She Said...

When my business partner was living here in Vallarta, he always used to ask me, every day, «So… What’s in the funny papers today?» He knew I read the local papers from front to back, while he never quite mastered the language. I still remember that daily question, especially when the headlines scream something like «Will They Demolish Them?» In huge letters. With truly scathing political cartoons inside.

The whole thing refers to the Gran Venetian, the twin tower complex built on one side of the mouth of the Pitillal river. The three-tower Peninsula complex is on the other side.

The present administration has initiated a number of legal proceedings over the last year and a half with regard to the more than 160 building permits the former mayor and his henchman, the then head of the permits department, issued during the last 15 days of his administration. Each uses a different basis, some use the alleged illegal change in zoning regulations, others use other reasons. In this particular case, accusations have been flying around from the get go.
Based on my own experience, I find the whole thing laughable. I believe that absolutely nothing will come of all these judicial proceedings and months of paperwork. After all, my neighbor’s truly, proven, illegal construction has been shut down, clausurado, no less than five times. He’s got a whole bunch of lawsuits pending against him, and yet nothing has been done. I’ve been told that he’s got friends at City Hall, which is why no ruling has been made by the judge handling the cases.

The whole thing is oh so similar to our friend Brenda Martin’s situation. Very sad.

To follow up, it appears that they’re going to shut down no less than FIVE construction sites, including the controversial Nima Bay at the entrance to Marina Vallarta, and Tres Mares (also in the Marina), the four 25-story condo towers complex advertised in those huge billboards all over the main road to Vallarta. The charges against the latter are based on alleged illegal change of zoning, claiming that it is being built on a property designated as «tourist-hotel», and that it is higher than allowed by law.

And then there’s the scandal caused by the recent death of that young man. They actually caught the shooter, jailed him …and he escaped, purportedly to the North Shore, i.e. Nuevo Vallarta. Last Wednesday, the commander of the Bahia de Banderas AFI (similar to the American FBI) was found shot to death in Nuevo Vallarta. They say the assassin fled to Puerto Vallarta.

On this side of the Ameca River, everyone’s being fired, everyone’s got someone to accuse, and our poor Mayor doesn’t seem to know which way to turn in order to come out of this shameful situation …cleanly. Ohmygoodness.

But enough of this political whatever-you-wanna-call-it.

There are other things that are much more enjoyable, things that make us smile, the reasons why we still love living here ...and continue to do so. Little things like my friend’s excited phone call last week, to let me know that they’ve gotten all kinds of goodies at Rizo’s supermarket, items like sharp cheddar cheese and all sorts of Kosher meats from the U.S. - hot dogs, pastrami, etc.

Little things like learning of a restaurant that one has never heard of, and looking forward to trying it out. Little things like the deelicious soups and the dumplings with peanut sauce at "Wok & Roll", Ms. Thuy’s Vietnamese restaurant way out there, near the airport. Mid-size things like the fact that Seapal, the water company, has finally come of age, into the cyberspace age. It was the last utility whose bills could not be paid online. Now they can.

Big things? Yes, like having one's children and grandchildren come down for a visit looking pale, and tired, and leaving revitalized, happy and healthy... Like all the wonderful people who come to our Charity Bingo nights and those who adopt the furries at the Public Library every Saturday... Like those who attended the Vallarta Verde event on the island... Like the new tenant in my neighbor’s condo, the young exchange med student doing a stage at the new Regional Hospital, who just delivered his first baby the other day. Boy, was he excited! What made me even happier –aside from his exuberant pride- was his description of what is now a new, clean, air-conditioned facility …instead of the run-down, decrepit building that was the old Regional Hospital. Also, there are those awesome yellow blooms on the primavera trees...

And then there’s the weather! In one email, Paco Ringness, the gifted singer featured in that fabulous show, Dolly Would If Kenny Could, whose run was extended due to popular demand, wrote: «Has anyone else noticed the weather change, about two days ago??? It was like the time changed and POOF! Summer’s here! I still can’t get over how fast the change happened. Our fan’s on for the first time this season!» Couldn’t have said it better myself.That’s all for now, folks. Have a super week, spring is here and it’s gettin’ HOT! Take care of yourselves and of each other. Hasta luego. pvmom04@yahoo.com