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| Local Intro Events Movie Guide News Archives > | ||
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| Reef Classic
in Sayulita The Reef Classic, a surfing competition, is in full swing this week in Sayulita. The international competition has cash prizes to total $3,000 USD, drawing surfing competitors from around the world and Mexico. An additional $500 USD will be awarded for the winner of the concurrent Miss Reef Bikini Open. Beginning December 28, the event will conclude December 31 with a live concert of “La Celestina.” Sayulita is a small beach community about 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta going north on the highway beyond the airport. Hundreds of spectators are present daily at the activities, coming not only from the local area but also from other cities in Mexico. A local Sayulita team, SST, is part of the hosting effort for this important surfing event. | ||
| Malecon
Pavers Make News It was reported locally that a mistake in the placement of the pavers that cover the new Malecon was discovered. With City Hall closed for vacation, sources were difficult to locate, but Adalberto Hernandez, one of the agents in the office of tourism, explained that the prefabricated cement facings are sections approximately four by six meters and were designed the way they appear. The inauguration plans for the Malecón continue to center around the celebrations of fireworks in the Main Plaza for New Year’s Eve. | ||
| Convention
Center Announced The governor of the state of Jalisco, Francisco Javier Ramirez Acuna, announced the completion of the funding for the future convention center for Puerto Vallarta. Expected to be the best convention center in all of Latin America, the final arrangements are being completed, but the announcement is expected soon with further details of the center. Up to this point, the governor included the information that it would be a floating complex, possibly built in the area of El Salado, the protected watershed within the city. As vacations continue, the information should be more complete by next week. | ||
| De Santos
Opens New Club Downtown Just next to their restaurant of the same name, De Santos discothèque opened at Morelos 771 this week. Expected to be one of the most popular spots downtown, the trendy disco promises the best dance music in an area with several levels to appreciate it. There is a terrace inside with “chill-out” music, and a special Mediterranean menu in the restaurant was introduced as well. Open until 6 am, the cover charge for De Santos disco is $150 pesos, except on New Year’s Eve, when it is $250 pesos. Check desantos.com.mx for reservations and information. | ||
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Week of December 20th, 2002
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Malecón
Ready December 23
 In
advance of the original schedule for completing the Malecón by December
31, Baja Mantenimiento y Operación (BMO) representative Manuel Arce announced
that the project will be completed by December 23. Despite recent disputes about
the increased costs projected by the company for the inclusion of additional wheelchair
access, replaced lighting and changes to the original design, the original budget
of $9.5 million pesos will be honored. The small plaza area around several of
the sculptures was enlarged, and the area behind the Friendship Fountain of the
Dolphins was extended. A ceremony date and time has not yet been announced, but
it is certain that the Malecón will be a central location for welcoming
the new year. | ||
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Permanent Art Exhibit
at CUC
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Golf
Results
 The
EMC2 World Cup is now past, but ahead we can expect some interesting results.
First, two dates have been proposed for next year’s PGA Cup of Mexico in
Puerto Vallarta, and the Mexican Open is scheduled here for April 2003. Luis Angarica
also announced the second Vallarta Cup would be held in November 2003. Golfers
nationwide from Guadalajara, León, Aguascalientes, Mexico City and Torreón
are expected to attend. Many of the golf pros played other courses during the
tournament, and the word is expected to travel fast. Three television companies
from Japan covered this year’s games, following the team from Japan to number
one. This is expected to increase tourism not only from Japan itself but also
from the Japanese immigrant communities in the USA and Canada. Local hotel figures
weren’t as high as hoped during the tournament, but the coverage is sure
to be a draw for the future. | ||
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Local
Notes
Telcel Special Telcel announced a special promotion for the holiday season for all Amigo cards. With the purchase of a $200 peso card, you receive a credit of $300 pesos, while a $500 peso card gives you $1000 pesos credit. When asked how long the promotion would continue, the answer was a shrug. Go for it while it’s hot. Note that this promotion is valid only at Telcel offices and stores. | ||
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Using Bus Transfers Downtown  Bus
travelers who wish to cross downtown on a “Centro” bus will be dropped
off at Parque Hidalgo. Just cross the park, as many passengers do, and board the
waiting bus at the far end of the park on Jesús Langárica. Present
your bus ticket from the bus that brought you into town. If there is no bus waiting,
wait there on the street for the next one. | ||
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Week of December 13th, 2002
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Festival
Culminates
 This
week is the culmination of a number of activities surrounding not only the Cultural
Festival but also the 151st anniversary of the city of Puerto Vallarta. In a ceremony
at Los Arcos, the group Coatlicue-Coyoxhautli performed pre-Hispanic dance and
song. Traditional Mexican fireworks were set up for the people who filled the
Main Plaza. As the last night of the Virgin of Guadalupe celebrations, hundreds
continued in the final night of the peregrinación. To close the festival,
a grand concert of the Symphonic Mariachi under the direction of Maestro Felipe
Romero will take place at Los Arcos December 14 at 8 pm. The final fireworks show
will commence at 9:30 pm. | ||
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Xiutla
Gains National Recognition
 One
of the important local elements of the Cultural Festival is Ballet Xiutla, recently
recognized as one of the top five dance troupes in Mexico. They performed at Los
Arcos December 8 in an astounding performance including new dances as well as
traditional favorites. The troupe, consisting of more than 180 members, is under
the direction of Professor Carlos Enrique Barrios Limón. Earlier this year
they wowed the public at the Latin Fest in sister city Santa Barbara and toured
nationally as well. They will continue their regular performances throughout the
season at Los Arcos Amphitheater. | ||
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Flash
& Dash
 In
conjunction with Hotel Westin Regina and Alaska Airlines, Cohen Productions hosted
a spectacular four-day event called “Flash and Dash.” A new program
for Puerto Vallarta, the production company organizes weekend getaways in destinations
served by Alaska Airlines. The radio and TV stations involved arrive at their
destination and are given a list of clues to locations within the city. The following
day, in groups of four, with the help of a taxi driver, they go from place to
place on the list of clues, taking photographs at each location. At a final dinner,
the winning team is awarded two free tickets to any Alaska Airlines destination.
Each and every team member goes home a winner, having experienced a new city in
a distinct way that gives that destination the boost of free promotion on radio
and TV. Discussions are underway to continue the promotion with Puerto Vallarta. | ||
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Golf
Tournament Underway
This week, in the middle of so many city-related cultural events, Puerto Vallarta is host to the EMC2 World Cup tournament at Vista Vallarta. Currently Canada’s team of Mike Weir and Ian Leggatt leads with 28 strokes with a total of 13 under par. In the final, they will be matched with second place Australia. France, Korea and Sweden follow to complete the top five. Mexico’s team, consisting of Estéban Toledo and Pablo del Olmo, is currently number 22. With 24 teams of two, the series is covered by a press corps of more than 300 members, televising the tournament to over 140 countries worldwide. The final day is Sunday, December 15. | ||
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API
Honored
 An
announcement was made honoring API, our local port authority, for bringing in
the largest number of passengers of any port in the country. Astrid Castañeda
Ruiz, director of public relations, was pleased to note that the increase since
last year was 175 percent, for a total of over 330,000 passengers on 175 ships.
Cozumel, the island off the coast of the Yucatán peninsula, not an API
port but actually a “home” port, is not included in this competition
as passengers can originate and terminate there, unlike other ports in Mexico.
A ceremony was held at the Westin Regina December 13 to honor the supporting land-based
operations and tour operators. | ||
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Week of December 6th, 2002
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Book
Presentation and Signing for Vallarta Volume One
 Producciones
Viva, the publishers of Vallarta Lifestyles and Vallarta Voice, will be releasing
the first of their new series of books on Vallarta this week, this one entitled
“Luz y Color”. The 96-page, full-color book features the photography
of Mark Callanan who has been taking photos of Vallarta for the past seven years.
Mark sailed into Puerto Vallarta February 1996, ostensibly on his way home to
Australia. Many of the reasons he stayed are illustrated in this volume, which
he offers as thanks to the town and the people of Vallarta that inspired and encouraged
his pursuit of photography. On Saturday, December 14th at 5:00 pm, a book-signing event will take place at Galleria Dante. Drop by, meet the photographer and have him sign your copy of Luz y Color. For those who are friends of Mark, this will also be a final farewell party as he will be leaving Vallarta to return to Australia at the end of the year. | ||
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Puerto
Vallarta Cultural Festival Begins Dec. 1
 A
ceremony of appreciation honoring Dr. Macedonio Tamez Guajardo, mayor of Zapopan,
took place Sunday night to kick off the annual Cultural Festival. The city of
Zapopan contributed not only the stone for Los Arcos but also $130,000 pesos toward
paying the team of architect Martín Distancia Barragán. The first
performer of the festival, Armando Manzanero, drew a crowd of up to 1000 fans,
who filled the stands and the Main Plaza where chairs were placed and a big screen
was installed. Presented on the following nights were “Tangos de Libertad”
by Silvina Tabbush and Cacho Duvanced at the Westin Regina. The festival continues
through December 14, alternating venues throughout the city. A program is on display
in the Main Plaza and is available at all events. | ||
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Tianguis
Enlivens Art Scene
 This
weekend marks the beginning of a series of weekend tianguis, or open markets,
on Isla Rio Cuale. Designed specifically toward the expansion of cultural possibilities
for the community, coordinator Carlos Villalobos encourages the public to not
only visit but to take part in a growing movement. You can expect street performances,
theatrical events, music and art exhibitions. Located on the east end of the island
beyond Le Bistro, the tianguis also will have stands for food and beverages. Scheduled
throughout the season, the tianguis will take place Saturday and Sunday 9 am -
7 pm. |
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Shipping
News
 Two
unusual ships are in port today. One hails from Canada, a replica of Christopher
Columbus’ Nina, expected to be in port for about 10 days. Tours of the ship
are available in Nuevo Vallarta. The other is in town only for the day. The World,
a large luxury liner, travels around the world, stopping in at exotic ports of
call. On its inaugural voyage, The World was honored in an exchange of plaques.
The local Administración Portuario Integrál, API, is receiving its audit for ISO 9001 certification. This system of quality control is an international system that guarantees the safe handling of passengers arriving in the port. In preparation for this audit for the last four months, API expects the certification to ensure a better relationship with visitors as well as the companies that provide services and transportation here in Puerto Vallarta. Eight principles of quality are required, and regular assessments are made every six months to ensure that the standards are upheld. |
Peregrinaciones
Proceed through Downtown
 During
the first 12 days of December, until the actual day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
on December 12, there are evening peregrinaciones, or processions, through downtown.
Beginning at about 5:30 pm, the traffic through downtown is restricted to allow
the processions to pass freely. Most companies, hotels and even neighborhoods
have their scheduled date and time to make the pilgrimage. Traditional attire
is white, while baskets of fruit and offerings are carried the length of the route
to the Church of Guadalupe off the Main Plaza. |
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© Producciones ViVa |
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In
a ceremony December 18 at the auditorium of Centro Universitario de la Costa,
CUCosta, a permanent art exhibit was dedicated by businessman-philanthropist-artist
Peter Gray. Introduced by Cultural Council President Nacho Cadena of La Petite
France and the President of CUCosta, Jeffry Fernandez, Peter Gray spoke a few
words prior to the ribbon cutting. “Remember that art is the spirit of man
in visible form. For that reason, art is not a luxury, nor is it something only
for the rich. Art belongs to all humanity.” The permanent art exhibit currently
consists of works by Mexican painters such as Francisco Toledo, José Luís
Cuevas, Carlos Mérida, Gunther Gerzso and Rudolfo Nieto, in addition to
a print by 18th-century British artist William Hogarth. To make this gallery a
reality calls for generous support from the community at large. Peter Gray is
pictured here with his wife, Buri. 
Chez
Elena (Hotel Cuatro Vientos)
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