Blog

By Stephanie Madan

I apologize for that recent excitement at Puerto Vallarta International Airport. Although it had never been my ambition to create an international incident, there are some things you just have to do. Someone had to speak for the dogs.

Amanda, our Westie, and Rachel, our mainly wire hair terrier, joined us on that trip to Puerto Vallarta. It was Rachel’s first visit to our house there. She was enjoying an extended puppyhood and ever so happy gnawing on anything she could get her teeth into. Paul and I noticed she preferred furniture legs and millwork along the lower edge of walls, but she was not above chomping on those fake plastic tea-light candles set around our pool occasionally to dazzle visitors. An innovative and humane strategy of redirection was called for.

So, I brought chewies with me from Houston. Not innovative, true, but unquestionably humane. Rachel enters her state of purest joy when offered a chewy. She instantly abandons furniture legs, millwork, and plastic faux candles. She jumps into the air quivering with anticipation and executes a double pirouette before she lands; all the while making little squeaks I interpret as endearments meant for the chewy. Amanda, past her puppyhood, considers it deeply uncool to leap for chewies, but she chews on them with enthusiasm, if only for old times’ sake

The chewies I purchased were beef flavored. They were made from a vegetable base so their appeal was solely the flavor of beef. I emphasize that they were beef flavored and also in their original packaging. I was not bringing in meaty soup bones, for heaven’s sake

I define food as a substance one voluntarily places in one’s mouth and swallows. Dog chewies, therefore, are not food. Chewing gum, therefore, is not food. They are stand- ins for food. Neither is swallowed. If the general population has accepted that chewing gum is nowhere to be found in the food pyramid and if dogs everywhere have determined the same thing regarding chewies, what prevents the crack team of customs agents managing import security at Puerto Vallarta International Airport from doing so?

This is how import security is managed by the customs office at Puerto Vallarta International Airport: Press a button – If the light is green, you may continue your journey.  If the light is red, you are not going anywhere till the person in charge says so.  This is putting a lot of faith in a button.

The Walls of Puerto Vallarta

Where a wall does not divide but brings together, this is what you will find in Puerto Vallarta. About five years ago more or less, we watched Natasha Moraga, fondly referred to as Nat, begin her mission in Puerto Vallarta. A plain unattractive wall where the streets of Pino Suarez and Basilio Badillo meet in Old Town came to life under her creative hand. A magical transformation began that has now graced other walls, plus benches, stairs, sidewalks and anyplace Nat can find to toss her plaster and shape her sparkling, colorful tiles into a story that is different to each beholder.

Pulling in the community of locals, residents and savvy tourists, who want to contribute to this beautification, Nat actually donates her time and materials to most of the murals you will see about town. Her passion is to paint Puerto Vallarta with tiles and she is finding a way to make it happen.

The art of tile work is a tradition of Mexican culture that reaches back to the mid-sixteenth century. Though there are many styles and methods, color seems to be the delightful foundation that enhances other media, as well, such as the native art of the Hiuchol and rich embroidered Otomi of many native groups of Central Mexico.

Natasha Moraga calls her work Mosayko Vallarta and it’s found around unexpected corners in Puerto Vallarta, as well as the first thing you see as you enter from the north, our city’s name spelled out in large letters.

What Nat has done with her reverent benches in the once drab entrance that leads to the pier in Old Town is amazingly enchanting.  It has turned an unremarkable area into that of charm and appeal. She gives new meaning to “taking a sow’s ear and turning it into a silk purse.”

Anyone can be a part of the thrilling action of Mosayko Vallarta, Nat’s vision of beauty for Puerto Vallarta. During this year of celebrating the 100^th birthday of Puerto Vallarta, the goal is renewing Parque Lazaro Cardenas with Nat’s art to become El Parque de los Azulejos (Tile Park) and to be recognized internationally. With the assistance of her brother Daniel Moraga and the gathered community, Nat’s effort continues every day. Sponsorship tiles are available and this is a good way to support Nat’s dream and to leave you own name engraved in Puerto Vallarta. There are a variety of ways one can sponsor by making a business, commemoration or anniversary tile, or something personal using your imagination. Nat runs workshops on how to do this and there is still time, with classes continuing through April on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Check out the website www.parqueazulejospv.com or find her on Facebook.

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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Cheaper Living in Mexico

We moved to Puerto Vallarta for many reasons and we will readily admit that fixed income was certainly a priority. The weather’s lovely, especially when we have the opportunity to travel to other destinations in and out of Mexico during the hotter summer months, but a big lure is the cost of living. There are so many ways to save living in Puerto Vallarta; it’s hard to know where to start.

Dentistry and anything medical is one huge expense we have avoided living here. We also attend as many of the free medical events in Puerto Vallarta as we can cram into our beach schedule, because there’s valuable information offered, plus we also get a chance to meet medical staff, which would be rare from the city we hail from. There are great medical insurance plans in Mexico, too. We’ve found medical services in Puerto Vallarta state-of-the-art, though offices and clinics are austere and lack pizzazz, which is just fine with us. We’re happy to know our money isn’t going into fancy art and marble countertops.

Vet bills? Pup and Kitten are in good hands here in Puerto Vallarta and the cost is eye-popping! We’ve even taken our pets in for services and walked out not one peso poorer. When they give you free care for something that would cost the same as a car payment up north, you know you made the right decision. Did we mention that both human and animal doctors will come to your house? Imagine!

We have a gardener in Puerto Vallarta! We have a housekeeper, too and life is so much nicer with people not just taking care of simple things but having knowledge about their jobs, as well. We admit; we don’t know how to wash floors properly here, to keep them skid-, insect- and bacteria-free. And plants in the tropics are far different than those we used to tend.

When something breaks, we call José, who seems to know everything plumbing, electrical, paint-wise and has even picked up furniture around Puerto Vallarta for us. He always brings a receipt and charges so little, we feel guilty. Of course we tip well.

Our carwash man comes to our house, once a week. He brings his own vacuum, which we plug in through the front door; uses our hose and has his own bucket, soap and equipment. His price went up this year; $80 pesos, and our auto looks spit-shined. That’s less than $5, by the way.

Car maintenance is unreal. We broke down on the road one morning; a mechanic came to get the car started, followed us to his shop and told us to come back in the afternoon. He thought we needed a new starter and he would need to get parts. We cringed. That was going to cost us. In the afternoon, we came back to hopefully pick up the vehicle. It was ready, interior vacuumed, windows washed in and out, and the cost for the entire job was $1000. That’s $54 USD and $68 CDN.

Some of our friends complain about the high price of eating out in Puerto Vallarta but we don’t need to eat at the very best establishments every night. There are so many amazing meals for under $100 pesos, all over town. And even the fancy places are very affordable.

Many other advantages are to be had in Puerto Vallarta with such things as party stores, clothing for adults and kids, shoes, hair salons, eyeglasses, hearing aids and batteries, and the list goes on and on.

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 has long been a bustling, active town. It didn’t start with the Hollywood invasion, though the way some people talk, Vallarta was nothing but a sleepy fishing village before the event of movie-making.

Las Peñas, as Puerto Vallarta was originally called by Don Guadalupe Sánchez, got her start as a port in the mid 19th century. Many villages in the mountains were founded by miners seeking their fortunes in silver and gold. With no roads coming into the area, the sea was the logical choice for coming and going. While the precious minerals were shipped out, resources were brought in. Salt, mining equipment and tools, were all in high demand, as well as basic necesseties of life, such as clothing, shoes, housewares and food that wasn’t available locally. Villages such as San Sebastián, Talpa, Mascota, San Antonio de Cuale, Los Reyes became wealthy enclaves on the roads that developed over the mountains. Ladies required gloves and hats, the most recent fashions. Schoolbooks were ordered and delivered. Stoves, building materials, chimney bricks and wagon wheels. Furniture, fabrics, buttons and thread, pots, pans and kitchen supplies. Churches, tiendas (stores), cafés, homes and assorted businesses sprang up like daisies in springtime. Everything of any use was brought into the seashore at Las Peñas and growth from north to south was impressive.

Before long, exports were as vital as imports. Hardwoods and bamboo, harvested from the jungles; animal and crocodile skins; pearls from the ocean, along with whale and shark products and, of course, an abundance of seafood. Coconut and coconut oil, both widely used globally; root and vegetable dyes; silver and gold.

In 1910, with the arrival of the Mexican Revolution, more people migrated to the coast, causing agriculture and livestock to expand exponentially. Huge haciendas and ranches developed and spread over the land, spilling down to the seaboard. Corn and beans in great quantity along with enormous amounts of tobacco became chief exports and Puerto Vallarta, after Luis Vallarta, Ogazón, became a municipality and officially known by her new name and international port.

Four decades later, the road from Mascota to Vallarta was begun and the march to the sea was implemented. The airport and electric plant began construction and all resemblances to a sleepy little fishing village would have vanished in their wake. Once and always a very important west coast port, Puerto Vallarta began to attract tourists. A costal highway began winding down the coastal path; bridges were built, large and small; the marine terminal took root on the banks of the town and people began to flock south along with the birds.

In the early sixties, John Huston chose Puerto Vallarta as the setting for The Night of the Iguana, his movie based on the famous novel of the same name by Tennessee Williams. By the end of that decade, a new era was in bloom.

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.

The Mordida

For anyone who asks, if ever pulled over by an officer of the law in Puerto Vallarta, we always advise to keep your money in your pocket and take the ticket. There are still come cops who will accept a bribe (mordida), though we hear and see this practice less and less as the years go by. It seems to be either the older, weathered policemen who do this, or the young, fresh ones trying to make a buck peso on the side.

Here’s how it goes if you decide to take the ticket and not offer a mordida: In many cases, they will simply let you go, give you a harsh warning, (which you will deserve if you were speeding or breaking any other law involving an automobile or motorbike) rather than go to the bother of writing up a citation. They will explain that you must go to the police station to pay. Back in the day, they would take our driver’s license, meaning there was no choice going forward; we had to pay to get it back.

Some people are misled in thinking the authorities in Puerto Vallarta don’t keep computerized records. That’s not true and don’t ever rely on this type of misleading information because it can get you in a lot of trouble, including with any government department….like Aduana (customs), for example.

You will receive a citation written in Spanish, but it will contain your pertinent information, plus the amount of your fine. These tickets don’t amount to much and if you pay within a certain period of time, usually three days, they will actually half it. This means standing in line, sometimes in the hot sun, but the queue moves fast and in the end, you have not broken the law. The address of the station in Puerto Vallarta will be on the ticket and if you have any questions, ask. It is the police officer’s responsibility to make sure you understand and this is a good time to make sure you have his name and badge number.

If you do offer a mordida to a policeman, keep In mind it is illegal, and depending on the time of day, position of the sun, global news, or the mood of your apprehending officer, you could go to jail for doing so. It’s a huge risk to take and one that could ruin your day and that of any passengers who may have accompanied you on your excursion in and around Puerto Vallarta.

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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