Saturday Farmers' Market

Saturday morning Diana and I descend the hill from our home and briskly walk to the pier. Our objective --the 8:30ish water taxi into Puerto Vallarta. We arrive at the base of the town pier and head out to the approaching taxi. After greeting Chico, the captain; Victor, the helper plus half a dozen familiar faces  we commence our traverse of Banderas Bay. Having made this journey many times, I close my eyes, relax my muscles and float along rocking-horse style to the rhythm of the sea. Other less frequent travelers oooh and aaah at the variety of the fauna existent in the jungle, point and gasp at passing dolphins, whales or manta-rays and giggle at the occasional smack on the boat’s bottom. The mood is upbeat.

Everyone exits the water taxi at the new Los Muertos Pier. While it is more convenient than trudging through the water to hike across the beach as previously required, exiting the taxi onto the pier still requires caution and alertness. We bid “buenos dias” to our travel mates and march down our usual route to a set of ATMs (cajeras automaticas).  Saturday in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone is a busy time. The restaurants are full and there are frequently lines up in front of the ATMs as visitors fill their pockets with pesos and spend them judiciously at the farmer’s market.

Diana and I head up Basilio Badillo Street to a favorite breakfast stop, The Pancake House, which is not related to IHOP although they employ identical colors on their sign.   Several cups of coffee, two large plates of breakfast and we are ready to join the masses on the street cruising the countless stalls and table tops of the Saturday Market vendors. Surprisingly, nearly three fourths of these vendors are ex-pats or snowbird Americans or Canadians. Available for purchase are all manner of food stuffs, apparel, jewelry, flutes, massage therapists and chiropractors. The atmosphere is electric with sights, sounds and smells. Time passes quickly in the Zona Romantica and the eleven o’clock hour approaches. At this point, we separate; Diana continues shopping while I head up one block to the dentist’s office to acquire a pair of new fillings.

I have known only one person who relished going to the dentist. I am not one of those people. Nothing brings me to my emotional knees faster than the sight/sound of a high speed dental drill. But this event is strangely different. Allow me to digress a moment. Shortly after our arrival in Yelapa, Diana and I read about a group of eight dental professionals  who were opening a second office in the Zona Romantica. All the office staff and practioners were bilingual. The practice, Just Smiles, (www.justsmiles.com.mx/) was formed to serve the dental needs of the local ex-pats as well as the visiting English speaking public. Appointments are generally available on demand and ALL work is performed by dentists. The first time Diana and I visited, our teeth were cleaned by an orthodontist. The equipment reflects the latest in technology and the facilities are spotless. Ok, that’s the background let us return to my two cavities. I am greeted and invited upstairs by my attending dentist. She is a petite, barely five foot tall, lean mean dental machine. On the top shelf in her examination room I spy a pair of red boxing gloves. I jest with her inquiring if that’s what she uses instead of Novocain. She smiles tolerantly, and comments that she enjoys boxing as a form of exercise. I promise to behave. She plies her profession and after a period of time states that all is well and I am free to go. Then, almost as an aside, she turns to me and in perfect English tells me that she actually did three fillings but that there would be no additional charge since she had only discussed two in my earlier visit. I reach for the counter top to steady myself, having just felt the full impact of a powerful right upper cut. We smile warmly at each and I descend the stairs to pay my bill. The young lady behind the reception desk prints my receipt and informs me that today’s visit will cost $56 USD. I turn with what must have been a look of shock to Diana who has just entered the waiting area. From some unknown well within my throat the following words stumble off my lips, “I think I’m learning to enjoy coming to the dentist.” Diana just shakes her head.    

A Proper Greeting

I love the seductive language of the Mexican people. It is composed of soothing vowel sounds and virtually no hard consonants. Not only is it pleasant to hear spoken or sung, but it is relatively easy and inviting to learn. The language enjoys an underlying repetitive structure which eludes my native tongue (English).  Spanish provides a pleasant conduit to encase communication.

Eye contact, while a non-verbal form of communication, serves as a universal invitation to verbal communication. No eye contact between approaching individuals; no communication sought. It’s an issue of engagement comfort level. The Spanish language offers numerous simple, yet subtle solutions.

Hola

This is the basic greeting extended by all, children and adults. One might argue that it is also employed by the local canine corp. as travelers hike along local pathways. It requires minimal response, either in-kind or with a simple nod of the head punctuated with eye contact.    

Hola amigo

This greeting defines the first step up the ladder of friendship. It is issued by/to someone that you recognize from an earlier encounter. You need not know the individual’s name. This simply identifies someone you have seen previously.

Hola mi amigo

Stepping further up the ladder, this greeting comes into play when you have previously interacted with an individual. Perhaps they assisted you with your luggage; perhaps they are a waiter at a restaurant you have visited more than once; perhaps they are a panguero (panga owner) you helped on the beach.     

Hola, buenos dias/buenas tardes/buenas noches

At the top of our greeting step-stool we introduce the subtlety of imparting respect.” Hola” followed by inclusion of the appropriate timing of the day is employed when greeting someone your chronological senior or when entering any space occupied by numerous adults (e.g. market, home, a bench on the pier, etc.).

Shaking hands is a custom not observed in Yelapa, except between ex-pats. If/when you are accepted by the locals as a reasonable American (oxymoron?), you will be invited to share in the ritual of the local hand bump.  This is an honor few achieve.

Yelapans are an intelligent and welcoming people. They understand that guests provide financial sustenance during the high season and fund their required reserves during the five months of oppressive summer heat. Meet them, greet them.  You now possess a ten word vocabulary intended to enhance your Yelapa experience. Buenas suerte!

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Dolphins returned to the bay this morning to frolic in the placid waters. They also extracted pre-selected bite-sized fish for their own consumption.  Come to Yelapa, join in frolicking with the fauna, the fish and the fabulous kayaking experience only Memo can guarantee. Hasta luego!

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Water Taxi

You already are aware that Yelapa is generally only accessable by water taxi either out of Puerto Vallarta or Boca de Tomatlan. During the dry season, there is FWD access from El Tuito to the top of the ridgeline above our village. The one hundred fifty minute trek is used primarily for delivery of building materials. The Yelapa Water Taxis are our  life line to the outside world; our public transportation.   

The schedule during the high season (November thru April) offers thirteen daily departures to
Boca; seven of these power on to Vallarta. With the completion of Los Muertos Pier, travelers off- load directly onto the pier versus wading ashore via some Normandy Beach style assault.  Service commences at 7:45am-ish and continues almost hourly until 6:00 pm-ish. Bear in mind that time here in Yelapa is not precise, more an estimate. This service operates daily regardless of sea or weather conditions. While all of the pangas have overhead awnings, little protection is afforded from horizontal winds which blow thru bearing sea mist or rain. Generally the rides are pleasant and uneventful. Locals are all greeted by name as they join the group. People even say “thank you” to the Captain.  Older people are respectfully helped onto and off the panga while packages are stored and then retrieved at the destination.

There are two loosely organized driver groups, referred to as cooperativos.  They seek to provide all passengers assurance that the taxi is safe (life jackets are on board) and that the vessel is seaworthy. Do mechanical breakdowns occur? Of course. Is there the odd occasion when the driver miscalculates his remaining fuel? Yes. But these are exceptions.  The drivers are local men who have grown up, in and around the sea. They, no doubt received their training from a father, uncle or older brother.  During  new moon/full moon phases when the tides and sea swells are the most extreme, their full  seamanship capabilities are demanded. They must be able to “decode” the sea, calculate wave height, swell timing, and recall the location of shallow rock croppings while adjusting their speed and direction to minimize passenger discomfort. They are masters at their trade, gracias a todos.

Buying taxi tickets whether at Los Muertos Beach Pier or Boca de Tomatlan may create an awkward moment for the unknowing traveler. Accept the fact that as you head down the street to either of the piers, you are a “marked” traveler. You will be asked repeatedly if you are traveling to Yelapa. Just lie and say “no.” That’s right, you’ll need to lie. The taxi cooperatives engage vendors to sell tickets at both departure points. If you buy a ticket, it will only identify passage on that particular coop’s group of boats; it is not transferrable. This means that your return voyage will be limited to that coop’s pangas and travel times. Here’s what we ‘sorta-locals’ do. When approached to buy a ticket, we shake our heads and proceed to the end of the pier. We have a rough idea when the next taxi is departing. When the taxi arrives, you simply board. You may be asked to pay prior to getting on the boat, that’s ok.   Then the timing of your return is in no way limited. Once you board the taxi, reach up grab on to the center support pole, use that for stability, and step onto the benches and then drop down when you reach your selected spot.  Suggestion: move as far to the rear of the taxi as possible and then sit in the center of the bench. These two items will assure that you experience the most comfortable ride possible.

Local News: Susan Pasko, Café Bahia, has set up a new FaceBook open access page entitled “Yelapa Visitors.” It is intended to be a hub for new and repeat visitors alike. Check it out, and see what is happening that day or in the week ahead. It features a current Water Taxi Schedule; that alone is a reason to check it out.

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Go online this week; check out a short kayak video. Notice how happy all the people appear, then find a way to check in with Memo on the Playita and experience the real item. Happy Paddling.

So much to do; so little time.

It’s Sunday morning, Diana and I are fat and round from our birria ritual at Shambhala. The weather of late has been spectacular. Temps range from the high 70s to low 80s. The seas are calm; everyone is outside to experience the wonder of our surroundings. As I have mentioned before, Sunday is local’s day here in Yelapa. Some families motor slowly in their pangas as the men/boys drag and toss hand lines while the ladies/girls adorn a vacant bench. Other couples or trios rent bright kayaks and traverse from one side of the bay to another and then back again. Even the normally active local canines are dialed back a notch. Their movements oscillate between short stints in the sun to longer stints burrowed into shaded damp sand. A few visitors have cued up to circumnavigate the bay suspended in a parachute.  Church bells have just tolled, beckoning the faithful to mass. This same group will exit within the hour; collect stray family members; fill up an ice chest and head for the beach. Strangely enough, no bells are required to announce their trek. In the interest of full disclosure, three restaurant establishments will be offering the Super Bowl game to those in need. Overall, we are a pueblo at rest.

Over the past several days, I have observed one chap who appears to be a bit of a conundrum here in Yelapa. Each day from roughly 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. this elderly gent crisscrosses the beach wagging a metal detector. This is not a recognized activity here. If it were, then any number of opportunistic local establishments would have acquired these apparatuses and offer them for rent. Trust me, such is not the case. Yet this lone soul trudges for hours seemingly drawn by the unknown, past the unaware or more likely the unbelieving.

Not surprisingly, I have several theories as to his raison de etre.  They are, in order of likelihood: 1) the gadget, technically referred to as a pulse induction metal detector, was given to him by one of his adult children. Upon hearing of his pending travels to Yelapa, they felt that this might be a means of exercising a historically sedentary and aging father;  2) The PIMD was a gift from his wife of fifty-five years who knew well that due to her husband’s fading auditory capacity, that any attempt to communicate with him on the beach with the surf in the background would be absolutely futile. This way he could be kept busy for countless hours while wearing earphones which would preclude him from hearing snippets of any conversations at all; OR 3) Upon learning that a three week Mexican Riviera vacation was booked by his wife, he immediately sought advice from his next door buddy who discussed at length the benefits of traveling with a PIMD (e.g.  placing distance between yourself and any family members you were required to travel with, being able to approach bikini clad women in a non- threatening manner and disappearing down paths/walkways for hours and returning well after any accompanying grand children had been placed into bed). The good neighbor even suggested that the identified batteries were not required to achieve any of the above and did nothing more than add weight to the instrument. I’ll keep you posted.

News Flash

Sometime during the afternoon of Sunday; 02/03/13 this blog passed the 1000 views milestone. A sincere thank you to all my viewers. Please continue to share the word with friends family etc.

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Due to an ever increasing awareness of kayaking here in Yelapa, I am pleased to announce that multi-day and weekly rates are available.  Check directly with Memo so that a package of rates and equipment can be customized to meet your particular needs. Also, Memo is expanding his equipment rental operation to now include the latest models of pulse induction metal detectors. Batteries may be rented separately. Memo is your man at the playita.