WHAT IS THE MEANING OF IXTAPA?

PEACEFUL YELAPA

VIEWS FROM LAGUNITA RESTAURANT ON THE BEACH IN YELAPA

There was a small crowd of men standing around a low cage near the pier in Boca de Tomatlán, a thirty.minute drive south of Puerto Vallarta. Inside the cage was young crocodile about two-feet long. It had just been caught in a river close to las Ánimas, a popular beach 10 minutes south of Boca by water taxi, or an hour-and-a-half walk on a gorgeous up and down. trail. The excited men said they were going to release the crocodile, “because this is México!” When I asked where, they said they didn´t know.

My eight-year old grandson James and I caught the next water taxi to Yelapa, a stunningly beautiful thirty-minute ride, far from the summer beach crowds of Vallarta and far from the heartbreaking news stories.

LAST KAYAKING OF THE DAY FOR JAMES GREGOR

More than the swimming and kayaking in the bay, I love hour-and-a-half walk up the dirt trail along the river to the cascade.

VULTURES AT COMPOST

We pass shiny black vultures feeding at a compost,

GOOD LOOKING COUPLE LOOKING FOR THEIR BABIES

chickens pecking with their chicks in front of small, cement houses, strutting roosters with glossy black tail feathers, quick lizards, quiet horses,

a hobbled, braying burro, black iguanas sunning themselves on large grey rocks, palm-thatched palapas, and green parrots squawking as they fly back and forth between high trees.

SUNNING IGUANA NEXT TO THE TRAIL

Cement houses and wood bungalows are left behind. We cross the low river twice, the climb becomes steeper until we reach a rocky plateau and see the winding river and the cascade leaping out a mighty wall of rock far below us. Climbing down steps carved out of the stone, we reach the large natural pool below the cascade. The force of the water after the rains makes it impossible to stand under it, so we let the cascade propel us over and over to the opposite part of the pool.

CASCADE FROM AN OPPOSITE CLIFF

At night in our palapa at Hotel Lagunita, fireflies spark in the jungle and the only sounds are the electric buzzes of mating cicadas and the hush of waves on the shore.

IXTAPA. Part of the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa is about a 30- minute drive northeast of central Vallarta. It´s a place one passes through when driving up to las Palmas or San Sebastián in the foothills of the Sierra Madres. “Ixtapa” is a Nahual (indigenous tribe) name. In the Nahual language, all words ending in “apa” refer to “river” and “iztatl” means “salt.” The spelling of the last word was imposed by the Spaniards, who didn´t have “x” in their alphabet. The meaning of “Ixtapa” is easy to arrive at … “salty river.”

The clinic in Ixtapa took place in the spacious Salon de Usos Múltiples (“Multi-Purpose Salon”). Interesting that there are no doors or bathroom, but there is a security guard and plenty of bushes
outside.

STERILIZATIONS AT IXTAPA CLINIC- July 30-August 2
Male dogs: 20; Female dogs: 40; Male cats: 14; Female cats: 27 TOTAL: 108
PLUS 1 pregnancy terminated for a dog with 8 fetuses

THIS CLINIC WAS MADE POSSIBLE
THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT BY THE HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL.

DONATIONS AT IXTAPA CLINIC:
1,098 pesos

DONATIONS AT LAST WEEK´S CLINIC in Los Portales: 1,070 pesos

PEOPLE WITH THEIR PETS AT IXTAPA CLINIC

DONATIONS TO CLINICS: Michael Turner – $50 USD

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS: From Hannah Nunn – A bag of used dog toys, a few used collars and leashes and grooming brush for LADRA, The Borchgrevink´s beautiful refuge/boarding place. Their place in the hills is complete with a ranch house, large outdoor spaces, a river to splash in and a view of the bay far below. There are ten beautiful, sterilized and vaccinated young rescue dogs for adoption at the refuge. Please request photos and information from LADRA via FB.

ADOPTIONS: “Samantha,” the skinny Belgian Shepherd rescued by Paulina Stettner, who said she went to a great family; “Oso,” the black, matted black Chow also rescued by Paulina. Her foster mother Laura Ghillardi Miller loves him and is keeping Oso.

A puppy and an adult dog from the Centro de Acopio at Plaza Caracól on Saturday and an adult dog at the Acopio.

LEAVE OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Paulina Stettner, vet tech and director of PEACEAnimals, leaves for Guadalajara Sunday morning, returning to Vallarta and the clinics in October. Paulina has a very loving hand and heart for the animals and will be missed. Dr. Jemina, Dr. Anthony´s girlfriend, has been given clinic training by Paulina. Jemina received her veterinarian license two years ago, has volunteered her services many times at our clinics and will do a great job. Anthony will enjoy having her by his side.

BUSY IXTAPA CLINIC.

CUALECATS: Shannon Beston has just founded this organization to help the overpopulation of cats and decimation of wildlife on the Isla Cuale. She feeds dozens of cats daily and catches as many as she can to take to a free clinic. After sterilization, Shannon releases them back to the island if she can´t find good homes for them. There are many tame and sterilized cats living on the island that would make good pets.

BOX OF ABANDONED KITTENS RECENTLY FOUND IN LAS GAVIOTAS. CONTACT PURRPROJECT VIA FB IF YOU CAN FOSTER THEM. THE MAMA IS LOOKING FOR HER BABIES AND WILL BE PREGNANT AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS TIME.

There are also many feral cats, some of them pregnant, and at least a dozen feral kittens. Please contact Shannon if you would like to be part of this project: [email protected]

HOMES NEEDED: For the thousands of dogs and cats on the streets here and for dozens of healthy and beautiful dogs and cats at the Centro de Acopio, the city´s no-kill pound.

ONE OF MANY RESCUED CATS FOR ADOPTION AT ANGELICAT

Open Monday-Saturday from 8 AM-2 PM. 293-3690. The Acopio is now holding adoptions every Saturday from 11 AM-2 PM at Plaza Caracól (back endof building near McDonald´s entrance). Dogs are walked twice a week by volunteers organized by Friends of Puerto Vallarta Animals.

“Cabezón” the rescued Hound Dog and “Gaston,” the little male Fox Terrier mix, are still in foster homes and waiting for permanent ones. Please contact me. Both dogs are neutered and vaccinated and wonderful.

RIDES FOR RESCUE DOGS NEEDED: For Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. All expenses for dogs paid for. Please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

GREATERGOOD – PLEASE CLICK! Your daily clicks or direct donations help animals, people and the planet. www.greatergood.org; www.greatergood.com

To donate to PEACEAnimals clinics, please click on this link. http://bit.ly/1cWY0lP

SMILEAMAZON– When ordering on Amazon, if you click on the following link you can designate PEACEAnimals as a recipient of Amazon´s donation of 0.5% of your purchase. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-3726038

SCHEDULE/HORARIO

August 6-9 El Progreso

Turn inland at La Paloma Bullring, drive for many blocks and at the light, turn LEFT. Road is under construction. Be patient and drive until you come to Ave- Los Poetas where you will make a RIGHT. It´s a big new avenue going uphill and it will be clearly marked. Pass a Pemex after a series of little identical houses and duplex, and at the Kiosko convenience store make a left. The street you are on will seem to end in a dirt road after 2 blocks, but a paved road continues to the right. Stay on that paved street called 16 de Septiembre. Many, many blocks later you will come to what appears to be the end of the street and make a LEFT at Calle Heberto Castillo. After 2 blocks on Heberto Castillo you will come to a green Tortillería El Progreso, where you will turn left again and voila!

August 13-16 Mojoneras

Take the Highway 200 heading north from the airport. Go on the lateral along the Corona Beer Storage and bottling plant (close to the Bus Station). At the end of the corner make a RIGHT. Drive to the end of the wide cobblestone street until you come to the SEAPAL sewer water treatment plant and make a LEFT. Soon after, you will come to a chicken shop and make a RIGHT on Jalisco St. Drive in for about 3 blocks until you find us in a corner at the Agencia Municipal.

August 20-23 La Bugambilia – TBA

Schedule, including directions and other clinic information are always on website: www.peaceanimals.org

STAR VOLUNTEER REGINA, FIFTEEN YEARS OLD, REGISTERING PETS AT IXTAPA CLINIC

VOLUNTEERS: PLEASE SIGN UP WITH PAULINA STETTNER. WE NEED YOUR HELP! [email protected]

IXTAPA CLINIC AT SALON DE USOS MÚLTIPLES

PEACEANIMALS HAS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE STATUS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. Re Canadian donations: NOBARS, a Canadian-based dog rescue organization, is able to process donations to PEACEAnimals without taking a commission. Please contact: [email protected]

COST FOR ONE SURGERY WEEK CLINIC IS APPROXIMATELY $1,700 USD.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION VIA CHECK, CREDIT CARD, PAYPAL, BEQUEST OR STOCK TRANSFER. Note: Stocks are transferred at full value without the donating stock owner being taxed. Name of recipient of donations for all donations is simply “PEACE.”

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