242 - pvmcitypaper

ISSUE 242
SATURDAY 8
SATURDAY 8
JUNE - 2013
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
FRIDAY 14
2
Need to Know
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
$6.50 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 second-rate
establishment! There are 2 kinds of taxi
SATURDAY 8
cabs: those at the airport and the maritime
port are usually vans that 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
southern part of the State of Nayarit
- from San Blas in the north through
to the Ameca River, i.e.: San Blas,
San Pancho, Sayulita, Punta Mita, La
Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerías, Nuevo
Vallarta, etc.)
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 manners to present the
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
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
Welcome to the Summer Season in Puerto Vallarta.
Although it’s a little early as far as the solstice is concerned,
there have been light drizzles throughout the area for a few
evenings in a row, and it is starting to smell like summer. That’s
good enough for us.
We who live here all year ‘round have decided that there will
no longer be a “high” season and a “low season”. From now
on, our Facebook friends and some fellow editors have agreed
to refer to these two very different times of year at our latitude
as… the winter season and the summer season. Done.
But let me tell you, there is so much to see and do here during
the summer that we still find our days filled to the brim.
Dear Editor,
I read the PV Mirror every time it comes
out, love it and love the photos that are
chosen each time for the cover.
I did not think I would ever write to you,
but I have read something that I thought I
would love to put my 2 cents in. Someone
was writing about the fumigation of the
mosquitoes and how there are a lot and
needed to spray around town.
How I wanted to tell that person to go and
buy some mosquito spray! Maybe they did
not know that the fumigation killed all the
life, not just the mosquitoes. So the good
bugs also die, some that are responsible for
eating the bad bugs, so the whole nature goes
out of whack. There are consequences to
the fumigation that outweigh the benefits of
Some restaurants are offering discounts to locals, as are some
tour companies. There are sales everywhere, musical events all
around and for those who want to be the star of the show, there
are places that offer Karaoke evenings. Or you might think of
spending a little time volunteering for one of the numerous
worthy organizations. They’re all in dire need of your support
at this time. You’ll feel good and probably make new friends!
At the Mirror, in addition to the ideas you can find as you
“leaf” through this virtual paper and our Calendar of Events,
I can tell you that we’re also working on our yearly Silly
Contest, the one where we ask our readers to tell us how many
items (parrots or iguanas or oranges…) they can spot in our
cover photo. (That will be after Father’s Day.) The first reader
to email us the correct answer wins a dinner for two at one of
the very best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.
Until then, have fun, and keep those emails and posts on our
Facebook page coming!
Allyna Vineberg
Publisher / Editor
killing the mosquitoes. If everyone cleaned
their patio, like the government pushes, we
could control a lot of mosquitoes in town.
I have seen the fumigation truck pass the
streets with food stands on them, including
with people eating, leaving everyone as
they pass by in a mist of whatever they are
spraying.
I’m all for not having this truck go around
spraying against mosquitoes, and hope they
don’t start up again. To all you getting bitten:
go buy some citronella oil or some bug spray,
and do your part to keep Vallarta and its
patios clean.
Leslie
Dear Editor,
I just love living in paradise. Restaurant
week, the symphony, the people. I also
marvel at how much the local authorities
keep giving this lovely city a black eye.
Let me explain.
Golf is a major tourist attraction in PV.
The tourist golfer has to go through bad
roads, dirty roads full of pot holes and now
Please go to next page for continuation...
SATURDAY 8
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ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
4
Sound Off
Continued from previous page...
a city dump before they can reach the world famous Jack
Nicklaus and Weisskopf courses at Vista Vallarta. This
new dump puts all that garbage in a barranca that carries
water during the rainy season. Now all that water will
be contaminated by who knows what as it makes its was
downhill to our city. Of course the new dump has people
rummaging through the garbage for all our future golf
tourists visitors to see and mention when they get home.
The airport parking as well as the snake pit (time share
salesmen) antagonize and scare most newcomers. The
Feds won’t let you stop to drop off a passenger, but the
time salesmen can be on Federally-controlled property
without a problem.
The medians on our main boulevard had beautiful plants
installed but alas, no sprinkler system. Now the plants are
dead and the weeds have taken over our once beautiful
medians. The sprinkler tubes with a stick stuck on the
opening just sit there waiting for sprinkler heads.
These are but a few examples of what not to do if you
really want to bring more tourists to beautiful Puerto
Vallarta.
A loving Vallarta resident.
Contributors:
Anna Reisman
Harriet Murray
Stan Gabruk
Giselle Belanger
Krystal Frost
Ronnie Bravo
Gil Gevins
Tommy Clarkson
Gretchen DeWitt
Luis Melgoza
Jsun Mills
Office: 223-1128
Graphic Designer:
Leo Robby R. R.
Webmaster:
Cover photo:
“Hummingbird!”
The other day when my wife was cleaning out my drawer
under the bathroom sink counter, she picked up an old
wooden and boar bristle brush. Her words were, “throw this
old thing out.”
I had purchased the brush in Puerto Vallarta back in the
late 1970s, in a Mexican-only store across the street from
the Las Glorias Plaza - for 45 cents U.S. (many items at
this time were marked in centavos). In fact, I purchased the
whole rack of them, since brushes of this quality would cost
up to $16 each in the U.S. at that time. I also purchased a
number of men’s bathing suits at a clothing store for $2-3
dollars each.
It was week 39 and off season, which has been the best
week for me to make purchases during my vacations.
My wife had taken my daughter to Acapulco earlier,
before the big change in the exchange rate between the
dollar and the peso. It was around 300 pesos to the U.S.
dollar then. Today, it is some 12 pesos to the dollar, but
this is after a ten-to-one reduction [devaluation]. In the
following years the number of pesos per dollar seemed to
double every year, until recently. The point of this: the low
cost of a vacation in Puerto Vallarta in the early years. Also
the safety. Tipping percentages were nothing compared
to what they are today. Food was another thing. Resorts
encouraged you to visit the resorts along the beach, and to
try out their swimming pools. No guards. No plastic wrist
bands. But many timeshare presentations.
An “old”timer
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
Allyna Vineberg
[email protected]
PVMCITYPAPER Online Team
Dear Editor,
SATURDAY 8
Publisher / Editor:
FRIDAY 14
by Petr Myska
at the Botanical Gardenes
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.
Within PV
Cut your CFE electricity bill
& Save big $$$
Have you visited PV’s El Salado Estuary?
E
l Salado Estuary is a natural paradise
in the very heart of Puerto Vallarta.
It is filled with wildlife unlike anything
you’ve seen elsewhere… hundreds of
species of flora and fauna – wild and
free in their own habitat - that turn your
experience into an unforgettable highlight
of your stay in Vallarta. When was the last
time you held a baby croc in your hand?
The Estuary is presently open to the
public, offering four different guided
tours each day, from Monday to Friday,
at 9 and 11 a.m., and 1 and 3 p.m. Your
contribution to this little mangrove haven
so important to the local environment
helps ensure that it will survive and
thrive despite those who would want
to damage its pristine ecology with socalled developments.
For more information and reservations,
call Isabel at 226-2878, cell: 044 (322)
175-7539 or email her at isabel@
esterodelsalado.org
by JSUN MILLS
Part 1
In our last article (www.
pvmcitypaper.com/download/236.
pdf), we had an introductory
discussion on how electricity is
billed in Mexico and the infamous
DAC rate. As professional
renewable energy experts, we find
that most people can significantly
reduce their expensive CFE electric
bills by utilizing the following “Top
Ten List”. We will list 5 items this
article and 5 in the next. Save the
following list and check off each
number as you have completed
each task. Have fun!
1.
Educate yourself and stay
informed: Learn how to read your
meter, the CFE electricity bill, and
understand how the electricity rate
structures work here in Mexico.
Most people are shocked to find
out that electricity rates can be
3-4 times more expensive than
up North. Billing errors are very
common, difficult to understand
and have corrected - especially
if you do not know what you are
looking at except the total amount
to pay and the cut-off date.
2.
Lighting: At night, turn
off all of those lights that you are
not using. Yes, you! Next, replace
all incandescent light bulbs with
compact fluorescents (ahorradoras)
or even better, with LED’s. Start
by replacing lights that are on for
the most hours of the evening. Be
sure to select bulbs with the color
spectrum you like. Most people
prefer warm light (2700 K`). If
the light bulb package is written
in Spanish, look for “Luz Calida”,
and NOT “Luz Blanca” or “Luz
del Día” which is that bright white/
bluish color that most people do not
like.
3.
Get yourself an energy
usage meter such as the popular
the “Kill-A-Watt”. This device will
show exactly how much electricity
a device is using and the associated
monthly cost. It will also better
help you understand and learn the
basics of electricity and power
consumption.
4.
Place all TV’s, stereos,
computers and other electronics
on power strips to stop “phantom
loads” or “vampire” energy losses.
Turn off the main switch when not
in use to eliminate all unwanted
standby loads. The US Energy Star
program estimates that up to 10%
or more of a modern household’s
energy consumption is wasted on
these devices while in standby
mode.
5.
Replace
that
old
refrigerator, freezer, computer
monitors, TVs and other appliances
with a new model certified with
the FIDE seal. A good general rule
of thumb is that if the appliance is
more than 5 years old, it is probably
worth replacing from an energy
efficiency cost perspective. For
more information, see www.fide.
org.mx *Mexico’s Energy Star
Jsun Mills is a 13-year experienced
veteran and renowned professional in the
international photovoltaic industry. On
the local level, he is an entrepreneur and
owner of “eSun Energy”, Banderas Bay’s
premier solar electric solutions provider.
For more information on solar: www.
esunenergy.com or call (329) 296-5657.
SATURDAY 8
5
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
6
Within PV
From the Botanical Gardens…
T
here will be two more events until next winter season:
Friday, June 21st marks the Summer Solstice. From 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m., come enjoy our Ritual Ceremony at 12:30 PM, then
meander through the Gardens and have your fortune told by one
of 3 psychics in the Hacienda de Oro (all contributions are on a
donation basis).
Sunday, June 23rd will feature the Second “Ladies that Lunch
…June Bloom” (wear your best hat), from 1 to 5 p.m. After our
first success we are back again! $300 pesos per person.
‘Meows’ by Pattie Shaw
Colors on Canvas PV
“Make Way for Summer” art sale
to benefit Los Mangos Public Library
C
olors on Canvas PV “Make Way for Summer ART Sale” will take place
on Friday, June 14th from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 15th from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. at the Sea Monkey Restaurant located at 174 Aquiles Serdan - at Los
Muertos Beach!
Each Colors on Canvas PV artist will donate a percentage of sale proceeds
to Los Mangos Public Library.
Both days, the Sea Monkey will be open for business as usual, with their
value for your money food and cash bar for drinks. You can take advantage
of the opportunity to browse and buy excellent original oil and acrylic
paintings directly from the artist at substantially reduced prices, and also sit
a while and enjoy the flavour of Los Muertos Beach.
We look forward to seeing all of our old, new and future friends there and
making some much needed $$ for the Library.
For more details on the “Make Way for Summer ART sale”, please visit:
http://colorsoncanvaspv.weebly.com/make-way-for-summer-art-salejune-14--15-2013.html
Web site: http://colorsoncanvaspv.weebly.com/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColorsOnCanvasPv
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
Summer Special
- A wine and cheese reception
- Tour of the gardens and the solarium
- Sit down lunch featuring a menu of soup or salad, grilled
chicken or fish (served with rice and vegetables), and lastly…
pastries for all, served table side.
For more information, please call Steve at 223-6182 or email
him at [email protected]
Invite a friend and make it 2 for $600 Pesos!
The Vallarta Botanical Gardens are located at Km. 24 on Hwy
200, just past Los Juntas y Los Veranos, about 30 minutes south
of Old Town, Puerto Vallarta. They are also easily accessible by
public transportation - bus marked “El Tuito” at the corner of
Carranza and Aguacate streets, in the Romantic Zone. This bus
leaves every half hour or so. It will also return you to PV. Bus fare
is 20 pesos (about 1.50 USD) each way.
FRIDAY 14
Within PV
7
About the pets…
by GRETCHEN DeWITT
PEACEAnimals Committee:
All clinic fundraising committee
members have pledged to “give or
get” $3,000 U.S. annually to the
clinics. We received a new pledge
this week from Dr. Norma Kafer
and her husband, James Gordon.
If we enlarge our committee from
5 persons or couples to 10, we
will have funded approximately
six months of clinics. With 20
members, the clinics are essentially
paid for.
Mobile clinic team at work: If
you are interested in being part of
the fundraising committee, please
contact me. We will meet no more
than 4 times a year and meetings
are not obligatory. Funding is the
focus.
Sterilizations: May 8-11 at ATV
Tours on Basilio Badillo: Cats Females – 40, Males - 30; Dogs Females – 37, Males – 13, TOTAL:
120 animals sterilized!
PLUS
pregnancy for 1 cat with 5 fetuses
terminated.
In La Cruz de Huanacaxtle,
Nayarit, a total of 53 done on May
15-May 18.
May 22-25 at ¿Qué Pasa?
Restaurant on Aquiles Serdán
in Vallarta, crowds had formed
by 8:30 in the mornings and on
Saturday, approximately 10 people
had to be turned away.
A woman with a baby in a
colorful sling on her back and
carrying two cats wrapped in
towels said she had wanted to get
her pets sterilized before but had
never had the money. TOTAL:
128 sterilizations plus pregnancies
terminated for 1 cat with 2 fetuses
and 1 cat with 3 fetuses. Donations:
approx. $5,750 pesos.
In Colonia 5 de diciembre, PV,
on May 27-June 1, a TOTAL of
119 sterilizations, plus pregnancies
terminated for 1 female dog with
7 fetuses and 1 female dog with 8
fetuses. Total donations: 3,222.30
pesos
If donations at clinics amount
to approximately $5,000 every
surgery week, the costs for supplies
are basically covered. May clinics
were paid for by a $10,000. USD
grant from HSI (Humane Society
International). The organization’s
anticipated goal for sterilized
animals for the month was 400.
Total sterilizations for May: 492!
Volunteer participation in Vallarta
has been great. Troy Valens and
Ron Thomas hosted a thank-you
dinner at Sea Monkey, one of their
SATURDAY 8
three restaurants. “Binka,” the deaf
and blind albino Great Dane they
adopted from the Centro de Acopio
[local pound], also attended.
Clinic schedule: The
new
PEACEAnimals
clinics will be on hiatus
until Wednesday, June 19th.
Schedule will be posted on
PV Animal page of FB and
also on the new website –
www.peaceanimals.org
PEACE Punta De Mita,
A.C. has gifted all the
clinic equipment to me
personally to be “used in
the best way possible.”
The equipment is “on loan” to the
independent contractors, Dr. Poli,
Dr. Anthony and Paulina Stettner,
vet tech and new director of the
clinics.
Dave Kiggins is a dog trainer
from Canada now living in Vallarta
and volunteering at the clinics,
adopted him. If you need a good
dog trainer, you can contact him at
[email protected]
There are now approximately 60
cats and 40 dogs, including many
puppies, at the Acopio.
Take note: next Adoptathon at
City Hall [main square in PV] is
on June 22nd from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rescued and need homes:
“Rudy” rescued by Kathryn Garcia
- about one-year old, 40 lbs, has
had all the shots, neutered, is being
treated for errlichia right now,
not contagious, sweet tempered,
walks well on a leash. He is in a
doggie hotel right now. Contact:
[email protected]
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
“Danny”, male Schnauzer, is
approx. 1-½ to 2 years old, sweet,
playful, friendly, neutered and
vaccinated. If interested, please
email [email protected]
“Percy” a very friendly, 10-month
old male Speckled Schnauzer mix.
If interested, contact Brischa at
[email protected]
Six-year old, non-aggressive
male Pit Bull. Very careless owners
are willing to give him up. He has
worrisome sores that need to be
treated. Please contact Brischa at
[email protected]
For
more
PEACEAnimals
information:
http://gretchen-peace-andp v. b l o g s p o t . m x / 2 0 1 3 / 0 5 /
peaceanimals.html
This blog covers free mobile
spay and neuter clinics held weekly
in Puerto Vallarta and neighboring
towns. These clinics have resulted
in the annual sterilization of over
4,000 cats and dogs over the past
few years. More than 20,000
animals have been spayed and
neutered since the Ayuda a los
Animales program, now known as
PEACEAnimals, was founded in
2001. Information is also provided
on animal adoptions and other
efforts to help the pet population in
the area of the Bay of Banderas.
In PEACE,
Gretchen DeWitt, fundraising
committee member
www.peaceanimals.org 8
Beyond PV
About the beaches of Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit
The map shows the coasts of the states of Colima, Jalisco and
Nayarit. These states all have some great beaches, and tourism is an
important activity in many of the towns shown on the map. Some of
them offer outstanding surfing opportunities while others are more
sheltered, with calmer waters perfect for swimming.
Besides being important for tourism, Manzanillo is one of Mexico’s
largest ports, which is why it has attracted so much investment in
recent decades - easy to access via the major divided highway to/
from Guadalajara and the interior of Mexico (and indeed, the US
border).
Further north, San Blas was once an important port, but declined
as silting blocked the shallow access routes.
Barra de Navidad also had great historical importance, as one
of the ship-building ports where the Spanish built the ships that
traversed the Pacific Ocean to the islands of the Philippines.
Mexico has a long connection with the Philippines: exploration,
seafaring and geopolitics.
The coast around the headland of Punta de Mita used to be the site
of rustic fishing villages, from where fisherman also took occasional
groups of tourists whale-watching.
This headland, and these villages became one of the best recent
examples in Mexico of a forced migration. In recent years, tourism
developments have caused more forced relocations than dam
constructions. One example is the Punta de Mita peninsula, 50 km
(30 mi) north of Puerto Vallarta, developed in the 1990s. The existing
residents, mostly fishermen, were forced from their homes on the
coast so that their ejido lands could be converted into a luxury tourist
resort and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
The fishermen were moved from their breezy and somewhat
ramshackle palapa huts, interspersed with palm trees, into ugly,
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
Beyond PV
9
concrete block houses a short distance inland, in the purposebuilt small town of Emiliano Zapata, which adjoins a redeveloped
coastal commercial / restaurant strip called Anclote. Attempts by the
developers to build the fishermen a small boat-building workshop
and breakwater to protect the beach caused sand to be eroded from
one of the only two remaining beaches with public access. During
the resort’s construction, an influx of workers from other parts of
Mexico pushed prices up and led to social problems.
More dramatic changes are now underway along part of this
coastline. The area north of Sayulita (which has become a favored
wintering location for Americans and Canadians) as far as the beach
resort of Rincón de Guayabitos (favored by Mexican families) is
slowly being transformed into Mexico’s latest purpose-built tourist
resort, in the same way that other Mexican mega-resorts such as
Cancún, Huatulco and Ixtapa were created.
Only time will tell what eventually happens to the areas that
currently remain as genuine wilderness coast. One thing is sure – the
more we develop this coastline, the more ecological damage will be
done in the name of progress. Ecologically productive mangroves
have been stripped out almost all along the coast, giving way to
luxury hotels and marinas. Mangroves are now protected by federal
law, but enforcement of this law may not be very effective.
Equally, fewer safe places now remain for the various endangered
species of marine turtles who first visited these beaches long before
even the early Spanish mariners. One good sign is that active turtle
protection programs exist at several of the beaches in this area.
Ecological education is a good thing; ecological action is even better.
5
Mexican
beaches
gain
international Blue Flag certification
For the first time ever, five Mexican
beaches have been awarded Blue
Flag certification. The Blue Flag
system is a voluntary, international
eco-label program run by the nongovernment, non-profit organization
the Foundation for Environmental
Education that recognizes beaches where water quality is excellent,
where information and environmental education is readily available,
and which are well managed, with high standards of safety and
services. The announcement was made in Copenhagen, Denmark,
where Blue Flag certification was given to 3100 beaches and 625
marinas worldwide.
Mexico’s five Blue Flag beaches are: Chahué, Santa María de
Huatulco, Oaxaca, b) Chileno, in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur,
c) Delfines, in Cancún, Quintana Roo, d) El Palmar, in Zihuatanejo,
Guerrero, and e) Nuevo Vallarta Norte, on Banderas Bay in Nayarit.
What does the Blue Flag system take into account?
The Blue Flag beach criteria are grouped into four main categories:
1. Environmental Education and Information - The beach must host
at least 5 environmental education activities and display information
about: a) coastal zone ecosystems and natural, sensitive areas in the
coastal zone, b) bathing water quality, c) the Blue Flag system, and
d) the code of conduct for the beach area.
SATURDAY 8
2. Water Quality - must be “excellent” in line with international
standards: The beach must not receive any industrial or sewagerelated discharges, any nearby coral reefs must be monitored to
ensure they remain healthy, and algae, seaweed, etc., should be left
on the beach unless it adversely affects beach quality.
3. Environmental Management - A beach management committee
must conduct regular environmental audits, the beach must comply
with coastal zone planning and environmental legislation, it must be
clean, with sufficient waste disposal and recycling bins, there must
be adequate and clean sanitary facilities, regulations must prevent
unauthorized camping, driving and dumping, regulations concerning
beach use by domestic animals must be enforced, and sustainable
means of transportation must be promoted in the beach area.
4. Safety and services - The beach must have: a) first aid equipment
and an adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment,
b) a system to manage beach use and prevent conflicts and accidents,
c) emergency plans to cover any unexpected pollution event, d) safe
access to the beach and regular safety patrols, e) a supply of potable
drinking water, f) access and toilets for persons with disabilities, and
g) a map showing the location of all facilities.
(Source: geo-mexico.com, Photo Copyright 2010 Tony Burton)
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
10
The 7 Arts
It’s Another Opening, Another Show!
The Puerto Vallarta Men’s Chorus is getting ready for their 2
Annual
Pride Concert, entitled “Brothers In Song” to be presented at the Boutique
Theatre with 3 performances: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 14th, 15th
and 16th.
Showtimes are at 8 p.m., except Sunday, when the start time is 5 p.m.
(for the “early folks”!) The Boutique Theatre is located in Old Town Puerto
Vallarta at 330 Naranjo at the corner of Basilio Badillo. Tickets are limited,
so make sure and get yours soon. All tickets are $250 pesos.
All tickets ordered online will be held at the Boutique theater the day of the
show under the ticket purchaser’s name.
Tickets are also available at the Boutique Theatre website (http://
boutiquetheatre.ca), telephone (322) 728-6878, and “Flowers To Go”
in the heart of the Romantic Zone, 126 Rodolfo Gómez, http://www.
flowerstogovallarta.com, telephone (322) 223-5686.
They will also be sold at the Saturday Co-op Market from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m.,
at the Paradise Community Center, http://www.paradisecommunitycenter.
com, 127 Pulpito, telephone (322) 133-7263.
The Boutique Theatre is a new 120-seat performance space with a state-ofthe-art light and sound system, plus air conditioning. A delightful intimate
space to see one of Puerto Vallarta’s newest and best arts organizations, the
Puerto Vallarta Men’s Chorus!
Please mark these dates on your calendar for a fun-filled performance.
The Puerto Vallarta Men’s Chorus marked its one-year anniversary on April
1st. The group is made up of Ex-Pats and Mexican Nationals and most of the
singers are gay. This is the first gay men’s chorus ever formed in Mexico or
Central America. There are over 40 singers in the organization. The chorus
is looking for more singers …and for volunteers! Contact email is info@
pvmenschorus.org, telephone (322) 779-9935.
Act II Entertainment has a new
home! It is located on the 2 floor
of the building at the corner of
Basilio Badillo & Insurgentes.
The public is invited to preview
it at a cocktail party on Saturday,
June 8th at 7 p.m. The event will
feature wine, hors-d’oeuvres,
entertainment... and a few
surprises.
ACT II’s new performance
complex, STAGES, will open
in November 2013 with three
venues: a 186-seat theatre (‘The
Main Stage’), a 100-seat cabaret
(‘The Red Room’), a 60-seat
piano/wine bar called ‘Encore!’,
and an outdoor beer garden terrace
with access from both the cabaret
and piano bar.
ACT
II
envisions
the
presentation of high quality
nd
“Building a Dream”
Cocktail preview of Act II Entertainment’s new venue
theater productions, cabaret acts,
concerts, dance and children theatre,
among other performance events.
Programming will be bilingual, with
more English language shows in the
winter (formerly known as the High
Season) and more performances in
Spanish in the summer months.
Danny Minnini said, “STAGES
will allow us as producers and
directors to be more creative, and
more diverse going forward.”
Minnini recently directed the smash
hit comedy Sordid Lives this past
season at The Palm.
“We are hoping that this expansion
will help promote Puerto Vallarta
with tourists as a theater destination
SATURDAY 8
city, and we are very encouraged
that Vallarta’s new municipal
administration has been supportive
of the project,” commented David
Restivo, who directed last season’s
sensational production of The Rocky
Horror Show.
Look for more big musicals
and hysterical comedies to start
the 2013-2014 season! Elizabeth
Ensor, who directed the musical
revue Suddenly Sondheim, will
continue to work with ‘all things
musical’ at STAGES. “With David’s
vision, Danny’s genius, and my
perfectionism... be on watch for
some more truly wonderful evenings
at the theater,” said Elizabeth.
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
nd
In
addition
to
quality
performing arts, the piano/wine
bar is being designed to hold
over 25 wines by-the-glass in
a sophisticated temperaturecontrolled wine preservation
system, which will be available
throughout the complex, with
weekly wine tasting events.
Bar service at STAGES will
also focus on classic, vintage
and artisanal cocktails, with
specialized mixology events held
throughout each month. Sunday
afternoons will be reserved for
a lively Beer Bust on the beer
garden terrace.
Act II Entertainment invites the
public to ‘Like’ their Facebook Page
to stay up to date with information
on upcoming productions.
(Source: banderasnews.com)
Good Bites
Coco Tropical
revisited…
11
companions throughout the years, we can
recommend just about everything on it.
Reading it is enough to make your mouth
water…
This year, the owners have decided to extend
their $189-Peso “Restaurant Week” menu to
the end of June!
Appetizers: Five to choose from, including
escargots (presented and prepared unlike
anything you’ve seen before), a lovely and
colorful arugula, pear and goat cheese salad,
and a French onion soup au gratin to satisfy
the pickiest diner.
There are savory soups, including French
onion soup au gratin (the real thing) and a
sumptuous seafood chowder - to die for.
Among the 5 main courses on the special
menu are: a fabulous Wienerschnitzel, tender
mahi-mahi, and one of Sr. Reize’s many
claims to fame: Coco Tropical’s huge fall-offthe-bone osso buco alla Romana served on
risotto (Reize is called the “King of risotto”
in this town!)
If you still have room for dessert, then
you’re in for a treat! Whether it be the apple
fritters served with a decadent vanilla sauce,
the Neapolitan flan or Reize’s simply perfect
Swiss chocolate mousse, you cannot go
wrong.
Of course, the fully-stocked bar is there to
provide you with all the appropriate spirits
for each course, from apéritifs to digestifs and
everything in between.
Please note that although the restaurant
is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the
special $189-Peso menu is only available in
the evenings.
So go ahead, titillate your taste buds, check
out Coco Tropical Restaurant. Tel.: 222-5485.
by ANNA REISMAN
U
nforgettable sunsets and spectacular
views of the Bay of Banderas, a cool ocean
breeze and superb European haute cuisine,
all come together in one splendid beachfront
locale right on the golden sands of Los
Muertos beach: Coco Tropical.
This restaurant, located at the foot of
Basilio Badillo, has delighted thousands of
visitors and locals alike ever since its owner,
Swiss-born Chef Heinz Reize, decided to
forego an important corporate promotion
to Mexico City so that he and Rosi, his
lovely Mexican wife, could remain in
Puerto Vallarta. They partnered with Vallarta
businessman Andrés Famania to open Coco
Tropical Restaurant & Beach Club in August,
1997. (I should also mention that Sr. Reize is
one of the original founders of our famous
International Gourmet Festival held in
November of each year.) The menu features
international cuisine with a Mediterranean
flair, as well as popular seafood dishes - all
freshly prepared by award-winning chefs.
Whether you walk in for lunch right off the
beach, or all dressed up for a special dinner,
the atmosphere at Coco Tropical always
lends itself to your mood of the moment.
The menu is lengthy and without any
reservations, based on our many personal
experiences there and those of our dining
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
12
Good Bites
There’s more to our history than just great flavors
Sometimes we all need more than
just chips, guacamole and margaritas.
Archie’s Wok is your haven for bold
and innovative flavors when you
are looking for a change from that
Mexican groove.
Since 1986, Archie’s Wok has
been legendary in Banderas Bay for
serving-up original cuisine influenced
by the exotic flavors of Thailand,
the Philippines and the Pacific Rim.
Archie’s helped establish the culinary
foundation of Puerto Vallarta and
continues to be one of the bay’s
most beloved, longtime established
restaurants.
It all began in 1976 when Archie
was asked to become Hollywood
director John Huston’s private chef
at his personal retreat on Banderas
Bay’s south shore.
Only reachable by boat, Las Caletas
(The Coves) was John Huston’s rustic
jungle villa by the sea.
A WORLD OF FLAVORS:
“Having feasted around the globe, I
can appreciate this wizardry.
You bring the Orient, indeed the
world, to my table in the middle of the
Mexican Jungle. Marvelous flavours
- I applaud you Archie!” (Written
by John Huston to Archie at Playa
Caletas, 1981.)
Today, his family upholds Archie’s
legacy of presenting a world of
flavors at this tranquil Asian-inspired
restaurant.
So when you finally say “let’s try
something new,” head on over to
Archie’s Wok and discover a world
of flavors. Named “Best Asian” in
Vallarta since 2005. Ask about their
“gluten free” options. Open Monday
through Saturday from 2 to 11 p.m.
The
ever-popular
d’Rachael
continues to perform classical and
contemporary music on harp, flute
& vocals each Friday evening from
7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Located in
Vallarta’s South Side at 130 Francisca
Rodriguez. You know the street, the
one that meets the new pier. 2220411. No reservations needed.
Been there…
“La Esquina de Los Caprichos” [The Corner of Whims] – “…
family restaurant, authentic Spanish cuisine catered to by its dedicated
and passionate owners from Spain… casual and relaxed ambiance…
the most exquisite delicacies: tapas! Beef carpaccio, calamari, garlic
shrimp, sausage au red wine, tuna croquettes, salmon from the grill,
etc.… like a rainbow of flavors…” Up the hill downtown at 402
Miramar corner of Iturbide. Usually open for breakfast, lunch &
dinner, Mon. to Sat. Tel.: 222-0911. Cell: (322) 141-0232.
Coco’s Kitchen – “… enchanting, romantic atmosphere, welcoming,
calm and relaxing no matter where you sit… some of the best
breakfast / brunches in town… eclectic and appealing dinner menu…
dishes to pamper the palates of the most discerning diners... succulent
homemade desserts, and the espresso is perfect too.”
D’z Route 66 – “…without doubt the most fun place… soda bar,
photos of the 50’s, 45 rpm records, memorabilia …and the best music
– especially if you’re a Baby Boomer… familiar items like burgers
(humungous), hot dogs & pizzas, chicken wings & strips, fingerlickin’ good ribs, Philly Cheese Steak & traditional Club sandwiches,
Root Beer floats, shakes, banana splits, sundaes, etc… Even passersby stop to listen and sing along to the music!”
Hacienda Alemana Frankfurt - “A beautiful open-air garden
setting... portions are huge... the Apfelstrudel rated an “A”... authentic
good and hearty German fare at reasonable prices in an unexpectedly
delightful little tropical oasis of peace and serenity.”
Teatro Limon – “A ‘Theatrical Event’ indeed… quick-witted,
talented Canadian Chef Bruce Byng prepares succulent 3- or 5-course
dinners for a dining room full of people – single-handedly, pleasing
everyone… unique in PV… no set menu to speak of – yet always
superb!
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
Vallarta Voices
by ANNA REISMAN
A
re you on Facebook? Have you been reading all the
posts from some of PV’s full-time residents? This is so
wonderful…
It started drizzling last Saturday evening, a fine, fine
drizzle, like a tease. For you who only visit us during the
winter time, please allow me to explain.
I should really rewind back some 19 years, to when we
first decided to move down here for good.
A dear friend of mine had just done the same, though six
months earlier. She sent me an email, “If you think you
loved PV in the winter, wait till you get down here in the
summer!” I thought she was off her rocker. How could I
possibly enjoy rain? But she was right.
My in-laws (r.i.p.) used to have a place in Palm Desert,
California, where we would take the kids on their Easter
break. Back then, Palm Desert was desert, not like
nowadays. I found it very strange, quaint perhaps, to
see residents dancing in the rain, celebrating it. Now I
understand.
Yes, I know, I keep telling everyone that November
is my favorite month in our little paradise, but there’s
something about the summer months here that is oh so
special, so wonderful.
Aside from the selfish aspect (one can find parking just about
everywhere), I just delight in seeing all the trucks parked at various
intersections, laden with fruit of all types, all fresh, all delicious…
papaya, pineapple, plump round plums, mangoes and melons… and
the markets! Oh my! Gifts to the senses… sight, taste, smell…
Food is very special here. Most everything we find in the markets
throughout town is locally grown, thus healthy as the farmers don’t use
all the chemicals normally used north of the border(s). Restaurants
offer all sorts of appealing specials to lure us to their establishments.
And now we have time to visit them all. Why bother spending time in
the kitchen when we can enjoy reasonably-priced, ready-made feasts
without having to prepare …or wash dishes?
And for the most part, there’s quiet. Near silence that allows us
to hear the birds, the roosters, the frogs, and the cicadas that have
returned this year. I shouldn’t forget to mention the chacalacas now
that I know what they are!
As I write this, it’s only been five days since the first drizzle and
yet the mountains that surround us have already changed colors.
The non-deciduous trees have gotten rid of the layer of dust that has
covered their leaves for the past few months and now they shine in
the sunlight. Soon, the new leaves will appear, light green. The whole
setting looks like a jungle – which it probably is up there.
SATURDAY 8
13
In town, all those bougainvillea planted by the Botanical Gardens
and the PV Garden Club are in full bloom – just beautiful!
And talking about tropical jungles… Now is the time when we can
actually partake in the activities we’re so eager to recommended to
our visitors over the winter – tours, tours and more tours, many with
major discounts. You can try that zip line / canopy thing that
you’ve been postponing for no particular reason other than
fear perhaps. Well, dear reader, there really isn’t anything
to fear. All of them have state-of-the-art installations and
facilities, with great bilingual staff. And after you’ve taken
the short first zip, I assure you that you will have shed all
fears and be looking to the next zip, just up the hill. By the
time you reach the highest, longest zip line, you’ll be a pro.
And when it’s all over, you’ll be sorry that it is …and that
you’ve been postponing it for so long. Been there, done
that, so you can trust me.
Still on the topic of our environment, an article appeared
in the Meridiano last week mentioning Mexico’s President
Enrique Peña’s exhortation for Mexicans to care for this
beautiful country’s natural wealth and beauty in his
National Strategy of Climate Change. In response, Jalisco’s
federal deputy, Rafa Gonzalez, expounded on the subject,
“to achieve economic growth that preserves the natural
environment … in a sustainable fashion”. President Peña’s
plan intends to establish more rigorous standards to reduce
carbon emissions in new cars while increasing their fuel
efficiency. It also foresees the creation of an Environmental
Quality Commission to reduce pollution and improve air
quality in the highly populated area in and around Mexico
City.
In closing, our Federal Deputy stated: “Together - authorities,
legislators, experts, social leaders, businessmen and citizens – we
must make responsible use of our natural riches, increasing their
value and ensuring a better quality of life for our children. Moreover,
one of Puerto Vallarta’s strengths is its environment, the mountains,
the valleys, the coast… all must be free of pollution and that is what
we will focus on.
Hmmm…
So why is there heavy machinery near the Estuary and what is it
doing there?
Why do we not replace all the green spaces razed to make way for
parking garages?
Why are developers still obtaining building permits for lots that are
home to 100-year old trees?
Why are there still so many bus routes that are duplicated?
Why doesn’t the police fine those humungous vehicles whose
mufflers have fallen off so many moons ago? Or those buses whose
tailpipes spew out such horrid black shmutz?
Ok. This is getting depressing so I will sign off for now, wishing
you a wonderful week filled with awe and loving kindness. See
you at the Farmers’ Markets and the Brothers in Song concert next
weekend! Hasta entonces. [email protected]
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
14
Legal Matters
Ask Luis
by LUIS MELGOZA
D
ear Luis: I have a No Lucrativa
immigration card and own a condo
in PV. My property managers told
me that it I can rent my condo
during the Summer months, which I
spend NOTB, as long as I don’t rent
it to Mexicans and the rent is paid
by transfer to my or my property
managers’ US bank.
Dear Michael: Your property
managers are wrong on all counts. If
you were to follow their advice, you
would be in violation of Mexico’s
Constitution, tax, immigration,
consumer
protection,
antidiscrimination, criminal and civil
laws; and you would face serious
penalties.
No Lucrativa status means that
you may not engage in any income
generating activities in Mexico or
from property in Mexico. Regardless
of where, how and by whom the rent
is paid your condo rental income is
generated in Mexico.
A foreigner with any No Lucrativa
immigration category (i.e. visitor/
tourist, FM3, FM2 or Residente
Temporal), who generates income in
Mexico or from Mexican property
is subject to deportation.
In Mexico, it is unlawful to
discriminate on the basis of national
origin, among other protections.
Not offering equal treatment to
Mexican prospective renters is a
clear violation of this premise, the
offended party has the right to seek
redress in Civil Court.
To lawfully rent your condo, you
must have Lucrativa status, obtain
a Mexican tax ID (RFC), issue
facturas for any and all rental monies
received - vacation and commercial
rentals incur on IVA tax that must
be itemized in the facturas), file
monthly and/or yearly tax returns
- depending on taxpayer category
determined by the SAT-, and pay
any resulting taxes - including IVA
if applicable. Of course, you would
have to offer it equally to Mexicans
and foreigners, without distinction.
Of
course,
your
condo’s
fideicomiso
must
specifically
authorize rentals.
Residentes Permanentes and
those with Lucrativa FM2s, must
report all worldwide income to
Mexico; regardless of any reporting
obligations to other countries (there
are tax treaties between Mexico
and individual countries, including
Canada and the US, that prevent
double-taxation on the same income,
providing that all worldwide income
is reported in both the country
of residence and the country of
citizenship. If any income generated
in the other country is not reported,
and it is later discovered, the
taxpayer may be subject to double
taxation; as well as to civil and
criminal penalties).
Any foreign citizen generating
income in Mexico, or from
Mexican sources, should retain
both a Mexican accountant and an
international tax accountant and/or
an international tax lawyer in their
country of citizenship.
If discovered, systematically
unreported (to the SAT) rental
income in Mexico or from Mexican
property, regardless of where the
payment is made, is deemed to
be tax fraud; the penalties may
include prison time, the loss of the
SATURDAY 8
rental property and, in the case of
foreigners, loss of immigration
status and deportation.
Furthermore,
if
property
managers, HOAs or any other third
parties are involved in the rental
process, and the rental income is
not reported systematically, the
additional crime of Asociación
Delictuosa (criminal conspiracy) is
committed and all parties, except
the tenant, are jointly and severally
guilty of tax fraud. To comply with
the law, if a commission or any kind
of fee is paid to any third party, that
third party would have to collect
the rental payment(s) and issue a
factura to the renter for the total
amount received (plus IVA tax if
vacation or commercial rentals),
receive a factura from the owner for
the total amount paid to that owner,
plus IVA unless the income is
exempt from IVA when the rental is
long-term dwelling, and report both
transactions and, if applicable, pay
the IVA collected to the SAT (minus
any IVA paid to the owner).
Whether a third party is involved
or not, the owner must issue facturas
for all rental monies received (plus
IVA if vacation or commercial
rentals), and report the income and
pay the resulting taxes, including
any IVA collected, to the SAT.
While the renter may not want a
factura - and a foreign visitor would
not have an RFC; in which case, the
landlord must issue a factura using
the payer’s RFC XAXX010101000
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
- the landlord is still responsible
for collecting IVA from vacation
or commercial tenants and of
paying that IVA to the SAT; not
to mention that it is a disservice
to a vacation rental tenant nonresident of Mexico not to give
him/her a factura, because nonresidents of Mexico may apply for
reimbursement by the SAT of any
IVA paid when leaving the country.
Besides IVA, income tax
(Impuesto Sobre la Renta) and other
federal, state and local taxes may
apply.
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. For breaking news,
follow me on Twitter @pvgeeks
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, and he provides
professionally certified commercial
and residential computer and
networks solutions locally through his
company, PVGeeks. You can reach
Luis at [email protected]
Health Matters
When to help rescue them
from their addiction
by GISELLE BELANGER
RN, LCSW
A
re you unsure of what to do if the addict in your life really needed help
and was finally ready to accept and receive help? Of course, the answer
is not simple and each person’s circumstances are different. However,
addiction can be devastating, destructive, and life threatening and there is
definitely a time and need to step in.
Deciding to step in
It is not clear and very difficult to know when to step in. You may have
to try to help many times before they accept it and even then it is difficult
to know how to help and what to offer. If you have tried in the past and
they refused, maybe they are more ready now. If the help you gave before
failed or didn’t last long, maybe this time will be different. Many factors
influence this including a) their readiness, b) your ability to set strong
limits, and c) the actual choices or options. In the past, you may have
kicked them out but took them back after a few days, or you may have
paid to send them to a treatment clinic and they relapsed after a month. It
is difficult to know the reasons and there are no guarantees.
Convincing them
Many people ask how to “convince” them. This is a delicate word. Some
would argue that you cannot convince them because we don’t have that
kind of power. Others would say that if they are ready to listen and more
open and receptive that they will hear what you are saying and agree. Is
that really you convincing them? The important thing is whether they are
finally convinced is what matters. They must be convinced that they a)
have a problem, b) that it is out of their control; it is actually controlling
them, c) that their life is a mess; “has become unmanageable” (in the words
of Alcoholics Anonymous) d) that they can not do it alone; cannot “fix it”
without help, and e) that they do not have the answers and are willing to
learn a new way.
These experiences are usually very costly both financially and emotionally
and it is not just the addict that suffers during this process. Everyone involved
with the addict suffers… until you chose not to. You do not need to ride
their roller-coaster ride with them. They may need to suffer more painful
consequences such as loss of a relationship, marriage, children’s affection
and respect, loss of a job, money, and friends. They may have to have been
rejected with nowhere and no one to turn, before they desperately surrender
to their addiction and realize that they need help. Then the problem becomes
whether anyone is left who cares enough to help.
Out of control---time to step in
There does come a time when “rescuing them from themselves;”
from their self-destructive behavior and attitudes, becomes absolutely
necessary. When it is out of control and/or life threatening, they definitely
do need help and are usually unable to help themselves. At this point they
may or may not be begging for help. They may not even know what kind
of help they want or need. They may have already attended AA/NA 12step programs and may need to go back or may need to walk through
the door for the first time. Many have been in treatment (inpatient and/
or outpatient) before and may easily identify what was missing from their
recovery program. They may realize they need the structure and support of
a long-term halfway or transitional house. Some may need detoxification
and then a plan. Others have never been in treatment and may be very
afraid and/or ashamed to go alone and may need to be escorted. If they are
not begging for help, then an intervention is needed.
Intervention
An “intervention” as it is called in the addiction field, is the loving
confrontation by family and friends attempting to convince the addict to
get help. I am not in favor of the old fashion “knock-’em out, tie-’em up,
and drag-’em” to treatment kind of intervention. The goal is for them to
go voluntarily! This can be very emotionally upsetting and threatening
for those considering planning and or participating in such a thing. I
recommend that you a) do not confront alone, b) that you plan well, c)
do your homework, d) call different treatment centers, e) find out your
options, f) talk to other people in recovery, and g) consult professionals.
…In the end, it is about saving a life.
Giselle Belanger, RN, LCSW (psychotherapist) is available for appointments
in person, by phone, or by skype webcam. Contact info: NEW!! ggbelangerpv@
gmail.com Mex cell: 044 (322) 138-9552 or US cell: (312) 914-5203.
Get out of the way and let the process happen
If they do not agree and do not accept your help, then get out of the
way and let the process happen! Decide what you are willing to tolerate,
set clear limits and then stand by them! This does not necessarily mean
take drastic action and file for divorce. It means carefully consider what
you want and what you are actually willing to carry out. Now is the time
to worry about you, focus on your needs, get help for you (and your
children). This is your process. Sometimes “tough love” is necessary. You
may need to cut the person off completely with instructions not to call or
come back until they are willing to surrender. In the meantime, allow them
the “privilege” of their process.
Allowing their process
We can not control their process. Often times their process requires
many more experiences and lessons to prepare them for change.
SATURDAY 8
15
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
16
Health Matters
Body & Sol
by KRYSTAL FROST
[email protected]
No Side Effects
M
edical research shows meditation and yoga
helps treat heart disease, cancer, and more.
An apple a day is all well and good, but 40
minutes of daily meditation combined with yoga
might prove far more effective in keeping the doctor
away. The real surprise? Your doctor might just be
the one to give you this advice - even here in P.V.
Medical researchers in the United States have
been studying meditation/yoga for more than 40
years, and the growing body of evidence is finally
sinking in. The ancient technique has been shown to
aid in the treatment of conditions as varied as cancer,
sleep disorders, headaches, depression, psoriasis,
chronic pain, high blood pressure, and aging - and
researchers say that’s only the beginning.
One type of practice, Transcendental Meditation
(TM), has shown particular promise. A study in the
American Heart Association journal Stroke reported
that regular practice of TM and yoga could reduce
the build-up of fat deposits in artery walls (and
therefore reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke).
Worldwide, more than 600 studies have focused
on the effects of TM and Hatha yoga over the past
40 years. Many of these took place at the College of
Maharishi Vedic Medicine in Fairfield, Iowa. “This
is a technique that works at a very profound level
- the inner intelligence, or the body’s own knowhow for self-repair or homeostasis,” said Robert H.
Schneider, M.D., director of the Center for Natural
Medicine and Prevention, and dean of the College
of Maharishi Vedic Medicine. “Certainly in our
medical practice and in our studies, we see more
and more people concerned about their health. They
want to do something about it proactively.”
But as practitioners of all types of meditation
and yoga know, you don’t need a litany of research
abstracts or meta-analyses to confirm the good it
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
does. Likewise, those experiencing great pain
are often eager to try out any possible solution,
especially one so convenient, cost-effective …and
free of side effects.
So once you’ve decided to make meditation
and yoga part of your daily routine, how do you
determine which type of the practice is right for
you? I suggest shopping around. Usually the
teachers will let you drop in to try a class before
signing up for a series.
There are numerous studios here in Puerto
Vallarta, and some of the gyms offer yoga in their
menu of classes. If you find one class too hard
or fast, or just do not jive with the teacher, try
another class. Classes vary widely depending on
the style and the attitude of the teacher. It’s kind of
like buying shoes here in Vallarta, you just keep
trying on the available models in your size until
you find one that fits. Yoga and meditation can be
practiced at any age; you may want to check with
your doctor before starting a practice.
Classes are also available in various hotels and
yes, hospitals.
Krystal Frost is a long time resident of Puerto
Vallarta. Graduate of University of Guadalajara,
and specialized in cosmetic acupuncture at
Bastyr University in Washington State. She is the
owner of Body & Sol for over 15 years where
she practices traditional Chinese medicine,
acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, meditation
and nutritional counseling. She has created
healing programs for individuals, retreats and
spas. Questions and comments may be directed to
[email protected]
Gil Gevins’ Page
Thrown for a Lupe
by GIL GEVINS
www.gilgevins.com
M
y favorite Mexican rocket is
the Trueno, or Thunder variety. After
rising high into the air (hopefully),
it explodes with a really big BOOM.
How big? Put it this way: three of
them, if combined, would make one
stick of dynamite. Needless to say,
they should be handled with care
and only by trained professionals,
like myself.
But even the best athletes miss
a shot now and then. My “missed
shot” took place on the evening of
Guadalupe Day, as my wife and
I marched down Juarez Street in
downtown Puerto Vallarta.
I’ve always loved the processions
of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The
festive crowds, the candlelight
parades, the colourful dancers and,
most of all, the fireworks. Years
ago many of the larger processions
used to have cueteros (fireworks
specialists) setting off rockets as
everyone marched along. Being an
honorary cuetero myself, I decided
to buy a few dozen rockets, join
a parade and make my personal
contribution to Mexican culture.
To prepare for the procession, I
dressed in traditional white (well…
beige, actually), loaded a large
shoulder bag with twenty-four major
rockets, stuck a flask of Raicilla in
one pocket and a pack of Marlboro
Lights in the other. My wife was not
happy about the Raicilla.
“I think you should leave the
moonshine at home,” Lucy gently
suggested.
“Come on, honey,” I said, “you
only live once.”
“Yes, but for how long? And with
how many fingers?”
The Fiesta Americana procession
reached Woolworth’s around nine
pm. After greeting some friends,
Lucy and I fell in at the rear. Directly
behind us, separating our adopted
parade from the Sheraton’s, was a
police car.
Glancing warily at the policia,
Lucy said, “I hope you don’t get
arrested.”
“Arrested for what?”
“How
about
‘Reckless
Endangerment’?”
“Honey, I don’t believe “Reckless
Endangerment” is actually a crime
in Mexico.”
“No? Then what do they call it?”
“Hmmmm. ‘Standard Operating
Procedure’?”
After we’d marched along for
half a block, I stopped, took a sip of
Raicilla, lit a cigarette and extracted
one of the large powerful rockets
from my bag. Then looking up, I
aimed my first missile at a small
patch of sky not criss-crossed with
electrical wires, put the glowing end
of the Marlboro to the tip of the fuse,
and waited…
The trickiest part of setting off
these rockets is knowing when to let
go. Of course, there are those timid
types who use a rocket holder for
this purpose, but I prefer to do it the
macho way, holding the rocket twixt
my left thumb and forefinger. It was
my wife who insisted that I always
use my left hand, so that in case the
worse should happen, I would still
be able to sign checks.
Once you light the fuse, you have
to wait, which is more difficult than
it sounds, because at that point all
you want to do is let the damn thing
go! But premature rocket-release
is just like premature ejaculation:
it tends to mess everything up. The
idea is to allow the rocket to build up
SATURDAY 8
17
sufficient thrust so that it pulls itself
out of your hand. This requires a light
touch, a good deal of practice and a
certain amount of huevos (stupidity).
My first rocket rose straight and
true, missing the wires, missing the
four story buildings on either side of
the narrow street and exploding with
a thunderous boom high above our
heads. So far so good.
It was about ten blocks
from Woolworth’s (in Mexico,
pronounced,
Voolouerrrrrachz)
to the church, so I had to light a
minimum of two rockets per block.
Fortunately, the procession was
moving along at a slow crawl so I
had plenty of time to drain my flask,
greet friends along the route and get
my rockets on schedule.
By block five, I was feeling
pretty good. I’d finished half the
Raicilla and successfully launched
fourteen rockets. Each launch had
been greeted with a gratifying cheer
from the crowd, which was clearly
delighted to see a tipsy gringo setting
off dangerous rockets in the middle
of downtown Puerto Vallarta while
surrounded by hundreds of people,
many of them women and children.
It was on rocket number fifteen
that I experienced the glitch. By this
point the spider web of overhead
cables had grown increasingly dense,
creating something of a logistical
problem aim-wise. My window
of opportunity, as they say in the
projectile business, had shrunk to a
mere ten foot square. It was this high
degree of difficulty which threw off
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
my timing and caused me to flub
number fifteen.
When a rocket is released
prematurely, it is liable to do
anything. Number fifteen assumed a
thirty degree trajectory, grazing the
top of our neighbour the police car.
Then it changed direction, climbed
erratically for twenty-five feet and
entered the open window of an
apartment.
From the street, the sound of the
explosion was huge. Inside the
apartment…
“Whoops.”
The next day Lucy was shopping
at Rizzo’s supermarket when she ran
into Jack, the town grump.
“Hi, Jack,” she said, “how’s it
going?”
“What?” he barked. “I can’t hear
a damn thing. Last night some crazy
@-hole shot a rocket right into my
apartment!”
“Oh?”
“I find the guy,” Jack snarled, “I’m
gonna kill him!”
My wife nodded her head, put a
box of pasta in her cart and said, “I
don’t blame you, Jack. But do me a
favour - wait till I find out where he’s
hidden my credit cards.”
Gil Gevins is the author of four
hilarious books, including the classic,
PUERTO VALLARTA ON 49 BRAIN
CELLS A DAY, and his new LOL novel,
SLIME AND PUNISHMENT. All Gil’s
books are available on Amazon and
Amazon KINDLE.
18
Fish Tales
Black Marlin
& Blue Marlin
return to Corbeteña
Written by STAN GABRUK
of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing and Tackle
T
he seasons are changing to
our normal warm and humid
conditions. With these warm
weather conditions comes warm
weather. To be specific, it means
we have our annual surge of
warm water species (fish that
is) moving into the area. This
season is no different as we see
an increase in Blue and Black
Marlin. Striped Marlin dwindling
in numbers as they migrate north
to Cabo - as would be expected.
Some local Yellowfin Tuna
action is welcome and right on
time. To me it’s always funny
how, as tourism slows to a crawl
here in Puerto Vallarta, our
world famous fishing grounds
explode with bucket list fish for
the vacation adventurer. Streaky
bites, changing currents, and
plenty of bait in the water make
for an interesting combination of
factors that combined to make
your fishing day unique.
SATURDAY 8
Dorado at the buoys, the
commercial guys hate me telling
you this, have been hot and then
cold. Some days you’ll find your
fill of fish, other days they don’t
want your bait and still other
days… well, you could spend
a lifetime trying to understand
seasonal fluctuations both normal
and unexpected.
For the guy who will not go out
fishing for more than four hours,
you’re in luck. Bay fishing is
improving. For the last several
months, Jack Crevalle were the
main player in the bay and around
the area since they love the
colder water temps. Last week
we still had some Jack Crevalle
in the cooler currents, but that has
changed now and there are none
to be found locally. When you see
Needle fish and Sierra Mackerel
move into the area, you know the
cold currents are coming to an
end as summer fishing is upon
us. For this reason the younger
set will love catching smaller yet
strong fighting fish. Bonito, Skip
Jack Tuna at the Yelapa end of the
bay. Snapper around the rocks and
close in structure – in increasing
numbers. No smaller Dorado
except for freak occurrences
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
for now, but stand by, this will
improve as well.
Those heading out a little
farther to the Marieta Islands
and the area off Punta Mita will
find things have improved since
last week with Rooster fish
coming back, ranging 20 to 50
lbs. and they’re hungry. Bonito
and Snapper, both running in
the 30-lb range, are increasing
in numbers daily, again as we
hoped and expected. Dorado are
a little sparse around the Islands,
but they are off Punta Mita point,
just find the buoys and you’ve got
dinner, amigos. Bonito, Sailfish
and Skip Jack Tuna are there as
well. The presence of Rooster
Fish is enough for many of my
regular readers to get excited
about… using light tackle is
recommended for an additional
adrenalin rush and fight. Limited
on time and vacation dinero, then
this is a great option, amigo…
YeHa!
For those looking for Yellowfin
Tuna, closer in than the Tres
Marias Islands, El Banco is
showing signs of life with 80to 120-lb Yellowfin Beauties.
Fish Tales
Cubera Snapper for the bottom
fishing guys, other species as
well. You may get lucky and find
a stray Wahoo or two, but no
promises.
For now you have better
options, and the best right now
is the abundance of Black Marlin
and Blue Marlin at Corbeteña.
For some reason, they’ve just
rolled in and they’re feeding on
Bullet Bonito. Bullet Bonito are
Yellowfin Tuna’s favorite as
they are shaped like 8-inch fish.
Oh and we’ve got 80 pounder
Yellowfin Tuna all over the place.
No Dorado this past week, but
you will find Sailfish as well. Just
get some of those bullet Bonito
and you’ll be fishing in a barrel,
amigo. Corbeteña, when it’s
firing, is incredible and deserves
its reputation as one of the best
fishing locations in all of Mexico
/ World!
The bite: the most important
thing to know if planning your
day on the water, it’s happening
before noon and after 5 p.m. So
early morning departures are
preferable if heading to the deep
water locations, including the
Tres Marias Islands, on a one-day
trip. You’d be better scheduling a
later in the month trip when the
moon phase if more favorable
to your particular situation.
Overnight trips are what the
doctor is ordering if serious about
boating, Yellowfin Tuna over 250
lbs., amigo. You can have your
fantasy, but it’s gonna cost you!
I am going to write some
separate articles and post them
on my blog, but for those who
have not heard: Marina Vallarta
is now under new ownership
and things are already changing.
An interesting situation exists
with the boat owners in Marina
Vallarta, with an uncertain future,
changes that are inevitable. I
am hearing all sorts of things,
some are a little disturbing. One
of these changes will naturally
result in new docks (muelles
in Spanish). This means that at
some point ALL the docks will be
replaced, which means of course
that all the boats will have to
leave their present docks in the
near future. If you have a lease,
it’s expired, end of story. The new
owners are meeting with present
dock owners and informing them
of the changes coming down the
road. The reason I am mentioning
this in this article is because there
is only so much dock space in
the Puerto Vallarta area and that
will dry up quickly and increase
in price - as expected with the
SATURDAY 8
19
changing market conditions. My
suggestion would be to move
your boat as quickly as possible
to the Marina in Nuevo Vallarta
or the La Cruz Marina before
the rush hits. Many boat owners
are pitching the words ¨law suit¨
around pretty loosely. Remember,
a lease is not ownership. If your
lease has wording that suggests
you have the dock in perpetuity,
you are looking at a tough battle.
You will find this expensive,
long lasting and ultimately you
will wind up on the short end of
that law suit. If you have a slip
or own one, I suggest you attend
the meetings and get informed.
If you don’t know of the ¨whats
and wheres¨ details for these
meetings, I suggest you contact
the Marina Office and find out
what is happening.
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
and are now near Victor’s
Café Tecuba. Look for me at
the least traveled end of Marina
Vallarta and I will be there
in my new place. 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
521 322 779-7571 (this is my
cell phone directly until the shop
phone is working) Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Master-Baiters-SportfishingTackle/88817121325
The
trade name Master Baiter’s
® Sportfishing and Tackle is
protected under trade mark law
and is the sole property of Stan
Gabruk.
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
20
Calendar
SATURDAY 8
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
Real Estate
4. Both Bays are experiencing real estate buyer markets with
some differences. San Francisco Bay has attractive interest rates
of fixed interest mortgages under 4%-4.25% with a minimum of
20% down payments, no points. *
Banderas Bay has a buyer market with availability of peso or
dollar loans with some differences. Down payments are similar
at a minimum of 20%; there can be some points charged, interest
rates are an average of 7%. Two things to remember are that USA
lower rates are subsidized. The cost comes back to us in some
form somewhere else in our economy. Investment in Mexico
companies and growth via stocks and bonds can yield 3-5% after
taxes. Some buyers of Mexican real estate realize this method will
help them effectively have an overall mortgage rate closer to the
USA counterpart.
5. The ease of getting direct flights from San Fran Bay for
under 600usd round trip adds to the appeal of the Bay of Banderas
as a get-away.
6. Weather in San Francisco Bay is cool, but warm enough
to permit many outdoor activities - except the opportunity to swim
in the ocean. Our mild, sunny weather in the Bay of Banderas fills
the need we humans have to bask in the sun and curl our toes
in the warm sand. Spending time in the sun and enjoying the
warmer sea recharges our batteries, giving us physical energy, and
healing our psyche. It is true: we need solar energy to recharge our
batteries.
by: HARRIET MURRAY
Taking a break
in San Francisco, California
It has been great to enjoy a short break in San Francisco, one of
the interesting cities on the west coast of the USA. Puerto Vallarta
and the Bay of Banderas have enjoyed for many years the visits
of residents of California. San Fran residents have been one of the
largest groups choosing our Mexican location for vacation rentals
and second homes.
Being here touring the Sonoma wine country, and exploring the
coast line south of San Francisco, have prompted me to reflect on
a comparison of the lifestyle here compared to my experience in
living on the western coast of Mexico.
1. Lifestyles are full and interesting in both the Bay Area and
Bay of Banderas. We enjoy locations with a great deal of natural
beauty, the comforting presence of water, the opportunity to be
outside and participate in a variety of sports as well as social and
cultural events.
2. We share a multi-culture experience living side-by-side
with a number of residents from other parts of the world. We live,
work and interact naturally every day with people of different
backgrounds and cultural values.
3. We enjoy the exoticness of diverse cuisine, music, dance,
theater, film, and art.
SATURDAY 8
21
* Quotes for interest rates and mortgages are from North Bay
Mortgage Guide: EMortgages.com and Sequoia Pacific Mortgage,
“The Press Democrat”, Sunday, June 2, 2013.
This article is based upon legal opinions, current practices and
my personal experiences. I recommend that each potential buyer
or seller of real estate conduct his own due diligence and review.
Harriet Murray can be reached at [email protected]
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
22
Hi-Tech
The Quiet Media Revolution
L
ike most people, I still associate YouTube with a place to kill 30
minutes looking at cute babies, dogs and cats making me laugh. But
that is the old YouTube. Don’t get me wrong, YouTube will always
have videos to give you a chuckle or an “awwww, how cute!” But
You Tube is growing up as well.
YouTube got its start in early 2005. It was founded by Chad Hurley,
Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, who were all early employees of
PayPal. YouTube was started as an angel-funded enterprise from a
makeshift office in a garage. Funny how many tech start-ups began
life in a garage. All that ever grew in my garage was
mold on the lawnmower!
Whether good or bad (depending on your point of
view) let’s not forget that Justin Bieber was discovered
on YouTube – at just 14 yrs old, when he was a mostly
street musician from Canada. By December 2012, his
video “Baby” was viewed over 700 million times, earning him the
second most viewed video ever on YouTube.
By July 2006, 100 million video clips were viewed daily on
YouTube, with an additional 65,000 new videos uploaded every 24
hours. The website averaged nearly 20 million visitors per month.
Time magazine even made YouTube its Person of the Year for 2006!
Google was in a buying mood in 2007 and dropped $1.65 BILLION
(in stock) to acquire YouTube. Not a bad price for a 2-year old
company... right? All the original owners and employees were instant
millionaires.
In 2007, YouTube was measured by bandwidth and it’s reported it
used more internet bandwidth than the whole internet did in the year
2000! That’s a success in any book.
Fast forward 5 years and Google pulls in nearly $2 Billion a year
in YouTube advertising revenue. But that’s still a drop in the bucket
compared to the $60 Billion earned by broadcast networks. That’s
nothing to sneeze at for an infant broadcasting source.
The five major U.S. television networks are NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox,
and The CW. The first three began as radio networks: NBC and CBS
in the 1920s, and ABC was spun off from NBC in 1943. Fox is a
relative newcomer that began in 1986. The CW was created in 2006
when UPN merged with The WB.
So, given that the main TV broadcasters have an almost 90-year
jump on YouTube, I don’t think YouTube is off to a bad start! The top
5 YouTube channels currently (based on subscribers) have a combined
30 million registered subscribers and over 9 BILLION views of their
videos!!!
SATURDAY 8
To rely less on viral kitty videos or South Korean dancing viral
videos, Google has announced that it has advanced funds to content
producers like Jamie Oliver and Michael Cera to create 60 new
original channels in France, the UK, Germany and the US.
That’s in addition to the 100 channels it already created last year!
Google also said it would take that original launch up a notch in 2013
by providing even more funds to the most successful efforts by artists
like Jay Z and Saturday Night Live’s Amy Poehler!
Needless to say, comedy channels are a big part of the new lineups, but so are music and cooking! Nothing like seeing a recipe being
prepared and being able to pause it as you cook along! No excuse for
your next lasagna not to come out picture perfect next time!
The company didn’t say exactly how much cash would be raining
down to all those channels stateside or abroad. But considering the
amount it recently spent just marketing them, you may want to pull
the trigger on that new cinema camera, after all. You too could become
a media mogul!
This past year, YouTube joined the big boys. A big 2012 milestone,
was the site’s participation in this year’s Summer Olympics. YouTube
did live streaming online for NBC Universal in the U.S., and it also
provided video coverage of the events for more than 60 other countries
around the world.
In 2012, YouTube said that roughly 60 hours of new
videos are uploaded to the site every minute, and that
around three quarters of the material comes from outside
the U.S. The site hit another milestone with 800,000,000
unique users a month!
YouTube unites the world through video. It also looks
like its financial future is well on the way to being a success, as a new
media alternative to the conventional broadcasting networks. Now
why didn’t I think of that while tinkering in MY garage!
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,
Networking, Wi-Fi, Hardware upgrades, Graphic Design, Data
Recovery, House-calls available. www.RonnieBravo.com Cellular
044-322-157-0688 or just email to [email protected]
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
Nature’s World
23
Planting Roots in Mexico
by TOMMY CLARKSON
Cuban Royal Palm
Roystonea regia
Family: Arecacea
Subfamily: Arecoideae
T
hree of our very first palm
trees planted here in Ola Brisa
Gardens were young Cuban
Royals. Now they tower high
up as the tallest – if not proudest
and most majestic – of the lot!
This genus was once referred
to as Oreodoxa but was changed
in order to honor an Army
engineer – General Roy Stone
– who served in the Caribbean
around 1900.
(Maybe, if
lucky, the proverbial “they”
will sometime name, at least, a
noxious tropical weed after this
old Army Lieutenant Colonel!)
But that silly observation aside,
there are now somewhere
between 11 to 22 species in this
Roystoneas genus – that number
determined by the opinion of
whichever “authority” one
seeks! However, the following
comments will deal, primarily,
with the best known of them.
That second word in its name,
“Royal”, says it all. No more
apt word can describe this regal
and impressive palm originating
from… well, you’ve already
guessed that from the name!
In fact, it is the national tree of
Cuba. (Though originally from
Honduras, it is now also found in
the Northern Caribbean, Mexico
and several other Central
American countries.)
These massive, self cleaning,
beauties with their stately,
symmetrical, smooth trunks
SATURDAY 8
One of the first to be planted in our gardens - and barely two years old in
January of 2008 - few might have assumed this guy’s ultimate size.
were imported into Florida in
the 1920’s and 30’s. Now, there,
as in Cuba, because of their
beauty and uniformity, they
line many of its roads, streets
and boulevards, providing the
perfect tropical ambiance.
Keep in mind when selecting
a palm tree for around your
home that this regal palm will
definitely dominate a small
front yard! Ultimately it can
grow to a height of up to 16-21
meters, with a spreading canopy
above its attractive crownshaft.
ISSUE 242 | JUNE - 2013
FRIDAY 14
That is a smooth extension
of the trunk comprised of the
overlapping bases of the leaves
- of up to 8-9 meters in diameter
each over three meters long. It is
comprised of 15-20 bright green,
pinnate, plumose – meaning
feathery - fronds. Their trunks
have the appearance of grand
cathedral pillars.
Generally speaking, the Cuban
Royal Palm trunk is swollen at
the base – though sometimes in
the middle - constricts nearly
24
Taken in January, 2010, on our
International Terrace, this ‘baby’
Cuban Royal of only about 5 years
still dwarfed my Patty – though she’s
not exactly a giant at 5 feet tall!
And on June 1st, while Patty’s still
somewhat diminutive, this tropical
giant continues to grow.
Along the entry to Tropical America,
northeast of Puerto Vallarta, these 20-year
old Royals set the proper tropical feel!
Nature’s World
halfway up and then bulges
again just below the crownshaft.
From my experience, however,
I’d simply say that you should
just be aware that there will be
bulge or two somewhere on the
trunk!
This trunk structure differs
slightly from the Florida Royal
Palm, Roystonea elata - native
to the Southern Florida cypress
swamps, but fast disappearing in
the wild – which has a straight
column of a trunk rather than its
more curvaceous Cuban cousin.
However, the trunks of both
species are smooth and light
gray – some say they almost
appear to be cast of concrete!
Each produces 3 to 4-inch
white-cream to yellow-cream
inflorescences up to about one
meter long, of both male and
female flowers.
The inflorescences (i.e.: a
group or cluster of flowers
arranged on a stem that is
composed of a main branch)
of all of the Royal species
protrude below the crownshaft,
bearing the unisexual flowers
of both sexes. So similar are
the varieties of this genus that
identification can often only
be made by relying upon the
slightly different features of the
leaflets, inflorescence and fruit.
The Cuban Royal Palm does
best in a sunny location with
warm, moist, well drained,
nutrition-laden soil that is
slightly acidic. To achieve best
results, plant in enriched, organic
infused soil, water well and
often, fertilizing regularly. They
are fast growing and tolerant of
salt drift growing near the ocean
on the beach - if set back a ways.
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Although known as an
ornamental, in Cuba it has
practical uses as a source of
thatch, construction timber, leaf
bases are used to waterproof
bales of tobacco, the fruit (called
“palmiche”) are used as hog
fodder and I’ve read it also has
some medicinal properties.
One down side, ironically,
is tied to its potential size. As
a precautionary afterthought,
please keep in mind that
those large and heavy, old
fronds falling from those lofty
heights can definitely make an
impression on the object(s) upon
which they drop! Once near or
fully grown, the falling leaves
can be a hazard to people, plants,
cars and rooftops beneath them.
And also keep in mind that to
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proactively remove fronds ready
to drop may be quite difficult, to
say nothing of expensive.
That warning having been
duly stated, if you’ve the space,
this is a strikingly beautiful
palm that’s a delight to behold!
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]
Nature’s World
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