Demonstrating an astute sense of occasion, Vallarta’s Canadian Consulate made an upward move on Canada Day to a larger space in the Hotel Zone with more convenient parking. And, as a Canadian, it occurs to me that the July 1 shift might have been sparked by the desire for more independence. Formerly, the consulate was in the same building as the American one – but on the floor below.

I’ve seen it everywhere I’ve lived – the tendency to take more pride in your nationality when outside of your own country. And we Canucks are no exception. Good old predictable Canada, where streets are clean, bellies are full, and boots, scarves, mitts and hats litter entranceways half the year. It’s safe and orderly, and consequently rather boring. But here, in my chosen home where life is much more primal and certainly never dull, I think of it fondly. And I’m grateful to have benefited from such a fabulous place.

A bash celebrating its 136 years as a sovereign nation organized by Consul Lynne Benoit – who has done a great job in this post for the past decade – suggests that at least a couple of hundred others – expats, tourists and locals – feel the same. Following heartfelt renditions of both the Mexican and Canadian national anthems, the enthusiastic crowd boogied the night away to a live band at the Oasis beachfront bar. And eliminating the cause for any possible top dog- bottom dog zingers, a much-hyped Canada versus Mexico beach volleyball game played in driving rain ended in a tie.

Three days later, about 500 gringos and locals turned out for the American July 4th independence celebration. Held for the first time at the Collage entertainment complex, which was donated for the event, the sale of food, drinks, books and more, along with rides and games, raised over $23,000 pesos for local charities. It’s nice that having fun can help others.

There was a lot of buzz during the event and after, both pro and con, about this venue as opposed to the American School, where the celebration is traditionally held. American Consul Kelly Trainor is aware of it, and wants everyone to know that she’s open to, and would appreciate, feedback and suggestions for next year.

New and exciting – but not in a good way – is the city’s plan to install turnstiles in all the buses. So far, I’ve experienced them in two: U118 and U119. Awkwardly positioned at the top of the entrance stairs and overhanging the exit ones, they’re an accident waiting to happen! And it’s appalling how much more difficult the unwieldy contraptions make getting on and off. Don’t renegade jerry cans, mops, brooms, and jutting boxes, bags and feet add up to enough of an obstacle course already? And, worst of all, they ensure that exiting in a hurry is impossible. Wondering how the drivers feel about them, I asked one. His response? “They’re stupid. If there’s a fire, no one will get out alive.”

Gratefully spotting a telephone number for commenting about the plan, I passed it along to a concerned peer in the hope that his superior Spanish would give his objections more clout. Listen they did. And go ahead with it they will. It seems that statistics, “keeping track of how many people are riding the buses,” are more valuable than the passengers.

On an encouraging note, a darn good suggestion was made in a letter to the editor of a local paper – that city buses use only the right lane. Part of what makes buses nerve wracking for people like me who depend on them to get to and from work every day is that they race one another, erratically changing lanes to pass. Now this idea I’d be delighted to see implemented.

Should you find yourself wanting something a little different to do on a Thursday evening, consider heading over to La Palapa for its regularly scheduled wine tasting event. If you’re up for drinks and dinner anyway, this is a fun, educational way to round out your evening. For $25 USD, four excellent wines are sampled, perfectly complemented by a quad of dinner menu items, live music and the soothing, oceanfront ambiance.
Now who could have a problem with that?

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about what you’re reading, you’re encouraged to let me know at heather@mexmags.com.