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There are magic places where you find the unexpected.
 One such place is Vallarta Botanical Gardens, on Km 24 of Route 200 past Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlán.
What I expected was a colorful variety of plants and flowers in a nice and isolated setting in the middle of the sierra.
What I found was much more than that..
Once there I took a short trail into a creek where I was, instantly, in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the songs of countless birds. I sat on a bench mesmerized by this symphony now accompanied by the sound of the wind playing with the fronds of the trees.
I don’t know how long I sat there, because the music kept renewing itself, several birds started to fly about more confidently and one of them got curious enough to join me so we caught good glimpses of each other and a little conversation.
 Following the paths planted with flowers of all colors and shapes (also with written explanations, so if you find one you are specially interested in, you can learn just about all about that species), I took another trail down to the river. This time a San Blas Jay (very much like the ubiquitous Zanate or Grackle, but with beautiful blue back, wings and tail) flew ahead of me to meet several black Groove-Billed Anis, singing their typical pee-hooy, pee-hooy, pee-hooy, down by the river; no wonder locals call them Pijuy.
The river setting is magical, it invites you to meditate, like some japanese gardens. Here the music comes from the green transparent waters sliding down huge bright white rocks. A temptation I could not resist, I had to fully immerse into this virgin, unspoiled garden of eden.
Here’s a reborn man walking up to the plantation house, when I heard a sound that I know quite well, a macaw..
In my years of birding I was lucky enough to see macaws twice, for a fleeting moment, without a chance to grab a camera. Both times near here, once in Las Juntas y los Veranos and once a few kilometers further up the road in Los Otates.
 These wonderful birds near extinction make a wonderful sight, flying in pairs (they live around 80 years and have just one lifetime partner) light up the sky with their colors, blue wings, bright green body and red in both head and tail. They are endemic to this area, they, along with the jaguar, represent the endangered fauna of our sierra. Today I am decided, I am going to work as hard as I can to protect these birds, anybody who wants to join in is welcome.
Dear reader, this is your lucky day, I had to wait a longtime, but you can go any day from 10 am to 6 pm, except Monday, and you will find beauty, moments of joy and a couple of macaws flying free, like sovereigns of the rich sierra atmosphere.
(entrance fee is 50 pesos, tax deductible, per person and valid as credit to your consumption at the restaurant bar. Tell you, paradise can’t beat this place in beauty and price)
Eduardo Rincón Gallardo
E-mail: toureps@prodigy.net.mx
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