• There are 47 million birdwatchers in the United States; this consumer segment has high purchasing power and is part of the natural market for the destination, which offers birders an ample variety of species to enjoy.

With over 500 endemic and migratory species flying around its mountains and beaches, the Riviera Nayarit is an ideal spot for birding; this, together with the warm winter climate, sets the perfect stage for North American birders who are also looking to escape freezing temperatures. 

Ecotourism is a sales element that has set a global trend. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service published data in itsBirding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis report that supported the importance of birding in the Riviera Nayarit.

According to this study, which was originally published in 2011 and updated in 2013, there are 47 million birders in the United States, 18 million of whom have traveled beyond the U.S. border to follow their passion.

Of these, 53% are over 45 years of age, that is to say, most of them are retirees. These people clearly mirror the characteristics of the residents of the Riviera Nayarit, which is why the Convention and Visitors Bureau via its Public Relations Department has been strongly promoting birding to this segment in particular.

However, 28% of the U.S. birders are between the 25 to 44 years old, also an important segment, one that is surely already aware of the birds that flock to the destination thanks in part to broadcasts such as the Discovery Channel programs hosted by James Currie.

The analysis indicates the higher the level of income and education the more likely the birder is to participate in this activity; of the total mentioned, 48% have a career and/or a specialty and 49% have an above-average income for the United States.

It’s interesting to point out that the birding population is made up of equal parts men and women, as opposed to fishing and hunting, which is mainly composed of men. At least 20% of the population of each of the four regions of the United States is made up of birders.

This data was obtained via the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation 2011, considered the most authoritative report on the topic.

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco .- The LGBT Civil Association of Commerce and Tourism (ACT LGBT A.C.) will present a seminar on Labor Inspections and Fines which will be open to the general public to inform them on various policy reforms to help them to avoid paying costly fines.

PUERTO VALLARTA - The Coast Guard cutter Active has returned to Port Angeles after a 3-month deployment off the coast of Central America.

The Peninsula Daily News reports the crew returned home to a hero's welcome Sunday afternoon.

The Coast Guard says they seized more than $17 million worth of illegal narcotics during their deployment in support of a multi-agency task force. In addition to seizing more than a thousand pounds of cocaine, they also did search-and-rescue work in the Pacific.

The Coast Guard says the crew also spent time on shore helping renovate an elementary school in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

If you have spent any time in Puerto Vallarta, you certainly have seen "Agua de Jamaica", the sweet-tart red beverage that is commonly served at any Mexican table.  This traditional Mexican drink (pronounced "Ha-my-ca") is made from the hibiscus flowers that bloom all over Vallarta.  Besides being delicious, it also acts as a gentle, natural diuretic, making it a perfect drink if you have mild water rentention.

You'll find dry jamaica flowers at any market in Puerto Vallarta and here is a simple recipe to try at home.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
• 8 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar or equivalent amount of sugar substitute
  

Rinse and drain the hibiscus flowers in a colander.

Put them in a saucepan with 4 cups of the water and the sugar.

Stir and bring to a slow boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

The flowers will have lost their color into the water, which will be a deep red color. Let the liquid cool, then strain it into a pitcher.

Discard the flowers.

Add the rest of the water and stir.

Chill thoroughly before serving.

Rebecca Blackwell

A new report by the Georgetown Law School's Human Rights Institute found that Central American child migrants apprehended in southern Mexico over the past year have faced excessive stints in detention, often in poor conditions, deterring them from seeking asylum abroad.

The study, released Monday, concluded that Mexican immigration officials have failed to adequately screen children for international protection needs and did not inform them of their right to apply for asylum. "Unfortunately, the reality for most migrant children apprehended by immigration authorities in Mexico is characterized by the violation, rather than the protection, of human rights," the report concludes.

As Mother Jones has reportedextensively over the past two years, a recent rise in gang and gender-based violence, along with economic hardship at home, has prompted children and families to flee Central America's so-called Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras). While the number of kids crossing the US-Mexico border alone shot up to 68,541 in fiscal year 2014, estimates show that US Customs and Border Protection will apprehend only 37,000 child migrants in fiscal 2015. Some experts have suggested that the decrease can be attributed to stepped-up enforcement in Mexico, taxing an already flawed system of immigration detention there.Here's what else the report found:  

• Child migrants were kept at Mexico's immigration stations and shelters in Tapachula for "long, unpredictable periods of times," even though Mexican law requires unaccompanied children to be immediately transferred to federal, state, or local shelters. Of the 6,718 children detained at Tapachula's notorious Siglo XXI detention center in 2013, 1,121 children were held there for between 15 days and 300 days. Just 422, or 6 percent, were placed in local shelters.
• A psychologist who worked with child migrants at a city shelter said that their extended detention at a local shelter made them "apprehensive" about applying for international protection. "Very few [children request asylum]," she told researchers. "What scares them is the prospect of being detained for three months."
• Poor conditions at Siglo XXI also deterred migrants from seeking asylum. Once families are detained, members are separated by age; many detainees reported that the gang presence they'd fled had followed them to the center. As one 15-year-old boy said: "It's an awful place. People are crammed, it's very hot, the food is terrible, and it's dangerous for us teenagers because they put us together with maras [Central American gangs]."
• Researchers also noted that Mexican immigration officials who are legally bound to screen children for asylum and other forms of deportation relief failed to inform them that they had a right to international protection. None of the children the research team interviewed at Siglo XXI was informed by child protection officers or other immigration officials about the right to seek asylum.
• Few migrants who applied for international protection in Mexico received it, according to the country's Commission for the Assistance of Refugees. Of the 1,165 cases decided between January and September 2014, only 247 were recognized, despite the fact that the commission received 17 percent more applications for asylum in the first eight months of 2014 than in all of 2013.

StandUp and Paddleboard has really taken the surfing world by storm, so much so that the International Surfing Association (ISA) has—since its inaugural event in 2012—nearly tripled athlete participation from 105 to 277 and grown from 17 to 27 countries in its first three editions in all divisions.

This amazing event will take place in Sayulita from May 10-27, 2015—this is a can’t-miss for anyone interested in the sport, as some of the greatest watermen in the world will be present, and the fun and adrenaline will be sky-high, making it a competition for the ages.

Wanna go? Then head over to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rivieranayarit.mex?ref=hl from April 15-30, 2015 and enter to win an all-expenses paid trip including airfare and all-inclusive accommodations for five days and four nights during the last days of the Championship, May 14-17.

All you have to do is “Like” the page and register in the contest that opens up on April 15th, so don’t miss the opportunity to enter to win and enjoy a front seat at the very first ISA event held in Mexico. It’s going to be awesome and YOU COULD BE THERE FOR FREE!

Available packages:
http://www.rivieranayarit.com/special_deals

For event information:
http://www.isasurf.org/2015-isa-world-standup-paddle-paddleboard-championship-take-place-sayulita-mexico-march-22nd-t0-29th/

Local popular performer and one of the four Plaids in the smash hit "Forever Plaid", Elviz Martínez presented his new show to a packed house picking up from where he left off last season.

He jumped on stage singing "Come Fly With Me", starting the night in uproarious fashion. Clad in all black with his combed back, shiny, wavy black hair and white smile established his look.

The very fine Bob Bruneau (of The Puerto Vallarta Mens Chorus fame) accompanied on the piano and Enrique Jiménez (viewed many times as a member of Kim Kuzma's band) set the beat with his customary drums, cymbals and percussion.

He described the set list as covering songs from the Americas, north to south. Elviz swooned into "Y Tu (Piel Canela)", a lovely classic Mexican tune. He then flipped from The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" backed with Bob's choral harmony into "Hey, Baby". Elviz has the ability to slide from Spanish to English and back beautifully and seemingly unnoticed. Then followed the crowd-pleasing "Sabor a Mí". A gorgeous song and sung from his heart, he received thunderous applause deservedly so. Then he thrilled all present with a fantastic version of Johnny Ray's "Cry" which he said he had learned only recently, since when a child, music was not allowed in the house, due to religion.

Fifteen year old Consuelo Velázquez wrote "Bésame Mucho (Kiss Me a Lot)" in 1940, even though she had never been kissed. It is considered one of the most famous boleros. His interpretation was awe-inspiring, taking a well-known song and making it his own. He has been polishing his stage presence resulting in his banter with the audience being natural and friendly. He enticed viewers into his beautiful performance.

Throughout the second set, it was evident that hearing long-loved songs with English lyrics were delightful in Spanish as well. He tipped his hat to legendary Antônio Carlos Jobim with "Otra Vez (Once Again)". He ended his evening with ABBA. "The Winner Takes it All" summed up his career and talented gifts.

Elviz will be performing again on April 17 at 7:30 pm. This is is a fine show not to be missed.

Tickets can be purchased at the Act II Box Office in Old Town Vallarta at the corner of Basilio Badillo & Insurgentes, open daily at 12:00 pm, or online at Vallarta Tickets. Telephone is (322) 222-1512.

PUERTO VALLARTA: Every achievement of the past two years as well as the many achievements of the IFC in years past have come about through the work of countless volunteers donating their time, talent, and treasure.

“It’s because people just enjoy the flavor,” he says.

And his customers aren’t alone. The Mexican population drinks more soda than anywhere else in the world. The numbers work out to more than 160 liters consumed per person of the sugary stuff a year. That’s about half a liter every day.

Jose Luis Quinones drives a cab in Monterrey. He says when he leaves for work in the morning he grabs something quick.
“And what’s the cheapest thing I can buy?” he asks. “A can of soda and some crackers. It’s cheaper to buy a can of soda than a bottle of water.”

Why is that the case? It could be that poor Mexicans don’t have the purchasing power to create a viable market for water. That’s certainly the case in a lot of the rural parts of the country where more than 10 percent of people don’t have access to potable water. But for some reason, they can always grab a soda. Tom Bollyky, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the reason behind that is a combination of things.

“It’s something that costs the same price as water," he says. "And it’s more accessible in schools in Mexico. And it’s sweet. That combination is literally deadly.”

It leads to obesity. Mexico now has the highest obesity rate in the world. And the Mexican government is trying to do something about it. Last year, the government passed a soda tax. It also started running ads urging children to drink water instead of soda. But Bollyky says the way they’re using the money – earmarking it for raising access to drinking water in elementary schools – is just as important.

It will still take a while to see how well the tax and ads work. But early numbers look pretty good. According to Bollyky, while still high, soda consumption in Mexico is down 7 percent

PUERTO VALLARTA: Archaeologists found two skeletons in a Roman villa in Hampshire, England, in the 1960s, but only now are the skeletons' remarkable details coming to light. After years of research, scientists believe that one of the medieval skeletons had a hole drilled into his skull in an attempted exorcism.

The man, who died when he was between 35 and 45 years old, had a jaw deformity. Archaeologists from the Hampshire Cultural Trust believe the deformity led his community to believe he was possessed by evil spirits. The man was also buried face-down and covered with stones, which also suggests he was believed to be possessed.

The skull of the allegedly possessed man had a hole drilled into it, which the archaeologists suspect was an attempt to ward off the spirit, though it could also have been an attempt to lessen the pain from his jaw deformity. The skeleton was also missing its right hand and multiple foot bones, which scientists believe may have been a punishment.

The other skeleton, meanwhile, was found covered by debris, suggesting he was killed by a building collapse. Archaeologists haven't determined an exact date for the skeletons, but they believe the men lived in either the Saxon or early medieval periods.

Judith Ewing Morlan

“Painting is what I did when my nanny had something else to do. I have never stopped all of my life. It began as fun for me. All of my paintings are about the perfect place where I go in my head. They are about a world we are destroying and a heaven lost. They are about places that haven’t been found yet and are therefore, not perfect. They are always where I want to be.”

Judith has been exhibiting her artwork with Gallery Uno, Puerto Vallarta for over 20 years and is considered one of the top 10 most influential artist in Puerto Vallarta.

ART Vallarta is very please to have Judith Ewing Morlan as an artist in residence in our studios and a resident of the San Franciscan Complex.

Judith is directing our Live Model Drawing Sessions every Thursday at 5 pm.

The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, as the organization’s first national travel partner.

During the partnership, Puerto Vallarta will promote its adventure, gastronomy, cultural, nightlife, romance and family offerings in HRC conferences, dinners and events in 20 cities, including San Francisco, Los Angles, Minneapolis, New York and Chicago.

Participants of the events will have a chance to win stays in Puerto Vallarta with hotel accommodations provided by Casa Cupula, Costa Sur Resort and Spa, Luna Liquida, Marriott CasaMagna and Villa Mercedes. Winners will also have the opportunity to have special dinners at Café des Artists or Sapphire Ocean Club and take Vallarta’s Gay Bar Hopping Tour. Puerto Vallarta’s Vallarta Adventures will provide access to its various activities, including the longest zipline in Mexico and the magical beach destinations of Vallarta’s South.

Puerto Vallarta offers visitors a friendly and supportive environment and has been Mexico’s leading destination for LGBT visitors for decades. Named Gaycities’ 2014 Top Beach Destination, Puerto Vallarta boasts a gayborhood home to an array of gay bars and nightclubs, gay-owned restaurants, hotels, stores, services, and entertainment that put the destination in a league of its own.

Its Vallarta Pride is a 10-day celebration of LGBT culture that starts the international Pride season in May. This year Orange is the New Black’s Lea DeLaria will be its Grand Marshall and appearances have also been confirmed by famed underwear designer by Andrew Christian and Spanish transgender pop-star, La Prohibida.

In recent years, the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, the entity responsible for promoting the destination in the US and Canada has partnered with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), GMHC and the International Gay Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) to promote the destination’s diverse tourism offerings. In 2014, Puerto Vallarta became the first Mexican destination to participate in a World Pride with its Noche Alegre event during the World Pride celebrations in Toronto.

Many of #gayvallarta main attractions can be found in the Zona Romantica, a delightfully walk-able and compact area where tourists of all stripes mix and mingle at the beach, in cafes, in restaurants and bars, as well as on the newly widened and covered sidewalks of the neighborhood. In the past decade, many LGBT ex-Patriots from North America have joined locals in opening businesses in the area to cater to gay tourism, creating a vibrant and exciting mix of unique and friendly businesses.