Retiring in Mexico, Especially Puerto Vallarta is a Good Option for Canadians
Johnnie D is a Canadian who found a way to retire comfortably in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
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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.
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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 your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
Today I’m going to introduce you to my friend Johnnie D. Johnnie is from Canada, and he is going to tell us how he retired to Puerto Vallarta, and how he makes ends meet living in paradise on a fixed income. But before we get to Johnnie, Let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 8th of May…2020.
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First of all, I hope all of you are doing well. I hope your checker at the market is doing well. I asked Dwayne an the corner market if he wanted to come on the show. He’s too shy he tells me. I’ll keep trying.
In Puerto Vallarta, the lock-down due to the corona virus pandemic continues with folks told to shelter in place with adults over the age of 60, required to stay home, everyone is asked to wear masks outdoors. Shopping is allowed for necessary items only like medicine, food and alcohol. Unless that is, unless you are in Nayarit. Then no alcohol for you. But on the Jalisco side of the border in Puerto Vallarta, you can’t buy pants. Hummm. There must be a joke in there somewhere but I’ll pass. Let’s just say the rules to purchase goods are just loco on both sides of the border. You get the idea they are messing with you??? Ommm yeah. At any rate, folks are holding out hope they can make it through the month and maybe by June 1st, things will begin to relax for everyone on the ground.
Already we are hearing of businesses closing down, not able to withstand the lack of income, and having to support and pay employees, utility bills and rent. We will no doubt witness lots of changes when we finally make it back to vacation in paradise. As far as the podcast is concerned, I have enough recorded interviews to last me till the end of the first week of July, then I’m out. I was supposed to be going back this month to record interviews to get me through till October, but that’s not happening.
This is an interesting article from Puerto Vallarta Daily News..
PUERTO VALLARTA SEEKS TO BE CERTIFIED AS A COVID ZERO DESTINATION
Hoteliers in Puerto Vallarta seek to be certified as a COVID Zero destination to be prepared by the end of the year to receive international tourism by complying with the most demanding hygiene protocols.
In addition, they are preparing a strong promotion strategy to help hotels recover from the cancellation of most reservations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the president of the Association, Álvaro García Arce.
“For a soft opening, that is to be able to open the destiny little by little, we know, this is going to be painful, we know that the recovery will come later or gradually and it may have effects until December. Together, with the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust, this promotional campaign is going to give the tourists assertiveness to our destination so that they feel safe.”
The president of the Puerto Vallarta Hotel Association pointed out that only 5 of the total hotels in this destination are open and with many restrictions, to accommodate those who work in essential activities.
One of the main concerns is that being a global pandemic, they still don’t know how international tourists will return, to what extent and when flights and cruises will return.
García Arce said that there is concern about the construction of new hotels that no longer continue due to the pandemic because the goal of the entire sector is to boost productivity and the economic flow in this destination.
And I have a link to that article in the shownotes
I reached out to our friend Elvira Moncayo at the Vallarta Board of Tourism to see what she could tell me about the reopening of Vallarta. She said that they are updating the information every time the state government is announcing a new protocol or regulation. As of today, most of the hotels remain closed, they are planning to restart operation
tentatively on June 1st. Airlines frequencies and operation and current and future travel restrictions are not known at this time. I have a link to a list of properties scheduled to open June 1st and July 1st. And thank you Elvira, we need to talk again soon. Thanks for the link and Elvira has promised to supply information as soon as she knows anything.
Reopening Plans For Vallarta Link Click Here
Vallarta Food Bank
Vallarta Food Bank still needs your money, in fact, they need your help more than ever either monetarily, of physically by helping bag and…..Here’s a note from Francine Nguyen from Bonita Kitchen and Vallarta Food Bank, she writes…
2000 bags going out each week. That’s at least 8000 bags a month. $120 pesos a bag. That’s roughly $42,000 USD a month we are spending at the food bank. We need your donation to continue feeding families in need. Just $10 USD will feed a small family for a week. This is why I have trouble sleeping at night.
So, as Jimmy said a few weeks ago, they are expecting to be feeding these families for at least until the end of June or July, so they really need your help. They are moving massive amounts of food. Now…
Be careful when making donations that your donations go the the right place. There are others raising funds as food banks in Puerto Vallarta, but this one is called Vallarta Food Bank.
Vallarta Food Bank
Go Fund Me Page Vallarta Food Bank
Patreon Page Puerto Vallarta Food Bank
Facebook Site to Follow and Volunteer at the Vallarta Food Bank
I have all the links you need to make a Patreon donation or a monthly donation.
Corazon de Nina Fundraising Video is Done
Two weeks ago I read you a note from Melissa Canez at Corazon de Nina, one of out favorite orphanages in Puerto Vallarta, and I discussed their needs then.
At the time I mentioned I was making a video for fundraising purposes especially for them at the suggestion of listener Pat, and it’s done. It has pictures of the kids and of the orphanage as well as the conversation I had with Melissa back in 2018. It’s designed for whoever wants to spread the news about this wonderful place to help them raise funds to get them through this rough patch. If you are interested in the video, it’s unlisted, but I would like to share it with you, so you can share it with charity groups or friends and family, who have big hearts and want to help.
Send me an email to pvtravelshow@gmail.com, and I’ll forward you that link.
Okay, Let’s get to the interview, shall we?
Canadian Johnnie D Talks Retirement in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Many lovers of Puerto Vallarta dream of one day, retiring and moving to paradise. We’ve met quite a few of them over the years together haven’t we?
Some sell everything and move to Vallarta. They either rent or buy a place. Some have money in the bank, some earn pensions or social security. Some come to Mexico to retire because it’s economical.
Well, our guest is a Canadian named Johnnie D. I met Johnnie about 2 years ago at a bar. I don’t remember which one of course, they kinda blend together, but I someone, I can’t remember who, but someone introduced him to me as the spicy pickle maker. Said he would be a fun interview, and he was. You’re going to like him and, you will learn a lot from his experiences.
Now, keep in mind, that Johnnie pays about $200 US a month for his rent, and tells me he can live well, for about $900 a month, US.
Now I met up with Johnnie at one of my favorite beach bars, El Solar. It’s in the Cinco de Diciembre neighborhood right next door to El Barracuda. I set up my recorder and grabbed a cold beverage, and had a fun conversation with a Canadian retiree in paradise, let’s meet him now, Johnnie D, on the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
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Okay, interesting conversation, right? I love this guy’s routine. He’s got his route planned. I think I could get into that type of routine don’t you. Roll out of bed, go to the beach, eat,
to lunch, drink, to dinner eat and drink…don’t stop me. No, but I love how these people figure out how to make ends meet. I have information about Johnnie’s hot spicy pickles and focaccia bread and marinated carrots and more including pictures in the shownotes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.
Check out all the pictures.
Johnnie D’s Favorite Vallarta Places
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
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.
Thanks to Johnney D for talking about how you make ends meet living in paradise. Look for Johnnie whenever you are in paradise. He has wanted posters all over the place. Also don’t forget to donate to Vallarta Food Bank and look for your Mexican Friends and reach out to them ok?
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!