Mestizo presented menu.

With customary courtesy and service, Restaurante Mestizo from Puerto Vallarta presented its menú surrounded by press and representatives from the Concierge Association, who had just finished naming the new president from the Pacific concierges.
The evening couldn’t have been nicer, the small town environment, indoor patio, a soft breeze and the tree leaves were covering the reunion, while a soft aroma of burning wood opened our appetites. And so the menu arrived, varied and delicious, with the best of Mexican cuisine and new and creative touches.
To begin, flor de calabaza cream, Cesar salad, ceviche Acapulco style, and lobster guarache, among others. The main dishes were also a surprise for out taste buds, shrimp pastor style, róbalo a la veracruzana, huachinango sobre cama de pasta, cabrería asada and pollitos de leche. Everything was so deliciuos that when the chef arrived to explain the dessert he had to speak in past tense because they has already disappeared.
The desserts made all those that were in a hurry to show down and stayed to taste them, creme brulee de cajeta con tequila, pay de queso fresco, pastel de chocolate, flan de caramelo y sorbetes.
Best of all, the conversation between friends, enjoying the best cuisine in a perfect corner of Puerto Vallarta.  

A memorial for Robert "Beto" Pugh, longtime resident of Puerto Vallarta, will be held this Friday, 9/23/05 at sunset, at Los Muertos Pier. Bob succumbed in CMQ Hospital recently to head injuries sustained in a tragic fall. His sister plans to spread his ashes in Vancouver, B.C. at the same time as the memorial here.

Hollywood in the house! Last week Vallarta Shores hotel, was host of Beatriz De Alba, she won an Oscar on 2003 for makeup on film "Frida" . To the left, Robert, Ruben "Super sales agent of Vallarta Shores" and Beatriz.

By Griffin Page
Naturalist ~ Eco-guide
Eons ago, millions of sea turtles roamed our seas but now, their numbers have diminished drastically. They have survived the natural cataclysm that wiped out the dinosaurs and are an extraordinary example of survival and adaptation. They have been around for over 200 million years, but the main reason for their diminishing numbers is: Human over-exploitation of our natural resources. In order for them to continue to swim across our oceans and come nest on our sandy beaches, they need our help, now more than ever.

The ancestors of the marine turtles were much bigger in size than those we see nowadays. The Archelon is an extinct ancestor of the marine turtles. The largest turtle that still exists today is the Leatherback and it is also the only marine turtle that doesn't have a hard shell but rather, an intricate web of bones that form the shape of the shell covered by a tough rubbery skin. It measures 4 to 6 feet long and its weight can average a ton. The largest Leatherback ever recorded measured 10 feet from the tip of its beak to the end of its tail and weighed 2,019 pounds.

The Bay of Banderas, receives mainly Olive Ridley sea turtles which are considered to be one of the smallest of marine turtles species. They measure 2 to 2.5 feet and weigh between 77 and 100 pounds. But occasionally, a Leatherback is seen nesting on the beaches of the Bay of Banderas.

Each year, between the months of June and December, thousands of marine turtles come to nest right here, on the beautiful shores of our Bay. Many turtle camps, big and small, protect these wonderful creatures, their nests, and release the little hatchlings under the right conditions in an effort to boost their numbers. Informative visits to these camps are offered to increase awareness and give the appropriate information regarding what to do and what not to do when encountering a female or a nest in the process of hatching. Threats, incubation periods, life span and many more topics are also discussed. They also invite you to patrol the beach with them in an attempt to encounter a female in the process of laying her eggs and to participate in the release of those fragile hatchlings will watch those beautiful little ones tread their way on the soft sand and start swimming as they reach the water's edge. Anyone who has ever participated will tell you how special this event is!

I have often been asked why hatchlings are not kept until they are big enough before they are released. There are many reasons why this is not the best approach. First, just before breaking out of the egg, the turtle will absorb the yolk and store it in the lower part of its abdomen. This will provide approximately 7 days of food, enough time for it to encounter food in the ocean. Second, Marine turtles are very slow growing, for example, Olive Ridleys attain adult size at around 15 years but will reach sexual maturity before that, between 8 and 12 years of age. Thirdly, from the moment they start crawling out of the nest and make their way to the ocean, they are imprinting (marking) the location of that particular beach in order to return 8 to 12 years later to nest and reproduce. The costs of feeding them for so many years is also a factor as is the quantity of hatchlings produced by a single nest in a turtle camp. The success rate of eggs producing live hatchlings in a camp is much higher than in nature. Between 80% and 95% of the eggs will end in a live birth. The average for the Olive Ridley is 100 eggs per nest. In one camp alone, here in the Bay, between 180,000 to 210,000 babies are released in one season! That makes for a lot of hatchlings to feed.

The diet of marine turtles is varied and depends on the species. As a matter of fact, the Green turtle is the only one that becomes entirely vegetarian after it reaches 8 to 10 inches in size. All other marine turtles are omnivorous. They eat fish and fish eggs, crabs, shrimp, squid, sea grass and jellyfish just to name a few. Garbage can often be confused for food. Plastic bags can easily look like a jelly fish to a turtle and unfortunately, will clog its digestive system. We can all help not littering and by picking up the trash we encounter on beaches and in our oceans. Bright lights on a beach confuse the hatchlings and impedes their migration to the waters edge. Coastal development where walls are built erodes the beaches and reduces the areas where the females come to nest. These are all simple things we can do something about.

Poaching of the eggs (believed to be an aphrodisiac but in fact aren't at all) and of the turtles themselves (for its meat) has not yet been eradicated and hence the need for their protection. Millions of sea turtles worldwide drowned after getting caught in nets. Fortunately, the use of TED's (Turtle Exclusion Devices) in Shrimping nets have greatly diminished the unwanted capture of marine turtles worldwide. Pressure needs to be put upon those countries not enforcing the use of TEDs.

Let's all give these wonderful creatures a helping hand. Visit a turtle camp today and learn about how you can help. Participate in a turtle release project and support a local camp and while doing it, have an unforgettable experience!

"Nature could be such a wonderful teacher if only we saw it for what it really is" ~ Monachí

We, at Natural Treasures, take this opportunity to invite you to witness these wonders with us. We specialize in helping you find the nature activity that suits your needs and desires. Make sure the tour you book is the right one for you. Many options are at your disposal. Let a knowledgeable eco-guide present you with a selection best suited for your needs.

Contratulations,Cuquita Puerto Vallarta, most estableshed beauty salon.

Of a Wedding in Paradise The July 31st wedding of Hollywood jeweler Ann Watu to 3-time Oscar nominated sound designer Mark Mangini was a stellar affair, with, among others, singer Celine Dion in the wedding party. Pictured here with the beautiful bride at Villa Quinta del Mar is publicist Galit Hadari.

I never cared much for line fishing, but after my near- disastrous SCUBA experience off Los Arcos, I took it up again, briefly. Surf casting at Las Animas was often sensational. One day Bill Rees and Herb Hansen pulled in 27 bonita (small tuna) right in front of the beach house, in less than 30 minutes - one every 60 seconds! It didn't matter what they threw out; bait, jig or bare hook. It was taken immediately. I thought that pretty good, and was easily persuaded by Ernesto Ramirez to accompany him on a trip for something even bigger and better.
With Ernesto and a number of other eager anglers, I went along on Tim Milham's motor cruiser for a special trip to the Islas Marias. These are islands a few hours up the coast from Vallarta, which are protected by the Mexican Coast Guard and off limits to all civilian boats. This restriction is imposed because on the largest island of the group there is located a maximum-security prison, sort of like the old Alcatraz.

Every three or four years, however, the Mexican government does give permission for small, carefully screened, groups to fish the area for one week. The Town Fathers of Vallarta had negotiated with the government for such a trip, and we were invited to go along, with perhaps six other boats. We carried with us camping equipment, our own servants and cooks, camped out for four days on a small island to the south of the restricted prison island, and fished waters that reinvented the word virgin. The wahoo fish there (60 to 80 pounders) hit with every cast.

All the boats carried block or crushed ice, and as the wahoo were hauled aboard they were cleaned, filleted, and stored in large ice bins. And diving? Awesome! Grouper there made my 90-kilo kill look like a minnow. I still wasn't ready for another SCUBA adventure however, so I went free diving only with flippers and snorkel. I brought up enough lobster and oysters to feed an army. We ate and drank like kings for four days, and took back home with us enough seafood to last another army for a week.

With us on that trip to Islas Marias was a Vallarta doctor named Efraín Calderon, who would become the presidente municipal (mayor) of Puerto Vallarta some years later. Calderon was a wild, crazy character in those days, who liked to party even more than I did. At the cockfights I saw him bet thousands of dollars on a bird, when a thousand dollars really meant something. Win or lose, he always had a smile. He was a naturally happy, funny man, and he loved fishing more than anyone I've ever known. He had a great singing voice, and each time he hooked a fish he yelled out, "Wahoooo!," then broke into song. As I said, I don't care all that much for line fishing, but I would go back to Islas Marias anytime I got a chance. It wasn't your average fishing. It was the kind of fishing some anglers would kill for.

By Griffin Page Naturalist ~ Eco-guide
Mexico ranks among the top 5 most bio diverse countries in the world. Many reasons explain this fact. First of all, because of it's latitude, it sits right at the joining of 2 major climatic areas: The Neo-arctic zone and the Neo-tropical zone. Where 2 climatic zones meet, you will always have greater biodiversity. Mexico is surrounded mostly by oceans: Atlantic and Pacific and so, has a multitude of varying coastal environments. It is also blessed with many high mountain ranges which in themselves, again, offer different climatic possibilities as well as arroyos, rivers and lakes. Mexico is also right in the path of many migratory species. It has a complex geological history and an enormous variety of biological conditions.

Biodiversity can be measured 3 different ways:
- variety of ecosystems: This is the calculation of how many different communities exist in a determined region and includes habitats, species and the ecological processes that occur.
- variety of species: This method calculates the number of different species or richness of species encountered in an area and takes into consideration its endemic species. *When it is said that a species is endemic, it means it is found only there and nowhere else in the world.
- genetic variety: This applies directly to the variations in hereditary genes encountered within the specific individuals of all species and their particular evolution.

10% of all the species of birds either live in or migrate to Mexico. 10% of superior plants are found in Mexico and 40% of those are actually endemic.
33% of all species of marine mammals also either reside in or migrate to Mexican waters.
Mexico ranks # 4 in amphibians and # 1 or close second in reptiles after Australia. *2 different sources quote different ranks concerning reptiles.

Something puzzling and yet wonderful is right in our back yard. Pine and conifer forests are encountered at altitudes varying between 1200 and 3600 meters above sea level with between 600 and 1200 mm of rain annually. South of Puerto Vallarta, around El Tuito, we can witness an incredible occurrence. Innumerable quantities of pines and oaks cover our mountains at altitudes of about 300 meters! That is way below the normal range. Ecologists don't completely understand why.

The sub-tropical, semi-deciduous forest, or as we call it jungle, located in the south part of our bay used to be found all along the south coast of Mexico from about Cancun all the way to here. Now, it has been destroyed in all of Mexico but here. It is a unique type of ecosystem.

Of course, aquatic environments go hand in hand with terrestrial environments and are as equally if not more important. We are all familiar with "el Estero del Salado". Mangroves are a particularly important type of ecosystem. It is high on the list of biodiversity and is essential to many species both terrestrial and aquatic. The American Crocodile, long term resident of our Boca Negra area, is in great danger of becoming extinct here. There are only approximately 150 of them in all the bay but most importantly, there are only about 4 females sexually mature enough to produce new generations. Thankfully, The Coastal University, otherwise known as the CUC is dedicated to their protection and investigation. We are lucky to have such an authority on reptiles working for them: Biologist Fabio Cupul and his team, which most avid readers of the Tribune are familiar with.

The uses, values and importance of Mexico's natural resources are quite varied. Used for food, clothing, housing materials, esthetic and artistic products, education, recreation, sports and employment. The ecological benefits are even greater: decomposition of organic waste, erosion control, nitrogen filtration, elimination of carbon dioxide, production of oxygen and most importantly, sustainability of all species, including humans.

Mexico is taking many steps towards the conservation and protection of its natural resources. It analyzes areas and studies ecosystems in order to determine which areas to protect. It then declares it a "Natural Protected Area" and determines whether it can be accessed or not and if so, how it can be accessed with minimum impact while generating income to support the conservation efforts. This was the case of the Marietas Islands which was declared a Natural Protected Area on the 25th of April of this year. Mexico also legally protects endangered species and collaborates with U.N. agreements regarding "Biological Diversity" and improvement of the quality of its services such as in the case of "Agenda 21".

Mexico is aware and takes into consideration major threats to its environment such as: climate change, deforestation, erosion, the use of inadequate technologies, genetic manipulation, illegal commerce of species, proliferation of plagues and natural catastrophes just to name a few.

But all of this doesn't happen so easily. Mexico has to deal first and foremost with complex social, political, cultural and economical factors. Being on the inside, I see a lot of efforts being directed towards conservation but I also see what is not being done, more often than not, for lack of funds. Believe it or not, Mexico has some of the best laws in the world regarding the conservation and protection of its natural resources. What Mexico doesn't have just yet, is the sufficient funding required to enforce those already established laws.

Rome wasn't built overnight. And yes, there are some rather urgent issues everywhere in the world. Do what you can, give it your best shot and hope for the best. Criticism only gets people's feathers ruffled and brings you no closer to solving the issues. Don't get me wrong, I can sometimes be one frustrated camper but I see it moving forward, I meet many wonderful young biology students who do the impossible and give all their energy to a cause. I applaud them and truth be told, they deserve a standing ovation! I look forward to seeing what this new generation will accomplish.

"Nature could be such a wonderful teacher if only we saw it for what it really is" ~ Monachí

We, at Natural Treasures, take this opportunity to invite you to witness these wonders with us. We specialize in helping you find the nature activity that suits your needs and desires. Make sure the tour you book is the right one for you. Many options are at your disposal. Let a knowledgeable eco-guide present you with a selection best suited for your needs.

Mars Spectacular Coming in August to the Skies Near You!
Mars, The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification.

Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.