The Sol, the English Language source of News for the Riviera Nayarit Mexico, including La Penita de Jaltemba, Rincon de Guayabitos, Lo de Marcos. Los Ayala,and San Pancho

..the heartbeat of the Riviera Nayarit

The Sol, the English Language source of News for the Riviera Nayarit Mexico, including La Penita de Jaltemba, Rincon de Guayabitos, Lo de Marcos. Los Ayala, Lo de Marcos, and San Pancho

Editor Bill Bell

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From Highway 200 North No More Left turn on the Avenida

Yes that's right folks no exceptions, you must use the lateral to turn left on to the Avenida in La Penita de Jaltemba from Highway 200 going North

This Week

How well do you know Mexico? Take this quiz.

Most Americans know Mexico for its beach resorts (Cancun, Acapulco) and more recently it's drug war violence. But beyond the stereotypes lies a profound history, a land of legendary indigenous civilizations. Mexico today is a major economic power and home to the world's richest man. How much do you know about Mexico? Take our quiz.

Hawaii, Mexico key as Alaska Air surges to record profit

Alaska Air Group has emerged as the early bright during the aviation industry's quarterly earnings season, surprising analysts with a soaring profit that gave it its best-ever result for the quarter.

Alaska Air -- parent company of Alaska Airlines and regional unit Horizon Air -- reported a $74.2 million profit, or $2.01 per share. The Seattle Times says "excluding special one-time gains, (Alaska Air) earned $29.5 million, or 80 cents a share, compared with $13.1 million, or 36 cents a share, in the first quarter of 2010." That topped analysts forecast profit of 71 cents a share….go to original article

Travel warning issued for parts of Mexico

The U.S. State Department has a fresh warning that Americans are in direct danger, of the increasing violence in Mexico.

We've seen this before, but the warnings never included the city of Nogales, Sonora and Rocky Point….go to original article

Mexico opportunity for forward thinkers

At the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in March, I gave a talk entitled “Why Mexico Will Change Your Life.” I believe Mexico’s future is at least as important to the United States’ future as any other country’s — far more important than Iraq or Afghanistan, and likely more important than India or China. Why do I believe this?

First, the U.S. and Mexico are attached at the hip….go to original article

Mexico catches cartel lawyer, hires US law firm

Federal police have arrested a lawyer who allegedly helped the Zetas drug cartel manage ransom and extortion payments, which were sometimes handed over in the form of property deeds, Mexican authorities said Thursday.

Suspect Marco Antonio Gomez was detained in the Caribbean coast resort of Cancun on Wednesday, the Public Safety Department said in a statement….go to original article

Mexico’s ‘Unbroken’ mayor survives assassination attempts, gets his own song

The mayor of a Mexican town who survived two drug cartel assassination attempts has gotten his own “corrido,” a genre of Mexican folk song that in recent years has been more devoted to glorifying the exploits of drug traffickers than public servants.

But in a Mexico desperate for heroes, plain-talking Mayor Jaime Rodriguez Calderon seems made to order: The song dedicated to him is called “El Bronco,” or “The Unbroken One.”…go to original article

Daily flights between Sacramento and Guadalajara, Mexico, to begin July 16

Mexican carrier Aeromexico will begin daily nonstop flights from Sacramento International Airport to Guadalajara on July 16, airport officials announced Thursday.

The Boeing 737 flights will depart Sacramento at 1:10 a.m., arriving in Guadalajara at 7:10 a.m. A Sacramento-bound jet will leave Guadalajara at 10:10 p.m., arriving in Sacramento at 12:05 a.m….go to original article

Last Week

High Gas Prices Prompt U.S. Drivers To Fill Up In Mexico

Soaring pump prices are sending some U.S. drivers across the border to fill up in Mexico, but saving a dollar per gallon or more on gas involves risks.On top of facing long lines at checkpoints, Americans also have to worry about the increasing violence in Mexico. …..go to original article

Provecho Part II: How food creates the rhythm of everyday life in Mexico

As much as festivals In Mexico mark the rhythm of the yearly calender (follow this column for recipes that mark the various Meixcan holidays, also see links at the bottom of this page), each with their requisite food and drink, "the daily meals are the focal point around which la vida cotidiana - everyday life - revolve", according to Mexican food writer Karen Hurch Graber. "Mealtimes, and especially the main meal of the day, are treated as special intervals, to be approached with relish and respect for the work that went into their preparation". In Mexico, there are meals, lights meals, main meals, snack breaks, small bites, each with its typical food and time.…..go to original article

Mexico Drug Baron Held Over Mass Graves

A Zetas drug gang leader has been arrested over the worst mass killings in Mexico's narcotics war. Martin Omar Estrada Luna, alias 'El Kilo', is accused of being involved in the recent massacre of 145 people found buried in mass graves in San Fernando last week…..go to original article

State fair vendor abused workers from Mexico

In three booths at last year's New York State Fair, 19 men worked in conditions close to slavery. They made and sold chicken gyros and french fries for 16 to 18 hours a day with a 15-minute break and one meal. They were paid $1 an hour. They slept nine or 10 men to one bug-infested trailer, sometimes two to a bed. Some became ill. They worked like this for 11 days at the fair. …..go to original article

Mexico cruise ship loses power off Oaxaca coast

A generator fire knocked out power to the ship of a newly started Mexico-based cruise line, stranding the vessel off the southern Pacific coast and forcing the evacuation of 515 passengers Saturday, Oaxaca state authorities said. …..go to original article

Colorado Sends Cargo Planes To Help Mexico Fight Fires

Two specially equipped U.S. Air Force cargo planes left Colorado on Saturday to help battle wildfires in northern Mexico.

The C-130s were requested by the Mexican government and the U.S. State Department, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman said.

The planes can spray about 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in a matter of seconds from a system of pressurized tanks called Modular Aerial Fire Fighting System or MAFFS.…..go to original article

Mexico holds key rate steady; peso gains

Mexico’s currency rose Friday following the central bank’s widely expected decision to hold the line on the country’s benchmark interest rate.

The traded at 11.672 pesos per U.S. dollar, up from 11.723 pesos on Thursday.

Earlier Friday, monetary policy makers in Mexico kept the key rate at 4.5% where it’s been since July 2009. Coming into the decision, the country’s inflation rate was at its lowest level since May 2006, with the March rate of 3.04% in line with the bank’s target of 3%. …..go to original article

16 Mexico police officers held, accused of aiding cartels in massacres

The federal attorney general's office identifies the 16 as municipal police in the Tamaulipas town of San Fernando, near where more than 120 bodies have been found in the last week in mass graves.…..go to original article

Rally held for B.C. man in Mexico jail since 2008

Hundreds of protesters gathered in North Vancouver Saturday to demand the federal government intervene in the case of Pavel Kulisek, a Canadian who has been jailed in Mexico for three years without being convicted of a crime.Kulisek travelled to Mexico with his family in 2007 for an extended vacation. He was arrested in March of the following year, the sole Canadian swept up in a drug sting operation.…..go to original article

Riviera Nayarit a Favorite Destination for Family Vacations

Riviera Nayarit CVB
April 28, 2011

Users of the wholesale retailer TripAdvisor have placed Mexico's Pacific Treasure as one of the 10 favorite destinations for family vacations in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Riviera Nayarit is a family destination, as its diverse touristic selection offers something special for every age group. This is also the very magic behind a place where luxury is surrounded by a natural environment - placing Riviera Nayarit as one of the 10 best places to enjoy with family, as stated by users from TripAdvisor in its Traveler's Choice Awards.

TripAdvisor is the leading and most reliable website for travelers worldwide. Its marketing strategy includes testimonials written by its consumers, and represents a factor that influences positively on travel decisions. Over 40 million travelers have written reviews and opinions about he products and services offered by this Website.

The Traveler's Choice Award is based on the ratings, comments and reviews published by tourists on this platform, and therefore enjoys a very high level of credibility.

"In Riviera Nayarit you can rest without any worries on the beach or experience adventure by traveling on an ATV through the Sierra Madre. The aquatic park in our destination offers several fun water slides, and it's even possible to pamper the little ones with an unforgettable experience while swimming with dolphins, which will certainly allow them to write a great report on their summer vacations," stated TripAdvisor in its review.

The work done by the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) of Riviera Nayarit is noticeable in awards such as these, which are positioning our destination as one of the best worldwide and are an indicator of how important it is to improve the guests' experience for hotels, restaurants, government officials, tourism service providers and for the society in general.

Cinco de Mayo – a Great Battle, a Great Victory

Patrick Osio, Jr. - HispanicVista.com
April 21, 2011

Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for 'the 5th of May,' is the holiday celebrating the Mexican victory over the French army on May 5, 1862, at Puebla, Mexico.

On May 5, 1862, Mexican troops defeated an invading French army in the outskirts of Puebla, a city around 60 miles east of Mexico City. How did events come to this point; what were French troops doing in Mexico and why?

On September 15, 1810, a priest, Miguel Hidalgo, sounded the church bells to unite Mexicans in a war of independence from Spain. Independence was declared the following day, September 16th. But it took Mexicans 11 years to oust the Spaniards.

They were barely getting their house in order when an unprovoked war was thrust on them by the US wanting and taking about 50 percent of its territory. Needless to say, Mexicans weren't happy with this circumstance and blamed their leader, Santa Anna, accusing him of great treason. This led to a rebellion to oust him from office.

Once this was done, Mexico entered into one of its most important historical periods, the formation of its Constitution of 1857.

There were two political forces at work, the Liberals who wanted to create a country not unlike the US: A representative republic, democratic, federal, religiously tolerant, free market economy, and an educational system independent of religion, and, most importantly - separation between the State and religion. This instrument would provide Mexican citizens with vast constitutional protections rivaling those in the U.S.

The other political force was the Conservatives who wanted strong ties to Spain, only the Catholic religion would be allowed, national industrial protectionism (limited imports), regulated freedom of expression, no opposing political parties. They also believed Mexico should be tied to a European monarchy with the head of Mexico having absolute power, and to distance the country as much as possible from the US.

This terrible schism led to the civil war known as "La Guerra de Reforma" (The War of Reform). In 1861, the Conservatives were defeated, and their leaders executed. But the combination of so many years of fighting had placed Mexico in heavy international debt with England, Spain and France.

Meantime in the French court of Emperor Napoleon III, a wealthy Mexican land owner and Conservative, who had access to, and meetings with, the Emperor's wife, the Spaniard Eugenia de Montijo, planted the idea of establishing a monarchy in Mexico as a way of stopping the further territorial expansion ambitions of the U.S.

The U.S. was tied up in its Civil War, so France convinced Spain and England to join in sending troops to collect monies owed them by the new Liberal controlled government presided by Benito Juarez.

Troops from the three countries landed in Veracruz in late 1861. The English and Spaniards were able to negotiate a repayment schedule that was acceptable to all. The parties, including the French, signed the agreement. The Spaniard and English troops left Mexico without incident.

The French commander, Dubois de Saligny, declared, "My signature is worth as much as the paper it is written on." Declaring they were there at the invitation of the exiled Conservative government to establish a monarchy and save Mexico from its non Catholic leaders, French troops began their long march to capture Mexico City.

And so it was that on May 5, 1862, the most potent army in Europe of its day met the Mexican army of veterans and farmers outside of Puebla. Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza, addressed his troops, "Your enemies are the first-rate soldiers of the world; but you are the sons of Mexico, and they are here to take your country."

The battle began at noon - the French stormed the Mexican defensive position once and were repelled. A second charge brought the same results. It was then that the Mexican troops attacked, driving the French back in disarray. Hostilities came at the end of the day due to heavy rainfall making any more action impossible.

French commanders were so sure of quick victory that before beginning their march had sent a message to Napoleon III declaring the Emperor owner of Mexico. Instead, it took three months to capture Puebla, and eventually all of Mexico.

Having captured the country, the French were never able to appease the population. Widespread resistance finally led to their defeat and departure from Mexico. The Intervention lasted until 1867.

So as history goes, Cinco de Mayo was one day in which the soldiers of Mexico fought bravely for their country, and bathed themselves in honor.

So on the Fifth of May raise your glass to them setting aside our differences wishing that they may again be victorious in the present “war” they face.

Patrick Osio, Jr. is the Editor of HispanicVista.com and editor of the Osio Report. Contact him at Osio1939(at)gmail.com.

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Matejas is still hopping on a sunny sunday afternoon....click here for more photographs by the Snap happy Baron

Judea en Vivo: The Passion of Christ in Jala, Nayarit

Riviera Nayarit CVB

One of the reasons that make the town of Jala, Nayarit famous is its representation of the Passion of Christ. This year, the festivities are taking place through April 22, 2011.

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico - The man on the cross exhales his last breath and three days of mourning and silence follow. But before that, everything is color and celebration. Holy week is a time to celebrate because Riviera Nayarit lives culture with intensity.

Judea en Vivo, a representation made every year on Holy Thursday of the Passion and Death of Christ finds two locations in our destination that are particularly recognized for their rendering of this tradition.

On Holy Thursday, Jala is expecting to receive thousands of visitors who will enjoy a display in which the whole town is devoted to interpret shepherds, Roman soldiers, virgins and saints, with the unique charm and the ambience that can only be achieved through the love for this festivity.

The aroma of tamales, pipian, bread soup, capirotada, pozole, tostadas and other delicacies of regional gastronomy complement this celebration, and the streets of Jala offer these flavors along the procession.

Judea en Vivo at Jala is not only one of the most beautiful in the country, but also one of the oldest. Taking place during the Holy Week, it begins on Holy Thursday with the first scene at an outdoor theater known as "The Council" outside the main church. Subsequently, they represent other episodes from the last days of Jesus, such as the Last Supper, the Washing of the Feet, the Curse of the Wandering Jew, the meeting with Mary, the Garden's Prayer, the Devil's Temptation, the arrest of Jesus and Jesus against Annas.

On Good Friday, starting at eight o'clock, a number of people interpreting Jews chase children in the public square and the main streets of town. The procession of the prisoner takes place at noon, and starting at four in the afternoon, the open air theater begins with the council with Caiaphas, Herod's council, Pilate's council, the sentencing of Jesus, the three falls, the crucifixion, and culminating at nine o'clock at night with the funeral procession of the saint.

Local authorities have announced that this 2011 fun will continue at the main square with the dance group Jaly and the town's band.

Contrarily, the Judea Cora that takes place in the region of Jesus Maria del Nayar is one of the less known traditions of the Holy Week in Mexico. This is, however, one of the most impressive events due to their originality and by the way that this ethnic group has achieved religious syncretism of a celebration that was brought to this country by Spaniards and their own cultural manifestations.

Collective rituals have allowed this indigenous town to reaffirm their identity, and the scene of the death of Jesus has been adapted to fit their own cosmological vision, blending it with the evangelization.

It's hard to document the celebration because the Coras don't want witnesses or photographers while the Jews chase Christ or 'Sun Christ,' and on Holy Friday they capture and symbolically kill him. The culminating violence in this act is the heart of the Judea for anthropologists; there are hundreds of men painted in black, red and white who fight against each other with wooden swords.

Description: aggression.JPG No More Shy Guy: Iguanas Looking for Love

For years I have cheerfully shared my garden flowers with all sorts of wildlife, enjoying the antics of birds, butterflies, and reptiles. When readers, friends, and neighbors complained about the iguanas, I responded, “Just leave them alone-they won’t bite you.” I changed my mind about these typically shy critters in the last week as my two resident iguanas suddenly became aggressive- coming at me instead of scurrying away! This is radically different behavior than what I’ve previously seen from iguanas in all the years of topical gardening. I wondered if they were ill- nope, they don’t get rabies; further research explained the change-they are males in rut.

Understanding Iguanas: The population of green iguanas is decreasing in the wild due to the destruction of their habitat, Description: Mexican_Spiny-tail.jpg exporting, and over-hunting. In parts of Latin America, the natives have long-eaten green iguanas, calling them Chicken of the tree or Bamboo chicken. All iguanas are primarily herbivorous, eating a variety of flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit, but they will opportunistically eat small animals, eggs, and insects.

Click here to read the entire Love Story

A big thank You

Hello !

I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you who have donated cash or school items for the Kinder Supplies Project that has impacted 110 students (ages 4-6) at Jardin de Ninos: Escuela Ignacia Zargoza, on Education Ave. in La Penita. Your generousity has touched my heart. Petra was kind enough to host a luncheon and donate all the food, while Carla donated her karaoke talents. This event alone raised almost $6000 and we all had a great time! Kate was good enough to pass the bucket at Chris and Val’s Year Ender fiesta and that raised another $1900. Other donations have continued. All in all, this school has benefited from four new white boards, four freshly painted chalk boards, jumbo crayons, paper, white erasers, pencil sharpeners, tiny plastic animals for counting, CD player, and more. When available, most of these items were purchased locally. Needless to say, there was more than enough money to significantly help this school! Last week, my friend Marisella, took me to the other four kinder schools in LaPenita, and introduced me to the principals, teachers and students. My lack of Spanish was a tad embarrassing but with Marisella translating, we were able to communicate. It is my intention that before the end of April, I will return to these needy schools with some basic supplies, provided by your generousity. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,

Jane Fellows

Views from My Tropical Garden

©Tara A. Spears

Warm climate gardening tips

The ultimate lazy gardener’s plant is the caladium. It is almost unparalleled for its distinctive foliage that flashes green, white, red, and pink in mottled, veined or striped patterns. The large arrow-shaped, paper thin leaves are stunning in a flower bed or as accents in pots. Grown as an annual in climates that have frost, they are evergreen here in the tropics. A tuberous plant that loves heat and humidity, the one pictured in the blue pot has thrived for four years of non-stop blooming on my covered patio. Caladiums are native to the Amazon River area of Brazil.....GO TO PAGE 4 Homes, Living & Real Estate for complete article

Now that's one way to get rid of a boat motor!

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Spay and Neuter Clinic a success

Hello All...we just finished our 4 day clinic with vets from Mexico, Canada and the U.S. We had 245 animals arrive at our clinic of which 209 animals were spayed or neutered. This is our all time record!! Please view the attachment above to enjoy some of pictures of this very successful clinic. Thanks to all of you for your support!

Lin

Jaltemba Bay Animal Rescue

Go here for full report

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Expedia Invites You to Visit Riviera Nayarit

RivieraNayarit.com

The winner and five friends with confirmed reservations on the winning 'flight' will spend six days in 6 deluxe suites in Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit Beach Resort & Spa, with unlimited golf and Spa services.

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico - Travel virtually and win a real trip to Riviera Nayarit for you and five friends to experience the magic of the destination known as Mexico's Pacific Treasure. It's this easy to enjoy our destination thanks to the FriendTrips campaign, which has been launched by the online travel operator Expedia.

The campaign is aimed to end consumers and is the result of a joint strategy with Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit Beach Resort & Spa that is being promoted on social networks.

Expedia is the most popular travel brand in the world, and one of the most reliable resources for consumers. Their microsite dedicated to Mexico has a directory with over 800,000 hotels around the world. Expedia receives approximately 59 million unique visitors per month through its different websites.

In a strategic alliance, Riviera Nayarit is participating with Expedia and Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit Beach Resort & Spa in the FriendTrips game, which Expedia launched on Facebook to generate a great amount of information on Expedia and the destination in other social networks like Twitter.

FriendTrips is a Facebook application that allows users to compete in a virtual game in which each participant designs a trip with five friends to several preferred destinations, one of which is Riviera Nayarit. Users can earn points by publishing photos, adding friends to the team, telling travel stories about the selected destination, commenting and rating photos from other contestants or inviting friends to fill their virtual plane, as well as riding in other friend's planes. All these activities are then posted to the different users' walls.

At the end of the competition, "flights" that receive the largest number of points will earn a trip to Riviera Nayarit valued in an approximately $65,000 USD, among other prizes. The winner and his or her five friends with confirmed reservations on the winning "flight" will spend six days in 6 deluxe suites in Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit Beach Resort & Spa, with unlimited golf and Spa services.

One of the main objectives of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) of Riviera Nayarit is to increase the online presence of our destination, due to the fact that the Internet is becoming increasingly influential in the purchase decision of international travelers, and is becoming the largest growing factor for hotel reservations. In this sense, this alliance is an important asset to promote our destination.

Click HERE to start your Friendtrip NOW!

About Riviera Nayarit: Mexico’s newest destination, Riviera Nayarit, stretches along 192 miles of pristine Pacific coast framed by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains just ten minutes north of accessible Puerto Vallarta International Airport. The region extends along the entire coast of the Pacific state of Nayarit including the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic colonial town of San Blas, exclusive Punta Mita, picturesque fishing villages, miles of serene beaches and spectacular Banderas Bay. Riviera Nayarit offers countless activities, all pleasantly affordable, such as: PGA golf courses, luxury spas, whale watching, turtle release, zip lining, surfing, record deep sea fishing, bird watching, international cuisine, and shopping for local artwork and traditional Huichol handicrafts. The region attracts and satisfies vacationers of all tastes and budgets with its wide range of accommodations including chic luxury resorts, eco-tourism boutique hotels and quaint B&B inns. Visit the website at RivieraNayarit.com

Semana Santa- Mexico Celebrates Spring to Hit the Beach

©Tara A. Spears

Just when the majority of snow birds and international Description: beach spring.jpg winter visitors have journeyed home to northern climes and the beachside villages return to a sleepy pace, the Riviera Nayarit rebounds with the energy of the national two week Easter holiday season. Holy week, Semana santa, and the week after Easter, Pascura, which is April 17-30 this year, brings thousands of families from all over Mexico to enjoy the Jaltemba Bay beach.

April tends to be a hot and dry time of the year throughout Mexico, making the beach a magnet for those wanting to escape the city. The area goes into party mode: exuberant children and adults fill the beaches to bursting, crowds dance along the clogged streets to strolling musicians and celebrate with fireworks, traditional foods and lots of beer! No one can out do the Mexicans for enjoying life with impromptu fiestas for fun-in-the-sun. As with so many of its delightful customs, Mexico originally started Semana Santa as a solemn religious occasion from the Spanish liturgical calendar but added a spirited Mexican interpretation that celebrates spring and renewal. While many parts of Mexico observe the holiday with passion plays and processions, the more secular west coast area is a feast of popular cuisine. Thirsty revelers guzzle aguas frescas- water flavored with local tropical fruits or coconut, vast quantities of tequila and beer; and the abacoa and cerviche tacos from the roving vendors are in high demand. Holy week is the traditional start of Mexico’s ice cream season: pushcarts that are loaded with tubs of ice cream or the popular fresh fruit ice bars on a stick, called paletas, roam the beaches and village streets calling out “nievees”. Vendors also sell snow cone-like shaved ices known as raspados. The dulces regionales-candies made from coconut, tamarind and other regional ingredients- are sold by industrious vendors trudging with wheelbarrows through the sand.

To read the entire story click here

Herald of Tropical Spring: Primavera Trees in Bloom

Description: Description: prima pink closeup.jpg

One criticism that I hear from northern latitude folks is that the tropics don’t have seasonal changes- not true. Presently in the Riviera Nayarit we are rewarded with the gorgeous riot of pink and yellow blooms on the primavera trees, members of the Bignoniaceae and Tabebuia families. The clusters of flowers are in stark contrast with the bare branches that will leaf out after the blooming finishes, usually in the rainy season. These tropical trees originate in South America where it is the national flower for Brazil and Venezuela. Primavera is a large rainforest canopy tree, sometimes reaching to 100 feet (30 m) in the natural rainforest, with a straight clear bole up to 3 or 4 feet in diameter. It has relatively smooth whitish bark and showy pink or yellow flowers in large panicles-clusters. Primavera is often considered the bat-flower family because many of the plants have large showy flowers that are pollinated by bats. To read the entire story click here

Visit a “Mystery Town” in Mexico—Rich in Legends and Traditions

Guanajuato, a World Heritage city since 1988, is already a big tourist draw

Tired of the same-old, same-old cultural tours of museums and monuments? What about a visit to a “mystery town,” rich in legends and traditions, instead? In Mexico, you’ll soon be able to.

The state of Guanajuato, in Mexico’s Colonial Highlands, plans to invest about US $6.2 million to upgrade and promote three historic mining towns under the label “mystery towns.”

The project, kicked off by Guanajuato’s state governor on April 5, aims to leverage the tourism that already visits the state, enticing visitors to extend their stay. The state capital, Guanajuato, a World Heritage city since 1988, is already a big tourist draw. So is San Miguel de Allende, about 50 miles away. And about 1.2 million hiking enthusiasts hit the area each year to climb the Cerro de Cubilete, near the capital.

Mexico has a long track record of branding and marketing its rich cultural heritage for upscale tourism. The country has 31 UNESCO World Heritage sites—more than any other country in the Western Hemisphere—and 10 of these are Spanish-colonial cities. It also has nearly 40 “magic villages,” a label created by the Mexican government for towns of historic or cultural importance. Click here to read the entire story

Sunset Jaltemba Bay Bill Bell Photograph

Malecón Sculpture Walking Tours to Continue to May 31, 2011

LearnVallarta.com

The highly popular free Malecón Sculpture Walking Tour will continue through May 31, 2011 starting at the Millennium sculpture in front of the Rosita Hotel on Tuesdays at 9:30 am.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The highly popular free Malecón Sculpture Walking Tour created and conducted by Galería Pacifico owner Gary Thompson has been extended through Tuesday, May 31, 2011, with Learn Vallarta's Sandra Cesca conducting the tour.

Learn Vallarta, along with Los Mangos Library and the Rosita Hotel, has supported the tour through this winter season with the donation of an updated hand-out of sculpture information including photos and a map.

The tour will remain at the same time: Tuesdays, 9:30 am, at the Millennium sculpture in front of the Rosita Hotel. The tour lasts about two hours and will continue to end at Galería Pacifico where Gary will be available for questions.

Miniatures of some of the sculptures are on display there along with information about Learn Vallarta's other walking tours and services. There will be an opportunity to make a donation to Los Mangos Library. Complimentary cold beverages will also be offered.

Learn Vallarta is a new service in town dedicated to education and cultural integration. Owned and operated by two Americans and their staff who live in Vallarta fulltime, they deliver personal and helpful assistance in learning more about this charming tropical environment and its friendly people... especially recommended if you are thinking of moving here. For more information, call them toll-free at 1-888-856-3120 or visit their website at LearnVallarta.com.

Click HERE for more Learn Vallarta information.

Puerto Vallarta Hotels Signal Recovery

VisitPuertoVallarta.com
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According to figures released by Mexican government officials, the country welcomed 8.2 million visitors from around the world in 2010.

Puerto Vallarta hotels and other tourism related businesses including real estate and the restaurant sector are expected to publish a year-on-year net increase in visitor numbers to the end of the first quarter of 2011.

This coincides with the federal governments push to make 2011 the Year of Tourism in a focused effort to Offset the negative impact of US media attention on the drug troubles in isolated parts of the country mainly along the US border.

While the first half of the 2010-11 tourist season had many business worried, the season has brought a welcome increase in tourist activity to Mexico’s second largest tourist resort with an increase in demand for accommodation in the coastal city.

Many Vallarta hotels in attendance at the annual tourism event held in Mexico that brings tourism’s biggest players including hotels chains, travel agencies and brokerage houses were optimistic of the outlook for the 2011-12 tourist season. One marketing director of a leading Vallarta hotel beamed at the success of recent visitor numbers and deals reached at the tourism expo.

What’s more, the Pan-American games are likely to boast tourist numbers and bring an early start to the upcoming season promising an additional boom to Vallarta hotels and restaurants.

One of the most anticipated events of the Pan-American games is the hugely popular women’s beach volleyball play offs to be hosted in Puerto Vallarta.

Organizers confirm the rights to the international sporting event have been sold off and expect record numbers to travel to the various game locations across Mexico including Puerto Vallarta. The games, to be hosted in October, 2 months ahead of the official tourist season are expected to bring good news to the country of 2 years of negative press that began with the swine flu.

Mexican government officials reported an increase in visitors to the country in 2010, according to the figures released the country welcomed 8.2 million visitors from around the world including air, business and leisure combined. That amounts to a 17.8% increase over figures released for 2009 and 6.4% more than in 2008.

Despite the increase in overall tourist numbers to Mexican beach resorts, Hotels in Puerto Vallarta and across the country have had to resort to massive discounts in order to fill beds though few expect these trends to continue into 2012.

Mexico tourism spokeswoman Elizabeth Tjaden explained that many Canadians and Americans see Mexico as a more affordable option and, despite troubles along the border, the reality about safety in Mexico is finally being honesty represented in the media

Canadians Love Living in Puerto Vallarta

Russell Faulkner - TimothyRealEstateGroup.com

Thousands of Canadians choose to purchase Banderas Bay area real estate due to all the things that make Puerto Vallarta an ideal retirement destination - safety, community, activities and great weather.

Puerto Vallarta remains a favorite destination for Canadians who wish to own a winter home - there are thousands and thousands of them. There are many reasons why. Here are just a few:

Weather - The average high February temperature:

Puerto Vallarta: 27° C / 80° F
Vancouver: 5° C / 40° F
Calgary: 5° C / 40° F
Toronto: -3° C / 27° F
Montreal: -8° C / 18° F

Summer in Canada. Winter in Puerto Vallarta. A perfect lifestyle!

Strong Currency - The Canadian Dollar has remained strong against the US Dollar and the Mexican Peso for 3 years. This has allowed Canadians to buy real estate at the full value of their currency [in US Dollars] and to pay for day-to-day living at the full value of their currency [in Mexican Pesos]. A big improvement from years past.

Sub-Prime Slump - This has been mainly an American problem as Canadians had entirely different regulatory and banking practices. The global recession has affected everybody, but not as much damage has been done to the Canadian economy as to the American economy.

Community - There is a large vibrant Canadian contingency throughout the entire bay with the highest concentrations in Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

Activities - There is a lot to do in Puerto Vallarta, so it is an ideal place to live for part of the year. Canadians love boating, fishing, golfing, relaxing on the beach, restaurants/nightlife... all the things that make Puerto Vallarta a great resort destination.

Access - A modern international airport that is served by all the major North American carriers. Many non-stop seasonal routes from Canada and easy connections to Puerto Vallarta as well.

Safety - Puerto Vallarta is a low crime city; it is not, and has never been, a foothold in the drug trade. It is rather isolated (Guadalajara is 5 hours away) and the local economy is dependent on foreign investment and tourism. Americans and Canadians are welcome here and you can feel it.

Like any city, use common sense and good judgment - don't check your brain at the border. There are bars which encourage patrons to overindulge, and that's never a good idea. Downtown Puerto Vallarta is safe to stroll, but never late at night after the festivities are over, and it's not a good idea to venture too far off the beaten track. Would you walk down the street drunk at 2 am in your home town? I have lived here 8 years and feel safer here than I did in Dallas, Texas - where I came from.

Part of the Timothy Real Estate Group team, Russell Faulkner has been living and working as a realtor in Puerto Vallarta since 2002 when he fell in love with the area and Puerto Vallarta's real estate industry. With a genuine love of Mexico, he makes finding or selling your property both interesting and informative. He handles the purchase experience with care, diligence, and professionalism. Contact him at Russell(at)TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a full-service real estate sales, rentals and development agency representing some of the most distinguished properties and developments across Puerto Vallarta, Bahía de Banderas and the Riviera Nayarit. For more information, visit TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.

Click HERE to learn more about Timothy Real Estate Group

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