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SHE SAID…
June 1, 2003
What busy weeks these last few have
been! With all the special events going on all around
town, it was not easy to make up one’s mind every
day - which event do we attend, or do we just give up
and stay home? No, that was not an option. After all,
how often do we have to choose between an anniversary
fiesta celebration at a restaurant, the presentation
of a new book by famous people, a choir or a concert,
a colorful folklore ballet or a classical one, or how
about some “rumba flamenco”? We did the
best we could while still trying to maintain a semblance
of normalcy during the work week. (What follows may
seem like a gossip column, but I really feel I should
mention at least some of the events we attended…)
The “fiesta” was the
2nd Anniversary of the Blue Chairs Restaurant on the
hotel’s rooftop. With Really Rosie’s cooking,
her scrumptious snacks, the wonderfully mellow guitar
music and the breathtaking view of the bay and the beach
below, how could we go wrong?
The presentation of the book entitled
“Tarzan, My Father” attracted a full house
at El Panorama. Though finding the place and then reaching
it on foot could surely have replaced a session at the
gym, the end result was definitely worth it. The buffet
table was filled with delectable snacks, the incredible
view from the “top o’ the town” was
even more breathtaking, and all of Vallarta’s
“beautiful people” were there.
Among the most delightful presentations
we witnessed at the main square was the choir of the
regional Preparatoria school. The number of people gathered
there, the energy transmitted by those youngsters, their
beautiful young voices singing in perfect harmony, all
we could do was shout “Otra! Otra! Otra!”
with the rest of the audience, begging for more.
And then there’s the Malecon!
Over the past few weeks, it looked like it does at the
height of the season: full of people all through the
evening and well into the night, youngsters and oldsters,
lovers and families, balloon vendors and mimes, musicians
and “tuba” vendors (if you haven’t
had some of that cool, refreshing drink yet, you should),
dancers of all types and music coming from all over.
Just one of the many, many reasons we keep writing about
when we speak of why so many of us have decided to settle
here. Vallarta’s Malecon is such a very special
place, and it is there for all of us to enjoy - all
the time.
 The
lamp post? Well, I just had to take a photo of it. I’m
sure that you will agree that it too is special. Actually,
I had brought my camera along to take a picture of an
electricity meter I had seen hanging above the sidewalk
on Libertad Street (in the dark), exactly at head level,
from a wire overhead. But when I went back to take a
shot of it, someone had pulled it back up to the upstairs
balcony, out of harm’s way. The lamp post is right
at that corner… and the excavation work in front
of the exclusive Trio Restaurant looks as if it will
never end. I don’t know how many times the authorities
intend to dig up the same spots, or why.
And if I didn’t know any better,
I would venture to say that there is some sort of conspiracy
going on against groups of performers who come from
Vancouver. Last year, no one was informed about one
group that performed at Los Arcos and the only people
who got to enjoy their performance were those who happened
to walk by there that evening. This year, we were informed
of the venue to be used by the Koven Jazz Trio of Vancouver
the day before the event. It was going to take place
last Tuesday at the Camino Real, but when tourists entered
the hotel and asked around, no one seemed to know where
the concert was taking place or even if there was one
going on. Many turned around and went home, only to
find out later that the concert did indeed take place
…in the hotel’s Grand Salon.
As a fellow columnist wrote recently,
on the menu of news bulletins last week, there was “mad
cow disease, SARS, West Nile, wars, bioterrorism, suicide
bombers, earthquakes, corporate collapses, layoffs,
global warming, pestilence and impending apocalypse...”
Pretty unsettling stuff for sure, but unfortunately
we aren’t faring that much better here, in this
little paradise that is Puerto Vallarta.
 The
Tribune, our editor and I personally all received various
phone calls and e-mails with regard to the smoke that
has been hanging over the city lately. We’ve all
smelled it upon waking up, we can all see it as we look
around, especially in the mornings, and some of us have
even suffered sinus and other respiratory problems because
of it. When we attended the book presentation at El
Panorama, there was a huge fire raging on the hillside
just north of the Cuatro Vientos Hotel. I went over
to a lady who looked like she was in charge of that
floor of the 3-floor restaurant. I asked her if anyone
had reported the fire to the authorities. She said no.
I asked her why and she nonchalantly responded, “Someone
will, don’t worry.” I insisted, why didn’t
she do it, just in case no one else did? She just walked
away. I won’t say anything more about the matter,
suffice it to say that when I called the Fire Department
a few days later (following more phone calls from readers),
I was told that the fires were “controlled”
and that they had been authorized by the municipal authorities.
Although our visiting readers would
rather that the sun continue to shine so that they may
show off a beautiful tan upon their return home, we
residents are praying for the rains to come. The sooner
the better, especially with all those fires raging quasi
out of control. By the way, if you haven’t acquired
any of those marvelous de-humidifier rods yet, do call
Norma (223-1389). She still has some for sale …and
the contents of your cupboards and drawers will be grateful
to you.
Have a great week. Don’t
forget that Father’s Day is creeping up on us
real quick and the week-end following that will mark
the Summer Solstice, a very special day here in Mexico!
We’ll tell you all about it in due time. Take
good care of each other.
Hasta luego.
pvmomto3@hotmail.com
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