She Said...

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