Patrick Pickett Assists Expats in Puerto Vallarta Mexico Obtain a Mexican Drivers License and proper Vehicle Registration
Buying a Used Car in Mexico and Having it Properly Registered is Tricky, Pat’s Plates can Help
Can You Keep Your Car Purchased in The US, in Mexico? Pat’s Plates Can Help you in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit
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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 your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
This week we are going to get a little wonkie and dive into the realm of making your car legal in Vallarta. You ‘ll be meeting my friend Pat, from Pat’s Plates. Expat Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver’s Licenses in Puerto Vallarta. Pat will be discussing getting a Mexican Drivers License as well as proper registration of your Mexican vehicle. You may be saying Barry, I have no intention of having a car in paradise, and for you I’ll say hang in there, Pat has great advise for all of us and it’s an interesting subject none-the less.
Contact Information For Pats Plates PV
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/patsplatespv
- Email: patsplatespv@gmail.com
I’ll also be talking with you about last month’s journey to Mayto with my wife during the Dia de Los Muertos week. We visited with Matty and Jesse in El Tuito at their restaurant Provecho Panque Paninis Pizza y Mas, Matty has some news from El Tuito, I’ll tell you about some ticked off taxistas, a guitar I brought down with me to be painted, Vallarta news and more so before we get to Pat, Let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 2nd day of December, 2022.
Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe beginning today in Vallarta, December 1st till the 12th, 2022
As the end of the year approaches and high season comes into full swing we only have two more National Holiday’s left on the calendar. With Revolution Day November 20th in our rear-view mirror, we have only the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe beginning in Vallarta, December 1st till the 12th, and then Christmas Day December 25th of course.
This should be quite a celebration as it’s been a few years since the pandemic changed everything. This year we are back to normal….from a blog I found from Villa del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa….
The holiday season in Mexico is full of family celebrations and colorful decorations, and of all the Puerto Vallarta festivals 2022 has, the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the biggest. Celebrated throughout the country on the days leading up to December 12, this festival honors the Virgin Mary and her role in Mexican culture. Beginning on December 1st, communities from around the region come together, filling each night with music and laughter. Puerto Vallarta is one of the best places to celebrate under the light of the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the famous cathedral along the Malecon boardwalk. If you’re visiting Puerto Vallarta this winter, you won’t want to miss out on these 12 days of lively festival and events.
The history of the Virgin de Guadalupe begins in 1531 outside Mexico City when the Virgin Mary appeared to a young peasant boy named Juan Diego, speaking in his native Nahuatl language. With her encouragement, the young Juan convinced the archbishop of Mexico City to build a church on the Hill of Tepeyac. The persuading point for the archbishop was when the image of the Virgin appeared inside the cloak of Juan Diego. Over time, richer and more elaborate shrines were built on the hill, and today, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a major pilgrimage site in the suburbs of Mexico City. Its most famous relic is Juan Diego’s cloak, on which you can still see the Virgin Mary’s image.
December 12 is the date when Juan Deigo’s cloak appeared with the image of the Lady of Guadalupe before the archbishop, and today, it’s the date for the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Like most festival and events in Mexico, this holiday is stretched over several days, beginning on December 1. Throughout the country, pilgrims make their way to cathedrals, some even traveling to the Hill of Tepeyac to honor the Virgin Mary.
For one of the biggest Puerto Vallarta festivals 2022 has, the celebration begins at the Woolworth store on Juarez street and stretches to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Down the cobblestone street, families, churches, schools, unions, businesses, and community organizations form a processional for the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Traditional dancers and mariachi bands march along, making this pilgrimage a joyful celebration of culture. Vendors on the side of the road serve hot street food and sell toys for children while fireworks shoot off overhead. On the final night, December 12, the procession ends at the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a special mass to honor the Virgin Mary. The faith and love of the Mexican people are infectious, and if you’re going to attend any of the Puerto Vallarta festivals 2022 has, this is the one that will fill your heart with joy and hope. December 12 is also the anniversary of the founding of Puerto Vallarta, making it an especially auspicious day to visit the city.
When it comes to traditional festival and events, Mexico is known for lively and vibrant celebrations. The Virgin of Guadalupe is iconic in Mexico and dearly loved in the hearts of many. Regardless of religious background, all are welcome to come and watch the processionals on the first 12 nights of December, celebrating the hope, joy, and culture of Mexico.
And I have a link to that very informative article from Villas del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa in the show notes.
Brewmasters Festival 5th Edition at Puerto Magico Dec 3-4
This weekend Saturday December 3rd and Sunday December 4th from 1 in the afternoon until 10 at night, catch the 5th edition of the Brewmasters Festival de Cerveza Artesanal at Puerto Magico. 15 different breweries, dozens of beers to choose from. There will be music, food and mixologists serving raicilla and other alcoholic and non alcoholic treats. But tons of beer. Admission and parking are free. Get to Puerto Magico this weekend and get your beer on. https://www.facebook.com/brewmasterspv
Roberto the Silver Seller on The Malecon Has Moved
I received an email from listener and contributor Marty who was asking what happened to Roberto Flores Diaz from Roberto’s Silver Shop on the Olas Altas part of the Malecon across from Tile Park.
Well, Roberto moved from his round shaped kiosk, to a spot right next door just south of his old place which was demolished I believe. So never fear, Roberto the silver guy is still in business, just one or two doors down. Look for him in the afternoons playing cards near his store, with the vendors if you can’t find him in his shop.
Roberto Castellon is now at Marlow’s Dining Room
Speaking of Roberto’s, If you remember our friend Roberto Castellon from Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo Superb Seafood Restaurant on Basillio Badillo. Well, Roberto closed his restaurant a couple of years ago now. But I got a note from him that he has a new place called Marlow’s Dining Room. Marlow’s had their grand opening November 5th 2022, described as Eclectic and elevated cuisine by Chef Jonathan Rico.
The restaurant is located at Basillio Badillo 277. Just down the street from Roberto’s old place which was at Basillio Badillo 283. Literally 2 doors down the street. I have a link to his new place and I’ll make sure to stop by and check out his new place.
Contact Information for Marlow’s Dining Room Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlows.pv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlows_pv_/
- Address: Basilio Badillo 277, Zona Romantica 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
- Website: https://www.marlows-pv.com/?fbclid=IwAR1lrrhgxSYVKe17cDlPWj_xeyhJ-zgbHySnLfozsCSKi8zwwL5MGZGTb0U
- Reservations: https://www.marlows-pv.com/reservations
Roberto Lazaro, Art by Roberto
Staying on the subject of Roberto’s, I don’t think I’ve talked with you about Roberto Lazaro, an artist I heard about through my friend Trish. Trish had been on the show with her husband Chad. Trish is our skydiver if you remember. She did a tandem skydive over Vallarta that she told us about. Well, Trish told me about Roberto Lazaro who she said
will paint on anything. She said she brought him a pair of Vans, tennis shoes, and had Roberto paint them. Now Roberto’s place is actually a little closet sized room located between Bar La Playa and the Hotel Eloisa, on Lazaro Cardenas right across the street from Tile Park. Roberto was born into a home where he’s a third generation artist of ceramic painters and woodcarvers, and he sits in his closet and paints things. His style is kind of Huichol, and Oaxacan in nature with colorful mandala designs and floral flourishes. He paints alebrijes, which are little wooden carved animals, he paints hats, plaster items, an occasional cow skull, well, anything. When Trish told me about him I remembered watching Roberto painting a bicycle frame when I was having a few drinks at Bar La Playa some years back. And I took a picture of him back then painting that bike and I even dug it up for the blog.
Anyway, as a real estate agent I end up with lots of stuff. Ask any realtor who’s been in the business long enough how much stuff they have that belonged to former home sellers. They literally can point around their home and tell you where certain pieces came from. Trust me on this. I have the coolest tools from home sellers. Nice pieces of furniture. Guitars…I collect guitars. Yup…Clients who are moving are always looking for someone to take stuff off their hands.
Getting back to Roberto, I found a pair of boots at a house I was cleaning out. They were almost new and fit me. So I took them to my local shoemaker and told him I wanted him to dye them black, because I had a guy who was going to paint them and make them all
fancy for line dancing. So he dyes them and finishes them up, but didn’t wax polish them, so the paint would adhere to the boot better. Then I took them down to Roberto, and asked him if he would paint the boots for me, which he did, and man he did a great job. I have a picture in the show notes.
After he did those boots I thought about all those acoustic guitars I’d been hoarding and decided to strip one down to the bare wood, sand and finish and paint the body and neck a solid light blue color, and then took it down with me to have him do his magic. It looks absolutely beautiful, but I still need to finish putting a lacquer finish on it before re stringing it. But it looks absolutely cool. I have pics of both the boots and the guitar in the show notes. I can’t wait till I get those strings on and play it.
Check out Roberto’s work. Like I said I have pics of the boots and guitar in the show notes as well as Roberto’s Facebook page at Vallarta Art by Roberto, and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/painted_art_by_roberto/
I have links to both his pages as well as a map to Roberto’s place. I just love his work. And I love drinking next door to his closet. And thank you Trish for turning me on to Roberto! I’m currently stripping and sanding another guitar for my next trip.
- https://www.instagram.com/painted_art_by_roberto/
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064200667947
Okay…I think that covers the Roberto’s…
Let’s go from Roberto’s to ticked off taxi drivers shall we?
Ticked off taxis in Puerto Vallarta
Last week I mentioned I experienced several very uncomfortable taxi rides this last time down for Dia de Los Muertos.
I’m sure two of those rides had to do with the location we were staying. See, we were at the Hotel Rosita for the last three nights of our stay, and the taxis line up across the street from the hotel, on Avenida Mexico at the sitio there. And they take passengers in order, no matter how large the vehicle. So when Debbie and I wanted to go from the Rosita to let’s say my friend’s house up the hill in Cinco de Diciembre, a ride of like a half mile. But straight up, and the next vehicle waiting in line at the sitio is a 12 passenger tour van, guess what? They don’t waive us over to a 5 passenger sedan, no. Debbie and I are made to hop into a 12 passenger van, and ask the driver to take us up the hill for a 60 peso fare. How do you think the driver felt about that? Well, he muttered under his breath the whole way.
Another time, same thing happened. We were heading to Ixtapa to interview Salvador Carrillo over at his restaurant La Tienda Grande, and again, a 12 passenger van took the two of us, during rush hour over to Ixtapa. Oh he was pissed, but at least he had a friend who was sitting gunshot to commiserate with.
In the end, they were actually pretty nice. They dropped us off at the restaurant which was obviously closed, and didn’t realize that we were meeting Salvador to interview him. And Salvador was a bit late. But the guys in the van actually went around the block and came back to make sure we didn’t need a ride back to town. So in the end, even though they were pissed, they were really nice.
The third ride happened the same day. After we left the interview with Chef Salvador, we took an Uber to Puerto Magico in interview to folks at Blakes. Blakes just opened up at the port.
Anyway, after the interview we walked out and requested a taxi, and the guy in charge called this guy who pulled up looking really agitated. I asked him, as I always do how much to the Hotel Rosita, and he said 100 pesos. That guy told me I could only charge you 100 pesos.
So, we got in, and that’s when Mr. Toad’s wild ride started. Oh the gas prices, oh I have to run the air conditioning, how can I make a living like this? It was a bit frightening. I mean, I know that ride should be costing me at least 150 -180 pesos.
So finally, we reached the Rosita…the dude looked like he was ready to cry, so I handed him 150 pesos and told him to get a bag of weed and chill. Debbie couldn’t believe it.
Staying Overnight in Mayto at Hotel Mayto Paradise Club
Now talking about taxi rides, I wanted to tell you about our trip down to El Tuito and to Mayto and our stay at the Hotel Mayto Paradise Resort and Beach Club.
Debbie and I broke up our trip this time down by spending a night in Mayto.
Now to get to Mayto, I like to take the bus to El Tuito, and then call my buddy Javier, my favorite taxista in El Tuito, to take me to Mayto.
So first off, Important update. The bus to El Tuito which you used to find on the corner of Aguacate and Carranza across from Mariscos Cisneros isn’t there anymore. They are building a new condo on that corner so you need to walk south along Aguacate another
block to the corner of Aguacate and Basillio Badillo, so make a note of that. It might change back when they finish the construction, but I’ll miss that abarotes store on the corner of Caranza and Aguacate.
Remember the El Tuito Bus is the same bus that will take you to the Botanical Gardens. And by the way, the gardens are now open 7 days a week for high season, and as of today they also have raised their entry fee from 200-300 pesos. so about $15 US to enter the gardens.
We took the bus to El Tuito where we stopped in to pick up a sandwich for our ride down to the Beach in Mayto, over at Matty and Jesse’s newly expanded restaurant Provecho Panne Paninis Pizza y Mas, and I asked them what’s new and Matty said lots, so I asked him to tell us all about it. So let’s go right now to Matty and Jessie’s place, just steps from
the Bus Stop at the Town Plaza in El Tuito, to Provecho Panne Paninis Pizza y Mas and here what’s new from Matty James, in El Tuito, Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico.
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Okay, thank you Matty. Thanks for the update and hey, you all stop in and say hello to Matty and Jesse and try out some of those new dishes.
Contact Information For Provecho Panne Paninis Pizza y Mas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/provechotuito
- Address: Calle Jesus Cervantes #15 48400 El Tuito, Jalisco, Mexico
- Phone: +52 322 171 7818
- Email: provechotuito@gmail.com
One of the sad things I learned while I was in El Tuito was when I asked Matty why I was having such a hard time getting a hold of Javier, my favorite taxi driver in El Tuito. I had
Javier on the show some time ago. Well according to Matty and Jesse, Javier, like many other taxi drivers in Tuito had nothing to do during the pandemic. No work because nobody was taking taxis, no tourists. So, Javier turned to the bottle. They would
sometimes find him asleep in his taxi, all messed up. They said he lost his little family and had to move back to his father’s home in Mayto. Defeated and addicted. Another victim
of the response to the pandemic that ruined the lives of so many. Just another statistic.
We walked out of Provecho and after checking the town square for a taxi, we ducked into a tienda to see if they would call us a cab which they did, and 15 minutes later, Arturo shows up in a very nice taxi and asks us where we want to go. I tell him Mayto, and I asked him how much he would charge me. He must have figured I’d been there before because he asked me how much I usually pay. I told him 600 pesos which is about $30 US,
and he said fine, hop in. So we hopped in for the 50 minute ride down the mountain to the beach. On the way Arturo and I chatted, in Spanish. Arturo’s English was almost nonexistent, but I’d recommend him in a minute, and so would Debbie. She loved the way he drove. We talked a little about how Javier was always my taxi driver when I was on Tuito, and he pointed out Javier’s dad’s house as we drove past. I wanted him to stop, but Debbie urged me to tell Arturo to continue on. I guess it was better that way.
We arrived at the Hotel Mayto and had a wonderful time. Had a lovely room, had some drinks and appetizers and watched the sunset. The waitress even let us smoke a doobie in the restaurant. Really. Hey…we made sure there weren’t any kids, we promise.
Anyway, we arranged a return trip with Arturo who came back to pick us up at 3 in the afternoon to give us a lift back to the plaza in El Tuito, where we caught the bus back to Vallarta.
It was a lovely break in the action. Three nights in Vallarta, a night in Mayto and then the last 4 nights back in Vallarta. It worked out perfectally.
As for Arturo, I have his phone number for his WhatsApp in the shownotes. Arturo is taxi #10 in El Tuito. His English is limited but when I asked him if he was interested in helping my listeners to the podcast he said absolutely. He’s very steady and trustworthy and has been driving taxis for 30 years and has a very nice vehicle. So look for his number in the show notes, or when you are in El Tuito and need a taxi, ask for taxi #10, Arturo.
Arturo, Taxi #10 in El Tuito Contact # 011-52-322-117-2420
I want to thank those of you who got hold of me and wished my wife well on her journey with her diagnosis of breast cancer. She is doing exceptionally well. So, thank you for your notes of encouragement. I shared all of them with her and she is grateful. Thank you so much
Okay, once again I find myself without enough time to talk about the Tren Maya…Hopefully next week.
Let’s get to our guest today, Patrick Pickett, Pat, from Pat’s Plates, where expats can get Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver’s Licenses, in Puerto Vallarta and along the Bahia de Banderas.
Pat’s Plates, Expat Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver’s Licenses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Contact Information For Pats Plates PV
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/patsplatespv
- Email: patsplatespv@gmail.com
As I said at the beginning of the show there are a great many of you who may never need Pat’s services because you are thinking hey, I don’t plan to live in paradise. I’m a vacationer, I just visit. Or maybe you are saying I don’t plan to own a vehicle when I get to Mexico. Many of my guests came to Vallarta thinking I don’t need a car. There’s taxi’s,
Ubers, Busses, Combis, collectivos, scooters…but, remember, things can change over time, and we’ve seen this time and time again, many of you will find you crave the freedom of having your own wheels.
One of those couples actually, we have spoken with twice on this podcast. Elli and Russell Rens who emigrated from New Zealand and settled in Mexico remember, by pulling it out of a hat? Well if you have been following the show you know they actually broke down and purchased a vehicle so they could enjoy the freedom of the road.
We’ve heard their adventures, right? And in one of our conversations Russell talked about Pat and Pat’s Plates, and about how he was very helpful in taking care of his Mexican registration and driver’s license.
So, I thought it would be a good idea to bring Pat on the show. And as I said, Pat has lots of information that goes beyond drivers’ licenses and Mexican car registration so stick around for this conversation. You’ll be glad you did. Now to get Pat to share his expertise with you, I had to invite him to breakfast somewhere where he couldn’t say no now could I? So let’s go right now to a table on the beach, with a tablecloth, fine stemware and flatware and linin napkins. At one of my favorite breakfast places in the world. La Palapa. Let’s put our feet in the sand with a view of the Los Muertos Pier, and let’s meet Patrick Pickett, Pat, from Pat’s Plates, expat Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver’s Licenses, in Puerto Vallarta, and on the Bahia de Banderas, Jalisco and Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico.
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Okay, thank you so much Pat. Great information for you weather you plan to own a vehicle in Mexico or not, am I right or not?
Suggestions From Pat for Food and Things to do
Breakfast:
Lunch
- La Aroura For Tacos
- Tacos El Machin PV for Birria & Shrimp Tacos Puerto Vallarta
Dinner
- Tintoque Puerto Vallarta
- Barrio Bistro, Puerto Vallarta
- Marisqueria Lirio’s Seafood, Puerto Vallarta
And I like how Pat will give you the tools to do it yourself if you have the time and the wherewithal to see it through. The long lines would chase me away. I have pictures of some of those long lines in the show notes as well as some special links to things Pat and I talked about so look for those at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com .
Okay, that should do it for today…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 follow share with a lover of Puerto Vallarta or give me a good review wherever or however you happen to be listening. 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.
Matty James from Provecho Panque Paninis Pizza y Mas in El Tuito. Check out their new Italian pasta specials. Stop in and pick up a sandwich or a pizza for your taxi ride to Mayto or Tehuamixtle. I have their information in the shownotes. And thank you to Pat Pickett
from Pat’s Plates, Expat Help for Vehicle Registration and Driver’s Licenses in Puerto Vallarta and along the bay in Nuevo Nayarit as well. You can find all his information in the show notes. Of course you will find it at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.
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.
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