While sifting through the archives of the Tribune, just to see what happened on this date in past years, I realized that it’s been exactly two years since Telecable discontinued its broadcast of CNNI (CNN International) and CNNfn. I still miss those channels terribly. Not only did they give us who live here year ‘round a chance to get truly INTERnational news, but there were interesting programs interspersed in between too.
On the local front, our then mayor gave the green light to the project of burying the wires underground in the area of town known as the Romantic Zone. The city would contribute 30% of the total cost, estimated at $9 Million Pesos, while the residents of the area would contribute 70%. The only thing missing at the time was the «technical study to determine exactly where the wires would be buried». The project dealt with the area bordered by the following streets: Ignacio L. Vallarta, Basilio Badillo, Olas Altas and Venustiano Carranza. I guess they’re still waiting for that «technical study»…
Many years prior to that, when I first moved down here, I could hear donkeys braying, and roosters crowing at all hours of the day, sometimes at night too. I wrote about it at the time, suggesting they go see a shrink… Now all I hear is dogs barking, and female cats screeching when disturbed by some unrequited love advances. And even the frogs and toads have left for areas with some sort of vegetation. I just hope the birds don’t give up on us and decide to leave too. One gentleman posted a message on one of Vallarta’s many forums, asking if there was any «quiet» part of town where he could rent a place for a few months. I guess I fall into that category of people who have learned to tune out the noises they don’t like, and appreciate the ones they do. I love hearing the music that fills the streets of this town at all hours. I love hearing the sounds of children playing, and the cries of the vendors peddling shrimp or gas or knife sharpening. Different strokes for different folks.
Back then, the hillside of Gringo Gulch used to be lush with vegetation, interspersed with beautiful homes, whose white walls stood out against the dark greens that surrounded them. Now they’re building and building, there and beyond, to the north, cutting down all the trees whose roots held the earth together during the rainy period. Gray, ugly-looking retaining walls all over the place. Nesting grounds gone. I’m glad that some kind soul up there chose to spare some beautiful, bright red buganviliae trees.
One reader sent me an excellent email, expressing a thought I have had repeatedly, every day as a matter of fact. He wrote: «This country is so full of music of all kinds, it is mind boggling. Just go to the music department of any store and your selection is endless. My question is, why on FM radio does every station play the same 10 tunes over and over all day and night? I am not asking for them to change, I just want to understand.» He signed it «Repititionaly bored.»
Thank you, whoever you are, you gave me a good laugh! It is something I have never understood either. The only explanation I have come up with, though I admit that I’ve never actually called any of the radio stations to investigate, is that the program director is simply lazy, or… they don’t want to pay for the rights to play the newer songs. Either way, it’s truly unnerving for those of us who have become accustomed to listening to the local radio stations. That may be one of the reasons I try to listen only to the one that plays classical music.
Going through the archives, I realized that it’s also been exactly two years since that fabulous ice cream shoppe, «Once Upon A Time», closed its doors. Here’s a perfect example, one of all too many similar ones that I know, of someone who worked really hard to make a good business grow, only to be defeated by a combination of high rents and less-than-ideal location. About food… I have made a note to myself to check out The Deli and Encuentros. I’ve heard only good reports about both so far.
I really haven’t been doing great on the «entertainment» level lately. The kittens have been keeping me rather busy. One forgets how much time babies -of any species- require. Even though it’s only been one year since my «older» cat arrived, quickly followed by the Rottweiler puppy who now weighs around 100 lbs., I still forgot. Two of the kittens insist on sleeping on my lap while I work at the computer. Their «Russian Blue» sibling is more independent. Must be an ethnic thing… On the other hand, you would think he’d be even more cuddly considering that my parents were Russian. Maybe not. In any case, thanks to all these baby-sitting duties, I still haven’t seen «Bob Fosse - And All That Jazz» at Santa Barbara’s, or any of the other superb performances they’ve got on their schedule. Again, only great feedback. And we won’t even talk about all the new restaurants, deli and lounges that have opened their doors over the last few weeks.
Sitting at the computer for hours on end (with the kittens on my lap, of course), I did notice one thing. In the past, my email «Bulk» (a.k.a. junk or spam) section used to be filled with offers for quickie university degrees, visits to pornographic sites, and promotions for products dealing with «enlargements» of various parts of the body, now the majority appear to be offering products and procedures to REDUCE other parts of the anatomy, liposuctions, etc., and, even more numerous than those, knock-offs of brand name watches. Very strange.
Another very strange occurrence is the rain we’ve been getting. I know it hasn’t been quite so wonderful for those tourists who lost some of their long-hoped-for days of sunshine, but for the town and all its inhabitants, flora and fauna, it’s been a godsend. We don’t usually get rain between October and May. As I write this, the sun has reappeared, everything has been cleansed and is beautiful again, and all is right with the world… Well, to a point.Let us all have a wonderful week, filled with serendipitous finds and experiences. And as we get ready for Valentine’s Day, let us all share our good fortune with the less fortunate. Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com
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