Salvador Estrada sells Candy and Cigarettes On the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Salvador, from Puerto Vallarta was living the American Dream when he became a victim of Violence in The United States which left him paralyzed, and unable to walk. He Returned to Puerto Vallarta and built a new life. Listen to Salvador’s incredible story. Such an inspiration
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Listen to The Podcast in Spanish
Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.
That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with our toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
This week I am going to take you to the Malecon where you will meet an incredible human being, his name is Salvador Estrada, and he sells candy from his wheelchair to tourists and visitors to Puerto Vallarta. You can’t miss this story but first let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta the 23rd of November, 2018…..
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Puerto Vallarta International Food Festival
From the Banderas News…
Festival Gourmet International Vallarta
Festival Gourmet International Vallarta, the annual food and wine event that has been tempting the tastebuds of Banderas Bay area residents and visitors for years, returns to Puerto Vallarta every November.
Once a year, a star studded cast of national and international guest chefs come to Puerto Vallarta to share their expertise with the talented chefs from some of the finest restaurants in Puerto Vallarta and around Banderas Bay.
For those who are familiar with Puerto Vallarta’s annual gourmet festival, expect the same spectacular events: the inauguration cocktail to introduce the visiting chefs, the fantastic Sunday brunch with traditional Mariachi and the final gala event topped off with fireworks that light up the night sky.
But the best part of this 10-day event is that each participating restaurant hosts a guest master chef to create a festival all of its own – and that means you’ll have a multitude of unique opportunities to savor inspired world-class menus!
In addition, throughout the 10 day event selected restaurants host special Chef’s Table and Winemaker Dinner for a limited number of guests. Made memorable by magnificent gourmet menus paired with excellent wines, these intimate evenings offer diners the opportunity to get “up close and personal” with a favorite chef.
Puerto Vallarta’s annual International Festival Gourmet also offers you the opportunity to attend cooking classes, learn about wine pairing, taste the newest and best in both wines and tequila, and, of course, savor the flavors of Mexico – and the world – at some of the finest restaurants in the Banderas Bay region.
Do your palate a favor and visit this year’s Gourmet Festival in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You won’t regret it. In fact, you’ll never forget it. Spaces go quickly, so early reservations are advised.
For more information about this year’s Festival Gourmet, or to make your reservations, visit FestivalGourmet.com,
call +52 (322) 225-0109, or send an email to info(at)festivalgourmet.com.
And I have a link to the event in the shownotes for this episode.
http://www.banderasnews.com/restaurants/festivalgourmet.htm
The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show is Coming to Puerto Vallarta January 6-16, 2018
Tickets are purchased, the AirBnB has been reserved, and I will be in Puerto Vallarta from January 6th through the 16th or longer, depending, so if you are in town during those ten days, I am planning some meet and greets at Kelly’s Pour Favor of course, and an open mic in front of Cuates Y Cuetes, so in the coming weeks I will give you the details as we approach January.
This time at least for the first 6 days of the trip, I will be with my wife, my twin brother Gary and his wife, and one of my best friends Jose and his wife, and we found this sweet three bedroom condo with king sized beds right on Playa Conchas Chinas, 
so I will be reporting on that property and let you know what we think. But that should be fun. Hey if you come to the meet and greet maybe you will meet my brother instead of me. Yes we used to switch classes in junior and high school. But no, I won’t do that to you.
Okay, we need to get moving here so let’s get to the interview.
The Candyman On The Malecon, Salvador Estrada
Every once in a while I interview Puerto Vallarta, I call them personalities, people who you seem to see all the time in Vallarta like Rambo, like Jose the hat maker, like Benjamin the shoeshine guy right? So this time I thought I would interview one of the guys on the Malecon who are wheelchair bound, the guys selling candies and trinkets. So I approached one of these guys who I always see around the three loud clubs on the Malecon. Mandala, The Zoo and La Vaquita and asked if we could talk, and he agreed. I asked him how his English was and he said OK, but that he was more comfortable talking in Spanish, so this entire interview had to be translated by me, and I recorded my voice over his. I hope it’s not distracting because you need to hear Salvador’s story.
You never know what you are going to get when you strike up a conversation, but this particular evening, it was pure gold. I am so lucky that Salvador came into my life that night. Because, he is such an inspiration and his story needs to be told, and shared. Salvador was living El Sueno Americano, the American dream when life dealt him an incredibly bad hand.
Let’s hear the story from Salvador himself, from the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, alongside the nightclub La Vaquita, an incredible story of faith and strength.
Oh, I need to say that when Salvador talks about his tricycle, he powers it using his arms and upper body strength okay? Okay, let’s go to Salvador….
Listen to The Podcast in English
Listen to The Podcast in Spanish
Barry: Salvador, Thank you for talking to me, Tell me are you from here in Puerto Vallarta?
Salvador: Yes I was born in Puerto Vallarta.
Barry: What are you doing here on the boardwalk?
Salvador: I dedicate myself to selling sweets here in this part of the Malecon, I start working from one o’clock in the afternoon, until 12 o’clock midnight, and when there is a lot of tourism till 5 o’clock in the morning.
Barry: And when people come and from these clubs to these great big Clubs, they are buying because they are hungry or something right?
Salvador: Yes, what happens is that when they want look good to the girlfriend they will want to buy a chewing gum to take the alcohol off their breath, and then, Maybe they will buy a chocolate gift for their girlfriend, and I am here to sell you something.
Barry: You have a big variety. Tell us what you have.
Salvador: Oh, is that there is a lot of variety and it is like chewing gum is like Clorets, M&M’s, Halls, tamarind candy chocolates, to pelones to Japanese peanuts, a big variety.
Barry: And you sell cigarettes too?
Salvador: Yes, the most important selling single cigarettes is a big part of my business.
Barry: You have lighters too?
Salvador: Lighters too yes, but there are Many varieties of cigarettes, flavors you know? I do not smoke but they say that cherry is good, there is Mango, mango with peach, cherry to cucumber all different mint.
Barry: You sell them single!
Salvador: Yes singles. They are known as “Suertos” at night.
Barry: So instead of a whole pack. Only one.
Salvador: Yes, there are lots of different flavors Selling single loose cigarettes is what sells the most at night, It’s good that it takes a long time for you to want just one and only one in fact with many different flavors, sometimes they grab one of each. It’s better for me when they buy one at a time. Better for my business.
Barry: How many years have you been selling here?
Salvador: I have here selling on the boardwalk 24 years.
Barry: 24 years. If you are selling on the Malecon, do you need a permit to sell here.
Salvador: Yes, a permit. But when I first started selling here there were no permits necessary. Then came the regulations and the authorities. So over a two year period, you are earning their respect, because they know that you are not a problem person that you like to work, not alcohol, not drugs. Then you are given the opportunity, so that you can survive.
They gave me options because there’s support for people with disabilities.
But I told them that I did not want the support, so they then gave me the permission to work. And I need to work to be well so I don’t want the support.
Barry: Does it cost a lot for a permit?
Salvador: No, it is a support for people, with disabilities, there is no cost.
But you must respect places on the permit. There are clauses that say here you can be and where you cannot. And if you violate the clauses, they take away your permission.
If they see you don’t respect the clauses in the permit, then they call it to your attention I like to respect them, and they see that I am not a person with problems. I’m good.
Barry: Have you been not able to walk your whole life?
Salvador: I could walk and then the accident happened to me at 19, I tell you it was an accident. Well,
I was living the American dream and I was a victim of crime in the United States.
A person, I do’t want to sound racist but it was a black guy who assaulted me. Robbed me. He asks me for the money, and I give him the money but even so he shot me , and so there I was left at the age of 19. There I was. My story is long because, I had a family. I had my wife, a son who was about 6 months old at the time and of course spent lots of time in the hospital. The doctors were preparing me psychologically for the news that, hey, your partner, your wife is going to leave you, because of your disability, she couldn’t handle it. Then my wife came and tried to convince me because I had family in Puerto Vallarta, that they would be better to take care of me, so we came here, then she left me and left for United States taking my son and I stayed here. What could I do?
Well, my life was very, very different,
When I arrived back with my family here, I did not feel uncomfortable because I was good before, I could walk, but then I was like this and I just wanted to disappear from my family. So, I went to Mexico to Mexico City.
When I arrived in Mexico City, I arrived at a church that is the Basilica of Guadalupe and I arrived at night. I decided I wanted to go there and live in the streets. And a friend told me No no no no do not move. There are people who can help you. We want to take you back. There is opportunity for you.
So, I stayed there overnight and saw the dawn of the next day. And while I was there that morning I saw how some of the disabled people there were able to integrate with small businesses. And I thought Wow!
So, I thought, I can do this in Puerto Vallarta. So, I came back, and I started with a small cardboard box to sell gum and things on the Malecón in other places, and my first day was excellent.
The next day I was better. Then I said no this is for me it is my job and I have been doing this for years, selling the candy. And I’m doing super well I feel very good I feel for me it’s like, I will be interacting with people is like a therapy.
I mean you get to meet people to be talking to each other and to me it is very, very nice. It is something is something beautiful.
And sometimes I want to rest in my house and I stayed up to a month in my house doing nothing, but I do not feel comfortable doing that.
I say no, no, I prefer to be at my job because I feel better, I feel more active.
Barry: You need something to live for to make you feel alive
Salvador: Yes. It’s something different because, it’s a force, that can transmit me to where there are good people. It’s work yes, to be with them, it makes me feel very good.
Barry: You have some help. There was a person who was helping you.
Salvador: That is my partner she’s my wife. We’ve been married for 3 years. It’s been good. In fact, two years ago I had the opportunity to buy a tricycle. Because I was fatter more more obese.
When I had the opportunity to see a video of the person who makes these tricycles. I saw him riding on the beach and I said I want one. So, I bought one, When I got on and I felt free or something different. Something different in my life. So, I started to practice.
And then I met a friend from adapted sports, and she invites me to participate and I told her no. First my challenge was with myself. I was obese, very fat.
So, I started with myself. The first days were very difficult but I right away I started to feel better about my health. And right
now, I am competing in, 5 kilometers 10 km half marathons to which is 21 km in the full marathon. I just returned from the marathon of the City of Mexico.
And when you are competing in Mexico City it’s a high altitude. We’re here in Puerto Vallarta at sea level, but when you go to Mexico it’s up there and it’s difficult to breath. And this was my first time.
And Thank God I ran the marathon.
There were more people from the group from adapted sport who only ran 30 kilometers and I ran 42.
I did it, I ran it in 3 hours 10 minutes.
The Mexico City Marathon had 45,000 athletes, runners. Of the 45,000 runners, 30 of them made it at or before 3 hours 10 minutes so one of those first 30 runners for me.
I had the satisfaction, to arrive there, to make it and I guess now I can say that I am a high-performance athlete. Because of
So that makes you feel confident as an athlete.
So, it’s great. Many people participated in the marathon, some took up to 67 hours,
and me, only 3 hours 10 minutes, it was excellent, excellent.
Barry: Excellent. I can’t believe you were fat because I’m seeing a very strong thin man.
Salvador: Well, I was, I never actually got on a scale, but I just went from size 44 waist, and I was probably larger than that because I was so obese, I felt so fat that I couldn’t even zip up my pants then,
but right now I’m down to a size 38 waist. and like even size 38 is already loose, which means that I have lost many kilos many kilos. But I’m not obsessed, I’m not saying I want go down more, and more and I want to be thinner, no no, no, it’s not safe me, with the type of training I do in my tricycle.
I start my training every day at 6 o’clock in the morning or on my days off, Mondays I grab the tricycle all day and I am in the heaven then. This training it is a very low-calorie rhythm, and my weight goes down little by little, but I’m not obsessed with weight loss, no. No, because if it is an obsession, it is very, very easy to go backward when you binge, eat too much.
So, I go slow, step by step for two years and I’m at a good weight. It’s perfect for now and there are still more years, first.
Barry: Good. So, you lost the weight, you did it for your wife?
Salvador: No. No, no ,no, no.
It is personal because there is no, there is not a person who can force you to do what you do not want, no. I did it for me. And I like it. I do not need someone to tell me. No, no I do it and Just like in my work on the Malecon, nobody makes me. I like it.
And for me to be here to see the sunset see, see this landscape as the people are passing by me, these are things that are
beautiful gifts from god, right? Wonderful things. And then I enjoy many people come on holiday, from very far away by the thousands, from another part of the world another side far away and here I am, in Vallarta, waiting for them and here are enjoying life. And It’s so much fun, they are having and it’s free for me. It’s enjoyable to watch the people enjoy the fruits of life.
Every day is a new dawn is a new challenge, so you have to fight for it.
Nobody fights for you but you.
Barry: How old are you?
Salvador: I am 45 years old 45 I have a good life. Taken care of myself now.
Barry: When people return every year for vacations do they remember you?
Salvador: It is something is very beautiful. I have met many people from many parts of many countries but more frequent more more from the United States and Canada.
Year after year when they come.They are very, very good people, they make me feel very happy.
Like the ones who always remember me and they come brings me presents.
Or many of my friends from Canada tell me Salvador, I’m going to teach you a little bit of English and I’ve also taught them a little bit of Spanish, so we exchanged a few words and, for me, that makes me very happy. I also know some friends from Japan, they came to stay here for a while at the condos and I have very nice memories of them. For me it is very beautiful.
Having that contact with them, that speaks well me and you are well that you do not use alcohol and drugs. Well, it’s when those people remember you and visit you, it’s because you’re something nice for them, something that says, “Salvador you are a very good person”.
Barry: In Vallarta, is it hard to get around in a wheelchair?
Salvador: Well 10 years ago it was very difficult for people with disabilities also for the elderly people because Vallarta has its high sidewalks, to climb to walk then to fall, it was very difficult back then there was no accessibility.
How to raise awareness, for other people about people with disabilities, there was not a lot of that. Then, because Vallarta is a tourist place, and many elderly people arrive, people with disabilities. Then the government began to focus on the issue, to make the sidewalks different sidewalks with ramps, and now, at this moment the Malecón has been made accessible, not just for me as a person with disability or the elderly, but for children it’s like more family friendly, because now, most of the streets of Puerto Vallarta those that can be walked and have ramps. There are streets where I run with my tricycle which are wide. So, they are more aware, and the government is more aware of the need. They have an image not only for the people of Vallarta but also for tourism, not national international or is it something different then I know tourism will come to Vallarta because Vallarta is more accessible.
But if there are certain places like restaurants that do not have but things are changing, it is not step by step, it goes little by little.
So they made that ramp, so I think some people already have that idea that we need that ramp. Then we can leave our places and get out on the streets and start rolling because if we do not leave our house, they will never see us.
And if we are not going to be locked in there go out and have people know that we exist in society.
Whether it’s for a drinker of water to drink as you just said to enter a public bath,
to a restaurant that ramp is always something different that take us into account,
And the truth is there is already a change in Vallarta and I feel very happy.
Barry: If someone wants you to find where you are going to look,
Salvador: Well like me then I am already well known Not here on the boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta, because many already locate me what I am in front of the Huichol art store ,
and from there in the 11:00 am I move to the next block that is the corner of Mandala the nightclub because there I am. Well most people because I have been working here for so many years now, they
know me and when I do not come and rest they tell me Hey where you were but I already have my clientele, not then the people who come new and know me just as we are here as dialogue with you dialogue with many people, and come back and they place me and think something very very beautiful and I repeat you again.
Vallarta has something very nice. We live on tourism, so we must give a good treatment to tourism a good image so that tourism returns to Vallarta again not feeling, bothered by the people of Vallarta and by the people who are here working.
Barry: Do you have a Facebook Page?
Salvador: I do not have a page, only then I have my number of Whats Not my Whats App but no no I have not gotten much on Facebook because it doesn’t work very well with my job. When I’m working, I need to focus on my job, not the phone. To be present in front of all those people crossing in front of me to watch them cruise by and to enjoy those moments, not just being lost in technology, not like many people do not being there. I try not to not go there, it is important for you to be you and there for everyone. Not being on the phone. Plus, you aren’t making friends, they might pass because they are going to see you or is busy or not come and buy something because you aren’t present.
It’s more important when people pass for me to invite them Hey friend, chewing gum chocolates or Americans.
So best not being very involved technology.
Barry: I’m going to take your picture here and put this episode up on the show soon and on the blog-post. I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with me and my listeners. I appreciate that.
Salvador: Well, thanks to you for giving me the opportunity to make this this little let’s say this interview I really feel,
Well, very cool music very well Sorry for the word, because then I feel cool,
and then thanks to everything you, you rate all those people who listen to you.
Great blessings play forever.
And From the whole group here on the Malecon, God bless you we are on the boardwalk of Puerto Vallarta From The Candy Man, Salvador..
Barry: Salvador many thanks Thank you friend.
Barry: Salvador many thanks Thank you friend.
Wow, as Salvador would say, wow!
You know, I never know what kind of gift I’m going to get till I open it, and Salvador, what a gift! What an inspiration can you imagine?
Now I received a What’sapp message from Salvador the other day and he sent me an invitation to hear him speak at Estacion Bicicleta, a sweet little coffee shop and cafeteria catering to cyclists, over next to El Tigre Golf course in Nuevo Vallarta. He spoke at the coffeeshop the other day, and although only a couple people could make the event, he made a great impact on those who were there. Can you imagine? So he is raising funds for his next Mexico City Marathon coming up in August. So I got in touch with Sergio over at Estacion Bicicleta and he told me he was speechless after hearing Salvador’s story. I asked him if
he could set up a fund for Salvador for us to send money to, and he and Salvador tried, but we determined the best way to get donations to Salvador would be through Western Union or Instagram, and you would send the donations to Salvador Estrada Nunez, you need to spell it correctly, and I think you will need his phone number so send me an email, because I don’t want to make that public information, just for you listeners, so send me an email to PVTRAVELSHOW@GMAIL.com , or puertovallartatravelshow@gmail.com, and I will give you that information so we can help Salvador make another run at the Mexico City Marathon. I will have all the information in the show notes for this episode of the show. And also a big shout out to my new friends at Estacion Bicicleta, You guys rock for helping Salvador. I have their info in the show notes so support them if you are in the area and looking for a good cup of coffee and nice people.
Send a Donation to Salvador Estrada Nunez For the Mexico City Marathon
Spell his name correctly….
- Salvador Estrada Nunez
- Email me for the Phone Number for Salvador at pvtravelshow@gmail.com
- Western Union To Mexico
- MoneyGram to Mexico
Estacion Bicicleta Information in Nuevo Vallarta
- Website: www.estacionbicicleta.com
- Phone # +52 322 319 1552
- Facebook Page for Estacion Bicicleta
I also am going to produce a Spanish Only version of this podcast, so you out there can share this fine man’s testimony with some Spanish speakers you know. Salvador’s story of determination and his outlook on life is just so inspiring, it just might help someone with similar problems. So I will have a link to the Spanish version a little bit later, just give me a couple of days, and I will share it to the Puerto Vallarta Travelshow’s Facebook page, so if you want to get a heads up as to when it’s available, make sure you have liked my page, and you will be notified. I’ll also try to announce it next week, so thanks for sharing in advance.
Okay That should do it for this week.
Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more. Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.
And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a
purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.
And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there. I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.
And thank you to Salvador Estrada. Make sure you say hello to him the next time you see him on the Malecon. And buy
something from him. A chocolate, a cherry flavored cancer stick. You choose. Na, just kidding. Drop him a 100 peso note or two and tell him it’s for his Marathon Fund. He will get a kick out of that. And don’t forget, if you can’t come to Vallarta, at least you can donate using Western Union or Moneygram. Go to the website or just email me and I will get you his info including his phone number you will need to make a donation, to help Salvador run his second marathon.
And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!