Jaltemba Sol Page 2

Page 1- Mexico News, Features

Page 2 - Features

Page 3 - Features, Weather, Sports,

Exchange, Community Calendar

Page 4 - Classifieds

Page 5 - Real Estate

Go here to see more homes

FOR RENT

Guayabitos residential home

Available this season

Pool, 3 bedrooms, lots of deck

Call Dorothy @ 327-274-3356

December 22 2008 Page 2

Agoda is the on line company that we book through when we travel.

Allan de Costa:

Gregarious Inn Keeper

By Tara Spears

banana harvesting.gif This gentle bear of a man is known for his love of family and discussing politics. Big Al, as he is affectionately called in the local community, is more than a hard working businessman, he is a loyal friend. A fixture in the beachside small town, Los Ayalas, for twelve years, Allan�s journey to Mexican paradise has had some interesting twists.

Born 60 years ago in the poorest country in Central America, Honduras, Allan began working the banana plantations from an early age. Since Honduras is plagued with severe hurricanes, when the 1960s violent hurricane devastated some 60% of Honduras' agricultural production, forcing many of the plantations to be abandoned, the already subsistent economy collapsed . The cocky 17 year old Allan took his loss of employment as an opportunity for adventure. �I thought to go to the United States for a year- learn English, a new trade, see another part of the world,� chuckles Allan. �I landed in New Jersey and went to school to learn about computers.� He completed his training, took a job and stayed in the north east for seven years. �I got tired of the cold, snow and freezing rain,� he remembers.

Accepting a job with a large southern California company as a maintenance mechanic, Allan crossed the continent again. Allan became a US citizen, got married and had three children. Two adult children and seven grandchildren still live in the United States, but frequently visit at the Los Ayalas home. The youngest daughter, Alexa Marie, 25, lives with her parents when not attending university in Tepic. Since Allan�s wife of 28 years, Maria Olga, was born in Compestella, Mexico, the family had vacationed in the Riviera Nayarit area for years. When the US company was downsizing in the mid 1990�s, Allan decided to make another career and continental move to Los Ayalas, Nayarit. �After dealing with the crime and the US problems with my first two teenagers, I wanted to live somewhere safe that was good for raising children. We moved to small town Los Ayalas when Alexa was 12. We love living on the coast!� explained Allan.

The family started their Bungalows Alexa business in 1996 with two small casitas. The complex now offers 24 suites with kitchenettes, sleeping area and private bath. In addition, the facility has a swimming pool, outdoor shower, on-site grocery store, air conditioning, satellite TV with 200 channels, and wi-fi internet. Marie said, �We were the only bungalow in the area in �96. Now there are 50 of them!� What sets Bungalows Alexa apart is that it caters to families: it provides comfortable, clean, safe vacationing where kids and pets are welcome. English is spoken by the entire family, so assisting vacationing foreigners make arrangements for activities or giving directions is a snap.

All of the family is involved in the daily management and operation of the bungalows. Visitors are helped by the owners. �The best thing about being self-employed is working with my family and being my own boss,� said Allan. A couple of unique perks for the guests at Bungalows Alexa are the complimentary fiesta and Spanish lessons. Each week Maria Olga cooks authentic Mexican food for the guests, and Allan provides weekly conversational Spanish lessons to help guests interact while on vacation.

Da Costa family: Alexa, Allan, Marie Olga

The talented and vivacious Alexa, who is studying graphic design, created the family logo that is used on their website, www. bungalowsalexa.com, and business cards. This family of inn keepers truly care about their guests: �We treat our customers as friends to our home,� Allan sums up. As their many repeat customers proclaim, a stay at Bungalows Alexa is experiencing the best Mexican hospitality on the Riviera Nayarit!

Contact Allan: 327-274-0843 or email: allan@bungalowsalexa.com

Contact Tara: terri_sprs@yahoo.com

Christmastime in Mexico
Allan Wall - PVNN

Mexican Christmas customs are an eclectic mixture of the old and the new, including elements from Europe, elements developed in Mexico, and, in recent years, elements borrowed from the U.S.A.

It's that time of year again - Christmas in Mexico.

The worldwide diversity of Christmas in its various cultural forms is an interesting study. The essence of the holiday - a celebration of the incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ - is the same throughout Christendom. The holiday has a real power to inspire art, literature and folk customs, and express itself in various manners in diverse cultures.

Real celebrations come from the people, and are not imposed by governments to promote an agenda. In Mexico, Christmas is a true folk celebration. Mexican Christmas customs are an eclectic mixture of the old and the new, including elements from Europe, elements developed in Mexico, and, in recent years, elements borrowed from the U.S.A.

One prominent aspect of the Mexican Christmas season is the widespread use of the nacimiento - the cr�che or nativity scene. It is often more elaborate than those used in the United States. Its ceramic figurines includes interesting elements such as the nopal cactus , hermits and ducks. (I've even seen ducks with halos!) My Mexican wife has fond memories of the nacimiento which belonged to her late grandmother.

In northern Mexico, the traditional gift-giving occasion is the night of December 24th-25th. Traditionally, in southern Mexico, the principal gift-giving date is January 6th, Epiphany, or more commonly Day of the Magi Kings, commemorating the presentation of the gifts by the wise men to the Baby Jesus.

The pi�ata, suspended in mid-air and whacked with a stick until it breaks, is probably the most famous Mexican Christmas custom. Besides Christmastime, the pi�ata is used throughout the year at children's birthday parties,

In the U.S., the most famous pi�ata is in the form of a donkey, but nowadays a pi�ata might be in any form. For example, you might see a Bart Simpson pi�ata or a Spiderman pi�ata.

The traditional pi�ata used at Christmastime is a ball with spikes. In Spanish colonial times a pi�ata in the form of a big ball (representing Satan) with 7 spikes (representing the 7 capital sins) was used by the friars as a teaching device. Thus, breaking the pi�ata represented defeating Satan.

Another Christmas custom is the posada, which superficially bears some resemblance to the Christmas caroling custom practiced in English-speaking countries. However, the singing in the posada is a ritualized musical drama. The people outside sing the part of Mary and Joseph, the people inside sing the part of the innkeeper, and finally those outside are invited inside for the party.

The Mexican pastorela is a genre of Christmas play. Its roots go back to the mystery and morality plays of medieval Spain. The pastorela focuses on the shepherds, pastor being the Spanish word for shepherd. In the pastorela, the shepherds hear from the angel about the Christ Child, and they set out for Bethlehem to see Him. Along the way they encounter the Devil, who puts various temptations in their path to prevent their arrival at the manger. Each shepherd is tempted by a particular sin. But they resist the temptations and at the end of the play, they reach the Christ Child.

In more recent years, Gringo customs such as Santa Claus and Christmas trees have been adopted in Mexico. Actually they have been assimilated quite well into the culture.

During the season, stores do a brisk business in Christmas trees. I recall one December in Mexico City, seeing a gigantic artificial Christmas tree in the Zocalo (the main Mexico City plaza.)

Santa Claus is well-known in Mexico now, and many small children eagerly await his annual visit.

One curious result of the adoption of Christmas customs from the U.S. is seeing snow-related decorations in regions of Mexico where it hardly ever snows.

Just as in the U.S.A. (and maybe everywhere it's celebrated) Christmas is very commercialized in Mexico. But maybe that's inevitable, because the main reason it's commercialized is the holiday is important to people.

As long as you remember the real reason for Christmas, and as long as you don't go into debt buying presents, that can be a very good thing. It's certainly good for the commercial economy. In fact, a lot of stores do a big share of their business during the season.

In conclusion, allow me to wish all the readers of Banderas News a hearty Merry Christmas, or as they say in Mexico - �FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Allan Wall is an American citizen who has been teaching English in Mexico since 1991, and writing articles about various aspects of Mexico and Mexican society for the past decade. Some of these articles are about Mexico's political scene, history and culture, tourism, and Mexican emigration as viewed from south of the border, which you can read on his website at AllanWall.net.

Click HERE for more articles by Allan Wall.

Mexican Style Holiday Spirit

Tara Spears

�I don't want gold and I don't want silver...

all I want is to break the pi�ata�

Taken from a traditional Mexican pi�ata song

With the holiday season well underway, Los Pasados home parties are flourishing throughout Mexico. One game that is often played at Posada parties is Pi�ata. A pi�ata is a decorated clay or papier-m�ch� jar filled with sweets and hung from the ceiling or tree branch. The traditional Christmas pi�ata is decorated something like a ball with seven peaks around it. The peaks or spikes represent the 'seven deadly sins' (lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, anger, envy, pride.) Today, pi�ata's reflect the influence of popular culture: they are available in animal, bird, holiday figure or TV character shapes. To play the game, children are blindfolded, spun in a circle, taking turns to hit the pi�ata with a stick until it splits open and the sweets pour out. Then the children rush to pick up as many sweets as they can! Although Mexican children get their main presents at Epiphany (January 6th), the pi�ata treats keep them happy until the gift day.

Toddler with pi�ata stick, (left) and various styles of pi�atas, above.

Ancient Tradition: Historical records have reported that pi�atas may have originated among the Aztecs, Mayans, and other native peoples of Mexico, who made clay pots in the shape of their gods. The pots were meant to be broken forcefully with poles and sticks, so the contents spilled to signify abundance, favors from the gods, etc.

It was the custom for the birthday celebration of the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, native priests hung a clay pot on a pole in the temple. The pot was adorned with colorful feathers and filled with small treasures like bead ornaments, colorful or painted stones, berries, nuts, etc. When the pot was broken with a stick, the little treasures spilled on the feet of the god as an offering. The Mayans also played a game where the central player�s eyes were covered with a cloth while he tried to hit the pot that was suspended by a string.

Other records indicate that the Spanish conquistadors brought the pi�ata practice to Mexico, where it became very popular perhaps due to the similar Mayan tradition of breaking clay pots. But the Spaniards soon changed the meaning of the pi�ata in the Mexican new world.

It is believed that at the beginning of the 16th century the Spanish missionaries that went to Mexico took the Indian pi�ata practice and gave it a religious spin. These evangelists had the daunting goal of changing the Indian population�s belief in many gods ideology to adherence to the single Catholic God. One strategy the friars came up with was to use the pi�ata to explain the complicated dogmas of sin and the way in which Satan tempts us. The missionaries wanted to teach Indians about how we must be strong to beat the devil and to reap the benefits of heaven. The pi�ata was a perfect metaphor.

Religious spin: The priests designed a huge ceramic pot covered with colored paper in the shape of a star, with each point representing one of the seven deadly sins. It was something that would come down from and then rise up to the sky (hence the shape of the star) it would bother people...touch them...tempt them. The stick symbolizes the only way, righteousness, faith, to overcome temptation.

In order to overcome sin, you have to hit it hard, which will break the evil. But it's not easy� Sin blinds us like a blindfold, requiring the help of our family and friends and others who have to guide us in order to break the chain of evil. The lesson says that when someone is well guided, the pi�ata is broken. Then, from heaven, we are showered with gifts...fruit, candy, toys, immense happiness that fills us with joy. Evil has been destroyed, God is with us. The missionaries accomplished their goal for Mexico remains predominately religious 500 years later. Even as the country has become more secular in its outlook, Mexicans continue to enjoy the fun and exciting tradition of pi�ata for any special occasion as breaking the pi�ata will always be a thrill for all children.

No matter whether the pi�ata is used during the holiday season or in the middle of summer, no matter what the shape, pi�atas will always be a joyful reminder of Mexican traditions.

Mexican pi�ata song that is sung during the game:

"�Dale, dale, dale,
no pierdas el tino,
porque si lo pierdes,
pierdes el camino,
Una, dos, tres!

Duro�.duro!

Rompela! Rompela!"

"Strike it, Strike it, Strike it,
don't lose your aim,
because if you lose it,
you won't find your way!
One, two, three!

Harder!.....harder!

Break it! Break it!"

Contact Tara: terri_sprs@yahoo.com

For more articles by Tara, Click here

Nine days of Las Posadas:

Mexican Christmas Customs

By Tara Spears

In Mexico, the holiday season picks up momentum with the celebration of Las Posadas from December 16th to Christmas Eve. Traditionally, children perform the 'Posada' processions and families gather for fiestas. (Spanish for inn or lodging.) The Posadas days celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary looked for a room in an inn but were turned away. For the Posadas, the outside of houses are decorated with evergreens, moss and paper lanterns. Inside, the usual holiday decoration is the nativity scene, El Nacimiento.

The focal point, naturally, is a stable where clay or plaster figurines of the Holy Family are sheltered. The scene may be further populated by an angel, Los Reyes Magos (the Magi), the ox and the ass, shepherds and their flocks, and assorted other people and livestock. It is not unusual to also find the forces of evil represented by a serpent and a grotesque Lucifer lurking in the shadows. The figures may be simply positioned in a bed of heno (Spanish moss), or scattered throughout an elaborate landscape.

A major masterpiece may occupy an entire room, often near the front of the house for convenient viewing by neighbors and passersby. The creation of the basic landscape begins with papel roca (paper painted in earth tones) draped over tables, taped onto boxes, crushed and shaped to form a multi-leveled, natural looking terrain that frequently includes a series of hills and dales, a cellophane waterfall, a mirror pond, artificial trees, cacti, palm trees, and little houses set to form an entire village scene. Colored sawdust and a variety of natural mosses may be spread out as ground cover before the addition of strings of Christmas lights and the assorted human and animal figures. The scene will not be completed until Christmas Eve when the newborn Baby Jesus is finally laid in the manger bed.

Today, a decorated Christmas tree may be incorporated in the Nacimiento or set up elsewhere in the home. As purchase of a natural pine represents a luxury commodity to most Mexican families, the typical arbolito (little tree) is often an artificial one, a bare branch cut from a copal tree (Bursera microphylla) or some type of shrub collected from the countryside, decorated with paper hand-made flowers.

Incidentally, Santa Claus and reindeer on the roof do not generally figure in the scheme of Navidad in this predominately tropical country. A Mexican youngster's holiday wish list is directed instead to el Ni�o Dios (the Holy Child) for Christmas Eve and the Reyes Magos (Magi) for Three Kings Day, which are the gift giving occasions. According to internet records, the world�s largest angel ornament was made in Mexico. It was made in January 2001 by Sergio Rodriguez in the town of Nuevo Le�n. The angel was 18' 3" (6 meters) high and had wing span of 11' 9" (4 meters)! Perhaps the most amazing thing about the angel was that it was completely made out of old beer bottles, 2,946 of them!! Humm, maybe this could become a new retired gringo tradition.... make your own recycled ornaments.

Contact Tara: terri_sprs.com

More articles by Tara Spears

For more articles by Tara, Click here

New Classified Ads

Go to our classified Ad Page

For Sale Quad

Yamaha 350 Warrior

6 speed

Low miles-Like New Good Condition

$3000.00 US ($40,877 Peso)

La Penita RV Park Site 127

Talk to Bob or John

We can email and we can send picture : shirley@infinitycoach.com

Freezer Wanted

Want to buy a small used freezer. Please contact: corvina@shaw.ca with size and price."

"Quiero comprar un pequeno congelador usado. Por favor ponerse a contacto con Judy a correo electronico corvina@shaw.ca , dar precio y tamano del congelador".

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl,
check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality,
pour one level cup and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter
in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point
it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another
c up just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup
of dried fruit.

Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry
it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves
a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table.

Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can
find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall
over.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the
Cose Juervo and mak e sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.
Cherry Mistmas !

BEACH PARTY! Always Fun Every Sunday!

And then there is Saturday with the Huicholes

Len's life: It's a Cocktail Party, Not a Barbecue. Shall We Discuss the Difference, Gentlemen?
Len - PVNN

"MetroSexual" by Gary Price

It never ceases to amaze me how little most men - definitely not men who are like me - worry about their own personal appearance. Especially during the party season which, as we all know, began yesterday and ends sometime next year. I realize that all men are not created equal, yet it continues to boggle my mind how little many of them seem to care about how they look.

Guys, this is not just me ganging up on you. In my world, I get told and I observe that most of you do not look like you care how you look. I write my opinions based simply on what your wives or significant others are always talking to me about. Therefore, in truth, it is not just me. It's just that I have a bigger mouth, not to mention nerve. So here we go.

We are going to break you down into four simple groups. No, not dumb, dumber, dumbest and worst. I have more current and up to date labels to pin upon you, because, as you all know, I am so into labels. Gucci, Channel, and Prada come to mind first, but these do not adequately cover the issue at hand. So we will begin with the label Metrosexual.

Now, before all of you "holier-than-thou's" start getting your jockeys in a wad about my word choice, get over it. Metrosexual is now found in Webster's, and it describes the luckiest men in the world. Webster says this relatively new word means "a usually urban heterosexual male given to enhancing his personal appearance by fastidious grooming, beauty treatments and fashionable clothes."

I prefer to sum it up with this simple phrase: "These men give a damn about how they look - wherever they are, but especially when out for the evening." Are you beginning to get a clear picture here? These are the men who shave on a daily basis. They make sure they have two eye brows, not one giant one from one eye to the other. And they make sure that all hair growing anywhere other than on their head is trimmed, plucked, waxed or somehow removed.

They are also the guys who watch football and baseball, but make sure they are up to date with all world events, not just the World Series. And they know the difference between roses and carnations ... which is about $50.00 bucks worth of love. These gentlemen are not afraid to spend it either. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger might want to call these guys "girlie men," but he doesn't dare with a middle name like Alois. Most of the women I know simple call the Metrosexual a "great catch."

The second group, we'll call the "made-to-do-it" male species. These are the ones who, if left to their own devices, would be just a happy anywhere in their fishing boots with a matching hat and dingy boxers - probably Scooby Doo boxers! The pro shop at the local country club is usually the best place to find this species because ... well ... come on ... if it's good enough for 18 holes of golf, it must be good enough for the neighbor's cocktail party. But, luckily for you and me, their wives or life partners have the decency to dress them up a little before they leave the house to go to the boss's Christmas Party. To all of you significant others, wives or otherwise, I say thank you.

Third, there are the Red-Necks. Sorry for this apparent slur, Guys, but sometimes there is no better description than the first one that pops into mind. Decency be damned, you boys need help. I mean serious help.

This particular brand of homo sapiens, in the male form, is easy to spot during the party season. It does not matter how much they have paid, or have been made to pay, for a ticket to any kind of event.

It does not matter what level of party they have been invited to. They will be wearing the exact same thing they wore to their mother's last cobbler and homemade ice cream bash. It usually consists of a long, greasy mullet hair style; a baseball cap embossed with the logo of their favorite community college; and a shirt, probably a T-shirt, displaying some sort of wild game that only a Sarah Palin could appreciate. Pair all of this with a set of dark socks that come up just below the knee, open toed shoes and the always popular Elvis belt buckle, and well, you kind of get the idea, don't you? Not a pretty picture. Or is it just me?

Last, but not least, is my personal favorite. The Romantic Zone Boy ... or Man - the RZ. Season after season, they stroll by the front of my Katie Couric-style window-on-the-world at blu, and I am never disappointed. I mean never. I love watching the women in the salon almost come down with whiplash, trying to catch a look at the always groomed and well dressed RZ.

I don't mean to brag, but if any of you in groups two and three could simply learn one thing from those of us in groups one and four ... well, the world would certainly smell a whole lot better, that's all I have to say. Can you imagine how explosive the male cosmetic industry would become if only the "made-to-do-its" and the "red-necks" would simply buy a bottle of Brut? Or even Old Spice? Yes, those are considered cosmetics, even as archaic as their names sound.

So, without getting all mushy and stuff, thank you RZ's for continuously showing me what is possible and being forever jealous of your commitment to excellence in all things healthy and handsome.

For the men who find themselves insulted or irritated by my views this week, I say to you ... get over it. Ladies, start demanding more of your spouse or, better yet, you men, start demanding more of yourself. Most men are puffing their chests, saying to themselves, "this is too nelly to even think about." Well, think about this: to what lengths does your better half go to make sure that she is as beautiful as you want her to be. Guess what, Guys, she's doing it for you and she's doing it for herself. You are now playing catch up. Get with the program. Get a haircut, trim your ear and nose hairs, find both of your eyebrows and, whatever you do, please throw away the baseball caps with the ponytails attached.

I realize that my view point on such matters is not always welcomed by men in groups two and three, but, if you could put yourself in len's life for just a couple of hours, you would completely understand. Happy Holidays, Guys. I look forward to seeing you all spiffy, snappy and just plain handsome.

Given that Len's very first word was "more," and the second one was "pretty" it is no wonder that he now is the Stylist Manager in the #1 salon and spa in Puerto Vallarta, blu, but also writes an entertaining and informative beauty column, "len's life." Whatever you hair may or may not need, Len will know exactly what to do or where to go to find the answer - just send him an email at len(at)blubylen.com.

Most Events are Clickable

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

DECEMBER

2008

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Death of Jos�
Mar�a Morelos
(1815)

Nochebuenas

Navidad

29 30 31

2009

JANUARY 2009

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

1 2 3 4

A�o Nuevo
Market Day

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

D�a de los Reys

Market Day

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Market Day

D�a de San Antonio Abad - Feast of San Antonio Abad

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Birth of Ignacio
Allende (1779)

Market Day

26 27 28 29 30 31

Market Day

Go to the rest of the 2008 Calendar

go to 2009 Calendar

For problems or questions regarding this Web site contact editor@jaltembasol.com