Hotel El Rinconcito in Mayto, South of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Vallarta Tequila Tastings in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Tunnel Bar at Las Terrazas with Allan Carswell in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Take a Trip up to Pueblo Magico Mascota, Jalisco and Hotel Encanto de la Sierra From Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Puerto Vallarta Entertainment With Kevin Anthony II and an Open Microphone Podcast Meet-up at Nacho Daddy

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La Huerta BBQ and Bar and Grill in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Vallarta Food Bank and Hurricane Lydia Relief Efforts

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Boca de Tomatlan in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Roundtable Wants and Needs 2023

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Daytrip to Qumixto by Panga to Andy Bar and Restaurant El Volador

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Savante Fine Cuisine in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Underwater Photography in Puerto Vallarta with Samuel Resendiz

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Lix Ice Cream Puerto Vallarta and an Open Mic with YouTubers Ada and Stefan Living Simply in Mexico

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Jean's All American Hamburgers in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Whiskey Kitchen Versalles and La Martina Art in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Restaurant La Casa de Las Orquideas Colonia Ixtapa Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Hire Naya Homes to Manage and Rent Out Your Puerto Vallarta Condo or Home

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Mismaloya Grill Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Learn to Dance Salsa and Tango in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Pacific Vape Shop in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Emily's Story From Tech to Writing in Puerto Vallarta

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Blakes Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Hotel Mercurio LGBTQ Friendly Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Isla Cuale Cultural Center and The Amigos of Isla Cuale, The Green Heart of Puerto Vallarta

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Pat's Plates, Expat Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver's Licenses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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La Tienda Grande Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Have a Special Occasion Cake Baked For You in Puerto Vallarta at Sweet Treats by Rosie and Me

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Tour The Hidden Beach of Islas Marietas With Off The Grid Mexico Tours

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ChocoBanana Restaurant in Sayulita Nuevo Nayarit Mexico

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Michael Tolleson Robles, Autistic Savant Artist at Galeria Robles in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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It's a Podcast Called Cowork Life With AJ & Zizi in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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The Joan Houston Show With Bob Bruneau and Joan Houston at Incanto in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Day Trip to Bucerias, Nuevo Nayarit Mexico and Artsi Galeria

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SEPEPSA Private Security Systems in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Dentistry in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with PerioDent Dental Clinic

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Erik Calderon Your Private Driver in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Arte Vallarta Museo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Puerto Vallarta Isla Cuale Restoration Project with Guy Weeks

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Bar Frida y Restaurante in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Agave Villas and El Granero Bar and Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Mangos Beach Club in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Having Fun With Trish and Chad in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Fiamma Pizzeria and Beer Garden in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Kennedy Morgan, Medium in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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El Sofa Cafe in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Casa Karma Private Villa and Event Space in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Whiskey Kitchen PV in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Hot Mamas Whiskey Kitchen in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Moving From New Zealand to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Johnny Ventura the Oyster Vender on Los Muertos Beach and Having Fun with Bob and Denise in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Thomas the Salt Man and Stories of Yelapa, Mexico

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It's High Season in Puerto Vallarta Mexico 2021 2022

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Puerto Magico in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Where The Cruise Ships Dock

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Fly From Tijuana to Puerto Vallarta Using Cross Border Xpress, CBX

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Mapa Jeff Cartographer Drawing Maps of Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Leslie Hyland

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Teatro Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Having Your Cell Phone Repaired in Puerto Vallarta with PV Technology Solutions

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The Seahorse Cusina Bar and Lounge in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Hurricane Nora Recovery in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Mezzogiorno Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit Mexico

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Leasing Property Long Term in Puerto Vallarta Mexico with JJ Vallarta

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Hotel Mayto Paradise Club South of Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Alfareria Tlaquepaque Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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American English Tree Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Having Fun With Polly in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Meet and Greet Podcast May 2021 at Nacho Daddy in Puerto Vallarta

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Pinocho's Bar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Vacation in Puerto Vallarta During The Pandemic May 2021

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Coco's Kitchen in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Vallarta Today The Newspaper of The Bay in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Pipi's Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Expat Insurance with Novamar and We Expats Insurance in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Having Fun with Roger Alaska and the Old Alaska Diner Puerto Vallarta

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Guerra Contra La Basura The War Against Litter in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Return to Puerto Vallarta January 2021 During the Pandemic

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The Gecko Band in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Meet and Greet at Kelly's Pour Favor November 2020 with Listener James Buckley

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Luisa's 100 % Cotton Clothing Design in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Deja New Consignment Clothing in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Master Baiter"s Sportfishing and Tackle in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Cuates y Cuetes Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Vacation in Puerto Vallarta During the 2020 Pandemic

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Meno's Place Restaurant Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Mariposario Jardin Magico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Que Pasa Bar and Grill Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Daytrip To Yelapa From Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Vitea Oceanfront Bistro and Trio Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Barcelona Tapas Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Devils Bar Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Return of Tourism to Puerto Vallarta 2020

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Gringo Loco Cantina Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Reactivation of Tourism in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Ramada Sabino Ron and The Ramadas of Boca de Tomates Puerto Vallarta

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Open Microphone Meet and Greet at Kelly's Pour Favor Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Your Private Panga Captain in Puerto Vallarta, Mario Cesar Morga, Super Mario

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Canadian Makes Retirement Work in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Johnnie D

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Real Estate Round Table Puerto Vallarta Mexico 2020

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Vallarta Food Bank in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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DIF Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Bonito Kitchen and Ramen Ya Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Huaracheria Fabiola in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Living Simply in Mexico with Stefan and Ada in Puerto Vallarta

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La Isla Shopping Village in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Rodolfo The Blind Singer on The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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No Way Jose Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Meet and Greet Podcast at Kelly's Pour Favor in Puerto Vallarta. Mexico

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Layla's Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Hiking and Camping in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

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Cafe Bohemio Bistro Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Eddie's Hair Salon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Barrio Bistro Restaurant and La Lulu Raicilleria in Puerto Valarta, Mexico

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Peyote People Huichol Gallery and Galeria Colectika in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Balam Balam Seafood Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Cultural Tour of Vallarta Artisans and The Vallarta Abuelos Program

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The Ocean Grill Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta

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Hedda Lettuce at Act 2 Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Tropical Storm Narda Relief in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Tuna Azul Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Qulture Restaurant Bar and Artist Co-Op in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Road from Patagonia to Puerto Vallarta by Bus El Bicho Latino

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Vallarta Factory Restaurant Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Restaurant Bar San Lucas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Day Trip to El Pitillal, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Teach English Online To Earn Money in Puerto Vallarta with The Grateful Gypsies

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Patio de Mario Restaurant in El Tuito, Cabo Corrientes, Mexico

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Martini en Fuego Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Puerto Vallarta Garden Club in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Casa Traditional Cocina Mexicana Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza, RISE, an Orphanage in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Captain Don's Sports Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Tunnel Road BBQ in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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The Best Brunches in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Reinas Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Using Airbnb in Puerto Vallarta With Your Family

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House Sit in Mexico

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Taco Stands, Taquerias in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Azul Bistro Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Tony's Please Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Barrio Vallarta Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Jorge's Hideaway and Shrimp Shack in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Ceramic Art in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with Froylan Hernandez

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The Marsol Friday Market in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Saving Sea Turtles in Puerto Vallarta, Turtle Camp at Boca de Tomates

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Meet and Greet Podcast at Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon in Puerto Vallarta

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Cafe Des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Puerto Vallarta Podcast Meet and Greet at Kelly's Pour Favor, January 2019

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Restaurant Rio Grande in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Day Trip To Rancho Primavera in El Tuito and a Night at Hotel El Rinconcito in Mayto

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Javier Nino, Master Artist in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Day Trip From Puerto Vallarta to San Sebastian Del Oeste and Montebello Italian Restaurant

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The Candy Man on The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Salvador Estrada, Marathonista

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Getting a Massage in Puerto Vallarta at Felipe's Therapeutic Spa

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Bar la Playa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Archie's Wok in Puerto Valarta, Mexico, an Interview with Cyndi Alpenia

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Tile Park Puerto Vallarta, Parque de Los Azulejos Season Two

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Open Microphone Meet an Greet at Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse

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Having Fun in Puerto Vallarta with Sharon Reynolds

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The Marina Vallarta Thursday Night Market in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Superior Tours Vallarta, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Mariscos Cisneros Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Andale's Bar and Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Artists on The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Sell It All and Retire in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Your Own Private Driver in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Jose Chamaco Castillo

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A Day Trip to Bucerias From Puerto Vallarta to Karen's Place, Restaurant

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The Babel Bar on Cuale Island in Puerto Vallarta

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Buying Swimsuits in Puerto Vallarta at La Sirena Reina, an Interview with Robina Oliver

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Los Muertos Brewing Company in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Warique Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta with Marcos Cruz Garcia

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The Hive Studio Galleria in Puerto Vallarta with Misael Ivan Lopez of PV Street Art

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Vallarta 101 Tours with Memo Lira

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Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico an Interview with Owner Andreas Rupprechter

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Puerto Vallarta Sculptor Jim Demetro Tells Us about His Sculptures, Bronze Casting Techniques and Demetro Galeria

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Fun Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Marty and Ian

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Sailing a Sailboat From Seattle Washington to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Captain Kirk and Heidi

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Fredy's Tucan Restaurant and Roberto's Superb Seafood in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Nacho Daddy Restaurant and Bar and the Boutique Community Theatre in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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El Rio BBQ and Moro Paraiso Restaurants, Along The Rio Cuale in, Puerto Vallarta

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Vallarta Co-Work and The Digital Nomads of Puerto Vallarta

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Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse in Puerto Vallarta

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Act II Entertainment Stages in Puerto Vallarta, an Interview with Danny Mininni

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Cooking Class in Puerto Vallarta with Mavi Graf of Arte Culinario

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Sylvie Scopazzo and Tours Du Jour Mexico in Puerto Vallarta

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Casa Isabel in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, an Interview with Isabel Manore

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Lucy's CuCu Cabana in Puerto Vallarta, an Interview With Gil Gevins

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The Road From El Tuito to Mayto by Taxi

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A Day Trip From Puerto Vallarta to El Tuito

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Corazon de Nina, an Orphanage in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Rock and Roll in Puerto Vallarta with La Trez Cuartoz

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The Medicine Man of Puerto Vallarta, Freddy from Farmacia Olas Altas

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The Muffin Man and The Most Honest Bandito on The Beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Discover Puerto Vallarta From the Air. Paramotoring Over Puerto Vallarta with Dan Dimov

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Vacation Rentals in Puerto Vallarta Mexico with Tim Longpre of PVRPV

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Traveling With Kids in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with David and Lucia

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Mexican Insurance For Expats in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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La Troza Beach Resort and Grupo La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta with Ecotours de Mexico Puerto Vallarta

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Getting Mexican Residency in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Attorney Lic. Felix Zarate

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Incanto - Cabaret, Piano Bar & Cafe Puerto Vallarta. An Interview with Owner Tracy Parks

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Dia de Los Muertos Celebrations in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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El Parque De Los Azulejos, an Interview With Natasha Moraga of Tile Park, Puerto Vallarta

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A Day Trip to San Pancho and A Visit to Cassandra Shaw Jewelry

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Monzon Brewing Company, Lix Ice Cream Shop, and Xocodiva Chocolate in Puerto Vallarta

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Fun Things to do in Puerto Vallarta With Reggie and Donna

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The Puerto Vallarta Bureau of Tourism, an Interview

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Rental Properties in Puerto Vallarta with The PV Kid and The Property Girl

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Puerto Vallarta Luxury Resorts and Time Shares With Pamela Fuller

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Tre Piatti Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Theater and Entertainment in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Guest Gary Beck

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A Hike From Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Beach

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Off Season Summer Fun in Puerto Vallarta with Jeff and Melody

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The Belmar Hotel in Puerto Vallarta and a Day Trip to Tequila

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Chenando's Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico An Interview With Fernando Pena, "Chenando"

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The Pull-Tab Purse Maker on The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Gabino Sandoval

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Canopy River Zipline Tours

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Mi Cafe Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Fun Things To Do In Puerto Vallarta with Ray and Cherie

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Plaza Romy in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Healthcare, Travel Insurance and Medical Tourism in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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D'angolo di Napoli Italian Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Gaby's Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, An Interview with Gabby

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Gay Pride and Gay Travel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Murals and Street Art In Puerto Vallarta With Adrian Takano

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Raicilla, Moonshine in Puerto Vallarta and a Visit to Una Familia Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta

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Fun Things to do in Puerto Vallarta with Brad and Tami

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Vegan and Vegetarian Dining in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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El Arrayan Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Rock and Roll in Puerto Vallarta with Steven Tenney of Tequila Rush

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Photography in Puerto Vallarta and Good Food with Eduardo Solorzano; Episode #13

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Buying Property in Puerto Vallarta Mexico with Rhonda Zarate and Lic. Felix Zarate

Finding Your Happy Home in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Also Updates on Safety in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. How to Stay Safe and Not be a Statistic.

\\xa0This week in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, the week of March 20, 2017

Puerto Vallarta Web Cams

Safety Tips For Puerto Vallarta

• Keep your valuable jewelry at home. No fancy watches, no fancy gold chains. Leave your diamond rings at home. Buy a plain polished silver [caption id="attachment_691" align="alignright" width="300"] Puerto Vallarta Local Customs, The People and Traditions[/caption] wedding band or something to put in place of that Rock of Gibraltar your sweetie bestowed upon you that memorable day. If you don\\u2019t have a plain band, buy one in Mexico. On the beach. It will cost you less than $20. So leave your jewels and gold at home.
• Don\\u2019t leave your cell phone lying around on a bar or on your table. Thieves have been known to snatch or place items on top of the phone while trying to sell you something, and then lift it as they leave. Remember, your cell phone is a computer, it\\u2019s your lifeline, it\\u2019s your camera, your map your everything so keep an eye on it. And Speaking of maps, download and print all of JR\'s maps and you won\'t need your phone and you will find those at www.vallartainfo.com, JR\'s website.
• Never leave your drink unattended. Be in control of your beverage ladies and gents. If you get up to dance, bring your drink with you. If you go to the head, finish it or bring it with you. If you can\\u2019t keep an eye on your beverage, and it doesn\\u2019t have to be alcoholic, you are putting yourself in some danger. There\\u2019s people out there, bad duchy people who drop date rape drugs in drinks. Plain and simple. It happens all over the world and even here so be smart, watch your beverages, adult or otherwise.
• If at all possible, avoid using credit cards to pay for meals, bar tabs, okay, just about everything with the exception of your hotel charges, and in that case, the resort or hotel has your number on file at the desk and does not get into the hands of the servers. Don\\u2019t hand the servers your credit card. Folks, just listen to those other podcasts I talked about earlier and try to pay in pesos. And even though I tell you to carry pesos with you, keep the amount low. Bring just slightly more money that you think you will need for that night or day, and no more if at all possible.
• Don\\u2019t walk around intoxicated night or day folks, but especially at night. You will be a target for the bad element and the cops. And speaking of cops, there is occasionally a bad element thrown in that mix so try to stay off the streets late at night. Don\\u2019t be withdrawing pesos from the ATM machine at 2 in the morning. You will be a target. And take cabs from the club to your hotel, please, just saying. It\\u2019s cheap. Just do it.

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Outline to Follow...

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The Puerto Vallarta Malecon Sculpture Tour with Gary Thompson

The Free Walking Tour of the Malecon Sculptures is Led by Gary Thompson of Galeria Pacifico in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.

Watch The Video of the Puerto Vallarta Airport

Airport ATM Machines

Check Out JR\'s Map Where You Can See The Names and Locations of The Sculptures \\xa0 Click Here

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Information on Biblioteca Los Mangos Annual Auction to Benefit the Puerto Vallarta Library

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The Salty Caesar Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta

Click Below to See The Puerto Vallarta Airport Video

Puerto Vallarta Webcams

Listen to The Interview with JR and Me in PV

Listen to The Interview with Karen and John Radics and Me in PV

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The True Story About the Making of the Night of the Iguana, an Interview with Author; Howard Johns

A Stolen Paradise, The True Story About the Making of the Night of the Iguana.

An Interview with Author Howard Johns

Next, I have added a new page to the website and I\\u2019m very excited about this, it has all of the best Webcams in Puerto Vallarta. Some of these cameras are great for watching a sunset right from your Barcalounger at home so go to www.puertovallartatravelshow.com and click the webcam tab and catch your Puerto Vallarta sunset today and if you have a favorite webcam that I have missed, just send me a link and I will add it for you. The more the merrier right?

Click Here to\\xa0Learn To Count to 100 in Spanish\\xa0\\xa0

The Characters

These 7 Color Photos Used with Permission From the Author

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That was a fun interview wasn\\u2019t it? I can\\u2019t wait for the book to come out. Waiting, Waiting, Waiting\\u2026 For more information about Howard Johns, you will find his Bio and links to his website at the bottom of this blog post.\\xa0

New Federal Taxi Rates From the Airport to Your Hotel Accomidation Destination

ABOUT HOWARD JOHNS

TELEVISION APPEARANCES

PALM SPRINGS LIFE MAGAZINE

PREVIOUS ACCLAIM FOR HOWARD JOHNS

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Puerto Vallarta Local Customs, The People, Traditions and Safety Tips

It was nice to meet with JR at his place instead of over the phone. His roommate was there doing dishes during the interview and I didn\\u2019t have the heart to interrupt her so sorry in advance for some of the background noise. It\\u2019s not too bad and it has the campy sound of being on location right? So let\\u2019s get to the conversation with JR in PV.

\\xa0Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza\\xa0and Casa Hogar

Traditions and Customs

Taxi Taking Tips

Tipping taxi drivers. You shouldn\\u2019t tip taxis because they tend to skip over a local in favor of a tourist because they are more apt to pay more and tip. Consult their concierge at the hotel to see what rate you should be paying.

Avoiding Crime in Puerto Vallarta

Learn to Count in Spanish

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The Vallarta Botanical Garden, An interview

An Interview with Bob Price, Founder and Director of the Vallarta Botanical Garden, Hillary Abrams, Wedding and Event Coordinator and Neil Gerlowski, Executive Director of the Vallarta Botanical Garden and the dedication of \\xa0Cheryl L. Wheeler International Peace Garden.

This interview was sparked by Hillary Abrams, she is the wedding coordinator of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens and she answered a call I put out for wedding coordinators here in Puerto Vallarta. Remember, in the first episode I promised to interview wedding planners and photographers, and caterers and bakers? Well, she invited me to come out to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens to show me what they have to offer to the bride and groom. Of course I leapt at the chance to have an opportunity to see the gardens and possibly do two interviews at the same time. Sweet! Little did I realize at the time what a wonderful opportunity this would turn out to be.

Donate to The \\xa0Vallarta Botanical Garden

I had an appointment to meet Hillary at 10:00 AM at the garden so I walked out of my apartment up in the El Cerro area, next to Gringo Gulch, and walked down to the Emilio Zapata neighborhood, crossing the bridge over the Rio Cuale, passing the watchmaker who changes batteries, sizes watch bands and more, right there in the shade of a tree. The guy does a brisk business.\\xa0 I grab a quick doughnut from a tienda, a orange drink and then hoof it the rest of the way to the corner of Agaucate and Carranza where waiting there it the bus for the Botanical Gardens and El Tuito, waiting there at 9:00 AM. Good deal. I love it when a plan falls in place. I board the bus and head towards the back. . The bus driver didn\\u2019t want any money from me till after we reached our destination. So I picked a seat where I could plop my backpack with my audio recording equipment, microphones and cables and all that stuff, my camera rig too, right in a seat right next to me. I was soon joined in the back by a character of sorts. He was worn from what I assumed was a lifetime of just a little too much to drink. I figured he was about my age. He was jovial and had a couple of friends who came on the bus as it sat, waiting to leave for the gardens. They were friendly and very talkative. It made for an entertaining trip, my eavesdropping on the conversation. I like to listen in while not always letting on that I actually do understand what they are saying. The bus soon had its fill of passengers and took off for the garden. For those familiar with Puerto Vallarta and have taken the bus south of town to Mismaloya or Boca de Tomatlan, you will be familiar with this road. It travels along the coast winding past large estates, beautiful hotels and resorts and condos situated right on the ocean. There are beautiful secluded beaches and private ones. \\xa0One of my favorite parts of this route are the speed bumps placed strategically in front of the bigger complexes. The bus will slow way down to accommodate these bumps. The second thump, the rear axle going over is always the best for your back. Especially if you happen to be standing in the bus. \\xa0The bus stops at Mismaloya and Boca but then continues up along the The Horcones River that empties into the Boca de Tomatlan, up into the mountains towards the old town of El Tuito. The bus stops at the entrance of the Gardens and the driver asks for 26 pesos. Cheap like 1.25 each way. He will give you change if you don\\u2019t have exact change. The garden entrance is beautiful. You check in at the front reception area where you buy admission, you can also purchase insect repellent\\xa0right at the ticket counter so if you forget yours, no problem. \\xa0As I walk towards the restaurant and gift shop area, I pass planter beds and plant displays along the pathway. Such a wonderful setting, in the jungle with fresh air and birds chirping away. [caption id="attachment_549" align="alignright" width="226"] Bob Price Poses with the Philippine Jade Vine[/caption] \\xa0When I reach the restaurant I recognize Bob Price from a picture I saw of him. Big tall strong guy, seemed very good natured. I asked where I could set up the microphones and recording equipment and he motions for me to set up anywhere I wanted. As I was doing the quick build of my mobile recording studio right in the middle of this Hall of Flowers restaurant area adjacent to the gift store and the kitchen, breakfast was being served to the workers. At the table where I was setting up, Bob Price, Neil Gerlowski, and a young Mexican National were sitting, eating breakfast. They were all speaking both in English and Spanish. I realized it was a job interview. The three interviewers were peppering the applicant with questions. He was fielding them with great skill in English. I was impressed with the background and knowledge and experience of this young man. I could tell he would have the job by the end of the day. I was wrong by the way, he was hired before the end of breakfast. What impressed me the most was the intelligent questioning of the man, and the kind and might I say humane manner in which they interacted with this new hire. It was really cool to see these guys in action. So Bob swung around and asked if I was ready to interview him and here\\u2019s how that went\\u2026.

Bob Price\\xa0is the\\xa0 founder and Director of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

You can ride a bus or taxi to go to Vallarta Botanical Gardens but bus is more preferred. It costs 25 pesos each way.\\xa0 You\\u2019ll pass by a little town after Boca De Tomatl\\xe1n called Las Juntas los Veranos which means the things that come together during the summer. Las Juntas signifies where things come together and Veranos means the summer.

Vallarta Botanical Gardens History

Gardens founded in 2005, this November 15 it will turn 12 years old. Its concept is to create a world class botanical garden showcase where people can learn about Mexican plants. The garden has lots of collections of different native plants and exotic plants. Plants that are native to highland rain forest of Southeast Asia, they are only botanical garden in Mexico that exhibits those. They have a tropical plant house which includes the famous Philippine Jade Vines. Native plant house which is native Mexican plants. The area is a total of 55 acres but only 6 acres are under their cultivation. The rest is wild forest.

Things To Do

Other than the beautiful gardens, there are lots of other things you can do at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. They have hiking trails where you can see nature, trees, orchids etc. There is also a clear river for swimming, Rio Los Horcones is one of the highlights. It is recommended that you wear insect repellent\\xa0or bring bug spray since it is in the middle of a forest insects like no-see-um or sand fly are most likely always there. They also have a laboratory, it is a micro propagation laboratory for growing orchids invitro meaning grow them under sterile condition and test tubes. As they become older, they will be taken out in test tubes and pot them up when strong enough for outside condition. It costs 150 pesos, approximately to get in, $6. They are a non profit organization with some 450 members of different levels that support the garden.\\xa0 They have generous donors that keep the garden running. They also have a restaurant, an authentic Mexican\\xa0restaurant. Also, they have a wood burning brick oven to cook home made pizzas. Lastly, they now create chocolate from scratch, they have an orchard of cacao. They are still planning if it is possible to be built as a business. They have an annual flower show which is the most attended event of the year. It will be from February 17 - 27.

Best part of job?

Working with plants, greeting people. Visit Trip Adviser\\xa0and search on Puerto Vallarta. The Vallarta Botanical Garden is number 3. It is third out of 167 things to do. [caption id="attachment_541" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hillary Abrams[/caption] My next interview was Hillary Abrams, as I mentioned earlier, she was the reason I came to the garden in the first place. She was excited to show off the new chapel at the garden and the International Peace Garden of Mexico, soon to be dedicated, right in front of this beautiful chapel. I came to find out about weddings at the Garden so let\\u2019s get to that interview.

Hilary Abrams. She is the\\xa0 wedding coordinator at Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

Her parents retired to a Small beach town Mayto\\xa0. From New York, she came to visit here and just fell in love with it. She was able to meet Robert Price, founder and director of the gardens and found a new life and path planning weddings and she\\u2019s been here for over a year. [caption id="attachment_526" align="alignright" width="300"] Wedding Chapel[/caption] She used to organize large scale volunteer events for one of biggest social agencies in New York so she has a history of organizing people, transportation, food, venues. Her parents are member of botanical garden. She went down here and she saw the chapel and Robert needed a wedding planner and things just fell into place. She is new to wedding organizing but all went well. The people that are getting married here are friends and family of members. These people send referrals. Visitors inquire as well. Even the website gets inquiries but mostly expats are coming here like Canadian and American.

Wedding in Botanical Garden

The garden varies with every wedding, depending on couples specifics. It\\u2019s not a rinse and repeat kind of thing. They have a new chapel and they are getting lots of inquiries. When dealing with long distance clients - Skype calls, photos, Pinterest are their way of communication. The bride & groom will visit at least once and go through the menu, changes, walk through.

Estimate cost

Every facility has a different rate but chapel rental is $2000 with couple of hours in morning with decorations of your choice. Rental for hall of flowers is $2000 with buffet option, Latin, Italian, or international buffet. It is $38-$48 per person. They can also choose the style of how food will be served. It can be buffet, family style, or plated. option. Drink options from house drink to international platinum. Different pricing per person depending on the beverages. There is an open bar for 4 hours that includes different types of alcohol, wine, and champagne. They also have orchid conservatory and vanilla house open for rental. Brunch wedding cost estimate\\xa0 is $7,000 - $10,000 Large wedding on New Year\'s Eve - $30,000 In the US average cost is around $50,000 You can reach Hilary and Vallarta Botanical Garden at www.vbgardens.org that has photos aand information about the packages. You can inquire there as well.\\xa0

My third interview was with Neil Gerlowski, the executive director of the Jardenas Botanicum de Vallarta and this guy just loves what he does! He is so pumped up about plants. So enthusiastic and I just got to really like this guy so let\\u2019s get to the interview.

Neil Gerlowski is the executive director of Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

[caption id="attachment_543" align="alignleft" width="225"] Neil Gerlowski[/caption] He grew up in New Hampshire. Became an English teacher as parents wanted. Then moved to Arizona as park ranger for 8 years. He fell in love with Mexico and Mexican girl, now living at Puerto Vallarta with 2 kids. As executive director he does the program development and fundraising to continue the vision they have for the garden, outside the garden, and the community. His greatest satisfaction is to see people enjoy what they created. When family\\xa0 or couple strolling around and he sees the connection between plants and communities. It is a great source of fulfillment. More exciting thing to do is when they have funds for research in the mountains. For example fund to research on The Magnolia Vallartense \\xa0discovered by a Vallartense, Ricardo Diaz Borioli who was one of the first who noticed that the magnolias here looked different than Magnolia Pacifica. Together with researchers of the University of Guadalajara including Dr.Antonio Vazquez Garcia, Dr. Miguel Angel Munoz Castro, Ana Nunez Rubio and several others investigated this plant and turns out it is a distinct species and named it Magnolia Vallartensis \\xa0in honor of our city of Puerto Vallarta. And the city selected this as their official tree. A lot of their work is in collaboration with University of Guadalajara CUCBA campus and also \\xa0CUC campus central Univisidertado de la Costa \\xa0As well as funds from Magnolia Society International. You can go to www.vbgardens.org for the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens website or go to\\xa0 www.issuu.com/vallartabotanicalgardens for the online edition of the magazine. [caption id="attachment_553" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cheryl L. Wheeler International Peace Garden of Mexico[/caption] Their peace garden will be announced as Mexico\\u2019s International Peace Garden with approval of the Mayor of Vallarta and International Peace Garden Foundation on February 16, 2pm-4pm. \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0

REFERENCES:

\\xa0

Puerto Vallarta Travel Show

Vallarta Botanical Gardens

Vallarta Botanical Gardens Magazine

\\xa0 And in honor of the dedication of the Cheryl L. Wheeler International Peace Garden of Mexico, on February 16^th 2017, \\xa0I produced this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show to coincide with the week of the dedication so get out and see this fabulous addition to the Jardenas Botanicum de Vallarta, the Vallarta Botanical Garden. And after you visit, don\\u2019t forget to give it a good review on Trip Advisor and see if we can make this place the #1 attraction in Puerto Vallarta. And don\\u2019t forget the Botanical Garden for a party or a wedding or a renewal of your vows folks. I will have links to everything Vallarta Botanical Gardens in my shownotes at puertovallartatravelshow.com. so check it out, check them out and add the gardens to your trip next time you come to Vallarta. That should do it for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Again you will find all of the show notes to this podcast and all of our previous podcasts including the links to JR\\u2019s 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, 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 \\xa0I should be talking about by clicking on the contact us tab on my website at the top of the home page at 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\\u2019s 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\\u2019re 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\\xa0and share with others what you liked or didn\\u2019t like about the tour. Again, Hit the contact us tab and send us a message. Just takes a little of your time. 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 Bob Price, Neil Gerlowski, JR and especially Hillary Abrams for inviting me to the Vallarta Botanical Garden, 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! \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0

Listed in: Culture

An Interview With Gary Beck, Author of The Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Guide.

Listed in: Culture

Puerto Vallarta Chef's Pass Food Tours

Subscribe to The\\xa0Puerto Vallarta Travel Show\\xa0on iTunes

An Interview With David Ostlund, Chef\'s Pass Food Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

To Book a Chef\'s Pass Puerto Vallarta Tour, Click Here!

Hello fellow travelers, welcome to this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show, I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be\\xa0 to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.

\\xa0Conversation and Q and A

• Our listeners want to know about the different types of tours you offer.
• First of all, you take people of food tours that include taco stands? Are they safe to eat at?
• How do you know if a taco stand is good? How can you protect yourself from picking up an intestinal ailment?
• Tell us about the Adventurous Pallet Food Crawl Tour?
• How about the ride, don\\u2019t walk daytime Taco Tour?
• The Eat where the locals eat tour sounds really interesting\\u2026tell us about that.
• How about the Best of El Centro Progressive Dinner\\u2026First of all, for those who don\\u2019t know, what is a progressive dinner?
• What are the guides like? Are they locals or expats?
• Of all of the food tours, which is the most popular?
• How do you choose the restaurants? There are so many here in town, how do you go about making the cut?
• Do you always go to the same restaurants and taco stands, or do you mix up the locations?
• If you are coming in on a cruise ship, how should you go about booking the tour, and how do you meet up with the tour group?
• If you are planning a trip to PV, how far in advance should the person book the tour.

Listed in: Culture

Taking Public Buses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Travel Tips

Subscribe to The\\xa0Puerto Vallarta Travel Show\\xa0on iTunes

What do you need to know about taking a public bus in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico?

So with that that in mind, let\\u2019s ask JR, is it okay to take buses in Puerto Vallarta? What about \\u2026.

JR:

Barry:

Listed in: Culture

Tips For The Puerto Vallarta Airport

Download Episode!

Today we are going to be discussing more about what to bring and what to expect when you get to Puerto Vallarta, namely the airport and transportation to your hotel, resort, condo, timeshare\\u2026must I go on? \\xa0 Well\\u2026yes.

February 24, 2017

JUST IN! Bank ATM Machines Have Been Temporarily Removed From the Puerto Vallarta Airport Lobby\\xa0

And if you missed the last episode, we discussed some of the basics. What to pack, the very important issue of exchanging money, cell phone and data plans and so forth so if you missed any of that, I suggest you give it a listen or read the blog at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. That was very important information so I suggest you go back and do a little catching up. In the old days, well, it was not too long ago, you didn\\u2019t need a passport to enter Mexico from the USA, but times have changed and all of you foreigners will need passports when visiting Mexico. \\xa0So if you don\\u2019t have yours or it isn\\u2019t up to date, best get that done before you decide to book a trip okay? \\xa0 Same applies to those of you sailing in on a cruise ship. Get your papers in order first off. Then we talked about the best time of year to come to Puerto Vallarta and what to pack so I would like to bring in a local expert, JR in PV to give us a lesson on what are the best times to come to PV, and what it\\u2019s like during times when tourists are in short supply lets join in on the conversation\\u2026. And thank you JR for the boots on the ground experience and information. Keep in mind that the water is warm, the weather is almost always humid here. You can feel it when you get off of the plane and that brings us to the tropical nature of well, the tropics like mosquitoes and other biting bugs. Now you can and should bring some insect repellent\\xa0with you. We all have our favorites so bring um if you got um, but if you forget to bring the bug spray, don\\u2019t worry, you can buy it just about everywhere from farmacias to little tiendas/ stores, the local OXXO that you will find almost on every corner. Mexico\\u2019s version of the 7/11 franchise. You can find insect\\xa0repellent\\xa0at any of the big supermercados, even Walmart, Costco, no shortage of very familiar looking shopping venues to choose from here in Puerto Vallarta. So with bug spray in mind, let\\u2019s go right back to our favorite man on the beat, JR in Puerto Vallarta and ask him, what kind of bugs we need to be worried about here in Puerto Vallarta Mexico? Mosquito Interview with JR.

Click and Watch my Video of the Puerto Vallarta Airport

[caption id="attachment_780" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Click the Image For The Video[/caption] Okay, so now we are all packed. We know what to bring. Passports, pack light, think cool, review what to do about money and your cell phone and internet needs in episode 2. Now you have arrived at the airport. What happens next? [caption id="attachment_392" align="alignleft" width="300"] Walkway to the Puerto Vallarta Airport Customs Area[/caption] [caption id="attachment_394" align="alignright" width="300"] Immigration Line Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] After getting off the plane you will follow the signage to the immigration line.\\xa0\\xa0Depending on how many planes arrive at the same time, the longer the line of course. You will need the immigration card the flight attendant had you fill out, and you have it entirely filled out, even on the bottom where you didn\\u2019t notice you needed to fill out but need to anyway, and your passport. It\\u2019s at this point where the immigration person after looking you up and down and checking your mug against the mug in the passport photo, maybe even asking you a question or two, will stamp your passport. You will be waived on through another long walkway to a place with luggage carousels, money exchange windows and even places where you can buy cigarettes and booze. \\xa0There is also a veterinary\\xa0 room where you check in with Fido\\xa0or Tigger. \\xa0After you collect your luggage you will be asked to proceed to the customs lines where you will work your way up to the front where you will hand over your declaration card and you will be asked to press a button. If you are lucky, most people are, you will get a green light and will proceed to the next part of your journey. \\xa0If you get a red light, you will be asked to proceed straight ahead of you to some tables with customs agents where they will ask you to open your bags for inspection. I have, in the many, many times I have been here over the last 33 years never been asked to open my bags. Not once. Call me lucky, but that has been my personal experience. [caption id="attachment_402" align="alignleft" width="300"] Animal Arrival Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] [caption id="attachment_397" align="alignright" width="300"] Luggage Carousel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_395" align="alignright" width="300"] Money Exchange Booth. Be Aware of Bad Exchange Rate.[/caption] \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 Now. This is the moment you have all been waiting for. This is it ladies and gentlemen. If you listen to all of my podcasts and get absolutely no information from any of them, this is the part that you must listen to. After you escape the customs room you will go through some glass sliding doors and you will find yourselves in a place, nicknamed in a most loving terms of endearment, The Shark Tank. You will be walking through a corridor where\\xa0 on either side counters and tables and very official looking people nicely dressed, some in uniforms will try to be getting your attention. They will ask you if you need a taxi. They will say to you that they will arrange a taxi for you. They will ask you where you are staying and try to strike up a conversation with you. They will attempt to offer you things. Do Not Stop. Do not Engage These People. They are attractive, they are smiling big white toothy smiles. They look so harmless\\u2026they want to help me with my trip? They want to help me with a ride. Don\\u2019t stop. They are there to sell you a timeshare. They are there to rob you of your greatest commodity. Your time. Time is precious Folks, and your vacation time is sacred. Don\\u2019t let these sharks rob you of one single moment of your hard earned vacation. Please, push through. Smile and say no thank you. Tell them you already have a condo, tell them you are not interested and walk on by. [caption id="attachment_400" align="alignleft" width="300"] Pay For Taxis Here[/caption] [caption id="attachment_399" align="alignright" width="300"] ATM Machines in Airport Lobby[/caption] [caption id="attachment_398" align="alignright" width="300"] Line to Pass Through Customs[/caption] \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 You may be asking why would they let people in the airport that could ruin your vacation from the get-go?\\xa0 When I first came to Puerto Vallarta in the mid 80\\u2019s, everywhere you turned there was someone, usually a young gringo manning a booth along the Malecon or along one of the streets in Old Town hounding everyone to take a timeshare tour and sit for a presentation. Today there are fewer traps like that in town, but I will tell you about where they are now and how to avoid them, but for some reason, the powers that be figured it would be all right to put the timeshare folks right there in the airport. I\\u2019m sure they have a deal worked out between the airport commission and the timeshare companies. Just do yourself a favor and just say no. Now I\\u2019m sure there are going to be those of you out there who will walk right up to one of these guys who offers to get you a taxi or give you a ride and just forget everything I just told you. All I can say is I told you so. Now you are asking me Barry, what can these people do to me that can be so bad? So you\\u2019re the curious type huh? Willing to tempt fate? That reminds me of a story from way back on my honeymoon. Debbie and I had just gotten off the Star Ferry From Kowloon to Hong Kong Harbor. When we got off the ferry I told her not to look at the rickshaw drivers. Don\\u2019t look them in the eye I warned her before she got off the ferry, don\\u2019t give them the slightest hint you are interested in a ride. Well, what do you think she did when she got off the ferry? That\\u2019s right, she looked at a rickshaw driver and that\\u2019s all\\xa0 she wrote. He rolled his cart right behind her and pushed her into the seat. Then he ran to the front and grabbed the handles, like the handles of a wheelbarrow and lifted up, making sure his passenger, my new wife was forced back by gravity into her seat As she tried to stand up in protest, he would lift the rickshaw handles up, spilling her back into her seat. She was looking back at me and I\\u2019m sure she was expecting a different reaction from me besides laughter. I had already resigned myself to the fact that I would be paying this rickshaw driver for his services. I figured I might as well take some pictures. Okay, that episode cost me about $5 and about 5 minutes of my time, but these guys, they want much, much more. I\\u2019ve heard stories about people who were practically held from their hotel till they agreed to go on a timeshare presentation and much worse. If you have a timeshare horror story to tell, send me your story by going to www.puertovallartatravelshow .com\\xa0 and clicking on the contact us page, and send us your story. So go straight do not stop in the Sharktank. Instead plow straight forward to the exit lobby where you will see some booths where they are selling tickets for rides from the airport to your hotel, condo etc. \\xa0This will probably be the most expensive taxi ride of the trip unless you hire one to take you to a far away place. The airport taxis are regulated and prices are fixed and you pay in pesos if you have them, in your own funny money if you don\\u2019t just remember you get the best exchange rate at Bank affiliated ATM machines. You tell the nice lady behind the window where you are headed and she will charge you accordingly. If there are 1-3 people in your group, you most probably be taking a taxi, 4 or more passengers will be taking a van. The person behind the window is not charging per person for the taxi ride, but for the taxi itself.\\xa0 She is going to ask you what zone you are going to. I have a list attached with prices of zones and what hotels are in what zones but they are as follows\\u2026. \\xa0 Wow, seems like we\\u2019ve gone a too little long, next week we will talk with JR about taking buses in Puerto Vallarta. Just join us and let us be your guides.\\xa0 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. \\xa0 And if you would like to purchase a copy of Alberto Perez\\u2019s song, Samba da Puerto Vallarta, or any of his other fine tunes you can click on my links page at www. Puertovallartatravelshow.com and you will find a link to buy his music as well as links to the La Palapa group of restaurants. And speaking of websites\\u2026 if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR\\u2019s 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\\u2019re 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\\u2019t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And one more favor please, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe to my podcast 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 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! \\xa0

Listed in: Culture

Puerto Vallarta Packing Tips, Money Exchange Tips and Airport Arrival Tips

Subscribe to The\\xa0Puerto Vallarta Travel Show\\xa0on iTunes

\\xa0Puerto Vallarta, What to pack, we\\u2019ll discuss the very important issue of exchanging money, cell phone and data plans that you will need to address before you leave the country for Mexico.

February 24, 2017

JUST IN! Bank ATM Machines Have Been Temporarily Removed From the Puerto Vallarta Airport Lobby...Stay Tuned for Updates\\xa0

\\xa0

What Are The Best Times To Come To Puerto Vallarta Mexico?

So what are the best times of the year to come to Puerto Vallarta? I have a discussion with JR about that in the next episode of the show, but in short\\u2026November 15^th through mid April are the best months to visit. June 15^th till the end of October are the hottest and rainiest times of the year. I actually really like coming to PV in mid October. They call it the shoulder season and flights are always really reasonable and room rates are still at off season lows. You will need to be ready for a little rain, but when it rains, it\\u2019s just for a short time, usually in the late afternoon. The popular restaurants are coming off of their off season vacations. Many of them close during the entire month of September and half of October, so I try to get in while it\\u2019s cheap, not too crowded and not too unbearable as far as the heat and humidity. Look, I like coming to Puerto Vallarta whenever I can get here.

So what should you pack?

\\xa0Pack light. Think cool. It will be humid here in Vallarta. Depending on the time of year, hot and humid. If you are a guy, you should have a nice pair of jeans for going out to clubs at night. A collared shirt or two for a fancy occasion and maybe a pair of nice slacks and dress shoes for that or those fancy occasions too. You will need a hat, although if you forget one you will have absolutely no shortage of hats to choose from when you get there from any number of venders you will encounter on the beach or in shops. A pair of sunglasses for sure, but if you forget those, you know you can get a pair or two in PV. You will need swimming shorts and a couple of pairs of short pants too. Sandals are a must, and if you are planning on going on a hike, bring some tennis shoes for sure. Socks, underwear, and lots of t-shirts. Remember it is hot and humid and you will be sweating some.\\xa0 So will you be needing a jacket or sweater? Probably not, but it can get chilly on some late December and January evenings. With that said, you will probably not need that wrap. Chances are the only time you will need something warm will be on the plane to and from Vallarta. Otherwise, stow that puppy away boys and girls, you aren\\u2019t goanna need them. That pretty much covers the clothing for you guys. For the ladies you will need Casual, summer clothing and beachwear. Especially during the hot and humid summer months you\\u2019ll want to pack cool fabrics that dry quickly when moist, offer good ventilation. You\\u2019ll need a few dressier outfits if staying at an all-inclusive resort where you may be asked to wear dressier dinner attire, or if in the evenings you plan to go out dancing or to fancy restaurant. You may want to bring a sweater for your return flight. You may need it if you go out on an evening or early morning boat ride, or if you happen to get an unlikely cool evening. You should remember to pack sleepwear, underwear and bras and other girl stuff. [caption id="attachment_441" align="alignright" width="500"] Web Cam at Cuates Y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] If you want to get a good idea as to what the current weather and dress attire is down in Puerto Vallarta, here\\u2019s what I do. Call me a voyeier, but Im almost always going to www.cuatesycuetes.com and check out their webcam. It\\u2019s right on the boardwalk just north of the Los Muertos Pier on the Southside of town. You know, the pier where there is this structure that lights up at night that looks like a sail? That\\u2019s where you can catch a panga to take you out to a beach or fishing or snorkeling. Anyway, this webcam is just pointing down the boardwalk, and you can see how the visitors, the locals and the tourists are dressed, in real time. You can see if they are sweating and struggling under the hot, humid tropical conditions, or if they are doing fine. You can see thunderstorms in the summer that will blow your mind too, really, so if you want to see the latest fashion being sported on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta. And If you wait long enough, the webcam swivels around 360 degrees so you can see the tables set up on the beach, the boats waiting to give a vacationer a ride on his panga, the people walking on the pier, and then the people inside the restaurant. So I bet you are wondering what the heck\\xa0 Cuates Y Cuetes means? I looked it up and kinda pieced it all together, so I\\u2019ll give it a try. I\\u2019m pretty sure some listener or reader of my blog, did I mention you can read my blog and shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com? Anyhoo,\\xa0 I just know someone is going to tell me I have it all wrong, but here it goes, in Spanish Cuates means Friends, and Cuetes means a couple of different things but two make the most sense to me. Cuetes can mean either fireworks or a firecracker, or most likely, this other translation \\xa0fits better where it says Cuetes means a little drunk, buzzed or tipsy. So it\\u2019s either friends and Fireworks or Friends and Getting drunk and tipsy. \\xa0Either way, just go to that webcam at Cuates y Cuetes.com. I will add it to my links page on my website. In fact, I\\u2019ll add a bunch of Puerto Vallarta webcams to my link page so go there and click away. So getting back to what to wear, Essentially, how much you pack and what you pack depends on you and your habits. I\\u2019m just giving you some guidelines. Me and my wife on the other hand like to pack light like just a carry-on and a daypack each if we can get away with it. That way we can bypass the baggage carousel and head right for the immigration line. That\\u2019s how we beat the crowd. Another way to beat the crowd to the front of the immigration line is to make extra sure you fill out the tourist card that the flight attendant gives you before you land. Bring your own pen because these attendants never have enough, and fill the card out properly. Even on the bottom where lots of us forget to look. Just fill it in. Then, before your plane starts the final descent into PVR, hit the restroom on the plane before you land. \\xa0 [caption id="attachment_443" align="alignleft" width="500"] Cuates Y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] If I do go the travel light route, what that means is that I have to have my laundry done for me about half way through my stay. I take it down to the local lavanderia in the morning, and if I\\u2019m lucky, I get it back the same day in the afternoon, although there was one time, I kept coming back for my clothes and the lady always seemed to be closed. Bad timing on my part I\\u2019m sure. I wrote a blog about it and you can find that story at my website at www.PuertoVallartaTravelshow.com along with all of the show notes to this episode including this packing list. Anyway, if you do happen to take your clothes to a lavenderia, they charge you by the Kilo, they wash and fold and wrap up your clothes for you in a neat cellophane package. It\\u2019s really cheap and pretty darn handy. Plus\\u2026I like to give them the business. They do a great job. Just remember, they aren\\u2019t your local dry cleaner like at home. If you have expensive tricky to wash clothes, don\\u2019t give those to them. Do everyone a favor including you and that perplexed looking local washlady a favor and leave your easy care washables in your suitcase. If you are not in town or in a place where there are lavanderias, , the hotels will do your laundry for you. Some are cheap, others get pricey depending on the property. \\xa0If you are staying in a condo. You will either have a machine in your condo, or a laundry room somewhere on the property. Look, if in doubt, ask one of the housekeeping crew, they may be able to help you out for a reasonable fee. Who wants to do laundry on vacation right? Of course, if you pack lots of stuff, you won\\u2019t have to think about doing any laundry till you get home. Wouldn\\u2019t that be a novel idea?

Pack your

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray
• Make-up (for the ladies)
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush and paste
• Brush/comb
• Nail clipper/nail file
• Medicines
• Contact lenses and saline solution
• Extra pair of sunglasses/reading glasses
• iPad or Kindle
• Camera / charger / memory card(s)
• A good book or two
• Ink pen (to fill out immigration and customs forms on the plane)
• Wristwatch (if you will not be using your cell phone abroad)
• And Print out all of JR.s maps and bring them along. You can find these maps at my website on the links page or you can go to JR\\u2019s website www.vallartainfo.com.

Remember, if you forget any of these items, you will be able to get them in Puerto Vallarta. With the exception of your meds. Make sure you don\\u2019t forget those. I also have this list in my show-notes\\xa0which you can access at puertovallartatravelshow.com.

Now, what to do about your cell phones and internet?

If you are living in the 21^st century, chances you have a cell phone or smart phone, iPad,laptop you get the picture, with data plans and Wi-Fi. How are we going to use these in Mexico? Most US cell providers have special Mexico US plans that include calling, texting and data. They aren\\u2019t too expensive either. My plan is with Verizon and I get their I suggest their Canada Mexico plan. It\'s really cheap! You \\xa0should check with your carrier and use the Mexico plan that works best for you. Make sure you change your plan before you leave for Mexico. And don\\u2019t forget to take the plan off when you get home.\\xa0 Some tips are to download google maps of the city and surrounding areas to your phone to be able to use offline while roaming. You can use this tip at home too. If having internet in your Puerto Vallarta room is a must, check with the property first. WI-FI is available in most hotels now a days, although some places only have internet connection in the lobby. Others will charge you a daily rate on top of your room costs so if you are on a budget, and you need the use of the interwebs, figure that in to your vacation nut. And make sure that your phone is connected to the Wi-FI when you are at the hotel, condo or wherever you are staying. If you need internet, check ahead. There are also many internet cafe\'s\\xa0in Puerto Vallarta so if things get really, really tight, you can find something. Even in a Starbucks for goodness sake. You can always bring a mobile hotspot as a back-up. We all need a plan B and talking about a plan B, let\\u2019s talk Money.

Exchanging Your Dollars to Pesos in Puerto Vallarta

If you are coming from the US, Canada, Eurolandia, Australia, Central and South America, forget about your US Dollars, your Canadian dollarettes your European Euros or your Australian Dollars. There was a time when we would bring US dollars to Mexico and either exchange them in Hotels, exchange booths or waited in line in a bank.\\xa0 No longer ladies and gentlemen. Here in Puerto Vallarta the peso is king. It\\u2019s the coin of the realm. They don\\u2019t want your dollars. Imagine if you will, you are back in the States and you are working at a McDonalds. Okay maybe you can\\u2019t imagine that, imagine you are working as a barista at a Starbucks\\u2026.okay maybe you can\\u2019t imagine that either, but just play with me here, at least I\\u2019m not making you a cashier at Walmart\\u2026 okay but suppose you are any one of these salespeople in the US, and a Mexican National came to your line and wanted to purchase his basket of groceries, or maybe his fries and big mac, or his cup of frappe late expresso presto chango with Mexican Pesos. How would you deal with that now mr. the American, Canadian, you fill in the occupation barista you? You would look at him and ask, what do you expect me to do with this? It\\u2019s too much of a hassle for these shop owners to have to wait in long lines to exchange your coin of your realm, and they don\\u2019t want to do it, and\\u2026they will make you pay for the inconvenience you put them through. I finally learned my lesson when I tried to pay for a dinner in a Guadalajara Restaurant and I took a good 30% haircut on the exchange rate. Sheesh! So what do you do? Money is pretty important so get it right, and have a plan B and a plan C just in case. There are people out there who insist on bringing dollars with them, to exchange along the way. I would recommend against that. Bring a couple of hundred dollars with you, but only in case of emergencies. Remember, you will get the worst exchange rate for dollars anywhere you try to spend or exchange them in Mexico. The exception is Banco Azteca where you can exchange dollars for pesos. Make sure you bring your passport. Some people get pesos from their bank before they leave home by ordering them in advance. Banks do tend to offer pretty poor exchange rates. If you live in larger urban town you can find local money exchange companies that give pretty good rates and a little peace of mind to the traveler who doesn\\u2019t want to have any surprises upon arrival in PV. It is more costly however because the exchange rates are not as good as others. The best way to get pesos for your trip is to use your bank ATM card at the airport. That\\u2019s right, your ATM card at the airport. However...

February 24, 2017

JUST IN! Bank ATM Machines Have Been Temporarily Removed From the Puerto Vallarta Airport Lobby ...Stay Tuned for Updates

First, before you leave the country, like a week before you leave the country where you live, call or go into your bank, and let them know that you will be using your ATM card in Mexico. Tell them know you will be in the Puerto Vallarta area, and let them know for how long. If you don\\u2019t tell your bank, you will more than likely be unable to access your money while in Mexico. So, don\\u2019t forget to tell your bank and confirm before you leave. Now, why do you need pesos when you arrive at the airport? Because if you use pesos instead of dollars to pay for your taxi or van to your hotel or resort, you won\\u2019t have to take that exchange rate haircut I was talking about that I took in Guadalajara. Just remember that if you pay for your airport transportation in your funny money, it will just cost you a little more, that\\u2019s all. So no big deal guys. You don\\u2019t have to do the money ATM dealie at the airport if you don\\u2019t want to. Just sayin that if you get into the swing of things with a little practice at the airport ATM, you will have a more comfortable time navigating the Money machines during the rest of your stay.\\xa0 After you arrive at the airport and pick up your bags, you will come to an area with manned money exchange booths. You see their smiling faces behind the glass in booths along the wall. Avoid these as they will charge you a high fee. Look around and you will see about 5 or six bank affiliated ATM machines, BBVA Bancomer, HSBC, Banorte, Banamex, Scotia and Santander. All of these machines are fine for you to use with your ATM card. You should be able to withdraw up to 7,000 pesos or approximately $350 US at one time. Depending on the Mexican bank ATM, you will most likely be charged a 25-40 \\xa0pesos service fee, or approximately $1.50 mexican host bank transaction, plus, whatever your bank gets for the withdraw. Now that\\u2019s not bad considering I get charged $3-3.50 as a service charge whenever I use an unaffiliated ATM machine, so $1.50 fee, I\\u2019m okay with that. Now, my bank is a credit union and they don\\u2019t charge me to use their card at an ATM in Mexico, so I just pay the $1.50 transaction fee. This is how you will get your very best exchange rate, US or Canadian dollar.\\xa0 The PVR airport ATMs are all bank affiliated: HSBC, Santander, Banamex, BBVA Bancomer and I believe Banorte. These machines will pay out in pesos of course. If you see a machine that says Cashola, turn and run. While you are out around town, make sure you use bank affiliated ATM\\u2019s as well, and use the ones attached to a bank to avoid possible number skimming devices that have made it down to PV. You can also bring cash and exchange it at Azteca Banks but bring your passport. Also your hotel can exchange your money but, as I have stated earlier, this is not a good way to obtain a good exchange rate. Same with the money exchange cambio booths you will find around town. They are good in a pinch, but hey, get with the program and use your ATM card for those peso pop. Lastly, if you have no ATM card, or maybe you just don\\u2019t want to use one of those plastic thingies, send yourself the money using MoneyGram. You can do it online or go to your local Walmart and open an account to send money. \\xa0Using MoneyGram you can send yourself up to $950 for $9.90, up to $50,00 for $4.90. You can pick up your money in the form of pesos at any HBC location in Jalisco Mexico, any Farmacia Guadalajara, Walmart, Banco Azteca, and others that you can discover when you are sending the money. You can also send yourself multiple MoneyGram\\u2019s that you can retrieve as you need them throughout your trip for up to a year, so if you want to send yourself more than you will need, remember you can get your money back when you get back home in dollars instead of pesos if unclaimed in Mexico. It\\u2019s very important to note that you are given a receipt with an 8 digit number on it. You are also instructed to write the recipient\\u2019s full name, spelled correctly on the form that you present to the MoneyGram Representative, and the recipient must have legal form of ID that matches exactly the name on the money transfer. Now here\\u2019s something that you should do if you use this MoneyGram method, the other day, I was in my neighborhood Vallarta Market, by the way, if you are ever in the Los Angeles area and get a chance to go inside one of these Vallarta Markets, do it! Modern, Mexican, a huge butcher section, bakery, restaurants, prepared Mexican food to take home, just remarkable, at any rate I asked the MoneyGram lady if was cool to send yourself money and here\\u2019s what she said, you are better off having a relative or friend send you the money because often times the MoneyGram place will look at the name of the sender and the name of the receiver and determine that there is some sort of fraud going on and not deliver the funds. So, bring Junior or your best friend to the MoneyGram place and have them be the sender. That way you won\\u2019t be looked at sideways when you arrive to pick up your dough. Just remember to keep your secret number secret, and don\\u2019t let some scammer try to get the info from you. If you lose the number or give it to someone else, you cannot ever get your money back. There is no recourse so be careful with MoneyGram. It\\u2019s not foolproof. So your money plan A should be to use your ATM card. Let your bank know before you go. Plan B, bring some cash and or pesos along, and plan C, send yourself a MoneyGram or two, for a back-up. Hotels and many finer restaurants and shops will take your credit cards, so there is always that option. Wow, we are going a little long, next week we will talk with JR about mosquitos and other bugs, the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta and everything you need to know about arriving at the airport, what to expect when you arrive at the Puerto Vallarta Airport and Lastly, we will get you from the airport to your hotel safely. Just join us and let us be your guides.\\xa0 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. \\xa0 And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR\\u2019s 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\\u2019re 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\\u2019t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Next week we will get right into how to prepare for and what to expect when you arrive in Puerto Vallarta for your dream vacation. And one more favor please, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe 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 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! \\xa0

Listed in: Culture

The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Episode 1

Download Episode!

Subscribe to The\\xa0Puerto Vallarta Travel Show\\xa0on 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\\xa0 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, \\xa0La 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,\\xa0El Dorado\\xa0has this\\xa0Romantic Dining\\xa0experience package you can call ahead and ask for. \\xa0Imagine following a candle lit walkway to a private table at the ocean\\u2019s edge and you are surrounded by tiki torches. You\\u2019re seated at a \\xa0candlelit 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\\u2026 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\\xa0 on my website for show #1 where you will find it at www.puertovarrartatravelshow.com. Puerto Vallarta offers so much to any traveler who\\u2019s looking for a fun filled seaside vacation. There is something for everyone here.

Traveling on a Budget?

Are you on a budget?\\xa0 No problem, Puerto Vallarta has plenty of opportunities for the budget traveler. \\xa0In 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,\\xa0 PV, right on the water. It\\u2019s 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\\xa0Accommodations

Maybe you aren\\u2019t 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\\u2019t even want to leave the property. \\xa0You 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,\\xa0 having the staff know you by name, having a private beach with beachside service is an important part of the vacation experience.\\xa0 Not me, just sayin, but I\\u2019m not here to judge. I\\u2019m here to learn from all of you fellow travelers. Maybe I\\u2019m missing something. I\\u2019m willing to be proven wrong. I\\u2019ll 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\\u2019s have made it down here in a big way, There\\u2019s apartment and condo rental specialists for those looking to have an extended stay. What I\\u2019m getting at is there are lots of properties all along the Bajia de Banderas that will suit any traveler\\u2019s 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\\u2019s going to be fun.\\xa0 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.\\xa0 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? \\xa0How about Groceries and Shopping for the basics? Can I get what I want? Are there supermarkets? Are there convenience stores like 7/11\\u2019s? 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? \\xa0Is 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\\u2019s Transportation, once we arrive. How do we all get around? \\xa0Should you rent a car? What should you do before you get into a taxi or get on a bus. \\xa0I know what you are thinking\\u2026I\\u2019m gonna get kidnapped\\u2026I\\u2019m in Mexico! What, A BUS?? You mean like a chicken bus you ask??? Well\\u2026 We will be talking about that too. We will be talking about all of that in the first couple of podcasts. \\xa0 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\\u2019m here to help you make the most of your Puerto Vallarta Vacation. I\\u2019m here to help you enjoy everything Puerto Vallarta has to offer you so you can get your mind off of the \\xa0daily grind. You deserve the best. I\\u2019m going to make sure you get it. Deal?\\xa0 Deal! I\\u2019m doing this for you because of all of the help I have gotten from fellow travelers along the way. I\\u2019ve had help from many people I\\u2019ve 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\\u2019s say it happens to be \\xa0a 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\\u2019t picked up the local accent; I will have to ask him about that. You\\u2019d 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\\u2019s 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\\u2019s Vallartainfo.com for your tours.

JR and Barry have a conversation about drinking the water in Puerto Vallarta. Listen to the Podcast.

\\xa0Although 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\\u2019ll be talking about \\xa0the history of Vallarta, and lessons and the basic travel do\\u2019s and don\\u2019ts , then what?\\xa0 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.\\xa0 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, \\xa0what 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\\u2019s fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, sailing and sailboat excursions out of the Marina Vallarta. From \\xa0Nuevo Vallarta and PV \\xa0you can catch a boat to the Marietta Islands. We\\u2019re 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\\u2019t care. Remember, this is a sharing podcast. Maybe you are an adventurer traveler and like to hike, zip-line\\xa0do 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\\u2019t 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.\\xa0 \\xa0Well 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\\u2019s charities set up in Vallarta. Maybe you don\\u2019t 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.\\xa0 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\\xa0 www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com.\\xa0 Well, we will be interviewing these leaders, these special volunteers in the community who have found their calling and are truly Gods\\u2019 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\\u2019s 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\\xa0 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\\xa0 about foreigners buying property in Puerto Vallarta. We are talking real property not timeshares here, we \\xa0are talking about buying the whole enchilada.\\xa0 About buying a home or condo. It\\u2019s 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,\\xa0 we will be talking timeshares in an episode or two, that\\u2019s \\xa0because 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\\u2019t 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.\\xa0 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,\\xa0 Saskatoon Saskatchewan, I just wanted to say that \\xa0\\xa0and\\xa0 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\\u2019s why you will find such a large Canadian Expat population in PV. For some reason Canadians love this place. Of course there\\u2019s 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\\u2026duh.., 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.\\xa0 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\\u2019m 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, \\xa0Gary gives a free walking tour where he describes the artwork and talks about the artists too. It\\u2019s 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\\xa0town. You will find, especially on the south side of town that Vallarta has plenty of Gay daytime \\xa0and 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.\\xa0

Theater\\xa0Arts 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\\xa0and 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. \\xa0I 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\\u2019s 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. \\xa0 And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR\\u2019s 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\\u2019re 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\\u2019t 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. \\xa0 Next week we will get right into the history, geography and lay of the land here in Puerto Vallarta.\\xa0

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