An interview With Johnny Ventura, the Oyster Vendor on Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta
Friends of Beach Vendor Johnny Ventura , a well known Beach Vendor in Puerto Vallarta are Raising Funds to Help Him Out
Bob and Denise McCuaig from Canada tell us great stories of 20 Years of Travel to Puerto Vallarta
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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.
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.
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This week I’m going to introduce you to Johnny Ventura. Johnny has sold oysters on Los Muertos Beach for many years, and our friend Robina Oliver, the swimsuit queen brought Johnny to our attention as his health had taken a turn and she has stepped up to help. We’ll hear Johnny’s story. Then you will meet my friends Bob and Denise McCuaig from Kamloops Canadia. I love Bob and Denise. They are a riot and they have some great stories to tell about their 20 some years of visiting Vallarta. But before we get to Johnny, Denise and Bob, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta the 7th of January, 2022. Happy New Year!
Governor Cancelled Fireworks in Vallarta
Since we last met…The Puerto Vallarta City Council has reported on the cancellation of the activities contemplated for this December 31 as part of the New Year’s Eve celebration.
The Puerto Vallarta City Council has indicated that by instruction of Governor Enrique Alfaro, the activities that were planned to take place today in Los Arcos del Malecón have been canceled for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
From an article in Vallarta Indipendiente
“The activities scheduled for today in Los Arcos del Malecón are canceled”
The program that the Puerto Vallarta City Council had prepared included live music, videomapping, shows and fireworks.
So far the authorities have only mentioned that despite having the corresponding permits to carry out these activities, it has been Governor Enrique Alfaro who has ordered their suspension.
And I have a link to that article from Vallarta Independiente in the show notes.
Cancelan las actividades programadas para hoy en Los Arcos del malecón
There were plenty of private and public celebrations all along the Bahia regardless. I mean…you can’t keep down the human spirit…you just can’t.
Cruise Ships and Passengers Turned Away in Puerto Vallarta
Have you noticed an uptick in even the vaccinated getting the sniffles? Looks like fully vaccinated cruise ships are having some rare breakthrough cases and that actually caused several ships to be turned away at ports in Mexico including Puerto Vallarta. The first ship was the Holland America’s Koningsdam’s out of San Diego, and the second ship was the Carnival Panorama out of long Beach.
Let’s listen to CBS 8 San Diego to hear what happened to the Koningsdam…
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You can find the embed to that CBS 8 newscast out of Dan Diego in the show notes.
The CDC came out on Thursday, December 29th and recommended against cruising regardless of vaccination status. They cited a number of outbreaks aboard cruise ships in recent weeks which caused some ports of call to turn away ships or prevent passengers from disembarking.
From Vallarta Reporter lifted from the NY Times…
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And I have a link to that info in the show notes from Vallarta Reporter, who lifted it from the NY Times, both publications you must be subscribed to, and pay for, to read that article or any article. I just subscribe to one. If you pay for both…well, news collecting can be expensive.
So…why are we requiring all cruise passengers be vaccinated again? Ah yes…science.
Heading Back to Puerto Vallarta For Trip Number 9 During the Pandemic
In a few days I’m hopping on a jet plane in Tijuana and flying to Puerto Vallarta.
I’ll be taking a van from Los Angeles to the CBX, Cross Border Express facility built right up against the wall that separates Mexico and the United States, directly adjacent to the Tijuana airport, where you take a pedestrian walkway from the CBX facility, right over the wall and into the Tijuana Airport where you perform the immigration and customs procedures before proceeding to your departure gate on the Mexico side of the wall.
This time I’m flying Volares down, and Viva Areobus back. $135 round trip US.
I found a brand new listing for an Airbnb last night and I booked it for 4 nights. I still need to find a place for the remaining 4 nights but I intend to stumble into something along the way. I like to sleep around. It gives me more places to share with you.
I’m a little bit worried about the location of this place. It’s just a block north of Mandala right where the Restaurant Dulce Vida is. It’s set back behind the Ban Norte Building with a shared lounge area overlooking the Malecon on Josefa Ortiz with La Chata on theopposite corner. I know I’m totally crazy being a light sleeper and all, but I couldn’t help myself. The location was intriguing, it’s new so the bed hasn’t been selpt in by hundreds of people yet. We’ll see. I have already packed my wax earplugs, and if I really can’t sleep…I just might be knocking on one of your doors out there around 2 in the morning. You know who you are. The room was $48 a night so we’ll see. I’ll be sure to take pictures and video from the place.
The Spit Test for Covid
Last week I mentioned that I saw a sign for a covid saliva antigen test while I was waiting to have my blood drawn at the Laboratorio San Palo, and it was 649 pesos or
approximately $33 US. I thought that would be a great alternative to having the probe up the nose so I said I would check to see if a saliva test was allowed, to qualify to fly to the US. And for what I can see on the interwebs, it is permitted. But I will do it. I’ll try it out and report back to you when I get back from trip number 9.
I’ll be spending time in Yelapa and hopefully Talpa de Allende or Tequila One or the other. Talpa most likely.
Other things that are pretty exciting that I can’t share right now, but when I get back, I hope to have something personal to share about my future plans. I’m pretty stoked but I don’t want to jinx anything so we’ll see.
Okay, let’s get to our first interview.
Johnny Ventura The Oyster Vendor on Playa Los Muertos Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Click Here For Johnny’s Fanclub For Donors Facebook Page
Several months back, in September I believe I read a post from friend of the show Robina Oliver. Robina was, and still is the Mermaid Queen. If you are interested in swimwear in Vallarta Robina has merch for you. She delivers too. But Robina asked if anyone
remembered a beach vendor who worked Los Muertos Beach named Johnny. A guy with a great voice who would announce himself the way Ed McMahan used to announce Johnny Carson’s name at the beginning of the tonight show in the old days, when it was funny. Anybody still alive who remembers Ed McMahan?
She mentioned he looked like his health was deteriorating. She could hardly recognize the man. And he had told her his knees were damaged from walking in the sand every day for years on end, selling oysters to tourists.
His vision was bad and he was in need of an eye doctor and needed to have dental work done. He was basically homeless and was in need of some help.
So Robina posted about Johnny to her good sized social circle on the Facebook…is it meta? And she got quite a response including offers to help Johnny from those who remembered him from Los Muertos Beach. From that came the creation of a Facebook page called Johnny’s Fan Club For Donors where she give updates as to how and where donated money is being spent, how much is collected and how much is left over as a balance. Currently Robina has taken Johnny to a doc for his knees, a dentist, an eye doctor and more I’m sure I’m missing here. Robina found Johnny an apartment. It’s small, I’ve been there. But it’s clean and safe and right in town, in the Romantic zone. People have donated items to help furnish his little apartment, and what Johnny really needs, is to be able to work again…I’m going to let Johnny tell you a little about it. I met with Johnny and Robina at his apartment. Robina made the introductions. She had just delivered a piece of furniture that had been donated, and we got in her vehicle and made a taco stand stop where I was able to make a plan to meet with Johnny at Cuates y Cuetes a little later in the day.
And when I got to Cuates y Cuetes, I caught Johnny with his serving tray, on the beach. I waved him in and ordered a couple of beers, and we had a little talk about him. Let’s go right now to my favorite seaside interview spot…where the webcam let’s us know that all is well in paradise, on Playa Los Muertos, Cuatesy Cuetes, and let’s meet Juan Manuel Ventura Vidades….Or you know him…as Johnny……
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Okay, thank you Johnny. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I have links in the shownotes that will take you to The Johnny’s Fanclub for Donors if you are interested in helping out Johnny and keeping track of his progress. And Robina, what can I say amiga? You have a heart of gold.
Facebook Link to Johnny’s Fanclub For Donors
Okay, check out the links and the pics I have of Johnny Ventura in the shownotes.
20 Years of Visiting Vallarta with Bob and Denise
Next up, let’s have some fun and meet a couple of my friends from Canada, Bob and Denise McCuaig. Bob and I have been friends now for almost as long as I’ve been doing this podcast. I can’t believe it’s been 6 years now. Wow, that’s a lot of tequila under the bridge.
Bob is a great wingman. He’s always up for an adventure and he makes me laugh. He went with me up to San Sebastian a few years back with Jose Castillo, my favorite private driver in Puerto Vallarta who now lives in Hawaii if I’m not mistaken. Wow, I still need a replacement for Jose.
Bob and Denise are always hospitable and every once in a while they invite me to mosey up to their room and check out their diggs. I’m always looking for different accommodations and Bob and Denise also, like me, like to sleep around. So, we never tire of our surroundings.
This time down they were staying at the Park. Kitty corner from Tile Park. A new building with a lovely pool on the roof and a killer view of the bay and the church and the romantic zone and surrounding lush green mountains. A great spot to have a drink and a swim and a panoramic view of our favorite vacation destination….Now there are just a couple naughty words that I left in so just a warning for my easily offended or those with children within earshot. Not bad naughty words as far as naughty words go, but just a warning…so let’s hear some tales of travel to our favorite vacation destination…Puerto Vallarta….Mexico.
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Okay Bob and Denise. Thanks for sharing your stories with us. And if any of you have a coconut shrimp suggestion for Denise, she would really appreciate it. Yes…Roberto retired, lo siento amiga.
And if you take away anything from this podcast remember the lesson learned by Boob….ummm….never mind.
Okay, that should do it for today…Next week…I will be in Vallarta and doing a show from there and posting it as well so I look forward to seeing how that goes. 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 thanks to Robina Oliver, the Mermaid Queen. Thanks for helping out Johnny. You are a true angel. You can help out as well by joining the Facebook Group Johnny’s Fanclub for Donors. I have a link or look for the eyeglass or search function in Facebook and look for Johnny’s Fanclub for Donors, click and see what’s happening.
And Bob and Denise McCuaig thank you for inviting me up to the roof for a few laughs and a few pops. You are the hosts with the mosts.
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.
We usually come down end of November to December. We were all wondering about Johnny. Glad they have stepped up to help him!