Eclipse Nerves
After much publicity, the day of the eclipse, Monday, June 10, arrived cloudy and damp with a tropical storm in the Pacific trailing through the Bay. Nevertheless, by midday the sky began clearing and hope began to soar. Reservation lines once again began ringing at restaurants and Expediciones Cielo Abierto, which booked an expeditionary boat for an excursion into the sea. The ship left shortly after 4 pm to allow time for the trip beyond Cabo Corrientes, the near-100% range of the annular eclipse. The first hour was spent calculating the distance and time, as in the photo a scientist from Australia, Maikal Annali, checks a map and time table. The ocean was rough and many of the passengers got seasick. Despite this, astronomer Dr. Pasachoff gave his talk with slides to illustrate an annular eclipse. Once out in open sea, beyond the cape, the ocean was too irregular to even allow the boat to lay in one place. As the time was already near, the captain moved slowly along the coast and suddenly, for maybe a minute or more, through a slight parting of the heavy clouds, a slice of the sun could be seen with the expected ring.

Rain Safety
The tropical storm Boris should have passed by the time you read this, but there’s no doubt that our rainy season has come early. Usually when it starts this early, as in the last year of El Niño, there will be a brief respite of a couple of weeks of heat, then the rains start their regular cycle. During this year of El Niño, we can expect more rain than usual. It should be heartening to know that the city has been preparing. Drills have been held for emergency evacuation procedures from any of the lower areas of the city should they be necessary. Normally, the flood season isn’t until September or October when the ground is saturated, but this year the flooding could start earlier. So be prepared. The suggestion is to have candles in the house in case of blackouts; buy extra water to have on hand; and check those flashlight batteries, as they can corrode quite quickly when left in the flashlight in this damp climate.

New Bus Stop Disappoint Locals
The city announced that it’s not happy with the new bus stops, nor the way they’re being assembled. The public grumbles about them as well, especially since they offer very little protection from the rain. The officials say the transportation map they were using was outdated and the stops are no longer current. Nevertheless, the new ones continue to go up. In some locations, the previous company, Compañia de Servicious Urbanos del Centro, has taken their billboard ads and re-situated them in locations that actually block pedestrian traffic. The CEIT, or Centro de Investigación del Transporte has agreed to complete another inspection of the offending structures.

A new exhibition opened at Galería Córsica on Friday. Three artists from Mexico City are presented, each with work in relation to water: sea, rivers, lakes. Rocío Caballero has been exhibiting since 1988 in her sensual style, which intensely reveals the female form. Sebastián Moreno Coronel paints scenes of nudes in splashes of sun and water in bold color. Eric Pérez Martínez paints in dense, dark detail of faraway imperfect men and women as they swim and play by rivers overshadowed by trees.

NEW BUSINESSES

Gym
A special gym, Total Fitness, opened on Friday night, the first gym in PV to dedicate its services entirely to women. Proprietors Kenny Floyd and his wife, Lucrecia, (pictured with Benito Castillo of Fomento Deportes and aerobics trainer Alisa Tovar) formed a vision based on a holistic one of mind-body-spirit. Located in Marina Vallarta, just across from the lighthouse at Timon #1, the gym has the latest equipment, and most impressive, a special foam-covered aerobics floor to prevent the jarring that even the latest shoes don’t cushion. Women will be happy with their team of trainers, an impressive one: Marcelo Mico, pilates; Mikki Prost, yoga; and Sitara, meditation and centering. Kenny can be contacted at (322) 221-0770 for further information.

Bar & Grill
Opening at the corner that previously housed the well-known Bar Amsterdam, check out the brand-new Cactus, South of the Border. For their grand opening, Cactus is offering beer at 11 pesos and margaritas at 16 pesos. Stop in to check out their new look and the music. Pictured are Guadalupe Rodriguez and Veronica Westbury. It’s one of the friendliest bars in town! Just up from the NetHouse at I.L.Vallarta 264 in Col. E. Zapata.

Beauty College
Recently, a new modeling school was inaugurated at Facetas, previously only an agency. Director Carmen Soto said she was already working on training her models, so this seemed the logical step in their further preparation. The school is located at Niza 140-altos in Col. Versalles. Their first graduation is scheduled for Saturday, June 15. Pictured are Lydia Zúñiga and Rocío Soto.

Earth Day: Today More Than Ever
In honor of Earth Day this week, there is not one, but two earth conferences. One is downtown in the auditorium of Cecati near the main plaza. In fact, the plaza is the venue for booths with information on subjects such as water certification, the ‘red tide’ of the sea, wildlife of Mexico, biodiversity, and the biggest news, recycling. As more information becomes available, it will be reported here in reference to local programs. More information is available in the main plaza, in any of the booths with programs of speakers. In the meantime, the 3rd Conference of Tourism, sponsored by the students of tourism of CUC, Centro Universitario de la Costa, opens at the campus but then moves to their main venue at the Marriott Casa Magna in the Marina. Subjects are related to tourism, such as the development of products related to ecotourism, perspectives of women within the alternative tourism movement, and discussions on just what constitutes ecotourism. Reservations and information are available at (322) 226-2271 or email turismo2002mx@yahoo.com.mx for program information. The CUC program also involves activities such as rappelling, scuba diving, mountain biking, and hikes along the rivers, with the nights at the discos in town. The slogan is “Today more than ever”.

Solar Eclipse Will Be Visible In Vallarta
Not far behind Earth Day, the sun takes its bow. In most of the local publications, scientific information proliferates as writers draw on various internet sources. The details may vary, but the fact remains that the eclipse, seen even from Puerto Vallarta, will be nearly complete. Cabo Corriente is possibly the ideal spot, as evidenced by the plan of Expediciones Cielo Abierto to travel there in the Princess Yelapa. Isabel says, “Because of the time of the eclipse, we are leaving the pier at 4 p.m. sharp. Be on board or be left behind!” An astronomer from Los Angeles has confirmed as the speaker for the outing. The estimated time of the eclipse varies, from 7:35 p.m. to 7:46 p.m., so be prepared. How long it will last also varies, but it should be, as long as the sky cooperates, an amazing sight.

December World Golf Cup Will Be A Major Event
Another local phenomenon will be taking place in December in relation to the world of golf. There are four major world-level golf championships every year, and this coming December we’ll have our first taste of that fine vintage. At a press conference at Vista Vallarta, beyond Ixtapa where the championship will be held, President Steve Wilson explained why this World Cup is important. “There will be 16 hours of TV time worldwide specifically devoted to the EMC World Cup. During those valuable hours, everyone will be watching not only the golf, but also the city in all its glory.” Casey Crandall, of Marina Vallarta Club de Golf, assured the press that this was just the beginning. “Already we have other groups booked. In January, there’s a one-week Senior championship, and also a golf forum of seven days with about 900 golfers. In December, we also have the Pro-Am circuit, from the 1st to the 5th, with 500 golfers for five days. And in November, we have the Taylor Made, four days with 400 golfers.” These groups spend money in hotels, restaurants, on cars, tours, and in the stores. Both men, in conjunction with Joe Johnston, handling the volunteers, agreed that Puerto Vallarta has taken its place among major worldwide golf destinations. Joe was pleased to confirm about 400 volunteers for the event. Why are volunteers needed? The simplest answer is so that the event can in turn leave the money made to a local charity. So the volunteer corps is essentially working not for the event but for the community. Volunteers can still call for placement at (322) 221-5041, or contact Joe Johnston at jjohnston@pvnet.com.mx for further information.

Bus Traffic Through Downtown Puerto Vallarta Decreases
On Wednesday, citizens’ day at city hall, the sub-director of Transit, Lic. Jesús Rodríguez Campoy, offered his viewpoint on the downtown traffic situation. “Our agreement was with the three bus companies that serve downtown Puerto Vallarta. They have agreed to change the proportion of service that enters from Avenida Mexico so that only 50% comes from that side, leaving the remaining 50 percent to enter through the tunnel.” The sub-director agreed that it wasn’t actually then a reduction of 50 percent through downtown, but a reduction in the proportion that would be allowed to cross through downtown. Not near the 50% originally projected, or interpreted by the media. Regarding the taxi drivers, after a demonstration in the main square on Tuesday, the sub-director stated that there was “no misunderstanding about the agreement to cut back on taxi stands, but that the talks would continue to seek an agreement sometime in the future.” In the meantime, no changes are expected.

Galería Córsica Surprises With Off-Season Opening
Do we have culture in June? There was a surprising call from Galeria Córsica, too late to make the web news last week, of an unseasonal exhibit. José Villavicencio, co-owner, explained how that happened. “We were in Mexico (D.F.) relaxing, out for dinner, something I hardly ever get to do during the normal work week. In any case, we ran into a number of artists, some of them well-known, some not as known, who were interested in showing here in Puerto Vallarta. One thing led to another, and here we are with an exhibit of three great artists from the capital.” All are painters in oil: Rocío Caballero, Eric Pérez and Sebastián Moreno. The opening night, Friday, June 7, will be from 7 pm to 10 pm. During the rest of the season, the exhibit will be on view in the gallery from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Galeria Córsica is located at Pípila 160, just a block from the LANS department store. Call during operating hours at (322) 222-7963 or email corsica_galeriadearte@hotmail.com for more information.

Tibetan Monks En Route to Vallarta
Around town are notices of the expected arrival of a group of Tibetan Monks. As the first World Tour, the Ceremony of Purification of the environment is central. “Tibetan tradition teaches the concept that the lack of prosperity and abundance, and the resulting confusion, is a direct result of the lack of harmony and equilibrium that forms the natural energy of that region. In this purification of the environment, the monks remove the obstacles that block the energy, creating a natural balance and harmony not only to the region but to the mind and body of the participants.” The week-long seminar covers such topics as Tibetan astrology, meditation, Tibetan shamanism and medicine, as well as sacred music. The conference takes place June 10-16 and there will be English translators at all the sessions. Please contact Linda Aimee Smith at (322) 209-0898 for reservations and information.

Seapal Re-certifies the Water in Puerto Vallarta
You will be happy to know that for the 11th year, the water in Puerto Vallarta has been certified safe by Seapal, the national agency of water purification. Stop by their booth in the main plaza this week to see the mock-up of the radial well, an amazing design handled by a national company that purifies up to 600 liters per second. To put this in perspective, Puerto Vallarta consumes 1,050 liters per second. The radial well is sunk deep into the earth, near the Ameca River. There are only three such wells in Mexico, the two others located in Acapulco. In addition, 34 other wells all were checked and certified safe. Licenciado Luis Mario Figueroa Prado explained that Seapal is the local arm of the Department of Health from Jalisco, monitored by the federal level. Up to 95% of the water in the city is handled through the city water system, only missing those few new residencial areas that slipped through the cracks of regularization. On a national level, Seapal has won acclaim for its work in purification of the drinking water and the sewage treatment system.

Vallarta 2002 Awards Recognize Local Citizens
On the afternoon of May 31, the birthday of Puerto Vallarta, part of the ceremony at Los Arcos was the announcement of the Vallarta Awards. These citizens, recognized for their efforts in various fields, are chosen by a combined panel of judges in various fields. Pictured here are the Gomez of Ixtapa, the father and his sons, for their contribution in Culture. Other honorees were Ada Colorina in Art, Thierry Blouet of Café des Artistes in Tourism, Dr. Juan Luis Cifuentes, one of the speakers at the above-mentioned CUC conference, in Ecology. Each honoree had his moment as a bibliography of achievements were read from the podium. The mayor, Pedro Ruiz Higuera, announced the award in Medicine for his own father, Dr. Guillermo Ruiz Vázquez along with Dr. Francisco Ramírez. The sports hero, Demetrio Madero, received the award in Sports. Armando Soltero was honored in Education. The sun was setting as the awards ceremony came to a close.

Cultural Festival Ends with Spectacular Celebration
After the awards ceremony, a huge cake was served to the public, at least to those who didn’t mind waiting in the long lines. As dark began to fall, the Mariachi Symphony began to play, directed by Felipe Romero. The crowd was so dense that there was almost no standing room. It was magical as several singers came forward to sing some of the favorites of the public. At 11, as the music came to a final crescendo, the multitude moved toward Los Arcos where the pyrotechnic castle was constructed. In the daytime, it hadn’t looked like much, in fact they were still working on it as the square was already filling with people. But as the old-fashioned fireworks began, spiraling and twirling and whistling and shooting sparks and flames, the crowd cheered. It was an incredible work of art, with flowers, twirling turkeys with tail feathers spread out, two diving, playing dolphins, and the final touch, the crown, which went spinning off into the night sky. If that wasn’t enough, the rockets and flares began at the edge of the stage, towards the sea. Happy birthday, Puerto Vallarta!