La Penita
is located on the small Jaltemba Bay on the newly named Riviera Nayarit
coast. Mexico is a strange land and in the state of Nayarit, some things
just don’t make sense to the thousands of Canadians
and Americans who make this piece of paradise their winter home.
When you walk down the cobblestoned streets
and peer in the open doorways you will find Mexican children that are
well loved, hugged, kissed, and doted upon. Yet travel up into the
Sierra Madres coastal mountains to the state capitol of Tepic and you
will notice abandoned children scrounging the streets and landfills for
anything of value. Much like the homeless now found throughout Canada
and America, they sleep under bridges and in abandoned buildings. The
big difference here is these are children as young as four and five
years old, many forced out on the street because they were physically
and sexually abused.
Both the federal and state governments are
trying to solve this problem, but they are a far cry from having the
resources to keep all of these children off the street. Christian
organizations have stepped up to the plate to offer a secular solution
such as the orphanage Casa de Ninos.
Amazingly Casa de Ninos was started 40 years
ago by a prison Minister named Dr. Frank Gonzales who found young
children living in the Tepic Prison.
“While ministering in the prison in Tepic in
1968, Gonzales saw several little boys among the inmates,” said now
director, Russ Krube, originally from Minnesota, “When he questioned the
warden, he was told that the boys were homeless street children. Since
there was no children's home in the entire state of Nayarit, they had no
choice but to put the boys in with the adult prisoners.”
Today according
to Krube, the orphanage handles between 22 and 35 abandoned and in most
cases abused children. But even then because of resources, their
screening process prevents helping the children that have become too
hardened by the streets of Tepic.
“We are unable to
equip and train our staff to handle the long term street kids or help as
much as we should with the ones with special needs,” Krube said,
pointing to a young Mexican girl whose parents, living in the isolated
surrounding mountains never talked to her. “She is nine years old and
she cannot speak either the Indian dialect or Spanish language properly.
Our staff is not trained to handle that but we do our best.”
The orphanage offers primary schooling, beds
and a kitchen and large playground. It is clean and well run, but upon
closer look one can see it is in desperate need of funding.
“We are always in need of something,” Krube
says pointing out the need for new beds, paint, computers and basic
supplies. The list is long. “Our goal is to get the families back
together, but that is not always possible. Children can spend their
entire childhood here.”
Funding comes from American and Canadian
Christian organizations, but the most unique method comes from an extraordinary man. Only in Mexico
could an architect from Oregon build a bass fishing lodge as means to
fund an orphanage.
David Sanders came to Casa de Ninos six
years ago through his Christian organization as a volunteer to help.
Once there he realized he had to try and do something more than just a
few weeks of handiwork.
Sanders came up with the concept of
 building
a bass fishing lodge on the newly dammed Santiago River, Aguamilpa
reservoir is located in a remote part of Nayarit just 60 kilometers
north east of Tepic. Avid bass fishermen from the United States and
Canada would come and 25 per cent of the proceeds would go towards the
maintenance of the orphanage. He would name it the Fishinmission.
“This Mexican bass factory is best known for
providing hours of non-stop bass
catching action that
at times can be truly amazing. While double
digit bass are becoming more and more available in this relatively new
reservoir with the lake record well over 13 lbs, it is the sheer numbers
of solid quality bass, (in the 2 to 6 lb range) that
have given this lake its reputation,” Sanders says proudly.
It has been an expensive process for
Sanders, but he believes that his hard work will pay off and help give
the orphanage the funding it needs to continue it good works. Looking
at the dramatic and inspiring views of the reservoir from the Palapa
Lodge, one can see why Sanders would see god’s hand directing his work
here in Mexico.
Sanders lodge is a located on the Lake and
can only be reached by boat. His
two fishing
 boats
and fishing gear are top line gear.
“We did a lot of research in order to
determine the most spacious, comfortable, and best all around boat to
spend three days on the water in. We are confident that you will
appreciate the smooth ride, comfortable seats, and large casting decks
on our Carolina Skiffs. All of our boats are powered by quiet 75 HP 4 –
stroke engines,” Sanders said.
Larry, Charlie and Rod joined me for a two
day adventure. The first day we drove to Tepic where Charlie and Larry
played golf at the Tepic course. Rod and I joined Jim birdman Thompson
to visit the Orphanage.
Jim later led us out to Aquamilpas where we
launched one of the boats and traveled through the scenic reservoir
where we greeted by David Sanders. That night we camped under the
palapa...no bugs, great stories and even starchoice tv. The palapa has
an excellent bar and seating area. And modern washrooms .
Next morning after a great breakfast we took
off fishing, a truly great experience with David leading us to some
great fishing spots on the lake.
As for the fishing, we caught 49 bass in
just under 5 hours.
You can reach David Sanders at
http://www.fishinmissionadventures.com/
You can reach Russ Krube at
http://www.casadeninos.org/
  
   
MOST WANTED
We would like to thank everyone that came to see us last sunday at the
BUCERIUS GARDENS....in Bucerius...
As some of our band members are leaving...sunday Feb 22 will be our
last day to play ....one till 5 Vallarta time
look forward to see everyone back with your friends....
BEST HAMBURGERS....
Hudd for Most Wanted
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The drawing for the winning ticket for the Stitchin
Senoras quilt on Saturday, Valentine's Day. The winner was Yvonne
Trottier, #113, Mar y Sol, Guayabitos. The other photo shows some of the
ladies of the group and the quilt shows up more. The Senoras wish to thank
those people, in three countries, who so generously supported their efforts
to assist local schools through the purchase of tickets.
Thanks to Jaltemba Sol for your coverage of this effort,
Motorcycle Treck for Breast Cancer
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Hi Bill, and Dot
I am Tannis, my knick name is Mexitana here in Mexico.
I live in Guayabitos and Apri I leave for Florida and ride a motorcycle
across the USA, to my home in Vancouver Island.
This is the second year I will be doing it. The first Year it was to
raise money for Cancer.
This year is for Breast Cancer... With all that is has been going on in
the area, clinics and all. I am asking if you wouldn't
mind putting my fundraiser in your newspaper.
Here is the link if you wouldn't mind.
Thanks in advance.
Tannis
Mattress For sale
Brand New Double Quality Mattress (firm) for sale for 1500
pesos OBO.
We have a brand new, quality (firm) double
mattress for sale for 1500 pesos OBO. Will also consider trade
for two used adult bicycles in good condition with sturdy tires,
or a small used kayak.
If interested please contact us at 327 274-3516
or via email at
christina.stobbs@gmail.com
Thank you
Christina & Robert Stobbs
Colchón doble brandnew de la calidad (firma) para la venta para
1500 Pesos OBO.
Tenemos brandnew, colchón doble (firme) de la
calidad para la venta para 1500 Pesos OBO. La voluntad también
considera el comercio para dos bicicletas usadas del adulto en
buenas condiciones con los neumáticos robustos, o un kayak usado
pequeño.
Si está interesado por favor éntrenos en contacto
con en 327 274-3516 o vía el email en
christina.stobbs@gmail.com
le agradecen
Christina y Roberto Stobbs
Wanted to Rent
Dear Editor,
I'm enjoying tremendously my subscription to Jaltemba
Sol. Thanks for creating such a great community-based
information resource. I am traveling to Nayarit at the end
of the month and hope to stay in the area until the end of
March. I am a retired school teacher so I have limited
funding. I would like to rent a small, clean place within
walking distance to the beach. I can spend $250 USD per
month. It doesn't have to be fancy. I actually
prefer that it's not. I speak Spanish so my landlords
could be a local family. I'm hoping that you or your
readers might be able to help me out with some possible rentals.
Your little corner of the world seems to be an ideal place to
rest, relax and write.
Gracias,
Tammy
Mexico's Calderon Raps Billionaire Slim on
Economy
Noel Randewich & Armando Tovar - Reuters
go to original
|
| In this file photo,
Carlos Slim speaks during a panel
discussion at the Clinton Global
Initiative Annual Meeting, Thursday,
Sept. 27, 2007, in New York. The New
York Times Co. says it has approved a
$250 million investment by the Mexican
telecommunications billionaire.
(AP/Jason DeCrow) |
|
|
Mexico City - Mexican President Felipe Calderon
took a swipe at billionaire Carlos Slim this
week, saying people who have benefited most
should give back during hard times, after the
magnate warned of dire economic trouble.
Calderon's government has been slow to
acknowledge the U.S. economic slump is pushing
Mexico toward recession and Slim upset the
government this week by warning Mexico is
lurching towards a deep recession and mass
unemployment.
"We are all obliged to support Mexico,
particularly in these difficult times, and
especially those who benefited most from this
great nation," said Calderon, whose popularity
will be tested in mid-term congressional
elections in July.
Slim, ranked the world's second-richest man, was
born to a Lebanese immigrant and made millions
buying up struggling companies and turning them
into profitable cash cows.
Mexico's economy is expected to shrink around 1
percent this year because of a slump in U.S.
demand for manufactured exports like cars and
refrigerators.
Hoping to limit the effect of the U.S.
recession, Calderon has frozen fuel prices and
freed up funds to help factories avoid layoffs,
as well as other measures.
Slim built his fortune with dominant Mexican
telephone operator Telmex (TELMEXL.MX) (TMX.N),
which he bought from the government in the 1990s
and turned into one of Latin America's most
successful companies.
Government officials have accused Slim of
exaggerating the depth of the economic drop-off.
Labor Minister Javier Lozano challenged Slim on
Tuesday to guarantee that no workers would lose
their jobs at Telmex or America Movil (AMXL.MX)
(AMX.N), the leading cellphone operator that he
also controls.
Mexico's finance ministry forecasts the economy
will not grow in 2009, although officials have
said they will probably further reduce that
outlook.
Slim is often accused of stifling competition in
Mexico and retarding the country's growth
through his dominance of the telecom industry.
Hurt by the economic slowdown and a violent drug
war, support for Calderon's National Action
Party, or PAN, is slipping, according to a poll
released this week. |
|
|
Gone Coastal: From Guadalajara to Barra with No
Reservations
Jan Baumgartner - PVNN
|
| A native Californian,
Jan Baumgartner is a freelance writer
dividing her time between surviving in
Maine and living in Mexico. |
|
|
The Ambivalent Optimist
When I told my mother I’d be taking an impromptu
bus trip from San Miguel to Guadalajara and onto
the Costa Alegre (Happy Coast) I could hear her
cringe on the other end of the phone. The word
happy eluded her and instead she heard
only death wish. "Is it safe?" she
rattled more than once, not unlike Lawrence
Olivier in Marathon Man.
"Don’t worry, mom," I reassured her, "I’ll be
taking a series of rusted and dangerous toxic
fume belching buses through lawless lands rife
with gun toting bandits and fun loving drug
lords who like to play hide the body part in the
barrel and have a quirky affinity for
decapitation and I’m sure there will be at least
one dirty old man in the back of the bus near
the toilet if they have a toilet and he’ll only
be wearing a poncho and black socks with
mismatched sandals and we have no reservations
nor do we have any real destination or plan and
we’re carrying scads of cash but I’m sure I’ll
be just fine even though they don’t maintain the
buses and they drive with flat tires and no
brakes on potholed mountain passes and coastal
cliffs at speeds that top 100 miles per hour and
the drivers love to play chicken especially when
chickens are crossing the road and they’re known
to wear hip flasks filled with 180 proof tequila
as do the bus drivers who are also wanted drug
runners and the bus serves up a lunch offering
your choice of rotten shrimp that’s been
festering for days in the sweltering luggage
compartment or drunken chicken beak enchiladas
rojas that are still squawking and bottled water
filled straight from the tap but other than that
I’m sure I’ll be just fine and besides Benicio
de Toro is in the country to promote his new
movie Che so maybe I’ll see him on the
bus."
"Oh, that sounds nice," she said. "You always
liked Benicio del Toro. And who are you going
with?" "Janice’s husband," I added. "Oh well
then," she rallied, "Sounds like the perfect
getaway." By now, my mother knew of my travel
antics - travels which are often solo throughout
Third World countries, my adventurous spirit,
which still translates to her as major risk
taker and target when in fact, I see
them as nothing less than leaps of faith.
When you’ve lost just about everything, the risk
is no longer a risk when you have nothing left
to lose. So my leaps of faith have become
lighter, less angst-ridden. I look forward to
the festering shrimp, but she worries, still.
She is a mother after all.
Life is a Bus Ham Sandwich
Some people just go with the flow. When my
friend, Janice, cyber arm-twisted her husband
into taking me along on his unexpected bus
adventure to the sea, I’m sure she heard a
muffled head butt, or got an email chalk full of
f-bombs. Back home in Oregon, Janice and their
two little girls were experiencing one of the
coldest, snowiest January’s on record. Greg was
in San Miguel renewing his FM3 status,
legal paperwork for gringos who own
property and or reside in Mexico. Renters for
their casa wanted to move in rápido but
Greg still had a week long wait for his
documents.
He, Janice and the girls had previously
crisscrossed Mexico via bus, and were quick to
point out that while neither they nor the bus
line could control wanton vomiting or any other
human bodily projectile, the ETN luxury bus line
rivaled First Class accommodations on any
airliner. The promise was of spacious, clean
buses, large reclining seats with padded leg
rests, bathrooms for both men and women, decent
ham sandwiches and a beverage of your choice.
My last couple of weeks in town had not been
bueno, in part thanks to hormones that were
Cirque de Soleil-ing out of the big top. I
needed a change of scenery, not to mention a
bigger tent, and to get the hell out of Dodge
before the authorities found me running naked in
the bull ring just up the street on Recreo,
clad only in red lipstick. You never want to be
jailed in a foreign country, although it’s
possible that a bare blond woman taunting bulls
might actually be a crowd pleaser.
I had never seen the Mexican coast and was ready
for a little adventure, but Greg and I hardly
knew each other. Traveling with a stranger, my
best amigas esposo, on a bus, no
reservations or destination? Surely she was
jesting or getting paid big pesos for a new
reality series, "Triple M - Menopausal
Mexican Meltdown – Bus Travel with a Deranged
Stranger - or Volaré This."
But if I saw my travels as leaps of faith, then
I had to see Greg’s willingness to take along
his wife’s friend who was nothing short of a
Woman on Fire, and not in a good way, as nothing
short of delusional. Travel with someone who
looked normal and impressively well coiffed, but
was the she-devil version of Médico Jekyll y
Senor Hyde, full days on a hot bus, humid
weather that would make my feet swell and my
hair limp and cause me to weep uncontrollably or
gouge my wrists with tortilla chips if there was
too much salt on the rim of my margarita glass?
The guy's nuts, I thought, or an imbecile. I
don’t want to travel with someone who is
slow-witted, or nuts. Or I’m nuts. Well one of
us is nuts. Maybe we’re both nuts. Okay, I was
in. Rabid Zorro was off to pack her bags.
Bright Lights, Big City, Dry Taps and Only a
Hairdresser Knows for Sure
First stop Guadalajara, a beautiful city with a
bustling Centro Histórico with its
impressive plazas, cathedrals, museums, and
known for its murals by the renown Mexican
muralist, José Clemente Orozco, a
population of nearly four million, and Mexico’s
second largest city.
Undaunted, we stepped from the comforting
confines of the bus following a pleasant six
hour trip and into the heart of Nuevo
Central Station - with no idea where the
diablo we were going. Taxis were at our beck
and call and I swear the loudspeaker was playing
the jaunty tune - "see the gringos
without a clue, backpacks, water bottles and
Frommer’s, too!" We had a couple ideas of where
we might go; one, a nice sounding place but next
door to a tranny bar, which might be noisy on a
Friday night, and in the heart of the seedy
section of town; two, an old convent near town
but not close enough to make hoofin’ it to the
zocalo ideal, and chances were good that
it was cold, dank and had unnaturally if not
unholy extra firm mattresses. There’d be no
pleasure possibilities or joy seeking in these
rooms - especially for those sinners alone in
their habitaciónes and quite possibly,
talking naughty to half empty tequila bottles.
We compromised, finding a good location,
colonial atmosphere, and right price at
approximately $30 per night. But instead of
tranny’s we had a bout with dry faucets,
showerheads and no flush toilets, and as a fair
tradeoff for hard beds and evil nuns, I got a
bed full of used sheets and a pillow case so
covered with black curls from the last rooms’
resident, it appeared as though he had come in
with a full, healthy head of hair, and checked
out bald, sin plugs. Greg’s room faired a
bit better, no hairpiece under the covers, but
an area rug that mandated slipping into shoes
when stepping out of bed. Other than that, the
place was lovely and just down the street, a
pastry shop with warm treats that filled our bag
with a dozen delights for about one dollar.
Sugar and butter and gracious Mexicans make up
for many things, even sleeping on used sheets or
deciding what body part gets washed with the
last of your bottled water.
Note: Guadalajara is known as the
birthplace of mariachis, the sombrero,
and tequila. There wasn’t a mariachi
or sombrero to be found - at least we
don’t remember them.
Magnificent Frigatebird: Ocean
Thief
 Tara
Spears
Second in seabird series.
 Next
to the chunky pelican, the streamlined frigatebird looks aristocratic.
Thousands of these sleek seabirds live along the Riviera Nayrit coast.
When newly settled here I was walking the beach with my little dog and
enjoying the flight of the seabirds until one of the large birds flying
overhead lost its grip on dinner and it landed right in my path: a
gigantic, live sea snake! I trotted home to identify this greedy bird
that would grab a two meter long lunch. Sure enough, the
frigatebird is nicknamed pirate bird for its propensity to steal food
from other birds by snatching food dro pped
by other birds before it hits the water.
As the photos illustrate, the frigatebird has
an incredible flying ability, owing to their
wingspan of over 2 m/6.5 ft with less than 2 kg/4 lb of bodyweight to
support. The distinctive hooked grey beak and long split tail make
them easy to recognize.
To read the entire
story click here
 Lucy
Moreno: Caring Fashion Designer
By Tara Spears
For those that enjoy casual beach wear, Riviera Nayarit designer, Lucy
Moreno, is an excellent choice. Senora Lucy is well known in the
local community for her volunteering and her quality line of clothing
for children, men and women. All of her fashions are 100%
prewashed cotton that are perfect for tropical, coastal living.
Even more exciting for the mature customer, Lucys boutique carries
attractive and stylish plus sizes that are difficult to find in Mexico.
I want all of my customers to feel comfortable and look good said Lucy.
The fashions carrying Lucys Tayahu label are handmade in La Penita and
are her original designs.
To read the
entire story click here
Classifieds
For Sale
1998 Volkswagon Pointer 2 door white sedan, Mexican plates. Good
upholostery, new exhaust and tires. $2,000 USD.
322-174-0734 or 274-1252.
Se Vende
Sedan Volkswagom Pointer 1998 color blanco, en bueno dondicion,
llantas nuevas y escape nueva. 24,000 pesos.
322-174-0734, 274-1252.
Wanted: Used Terracotta Pots in good condition
X-large (2ft high), large and medium.
Price negotiable. Clean out your garden bodega!
The Spirit
of Mexico: Metal Artisan Fernando Hernandez
By Tara Spears
Aficionados of Mexican
craftwork have long admired and collected handmade metal objects. There
are several metal artists that have studios in the Riviera Nayarit area,
including the master craftsman, Fernando Hernandez. His family operated
studio produces Indios Art that offers outstanding ironwork items for
the home. A third generation
ironwork artisan, Fernando (38) works with his 67 year old father who
learned the craft from his father. I started learning how to work with
iron when I was eight years old, said Fernando in perfect English. I
went to a bilingual school and since then I practice speaking English
with the foreign customers.
To read the entire
story click here
Learn
Spanish Today 
- Learn Spanish on-line for free, using interactive audio/visual lessons.
Photography by Bill Bell to view Mexico Photography click
below
Colonial Cities and Towns
Archeological Sites
Jaltemba Bay Animal Rescue
San Pancho AA
Alanon Monday at 5:00pm, CoDA Wednesday at 5:00pm, and
AA Friday at 6:30pm in San Pancho in the museum on main street, between
Galeria Corazon and San Pancho Cafe. Info at devasaya@gmail.com email or
311-258-4243.
Speak Spanish - That Should be Your Goal!
Learn Spanish
Today
Make 2009 the year that you learn Spanish
Can you Speak Spanish? How long have you been studying
Spanish? Between high school classes, college classes
and you own efforts you could easily have a couple years
already under your belt. During this time you have
likely built up a good Spanish vocabulary, along with a
basic understanding of Spanish verb conjugation. But can
you speak Spanish?
Why is speaking Spanish
so hard? Would you feel comfortable approaching a native Spanish speaker
and starting a conversation? Why not? Why is it so hard to speak Spanish
even after years of study?
Beginning high school
and college Spanish classes, as well as most self study Spanish courses
start off by teaching vocabulary and verb conjugation. You practice
speaking, but the focus is on the individual word or phrase. Lists of
words are memorized and tests are given on verb conjugation. So when it
comes time to speak, the words and phrases are separate in your mind. It
becomes a matter of trying to pull all the pieces together and form them
all into a sensible sentence, not just speaking.
The key to becoming more
comfortable in speaking situations is to practice and learn the
sentences as a whole, not in separate pieces. This way when you are
trying to remember what to say, the whole sentence pops in your mind,
not just one word. You will speak Spanish more correctly, more fluently
and more confidently than ever before.
The Visual Link Spanish
Course allows you to utilize this effective way of learning and practice
speaking Spanish. In our
free online demo lessons, you can see
how we utilize these strategies to truly teach you to speak Spanish. You
will be able to recall everything you learn and words will come into your
mind as a complete sentence not separate individual words. You will already
be on your way to speaking Spanish more fluently and more confidently.
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‘Most Wanted’
Swaggerty to face charges in DeKalb County
Too
many good times on the Jaltemba Coast. We don't even know who won.
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