Letters to the Editor

NEWSPAPER CHALLENGE

You guys are doing a wonderful job with the new paper, however, I do have one correction. You wrote that "The Jaltemba Express is the only on-line English Newspaper serving the communities North of Puerto Vallarta on the Nayarit Coast" and that's not entirely true. Perhaps you are unaware of the "Guayabitos News" put out by the Guayabitos Homeowners Association. It is a monthly newsletter (not newspaper, but that's just semantics). It is an incredibly informative and beautifully designed monthly "online newsletter." And while it does include some Association news which doesn't pertain to most of us, it also has a local calendar of events, restaurant updates and other information about La Peñita, Guayabitos and the surrounding communities. A good friend put me on the mailing list. Check it out; it's well worth it!

Beach Girl

(Editors Note: We are currently investigating this reported sighting of another Newspaper and will report back with details)

JALTEMBA EXPRESS MANAGEMENT DISPUTE

Editor,

Management should realize that the peons at the bottom of the management hierarchy always have the last say.  For example, there is no delivery method to today's Express.  POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Keith Cutshall

Editor,

Sorry to hear of the troublesome staff at the retreat. Even so you were able to publish. Your imagination in publishing is very enjoyable....

Dick Huddleston

MS MANERAS & PMS

Ms Maneras seems to be having a bit of PMS. She is usually so understanding of the faults of others, even if she does tend toward the snide at times. Perhaps it is time to have another beer on the beach and just enjoy being there. The dishes can wait (mañana).

When she is sufficiently recovered, I can hardly wait for her next column. It is ever so helpful in becoming more culturally correct.

Thanks too to the rest of the obviously very well paid staff. I hope you will find time to include accounts of the magical mystery tours. I really need a hot spring, and I don't like traveling with whiners, either.

Rich Weinhold

Oxfordshire, United Kingdom  

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM “THE LO”

Hello to everyone, wherever you may happen to be at the moment!

Greetings from sunny Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, Mexico.  Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Holiday Season and may you have a happy, exciting and prosperous 2007.

Regards,
Brian and Maureen Argyle

 

RETURNING HOME FROM LA PENITA

Bill & Dorothy-
As we approach the AZ border, we wanted to thank you for the opportunity to join the caravan this year and gain some additional experience "on the road in Mexico.'" Your advice on El Fuerte was most helpful, and we had a great trip to Creel and the canyon. Your road logs kept us on track and pointed in the right direction. Feliz Navidad to you and your family!  Safe travels! 
Noreen & Lloyd Rossa

NEW SUBSCRIBER

Would you please include me in your news mailings. I have visited Rincon and La Peñita 5 times and love the area. I would be delighted to read the news and doings of others who love it like I do. Thank you very much.
Ted Baspaly         

Mexico Travel

Super Shopping in Tonala

Day One

By Linda Binns Photography by Bill Bell

Hello from Tonala or as I've renamed it "Walking Hell."  Our four an a half hour bus ride to Tonala was uneventful, considering that we had Texas Sheila with us, quiet.  Well, let's say it was quiet after the first fifteen minutes of the trip.  As usual the movie choice was violent, horrific, and not worth watching.  The volume must have been at the highest level possible because even the smallest sound was magnified to ear piercing  level.  We finally asked the driver to turn it down and he reduced the volume to merely painful.  Most of us napped, read, or like me looked out the window at the incredible scenery.  I'm not sure that I'll ever tire of the jungle beauty of Nayarit or the valley and agave fields of Jalisco. 

Upon arrival the negotiations began for a reasonable taxi rate to the Hacienda del Sol Hotel.  The taxi rates were between 70 - 100 pesos.  Of course we all wanted the lowest and Linda M. In her most intimidating and smiling barter manner tried to oblige.  We had just started our trip so we had to save every peso for shopping!  The taxi trip to Tonala from the bus station is mind warping.  The taxi weaves through the traffic of the second largest city in Mexico, honks the horn at the slightest stop, jerks and weaves while changing lanes, spins off the exits and all of a sudden you're in Tonala.  A world and century away from where we began our journey.  We do all this without seatbelts and sitting in a tiny little car with bald tires.   

Tonala isn't for everyone.  It's old, coming apart at the seams and people are everywhere.   Street construction is taking place on every other street  and sewer pipes are running out into holes in the street.  Oh, did I mention crowded.  I'm clumsy and don't pay attention to where I'm going.  They shouldn't even allow me inside the city limits of Tonala.  I'm an accident waiting to happen, but here I am and I have to remind myself every few minutes to be careful and stop gawking at the pottery and look  where I'm walking.  I almost fell into sewer holes, walked into a metal sign, fell off curbs, slid down dirt piles, and tripped and almost pulled down a vendor's awning.  I managed to stay upright and even got to take in all the sights and smells of Tonala.  To think this is only day one, I have another day to go.

For over 20 years I've dreamed of visiting Ken Edwards Pottery Studio in Tonala and today Linda McCloskey guided several of us to his studio.  In my ignorance I believed Linda when she said "it's just down the road and we can walk."  I'm so gullible.  After an hour of walking and encountering all of the above walking inconveniences, many times over, we reached the studio and I was living one of my dreams.  Many moons ago I took an art pottery and glazing course and  studied Ken's techniques.  All these years I've yearned to visit his  studio in that far off Mexican village of Tonala.  Ken was a free spirit in my eyes.   He took his art to an area where he could live art every minute of his life.  He was surrounded by art and artesians in Tonala.  So much inspiration for an artist.  That was my dream long ago.  Then real life interfered and my dream became to visit his studio.  Today I've come full circle.  I can finally scratch this off my list.  One down  and hundreds of things more to do.  I now have a piece of my dream pottery.

After walking back and dodging the street dangers we collapsed at the hotel until dinner.  Tomorrow I'll write about my shopping day with Bee and how she inspired me to be more beautiful and never complain. 

To view more photography by Bill Bell of Tonola Click Here

Humor

WHAT EVERY MAN WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS

La Peñita RV Resort News & Notes

Schedule for Today

7:30 am Kinetics

10 am Volleyball

3 am Volleyball

"GET YOUR CHILI's  READY"  
GET YOUR FAVORITE CHILI RECIPE OUT AND START PRACTICING
 FOR THE **LA PENITA RV PARK CHILI COOK-OFF**
WHEN: Saturday, January 20, 2007
WHERE: La Penita RV Park Pool
MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW 

click here for some great market day photographs by Jack Mozley