Puerto Vallarta Part 5: Vallarta Botanical Garden

Lily floats in a pond at the Vallarta Botanical Garden. This kind of lily is particularly enchanting as it gently opens to the morning sun. Carole has been an avid flower gardener for most of our 30 years together, so there was no way we were going to leave Puerto Vallarta without seeing its famous Vallarta Botanical Garden. The garden is not just an accumulation of pretty flowers. It is located deep in a beautiful, steep-walled canyon leading up from Bahia de Banderas a few miles south of the city. The 20-acre Garden is a tropical dry forest and is magical with meandering jungle paths, streams and waterfalls, and lots of tropical birds. The lovely flower above is of the genus Lilium which has 110 species. This wet-area plant grows from bulbs which in some species are edible.

The headquarters of the Botanical Garden is built around the lily pond. Above, Carole strolls along the edge of the pond. To the right is a restaurant and the other wing includes offices and a shop where you can buy plants. Hacienda de Oro, seen above, was opened in 2004. Next, the trails and gardens were laid out. The Botanical Garden is a non-profit institution dedicated to education and research but, in addition, weddings and other events are sometimes scheduled in this lovely facility. For a map and information about how to visit by car, taxi, or local bus, click here.

Closeup of the Hacienda de Oro lily pond. Small birds sometimes tred delicately across the lily pads, looking to lunch on insects. Lilies of a variety of colors silently open their petals to soak up the sun and provide pleasure to visitors like us.

Hacienda de Oro's restaurant overlooks the lily pond on one side and the canyon on the other. In addition to various Mexican specialities, the menu boasts a variety of pizzas cooked in their brick oven. The restaurant was designed by Anthony Sbragia, a native of San Jose, California.

Petraea volubilis. One of the few drawbacks of the Vallarta gardens is that there are not enough signs identifying the plants, so I got help on my flower experts, Ron Parsons and Joel Gomez. According to Joel, this plant is also called piedra (stone) from the harsh texture of the leaf. A climbing, twining plant, Petraea volubilis is found in Mexico and as far south as Central America. It was named after an 18th Century nobleman called Lord Petre who collected exotic plants. We found large bushes of these beautiful flowering plants not far from the Hacienda.

Ron supplied the genus name of Allamanda, while Joel gave its local name, Copa de Oro. I was a little puzzled at Joel's appellation until I realized that the Allamanda is often colored yellow, resulting in the names Yellow Bell, Golden Trumpet, or Buttercup Flower. For whatever reason, this one is red. Copa de Oro (Spanish for Cup of Gold) is native to South and Central America and grows as a shrub which can reach 2 meters (6 feet) or more. Generally they are found along the banks of rivers and in sunny areas. It naturalizes easily and simple cutting will actually increase its rate of growth. Allamanda also has medicinal properties as a cathartic, and its sap has antibacterial and anticancer properties. It was named for a Swiss botanist named Dr. Frederich Allamanda in the 18th Century.

This plant may be a form of maguey, but I am not absolutely sure. The long spiky leaves shooting out in a starburst pattern certainly look like a maguey. Agave, from which the Mexico's firey tequila is made, is a form of maguey. The maguey plant has been used for as much as 10,000 years for a variety of purposes. The heart of the plant was fermented into pulque, a mildly alcoholic drink, by ancient pre-hispanic people and is still enjoyed in many areas of Mexico today. Later, the Spanish took the process a step further to create mescal, a distilled liquor. In the State of Jalisco, where I live, the agave plant is harvested to make tequila, a name which can only be used for such liquor from this region. In addition to an alcoholic beverage, the fibers are used to make rope and sandals and other useful items, and the thorns have been used to make needles and fishhooks.

Pontaderia is an aquatic plant with a range from Canada to Argentina. Joel couldn't help with this one, but Ron correctly identified it as of the genus Pontederia. Linnaeus, the great Swedish scientist who created the whole system of Latin names for identifying the natural world, himself named this plant for Italian botanist Giulio Pontedera. While they are sometimes looked upon as an invasive species, Pontederia are also good at biologically filtering polluted water.

Tiny orchids reveal their beauty only to those who are paying attention. The Orchid family, called Orchidaceae, are the second largest of all plant families with between 21,950 and 26,049 generally accepted species, and 880 genera. There are twice as many orchid species as there are bird species, and four times as many as those of mammals. Charles Darwin wrote a whole book about orchid cross pollination in 1862. The name orchid comes from the Greek word meaning "testicle", referring to the appearance of the flower. They occur in almost every habitat except glaciers. Pollen from an orchid was found in an amber-encrusted bee 15-20 million years old, and there is evidence that they may date back as far as the Late Cretaceous period where they would have co-existed with the dinosaurs.

The Botanical Garden recycles plant waste into other useful products. This waste basket, which we found on a cobblestone trail, is made from branches and vines grown locally. Other uses included natural planters.

A swaying suspension bridge leads into the inner jungle canyons. The sign warns against playing on the bridge, which spans a fairly steep ravine. I was amused by the carved wooden piñas (pineapples) on top of the four posts supporting the bridge.

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) hangs from a branch. Joel calls this a Granada, no doubt after the Spanish city. The Spanish settlers in Mexico introduced the pomegranate into Mexico in 1769. The fruit has been cultivated over a wide area of the earth. It may have originated in the high plains of Iran and the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, but it was known from ancient times in China, Burma, Central Asian countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, through North Africa and the Middle East and Mediterranean Europe. The name Punica comes from the ancient Phoenicians who cultivated it broadly, partly for religious reasons. Remains of pomegranates have been found in Early Bronze Age Jericho in modern Israel, and Late Bronze Age Tiryns, also called Troy, in today's Turkey. The fruit was mentioned in the Homeric poetry of Iron Age Greece. In more recent times, after its introduction to the New World, Thomas Jefferson began raising pomegranates on his famous plantation of Monticello.

Ficus aurea (Strangler Fig). After we crossed the swinging bridge, we moved along winding trails into deep jungle. One of the most striking trees we encountered was this Ficus aurea, also known as the Strangler Fig. They are most common in dark forests with much competition for sunlight. The seeds germinate in the crevices of other trees, then grow roots down the sides of host tree. The host may actually die, leaving a hollow core surrounded by the coils of the Strangler. A bit eerie, I thought.

More of the thick jungle surrounded us as we walked. I was impressed by the deep reddish color of the wood, with its backdrop of even deeper green forest plants. In many places, the visibility was reduced to a few feet, but those few feet were packed with interesting things to discover.

The ground on either side of the trail was covered by lush ferns of various species. Ferns are even more ancient than orchids, getting their start 360 million years ago in the Mesozoic era. They were in existence before there were land animals, and even before there were flowering plants. Talk about survivors! Ferns reproduce by spores rather than seeds. They need shady, cool, moist areas to grow. They also need water as a medium to transmit their spores so they can reproduce.

The ferns grew along the banks of a small stream meandering down the canyon. The various ravines and canyons contribute to a considerable stream which we will see later in this posting.

Bringing it all together. I thought this shot captured the lush, thick, mysterious jungle we were walking through.

Fruits of Prosthechea grow on the trunk of a tree leaning across the trail. Prosthechea is part of the orchid family. They grow from Florida to Mexico and throughout the tropical parts of the Americas. People have been known to eat the bulbs of the Prosthechea.

Anthurium andreanum. The Anthurium genus may have as many as 1000 species. They are also called Flamingo Flower, or the Boy Flower. They are generally found in wet tropical mountain forest in Central and South America, but are sometimes found, as in this case, in drier areas. These plants are hermaphrodites, meaning they contain both male and female flowers. The different scents given off by various types of Anthurium attract specific types of pollinators.

Eroded roots show the sculpting power of water. These roots caught my eye as I walked along the trail. The water pouring down the slope has neatly carved the soil away from both sides of the roots as if with a sharp knife.

Vanilla vine climbs a handy tree. Vanilla is another form of orchid. The name comes from the Spanish vainilla (little pod). Vanilla was cultivated by pre-hispanic Meso-American people, and was brought to Europe in the 1520s by Hernán Cortés, along with chocolate. Numerous attempts were made to cultivate vanilla outside the area of Mexico and Central America, but the plant was symbiotically dependent upon a particular kind of local bee for pollination and so the effort was unsuccessful for a long time. Finally, a Belgian botanist named Charles Francois Antoine Morren figured all this out in 1837. a However, it wasn't until a French-owned slave named Edmond Albius discovered a way to hand-pollinate the plants in 1841 that the effort was finally successful. However, after saffron, vanilla remains the second most expensive spice, due to the labor involved. No word on whether Albius ever profited from the fruits of his labor.

Myrmecophila tibicinis (Cowhorn orchid). This member of the orchid family has a symbiotic relationship with ants. They tunnel into the banana-like pseudobulbs to harvest the nectar inside. In turn they leave various debris in kind of a garbage dump inside the pseudobulbs on which the plant then feeds. The Cowhorn orchid can be found in tropical areas of southern Mexico and Central America.

Heliconia are related to bananas. Until 1998, Heliconia were included in the family Musaceae, but then were recognized as having their own family. In fact Heliconia is the only genus in that family. Common names include lobster claws, wild plantains, or false bird-of-paradise.

Yellow stalks of Aloe rose from the jungle floor around us. There are about 400 species of Aloe, but the most common is Aloe vera (true aloe). The plant is native to Africa, particularly the Cape area of South Africa, but it now grows in many other areas of the world. As well as serving as an ornamental plant, aloe has for centuries been used medicinally. Some of its medicinal properties include uses as a laxative, purgative, relief from skin irritation, and for digestive problems, burns, and minor wounds.

In the canyon below the Hacienda de Oro, a rushing stream. Rivulets from the numerous ravines and gullies of the Botanical Garden's 20 acres form together into a cold, clear stream that rushes down the canyon, ultimately emptying into the Bahia de Banderas. A long, winding set of steps leads down from the Hacienda to a trail along the stream.

An inviting sight on a hot and sultry afternoon. Swimming is allowed, at your own risk, in this apparently pristine swimming hole on the river. We didn't bring swim suits so we didn't partake, but it was certainly tempting. One thing we strongly recommend is bug repellent. Carole got eaten alive at the tiny beach next to the swimming hole.

This concludes Part 5 of my series on Puerto Vallarta and also concludes the series itself. We hope you enjoyed learning about this beautiful Pacific Coast community and can visit some time. As I said at the beginning, I came with some misgivings about its reputation of an overdeveloped resort, but I was charmed in the end. If you would like to leave a comment, you can do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puerto Vallarta Part 4: Away from the beach

Steeples of Puerto Vallarta's Parish church, Our Lady of Guadalupe. For this part of my Puerto Vallarta series, I decided to pull my focus away from the beach and show some of the interesting areas that can be found a bit inland. As churches go in Mexico, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is not old. Construction began in 1921 under the direction of parish priest Francisco Ayala, who built on the foundations of a chapel which was already dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Construction was interrupted by the 3-year Cristero War (1926-1929) between the Revolutionary Government and Catholics upset with the government's attempt to separate church and state by unraveling the Church's pervasive control over much of Mexico's public life. The elaborate and very unusual crown on the top of the main steeple is said to be modeled after the tiara worn by Empress Carlota, the wife of Emperor Maximillian. He was the usurper installed by the French over Mexico in the 1860s. The original steeple crown was destroyed in an earthquake in 1995. Its replacement, made of fibre glass, has not held up well and is quite controversial. I thought the church and its steeple are still quite handsome and are the centerpiece of El Centro.

The homes of "Gringo Gulch". This area was named after the foreigners who built homes in a deep ravine leading back into the mountains away from the beach. Many of the Gringos arrived in the 1950s and 60s when Puerto Vallarta was a small fishing town. The houses are generally Mexican-style with red-tile roofs and include some of the more expensive homes in town. They are moulded into the hillside along narrow cobblestone streets and bedecked with vivid bougainvillea and other flowering plants. This area is definitely worth a stroll.

One of the many attractive byways of Gringo Gulch. Narrow alleys open onto cobblestone pathways, and charming stairways lead up to riotously colored gardens. You never know what delightful surprise you will encounter as you wander through the area.

Casa Kimberley, relic of a famous international romance. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton famously fell in love in Puerto Vallarta in 1964 while filming John Huston's Night of the Iguana. Burton purchased Casa Kimberley in Gringo Gulch as a 34th birthday gift for Taylor during their affair. Taylor held onto the romantic hideaway for many years, until long after her second divorce from Burton. However, after he died, she could never bring herself to stay in it again.

The famous Burton-Taylor "love bridge." Casa Kimberley, on the right, is now under reconstruction. The bridge leads to a guest-house on the left side of the street that the couple purchased after they were married. They built a bridge across the street for easy communication, particularly when Burton was occasionally banished to the guest-house during his tempestuous relationship with Taylor. For a while after Taylor sold Casa Kimberly, the new owner ran it as a B&B with a museum dedicated to the Burton-Taylor romance. Now, a bank apparently owns the property and reportedly is building condos there. So much for romantic traditions. The chipped oval sign with its graceful script "Casa Kimberly" above a small heart is one of the few reminders of the great romance that occurred here. At least the bridge is still intact, but for how long?

The Cuale River used to be the end of the line for Puerto Vallarta. The Rio Cuale, one of seven rivers that empty into Bahia de Banderas, used to be the southern boundary of Puerto Vallarta. Then, some local businessmen decided to build a restaurant further south on the beach. In time, two swinging pedestrian bridges and two solid bridges (one of which can be seen in the upper right of the photo) were built to connect the growing "Romantic Zone" with El Centro north of the river. This became particularly important when the beautifully quiet stream would occasionally turn into a raging torrent. The land along the left bank of the river seen above is actually the south shore of Isla Cuala, a long island occupying the center of the river. The island contains several restaurants, a pre-hispanic museum, an open market for artisans, and several other attractions.

Hotels and condos dot the steep hillside above the Zona Romantica. The photo above, taken from Gringo Gulch, shows how the steep hills cascade down almost to the water's edge. The terrain proved ideal for developers who wanted to build structures that would have dramatic views of Puerto Vallarta and Bahia Banderas. The beach edging the Romantic Zone possesses the rather chilling name Playa de los Muertos (Beach of the Dead). There are a couple of legends about this. One holds that after a battle between indigenous people and gold smugglers, the beach was covered with the dead. Another is that the area was once a burial ground for the pre-hispanic people. Today, it is just a beautiful beach, lined with hotels and restaurants. For a map of the Romantic Zone, click here.

Well trained branches of a plant outside Oscar's Bar and Grill. Oscar's sits near the tip of Isla Cuale, where the two channels of the river join just before they pass under the Malecon footbridge and into the Pacific. What attracted my photographer's eye was the unusual way that the branches of this plant have been trained to grow together into a pattern that resembles a fisherman's net.

Statue of film director John Huston (1906-1987). This statue is located in the middle of Isla Cuale. Huston was a director with a long list of famous films to his credit. Many of them were classics, including The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen, and The Man Who Would Be King. If any man could be said to have "made" Puerto Vallarta, it was Huston. After he visited the area and fell in love with it, he persuaded his studio to allow him to film Night of the Iguana here. Until that point, the town was little more than a sleepy fishing village with one road, no international airport, and spotty electricity. In addition to the film itself, the famous Burton-Taylor romance attracted swarms of paparrazi who produced voluminous publicity about the Puerto Vallarta area. Tourists began flocking in and the resort-developer gold rush was on.

Statue of a sea turtle on Isla Cuale. Giant sea turtles regularly visit the shores around Puerto Vallarta to lay their eggs in the sand. For hundreds of years they were hunted both for their eggs and for their meat, but eventually they became endangered. Now Mexico has one of the most advanced protection programs in the world. Puerto Vallarta's program, begun in 1993, has very shrewdly taken advantage of eco-tourism to solicit support from both tourists and local businesses. As part of the program, tourists can attend the release of newly-hatched baby turtles. Each tourist is given his own hatchling and allowed to release it on the sand so it can race to the water's edge for its first swim in the ocean. Mexico's programs have been extremely important to the survival of sea turtles because 6 of the 7 species in the world nest along its beaches.

Local artisans set up booths along the walkway that runs the length of Isla Cuale. Unlike most of the local stores, you can bargain in the artisans' area. Clothing, jewelry, nick-nacks, and souvenirs of all kinds are available. In addition to Isla Cuale, there are many other places where you might want to shop.

Señor Frog's is a landmark in Puerto Vallarta, as it is in many resort areas. Señor Frog's bar is a major attraction for those interested in Puerto Vallarta's nightlife. As a non-drinker, I didn't avail myself of the opportunity, but I liked the sign. According to those who have gone, you can pay $30 (USD) upfront to cover all your drinks for the evening. When you walk in the door, they give you a "yard" (tall cup) to drink out of all night, which you can then keep as a souvenir when you leave. Bottoms up!

Massive old tree shades a bench in front of a local public building. The fellow here may have had a hard night at Señor Frog's, or he may just be waiting for a bus. Either way, this old tree provides some welcome shade.

Tourists just off one of the recently-docked cruise ships? This was one of the more unusual benches I found in Puerto Vallarta. These cheerful-looking fellows seemed ready for a chat, but we were hungry for lunch and moved off down the street before they could engage us.

This completes Part 4 of my series of Puerto Vallarta. Next week I will wrap it up with a visit to the outstanding Vallarta Botanical Garden which has some of the most beautiful and unusual plants I have seen, as well as a great swimming hole. I hope you have enjoyed this little jaunt away from the bustling beach area of PV. If you would like to leave a comment you can do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puerto Vallarta Part 3: On the water and in the air

A gentle surf rolls in from Banderas Bay. Looking north, you can see the new high-rise hotels and condos across the arc of Bahia de Banderas. Like most seaside resorts, the focus of Puerto Vallarta is toward the ocean expanse and the clear blue skies above. I decided to devote this segment of my Puerto Vallarta series to some of the many interesting activities we observed on the water and in the air. Some of these encourage participation and some are spectator sports. All are eye-catching and amusing to the casual stroller along the Malecon.

Sailboat glides gracefully along the curve of the Bahia. I was a little surprised we didn't see more sailboats while we strolled the Malecon. This one was beautiful and silent, like a huge swan moving across the turquoise water of the Bahia. For information about marinas in Puerto Vallarta, click here. Someone once described a pleasure boat as "a hole in the water into which you pour money." For those of us lacking deep pockets, there are less expensive ways of getting around on the water.

A less expensive way to get from point A to B.  The water taxi owner seen above was engaged in preparing his boat for the morning's business. For information about water taxi routes and prices, as well as those for other forms of Puerto Vallarta transportation, click here.

Looking for more than simple transportation? How about a classic "party boat." The three-decker above is one of the larger versions which do half and full-day cruises around the Bahia. Most make one or more stops for snorkeling, or hiking around a remote cove. Most also provide meals, and drinks of various degrees of strength, hence the name. For a selection of the various kinds and prices of party boats, click here.

And then there is the low-cost party boat. A pescador (fisherman) anchored his vessel just off shore, and pelicans immediately took up residence. These feathered squatters keep a close eye on the local fishermen. When a net is hauled in and the catch is dumped in the bottom of the boat, sharp-eyed pelicans can often deftly steal a quick snack. Such minor thefts seem to be treated with good-natured tolerance by the pescadores. Brown pelicans like those above have some unusual characteristics. Because they swallow their food whole, their tiny tongues are only about the circumference of a toothpick, since a larger tongue would get in the way. In addition, they are able to drink seawater, a very unusual adaptation.

The air above the sea also provides opportunities for amusement. A parasailor will be clipped into a harness while the crew member inflates the parachute. A long line is connected to a speedboat which takes off as the parasailor skips a nervous step or two down the beach and is quickly airborne. To get a feel for what this experience is really like, click here for a short video.

The full experience is quite exhilarating and worth doing, at least once. The cost at Puerto Vallarta runs about $35-$40 (USD). The view from several hundred feet up is stunning, with no window or other obstruction between the eye and what is beheld. While I didn't venture up into the air on this trip, I have previously parasailed in Cancun. The only time I really felt a qualm was when, as I dangled under the parachute hundreds of feet in the air, I noticed that the only things connecting me to this whole contraption were a couple of metal clips attaching my harness to the parachute. The technology held, however, and I survived to tell the tale. For more information about a variety of heart-thumping activities available at Puerto Vallarta, click here.

Voladores of Papantla climb to their perch before beginning their ancient performance. A tall pole, 42 meters (138 ft.) high, lined with triangular steps, stands not far from the Los Arcos amphitheater on the Malecon. The pole might easily be mistaken for an unusually tall flag pole, except for the odd square "crows nest" on top. Several times a day, 5 indigenous men from the Vera Cruz community of Papantla climb the pole to the very top, past long dangling yellow ropes attached to each side of the crows nest. What is seen today as a tourist amusement originated 1,500 years ago among the Totonac people as a way to propitiate the gods of water and fertility.

The first Volador up the ladder is a musician. He sits in the middle while beating on a tiny drum suspended from the end of a flute that he plays simultaneously. The other 4 Voladores sit facing him on thin pipes hanging over a lot of empty space. During an ancient drought around 500 AD, a small group of brave young men decided to take action to save their people. Wanting to draw the attention of the fertility god Xipe Totec, among others, they selected a tree in the forest, cut it down and brought it to their village where they trimmed it and raised it erect. They adorned themselves with the feathers of colorful local birds and climbed to the top.

At a signal from their leader, the piper, the Voladores drop over backward and begin to spin. The intent of the young men in ancient times was to imitate the swirling appearance of birds. Unlike the nylon ropes of today, the ancients used vines collected in the lowland jungles of Mexico's Gulf Coast.

As the Voladores whirl, the ropes unwind enabling their gradual descent. This photo provides a sense of just how high the pole stands, and the potential consequences of an accidental slip. However, the Voladores train for this performance from childhood and make few errors.

Safety equipment is minimal. The Volador loops the rope loosely around his middle, and holds himself in place by hooking one foot over the extended rope. There are no complicated harnesses or protective gear like the parasailors wear. It's all in knowing how to do it.

Back safely on the ground, the Voladores pose for a quick photo. Their costumes are full of fringes and tassels and are vividly colored. Each carries the small, multicolored conical hat he wears during a performance. The Voladores perform at night under floodlights as well as several times a day. While they gladly accept donations, there is no charge for spectators.

Dragon kite floats lazily above the beach. Flying kites is another popular activity carried out in the air above the beach. The elaborate dragon kite above swooped and dived with the gusts of the ocean breeze, creating the illusion that it was a living creature. Kites were invented at least 3000 years ago. It is a matter of dispute whether they appeared first in China or among the South Sea Islanders who used them for fishing. The Chinese version was supposedly invented by a general who observed the motions of his hat when it flew off. He devised a set of kites that he flew over his enemy's camp at night. The sound of the wind moaning and singing in the kite strings terrified his opponents. They thought they were being assaulted by evil spirits and fled the field.

This concludes Part 3 of my Puerto Vallarta series. In the next part, I will take a look at some of the charming areas away from the beach. If you could like to comment, you can do so in the Comments section below, or by emailing me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim