenger. City cabs
are yellow cars that charge by the ride,
not by passenger. When you ask to go
downtown, many drivers let you off at
the beginning of the area, near Hidalgo
Park. However, your fare covers the
ENTIRE central area, so why walk 10 to
15 blocks to the main plaza, the Church
or the flea market? Pick up a free map,
and insist on your full value from the
driver! Note the number of your taxi in
case of any problem, or if you forget
something in the cab. Then your hotel or
travel rep can help you check it out or
lodge a complaint.
TIME ZONE: The entire State of
Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the
area of the State of Nayarit from Lo
de Marcos in the north to the Ameca
River, i.e.: Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías,
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita, San
Pancho, Punta Mita, etc. North of Lo
De Marcos, Guayabitos, La Peñita,
San Blas, etc. are on Mountain Time,
i.e.: one hour behind PV time.
TELEPHONE CALLS: Always
check on the cost of long distance
calls from your hotel room. Some
establishments charge as much as U.S.
$7.00 per minute!
CELL PHONES: Most cellular
phones from the U.S. and Canada may
be programmed for local use, through
Telcel and IUSAcell, the local carriers.
To dial cell to cell, use the prefix 322,
then the seven digit number of the
person you’re calling. Omit the prefix if
dialling a land line.
LOCAL CUSTOMS: Tipping is
usually 10%-15% of the bill at restaurants
and bars. Tip bellboys, taxis, waiters,
maids, etc. depending on the service.
Some businesses and offices close from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., reopening until 7 p.m. or
later. In restaurants, it is considered poor
April 2014
WHAT TO DO: Even if your allinclusive hotel is everything you ever
dreamed of, you should experience at
least a little of all that Vallarta has to
offer - it is truly a condensed version of
all that is Mexican and existed before
«Planned Tourist Resorts», such as
Cancun, Los Cabos and Ixtapa, were
developed. Millions have been spent to
ensure that the original “small town”
flavor is maintained downtown, in the
Old Town and on the South Side.
DRINKING WATER: The false
belief that a Mexican vacation must
inevitably lead to an encounter with
Moctezuma’s revenge is just that:
false. For the 21st year in a row, Puerto
Vallarta’s water has been awarded
a certification of purity for human
consumption. It is one of only two
cities in Mexico that can boast of such
accomplishment. True, 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.
On the other hand, most large hotels
have their own purification equipment
and most restaurants use purified water.
If you want to be doubly sure, you can
pick up purified bottled water just about
anywhere.
EXPORTING PETS: Canadian and
American tourists often fall in love with
one of the many stray dogs and cats in
Vallarta. Many would like to bring it
back with them, but believe that the laws
do not allow them to do so. Wrong. If
you would like to bring a cat or a dog
back home, call the local animal shelter
for more info: 293-3690.
LOCAL SIGHTSEEING: A good
beginning would be to take one of the City
Tours offered by the local tour agencies.
Before boarding, make sure you have a
map and take note of the places you want
to return to. Then venture off the beaten
path. Explore a little. Go farther than the
tour bus takes you. And don’t worry this is a safe place.
Sound Off
3
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the start of Easter madness in Puerto Vallarta!
If you’re a first-time visitor to our fair city,
then you’re in for loads of fun. This is the
beginning of a two-week celebration for
Mexican tourists coming from Guadalajara,
Tepic (the capital of our neighboring State of
Nayarit, and as far as Mexico City to enjoy a
little sun ‘n sand. Be prepared for crowds on
beaches and at tourist attractions.
Consequently, the town will be full to
capacity, so you many have to exercise
patience, especially if or when you find
yourself standing in line somewhere…
In the meantime, please continue to send
Your Comments
[email protected]
Dear Editor,
My husband and I just spent a wonderful
holiday in Puerta Vallarta. We were thrilled
with the stores and beauty of the
city. The food, attention and grounds at the
Pelicanos was terrific. While sitting enjoying
the pool we were asked by one of the friendly
staff what kind of coins one of the maids had
and if we could help change them. The young
woman had over $60.00 in Canadian coins loonies and toonies. This was terrible, for no
merchant or bank would accept them.
A great tip, but useless to the Mexicans. We
changed them into Pesos and Canadian dollars
that could be exchanged or used. Later, another
bag of coins was given to us. This contained
a lot of American quarters as well as some
Canadian quarters. We changed these into
Canadian dollars as well. Can you set up place
where these coins can be exchanged for the
Mexicans. Also please tell all the Canadians,
Americans and other foreigners to only tip in
Pesos. When a maid, or hotel worker only earns
the equivalent of $8 a day, it is pathetic that
some people would tip with useless coins.
Issue 285
us your letters, as well as the comments
and suggestions telling us what you like in
the Mirror, what you would like to see in
it …or what you would rather not see. We
thank you for and welcome your support and
readership.
On behalf of all of us at the PV Mirror City
Paper, I wish you all a most pleasant Easter
or Passover holiday in our beloved town.
Stay safe, happy and healthy.
Allyna Vineberg
Editor / Publisher
Next year, we will bring some extra Pesos
and advise the hotel staff that we will exchange
their Canadian coins.
I was also wondering if you could let us
know where we could find authentic Mariachi
music. We were very disappointed this year at
not finding any live native bands. This is a part
of the Mexican culture that we think should be
preserved and of course enjoyed by everyone.
Thank you for reading and, I hope, replying
to my email. We look forward to seeing Puerta
Vallarta again next year and reading your
publication.
Lorraine and Mike Ireland
Dear Editor,
On behalf of many occupants at Grand
Venetian, Holiday Inn, The Friendly Hotel and
Peninsula Towers, I feel that I must express my
very strong concern, frustration and anger....
due to too many sleepless nights, as a result of
the late night sounds blasting from the La Santa
disco. There have been meetings with PV town
officials, decibel meter surveillance, numerous
phone calls to register formal complaints.... yet
the noise continues Thursday through Saturday
nights until 5 AM.
I can only imagine with horror what it will be
like during Semana Santa....
Continued on Next Page
April 2014
4
Sound Off
Continued from Previous Page
What I do not understand is how and why the owner of La Santa could
get approvals for the night club that includes a huge open area that would
allow all of the sound to travel and to disturb so many nearby residents
and guests. There are loud speakers near the very top of the open area
just blasting away all night. This was new construction. Was the disco
design intentional so that the sounds could be heard for more than a
block away? Why would the town approve such a design? In Centro
and in Zona Romantica, many clubs and restaurants are monitored and
the noise ordinance laws are enforced. Don’t the same ordinances apply
in the hotel zone? Something must be done to resolve this issue.
Sleepless in the Hotel Zone
Dear Editor,
We recently spent 6 weeks in Puerto Vallarta and must comment on the
wonderful medical care I received.
Just 10 days after our arrival in PV, I took a bad fall and cracked my
pelvis. We went to the ER at Cornerstone Hospital, and I was treated by
Dr. Antonio Nava. He was incredible! He had x-rays taken, consulted
with a specialist, correctly diagnosed my condition, gave me an IV for
pain and inflammation. He told me to let him know if the pain did not
get better in a few days. When, several days later, I was still experiencing
considerable discomfort, he encouraged me to come back to the hospital
for an MRI. Since we live on the fourth floor at Los Tules and have no
elevator, I indicated that I would have great difficulty getting down and
back up the steps. So he immediately came up to our condo, again gave
me an IV for pain and inflammation, told us to call when all of the fluid
had drained out and he would come back to remove the IV.
When I was healed enough to get down the steps, I went back to
Cornerstone for a CT scan. Dr. Nava and the radiologist read the CT
scan and confirmed my earlier diagnosis. Dr. Nava said we were not to
pay for any consultation fee for him; however, when we checked out at
the reception desk, we were charged and paid the bill. Within perhaps 10
minutes, Dr. Nava showed up at Los Tules with a refund for the payment
we had made! Never have we heard of such fine and selfless service.
The expenses that we DID incur were minimal, and we were extremely
pleased. Anyone with reservations about the medical care in Mexico
should rest assured that it is exceptional, especially if you are fortunate
enough to get Dr. Antonio Nava! Thank you so very much.
I should add that since our return to Wisconsin, I went to see my
orthopedic surgeon here, and he confirmed all diagnoses and treatment
given me.
Betty Baldner
Dear Allyna,
I am happy to share with you and our other friends here that a joyous
occasion occurred for our family last week – the marriage of our son,
Dylan and his beautiful bride, Andrea.
The wedding took place on the beach in front of the magnificent Casa
Karma with an outstanding catered dinner following the ceremony
prepared by Mavi Graf of Arte Culinario, topped off with exceptionally
delicious cupcakes provided by Tori at PV Cupcakes. Important
moments were captured artistically by photographer Hector Becerra.
Issue 285
April 2014
Publisher / Editor:
Allyna Vineberg
[email protected]
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Joe Harrington
Giselle Belanger
Krystal Frost
Stan Gabruk
Ronnie Bravo
Tommy Clarkson
Luis Melgoza
Dr. Fabio Cupul
Gil Gevins
Astrid Van Dam
Charlynn Robertson
Mary Stehley
Elizabeth Ensor
Office & Sales: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R.R.
Webmaster:
PVMCITYPAPER.COM
Online Team
Cover Photo:
“Ecce homo!”
(Behold the man!)
by Antonio Ciseri - 1871
PV Mirror es una publicación semanal.
Certificados de licitud de título y contenido
en tramite. Prohibida la reproducción total o
parcial de su contenido, imágenes y/o fotografías
sin previa autorización por escrito del editor.
An important notice
The PVMIRROR wants to hear your
views and comments. Please send
them as part of an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Not exceeding 250 words, and include
your full name, street or e-mail address
and/or telephone number
for verification purposesonly.
If you do not want your name published,
we will respect your wishes.
Letters and articles become the property
of the PVMIRROR and may be edited
and/or condensed for publication.
Note:
To Advertisers & Contributors
and those with public interest
announcements, the deadline
for publication is:
2:00 pm on Monday of the
week prior to publication.
Sound Off
Our sincere gratitude is extended to the staff at Casa Karma for their
support of the guests throughout their special week here, and to Mavi,
Tori, and Hector for making this an amazingly enchanted evening for
all in attendance.
Chris Amo
Dear Editor,
We live in PV for half the year and love it here. I decided this past fall
to buy a used SUV and was advised to buy from a dealer, so after some
research decided to buy a 2010 Honda CRV. In October, Avante Honda
told me that they had one coming in on a trade. It was a very specific
2010 Red CRV with 63,000. KM. Even though my Spanish is limited
there was no question about the year.
On 11/27 after inspecting the car, I gave them a check for $204,000.
pesos which included the license and transfer, plus an extended
warrantee to 100KM, but the 60 km warrantee service had to be paid
for, which I went and paid ($2741.31 pesos). Then I went to pick up the
CRV and after initialing the bottom corner of all the paperwork, I asked
for the Warrantee Service book, which they then gave me for a 2009
CRV. I said they had made a mistake, and they denied ever telling me
it was a 2010 but a 2009. I was shocked and went to see the General
Manager of Honda the next morning and explained the situation thru
his secretary, and he asked if I had signed the papers. I said I was stupid
for not reading them carefully, but had complete trust in Honda. He
said he would investigate and call me the next day. I never heard from
him. My friend and R/E agent called on my behalf, and they told him
that I should leave the car with all the papers, keys and receipts and they
would get me a replacement 2010 while I went home for the holidays.
When I returned in January, I asked about the car and was told they
were working on a replacement. On March 5th, after 3 months and nine
days and constant badgering about getting my money back, I finally got
a check for $195,000 MN. They cheated me out of $11,741.31 pesos. I
was really dumb for not reading the small print, but they are not honest
business people.
My insurance agent referred me to Alexandra Glez of OAATRE the
government agency for the protection of tourists and part time residents;
this very nice women took up my claim with Honda which produced
no results except for their denials of any responsibility or fault. I have
waited a month to send this letter in the hope that I might at least get an
apology. Buyers Beware!
Barry Golin
Dear Mr. Golin,
Did you file an official complaint with PROFECO, Mexico’s
Consumer Protection Agency? Did OAATRE do that on your behalf?
If not, I suggest you do so. You have nothing to lose and everything to
gain.
The Ed.
Issue 285
April 2014
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6
Within PV
From the Saturday Market Co-0p…
By Charlynn Robertson
Making
new
friendships
in Puerto Vallarta is common.
Elevating that friendship into an
instant business success isn’t.
That’s exactly what Carolyn Little
and Roberta Seeburgher, also
known as the “Bag Ladies” did.
They were introduced by other fun
friends. At the time, Roberta was
making bags from recycled plastic.
The women thought they were
perfect for bringing tequila home
in, so they began making them for
friends. Soon, Carolyn was making
embroidered cloth bags to give as
gifts, too.
Others
encouraged
these
new friends to sell their bags.
Agreeing, they came up with new
designs. They didn’t just focus
on the bags fabric; they added
fun, unique ways to decorate
them with fabric ties and charms.
The bags are excellent for giving
a two-for-one gift. Sure, these
colorful bags can be used to
carry wine. But, just think about
receiving or giving coffee beans,
a candle, gourmet olive oil, or even
a rolled-up t-shirt in one of these
magnificent bags. They are better
than any paper gift wrap and can
be used repeatedly. The bags pack
easily in a suitcase for travel, too.
While Carolyn and Roberta create
most of the designs, they listen to
customer feedback. They recently
added a short and tall version of the
recycled plastic bag to their product
line on the recommendation of a
customer. These bags are wildly
popular.
As first-year vendors at the
market, the women like meeting
great people, both the other
vendors and customers under the
comfortable, shaded palapa. Plus,
the wonderful smells of the market
make this a fantastic environment
for selling their beautiful creations.
Ivan and Eric are new to their
business and to the market, too. As
owners of Organic PV, they brought
the successes of their retail locations
on Venustiano Carranza and now
Basillo Badillo, to the market.
Organic PV’s goal is to nourish
Issue 285
April 2014
each body and soul, ensuring
people have the opportunity to eat
as healthy as they can.
Absent of hormones and
preservatives, Organic PV products
are already famous… delicious
sprouted tostadas and hummus,
along with other fabulous offerings.
Their hummus is homemade
and includes cilantro, plain, and
chipotle options. Ivan and Eric also
expanded Organic PV’s product
line to include frozen yogurt and a
number of gluten-free selections.
Organic PV also carries the superior
products of another market vendor,
Jan Saridakis.
The Organic PV
leaders
like
the
intimacy
of
the
market. Ivan and Eric
value the opportunity
to
build
one-onone
relationships
with their customers
and other vendors.
They appreciate the
environment
where
all
vendors
work
together for the good
of everyone within
the market and in the
community at large.
That good includes ensuring
that all vendors are represented.
Pictured along with this article
are Jan and Paul, whose specialty
foods and hand painted tableware
were featured March 29.
The Saturday Market Co-Op is
open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every
Saturday of the year at the Paradise
Community Center, 127 Pulpito,
across from Coco’s Kitchen.
Within PV
7
The history of handbags
By Mary Stehley
E
very woman has at least one,
or five or ten. Even men carry bags,
murses, as they are called. Purses,
pouches, or bags have been around
since humans have needed to carry
precious items. While “handbags”
as a term did not exist until the midnineteenth century, ancient pouches
made of leather or cloth were used
to hold valuables and coins. Ancient
Egyptian hieroglyphs show men
wearing purses around the waist, and
the Bible specifically identifies Judas
Iscariot as a purse carrier. Handbags
have historically been both the carriers
of secrets and the signifiers of power,
status, and beauty.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, both
men and women attached pouches to
the most important feature of medieval
garb: the girdle. The drawstring purse
would hang from the girdle on a long
cord and would vary according to the
fashion, status, and lifestyle of the
wearer. Women particularly favored
ornate drawstring purses which were
known as “hamondeys” or “tasques”.
During the 16th and 17th centuries,
women’s skirts expanded to enormous
proportions. Consequently, the small
girdle purses were easily lost in the
large amounts of fabric. Rather than
wear girdle pouches outside on their
belt, women began to wear their
pouches under their skirts, and men
wore pockets, called “bagges”, made
of leather, inside their pants.
After the French Revolution, the
full skirts became less popular in
favor of a more slender and narrow
dress. Purses came back out into the
open in the form of “indispensables”
as the English tended to call them,
suggesting that women had already
largely developed a dependence on
their handbags.
With the advent of the railroad, bags
were about to experience a revolution.
As more people traveled by train and
more women became more mobile,
professional luggage makers turned
the skills of horse travel into those
for train travel, and soon the term
“handbag” emerged to describe these
new hand-held luggage bags. Many
of the top names of today’s handbags
got their start as luggage makers. For
example, Hermes bags were founded
in 1837 by Thierry Hermes, a harness
and saddle maker. Louis Vuitton
was a luggage packer for the Parisian
rich. Modern handbags still allude to
luggage with their pockets, fastenings,
frames, locks, and keys.
After WWI, perhaps the most
important development in handbags was
the “pochette,” a type of handle-less
clutch, often decorated with dazzling
geometric and jazz motifs, which women
would tuck under their arms to give them
an air of nonchalant youth.
By the 1930s, most of the bags used
today had been invented, including the
classic handbag which had handles
and a clasp frame, the clutch (a
variation of the pochette), the satchel,
and the shoulder bag. The 1930 bag
reflected the Art Deco style which
highlighted abstraction and celebrated
new industrial materials, such as
plastic and zippers.
WWII saw the smooth contours of
the 1930s fashion change to a more
military look. Bags became larger,
squarer, and more practical, reflecting
a desire to appear self-sufficient.
Issue 285
As zippers, mirrors, and leather
became scarce, designers turned
to wood or plastic for frames and
employed new synthetics such as rayon.
The drawstring bag reappeared and
was often homemade. In France and
the U.S., as more women entered the
workforce, they turned to shoulder bags.
The post war economic boon of
the 1950s catapulted handbags into
cult status. Major designers such as
Vuitton, Hermes, and Chanel enjoyed
a culture where accessorizing and color
coordinating were held to an almost
moral standard. In addition, Christian
Dior’s new style, introduced in 1947,
emphasized long skirts and tiny waists.
As the antithesis of the military style,
this new look signaled a decade of
femininity where a very small bag
implied beauty and sophistication.
During the 1960s, rules of
“appropriate” dress relaxed in response
to the women’s movement and the rise
of the youth culture. As the rules of
correct dressing began to breakdown,
the narrow long clutch was one of the
earliest types of handbags to make the
transition into the age of informality
and youth fashion because it had always
been thought suitable for a youthful
April 2014
look. The small and dainty shoulder
bag with long chains or thin straps also
became popular because it kept with
the informal qualities of the miniskirt.
In the late 1960s, larger satchels
and fabric shoulder bags began to
be popular. As opposed to machinemade goods, Afghan coats and bags,
patchwork and embroidery, and
former army shoulder bags also
became popular. By the end of the
1970s, slung shoulder bags returned
with lots of buckles and zippers.
In the ‘80s a growing concern for
health and fitness was the catalyst for
the emergence of the sports bag. In
1985, Miuccia Prada introduced the
black nylon knapsack that become the
first totally unisex bag. By the early
1990s, small designer bags with giant
Hs and CCs were everywhere, and
only the trained eye could tell the real
from the fake.
At Faith Colectiva we offer a
wide selection of bags, from the instyle fringed leather shoulder bag
and the fisherman’s backpack from
Guatemela, to the recycled huipil bag,
there is something for everyone. Faith
Colectiva is located at 314 Basilio
Badillo in Old Town.
8
Within PV
About the pets…
N
umerous organizations have
been created over the last few years
to help our furry friends in Puerto
Vallarta, strays, abandoned, mistreated,
lost, hurt, etc. To mention but a few:
PEACE, PuRR Project, AngeliCat,
MexPup, SPCA, and of course, the
Centro de Acopio Animal
(the city’s pound / shelter,
tel.: 293-3690).
And
we shouldn’t forget to
mention all the local
Facebook pages dedicated
to the same goals.
AngeliCat – cares for
anywhere between 60
and 90 cats at any one
time, mostly rescued
from the Acopio. For
the last few years, it has
been organizing adoption
days in Plaza Caracol
and other venues, where
they also bring in dogs
from the Acopio. It is run by Norma
Angélica Barrera Torres and Melissa
Suneson who, even without the support
they need, have made much progress
due exclusively to their tenacious
perseverance, good will and love for
the animals. They are in constant need
of donations and volunteers to help
them care for the cats. If you want to
help these two tireless ladies, please
contact them via Facebook at www.
facebook.com/angeliCATMexico or
call Cell: 044 (322) 108-0129.
The SPCA de PV (www.spcapv.
com) was founded 7 years ago by Janice
Chatterton, owner of the Hacienda San
Angel Boutique Hotel. It initiated
weekly adoption days at Los Mangos
Public Library, Saturdays 10 a.m. to
2 p.m., and at the Old Town Farmers’
Market, same day,
same times.
Needing
a
shelter for those
dogs and cats
that were not
adopted, it built
an ultra-modern
facility near Playa
Grande -complete
with a veterinary
operating room- a
few years ago: the
SPCA Sanctuary.
All
funding
comes
from
private donations
acquired
through
fundraising
events as it is not supported by the
government, corporations, foundations
or businesses. Financial donations are
always needed. Monies received will
be applied where the need is greatest.
On Tuesdays, SPCA volunteers lead
groups to the Sanctuary, where visitors
Issue 285
can interact with all the furries there,
take them on walks, play with them, etc.
For much information, photos,
contacts, etc., you can also find the
SPCA de PV on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/spcapv and, if you’re
up in Canada as you read this, check
them out at www.facebook.com/
PVCACanada
PEACE, led by
Gretchen DeWitt here
in Vallarta, offers free
weekly Spay & Neuter
clinics
throughout
the year, in different
locations all around
the Bay of Banderas.
It too is funded solely
by private donations.
PEACE recently received a grant
of € 7,000. EUROS (!!) from the
Fondation Brigitte Bardot – enough to
pay for a little more than 6 full clinics.
Result: 579 animals were sterilized
thanks to the great French actress’
generosity and love of animals!
PEACEANIMALS
has
taxdeductible status in the U.S., Canada
and Mexico. Re Canadian donations:
NOBARS, a Canadian-based dog
April 2014
rescue organization, is able to process
donations to PEACEAnimals without
taking a commission. For information
regarding donations,
clinic times and
places, please visit
www.peaceanimals.
org On Facebook:
www.facebook.com/
PeaceAnimals?fref=ts
The PuRR Project
is a no-kill cat shelter
located just north of
PV, with some 150
resident felines. It began with Monica
Aguirre’s Rancho Felino out in Bahía
de Banderas, Nayarit. Her generosity
welcomed over 100 felines cared for
by the volunteer of the now defunct
Asociación Protectora de Animales
(APA, founded by Lucy Muñoz and
Gil Gevins).
The endless influx of cats from people
who did not want them weakened
Within PV
Monica’s health to the point where she
sold the ranch on the condition that it
would continue to function as a nokill cat shelter, and
that’s when the PuRR
Project stepped in.
The place is indeed a
small paradise for cats,
which is now home to
some 150 felines.
Situated on a halfacre parcel of land,
the adult population
roams free within
lush green gardens - a
natural environment.
Kittens reside in the Kitten Nursery - a
large structure with a small patio - open
air concept. PuRR Project also has an
on-site clinic with daily veterinarian
services. There is a “group litter box”
in our gardens to keep our grounds
clean – it even has a roof for rain
protection! If you visit, beware - you
may not be able to leave PuRR Project
empty handed!
PuRR Project is NOT a rescue
organization, though it will usually
accept felines that YOU rescue. The
Project’s mission is to provide homeless
cats and kittens a recuperative stay with
the ultimate goal to adopt them out to
loving homes sterilized, vaccinated
and disease free - through their own
efforts as well as collaboratively with
other animal welfare organizations and
veterinarians. Its vision is to reduce in
significant numbers the suffering that
homeless cats and kittens endure …and
it is always in great need of funding,
volunteers, food and medical supplies
and welcomes your visit to their stand
to see how you can make a difference.
For more information, please visit
www.purrproject.com On Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/PuRR-Project
If you’re interested in adopting a kitty
to make your life complete, please do
consider visiting the Project or dropping
in to see some of them at Plaza Marina
on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or
Saturdays at the Co-op Market at the
Paradise Community Center (127
Pulpito, across the street from Coco’s
Kitchen) from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
MexPup is a non-profit dog rescue
organization, born from “what now?”,
“what can I do?” and “I need help!”
People saw hurt, frightened and
9
homeless dogs that needed help in Puerto Vallarta and made the
decision to stop, protect those animals and make a difference.
MexPup’s all volunteer group comprises citizens of Mexico, the
U.S. and Canada, who all collaborate
in a process that takes a homeless dog
from the streets of Mexico, to a foster
home in Puerto Vallarta for recovery
and spay/neuter, to a Guardian Angel
volunteer who transports the MexPup
from Vallarta’s airport to an airport
in Canada or the U.S., to a MexPup
foster home, and finally to the nolonger-homeless MexPup’s new
forever family.
Mission statement: Everyone who
works for, volunteers with or supports
MexPup shares a bond created by a shared empathy for the homeless
dogs of Mexico. That communal connection to animals is what
drives our mission to serve the best interests of the homeless animal
community in PV. We make a difference. With your help we can do
even more. For more information, please visit www.mexpup.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MexPup
Did you know you can travel with animals from Puerto Vallarta?
If you rescue a street dog or cat or adopt one from the SPCA, you
take it back to the US or Canada! Very few airlines have restrictions
but many are accommodating. If an airline has a restriction, the
SPCA can help find a traveler for your new furry family member.
Issue 285
April 2014
10
The 7 Arts
Under the Lights
As the Christian world prepares for Easter, the Boutique Performing
Arts Centre is closing for Easter Sunday so families can be together
and celebrate in their own way this very special time of the year. In
keeping with the spirit of the season, the Thursday movie will be
Easter Parade starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. 7 p.m.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat is a family show that you
and your family will want to see this
Easter holiday season. This show has
been a constant crowd pleaser with
dynamic choreography, music & vocals.
Monday 7 p.m.
Still Crazy for Patsy takes the
best of the Patsy Cline shows and
presents them in a nostalgic evening
of songs from the Queen of Country
Music. Mikki Prost has fans that
attend her shows every year and
the Boutique is proud to host her.
Tuesday 7 p.m.
In Studio ‘B’, the Spanish comedy Princesas Desesperadas will run
Thursdays and Fridays throughout April at 8:30 p.m. The story of 4
wilting princesses 15 years after their prime as directed by Ramiro
Daniel is a delightful look at aging.
Here’s this weeks line-up:
Basilio Badillo at Naranjo Box
Office 044-322-728-6878
www.theboutiquepv.com
Issue 285
April 2014
The 7 Arts
11
New location downtown
and at The St Regis in Punta Mita
For its 12
season in Puerto Vallarta, Galería
Corsica has moved to a different location to what
used to be the house of renowned artist Jesús
Botello “Tellosa”, right across the street from the
Café des Artistes tower, and just a few steps away
from where it used to be located for the last 12
years.
During all these years, Galería Corsica has
represented more than 50 Mexican and Latin
American artists and has performed a large
number of solo and collective exhibitions
in their premises or cultural art venues. The
gallery has worked with museums including the
Dolores Olmedo Museum, the José Luis Cuevas
Museum, the Palacio del Arzobispado Museum
and the Universidad Metropolitana Museum - all
of them located in Mexico City, and it has also
participated in national and international art fairs.
Activities have also diversified to producing
exhibitions in alternative spaces and partnership
projects with other galleries at a national and
international level.
The new space has six rooms to display
outstanding fine art pieces coming from all over
Mexico and, starting this season, Latin America.
After focusing from the very beginning on
Mexican Fine Art, partners Jean Pierre Renucci
and José Villavicencio have decided to broaden
up to art from countries like Colombia and Cuba.
Particularly interesting is the courtyard, where
you can see “outdoor art” - a space filled with
bronze sculptures out in the open which are a true
delight for your senses.
This year, Galería Corsica has also opened a
new space at the St. Regis Hotel in Punta Mita,
th
Issue 285
right at the entrance, where they display some
of the artists that have made them earn their
good reputation, together with new ones since
the owners always keep on looking to add more
talent to their artist catalogue. At the St. Regis,
art is displayed not only in their own space, but
also in different places such as the lobby and
the outdoor areas.
Showcasing a wide range of the best
traditional and contemporary Mexican fine
art, Galeria Corsica is the right place for
the discriminating collector and for anyone
interested in top Mexican fine art.
Galería Corsica is located at 756 Guadalupe
Sánchez in downtown Puerto Vallarta and has
an exclusive exhibiting space at the St. Regis
Hotel in Punta Mita. Phone: 223-1821.
www.galeriacorsica.com
Every Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m.
April 2014
12
The 7 Arts
Your Comments
[email protected]
Dear Editor,
Tuesday, April 15th, is the final
day for this season of Galeria
Pacifico’s free Public Sculpture
Walking Tours which I lead.
I wanted to thank you and the
PV Mirror for doing so much to
help publicize it. In addition,
the many beautiful photos of the
public sculptures that you’ve
published throughout the season
help us all to remember what a
treasure we have here in Puerto
Vallarta, both on the Malecon and
throughout the city.
I’d like to thank all the artists
for their contributions in providing
these sculptures, but I’d especially
like to thank Fernando Baños,
who under the name Mathis
Lidice, created the Millennium
sculpture at the far north end of
the Malecon, and Jim Demetro,
who created the famous sculpture
“Vallarta Dancers” as well as the
“Woman Washing Clothes” and
most recently, the burro sculpture
in Lazarro Cardenas Park entitled,
“Andale, Bernardo!” They both
have showed up nearly every
Tuesday morning since midNovember to discuss their creations
and explain the interesting details
of how they came to be.
Kevin Simpson of Colektica
and Peyote People Galleries
has shared his knowledge of the
Huichol Indian symbols embedded
in the pavement of the Malecon.
Jimmy Ellis represented our
public library, the Biblioteca Los
Mangos, and accepted donations
from many attendees, resulting in
$2,500. US Dollars last season.
Sandra Cesca of Learn Vallarta
provided hand-outs describing the
sculptures, and Marcello Alcaraz
of the Hotel Rosita has helped
by providing chairs for people
listening to Mathis Lidice explain
his Millennium sculpture next to
the hotel.
Thanks again to you and to all of
them, and I hope those interested
will join us on Tuesday the 15th
by coming to the Millennium
Sculpture at 9:30 AM.
Best Regards,
Solution to crossword on page 31
Gary Thompson
Owner/Director
Galeria Pacifico
Solution to Sudoku on page 31
Issue 285
April 2014
The 7 Arts
13
Looking ahead at Act II STAGES
Who says “The Season” ends in April in Vallarta?
We at Act II STAGES plan on continuing great programming all
year long! You are invited to visit ENCORE! PIANO BAR for great
sing-a-long favorites and drink specials. ENCORE! is open TuesdaySunday, with live music from Wednesday to Sunday at 6 p.m. …until
the fun stops! Come hear fabulous pianists and other great musicians in
our elegant new bar! ENCORE! is not only the newest and only piano
bar of its kind in Vallarta; it’s also a great place to have a party! Make us
your air-conditioned hang-out as the weather warms up.
Act II continues its commitment to the National community this
season by producing, co-producing and showcasing a variety of Spanishlanguage programming including children’s theater. We are excited to
be interacting and blending the talents of our entire community!
ENCORE!
HAPPENING THIS WEEK AT ACT II STAGES
TAPESTRY, a journey back to the music of
Carole King, on the MAIN STAGE at 8:00.
DWIGHT BLAKE brings you one more show!
Chock full of Motown hits, Dwight’s show literally has people up and
dancing in the RED ROOM CABARET at 10:00.
Saturday April 12 - TAPESTRY 8:00 MAIN STAGE
DUELING DRAG DIVAS
in THE RED ROOM 10:00
Sunday April 13 - KIM KUZMA in ACUSTICO
Las Anecdotas del Miembre MAIN STAGE 8:00
Drag Race Vallarta MAIN STAGE 10:00
Monday April 14 - OFF THE CUFF - an open mic night, hosted
by Lamar Lewis, whom you have enjoyed this season in A CHORUS
LINE, A BILLION YEARS TOO SOON and TAPESTRY. Share your art,
musings, poetry and music in THE RED ROOM 8:00.
ENCORE! will be open on this Monday for your enjoyment as well!
Tuesday April 15 - TAPESTRY 8:00 MAIN STAGE
Friday April 11 -
Issue 285
Wednes. April 16 - FRIDA SHOW! A dance interpretation
of the life of Frida Kahlo. This beautiful tribute
is at 8:00 MAIN STAGE
Thursday April 17 - TAPESTRY 8:00 MAIN STAGE
Friday April 18 - TAPESTRY 8:00 MAIN STAGE
Las Canciones de Mi Merte
Saturday April 19 - Las Anecdotas del Miembre MAIN STAGE 8:00
Un Amore Mis Tiempes de Lenera
New Box Office Hours: 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday
Tickets may also be purchased at
www.vallartatickets.com / www.actiientertainment.com
April 2014
14
The 7 Arts
By Joe Harrington
Divergent
T
his movie is a Sci-Fi along the
lines of The Hunger Games, Time Out,
V for Vengeance, Legend, Ender’s
Game or Brazil. Those movies involve
a distant future where mankind has
developed different forms of society and none of them democratic.
How does Divergent do against that
formidable list? Damned well.
Breaking down elements: plot
first. I think the plot is more logical
and believable than (I shudder at the
emails I will get for this blasphemy)
The Hunger Games One and Two.
Why? The masses will put up with a
lot from government – just consider
Americans allowing their politicians
to anoint themselves as royalty. And
any governing body that exempts
itself from the laws it passes on its
citizens has donned figurative purple
robes. But fooling with a family’s
kids crosses the line and has through
all history. In reality, all districts
would have risen up in revolt the first
time the leaders described the rules of
the Hunger Games. Take my thirteenyear old to a contest involving death
until the last person standing
and have him face off with
eighteen-year olds?
Sorry,
the streets would be full of
bloodthirsty parents carrying
torches and pitchforks.
The movie Divergent divides
people into five separate groups:
Erudite, Dauntless, Candor,
Amity and Abnegation. Makes
sense as what has been tried
in the past led to nuclear war
wiping out most of mankind so what
the heck, time to try something new.
Cinematography: great, CGI alive
and well, but not used as much as most
action / adventure movies do. The
futuristic world, which is Chicago
surrounded by an enormous fence, is
very realistic – though grim. Which
is in itself realistic as the rest of the
world has finally done itself in.
Acting: Great, on par with all the
movies mentioned above. Characters
are not static – Shailene Woodley and
Theo James grow – she by being shy
at first, into a true warrior, he by being
cold and calculating, into a giving,
loving person. The only one who is
static is the villain Kate Winslet.
All members of the cast give an A
performance.
Issue 285
Logic: only one thing jumped out
with the faint whiff of toro methane
was a rather forced, yet thankfully
short, use of the cliché: “True love
conquers all.” It can, but not when
faced with one lover turned into a
walking drone with no emotions at all.
But except for that strike one there
were no, “Strike two or strike three
you’re out.”
This is a long movie – 139 minutes
– but does not feel like it is that long.
I can’t remember whether I used the
following last month, but remember
thinking about using it and am too
lazy to check whether I did or not, but
Roger Ebert once wrote, “No good
movie is too long and no bad movie
too short.”
The movie reveals a huge
discrepancy between critics and
audience. The critics, by and large
(only got 40%) panned it. The
audience did not, giving it almost
double - a whopping approval of 78%.
The movie is based on the first book
of a trilogy written by Veronica Roth.
April 2014
She was only 22 and still in college
when the first was published.
The other two, which will become
the franchise, are called Insurgent and
Allegiant.
It is inevitable to pit this movie to
the similar Hunger Games franchise.
And, also similar, it appeals to
teenage gals rather than teen lads. In
the theater I attended there were six
teenage women who entered together.
They were very quiet until the lead
male and female kissed - then you
would have thought you were at a rock
concert rather than a movie house.
Recommendation: This is well
worth your time and money. I have
complained in the past that movies
seem to be becoming clones of each
other – either remakes or sequels –
but this flick has many scenes that are
not only visually stunning and fresh
feeling, but also actually creative.
The candidates are put through mental
tests that involve drugging them and
having them face their worst fears.
This happens around four times
during the course of the film and then
once more bringing it all together
wonderfully and satisfying near the
conclusion.
Kudos to all involved in this fine
production.
Joe
Is an internationally published
true crime writer and
documentary filmmaker.
Send comments or criticism to
[email protected]
Artwork by Bob Crabb.
Good Bites
Quinoa gets a seat at the Seder table
T
hose who adhere to the traditional
dietary laws of Passover by avoiding
the grains wheat, rye, barley, oats
and spelt, and swapping leavened
bread for matzo, may be interested to
know that they have a new option this
year: quinoa - the tiny, ancient, highly
nutritious grain originally from Peru,
now available in Puerto Vallarta.
For the first time, the Orthodox
Union, the authority on all things
kosher, has given its “kosher for
Passover” seal of approval to certain
brands of the ubiquitous superfood.
Quinoa is delicious, texturally
interesting, and compatible with
enough other ingredients to give it a
wonderful range on your Passover
seder table.
Quinoa Pilaf with Asparagus & Leeks
Enjoy this plain as a side dish,
or heap it into grilled Portobello
mushrooms for more of an entrée. The
pilaf keeps well in a tightly covered
container in the refrigerator for up to 5
days and reheats easily in a microwave
or on the stovetop. Same with the
mushrooms. The best way to clean
leeks is to cut them first (in this case,
very thin circles) and then submerge
them in a bowl of cold water. Swish
them around, then lift them out and
into a colander. Change the water
and repeat, then spin and/or pat dry. 6
servings.
15
When the leek is very soft, add the
garlic, asparagus, and ¼ teaspoon of
the salt, and cook, stirring often, until
the asparagus is just tender - about 5
minutes, depending on its thickness.
Fork in the cooked, fluffed quinoa, and
stir to combine, adding the remaining
¼ teaspoon salt and a generous amount
of black pepper as you go. Stir in the
feta as well. If the mixture seems
dry, you can drizzle in a little extra
olive oil. Serve hot or warm, plain or
stuffed into mushrooms.
(Source: http://www.jewishledger.com)
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1½ cups water
1 tablsp olive oil (plus extra to taste)
1 heaping cup very thin leek rings
(1 medium leek) - cleaned and dried
1 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
½ pound asparagus,
trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into tiny dice
Directions:
Combine the quinoa and water in a
saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the
heat to the slowest possible simmer,
cover, and cook (with a heat diffuser,
if available, inserted underneath)
until the grains are tender - 20 to 30
minutes. Remove from the heat and
fluff with a fork to let steam escape.
Set aside. Place a large, deep skillet
over medium heat and wait about a
minute, then add the olive oil and
swirl to coat the pan. Toss in the leek
rings, and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Issue 285
Natural dyes for Easter eggs
Ingredients
Red: 2 pounds beets, peeled, diced
Yellow/tan: 1 pound onion skins
Yellow/ orange: 1½ cup (1.9 ounce)
jar turmeric
Purple: 2 small heads red cabbage,
sliced
Warm brown: 1 (6-cup) pot of
strong coffee
Distilled white vinegar
Directions
For all but the coffee color, in a 5 quart saucepan add 1 vegetable or
ingredient. Add 4 quarts water, bring to a boil and cook for 1/2 hour
or until the color is very dark. Allow to cool to room temperature and
strain out vegetables. Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar and then add
hard boiled eggs to each color. Refrigerate overnight. For the coffee
color: brew the coffee. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add 1/4 cup
distilled white vinegar, add hard boiled eggs, refrigerate overnight.
(Source: www.foodnetwork.com)
Editor’s Note: The colors can be blended for different effects, and I’m
sure you could get some beautiful blues using the same procedure with
blueberries or blackberries.
April 2014
16
Issue 285
Map
April 2014
Map
Issue 285
17
April 2014
18
Beyond PV
Easter… Passover… Semana Santa… Pascua…
In Mexico, Easter celebrations are held over
a period of two weeks: Semana Santa (Holy
Week - Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday)
and Pascua (Resurrection Sunday until the
following Saturday).
This year, Semana Santa is celebrated from
April 13th to 19th, and Pascua from April 20th
to 26th.
Christian churches distribute palms on Palm
Sunday to commemorate Christ’s triumphal
entrance into Jerusalem, when palm branches
were placed in His path, before His arrest and
Crucifixion on Good Friday.
We know that Easter must always occur
on a Sunday, because Sunday was the day of
Christ’s Resurrection; and the 14th day of the
paschal full moon because that was the date
of Passover in the Jewish calendar, and Jesus’
Last Supper (Holy Thursday - also known as
Maundy Thursday, Jueves Santo in Spanish)
at which Christ instituted the Mass and the
Sacrament of Holy Communion. Thus Easter
is linked to the Jewish Passover not only for
much of its symbolism, but also for its position
in the calendar.
Since Mexico is predominantly a Catholic
country (over 90% of Mexicans practice
Catholicism to some extent), Holy Week is
a very important holiday, as is the Christmas
season.
During Semana Santa, worshippers
participate in reenactments of the Passion, with
participants costumed in full regalia (which
you can watch in Vallarta on the Malecon, on
Good Friday), from Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem
to his crucifixion and resurrection.
On Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos),
weavers create and sell elaborate woven fronts
which are later hung on doors of Mexican
homes to ward off evil. Good Friday (Santo
Viernes) commemorates the trial, crucifixion,
death, and burial of Jesus, with silent
processions in the streets of many cities. Holy
Saturday (Sabado de Gloria) commemorates
the day when Jesus rested in the grave. Some
communities celebrate by burning paper maché
Issue 285
effigies of Judas. Easter Sunday (Domingo de
Resurrección or Pascua) commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus.
Semana Santa and Pascua are THE time
when half of Mexico flocks to the beaches
- a Mexican spring break …and the time
when most PV residents go into a form of
cocooning to avoid it, as they often do during
the Christmas holidays.
Easter’s relationship to Passover
Of all the Jewish holidays, Pesach is the one
most commonly observed, even by otherwise
non-observant Jews. As it has done for the last
few decades, the Jewish community of Puerto
Vallarta will get together in various places on
Monday, April 14th, to celebrate this tradition
that recalls the Jews’ Exodus from Egypt after
generations of slavery. The second Seder, on
the second night of Passover (celebrated by
Jews in the Diaspora, i.e.: not living in Israel)
occurs on Tuesday night in 2014.
The word “Pesach” (PAY-sahch) comes
from the Hebrew, meaning to pass through, to
pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to
the fact that G-d “passed over” the houses of
the Jews when he was slaying the firstborns
of Egypt. “Pesach” is also the name of the
sacrificial paschal lamb that was made in the
Temple on this holiday.
April 2014
Probably the most significant observance
related to Pesach involves the removal of
chametz (leaven) from Jewish homes for the
week. This symbolizes the fact that the Jews
leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not
have time to let their bread rise. It is also a
symbolic way of removing the “puffiness”
(arrogance, pride) from Jewish souls.
At the Seder, the “Haggadah” is read,
telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt
and explaining some of the practices and
symbols of the holiday. Among the symbolic
items consumed during the reading –prior to
the meal itself- are maror – a bitter vegetable
that symbolizes the bitterness of slavery, and
charoset – a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon
and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used
by the Jews in building during their slavery.
To all our readers: the entire staff of the PV
Mirror City Paper wishes you a most Happy
Easter and Hag Sameach!
“There are a number of spiritual, historical
and physical elements of Passover and the
Seder that call us to address the global climate
crisis. In our generation, we need to look at
how modern Pharaohs - Big Oil, Big Coal, Big
Auto - are endangering the Earth and human
society, and bringing plagues on us.” - Rabbi
Arthur Waskow, author of “Passover as if
Earth Really Matters”.
Beyond PV
19
Destination of the week: Los Cabos
don’t care about sports, there is a lot to
do: Los Cabos has some of the finest
restaurants and stores in Mexico. I am
sure you will have a good time!
By Astrid Van Dam
Hi Astrid,
What is the easiest way to travel
from Vallarta to Los Cabos?
Angela
Hi Angela,
There is only one (smaller) airline
that provides flights between Vallarta
and Los Cabos, with a 20-minute stop
in Mazatlan, which is Aerocalafia.
They have their office in Plaza Caracol
where you can buy tickets. Be aware
that they use small planes only, and
that you can only pack light and the
rates are pretty high. It is by far the
fastest way to travel between
Vallarta and Los Cabos. In
Los Cabos they do not land
at the International Airport,
but at a smaller regional
airport, which by the way is
closer to most hotels than the
International airport.
When I went to Los Cabos
myself, I first drove to
Guadalajara, and took Interjet,
my favorite Mexican airline,
with a direct flight. This is
far more economical but it takes more
time.
Los Cabos is one of the few
destinations in Mexico that I do not
know really well myself. I guess that
the stories of being an expensive, and
really touristic destination, have held
me back for many years to get to know
it. But the first time I went, I was
pleasantly surprised and actually regret
that I never got to know it before. It
is one of the most visited destinations
in Mexico, mainly because of its short
distance from the US.
Los Cabos is the most Southern point
of the Baja California Peninsula, where
the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, or
the Gulf of California as many people
call it. The Baja peninsula is one of
the largest in the world, stretching
over 1300 kilometers. Los Cabos can
be divided in Cabo San Lucas and San
Jose del Cabo.
San Jose del Cabo is the more
authentic Mexican village with a
beautiful church on the main square
Issue 285
and some unique little stores, as
well as small restaurants. Cabo San
Lucas however, is an ultramodern
destination with enormous villas
along the ocean and huge, mostly
All-Inclusive hotels and a modern,
lively marina. Most nightclubs are
located here as well, just as many
golf courses. It’s actually the most
important destination in Mexico for
golf. The climate is dry, you will
see cactus all over, and it’s hot!
Of course, a must when visiting
Los Cabos is a boat trip to El Arco
- The Arch -, which became the
symbol of Los Cabos. Just go to the
Marina and you can shop around to
see which boat will suit you best. You
can go to Lovers’ beach close by too,
which at one side has the rough waters
of the Pacific and at the other the calm
waters of the Sea of Cortez. There are
no facilities on that beach though, so
bring your own stuff!
Sportfishermen are happy campers
in Los Cabos, and so are whale
watchers in the winter. But even if you
April 2014
Astrid Van Dam
Every week, Mexico expert Astrid
Van Dam writes about different
destinations in Mexico. Astrid is a
Federally-licensed guide for tours
in the whole country (!) who has
guided hundreds of trips in Mexico,
Guatemala, Belize and Honduras.
For any travel advice in Mexico, or
if you have any questions about a
specific destination in Mexico, just ask
her! Feel free to send her an email to:
[email protected]
Your question -and her responsemight be published in one of the
next issues of the Mirror.
20
Vallarta Voices
By Anna Reisman
T
he movie was called “Planes,
trains and automobiles”, but as there
are no trains around here, I can’t use
it to start my column this week… In
the case of Puerto Vallarta, for the
next few days, people will be arriving
by air, land and sea, on planes, buses,
pick-up trucks, cars, private boats
and cruise ships. According to the
authorities’ figures over the last couple
of years, we’re talking approximately
10,000 cars that will have to be added
to the 100,000+ registered vehicles in
the area, but it will look like more.
Along the road leading to
Mismaloya, there will be cars parked
along the shoulders on both sides, all
the way south from Conchas Chinas.
This will be the 20th Easter period I’ll
be spending here, and every year, once
it’s all over, I say “never have I seen
anything like it”.
This is the time when we year ‘round
residents begin our two-week long
“hibernation”, a.k.a. cocooning. We
stock our pantries and refrigerators so
we won’t have to venture too far from
our homes because traffic becomes a
nightmare as our “nationals” descend
on our little paradise to enjoy their
Easter holidays. The beaches are
packed and parking is impossible. A
couple of years ago, four generations
of a family -14 in total- from out of
state arrived in a pick-up
truck, parked it on the street
in front of my place, and
left it there for the duration
of their vacation. No one
could maneuver around
it and there was nothing
anyone could do about it…
I noticed that all the
schmutz and construction
workers have disappeared
from Francisca Rodriguez,
the street leading to THE
pier, in time for the first
Easter holiday weekend,
as promised…
Still
looks a little naked, but once the PV
Garden Club will have put in more
plants, it will look truly beautiful to
welcome our Mexican visitors from
Querétaro, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes,
Guanajuato, Michoacan, Mexico City
and of course, Guadalajara.
I am so impressed by the work
accomplished by the Garden Club!
Most all the trees and flowers that
visitors can admire on their way into
town from the airport exist thanks
Issue 285
to the Club’s tireless work. In
conjunction and collaboration with
Vallarta’s Botanical Gardens, they’re
making Bob Price’s dream a reality:
turning our town into Bougainvillea
City. There is no doubt in anyone’s
mind that the Gardens are one of this
town’s most beautiful attractions, and
the accomplishments of Bob and his
team with that place over the years are
nothing short of extraordinary. The
man has a vision and I hope that all
who love Puerto Vallarta will help him
turn it into reality. Just the fact that
we will be celebrating the 2nd Annual
Bougainvillea Festival next month is
testimony to their work.
When friends arrive in PV for the
first time, and I offer to give them a
“tour”, I always start with the Gardens
…and then work our way back
through Boca de Tomatlán, Le Kliff,
Conchas Chinas, the Romantic Zone,
etc. etc. I should also mention that the
food at the Gardens’ Plantation House
is superb. To those of you who are
April 2014
still not familiar with the Gardens, I
suggest you check out their web site at
www.vallartabotanicalgardensac.org
On a more somber note, I was very
saddened to hear about the passing of
an old friend of ours, John Gabruk.
He died suddenly in Jamaica. Before
his brother Stan took over the “Fish
Tales” column, it was John who
delighted fishermen everywhere with
his reports in the Tribune, for years.
Our friend Lyse Rioux once wrote,
“In the time of Lent, the Church
teaches us to pray, do penance and
share. It is difficult for
tourists to do penance in
beautiful Puerto Vallarta, but
the opportunities for sharing
are endless.” How true. And
I have no doubt that each one
of us has a way of giving
back for the comfort and joy
we receive here. Small or
large, it doesn’t really matter.
It’s the effort, the intention,
that counts.
Well, I have to stop here. I
have to go shopping, to start
stocking up on provisions
before the Easter holidays
begin in full force. Besides, my
neighbors must be smoking some
of that funny grass again ‘cause the
fumes are coming into my office and
if I continue breathing them in I might
start writing some really weird stuff...
I’m too old for this.
Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Hag
Sameach, and a wonderful week to you
all. Hasta luego. [email protected]
Health Matters
21
Body & Sol
By Krystal Frost
Acupuncture and diet for your PET
I
t happened that one of my friends
suggested some acupuncture for her
lab for hip pain. I did treat the big
guy for inflammation in the hips and
added herbal support. The next day, his
guardian reported he was running up
and down the stairs, back to his old self.
This put me on the path of discovery
in applying a holistic approach
to healing our pets. It just seems
right that we should give the same
consideration to our pets as we give to
our own bodies through diet, exercise
and holistic wellness practices.
Why do we subject our animal
companions to low quality commercial
foods that are loaded with grain
fillers, color, texture, preservatives
and flavors? Why do we subject our
best 4-legged friends to strong drugs,
medicines that many times leave their
organs mitigated and their immune
systems weakened?
Maybe this
explains why many companion animals
are getting human diseases, such as
arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
A word of warning to those of you
who live in gated communities or in
and around golf courses. The amount
of pesticides and chemical used on the
green areas is alarming. Pets pick these
up on paws and fur when out walking,
then ingest these poisons when cleaning
themselves, licking paws, etc.
In Theory…
The theory behind acupuncture is
rooted in ancient Taoist and yin-yang
Asian culture.
As we understand
it, energy, composed of a balance
between yin (dark, feminine energy)
and yang (light, male energy), is
perceived to flow through the body in
meridians or channels (acupuncture
meridians). According to Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) physiology,
these channels are related to and
communicate with the internal organs.
Imbalances between yin and yang, or
interruptions or disturbances in the
flow of energy (‘Qi’), will also give rise
to disease. These principles are the
same for dog and cat acupuncture.
As with any holistic approach
to health, TCM advocates the use
of
chiropractic/massage therapy,
diet modification, herbal support
and a lifestyle review as essential
companions. This may explain
some of the failures of the modern
application of veterinary acupuncture
that is commonly performed.
Signs of illness
1. Loss of appetite, 2. Does not
groom self in the case of cats, 3.
Urinates or defecates in the house,
and those have a stronger than normal
odor, or consistency, 4. Loss of interest
in normal activities, like walking,
playing, or showing affection, 5. Acts
dizzy when walking, 6. Sad expression
and lack of luster in the eyes, 7. The
body feels hot, 8. Drooling (except for
some dog breeds, and you know who
they are…), 9. Lack of luster of the fur.
What can you and your pet expect
during a consultation?
- A physical hands-on examination
- History intake, trauma etc.
- Diet review
- Needling is usually kept to 6-10
needles for 15-20 minutes to easy pain
and address underlying health and
immune system issues.
- Herbal remedy support is prepared
with application instructions
- Diet/supplement suggestions are
reviewed.
- Results are usually noticeable
within a few hours.
- Guardian support
Pets seem to KNOW and
UNDERSTAND and be OPEN to
this type of approach. They settle
right down and relax (up to this
Issue 285
point anyway) to receive the healing.
Another observation: pets react
quickly to treatment, usually the same
day, and require fewer treatments then
their human counter part, as animalitos
have little or no emotional agenda
attached to their illness or discomfort.
Acupuncture for dogs and cats
: injuries, trauma,
ARTHRITIS,
HIP
DYSPLASIA,
ELBOW
DYSPLASIA,
neck
problems,
BACK PROBLEMS,
ligament
damage,
lumbo-sacral
disease,
degenerative joint disease, limping,
WOBBLER, LAMENESS, shaker
syndrome. Dry eye, eye infections
conjunctivitis, ear infections, neck
pain, back pain, paralysis. Bladder
and kidney infections. Parasites and
bacterial infections. ARTHRITIS is
a very common application of dog
acupuncture. Pregnancy difficulties
or weakness, general wellness and
energy boosters.
Cases Miles, 7-year old mixed breed
male. Treated for generally low
April 2014
energy, lack of luster, fading away.
He had in house acupuncture and raw
food diet, upon my 2nd visit, Miles ran
out to meet me and was anxious for a
walk in the jungle upon my departure..
Lilly, a 12-year old West Highland
Terrier was treated yesterday
for inflammation in her hips with
acupuncture and herbal potion. Today
her guardian reports she had more
endurance in her walking and was
definitely more energetic.
Wilson, a beautiful male Irish
Setter, was hit by a car in Fluvial. His
prognosis was not encouraging as he
was unable to walk or move about and
showed signs of pain and depression.
After 2 weeks of acupuncture, twice a
week combined with a raw meat diet
and water therapy, Wilson was 80%
recovered, walking and anxious to chase
the birds again on his beach walks.
Macy, 4-year old tabby cat, was
treated for chronic kidney after the
vet suggested to the distraught owner
to put him down ‘cuz the antibiotics
where making him sick and the Vet did
not know what to do. He was treated
with acupuncture, colloidal silver in
his drinking water and raw food diet.
He was well on the road to recovery
when I saw him after 7 days. His eyes
were clear, he was walking around,
drinking lots of water, affectionate,
and had regained his normal appetite.
It is my pleasure to work with these
pets as they are willing, recover quickly
and are always happy to see me!
Questions or comments may be
directed to [email protected]
22
Health Matters
Attention Deficit
and Addiction
By Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW
T
he chances of developing an
addiction goes way up for people with
ADD and “untreated ADD, is one of
the leading causes of substance abuse
in America today”. Studies of adults
with ADD have found: a) co-occurring
alcohol abuse disorders at rates
ranging from 17% to 45%, b) drug
abuse or dependence at rates ranging
from 9% to 30%. As surprising as this
may seem, studies have shown that
people with ADD are a) “more likely
to develop a substance abuse problem
at a younger age, b) more likely to
require lifetime substance abuse
treatment and c) more likely to develop
prolonged substance abuse problems
throughout life.” However, the good
news is, “medication treatment of
ADD reduces the risks of substance
abuse by 85% amongst teen patients
with ADD.” (John Lee, Editor. “Why
ADD/ADHD Increases the Odds of
Addiction – And How to Get Better”,
June 21, 2011: web page: http://
www.choosehelp.com/mental-health/
why-add-adhd-increases-the-odds-ofaddiction-and-what-to-do.html)
I am no longer surprised at the
number of alcoholic/addicts that I see
in therapy who have an underlying
undiagnosed, untreated, ADD. It
is so sad to imagine all of the years
they have suffered not only from their
addiction but from the frustration
of having something else wrong
that caused them to feel different,
worthless, anxious, or depressed.
Just imagine how many of the adult
alcoholics and addicts actively using,
or walking into a 12-step program, or
into therapy, are part of that 85% of
undiagnosed teens with ADD!! Think
about that!
Brain function impaired
Frontal lobe impairment: There
has been a great deal of research
done revealing that brain function
of persons with ADD is impaired,
particularly in the frontal lobe. Many
of their symptoms are very similar to
people with closed head brain injury.
The frontal lobe is responsible for a)
“sequencing” handle information in
a sequential step by step manner, b)
“drive” ability to accomplish tasks,
c) “executive control” or social
appropriateness; a loss of this leads to
blurting out comments, impulsivity,
and distractibility. The ability to
logically organize and plan behavior,
which enable you to set and achieve
goals is impaired. Considering
the possible consequence of one’s
behavior and preventing “runaway”
emotional responses is a function of
the frontal lobe. Basically, frontal lobe
impairment affects attention, impulse,
and thinking capacity.
Dopamine deficiency: There is very
strong evidence which links dopamine
receptor deficiency (receptor D2)
to many behavioral abnormalities
including addiction (alcohol/drugs/
sex/pathological gambling), food
binging, and attention deficit. What
a double whammy! Growing up with
attention deficit and then developing
addictions all because of the same
dopamine deficiency in the brain!!
One research study revealed that
“52% of cocaine addicts” and “49%
of children with Attention Deficit”
had the abnormal dopamine receptor
D2 present. (Sudderth, David &
Kandel, Joseph. (1997) Adult ADD:
The Complete Handbook. New York,
NY. Three Rivers Press. pg 31)
Dopamine is the neuro chemical
responsible for reward or “feel good”
sensory response in the brain. Therefore,
if dopamine is released in lesser
amounts in the brains of those with
ADD/ADHD, causing them a lessened
ability to feel “normal pleasure”, then
it is completely understandable and
even expected that they would seek
out normal pleasure levels through
intoxication or thrill seeking behaviors,
which increase the amount of dopamine
released in the brain.
Increased Norepinephrine: There
is also research supporting the idea
that another part of the brain called the
“locus coeruleus”, a group of neurons
located in the brainstem responsible
for norepinephrine release, may be
firing at an increased rate. This causes
sensory overload; too many thoughts
at once and the inability to sort or filter
them and focus.
Self-medicate
It is no surprise that undiagnosed and
therefore untreated individuals with
attention deficit would turn to cocaine
Issue 285
April 2014
and marijuana to self-medicate. The
cocaine is a stimulant, which causes
increased dopamine release and the
marijuana slows down the rapid firing
of thoughts and helps concentration.
It is no wonder that most of
the current treatment for ADD is
stimulant-type medications like
“Ritalin”, “Adderall”, and “Concerta”,
which increase the dopamine levels.
Needless to say, these are much more
effective and safer than cocaine.
“Clonidine” (sustained release)
is used to specifically treat the rapid
firing of norepinephrine, achieving
a much safer and effective result
than marijuana. It is often used in
combination with the stimulants
mentioned above because it has a
calming effect enabling the person to
control their thoughts, impulses, and
sleep disorders.
One man with severe ADD says that
the constant stimuli is so distracting
that if he didn’t smoke marijuana
before he started his day, he wouldn’t
be able to drive because he’d be so
distracted, he’d have an accident for
sure. He not only has justified his
chronic long-term marijuana use, he
knows that it helps.
NOTE: Of course, absolutely do
NOT advocate the use of marijuana
or other illicit drugs to self-medicate
attention deficit (or depression and
other mental health issues). There are
too many unknown and uncontrolled
factors causing major health risks,
and unsafe mixtures and dosing,
and therefore inconstant effects on
the brain. (http://psychcentral.com/
lib/2010/adhd-and-marijuana/) This
is extremely dangerous!! Please seek
proper medication treatment.
Giselle Belanger
RN, LCSW (psychotherapist)
is available for appointments
in person, by phone, or by
skype webcam. Contact info:
[email protected]
Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552
or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Fish Tales
Erratic water temps,
mega bait vs breeding season!
By Stan Gabruk
Owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle
S
pring has sprung and love is
in the air, or rather water where the
fish are concerned. Conditions are
challenging with swirling currents,
rapidly changing water temperatures
and an over abundance of bait.
Seasoned
Captains
with
electronics have the edge, with water
temperatures fluctuating from 69 to
74 degrees - the warmer the water,
the better the fishing. This may all
sound strange, but for us locals,
we know what spring means. The
fishing is actually fairly good, but
again, it’s gonna be work, amigo.
Short day fishing in the bay is still
alive and well with Jack Crevalle in
the 30 to 50-lb range and frankly,
found all over the area. Snapper are
running 10 to 20 lbs. in the area, are
taking trolled spinners or Sardines
or silver spoon type rigs, larger than
smaller. Sierra Mackerel, Skip Jack
Tuna and Bonito and a host of others
are all possible near the structure.
Great fishing for those on a budget
or those with kids, the Marieta
Islands are still running hot and cold,
literally with the swirling currents
and fickle fish. With breeding season
in full swing, it’s difficult at times to
get these abundant and fickle fish to
look at your baits. The warm areas
are naturally working better than the
chilled streaks, but Jack Crevalle
don’t care much about cold and will
most likely be in the cooler swirls.
Rooster fish are abundant in the 35 to
60-lb range and like the rest of them,
will ignore your baits one day, then
attack anything shiny the next. It all
comes down to the bite.
So when is the bite you may ask?
It changes a little every day, so you
have to stay on top of this crucial
piece of observed information you
can only get by being on the water.
Right now we’re looking at a midmorning bite and a mid-afternoon
bite. Sleep in a little, the fish are on
a schedule right now.
Dorado are in and out. Red
Snapper in the 30-lb range are taking
baits nicely, Pompano in the 30-lb
range, Amber Jacks, Skip Jacks and
the list goes on. Again, hit the bite
and have varied baits at the ready,
they’re all fickle!
At the Punta Mita point, things
have changed as well. Sailfish and
Issue 285
23
Marlin have thinned out and are
almost impossible to find with the
chilled water conditions. North of
Punta Mita, north of San Pancho you
have a shot at Sailfish and Dorado in
the warm currents sliding down from
Mazatlan. Other than that, not much
reason to head to the point.
Those looking for trophy Yellowfin
Tuna can find them at the Tres
Marias Islands. For the record, the
islands are a restricted area where a
prison is located. It’s also a fishery,
which means it’s a breeding area for
Yellowfin Tuna. The restricted area
ranges from twelve to fifteen miles.
This means fishing inside this area
is illegal and has legal ramifications.
Lately there have been more and more
federal agents checking to make sure
you respect the boundaries. Having
said that, 200-lb and larger Yellowfin
Tuna are being boated daily and
have been taking bait with no spring
spawning issues. FYI, there are at
least five more longer range boats
setting up business to head to these
prison islands, and soon there will be
more and more anglers fishing our
fisheries. ,With the Seiners on top
of that, it’s just a matter of time now
before the Yellowfin Tuna numbers
are in the dumper. For what seems
so obvious is lost on those raking in
the money. It’s a hundred miles one
way, amigo, but if you’re a fanatic,
then you’ll be happy to pay in both
time and money.
The good and the bad of it all is
we’re in a transition period from
April 2014
winter to summer, with spring being
just a road bump in between. Water
currents will be changing and we
may see some dirty water from the
bottom sediments being stirred up
with the changing currents. We will
be looking at the seasonal changes
in the next few weeks as we head
into summer fishing. We expect
warm water conditions to return
shortly and of course the warm water
species of Marlin, Sailfish, Yellowfin
Tuna and Dorado. So be patient
and at the ready. When things get
moving again, the fishing will be
outstanding, which can be any day.
Until next time, don’t forget to kiss
your fish and remember: at Master
Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle
“We Won’t Jerk You Around!”
Master Baiter’s has changed
locations in Marina Vallarta,
between docks A and B on the
boardwalk. Email your questions
to me at: CatchFish@MasterBaiters.
com.mx
Web page:
www.
MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local
Phone at: (044) 322 779-7571
or if roaming: 011 521 322 7797571 cell phone direct. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
M a s t e r- B a i t e r s - S p o r t f i s h i n g Tackle/88817121325 The trade
name Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing
and Tackle is protected under trade
mark law and is the sole property of
Stan Gabruk.
24
Legal Matters
Ask Luis
By Luis Melgoza
Dear Luis: My husband and I
have had FM3 for10 years - always
renewed at the same time. Last year
I got my permanent visa but he was
only eligible for a Temporary. He
has a “3” on the back and expires
April 17, 2014. He went in to renew
it for another year of Temporary but
was told he needed to apply for a
permanent visa (the information
they gave was you needed a “4”
before going Permanent????) AND
he needed to wait until 7 days prior
to expiration AND he would have
to return after acceptance to pay the
additional amount and return again
to pick it up.
We planned on returning to
the States mid May but have no
assurance the process will be done. Since we have a car here since
2008 with a US state plates, our
car is legal ONLY if he has a
TEMPORARY visa. It is way too
expensive to get Mexican plates
(our car came through Canada,
value @ $7000 and tax to get
Mexican plates is $7000 USD as
per the website) so we were going
to take it out of the country. IF we cross the border & return
the sticker on the windshield, will
we risk having the car impounded
since he will no longer be in
compliance with the law – i.e.: No
TemporaryVisa? Is there any reason for him to have
a permanent visa unless there is an
advantage when we sell our condo?
We would not have a capital gain
except we bought when the peso
was 10:1.
I could be the sole beneficiary of
the trust.
I would appreciate any comments.
Dear Sue:
Unfortunately,
Immigration
decides your status when you
renew, solely at their discretion.
They base their decision in many
factors but the number in the card
has no relevance —contrary to
what many “experts” say—. I don’t
know why Immigration wants your
husband to wait until 7 days prior to
expiration when the Law states that
renewal may be initiated within 30
days of expiration.
Yes, your husband would need
Issue 285
to pay additional fees to become
permanent resident.
You are correct, permanent
residents may not lawfully possess
or drive a foreign-plated vehicle
anywhere in Mexico; however,
$7,000 USD to legalize a 2008 car
is outrageous. I don’t know what
website did you check, but I suggest
that you contact a Customs Broker
at your border crossing point of
choice for a bona fide quote; I’m
almost certain that, if your car is
permanently importable, the cost
would be a fraction of what the web
site you consulted said.
It seems to me that you have two
options:
1. Continue with your husband’s
permanent resident application.
Obtain an exit and re-entry permit
from Immigration if his new card
has not arrived about two weeks
prior to your planned departure,
or when he applies for renewal.
You should not have any problems
driving your car to the border
because he will still be a temporary
resident when you leave. Surrender
your car Temporary Import Permit
(TIP) when you leave Mexico.
If his new permanent resident
card arrives before you leave, file
a Safe Return Petition Letter with
the SAT (you may download a
petition package, with instructions
in English, from
h t t p : / / w w w. p v g e e k s . c o m /
downloads/Safe_Return_Petition_
Letter.pdf), it is free to apply and
if you file early in the morning, you
will get an approval the same day
you file it. Otherwise your approval
will be ready the next business
day. You will be able to drive your
car back to the States without any
problem.
2. Your husband may abandon
his application for renewal, leave
as planned in May. He will still be
within the grace period to renew
his temporary residence and there
should not be any trouble driving
your car to the border. Surrender
the TIP when you leave Mexico.
April 2014
When you are ready to return
to Mexico, he can apply anew for
temporary residence or for entry as
a visitor —tourist— at the nearest
Mexican Consulate. He can also
obtain a new TIP for your car at that
time (if as a tourist, the TIP is only
good for 180 days).
There is no capital gains tax in
Mexico regarding real property;
regular income tax (ISR, for its
Spanish initials) is paid on the
profit, though.
If you prove that Mexico is your
primary residence, that the property
to be sold has been your primary
residence for at least five years prior
to the sale, that you never generated
any income from that property
(i.e.: never rented it) and that you
have not sold any other primary
residence in Mexico within five
years of the sale of the one being
sold, your acquisition cost, plus
up to the first 700,000 Mexican
Investment Units ($276,488.42
USD at April 4, 2014 UDIS/USD
exchange rate) in profit, are exempt
from income tax.
Send me your questions to
[email protected], I am not
able to answer each message
privately due to the volume of mail
I receive. Should you need personal
attention, please call me at (322)
164-4049 to schedule a private
consultation.
Luis Melgoza
Is a former PRI (Mexico’s ruling
party) Head Counsel and Legal
Adviser to the Mexican Congress.
Although retired from the
legal profession, he is a highly
respected consultant for both the
foreign and Mexican communities
in Puerto Vallarta. Luis’ PVGeeks
are the premiere commercial
and residential computer and
networks solutions experts in
Puerto Vallarta. For computer
or network issues, you can reach
Luis at [email protected]
Real Estate
25
How difficult is the property purchase process in Mexico?
Property purchases by foreigners in Mexico
take place through the fideicomiso system. The
Constitution of 1917 proclaimed that all land
in Mexico would be “ejido” (communal), or
owned by Mexican nationals only. Ejido land
was given to every village and could not be sold.
In 1973, a constitutional amendment known as
the Foreign Investment Law allowed foreigners
to purchase real estate anywhere in Mexico
except the restricted zone that consists of areas
within 100 km (64 miles) of international
borders or within 50 km (32 miles) from the
coastline at high tide. In 1993, Mexico amended
the constitution to allow foreigners to purchase
real estate within the restricted zone by means
of a fideicomiso.
The fideicomiso is a bank trust wherein the bank
(trustee) holds the trust deed for the purchaser
(beneficiary). While the trustee is the legal owner
of the real estate, the beneficiary retains all
ownership rights and responsibilities and may sell,
lease, mortgage, and pass the property on to heirs.
The fideicomiso is authorized by the Mexican
Government under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The bank is required to check ownership and
insurance, and to verify that the property is free
of liens. A trust is granted for a 50-year period.
The trust is renewable at any time (for another
50-year period) by submitting an application to
the bank. If the 50-year period expires without
renewal, the owner has another 10 years in
which he may submit an application to renew
the trust. If property is purchased that already
has a fideicomiso, the existing trust may be
transferred to the new owner and will be good
Issue 285
for the remainder of its 50-year period, or the
trust may be renewed. If property is already in a
fideicomiso, probate and transfer tax are avoided
when the property is transferred.
A Mexican corporation may be 100% foreignowned, and may purchase property in a restricted
zone without a fideicomiso. But property owned
by a corporation is commercial property, and
pay higher water, electric, and telephone rates.
However, a Mexican corporation may not own a
single-family residence. The Tax Authority may
choose to perform a commercial appraisal after
the purchase. If appraisal value is 10% greater
than the declared value, the difference between
the two amounts is subject to 20% Appraisal
Tax, payable within 15 days after the appraisal.
No Value Added Tax (Sales Tax) is payable
on residential property. Commercial Property
transactions are liable to VAT at the current rate
in addition to the Acquisitions Tax.
Once the property price has been agreed, a
“Convenio de Compra/Venta” is drawn up,
which includes deadlines. This is the written
initial agreement to sell/buy. A 5%-10% deposit
is expected from the buyer.
Obtain a permit from the Foreign Secretary’s
Office. The buyer will be required to sign the
“Calvo Clause”, stating that foreign jurisdiction
will not be sought to deal with the property
transaction. The seller will then have to provide
a copy of the Land/Property Deed. It is important
to hire a lawyer to review the document.
Once the deed is transferred to the buyer, the
buyer will have to turn over the payment to the
seller. Cash or monetary instruments of any kind
over US$10,000 must be declared when entering
Mexico. There are no limits on how much can
be transferred in or out of the country.
The whole process of registering a property
can be completed in around 48 to 108 days.
How high are realtors’ and lawyers’ fees
in Mexico? What about other property
purchase costs?
Source: Global Property Guide (2013) – www.globalpropertyguide.com
April 2014
26
Issue 285
Calendar / Directories
April 2014
Gil Gevins’ Page
Off the job training
By Gil Gevins
www.gilgevins.com
T
he season was fading. It was
time for another desperate attempt at
getting myself fired from my wife’s
shop, Lucy’s Cucu Cabaña - famous
for its incredible collection of painted
Oaxacan animals.
If there was one thing my wife prided
herself upon, it was having a shop with
a friendly, laid-back atmosphere in
which not a single client had ever been
pressured into making a purchase. And
so, with this in mind, I placed in the
window the following sign:
“Wanted: Extremely Aggressive
Sales Person - No Finesse Required.”
Five minutes later, a young man
named Manuel strutted into the shop
with a pair of tattoos on his knuckles
and a chip on his shoulder the size of a
condominium.
“So, what is your previous experience
in high-pressure sales?” I asked him.
“I used to be an OPC,” he said
defensively, “before I went to jail.”
OPC’s are a dying breed today, but
they used to be everywhere. There
must have been twenty of them on
the boardwalk, friendly young men
standing in doorways, helping visitors
to realize their life long ambition:
attending a time-share presentation.
“Why did you stop being an OPC?”
I asked.
“I was fired,” Manuel declared
defiantly, “for being too aggressive.”
“Fantastic. You’ve got the job!”
“Not so fast,” he said. “What do I do,
and how much do I get paid?”
“What you do is sell this stuff,” I
said, indicating the beautiful folk-art
items which filled the shop like so
many jewels in a crown. “As far as
pay goes, you get half of every sale. In
cash. On the spot.”
“Sounds okay,” Manuel said. “When
do I start?” “Immediately.”
Nodding his head with determination,
Manuel walked out onto the sidewalk
and began to harangue passing tourists.
“Hey, how ya doin’?” he asked a
frightened young couple. “Where you
from? South Dakota? So am I. Had
breakfast yet? Hey, where you going?”
After he had thus failed to befriend
four successive couples, I called him
back inside and said, “Listen, Manuel,
you don’t have to do that. Just stay
in the store. People will come in by
themselves.”
“No way!”
Just then Mrs. Sanderson, an old and
valued client, entered the shop. Manuel
was flabbergasted. “She came in by
herself!” “Told you.”
“Hey lady!” Manuel said. “How you
doin today? Where you from? Chicago?
So am I. Where’s your husband?”
Eyeing Manuel uncertainly, Mrs.
Sanderson said, “He’s out playing golf.”
“Sorry, Manuel said, “you don’t
qualify.”
“Don’t qualify for what?”
“You don’t qualify for nothing.”
“Oh, Manuel,” I called gently.
“What is it?”
“Some of our best clients are women
shopping without their husbands.”
“Get outta here!”
“Listen, Manuel, if you sell that rug
in the next five minutes, you get an
extra hundred peso bonus.”
“Hey lady!” Manuel shouted, picking
up a beautiful weaving, “look at this
rug! You gonna buy it. Right now!”
Mrs. Sanderson was in a corner
trying on some earrings. “I’m not
interested in rugs. I came here to buy
these earrings.”
“Nah, whadda you want with those
ugly earrings,” Manuel said. “Get
yourself a rug. Get two rugs for one!”
“Two for one?” “Yeah, but you
gotta buy ‘em right now.”
“I really don’t want…” Mrs.
Sanderson began.
“Okay,” Manuel said, “I’ll throw in
two tickets on the booze cruise and a
bottle of tequila.”
Issue 285
27
“I do not consume alcohol,” Mrs.
Sanderson announced. “And could you
please get out of my way. I’d like to
leave.” Holding the large rug out like
a matador before a bull, Manuel had
Mrs. Sanderson neatly trapped.
“Come on,” he said, stamping his foot
impatiently and shaking the rug. “Do it
now. I’ll throw in a massage and…”
Looking somewhat panicked, Mrs.
Sanderson ducked under the rug and
bolted out the door.
“You got weak on that one,
Manuel,” I said. “But I’m going to give
you another chance. You see that tall
painted wooden marionette?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Sell that in the next ten minutes, and
get a thousand peso bonus.”
“All right!” Our next customer was
Mrs. Bloom. She usually purchased a
wool rug every year and had no interest
in woodcarvings. Sadly, I forgot to
mention this to Manuel. Picking up the
large wooden marionette, Manuel soon
had Mrs. Bloom trapped in the same
spot he had cornered Mrs. Sanderson.
“Lady, you got to buy this doll,” he
informed her.
“I have no interest in dolls,” she
replied, trying to walk around him.
But Manuel was too quick. Holding out
the doll’s moveable arm, he said, “Here,
shake his hand. He’s very friendly.”
Had Chuckie himself come to life in
Manuel’s arms, Mrs. Bloom could not
have looked more horrified.
“Get him away from me!”
“Which one, Mrs. Bloom,” I asked
politely, “Manuel or Chuckie?”
“Both of them!” After she left,
Manuel let me know how disgusted
he was with my poor class of
April 2014
clientele. “Where’s the husbands?” he
complained. “How do you expect me
to sell nothing without the husbands?”
“Patience, Manuel, we’re about to hit
our prime shopping hour.”
Several minutes later the store did
indeed fill with a dozen customers, many
of whom wasted no time in removing
objects from the walls and bringing them
to my desk. One by one they handed me
money for their purchases, as Manuel
began to froth at the mouth.
“Hey,” he shouted, “those are my
customers! You’re stealing my sales.
No, lady, don’t buy that from him. Buy
it from me. He don’t give away nothing.
Buy from me and I’ll give you a jeep!”
“Manuel,” I said, “chill out. You’re
scaring these poor women.”
“Chill out?” he shouted. “When
you’re trying to muscle in on my
commissions? You white trash! I’m
gonna kick your ass!”
All of the clients were staring at
Manuel in alarm. “Should I call the
police?” one asked.
“No,” I said reassuringly, “we’re
just doing a little on-the-job training.
And Manuel’s doing great. Aren’t you,
Manuel?”
“Out of my way, lady, I’m gonna
kick his ass!”
Gil Gevins
Is the author of four hilarious
books, including, PUERTO
VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN
CELLS A DAY, and SLIME AND
PUNISHMENT. Signed copies of
all Gil’s books are available at
LUCY’S CUCU CABAÑA, located
at 295 Basilio Badillo, or as
E-Books on Amazon Kindle.
28
Hi-Tech
Potpourri of Tips… Part 2
A few years ago I had some space to fill at the end of an article
and I decided to include some of my favorite Word “shortcuts”. They
generated a lot of email responses asking for a list format. So I thought
I’d rerun those as well as some new Windows 8 shortcuts that can save
you time. Hopefully some, if not all, will be useful to you.
So here are some of my favorite shortcuts for Word (some as noted
are for windows shortcuts as well)
Ctrl + A Selects all contents of the page.
(Also all contents of a folder in Windows)
Ctrl + B Bold highlighted text selection.
Ctrl + C Copy selected text. (Also a Windows file copy command)
Ctrl + E Aligns the line or selected text to the center of the screen.
Ctrl + I Italic highlighted text selection.
Ctrl + L Aligns the line or selected text to the left of the screen.
Ctrl + M Indents the paragraph.
Ctrl + P Opens the print window.
Ctrl + R Aligns the line or selected text to the right of the screen.
Ctrl + U Underlines the highlighted selection.
Ctrl + V Paste. (Also a Windows file paste command)
Ctrl + X Cuts selected text.
Ctrl + Y Redo the last action performed.
Ctrl + Z Undo last action.
Now here are some useful shortcuts for both Windows 7 and Windows 8.
The “Windows logo key”
is located to the left of the space bar and alt key.
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
+D
+E
+F
+L
+Up Arrow
+Dn Arrow
Takes you to the desktop.
Opens My Computer.
Search for a file or folder.
Lock your computer or switch users.
Maximize the window.
Minimize the window.
Now we all like free. Free is good. So I thought I’d cover some of
the best free software out there. Here’s some of the best free software
I’ve found so far for 2014.
But before we get started on the freebies, a word about installing
new programs. When installing ANY new program, be it free, paid
or that came with your new printer or camera, make sure to always
choose the “custom” install. This allows you to un-select extras that
you don’t need or want. You’d be surprised how much extra “junk”
comes with that new program!
This is how some people get a ton of toolbars installed in their
browser - don’t just click ok... ok... next… next. Look at what the
messages are actually asking you. You’ll keep your computer fast and
responsive this way.
Ever have a video file that Windows Media Player just can’t seem
to play? Well here’s the program for you: VLC Media Player (www.
videolan.org/VLC). It’s a free open source (means no one owns it) that
seems to play almost any video you can throw at it. It’s light and very
good. Set it as your default player if you like!
For security, if you are visiting sites that are installing annoying
programs on your computer... adware... then Ad-Aware Free 11 is
for you (www.lavasoft.com). The latest version of this tool includes
new technology that looks for malware patterns to ID threats, and an
ultra-simple mode to automatically handle problems before you need
to worry. It’s free for home use; naturally, the Plus and Pro versions
throw in extras, but they’ll cost you.
For free antivirus, Avast 2014 Free is my pick (www.avast.com).
With a new interface that makes it easier to master, as well as a new
intuitive engine for finding trouble on your PC (on top of the usual
definitions), this perennial freebie continues to improve.
For a casual internet surfer, a free anti-virus is sufficient, but if you
find the free is not protecting you against the sites you go to, then a paid
antivirus like Norton antivirus is HIGHLY recommended. I wouldn’t get
the behemoth Norton 360… just the Norton Antivirus 2014.
That’s all my time for now. See you again next week. Until then,
Remember: only safe Internet!
Ron can be found at CANMEX Computers. Sales, Repairs, Data
Recovery, Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades, Graphic Design,
House-calls available. www.RonnieBravo.com, Cellular 044-322157-0688 or just email to [email protected]
The following apply to Windows 8 users:
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
system options
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
Windows logo key
between apps
+D
+X
Takes you to desktop mode
Brings up a menu of advanced
+Q
Brings up the apps search menu
+C
Displays Charms menu
+ Tab Brings Task Switcher and toggles
Issue 285
April 2014
Nature’s World
Tobacco
By Dr. Fabio Cupul
N
early everyone can
recognize a cigarillo or
cigar by their shapes or
smell. However, few are
those who can recognize the
tobacco plant that gave birth
to those products in nature,
i.e.: in the forest, not in
cultivation fields. Among
the 40 or more different
species of the plant, one
of the better known was
named Nicotiana tabacum
by scientists.
Although
it is cultivated in some
120 countries with warm
climates,
this
plant
originated in America.
Tobacco is one of the
main non-food agricultural
products in the world. It measures
1 to 3 meters in height, with each
one producing 10 to 20 large
leaves. These are dried, cured and
used to make cigarillos, cigars, pipe
and chewing tobacco. According
to Christopher Columbus’ reports,
natives of the Caribbean smoked
it using a pipe-shaped cane called
tobago, whence came the name of
the plant. It is also believed that
the word tobacco was invented as
a phonetic imitation of the twaka,
tako or toaka voices used by
aborigines of today’s Panama.
In 1510, Francisco Hernández de
Toledo brought the seeds to Spain.
Fifty years later, diplomat Jean
Nicot introduced them to France,
thus the plant’s generic name. In
1585, Sir Francis Drake brought
tobacco to England.
British
explorer Sir Walter Raleigh started
the custom of smoking tobacco in a
pipe at the court of Queen Elizabeth
I in 1592. The new product spread
rapidly through Europe and Russia,
reaching China, Japan and the west
coast of Africa in the 17th Century.
Today, numerous studies have
linked the arrival of lung cancer,
heart disease or emphysema with
the direct or indirect use of tobacco.
It has been established that using
tobacco is the main preventable
cause of death in the developed
world, responsible for one in five
deaths in the United States, i.e.:
420,000 Americans die each year
due to factors related to smoking.
Tobacco addiction is caused by a
potent chemical present in the plant:
Issue 285
29
nicotine. This alkaloid is toxic as,
through its years of development,
the plant developed it as a defense
system against predators. Any
animal feeding on its leaves would
avoid repeating the experience as
the chemical compounds in them
would leave an unpleasant, bitter
taste in their mouths, and could
even lead to their death
because of the high
toxic content.
Nonetheless,
contrary
to
the
generalized concept
that abusive use of
tobacco leads to death,
ancient
inhabitants
of Mexico had a
totally different idea
on the subject. This
difference
in
the
concept of the world
and its resources,
tobacco in particular,
is so different from
ours that the Maya –
who called it kutz- like
the Aztecs –who called
it picietl or yetl- came
to consider the tobacco
plant sacred. The ancient peoples
of Mexico even attributed the
power to “scare death away” to it,
for its medicinal properties.
They smoked it rolled into
“cigarettes” or ground, using canes
and pipes. To fill the pipes, they
would grind the tobacco leaves,
and mix them with odorous herbs,
flower petals and other substances.
The cigarettes were made with the
tobacco rolled in dried corn leaves.
It was also used as an ointment
or enema, drunk as an infusion,
chewed mixed with salt and even
inhaled through the nose. These
peoples stated that it gave them
energy, alleviated pain and fatigue,
stimulated their vitality and cured
them of all illnesses – thus, the
sacred plant par excellence.
Pregnant women would place
tobacco leaves under their breasts
for a healthy delivery, so their
April 2014
baby would be born healthy, and
not become a crybaby. In fact,
before and after the birth, the new
mother’s family would gather for a
meal during which tobacco smoke
was inhaled. For their part, the
Maya deemed the gods of rain to
be heavy smokers of cigarillos
and that the shooting stars that
streaked across the night sky
were the lit butts the gods were
discarding.
Generally, ancient
Mexicans considered tobacco as a
protective amulet when they went
hunting or engaged in other highrisk activities, like war.
Also, containers filled with
tobacco were used in religious
rituals with the idea that the gods
would manifest their presence by
leaving animal tracks in them.
Furthermore, at the meetings of
poets and nobles, they would smoke
tobacco mixed with hallucinogens,
at the time when cocoa was drunk
mixed with psychoactive flowers.
This meant that tobacco was not
only used for rituals or as medicine,
but also for pleasure.
Dr. Fabio G. Cupul Magaña
Coastal University Center
(CUC) of the University
of Guadalajara Email:
[email protected]
30
Nature’s World
Planting Roots
in Mexico
By Tommy Clarkson
Coconut Palm
Cocos nucifera (Part I)
Family: Arecaceae
Sub-family: Arecoideae
(Also known as the Cocos
Nucifera, Coco Palm,
Coconut Tree)
(Part II)
I
f one seeks a palm which captures
the essence of all that palms both are
and symbolize, the Coconut Palm is
probably it!
Extremely important to many
people around the world, they grow in
more than 80 countries. The coconut
provides a nutritious source of “meat”,
milk/water and oil that has fed and
nourished populations around the
world for generations.
On many islands the coconut is a
diet staple providing a substantive
portion of the food that is eaten.
Amazingly, nearly one third of the
world’s population depends on
coconut to some degree or another for
their food and economy!
Highly tolerant of salinity, the coconut
palm thrives on sandy soils and prefers
sustained sunlight and regular watering
or consistent rainfall. For optimum
growth they need high humidity.
The taller varieties are the most
common. Inasmuch as they can crosspollinate their shared genetic material
leads to no few variations in the fruit
characteristics.
Many are named
according to the locale in which they
are grown such as the West African Tal.
Dwarf coconuts mostly selfpollinate, which, means fewer
different types. As the name indicates,
they’re smaller in size – “Well, duh
Tommy, it doesn’t take a botanist to
figure that out!” This leads them to
be more often used in home gardens,
landscaping and parks.
Dwarf coconuts produce more fruit
(though smaller) than their taller
kin. They, too, generally derive their
names from the country or area of
their origin. One difference, however,
is that the color of the young fruit is
often included as part of its name.
Excellent examples of this are the
Cameroon Red, the Malayan Yellow,
the Nias Green and the Chattanooga
Chartreuse … OK, ya’ caught me. I
made that last one up just to see if you
were really paying attention!
“But,” you ask, “how many
coconuts, on average, come from
one tree?” This varies, of course, on
the variety. Generally speaking, a
Coconut Palm will yield up to 75 fruit
per year. Though high in calories, each
of these “nuts” has as much protein as
¼ pound of beefsteak - so they are
certainly healthful. And if you didn’t
wish to shimmy up the tall trunk for
your tropical lunch, you might do as
some Thais and Malaysians do, train a
Pig-Tailed Macaque monkey to gather
them for you!
Though rare, there exists the Double
Coconut (Lodoicoa maldivica) which
is said to be the largest seed in the
world weighing between 40 and 45
pounds each!
Generally speaking, both the tall
and dwarf varieties are hardy and
easy to grow. The exception – for the
tall species – is that plant scourge of
the Tropics, the disease called Lethal
Yellowing. The dwarf varieties seem
immune. However the tall ones, like
nearly thirty other palms, including
the Christmas Palm (Veitchia
merrilli), Fiji Fan Palm (Pritchardia
pacifica), and Canary Island Date
Palm (Phoenix canariensis), are
susceptible, with little still known as a
cure or preventative.
Issue 285
The name says it all! This large
bunch will soon be ready for
harvest and consumption from this
Golden (dwarf) Coconut Palm.
The Coconut Palm is, simply,
as representative of the tropic
climes as snow and ice are to
bitter winters … now which
would you choose?
Nothing “says” tropics as
much as does the Coconut!
The flowers are monecious (both
male and female flowers on the same
inflorescence). And – I’m almost
April 2014
embarrassed to describe them as who
among us isn’t familiar with a Coconut
Palm – with fiber matting around the
base of the fronds, each palm has
somewhere between 20-30 drooping
pinnate leaves with 150 to 200 leaflets
atop a grayish brown trunk, marked
with crescent leaf scars.
Now I am jumping up on my soap
box! Any who have read my “Tommy’s
Tips” regarding care of tropical palms,
plants and flowers or who have toured
our gardens have heard me fervently
assert that – imagine I am shouting
now - one should never cut a palm
frond until it is totally yellow/brown!
Generally speaking, a palm tree
establishes its girth before starting
its upward growth. Hence, it is
imperative to allow the fronds to fully
utilize the process of photosynthesis
to let the palm “Be all it can be”. (You
have but to look at the scrawny, thin
trunked, palms in the street meridians
or on all too many condo grounds
to see the results of improper palm
trimmings. It is one thing to remove
the coconuts themselves but NEVER
should the green fronds be removed.)
Having now finished my harangue, I
close re-asserting that this most versatile
of palms is hardy, functional, beautiful
and easy to grow in a wide array of subtropic and tropical environs.
So plant and enjoy the world traveling,
tree of life – the Coconut Palm!
Tommy Clarkson
In Manzanillo, visit Ola Brisa
Gardens, Tommy and Patty’s
verdant, multi-terraced tropical
paradise nestled on a hill
overlooking the magnificent vista of
Santiago Bay. Leisurely meander
its curved, paved path, experiencing,
first hand, a delicious array of palms,
plants and flowers from all over the
world. Or, e-mail questions to him at
[email protected]
For back issues of “Roots”, gardening
tips, tropical plant book reviews
and videos of numerous, highly
unique eco/adventure/nature tours,
as well as memorable “Ultimate
Experiences” such a Tropical Garden
Brunches and Spa Services, please
visit www.olabrisagardens.com
2. Logo along U.S.
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44. Swanky
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33. Salary11.
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13. "Take
assent
44. Swanky
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Time
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Peter,
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Aa sip"
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of film
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in Publishers
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Make
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ya!"
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of
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he aim
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is Semester,
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by the bold lines (also
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Lanchester
of film
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with confidence
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must
contain each number
only
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66.
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42. Simoleon
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68. Time to go once
It is recommended as therapy because some studies
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43. Publishers
around the sun
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better solving while staving off mental decline
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21. Lanchester of film
Solution to Sudoku on Page 12
The New York Times Tuesday Crossword Puzzle
SUDOKU!
T
Issue 285
April 2014
Issue 285
April 2014

www.pvmcitypaper.com Issue 285 Saturday 12 to Friday 18 April 2014

Transcription

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