Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay News - Local News

Cently we had a surprise visit from the Coast Guard Cutter ACTIVE based out of Port Angeles Wa. Who was homeward bound after a long patrol down the coast including South America. The ship's compliment was anxious to visit Puerto Vallarta where they have been before recognizing it as the friendliest port on the west coast. Several members of the Navy League met the ship and endeavored to make good on this boast by offering a list of discount shops and restaurants that have extended a courtesy to our men in uniform who are protecting our lifestyle. Indeed while the primary role of the Coast Guard is to respond to emergencies on the high seas aiding vessels in distress, their very important secondary role these days is intercepting drug runners in high speed vessels that set out from secluded ports with hundreds of kilos of various drugs including cannabis and cocaine. Equipped with a helicopter they can read even at night heat signatures of the heavy powered outboards blasting their way northward to corrupt our kids and those of our kin, who have fall under the awful influence of drugs.

The art collection is deliberately "eclectic' since its primary purpose is to give students exposure to a wide-ranging selection of the visual arts. It ranges from a 17th century Spanish painting attributed to Ribera, an 18th century print by the English artist Hogarth, a number of works by important modern Mexican masters such as Pedro Coronel, Manuel Felguerez and Francisco Toledo to examples of the work of the best local artists, including Ramiz Barquet and Manuel Lepe. In all the collection contains around sixty exhibits, including works from the United States, Canada, Israel, France and Hungary. It is growing steadily, thanks to the many local residents who have been motivated to follow the lead Peter Gray set in 2002, when the collection was initiated with a modest total of 17 works. The advance made in the following three years offers inspiring testimony to what can be done when the local community, Mexican and foreign, all pull together as one.

Following the opening of the art museum and a visit to the crocodile exhibit and research center, visitors were led to the foyer of the Auditorium where an exhibit of archeological exhibits had been installed to mark the first step towards creating another museum which will aim to encourage the appreciation and protection of pre-Colombian artifacts, with an emphasis on the cultures belonging to our local region.

The event closed with an excellent presentation by the University's Ballet Folklorico. Although only recently formed, this group is already performing to a high standard, with a broad repertoire of dances from many regions of the republic. A "winner" at this performance was the very popular "Dance of the Old Men." And, of course, the finale featuring our own Jalisco.

Good deeds sometimes go unnoticed. It is worth pointing out therefore, that the reason a Cultural Committee to support CUC was formed in 2001, and headed by Nacho Cadena, was that there were no organized cultural activities on the campus. The hope was that this could change. Four years later, it is worth recognizing that the Centro Universitario de la Costa now has two museums, two dance groups (folkloric and modern) and a cine festival among its ongoing cultural programs. Once the ball starts rolling, there is no telling where it will end.