See More of Hinde and Jaimes St Patty's Day Party!

 

Los  Amigos de La Peñita  – Beach Clean Up This Saturday

Los Amigos de La Peñita is holding it’s second Beach Clean Up Day of the season on Saturday, March 21 from 8:00 AM until noon.  Meet at Guty’s Palapa on Circuito Libertad – just north of the seahorses.  Bring shovels, rakes and brooms if you have them.  Our first clean-up day was a rousing success and we hope that this one will be just as successful.  We hope you can join us.  Many hands make light work.

 

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First Annual International fishing tournament won by Bill Poteat, Bill Bell and Larry Baron, known as El double B, with this whopping dorado...as most men say size isn't everything.  Tournament sponsored by Latitude 21 restaurant.

Winners presented with 2800 purse by Jeff, owner of Latitude 21

 

 

Crowned MS Customer of the Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Barron, Queen of the Customers at Mateja's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Annual Land Boat Races

Too much Tequila - Too little time

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Mexico is About to Create a Mega Resort
Ronan McMahon - Today's Financial News
go to original

The Mexican government is investing $1.5 billion in a stretch of Mexican coast. This is a real estate opportunity you could profit from.

Infrastructure improvements are one of the biggest drivers of overseas real estate values. I’m talking airports, roads, bridges, and cruise ship ports. Anything that improves the accessibility of a piece of real estate makes it more desirable.

The development of a viable tourism infrastructure also drives values. Golf courses, hotels, man-made beaches, boutiques, restaurants, and marinas all bring visitors. Visitors spend money, which creates jobs. And jobs in turn heat up real estate values. Of course, it helps if the infrastructure improvements happen in a place with a great climate and a short flight from major affluent population centers.

Just north of Puerto Vallarta, along a stunning stretch of coast know as The Riviera Nayarit, the Mexican government is investing $1.5 billion to improve accessibility and develop tourism infrastructure.

The section of government responsible for this is called the “National Trust Fund for Tourism Development.” Founded in the 1970’s, its task is to create jobs and increase foreign revenue by backing tourism resorts. They think big: These are the guys who set their sights on a coconut plantation as the site for their first major project. Only known by a few local fishermen back then, you’ve probably heard of it today... Cancun.

Resorts backed by this agency dramatically outperform other beach resorts in terms of visitor numbers, room occupancy—and appreciation in real estate values.

The Riviera Nayarit runs along the Pacific coast north of Puerto Vallarta to San Blas. By 2020, the government expects 14,000 hotel beds and 1 million annual visitors.

Nayarit won’t be a carbon copy of Cancun. Although Cancun was a huge success, its development wiped out any trace of traditional Mexican charm or authenticity. In Nayarit, height restrictions, density regulations, and stricter zoning will help make the resort more sustainable than Cancun.

Many development groups make bold promises about infrastructure and amenities. But this branch of Mexico’s government get it done. They bring the tourists. Jump into their slip stream, buy early-in pre-construction, and kick back while they do the work. Before you know it the piece of Nayarit you bought will be part of a mega and high-end resort. Hopefully you’ll be sitting on a tidy profit.

Pathfinder Ltd.’s mission is to scour the globe to find the most value-oriented real estate opportunities the world has to offer. Ronan McMahon has been an active real estate investor since his early 20s. Ronan is a regular contributor to the International Living newsletter. For more information on how you personally can leverage opportunities such as Riviera Nayari as a real estate investor—even on a small budget!

RVs in paradise

Leaving it all behind for life on the road

By Dorothy Bell Original Print Publication: March, 2009

This story was originally printed in Inside Mexico,Go to original 

Image:Bill Bell

1992: A tiny beach on the Sonora Coast, Mexico

 

It seemed that the only quality time the Bells spent as family was during their car vacations to Mexico.

We camped overnight in our VW Westphalia camper and woke up to the sound of waves lapping the shore ten meters away. Unfortunately, the van had sunk overnight and was belly deep in the sand. The tide was rising and there was no one around.

The kids were very young; Adam was about three and our daughter Dylan was still in diapers. My husband Bill grabbed a board and tried to dig us out while I scoured the beach with the kids looking for solid objects to put under the tires.

It didn't work. The VW was now in a three-foot-deep hole. While we were frantically trying to figure out what to do next, something magical happened: the turtles hatched.

Hundreds upon hundreds of tiny turtles suddenly emerged from the sand and started their trek to the water. It is a tenacious struggle to rise to the top of the sand and then walk a predator-ridden journey ten meters to the water. Our children waddled the beach amazed at nature and these tiny creatures.

Two kilometers down the road, we found a construction crew who pulled us out with a rusted marine chain and an old beat-up pickup just minutes before the VW was engulfed by the rising tide.

2000: North Vancouver, Canada

We were working two jobs each. Besides owning a major government consulting business, Bill was elected to the North Vancouver City Council, and I to the North Vancouver School Board. Our lives were filled with meetings and a never-ending stream of nannies and babysitters. Weekends were spent at Home Depot and remodeling our heritage home. Adam and Dylan were shuffled from school to swimming lessons to soccer practice. We were socked in by the trappings of a successful Canadian lifestyle.

It seemed the only quality time we had as a family was on the six-to-eight week car vacations to Mexico that we began taking in 1990. We were fascinated with the differences between Mexico and Canada. We enjoyed the beaches and warm weather in the winters, the colonial cities and culture in the summers. Most of all, we liked the way Mexicans responded to our children. We were welcomed with open arms, as if part of the family. Family in Mexico is the most important thing in life.

We had snapshots of what our life could be: an album of family memories, from Chiapas to Baja, that tugged at us with the promise of a new life.

We can't pin down the exact day we decided to quit and sell our home and "stuff," but the idea first took hold when Bill's older bother Padraic died of a massive heart attack at 51. He didn't smoke or drink, and he worked out daily: he just went to bed one night feeling a bit off and never got up.

"Life is short" became our mantra, and we started fantasizing about selling everything and traveling as a family.

To read more click here

 

Highlights from the March 9 Meeting of Los Amigos de La Peñita

The document “Los Amigos – How We Work”, which establishes an operational policy for Los Amigos, was approved.  It can be found on the Los Amigos website.

The next beach clean-up day is scheduled for Saturday, March 21.  Volunteers are asked to report to Guty’s Palapa at 8:00.  They are asked to bring equipment if possible.  It was noted that the Committee is hoping to clean the estuary this time as well as the beach.

An update was provided on the Education Committee.  The first meeting drew 15-20 people and included individuals from 6 schools; the second meeting drew about 35 people and included individuals from eight schools.  The Committee has received a number of proposals from the schools and is reviewing and prioritizing them.  Proposals cover a wide range from improving bathrooms, building a kitchen and building a new kindergarten.

With respect to the recycling program, 17 baskets were made at the last workshop.  The Committee is looking at other options for basket design. 

It was reported that the National Vice-President and the National Secretary have left these positions.  Elections to refill these positions will be held at the next meeting. 

The Executive hopes to have compiled a final budget for the 2009/10 fiscal year in time for review by the general membership at the next meeting. 

Ken announced that Thomas Bartlett has agreed to make his home available for a fundraiser next year.  However, Los Amigos will be responsible for covering the cost of the event this year.

The next meeting will be on March 30.

IMPORTANT: Please note that the meeting originally scheduled for March 23 has been rescheduled to March 30.  

Full Minutes can be found on the Los Amigos Website (www.losamigosdelapenita.com) .

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Jala...the real Mexico

Special to the Jaltemba Sol by Lilliane fuller

Mexico is a land of contrasts. Sandy beaches line lush tropical forests; quiet seaside villages reside beside hedonistic tourist towns and brand new Cadillac Esplanades share the road with carts pulled by horses and donkeys. This year in our quest to see the real Mexico we decided to go off the beaten path and visit a small town called Jala. It is a vastly different place from the frenetically paced Puerto Vallarta.  

Jala is small and colonial in nature. Its location, high in the Sierra Madres makes it less accessible than the cities that dot the Pacific coast. It isn’t entirely remote but getting there takes some planning. The town that is home just over 5000 people is nestled under the shadow of Ceboruco, a dormant volcano. It is the home of a beautiful basilica, the Basilica Cateranense de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion was built in the mid 17th century at the height of Spanish colonial influence. It is also the home of a stunning 5 star spa hotel, the Casona Xali.

The Casona Xali was built in 2005 as a project of Governor Antonio Eshevarria Dominguez to accommodate visitors to Ceboruco and to the Basilica. Small in size with just seventeen suites, it is the ultimate in Spanish luxury. We decided on the Junior Suite. It featured a beautifully appointed living room, bath & shower and a large bedroom. The entire suite was white marble and was accentuated with white quartz rock. For a one night stay, breakfast and a spa bath of our choice the cost was just under 150.00 Canadian dollars.

Getting there can be a bit of trick. Pacifico is one of the main bus lines in Mexico but Jala is not on its regular route. It is a case of you have to go here in order to get there. When we made our reservation we received travel instructions. We were to pick up the Pacifico bus bound for Guadalajara and stop in a place called Ahuacatlán. This would take approximately 2 hours and from there a taxi could take us the 20 minute drive into Jala.  What was not mentioned was that the bus to Guadalajara could be cancelled at any time. 

On the day of our departure we bought our tickets and waited for our bus to arrive. Minutes before our scheduled departure time we were told that ‘there will be no buses today....come back tomorrow’. We told the bus agent that we needed to get to Jala; he shrugged in that very Mexican manner that signified mañana, tomorrow. In limited Spanish I told him that we had ‘reservations’ and could not go mañana. Thankfully, in English he gave us our new travel directions. We could get directly to Jala via Tepic but suddenly a 2 hour bus-ride had become a 5 hour trip.

In Tepic City we connected with the Norte Sonora bus line and purchased tickets. It was too late when we noticed that the Omnibus Mexico line went to Jala every 20 minutes via the toll highway. We had truly taken the long way around.

We rode through rustic towns climbing steadily through the mountains. It was a beautiful drive. The tropical flora of the coastal region gave way to plants more suited to the extremely dry soil and pine trees replaced palm trees. At one point we drove through the lava fields from Ceboruco’s eruption in 1870.

We finally arrived in Jala but because of our late arrival, we could not receive our spa service that day. We booked for the next morning and set off to explore the town. Because of the hot temperature and high elevation Jala continues in the age-old tradition of a mid afternoon siesta so all the shops were closed. We returned to our hotel and after enjoying a cool drink found that siesta is a very civilized way to spend an afternoon.

That evening we visited the only restaurant in town, the El Monesterio. We dined on a virtual feast of large coastal shrimps and hot spicy salsa and chips. The tab including drinks and tequila nightcaps was under $20.00.

The next morning we enjoyed our breakfast and because of the cooler temperatures decided to walk around the town. During our walk we found the reason that orange juice and other citrus fruits are so inexpensive in Mexico. Every street was lined with orange trees with ripening fruit on every tree. Numerous trucks passed by laden with limes and oranges enroute to the coast. Before it got too warm we found a bus that was bound for Ahuacatlán. From there it was on to Tepic where we boarded a Pacifico bus that returned us to the coast. It had been a busy two days.

Mañana is a Spanish word to describe many things. It can mean ‘morning’ or ‘tomorrow’ or even a philosophy that means ‘sometime later”.  When going off the beaten path in Mexico you may need this mañana attitude but it can pay huge dividends. It allows you to find some real gems that don’t make it into the mainstream travel guides. If you decide to go to Jala however, pack your Lonely Planet Phrase book because not much English is spoken here.

Mexico is a land of contrasts. If you are planning a visit to this fascinating country, consider an excursion off the beaten path. You will see firsthand what this diverse place has to offer and you won’t be disappointed. 

Quilt Raises Dollars for Scholarships

 

 

 

 

This is the quilt made by Mavis Larmour and donated for the Fran Milski Education Fund. This is a fund administered by the Jaltemba Foundation where students can apply for help to attend a higher education facility. Currently we are helping to fund a medical student, a phycology student and a turism student. All hope to be able to help the local community when they complete their education.

 

 

The La Penita RV Park is committed to fund raising and supporting this fund in the memory of Fran Milski.

The quilt was won by Barbara Webber.

The raffle raised $16,370 pesos for the Fran Milski Education Fund

 

 

 

 

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Gulls: Flyboys of the Sea   

 Fourth in the seabird series

                      by Tara Spears

These sleek, soaring seabirds have long been the inspiration for artists and fishermen, such as the popular 1970’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull book that epitomized the self-discovery movement and spawned movies, posters, and music. What is it about these medium sized birds that captures the human imagination? Perhaps it is their effortless flight and diving antics as they pilfer food from pelicans or your picnic lunch that is so entertaining:  a day at the beach watching the gliding gulls is guaranteed to make you smile.

To read the entire Tara Spears Story click here

 

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