Sidewalk Expansion Project

Downtown Puerto Vallarta is undergoing a major beautification project. The sidewalk on the shop side of the boardwalk is being doubled in width and planter boxes are being added.

The sidewalk has always been too narrow for the number of people visiting downtown. Now, instead of bumping into every other person you pass you will be able to stroll comfortably while window shopping.

It will look great when it’s finished. I’d say it will all be done in about three weeks.

People often ask why I live in Mexico. I always feel put on the spot when they do because I don’t really have a satisfactory answer. I can’t say, “I live in Mexico because I do.” That doesn’t really explain it well.

After giving it some thought, I would say I like living in Mexico because of unique, random, and serendipitous occurrences. More simply stated, sh*t happens. Oftentimes, when “it” happens it turns out to be something very cool. Then again, sometimes it’s not.

I have listed some of my experiences while I have lived in Mexico. I could probably list another 500 interesting things. These just happened to be the ones that first came to mind. Most of the experiences I consider to be positive and they are not listed in any particular order.

If your reaction is “cool” after you have finished reading the list you just might be cut out to live in Mexico. If your reaction is “huh” or “why” then you might not be.

Since I have Lived in Mexico I have:

• Been charged by a bull while shopping on a main street
• Experienced an earthquake while staying at an old hotel
• Been forced to touch a man’s wooden leg (It was rumored that he kept a pistol in it)
• Driven through a lava field
• Witnessed cowboy gun-battles in front of bars
• Drunk tequila in the town of Tequila
• Discovered scorpions in my bed and clothes
• Learned fluent Spanish
• Lived through a major economic crisis (far worse than the current U.S. economic crisis) and a few minor ones
• Sung a ballad to a horse
• Attended wedding parties that have gone all night and well into the next day
• Made tamales from scratch
• Wasted untold numbers of hours standing in line at the bank
• Seen Michael Jackson in concert
• Crawled on my hands and knees through a pitch-black tunnel that connects two pyramids
• Crashed a wedding party
• Eaten fried grasshoppers and sauteed ant eggs
• Seen one of the best bullfights in the past 50 years
• Sung with the Mariachis in Plaza Garibaldi

What experiences have you had while in Mexico?

If you are interested in Living in Mexico, you might be interested in this guide, The Trick is Living Here, a practical detailed guide to living or working in Mexico. You might be surprised how different things can be.

Wireless Internet Access in Puerto Vallarta

Wireless Internet access is very easy to find these days in Puerto Vallarta. Nearly every hotel has a wireless network, although most charge a fee for access. Many restaurants and almost all coffee shops offer free wireless Internet to paying customers.

Free Wi-Fi Hotspots in Puerto Vallarta

To help you save some money on Internet access, I have compiled a list of places that offer free wi-fi to their customers. The listings are grouped by location.

I would love to expand on this list. If you know of any other places that offer free wi-fi to customers, let me know so that I can share them with my readers.

Marina Vallarta Wi-Fi Hotspots

• Once Upon a Bean – Marina Vallarta boardwalk
• McDonald’s – at the Plaza Marina shopping center
• The Coffee Cup – Marina Vallarta boardwalk near the lighthouse
• The Coffee House – at the Plaza Marina shopping center

The Hotel Zone Wi-Fi Hotspots

• Chilis Restaurant – Plaza Peninsula
• Chilis Restaurant – Galerias Vallarta – Liverpool
• CucaraMacara – located in the Krystal hotel
• La Mansion Restaurant – located in the Krystal hotel
• Starbucks – Plaza Peninsula
• Starbucks – Galerias Vallarta – Liverpool
• Subway – Blvd. Francisco Medina Ascencio in front of Burger King and Office Depot
• Super Salads – Plaza Peninsula
• VIPS Restaurant – Next to Walmart (May have a service fee)

Downtown/Centro Puerto Vallarta Wi-Fi Hotspots

• Starbucks – located on the main plaza
• Subway – on the Malecon / boardwalk

Old Town Puerto Vallarta – Olas Altas – Zona Romantica

• Dee’s Coffee – Rodolfo Gomez street
• The Coffee Cup – Rodolfo Gomez street

Puerto Vallarta Airport Wi-Fi Hotspots

• Starbucks

Bucerias Wi-Fi Hotspots

• The Coffee Cup – Lazaro Cardenas street at the south end of the pedestrian bridge

Puerto Vallarta Webcams

You might also be interested in seeing the Puerto Vallarta Webcams.

VallartaBlog is Looking for Contributing Writers

• Do you have a great Puerto Vallarta experience that you would like to share?
• Do you have an area of expertise that would be of interest to VallartaBlog readers?
• Are you a full time resident that would be interested in a regularly scheduled column?

Consider contributing to VallartaBlog.
Everything you need to know is here: Write for VallartaBlog

Ask Me Questions About Puerto Vallarta

Regularly, people email questions about Puerto Vallarta – where to stay, what to do, my favorite places to eat, etc. I try to answer all the questions people send me although I can’t claim a 100% response rate.

I got to thinking that a better way to handle all of the questions would be to respond to comments on a post. Later I could compile the questions and answers that would become a sort of Puerto Vallarta FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) that I could more easily share.

If you have any questions about Puerto Vallarta that you think might be of general interest, leave them as a comment on this post and I will respond so that all of my readers can benefit.

Green Iguana Wallpaper – Puerto Vallarta

I had fun making the first free desktop wallpaper, so I decided to create another one. Wallpaper #2 is a huge green iguana with a mohawk.

Iguanas are everywhere in Puerto Vallarta. This one didn’t run away when I approached. I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to take his picture. He seemed like an old pro posing for pictures.

Try your desktop with this guy. He looks really cool. Enjoy! The download link is below the picture.

Download the Big Green Iguana Desktop Wallpaper Picture

Instructions:

To Save the wallpaper do the following:

If you want to use the desktop image, click on the link below the
photo. Right click on the full size image and then click “Save Picture
As.” Save it to the location of choice on your computer.

To change the background to the new image do the following:

Windows XP – Place your cursor over the desktop and right click.
Click on “Properties.” Click on the “Desktop” tab. Click on the
“Browse” button and find the saved picture. Click “Open.” Click “Apply”
and you have your new desktop image.

Windows Vista – Place your cursor over the desktop
and right click. Click “Personalize.” Click “Desktop Background.” Now
choose the picture and click “OK” and you have your new desktop image.

Here is the first wallpaper that I created: Tour Boat at Los Arcos

I created a desktop wallpaper from a picture I took at Los Arcos. I really liked how it turned out so I decided to share it with everyone.

If you would like to use it, follow the directions to download and install the wallpaper below the picture.

Download Los Arcos Puerto Vallarta Wallpaper

Instructions:

To Save the wallpaper do the following:

If you want to use the desktop image, click on the link below the
photo. Right click on the full size image and then click “Save Picture
As.” Save it to the location of choice on your computer.

To change the background to the new image do the following:

Windows XP – Place your cursor over the desktop and right click.
Click on “Properties.” Click on the “Desktop” tab. Click on the
“Browse” button and find the saved picture. Click “Open.” Click “Apply”
and you have your new desktop image.

Windows Vista – Place your cursor over the desktop and right click. Click “Personalize.” Click “Desktop Background.” Now choose the picture and click “OK” and you have your new desktop image.

To download another wallpaper:

Big Green Iguana Wallpaper

Gary, the moderator of the Puerto Vallarta Old Town – South Side Yahoo Group, gave VallartaBlog a great mention in a post which has brought us many new readers. I’d like to return the favor and let my VallartaBlog readers who aren’t already members know about his group. It’s a big group with nearly 1500 participants. Lots of good, current information on Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta – Old Town – Southside – Yahoo Group

Old Town or South Side, south of Rio Cuale, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,
is a fun location to stay, walk, shop, dine, hang out at the beach
called Playa Los Muertos. Here members share their favorite spots,
restaurants, bars, shops, places to stay, opinions, music venues, art
galleries, news, activities and side trips. Post about any event all
along Bahia de Banderas. Upload pictures and magazine articles. Check
our Links and Files for much information. No inappropriate posts or
SPAM allowed although owners are allowed to list their rentals and
businesses once weekly. Moderated.
Learn, inform, share.
Enter your visit dates in Poll off home page. That way you can
coordinate get-togethers while in Vallarta as sunset gatherings,
sunning, boat or jungle trips, flower and vista explorations, dining!

You might also be interested in Gary’s Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Guide which has reviews and information on more than 360 Vallarta area restaurants. His guide is the most complete Vallarta restaurant guide available. Check it out.