Customs and Etiquette in Puerto Vallarta
Meeting and Greeting
|
Cultural History Mexico is an open society by North American standards. what this means is locals, especially in the tropical coastal areas of the country, spend a considerable amount of time with their doors open: visiting with their neighbors, kids playing in the streets, or working outdoors doing physical labor. In Mexican culture there is a great love for talking, visiting, listening to music, drinking, and partying to enjoy the company of friends and family. So, it is safe to say there is plenty of activity in most neighborhoods.
However, Mexico is still a traditional in many ways. People in neighborhoods know their neighbors' names and the names of their neighbors' children, which is not common for someone who has lived in a standard neighborhood in the United States or Canada. It is not unusual to see an entire neighborhood in the street celebrating the birthday of one of the children: the street will be brightly decorated, there is loud music, food and drink, and often a piñata full of candies and sweets is swinging overhead for children to take a swing at. Wakes are still often held in the home of the family, with many of the neighbors in attendance through the night, instead of a couple hours of the day. Beautiful blue skies and equally blue waters frame the tropical sun and moon. The sunsets across the water need a well-deserved pause in the day to simply marvel and amaze. Located at the Pacific Coast, and 190 miles from Guadalajara, its total size is approximately 800 square miles extending from Downtown to Marina Vallarta. During the day kick back on the many beaches Puerto Vallarta offers, as well as the many restaurants and shops to explore, but when the sun goes down is when the party really gets started along the Malecon. The Malecon is in the historic center of Puerto Vallarta and is a seafront promenade of 870 meters long and stretches all the way to the Arcos (arches) An ideal place to spend your time, because in its route it concentrates a great variety of restaurants, bars, art galleries, jewelers, shops, sculptures and attractions that They make it the preferred place for visitors. Walk along the length of the Malecon to see juggling acts, mimes and musicians playing traditional Mexican folk music. The boardwalk around the Malecon stretches on estimate 15-16 city blocks. Near the south end of this waterfront boulevard is the large outdoor amphitheater Los Arcos (the Arches) where entertainment and many outdoor attractions occur such as Xiutla folkloric dancers, live music, and cultural events. To the north, attractions and statues including one of this beach town's most beloved pieces, the Friendship Fountain, with its three dolphins by sculptor James Bottoms has been there since 1987. Then there's the famous nine-foot high statue of the youth riding The Sea Horse, a Puerto Vallarta symbol. Sculpted by Rafael Zamarripa, this beauty has stood for over 35 years since 1976. |
Customs and Etiquette in Puerto Vallarta
Dining Etiquette
|
Food and DiningVallarta is known around the world as an important culinary destination. A mix of international chefs, discerning gourmands that have made the city their home town, a long running gourmet festival, the local Mexican food traditions, that are centuries old plus quality ingredients from sea and land combine into great food, great prices and an ever expanding list of options.
***Seafood is a favorite, plus the local dishes are very interesting for the newcomers too. One of local dishes that best represents what is typical in the town is "pescado embarazado", that is, pregnant fish... hmm. It's mostly the name that is, it's actually a linguistic deformation of "pescado en vara asado", that is "fish roasted on a stick." Street vendors will typically walk around to sell them. One of the favorite local dishes is "Birria", the main ingredients include goat or lamb meat, boiled in a spicy sauce that includes cumin, oregano, and ginger. It's served with lime (they call it lemon here), onions and the inseparable tortillas. A Mexican favorite, that you'll also enjoy in Puerto Vallarta is the "tamal" (plural: tamales), these are actually an American dish that you'll find in local variants from Mexico. The local version is prepared with white corn dough that is filled in the middle with either salty or sweet options, and rolled in a corn husk. Amazing food wherever you get it from. Some other traditional dishes include: Carne en su Jugo (Meat in its own juice) Small pieces of beef with beans and bacon, seasoned with coriander, onion and lime juice. Albondigas Reales (Royal Meatballs) Meatballs stuffed with boiled egg, raisins and almonds. Bote Cocido Chicken, pig and beef meat broth seasoned with pulque. Pepián A sauce made with ground pumpkin seeds, red chili pepper and spices. Gorditas (Little Fat Ones) A thick tortilla of a smaller diameter made with corn dough, filled with cheese, threaded pig meat, beans or mashed potatoes. Chiles Anchos Rellenos (Wide Stuffed Chili Peppers) Dried Peppers filled with cheese, pumpkin flowers and battered. |