Samuel Resendiz is an Underwater Photographer Born in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Specializing in Photography in The Bahia de Banderas, Mexico’s Largest and Deepest Bay
Samuel Resendiz Sells His Underwater Photos as Framed Art, and Also Sells a Line of Underwater Themed Clothing and Beach Apparel, Towels and Totes
Then…Lunch and Big Margaritas at Restaurant Moro Paraiso on The Rio Cuale with Javier Zentenno
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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 take a look under the surface of The Bahia de Banderas, you are going to meet underwater photographer Samuel Resendiz who will fill you in on the sea creatures that lurk in the warm waters of Puerto Vallarta’s vast bay. Samuel’s family is actually famous in Vallarta historical lore. He’ll be
Contact Information For Samuel Resendiz Underwater Photography in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- https://www.instagram.com/samuel.resendiz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelresendizphoto/
- Website: https://www.samuelresendiz.mx/
- Art Vallarta https://www.artvallarta.com/product-category/art-sales/contributing-artists/samuel-resendiz/
talking about that as well as his passion, underwater photography, and transforming that into art and giftware. We are going to take a quick run up the Rio Cuale to revisit one of my favorite little getaways Restaurant El
Contact Information For Restaurant El Moro Paraiso in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Address: 48373, Felipe Angeles 1985, Paso del Guayabo, 48373 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
- Phone: +52 322 194 6252
- Email: el_moroparaiso@hotmal.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100048941035976
Morro Paraiso. Always in search of the best margaritas in town of course. And so before we get to our buddies at Restaurant Morro Paraiso, and to Samuel, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 22nd of August, 2023.
Vallarta Restaurants Compete and Promote The Emiliano Zapata Market
If you happened to be in town back on Friday August 4th, and were lucky enough to be at the Mercado in The Emiliano Zapata Neighborhood, you know, where all the vegetable and fruit markets are. Where the squeaky tortillarilla is, Where the butcher and cheese sellers all hang out. That Mercado. Well, if you happened to have been there you may have caught this cool event. It was a cooking contest called Taste of Competition. Here’s an article from the Banderas News, it reads…
Vallarta’s 1st ‘Taste of Competition’ Cooking Contest a Success
Vallarta’s 1st ‘Taste of Competition’ Cooking Contest a Success
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – An exciting cooking contest took place on Friday at the Emiliano Zapata municipal market, featuring the first edition of the Sabor en Competencia (‘Taste of Competition’) event. Five chefs from different Puerto Vallarta restaurants prepared delicious dishes using fresh products available daily in this traditional shopping space.
The Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez, attended the event, which was supported by various agencies, including the Municipal Markets Directorate and the Tourism and Economic Development Department. In strategic partnership with local vendors and the National Chamber of the Restaurant Industry and Seasoned Foods (CANIRAC) Puerto Vallarta Riviera Nayarit, the event was a unique success that strengthened local commerce and attracted more visitors to Puerto Vallarta’s municipal markets.
During his speech, Mayor Michel expressed gratitude to all those who made the competition possible, emphasizing the significance of promoting events like these to attract tourists interested in savoring Mexican cuisine. He highlighted the abundance of farm-fresh products available at the Emiliano Zapata market, showcasing the importance and tradition of shopping at local markets.
Cecilio López Fernández, the head of the Municipal Markets, praised the five culinary artists and their assistants who participated in the contest, using locally sourced ingredients from the market. He stressed that promoting public markets supports the internal economy, benefiting national producers and encouraging financial interactions and harmony with local vendors.
Christian Preciado Cázares, the Director of Tourism and Economic Development, expressed gratitude to the restaurants that participated in the inaugural edition and thanked CANIRAC for supporting this groundbreaking event, which he believed would be a turning point for the markets. This sentiment was shared by CANIRAC President Jorge Luis Carbajal Díaz, who applauded the initiative and emphasized the importance of fortifying local gastronomy and expanding it to other regions.
The contest rules allowed participants 10 minutes to acquire their ingredients within the market and 40 minutes to prepare their innovative, colorful, and flavorful dishes. The competing chefs included Alejandra Aisury Delgado García from Masame Restaurant, Antonio Cabrera Saldaña from Tienda Grande Restaurant, Manuel Pedro Vicente from Mariscos Tino’s Restaurant, Javier Cruz Colmenares from Mi Querencia Restaurant, and Rogelio Ramírez Pera from Qué Bolá Restaurant, each supported by their assistant chefs.
The judging panel, consisting of Aarón Castañeda from Tintoque Restaurant, Ilse Ortega Rivera, a gastronomy professor at Universidad Vizcaya, and Joary Rodríguez Razo, a chef from the UVC Gastronomy Program, evaluated the flavor, presentation, and originality of each dish.
The top honor went to Chef Alejandra Aisury Delgado García from Masame Restaurant for her dish titled ‘Tierra, Mar y Sal,’ representing the essence of the port city’s cuisine.
Chef Rogelio Ramírez Pera from Qué Bolá Restaurant secured second place, followed by Restaurant Tienda Grande in third place, and Mariscos Tino’s and Mi Querencia restaurants claimed the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. The participants, agencies, and artists involved in the event received well-deserved recognition from the authorities and market vendors.
The event was graced by the presence of María de Jesús López Delgado, President of the Municipal DIF, as well as local vendors Enrique Gabriel Pedrosa and Marina Urrutia. Ana Teresa Topete Álvarez, in charge of Marketing and the ‘Sabor en Competencia’ event, and Randy Alfredo López Martínez, Executive Director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust, also attended the successful contest.
So very cool. And a great way not only to show off the wonderful young talent in restaurants all along the bay, but also the fact that you can get your hands on all you need to put together a one of a kind meal, all right there at the Municipal Market is impressive and of course, what the whole competition was all about I suppose.
You can find that article from the Banderas News in the show notes. And I hope they will do it again. What a creative event.
Salud Super-Food Is Moving to The Emiliano Zapata Market in Puerto Vallarta
Speaking of the Municipal Market, Salud Super-Food lost their lease and are moving to The Municipal Market…Here’s a Facebook post from them a few days back…it reads…
“We loved seeing you over the years, and we look forward to serving you at the EZ Market.
Our last day on Olas Altas is Saturday, August 19th, (that has already happened of course)
After a short break find us early October at The Market.
And it’s signed @saludsuperfood.
So, it looks like if you want to enjoy the yummy goodness that is Salud Super-Food, you have to wait for them to open their new location at the Mercado on Lazaro Cardenas. They are going to next door to Fruteria California on Camichin. So, sad they lost their lease, but happy to see they are going to end up in a really nice spot. Amongst the fresh fruits and vegies. Nice.
The Rain Has Arrived in Vallarta But Water Problems Still Exist
Last time we got together we talked about rain and water problems.
Vallarta just got some rain from hurricane Hillary which just passed by and dumped almost three inches on us up here in Los Angeles the other day. We even had an earthquake to make it even more interesting, but surprisingly, waves caused by Hillary did a number on Turtle Camp. They lost a ton of sand and came within what looks like inches of losing some of their turtle nests they have on the high ground there. Here’s a post from Nan at Campamiento de Los Tortugas in Boca de Tomates…
Help us PLEASE!!!!! We are the ONLY destroyed area from the passing of “Hilary” and we need strong help with awareness of dangerous conditions so this is NOT for kids!!!!
You will need gloves….proper footwear, hat and plenty of Hydration!!!!
This is the strongest plea yet and we need anyone that can dig, haul or fill a sandbag…….
We are inches from losing so many precious nests we hope you heed the call and spread this post!!!
Best parking is the beachhead at Bocanegra street for access to the camp!!
I have an embed of a video showing the destruction the waves from the passing hurricane caused, in the shownotes. And if you are in town, get in touch with the folks at the camp to see how you can help them. The tides are always moving things around at Turtle Camp. I Mean, they are right on the beach. They are literally building castles in the sand, and when we have hurricane events like this last one, they can be real game changers. I have contact information in the show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.
And like I mentioned last week, the rains have arrived in Vallarta, but water problems still exist, and even though this article came out last month, it helps to illustrate the issue. From Vallarta Reporter Online…..
Rain has Come, but Still No Drinking Water in Some Neighborhoods
And then there’s this article from Vallarta Advisor where the current mayor of Vallarta blames the last guy for his problems….the article reads…
Mayor Michel Blames the Previous Administration for Water Shortages
And you thought that just your politicians blame their predecessor for all the current problems you are suffering through… No, you aren’t that special evidently. They all do it.
Mexico’s Elections Slated for June 2, 2024
By the way, elections in Mexico are coming up next June 2nd , 2024.
Voters will elect a new president to serve a six-year term, 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 128 members of the Senate. Article 83 of the Mexican Constitution restricts incumbent President Andrés Manuel López Obrador from seeking reelection.
So all over Vallarta and in Nayarit, you will see hashtag #MejorMarcelo, Mexico’s Foreign Relations Secretary, from the Moreno Party who’s running for president, as well as signs saying #esclaudia. That refers to Claudia Sheimbaum, also from the Moreno Party and the current mayor of Mexico City, and the person with the nod from President Manuel Lopez Obrador, to succeed him as president of Mexico. So now you know what those signs and posters plastered all over mean, #esclaudia, is Claudia Sheimbaum, presidential candidate from the Moreno Party, and #mejorMarcelo, the Foreign Minister also from the same party, both running for president of Mexico. So, be ready for all the politicking, 2024 will be a crazy year.
La Palapa Book Coffee Table Book Available For Sale at La Palapa Restaurant
For those of us who like to collect Vallarta nostalgia, I noticed that the folks at La Palapa have a nice tabletop book just for you. Their Facebook post reads…
We are so excited to announce that our new book “La Palapa: A Taste of Paradise” is now available! A wonderful book filled with history of La Palapa and Puerto Vallarta, recipes, historical photos, and more. Available now for $980MXN. ✨📘
I embedded that Facebook post in the show notes so have a look if something like that might interest you. The holidays are going to be sneaking up on you soon so keep the book in mind for friends who are lovers of Vallarta, of for yourself of course.
Dollar Continues to Weaken Against the Peso
The dollar is still taking a beating against the Mexican Peso, and last month, things got worse if you have US dollars, better if you have Mexican Pesos…
From the Mexico News Daily Business section…
Peso Strengthens Again, Reaching 16.62 to the US Dollar
July 28, 2023
The Mexican peso appreciated on Friday morning to its strongest level since late 2015, reaching 16.62 to the US dollar before weakening slightly.
That position was an improvement of 26 centavos, or about 1.5%, for the peso compared to the USD:MXN rate of 16.88 at the close of trading on Thursday. One greenback was trading at 16.68 pesos at 10:30 a.m. Mexico City time, according to Bloomberg.
The article goes on to say that…
Analysts cite the Bank of Mexico’s high benchmark interest rate – currently 11.25% – and the significant difference between that rate and that of the Fed as one factor in the current strength of the peso. Strong incoming flows of foreign capital and remittances are among the other factors cited.
And farther down in the article it notes that
The latest strengthening of the peso comes three weeks after the US dollar dipped below 17 for the first time since 2015.
The peso has appreciated by around 15% this year after beginning 2023 at 19.5 to the dollar.
So, ouch!
I have a link to that article in the show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com.
Now the last time down, looking at my receipts, back in July, one day I got 15.9 pesos for one dollar, and two days later I got 16.2 pesos for one dollar.
It’s pretty painful really going from what was about 19 pesos at the beginning of the year, to 16 pesos to the dollar right now. So, we’ll be keeping an eye on the situation.
The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Returns to Vallarta For Dia de Los Muertos 2023
What wasn’t painful was the pair of airline tickets I purchased for my wife and I, it will be back to paradise for Dia de Los Muertos again. Our second stab at it anyway. Just $235 each round trip Alaska Airlines Los Angeles nonstop to Puerto Vallarta. A really sweet deal. I hope to see some of you at an upcoming meet and greet open microphone style. We’ll talk about that as the date approaches but according to my calendar, we’re still almost 67 days out from that.
I have a few emails I wanted to share with you but that will need to wait till next week, let’s get to our first interview.
Restaurant El Moro Paraiso, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We have been in search of the honest margarita in paradise. One that packs a punch for a decent price and a margarita that’s not in a little glass. We are looking for a big margarita in one of those fishbowl glasses. And we have a pretty good list of them running here, but one that I almost forgot, was Restaurant Moro Paraiso up in Paso Del Guayabo, past the El Rio BarBQ, or what used to be El Rio.
We did an interview up there 4 years ago, back in April of 2018. You can take the 04 bus from the Romantic Zone to the end of the line in Paso Del Guayabo, where the bus pulls off the road, and you can walk about a kilometer along the Rio Cuale to the restaurant. The walk is easy and most of the year, you will see lots of butterflies, as you walk along the rio.
You can also take an Uber or even a cab up to El Moro Paraiso, but it’s important to arrange with the driver, a pickup time to return to town. Otherwise, it can be a long drunken walk. Downhill mind you, but no bueno if you don’t like to do the walk/hike thingie.
They do have internet you can hook up to at El Moro, so I suppose you could summon an Uber that way, or you can walk back to the bus stop a kilometer down the road and wait for the bus. It’s only 10 pesos, and it’s also
downhill. And even though you may be stumbling drunk, you are stumbling downhill, so it’s not a bad walk, really. I’ve done it many times even though this time around, we took an Uber from the Vallarta Factory. By the way, if you happen to be a lover of Frappe Mocha drink, the Vallarta Factory on Insurgentes and Libertad has the best in Vallarta.
So, the Uber driver, who lived in Vallarta and had never been up to Moro Paraiso, drove us up to the cute little restaurant along the Rio Cuale. A colorful, welcoming place, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where
you can enjoy delicious Mexican dishes full of flavor, Bar-b-q, and an honest margarita served in one of those fishbowl glasses, let’s meet Javier Zentenno, one of the friendly faces you will meet when you come to El Moro Paraiso, Paso del Guyabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
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Thank you so much Javier. I have a picture of Javier’s smiling face as well as a picture of that margarita we
were talking about. And their house raicilla is excelente! Pictures as well as a map and directions to get to El Moro Paraiso. Get on over there. Oh, and those hours that Javier talked about between the ATV riders, a good idea if you want a quiet time along the Rio Cuale. It’s a piece of old style Vallarta.
Contact Information For Restaurant El Moro Paraiso in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Address: 48373, Felipe Angeles 1985, Paso del Guayabo, 48373 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
- Phone: +52 322 194 6252
- Email: el_moroparaiso@hotmal.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100048941035976
Underwater Photography in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with Samuel Resendiz
Next stop, underwater photography in the Bahia de Banderas with my friend Samuel Resendiz. Now, I met Samuel at the Saturday Market at Tile Park last year. Samuel is a handsome young man, very soft spoken, but
very passionate about his art, and his craft. It’s a science in a way, taking pictures in an underwater environment, and Samuel will tell you how he goes about taking photos of sea life in the bay. Samuel is also passionate about his birthplace, Puerto Vallarta, and he has some interesting stories to tell about how his
family came to Vallarta many years ago to help build the place we know and love. So without further ado, let’s head over to a table on the beach, in front of one of my favorite Vallarta restaurants, Cuates y Cuetes, and let’s get our toes in the sand, sip on a lemonada and take a peek under the surface of the Bahia de Banderas, and
witness the beauty and wonder of Samuel’s underwater world, which he shares with you through his art and photography. Meet Samuel Resendiz, Underwater Photographer, artist and entrepreneur, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
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Thank you so much Samuel. What a great interview and what a thoughtful man. I have links to his website at https://www.samuelresendiz.mx/ , his Facebook page and Instagram pages and more in the shownotes
Contact Information For Samuel Resendiz Underwater Photography in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- https://www.instagram.com/samuel.resendiz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelresendizphoto/
- Website: https://www.samuelresendiz.mx/
- Art Vallarta https://www.artvallarta.com/product-category/art-sales/contributing-artists/samuel-resendiz/
as well, all in the show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com . Check out his work online, or at the Saturday Market at Tile Park. He would love to talk to you about his work, and maybe filling your home with art from Samuel’s underwater world, in the Bahia de Banderas, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
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 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 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.
Thank you to Javier Zentnno from Restaurant Moro Paraiso in Paso Ancho. Get up there for the atmosphere, for the bar-b-q, and all their special dishes as well as that killer margarita with a side of raicilla. I have a map and some great pictures in the show notes. And thank you so much to Samuel Resendiz underwater photographer extraordinaire. Check him out at his booth at the Olas Altas Saturday Farmer’s Market in Tile Park, or check out his website at https://www.samuelresendiz.mx/ and his Facebook and Instagram pages. I have links to all of those in the show notes.
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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