During this month of Mexican nationalism, featuring the “grito
de indpendencia” celebrations on night of September 15^th marking
Mexico’s Independence, a local company, Mijo! Brands has begun a community wide
project asking locals, nationals and foreigners who all reside in Mexico, what
it means to be Mexican. Such an interesting topic!  

I am certain this social experiment will
highlight many different angles of Mexican culture today. As part of the
community project the responses appear online at http://www.en.carasdemexico.org/caras/   check them out for yourself and if you feel
inclined to take part contact info@mijobrands.com  

The amazing success of the new development in old town
Vallarta, V399 is now apparent for all to see. With just 4 units left to be
sold out of 59, it has surpassed the buyers’ expectations in quality and
design.

The remaining units are now being offered at a discount,
meaning you can still snap up one of the old town gems for under $125,000 USD!
The 1 bedroom units all sold out and there are just 1 studio unit remaining and
3 2-bedrooms. The renowned Developer HEVA has furnished the studio and 2 of the
2-bedroom units and this goes a long way to help the consumer imagine
themselves in the units, living and enjoying the area.

I cannot mention V399 without making reference to the
stunning rooftop area. In my opinion, V399 has one of the best rooftops in the
whole of the bay. 

Designed by Architect Paulo Rojo, who created the Marival
Hotel in Nuevo Vallarta, the whole area is so immaculately conceived that it
leaves you in awe. The views are magnificent, even in the heart of town and
they are cleverly emphasized by use of mirrors, open spaces, infinity pool,
pergolas, plants, natural materials, comfy seating relaxation areas and even a
fire pit. They have incorporated a BBQ area, bar, TV and wi fi to make sure you
don’t want for anything while you are up there! 

Check out the rooftop here.

Along with the city’s recent improvements of the Malecon, the widening of the sidewalks in old town and the renovation of the Los Muertos Pier, the Gringo Gulch Pedestrian Bridge, now completed, means
walking around our town along the river has just got a little easier.

The modern bridge connects Isla Rio Cuale with Gringo Gulch
and it is a great improvement for walkers with a much less steep incline and
even seating areas designed for catching your breath, taking in the views and
having a nice rest!

The new bridge will allow all the residents of Gringo Gulch
to get quick, easy access to the island Rio Cuale and this will hopefully mean
that more people will be able to enjoy the cultural and culinary delights that
the island has to offer.

What a welcome addition this is to our ever-improving Puerto
Vallarta.

Photo source: Virtual Vallarta

The newest project to be
announced in old town Vallarta is Vallarta 177, located on the corner of Amapas
and Pilitas street, just half a block from Los Muertos beach behind the
Tropicana Hotel. 

From the Developers of V399, the very successful project in
old town that has only 4 units left out of the 59 total, (for information on
these  click here) comes a new design of 39 units with similar
features and equally high quality finishes. 

There is already a waiting list
with deposits down in Escrow as the buyers await the final prices and finishing
touches to the website (www.vallarrta177.com
). 

With ocean, town and mountain views, no hills to climb, covered parking for
23 cars, elevator, garden, courtyard, rooftop BBQ and deck, roof top heated
pool, heated Jacuzzi & gym this will be a hard project to beat. 

Keep posted
on the condos when they are released to the public, these are sure to go fast.

Refer to our Real Estate Developements to download price lists and floor plans.

If you’re stuck for something to
do and feel like a day out of Puerto Vallarta why not take a trip over to the village
of Yelapa, nestled in between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Without any road connections, Yelapa can only be accessed by boat. 

Vallarta
Adventures offers a day tour to the area but you can also easily go it alone
taking a water taxi (panga). You can pick up a panga from Los Muertos pier or
from Boca de Tomatlan south of town (easily accessible by bus) and it will drop
you right on the beach. Once in the fishing town you can wander round the
center, stay on the beach, eat fresh food or go inland to visit the waterfall,
either on foot or on horseback.

The tourist boats head back to
Vallarta normally at 4 pm or 5pm, but if you want to stay longer to experience
the real Yelapa, the hotel right on the beach is just the place. Lie back in
your hammock and watch the sunset, visit one of the candlelit restaurants along
the beach or take a romantic starlit walk…

Yelapa is a friendly, welcoming,
mixed community with several expats calling it their home all year round. It is
a very special place and well worth a visit while you’re in Vallarta. 

 Check out here the day tours Vallarta Adventures offers.

So many of my travel memories revolve around great meals and
Puerto
Vallarta is no different.  But I really wanted to get off the guidebook
“grid” and discover the real taste of the city. 
So I was excited when I discovered Vallarta
Food Tours which promised that I could “eat like a local” during a 3 hour tour of off-the-beaten tourist path
eateries.

Vallarta Food Tours
was founded by Lindsay Prime Mayer,
an American expat living in Puerto Vallarta,
who was inspired by a similar tour
she took on vacation in Chicago.  She brought the concept to Vallarta with the idea of opening up
the local culinary experience to visitors.

We started our tour
with a mole trio (which thankfully is a sauce, not a small woodland
creature) and it was so delicious that my strategy of pacing myself went right
out the window.  Over the next 3 hours we
strolled through the city, led by our funny and friendly guide “Lobo” learning
about Vallarta history and stopping
to eat along the way.

We tried birria tacos,
coconut water opened by machete in
front of our eyes, tortillas hot off
the press, a trio of rich soups,
fresh ceviche, sweets from a
traditional Mexican candy store and much more. 
Not only was everything really tasty but Lobo explained to us about the
traditions and making of everything we sampled.

By the end of the tour, I was totally full….not only of
great food but of a great understanding of the local culture, heritage and
cuisine of Puerto Vallarta.  Vallarta
Food Tours is definitely a great way to meet and eat a city.

You can find here more information about this Puerto Vallarta tour.

Puerto Vallarta is definitely full of
surprises, from its colorful places to its delicious gastronomy, there is
always something new. For those who enjoy trying local drinks and food, you
should try Tuba: an exotic beverage
popular in Mexican coastal destinations.

The process of its production is quite interesting. Workers climb palm
trees (which are not meant to be harvested for coconuts) in the mornings or
evenings and bruise the coconut flower stalk so it oozes its liquid. Afterwards
the stalk is tied up with bamboo strips to pour the sap into a bamboo
container. It begins its fermentation inside the bamboo container, but crushed
tanbark from a mangrove tree is included in the mix to accelerate the process;
it also gives the sap a reddish color.

Whenever I walk down the Malecon,
I often see people carrying red painted gourds and yelling “Tuba!”, so if you
are interested in trying it you can find it there, but also along Puerto
Vallarta’s beaches.

Tuba is friendly to all ages since it isa
non–alcoholic drink, and it is great to
ease thirst, great as a refreshment when taking a walk, or even at parties.

Photo source: http://visitpuertovallarta.com/

For 48 weeks a year the PEACE programs operate very successful free spay neuter clinics in the Bay of Banderas.

 The focus is to
obviously sterilize as many stray or owned animals as possible, given that this
seems to be the only option to reduce the number of stray dogs and cats roaming
free on the streets.

One of the PEACE Program’s missions, named “Ayuda a los Animales”, strives to
prevent the unnecessary suffering caused by abandonment, neglect, torture or
disease that faces unwanted animals.

Additionally to running the clinics, an important education
drive is an integral part of the mission. Traveling to neighborhood schools the
director and the vets give interactive talks to children on the importance of
sterilization and the welfare of animals. Creating a culture of respect for
pets, wild animals, nature and the environment in which we live are all
important features of the program and deserve a special mention.

 I look forward to
being able to report on more of the excellent work done by PEACE next season.

PEACE Mexico (Protection & Education:
Animals, Culture, and Environment) is a nonprofit organization working in the
Bay of Banderas, Mexico and beyond to increase educational and economic
opportunities through community development programs in the areas of education,
environment, animal health, and economic development.

Photo source: PV Angels

To my delight I have found out that Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera
Nayarit areas will be expo-ing at
the Canadian company MexiGo! Travel
and Trade expo, to be held in September at the Vancouver Convention Center.

PV Pulse
reported that the Joel Hansen, Director of Business
Development at Mexi-Go! says “We are thrilled to confirm Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit as
exhibitors. We constantly promote both destinations through our magazine. Early
this year we attended the TianguisTuristico in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit media, and had the
opportunity to witness the success of these two destinations working together.”

This Expo is a fusion of
travel, commerce, foods, arts & craft, music and business. The main goal
behind the event is to increase Canadians’ awareness of Mexico as a destination for both travel and investment.

The website Mexi-Go! is a Canadian and Mexican partnership that offers
comprehensive online marketing solutions to businesses looking to increase
their Canadian market share through publications, direct marketing and events.
As a relatively new addition to the online world, Mexi-Go! is fast becoming a
trusted source for Canadians and Mexicans alike.

To find out more: http://mexi-goexpo.com/

Now this is exciting news! Especially for me, a real bona
fide amateur golfer… now even I might be tempted out on to the green, at
least now I could work on attaining some skills before being let loose on the
course.

Jack Nicklaus has become a household name as one of the best
players the game has ever known and from being directly associated with some of
the world’s premier golf courses, golf course design and training academies. 

The well respected institution has decided to open its doors here right in our
backyard at the Nayar Golf Course in Nuevo Vallarta. 

The central location in
the bay will help to attract students from both the north and south shores and
many national and international visitors. The academy has a working philosophy
to improve each player’s game using cutting edge technology but never
forgetting about the basics, working on improving swings, stokes, putting and
creating an individual demeanor and style.

With 23 Jack Nicklaus Golf Academies in the world including
the USA, Spain & China, the Nayar Golf Course really puts Riviera Nayarit
and our region on the map for the golfing world to see.

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Photo source: http://www.justluxe.com