Podcasts

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

Published: April 21, 2022, 2:48 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 51 seconds

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Mangos Beach Club in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: April 12, 2022, 5:24 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 14 minutes 13 seconds

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Having Fun With Trish and Chad in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: April 3, 2022, 12:40 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 33 seconds

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Fiamma Pizzeria and Beer Garden in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: March 24, 2022, 5:54 p.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 6 seconds

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Kennedy Morgan, Medium in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 17, 2022, 12:04 a.m.
Duration: 58 minutes 5 seconds

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El Sofa Cafe in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 8, 2022, 11:24 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 54 seconds

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

Published: March 1, 2022, 8:14 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 9 seconds

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Hot Mamas Whiskey Kitchen in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Feb. 19, 2022, 5:49 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 37 seconds

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Moving From New Zealand to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Feb. 9, 2022, 4:01 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes 35 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 7, 2022, 6:41 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 18 seconds

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Thomas the Salt Man and Stories of Yelapa, Mexico

Published: Dec. 26, 2021, 8:42 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes 41 seconds

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It's High Season in Puerto Vallarta Mexico 2021 2022

Published: Dec. 15, 2021, 5:17 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 14 minutes 59 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 24, 2021, 9:17 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 20 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 10, 2021, 5:55 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes 49 seconds

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Mapa Jeff Cartographer Drawing Maps of Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Nov. 1, 2021, 4:18 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 47 minutes 5 seconds

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Scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Leslie Hyland

Published: Oct. 20, 2021, 5:19 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 50 seconds

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Teatro Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Oct. 13, 2021, 6:41 p.m.
Duration: 58 minutes 9 seconds

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

Published: Oct. 5, 2021, 4:59 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 10 seconds

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The Seahorse Cusina Bar and Lounge in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Sept. 28, 2021, 10:12 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 8 seconds

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Hurricane Nora Recovery in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Sept. 15, 2021, 8:29 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 24 minutes 13 seconds

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Mezzogiorno Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit Mexico

Published: Aug. 27, 2021, 5:40 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 10 seconds

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Leasing Property Long Term in Puerto Vallarta Mexico with JJ Vallarta

Published: Aug. 12, 2021, 3:20 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 23 seconds

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Hotel Mayto Paradise Club South of Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: July 25, 2021, 12:35 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 38 seconds

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Alfareria Tlaquepaque Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: July 8, 2021, 10:29 p.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 22 seconds

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American English Tree Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: June 29, 2021, 8:40 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 36 seconds

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Having Fun With Polly in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: June 22, 2021, 7:19 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes 38 seconds

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

Published: June 14, 2021, 5:04 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 41 seconds

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Pinocho's Bar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: June 6, 2021, 4:01 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 48 seconds

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Vacation in Puerto Vallarta During The Pandemic May 2021

Published: May 25, 2021, 8:06 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes 16 seconds

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Coco's Kitchen in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: May 2, 2021, 6:05 p.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 19 seconds

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Vallarta Today The Newspaper of The Bay in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: April 11, 2021, 5:02 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 40 seconds

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Pipi's Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: April 2, 2021, 4:56 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 54 seconds

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Published: March 31, 2021, 6:50 a.m.
Duration: N/A

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

Published: March 22, 2021, 5:41 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 52 seconds

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

Published: March 5, 2021, 7:57 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 6 seconds

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

Published: Feb. 21, 2021, 2:01 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 47 seconds

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Return to Puerto Vallarta January 2021 During the Pandemic

Published: Feb. 11, 2021, 6:40 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 24 minutes 34 seconds

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The Gecko Band in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Jan. 28, 2021, 4:52 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 52 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 10, 2021, 3:10 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 56 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 1, 2021, 8:10 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 29 seconds

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Deja New Consignment Clothing in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Dec. 24, 2020, 7:15 p.m.
Duration: 47 minutes 23 seconds

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Master Baiter"s Sportfishing and Tackle in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Dec. 16, 2020, 8:22 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 49 seconds

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Cuates y Cuetes Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Dec. 7, 2020, 11:52 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 32 seconds

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Vacation in Puerto Vallarta During the 2020 Pandemic

Published: Nov. 25, 2020, 4:48 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 6 seconds

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Meño's Place Restaurant Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Nov. 7, 2020, 6:51 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 29 seconds

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Mariposario Jardin Magico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Oct. 31, 2020, 4:26 p.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 7 seconds

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Que Pasa Bar and Grill Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Oct. 21, 2020, 8:48 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 29 seconds

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Daytrip To Yelapa From Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Oct. 6, 2020, 1:19 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes 48 seconds

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Vitea Oceanfront Bistro and Trio Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Sept. 22, 2020, 1:58 a.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 31 seconds

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Barcelona Tapas Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Sept. 9, 2020, 9:03 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 35 seconds

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Devils Bar Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Sept. 1, 2020, 1 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 3 seconds

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Return of Tourism to Puerto Vallarta 2020

Published: Aug. 20, 2020, 9:20 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 8 seconds

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Gringo Loco Cantina Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 29, 2020, 1:07 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 53 seconds

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Reactivation of Tourism in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: July 18, 2020, 7:39 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 38 seconds

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

Published: June 29, 2020, 4:47 p.m.
Duration: 53 minutes 50 seconds

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

Published: June 15, 2020, 7:47 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 41 seconds

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

Published: May 26, 2020, 5:15 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 39 seconds

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

Published: May 9, 2020, 8:32 p.m.
Duration: 55 minutes 59 seconds

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Real Estate Round Table Puerto Vallarta Mexico 2020

Published: May 1, 2020, 7:29 p.m.
Duration: 2 hours 7 minutes 14 seconds

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Vallarta Food Bank in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: April 9, 2020, 7:44 p.m.
Duration: 49 minutes 11 seconds

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DIF Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 25, 2020, 6:11 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 54 seconds

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Bonito Kitchen and Ramen Ya Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 10, 2020, 7:25 a.m.
Duration: 54 minutes 31 seconds

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Huaracheria Fabiola in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 2, 2020, 6:38 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 41 seconds

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Living Simply in Mexico with Stefan and Ada in Puerto Vallarta

Published: Feb. 22, 2020, 10:37 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 57 seconds

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La Isla Shopping Village in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Feb. 16, 2020, 10:08 p.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 45 seconds

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

Published: Feb. 6, 2020, 2:01 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 25 seconds

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No Way Jose Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Jan. 26, 2020, 11:24 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes 31 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 20, 2020, 11 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes 40 seconds

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Layla's Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Jan. 10, 2020, 11:17 p.m.
Duration: 48 minutes 28 seconds

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Hiking and Camping in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Published: Dec. 28, 2019, 10:22 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 20 seconds

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Cafe Bohemio Bistro Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Dec. 22, 2019, 8:10 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 39 seconds

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Eddie's Hair Salon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Dec. 13, 2019, 8:59 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 12 seconds

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

Published: Dec. 6, 2019, 8:56 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 12 minutes 10 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 30, 2019, 9:27 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 18 seconds

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Balam Balam Seafood Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Nov. 24, 2019, 1:33 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 37 seconds

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The Cultural Tour of Vallarta Artisans and The Vallarta Abuelos Program

Published: Nov. 15, 2019, 9:03 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 12 seconds

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The Ocean Grill Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta

Published: Nov. 9, 2019, 1:40 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 59 seconds

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Hedda Lettuce at Act 2 Stages in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Nov. 1, 2019, 7:55 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 31 seconds

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Tropical Storm Narda Relief in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Oct. 24, 2019, 5 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes 57 seconds

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Tuna Azul Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Oct. 2, 2019, 10:58 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 11 seconds

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

Published: Sept. 21, 2019, 5:30 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 10 seconds

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

Published: Sept. 11, 2019, 7:05 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 17 seconds

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Vallarta Factory Restaurant Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 30, 2019, 9:42 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 39 seconds

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Restaurant Bar San Lucas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 21, 2019, 5:42 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 9 seconds

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Day Trip to El Pitillal, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 15, 2019, 1:03 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 35 seconds

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

Published: Aug. 5, 2019, 8:05 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 55 seconds

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

Published: July 29, 2019, 10:34 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 22 seconds

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Martini en Fuego Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 23, 2019, 4:54 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 56 seconds

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The Puerto Vallarta Garden Club in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 15, 2019, 4:04 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 14 seconds

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Casa Traditional Cocina Mexicana Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 9, 2019, 7:49 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes 15 seconds

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

Published: July 1, 2019, 5:51 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 38 seconds

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Captain Don's Sports Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: June 24, 2019, 3:15 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 37 seconds

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Tunnel Road BBQ in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: June 15, 2019, 8:54 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 6 seconds

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The Best Brunches in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: June 7, 2019, 8:07 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes 53 seconds

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Reinas Bar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: May 27, 2019, 7:56 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 50 seconds

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Using Airbnb in Puerto Vallarta With Your Family

Published: May 3, 2019, 12:14 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 18 seconds

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House Sit in Mexico

Published: April 24, 2019, 5:42 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes 37 seconds

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Taco Stands, Taquerias in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: April 16, 2019, 5:34 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 19 seconds

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Azul Bistro Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: April 7, 2019, 5:38 p.m.
Duration: 44 minutes 56 seconds

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Tony's Please Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 31, 2019, 5:55 p.m.
Duration: 48 minutes

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Barrio Vallarta Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: March 23, 2019, 7:40 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 12 minutes 43 seconds

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

Published: March 14, 2019, 7:32 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 47 seconds

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Ceramic Art in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with Froylan Hernandez

Published: March 2, 2019, 6 a.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 16 seconds

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The Marsol Friday Market in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Feb. 21, 2019, 4:02 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 37 seconds

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

Published: Feb. 11, 2019, 8:06 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 58 seconds

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

Published: Feb. 1, 2019, 2:23 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 17 seconds

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Cafe Des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Jan. 26, 2019, 12:09 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes 51 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 15, 2019, 5:26 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 33 seconds

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Restaurant Rio Grande in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Dec. 30, 2018, 8:19 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 50 seconds

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

Published: Dec. 23, 2018, 9:43 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes 48 seconds

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Javier Nino, Master Artist in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Dec. 15, 2018, 2:25 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 3 seconds

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

Published: Dec. 2, 2018, 12:13 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 7 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 23, 2018, 6:34 p.m.
Duration: 45 minutes 38 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 16, 2018, 8:29 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 58 seconds

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Bar la Playa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Nov. 8, 2018, 7:24 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 50 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 2, 2018, 5:41 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 48 seconds

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Tile Park Puerto Vallarta, Parque de Los Azulejos Season Two

Published: Oct. 18, 2018, 5:15 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 41 seconds

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

Published: Oct. 8, 2018, 7:34 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 3 seconds

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Having Fun in Puerto Vallarta with Sharon Reynolds

Published: Sept. 28, 2018, 8:50 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 21 seconds

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The Marina Vallarta Thursday Night Market in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Sept. 21, 2018, 10:29 p.m.
Duration: 53 minutes 40 seconds

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Superior Tours Vallarta, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Sept. 14, 2018, 1:05 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 21 seconds

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Mariscos Cisneros Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Sept. 7, 2018, 11 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 35 seconds

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Andale's Bar and Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 31, 2018, 6:30 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes 25 seconds

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Artists on The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 23, 2018, 11:52 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 49 seconds

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Sell It All and Retire in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 16, 2018, 7:27 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes 24 seconds

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

Published: Aug. 9, 2018, 6:22 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 3 seconds

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

Published: July 27, 2018, 6:49 p.m.
Duration: 58 minutes 9 seconds

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The Babel Bar on Cuale Island in Puerto Vallarta

Published: July 20, 2018, 6:31 p.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 49 seconds

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

Published: July 12, 2018, 6:18 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 19 seconds

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Los Muertos Brewing Company in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 4, 2018, 8:34 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 7 seconds

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Warique Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta with Marcos Cruz Garcia

Published: June 22, 2018, 3:37 a.m.
Duration: 49 minutes 25 seconds

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

Published: June 14, 2018, 4:40 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 23 seconds

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Vallarta 101 Tours with Memo Lira

Published: June 6, 2018, 9:40 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 4 seconds

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

Published: May 31, 2018, 5:15 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 45 seconds

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

Published: May 25, 2018, 3:27 a.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 32 seconds

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

Published: May 18, 2018, 12:55 a.m.
Duration: 42 minutes 59 seconds

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

Published: May 9, 2018, 10:05 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes 6 seconds

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

Published: May 2, 2018, 9:56 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 34 seconds

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

Published: April 26, 2018, 4:44 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 21 seconds

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Vallarta Co-Work and The Digital Nomads of Puerto Vallarta

Published: April 12, 2018, 12:07 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 39 seconds

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Kelly's Pour Favor Saloon and Cookhouse in Puerto Vallarta

Published: April 4, 2018, 5:01 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 21 seconds

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

Published: March 28, 2018, 7:35 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 23 seconds

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Cooking Class in Puerto Vallarta with Mavi Graf of Arte Culinario

Published: March 21, 2018, 10:10 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 44 seconds

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Sylvie Scopazzo and Tours Du Jour Mexico in Puerto Vallarta

Published: March 15, 2018, 3:17 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 10 seconds

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

Published: March 8, 2018, 2:38 a.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 43 seconds

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

Published: Feb. 28, 2018, 11:14 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 12 seconds

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The Road From El Tuito to Mayto by Taxi

Published: Feb. 21, 2018, 10:31 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 38 seconds

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A Day Trip From Puerto Vallarta to El Tuito

Published: Feb. 15, 2018, 12:23 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 49 seconds

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Corazón de Niña, an Orphanage in Puerto Vallarta, México

Published: Feb. 7, 2018, 11:09 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 52 seconds

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Rock and Roll in Puerto Vallarta with La Trez Cuartoz

Published: Feb. 1, 2018, 12:19 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 39 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 24, 2018, 8:46 p.m.
Duration: 59 minutes 46 seconds

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

Published: Jan. 18, 2018, 2:42 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 34 seconds

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

Published: Dec. 28, 2017, 9:35 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 14 minutes 15 seconds

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Vacation Rentals in Puerto Vallarta Mexico with Tim Longpre of PVRPV

Published: Dec. 20, 2017, 10:49 p.m.
Duration: 49 minutes 46 seconds

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

Published: Dec. 13, 2017, 8:12 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 4 seconds

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Mexican Insurance For Expats in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Dec. 6, 2017, 10:26 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 16 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 29, 2017, 7:42 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 29 seconds

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Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta with Ecotours de Mexico Puerto Vallarta

Published: Nov. 22, 2017, 6:23 p.m.
Duration: 55 minutes 45 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 15, 2017, 7:09 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 53 seconds

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

Published: Nov. 8, 2017, 4:28 p.m.
Duration: 51 minutes 28 seconds

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Dia de Los Muertos Celebrations in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Nov. 1, 2017, 5:57 p.m.
Duration: 39 minutes 45 seconds

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

Published: Oct. 25, 2017, 5:05 p.m.
Duration: 55 minutes 15 seconds

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

Published: Oct. 11, 2017, 8:02 p.m.
Duration: 53 minutes 16 seconds

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

Published: Oct. 4, 2017, 3:04 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 21 seconds

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Fun Things to do in Puerto Vallarta With Reggie and Donna

Published: Sept. 26, 2017, 10:38 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 44 seconds

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The Puerto Vallarta Bureau of Tourism, an Interview

Published: Sept. 19, 2017, 10:47 p.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 53 seconds

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

Published: Sept. 12, 2017, 9:19 p.m.
Duration: 55 minutes 38 seconds

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Puerto Vallarta Luxury Resorts and Time Shares With Pamela Fuller

Published: Sept. 5, 2017, 8:13 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 12 minutes 26 seconds

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Tre Piatti Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: Aug. 29, 2017, 4:53 p.m.
Duration: 54 minutes 42 seconds

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

Published: Aug. 22, 2017, 3:46 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 30 seconds

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A Hike From Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Beach

Published: Aug. 15, 2017, 7:20 p.m.
Duration: 44 minutes 29 seconds

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Off Season Summer Fun in Puerto Vallarta with Jeff and Melody

Published: Aug. 8, 2017, 5:55 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 14 minutes 40 seconds

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

Published: Aug. 1, 2017, 11:05 p.m.
Duration: 56 minutes 49 seconds

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

Published: July 25, 2017, 4:49 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 31 seconds

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

Published: July 18, 2017, 4:04 p.m.
Duration: 51 minutes 2 seconds

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Canopy River Zipline Tours

Published: July 11, 2017, 3:23 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour

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Mi Cafe Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: July 5, 2017, 7:54 a.m.
Duration: 50 minutes 14 seconds

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Fun Things To Do In Puerto Vallarta with Ray and Cherie

Published: July 4, 2017, 7:06 p.m.
Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes 6 seconds

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Plaza Romy in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: June 20, 2017, 9:22 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 31 seconds

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

Published: June 13, 2017, 12:56 a.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 21 seconds

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

Published: June 6, 2017, 8:45 a.m.
Duration: 45 minutes 56 seconds

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

Published: May 30, 2017, 6:25 p.m.
Duration: 57 minutes 11 seconds

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Gay Pride and Gay Travel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: May 23, 2017, 9:44 p.m.
Duration: 41 minutes 5 seconds

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Murals and Street Art In Puerto Vallarta With Adrian Takano

Published: May 16, 2017, 4:25 p.m.
Duration: 39 minutes 41 seconds

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

Published: May 8, 2017, 6 a.m.
Duration: 52 minutes 45 seconds

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Fun Things to do in Puerto Vallarta with Brad and Tami

Published: May 1, 2017, 8:09 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes 32 seconds

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Vegan and Vegetarian Dining in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: April 24, 2017, 6:04 a.m.
Duration: 58 minutes 39 seconds

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El Arrayan Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Published: April 17, 2017, 5:56 a.m.
Duration: 49 minutes 30 seconds

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

Published: April 10, 2017, 6:59 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 16 seconds

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

Published: April 3, 2017, 7:44 a.m.
Duration: 54 minutes 49 seconds

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

Published: March 19, 2017, 7:35 a.m.
Duration: 43 minutes 55 seconds

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.

Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurantsLa Palapa and The Eldorado Restaurant on the Southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta and if you play your cards right you can catch Alberto Perez singing and playing the Somba de Puerto Vallarta just like I did the other night, while enjoying dinner under the stars, toes in the sand at the waters [caption id="attachment_890" align="alignright" width="150"] Rhonda Zarate, Find Your Happy Home[/caption] edge. So romantic, so Puerto Vallarta. I Just love Puerto Vallarta folks. Today we are going to be talking about buying property in Puerto Vallarta, but first, let’s see what is happening on the ground

 This week in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, the week of March 20, 2017

Puerto Vallarta Packing List, Money Exchange and Cell Phone use PodcastFirst an update on the Airport ATM machine situation. Remember, they are in the throes of airport renovation in Puerto Vallarta and the bank affiliated ATM machines located in the lobby of the airport where you buy your travel voucher for your taxi or van to your hotel or lodging, as of right now, not been reinstalled and put online yet, so you know what that means, it means that you need to buy some pesos at home and bring some with you, or you will need to exchange the bare minimum at the airport, till you can get to a bank attached and affiliated ATM machine once you have settled into your room and are ready to get into the swing of things. And if you don’t, know what I’m talking about, you need to listen to my podcast episode  2 packing tips, money exchange tips and airport arrival tips, and episode 3 what to expect when you arrive at the Puerto Vallarta airport.  You can listen to the podcasts or read my show notes, either way you can find all of that at www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com.

Puerto Vallarta Web Cams

And speaking of the website, Check out my webcam page. I watched a brilliant PV sunset last night from my iPad in Los Angeles. Really!  You can [caption id="attachment_735" align="alignright" width="300"] Puerto Vallarta Web Cams[/caption] too. You just need to go to puertovallartatravelshow.com and click on the Puerto Vallarta Webcam tab at the top of the page, and check out all of the cool webcams I have listed there. I also have a link on the same page where you can check the time of the sunset in Puerto Vallarta. Scroll down to the Langostinos picture, click it, give it time to upload, and you will be rewarded by a beautiful, breathtaking Puerto Vallarta Sunset. Right from the comfort of your very own Barcalounger.  Pretty cool! Check it out and get your Puerto Vallarta Sunset, tonight!

Safety Tips For Puerto Vallarta

Now, just a quick word about safety in Puerto Vallarta. We have talked a little about keeping safe here in paradise, and this week, the US State Department issued a warning to Americans to avoid Easter break in some cities in Mexico due to the dangers of being in the crossfire of Mexican drug violence. Here’s the thing, I have never felt unsafe in Puerto Vallarta. Never. That being said, stuff happens. In any city on this planet you can encounter dangerous people. These are people who wake up in the morning, looking for trouble. Some are opportunists, some are drug addicts, some are just bad people, but you can encounter these types anywhere, all over the world. Now don’t let me get you all paranoid and stuff, luckily, these bad people are few in numbers but they are out there. If you are planning on coming down for Spring Break, or just coming down any time to have a good time in Puerto Vallarta, here are some important tips to keep you safe.
  • 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’t 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’t 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’s your lifeline, it’s 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’t keep an eye on your beverage, and it doesn’t have to be alcoholic, you are putting yourself in some danger. There’s 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’t 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’t 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’t 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’s cheap. Just do it.
  Okay enough of this scary stuff. As I said earlier, I have never felt unsafe here in Puerto Vallarta and I suspect that if you follow these tips, you will feel exactly the same. Now, on with the show.. In the first episode of the Puerto Vallarta travel Show I forewarned you that my real job is that of a Real Estate Agent. That being said, I have an [caption id="attachment_893" align="alignright" width="300"] Rhonda and Felix Zarate[/caption] interest in how property is bought and sold all over the world and because I, like so many others who have visited paradise, have often wondered where I would live if I lived here in Puerto Vallarta, I went in search of agents who were like me and my wife. People who were dedicated to the craft, and to their clients. Agents who go that extra mile for you. Agents who are not only interested in the commission, but in the best results for their sellers and buyers. So I went out and found 4 agents, all different styles and personalities but all dedicated to getting the best for their client and understanding what the needs are and delivering each and every time. [caption id="attachment_886" align="alignleft" width="300"] Find Your Happy Home[/caption] You will be listening to Rhonda Zarate of Find Your Happy Home Realtors.  She is a Real Estate broker and works with her husband, Lic. Felix Zarate, who is an attorney and a great guy. No lawyer jokes please. So let’s go to my apartment in Puerto Vallarta and listen to the interview we’re going to be talking about buying property in Mexico, and especially in Puerto Vallarta.

Listen to the Podcast

Outline to Follow...

Now you understand why I wanted you to meet these two people. If you would like me to introduce you to them personally, that is if you are looking to buy a home in PV, email me and I will hook you up. If you just want to make an appointment with them, just go to my show notes for this episode at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com, and I will have her contact information for you there. Let her know you found her on the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. She will talk with you,  listen to your real estate needs, and she will set you up on a home search custom designed for you, and you will be that much closer to moving to paradise. And isn’t that what we all really want? Paradise? Well we are through for today. I hope you enjoyed our talk with Rhonda and Felix Zarate.  Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta and my next show. Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and [caption id="attachment_891" align="alignleft" width="180"] Find Your Happy Planner[/caption] reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to Rhonda and Felix Zarate, check out their photos and contact information in my show notes at [caption id="attachment_889" align="alignright" width="200"] Felix and Rhonda Zarate[/caption] www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.  And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! Vallartatribune Find your Happy www.felixzaratelawyer.com www.rhondazarate.com The Happy Brokerage

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The Puerto Vallarta Malecon Sculpture Tour with Gary Thompson

Published: March 13, 2017, 2:05 a.m.
Duration: 59 minutes 11 seconds

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

That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurantsLa Palapa and The El Dorado [caption id="attachment_858" align="alignright" width="300"] "La Rotunda del Mar" by Alejandro Colunga[/caption] Restaurant on the Southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta and if you play your cards right you can catch Alberto Perez singing and playing the Somba de Puerto Vallarta just like I did the other night, while enjoying dinner under the stars, toes in the sand at the waters edge. It was so romantic, so Puerto Vallarta. You have to go! Trust me on this one guys.

Watch The Video of the Puerto Vallarta Airport

Now today I have a very special episode for you, I’m going to take you on a walk down the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta with Gary Thompson of the [caption id="attachment_841" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Good Fortune Unicorn by Aníbal Riebeling[/caption] Galeria Pacifico, but first just a couple of updates and tips for all of you Puerto Vallarta Lovers out there. Once again if you haven’t already seen it, check out my video about what to expect when you arrive at the PV airport. You will find it at www. Puetovallartatravelshow.com episode 3 on my blog and podcast page and you will also find it in the show notes from my latest podcast where I interview our friend JR and also those nice Canadians Karen and John at The Salty Caesar Restaurant in the Emillio Zapata Neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. Check it out, don’t get caught in the Sharktank boys and girls, just saying.

Airport ATM Machines

Also the ATM machines in the Lobby of the Puerto Vallarta Airport are just about to go online but not quite done yet. Make sure you bring some pesos with you or you still can exchange money at the airport to cover your taxi to your hotel. Then get yourself to a bank affiliated bank attached and inside of the bank…do I have to be any more clear on that? ATM machine. For more on exchanging money go to episode 2 of The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show and listen or read the show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com. Okay now let’s get on with the show. Today we are going to join Gary Thompson, the director of Galeria Pacifico in Downtown Puerto Vallarta. [caption id="attachment_837" align="alignright" width="300"] Gary Thompson and Mathia Lidice on the Malecon Sculpture Tour[/caption] Gary gives a walking tour of the sculptures that you will find along the Malecon, which is the boardwalk that runs along downtown and the Southside of Puerto Vallarta. Gary, during the high tourist season from mid November till the middle of April. He starts at the north end of the Malecon at the "Los Milenios" (The Millennia) by Mathis Lidice at the Hotel Rosita, and then works his way down south, stopping at each of these pieces and collections of pieces of art along the walk. The tour takes 2-3 hours and ends up at the Galeria Pacifico where we were treated to something cool to drink, and we got a chance to meet and hear from a local artist Jim DeMetro who told us about the bronze casting process, and about his works that you will not only find on the Malecon, but all around Puerto Vallarta. If you go to my show notes of this episode you will see pictures that I took as well as information about all of the artists. [caption id="attachment_836" align="aligncenter" width="300"] "Los Milenios" (The Millennia) by Mathis Lidice[/caption]

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

I walked from my apartment in El Cerro, down to the Malecon and headed north. I stopped for breakfast at Rico Mac Taco, and had a plate of chicken chilliquelles and then off to the Rosita Hotel where there were seats set up for the very large group assembled, there for the tour. Now Along with Gary was a fella named Kevin Simpson who is the owner of   Peyote People Gallery and Galeria Colectika What Kevin did, was he told us about the symbols between the sculptures on the Malecon, the symbols in the concrete sidewalk made with stones and pebbles like you see all over the town, well Kevin told us the story and the meanings behind these symbols. Leading off the walk we were introduced to Fernando Banos known as Mathia Lidice who you will hear Gary talk about at the beginning of the walk. . Now this man told us about the Sculpture where we started, called the "The Millennia" by Mathis Lidice (2001). So let’s join Gary Thompson and Kevin Simpson on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta Mexico! [caption id="attachment_845" align="alignleft" width="300"] El Caballito del Mar                                                              by Rafael Zamarripa Castaneda[/caption]  

Listen to the Podcast

  Now this Mr. Lidice was very articulate as you can hear and he took lots of time explaining the concept, of his creation and discussed the  of [caption id="attachment_861" align="alignright" width="300"] "Arieza Dos* By Maritza Vazquez[/caption] engineering that went into such a sculpture and you have to see it in person to understand that not only is it a work of art, but an engineering fete as well. And Mr. Lidice described that beautifully but the combination of the waves in the background and Mr. Lidice’s accent made much of the conversation difficult for you listeners to make out so as a result, I edited out much of the information he gave us taking the tour on the sculpture. The fact of the matter is  You will need to take the tour yourself, which I highly encourage you to do, or just go to my show notes and get the scoop there. Also as I was editing [caption id="attachment_866" align="alignleft" width="300"] " Arieza Dos* by Maritza Vazquez[/caption] this podcast I noticed a snarling dog in the background in the audio while Mr. Lidice was talking and I couldn’t take it out without, well messing up what he was saying so I left it in. Makes for great live audio. I mean, we are outdoors and anything goes right? I left many sculptures  off the podcast mostly because there wasn’t enough time, let’s face it, this was almost a three hour tour so that makes it difficult to keep the length of this show reasonable. There were also times when the audio was affected by the background noise of wind and high surf and I had to leave the audio on the cutting room floor so to speak. It’s unusual to have had such high waves in Puerto Vallarta, but on this Tuesday morning, That’s what we had. Now back to the Malecon…

Listen to the Podcast

Gary also mixed in some great stories as well. This one about Elizabeth Taylor and John Huston, and the making of the Night of The Iguana…but [caption id="attachment_840" align="aligncenter" width="300"] La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet[/caption] when he finishes that, he continues to tell the story of the sculpture of the couple sitting on a bench, "Nostalgia" by Mexican artist, Ramiz Barquet. It is a touching story that you should hear and when you do, you will understand the meaning of the title of the bronze. Nostalgia.

Listen to the Podcast

Then Gary told us a story about Hurricane Kenna and what it did to the many sculptures. In particular he told us about the sculpture “Searching for [caption id="attachment_843" align="alignright" width="300"] In Search of Reason by Sergio Bustamante[/caption] Reason” the one with the ladder and the two kids climbing it and the mom at the bottom of the ladder. Check out this story…

Listen to the Podcast

  [caption id="attachment_842" align="alignleft" width="300"] Triton and the Nereid-Carlos Espino[/caption] We were treated to cold beverages at the Galeria Pacifico and listened to Jim Demetro tell us about the bronze casting process, about how he raised funds for his art projects and about the many sculptures he has around Puerto Vallarta. After that, we were all encouraged to donate to the library fund which we will hear about in my interview with Gary who found some time to chat with me afterwards so let’s learn a little more about Gary Thompson of the Galaria Pacifico in Puerto Vallarta.

Listen to the Podcast

Gary Thompson is a really nice and funny guy. Now I recorded this interview at the end of January so if you are interested in that yearly auction to benefit the library, it already happened, but if you want to learn more about it for next year, I will have a link to it in my show notes at  Right Here  www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com. And when you come to this free tour make sure you bring some pesos to donate to a fine cause. Don’t forget that for sure. Gary really puts his heart and soul into these tours so help out his favorite charity. The library in Puerto Vallarta. And while you are in Puerto Vallarta make sure, if you can’t make the sculpture tour, at least that you stop in to the Galeria Pacifico and say hi to Gary Thompson, and tell him you heard him on the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. By the way, the artists he shows in his gallery are fantastic. [caption id="attachment_853" align="alignnone" width="300"] Biblioteca Los Mangos Auction[/caption] [caption id="attachment_854" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Puerto Vallarta Central Library[/caption]

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

Well we are through for today. I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Malecon Sculptures. Next week stay tuned for more on the ground reports from [caption id="attachment_860" align="alignright" width="300"] " Bailarines de Vallarta " by Jim Demetro[/caption] Puerto Vallarta and my next show. Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one [caption id="attachment_862" align="alignleft" width="300"] "San Pascual Bailon* by Ramiz Barquet[/caption] of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to Gary Thompson of The Galeria Pacifico, check out the photos in my shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.  And thanks to [caption id="attachment_859" align="alignleft" width="300"] "Friendship Fountain" by James Bottoms[/caption] all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!    

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Listed in: Culture

The Salty Caesar Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta

Published: March 5, 2017, 7:19 p.m.
Duration: 44 minutes 2 seconds Today we are going to be talking with our buddy JR in PV, and I have an interview with the owners of a new restaurant in the Emilio Zapata Colonia [caption id="attachment_818" align="alignright" width="239"] New ATM Installation in Progress at the Puerto Vallarta Airport 03/17[/caption] of Puerto Vallarta. But first, let’s do a little housekeeping. First, last week,  February 26, 2017,  I mentioned that the bank ATM machines had been removed from the lobby where you buy your taxi cab transfers. Word from those on the ground, thanks to John A. for sending a picture of a new platform in the same place they were before in the lobby of the airport where you buy your taxi or van transfer to your destination, lodging. So it is just a matter of time before they will be back for your use. Remember to check out episode 2 and 3 for information on currency exchange and what to expect when you arrive at the Puerto Vallarta Airport. And speaking about what to expect, I made a video about what to expect at the Puerto Vallarta Airport that you will find very informative and you can find it at my website www.puertovallartatravelshow.com in episode 3 and I will have it available for you to view on this blog-post in my show notes for this particular show as well. I happen to think it’s very descriptive of what to expect when you arrive at the PV airport. It’s going viral so I don’t know how long I can have this video up and running before someone hunts me down and makes me buy a timeshare or something. Just kidding…

Click Below to See The Puerto Vallarta Airport Video

[embed]http://traffic.libsyn.com/puertovallartatravelshow/The_Puerto_Vallarta_Airport.mp4[/embed] Anyway, I will keep you advised as to when those ATM Machines actually re-appear, but until then, bring some pesos from home, either from your bank or a money exchange near you. Or just buy your taxi voucher using your very own funny money and when you get settled in, locate a Bank attached and affiliated ATM. Remember to use the ATM machines inside banks and not out on the street.  For more ideas on exchanging money just go to episode 2 of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show.

Puerto Vallarta Webcams

[caption id="attachment_735" align="alignleft" width="300"] Puerto Vallarta Web Cams[/caption] Next, I announced last week that I have added a new page to the website that I’m very excited about. It has all of the best Webcams in Puerto Vallarta. Some of these cameras are great for watching a sunset right from your armchair 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? Now, this week I have a treat for you, and that is an interview with JR, John Russel, about well JR. I wanted to find out his path to Puerto Vallarta. I like to ask others what their path to Puerto Vallarta was, so why not JR? so let’s get to that interview with JR in PV…

Listen to The Interview with JR and Me in PV

[caption id="attachment_273" align="alignright" width="300"] JR in PV Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Your guide for 30 years.[/caption] So JR has been accommodating visitors to Puerto Vallarta for decades. In fact, I have links all over my website that lead to Vallartainfo.com so go to [caption id="attachment_789" align="alignright" width="300"] Vallartainfo.com Southside Map[/caption] his website and check out his tours, his maps and his great information. And speaking of JR’s maps, if you download his map of the Southside of PV, you will see where we are headed for our next interview. If you go to the show-notes of this episode you will see a copy of that map and I have this restaurant marked in red so look for that. I wanted to check out this particular restaurant for a couple of reasons. When I was in town last October I was sad to see one of the longtime eateries, the Gilmar was closed, but I could hear work being done inside so naturally I was eager to see what was coming in its place.   So I kept my ear to the ground and found out that a Canadian couple was going to open a restaurant where the Gilmar once was. I watched as they worked and remodeled and in a very short time, John and Karen Radics opened up their work of love which they called The Salty Caesar. I wanted to hear about their story so I sat with them and got their story. Let’s go to the Emilio Zapata neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta and have a talk with John and Karen Radics at The Salty Caesar.

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

[caption id="attachment_804" align="alignleft" width="225"] Salty Caesar, Puerto Vallarta Menu[/caption] These people are so nice you guys. The neighborhood is one of my favorite places in Puerto Vallarta and the restaurants in this part of town are very reasonable price-wise. Also, in a couple of weeks from now I’m going to get out there and take you for a tour of those Mexican Hotels John was talking about. You know, the ones that started at around $20 Canadian, what’s that like around $10 US…just kidding. Where was I, oh yeah, I’m going to take you into these hotels, we are going to talk with the managers and owners of these places and introduce you to these budget hotels. Some Spanish will be spoken for sure my friends, pero no hay problema mis amigos, puedo hablar el espanol. I can speak the Spanish and I will be talking and translating with these wonderful people who would love to see more gringos stay with them. Places like the Hotel Azteca, The Belmar, The Hotel Ana Liz, The Bernal, The Marlyn Hotel, The Mar Elena, The Hotel Villa Del Mar, The Hotel Hortensia and others. Stay tuned for that episode. Probably we will need to split that show into two episodes, we’ll see. I had so much fun doing those interviews and I have a few more to do before I can get that show all ready for you guys. [caption id="attachment_791" align="alignright" width="300"] John and Karen Radics of The Salty Caesar in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] And I have to thank many of you listeners for reaching out and giving us feedback, for giving us recommendations and ideas for future shows. We have so much coming up mis amigos. I especially want to thank Joe from Fargo who gave us a 4 star review on iTunes and he says… Must listen for first time PV visitors!     [caption id="attachment_793" align="alignright" width="300"] The Salty Caesar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] by Joe From Fargo I’ll soon be taking my first trip to Puerto Vallarta. This podcast seems like it was written specifically for me. So much practical advice and easy to listen to hosts. Thanks guys.. YOU ROCK! Well Joe from Fargo, you rock! Thank you for taking the time to give us a great review and you all can do the same. Just go [caption id="attachment_796" align="alignright" width="300"] The Salty Caesar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] to www.puertovallartatravelshow.com and on each of my blogs I have a link to sign to I tunes where you can give us a good review. Once again, looks like we have gone long so let’s save some for next week shall we? Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message. And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of [caption id="attachment_795" align="alignright" width="300"] The Salty Caesar in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. So, thanks to JR for coming by and giving us a little insight into his life,  and thank you to John and Karen Radics of the Salty Caesar.  Listen folks, go [caption id="attachment_794" align="alignright" width="300"] The Salty Caesar Puerto Vallarta, Mexico[/caption] give them a visit and tell them you heard about the Salty Caesar from me. They will get a kick out of that for sure. I didn’t get a chance to eat there so let me know what you think of their restaurant will ya? And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos! [caption id="attachment_825" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The Salty Caesar Restaurant Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption]

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Listed in: Culture

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

Published: Feb. 26, 2017, 6:37 p.m.
Duration: 46 minutes 23 seconds

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

An Interview with Author Howard Johns

Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be to [caption id="attachment_754" align="alignright" width="199"] A Stolen Paradise by Howard Johns[/caption] introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa and The Eldorado Restaurant on the Southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta and if you play your cards right you can catch Alberto Perez singing and playing the Samba de Puerto Vallarta and more lovely tunes while enjoying dinner under the stars, toes in the sand at the waters edge. So romantic, so Puerto Vallarta. [caption id="attachment_399" align="alignright" width="300"] ATM Machines in Lobby of the Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] Now before we get into this interview, I want to do a little housekeeping. First, as of a couple of days ago, and this podcast was recorded and produced February 26, 2017,  here at the Puerto Vallarta airport, the bank ATM machines have been removed from the lobby where you buy your taxi cab transfers. Now people here on the ground are of the opinion that this is a temporary situation, at least until they are done with the remodel of the airport or sooner. I will keep you advised as to when they re-appear. Until then, bring some pesos from home, either from your bank or a money exchange near you. Or just buy your taxi voucher using your very own funny money and get to an Bank attached and affiliated ATM when you get a chance later. For more ideas on exchanging money just go to episode 2 of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Next, I have added a new page to the website and I’m 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 Learn To Count to 100 in Spanish  

Next, in the last episode I talked a little about learning the language about learning Spanish and how to count to one hundred in Spanish. I forgot to mention that if you go to my website and check the shownotes to the last episode, I have a link to a site where you will learn to count to 100 in Spanish. It’s easy it’s free and you will find it by going to www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com , the episode with JR about the customs and the people of Puerto Vallarta. Lastly, I have the new prices for the Federal Airport taxis leaving the airport to your hotel or resort or condo and I will give you that info after [caption id="attachment_400" align="alignright" width="300"] Taxi Pay Window in the Puerto Vallarta Airport[/caption] my interview with Author Howard Johns, which I’ going to get right into now. [caption id="attachment_755" align="alignleft" width="251"] Howard Johns, Author[/caption]     Most people know that Puerto Vallarta was put on the map by those folks in Hollywood. The filming of the Night of the Iguana turned this once tiny little fishing village into a jet-setter destination. And since this is a podcast about Puerto Vallarta, I would be remiss If I were to ignore this large piece of the historic puzzle of this place Puerto Vallarta. So naturally I reached out to my next guest. Howard is the author of the soon to be released book A Stolen Paradise, The True Story About the Making of the Night of the Iguana. Howard Johns is a film historian, author and television personality from Palm Springs, California. In 2004, he wrote the bestselling nonfiction [caption id="attachment_757" align="alignright" width="150"] Palm Springs Confidential[/caption] book Palm Springs Confidential: Playground of the Stars (Barricade Books), which sold out through three printings. Two years later, Johns published the scandalous follow-up Hollywood Celebrity Playground with similar success.   Howard Johns has been interviewed on numerous TV news broadcasts and documentary programs, discussing the lives and deaths of celebrities. He first gained widespread recognition as a producer for NBCs live coverage of the funeral of Congressman Sonny Bono. Howard has met and interviewed such stars as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Kirk Douglas, Stefanie Powers, George Hamilton, and Suzanne Somers. He also has been featured on such top-rated network programs as Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, and Hard Copy. So without any further ado, let’s go to my apartment in Puerto Vallarta, just two blocks from Casa Kimberly, the famous home of Elizabeth Taylor and we’ll talk about the filming of the night of the Iguana and more with Author Howard Johns.

The Characters

These 7 Color Photos Used with Permission From the Author

[caption id="attachment_766" align="alignleft" width="233"]Used with Permission From the Author Tennessee Williams[/caption] [caption id="attachment_760" align="alignleft" width="243"]Used with Permission From the Author Ava Gardner[/caption] [caption id="attachment_761" align="alignleft" width="231"]Used with Permission From the Author Deborah Kerr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_762" align="alignleft" width="257"]Used with Permission From the Author Elizabeth Taylor[/caption] [caption id="attachment_763" align="alignleft" width="242"]Used with Permission From the Author John Huston[/caption] [caption id="attachment_764" align="alignleft" width="256"]Used with Permission From the Author Richard Burton[/caption] [caption id="attachment_768" align="alignleft" width="235"]Used with Permission From the Author Sue Lyon[/caption]

Listen to the Podcast

  That was a fun interview wasn’t it? I can’t wait for the book to come out. Waiting, Waiting, Waiting… For more information about Howard Johns, you will find his Bio and links to his website at the bottom of this blog post.  Okay, back to the new federal taxi rates from the airport to a resort near you, here they are. As I reported earlier, there was an increase in fuel prices here in Mexico and it was going to be just a matter of time till it effected the taxi prices so here we go.  

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

Zone 1-A from the airport to the Marina area [caption id="attachment_750" align="alignright" width="300"] New Puerto Vallarta Airport Taxi Rates[/caption] $242 pesos or about $12 US for a taxi   $458 or $22 US for a van. Zone 1 From the airport to the hotel zone area south of the airport $258 pesos or $13 US for a taxi   $520 or about $25 US  for a van. Zone 2 from the airport south to Centro to the Southside and Conchas Chinas $345 pesos or about $18 US for a cab    $690 pesos or $35 US for a van. Zone 3 South beyond Conchas Chinas  all the way to Mismaloya $415 pesos or $20 for a cab    $811 pesos or $40 US for a Van ride. Make sure to tip your drivers if they are handling your luggage. You will find similar rates for the zones north of the airport and you can see the map and prices by going to my show notes and looking for it on my blog-post for this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show.   Once again, looks like we have gone long so let’s save some for next week shall we? Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.   And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And 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. 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!  

ABOUT HOWARD JOHNS

Howard Johns is a film historian, author and television personality from Palm Springs, California. In 2004, he wrote the bestselling nonfiction book Palm Springs Confidential: Playground of the Stars (Barricade Books), which sold out through three printings. The title was chosen by Turner Classic Movies as Book of the Month, and selected by InsightOut® Book Club and Advocate magazine for their Christmas book selection. Two years later, Johns published the scandalous follow-up Hollywood Celebrity Playground with similar success.

TELEVISION APPEARANCES

Howard Johns has been interviewed on numerous TV news broadcasts and documentary programs, discussing the lives and deaths of celebrities. He first gained widespread recognition as a producer for NBC live coverage of the funeral of Congressman Sonny Bono. During the revitalization of Palm Springs, Johns provided exclusive access to the homes of Cary Grant, Loretta Young and Jane Wyman. Among his guest appearances are: Legendary Hollywood Homes, narrated by Sally Kellerman (American Movie Classics); Mysteries & Scandals, hosted by A.J. Benza, and E! True Hollywood Story (Entertainment Television). In 2004, Johns appeared on the Kraft two-hour holiday special Hollywood Home Movies, directed by Morgan Neville (Arts & Entertainment Network), and shown on Time Warner Cable and Comcast. He also has been featured on such top-rated network programs as Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, and Hard Copy.

PALM SPRINGS LIFE MAGAZINE

From 1996 to 2002, Howard Johns was editor-at-large for the monthly California prestige magazine Palm Springs Life, where he met and interviewed such stars as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Kirk Douglas, Stefanie Powers, George Hamilton, and Suzanne Somers. Among his acclaimed feature-length articles are: Too Much of a Good Thing is Wonderful, His Kind of Town, The Great and the Beautiful, Housing Authority, Bob & Dolores: A Love Story, The Desert of Oz, and In the Swing. In 2008, Johns was a contributing editor for the magazine’s 50th anniversary issue, providing a multilayered commentary about the history and development of this unique desert oasis. His extensive research has also been featured in Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest. Johns currently resides in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he recently completed his third nonfiction book, A Stolen Paradise.

PREVIOUS ACCLAIM FOR HOWARD JOHNS

“Howard Johns, who raised eyebrows and activated scandal sheets with his Palm Springs Confidential, is back with another full-bodied pictorial about the West Coast glitterati.” – Barnes & Noble “Johns delights in his tabloid antics and his range of trivial knowledge about a vast array of movie and TV stars is impressive. Bitchy and irreverent… a guilty pleasure.” – Publishers Weekly “Talk to Howard Johns and you’re talking to a living encyclopedia of glamour… His mellifluous voice gilded with an Australian accent speeds by you at a mile a minute, but he chooses his words with charm and journalistic precision.” – The Bottom Line “Hollywood Celebrity Playground picks up where his scandalous Palm Springs Confidential left off… dishes the dirt on celebrities and the lavish, lecherous lives they lead.” – TCM Movie News “In the tradition of Hollywood Babylon comes this riveting, nosy encyclopedia of desert gossip, with cameos by every LGBT visitor imaginable, from Liberace and Udo to Lily and Jane…” – The Advocate “Howard Johns once again busts through the security gates of the rich and famous to not only give us a look at their cribs and celebrity sleepovers but also their crimes…deliciously scandalous!” – InsightOut Book Club http://www.astolenparadise.com/ https://publishizer.com/a-stolen-paradise/ [caption id="attachment_756" align="alignright" width="1000"] Get Your Copy of A Stolen Paradise[/caption]

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Listed in: Culture

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

Published: Feb. 19, 2017, 2:03 a.m.
Duration: 47 minutes 53 seconds

Download Episode! Today we are going to be talking with JR in PV about local the people of Puerto Vallarta and some funny quirks you find down here in Mexico. I’m pretty sure that the locals can say a few things about all of the gringos who have moved here and call this place home, if not permanently, maybe half of the year when most of their homes are under 10 feet of snow.  But we are going to be talking about the wonderful people of Puerto Vallarta. As have said before, it’s the friendly people of Puerto Vallarta that keep me coming back year after year. That and the food and the beauty and the..never mind. You know what I’m talking about. 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’t have the heart to interrupt her so sorry in advance for some of the background noise. It’s not too bad and it has the campy sound of being on location right? So let’s get to the conversation with JR in PV. JR agrees that the people of Puerto Vallarta are friendly and kind. The Mexican Family is very family oriented. There are very few homeless. Most people who are homeless or appear homeless are usually drugged up or alcoholics but they probably have a family. The children services called DIF.                                           He says that some of the places people think of as orphanages are actually shelters such as...

 Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza and Casa Hogar

 

Traditions and Customs

When you make eye contact with someone on the street, make sure you say Buenos Dias for good morning, buenas tardes when it is afternoon and buenas noches at night. Traditional things like the siesta have gone by the wayside in Puerto Vallarta because nobody wants to close during the busy tourist season, but some of the older establishments will close from 2-4 PM. But will close later. The tradition stems from the need to close during the hottest parts of the day. [caption id="attachment_700" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nightly Shows on The Malecon at Los Arcos Stage[/caption] Sundays there is another tradition in Puerto Vallarta  and that is a dance in the late afternoon and early evening there is a dance concert and ballroom dancing in the town Plaza, right next to City Hall. Very traditional. Funny quirks The word no is a funny word in Spanish. Directions especially. Ask five people to get the correct answer. This is familiar as taxi cabs don’t always know where something is. They know by landmarks.   Make sure you look out and make sure they take you to where you want to go. Download a map. Print out JR’s maps. Manana has many meanings. It doesn’t mean tomorrow, but it definitely won’t be today. Bad air on the bus. The people close the windows because moving air is thought to be detrimental.

Taxi Taking Tips

Tipping taxi drivers. You shouldn’t 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. Make sure you decide on a price before you get in the taxi. Otherwise you are at the whim of the driver. Tipping is okay if the driver helps you with your luggage or helps you with your packages, but don’t tip unless they earn it for the benefit of the locals. JR explained the difference between the Federal taxis and the other taxi drivers. Federal taxi drivers have to come back empty. Tipping service people 20%. Minimum wage in Mexico is approximately $4.50 per day.

Avoiding Crime in Puerto Vallarta

Occasional mugging due to in many cases desperate drug addicts.  [caption id="attachment_698" align="alignright" width="300"] The Public Bus in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] Some local justice takes place. Lots of petty crime happens during Easter and Christmas out of towners usually on vacation taking advantage of trusting tourists.  Watch your cell phones closely. Your wouldn’t leave $600 laying on the table, why would you leave your phone laying on the table. Leave your high heels at home. The most common injuries are sprained broken ankles. Don’t flash your money. Leave your jewelry at home. Keep your money in your wallet to a minimum. La Marias beggars who are dropped off and picked up. Be careful walking across the street. The vehicles won’t always stop. To get a bus to stop, point in the street in front of you. Don’t wave.   And it really is great here in Puerto Vallarta my friends. Just take our word for it. Now a quick word about crime in Puerto Vallarta. This is a fun town. There are lots of bars and alcohol being served on the beach, in the restaurants, in the clubs. Here’s the thing. You don’t want to be wandering the streets at night stumbling drunk. You don’t want to make a scene by whooping it up in public. It’s bad form for one thing and it gives tourists from up north a bad reputation, so stop it. Remember, you won’t get a pass walking the streets drunk and disorderly on the streets of your hometown, why would the authorities in Puerto Vallarta want to take a closer look at you? So be safe, be smart, don’t carry too much cash and don’t wander the streets late at night. Take a cab. [caption id="attachment_386" align="alignright" width="300"] Taco Stand in Puerto Vallarta Mexico[/caption] I want to get to one other item today and we are going to come back to address it in future episodes, especially when I visit the Taco Stalls and stands and give you tours of economy Mexican Hotels that you can find in town for $20 a night, and I’m going to give you a quick Spanish lesson. JR says that you need to agree on a price before you ever get into a cab, so let’s learn some basic Spanish terms that will take you a long way with a taxi driver. Remember, we are visitors and we need to make at least some sort of effort to communicate with the locals right? So if you see a cab parked and the driver is inside or next to the cab, ask him is he is working. Hola, Trabajando? He will most likely say si. Then you say Bueno, cuanto cuesta ir al ….and then say whatever your destination will be. ir al centro, ir a Daiquiri Dicks, or ir al Botanical Gardens.

Learn to Count in Spanish

Now the next this is going to be hard because he is going to answer you in Spanish and if you can’t count in Spanish that could be a problem. You can use your fingers and see if he will play along in English. Most taxi drivers can count in English I have found. But the best thing you can do, before you come to Mexico is learn a little Spanish. Learn to count boys and girls. We are talking money so doesn’t it make sense to take some time and learn to count so  you can save some money? So learn the basics. Learn to count to ten, then learn to count by tens in Spanish. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, sies, siete, ocho, nueve and diez. Ten is Diez, 20 is vente, it’s irregular but you can remember it because it’s like your coffee you Starbucks fans out there. Vente is 20, thirty is trenta, forty is cuarenta, fifty is cincuenta, sixty is seisenta, seventy is setenta, eighty is ochenta, ninty is noventa and one hundred is cien or ciento doalres. Two hundred is dos cientos, three hundred is tres cientos and so forth. Five hundered is irregular and it is pronounced Quientos, but nobody is going to punch you in the mouth for saying cinco cientos instead of quinentos. Trust me on this. We will go over the taxi rates in another episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show, but for now, I think we need to think about putting a fork in this one. It was great visiting with JR today. I’m sure you all enjoyed learning about the people of Puerto Vallarta. Until next week, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.   And if you would like to purchase a copy of Alberto Perez’s song, Samba de 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… If you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And 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, thank you JR for answering all of my questions and thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!

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Listed in: Culture

The Vallarta Botanical Garden, An interview

Published: Feb. 12, 2017, 9:43 a.m.
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 14 seconds

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  Cheryl 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  Vallarta 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.  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’t 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.  One 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.  The 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’t 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 right at the ticket counter so if you forget yours, no problem.  As 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]  When 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’s how that went….

Bob Price is the  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.  You’ll pass by a little town after Boca De Tomatlán 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 or 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.  They have generous donors that keep the garden running. They also have a restaurant, an authentic Mexican restaurant. 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 and 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’s get to that interview.

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

Her parents retired to a Small beach town Mayto . 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’s 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’s 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  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. 

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’s 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  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  discovered 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  in 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  CUC campus central Univisidertado de la Costa  As well as funds from Magnolia Society International. You can go to www.vbgardens.org for the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens website or go to  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’s International Peace Garden with approval of the Mayor of Vallarta and International Peace Garden Foundation on February 16, 2pm-4pm.        

REFERENCES:

 

Puerto Vallarta Travel Show

Vallarta Botanical Gardens

Vallarta Botanical Gardens Magazine

  And in honor of the dedication of the Cheryl L. Wheeler International Peace Garden of Mexico, on February 16th 2017,  I 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’t 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’t 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’s site and to the website where you can purchase the fantastic music of Alberto Perez who we will listen to as we play out this episode at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com, Remember that this show is an interactive one. I need your participation by sending me emails with questions for JR that you would like to hear him answer on air with me. And please Email me your suggestions for show topics that you think  I should be talking about 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’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, 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!                                

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Listed in: Culture

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

Published: Feb. 6, 2017, 9:45 a.m.
Duration: 44 minutes 48 seconds

Listed in: Culture

Puerto Vallarta Chef's Pass Food Tours

Published: Jan. 31, 2017, 9:28 p.m.
Duration: 39 minutes 23 seconds

Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on 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  to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa Restaurant is on the southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta. It’s so romantic, the view of the Los Muerto Pier all lit up toes in the sand right at the oceans edge. And if you play your cards right, you can hear Alberto play his beautiful music and enjoy songs like Samba de Puerto Vallarta when you enjoy dinner at La Palapa. Just saying an added bonus to a great romantic meal on the beach. Today I’m going to be talking with Dave Ostlund from my apartment in Puerto Vallarta where unlike my studio at home, there’s tile floors, lots of echo and while I’m in Mexico, there is a lot of that. Also you will hear the occasional sounds of squealing breaks. The apartment is up in the El Cerro part of town about 4 blocks above the Inglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, you know, that famous crowned church you see in all the advertisements about Vallarta? Yeah, that one. Just be ready for a little annoying noise and without any further adeau, let’s join Dave…

 Conversation 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’t walk daytime Taco Tour?
  • The Eat where the locals eat tour sounds really interesting…tell us about that.
  • How about the Best of El Centro Progressive Dinner…First of all, for those who don’t 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.
I want you all to know that The very next evening I took that best of El Centro tour, the one where you start off at El Panorama for the sunset, then across to Barcelona Tapas for more great food and more sunset, then over to Si Senor for more assorted dishes and ending at Melissa’s for incredible Mango Margaritas and a mango red snapper and a shrimp burrito that all were so, so good. An adult beverage was served with every course and the food was varied and filling. Can’t say a bad thing about it but the big surprise was, how much fun all of the people on the tour had interacting with one another. Just added to the experience. Nice job Dave. I highly recommend the tour. We’ll worth the price and the guides were really nice and knowledgeable. 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 others to come including the links to JR’s site and to the website where you can purchase the fantastic music of Alberto Perez who we will listen to as we play out this episode at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com,             Remember that this show is an interactive one. I need your participation by sending me emails with questions for JR that you would like to hear him answer on air with me. And please Email me your suggestions for show topics that you think  I should be talking about by clicking on the contact us tab on my website at the top of the home page at Puerto  www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to www.Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, 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 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!

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Listed in: Culture

Taking Public Buses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Travel Tips

Published: Jan. 19, 2017, 7:51 a.m.
Duration: 38 minutes 34 seconds

Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on iTunes

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

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

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Listed in: Culture

Tips For The Puerto Vallarta Airport

Published: Jan. 14, 2017, 9:25 p.m.
Duration: 41 minutes 51 seconds

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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…must I go on?   Well…yes.

February 24, 2017

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

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’t need a passport to enter Mexico from the USA, but times have changed and all of you foreigners will need passports when visiting Mexico.  So if you don’t have yours or it isn’t up to date, best get that done before you decide to book a trip okay?   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’s like during times when tourists are in short supply lets join in on the conversation…. 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 with you. We all have our favorites so bring um if you got um, but if you forget to bring the bug spray, don’t 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’s version of the 7/11 franchise. You can find insect repellent at 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’s 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.  Depending 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’t notice you needed to fill out but need to anyway, and your passport. It’s 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.  There is also a veterinary  room where you check in with Fido or Tigger.  After 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.  If 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]           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  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…they want to help me with my trip? They want to help me with a ride. Don’t 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’t 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]           You may be asking why would they let people in the airport that could ruin your vacation from the get-go?  When I first came to Puerto Vallarta in the mid 80’s, 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’m 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’m 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’re 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’t look them in the eye I warned her before she got off the ferry, don’t 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’s right, she looked at a rickshaw driver and that’s all  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’m 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’ve 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  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.  This 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’t 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.  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….   Wow, seems like we’ve 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.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.   And if you would like to purchase a copy of Alberto Perez’s 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… if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. And 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!  

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Listed in: Culture

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

Published: Jan. 9, 2017, 7:08 a.m.
Duration: 35 minutes 24 seconds

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 Puerto Vallarta, What to pack, we’ll 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 

 

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…November 15th through mid April are the best months to visit. June 15th 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’s 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’s 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?

 Pack 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.  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’t 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’ll want to pack cool fabrics that dry quickly when moist, offer good ventilation. You’ll 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"]Cuates Y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta Mexico 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’s what I do. Call me a voyeier, but Im almost always going to www.cuatesycuetes.com and check out their webcam. It’s 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’s 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  Cuates Y Cuetes means? I looked it up and kinda pieced it all together, so I’ll give it a try. I’m pretty sure some listener or reader of my blog, did I mention you can read my blog and shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com? Anyhoo,  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  fits better where it says Cuetes means a little drunk, buzzed or tipsy. So it’s either friends and Fireworks or Friends and Getting drunk and tipsy.  Either 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’ll add a bunch of Puerto Vallarta webcams to my link page so go there and click away.Cuates Y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta Mexico So getting back to what to wear, Essentially, how much you pack and what you pack depends on you and your habits. I’m 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’s 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.   [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’m 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’m 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’s really cheap and pretty darn handy. Plus…I like to give them the business. They do a great job. Just remember, they aren’t your local dry cleaner like at home. If you have expensive tricky to wash clothes, don’t 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.  If 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’t have to think about doing any laundry till you get home. Wouldn’t 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’s 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’t forget those. I also have this list in my show-notes which you can access at puertovallartatravelshow.com.

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

If you are living in the 21st 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’t too expensive either. My plan is with Verizon and I get their I suggest their Canada Mexico plan. It's really cheap! You  should 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’t forget to take the plan off when you get home.  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 in 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’s 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.  No longer ladies and gentlemen. Here in Puerto Vallarta the peso is king. It’s the coin of the realm. They don’t want your dollars. Imagine if you will, you are back in the States and you are working at a McDonalds. Okay maybe you can’t imagine that, imagine you are working as a barista at a Starbucks….okay maybe you can’t imagine that either, but just play with me here, at least I’m not making you a cashier at Walmart… 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’s 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’t want to do it, and…they 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’t 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’s 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’t tell your bank, you will more than likely be unable to access your money while in Mexico. So, don’t 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’t 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’s all. So no big deal guys. You don’t have to do the money ATM dealie at the airport if you don’t 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.  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  pesos service fee, or approximately $1.50 mexican host bank transaction, plus, whatever your bank gets for the withdraw. Now that’s 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’m okay with that. Now, my bank is a credit union and they don’t 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.  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’s 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’t 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.  Using 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’s 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’s 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’s 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’s 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’s 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’t be looked at sideways when you arrive to pick up your dough. Just remember to keep your secret number secret, and don’t 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’s 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.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.   And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. 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!  

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Listed in: Culture

The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Episode 1

Published: Dec. 29, 2016, 7:05 p.m.
Duration: 42 minutes 12 seconds

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Subscribe to The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show on iTunes

Hello fellow travelers, welcome to the very first episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be  to introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico. That music you were just listing to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa group of restaurants,  La Palapa Restaurant is on the southside of town, right down on the beach in Puerto Vallarta. La Palapa, and El Dorado Restaurants as well as Vista Grill on the Hill. For those who are looking for a little romance under the stars, El Dorado has this Romantic Dining experience package you can call ahead and ask for.  Imagine following a candle lit walkway to a private table at the ocean’s edge and you are surrounded by tiki torches. You’re seated at a  candlelit table on the beach with your toes in the sand and dining on a 5-course gourmet menu created especially for you, and served with personalized attention to you and your every wish. Yeah, you can have that… You can download his song or even his whole CD if you like it as much as I do. I have a link to it in my shownotes  on my website for show #1 where you will find it at www.puertovarrartatravelshow.com. Puerto Vallarta offers so much to any traveler who’s looking for a fun filled seaside vacation. There is something for everyone here.

Traveling on a Budget?

Are you on a budget?  No problem, Puerto Vallarta has plenty of opportunities for the budget traveler.  In fact, when I first came here with my wife, well, she was my girlfriend at the time some 32 years ago, we were looking at Hawaii and Puerto Vallarta, and we chose Vallarta just because we could actually afford it. We chose a travel package that included air and a week stay at the Playa Los Arcos Hotel in Southside, romantic zone,  PV, right on the water. It’s still there today and is still going strong. It was cheap, and you can still get great package deals through all the travel ticket sites. I know that the package deal is very popular with Canadians.

Luxury Accommodations

Maybe you aren’t a budget conscious traveler but a luxury seeker. Perhaps your idea of a perfect vacation is being pampered. Maybe you want to have a massage on the beach, or just prefer sitting by the pool drinking and eating. Maybe you don’t even want to leave the property.  You prefer the all inclusive food and drink experience. Everything included, in some places even the tips. For many I suppose, lounging, reading being pampered, getting a poolside or Oceanside massage, a spa treatment,  having the staff know you by name, having a private beach with beachside service is an important part of the vacation experience.  Not me, just sayin, but I’m not here to judge. I’m here to learn from all of you fellow travelers. Maybe I’m missing something. I’m willing to be proven wrong. I’ll keep an open mind during our travels together. So there are the real budget digs that can cost you around $20/ night US, and there are places like the Four Seasons Punta Mita that will cost you around $1,550 a night. Air BnB’s have made it down here in a big way, There’s apartment and condo rental specialists for those looking to have an extended stay. What I’m getting at is there are lots of properties all along the Bajia de Banderas that will suit any traveler’s needs and we are going to visit them and talk about them. We are going to talk to the hotel representatives and to you the everyday traveler to get your first hand experiences. It’s going to be fun.  This is going to be an interactive experience. Since this is the first episode I want to give you an overview as to what to expect from the show as it unfolds for you on a weekly basis. The first shows will concentrate on the basics. The history of Puerto Vallarta, the current lay of the land, geography, the local customs. What are the best months of the year to visit? We will talk about getting there.  Are you driving? Are you flying into the airport, are you just stopping for a day on a cruise liner and only have a few hours to get a feel for Vallarta?

Important Travel Information

What to pack, Passports and length of your stay, what to expect when you arrive at the airport. Can you bring your pet?  How about Groceries and Shopping for the basics? Can I get what I want? Are there supermarkets? Are there convenience stores like 7/11’s? We are going to talk about exchanging money, can you drink the water? Is it okay to eat the food? Is the ice okay in the margaritas and in my coke? What about the crime?  Is it safe in Puerto Vallarta? Can you walk the streets at night? How about the police? Can you trust them? What are the people like? Can you trust them? How about the bugs? Mosquitoes? How do we prepare for that? And then there’s Transportation, once we arrive. How do we all get around?  Should you rent a car? What should you do before you get into a taxi or get on a bus.  I know what you are thinking…I’m gonna get kidnapped…I’m in Mexico! What, A BUS?? You mean like a chicken bus you ask??? Well… We will be talking about that too. We will be talking about all of that in the first couple of podcasts.   So we are going to cover all the basics and get you prepared because I want you to have the safest and most awesome vacation you have ever had. And you are going to have it right here in Puerto Vallarta. I want to help you plan your vacation so you can optimize your valuable, hard earned vacation. I’m here to help you make the most of your Puerto Vallarta Vacation. I’m here to help you enjoy everything Puerto Vallarta has to offer you so you can get your mind off of the  daily grind. You deserve the best. I’m going to make sure you get it. Deal?  Deal! I’m doing this for you because of all of the help I have gotten from fellow travelers along the way. I’ve had help from many people I’ve met in Puerto Vallarta and you are going to meet many of them as the show progresses over the weeks to come. One of them is a guy I know you will like. You may even know him or have heard of him. This man was a regular poster, I would say he was a regular character on an internet web forum, well let’s say it happens to be  a very popular travel advice website. Anyway, his name is John and he is best known as JR in PV. JR has lived in Puerto Vallarta for 40 years, 30 of them permanently, and for almost 30 years, he has been giving advice to travelers coming to this fair city. Well, JR has promised me that he will join us on a weekly basis to answer your questions and to tell us about what is happening during the week in Puerto Vallarta. He is an expat from London and as you will see, he still hasn’t picked up the local accent; I will have to ask him about that. You’d think he would have shaken off that English accent but, as we all know, guys that talk like that just sound smarter. Anyway, JR has this website and you can see it by going to www.vallartainfo.com and on the website at the top of the page is s a tab called Maps, and you can download maps of different sections of Puerto Vallarta. Nicely detailed and I will be referring to it as we make our journey through the city in the upcoming episodes of the show. JR also has in addition to lots of invaluable information, a tour tab at the top of the homepage as well, and if you are going to take a tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, make sure you book your tour through the website at vallartainfo.com. Remember it’s a value for value proposition here, JR gives us great travel information and we help him out by reserving our tours through Vallartainfo.com, that’s Vallartainfo.com for your tours.

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

 Although it wasn't discussed in the podcast, I was told by JR that resorts and hotels in Nuevo Vallarta have their own water treatment plants and therefore, although while you are outside of the resorts you will need bottled water, while at the resorts and hotels in Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias and Punta de Mita, you should have little concern. Remember to ask.

So what next? As I said, the next couple of episodes, we’ll be talking about  the history of Vallarta, and lessons and the basic travel do’s and don’ts , then what?  Well there is so much.

Puerto Vallarta Restaurants

As you may or may not have heard, Puerto Vallarta is an incredible foodie destination with over 700 restaurants. Really! We will be interviewing numerous restaurateurs here in town and get their stories. We will hear about their menus, their awards, their struggles working in a town with so much competition for the tourist dollars.  I will be interviewing Gary Beck, author of the Puerto Vallarta Food guide and writer for the Banderas News, covering the entertainment beat. Gary will be talking food and you guessed it entertainment! So food and restaurants will be a big part of this show. Then we will talk about what to do,  what tours should a first timer take and what a visitor should not miss.

Water Sports

This is a seaside destination with all sorts of types of water sports and romantic, beautiful beaches where you can sit under a palapa/ umbrella, and have food and drink served to you. You can hire una launcha to take you out to Secluded beaches before the crowds hit. There’s fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, sailing and sailboat excursions out of the Marina Vallarta. From  Nuevo Vallarta and PV  you can catch a boat to the Marietta Islands. We’re going to tell you all of the greatest places to go and what not to miss, or if you just want to lounge and relax, you can just hear all about what you are missing and just don’t care. Remember, this is a sharing podcast. Maybe you are an adventurer traveler and like to hike, zip-line do healthy invigorating stuff. Well Puerto Vallarta has got you covered and we will talk about you guys.

Puerto Vallarta Charities

Perhaps you are the kind of traveler who isn’t happy unless they are helping others. Maybe you feel guilty enjoying yourself while others are suffering. You know who you are. You are do-gooders.   Well you do-gooders are in luck, Puerto Vallarta has so many opportunities for you to do all sorts of good. Maybe you want to help out at one of the many children’s charities set up in Vallarta. Maybe you don’t like kids and just so happens you love animals and want to help out at the local ASPCA or the pet spay and neuter clinic.  There is an entire list of these organizations where your help and funds are needed and would be appreciated and I have added a couple to my website of links to do-gooder websites in PV that you can visit. Again you will find those links by going to  www.Puertovallartatravelshow.com.  Well, we will be interviewing these leaders, these special volunteers in the community who have found their calling and are truly Gods’ helpers for sure.

Puerto Vallarta Real Estate

My real job is selling homes. I know a whole lot about selling houses in Southern California. That’s how I can afford to make Puerto Vallarta my second home away from home. In fact, I do another podcast called the Southern California Real Estate Answer Man Show where I do tutorials on buying and selling Real Estate in California. So if you ever want  to buy or sell a home in Southern California, call me, but I have absolutely no idea where to begin when it comes to buying and selling property in Mexico. I do however, know some great agents who work all along the Bajia de Banderas. From Sayulita and Bucarias to the north, to Mismaloya and Boca Tomatlan to the South so if you are ever in the market and want a great, honest agent referral, email me and I will set you up with an agent that you will get along with. Anyway because of my natural interest in the subject of buying and selling homes, we are going to talk with local Realtors, brokers and attorneys  about foreigners buying property in Puerto Vallarta. We are talking real property not timeshares here, we  are talking about buying the whole enchilada.  About buying a home or condo. It’s not going to be a big part of the show, but we are going to definitely touch on the subject. Maybe more than a touch, maybe a little heavy petting, but we will see. Look, I think that people who come here more than once start looking around and asking themselves, where would I like to live if I lived here. It is certainly a thought provoking subject if just for the voyeurism of the whole thing.

Puerto Vallarta Timeshares

Talking of timeshares,  we will be talking timeshares in an episode or two, that’s  because it seems everywhere you turn around in this town, someone is trying to sell you a timeshare. We will be spending some time discussing the good and the bad of those timeshare opportunities with people who sell them, people who hate them and the people who just love them. Some have multiple timeshares and we will hear from them.

Puerto Vallarta Rentals

And if purchasing your little piece of paradise isn’t in the cards for you, we will be talking with people living in Puerto Vallarta who handle long term and short term rentals. These people and can find you a place to stay the winter, not in a hotel or a resort, but a condo or an apartment or a full on home.  So many of you are snowbirds spending 3-5 months in paradise instead of battling the freezing temperatures In Minisocold, or Cleveland Ohio, or you Canadians up in Canadia from Manitoba, Toronto, Vancouver BC,  Saskatoon Saskatchewan, I just wanted to say that   and  all over that great country to the north. Canadians are finding that their dollarettes go a lot further in Puerto Vallarta than at home in Canada. That’s why you will find such a large Canadian Expat population in PV. For some reason Canadians love this place. Of course there’s plenty of American US expats living in Puerto Vallarta as well.

Expats in Puerto Vallarta

We will be talking with the expats here in Puerto Vallarta, from one end of the bay to the other to get their stories too. We will discuss their reasons for moving to paradise…duh.., their challenges and successes making a go at living in Mexico. Are they looking to get a Mexican Passport and citizenship, or are they just happy to have resident status. We will have a couple of shows that cover those issues as well.

Get Married in Puerto Vallarta

Perhaps you are considering Puerto Vallarta as your destination wedding location. Many brides to be see themselves getting married with the ocean and sand and the fantastic setting of Bandares Bay as the backdrop of their ideal wedding. Others see themselves wed at the famous Church of our lady de Guadalupe, That beautiful crowned church you see in all of those tourist photos of Puerto Vallarta. Yes, that church. You can be married there.  Maybe you have decided to renew your vows in paradise and want to invite your favorite people in the world to share your special moment with you. Well, we will be talking with local wedding planners, Bakers, Dressmakers, florists, photographers, caterers and hotel operators as well as other property owners who specialize in making your destination wedding the talk of the town and an incredible memory for you to hold in your hearts for your entire lives. I’m really looking forward to that or I should say those episodes of the show because there are so many people to talk with and so many options for those of you in love who are mulling over the numerous possibilities and opportunities. So weddings, vow renewals anniversary celebrations and other special occasion locations and services will be discussed in length throughout the podcasts to follow. If you have had a wedding that you want to tell us about, let me know and we can talk about it in an upcoming show. Please share your experiences with our listeners.

Art in Puerto Vallarta

Maybe you are interested in the numerous art galleries throughout Vallarta. We will be talking with a number of local artists, many of them expats themselves who now call Puerto Vallarta their home. We will be talking with local native Mexican artists as well. I have an upcoming interview Gary Thompson, who is the owner and director of Galleria Pacifico, and he will also give us a tour of the local artwork on the Malecon, the oceanfront boardwalk in Old Town Puerto Vallarta where there are the most fantastic, some would say unusual looking sculptures and artwork that are so popular here along the waterfront here in downtown PV. During the high season every Tuesday morning at 9:30,  Gary gives a free walking tour where he describes the artwork and talks about the artists too. It’s going to be a real treat.

Cooking and Art Classes in Puerto Vallarta

Maybe you are looking to enrich yourselves by taking a Spanish course or a cooking class so you can cook like a local. Maybe you want to take an art class with a local artist. We will be interviewing these teachers who are eager to share their knowledge so you can bring it home with you to share with your family and friends. And you can relive those experiences each and every day. Imagine if you will learning from some of the most amazing chefs in the whole world. Wow! You can do that here, and you will be so glad you listened to this show because now you have the bug.

Puerto Vallarta is LGBTQ Friendly

Puerto Vallarta is a LGBTQ friendly town. You will find, especially on the south side of town that Vallarta has plenty of Gay daytime  and Night time activities with , Clubs, Bars and Restaurants, beaches and even special tours actually offered specifically for gay tourists here. So yes, the Rainbow flag is flown quite proudly here in Vallarta. And we are going to dedicate at least one show to the LGBTQ community here and the clubs and restaurants that are frequented by the gay community here in Vallarta. I'm telling you, you should check out that show, it should be very interesting. 

Theater Arts in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta was put on the map by Hollywood Director John Houston and Richard Burton and Liz Taylor when the night of the iguana was filmed back in 1964, so it should come as no surprise that Puerto Vallarta has a robust theater and entertainment community. We will be discussing that with Gary Beck in an upcoming show this February. So there is just so much to talk about, and as the show progresses week by week, I will be working along with friends like JR, and my buddy Agustin at The fantastic Hotel Cinco 22 B & B on Calle Hidalgo, about 3 blocks north of The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I will be working with those great guys and others to bring you special offers from restaurants and hotels, resorts and clubs so stay tuned for that. Just another added bonus for my listeners and I will be bringing those to your attention as the come up. Again you will find all of the show notes to this podcast ant others to come including the links to JR’s site and to the website where you can purchase the fantastic music of Alberto Perez who we will listen to as we play out this episode. Remember my friends, and I really mean this, because I have made so many great, genuine friends in Puerto Vallarta, and I really consider all of my listeners my friends, that this show is an interactive one. I need your participation by sending me emails with questions for JR that you would like to hear him answer on air with me. And please Email me your suggestions for show topics. I probably have about 60 of them written down as of right now, but If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by email. Just click on the contact tab at the top of the page and fill out the form.   And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come onboard and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, email me with your experiences. Just click on the contact tab at the top of the page and fill out the form.   Next week we will get right into the history, geography and lay of the land here in Puerto Vallarta. 

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Listed in: Culture