She Said...

Nov. 3, 2007

Did you do what I did? I forgot all about the time change last week… All of a sudden, I «found» an extra hour on Sunday, and realized that we would be off kilter with the rest of the continent for an entire week. I wonder why the powers-that-be in Mexico decided not to follow the example of its partners in the NAFTA this year.

For my part, I find one good aspect to this change: I get up earlier, a minor miracle in my life. The negative side is that it gets dark earlier, and will continue to do so for another seven weeks or so. Oh, well, so be it. I just hope the folks who operate the Marigalante «pirate» ship remembered about the time change. A few years ago, they didn’t, so their «sunset cruise» sailed way after the sun had set, for a while. By the way, if you’ve never taken that cruise, think about doing so this time around. It is truly a whole lot of fun, no kidding, open bar, exciting shows, great music …and a surprisingly delicious buffet dinner with wine and everything!

Did you go out on Halloween? I had to do a little last minute, late night shopping and I ended up just sitting there, at the corner of Basilio Badillo, admiring all those little gremlins frolic about under the watchful eye of a parent, angels and witches, chubby little folk dancers in full regalia, punk rockers and kitty cats – all checking their bounty every once in a while, all delightful. I just sat there and smiled. That’s the way it should be, definitely better than doing all that trick ‘n treating in a snowstorm…

By the time you read this, we’ll be only a couple of days away from the grand culinary event of the year: Puerto Vallarta’s International Gourmet Festival! All we have to do is either dip into our savings …or load up our credit cards. But whichever means we choose to finance our ten-day long gastronomical adventures, this is something that must be done by anyone who appreciates superb cuisine. I’m truly eager to start…

And talking about «finances», in case any of you are still interested in my credit card saga with the Santander Bank, I’m sorry I forgot to bring you up to date. I did receive a card, delivered to my home while I was out of town, as promised by my friend, the manageress of the branch near the southbound bridge. However -and this doesn’t surprise me any more- it was the wrong card. It was yet another one I never requested. Maybe I’ll just have to get one of each, return them all, and then one day I’ll get the one I’ve been trying to get for the last two years plus, the «Santander / Mexicana» card, the one that would enable me to get frequent flyer points whenever I use it.

Anyway, I went to my branch of the bank, but Esther, my manageress friend, was on holidays. I explained my case to her replacement. That didn’t accomplish anything. So I just left her the envelope, with the card and everything else in it. She tried to give it back to me, but I just walked out.

One of these days, I’ll have a little free time again –before 4 p.m.- and I will go chat with Esther. I wonder if they’ll make me wait another six months before I can apply again, for the fourth time…

And I nearly forgot to mention: of course, the APM (a.k.a. Automatic Payment Machine) at the Benito Juarez Parking Plaza was «Fuera de Servicio». Like it is nearly always. And when it is in working order, it’s the other one that is out of service, the one that lifts the gate to allow you to leave.

Back to the real nitty gritty news this past week… It looks like the mayor has buckled under pressure. It looks like the people do hold the power. They just have to exercise it, but I’ve noticed that in this country, they very seldom do. They really have to be pushed to the wall before they react, and I guess that this entire parking meter matter has done just that. Let me put it into context for those of you who haven’t been following the development of this story. First, workmen appeared around town, drilling holes in the sidewalks and installing those old-fashioned parking meters. Residents and shop keepers complained. Upon his return from his trip to Montreal –accompanied by his relatives- the Mayor said he knew nothing about the whole affair – and neither did the cops. Then the residents on the south side organized a demonstration to manifest their discontent with the meters. The Mayor said he’d look into the matter and see if there was any legal way to annul the concession granted by PV’s former mayor (the one who’s being sued for a multitude of alleged wrongdoings), but it would cost –are you ready for this?- $200 Million Pesos in penalties to annul the contract, his spokespeople said (Oct. 20). Five days later, the former mayor made a statement, «We had to put order to the city.» Then we learned that there are two ways to revoke the contract, but regardless which of the two methods is used, it would still cost the City $200 Million Pesos (Oct. 28). On October 30th, both opposing parties, the PAN and the PRD joined forces to protest the installation of the meters, publicly, supporting the demonstrators in front of City Hall. The next day, workmen were removing the meters in the Romantic Zone on the south side of town as demonstrators were calling for the former mayor and his cohorts to be sent to jail. Wow! Never a dull moment in Party Vallarty, folks. One of our readers even sent us a photo of the event, as proof.

posted by Anna Reisman @ 1:40 PM 0 Comments

Oct. 27, 2007

Much has been written in the local daily papers recently about those parking meters that are being installed all over town. I must admit that I find it rather ironic that no one admitted to knowing anything about them… neither the Mayor, nor the cops. Turns out that the company who was granted the concession to install them is the one who’s responsible for collecting the pesos, and issuing the fines to those who allow their time to run out. However, no one knows when those “green onions” –as they’re called up north- are going to start patrolling our little cobblestone streets…

About the Mayor’s trip to Montreal (he left the day I returned, too bad, I could’ve shown him and his entire family all the beautiful sights of my former home town – and perhaps acted as his interpreter…), some of the articles published locally stated that his tickets, whose cost caused so much controversy, went for around $2,000. Dollars each. Did they all go first class on Virgin Air, in those cabins with the beds, or what? I paid $527. for mine, return, but then I flew American Airlines, while he and his folks purportedly flew Aeromexico – which is another thing I don’t understand considering that that airline doesn’t fly to Montreal…

Anyway, it appears that our fair city has been awarded the honor of hosting the 2009 International Fireworks Festival, beating out China. Imagine all those countries vying for the coveted prize, right here, on our very own, impressive Bay of Banderas. Can you imagine if it were to really be? Boy, would that be fabulous! Like the Marigalante’s fireworks multiplied by a hundred …with music!

I don’t want to get carried away with the thought, so I’ll get back to my first subject. Personally, I’m used to the parking meter system, so it doesn’t phase me that much, though I can understand how upset folks are to find out that they can no longer park in front of their own house. And I can also empathize with those who are complaining that the meters sprouting all over the place here are the old-fashioned type, the ones that are being removed from all the towns and cities up north. To make matters worse, they’re taking up walk space, which is already reduced (quasi non-existent in some places) along our much-too-narrow sidewalks. Opponents claim that if the authorities did in fact agree to such a system, they should have demanded that the new, wall-installed types be used. I agree.

I also agree with those Vallarta residents who are complaining about the added expense to their already over-extended budgets. When you think about it, if these folks are not allowed to park for free in front of their own homes –outside of the tourist area- then this is an elitist system indeed. Not fair.

Mind you, there’s a humorous side to the matter too – as always. Our friend T. J. sent me the following email: “I was walking along, admiring (???) the newly installed parking meters when I came upon a young (about 4 years old) Mexican boy, who was crying and beating on a meter with his fists. I asked him what was wrong. He said he put in 2 pesos and the machine didn't give him his Chiclets.”

And while everyone's trying to figure out who's responsible for what, the administration is pushing ahead in its quest for the "Green Seal Certification" for Puerto Vallarta… Hmmm. Oh, and of course, there's also the start of construction of the Alfonso Diaz Santos Sports Complex in Pitillal, which is going to include an Olympic swimming pool complete with diving area, track & field area, and a multiple-use enclosed gymnasium, all at a cost of some $23 Million Pesos. Don't get me wrong, I think that's wonderful, but why can't they take a few hundred pesos from that project's petty cash box to fix the kiddies' games at the sports complex in front of the Sheraton - which are falling apart - and which I personally consider dangerous for the tikes?

After the paper went to press last week, we realized that we had forgotten to remind our readers of the time change. By the time you read this, you should have “fallen back” one hour. Yucck. Although November has always been my favorite month of the year in our little paradise, the fact that our spectacular sunsets will be occurring increasingly earlier until the winter equinox …does not please me.

So what do you think of Hurricane Kiko, the one that wasn’t? The local papers did it again, warning everyone of strong winds and much rain …as we were looking out onto total calm and blue skies. The day after, we got around four and a half drops of rain, just enough to emphasize how dirty our cars were.

From where I live, I see the building next to what was Lazaro Cardenas Park and the one going up where Molino de Agua was. They look as if they’re adding a floor a day… But as much as I bemoan the fact that I –and everyone else around me- will lose our view of a good part of the bay and Punta Mita, I still smirk at the site of the cranes painted green. Whose idea was that? Someone who felt pangs of guilt at all the trees that were cut down to make way for those constructions? Are green cranes friendlier to the environment, in their minds?

The number of construction sites is really incredible, doesn’t matter where you look. I still have Jenny McGill’s book on my bedside table, and it makes me smile whenever I look at its title, “in a sultry town”? Hah! … definitely not. By the way, I heard through the grapevine that our beloved Ciné Bahía was going to be converted into a Soriana supermarket. Wow! If that turns out to be true, it would definitely give Gutierrez Rizo a run for its money.

posted by Anna Reisman @ 1:23 PM 0 Comments

Oct. 20, 2007

“My concept of ‘hell’ is having to spend one minute longer than necessary in an airport.” - Joe Harrington

The Tribune’s very own movie guru said it better than I could ever have done.

On my return trip to our little paradise – which I missed more than I can say – I learned something new: whenever there are electrical thunderstorms in Dallas, Texas, everything stops at DFW airport. Naturally, by the time the storm abates, all the flights have been postponed, wreaking havoc with passengers’ connections and, of course, whatever plans they may have made.

I got home at 1:00 a.m… instead of in the early evening, as planned. Mind you, the AA folks were kind enough to let me make a phone call to advise my son so he wouldn’t have to stay up in order to come pick me up at our airport.

Needless to say, I didn't get to see the photo exhibit upstairs… I was so tired, so fed up, and so very eager to get home. And yes, as I told you all last week, the beautiful, warm summer weather that Montreal had enjoyed for so long …ended the day I got there, with the thermometer plummeting down to a measly 3 to 8 degrees Celsius.

If you’re wondering what I learned in the two days I’ve been back, let me share it with you.

The parking meters whose installation was discussed by the previous municipal administration were installed already in some parts of town. Fine, you say? It’s about time, you say? Well, there are lots of folks who disagree with you. First of all, according to noticiaspv.com, the cops don’t know where the meters are, nor do they know which criteria to use to fine drivers whose time has “expired” …or how much the fines should be. The sub-director of the municipal Transit Department says they’re “waiting for instructions.”

In his opinion column, Luis Alberto Alcaraz of the Spanish daily, Vallarta Opina, wrote that “thousands of Vallartans will soon have to pay to park on the street… as if it wasn’t bad enough that we have to pay to use the public parking facilities built where the parks used to be… And the worst of it all is that Mayor Javier Bravo’s office has already stated that as there’s nothing that can be done, we might as well resign ourselves to it.”

Dozens of residents gathered at the corner of Venustiano Carranza and Lázaro Cárdenas to stop the men who were going to install parking meters in their neighborhood in the Romantic Zone on the South side of town. “They never consulted us, we will not allow it. The sidewalks are narrow but they’ve already started digging holes, including right in front of my neighbor’s door,” said Señora Marilú Valdez Moran, adding “It’s enough already. We’ve lived here all our lives. What do they think they’re they doing?” (SC - El Faro)

I also found out that the $15 Million Pesos set aside since November 2006 for a “school insurance” program to cover accidents on school grounds …has never been touched. Why? Because no claims were submitted. Why? Because no one knew about the insurance program…

Getting back to the traffic question, I read that due to the estimated $4.5 Million Peso loss suffered by shop owners because of the City’s road work conducted during peak hours, our Mayor promised to speak with the proper departments to alleviate the bottlenecks at the northern end of town, which caused many tourist buses to alter their routes and avoid the south side altogether…

So now it appears that despite the City’s reduced budget for the year, some twelve civil servants have flown off to Canada for four days – at the taxpayers’ expense – to attend some function related to the 2009 Fireworks Olympic Games. Lorena Moguel of noticiaspv.com added that the contingent included the Mayor, four councilwomen, as well as the Mayor’s mother, his chauffeur, his brother and sister-in-law, as well as other relatives and friends thereof.

Our friend Mikki Prost (pvencore@yahoo.com) is having another one of her famous “Blow Out” sales at her boutique, Encore. Back by popular demand, “ALL YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR BODY FOR $200 pesos!!!!!” (with a 30 piece maximum) The sale will be on October 25, 26 & 27. “Be sure to get there early to get the best selection; it promises to be a hoot of a sale,” she says. The boutique is located at 584 Lazaro Cardenas.

posted by Anna Reisman @ 1:07 PM 0 Comments