March 11, 2007

This is a public confession, a public admission of guilt: I had never taken a regular city bus in this town. Although I had often intended to do so, just to “live the experience” of the wild rides, the musicians that come on board to entertain the passengers for a few pesitos, for one reason or another, I either got a lift, took my car, or walked to wherever I was going.

So last Saturday was a first for me. I had called Bob at the Botanical Gardens to find out if I could bring my friend Arden along, because a) he wanted to write about the big event (La Noche de las Luminarias), and b) because I really didn’t relish the thought of driving back all the way from there alone, at night. In his usual friendly manner, Bob pointed out that yes, Arden was welcome to attend (see separate article), but I didn’t have to drive anyway. I could take the El Tuito bus that stops just a couple of blocks from where I live. What a great idea, I thought. It turned out to be a half-hour of non-stop entertainment.

We met at the bus stop, the bus was there already - and it was full. We climbed aboard, Arden went to the back, and a little girl got up -on her mom’s suggestion- to give me her seat, the single one in the front, to the right of the driver. In the pit by the front door, directly in front of me, was a Mexican gentleman, standing, who had obviously had one too many. From the moment we departed to the time we reached the entrance to the Botanical Gardens, the back and forth banter between him and the driver did not stop, the latter jokingly taunting the former, while the former valiantly tried to reply despite the fact that his speech was obviously slurred beyond comprehension. They discussed life, marriage, politics, you name it. All of us within earshot who understood Spanish (i.e.: everyone other than the little girl’s mom who was obviously of Nordic origin) could not contain our laughter. It was a half-hour comedy! Halfway through the journey, two good looking young señoritas boarded the bus at Mismaloya. The driver suggested they sit on the ledge in front of his windshield, on the other side of the door pit, facing me and the rest of the bus. While they were making themselves comfortable, the “gentleman” ran out, got himself another beer somewhere, and returned to his standing room spot in the pit. The señoritas then got to be entertained too as we continued our journey to the Gardens.

I’m so glad we took Bob’s advice. What a great experience it turned out to be! And that was just the beginning of what turned out to be the most fabulous event I have ever attended in or around Puerto Vallarta.

I guess it was the combination of elements. From the entrance to the Gardens by the roadside, one is struck by the sheer size of the place. Then, as you make your way down the path to the “Plantation House” (which still looks more Chinese to me than “Florida Plantation”), you are exposed to an ever-expanding, mind-boggling variety of flora …and colors! Especially in that strange light of dusk, some of the flowers seem to have “a light of their own”, to quote Arden. He’s right. Colors that the best of artists could never duplicate.

I’m not sure which adjective would be most appropriate to describe the atmosphere in the House… electric, joyful, exciting, animated… Folks ordered their drinks, had some of the delicious snacks laid out on the buffet tables, then adjourned to the lower level where they sat to enjoy the excellent, professional concert by the PV Chamber Orchestra, followed by the fabulous QuesaDivas. I just kept on yelling “Encore! Encore!”

Then Pepe, the DJ, started playing his selections, people started dancing and that feeling of FUN in the air just became stronger. It was contagious. Folks who hadn’t danced in ages got up to do so. Even canes were put aside… I understand that there were over 150 people in attendance. Congratulations to you all at the Botanical Gardens! As our friend T. J. pointed out so accurately during the evening, “It’s one thing to have a vision. It’s another to turn it into reality.”

We missed the lunar eclipse because there was a slight haze along the mountain tops that surround the gardens when the moon rose, but then it appeared, in all its fullness and glory. As the sky darkened, we realized that the whole place was surrounded with candles. What a sight to behold! What a night it was! Unforgettable? Definitely.

The days that followed continued to be wonderful for me. Friends and relatives came down from the Great White North to warm their bones. One of them called me as they were settling in at their hotel. Instead of saying hello, he just said, “We want to go to Joe Jack’s for dinner tonight. OK?” Oh, yes, definitely. That great meal was followed by another, at Daiquiri Dick’s, then another at ViteA. So many succulent dinners! And we’re not finished… While we were at ViteA, I noticed a little girl playing with her “doll” on the Malecon. I took her picture. Notice her “doll”? It’s a calavera, a skeleton. This is a common sight here, part of the culture relating to the Day of the Dead, but can you imagine this up north? Her parents would probably be reported to some agency or other for having purchased such a “toy”…

Getting back to the topic of good food (one of my favorites), we got a notice at the Tribune that that yummy little Gato Gordo Deli inside of Plaza Romy had closed, the one that offered those authentic French crêpes among other delicious dishes. Why? Well, that’s an old story here in Vallarta. The reason is the same as that which caused so many other good eating establishments to close: the landlord notices the restaurant-tenant’s success and decides to double or triple the rent. The owner of the restaurant can’t afford such an increase, so he or she closes it and the landlord ends up with nothing. Same thing happened with Rosie on three occasions, with Brenda Martin and her “Rendez-Vous”, and a number of others that I know of first hand. How sad!

Now onto more serious matters: I hope that none of you got into trouble due to the fact that the U.S. and Canada decided to set their clocks forward one hour last weekend, while Mexico did not. I can only imagine the problems this move is and will be causing until we catch up… Sunday, March 11th was when daylight saving time started in most of Mexico’s two NAFTA partner countries - three weeks earlier than usual. In the European Union, Summer Time begins the last Sunday in March (i.e. the 25th) and ends the last Sunday in October. In Mexico (except Sonora), it is set to start on the first Sunday in April (the 1st - April Fool’s Day?) and end on the last Sunday in October. I couldn’t tell you why Mexico didn’t go along with the rest of this continent… This has the makings of a potentially big mess, especially with the travel agents and the airlines if you ask me.

Before I forget, dear reader, I suggest you read the warning regarding ATMs here in Vallarta. Fake devices have appeared on the doors to some of them. Thinking that you need to slide your card through in order to get in to the ATM cubicle, you risk losing your card altogether, or having all the information it carries in its magnetic strip stolen. Beware!I think I’ve run out of space so I’ll just wish you a most sunny, wonderful and warm week in our town, ending with a super Happy St-Patrick’s Day wherever you are! Take care of each other and share your good fortune with the less fortunate ones. Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com

March 4, 2007

The saying goes, “If March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb, and if March comes in like a lamb, it goes out like a lion.” Well, we don’t have any lions at these latitudes, and not too many lambs either, but boy, we sure have a lot of dogs!

Please note that if you’re not a dog lover, this issue of the Tribune may just overwhelm you a little. We’re all dog (and cat) lovers here at the paper, so you’re going to find lots of photos of (wo)man’s best friends throughout these pages.

Truth be told, I had never attended a dog show, until the IIIrd Gran Perroton (Dog Show) held at the sports stadium a couple of weekends ago. Sure, I never miss the famous Westminster Dog Show on TV, and all the others that are televised, but like everything else, there’s nothing like experiencing something – live. What a wonderful experience that was! Hundreds of dog lovers and owners, children, and of course …doggies - of all sizes and all breeds. It made me feel so good to see how many people attended the event, and how very much they loved and took obvious care of their pets.

Many local VIPs were in attendance as well, including our Canadian Consular Agent, Lyne Benoit, with her two furry friends, Rita Kunz, dog trainer extraordinaire Monica –who also acted as mistress of ceremonies for some of the events-, Bruce’s (of the super Bruce’s Back Alley Bistro) lovely wife, Julia, was there with Bruno, their Doberman-Rottweiler mix, etc. etc. I’m just sorry that I didn’t listen to my friends who said I should register my 100-lb. “puppy” in the Large Breed Beauty Contest. She could have won. Oh well, I’ll just have to attend next year’s event.

And talking of events, can you believe that our little town, all the way down here by the shores of the Bay of Banderas, will be hosting a Grand Ballet? And all the way from Saint Petersburg? Wow! Now I haven’t figured out if these dancers are from what used to be the Kirov Ballet – or not. It really doesn’t matter. As far as I’m concerned –and this IS an opinion column…- any dancer trained and dancing as part of a troupe in Moscow or Saint Petersburg or Riga, is excellent.

I was lucky enough to see the Kirov Ballet in the land of the midnight sun, in that amazing city called Leningrad when I visited it, and it cost me a whopping 6 Rubles! In the most incredible venue… But that was then, and this is now. According to Wikipedia, “the Mariinsky Ballet, affiliated with the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, is one of the most famous ballet companies in history. The company was known as the Imperial Ballet until the early 20th century. Following the assassination of Sergei Kirov, they were renamed Kirov Ballet but reverted to the original name after the fall of the Communism ... Following the October Revolution of 1917, the ballet master Agrippina Vaganova determined to continue the traditions and methods of the Russian Imperial Ballet. Her method laid the groundwork for the formation and development of classical ballet in the world … The choreography school of the Mariinsky Ballet, the Vaganova School, named after its most celebrated teacher, prepared many of the greatest danseurs in history, including Anna Pavlova, the great Nijinsky, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov … During the Cold War, however, the company faced the problem of some dancers refusing to return from Western countries they toured, while others were transferred by Soviet authorities to the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In this way the company lost great dancers, such as Nureyev and Baryshnikov.”

I’m looking forward to see that level of art again. Just as I’m looking forward to the fabulous shows our own little Santa Barbara Theater has in store for us these days, especially Sol’s one-man show, and the one called “Opening Night” directed by Eileen O’Leary and starring other friends of ours. Wow! The theater season sure is closing the season “like a lion”!

In the meantime, I’ve been getting ready for visiting relatives, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be telling you about – other than restaurants and of course, the Big Event at the Botanical Gardens.
I’m just going to wish you all a wonderful week, and make some suggestions: be kind to each other, share your good fortune with the less fortunate, get out there to see the beautiful Humpback whales while you still can this season, don’t forget your sun block, enjoy the spectacular spring sunsets, and have fun! (Not in any specific order of importance.)
Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com

January 28, 2007

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

January 21, 2007

Some weeks are filled with events and excitement, while others… well, just aren’t. The last seven days, since I last chatted with you, was one of the latter type, except for one happening which I will share with you a little later. And I’m sure that Mr. Murphy, you know, the one who wrote his own laws, had a lot to do with the uneventful part of it.

My friend and I decided that we would finally go see the «Bob Fosse – And All That Jazz» production at the Santa Barbara Theater, but that was not to be. They were all sold out – again. I think that’s the fourth time we tried. But that’s ok. We’ll just have to keep on trying.

The next evening, a Saturday, we figured we’d go see Eragon, the movie, but that was not to be either. The original English version was no longer playing at the theater. So we decided that we would just go out for dinner. Wrong again. My computer technician came up against some stubborn problem with the computer on which he had begun working around 2 p.m. He didn’t finish until 9! I really felt bad for him, but I felt even worse for my evening … wasted. Did you notice how there’s nothing to watch on TV on Saturday evenings? The programmers must know that everyone goes out on Saturday night. On the positive side, the new «seasons» of my favorite shows are starting. And I am so glad that Hugh Laurie won a Best Actor award at the Golden Globe ceremony. I love that show, «House». But I’m not sure about Sacha Baron Cohen… I’ve heard conflicting reviews about «Borat».

But, as I mentioned above, there was one major event in my life. It all began with that picture that appeared in last week’s issue of the Tribune, the one of the two kittens. Some of you may remember that Enya brought me a kitten to take my mind off my beautiful, beloved Rottweiler’s untimely death a year ago. I even held an unofficial contest to find a name for the kitten at the time, a contest won by Lucy of Lucy’s CuCu Cabana (Lucy is Gil Gevins’ wife). She suggested Suzi CuCu, and the name stuck.

Getting back to the picture, I called Heather Wilson to ask her where the kittens were. She told me that Silvia, our Tribune reporter (and animal protection activist), had them. I called Silvia and asked her if the little nearly white kitten in the photo was a female, ‘cause I’m not particularly fond of males as far as pets go. She said yes. I was delighted. I told her that I would like to see her, to which she responded, «I’ll bring all three to the meeting on Wednesday.» Three? Yes, there were two little males and the little female. I begged her not to do that. She ignored me.

I arrived late for the weekly meeting late -again, way out there in Lomas de Coapinole, out where the streets on the map end and the Sierra Madre mountains are right there, in your face. But this time, the reason was different. I really thought that I had learned the route my first time out, so I didn’t even bother bringing a bottle of water as I usually do when I think I may become stranded forever. I was wrong. I made it all the way out to 21 de marzo, and turned right. I looked for the numbers… 965, 1041, 981… 1174! The number was right, but it wasn’t the Tribune. I figured I’d taken the wrong street by mistake. Perhaps I had misread the date, perhaps I’d become confused with all the different months and days of the streets out there. So I doubled back, made a big circle actually, double-checked the name of the street, turned right on it again, and ended up in front of the same 1174 building – NOT the Tribune. A lady was cleaning the sidewalk in front of her house, so I asked her, «Buenas tardes, senora, disculpe, me podria decir si las nuevas oficinas de la Tribuna estan en esta calle?» «Si, claro, estan unas dos cuadros mas adelante.» I thanked her profusely. Yessiree. There are no less than TWO 1174 on Calle 21 de marzo in Lomas del Coapinole. It reminded of the first time I tried to find our friend Liana Turner’s place. The allocation of the house numbers on that little dead-end block of hers are also totally haphazard…

Getting back to the Tribune, I tried to explain the reason for my lateness to our director. He smiled (while others laughed out loud) and ushered me into the meeting room. There was Silvia, with her cat carrier. I already knew what would happen so I was reluctant to look inside, but look I did.

Sure enough, there were three little kittens inside, all cuddled together, looking up at me, two of them with huge blue eyes. The smoky grey «Russian Blue» has green-grey eyes. It was all over. I didn’t stand a chance. Silvia asked me if I still wanted the little light-colored female, but she already knew what my answer would be. How could I separate such loving siblings?


So there you have it. I now have a one-year old cat who’s not at all sure about the three little kittens, an 11-month old 100-lb Rottweiler «puppy», a 12-year old «Heinz 57» who’s the best guard dog in town …and three tiny little kittens who play together, mostly on and around my Don Quixote, who doesn’t appear the least bit frazzled by the excitement. They also sleep together, all wound around each other. Obviously, if you’re not a cat lover, that’s ok, but you cannot empathize with my position. But if you are, then you know that my life has been filled with joy and delight ever since these little souls became part of it. If you’re interested, besides the little Russian Blue, the little female looks like a blue point Siamese, while her other little brother looks like a seal point. Very much like the Himalayan I brought down when I first moved to Vallarta. I also had a Cameo Persian back then. All three kittens have long hair, so who knows what their parents were…


Mr. Murphy didn’t just play havoc with my plans. He also played a role in the distribution system snafus at the Tribune. The office has been fielding numerous calls of complaint; frustrated people can’t find the paper. Now there’s one thing I want to share with you: because normal Sunday and Monday distribution has been disrupted recently, the papers have gone out later in the week. I’m saying this because normally, if you can’t find a paper by the time Tuesday comes around, means you can forget about getting it that week. This does not apply any longer, and probably won’t until the distribution matter is settled, so if your favorite pick-up place didn’t get any papers on Sunday, don’t give up. It might get them on Tuesday, or even Wednesday.


Did you notice that there have been nearly no local «news» articles in these last few issues of the Trib? I know why. You see, we usually look for news in the local dailies that may be of interest to us foreigners, and then yours truly translates them for you. Problem is that over the last few weeks, the papers have been covering the transition of the new municipal administration as it takes office for the next three years: discovery of the last administration’s corruption, cover-ups and foul-ups, and promises by the newcomers to fix it all up. Disconcerting …and depressing. Ergo, no news. So let’s apply the good ol’ saying: «No news is good news», and hope for the best. This town deserves it.


Have a wonderful week, dear reader, and while you’re here sharing our little corner of paradise, do consider sharing your good fortune with the less fortunate. Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com

January 7, 2007

We awoke on the third day of the year to heavy grey clouds and a steady drizzle. It followed what Snoopy would describe as, «a dark and stormy night». As luck would have it, that was the day on which I had to go to the Tribune’s new offices for the first time. I had been summoned to attend a meeting where certain of the board’s rather iffy policy changes would be discussed, clarified and -hopefully- settled. There was no way I would miss it
Armed with what I thought was a trustworthy map (after all, it took me a long time to find it, and I had paid good money for it), I set out on the trek I figured would take me anywhere from a half-hour to an hour. From the Colonia Emiliano Zapata to Lomas del Coapinole (where the streets on the map end, and the words SIERRA MADRE appear).
I had a full bottle of cool water, some chewing gum, and my cell phone. That should do.
Everything was fine until I turned onto Avenida Francisco Villa and began looking for the turn-off to head out into the wild, wet yonder. I thought I had worked out the easiest route prior to leaving the house, but boy, was I wrong! I ended up in a Colonia (neighborhood / suburb) called Ramblases. Definitely not where I wanted to be. I stopped two young ladies driving a pick-up truck and asked them for directions. I had to go back from whence I came and keep going along Francisco Villa. OK, so my shortest-distance-between-two-points route definitely wasn’t as smart as I thought.
As I retraced my steps (?), I had the opportunity to look around. «We’re not in Puerto Vallarta anymore, Toto,» I thought to myself. No, we were now in Mexico, the real quasi-rural Mexico. With hills and dales and unpaved, unmarked roads. Although it was overcast so I couldn’t gauge my direction according to the sun’s position, I still had that «feeling» as to where West was. So I kept going. Lots of happy people, hustle and bustle, myriad stores selling mops and brooms and plastic articles - and lots of broken-down cars abandoned on some rocks where their wheels once were.
I finally got to El Pitillal, Vallarta’s most highly-populated Colonia. And I even got to see the main square for the first time since it was turned into a parking garage. Not too bad looking. But then, my troubles started again. The streets are not marked around there and they’re all one-way. I asked a young lady police officer who was directing traffic if she could tell me where Revolución was. She had no clue. But she did have a walkie-talkie, so she radioed her superior. Turns out we were ON Revolución… she just didn’t know it. Now I had to follow the revolution all the way to Ecuador - the street, not the country. Problem is that I missed it because it wasn’t marked on the west side of the corner buildings. Had I been going in the opposite direction, I would have seen it - which I did after driving for a long time, stopping a taxi whose driver told me to turn around and go back.
Great. Now that I was on Ecuador, I had to keep going until I hit «21 de marzo». I’m not sure what great event happened on that particular day, nor in what year, but now I’ve got my work cut out for me: I want to check out a whole bunch of dates. I passed streets marking special days in February, two in May, June, September and October, all on the way to the two in March, the 18th and the 21st. Think about it, that was quite a trip: I passed through a whole bunch of South American and Central American countries, skipping over to Spain, Portugal, France and Italy - just to get to our new offices! But it was a quickie trip - all accomplished in one hour.
I must say, wow, what facilities they are! Every department of the company now has its own area: printing, administration, sales, editing, news, etc. Some even have their own little building, across a lovely little courtyard from the big main one. The print shop is nothing short of cavernous. It’s the only word to describe it. I know that once they receive their brand new imported printing machines, it won’t look so immense, but today it was huge!
By the way, I’ve been told that once these new machines are up and operating, the circulation of the Tribune should increase a whole lot, so that should be good news for all our readers who complain that they can’t find our little publication.
I should take this opportunity to thank all our readers who called and sent emails expressing their concern as to where some of my co-contributors and I had disappeared over the last couple of weeks. Not to worry, we’re all fine and we should all be back in next week’s issue, each with his or her own little bit of wisdom, humor, sarcasm, whatever… to share with us. It was just one of those snafus that tend to occur when new people are hired, and new policies are dictated. It’s a new year, we’re starting fresh, the wrinkles have been ironed out, everyone’s happy, and the universe is evolving as it should, I’m sure.
By the way, as I didn’t get to say this last week, I wish you, Dear Reader, and your entire family, a most Happy and Healthy New Year. I would like to close by sharing a message with you, which was sent to me by one of our readers - and which I immediately forwarded to my closest friends. I think it says it all. Thank you, Mark!
“I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.
I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.
I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.
I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.
I wish you Generosity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.
I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.
I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!”
pvmom04@yahoo.com

January 14, 2007

Many years ago, when I realized that I would have to send in all my work to the Tribune by internet when I had to go out of town (to my former home town in the Great White North - Montreal), I purchased a little Toshiba laptop / notebook, whatever you want to call it.

It served me well, until the night prior to my departure last September, when it suffered a mild heart attack. I left without it, giving instructions to my house sitter to notify our technician so that he might fix it while I was gone. In Montreal, I was lucky to find a beautiful HP on sale, at half price.

The HP worked fine, until last Friday …after 7 p.m. of course, when all the businesses close down ‘till Monday. As do plumbers, electricians, doctors, etc. In other words, anyone whose help you might need, sometimes desperately, when unpredicted events happen - and they always do happen after “business” hours, n’est-ce-pas?

On Monday, the technician came to check out another little problem -with my desktop monitor- and I showed him the laptop. He immediately said, “You’ll have to get it back to Canada,” in a most omniscient tone. I told him to forget it and get back to the desktop. Silly man.

I googled HP, found their support web site, logged on “live” with a very nice lady somewhere in India (I think), and she fixed the problem in less than 3 minutes. So there. Now everyone’s happy and I’m sure the “technician” would be very offended if I told him what I did …without even going back to Canada.

I realize that my entire diatribe last week centered on my adventure into the wilderness of Lomas del Coapinole, and for that I beg your forgiveness, dear reader.

I had intended to chat with you about various things, including the circus that’s in town, the Barley Circus. Do you think the owners just wanted to roll Barnum and Bailey into one?

Regardless, I learned that it is the biggest circus in Mexico. I haven’t gone to see its show, but as I drove by there a number of times, I did notice that the animals appeared to be well fed, even though they are caged nearly all day long - which I still consider to be an aberration. However, I was wondering… what do the hippos do? I don’t know about you, but whenever I see those amphibious descendants of the prehistoric era, I always visualize the dancing hippos clad in pink tutus in Disney’s Fantasia… I found out later, from friends who have toddlers and who did go to the circus, that children ride the hippos. Fun for the kids, not so great for the hippos that spend hours wallowing in the mud in nature and have no such pleasure here…

I hope that you all spent a fabulous Christmas and New Year’s Eve. My little group went to Bruce’s Back Alley Bistro to take advantage of his Christmas specials. The place was full and we definitely got much more worth than the final bill. But then, Bruce has always been known for his succulent dishes and more-than-generous portions.

Then we spent New Year’s Eve at La Petite France. As always, great food, excellent service, and fabulous live music entertainment. I can never say enough about the ambiance in that place. We decided to leave early so that we might watch the fireworks at midnight from the home of a friend who lives up on the hill in the middle of town. Well, that was not to be. The traffic was horrendous, and we encountered more than one stalled car. Coincidentally -or not- each and every one of them was stalled right in the middle of an intersection, causing all sorts of tie-ups. You would think that some kind souls would help move them out of the way, but no. By the time we got to our friend’s place, the show was over. I hear say that it was beautiful.

Looking back, this new year has started in a most wonderful fashion for me, despite a cold whose origin I’m still trying to figure out. It’s not so much all the great restaurants we visited, but rather, as Silvia writes in her superb review of Gilles LeFort’s École de Cuisine in this issue, the company one is with. When you can look around, acknowledge, and be grateful for the fact that your companions are truly FRIENDS, that is much more important in the grand scheme of things than the bounty set before you on any plate. At least that’s what I’ve been feeling lately.
On different occasions, with different friends, I got to relish Bill Carballo’s new delicacies at Barcelona Tapas (where the Marigalante’s nightly fireworks always evoke oohs and aahs from newcomers to our town), and the fabulous Huachinango entero -with lots of garlic and fresh veggies- at Langostinos for lunch one day.

On the occasion of my birthday last Tuesday, I was invited to the River Café where Willie and Lobo were performing. I just love those guys. First saw them when they were performing at Mamma Mia’s a decade ago. I have all their CDs, but I seldom get to hear them live, especially recently. It was a perfect evening. The company, the food, the music, the setting, the clear night sky filled with sparkling stars… We were seated at one of the tables directly beneath a big leafy tree, overlooking the peaceful Rio Cuale, candles all around… What beauty!

And to think that so many people save all year round just to be able to come here for a one or two-week holiday! We who have chosen to live here and those lucky enough to have been born here …are blessed indeed. Despite all the not-so-great news we read in the daily papers, we have it better than so many… so many.

Am I getting maudlin? I apologize. It must be old age… I’m sure to get back to my cynical, sarcastic, criticizing self soon, once the glow of these last few weeks wears off.

In the meantime, I absolutely must make time to go see the “Bob Fosse” production at the Santa Barbara Theater. It’s gotten to the point where I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t seen it yet. All those I know who have seen it, have raved about it.

I’ve also made a promise to myself to get out to those gorgeous Botanical Gardens soon. I haven’t been there in a while, and every time I do, there is something new, something to make them even more enchanting than before. At the risk of repeating myself: we who are here are so very blessed! (The wind chill brings the temperature down to 30 degrees below zero in Edmonton as I write this… brrrrr!)

Getting back to our slightly warmer climes and all of this town’s attractions, there are the art walks, and I do want to go out to see those awesome whales again… Can you believe that amazing photo on our cover this week? That’s Astrid’s super shot!

I wish you all happiness and health and beautiful sunshiny days with clear starlit nights. Take care of each other and do share your good fortune with the less fortunate ones. Remember your chambermaid and your waiter and the porter at the airport. I say this because now, more than ever, they need your consideration. The buses have raised their fares as of the beginning of the year. For a family with three children where both parents work, this could translate into an additional expense of $240. pesos per month, if not more. And the minimum wage in this state is around $45 pesos a day! You do the math.

Until next time, a most happy belated birthday to all my fellow Capricorns out there, especially my good friends Bob Kistner, Wayne McLeod and Sudy Coy. Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com