Mexico News, 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

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LAND FOR SALE

Land suitable for small ranch.

In La Loma 10 minutes north of La Penita. 700,000 pesos. Ejido.

Contact Rafael at

(cell phone 045 311 161 0573)

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December 5, 2010 ..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

Become a Friend on the Riviera Nayarit Click Here

Geri de Moss - the Jaltemba Barbie Lady - Photo by Christina Stobbs

Locals gathered recently to dress the barbies before the great Christmas giveaway to local children

Headline News

Mexico is losing drug war, says US

US diplomats say the Mexican government's anti-crime strategy has failed, despite a concerted effort to take on the drug cartels…..go to original article

Mexico police capture alleged regional Zeta boss

—Federal police say they have captured a regional leader of the Zetas gang who allegedly handled drug-smuggling operations from Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Regional Security Chief Luis Cardenas says Eduardo Ramirez Valencia was detained with an accomplice Wednesday in Hidalgo state in an operation that fractured a major route for transporting drugs from those two countries to the United States…go to original article

FAA returns Mexico to top aviation rating

Federal officials say they are restoring Mexico's top aviation safety rating because the nation's airline oversight has improved.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Wednesday that Mexico now complies with international safety standards based on the results of the agency's review last month of that nation's civil aviation authority….go to original article

How to Travel To Cancun Mexico On a Budget

Any time you plan an international vacation, you've got to prepare for some extra expenses, particularly higher airfare costs. But you might be surprised just how far your money can go when you travel south of the border on a Cancun, Mexico vacation. On a budget, you'll have to get creative to make the most of your trip, but traveling to Cancun on a budget is easier than you think! Here are some tips to help you plan for a fantastic cheap Cancun vacation…go to original article

Olmecs to Toltecs: Great ancient civilizations of Mexico

It always strikes me when I travel in Mexico how many foreign visitors don't know the Olmecs from the Toltecs, never mind the Totonacs. Most of what we've learned about Mexico's ancient cultures begins and ends with the Aztecs and the Maya. Those justly renowned civilizations arose relatively late in the country's history, building on traditions that came before and incorporating influences from other peoples near and far.

Mesoamerica at its height was home to more than 25 million people. The 280 languages still spoken in Mexico today show that despite shared traditions and influences, many distinct civilizations arose because of geography, climate and contact with other cultures. …go to original article

Trade increases with Canada, Mexico Similar stories:

The United States’ commerce with its largest North American trading partners, Canada and Mexico, was up 19.3 percent in September, new figures from the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics show. ….go to original article

Mexico: Female crime on increase

The number of women imprisoned for federal crimes in Mexico has increased 400 percent over the past three years, officials in Mexico said. The National Women's Institute said nearly 4,300 women have been imprisoned for federal crimes -- mostly involving drugs and guns -- over the past three years, USA Today reported….go to original article

Narco-Sharks Replacing Drug Mules
Sharks are facing a new threat: they are being fished off the Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico and used to smuggle cocaine to the United States, through Mexico…go to original article

Last Week

Madonna's Mexico Debut Of New Gym

Madonna Sweats The Details As She Opens Her First Hard Candy Fitness Gym In Mexico City.As the glass doors of Hard Candy Fitness, Madonna's first gym, slid open in Mexico City on Monday, a mural of white, black and violet Warhol-esque images of the Queen of Pop greeted each client….go to original article

20 Bodies Found In Northern Mexico Mass Grave

Victims Said Killed by Drug Cartel in Case of Mistaken Identity. ) The Mexican army discovered several clandestine graves holding at least 20 bodies near a ranch in the northern border state of Chihuahua, authorities said Monday. …Go to original article

Fewer winter Texans travel to Mexico

Northerners who spend winters in Texas are still making the trip south, but they're thinking twice about traveling to violence-plagued Mexico.

South Texas officials say there is little or no change in the number of retired northerners fleeing their snowbound homes to spend the winter months near the warm beaches of the state's Gulf coast. But fewer travelers are making trips to the streets of Mexico, where broad-daylight shootouts aren't unusual as drug cartels fight a bloody turf war….go to original article

Mexico to UN Climate Conference: Look Beyond Borders

Mexican President Felipe Calderon called on climate negotiators Monday to put national interests aside and act on behalf of all humanity to fight global warming.Opening a two-week conference, Calderon urged delegates to overcome the deep divide between rich and poor countries that has stymied efforts to negotiate a new climate treaty for three years….go to original article

Aztecas gang boss Gallegos 'admits Mexico murders'

Mexican police have arrested an alleged leader of the Aztecas street gang that is blamed for much of the violence in Ciudad Juarez on the US-Mexico border….go to original article

New Book Revisits a Period Of Ruthless Rebellion In Mexico

The 1910 Mexican Revolution was an extreme episode of Mexico’s tumultuous history. In The Mexican Revolution: Legacy of Courage, the said event is explored and interpreted through the eyes of one of its heirs, author Neftalí G. García.

The Mexican Revolution: Legacy of Courage tells a story of a turbulent decade of rebellion, of government overthrows, of political assassinations, of foreign interventions, of fratricide, and of nation building. It follows the lives of the major players of Heliosian power who led the revolution and sacrificed their lives for it, reporting the major events that shaped a nation’s character. Furthermore, the story raises the moral question “How is it that ordinary men find the courage to put their lives on the line for an idea?”…go to original article

Mexico to launch historic oil auction in February

Mexico will kick off its first auction in decades of oil field operation rights next February, taking a tentative step toward opening up a sector that was nationalized in 1938.

State oil monopoly Pemex said on its website it would offer three blocks off onshore mature oil fields it hopes can be redeveloped with modern technology and know-how to maximize the recovery of the oil still locked in the earth…go to original article

Mexican Politician Released in Mexico

Diego Fernandez de Cevallos, a prominent Mexican politician and former presidential candidate who was kidnapped in May, has been released, daily El Universal reported on Saturday.

The newspaper, quoting members of the politician's family, said Fernandez, who belongs to President Felipe Calderon's ruling party, was released on Friday night. …go to original article

Jennifer Aniston shows off bikini bod in Los Cabos

Jennifer Aniston and her best friend Chelsea Handler showed off their well toned, sexy bikini bodies while vacationing in Los Cabos, Mexico. The Just Go With It star, 41, donned a skimpy string bikini and a floppy hat, while Handler, 35, opted for a royal blue two-piece….go to original article

8 arrested in SD-Mexico drug tunnel raid

Federal authorities said they arrested eight people and seized more than 20 tons of marijuana after discovering a sophisticated drug tunnel that links a San Diego-area building to a home in Mexico. …go to original article

As the rest of the world turns, Mexico's eyes are riveted on a wedding

The marriage of Enrique Pena Nieto, governor of Mexico state and potentially the country's next president, to soap opera star Angelica Rivera is Topic No. 1. Reporting from Mexico City — If it were a soap opera (and it sure feels like one), Saturday's big event would be the pull-out-the-stops season finale. The script calls for wedding bells….go to original article

Under the Spell of San Miguel de Allende

Ever since American Stirling Dickinson arrived there in 1937, the Mexican town has been a magnet for artists and U.S. expatriates …go to original article

Mexico City police remove anti-drug cartel banner

A Mexican anti-crime group is criticizing the capital's city government after police pulled down a banner urging people to unite against drug gangs.

Drug cartels frequently hang threatening messages from highway overpasses in parts of Mexico, and police usually also remove them….go to original article

Mexico's modern city succumbs to drug violence

A 21-year-old university student lies dead from a gunshot to the head. Nearby, paramedics wrap the head of another woman in a blood-soaked shirt while her husband holds their cowering children.

They were shopping in a popular downtown promenade when gunmen chasing a security guard opened fire into the crowd. This wasn't supposed to happen in Monterrey,…go to original article

Rebelling Against Spain, This Time With Words

The Royal Spanish Academy is lopping two letters off the Spanish alphabet, reducing it to 27. The Spanish Royal Academy in Madrid serves as the grammar police for the 450 million people who speak the language. Out go “ch” and “ll,” along with lots of annoying accents and hyphens. The simplified spelling from the academy, a musty Madrid institution that is the chief arbiter of all things grammatical, should be welcome news to the world’s 450 million Spanish-speakers, not to mention anybody struggling to learn the language. …go to original article

Pre-Columbian artifact repatriated to Mexico

A small, pre-Columbian figurine that came rolled up in T-shirts in an airline passenger's luggage was returned to Mexico, its country of origin, on Tuesday.

The 2 1/2-inch artifact, which appears to have a face carved into it, was taken from a U.S. citizen who flew into Oakland International Airport Feb. 10, returning from a trip to Mexico. …go to original article

Jobless Mexicana stewardesses launch sexy calendar

Ten stewardesses with troubled Mexicana airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in August and suspended operations, launched a sultry aviation-themed calendar on Thursday to call attention to their own plight and that of their airline – one of the world's oldest. …go to original article

Monarchs face host of threats

This small patch of mountain fir forest is a model of sorts for the global effort to save trees and fight climate change. The problem is that saving trees has not saved the forest's most famous visitors: Monarch butterflies.
Millions of Monarch butterflies migrate here from the United States and Canada every year, but their numbers declined by 75 percent last year alone, apparently because of changing weather and vegetation patterns….go to original article

Ameca Bridge linking Jalisco with Nayarit photography submitted Bawby

Steffany’s Quinceañera. Well known local Maestro Raphael's daughter had a photographic session throughout Rincon de Guayabitos and La Penita. Bill Bell Photograph

Another Pemex station is going up. This one will be at the entrance to Rincon de Guayabitos

Recycling Basket-Making Workshop

The Recycling Committee of Los Amigos de La Peñita is having a workshop to make recycling baskets on Saturday, December 4, beginning at 10:00 AM. The workshop will be at Retorno Gaviotas #13 – off of Flamingos – in the Residential Zone of Rincon de Guayabitos.

Everyone is welcome. Bring pliers if you have them. No experience necessary.

Vista Encantada on the Riviera Nayarit could be a great buy!

Want to buy a piece of paradise, but you are worried about ownership in Mexico? Vista Ecantada located just a short drive north of La Penita de Jaltemba near Divisadero says it has all of the government approvals in place to make your retirement investment safe.

Vista Encantada, a gated community with titled property has reasonably priced lots for sale and they can build your dream home as well. According to the president, of the development company Blooming International, Carlos Munguia, the first phase of the development is well over 60 per cent sold and construction on several units has begun.

“We have come up with strict codes that will protect the fantastic views of everyone who owns a lot,” Munguia said.

Mungia is extremely proud of the eco friendly environment of the development and surrounding park land. Especially the jungle walks and waterfalls right on the property.

Each lot has a wonderful oceon view. The development is situated on the hill above Cave beach.The lots start at $99,000.

The community will eventually have several swimming pools and club house says Mungia. Its infrastructure (water, sewer and amenities) are “second to none” on the coast.

For more information call Carlos at 916 284 5920 or visit there web site at www.blooming-intl.com

A New Look at Mexico

Mark Hoult

Community Press

Trent Hills—Dave and Anne Easby have been living in two worlds for the past six years.

The first is the world of rural Ontario, where they make their home in the family cottage on the Trent River just outside Campbellford.

The second world is the town of La Penita de Jaltemba, a community of about 20,000 people an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the retired couple spend half the year in a community they have come to love—and understand.

Mexicans are open, family-oriented people who 'live with what they have and are happy with what they have," said Dave Easby, who has written They Tore Down the Russell Hotel: A Story of Change in Small Town Mexico.

Click here to view the entire story

Mark Hoult Community Press

Anne and Dave Easby prepare to set off for La Penita de Jaltemba with Arnarillo, a dog they adopted from the streets of the town of 20,000 an hour north of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

Lo de Marcos Wedding on the Beach

Wedding that was on the beach here in Lo de Marcos on Sat. Nov. 27 just before sunset.

The little flower girl was so cute. She and two other little girls had baskets of rose petals to sprinkle down the aisle ahead of the bride and groom. However it was easier just to dump the whole basket. Then they set about picking them back up while the ceremony was taking place.
Lisa

Bernie Mitchell gave a moving tribute to Kenny and everyone on board paid tribute by throwing roses into the ocean at Kenny's favorite beach.

8^th Annual International Margarita Challenge to be

bigger and better in 2011

As if it could get any better? The 8^th Annual International Margarita Challenge’s organizers Jim and Bonnie Williams are planning to have the best ever Margarita Challenge this year and to make it an even better show they are putting out the invite to other communities from Puerto Vallarta to Las Varas to come up with their own competitor.

“Yes, every year with the help of so many volunteers and great contestants, the Margarita Challenge continues to provide more excitement, entertainment and great margaritas,” Jim Williams said.

Adding that the funds garnered from the event continue to grow and provide much needed support to the local food bank and Rincon de Guayabitos School Emilio Zapata.

“Seeing how much help these funds bring to the community brings a tear to our eyes. Everyone is so grateful,” Williams said.

This year’s Challenge will once again be held at the “fabulous” Pina Colada Restaurant in Rincon de Guayabitos on Wednesday February 2^nd. The cost remains 200 pesos.

Last year’s exciting winner Patty Hueso from Hinde and Jaime’s Restaurant in La Penita de Jaltemba will be returning. Hueso went on to win the 2010 International Tequila Contest in Tequila with her presentation following her local victory.

For more information on how to enter the contest or to buy tickets (REMEMBER THEY SOLD OUT WELL IN ADVANCE LAST YEAR) please email Jim Williams at poptop_u@hotmail.com or call 327 274 0805

Or go to www.internationalmargaritachallenge.com

Classified

For Sale

Maytag white portable dishwasher - $2900.00 pesos

Mabe Stove - 30 inch - white with broiler & clock - $1500.00 pesos

Come & make us an offer we can't refuse!

Se Vende

Maytag lavavajilla portatil - blanca - $2900.00 pesos

Mabe Estufa - 30 pulgadas - blanca c/reloj - $1500.00 pesos

Ven y darnos una oferta que no podemos rehusar.

Casita de La Peñita

Lazaro Cardenas #36, La Peñita 274 - 0776

U.S. Consulate Warden Message: Security Update
guadalajara.usconsulate.gov
November 20, 2010

Due to a variety of security incidents in various parts of the consular district, the U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara urges U.S. citizen residents and visitors to remain vigilant and makes the following security recommendations:

1. Avoid all unnecessary travel to Colotlan, Jalisco near the Zacatecas border because of an increasingly volatile security situation, including roadblocks during daylight hours by individuals posing as police and/or military. The Consulate General has previously advised against unnecessary travel to Yahualica, Jalisco.

2. Use extreme caution when traveling near the borders between Jalisco and the states of Zacatecas and Michoacán.

Click here to read the entire warning

WANTED – USED FRIDGE & STOVE

The JEDI (Jaltemba Economic Development Initiative), a Committee of Los Amigos de La Peñita is looking for a used fridge and stove.

The local government DIF office in la Peñita focuses on community and family development. They are looking for a good quality, used fridge and stove for their kitchen. These will be used to teach mothers how to make nutritional meals. They will also be offering courses to women who wish to make and sell cakes, cookies and other marketable food items.

This is a worthwhile effort and we are hoping to find something for them soon. If you are thinking of replacing your current refrigerator or stove, but it still has some life in it, please consider donating it. Or if your old machine can be repaired and used, we’re interested.

Please call Agneta at 274-3247, or cell 322-140-3684. Thanks in advance.

New Resale Shop to Open at Entreamigos in San Pancho
pvrpv.com
November 26, 2010

To learn more about Entreamigos' programs and activities please visit entreamigos.org.mx.

San Francisco, Nayarit - The always innovative Entreamigos, a non-profit community education center in San Pancho, is due to unveil their latest project in a push towards sustainability - a new Resale Shop set for a grand opening on December 16th, 2010.
Click here to read more

Guayabitos Folk Art Market Every Monday

Town Plaza next to the Church

Spend a relaxing morning strolling under the trees in Guayabitos town square enjoying the hand-made Mexican folk art from local craftsmen. Complete article on page 2

WHERE TO DONATE

A big hearted community willing to give to those in need

Mateja Says Thanks from the Baseball Teams

ateja says thanks from the boys and young men that play baseball in our area. In September she placed a wanted ad in the Sol requesting baseball gloves, balls and bats. The response has been overwhelming and many people have responded by collecting gloves and other equipment from friends and thrift stores up North. The Butlers, for example, brought a huge box of gloves for local distribution.

“It has been overwhelming” says Mateja. “The ad in the Sol really worked.”

Mateja’s goal is to ensure that every player in the local league has a glove. “Before the donations started coming in, every team shared one…maybe two mitts. Now there are significantly more and it is because of the generosity of so many individuals.”

“I cannot tell you how grateful the guys are,” she explains. “They say how much? How Much? I tell them that the tourists gave it as a gift. Their gratitude is overwhelming They can’t believe it.”

click here to read more

Exhibition of newest collection by ARIEL SAINZ_

multi disciplinary artist and recipient of 2010 FECAN

(an Arts Grant of Nayarit)

opening reception

Saturday, December 18th, 2010 at 6:00pm

Bodega 3, Avenida Tercer Mundo #13

San Francisco, Nayarit

Ariel Sainz, one of the most active interdisciplinary artists in the area, will be exhibiting his new collection of paintings, “Ratros de una Génesis” . Ariel Sainz is a recipient of the 2010 Arts Grant from the FECAN (Fondo Estatal para la Cultura y las Artes de Nayarit) which awards artists of various disciplines who have accomplished extensive body of work and exhibitions. Ariel, the only painter to receive an award this year, is also the first-ever resident within the local area to have received this prestigious state-wide recognition.

In “Rastros de una Genesis” , Ariel Sainz explores the roots and possibilities of expression using ancient forms such as Asian Caligraphy_investigating visual concepts of points and lines while also experimenting with mixed materials using oil, charcoal and ink. In this exhibit, Ariel Sainz will present up to 25 new large format paintings in one of the renovated Bodegas (warehouses) on San Pancho's main road.

A visionary_

A long-time resident and active citizen of San Pancho, Ariel Sainz has demonstrated his prolific and innovative vision as a cultural activist. Apart from his production of paintings, sculptures and dance/theater performances, Ariel was previous co-owner of Galeria Nayar (one of the first art spaces integrating local and international artists in San Pancho), co-founder of Colectivo San Pancho (creators of the annual art festival in December) , creator and director of Circo de Carton Ensemble and ,occassionally, Ariel leads workshops for children and adults in both visual and theater arts.

Transforming landmark town structure into a contemporary art venue_

Exhibition of "Rastros de una Genesis" will be in the "Bodega 3 "(one of the town’s abandoned factory warehouses) which have become magnets for artistic, social and educational activities mostly due to innovative and forward-thinking residents of San Pancho - including the new library and education center of entreAmigos, sports center and Capoeira school. The Bodega 3 Art Space is now utilized by artists of the Colectivo San Pancho to produce and present ongoing works such as the successful Circo de Carton and local musical events featuring contemporary local and international artists.

Ariel Sainz and FECAN invite you to attend the opening reception of

"Rastros de una Genesis" on Saturday, December 18th 2010, 6:00PM.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Additionally, this evening marks the beginning of the 5th Annual Art Festival of San Pancho

(COLECTIVO SAN PANCHO SINERGIARTE),

followed by a series of exciting art activities for the entire family throughout the month of December.

(for more event dates and info, visit colectivosanpancho.blogspot.com)

For more information about Ariel Sainz's works and the December 18th reception,visit rastrosarielsainz.blogspot.com (cell: 322-120-2401)

The inauguration is partly sponsored by CECAN (FECAN) and Hotel Cielo Rojo (www.hotelcielorojo.com) with additional support from various local businesses and restaurants.

This adorable little guy needs a home!

To adopt Call Lin Chimes at 327-274-0976

Click here to view the latest JBAR newsletter on the Clinic

BUY LOCAL...and support the Jaltemba Economy

The BUY LOCAL campaign of JEDI (Jaltemba Economic Development Initiative), a Committee of Los Amigos de La Peñita is gaining momentum.

The difficulty of getting into and out of Puerto Vallarta is a perfect excuse to do your shopping right here. Just think – when you spend in your money in PV, you leave it in another city and state. Or if you buy your goods in Tepic, you still leave the money outside the Jaltemba region. We want to encourage you to buy as much as possible locally in order to boost the economy and help our Mexican neighbours.

We know there are some things you still can’t find locally, but you’d be surprised at how many you can:

Popin in Guayabitos had a selection of dog food, cat food and cat litter. They are willing to bring in the larger sacks of dog food if you request the brand you want.
La Unica furniture store in la Peñita has lovely sheets in their catalog and they can bring them into the store within a few days.
Don Pedro will bring in the wines you identify if they are available through the local distributor.
Need new cartridges for your printer? The PCS cellphone store in LP will refill your existing cartridges for a fraction of the cost, and save you a trip.
You can get turkey at the carniceria and fresh cranberries at the fruterias in Guayabitos. Remember this for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Those are just a few of the surprises we found when we looked. Many of the shop owners will make a real effort to source the products you need. And they usually keep the prices fairly competitive. Just remember, now they are the ones paying for the gas!

In the end, you may save money or you may not. But by helping the community, we create more prosperity here, and that in turn means more jobs for locals.

Look for upcoming posters and shopping bags for the BUY LOCAL campaign. Thanks, everyone.

Riviera Nayarit to Celebrate 7th Annual Festival of Migratory Birds
RivieraNayarit.com
December 04, 2010

Great blue heron (Alan D. Wilson)

Riviera Nayarit – All eyes on nature! Riviera Nayarit is welcoming the New Year with the exciting annual Festival of Migratory Birds. The region, which is home to an impressive 80% of the Pacific migratory shore bird population, will offer bird enthusiasts the opportunity to experience insightful guided tours of this spectacular nature “show” during the much-anticipated festival. The festival will take place from January 23 – 30, 2011.

Over 500 species of the region’s feathered friends will make the migration to the mangrove eco-region of San Blas. An already popular site throughout the year, travelers head to San Blas to view Riviera Nayarit’s nature offerings, including the Crocodile Reserve as well as a tour of the colonial history and fishing villages. However, nothing is quite like the once a year Festival of Migratory Birds in which special seminars on birds, bird watching, and environmental conservation are offered to the public. Special boat tours are also offered to highlight the festival and ensure that visitors are able to see these magnificent birds in their natural habitat.

Birds that flock to San Blas are, to name a few, the black-bellied tree duck, great blue heron, roseate spoonbill, and endemic birds, including the bumblebee hummingbird and the Mexican woodnymph.

San Blas, a small fishing village in the state of Nayarit is just two and a half hours north of Puerto Vallarta airport. The town is known as the port where the Spanish priest Junipero Serra, ‘Father’ of the California Missions, departed from nearby Las Islitas beach on Matanchen Bay in the locally-built barque Purísima Concepción to California. San Blas is a popular town thanks to its many beaches, colonial history, Spanish fort, excellent restaurants, and an abundance of migratory birds which attract ornithologists from around the world. Surfing is one of the top sports activities in San Blas as Playa de Matanchen is famous for being the longest surfable wave in the world as listed in Guinness Book of World Records. The La Tovara National Park nearby is a federally-protected sanctuary for birds in a natural mangrove forest. As part of the park experience, motor boats will unveil a world of mangroves where you have the opportunity to see many of the native birds of the region, as well as crocodiles, swamp turtles, and other creatures.

For those interested in attending the festival and experiencing a traditional Mexican setting, the Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas is offering a special festival discount that will be valid during the festival where rooms will be available for $76 per room in single occupancy or $96 per room in double occupancy. The rate includes 19% taxes and breakfast; tips are not included. Reservations can be made at hotel(at)garzacanela.com or by calling (800) 713-2313 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 713-2313 end_of_the_skype_highlighting from the U.S. or (011) 52-323-285-0112 from Mexico.

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

lick the

Click here to visit our site

Olé! – Planning Well Underway for Fiesta 2011

Preparations for Los Amigos de La Peñita’s Fiesta 2011 have moved into high gear. The event will be held on January 30 from 1:00 to 5:00. Thomas Bartlett has again generously agreed to make his internationally acclaimed estate – Hacienda de La Peñita – available for the event. Admission to what has become one of the highlights of Jaltemba Bay social season will require a donation of 750 pesos – unchanged from last year. Like last year, Los Amigos is looking to recruit special sponsors to underwrite the cost of the event so that every penny raised through these donations can be used to support the work of Los Amigos: our plastics recycling program, our beach beautification, our education initiatives and our scholarship program and our newest undertaking – the Jaltemba Economic Development Initiative (JEDI).

Since 2011 will mark the first year of Mexico’s third century, the Planning Committee has decided to make this year’s event an authentic Mexican Fiesta. ¡Olé! The extravaganza will include an open bar and hors d’oeuvres. There will be live music and dancing, as well as a live auction and silent auction, featuring a host of valuable items. And this year, we will be featuring a Chinese auction as well. Watch here for more details and mark the date on your calendars.

What Los Amigos needs now is volunteers to help make the event a success. We need people to help out in a variety of areas. Nora Dixon (exarctic@yahoo.ca ) has agreed to co-chair our ticket sales team. Helma Stewart (helmas@shaw.ca) will be co-leading the group that will be organizing the auctions, Robi Smallwood (robiw@shaw.ca) and Sara Walker will be coordinating the event itself and Dave Easby (deasby@sympatico.ca) will be heading the publicity team. If you are willing and able to help out in any of these areas, please contact these team leaders. We need your help to make this the best Fiesta ever.

Simply - A Good Old Fashioned Garage Sale
Enhancing the Quality of Life

Sunday, Dec. 12th

8:oo a.m.

Los Ayala Town Plaza

   This is the first, of a series of fund-raising events held by the community of Los Ayala, during the next few months to raise funds to enhance the quality of life for residents of Los Ayala, by improving the roads. As part of the government sponsored 3 for 1 program, every dollar we raise will be matched 3 for 1!

How can you help?
     1. By donating any items you have on hand, and dropping them off at Bungalows Las Iguanas. Household items are always very appreciated. Any items that are not sold at the Garage Sale will be donated to those in need!

      2. By attending! Shop for that "Something Special" for yourself, a friend or a neighbour in need, and walk away knowing that you were a part of helping our community. Everything sold for a song! Food and drink, will be available to purchase.

Donated items may be dropped off, any day of the week from
Nov. 1st - Dec. 11th
Anytime between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Recent flooding in Los ayalas shows the need for improvments

Sand streets are not so "Quaint" during the rainy season.

Bungalows Las Iguanas
Bahia de Jaltemba #75, Los Ayala
Map of the Area

(Bungalows Las Iguanas is located near the entrance to Los Ayala. One block south of Bahia de Banderas, and in the area of Bungalows Alexa (#11 on the map)

The community of Los Ayala thanks you for your support.

San Pancho IS Open!
Geno & Elvia - Calandria Realty
December 03, 2010

This short, easy & safe detour will be replaced by the end of 2010 with the new, state-of-the-art bridge.

Geno & Elvia from Calandria Realty in beautiful San Pancho are happy to announce that, with the help of a temporary road across the river, San Pancho is indeed open!

This short, easy & safe detour will be replaced by the end of 2010 with the new, state-of-the-art bridge.

In September, the San Pancho Bridge washed away as a result of the continued rains in Riviera Nayarit. Witnesses say that the flow of water swept several Huanacaxtle trees towards the bridge on Saturday night. The bridge finally caved in after sustaining enormous pressure from the water and debris that continually pushed against it.

The community of San Pancho joined together with work and donations to construct a temporary bridge detour, bringing in layers of sand bags and construction materials.

They hope to see you soon in San Pancho!

WEATHER

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Acapulco	Loreto	Puerto Vallarta
Aguascalientes	Los Mochis	Queretaro Airport
Cancun	Manzanillo	San Felipe
Cozumel	Mazatlan	San Jose Del Cabo
Cuernavaca	Merida	San Luis Potosi
Durango	Mexico City	Santa Rosalia
Ensenada	Monterrey	Tampico
Guadalajara	Morelia	Tepic
Guanajuato	Oaxaca	Veracruz
Bahias De Huatulco	Puebla	Zacatecas
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo	Puerto Escondido
La Paz	Puerto Penasco

NEW QUESTION

Dear Miguel,

I am 66 years old and I was told that it was a good idea for me to apply for the Mexican Senior Citizen’s card.

Tonya

Dear Tonya,

You need a birth certificate, FM3 or Fm2, Passport and electric or phone bill and copies of each. You also need pictures.

The card is free.

You will get discounts on various busses, some restaurant, pharmacies. It is definitely worth applying for. Once you have it you need not reapply every year.

Dear Miguel,

I have a bed and breakfast that I operate but my clients are only friends and relatives from home. Do I need a working FM3.

Jack

Dear Jack,

You need a working FM3 even if you only collect money for maintenance. However this is easy. You do NOT need a corporation.

You are given 30 days by immigration to get your working numbers (RFC Affiliation) from the taxation board (Hacienda). The process is relatively simple: you must make an appointment to register in person and you must know what category best fits your needs. I believe from your letter it would be a small contributor to minimize both the obligations and taxes paid.

Once you contact me with your particulars I can advise you further. Each case is different.

I can assist you with obtaining your working FM3, advising and accompanying you regarding Hacienda registration.

Last Week

Dear Miguel,

I have a truck that is eleven years old. Is there any way I can legalize it?

Tony

Dear Tony,

Generally you need a vehicle that is exactly 10 years old. However there may be opportunities to get around that specific time frame. There are a number of questions I would need to ask before I could say yes or no.

For example, if the VIN number starts with a letter, your chances are slim to none. Conversely with much older vehicles, you may be able to import them as an antique autos.

Call me for a consultation. (Cell: 322 148 9788)

Narco-Sharks Replacing Drug Mules
Emilio Godoy - Inter Press Service
go to original
December 03, 2010

Mexico City - Sharks are facing a new threat: they are being fished off the Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico and used to smuggle cocaine to the United States, through Mexico.

This stretch of ocean and its coasts have become a transit route for drugs produced in Colombia and shipped to the United States, the world's largest market for cocaine, according to United Nations figures.


	Overfishing of shark in Mexico has grown worse in recent years, to the extent that several species have been brought to the brink of extinction, and therefore catch numbers have now declined.

"What is happening on the high seas is going on with all types of fishing, not just sharks," Juan Carlos Cantú, head of the Mexico programme of Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington-based organisation working to protect endangered species, told IPS.

Cantú explained that "Mexico hardly exports any shark, except for fins. In fact, it imports shark from Costa Rica for domestic consumption." There is evidence of a link between shark capture and drug trafficking. In June 2009, the freighter Dover Strait, bound for Mexico with a cargo of frozen shark loaded at Caldera, a private port in the western Costa Rican city of Puntarenas, was intercepted by the Mexican authorities.

Stuffed in the shark carcases were 894 kilograms of cocaine. One month later, Costa Rican authorities seized another 419 kilos of cocaine from a fisherman who was carrying the drug in a refrigerated van, hidden under layers of shark and red snapper.

Most cocaine trafficking in the area is done by sea, Carlos Alvarado, head of the Costa Rican Drug Institute, told IPS.

"We have to make an effort to patrol our territorial waters up to the 12-mile limit with a fleet of speedboats," and seek international cooperation beyond that limit, he said.

Colombian and Mexican drug cartels have established sea routes in the Pacific, sailing from Colombia and following the Central American coastline. Costa Rica has taken on the specific role of refuelling the drug traffickers' speedboats, among other tasks. On the high seas, the drug traffickers pay fishermen for fuel with packages of drugs. There are no estimates for the value of this payment in kind.

Private docks, like Caldera, are another serious problem, Costa Rican biologist Randall Araúz, head of the local office of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, told IPS.

Araúz was awarded the 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize for combating the "finning" of sharks, an abominable practice that has intensified in the area and is apparently related to cocaine trafficking. Sharks are captured and their fins cut off while they are still alive, then tossed back in the sea where they die because they are unable to swim.

"The police can only enter the private docks if they have a search warrant from a judge. It's true that the owners often let the authorities in, but it's not the same," the biologist said.

So it is up to the Mexican authorities to keep a watch on the passage of fishing boats along the country’s Pacific coast, and to take action if their Central American counterparts warn them of any suspect vessel.

Overfishing of shark in Mexico has grown worse in recent years, to the extent that several species have been brought to the brink of extinction, and therefore catch numbers have now declined.

In 1990 the shark catch was 34,000 tons, while in the last few years the average annual catch has been 26,000 tons, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Mexican fishing authorities have granted some 240 fishing permits for shark, according to the National Fisheries Chart, last published in 2006.

Official regulations in force since 2007 prohibit finning, and stipulate the types of fishing methods and of boats suitable for catching shark. Previously there were no regulations, and whales, seals, dolphins and sea turtles were wastefully caught as by-catch because of the large trawling nets used.

In Costa Rica, a 2006 law prohibits tossing finned shark overboard. The fins weigh five percent of the sharks' total weight, but are the most profitable part because of high demand from China and Japan for shark fin soup and other delicacies.

Mexican activist Cantú said that at present "80 percent of the country's shark species are endangered. There is a lot of illegal fishing, and a total absence of controls."

But Mexico’s official regulation 059, on endangered species, lists only three imperilled varieties of shark: the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and the whale shark (Rhincodon typus).

However, not even these three shark species enjoy special protection status, as they are still controlled under the General Law of Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture of 2007. When a species is designated as protected, it comes under the scope of the Environment Ministry and the Wildlife Law, in force since 2000.

Sharks are "top predators" at sea, Erick Ross, coordinator of sustainable marine resources for the Costa Rican office of MarViva, a non-governmental organisation, told IPS. They are at the top of the food chain, and they maintain the health of ecosystems by eliminating the weakest individuals from fish populations lower down the chain, thus improving the gene pools of species.

"A clear indication of a sick ecosystem is the absence of top predators, like sharks, groupers, marlins and so on. It is also an indication of overfishing, because fish are being extracted in an unsustainable way," Ross said. An attempt in March to include a group of shark species in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), at the 15th Conference of the Parties in Qatar, met with failure.

Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily threatened with immediate extinction, but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled.

"It's unfortunate the shark species weren't included, because it would have provided in-depth knowledge about what is going on in international trade, what volumes are being imported and exported, between which countries, and which species," said Cantú.

Additional reporting from Daniel Zueras in Costa Rica.