OK, we can admit it: We Vallartenses like to complain. The potholes in the roads after the rains! Things don’t work like they do in the US or Canada! Traffic on holidays! And oh did we mention downtown blocked off for a parade!

But once a year, its time to drop our critical posture. For all that can make life in P.V. maddening, the truth is we love this place, and we don’t care who knows it.

Here are the 31 things that make us thankful we live in Puerto Vallarta.

We have a number of incredible Farmer’s Markets. These markets offer super prices on locally grown and made produce, meats, grains, jewelry, clothes and household goods. We love the adventure of strolling through the market to see what is fresh and available.

The fact that we live in this gorgeous tropical paradise let’s us harmonize with Mother Nature. We see wildlife popping up ever day around us in surprising places; Iguanas in the yard, Parakeets in our trees, Possums in the garden, Foxes in the jungle, …….. You never forget that in Puerto Vallarta you are in the natural world.

Mexico adopted the concept of equal rights quickly years ago and especially our community. This is one of the reasons so many gays and heterosexuals have been drawn to our city. Tolerance and acceptance of everyone for who they are make this a wonderful community of harmony.

We have a super nightlife that can run until 6:00 AM for those that are looking to dance the night away. Dinner here can easily begin at 10:00 at night and end at 2:00 in the morning with dear friends. It’s normal and really fun.

Taco stands. All over town you can drop in and have breakfast, lunch or late dinner at a plethora of taco stands that serve delicious food with each neighborhood having its amazing favorite hangout.

We have a number of movies, television shows, and reality TV programs shot here. We have long been a destination for Hollywood’s entertainment and movie business along with Mexico’s growing movie and television industry.

From Golf Tournaments to Fishing Tournaments and even Sailing Regattas we have been host to many world class events including the World Economic Conference and the super sized Mexico Tourism Expo.

Odds are that any foreigner you meet could be an Opera Singer, the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company, a World Economic leader, successful Entrepreneur, Movie Director, a Writer, Musician, a Photographer, Artist, or someone from any number of interesting and exciting professional careers.

A Malecon that is wonderful to stroll down along the oceans edge that is lined with beautiful statues, interesting people, an amphitheater with free events and productions, restaurants and cantinas, and of course what is great fun, people watching. You can purchase corn in a cup, cotton candy, fresh oysters, sweets, ice cream, crepes and fresh natural flavored waters to drink, toys and the list goes on and on. It is our magical place to stroll or take a beautiful morning run.

Nobody blinks when you say something weird while trying out your Spanish language skills.

Wonderful and beautiful local people form a tight knit community. People say good morning, afternoon and goodnight to strangers walking past. You know your neighbors. You make a new friend without evening trying. It is a wonderfully pleasant surprise to most who are not used to this.

Movie theaters and shopping centers offer all of the conveniences of home. Our major mall Liverpool offers the same shops or there equivalent. Movies theaters here are a great place to escape the warm the weather, have some yummy snacks and enjoy the latest releases. Most movies come out at the same time here in Mexico as in Canada or the US.

An abundance of shops. Most areas will have great markets with wonderful shops and more then you could imagine. Find everything from fine jewelry to tourist souvenirs, clothes, you name it you can find it.

Fresh fruit stands are easy to find here, sometimes they even come to you on the back of a truck. The fruits here are fresh and ready to eat right out of the bag. This is a great treat and inexpensive in comparison to other places.

Adventure tours offer a variety of options for different people. If you’re feeling very adventurous you can zip line through the jungle high above the trees or ride ATV´s through the mountains. If you desire something less adventurous you can take a nice boat ride to a beautiful beach or ride horses.

Dolphin Adventures are a great way to spend an afternoon. Head out on the boat and watch them swim around your boat or you can even swim with them in one of the many tours offered in the area.

Whales, dolphins, mantaray and other marine life are plentiful in the bay of Banderas. You can take a whale watching tour, head out to the Marietta Islands to snorkel or even learn how to scuba dive here in PV.

Vallartenses can turn any place into an Art Gallery. Walk into restaurants around town and if you fall in love with particular piece it most likely is from a local artist and can be yours. Along with this are an abundance of art galleries and every year we have several art walks.

Puerto Vallarta is very walkable. In most areas you can forget the car and walk to dinner, the beach pretty much anywhere if you like. We also have great hiking trails if you want something a little different. The Las Animas hike is a personal favorite.

Our Los Mangos library is full of wonderful books and offers educational programs for the community. Concerts, exhibits, per adoptions, music, and many opportunities to learn something new abound.

Inexpensive food is plentiful at your local neighborhood fruit and vegetable markets.  Fresh fish markets, grains and seeds, and even local fresh meat markets are plentiful.  Fresh healthy and organic alternatives are found everywhere.  And it is less expensive than the grocery bill most foreigners are used to seeing.

Great Hospitals and health care professionals. Medical tourism has shot up in recent years and there is a reason why. You can receive great care without spending your last dime. We have specialized hospitals, plastic surgeons, dentists and local clinics, all very close by and every one of them have English speaking doctors and staff.

We also have free concerts downtown. On any given night you can walk the Malecon and find yourself in the middle of a concert. Sometimes you will find a local band playing or we often have events with big name musical guests like Enrique Iglesias and Alejandro Fernandez.

Tourists are welcome in Puerto Vallarta. Some of the most helpful and kind people are right here. There is always a helping hand and the people of Puerto Vallarta are happy to have you here and want nothing more then for you to enjoy their city.

The Pacific Ocean will take your breath away.  Try it in the morning for an early stroll in the sand.  Or what the heck: Try it in the evening when the sun is about to set on any beach. It is a sight to be seen at any time of day.

Strolling Musicians are available often in restaurants and bars to entertain. You can enjoy your meal or drink and listen to your special request. Live music at your fingertips.

It’s not the Wild West any more but we have Charros.  You can see them in action at various venues around the bay in full attire and watch them ride and dance their horses.

We have Entertainment venues like the Celebrity Theatre or Act II’s new theatre and the boutique theater. You can see anything from a local choir, theater remake or a professionally choreographed show. We have professional actors come in for some shows and just had the Russian ballet in town.

New friends are easy to make.  Everyone’s from somewhere else; everyone’s trying to network.  You can make some incredible friends for life in Puerto Vallarta.  Sometimes you are surprised by how much you have in common with the people who live here.

We have some of Mexico’s best Restaurants and eateries.  From world class chocolate and ice cream to world class gourmet festivals that attract chefs from around the world.

The weather.  Yes it’s a cliché, but you know what they say about that.  After you have lived here, how could you be happy with the climate somewhere else?    

And after you have read this list, how could you complain?

 (Jesús María Municipio el Nayar, Nayarit)

Holy Week celebration has many interpretations in different parts of México; almost every community has a way to represent the events that lead to the Passion of Christ”. The most interesting ones are the ones represented in Indian communities, because of the syncretism of the Indian and the catholic cosmogony. The Cora Holy Week is probably the most interesting and representative of this fact.

The Cora people “na´ayarijl” live in its majority in the northeast portion o the Estate of Nayarit. Their territory covers the municipalities of Del Nayar, Acaponeta, Rosamorada, Ruiz y Tecuala, in the towns of Santa Teresa, Jesús María, Mesa del Nayar y Huaynamota. This mountain region is known as Sierra del Nayar, bordering with the estates of Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas and Jalisco. The most ancient data of the existence of the Coras come from the reports of the conqueror Nuño de Guzmán who explored the lowlands of Sierra del Nayar in 1531. Today according to the CDI-CONAPO (National Population Council) the Cora Population is estimated in 24.390 with 16.000 speaking the Cora Dialect. The Coras is one of the poorest and most marginalized Indian communities in Mexico

 

Since 1581 the Cora history was shaped by episodes of strong intents to subdue them politically and religiously. Due to the abrupt topography and the scattered settlements the conquerors were obligated to make numerous intents to congregate and convert the Coras to the catholic religion.

After more than a century of trying, the Jesuits could penetrate the territory in 1722 for only 45 years, leaving behind missions that were later occupied by the Franciscans. Even though the contact with the evangelizers was short and very conflictive in comparison to other Indian groups the Cora People adopted elements form the Catholicism and assigned a compatible meaning to their preexisting codices resulting in what you can call a Cora Catholicism and that is how a number of ceremonies were modified and adapted to recreate their own culture among them “La Judea” (Holy Week)

In a period of 8 days the coras will transform themselves into different characters( all based in the in the original participants of the Passion of Christ) Jews, Pharisee, moors white and black demons, (“Los Borrados”) , Christ, etc. to carry on with the ritual of holy week, representing cosmic duels , and dances executed in a very precise timely manner.

The different characters have different disguises, the demons the Jews and Pharisee, paint their bodies with ash, and are named “Los Borrados” As an emblem they have a machete and at the rhythm of the drum and the flute the perform warrior dances, screaming and bellowing, and making symbolic sacrifices, to stage a cosmic war. This part of the celebration is where “evil” threatens the cosmic harmony; they peruse “Cristo Niño” (Child Christ) or “Cristo Sol” ( Sun Christ) and after several intents on Good Friday Christ is symbolically captured and killed. (Christ is “Hatzican” in cora meaning Morning Star or Sun Star).

 

On Saturday (Sábado de Gloria) the situation is the opposite; Christ resuscitates, the demons are self destroyed and go back to the river where they came from at the beginning of the ceremony. Finally, peace and balance come back to the people once the last procession, to the catholic temple takes place presided by Christ, along with the Virgin Mary Saint, Joseph the Pharisee, the Jews, musicians and the people in the community.

La Judea intricate symbolism is closely related with the agricultural cycles of the corn and the approaching of the rains and the renewal of the vegetation and the resurrection of life. Is also related to other celebrations like “The Day of the Dead” and the council to elect their authorities in January.

During “La Judea” (Holy Week) all the cora people participate, including everyone, children women and older people, constitutes a cohesion element in the community. It is an expression of cultural syncretism with exceptional value in its permanence through time and its impressive symbolic richness in the characters, the use of space, and the relation to the gods and the agricultural cycle, its great artistic expression in the body decorations, masks dances, and finally because is a fundamental expression of the Cora identity.

The Cora Holy Week has interested a number of researchers from the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX like Carl Lumholtz, Leon Diguet and Konrad Theodor Preuss. The second half of the XX century has produced a number of research programs that witness the richness of information, interpretation and analysis with important video graphic documents (Guillermo Aldana and Fernando Rosales) as well as recordings and important bibliography. Among the most important researchers are Fernando Benitez Jesús Jauregui, Johannes Neurath and Laura Magaña.

Whether on the beach, street or in the tianguis (flea market), expectations are to bargain, on both sides of any regateo (negotiation). Though some visitors to Puerto Vallarta find bargaining a bother and even embarrassing, it can also be fun and educational. Try a little bit of your Spanish knowledge of numbers. Know the difference between quince, cinquenta and quinientos and how to say them and half the battle is won!

Seriously…bargaining is not rocket science. Many inexperienced tourists are afraid they are getting cheated but the opposite is often closer to the truth. Northern Americans are much too accustomed to a fixed price and don’t understand the lack of structure.

Amazingly, the vendors one deals with in Puerto Vallarta find bargaining to be a fundamental part of their job and enjoy it immensely. It’s fun and tinged with just the nicest small amount of drama to be entertaining for all involved.

When a beach hawker’s price is offered and simply accepted, they walk away laughing at the dumb gringo who is just throwing his money away.

Knowing this helps us understand business in Mexico as a whole. In Mexico, it is customary to personalize all affiliations and invest one’s own time. Mexicans are much more interested in humanizing transactions in business at any level.

We try to keep in mind, when considering any purchase, how much time has gone into the creation and crafting of any object. Embroidery work on a María doll must take a fair amount of time and yet the cost to the customer is negligible. Rugs that weigh heavy on the sellers back in the beating sun, colorful and made from quality materials, are brought back across the border in abundance because they are so well priced and such a great representation of the culture.

In the market in Puerto Vallarta, one finds a community; it’s not a spot to sell wares as much as a gathering place for people to interact on a personal level. The friendships

and family connections in mercados are evident and symbolize so much of what is Mexico… people enjoying one another and sharing stories, gossip and life, in general.

Mind you, shops and galleries do have price tags and they have been meticulously calculated. When purchasing jewelry, clothing, food, wine and other goods in shops around town, bargaining is frowned upon and simply not acceptable.

Que cómo es es.

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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 犀利士
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.