Podcasts about nuevo vallarta

In this episode, Taniel guides you through everything you need to know about investing in Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico's most sought-after coastal destinations for retirees and investors alike. Whether you're a baby boomer dreaming of a carefree retirement or a Gen X investor looking to diversify your portfolio, this episode is packed with practical tips, reassuring advice, and insider knowledge to help you make the best decision for your future. Taniel breaks down the sometimes overwhelming process of buying property in Mexico into a clear, three-step plan—from discovery calls that clarify your dreams all the way through to seamless closings with legal support. He also showcases Puerto Vallarta's unique appeal: strong property appreciation, affordable luxury, and a flourishing rental market, with spotlight segments on high-performing neighborhoods like the Romantic Zone, Marina Vallarta, Conchas Chinas, and Nuevo Vallarta. Tune in to learn how to turn the dream of a sun-soaked, worry-free retirement into reality—with expert help every step of the way. Plus, find out how to access a free buyer's guide and schedule your complimentary discovery call to start your journey toward the best chapter of your life. Don't miss out on a free webinar, where experts cover everything you need to know about relocating to Mexico—from the best places to live to essential healthcare information for expats. Register at dreamretirementinmexico.com/webinar.   Want to own a home in Mexico? Start your journey with confidence – download your FREE Taniel Chemsian Properties Buyer's Guide now for expert tips and clear steps to make it happen! Click here -  https://tanielchemsian.com/buyers-guide/   Contact Information: Email: info@tanielchemsian.com Website: www.tanielchemsian.com Mex Office: +52.322.688.7435

Golfer's Secret Weapon: Stem Cells for Miraculous Recoveries | Ep 174 | Great Canadian Sports Show Golfer's Secret Weapon: Stem Cells for Miraculous Recoveries | Ep 174 | Great Canadian Sports Show In this video, Joe Tilly is at the Vidanta Golf Course in beautiful Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, the site of the Mexican Open PGA Tour event. The focus is on the second part of a series about handling wear and tear on the bodies of golfers and athletes. Joe interviews Steve Anderson, the founder of Renue Medical Center in Mexico, where they discuss miraculous recoveries through stem cell therapy and exosome treatments. Steve shares his journey into the medical side of healthcare, driven by a personal experience with a degenerative disease. The conversation touches on the regulatory challenges in the US and Canada, the effectiveness of allogenic cells, and examples of athletes, including golfers like Fred Funk, Peter Kostis, and John Huston, benefiting from Renue's treatments. Steve emphasizes the personalized and comprehensive approach at Renue, addressing various health issues and promoting overall well-being. The video concludes with a recommendation to explore regenerative therapies at Renue Medical Center in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Renue Medical Center Elevate Your Quality of Life https://www.renue.healthcare#regenerativemedicine #stemcelltherapy #exosometherapy #athletehealth #golferhealth #sportsmedicine #painmanagement #injuryrecovery #wellness #health #fredfunk #peterkostis #johnhuston #reneumedicalcenter #steveanderson #mexicanstemcells #puertovallarta #vidanta #mexicanenopen #pgatour #wearandtear #futureofmedicine #medicaltourism #holistichealth #antiaging #biohacking #healthtips #medicalinterview #athletesuccess #golfswing #stemcellresearch #greatcanadiansportsshow #joetilley #medicaltourism #medicaltechnology

Happy Monday everyone!!!First off, we wanted to let everyone know that this isn't your traditional Listen Local episode. This show was all about (well mostly about) why we missed putting out a podcast last week!Colton was in Costa Rica with his wife Natalia as they went to visit the place where their coffee beans actually come from! Isaiah and Jacob on the other hand, were chillin on the beaches of Nuevo Vallarta with family and friends. As you'll hear in this episode, the majority of the no-show last week issue had to do with the poor wifi....Some of the main points of the stories discussed on this episode:·Colton and his Wife Tal's MN Traders adventure's to Costa Rica with Eric from Duluth Coffee Co. Colton REALLY dives into the whole coffee bean process·Isaiah gives his recap of what it was to see "real Mexico".·Jacob bargaining skills vs a vendor at the Market in Puerto Vallarta.·The whole crew dives into if Jacob actually fell in love in Mexico.·After storytime is over, they get back into BLA talk with prep for the Crosslake St. Paddy's Day Parade coming up!Last but not least... we would like to thank ALL of our 2023 sponsors - Hanneken Insurance, Lakes Area CPAs, Outlet Recreation Crosslake, and of course our presenting sponsor Tyler Gardner with Pequot Lakes and Gull Lake Sanitation! PLUS.... BREAKING NEWS... our pal Andy Vantresse and Posture Pro Chiropractic will be taking the sponsorship of all "How Local Are You" segments moving forward. So thanks to Andy and we're happy to have him on board. Instagram:ListenLocalMNBlazeAirMNWoodsToWaterMNNorthwoodsAgentFacebook:Listen Local MNBlazeAirMNWoodsToWaterMN

Estoy atacada con estos datos: los rayos UV y los factores externos generan el fotoenvejecimiento, además no pueden pasar mno pasar más de 4 horas sin fotoprotector, por esta razón invité a Adriana Reyes, Clínica Núcleo Médico Joya Riviera en Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit.

Become a Listening Time Member to receive my specialized training: https://www.patreon.com/listeningtime   Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LD1C1XbasGqD0KpqwsZ-6kwreeyDaWWh/view?usp=sharing   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listeningtime.english/?hl=es 

The American healthcare system is a scam designed for a very specific purpose - to gate-keep, make sure people remain sick, and extract money for years on end like a software subscription. As a result, things like stem cell therapy are heavily regulated to a point of suffocating all innovation and optimization. Some of the most cutting edge and capable practitioners have left the US, and provide their aging-resistance treatments in Mexico. In today's special on-location podcast, we're taking you inside Dream Body Clinic. The founder, Josh Ketner discusses their fly-in service, why optimization is thriving in Mexico, and all the amazing things stem cell therapy makes possible.    Growth hormone actually helps your cells replicate faster and more efficiently, which is the opposite of cancer. -Josh Ketner   Three Things We Learned    How America's optimization space suffocates innovationWhy did the FDA/medicine/allopathic brotherhood crack down so hard on stem cells? How to resist agingIf you're eating right, exercising and receiving precise, surgical doses of growth hormone and stem cell treatment would you ever need chronic medications? Dream Body's revolutionary strategy for combating facial agingWith everything we're finding out about Botox, is there a better option?     Guest Bio Josh Ketner is the founder of Dream Body Clinic. Dream Body Clinic's goal is simple, to provide people from around the world, access to medications and treatments that are difficult or impossible to get in their country of residence. Dream Body Clinic is located in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico because of the low amount of restrictions and regulations on medications and medical treatments. They have worked with incredible attorneys and doctors to ensure that their patients can get the medication or medical treatments they want. The team at Dream Body Clinic believe that big pharma has manipulated the system in most countries for their own gain and your pain. There is no big money in keeping people healthy for big pharma. They want treatments that you have to use continually and they can profit off of your pain for months or years on end. They provide medications and treatments that affect the root cause of issues instead of just cookie cutter fixes. For more information, head to https://dreambody.clinic/.

Comenzaremos la primera parte del programa hablando de la trágica muerte de unos migrantes de México y Centroamérica en la frontera de Estados Unidos; y de la reforma tributaria que propone el gobierno chileno. Hablaremos también del Día Internacional Libre de Bolsas Plásticas, celebrado el 3 de julio; y para finalizar, de la prohibición de fiestas en alojamientos de Airbnb.    En nuestra sección Trending in Latin America hablaremos del cambio de nombre de Nuevo Vallarta a Nuevo Nayarit. Cerraremos la emisión hablando de la polémica tras prohibir el lenguaje inclusivo en las escuelas de Buenos Aires. - Tragedia de Texas evidencia el peligro del tráfico de personas - Chile anuncia reforma tributaria - 3 de julio: Día Internacional Libre de Bolsas Plásticas - Airbnb prohíbe a los huéspedes realizar fiestas - ¿Por qué Nuevo Vallarta cambió de nombre? - La Ciudad de Buenos Aires prohíbe el lenguaje inclusivo en las escuelas

La máxima expresión del lujo llega a la exuberante naturaleza mexicana con The #Estates, el nuevo #hotel resort dentro de Vidanta #Nuevo Vallarta que marcará nuevos estándares en la categoría de #Luxury Travel para la #Riviera Nayarit.

A man watching the Cup on a restaurant patio is shot dead on a busy Sunday afternoon in Toronto. Another dies in a sidewalk ambush just outside a bus-tling college campus. Two men in a Vancouver hotel lobby are gunned down in an attack that sends an American soccer star scrambling for cover. In Mexico, a Canadian is killed at a Nuevo Vallarta coffee shop, his death barely registering amidst the terrifying death tolls of President Calderón's war on drugs and the cartels' response; while a Montreal cop is beaten within an inch of his life in a Playa del Carmen nightclub. An infamous heckler from an NBA Toronto Raptors game turns up dead in a bullet-riddled car in a midtown lane-way. Throughout the 2010s, these and other disparate acts of violence entered the public awareness like iso-lated tragedies - but there was nothing isolated about them.In this masterly investigation, veteran journalists Peter Edwards and Luis Nájera introduce listeners to the common cause of a near-decade of chaos. Meet the Wolfpack, millennial-aged gangsters from across the spectrum of Canada's underworld. Vying to fast-track their way into the criminal void left by the death of Montreal godfather Vito Rizzuto, the Wolfpack sought advantage in a steady supply of cocaine from El Chapo Guzmán's Sinaloa cartel, among the deadliest and most far-reaching of criminal organizations. The juniors had just stepped into the big leagues.This is the roiling landscape of The Wolfpack, a brilliant examination of a time of criminal disruption and rapid adaptation, when one gang's unchecked ambition unwittingly gave away the most hotly contested corner of the Canadian underworld without a fight. Brazen criminal disruptors or entitled upstarts looking to get rich without paying their dues - whatever you think of them, you will never forget the Wolfpack. THE WOLFPACK: The Millennial Mobsters Who Brought Chaos and the Cartels to the Canadian Underworld-Peter Edwards

Conoce más sobre la belleza con la que cuentan 2 de los destinos turísticos más impresionantes de la Bahía de Banderas: Nuevo Vallarta y Punta de Mita. Explora algunos de sus mas famosos paseos mientras descubres con nosotros 3 de sus mejores resorts para alojamiento.

Get to know more about the beauty that lays on 2 of the most impressive touristic destinations of the Banderas: Nuevo Vallarta and Punta de Mita. Explore some of their features while you discover with us 3 of its best resorts for accommodations.

Nick Reed is live on location at Scramblers Diner for the Friday Road Show. Here's what he covers: We have another Happy Hour this evening! Join us from 4 to 6 p.m. at Whiskey Tango! Today is the first day of one of five gas tax increases Gov. Parson passed. Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark, the U.S. Marine seen in viral footage pulling a baby over the wall outside of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, is being investigated after he appeared alongside former President Trump at a rally in Georgia. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6th protest at the U.S. Capitol issued another batch of subpoenas to Trump allies and several organizers of the rally that preceded Jan. 6th. ALSO - Chris Stark with Honor Flight of the Ozarks joins Nick Reed this morning: Honor Flight of the Ozarks has an upcoming event: Rick's Raffle The drawing will be held October 5th. Some of the amazing prizes include: 2021 John Deere UTV Gator 2021 John Deere Tractor Riding Lawn Mower 7-Night trip for 2 to Vidanta Resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico 5-Night trip for 4 to Outrigger Beachcomber Resort in Wakiki, Hawaii 1 in 50 chance to win one of the 100 Rick's Automotive Certificates 4-Day Pass to the 2022 PGA Korn Ferry Tour Price Cutter Charity Championship Presented By Dr Pepper (July 21-24, 2022) Tickets are just $20! Honor Flight of the Ozarks is in desperate need for veterans. Please contact Honor Flight to book your seat today!

Por fin tenemos un invitado en este canal, nos acompaña el Dr. Desús Jomínguez, cirujano de columna, para hablarnos sobre las hernias de disco intervertebral, desde el hotel Vidanta durante el congreso de AMCICO en Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit.

“I thought I was the only one worried about the planet and then, suddenly, there are other kids taking the chance to change things -- and I am sure it will empower other kids to do the same.” -Anna Taylor, organizer, "Youth for Climate" movement UK This week is all about youth and ocean protection! For this episode, I have a lovely chat with 18-year-old Summer Benjamin, an Antiguan-American student, ocean leader, pilot, and climate activist, based in the US Virgin Island of St Thomas. Summer has participated in several initiatives related to youth climate work, founding the Earth Warriors at Tahoe Expedition Academy and has participated in several international events including speaking at the POP International Conference and Festival in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, COY 15, the World Sustainable Development Forum in Durango, Mexico, the POP Ocean Virtual Summit, WAAS Global Leadership in the 21st Century e-conference and POP Ocean Youth-Led Action and Advocacy Workshop. Recently, she has started the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Virgin Islands Hub and continues her activism through beach clean-ups and ocean awareness initiatives. Our conversation focuses on the role that young people can play in protecting the Caribbean Sea as well as overcoming challenges youth face when it comes to being an effective agent of change. To learn more about Summer you can check out her Instagram and SOA's US Virgin Island Hub Instagram! Be sure to also follow me on all socials @ecovybz!

On this episode, we speak with Nuit Hernandez who is a Director of Sales with Marival Resorts. Marival Resorts owns three properties on the Pacific coast of Mexico; in Nuevo Vallarta, they have two properties, Marival Emotions & Marival Distinct, and they have their new luxury hotel in Punta de Mita, Marival Armony. On the destination side, we discuss Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, and all three Marival properties. On the business and sales side, we cover the importance of agent education, of qualifying clients and putting them first, and keeping perspective during difficult times. If you've been to an airport recently, you've probably noticed that travel is back in full swing, and with that, we're looking to expand our team at Modern Travelworks. We're currently seeking to fill positions in both service and sales, so if you have experience in travel, are a team player, and are interested in joining the Modern Team, please visit modern.travel/careers for our open positions. Marival Armony: https://www.marivalarmony.com/ Marival Distinct: https://www.marivaldistinct.com/ Marival Emotions: https://www.marivalemotions.com/ Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board: https://visitpuertovallarta.com/ Riviera Nayarit Tourism Board: https://www.rivieranayarit.com/ Earn Free Stays By Booking Marival: https://marivalrewards.com/ To contact Nuit with questions or request regarding Marival: nhernandez@marivalresorts.com

Stem cells have been a target of both curiosity and controversy for decades now, but what exactly are they? Where do they come from, and what can they do? Answering those questions is Joshua Kitner from the Dream Body Clinic in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Learn how stem cells are harvested, how they work, why practical use of stem cells today is ethical, and why they are the future of both medicine and beauty. More Info: Tatiana Moroz – https://www.tatianamoroz.com Crypto Media Hub – https://www.cryptomediahub.com Dream Body Clinic - https://dreambody.clinic Friends and Sponsors of the Show: The Tatiana Show – https://thetatianashow.com Global Crypto Advisors – http://globalcryptoadvisors.io *You have been listening to the Tatiana Show. This show may contain adult content, language, and humor and is intended for mature audiences. If that’s not you, please stop listening. Nothing you hear on The Tatiana Show is intended as financial advice, legal advice, or really, anything other than entertainment. Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Oh, and if you’re hearing us on an affiliate network, the ideas and views expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the network you are listening on, or of any sponsors or any affiliate products you may hear about on the show.

La franja costera del estado mexicano de Nayarit esconde una sucesión de pueblos con mucha alma. En esta aventura sonora recorremos la carretera federal 200 desde el extremo sur de la región, donde se levanta Nuevo Vallarta, una joven ciudad puramente hotelera junto a la playa. Más allá de esta excepción a la regla, la ruta discurre hacia el litoral más auténtico, donde el turismo se integra con la vida cotidiana de unas gentes cálidas, simpáticas y hospitalarias. Conducimos por túneles vegetales entre bosques húmedos y las estribaciones de la Sierra Madre Occidental, paisajes hechizantes que vamos saboreando en los cortos desplazamientos entre las paradas del camino. Comenzamos paseando por el peculiar pueblo ostrícola de Bucerías con Jorge Grimaldi, gerente del hotel Refugio del Mar. Además la propietaria de Mariscos El Chino, Rocío Andalón, nos invita a probar los famosos ostiones que hacen famoso al lugar. Más al norte, en el cercano pueblo de La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, el fundador de Argos Marine, Jason Foster, nos muestra la Marina Riviera Nayarit, un agradable puerto que da cobijo a embarcaciones de pesca y recreo. Nuestro recorrido continúa hasta Punta de Mita; desde allí, el guía Carlos Saldaña y el propietario de lanchas turísticas Isaí Pelayo nos permiten conocer la reserva marina de Islas Marietas, dos grandes formaciones rocosas con una inmensa riqueza de aves y fauna submarina. De vuelta en el continente, el artista wixárika Cilau Valadez nos recibe en el bohemio pueblo de Sayulita, donde el instructor de surf Héctor 'Papas' González nos anima a probar las olas de su playa principal. La siguiente escala la hacemos en San Francisco –alias San Pancho– para conversar con Angélica Contreras y Sergio Romo, propietaria y chef, respectivamente, del restaurante Las Palmas. En la avenida principal descubrimos dos magníficas iniciativas sociales que tienen el apoyo a la infancia como denominador común: el centro comunitario Entreamigos y el Circo de los Niños de San Pancho. El director de proyectos ambientales del primero, Abraham Vivas, y la coordinadora del segundo, Glades Castro, nos presentan sus actividades. El viaje enfila su recta final en Lo de Marcos, una aldea encajada entre la Sierra de Vallejo y la playa. Allí el responsable de Xplore México, Oliver Cruz, nos propone experiencias de naturaleza y aventura por los alrededores, incluida una travesía hasta la Isla de Coral. Con el capitán Mauricio Rosales navegamos hasta ese diminuto universo de biodiversidad frente a la costa de Rincón de Guayabitos. Histórico de emisiones: 14/12/19 Escuchar audio

En este episodio, hablamos con un representante de Riviera Nayarit. Tu seguramente has visitado, Nuevo Vallarta, Sayulita O Punta Mita, estos son parte de los micro destinos de Riviera Nayarit Esperamos que pronto puedas visitar uno de estos destinos y que este podcast te ayude a decidirte. Recuerda que aquí queremos darte tips de viaje y de nuevos destinos que puedes contemplar para tus viajes. Pongámonos metas y alcancémoslas En este podcast de viajes, la idea es llevarte información de viajes, y tips para que tengas un mejor viaje. De la misma manera Destinos de viaje, que tal vez no habías pensado. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recuerda que tenemos los episodios del podcast en casi todas las plataformas, y puedes ir a ellas a partir de este link. https://cutt.ly/FtZvxgN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recuerda que tamb...

Conoce esta magnifica propiedad y todas sus ventajas, en esta interesante capacitación

Reflect Nuevo Vallarta

Description de l’épisode : Beaucoup de personne connaissent le Mexique grâce à Cancun et Riviera Maya, par contre peu de gens connaissent les stations balnéaires que l’on retrouve du côté Pacifique de ce grand pays. Bien que la mer soit plus bleu émeraude que turquoise, la côte Pacifique plaira à plusieurs, que ce soit pour son côté ensoleillé que pour la découverte de paysage magnifique. À l’émission on parle de Puerto Vallarta et sa magnifique promenade, Nuevo Vallarta et ses plages de sable blanc; Los Cabos et le centre-ville historique de San Jose, Ixtapa et ses soirées animées puis la perle du pacifique ; Mazatlan, la nouvelle destination à la mode avec des vols directs de Montréal et Québec. Liens et ressources de l’épisode : Instagram : Stf_Bourlingueur Facebook : Bourlingueur StéphaneTellier

Podcast en vivo: Consejo emprendedor, Mi viaje a Nuevo Vallarta, Viral Internacional.

J.R. returns after an absence from the show and we are going to talk about Street Dogs and bugs, then I have two interviews from JR’s Meet and Greet at Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse. One with a couple of listeners Todd and Ginette from Canada, and the other an interview with the owner of Kelly’s Pour Favor, another Canadian Kelly Gauthier, but first, let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, April 4th, 2018. Listen to The Show [caption id="attachment_2779" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cantina[/caption] Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.   That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, [caption id="attachment_2022" align="alignright" width="300"] Vista Grill on The Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] The El Dorado Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into the ever so romantic Vista Grill with those dramatic views of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors. Of course, at La Palapa you can enjoy that same view of the Los Muertos Pier all day long for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends!   Subscribe On iTunes & Leave a Good Review Subscribe on Android With Spreaker This week I have a really fun show. JR returns after an absence from the show and we are going to talk about street dogs and bugs, then I have two interviews from JR’s Meet and Greet at Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse. One with a couple of listeners Todd and Ginette from Canada, and the other an interview with the owner of Kelly’s Pour Favor, Kelly Gauthier, but first, let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, April 4th, 2018. Spring Break and Pascua in Puerto Vallarta Spring break continues here in Vallarta as Mexicans celebrate Pascua this week. The week following Easter Sunday is called Pascua, which is the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. Pascua marks the release from the sacrifices of Lent. So, your 40 days of giving up tequila shots is over, and you can return to your own old ways of drunkenness and debauchery. And if you are in Vallarta this week, things are settling down from last week’s crowds and party madness. Still very busy this week don’t get me wrong, just not anything like last week. Still party party party, just a great time to be in Puerto Vallarta. Taking UBER In Puerto Vallarta Last week I said I would talk to you about taking UBER in Vallarta. Thought I would give you my report about my experiences. First off, I didn’t go all out and hail an Uber the minute I got off the plane, but if you want to do that, you can. You have to get off airport property to be picked up, so you have to cross the bridge over highway 200 with all of your luggage in tow, but you can do it. It’s much cheaper, but do you want to schlep all your belongings out of the terminal, go up the steep ramp to the bridge, then down the equally steep side coming back? In the tropical heat after a long plane ride? Well, to each his or her own I guess. [caption id="attachment_1463" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Bridge at Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1465" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Bridge at Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1464" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Bridge at Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] What I used Uber for was when I wanted to get from my Airbnb over in the Downtown area to let’s say, the southside late at night, like 11 or 12 AM, I checked the price which was like 30 or 40 pesos and just had to do it. The driver came almost instantly in a really nice white Nissan Sedan, and picked me up right in front of the condo and dropped me off at Andales. On the way back, I took a cab. So, it’s not like I used it all the time, in fact, just a couple of times but it worked really well.  Just remember the things that we have talked about in the past and that is, don’t put yourself or the Uber driver in danger by hailing them in front of Hotels, Taxi Stands, Streets that dead end into the Malecon and such, these are places where taxis congregate, and you just don’t want to tempt fate. That’s why summoning one from my Airbnb condo was not a problem. No taxi cabs hanging around. Also remember that although Uber drivers do cross state lines from Jalisco into Nayarit, they can only drop off in Nuevo Vallarta, they can’t pick up. So you will be taking a taxi home, not an Uber if you have crossed state lines. So next time you go to PV, make sure you have the Uber app downloaded on your phone and get your credit card all hooked up, and do it. You don’t need pesos, it’s cashless so no need to have proper change you know, It does come in handy for sure. J.R.'s Meet and Greet at Pour Favor Time Change Just a reminder that the clocks sprang forward on Sunday so that means that JR’s Tuesday evening Meet and Greet at Kelly’s Pour Favor [caption id="attachment_2796" align="aligncenter" width="763"] J.R in P.V.[/caption] Saloon and Cookhouse is now at 6:30 and not 5:30. So make a note, if you want to see JR in all his glory, and you have questions for him, you can always catch him there at Pour Favor Tuesdays. Just stop by, have a drink, buy him one, listen to some rock and roll and have fun. J.R.'s 78th Birthday at Que Pasa April 22nd Speaking of JR, his birthday bash is coming up this month April 22 at Que Pasa, starting at 5 in the afternoon. Sylvie and the Zippers will be [caption id="attachment_2773" align="alignright" width="651"] JR's Birthday Party[/caption]     playing, JR’s turning 78 you guys! I can’t believe it! Anyway, there is new ownership at Que Pasa and I can’t wait to get down there and see how he is running the place. Maybe he’ll talk with me who knows. But if you are in town, go wish JR a Happy 78th birthday. Buy him some drinks, bring him gifts, cash, whatever you have. I have information and the flyer to the party in the show notes of this episode so check it out and get down to Que Pasa and dance and drink and celebrate with my buddy JR. Okay, let’s get on with the show. Listen to The Show J.R in PV About Ants and Stray Dogs in Puerto Vallarta [caption id="attachment_2782" align="alignright" width="300"] Coco the Dog, King of Olas Altas[/caption] When I come to PV, one of the first things I do, is hook up with JR and have a drink at the Thirsty Cougar, or Bar La Playa and talk about my plans for my visit. JR is my go to guy when I need some great ideas for interviews as you know. And he is always there to introduce me to people I want to interview, but don’t know well enough.  So we usually catch up on local gossip, coordinate an outing or two, and then touch base along the way. I was hanging at his place and we started to talk about stray dogs and bugs in Puerto Vallarta, and I didn’t have my recorder with me. I hate it when that happens. So, I asked him to hold that thought till I got home. I hooked up with him the other day, and we talked about little ants, and stray dogs and famous Street dogs in town, so let’s get to Puerto Vallarta Mexico and talk with the birthday boy himself, John Russell, JR in PV. Listen to The Podcast [caption id="attachment_2783" align="alignnone" width="300"] Scooby Doo Alaska Diner[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2812" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] My Favorite Vallarta Stray Dog[/caption] All right, I have pictures of Scooby do and Coco the dog in the Show Notes for this episode. Funny, the two dogs look like they could definitely be related. Now for the recipe for the Borax and sugar solution for the sugar ants Wiki how says… Mix 1/2 C sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp Borax, and 1.5 C warm water. Soak cotton balls in the mixture, and put them out near the mess of ants. The sugar attracts the ants, and they'll take the Borax with it back to their home. If you have small children or pets, be sure that you keep them away from the Borax, and always wash your hands after using. Note: Thanks to several commenters who add that: If your ants don’t seem to be attracted to sugar, try mixing in some peanut butter instead. They may have a savory tooth rather than a sweet tooth! Just like people, insects are all different… I have a link to the recipe in the show notes. https://www.mashupmom.com/yes-borax-got-rid-of-the-ants/ Listeners Todd and Ginette From Alberta Canada Next up, I always join JR when I’m in town for his Meet and Greet, and piggyback on his event and invite listeners to let me know what they are [caption id="attachment_2768" align="alignright" width="480"] Todd and Ginette on a PV Bus[/caption] doing in Paradise. I even offered t shirts this time. Well, I had just set up microphones and a band was warming up when two listeners came in and introduced themselves, they were Todd and Ginette from Alberta Canada and I think we were both well the three of us were equally excited to be meeting one another. I gave them t shirts, and almost immediately Todd disappears and reappears with the t-shirt on. I love that guy! Anyway, I asked them if they wanted to tell us what they were doing in Vallarta and they said yes! So let’s hear from listeners Todd and Ginette from Pour Favor Saloon and cookhouse in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Listen to The Podcast So I have all the tips from Todd and Ginette in the shownotes and she also emailed me her favorite coffee places. They are…. La Bodeguita del cafe Calle Panama 117A col. 5 de 322 223 8040 cell. Labodeguitadelcafe.com.mx Dee's Coffee Southside of Puerto Vallarta Page in the Sun Southside of Puerto Vallarta Check them out in the show notes. El Nogalito Puerto Vallarta Community Center Project [caption id="attachment_2774" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] El Nogalito Project Website[/caption] Places They Have Stayed: Riu, Nuevo Vallarta Royal Decameron, Bucerias Garza Blanca, Puerto Vallarta They Love the Cinco de Diciembre Neighborhood Favorite Places to Eat La Cigale French Bistro Kelly's Pour Favor El Rio BBQ, Paso Ancho Pepe's Taco, Puerto Vallarta All the Taco Stands  Favorite is Tacos La Hormiga Next to Guadalajara Farmacia and Near the Pier Or just beer and a bag of cookies on the beach! Advice to First Time Visitors: Stay in Puerto Vallarta, not Nuevo Vallarta [caption id="attachment_2809" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Tacos La Hormiga, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2810" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Tacos La Hormiga[/caption] Kelly Gauthier of Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse [caption id="attachment_2793" align="alignright" width="221"] Kelly Gauthier[/caption] Now the next interview is with the owner and chief bottle washer at JR’s favorite Meet and Greet location, Kelly Gauthier. Kelly was a real surprise. She has a heart of gold as you will find out. She loved Vallarta so much, she set out to improve on a place that was already there, and transform it into a cozy place that would be your home away from home, your family in a strange land, and a place where you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner, get live music and even have a great view overlooking Lazaro Cardenas. It has a rooftop patio with bar, and music, and great seating, well you just have to see it, and you just have to hear from Kelly so let’s go to the new second story patio bar at Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse, on the Southside of Puerto Vallarta and meet Kelly Gauthier! [caption id="attachment_2802" align="aligncenter" width="844"] Vallartainfo.com[/caption] Address for Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Lázaro Cárdenas 245, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico Phone 52-322-107-1252 Kelly's Pour Favor Facebook Page Kitchen Specialties are Ribs Meatloaf Fish and Chips Enchilada Dip Canadian Breakfast with eggs, bacon and pan fries for 59 pesos Kelly's Favorite Places Beach Bar La Coretta, Puerto Vallarta No Way Jose, Puerto Vallarta Barcelona Tapas, Puerto Vallarta Advice For a First Time Visitor to Puerto Vallarta Don't stay in an all inclusive     Listen to The Podcast La Trez Cuartoz at Kelly's Pour Favor Produced by Bob McCuaig [caption id="attachment_2775" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse[/caption] That should do it for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. [caption id="attachment_2780" align="alignright" width="300"] Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2784" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. [caption id="attachment_2786" align="alignright" width="300"] Upstairs Lounge at Pour Favor[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2788" align="alignleft" width="300"] Upstairs Lounge at Pour Favor[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2787" align="alignright" width="300"] Upstairs Lounge at Pour Favor[/caption] And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes. [caption id="attachment_2776" align="alignright" width="300"] Daily Special Board at Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2772" align="alignright" width="293"] Mural at Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2777" align="alignright" width="300"] Menu Board at Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2770" align="alignright" width="231"] Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]   And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. [caption id="attachment_2792" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Stairway to Upper Deck[/caption] So, thanks to JR, and Ginette and Todd, and to Kelly Gauthier. Stop by and have a meal, a drink, catch JR at a Tuesday Meet and Greet, catch a live band every night! La Trez Cuartoz Tuesdays to top off the meet and greet. Man o man! And that upstairs patio. I love it up there. It’s way cool. [caption id="attachment_2791" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The Street Below Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse[/caption] I have pictures of it in the show notes and I have links to Kelly’s and maps and links to all the things that Kelly, Ginette and Todd talked about too so check it out!   And hey, thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_2794" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Kelly Gauthier[/caption]

An Interview with Danny Mininni, Owner of Act II Entertainment Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We Talk about His Lovely Theater and What It's Like to Run a Business in Puerto Vallarta. Semana Santa in Puerto Vallarta is in Full Swing and Learn how to Make Aguas Frescas Listen to The Podcast [caption id="attachment_2719" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El Dorado Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into the ever so romantic Vista Grill with those dramatic views of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors. Of course, at La Palapa you can enjoy that same view of the Los Muertos Pier all day long for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! This week I have a really great guest for you, Danny Mininni from Act II Entertainment Stages, but first, what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta the 28th of March, 2018. Semana Santa Semana Santa is in full swing in Puerto Vallarta as we head into Easter Sunday, comes Pascua, and another week of Spring Break for tourists and locals and the surrounding towns and cities in Nayarit and Jalisco. So, Occupancy rates are through the roof. The beaches are crowded and well, this time of year along with New Years and Christmas are the busiest times to be in Puerto Vallarta. Now with that being said, if you are going to be in town, make sure you stay safe, and follow all the safety procedures we’ve covered before. No fancy jewelry, don’t lay down your cell phone somewhere. Be aware of your surroundings, don’t get too drunk and stumble all over the place. [caption id="attachment_878" align="alignright" width="300"] Tell Us Your Taxi Story in Puerto Vallarta[/caption] Take cabs late at night. Oh, and by the way, next week I’ll talk about the Uber situation. I took Uber last time and it worked great. Took taxis too, don’t get me wrong, but Uber works in Vallarta. And also speaking about taxis, they will be looking to gouge you this time of year so don’t get mad, do the math in your head and decide if an extra buck is going to ruin your day okay? And another thing, Uber works on a scale according to availability so Uber is not always the cheapest way to go if it’s high volume time. But we’ll talk about that next week. Aguas Frescas In last week’s episode I was interviewing Mavi Graf from Arte Culinario, her cooking classes and catering services and so forth, and in listening back to the conversation, I noticed I passed up an opportunity to probe further when she asked me if I knew what Aqua Fresca was. And I answered, yes, but what I really should have said was yes, I love aguas Frescas, how do you make them? So, I went online and found out a bunch of stuff. Agua Fresca can be made with fruits, vegetables, even rice and other grains. And you have seen aguas frescas in Vallarta as this concoction in these huge glass jars, very colorful juices, and the venders dip a ladle into the jar, mix it up a little so you get some of the pulp from the fruit of whatever you have in the concoction, and pour it into a cup. All you are doing when you make this is taking let’s say watermelon, you cut up about 2 cups of watermelon and throw it into a blender and cover it with water. Maybe another 2 cups of water, then you just blend. Then add sugar to taste. You can use strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumber, all kinds of stuff. And you can combine fruits with vegetables. Mix in mint, all sorts of stuff. It’s really easy to do at home and it’s a great way to use fruit that is on the edge. And it’s so natural and refreshing. You need to try it next time you are in town if you haven’t. Abuela's Kitchen While I was researching Aguas Frescas, I stumbled upon a youtube channel that I wanted to share with you called Abuela's Kitchen. It features Abuela's, which is grandmother in Spanish, and it’s filmed and produced by the granddaughter who has her 84 year old Abuela teach us how to cook Mexican Food. The cool thing about the show is that the grandmother speaks Spanish only, and there are English subtitles, and the granddaughter also explains things in English and Spanish. The Abuela is so cute, sometimes the granddaughter speaks to her in English, asking her a question, and the grandmother rolls her eyes and says, espanol, espanol. It’s so sweet. Anyway, not to take away from the local Vallarta cooking classes, but this is a good way to learn some Spanish, and how to cook at the same time. Follow Abuela's Blog Listener E-Mail I got this email from listener Skip. Skip if you remember was going to be spending a month in Vallarta and reached out to me for suggestions and sent me quite a few of his own. Anyway, Skip just got back from his stay in Nuevo Vallarta and he wants to share some of his experiences with us, so here goes….   Barry, I have been back a couple weeks now from our month-long Airbnb stay in the PV area. I want to share some of my experiences with you a little bit at a time. A lot of what I wish to share relates to the help your podcasts provided me in my adventures. I wish to extend a personal thank you to "Brett in Seattle" who told us listeners about the FMM on line web site. [caption id="attachment_2755" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] FMM Online[/caption] The forms do not look a lot like the official paper forms that the flight attendant hands out and that worried me. Still, I filled them out on line and printed them for myself and my wife and every visitor we had during that month. The web site only allows forms to be submitted within 30 days of the arrival date in Mexico. The official paper forms are divided horizontally and the online forms are divided vertically. I was also concerned that the back of the online form needed to be inverted so I printed them both ways. When I asked our flight attendant about these forms she said that the airlines get fewer forms to hand out to passengers as time progresses and that Mexican officials want travelers to use the online forms- neatly filled out and generally error free.  She said that very few people use them. The forms worked perfectly for me and all of our guests! The custom official looked at it twice- seemingly a bit surprised- and stamped both the left and right sides (entry and exit) and never even looked at the back of the form I had been concerned about. I had perforated a vertical line in the middle for easy separation and he smiled and nodded when I said "perforado". When we left the airport agent again looked trice at it before stapling it to our ticket. I had attempted to fill out a Customs Declaration online but could not find a current one. I did bring a current blank one home with me and will scan it for our next trip. You may wish to ask your listeners if anyone has done this. I will share more in the coming weeks.  FMM Online Get Your Tourist Visa Online Here! Okay Skip, Thanks for that report. And I’m looking forward to more in the coming weeks. And Thanks again to Brett-in Seattle, I also used the online form last time down and it really does work folks! Okay let’s get to the show. Act II Entertainment Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [caption id="attachment_2745" align="aligncenter" width="336"] Danny Mininni Act II Entertainment Stages[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2731" align="alignright" width="340"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Gary Beck and I did an episode on entertainment in Puerto Vallarta, and if you haven’t heard it, you may want to listen. Gary is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to food and entertainment in Puerto Vallarta so listen to his episode on restaurants too, but back to entertainment, he talks about our next guest, Danny Mininni with such excitement and joy. Danny is the guy in charge at his place Act II Entertainment Stages on Basillio Badillo on the southside of Puerto Vallarta. Walking in from the street, it’s a large building with lots happening inside. A beautiful Bar and lounge area, and then the stages. Theaters. I’m going to let Danny describe the place to you and allow him to tell you his story, about how his vision came to fruition, and more, so let’s go right now to 330 Basillio Badillo, on the Southside of Puerto Vallarta, in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood and meet Danny Mininni, owner of Act II. [caption id="attachment_1338" align="alignleft" width="300"] Gary Beck on Entertainment in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2723" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Bar at Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Listen to The Podcast   [caption id="attachment_2727" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Thank you, Danny, Man, that guy is busy! I have all his information in the show notes including contact info, links to their website and great photos of Act II Stages so go check them out at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. Including the restaurants that Danny loves. And his breakfast favorite Mi Café? I love Mi Café and you can hear about that place in the episode I had with the owner there Adalberto Perez. I have a link to that episode in the show notes as well if you haven’t heard that already. [caption id="attachment_2728" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] That should do it for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. [caption id="attachment_2753" align="aligncenter" width="851"] JR's Map of Act II Entertainment Stages, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Danny's Favorite Places to Eat Breakfast Mi Cafe, Puerto Vallarta-----Likes the Tortilla Española Coco's Kitchen, Puerto Vallarta [caption id="attachment_876" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mi Cafe, Puerto Vallarta, México[/caption] Dinner Bravos Restaurant, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico----Likes the Caesar Salad, Shrimp with Risotto, Carrot Cake for Desert.  Di Vino Dante, Puerto Vallarta, México Joe Jack's Fish Shack, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Archie's Wok, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Hole in the Wall Eat at David's, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico----- Likes the Tuesday Fried Chicken and Meatloaf Snack Shop on the corner of Olas Altas and Basillio Badillo. The Wild and Hungry Cougar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico---Likes the Salisbury Steak Favorite Day Trip San Sebastián del Oeste and-------- Eats at Montebello Italian Restaurant, San Sebastian  Nicest Property in Vallarta---- La Cima #1 Ground Floor Puerto Vallarta Favorite Hotel Casa Karma Boutique Hotel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Advice to a First Time Visitor to Puerto Vallarta Don't Rent a Car Explore the Neighborhoods Go to The Beaches South of Vallarta like a Panga From Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Take in at least One Show at Act II. 27 Shows Per Week! Visit the Botanical Garden for Great food and a Walk Down to The River Have a  Ziplining Day Have a ATV Tour Day Contact Act II Entertainment Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Like the Act II Facebook Page Click Here Like the Red Room Cabaret Facebook Page Shows at Act II Entertainment Stages Act II Entertainment Stages Website Address: Basilio Badillo 330, Altos, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., México Phone: +52 322 222 1512     [caption id="attachment_2724" align="alignright" width="606"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2725" align="alignleft" width="450"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2721" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.   And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. So, thanks to Danny Mininni from Act II Entertainment Stages.  Make sure next time you are in Vallarta to take some time and see a show. It’s a really nice place for sure. Hey get some culture while in Mexico next time all right? And hey, thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_2733" align="alignleft" width="288"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_2732" align="alignleft" width="757"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2734" align="alignleft" width="234"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2735" align="alignleft" width="722"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2736" align="alignleft" width="587"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2737" align="alignleft" width="613"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2720" align="alignleft" width="960"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2726" align="alignleft" width="1000"] Act II Entertainment Stages Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]

What is Required to Obtain Temporary Residency, Permanent Residency, Work Visas and Student Visas in Mexico?  What if you want to become a Mexican Citizen? An interview with Mexican Attorney Lic. Felix Zarate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico about Immigration from the United States and Canada to Mexico. Also, the Puerto Vallarta Craft Beer Festival Comes to The Cuale Island to Benefit the Art Center   Listen to The Podcast Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El [caption id="attachment_194" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Dorado Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into the ever so romantic Vista Grill with those dramatic views of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors. Of course, at La Palapa you can enjoy that same view of the Los Muertos Pier all day long for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! This week we have a very special guest, Lic. Felix Zarate, my friend and Mexican Attorney of Zarate and Law Associates here in Puerto Vallarta, [caption id="attachment_287" align="alignright" width="227"] Lic. Felix Zarate[/caption] and we are going to be talking about immigration but not to the US or Canada, no, we are talking about immigrating to Mexico, but first let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 15th of November, 2017.   It seems Craft Beer is making a splash in paradise lately with several in Puerto Vallarta Proper. We spoke with one local brewpub, Reid and Miranda at Monzon Brewing Company. Well, as I mentioned last week, there is a craft beer festival planned for this weekend and I told you I would bring on my buddy Edgar to talk about it so let’s go to Puerto Vallarta and hear about it from my amigo Edgar Cisneros… [caption id="attachment_1876" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Craft Beer Festival PV[/caption] Like Edgar said, there’s so much happening in the local Mexican craft beer world today. Like I said, we have Monzon, There’s Los Muertos Brewery, Cervecería Yambak from Sayulita, Cervecería Nebulosa from Brazil, Cervecería Los Cuentos in Puerto Vallarta,  The Beer Box Prime in Puebla,  Cerveza Minerva from Guadalajara, Euro Cervezas in Mexico City, all these great breweries. I have all the links to their Facebook pages in the shownotes of this episode so check them out. Great Craft Beers here in Mexico! Who Knew?   https://www.facebook.com/Cerveceria-YamBak-220273431366326/ https://www.facebook.com/Cerveceria-Minerva-Puerto-Vallarta-140614419296847/ https://www.facebook.com/thebeerbox.prime/ https://www.facebook.com/EuroCervezas/ https://www.facebook.com/MonzonBrewing/ https://www.facebook.com/lmbcfvilla/ https://www.cervezaartesanalmexicana.mx/cervecerias-artesanales/los-cuentos Last week I was telling you about an email I got from listener Skip. I have a long show so I just want to answer one of his questions here and it has to do with buses and transportation and it goes like this…. Your podcasts have given me a huge list of options for dining - most of them in the Zona Romantica. In Feb 2018 we are staying in Nuevo Vallarta.  It was a tradeoff for a great 3/3 oceanfront condo on Airbnb.  On day 1, I plan to figure out the bus system from Nuevo to Walmart in PV (thanks to JR). Can a person walk to the Romantic Zone from Walmart? I have been on the malecon and to the Cathedral but have never yet seen the Los Muertos pier. It seems that most of what I want to see and do is on Basilio Badillo or Lazaro Cardenas or near by there. Ok, this is a good opportunity to review the bus system and getting around on buses in Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta. … You can get links to this information with maps and more in the shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. http://visit-vallarta.com/essentials/transportation/bus-routes-and-bus-fares/ Thanks for the questions Skip, I have more answers to your questions coming up next week, I promise. Also, Skip was kind enough to send me his pick for one of the ten most unusual things a person should try to do while in Puerto Vallarta, and so if any of you want to pitch in your ideas, come on, and send me some. Thanks’ Skip! Skip understands what this podcast is all about. Write in you guys. It’s easy to do just go to the Contact Us tab at the top of the website and click and send me a message. Okay! Let’s get to our guest… We hear all the time about how Mexicans can’t wait to get out of Mexico and move north but how often do you hear about North Americans, more precisely Americans and Canadians, wanting to move, or at least become Temporary or Permanent Residents of Mexico? According to census information, there are over one million Americans, US citizens living in Mexico, over 125,000 Canadians at least part of the year. Some of the Americans are in Mexico illegally. Imagine that! I got an email from listener…who wanted to hear about the process of obtaining temporary residency. I told her that I would have my favorite attorney in Puerto Vallarta come on board and talk a little about what's going on today with immigration to Mexico. So I called Lic. Felix Zarate, he is my favorite Mexican Attorney, and he agreed to come on the show and talk a little about the immigration process. He invited me to his condo in Vallarta to talk so let’s go there right now…. We hear all the time about how Mexicans can’t wait to get out of Mexico and move north but how often do you hear about North Americans, more precisely Americans and Canadians, wanting to move, or at least become Temporary or Permanent Residents of Mexico? I got an email from listener…who wanted to hear about the process of obtaining temporary residency. I told her that I would have my favorite attorney in Puerto Vallarta come on board and talk a little about what's going on today with immigration to Mexico. Listen to The Podcast I love Felix. He really knows the law in Mexico. Let’s review what we learned and I want to expand on what Felix told us with information I got from the Mexican Consulate locally here in Los Angeles. I’m going to address both Canadians and Americans here and I will have links to all of the information I’m going to give you, right in the show notes to this episode of the Podcast that you will find at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. Links For Canadian Mexican Visas Canadian Visa application form Canadian Temporary Resident Visa Canadian Permanent Resident Visa Student Temporary Resident Visa List of Fees List of All Visas https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/leamington/index.php/non-mexicans/visas/115-temporary-resident-visa Link For US Citizen Mexican Visas US Temporary Resident Visa Application Form Retired income holder (temporary) Permanent Resident Visa (Retired) Student Temporary Resident Visa List of All Visas https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/sandiego/index.php/visas?id=460 I love Felix. He really knows the law in Mexico. Let’s review what we learned and I want to expand on what Felix told us with information I got from the Mexican Consulate locally here in Los Angeles. I’m going to address both Canadians and Americans here and I will have links to all of the information I’m going to give you, right in the show notes to this episode of the Podcast that you will find at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. Well, that should do it for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. So, thanks to Lic. Felix Zarate, my favorite lawyer in Puerto Vallarta, and thanks to Edgar Cisneros Check out all the things we talked about in the shownotes of  this episode of the show at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. So thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! Click Here for Contact for Felix Zarate  

An Interview With Edgar Lopez From Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours in Puerto Vallarta. We Talk about the Jorullo Bridge and Ziplining. Also Uber in PV and Frida Kahlo Subscribe on iTunes & Leave a Good Review   Listen to The Podcast! Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El Dorado [caption id="attachment_194" align="aligncenter" width="5312"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El  Dorado transforms into The Vista Grill. That’s the that we all have grown to know and love over the years, the Vista Grill that used to be up on the hill, well now it has a new vista and that is right on the beach where you get the same Vista Grill Menu, and the fantastic Vista Grill service and what’s best, is it’s right there on the beach with a dramatic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night with beautiful colors. You can enjoy dinner under the stars, with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. ! It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! Today we have a special show but first, what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 11th of July, 2017. [caption id="attachment_809" align="alignright" width="233"] UBER in Puerto Vallarta[/caption] For the last couple of weeks I have been reporting back to you in the saga of the arrival of Uber into the Bahia de Banderas. Uber is in Puerto Vallarta and in Nuevo Vallarta, and the taxi unions are mad as all get out. I have been watching and reading reports of taxi drivers acting badly. They are not taking this invasion of Uber sitting down. They are in some cases, getting a little violent. So this week, I want to give you travelers some tips and you will do well by listening to them and well, taking my advice. First of all, Uber drivers are not allowed to pick up at the airport or the Marina, so right off the bat, any of you who are thinking hey, I’ll just summon up an Uber ride at the airport, forget it. They are not allowed. Be careful if you are being picked up by a by a friend or relative at the airport, for safety sake and to avoid being mistaken for an Uber user and your friend, an Uber driver, make sure you greet your friend with a hug or a kiss, and sit in the front passenger seat of the car. If you are actually taking an Uber ride outside of the airport area, hop in the front seat and say something like. “Thanks amigo”, and shake hands. That way you look like friends and not driver and fare. When waiting for your Uber driver, try to avoid staring at your mobile device. Taxi drivers can detect an Uber user from a mile away. Be careful. Don’t be staring at your phone. Don’t wait for your Uber ride near a taxi stand or places where taxis wait to pick up rides like in front of your hotel or a restaurant or where taxis congregate and wait for fares like near the Malecon. And.. Finally, if you have to be somewhere on time, like at the airport to catch your flight, take a cab for goodness sake. You don’t want to take the chance that you will be blocked in by a bunch of angry taxistas, waiting you out in your Uber ride, until you have to abandon that ride and hop in their cab. I saw a news report the other day and a tourist and his Uber driver were blocked by a bunch of taxi drivers and the taxi drivers coaxed the tourist out of the car, offering him a free ride to the airport. Wow! Even that Uber user couldn’t turn that deal down. Sheesh! Uber Puerto Vallarta Click Here Hey, just remember, cabs are cheap by US and Canadian standards here in Puerto Vallarta and a cab ride back to the airport from your condo or hotel, is actually less expensive than the federal taxis out of the airport, so take a cab back to the airport. Look, I get it. I understand the tendency to use up all of your pesos in your pocket before you depart Mexico, and I’m pretty sure that many Uber users out there are thinking, I really don’t want to go to the ATM to exchange money for a taxi ride to the airport, I’ll just use Uber. No cash needed. But really, Listen to me, be on the safe side and use a yellow taxi back to the cruise ship or to the airport. It’s cheap. Don’t cheap out and end your stay in paradise on a sour note guys, just saying! Now I know some of you more seasoned Puerto Vallarta travelers are too cheap to pay for an airport taxi, and choose to lug all of your luggage and bags out of [caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Taxi Pay Window in the Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] the airport lobby doors and cross over the bridge to the other side of the carratera and hail a cab from the spot under the bridge next to Tacon de Marlin, but how smart is that? I mean there you are, actually penny pinching on vacation, in the tropical heat after a long flight. I mean really? Really? Oh well. To each his own. Now the Tacon de Marlin thing, that’s for another show,  but I just say get used to the fact that you will be taking that Federal Airport Taxi to your hotel, condo or resort when you get into Puerto Vallarta. I have all the information in episode 3 of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show where I talk about what to expect when you land at the Puerto Vallarta Airport. I also have a picture of the most current airport taxi rates in the show notes for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Frida Kahlo’s 110th Birthday [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HLEVthozXM[/embed] If you have ever been to Puerto Vallarta, or if you do plan on going, you most probably see a painting of a lady’s face. You will find her on beach towels, posters, [caption id="attachment_1007" align="alignright" width="288"] Frida Kahlo[/caption] prints, She is usually painted with her black hair up in a bun piled on her head adorned with flowers or comb’s. She has this uni-brow, these dark arched eyebrows connected in the center. Those of you who have been to Vallarta, have you seen her? Well she is Frida. And Frida Kahlo was one of Mexico’s most beloved artists, and she was quite a woman with a very interesting life. She was born in Coyocan, in Mexico City in 1907, Although she died at the young age of 47, she lives on today in Puerto Vallarta. Frida contracted Polio when she was 6, and the disease did a number on her right leg and foot which caused her to limp. At the age of 18, she was riding a bus with a friend when it collided with a trolley car and she was impaled by a steel handrail which went into her hip. And out the other side fracturing her pelvis and her spine. It was during the recuperation from the accident when Frida took up painting. At the age of 21 she sought out the famous Mexican muralist and fellow communist Diego Rivera whom she ended up marrying he was easily 20 years her senior. She was a surrealist painter, and she liked to paint portraits of herself. Over 55 of them. That’s why you see so many portraits of her face. She and Rivera were a force to be reckoned with but Diego couldn’t be true. They divorced and remarried. She even had an affair with the famous Leon Trotsky who actually lived in exile under her roof for two years with Diego and his own wife Trotsky’s own wife Natalia, in Coyocan, Mexico City.  Yes Frida and Diego were big in the Communist party. [caption id="attachment_1008" align="alignleft" width="225"] Frida Kahlo with Monkeys[/caption] There was a falling out between Diego and Trotsky,  and his wife moved out of the Kahlo Rivera compound, and a year and a half later, one of Joseph Stalin’s henchmen put an ice axe through Trotsky’s skull. Teach the pointy bearded dude to mess with Frida. Boom. Okay, I could go on and on about Frida Kahlo, but there’s not enough time for that today. I do have a couple of links and a great YouTube video about her that you can check out on my website at www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com. For More About Frida Kahlo, Click Here So why Frida and Puerto Vallarta? It’s the art man. The Art! Canopy River Zip-line Adventure Tours [caption id="attachment_942" align="aligncenter" width="784"] Canopy River Zipline Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Okay, let’s get to our guest. Listen to The Podcast I saw this great post about this suspension bridge in Puerto Vallarta that is like 4 or 5 football fields long. I saw pictures of it and just wanted to find out more [caption id="attachment_992" align="alignright" width="230"] Edgar Lopez, Canopy River[/caption] about it so JR checked it out for me and said Barry, you need to talk to these people at Canopy River. They have this bridge, ziplines, hikes and an incredible Saturday and Sunday brunch that will blow your mind. This place is in the rain-forest and on Ejido land. Now we will talk a little about the Ejido in the conversation, but we are going to talk Ejidios in a podcast coming up soon, but let me read a bit about the history of the Ejido and from the mission statement here at Canopy River.. HISTORY: El Jorullo was founded in 1940 with 180 inhabitants and 157 ejidatarios and it belongs to the Association of Foresters North Coast Jalisco. It is mainly dedicated to the cultivation of various seeds, who are planted through a method that inhabitants adapted to the mountainous area -these seeds are distributed in Puerto Vallarta and its surroundings. Crafting is another main activity of this community, they use wood and skins to produce from centerpieces to figures carved in different materials and clothing accessories. The third main activity is tourism, as the area offers an impressive variety of natural settings; the contrast between the mountains and the beach is of great impact for local and international tourists, making this ejido a unique jewel in Mexico. MISSION: We are a united cooperative, solid and sustainable, with a team of collaborators qualified and committed, we conserve and protect our ecosystem, dedicated to create new experiences for our visitors accomplishing for them to live the best moment of their lives, waking up the greatest emotions in spiritual communion with nature, in a paradise, natural environment, that motivates the great and secure adventure exceeding their expectations. So let’s go to and have a talk with one really great guy. Edgar Lopez is a Puerto Vallarta Native at Canopy River. [caption id="attachment_1003" align="aligncenter" width="357"] JR on the Jorullo Bridge Courtisy of Janet Kander[/caption] Listen to The Podcast Restaurants Edgar Likes to eat at in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Breakfast Memo's Pancake House Cafe de Olla Los Alcatraces [caption id="attachment_1035" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Waterfall Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] Lunch The Happy Lobster Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Panchos Tacos, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Cenaduria Ceilia Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [caption id="attachment_1324" align="alignnone" width="300"] La Langosta Feliz[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1031" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Jorullo Suspension Bridge Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] Dinner Fajita Republic, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico La Dulce Vida, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico La Terraza de Roma, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [caption id="attachment_1036" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Waterfall Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] Hole in The Wall Surprise Restaurant Burros Bar,  Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Canto Del Mar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico La Langosta Loca, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [caption id="attachment_1026" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Waterfall Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] Places Not to Miss Los Arcos Marine Preserve, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Walk the Malecon, The Boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [caption id="attachment_1031" align="alignright" width="300"] Jorullo Suspension Bridge Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1026" align="alignleft" width="300"] Waterfall Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours[/caption] Words of Advice "Puerto Vallarta is a safe place. Don't be afraid to come to Vallarta. The people of Puerto Vallarta are said to  be the friendliest in the world. " Trust the people" .  That should do it for this week’s episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. [caption id="attachment_987" align="alignleft" width="169"] Building The Jorullo Bridge. Don't Look Down![/caption] Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Travel tips and great restaurant and excursion ideas, we have all sorts of [caption id="attachment_986" align="alignright" width="169"] Building The Jorullo Bridge[/caption] great shows planned for you this summer.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. [caption id="attachment_991" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The Staff at Canopy River[/caption] [caption id="attachment_984" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Saturday and Sunday Brunch![/caption] [caption id="attachment_982" align="alignleft" width="300"] Saturday and Sunday Brunch![/caption] And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, I want you to know that I also have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more contained in all of my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check that out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. So, thanks to Edgar Lopez of Canopy River Zip-line Adventure Tours in Puerto Vallarta. I have all of the contact [caption id="attachment_981" align="alignright" width="300"] Saturday and Sunday Brunch![/caption] information in the show notes of this episode, #27 Check out their photos at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 27. And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_988" align="alignright" width="300"] Jorullo Bridge, Canopy River[/caption] [caption id="attachment_989" align="alignleft" width="149"] Canopy River ATV[/caption] Reserve Your Canopy River Experience Through JR's Website Click Here Canopy River Zip-line  Website Click Here Make Restaurant Reservations at Canopy River Click Here   [caption id="attachment_944" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Jorullo Suspension Bridge Canopy River Zipline Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]      

Fun Things to do in Puerto Vallarta with Ray and Cherie, Uber in Puerto Vallarta, and the Jorullo Suspension Bridge at Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours Listen To The Podcast   Subscribe on iTunes & Leave a Good Review Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El Dorado [caption id="attachment_194" align="alignright" width="300"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Restaurant, and at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into The Vista Grill. That’s the that we all have grown to know and love over the years, the Vista Grill that used to be up on the hill, well now it has a new vista and that is right on the beach where you get the same Vista Grill Menu, and the fantastic Vista Grill service and what’s best, is it’s right there on the beach with a dramatic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night with beautiful colors. You can enjoy dinner under the stars, with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. ! It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! Today we have a special show but first, what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 4th of July, 2017. Uber is Here and The Battle Has Begun Last week, just as I was recording the podcast, Uber was launching service in Puerto Vallarta and all along the Bajia de Banderas, they are now operating in Nayarit [caption id="attachment_904" align="aligncenter" width="1014"] Uber Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] in Nuevo Vallarta and above, as well as in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, you know, south of the Ameca River in Jalisco, and it has been a pretty exciting week as battle lines were drawn, and tempers were on the rise along with the temperature and humidity in the air. What a combo.   Rain and Heat Listen to JR [caption id="attachment_109" align="aligncenter" width="800"] What to Expect When You Arrive at the Puerto Vallarta Aitport[/caption] It’s July and folks, if you are heading to Puerto Vallarta this time of year, be prepared for rain in the evenings and lots of heat and humidity during the daytime. I have a quick clip from JR who talked with me about how hot it can get in the tropics during the Summertime, so let’s listen in…. Jorullo Suspension Bridge [caption id="attachment_944" align="alignleft" width="762"] Jorullo Suspension Bridge Canopy River Zipline Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] JR sent me an article a couple of months back about a suspension bridge built by the folks at the Canopy River Zipline Adventure Tours, and my [caption id="attachment_942" align="alignright" width="300"] Canopy River Zipline Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] buddies Jennifer and Dee along with JR were great to to pass along the information, so I spoke with Edgar Lopez at Canopy River and we will have that episode coming up really soon. Maybe even next week. We’ll see, but this bridge the Jorullo Suspension Bridge is like 4 football fields long and is suspended over the  Caule’ River Gorge.  JR walked the length of it and they drive vehicles over it like their ATV’s. It’ really cool and I will bring Edgar and the Canopy River Tours to you like I said, soon. iTunes Review I hadn’t looked at the latest reviews that you guys have written up about the show on iTunes, but I looked and lo and behold, I came across this one and it really made me smile. [caption id="attachment_943" align="aligncenter" width="736"] iTunes Review for the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show[/caption] Wow, thanks for the great review Tommy! You like so many others have come to the same conclusion. Puerto Vallarta is a wonderful place to retire. I just wish I was at the retirement stage Tommy, we could be neighbors! Anyway Tommy, let us know how things turn out. Maybe you can come on the show sometime and let us know what you found here in paradise. Anyway, that was really cool. I love getting good reviews and hearing from all of you, so I made it really easy to reach out to me. You can contact me by sending an email by clicking on the contact us tab at the top of the page, or do like Tommy did and write me a good review on iTunes. Just go to any of my blog posts at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com and look for the subscribe and review links in big red text, click on it and leave a good review on iTunes. I would really appreciate any kind words you want to leave for the show. Really. And speaking of reaching out and leaving a good review, my guests this week actually did both. Ray and Cherie Tessmann from Wisconson and Ray is a firefighter in Kenosha, and Cherie is a paralegal and I got an email from Ray a few months ago and I actually [caption id="attachment_940" align="alignright" width="300"] Ray and Cherie Tessman in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] read it on the show. It went like this…  First off let me introduce myself, my name is Ray and I’m from Wisconsin.  My wife Cherie and I feel the same way you and many others feel about Puerto Vallarta.  It was my wife and I’s first trip together when dating back in 2001 and we have been coming back almost every year since.  We travel to other locations sometimes, but always make time to return to Puerto Vallarta.  Through the years we have met many friends both local and north of the boarder.  We enjoy some of our old favorites and always find new places of interest.  As time goes on we are lucky to be able to spend more time there, we are up to two weeks.  We are very lucky, but always look forward to returning after we get home.  Thank you for your shows, I enjoy listening to them.  I know you ask for suggestions so I wanted to sit down and type you up a correspondence about some of our favorite places are….. [caption id="attachment_938" align="alignleft" width="300"] Ray and Cherie Tessmann in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]   So I asked Ray if I could send him a microphone and he said he and Cherie would be in Vallarta in May, and it just so happened that hey, I was going to be there too so I said, let’s meet and do the interview in PV, so, when they got into town Ray let me know that he and Cherie were going to be having drinks over at Plaza Romy at Twisted Palms after dinner and I should come on by and have a few drinks, talk PV stuff and make arrangements to get together to record our interview. So that was cool because I needed an interview with the owner of Twisted Palms Al Sellers, and you can hear that interview in the Plaza Romy podcast I did a couple of weeks back. Anyway, I get to Twisted Palms and look around the big bar Al has there, and try to decide who Ray and Cherie are. I was surprised to see that they were so young looking because they had been going to Puerto Vallarta for so long, I figured they would be my age, but Ray is [caption id="attachment_953" align="alignright" width="314"] Twisted Palms, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] this big strapping firefighter, and Cherie is this beautiful tiny thing. They are such a great couple, you will see soon. I asked if they wanted to come up into the hood to my Airbnb and they offered to have me come to their condo at the Vista Del Sol Condo complex, right on the ocean, overlooking Playa Los Muertos, the Malecon, just a beautiful property. I’m glad they didn’t come to my humble apartment looking back. They would have defiantly been unimpressed. Okay, let’s go to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, to the  7th  floor of the Vista Del Sol Condos, in Puerto Vallarta Mexico…. Listen to The Podcast [caption id="attachment_936" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Vista Sol Sol From Vista Del Sol[/caption] [caption id="attachment_935" align="aligncenter" width="768"] View From the Vista Del Sol Condos in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] First Place they stayed in PV was at an all-inclusive 2000 Solare in Nuevo Vallarta now called Samba Ray shared his stories about the Puerto Vallarta Fire Department. Said many of the Firemen were lifeguards during the day and at the department at night. Vacation Rental Info PVRPV Vista Del Sol Condos VRBO Jeff Musto Plaza Mar the PV Kid Tours Marigalante Pirate Show Bar Crawl Tour Puerto  Vallarta Bull Fights  Hike Hiked from Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Beach Travel App Galileo Pro App Helps you find where you are on a trail, streets, even on the plane on the flight over. Interesting Things To Do Did a car trip. Beach Hopped from Rincon de Guayabitos to Bucerias. San Pancho, Sayulita. Sayulita was the place where there was the most going on. Adopt a Mexican Family Make Friends with Locals Places To Eat Breakfast Yarita Bakery Fredy’s Tucan Lunch Likes the adobada Burrito     Ray Likes the adobada Burrito Los Muertos Brewery  Special Slice of Pizza with beer Derby Burger Ray likes the burger with the fried egg on top. Chocolate Shakes, Pickle Chips Taco Stands Dinner El Brujo Eat at Dave’s Café de Olla Late night Poncho’s Takos .     That should do it for this week’s episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Travel tips and great restaurant and excursion ideas, we have all sorts of great shows planned for you this summer.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. For goodness sake, Ray and Cherie did and look what happened, they were on the show sharing with all of you. Pretty cool right? And just remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. You can also find the links to his website at the top of my webpage, just click on the JR's Website tab, and it will take you right there. Remember this is a value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven't been to my website, I want you to know that I also have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more contained in all of my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check that out for sure if you haven't already all-right? All right. So, thanks to Ray and Cherie for your time in Paradise. I’m sure my listeners got a lot of good information from both of you. And thanks for what you do for the people of…Wisconsin who are lucky to have you on the department. Check out their photos at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 26. And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!

An Interview with Helen Mlynarski from Maadri Apparel and Clothing, Al Sellers from Twisted Palms Lounge, and More. Plus, Uber Coming to Puerto Vallarta. Listen to The Podcast! Subscribe on iTunes & Leave a Good Review       Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El Dorado [caption id="attachment_194" align="alignright" width="300"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Restaurant, and now, at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into The Vista Grill. That’s the Vista Grill that used to be up on the hill. Well now it has a new vista and that is right on the beach where you get the same Vista Grill Menu, and the fantastic Vista Grill service and what’s best, is it’s right there on the beach with a dramatic view of the Los Muertos Pier. You’ll recognize the pier with its stunning sail like structure, all lit up at night with beautiful colors. You can enjoy dinner under the stars, with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. ! It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! Today we have a special show but first, what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 19th of June, 2017. [caption id="attachment_50" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Puerto Vallarta Webcams[/caption] The rains have arrived right on time in the tropics, I checked out the Cuates and Cuetes web cam on June 15th, at around midnight and guess what I saw. Yep, lots of rain. The next morning I checked the cam and it was a sunny beautiful morning, then when I checked on the night of the 15th, rain again! So JR, you are absolutely correct, June 15th right on the button. So the temps and the humidity are rising, the rivers are flowing and the flora is greening up. All is good. So, some big news for you, UBER, the ride hailing juggernaut is coming to Puerto Vallarta and the Cab Drivers Unions are not happy about it either. According to an article in Mexico News Daily, and I will read from the article… Monday, June 12, 2017 [caption id="attachment_809" align="alignright" width="233"] UBER in Puerto Vallarta[/caption] Coming soon to PV: Uber vs. taxi drivers Ride-hailing service looking for drivers, but taxis are preparing for battle There’s a battle brewing in Puerto Vallarta: Uber’s coming to town. The app-based ride-hailing service announced on the weekend it would be setting up in the Jalisco city as well as in Nuevo Vallarta in the Riviera Nayarit. The company has begun looking for drivers in both areas but has not announced a start date. But as far as Puerto Vallarta’s taxi drivers are concerned, there won’t be one because Uber does not have the necessary authorization to operate in the municipality. “If it’s necessary that we have to demonstrate we shall do so in a peaceful and respectful manner, but we’ll do it with all our families,” said Jaime Aguilar Mejía, general secretary of a local taxi drivers’ union. He said there are some 3,000 taxi drivers in the municipality. Many of the locals feel that the presence of UBER will force the cab unions to improve the cabs. In fact, the article goes on to say… …Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña held a meeting Monday with representatives of the two main guilds of taxi drivers in Puerto Vallarta, in which they expressed their concerns about the potential entry of UBER, and stressed that their program to improve service is already well underway.  The mayor conveyed his interest in improving taxi service in general for the benefit of all Vallartenses. "We want good service... and that is your task," he said, stressing the importance of taxi drivers implementing more competitive rates. The Union officials explained to the mayor in detail the process of vehicle renovation that is well underway, as well as the taxi driver training and accreditation courses aimed at improving their service.  They also pointed out that they are working on the implementation of a digital platform to diversify the service and said they plan to go to the Jalisco State Secretary of Transportation to request authorization.  "What we can do is improve what we have because as a tourist destination we do not want mobility problems. Every city wants to have a better public transportation system and good taxi service; and you are in the best position to take advantage of the demand in Puerto Vallarta, which you can do by updating your cars and training your drivers," the mayor added.  Dávalos Peña reiterated that the municipal government is open to supporting initiatives aimed at benefiting Vallartenses, especially in the issue of modernizing and improving public transportation in the municipality. The mayor recalled that the process of modernizing the urban bus route was also detained, while users are still waiting for an improvement in this public service. Okay Puerto Vallarta lovers out there, how do you feel about UBER coming to Vallarta? Do you think they are needed? Personally I have had generally good experiences with cab drivers in Puerto Vallarta. Sure I’ve have had different experiences with cabs in Puerto Vallarta over the years. As I said most of them are good. Very few, not so good. I recall one from last [caption id="attachment_188" align="alignright" width="300"] Local Customs Puerto Vallarta with JR in PV[/caption] October. I had forgotten to pack my power cord for my laptop and I was sort of in a panic. I real estate agent on vacation without a laptop is no Bueno. I had several escrows going and plenty of work to do from paradise so I needed to find a power cord, and pronto.  Now, time to get my computer up and running so I used the wife’s phone to locate an Office Depot in the Hotel Zone, that’s another story but anyway,  I write the address and instructions for the taxi and go out in search of one of the omnipresent yellow cabs. One stops and when I asked him how much, he said 100 pesos. Sounded good to me so I got in. This driver was pretty young and was not talkative. He drove like a maniac to boot. I speak Spanish fluently. Not crappy Spanish, I speak college level Spanish. I went to school in Mexico City, so THIS Gringo speaks Spanish, Mexican Spanish so I do expect to have conversations with the Mexican people I converse with. This guy did manage to ask me if I needed him to wait for me while I shopped. I thought about it for a few seconds, remembering Mr. Toads Wild Ride, and said it wouldn’t be necessary as I didn’t know how long it would take for me to get this deed done. He said that it would be cheaper for me if I just let him wait for me. “Okay I say”, not believing my own words as they tumbled from my lips. It would be cheaper. Remember I love a bargain. Inside the thankfully air-conditioned Office Depot, I ask a sales associate for a universal power cord for my laptop and low and behold, he leads me to the Holy Grail! So very happy with my new purchase $40 US, not much more than I would spend at home,  I exit to find the taxi who can’t believe his luck that it only took me 10 minutes to find what I wanted and complete the purchase. He drives me back to the Malecon and says $250 pesos. WTF?  I say hey, you said the return trip would be less than the 100 pesos we agreed to for our one way trip. At the very most you should earn 200 pesos. He mumbled something to me but not wanting to cause a fuss, I figured the 50 pesos would suffice as a $2.50 US tip for waiting for me. Whatever! Compare that experience to a ride I took back in January. I had just finished my last interview of the trip and walked out of the Salty Caesar looking for a cab to take me to the airport. I walked up to a taxi driver who was waiting by his car and asked him for a price for a lift to the airport. He told me and I agreed. He went to lift my two bags and I warned him they were heavy because they contained two bodies. He hesitated, smiled and lifted them into the cab. We talked about what I was doing in Vallarta, we talked about him, his family, his home, his dreams, all in Spanish of course. When we get to the airport, he looks at me and says, let me help you get those bodies out of the trunk. I pay the man, I reach to shake his hand and he gives me a big Hug instead. Wow! Wasn’t expecting that! I wanted to talk to some locals to see what they thought about the whole Uber mashup and well, reached out to my friend Pam who lives in Lake Chapala, she is a gringa from Boston and here’s what she said. I asked her if cab fares were similar in Lake Chapala, Guadalajara and other areas, she is pretty well traveled and here is what she said,… Prices..Guadalajara and Chapala on par with PV as long as you know your fares. Hate to say it..but my blonde hair, Boston accent scream give a higher rate . Lol. I usually know my fares first. My son's both bilingual taught me that...gringo tax hehe.  Uber, well, it is in Guadalajara and will drop off in Chapala but is not about this area. It created quite a disturbance in Guadalajara. Since I am only an occasional taxi user, though I do use more often in Guadalajara as is just easier sometimes than driving and parking. I rather just use the regular taxis. In PV..I find the taxis plentiful, though they will take advantage if possible (not all of course ) , but either way I will not be using Uber any time soon. Is a good wake up call for the taxi unions though...and taxis without AC in humid PV with woman dressed for night..uh..think. I do not pay extra for AC and if dressed require AC. .The glowing,  windblown look is not becoming. .lol. just some additional thoughts on taxis there for you. We park our car now and use taxis in PV just too much trouble taking car out if close, finding parking etc. PV is comparable in price to Guadalajara. That’s interesting because I’m hearing from locals that they are expecting better service and better prices when uber makes it’s entrance into the market. Whichever way it goes, you can almost guarantee there will be some big time pushback from the Taxi Union. I have a link to the article from Mexico News Daily as well as a link to UBER Puerto Vallarta which as I said earlier, is not quoting any prices and is saying that as of now, they do not operate in the Puerto Vallarta Nuevo Vallarta areas. Not yet! http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/coming-soon-to-pv-uber-vs-taxi-drivers/ Link to Uber Puerto Vallarta   https://www.uber.com/cities/puerto-vallarta/ Okay enough already with the Uber Stuff. I want to hear from you about this, Do you think we need Uber in Puerto Vallarta? Do you have a Taxi Horror Story? Do you have a Taxi Hero Story? Send me your story by clicking on the CONTACT US tab at the top of my website, and leave a message. Maybe I’ll read your Taxi in Paradise Story in a future episode. Listen to The Podcast Listen, the best advice I can give you is for you  to remember to ask how much before you or anyone in your party gets into the cab. I have a fare chart in the blogpost to this episode 24 of the show. If you don’t speak Spanish, get instructions from the Concierge at the place you are staying. You can also listen to episode 8 where we talk about customs, taking taxis and safety tips with JR. [caption id="attachment_817" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Plaza Romy Shopping Center[/caption] [caption id="attachment_820" align="alignleft" width="352"] Helen Mlynarski From Maadri Apparel and Clothing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Okay lets get on with the show. I ask my listeners to reach out to me and send me a message if there is something that I should be talking about, you know, like I say at the end of each of my shows. So I was contacted by Helen Mlynarski from Maadri Clothing located in Plaza Romy. She tells me that I should do an episode about Plaza Romy. Now I had to think for a minute because I know I had seen a sign like on the back of a building or on a wall somewhere that said Plaza Romy, but I just couldn’t figure out where. As it turns out, there are a bunch of places in Plaza Romy that I know about and that I have patronized over the years, but just didn’t realize I was at Plaza Romy. You will recognize many of these places if you know Vallarta, Places like Kelly’s Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse where JR has meet and greets every Tuesday evening at 6. Make sure you see him when you are in town. Buy him a drink. Tell him how handsome he is. Ask him to speak real pretty and stuff. Maybe not. Then there is Monchis Sports Bar, Aroma Café. You may be familiar with these establishments because they are on Lazaro Cardenas, but if you look a little closer, there is a walkway between Aroma and the Sports bar, and you will enter the inner sanctum of Plaza Romy. You will find A whole bunch of places, but I really wanted to talk with Helen and see what was her path to Vallarta, to have her tell you about her place Maadri, and then she took me around to introduce me to some of her friends. We didn’t have time to see and talk with everyone, that would be another hour, but let’s go right now to Plaza Romy in Puerto Vallarta Mexico and Talk with Helen Mlynarski of Maadri Botique. The last interview in this visit was with Al Sellers from Twisted Palms Lounge. I was alerted to this place earlier by my friends Ray and Cheri, and you are going to hear from Ray and Cheri really soon in an upcoming episode, but since I knew I was going to meet up with Ray and Cheri at Twisted Palms, I came back in the evening with my microphones and talked with Al Sellars, owner of Twisted Palms. [caption id="attachment_810" align="alignnone" width="389"] Al Sellers Twisted Palms Lounge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] Now you will find all of these other great places in Plaza Romy and I invite all of you to check out the links to all the businesses in Plaza Romy. Hey, they even have parking guys! I will have maps and cool pictures provided by Helen. And to you Helen, thanks for inviting me to Plaza Romy. Your fellow businesses owe you a small debt of gratitude for your reaching out to me to help spread the word about Plaza Romy. Plaza Romy Businesses and Links Maadri Apparel and Clothing Monchis Sports Bar Facebook Page Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse Facebook Page Aroma Cafe Facebook Page Twisted Palms Rooftop Lounge Extra Virgin Art, Puerto Vallarta Gato Gordo Cigars Votre Salon, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Vallarta Ink Studios Tattoos  Superior Tours Vallarta Icker Sea & Beachwear  Galeria Serendipity Tell Helen that you heard about her place on the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show and ask her about her show specials. Tell Astrid and Al and Lisa that you heard them on the podcast. They will get a kick out of that. Okay we are through for today. I hope you enjoyed our adventure at Plaza Romy.  Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico and other surprises and Puerto Vallarta Travel tips and ideas.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. [caption id="attachment_814" align="alignleft" width="129"] Astrid Van Dam Superior Tours Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can [caption id="attachment_813" align="alignleft" width="287"] Aroma Cafe[/caption] get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to Helen Mlynarski from Maadri, check out the links to her website website www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 24. And hey, thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_819" align="alignright" width="409"] Pour Favor Puerto Vallarta[/caption]                     [caption id="attachment_836" align="alignright" width="1000"] Extra Virgin Art, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_845" align="alignright" width="1000"] Renzas Restaurant Italiano, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_842" align="alignright" width="768"] Kelly's Pour Favor, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_843" align="alignright" width="768"] Vallarta Ink and Tattoo, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] [caption id="attachment_841" align="alignright" width="768"] Dog Listening to Bad Jokes...Really![/caption]                 [caption id="attachment_844" align="alignright" width="768"] Monchis Sport Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption]                                                

Pamela Thompson of HealthCare Resources in Puerto Vallarta Explains the Importance of Medical Travel Insurance when traveling in Mexico, Medical Tourism and Medical Procedures that Tourists Seek in Puerto Vallarta. Listen to the Podcast! Subscribe on iTunes & Leave a Good Review   Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, The El Dorado [caption id="attachment_195" align="alignright" width="300"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] Restaurant, and now, at night for dinner The El Dorado transforms into The Vista Grill. That’s the Vista Grill that used to be up on the hill. Well now it has a new vista and that is right on the beach where you get the same Vista Grill Menu, and the fantastic Vista Grill service and what’s best, is it’s right there on the beach with a dramatic view of the Los Muertos Pier. You’ll recognize the pier with its stunning sail like structure, all lit up at night with beautiful colors. You can enjoy dinner under the stars, with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. ! It’s so romantic, it’s so Puerto Vallarta my friends! Today we have a very special guest but first, what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 12th of June, 2017. We had our first sprinkling of the summer the other day, but it was just a tease. This week will be the week the rains return to Vallarta. I’ll be waiting to see if we get rain on my birthday, June 15th  which according to our buddy JR is the beginning of the rainy season. Stay tuned for that report next week. Marigalante Getting a Facelift, New Shows [caption id="attachment_751" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Marigalante Pirate Ship, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] I was reading an article in the Banderas News and it explains the absence of the Marigalene Pirate Ship this last trip down. The boat has been in dry-dock up in Mazatlán, getting her biannual maintenance done. Now I didn’t know this, but the Marigalante is actually a replica of the Santa Maria, one of the three ships Columbus sailed across the Atlantic, and the Marigalante is the Spanish galleon that you may have seen out in the bay. She can be seen sailing out each morning, heading south to the cool beaches beyond Los Arcos, in fact I believe it goes to the beach cove off of the resort Majauetes, that Diana Edelman was talking about in episode 15, the show about vegan dining in Puerto Vallarta.  Then every night you will see the Marigalante in the bay just off  the Malecon, firing off fireworks at around between 9 and 9:30 each evening. [caption id="attachment_791" align="alignright" width="195"] Marigalante Puerto Vallarta[/caption]     [caption id="attachment_752" align="alignright" width="171"] Marigalante Pirate Ship, Drydock Mazatlan[/caption] But don’t  worry, After an absence of almost two months, the Marigalante, will soon return to the waters of Banderas Bay. She'll set sail again on Monday, June 19, 2017 - and she'll do it with a fresh look and all new shows. The last time the Marigalante was out of water was in 2015 when the last set of maintenance was carried out. One of the main tasks that is performed each time the ship is sent for maintenance is to make sure the galleon is completely watertight . This time, the 100% wood galleon had no leaks in its hull but, as the more than 30 species of tropical woods she's made from are constantly either submerged or weathered, it was time to give her some TLC. The scheduled maintenance cost around 10 million pesos (more than $500,000 USD) and involved 60 tons wood, stainless steel rods, over 850 liters of paint and 350 liters of varnish. Additional works included the installation of a new engine; servicing the generator, transmission and propeller; and replacing the bow and stern decks. The team of experts also reinforced the boat's keel and rudder and did some general renovating and redecorating. The Marigalente weighs about 700 tons, has three wooden masts with triangular sails and four decks with a total capacity of 240 passengers. [caption id="attachment_745" align="alignright" width="300"] Marigalante Pirate Ship, Drydock Mazatlan[/caption] I have had several people tell me that although the Pirate ship cruise is a little touristy and somewhat hokey, all of them say that the food was good and the alcohol flowed freely. Sounds good to me. Also, it seems to me that the tour gives you a great opportunity to see the Malecon at night from a whole different perspective. From the ocean looking in. So interesting. Look,  I didn’t want this to turn into a commercial for the Marigalante, but I guess it kinda was. If you have taken the cruise, either during the day or night, send me an email and let me know what you thought of the cruise. How you bought the tickets and how much you paid. Did you think it was worth the money? Let me know. Anyway, I have links and pictures of the Marigalante in drydock in Mazatlan. Check them out at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 23. [caption id="attachment_788" align="alignnone" width="667"] Marigalante Puerto Vallarta[/caption] The Marigalante Website Click Here Travel Insurance in Mexico Okay, how many of you vacationers who travel to Mexico buy travel insurance before you leave for your trip? You don’t? How about this warning from the U.S. [caption id="attachment_749" align="alignright" width="300"] Pamela Thompson, HealthCare Resources, Puerto Vallarta[/caption] State Department… US Citizens should be aware of their rights under Mexican Law. Most Mexican healthcare facilities require payment “up front” prior to performing a procedure. Most hospitals in Mexico do not accept U.S. domestic health insurance or Medicare/Medicaid and will only accept payment via cash, credit, debit card or bank transfer. How about this headline? "Medical bills leave Lafayette woman stranded in Mexico." Or this one...?  "Man trapped in Mexican Hospital with allergic reaction to a jellyfish sting and a $50,000 bill". There are numerous articles you can find with a simple google search that tell us something that many of us never think about when we go to Mexico on vacation. What happens if something happens to us when we are in paradise? In fact, we talked about the subject of hospitals and doctors in Puerto Vallarta with Brad and Tami back on episode 18 I think. They had several incidents where they needed medical attention and they luckily had travel insurance that covered their medical bills. That brings us to our very special guest, Pamela Thompson of HealthCare Resources in Puerto Vallarta. I was introduced to Pamela by several of my friends here [caption id="attachment_734" align="alignright" width="216"] HealthCare Resources, Puerto Vallarta[/caption] who insisted she is the go to person when it comes to healthcare in Puerto Vallarta. She does so much here. You will see that she is involved in so many facets of the medical world, although her main thrust is Medical Tourism, and I was surprised at the types of medical procedures that she arranges for her clients in paradise. Kinda cool really. But this is going to be a very informative conversation and I would like to wrap it up at the end, with a quick review and good, reviewable show notes too. As usual. So let’s go to San Javier Hospital in Puerto Vallarta and join up with Pamela Thompson. Listen to the Podcast That was a lot of great information. The main takeaways... There is no such thing as free medical care here. Doesn’t matter how poor you are. The public system is the IMSS system and the regional hospital, that's the IMSS and Seguro Popular. Seguro Popular was created for the poorest of the [caption id="attachment_797" align="alignright" width="225"] Pamela Thompson[/caption] poor The regional hospital is a sad place. Medicare supplement or HMO doesn’t pay directly outside of the United States. And the air evacuation is very, very expensive and it must be paid upfront, before that plane leave take off down the runway. So it's important to have air evacuation policy or have your insurance include an air evac policy. Just have a good traveler’s insurance. Best Quote "  One of the things that I said in an article I wrote recently is, it's not always the case, but I say, I have seen in the past, especially this past year, a policy sometimes is just as good as the agent you buy it from. Some agents, and I use the term loosely, are don't really know the policy. You know, go to a website that have many of the insurance policies. Pretty much anybody can become an agent. They just make a commission on it. Some of them don't really even understand the policy. You want an agent that's going to be there to help you and that really understands the policy in case you have a claim or you have an emergency. That's really important." Make sure you are with an agent that understands the policy and that goes for an international policy or a Mexican private policy. The doctors Pam works with, total 26 of all specialties. I hope you got as much out of this conversation as I did. Pam Thompson, you are a very special person indeed and the people of Puerto Vallarta are so lucky to have you working for them. If you want to put pamela to work for you, her contact info is available right here in my show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 23. Contact Pamela Thompson www.healthcareresourcespv.com pamela@healthcareresourcespv.com   Well we are through for today. I hope you enjoyed our talk with Pamela Thompson of HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta .  Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico and other surprises and Puerto Vallarta Travel tips and ideas.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to Pamela  Thompson, check out the links to her website and blog at my website www.puertovallartatravelshow.com episode 23. I have pictures of most of her doctors and links to their information too.  I also have a transcription of the conversation with Pamela in the shownotes as well so feel free to read, listen and share with all of your friends and fellow travelers. Remember to include a good travel insurance policy with your next trip to Mexico. Don't leave home without it! And hey, thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_719" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr. Daniel Velasco – Surgical Oncologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_720" align="alignright" width="220"] Dr. Javier Diaz-Nuñez - Ear Nose and Throat Sp[/caption] [caption id="attachment_722" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr. Manuel Hernandez - Orthopedic[/caption] [caption id="attachment_723" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr. Octavio Lomeli - Dentist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_717" align="alignright" width="300"] Dra. Alma Vargas - Dermatologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_728" align="alignright" width="231"] Mari Torres – Complementary Medicine[/caption] [caption id="attachment_726" align="alignright" width="275"] Dr. Miguel Saldaña - Plastic Surgery[/caption]                                                                 [caption id="attachment_784" align="alignleft" width="119"] Paul Cankar – Physical Therapist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_779" align="alignleft" width="251"] Dra. Leticia Arechiga - Pediatrician[/caption] [caption id="attachment_778" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dra. Leslie Swindle - Cardiologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_780" align="aligncenter" width="111"] Dra. Maria Jose Cuevas - Oncologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_782" align="alignright" width="221"] Dra. Patricia Garcia -Dermatologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_781" align="alignnone" width="276"] Dra. Nashielli – Plastic Surgeon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_777" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dra. Laura Garcia – OB-GYN[/caption] [caption id="attachment_783" align="aligncenter" width="174"] Nathalie Batilliot – Licensed Dietician-Diabetic Educator[/caption] [caption id="attachment_765" align="aligncenter" width="290"] Dr. Cesar Gutierrez - Internist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_775" align="alignnone" width="243"] Dra. Cinthia Becerra - Specialist in BioIdentical Hormones[/caption] [caption id="attachment_764" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dr. Carlos Olivares - Gastroenterologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_774" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dra. Adi Dominguez – Psychiatrist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_763" align="aligncenter" width="292"] Dr. Carlos Garcia – Urologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dr. Armando Joya Gastroenterologist Gastric Surgeon Bariatric Surgeon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_773" align="alignnone" width="244"] Dr. Roberto Gutierrez – Endocrinologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_760" align="aligncenter" width="185"] Dr. Antonio Matilla Torres[/caption] [caption id="attachment_772" align="alignnone" width="226"] Dr. Ricardo Rivera – Plastic Surgeon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_759" align="aligncenter" width="159"] Dr. Alberto Marron - Orthopedic[/caption] [caption id="attachment_771" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dr. Omar Morales – GP, Transfusional Medicine and Tic-Born Disease Specialist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_758" align="aligncenter" width="208"] Dr. Adolfo Curiel - Cardiologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_770" align="alignnone" width="186"] Dr. Luis Robles - Neurosurgeon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_769" align="alignnone" width="294"] Dr. Luis Arias – General Practitioner[/caption] [caption id="attachment_768" align="alignnone" width="272"] Dr. Jose Rivas - Radiologist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_767" align="alignnone" width="269"] Dr. Hector Escoto Vascular Specialist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_766" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dr. Felipe Martinez – Anesthesiologist Pain Control Specialist[/caption] [caption id="attachment_776" align="alignnone" width="300"] Dra. Fabiola Gallegos - Physical Therapy[/caption]   Transcript of the Conversation between Barry Kessler and Pamela Thompson Barry Kessler:            Alright, I am in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, ladies and gentlemen. And I have the honor of being here with Pamela Thompson of HealthCare Resources in Puerto Vallarta. Thank you so much for coming on the program Pamela. Pam Thompson:          Thank you for having me. Barry Kessler:            Now it seems like you are the go to person whenever, you know, when it happens to pertain to health issues. You seem to be the go to expert, according to all the local community anyway. And so first of all tell us about yourself and what was the path that led you to Puerto Vallarta. Pam Thompson:          I used to come here for vacation. Did that for many, many years. Fell in love with the place like everybody plus the right time to move here, so I did. Almost 28 years ago moved here full time. Worked in tourism for a while. Wanted to get back into healthcare. After doing a few other things in tourism went to work with air evacuation and long story but eventually worked my way into opening in health care resources. Barry Kessler:            Okay so health care resources, you are located where? Pam Thompson:          All over the place. Barry Kessler:            Everywhere? Pam Thompson:          My main office is at Hospital San Javier but I also work with a couple other hospitals. I work with 26 physicians and a couple of diagnostic companies. We are an independent company. Barry Kessler:            Excellent. Okay. Well sure seems like you found your niche here. Pam Thompson:          Oh I think so. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Well this is a retirement town I would think on top of it being a big tourist destination. Lot of expats are moving here and living here. There is a lot ageing expats here. So what kind of medical plans do these expats get down in Mexico? Pam Thompson:          First I think you would be really surprised that it's not just not the retired and ageing. The past couple of years we have way more people who are, that are much younger than what used to be. Have way more request now for gynecologist and that's not just for menopause, it's for pregnant women. A lot more request for pediatricians. People are moving here that have small children. So it's a wide range of people moving here because now people can work from home, online. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          They can work, you know, be located anywhere in the world. So we have a wide, it's not just, you know, over 65 type age group anymore Barry Kessler:            Yes. Pam Thompson:          It's a lot of baby boomers and what are they called, millennials now that are moving here Barry Kessler:            Yeah I noticed that. Alright. Well that is interesting and actually some of the restaurant owners that I spoke with are very young. Pam Thompson:          Yeah. Barry Kessler:            They have got young families. They have chosen to come here, start a business. Pam Thompson:          Right. Exactly. Barry Kessler:            Live here, raise their families here. So yeah, you are right. Alright. So what kind of medical insurance do these people get? Pam Thompson:          It varies. There are international policies. These are policies for people that live or work outside of their home country, either full or part time. Sometimes they get a traveler’s insurance. You can purchase a traveler’s insurance for a couple of days up to a year. Sometimes people purchase a Mexican private policy. You have to have permanent residency to purchase of Mexican private policy. Barry Kessler:            Okay. So- Pam Thompson:          It's little bit - the older you get, a little bit more difficult to purchase a policy. I think may be you are going to ask me later but Medicare doesn’t cover anything outside of the United States. Sometimes people, they have Medicare and a supplement, then they recommend that you have a good air evacuation policy so that if you have a critical medical situation, you have an air evac policy that could take you back to the United States. Barry Kessler:            Yeah that's smart. So you would say supplement what you have in the States if you are receiving Medicare Medicaid then basically have yourself something that you can use local for the small stuff.  Pam Thompson:          The most important thing is to have a plan. Do your homework. See what works here. I am sorry. See what’s covered here. See what’s accepted here. Make a plan before you come down or as soon as you get here. Barry Kessler:            Okay. good. Alright. And so how would you go back doing that? I mean, you just go online, you pick up the phone and?  Pam Thompson:          Well, we have a lot of people email me ahead of time or may be when they come down and they are looking either for a place to rent or they are looking a property to buy. Lot of times real estate agencies will or their real estate agents will give their clients my number and we are more than happy to sit down, have a chat, go over general health care information. It's not just about health insurance, it's about making sure, maybe you have medications that you have to take. We want to make sure they are available here. You want to check and see how much they cost. Maybe you have  cardiac issues. You want to make sure that, you know, you connect with the cardiologist here. There is lot of different issues you want to make sure and do your homework, have everything in place once you get here. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          Rather than wait until you are in the middle of an emergency. Barry Kessler:            Yeah that's for sure. Well I have your contact information Pam Thompson:          Sure. Barry Kessler:            On the blog post for this particular episode of the Puerto Vallarta travel show. You will be able to find it there and great. Okay so what would you say is the most common issue that you deal with as far as the ageing population here?  Pam Thompson:          Oh my goodness! There are urgent issues and there, the most … Barry Kessler:            Or maybe there isn't. Maybe it's just a, it just runs the gamut. Pam Thompson:          It runs the gamut. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Okay. Pam Thompson:          Everything from, “I have an ear ache” to “My husband just died.” Barry Kessler:            Oh. Pam Thompson:          I mean that it's a wide variety. Barry Kessler:            Yeah, yeah. Pam Thompson:          It's a wide variety. Barry Kessler:            Well there is a ... Pam Thompson:          I never have a boring day. Barry Kessler:            I bet you don't. Well here in Puerto Vallarta would you say that like trip falls and stuff like that, broken ankles, broken wrists and stuff like that are pretty common. Pam Thompson:          Well you keep saying the ageing population... Barry Kessler:            I mean, I mean real. Pam Thompson:          I guess I am in that ageing population. Barry Kessler:            Me too. Pam Thompson:          Yeah we have a lot of, you know, falls, hip replacements, those kind of things. Yeah, orthopedic things. You know the cobblestones are streets are kind of hard to maneuver sometimes. Barry Kessler:            Yeah I know that. Pam Thompson:          So lot of orthopedic issues. I think, I think so. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          No, no there really isn't any one specific. Barry Kessler:            So it's like normal. It's like at home. right? Pam Thompson:          Yeah it's just like in the United States and Canada. Barry Kessler:            Yeah okay. Well speaking of that let’s talk about Mexican citizens. What kind of medical insurance do or what do they have? What do they use for medical issue? Pam Thompson:          There is no such thing as free medical care here. Doesn’t matter how poor you are. There is a vast difference between the public system and the private system. And that's important for the people that are going to be moving here to understand. The public system is the system that all the private hospitals … I mean I am sorry, the private system is what the private hospitals fall under where you and most of the doctors that I work with. The public system is the IMSS system and the regional hospital, that's the IMSS and Seguro Popular. Seguro Popular was created for the poorest of the poor by one of the ex-presidents of Mexico, I don't know how many years ago. But they are in it it's because there is no such as free medical care in Mexico. Many times people, non-Mexicans, have this idea that they are going to come down here and have free medical care or they are going to participate in the IMSS or the Seguro Popular system. They can, but they need to go take a look at the system. It's a vast difference than the private system. The regional hospital is … it's a sad place. I would suggest that they would go and take a look, ask any Mexican what they think about it. We collect donations for their - you need to take your own soap, you need to take your own shampoo. The staff there is wonderful. They work very, very, very hard with minimal resources. Maybe in other places in Mexico it's different. I have heard but it's over crowded, minimal resources. It's not a pleasant place and again the staff works extremely hard with minimal resources. It's not, I would never consider IMSS or Seguro Popular an insurance. But in some cases that's what people have to have. If one goes to a private hospital and there can't pay the bill then we have to send them on to the state hospital.  Barry Kessler:            Well, yes. Pam Thompson:          And -  Barry Kessler:            And that's like going off to Siberia. Pam Thompson:          Well no not really. Not really because they are Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          Going to get the best care that they can give them out there. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          But it's going to be very different than the private system. They have volunteers that will go out and visit them and take soap and food and things like that. I just encourage people to the things that you know, the perfect system to go out and look at it first. Barry Kessler:            Right. Yeah and sounds little scary. Pam Thompson:          It is but and it's a sad situation and mostly for you know, it's for Mexicans and I often times feel bad when I have to send a non-Mexican out there because in reality I feel those beds are for deserving Mexicans. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          But that's personal feeling.  Barry Kessler:            Well I understand. I agree with you. Alright, so people come here for you know, they don't come here expecting to get sick or anything like that. So people do come down here for medical tourism. You get involved in the medical tourism field? Pam Thompson:          I have many, we have many people that come down specifically to have medical services. It used to be years ago that people just came for plastic surgery or bariatric surgery. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          Now they come for everything from hip replacement to cataract surgery, knee replacements. And I kind of look at medical tourism as little bit different. In the high season when I have, for example, this last high season I probably scheduled more MRIs than I ever have and that was because I would get emails and emails and phone calls, “Pam, somebody on the beach gave me your phone number. I am from Canada. I have been waiting for months for an MRI …” Barry Kessler:            Ah!! Pam Thompson:          “How soon can I get one here?” Well I can get you scheduled tomorrow. Okay, so then we set it up. To me that's kind of medical tourism as well.  Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          Or the same with a colonoscopy or an endoscopy, you know regular type procedures. So to me diagnostic services are sort of a medical tourism as well. Barry Kessler:            Yeah, although I would … you would never think that. You go, “Oh yeah I am coming here for you know a lift or this or that.” you never think, “Hey I will stop in for an endoscopy” Pam Thompson:          Right. Barry Kessler:            Or whatever. You are right. Pam Thompson:          Or we have people that come in the high season that plan ahead and they go ahead and get all their yearly studies done while they are here. The mammogram, you know their check ups, their physicals, you know, everything, the dermatology checks while they are here. So to me that's medical tourism as well. But as well we also have the plastic surgery and the big surgeries. Barry Kessler:            Yeah and do you get involved in that? Pam Thompson:          Oh yes. Quite often, there is many, you know just google medical tourism and you are going to come up with tons of companies. The difference, I think is that with a med … and most of medical tourism companies are not going to like that I say this but they are the middle man. And of course they are going to take a big chunk.  Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          And they also don't let you speak directly with the destination or the doctor. Where with me, I am in touch with the doctor, I am in the destination, there is not a big commission involved because I work in a different way with my doctors and hospitals. So, so yeah I am kind of all about cutting out that middle man.  Barry Kessler:            Good. Pam Thompson:          So yeah, we have, we do quite a few.  Barry Kessler:            Alright. How do you figure out, like price schedules and stuff like that? Do people …? Obviously they ask before they get it done. Pam Thompson:          Oh they write to me and tell me what they want done and it depends on the procedure. Barry Kessler:            Right. Pam Thompson:          Some of them I already have, I know. Barry Kessler:            Because you do them a lot. Pam Thompson:          Because I know what the doctor is going to charge. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          We have a lot of package prices with you know, if somebody needs to come to have a hernia, I already know what that doctor’s package is with the hospital. If somebody is going to just you know, it just depends on what the procedure is. If it's a little bit different or if there is a complication, then I just check with the doctor and then I can send it back, send back the price to the patient. Barry Kessler:            Cool, wow! Alright. Well, what would you say is the most common procedure that's done here? Pam Thompson:          I think the most common request that I get is still for plastic surgery. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          That's the most common request. The most common procedure … well … it's still plastic surgery, bariatric surgery, lot more hip and knee replacements. Barry Kessler:            Really? Wow!  Pam Thompson:          I work with a urologist who does a lot of high foo prostate cancer surgery. Bariatric surgery. Well it just kind of varies. Barry Kessler:            Yeah, it sounds like it. Okay, well tell us about the quality of care. I mean, where are the hospitals that you deal with. We are sitting in one right now, San Javier, right? Pam Thompson:          Marina. Barry Kessler:            Right by the Marina. Are they here in Puerto Vallarta, in Guadalajara, where are they? Pam Thompson:          Well I .. for the hospitals that I work with, I actually go inside, I mean I go inside. I see the English speaking in-patients, whose right now it's a little bit less because we are more in a low season. San Javier Marina, across the street from where the cruise ships stop. Also Vallarta Medical Center on the south side of plaza Caracol.  I don't go all the time but also hospital might assist on the south side. Hospital San Javier Riviera in Nuevo Vallarta. We have other good private hospitals in the area. I don't work with them mainly because I don't have time. But they are all the Puerto Vallarta area. Of course there is many, many hospitals in Guadalajara to pick I mean but I am the most familiar with this area. Barry Kessler:            Sure. Pam Thompson:          The doctors I work with, 26 of all specialties. I am really picky about the doctors that I work with. We have every specialty available right now. And now we even have dermatologist, geriatric. I work with a diagnostic center, MRI. I mean it's really hard to kind of say what I do.  Barry Kessler:            Yeah. well sounds you do everything. Pam Thompson:          We do monthly screening clinics of all kinds, weekly speakers programs. Every year we do a huge, it's like a medical expo. Last year we had up to 4000 people attend. Barry Kessler:            Wow! Really? Puerto Vallarta? Really? Pam Thompson:          It's called medical matters. It's at the hotel Marriot. Three large rooms with speakers programs running continually. I spend a lot of time at the funeral home this year. Barry Kessler:            Wow! Pam Thompson:          And do assist, you know the family or the surviving spouse when somebody passes away. And I don't know. Barry Kessler:            Yeah, yeah. Pam Thompson:          It's just everyday it's different. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. So yeah the repatriation thing. So you help along with that too. I guess the whole life cycle happens here. Pam Thompson:          Yes. Barry Kessler:            In Puerto Vallarta. It isn't that different from any other place in the whole wide world, even though Pam Thompson:          Exactly. Barry Kessler:            We are in paradise. Pam Thompson:          Right. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. So besides the expats that live here for years at a time, of course we also have our fair share of snowbirds Pam Thompson:          Right. Barry Kessler:            Here in Puerto Vallarta. They come in from Canada, they come in from the upper reaches of the United States. So what kind of coverage can they get when, you know, their long time rent is not necessarily …? Pam Thompson:          For full time? Full time residence? Barry Kessler:            Well they are not going to be full time. They are going to be like six months out of the year. So … Pam Thompson:          Then they should … okay. Barry Kessler:            Do they need to do what you are talking about before? Pam Thompson:          Then they need a good traveler’s insurance. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          And a traveler’s insurance really needs to be purchased prior to departing their home country. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          So for example, ones that are going to be coming for next winter can start looking at options during the summer. And I always say this is I think Canadians must learn in school that they need to have a traveler’s insurance Barry Kessler:            Really? Pam Thompson:          because it's pretty rare that a Canadian arrives without traveler’s insurance. Barry Kessler:            Ha! Pam Thompson:          It's very rare. Canadians are well prepared and they come with a good traveler’s insurance. People from United States, not so much. Barry Kessler:            Not so much. Pam Thompson:          And it's usually they are the ones that end up with a critical situation and then they are surprised that they are, you know, their Medicare supplement or HMO doesn’t pay directly outside of the United States. So in the summer months or prior to their vacation, whether they are coming for a month, two weeks or six months, they need to start looking at options. There is a lot of very good traveler’s insurance out there. A good traveler’s insurance will include an air evacuation policy in it and as I said Canadians are well aware of traveller’s insurance and their traveller’s insurance almost always includes an air evacuation policy. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Is it expensive? You know? Have you ever -? Pam Thompson:          Traveler’s insurance? Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Have you looked at it? Pam Thompson:          No, they are all very different prices. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          But I mean it's not cheap. Barry Kessler:            Right. Pam Thompson:          But I always, you know, tell people cheap isn't always better. Barry Kessler:            Right. Pam Thompson:          You want one that, you know, if you pay, you know, 10 or 15 bucks for traveler’s insurance obviously they are not going to do too much for you. Barry Kessler:            That might not save your life. Pam Thompson:          That's right. Barry Kessler:            Right. So you might as well, if you are thinking about like living you might consider just getting the right kind. Pam Thompson:          One other thing I always stress to people that it's really probably one of the most important things to know is that insurance here is only accepted for inpatient services. You always, always have to pay out of pocket for consults, emergency room visits, medications, yeah, yeah, x-rays, lab, any of those things. You can turn it in for re-imbursement. That's not a problem. We will help you do that. But it's only accepted as form of payment for inpatient services normally with a minimum 24 hours stay. That's really important. Barry Kessler:            That is important. Pam Thompson:          You can't just go to the doctor and have a consult and flip out your insurance card. The receptionist will look at you kind of funny and say, “I want money.” Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Alright, so are, you know, credit cards accepted here? Pam Thompson:          Yes. Barry Kessler:            Alright. Pam Thompson:          Yes, of course. Barry Kessler:            Alright, right on. well bring your medical insurance and bring your credit card. Pam Thompson:          And your credit card. Barry Kessler:            Okay bring them both. Pam Thompson:          Right.  Barry Kessler:            So you do get involved with the like medical emergency repatriations as well? I imagine. Pam Thompson:          Sure. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          You know we don't do as many air evacuations as we used to because we have, we can take care of the patient here. Barry Kessler:            Yeah you must be … Pam Thompson:          But we do, we have done a few flights this season. There is different reasons why people would be air evacuated back to Canada or the United States. If it's a, going to be a long time recovery like may be a stroke patient and … here we don't have a … we have hospital or home. We don't have a like a long term rehab. Barry Kessler:            There is no rehab centers. Pam Thompson:          Right. So it's going to be really expensive to stay in a, you know hospital. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          So you know they are going to … it's better to go home. Barry Kessler:            Alright. Pam Thompson:          And a lot of times the family wants the patient home. So then we do a, do an air evacuation. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          And the air evacuation is very, very expensive and it must be paid upfront, before that plane leave take off down the runway. So it's important to have air evacuation policy or have your insurance include an air evac policy. Barry Kessler:            Good. Alright. I think it's a great idea. We talked a little bit about having to be a citizen to get medical benefits. So if somebody was coming down here to live full time you would suggest, you know, getting a residency all straightened away so you can eventually get medical insurance in Mexico? Pam Thompson:          Not necessarily. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          Only if you want to have, I mean it's up to the person if they want to be a resident. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          A permanent resident, that's a personal decision. For medical benefits, in order to apply for Seguro Popular which would cover you only at the state hospital which isn't all that ... Barry Kessler:            Which is the horror show that Pamela was just telling us. Pam Thompson:          No, it's not necessarily a horror show.  Barry Kessler:            Oh alright. Okay, not a horror show. Pam Thompson:          But it's just not … it's very different than the private ...  Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          System. But sometimes that's all anybody can afford. Barry Kessler:            Sure. Pam Thompson:          Then you have to have your residency. But also there is some very good Mexican private policies.  Barry Kessler:            Okay … Pam Thompson:          But you have to ... Barry Kessler:            That's what you are getting at. Pam Thompson:          Yeah. that's not a horror show and there are some good policies but you have to have your permanent residency. Barry Kessler:            Okay. So you do need to get that permanent residency. Pam Thompson:          For that, yeah. Barry Kessler:            For that. Pam Thompson:          Sure. Barry Kessler:            Otherwise you are just doing it with what you were talking before. You are supplementing and you are … Pam Thompson:          And there is also, you know, the other option which is part of the public system but you still have to apply. Some people think they automatically can get it as the IMSS system. IMSS is a government program for people that are employed. Mexican workers by law, their employers pay for them to participate in the system. Barry Kessler:            Interesting. Pam Thompson:          Non-Mexicans can apply but there is a long list of pre-existing conditions. So if one has certain pre-existing conditions they wont qualify for it. Barry Kessler:            You better be healthy. Pam Thompson:          Yeah and they’ve added a lot of pre-existing conditions. So, but that, it's kind of confusing but that's also part of the public system. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Alright. What is …? I think we already talked about the most common issue that you work with day to day, which is everything. You don't really have anything special here. What type of coverage would you get if you are coming to Puerto Vallarta? We have talked … Pam Thompson:          As a visitor? Barry Kessler:            As a visitor. What would you do? Pam Thompson:          Well I would just,I would make sure and have a good traveller- Barry Kessler:            Just get that travelers insurance? Pam Thompson:          Yeah. Barry Kessler:            And it doesn’t really matter if you come in for a week or …? Pam Thompson:          No. Barry Kessler:            Or a month or …? Pam Thompson:          Just have a good traveller’s insurance. Barry Kessler:         Just do it for a week even. Pam Thompson:          Right.  Barry Kessler:            Right? Because There are issues. There are people … Pam Thompson:          Of course. Barry Kessler:            That get in trouble. You know they, they don't have to be long term travelers to have a medical issue. Pam Thompson:          Exactly. Barry Kessler:            Alright. What’s the biggest mistake you can make when you are buying, let’s say, medical insurance in Mexico? Is there something that you would kind of tell people to stay away from or don't do that or …? Pam Thompson:          Well you don't necessarily, you don't know it's … it's kind of hard to say buying medical insurance in Mexico. I will say buying medical insurance period because you are not always going to buy your medical insurance in Mexico. One of the things that I said in an article I wrote recently is, it's not always the case, but I say, I have seen in the past, especially this past year, a policy sometimes is just as good as the agent you buy it from. Some agents, and I use the term loosely, are don't really know the policy. You know, go to a website that have many of the insurance policies. Pretty much anybody can become an agent. They just make a commission on it. Some of them don't really even understand the policy. You want an agent that's going to be there to help you and that really understands the policy in case you have a claim or you have an emergency. That's really important. Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          I mean a lot of … many of them you can just go online and purchase. And that probably okay for a short term traveller’s insurance. But if you are purchasing a, you know, a year around policy, you know, regular policy, you are here full time. Make sure you are with an agent that understands the policy and that goes for an international policy or a Mexican private policy. And there are some very good agents in the area. And there is also some people that are just kind of in it to get the commision, they don't really understand the policy. that's an important ... Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          Important point.  Barry Kessler:            Excellent. That's good to know. Is there …? Pam Thompson:          And I don't sell insurance by the way. Barry Kessler:            Okay. Pam Thompson:          That's really important that people know. Barry Kessler:            Well you know everybody has got to Google search. Do it yourselves, everybody. And you should always, you know, follow up with these Google searches with, you know, just find out what their record is. Okay, if it's an insurance company that's got a bad record, believe me there will be a trail of people saying, “Hey stay away from these people.” so do your homework, double check before you buy the policy and like Pamela said get yourselves somebody who is experienced, not a fly by night. Pam Thompson:          I do have a list of reps that I can recommend and that I work with. I can tell you which hospitals work with which insurance companies and I can answer any questions but I don't sell any insurance. Barry Kessler:            Okay, good. Alright well I will have links for you to get hold of Pam and ask her those questions if and when you need it and believe me if you are going to be coming down here, you will have some questions for Pamela. Have we forgotten anything? Is there something that we haven’t touched base on yet about medical here in Puerto Vallarta? Pam Thompson:          Oh probably but I can't remember. I mean anyone is welcome to send me an email. I prefer an email over a phone call. It's really kind of hard to describe what I do. I work closely with both the Canadian and US consulate. The most important thing is do your homework, have an emergency plan, we do a lot of conferences. I do a conference in the fall called ‘End of Life Decisions and Banderas Bay’. That's a real uplifting topic. Barry Kessler:            Oh yeah. I just said, Yeah baby, it's a good one. Pam Thompson:          You know, what to … how to die here but those are the important topic. Barry Kessler:            Yes, yeah well. Pam Thompson:          We do a lot of fun, you know, kind of topics too. I am always looking for a few volunteers, work with the kids with cancer. That's why when you saw at my office it looked like Sounds club. Barry Kessler:            Yeah it did. Pam Thompson:          I am real proud of my doctors. I have worked with them for many years. I think they are really professional. I think they are really good people. I don't know. I think we have covered everything. They are welcome to get on my newsletter list. We send a monthly newsletter of all of our clinics and our speakers programs. Well that's about it. Barry Kessler:            Okay. We will have all of the great links so that you can get in touch with Pamela. Send her an email. Don't pick up the phone and call her. She gets busy … Pam Thompson:          You can call if it's an emergency but ... Barry Kessler:            Yeah. Pam Thompson:          Prefer an email. Barry Kessler:            She is a busy, busy lady you guys. So keep that in mind but also remember that she is here to help. You know, I have spoken with a lot of people in town and a lot of important people in town and more than once I have heard them say, “Pam Thompson saved my life.” Pam Thompson:          Aww!  Barry Kessler:            And you know I think that that says a lot. Pam Thompson:          Thank you. Barry Kessler:            About you and about how people feel about you. Pam Thompson:          Thank you. Barry Kessler:            And I just thank you so much for coming on the program and sharing all this great information with my listeners and once again I will have all that information that you can get a hold of Pam on my website. Thanks again.

The Rock and Roll Scene in Puerto Vallarta and Great Day Trip Ideas Inside and Outside of Puerto Vallarta. Musician and Drummer for Tequila Rush, Steven Tenney Joins the show today. Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on iTunes Listen to the Podcast    Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa and The on the [caption id="attachment_195" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] Southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta La Palapa is one of Vallarta’s oldest and most loved restaurants with that toes in the sand experience right at the water’s edge. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, a great location and a great time awaits you. It’s so romantic, so Puerto Vallarta. If you haven’t been here yet, take my advice and get your selves down here. The people of Vallarta await you with open arms. Take my word for it. This week I have a real treat for you guys but before I get to my guest, let’s see what’s happening in Puerto Vallarta this week, the 9th of April, 2017. [caption id="attachment_105" align="alignleft" width="300"] Pay For Taxis Here[/caption] As you may or may not know, the Puerto Vallarta Airport is going through a remodeling process but my man on the ground Yael who works at the airport tells me that there are two of the Mexican Bank Affiliated ATM Machines up and running now in the airport lobby where you buy your travel voucher for your taxi or van to your hotel or lodging. That gonna make it easier to get your pesos when you land at the airport with your ATM debit card. For more information about money exchange and cell plans and what to expect when you arrive at the Puerto Vallarta Airport, you should listen to episodes 2 and 3 of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show where we talk about all of those important items and more so listen to the podcasts or read my shownotes to those shows. Now you listeners are really coming through with your great suggestions, your stories and questions all about Puerto Vallarta and I just want to say thanks! Thank you for reaching out to me with your positive feedback and really thoughtful suggestions. First, another great review on iTunes. Those reviews really help me get to word out about Puerto Vallarta so please keep them coming in. Give us a Good Review on iTunes! I got an email from John who is coming in June with his Fiance and he wanted to know what to expect. I talked with our next guest about that subject so John, if you are listening, I have an answer for you coming up soon from our guest, and let’s get to him right now. You know that I’m always asking you my listeners for your suggestions and stories right? Well our next guest did just that. He reached out to me and told me his story and I just had to bring him to you. His name is Steven Tenney and he is from New Jersey. Just love his accent I gotta say. Steven is a musician, he is a drummer for the Group Tequila Rush. Now the Group Tequila Rush   was created in 2015 by Carlos Urrea and Carlos came up with the name, he is the band leader, plays guitar and sings and  Danny Hermosillo who plays the bass and sings as well and Steven rounds out the trio. The group was created  as a trio for clubs and private parties around the bay area and they play year round. They don’t stop for the summer months. They play classic, and contemporary rock as well as wide selection of Spanish lyric Rock to cater to a domestic audience as too. They like to think of themselves as a “Music of your life” kind of group. Both Carlos and Danny are from Guadalajara and live in Puerto Vallarta and although I didn’t get a chance to talk with them, I hope to sit with them when I get into town next month and hear from them what they like to do in and around Puerto Vallarta.  Now Steven is going to come on and tell us a little about some places to go dancing and listen to music and party all along the Bahia de Banderas. And he is going to tell us about some places I didn’t know even existed. I mean, alligator sanctuaries, and fresh water lakes for fishing in Nayarit, near the capitol of Tepic, maybe about 2 hours from Puerto Vallarta.  Many of my listeners have asked for suggestions of places outside of Vallarta, and you will be getting your wish today. Let’s get to the conversation with Steven Tenney, drummer for Tequila Rush, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! [embed]https://youtu.be/itN19NQmT2c[/embed]   [embed]https://youtu.be/XsEqMCKvtkQ[/embed] Listen to the Podcast   Stories on a personal or what made Mexico great for me: 1) The hard working clean welcoming people, 2) They are smart and productive ...when I got here there was no Marina, Nuevo Vallarta was a gov't project in its infancy, No condos towers, few hotels along beaches.  Now look.  When I got here people were still on a list to get a landline, few neighborhoods small stores had a refrigerator...as recent as 1985 all as changed dramatically to US standards for construction, cell phone and Wi-Fi, Smart folks...Clean folks - It's a beach town, we have sand so does NJ shore to Florida coast.   But people very clean and hardworking (gloves on to exchange money at street venders). 3)What always impressed me was seeing a young woman exit a simple home always with whitest clothes and neatest hair to go out or to work.  4)SMART - They hedged oil price decline Gov't recently hedged and bought their peso currency and it's rallied 15%. NATURAL BEAUTY AND GREAT FOOD AND THE FRUIT TASTES LIKE IT DID WHEN I WAS A KID. [embed]https://youtu.be/xYHQUYyuhWQ[/embed] LAKES, SANCTUARIES AND CLUBS FOR ENTERTAINMENT [embed]https://youtu.be/jUoH9NVFU5s[/embed] Great Entertainment Venues The New La Isla Mall inPuerto Vallarta Oasis (Del Holi)      on Beach by new La Isla Mall In the Jungle in Paso Ancho Rio Bar-b-Que Entertainment in The Marina Vallarta The Beer Box Prime  Route 66     live music on weekends - In Puerto Vallarta Southside Incanto - part of new scene of cool theater clubs Jazz Foundation on The Malecon Appearing at Incanto will be - Jackie Bristow coming 4/20-22 [embed]https://youtu.be/YJHCC_azig0[/embed] Jackie Bristow is currently touring with Bonnie Raitt - then PV then Opening for Olivia Newton-John in US in May.    La Cruz (La Cruz de Huanacoxtle) - La Cruz has it's own Marina area, It's a more  suburb feel - Clubs like ... Oso's Octopuses Garden Britannia (Bryan Savage)  and across the Street, great Sunday open market.  Also a place called El Brujo Zona Dorado - a fine entertainer Zoe Wood playing there  now, Bucerias -  El Chivero mostly condos and of course homes, mostly known for it's markets and restaurants...and casual feel and not a long drive from Vallarta. La Cruz just 2 more exits north. Crocodile Sanctuary In between Bucerias and La Cruz is Flamingo's Golf course and residences. ON the side of the highway heading to PV ON south side.  RIGHT NEXT TO FLAMINGOS GOLF COURSE is Santuario de Cocodrilos El Cora.  you need to be looking for it. small dirt road and small sign. It's about a mile drive in but what a cool natural sanctuary it is...  more than just crocs...it's a natural zoo and estuary too. educational tour available. [embed]https://youtu.be/QhPQARJUe5A[/embed] That was a great conversation and you will find all of the information that Steven gave us in my shownotes for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show, episode 14 at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. And it is there where you will find all of my podcasts as well as some great webcams where you can watch a real Puerto Vallarta Sunset, live. Check it out at puertovallartatravelshow.com. Click on the Webcam tab at the top of the page and watch the sunset from your Barcalounger at home. Remember, this is an interactive podcast as you have found by listening to our last guest, Steven Tenney. I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. [embed]https://youtu.be/dc0FUOToAYE[/embed] So, thanks to Steven Tenney for coming on and talking with us, check out their Facebook page  Tequila Rush and Friends. Also the Puerto Vallarta Live Music and Entertainment Facebook Page. And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!

Download Episode! Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on iTunes What do you need to know about taking a public bus in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico? Hello fellow travelers, welcome to this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show, all about buses in Puerto Vallarta.  I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be  to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa Restaurant is on the southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta. La Palapa, and El Dorado Restaurants. And if you play your cards right, you can hear Alberto play his beautiful music and enjoy songs like Samba de Puerto Vallarta when you enjoy dinner at La Palapa. Just saying an added bonus to a great romantic meal on the beach. Now before we get to buses in Puerto Vallarta I want to thank a listener, Brett from Seattle Washington who reminded me about a tip regarding filling out those immigration forms that we talks about in show 2 and 3. You know, the one you get from the flight attendant before you touch down in Puerto Vallarta, they are called FMM’s which stands for Forma Migratoria Multiple. Anyway, he says in his note…Barry, Listening to your second podcast and noticed you didn't mention that you can complete the FMM online.  It's so much easier, and you don't have to worry about a pen and writing small enough to get everything in the tiny boxes.  When printed, fold it several times so they can separate the 'top' part from the 'bottom' like the pre-printed ones.  I occasionally have to tell them it's 'nuevo - en linea'.  Big time saver!  Here's the site: https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud ... there's an 'ES' and an 'EN' button you can click for Spanish or English. So I have added the links to download that FMM online and you can find them at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com in episode 4. And thank you again Brett, by the way Brett has a really good story about timeshares and he is a little shy, but I’m gonna try to coax him to come on the show and tell you how he makes timeshares work for him. It’s really interesting. And you..yes you can reach out to me and tell me your Puerto Vallarta story, give me a suggestion by going to the contact us tab at the top of our webpage and sending me a email. It’s easy and fun.   This episode I will be talking buses in Puerto Vallarta with my friend JR in PV. Now you guys have to cut me a little slack here please because I’m just getting used to the long distance interviewing and the proper recording levels and all that other wonky tech stuff. What I’m saying is that it will get better in future interviews so please bear with me as I improve my technique I have been told by the best in the business, don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. So with that that in mind, let’s ask JR, is it okay to take buses in Puerto Vallarta? What about …. take buses in Puerto Vallarta? JR, what about buses? Are the safe? Are you gonna find chickens and livestock on them? What do you expect when you get onto a bus? JR:         We don’t have chicken bus, going back we did. First what we have to understand the bus system here was not built for tourists. It was built to get people to and from work. For children to get o and from school, etcetera etcetera. The roads tend to go through the residential areas. The local residential areas where tourists will be completely lost. Barry:    Interesting, because I found most bus drivers don’t speak English very well. I imagine that’s why they don’t interact with tourists that much. JR:         Some do, if you can say the destination in Spanish, they’ll either say Yes or No. Another thing to consider of course is downtown, we basically have two North-South streets. In other words, in order to get to the South side of town to the North side of town you got to go through one of those streets. Basically, if you’re going North it’s one street. Going South, it’s another. Consequently, there’s a lot of business that go through downtown then go off into all these weird many areas that I’ve never seen. Barry:    You mentioned on your website a very funny thing. You  say take a mystery tour, hop on the bus and see where it takes you. Sounds like a lot of fun. Would there be a place that you would take a bus to nowhere that you wouldn’t want to go. JR:         No. It’s a cheap trip it’s just seven and a half pesos. There and back it’s 15 pesos. You go to the end of the line. Sometimes the bus will turn around back. Sometimes there’s another bus waiting to go back. If you change course of course you have to pay twice. Barry:    Sure. So do you need exact change when you get on a bus? JR:         It helps. Seven and a half pesos. 50 centavo coin is a tiny thing. Barry:    You’ll lose it. JR:         Very small and difficult to find in your pocket sometimes. Barry:    That’s for sure. What is this little white piece of paper the driver gives you when you get on a bus? First time I got on a bus I thought it was for transfer or something. JR:         No, that shows that you paid. And occasionally an inspector would come in and look at the numbers at the bus drivers stack of tickets and go through the bus and check the numbers if everybody's been issued one. And that the driver is not cheating by not giving a ticket. Barry:    That’s what that’s for. They don’t have these cameras that they have here in the States to keep an eye on your drivers and keep them all good and honest. Actually they’re handing you their ticket which is a receipt. JR:         Yes, it’s a receipt. And also I believe it covers you in case of accident. Although, I can’t even remember ever there being a bus accidents where anybody got hurt inside the bus. Barry:    That’s good to know. Let’s say that you arrive at the airport and all you have is a carry on baggage. Maybe a backpack, a roll-away, you’re traveling light. Can you catch a bus from the airport to where you’re going either North or South of the airport? JR:         Only South, no, North or South really.. The ones going North will be not city buses but long distance buses most of them because the border of the next state is just north of the airport. Everything going there is basically an intercity bus. The buses coming South basically are coming from Ixtapa, Las Palmas not that many. One of them that I’ve taken before is a magical mystery tour. Although it said central, it eventually got there but it took a long long time. We ended up in the hinterland. I don’t know where we were. I just sat there and crossed my fingers. Eventually it got to the South side where they all end up. In the case of coming through the airport, avoid any bus going South that says Pitillal because that’s the first place the magical mystery tour bus goes. Barry:    It kinds of winds it way to Pitillal I imagine. JR:         It goes to Pitillal and it goes to other colonias that I’ve never seen before. Barry:    So you’re gonna be looking for a bus going South that doesn’t say Pitillal on it. But do you have a specific like Central on it. What does it say? JR:         Central. I don’t think there are tunnel buses that go by the airport. I might be wrong. I should explain that if it says tunnel which is spelled T-U-N-E-L pronounced “too-nle” this goes on the bypass road around downtown avoiding that constriction there. If you’re going to the south side or going from the South side North and you want to avoid downtown and the delay going through that traffic. You take the bypass road which is called Libra Miento which basically means it’s free. Barry:    Okay, it will also say tunel on it right? JR:         Yes. “too-nle”. T-U-N-E-L. That will avoid downtown if you’re going from the hotel zone, the Marina or any hotel towards the airport you want to go to the South side of town you can avoid downtown by taking the Tunel Bus. Barry:    Okay, got it. If you’re taking a  bus from from the hotel zone that’s pretty much just going through downtown, isn’t it? JR:         Right. They all go to the South side but from the hotel zone  some would take the bypass road.  You can see it quite easily on my map. And you can click on that. It starts from the Marina airport area all the way down to Mismaloya. Barry:    Okay, and it actually shows the right buses to take. JR:         Yes. I also have maps of North of the airport. Barry:    Fantastic, so this is one of the reasons why you all need to go to vallartainfo.com and click on that map tab. Bring them down and you can see how nice and detailed these are. They give restaurants.They give locations ofwhere to catch those buses. JR:         It shows the bus stops.  Well, most of them. Barry:    That is so invaluable. These destinations are put on the windshields of the buses right? JR:         At the top of the bus, there’s a window that’s their main destination window. That will tell you where they will end up. Then right on the windscreen the various places that you might want to go to. For instance Wal-Mart it might say IMSS which is the local state hospital. It may mention markets like Mega or Soriana. It may also mention places in between the main destination and the origin. Barry:    So those are the tips when you’re looking at the bus. To understand where they’re going at the end which is along the top. The stops they make along the way which is written on the windscreen. JR:         For instance, Marine Terminal if you want to take an excursion that’s leaving from the Marine Terminal you would want to look for the bus that says Wal-Mart and Marine Terminal. If you go to the Marina which is not the same as the Marine Terminal and is quite the distance away. You need to take the Marina Bus. There’s only one bus that drives into the residential area of the Marina. That will say Marina on top. This particular bus is not very regular about every 20 mins. Barry:    If you want to go to the Marina you really need to plan for not having a bus come pick you up right away. JR:         Right, it’s not as frequent as the other buses. The other buses are every five minutes there’s another bus. Barry:    It seems like it’s a congo line of buses in Puerto Vallarta. JR:         If you’re going South, let’s say to Mismaloya Boca de Tomatlan There’s the bus that goes from the South side all the way to Boca de Tomatlan and then turns around and comes back. That is eight pesos. Barry:    So seven and half for city bus all the way up to the airport-ish. If you are going to catch that Mismaloya bus, it goes down to Boca that will cost you eight pesos. What’s eight pesos today? About 40 cents? JR:         Yes, I think. If  you’re going further South to say to the Botanical Garden or to El Tuito. There’s another bus that leaves on the corner of Aguacate and Carranza and that will cost you 28 pesos all the way to El Tuito and takes about 50 minutes. Barry:    It’s a regular city bus too? JR:         It’s intercity bus because El Tuito is considered to be another city. Barry:    And that one you catch and will take you even further South. JR:         Right, if you’re going to see the Botanical Garden. They say to Botanical Garden it’s only 20 pesos but quite often just take 28 which is all he way to El Tuito. Barry:    Tell me what’s El Tuito like? JR:         El Tuito is quite a bit older than Puerto Vallarta. It was a stop on the Camino Real, the King’s road from Barra de Navidad to the mines. The Manila boat coming from the Philippines would stop occasionally at Barra de Navidad and unload some goodies for the mines. Maybe take on a little silver but mainly unload some goodies for the mines. They would go by oxcart and mule all the way up this road. It was quite primitive in those days and El Tuito was about halfway and it’s a valley and it had grazing and it had  water. They would stop there and eventually they built some accommodation and that was the start of the town. Barry:    I just saw not too long ago a post of you going down to El Tuito. JR:         We went to El Tuito which is on the way to a couple of beaches called Playa Mayto and a fishing village called Teramecle. Barry:    I think pretty much covers most of what I want to talk about, well not really. JR:         This bus is going North. Barry:    Yes, that’s what I was gonna say what about the bus going North? JR:         Right, do you want to get to Nueva Vallarta Bucerías, Punta de Mita, Sayulita, Lo de Marcos La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and all those place in Rincón de Guayabitos, a lot of them are covered in the bus line called ATM. Not to be confused with the cash machine. Compostela Pacifico line the ATM only goes to Punta de Mita at around the bay for Sayulita your location you need the Compostela Pacifico line. These are all available at Wal-Mart. There’s a special bus stop for these buses going North, not city buses. Barry:    You catch the buses at Wal-Mart that sounds just like a commercial. I like that. You catch a bus if you’re going to North and get the Compostela bus. You need to get to Wal-Mart first. JR:         There’s one stop before Wal-Mart, the first stop is right at the end of libramiento departamento of the hotel zone. It’s marked on my map. It’s a good one to get to if you want to get a seat if it’s very busy. Barry:    It’s really going to be busy going up North especially in the  mornings when people are going to work, right? JR:         Exactly. This applies going to South as well. If you want to go at Boca de Tomatlan went down to catch the first bus on the South side you might want to go to next bus in line to get a seat. Because quite often you’d be standing. Barry:    Those are fun trips when you’re standing in the trips especially the South one. How about the North one is it just as fun? JR:         It’s good. It gets busy. I even had a lady offer me a seat once. Barry:    No. JR:         I guess she thought I was really old. Barry:    These buses are interstate buses. They go from Jalisco to Nayarit? JR:         Right, they’re considered inter-city. Barry:    What kind of pesos do we need to bring along when we go to Punta de Mita and we hop on that bus over at- JR:         Let’s see, Bucerias is 14 pesos. Nuevo Vallarta is either 15 or 18 pesos depending on whether you go to North end or South end of it. La Cruz de Huanacaxtle  is 18 pesos. Punta de Mita is 26. Sayulita is 35 I believe. And that takes you right into Sayulita and that’s the best bus to get for Sayulita. Barry:    Sayulita they go farther North? JR:         If you want to go further  North let’s say San Pancho which is actually called San Francisco but everybody calls it San Pancho. Lo de Marcos,  La Cruz de Huanacaxtle are all on the way on that road that eventually goes to Tepic the capital of Nayatrit. Those buses won’t go into these various peach towns. They will drop you in the highway and you have to huff it in to the actual town. Usually it’s less than a mile. Barry:    All those buses you catch at Wal-Mart. JR:         Wal-Mart is the most recognizable location. Everybody knows what it looks like. You can actually get earlier as I said at the beginning of the hotel zone and it’s marked on my map. If you want to get seat. It also stops at airport if you wave it down. Buses will stop for you whether it’s not natural regular stop. On the South road or Northern road as long as it’s a place they can pull off because there are only two lanes. Then they will stop. In order to wave them down, not wave at them. They’ll more likely wave back. Barry:    What’s the right sign? JR:         The way to stop the bus is to point in the middle of the road right in front of you. The bus will stop. Barry:    They take directions. Instead of waving and saying hey there what you’re saying is stop right here. Right where I’m pointing. JR:         This is the tradition down here. They never wave and the bus drivers know if that means somebody wants you to stop. If you wave they might think you’re waving at somebody else. Barry:    If you are a visitor coming to Puerto Vallarta would you suggest ever renting a car? JR:         No I wouldn’t at all. Unless you’re planning on driving to somewhere whether it’s not a regular bus service like San Sebastian. You can’t really have a day drive on San Sebastian because the time you get there it’s almost time to go back. Because they have about four buses a day. Barry:    San Sebastian, that is the silver mining town up in the hills. JR:         Up in the mountains. 4,600 feet is pretty high. Barry:    Is there anything else that you can think of that we need to know about the public bus system down here? JR:         Just be ready to hold on because quite often the driver will take off while he’s making change. Barry:    Keep an eye on that. Make sure you always turn around. Don’t leave anything on the bus,very important, before you leave because you may not get it back. Or maybe you will? JR:         People get their stuff back right where they left behind sometimes but there’s not central garage or anything. A lot of these buses are owned by the drivers and they drive them home. Barry:    I didn’t know that. That’s very interesting. JR:         The bus companies but they’re like cooperatives in a way. Some of the bus companies own a bunch of buses and in effect rent them out to the driver. Other drivers actually own the bus. And work with the cooperative and pay cooperative a certain amount. Barry:    That’s pretty precise description of what’s going on down on the ground in Puerto Vallarta regarding buses and bus system there. Just remember everybody; if you have the urge to rent the car don’t. Unless you’re gonna go where the buses and the cab won’t take you. Speaking of cabs, in another episode you and I will be talking about taxis. Is that okay JR? JR:         Sure that’s fine. I would interject also if you’re going to rent a car, the only rental company I can always really 100% recommend are Gecko Car Rental. They’re not in town they’re in Bucerias. But they will come and bring your car anywhere including the airport. They’re the only ones that don’t have bad press. Barry:    Thanks that a great tip then. Gecko for those of you who are thinking about renting a car. If you really really got to do it. Do it in through this company in Bucerias called Gecko. JR once again, you are a huge fount of information for us , for my listeners, for our listeners. I really really appreciate you coming out today again. JR:         Welcome Barry. Barry:    We’ll talk again soon maybe about taxis. JR:         Okay, I’ll try and think of good things to say. Barry:    Sure you will. Thanks again JR. JR:         Okay, bye. Barry:    Bye now. So that was quite an in depth look at taking buses in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. A couple of items I want to touch base on before we leave this subject behind and that is the conversation I had with JR about taking a bus from the Airport. I would never suggest that you take a bus if you are a first time traveler to Vallarta. That is a bus from the airport to your hotel. It would be silly. I’m just talking about the seasoned traveler who is traveling light. No luggage just a backpack. That bus you can catch along side the arrivals terminal under the pedestrian bridge and look for a bus that says Centro on it. The other item I wanted to mention is that the Mismaloya bus that also goes to Boca de Tomatlan can be found at the corner of Basillo Badillo and Constitution. They are orange and white buses and will cost you 8 pesos.And I just want to remind you that the bus to  El Tuito and the Botanical Gardens is at Aguacate and Carranza. Check in my shownotes for all of the routes and costs for buses in Puerto Vallarta and you will find them at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com and the notes will be right there with this podcast post. I should also mention, since we are talking pesos and dollars, as of this podcast, January 22, 2017  the Mexican peso to the US dollar is almost 22 pesos to 1.  I also have to add that we have experienced an increase of up to 20% in fuel prices in the last weeks here in mexico so taxi and bus prices are expected to rise in the near future but never fear, we will keep you up to date as things on the ground change. Thus far however, we haven’t seen any drastic changes in transportation costs to the end user. Okay, Again you will find all of the show notes to this podcast and others to come including the links to JR’s site and to the website where you can purchase the fantastic music of Alberto Perez who we will listen to as we play out this episode at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com, just click on the show links tab at the top of the home page. Remember that this show is an interactive one. I need your participation by sending me emails with questions for JR that you would like to hear him answer on air with me. And please Email me your suggestions for show topics that you think  I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the contact us tab on my website at the top of the home page at  www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.  And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, email me with your experiences.  And one more favor please, if you like this podcast, please take the time and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. It would be so appreciated if you would just take the extra time to do that for me. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to you for listening all the way through Thank  you JR for sharing all you know about buses and answering all my goofy questions. Thanks again my friends, this is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Relax, Manana. Nos Vemos amigos!

Download Episode! Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on iTunes Hello fellow travelers, welcome to the very first episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be  to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa Restaurant is on the southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta. La Palapa, and El Dorado Restaurants as well as Vista Grill on the Hill. For those who are looking for a little romance under the stars, El Dorado has this Romantic Dining experience package you can call ahead and ask for.  Imagine following a candle lit walkway to a private table at the ocean’s edge and you are surrounded by tiki torches. You’re seated at a  candlelit table on the beach with your toes in the sand and dining on a 5-course gourmet menu created especially for you, and served with personalized attention to you and your every wish. Yeah, you can have that… You can download his song or even his whole CD if you like it as much as I do. I have a link to it in my shownotes  on my website for show #1 where you will find it at www.puertovarrartatravelshow.com. Puerto Vallarta offers so much to any traveler who’s looking for a fun filled seaside vacation. There is something for everyone here. Traveling on a Budget? Are you on a budget?  No problem, Puerto Vallarta has plenty of opportunities for the budget traveler.  In fact, when I first came here with my wife, well, she was my girlfriend at the time some 32 years ago, we were looking at Hawaii and Puerto Vallarta, and we chose Vallarta just because we could actually afford it. We chose a travel package that included air and a week stay at the Playa Los Arcos Hotel in Southside, romantic zone,  PV, right on the water. It’s still there today and is still going strong. It was cheap, and you can still get great package deals through all the travel ticket sites. I know that the package deal is very popular with Canadians. Luxury Accommodations Maybe you aren’t a budget conscious traveler but a luxury seeker. Perhaps your idea of a perfect vacation is being pampered. Maybe you want to have a massage on the beach, or just prefer sitting by the pool drinking and eating. Maybe you don’t even want to leave the property.  You prefer the all inclusive food and drink experience. Everything included, in some places even the tips. For many I suppose, lounging, reading being pampered, getting a poolside or Oceanside massage, a spa treatment,  having the staff know you by name, having a private beach with beachside service is an important part of the vacation experience.  Not me, just sayin, but I’m not here to judge. I’m here to learn from all of you fellow travelers. Maybe I’m missing something. I’m willing to be proven wrong. I’ll keep an open mind during our travels together. So there are the real budget digs that can cost you around $20/ night US, and there are places like the Four Seasons Punta Mita that will cost you around $1,550 a night. Air BnB’s have made it down here in a big way, There’s apartment and condo rental specialists for those looking to have an extended stay. What I’m getting at is there are lots of properties all along the Bajia de Banderas that will suit any traveler’s needs and we are going to visit them and talk about them. We are going to talk to the hotel representatives and to you the everyday traveler to get your first hand experiences. It’s going to be fun.  This is going to be an interactive experience. Since this is the first episode I want to give you an overview as to what to expect from the show as it unfolds for you on a weekly basis. The first shows will concentrate on the basics. The history of Puerto Vallarta, the current lay of the land, geography, the local customs. What are the best months of the year to visit? We will talk about getting there.  Are you driving? Are you flying into the airport, are you just stopping for a day on a cruise liner and only have a few hours to get a feel for Vallarta? Important Travel Information What to pack, Passports and length of your stay, what to expect when you arrive at the airport. Can you bring your pet?  How about Groceries and Shopping for the basics? Can I get what I want? Are there supermarkets? Are there convenience stores like 7/11’s? We are going to talk about exchanging money, can you drink the water? Is it okay to eat the food? Is the ice okay in the margaritas and in my coke? What about the crime?  Is it safe in Puerto Vallarta? Can you walk the streets at night? How about the police? Can you trust them? What are the people like? Can you trust them? How about the bugs? Mosquitoes? How do we prepare for that? And then there’s Transportation, once we arrive. How do we all get around?  Should you rent a car? What should you do before you get into a taxi or get on a bus.  I know what you are thinking…I’m gonna get kidnapped…I’m in Mexico! What, A BUS?? You mean like a chicken bus you ask??? Well… We will be talking about that too. We will be talking about all of that in the first couple of podcasts.   So we are going to cover all the basics and get you prepared because I want you to have the safest and most awesome vacation you have ever had. And you are going to have it right here in Puerto Vallarta. I want to help you plan your vacation so you can optimize your valuable, hard earned vacation. I’m here to help you make the most of your Puerto Vallarta Vacation. I’m here to help you enjoy everything Puerto Vallarta has to offer you so you can get your mind off of the  daily grind. You deserve the best. I’m going to make sure you get it. Deal?  Deal! I’m doing this for you because of all of the help I have gotten from fellow travelers along the way. I’ve had help from many people I’ve met in Puerto Vallarta and you are going to meet many of them as the show progresses over the weeks to come. One of them is a guy I know you will like. You may even know him or have heard of him. This man was a regular poster, I would say he was a regular character on an internet web forum, well let’s say it happens to be  a very popular travel advice website. Anyway, his name is John and he is best known as JR in PV. JR has lived in Puerto Vallarta for 40 years, 30 of them permanently, and for almost 30 years, he has been giving advice to travelers coming to this fair city. Well, JR has promised me that he will join us on a weekly basis to answer your questions and to tell us about what is happening during the week in Puerto Vallarta. He is an expat from London and as you will see, he still hasn’t picked up the local accent; I will have to ask him about that. You’d think he would have shaken off that English accent but, as we all know, guys that talk like that just sound smarter. Anyway, JR has this website and you can see it by going to www.vallartainfo.com and on the website at the top of the page is s a tab called Maps, and you can download maps of different sections of Puerto Vallarta. Nicely detailed and I will be referring to it as we make our journey through the city in the upcoming episodes of the show. JR also has in addition to lots of invaluable information, a tour tab at the top of the homepage as well, and if you are going to take a tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, make sure you book your tour through the website at vallartainfo.com. Remember it’s a value for value proposition here, JR gives us great travel information and we help him out by reserving our tours through Vallartainfo.com, that’s Vallartainfo.com for your tours. JR and Barry have a conversation about drinking the water in Puerto Vallarta. Listen to the Podcast.  Although it wasn't discussed in the podcast, I was told by JR that resorts and hotels in Nuevo Vallarta have their own water treatment plants and therefore, although while you are outside of the resorts you will need bottled water, while at the resorts and hotels in Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias and Punta de Mita, you should have little concern. Remember to ask. So what next? As I said, the next couple of episodes, we’ll be talking about  the history of Vallarta, and lessons and the basic travel do’s and don’ts , then what?  Well there is so much. Puerto Vallarta Restaurants As you may or may not have heard, Puerto Vallarta is an incredible foodie destination with over 700 restaurants. Really! We will be interviewing numerous restaurateurs here in town and get their stories. We will hear about their menus, their awards, their struggles working in a town with so much competition for the tourist dollars.  I will be interviewing Gary Beck, author of the Puerto Vallarta Food guide and writer for the Banderas News, covering the entertainment beat. Gary will be talking food and you guessed it entertainment! So food and restaurants will be a big part of this show. Then we will talk about what to do,  what tours should a first timer take and what a visitor should not miss. Water Sports This is a seaside destination with all sorts of types of water sports and romantic, beautiful beaches where you can sit under a palapa/ umbrella, and have food and drink served to you. You can hire una launcha to take you out to Secluded beaches before the crowds hit. There’s fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, sailing and sailboat excursions out of the Marina Vallarta. From  Nuevo Vallarta and PV  you can catch a boat to the Marietta Islands. We’re going to tell you all of the greatest places to go and what not to miss, or if you just want to lounge and relax, you can just hear all about what you are missing and just don’t care. Remember, this is a sharing podcast. Maybe you are an adventurer traveler and like to hike, zip-line do healthy invigorating stuff. Well Puerto Vallarta has got you covered and we will talk about you guys. Puerto Vallarta Charities Perhaps you are the kind of traveler who isn’t happy unless they are helping others. Maybe you feel guilty enjoying yourself while others are suffering. You know who you are. You are do-gooders.   Well you do-gooders are in luck, Puerto Vallarta has so many opportunities for you to do all sorts of good. Maybe you want to help out at one of the many children’s charities set up in Vallarta. Maybe you don’t like kids and just so happens you love animals and want to help out at the local ASPCA or the pet spay and neuter clinic.  There is an entire list of these organizations where your help and funds are needed and would be appreciated and I have added a couple to my website of links to do-gooder websites in PV that you can visit. Again you will find those links by going to  www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com.  Well, we will be interviewing these leaders, these special volunteers in the community who have found their calling and are truly Gods’ helpers for sure. Puerto Vallarta Real Estate My real job is selling homes. I know a whole lot about selling houses in Southern California. That’s how I can afford to make Puerto Vallarta my second home away from home. In fact, I do another podcast called the Southern California Real Estate Answer Man Show where I do tutorials on buying and selling Real Estate in California. So if you ever want  to buy or sell a home in Southern California, call me, but I have absolutely no idea where to begin when it comes to buying and selling property in Mexico. I do however, know some great agents who work all along the Bajia de Banderas. From Sayulita and Bucarias to the north, to Mismaloya and Boca Tomatlan to the South so if you are ever in the market and want a great, honest agent referral, email me and I will set you up with an agent that you will get along with. Anyway because of my natural interest in the subject of buying and selling homes, we are going to talk with local Realtors, brokers and attorneys  about foreigners buying property in Puerto Vallarta. We are talking real property not timeshares here, we  are talking about buying the whole enchilada.  About buying a home or condo. It’s not going to be a big part of the show, but we are going to definitely touch on the subject. Maybe more than a touch, maybe a little heavy petting, but we will see. Look, I think that people who come here more than once start looking around and asking themselves, where would I like to live if I lived here. It is certainly a thought provoking subject if just for the voyeurism of the whole thing. Puerto Vallarta Timeshares Talking of timeshares,  we will be talking timeshares in an episode or two, that’s  because it seems everywhere you turn around in this town, someone is trying to sell you a timeshare. We will be spending some time discussing the good and the bad of those timeshare opportunities with people who sell them, people who hate them and the people who just love them. Some have multiple timeshares and we will hear from them. Puerto Vallarta Rentals And if purchasing your little piece of paradise isn’t in the cards for you, we will be talking with people living in Puerto Vallarta who handle long term and short term rentals. These people and can find you a place to stay the winter, not in a hotel or a resort, but a condo or an apartment or a full on home.  So many of you are snowbirds spending 3-5 months in paradise instead of battling the freezing temperatures In Minisocold, or Cleveland Ohio, or you Canadians up in Canadia from Manitoba, Toronto, Vancouver BC,  Saskatoon Saskatchewan, I just wanted to say that   and  all over that great country to the north. Canadians are finding that their dollarettes go a lot further in Puerto Vallarta than at home in Canada. That’s why you will find such a large Canadian Expat population in PV. For some reason Canadians love this place. Of course there’s plenty of American US expats living in Puerto Vallarta as well. Expats in Puerto Vallarta We will be talking with the expats here in Puerto Vallarta, from one end of the bay to the other to get their stories too. We will discuss their reasons for moving to paradise…duh.., their challenges and successes making a go at living in Mexico. Are they looking to get a Mexican Passport and citizenship, or are they just happy to have resident status. We will have a couple of shows that cover those issues as well. Get Married in Puerto Vallarta Perhaps you are considering Puerto Vallarta as your destination wedding location. Many brides to be see themselves getting married with the ocean and sand and the fantastic setting of Bandares Bay as the backdrop of their ideal wedding. Others see themselves wed at the famous Church of our lady de Guadalupe, That beautiful crowned church you see in all of those tourist photos of Puerto Vallarta. Yes, that church. You can be married there.  Maybe you have decided to renew your vows in paradise and want to invite your favorite people in the world to share your special moment with you. Well, we will be talking with local wedding planners, Bakers, Dressmakers, florists, photographers, caterers and hotel operators as well as other property owners who specialize in making your destination wedding the talk of the town and an incredible memory for you to hold in your hearts for your entire lives. I’m really looking forward to that or I should say those episodes of the show because there are so many people to talk with and so many options for those of you in love who are mulling over the numerous possibilities and opportunities. So weddings, vow renewals anniversary celebrations and other special occasion locations and services will be discussed in length throughout the podcasts to follow. If you have had a wedding that you want to tell us about, let me know and we can talk about it in an upcoming show. Please share your experiences with our listeners. Art in Puerto Vallarta Maybe you are interested in the numerous art galleries throughout Vallarta. We will be talking with a number of local artists, many of them expats themselves who now call Puerto Vallarta their home. We will be talking with local native Mexican artists as well. I have an upcoming interview Gary Thompson, who is the owner and director of Galleria Pacifico, and he will also give us a tour of the local artwork on the Malecon, the oceanfront boardwalk in Old Town Puerto Vallarta where there are the most fantastic, some would say unusual looking sculptures and artwork that are so popular here along the waterfront here in downtown PV. During the high season every Tuesday morning at 9:30,  Gary gives a free walking tour where he describes the artwork and talks about the artists too. It’s going to be a real treat. Cooking and Art Classes in Puerto Vallarta Maybe you are looking to enrich yourselves by taking a Spanish course or a cooking class so you can cook like a local. Maybe you want to take an art class with a local artist. We will be interviewing these teachers who are eager to share their knowledge so you can bring it home with you to share with your family and friends. And you can relive those experiences each and every day. Imagine if you will learning from some of the most amazing chefs in the whole world. Wow! You can do that here, and you will be so glad you listened to this show because now you have the bug. Puerto Vallarta is LGBTQ Friendly Puerto Vallarta is a LGBTQ friendly town. You will find, especially on the south side of town that Vallarta has plenty of Gay daytime  and Night time activities with , Clubs, Bars and Restaurants, beaches and even special tours actually offered specifically for gay tourists here. So yes, the Rainbow flag is flown quite proudly here in Vallarta. And we are going to dedicate at least one show to the LGBTQ community here and the clubs and restaurants that are frequented by the gay community here in Vallarta. I'm telling you, you should check out that show, it should be very interesting.  Theater Arts in Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta was put on the map by Hollywood Director John Houston and Richard Burton and Liz Taylor when the night of the iguana was filmed back in 1964, so it should come as no surprise that Puerto Vallarta has a robust theater and entertainment community. We will be discussing that with Gary Beck in an upcoming show this February. So there is just so much to talk about, and as the show progresses week by week, I will be working along with friends like JR, and my buddy Agustin at The fantastic Hotel Cinco 22 B & B on Calle Hidalgo, about 3 blocks north of The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I will be working with those great guys and others to bring you special offers from restaurants and hotels, resorts and clubs so stay tuned for that. Just another added bonus for my listeners and I will be bringing those to your attention as the come up. Again you will find all of the show notes to this podcast ant others to come including the links to JR’s site and to the website where you can purchase the fantastic music of Alberto Perez who we will listen to as we play out this episode. Remember my friends, and I really mean this, because I have made so many great, genuine friends in Puerto Vallarta, and I really consider all of my listeners my friends, that this show is an interactive one. I need your participation by sending me emails with questions for JR that you would like to hear him answer on air with me. And please Email me your suggestions for show topics. I probably have about 60 of them written down as of right now, but If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by email. Just click on the contact tab at the top of the page and fill out the form.   And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, email me with your experiences. Just click on the contact tab at the top of the page and fill out the form.   Next week we will get right into the history, geography and lay of the land here in Puerto Vallarta.