"...Pawn Themselves To The World."

“The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all. No other loss can occur so quietly; any other loss - an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, etc. - is sure to be noticed... What we call worldliness simply consists of such people who, if one may so express it, pawn themselves to the world.” Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death

Bird Drops By The Office

On Tuesday Deborah looked up from her computer screen and said, "My gosh, there's a bird in the office!"

 I forget what they are called locally, but it was one of those jet black birds with the bright yellow tails. They have a wonderfully melodious call, like a mini concert of various slide whistles.

They are also the birds that make those beautiful hanging nests, like a woven sock with a rounded lower end, that hang down from tree limbs and sway in the breeze. These nests are so picturesque, they look like something out of a cartoon.

This bird stuck around a while. He seemed to be eating bugs off my plants, so maybe he was here for lunch.

River of Bicycles In Front of the Office

A few days ago, Saturday or Sunday, I forget which, there was another parade in front of the office. This time, it was a desfile de bicicletas (bicycle parade). I have no idea what the event was. Probably a charity fund raiser. Parades are so constant here that it is impossible to keep up with the whys and wherefores of all of them.

Carnival Rides, 20 Pesos.

Saturday night the 24th marked the end of this year's Fiestas Patronales in Bucerias. This is a carnival that happens every January in the downtown area. There are several blocks with streets closed down, with food stalls, churros, cotton candy, clothes, junk jewelery, and all the usual bric a brac. Plus, there are performances almost every evening in the stage area of the plaza. This year there seemed to be more rides ("juegos mecanicales") than ever. The video only shows a small portion of the rides. The atmosphere is very good each evening. Just lots of strolling families and prissy teeny boppers; everyone is relaxed and having a good time. It's been so long since I was in the USA that I have no idea what fairground rides would cost there. Here, all the kiddie rides were 20 pesos each. Roughly $1.60. And here, the rides go on and on for an unbelievable amount of time. Rides in the USA were always pretty short, almost over before you knew it. Here, the attendants are very laid back, and just let the kids go around and around. Especially as there were almost no lines.

Good Macro News For This Real Estate Market

This can only be good news for the local real estate market. WatchBoom travel editor Bob Schulman blogged this in the Huffington Post. Here's the link directly to Schulman's complete article with photos:

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-schulman/puerto-vallarta-riviera-n_b_6479486.html

Or read this excerpt:

• 
  

"...the crescent-shaped bay is one the country's most popular vacation destinations, home to Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and part of the Riviera Nayarit on beaches peppered by close to 200 hotel-resorts.

The bulk of the properties are in Puerto Vallarta (or simply Vallarta, as the locals call their town), as is an international airport serving all three areas. Developments spread north to Nuevo Vallarta and up the coast to what's now the Riviera Nayarit during periodic building booms in the late 70s and in the 80s and 90s, sparked in large part by liberalized air service treaties between the U.S. and Mexico.

Another boom seems likely on the horizon when the latest treaty, signed last November, goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.

Flight Caps to be Removed

Among key features of the new agreement, restrictions on the number of airlines that can fly between U.S. and Mexican city-pairs will be tossed out. Currently, under an earlier pact signed in 2005, only three airlines from each country can serve any given route between 14 Mexican points (mostly beach destinations including Vallarta) and cities north of the border. Routes between the U.S. and other Mexican points are now capped at two carriers per side.

Easier access to Mexico means more seats zipping across the border and more competition between airlines, typically leading to lower fares, prompting more passengers to buy tickets.

Readying for the next boom, a number of new hotels are on drawing boards around the bay while several older properties are getting facelifts ranging from cosmetic spruce-ups to full-blown overhauls. 

A tip to future vacationers: Leave some room in your closet for a bunch of new tee-shirts proclaiming your love for places like Bucerias, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Costa Banderas, Punta Mita and other tiny dots on today's maps of the upper bay. Why? Because developers are standing on line to build new resorts there."

Thanks to our friend and client Karen Tenorio, owner of Casita Ocean View, for calling our attention to the article. 

How'd They Get A Mic On The Field?

A bad lip reading of the NFL...

http://youtu.be/OTRmyXX6ipU

"Certain Old Men..."

"CERTAIN OLD MEN PREFER TO RISE AT DAWN, TAKING A COLD BATH AND A LONG WALK WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH AND OTHERWISE MORTIFYING THE FLESH. THEY THEN POINT WITH PRIDE TO THESE PRACTICES AS THE CAUSE OF THEIR STURDY HEALTH AND RIPE YEARS; THE TRUTH BEING THAT THEY ARE HEARTY AND OLD, NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR HABITS, BUT IN SPITE OF THEM. THE REASON WE FIND ONLY ROBUST PERSONS DOING THIS THING IS THAT IT HAS KILLED ALL THE OTHERS WHO HAVE TRIED IT." 

AMBROSE BIERCE

"...Pebbly With Stars."

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky, whose bottom is pebbly with stars.

Henry David Thoreau

Walden Pond, circa 1900

Reduction, Casa Jamur, La Cruz

Casa Jamur, sitting atop Monte Calvario in La Cruz, with huge views of the bay and the lights of Vallarta, has been reduced to just $187,800


 



 

 Two bedrooms 1.5 bath, big garage could be expanded to small apartment.

 

 Rooftop terrace with palapa.




For more fotos and data go here:  http://rfasoc.com/jamur.html

New listing, Villa Las Rosas Nuevo Vallarta II

Exceptionally clean and well maintained home on Retorno Las Rosas, just off Jacarandas. Main house and attached casita.

House has 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, plus enclosed patio-sunroom, and beautifully remodeled kitchen.

Casita has 1 bedroom 1 bath.

Large pool with palapa, plus enclosed sun-room-patio. Parking for several cars and or boat.

Mostly furnished, with high quality pieces. $368,000 USD

MLV Vallarta #38674, and AMPI Flex MLS #6890

Call Robert 322 135 5979 or office 329 298 3314

High res fotos and hi def video tour here:  http://rfasoc.com/singleton.html