Vallarta Blog

The city of Vallarta has prepared a special program of cultural activities in honor to Puerto Vallarta and its people. This year we’ll be enjoying the Fiestas de May08.

México, Germany, France and Spain are the countries of origin of some of the artists who will perform at the international events throughout the month of may.

The fiestas will have something for everyone: Regional Mexican dance, Tahitian, Contemporary, Jazz, Afro, Flamenco and so much more.

The main event of Las Fiestas de May08 will be hold on the malecon arches, but there will be other public locations like the Pitillal plaza, Las Juntas and the Sport area “Augusting Flores Contreras” which will present the traditional Chinese Dance of the Lions on 30th of May.

32 events with over 250 artists will be held on Fiestas de May08 in Puerto Vallarta.

Event schedule:

1st - 20:00 – Inauguration at the malecon arches with the tropical rhythm of “Los Fumancheros”

2nd – 18:30 – Romantic Music by the “Festival de Estudiantes” (malecon arches)

2nd – 20:00 “Grupo Rey Nayar” Regional Dance in Plaza Pitillal

2nd – 21:00 – “Radiopatias” with musical humor, intelligence and sketches will bring everyone some good fun time. (malecon arches)

3rd – 19:00 “Grupo Rey Nayar” Regional Dance (in Las Juntas)

3rd – 19:00 – Romantic Music by the “Festival de Estudiantes” (malecon arches)

3rd – 20:15 – “La Quinto Danza” Contemporary Dance to welcome Jerome Murat on the malecon arches.

3rd – 21:00 – French “Jerome Murat”, best mime ever will perform his masterpiece “The white statue” on the malecon arches.

Jerome Murat

4th – 20:00 “Grupo Rey Nayar” Regional Dance (malecon arches)

4th – 21:00 – “Orquestra Chamaco” Jamaican music mix with reggae rhythms.

5th – 21:00 – “2 Play” Acrobatic Comedy representing the comeback of the living legend of Olympic gymnastic.

7th - - “Sherele” Hebrew music from Europe with an emotional and spiritual touch. (malecon arches)

15th - 20:30 – German Orchestra from the Chamber of Stuttgart directed by “Michael Hofstetter” in the hotel Krystal, room Jalisco. Enjoy Mozart, Bach and Mendelssohn for only $150 pesos / ticket. (This is the only event with cost, all the others will be free)

Michael Hofstetter

16th – 20:00 - Italian “Marco Carolei” will guarantee a lot of laughter with his professional clown techniques on the malecon arches.

Marco Carolei

18th - 20:00 – “Carsten Daerr Trio” also from Germany will be playing a Jazz concert

Carsten Daerr

30th – 21:00 – “Dance of the Lions”, traditional Chinese Dance followed by traditional Mexican fireworks.

The month of May has always been a very important month in Mexican history. “La Batalla de Puebla”, the Battle of Puebla is celebrated every year on the 5th of May.

History says that the Mexican army with only 4,500 poorly armed men had won the battle against the French army that had over 8,000 well-armed soldiers.

It was also the first time that the imperial troops of Napoleon III fell overdue demonstrating that they were not invincible. The celebration surpasses that of the Mexican Independence Day, something very logical if one notes that the bulk of Méxican Americans born in the United States, while not naturalized Mexican residents still celebrate the Mexican Independence Day.

PRESENTATION GUELAGUETZA

Another Expo Oaxaca will be held in and around the Puerto Vallarta area this coming weekend, February 21st-23rd. With a large display of arts and crafts as well as clothing, food, sweets and jewelry, this will be a great event to enjoy and get to know more about the Oaxaca area and its culture. Sure to have some great food and be a colorful display, the expo promises a good time, and some great shopping for everyone who attends! The dates, locations and times are as follows:

21 IN PITILLAL 20:00 hrs.
22 THEATRE AQUILES SERDAN (LOS ARCOS) 20:00 hrs.
23 PLAZA HIDALGO 20:00 hrs.

Since pre-Columbian times Mexicans regard friendship very highly, considering it a precious gift of life. Nowadays in Mexico, as in the rest of the world, we celebrate on February 14 El Día de San Valentín popularly named El Día del Amor y la Amistad- the day of love and friendship.

All over town there are balloon vendors offering their colorful  heart shaped declarations of love, for most of them  have written on them “Te Amo” -I love you- “Para mi amor”-for my love, or “Felicidades” -congratulations.  Delicious chocolates, as well as flowers, especially red roses, and greeting cards are also sold in every store.

If in Mexico, don’t even try to go to a restaurant with out a reservation made weeks before.  Couples of all ages go out for dinner on this special date.

As you can see, El Día del Amor y la Amistad is commemorated in Mexico in a way very similar to the manner in which the rest of the world celebrates, but surely, friendship and marriage had different expressions in pre-Columbian times.

Valentines Glossary of terms
Amistad: Friendship
Amiga (o): Friend
Amor: Love
Argollas Matrimoniales: Wedding rings
Anillo de compromiso: Engagement ring
Boda: Wedding
Cupido: Cupid
Enamorado (a) : In love
Luna de Miel: Honeymoon
Matrimonio: Matrimony
Novia: Girlfriend or Bride
Novio: Boyfriend or Groom
Padrino: Best man
Dia de San Valentin: Valentine’s Day

From: Inside-mexico.com

Puerto Vallarta’s Independence Day celebrations went off with a big bang Saturday night on the Malecon. People of all ages lined the street, in commemoration of 190 years of   Independence from Spain.

There were so many people at the arches and outdoor amphitheater area of the Malecon, it was virtually impossible to pass through the crowd. With a giant fireworks display and live music on every corner, the authentic Mexican fiesta was exciting and busy.

Everywhere you looked, Mexican flags were waving and red white and green was the theme for the evening. Many people wore traditional Mexican clothing, beautiful expensive sombreros and colorful woven garments, small children dressed up in their finest, armed with noisemakers and treats.

In the vendor area you could have your choice of everything from fruit to crepes, candy, juices, elotes, popcorn and tacos, all lined up for snacking pleasure and visual satisfaction. The usual men and women selling jewelry and small toys joined by vendors with flashing light toys, sombreros, party favors, kids toys and even more flags.

The fireworks display lasted at least half an hour, starting off with a stationary show that spun with colorful sparks and ended with dozens of majestic bursts exploding above the Malecon. When the fireworks ended the crowd moved slowly along the road, an ocean of people going in all directions.

Many bars and clubs had special events for the evening, especially the ones located on the Malecon. Packed to capacity, people partied on into the wee hours of the morning dancing and having an all around good time. All the restaurants in that area were full on what I am sure was the busiest night of the month for local businesses.

September being the slowest month of the year here in Puerto Vallarta, the Independence Day celebration was a nice break to the mellow atmosphere as of lately. Although it did rain earlier in the evening, the weather was perfect for an outdoor fiesta and a lot of fun was had by all who attended the events in the central part of town.

Be prepared to celebrate here in Puerto Vallarta and all over Mexico this weekend. In Spanish September is known as “El Mes de la Patria”, “The Month of the Mother country”.

This year Mexico celebrates 190 years of independence from Spain; in a culture rich with tradition this is the most important event every year. Throughout Mexico people celebrate their patriotism with parades, parties and most importantly the Mexican flag and national colors. Red, green and white can be seen everywhere, from decorative banners and ribbons, to traditional clothes and piñatas.

Mexican Independence day weekend is not only a party, but a celebration to commemorate the most important part of Mexico’s history an event which moulded past, present and future generations of Mexicans forever. Not unlike the fourth of July or Canada day; country wide independence day festivities take place every year in Mexico on the 15th and 16th of September.

Here in Puerto Vallarta there will be a parade on the Malecon and festive events throughout town. Restaurants have special menus with dishes of red, green and white; traditional Mole Poblano, Chiles en Nogada, Guacamole and chips and salsa Mexicana.

Live mariachi bands will be playing in the plaza and vendors will be selling treats like Mexican candies and ponche; a punch made from seasonal fruits such as guayabas and sugarcane. Most businesses and homes will have flags and decorations and everyone is charged with a festive energy. Bars will have live music and special drinks, everywhere you go it will be a fiesta!

Forget Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence day is “the” party here in Vallarta and all over Mexico. So if you want to experience a real Mexican fiesta and want to understand more of the authentic culture of this beautiful country, come visit Puerto Vallarta for this, once a year celebration of Mexican history and patriotism.

Update thursday Aug.24, from Los angeles Times

MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Dean saved some of its worst for last, killing eight people after shrinking to a rainy tropical depression over central Mexico, authorities reported Thursday.

In the state of Puebla, a family of four, including two children, died when a mudslide hit a highway overpass Thursday and crushed their car, state civil-protection authorities said. Wednesday, a government official died in a car wreck while checking for damage during the storm, and a 76-year-old man was killed when part of his house fell on him.

A 35-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl died after a roof collapsed Wednesday in the state of Hidalgo, state authorities said.

Another man died trying to ford a rain-swollen river in Veracruz state on Wednesday. But because he ignored warnings from rescue personnel, state officials said they would not count his death in the storm total.

The same held for a man who was reported electrocuted by power lines while trying to secure his roof before the storm hit Wednesday morning.

The storm toll in Mexico brought the total number of fatalities associated with Dean to 28, most in the Caribbean. The hurricane had reached its full strength, Category 5, when it struck a relatively isolated stretch of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday. So far no deaths have been reported there, although property damage was extensive.

Officials said Thursday that about 90,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in Mexico , with an estimated 60,000 people in shelters overnight Wednesday. The Yucatan lost nearly 400 square miles of crops.

After Dean landed on the Veracruz coastline Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane, it quickly began to lose strength. Within hours it was downgraded to a tropical depression. But its arrival near the end of central Mexico’s rainy season caused some landslides and flooding.

By Thursday afternoon, the rains had stopped and Hurricane Dean was done.

Here in Puerto Vallarta we felt the repercussions of Hurricane Dean Wednesday night and all day Thursday the 23. The heavy rains, wind and cool weather brought out the quiet side of this usually happening city. With traffic at a slow minimum, everyone tried their best to stay out of the rain.

Could this finally be the start of the “rainy” season here in Vallarta? With the highest average falling in the months of August and September although the rainy season falls may-Oct, summer.

Vallarta sure seems to get a lot of rain in the fall, this summer with the rain averaging below normal for the area; the humidity often builds up to 90% and more hanging over the city for days on end. With that kind of intense pressure rain is needed to cool down the earth, coming in as early evening storms, lightening and thunder rocking Bahia de Banderas.

We were lucky looking at the magnitude of this category 5 hurricane, fortunately some areas were spared that initially looked  as if they would be hit harder by Dean, of course as nature works some areas were not as fortunate.