Papayas, bananas and mangoes abound in Puerto Vallarta and growing them is easy, given just a small plot of land. Our first home in Puerto Vallarta had minimum space to garden, yet we grew bananas and papayas in our parking strip and always had a yield. When we pass by on walks with the pup we are always pleased to see the current tenants enjoying the fruits of our labors!
What a surprise to find out that papayas are WAY ahead of humans when it comes to gender issues. It has long been acknowledged that there are three separate sexes of the papaya plant: male, female and hermaphrodite. The male produces no fruit, but provides the pollen, in such a fair and equal manner. The female papaya, pretty little thing that she is produces fruit that is actually not edible unless it has been pollinated! And so… the hermaphrodite self pollinates, due to the fact it produces fruit that contains the male stamens and the female ovaries, therefore doing all the work and getting only one third the credit. Hermaphrodite papaya trees are the only ones found in a commercial orchard for obvious reasons.
Another oddity regarding the papaya is that is it a BERRY! Who would have thought? But it does make sense when one sees the belly full of seeds that it contains. Papayas are ripe when they have turned amber-orange hue and soft to touch, almost like an avocado. Though native to southern Mexico and Central and northern South America, papaya is now grown in many tropical areas, such as Florida, the Caribbean Islands, India, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. There are officially 22 accepted species of the fruit, though only one is grown in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta.
Though papaya is used in soups, curries and salads, the most common manner of consumption is raw. Some people like the black seeds, claiming they are spicy and can be used as a pepper substitute when ground. Though we have never seen anyone in Puerto Vallarta doing so, we have also seen young leaves of the papaya plant steamed and eaten like a vegetable.
We always rinse our produce off before we begin to prepare, no matter what type and whether we consume of the outer layer. Cut the papaya in half and scoop the seeds out with a spoon. Quarter the halves (so you have eight total slices) and tenderly cut the rind from the meat with a sharp paring knife. Cut into chunks and squeeze a lime over the lot and mix gently. Some like a little sprinkle of spice such as Tajin®, as well.
İBuen provecho!
Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Amigos

The concept of friendship is different in Puerto Vallarta than that of the United States and Canada. North Americans might have many friends, through school, fraternal organizations, church, the neighborhood, Facebook. In Mexico, an amigo is someone you are close to and you maintain that relationship, through good and bad times, no matter the quality of the person.

Mexicans are more inclined to avoid getting into deep conversations with people they do not know well and will avoid the kind of closeness North Americans can establish in a short time frame, such as a week’s vacation in a tropical paradise or a cruise ship.

Mexican character traits often can be traced back to Spanish colonial times when dependence on family and friends was vital to one’s survival. To trust someone outside the inner circle, so to speak, involved a lot of trust and nurturing of any given liaison. Hence, the birth of such things as sobremesa (long lunches and dinners, involving drinking and lengthy conversations in a gentile setting.) The importance of getting to know someone before you considered them a friend has always been of great use to Mexicans. For an extended period of time, covering more than three centuries, Mexicans were forced to depend on one another, in an effort to protect themselves from a treacherous, corrupt government. Having a person one could count on was imperative to survival.

Getting minor and major tasks accomplished often is based on who you know and how well you know them. This goes the same for staying out of trouble or getting oneself out of sticky, troublesome situations.

In business or community affairs, we highly recommend following the example of Mexicans living in Puerto Vallarta. Life will be much more pleasant if we work on establishing and cultivating friendships with people from all walks of life. We have found ourselves experiencing wonderful cultural events, such as weddings, quinceañeras, baptisms and birthday parties of all ages due to having turned simple acquaintances into long lasting friendships in Puerto Vallarta. Engaging in conversation, paying

employees and handymen well, and exercising our meager Spanish skills have worked in our favor to be a part of this wonderful city and the country we have adopted as our own.

Que es cómo es.

Jogging About Town

We shudder when we see joggers in Puerto Vallarta on the highway between town and Mismaloya, sometimes with only inches between them and passing traffic. It’s a dangerous place to run. Most people are looking for solid footing and smooth pavement, taking off from hotels with no idea what lies around an unfamiliar bend. The foliage along this road is lush; it is the jungle, after all. It grows quickly and tasks the city to keep up with the growth. Not only does it cause visibility problems, some of the plants are unfriendly, reaching out with stickers and, in some cases, venom. Safety should be a primary focus.

There are so many great places to jog in and around Puerto Vallarta. We have suggested to friends who stay in lodging on the highway, to hop on a bus for a nominal fee, tuck a few pesos in the same pocket where identification is kept (you must remember to always carry some form of ID, even if it’s simply a note with name and emergency information.)

The north end of the Malecón is a great place to commence with a run. Sidewalks are plentiful and traffic phases out in the surrounding neighborhoods. For long distance, we suggest heading north on Francisco Villa. One can pass the library (Biblioteca Los Mangos), head into colonias like Versalles on the west or Las Gaviotas on the right. The Fluvial is well-paved and a fantastic place to pound the pavement but it lacks in overhead covering. The aforementioned areas in Puerto Vallarta are plentiful in shelter from the sun, with shade provided by some taller buildings and many trees.  The Marina provides well cared for streets that lead out to the seashore and back again.

For those who like to run around in circles, the stadium is perfect. It is well kept, lit at night and a friendly welcoming environment. The track is kept up by a trained staff and bathrooms are available. Events and games are often held at this location, too.

Puerto Vallarta is not lacking in stairs for those who like a heavy workout. In the vicinity above and behind the cathedral, streets lead up the hillside providing incredible views of the city below.

Be safe, take to the paved roads where there is lots of space, including sidewalks, and keep your shoes tied!

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

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When we first arrived in Puerto Vallarta, our destination for groceries (and many other things) was Gutiérrez Rizo. If Rizo didn’t have it, you didn’t need it! Rizo, located in the heart of Old Town, had two levels with a broad staircase in the center of the store that allowed one to climb partway and peer throughout almost the entire lower floor to see if you could find that item on your list that seem to be hidden from sight. At the bottom of the stairs racks of magazines lured English readers who were often disappointed to find that People Magazine was published in Spanish and they wouldn’t recognize a single photo.

The ATM machine at the front of the store was occasionally reliable and if it ate your card, you could come back the next day, meet with the owner in the office just inside the entrance and she would return it, if you could properly identify yourself.

Upstairs were aisles stuffed with sundries and dry goods, hodgepodge, odds and ends. A toy section at Christmas overflowed with dolls, trucks, games, beach pails and an abundance of playthings that often became shopworn from children sampling the wares while their parents stood in line at the deli below, ordering fresh ham, bacon, cheese and cold cuts.

We recall the rich scent of freshly delivered local oranges; bins of chiles of all shapes, sizes and colors; and melting ice cream in a freezer that could never quite keep up with the exterior heat.

The skeleton structure that was a beloved shopping location for locals and many visitors alike, has sat empty for years, gossip swirling, creating a misty beachside graveyard, strewn with soggy cardboard, collapsing shelves and imaginative chitchat.

Jokingly referred to as “jungle drums,” rumors consistently raise hopes about a new supermarket to take the place of the long gone treasured Rizo. Just as easily those same hopes are stifled when social media raises questions about high rise condos in different stages of development. The drums beat out the sound of plans and permits at City Hall, with little determined or confirmed.

Crossing the river on the suspended foot bridge, picking up tortillas from the tortillaria at the corner and shopping at Rizo were followed by grabbing ice cold Modelos across the street and hailing a taxi back home. Slowly the area is changing, growing more modern and reaching high into the sky.

The people, however, are still there; the Mexicans, the ex-pats, the tourists; none of that has changed. After all, someone has to beat the drums.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Puerto Vallarta and Guns

This past weekend we had the occasion to watch a rousing televised sports event in Puerto Vallarta with a group of acquaintances and a handful of people we’d never met, some tourists. One new visitor to our lovely city proudly displayed her recently obtained NRA card and also her permit to carry in the States, although she was sans gun. She was quite chuffed and excited but most at our table were interested in participating in the football game on the several overhead televisions. A small amount of head-shaking was all that ensued… and back to the game.

Guns are essentially illegal in Puerto Vallarta, as they are in all of Mexico. Private gun ownership is limited to the type and caliber permitted by law and allowed only within one’s place of residence. Open and concealed arms carry in Mexico are grounds for immediate arrest. Gun control in Mexico is so strict that there is only one store in the entire country where firearms can be purchased and it is owned and regulated by the military branch of the government. (This doesn’t mean that guns aren’t smuggled over the border from the US.)

The Mexican Revolution was only a hundred years ago, not a lot of time in the great scheme of things, and the Cristero War (basically church vs. state) was less than that. The post war era brought about amendments to the constitution that disallowed citizens from owning weapons. Some will argue that this doesn’t let a citizenry protect themselves from a corrupt government. So be it.

The morning after our gathering on October 2, 2017, the world awoke to the news of the most massive shooting of people in United States of America’s history. One lone gunman opened fire on concertgoers in a Las Vegas venue that, to date has left 59 people dead and several clinging to life. This darkens the brief conversation we had last night with an American citizen who pompously was willing to show off her newly obtained concealed weapon permit. Why would an ordinary citizen feel the need to possess a gun and the desire to have it with them at all times? We are baffled. Statistics have proven beyond question that this type of protection is unwarranted and ineffectual.

We won’t be able to defend ourselves from a government invasion if that were to ever occur in Puerto Vallarta; very unlikely, we’d surmise. Once again, we’ve found ourselves feeling safer in Puerto Vallarta than in our homeland. Our hopes and prayers are aligned properly with those who suffer, and also those who live in fear.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.

We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future.  We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.

Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy.  We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes.  We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.

When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal.  You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Looking for an adventure that won’t take you too far out of Puerto Vallarta but still give you the feel of having a wee vacation? Here are four suggestions of destinations you can reach by bus or car. Aside from the usual trips to places like Sayulita and San Pancho, there are wonderful gems along the coast and inland that aren’t far and don’t take long to reach.

Punta Pérula, in our opinion, is one of the best beaches on the coastline. On Highway 200, that takes us from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo, Punta Pérula is located in the Chamela Bay in Pérula, Jalisco. There aren’t many places to stay here but it’s a well kept secret so shouldn’t be crowded. A quick walkabout and a small handful of questions will guide you to one of the small hotels or B&B’s that seem to sprout up as time goes by. The beach is pristine and a good comb for five miles or so, with the kind of seclusion not found in the above mentioned destinations. We own jars full of sea glass with many pretty pieces discovered at Punta Pérula.

Santa María del Oro is a small pueblo north of Tepic boasting a beautiful crater lake. That said, the lake is the main attraction of Santa María del Oro. The water, thought to be bottomless as with most crater lakes, is clear, clean and a perfect temperature for swimming. Cafés, restaurants, bungalows and campsites dot the shoreline. Fish tacos are not to be missed and we have nothing but raves for food served here. Santa María del Oro is close enough to Puerto Vallarta to make it a day only trip, but we heartedly recommend an overnight trip to experience the unspoiled atmosphere.

San Sebastián del Oeste was once a large and thriving mining village in the mountains about two hours east of Puerto Vallarta. Hundreds of years ago San Sebastián was a major source for gold, silver and lead but now it’s most popular exports are coffee and agave. There are several places to stay, including the Hacienda Jalisco, a usually quiet and romantic place where we dished on heavenly chile rellenos. A good walking tour around the settlement is full of history and fable for those interested in the culture.

Mayto (pronounced My-Toe), a couple short hours south of Puerto Vallarta is a well known nesting ground for turtles. A government program, established to protect and guarantee safe passage to the sea for the Olive-Ridley turtle, involves official biologists, as well as volunteers from all over the world. While chatting with the workers, late at night on the beach as they carry their torches in search of nests, we were informed that turtle egg poaching is a criminal offense in Mexico. Take the time to discover this beautiful haven for both turtles and tourists alike.

Safe travels and remember to not drive at night.

Que cómo es es.