Vallarta Blog

1 out of 21 anti-addiction units for Vallarta

Each unit will have the cost of 1 million 613 thousand 329 pesos and 12 ½  centavos. There will be 2 in Guadalajara, Tonalá and Zapopan. Others are Colotlán, Lagos de Moreno, Tepatitlán de Morelos, Arandas, Ococtlán, Tamazula de Gordiano, Zapotlán El Grande, Puerto Vallarta, Mascota, Ameca, Tlaquepaque, Tlajomulco de Zuniga. This will improve the availability of these services with quality and opportunity.

Colonia 5 de Diciembre: Tortured, Killed, Burned

Yesterday 12th of August at 4:40 am, police found a male (25) body on fire at Privada Brasilia street near Libramiento. The body was thrown on to the street by unknown people who lit him up using some sort of gasoline to accelerate the burning process. The body had signs of torture and 2 bullet wounds in the head. There was no evidence of violence at the scene and no conclusions have been made so far.

Coming true: Nayarit will have its own Airport

For a long time Nayarit has been thinking about constructing an Airport to be able to bring more tourism up north of Vallarta and soon it will come true. There are many projects going on with the focus on better connectivity between Cities in Jalisco. Also planned is the construction of a highway from Guadalajara through Nayarit to Puerto Vallarta which will be of great benefit to many businesses and people.

25 gallons of diesel leaked in Marina Vallarta

The Navy, supported by the local Fire Department and Civil Protection, was forced to implement an operation in the morning of the 13th to prevent damage. The diesel was recovered at 9:30 am. Where the gasoline came from is unknown, but it is thought that it could have come from a construction site or the golfing area. The captain of the Marina said that this is not an uncommon problem here and other Marinas.

No work for people with AIDS

The organization Vallarta Contra el Sida (Vallarta against AIDS) is accusing various businesses in Vallarta of giving out jobs only to those who have no AIDS. They are pointing out that it is discriminative and a violation of human rights what is happening in the restaurant area. The AIDS test is required to obtain a job in many places because businesses are afraid and or misinformed about the risks and facts of AIDS. Vallarta Contra el Sida will start a campaign of orientation to help people that are affected in their rights as well as there will be classes for businesses to explain everything related to AIDS.

Clean Vs. Dirty Beaches

Boca de Tomatlan shows 1,800 enterococci but nothing to be worried about. The rain can be problematic sometimes; it comes with a lot of dirt and waste, which causes the measurements to vary significantly. Besides Boca, all other beaches are said to be good for recreational use.

Recycling in Vallarta, Jalisco

We’re just a few weeks away from a new law that will make it obligatory for everybody in Jalisco to separate the garbage. The mayor of Vallarta said that it is something that the people and culture, will have to learn to change. We know we have to and we’re going to work in that aspect.

Ujena Bikini Jam coming up

From the 22nd to the 31st of August, we will be seeing over 250 models, photographers, stylists and many more running around PV creating thousands of high quality photos, profiles and portfolios. Not to forget the amount of publicity Ujena Swimwear is getting from the Talent Shows. There will be Workshops to learn the most important aspects in photography, modelling and makeup, as well as parties, competitions and a lot of fun. Also: Prices with a value of $250,000 usd in cash, contracts & awards. Go to: the official Ujena Bikini Jam Puerto Vallarta 2008 website.

Vallarta Verde (Green Vallarta) Ecologico was a total success. The entire afternoon at Cuiza Restaurant Bar was filled with music, drinks and people from everywhere. Rastas, Hippies, Grandpas & Grandmas, everybody with some rhythm in their blood was present.

UPDATE

(Video Source: Vallarta Verde)

In case you missed it, we have some pictures especially for you and for our german friend Ajim and his drummer girlfriend that did an incredible job on stage, not to mention: for free and for the good of keeping Puerto Vallarta green. Everybody that performed today/tonight was outstanding and drew big happy smiles on everybody, not to mention the people who danced through every song.

La Cuiza is a neat hidden place on Rio Cuale but not too difficult to find and only one minute walk from the new Malecon Bridge that connects El Centro with Olas Altas. Just follow the stairs that go down right in the middle of the bridge towards Oscars and River’s Café.

To help support the Vallarta Verde Ecologists, you can buy t-shirts, hats, drinks at their events, so please don’t think twice about it, buy something, knowing you are supporting the ones that want to keep Vallarta as what it became famous for (The green fishing port) and not the gray, cement Acapulco 2 City.

In the news: Fieste Ecologica - VALLARTA VERDE 

Barbara Sands

Puerto Vallarta - Vallarta Verde, a group of young and ardent ecology-minded activists has launched a new initiative to foster “green” thinking among Vallartenses.

Spearheading the new group’s efforts are Greta Fuentes, Tatiana Meneses, Carole Oury and Mercedes Sanchez among others. Joe “King” Carrasco of “Nuevo Wavo” musical fame, a transplanted Texan, is lending his group to bring Tex-Mex and reggae flavor to the day and promises to round up a bevy of local musical talents to keep the island moving to a green beat till evening.

The keynote theme of the day is information and ecological awareness. All it takes, sometimes, is a bit of chit-chat among friends and neighbors to uncover common concerns and to determine ways to address them.

Vallarta Verde aptly conveys the aims of the newly established group to build public interest in exploring all ways to preserve what very few green spaces we have remaining to us.

Major among these spaces is the eastern end of the Isla Rio Cuale whose development into yet another commercial corridor has been envisioned by the last two municipal administrations. The Isla is still a micro-nature preserve for iguanas, squirrels and an amazing numbers of birds.

But, more importantly, it’s a cool respite on a hot day; it’s a shady outdoor classroom for kids during the summer months and remains a small verdant microcosm in the Cuale. What an idea it would be to label those many varieties of trees; to have a plant and animal map. John Huston would find himself less lonely in his director’s chair.

The Isla effort will go hand-in-hand with public education through the press, in schools and in city-wide presentations to encourage ecologically sound waste management along with water and other natural resource conservation.

Development has moved so quickly in Vallarta that concrete bastions rise before our eyes without warning. Development certainly cannot be confused with progress and isn’t always the best answer for the municipality.

We can’t forget what put Vallarta on the map besides the torrid Taylor-Burton affair. It is its very Mexican-ness, its leisurely demeanor, its tile roofs and feeling of a city with proud roots, and those it has in abundance.

All those who have grown weary championing the preservation of our beautiful city’s native charms can only applaud these new faces picking up the challenge and bringing in new troops to carry on the battle to preserve our beautiful surroundings, our trees and the city’s heritage.

From the southbound bridge, Cuiza is located down the stairs and toward the ocean. From the Malecon, access is down the stairs and straight ahead to Cuiza on the right past Oscar’s and River Café.

For more information or to offer assistance, contact Greta Fuentes: zuckyinc(at)yahoo.com; Mercedes Sanchez: aisforartist1 (at) hotmail.com; Carole Oury: carolepvr(at)yahoo.com; Tatiana Meyeses: llomera(at)gmail.com or Barbara Sands: barbsands007(at)yahoo.com. Musicians or singers (dancers?) DJs or MCs who want to be part of the action can contact Joe King at joeking(at)joeking.com. Please! drummers need not apply.

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the 46th annual Becas Ball at the Westin Resort & Spa on Thursday, March 6th. The traditional free cocktail hour will again be offered to start the evening off on the right foot. Followed by a 4 course delicious dinner and live music for dancing.

The price of the tickets is $850 pesos (or $80 USD) per person. Proceeds from the event will help Becas Vallarta A.C. to continue its work in helping to ensure that hundreds more of the city’s bright but needy children will get the education they deserve - as they have been doing for forty-five years.

To mark this milestone, the committee is also appealing for extra support from those who can afford it and who agree that supporting children’s education in the poorer areas of the city is one of the best ways a person can contribute to the future welfare of our community.

A personal donation is also a way of honoring all the volunteers who have kept Becas Vallarta A.C. going strong over the past forty-five years. A box for receiving contributions will be available at the ball. (As a guide-line, the cost of supporting a student through the scholastic year ranges from $160 dollars to $600 dollars depending on the education level.)

Ball location: The Westin Resort and Spa Hotel
Date and time: Thursday March 6th. Cocktail hour from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Ticket cost: $850 pesos ($80 USD)

Reserved tables are available if six or more tickets are purchased. Tickets can be obtained from: Buri Gray, 221-5285 (Conchas Chinas and south); Mary Ellis, 222-1478 (Centro and Los Muertos); Margarita Mora, 221-3760 and Mariel Fregoso 221-0789 (Marina); The Book Store, Venustiano Carranza #334, 223-9437 (Centro) and Plaza Caracol inside Gigante 224-1872.

Its almost here again folks, Valentines Day is just two weeks away! On this international day of love, people around the globe will be showing how much they care for each other with chocolates, flowers, romantic dinners and sunset walks on the beach among many other things!

For those of us lucky enough to be spending this day of amor in the Puerto Vallarta area, most of our favorite restaurants, bars and hotels will be having special romantic menus guaranteeing us some truly fine dining and an excellent evening!

A great example of fine cuisine is the Valentines Day menu at Bruce’s Back Alley Bistro, home of the best steak in Puerto Vallarta’s romantic zone! Their menu is as follows: 
Amuse – Bouche, Wild smoked salmon “hugged” with citrus scented bok choy and a sesame glaze.
Salad -Roma tomatoes and mozzarella drizzled in a blueberry coulis with a white truffle “kiss”.
Appetizer- Bar harbor stuffed crab with a gentle “nudge” of citrus beurre blanc.
Main Course- Filet mignon and pomme frites with a velvety red wine bourdelaise sauce and fire roasted asparagus with samurai shrimp.
Desert is a surprise!

Special features for the evening include a draw for tickets to this seasons Becas Ball (valued at $1500 pesos!), to be held at the end of the evening and a meet and greet with this years stars of Puerto Vallarta! Reservations in advance are highly recommended.

Calling all ladies, for those of you who are single, once were single, wish you were single or would just like to party; Café Roma is having an all you can eat and drink special for $150 pesos! Included in this feast will be food from their regular menu as well as beer and most mixed drinks like Margaritas and Pina Coladas.

Yes you can bring a male partner, but they pay regular prices, no sharing. There will be live music from 5 to 8 pm and all tips go to the KIDS. Go early for a good seat as they are expecting to be jammed to the roof. Thursday, Feb 14th, Valentines day, from 5:00 pm to close at 10:00 pm at Cafe Roma.

And last but certainly not least join Xocodiva on February 14th, the day of love and friendship, in extending a helping hand to the local children’s shelter. With every donation your name will be automatically entered to win the special Valentine’s basket filled with champagne, chocolate-dipped champagne glasses, truffles, a 2 for 1 certificate for a couples’ massage from Body Time Spa, and Xocodiva chocolate massage oil.

All funds raised will go to the Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza (R.I.S.E.) who are currently caring for 53 children that could use you help now and throughout the year. The lucky winner of the gift basket will be announced February 13th, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

A very important thing to keep in mind this Valentines Day no matter where you plan on spending it, is that reservations can be key to having the perfect evening!

For those of you who are not here in Puerto Vallarta, why not think out of the box this year, who wouldn’t love a whirlwind Valentines Day trip to Puerto Vallarta! Many travel companies are offering special romantic getaways to the Puerto Vallarta area.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton aren’t the only ones to ignite their love in Puerto Vallarta. “Love is in the Air” everyday at Casa Velas adults-only all-inclusive boutique hotel. A three-night package provides couples with a romantic stay in a Grand Class Suite with Bulgari amenities; a secluded, four-course dinner for two on the beach surrounded by tiki torches served by a private waiter; spa treatments and more.

With Casa Velas’ Love is in the Air package, guests can indulge themselves at the 6,500 square foot Spa Casa Velas with a daily spa credit of $35 per person to be used toward any massage, facial or body wrap and unlimited use of the Spa’s hydrotherapy facility.

The package also includes breakfast, lunch and dinner a la carte at the hotel’s restaurants; use of the oceanfront Beach Club featuring a pool, Jacuzzi, and private beach; and premium liquors at the Lobby bar and Aqua Bar. Shuttle service to and from airport and taxes and gratuities round out the package. The three-night Love is in the Air package is $1,770 per couple. For reservations or more information, visit www.hotelcasavelas.com

Tomorrow, September third at Plaza Caracol the St.Florians Boy’s Choir will be performing for the citizens of Puerto Vallarta.

A world renowned show, this tradition laden chorus is currently on a international tour, attendance here in Vallarta is expected to be in the thousands for this special event.

Tickets are being sold for $300 pesos each and include free parking in the plaza. Organizers of this event include the Puerto Vallarta Rotary Club, Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) and the Puerto Vallarta Department of Culture.

The St.Florian Boys Choir dates back to 1071, thought to have been started by the monks of Augustiner Chorherren a monastery in Dürnstein, area of Wachau, Lower Austria. Many musicians have come from the ranks of the SFSK, the most famous being the composer Anton Bruckner, whose name is forever connected with St.Florian.

The director since 1983, Franz Farnberger studied music at Vienna University and continued on to be musical director of the Vienna Boys Choir form 1976-1983. While under his direction the St.Florians Choir has gone on many world tours, recorded cd’s and even been on television. Internationally acclaimed they travel and sing in many different places including music festivals and famous opera houses.

Until very recently the Boys Choir’s sole duties were providing music for the church and convent. Today the choir has many different responsibilities although church music is still the main focus for the group. On high Holidays they join with another choir and an orchestra and under the direction of Augustinus Franz Kropfreiter sing mass.

All the proceeds of the event are to be donated to DIF and they want to put the money towards one of their many projects, a care facility for seniors which will include medical personal. The first of its kind here in Puerto Vallarta, the hope is that it will become a positive model for other cities in Mexico. So, not only will this be a spectacular event but it will also be benefiting people who need help the most. Please come, spend the evening, enjoy and help to provide care for seniors who need it.

Details:
Exhibition Area – Plaza Caracol
Plaza Caracol, Hotel Zone
September 3rd, 9:00pm
Cost: $300 pesos (General Admission)
Ticket Sales: Department of Culture, DIF municipal,
Inside Plaza Caracol and the Office of Municipal Tourism

For more information, please call DIF at 225-9936 or Puerto Vallarta’s Culture Center

Greenpeace couldn’t express itself often enough and said several times that the information presented in their work wasn’t directed against the municipality of Jalisco and that they are only trying to point out the problems of all beaches in Mexico to find and suggest new solutions.

In response to the accusations made by Greenpeace (greenpeace.org), the mayor of Puerto Vallarta, Javier Bravo Carvajal criticized the non-profit organization Greenpeace of having unknown interests with the purpose of harming the port’s infrastructure. Greenpeace says that it has auto sufficient and independent politics with no economic interests and that the subjects they work on are ecological and are treated with absolute scientific rigor facing the Mexican society. More specifically the organization explained that the campaign that is being realized in different municipalities with beaches, has the objective of clean beaches in the entire country.

Greenpeace hopes that the last test results of the beaches of Jalisco, which were realized on the 6th of June, will be published in the same beach area instead of the internet.

For the World Health Organization, swimming in seawater with a higher level of bacterial feces than 137 parts per milliliter of enterococci means a risk of severe diseases like paratifoidea or infectious hepatitis.

Greenpeace pointed out that their presented information of their tests has not the objective to act against Puerto Vallarta or any other particular entity. “We only want to show everybody the problem in all beach areas of the country so we can find solutions because clean beaches are important for everybody”.

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Dear Greenpeace,

We here at Vallarta Blog Wexico, admire your efforts to point out some of Vallartas biggest problems and we are not talking about the Beaches only, but about a common problem in Mexico like the corruption on cost of the environment and Vallarta’s traditional life.

In the past years, Vallarta has changed drastically. More and more people come to live here and more stores, buildings and cars are drawn on the maps of Vallarta. Only a few people have the patience and ear to hear and recognize the damage that is being done because everybody is focused on themselves. Almost half of Vallarta has worked for Vallarta Adventures, Timeshare Giants and tourist driven companies. Everybody relies on tourism and everything is growing fast enough to loose the picture. Soon enough Vallarta will be a second Acapulco and the ones in power now will be drowned in money.

What happened to the hundreds of people that protested against the illegal destruction of the historic parks in Vallarta? They are forgotten now. They stood up against the police attemt at 6 am in the morning to destroy the parks and anybody in their way ended up in jail or beaten up. What happened to the Human Rights reports that were filed from dozens of protesters? Thousands of flyers and information was given out through radiostations and local ecologists, but the only response they got was what the government had put into their heads: Puerto Vallarta needs modernization. It has to evolve and we need to construct parking lots on top of historical traditional parks. Too many automobiles need parking lots, no matter what the costs are.

History repeats itself and if we have learned something about it it is that it is not enough to just inflate a huge toilet for a few minutes in the early hours of the morning, so nobody notices it. Unless you are trying to warn the government of what you are capable, this event was totally confusing to many people here in Vallarta, which is why we hope that the next time you will make sure that locals and non locals have the possibility in joining your campaign, which means you have to speak out through the radio, newspapers and do more than just a quick photoshooting on the beach.

We are looking forward to Greenpeace’s results and will keep up to date with this issue. Anybody that has more information on these subjects, please don’t hesitate in commenting or contacting us.