Carnaval! of Orchids: Enjoyment and Education

Photography by Yuri Krasov






San Francisco Orchid Society’s 58th Annual 2010 Pacific Orchid Exposition with a carnival theme showcases 150,000 orchids and includes contests, lectures, potting demonstrations and sales of the most versatile flower on Earth. At the Gala opening on Friday, the guests enjoyed spectacular displays of orchids from every corner of the world, wine tasting from 26 California wineries, hors d’ouvres and live music in addition to silent auction and lively raffle drawing conducted by KGO-TV Cheryl Jennings. Tomorrow, Sunday February 28, the show is open from 10 am to 5 pm. The closing day program includes docent tours every hour; lectures at 11 am, 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm; potting demos at 11 am, 1 and 3 pm, and a final sale of selected display plants at 5:45 pm.
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. 415-665-2468. Visit orchidsanfrancisco.org for more info.

New Free 2010 edition of the California Central Coast Visitors Guide

Photography by Yuri Krasov


The Central Coast includes more than 300 miles of pristine coastline from Ventura County to Santa Cruz County and inland to southern San Benito and Santa Clara Counties. Indexed by geographic area, the guide focuses on one of the most popular regions of California which includes The Channel Islands, Monterey Bay Aquarium, National Steinbeck Center, Hearst Castle, scenic coast Highway 1, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and award-winning wineries throughout the region. Motels, hotels, inns, spas, bed and breakfasts, or luxury resorts - all can be found on the Central Coast. Many of them are in breathtaking locations - pine forests, beaches, or on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean; in the heart of historic districts, in the hills, or off the "beaten path. Central Coast restaurants serve locally grown produce and the fresh seafood harvested right from the Pacific. Award-winning wines from Central Coast vineyards are frequently found on the tables of area restaurants with unforgettable views, unique settings, or with their own special regional character. California Central Coast Visitors Guide is available online at www.CentralCoast-Tourism.com or free hard copy requests may be made via email to info@centralcoast-tourism.com. Please include your name and full mailing address.

Berlin Gets its Glamour Back

By Emma Krasov

From the Brandenburg Gate to the Museum Island, and from the Berlinale to three active opera houses, Berlin offers plenty of cultural attractions and happenings to tourists from all over the world. The largest department store in continental Europe, a century-old Berlin’s KaDeWe and thousands of restaurants, cafes, and bars open around the clock don’t hurt either. A record number of visitors, around two million, came last year, when Berlin celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall. To keep the momentum going, Berlin Tourism Marketing organized a media luncheon with a comprehensive presentation on the city’s highlights on Friday at The Waterfront Restaurant in San Francisco.
“The Germans got rid of the Wall in a very German way,” said Burkhard Kieker, CEO, at the presentation. When the Wall was being demolished without a trace on November 9, 1989 no one could anticipate that years later the tourists would want to see the remnants of it. Now, from Checkpoint Charlie to biking rides along its former perimeter, this part of German background is being preserved and memorialized, same as the tragedy of the Holocaust, and much brighter moments of the country’s long history. By looking back into the free-spirited, open-minded, and utterly cosmopolitan feel of the city in the 1920s, Berlin is now reviving its atmosphere as it used to be in times of Bertold Brecht and Max Reinhardt theatre, Georg Grosz and Otto Dix art, and Marlene Dietrich, Asta Nielsen, and Emil Jannings silent films. Extravagant parties, swing dance evenings, variety theater, silent movie shows, and city tours are bringing back the glitz and glamour of the bygone era. To give the Bay Area residents a sampling of the on-going celebration of Berlin’s pre-war glory, on Saturday, picture perfect and musically stunning singer/emcee Max Raabe and Palast Orchester performed in concert at Night in Berlin in a historic Art Deco Paramount Theatre in Oakland. The concert, featuring numerous German and American swing hits, and thoroughly enjoyed by the public, mostly dressed in period costumes, was followed by a reception with the artists, sponsored by the German Consul General of San Francisco.
To learn more, and to visit Berlin, go to: visitBerlin.de.
Images courtesy of Berlin Tourism Marketing. 1. Brandenburg Gate 2. Checkpoint Charlie 3. Holocaust Memorial 4. Berlin Cathedral

Puerto Vallarta in Sea Foam and Tolling Bells

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov.
The most popular destination on the Mexican Riviera caters to all tastes and satisfies all lifestyles. Tourists mingle with the locals on overcrowded sandy beaches of Bahia de Banderas during the day, and at dusk every able body is walking up and down the seaside promenade El Malecon decorated with whimsical sculptures by Rafael Zamarippa, Jonas Gutierrez, Alejandro Colunga и Sergio Bustamante.
In bars open through the wee hours, discothèques and sports TV seem to coexist without much contradiction. People drink, and laugh, and dance, and kiss, and the festive summery atmosphere of an ultimate vacation destination prevails even in the dead of winter (which is happening elsewhere, of course).

Walk up one of the narrow cobblestone streets framed with blossoming bougainvillea to the top of the old town, and you’ll find an authentic residential area where local families relax in modest casas with their doors open to the cooling night air.
A stunning view of the illuminated Iglesia de Guadalupe – the city’s best known landmark and trademark – is all yours if you are one of the lucky few staying at Hacienda San Angel (haciendasanangel.com). From our private terrace my silver-anniversary husband and I could watch a flaming sunset peeking through the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe openwork dome, modeled after a crown worn by the last Empress of Mexico Carlota, Emperor Maximilian’s wife. The Emperor was appointed by Napoleon III as a result of the French intervention, and after the defeat of the French troops his short rule (1864-1867) came to a tragic end and he was executed by a firing squad of President Juarez. Carlota’s attempt to prevent his execution by pleading for help with the Pope and the royal houses of Europe proved futile. She went mad, and spent the next 60 years of her life close to her native Belgium and her late father King Leopold’s I court, never returning to Mexico. I had a chance to learn about all these fascinating historic facts while browsing the web under a full moon and to the beautiful sound of the Guadalupe’s tolling bells – not exactly conducive to a good night sleep. ‘Twas a night before Sunday, and the bells were tolling more often and more insistent than any other night, calling the faithful to the morning Mass. When a pearly dawn colored the sky behind the Carlota’s crown in powder blue and peachy pink hues, I was ready for a white tablecloth breakfast of fresh fruit and freshly baked pastries – a Hacienda treat served to guests in their rooms, balconies, terraces, or common areas by request.

Hacienda San Angel is a boutique luxury resort with a theme implied by its name. Antique religious artifacts abound in the suites, hallways, intricate stairwells, and patios of the Hacienda, owned and lovingly maintained by an ex-San-Franciscan Janice Chatterton. For years, she used to come to Puerto Vallarta on vacation, falling deeper and deeper in love with the town, and getting more and more involved with the friendly and unpretentious local community. She finally acquired a property here in 1990, and not just any property, but a villa owned by Susan Burton, Richard Burton’s wife. In times of “The Night of the Iguana” filming here (1963), with the Burtons and Elizabeth Taylor and all the “Iguana” stars present, Puerto Vallarta became an instant hit with the media. The shooting of the Tennessee Williams cult classic here brought about so much celebrity happening and gossip that it made the public aware of other things, like the abundance and beauty of local nature and culture. It ultimately put the town on the map of discriminate vacationers everywhere.
Armed with the Hollywood past of the legendary villa and with her own passion for risk-taking, Chatterton embarked on a complex design and renovation journey, buying other nearby villas to eventually create a unique hotel with its own non-denominational wedding chapel, open to the ocean breeze and the most spectacular views of the Sierra Madre mountains with a white-walled town nestled in the foothills. While entering the Hacienda from a sun-drenched dusty street, you’ll find yourself in a cool shady courtyard of a Mexican Colonial castle with tiled floors, tinkling fountains, lush potted plants and angel statues coming from every imaginable art tradition and time period.
It might look like a perfect place for someone whose time has come to think about the soul, however, the Hacienda is well-loved and booked through and through for weddings and honeymoons. With the friendliest and most helpful service provided by the concierge Juanita Gutierrez Ocegueda, reservations manager Theron Tomicki, and the rest of staff, it soon becomes obvious that in this place every guest is being treated like royalty. Add to it the overall ambience that is beyond luxurious with artwork and antique furnishings in every room, lacy bed linens and hand towels (embroidered by nuns?...), little white soaps shaped as angels, and yes, a honeymoon here would be a dream and a treasured memory.
To make a one-of-a-kind experience complete, there are three blue-tiled swimming pools on the property, a sunset observation terrace, where guests can enjoy their cocktails, and a full-service gourmet restaurant with a nightly mariachi entertainment.
During our short stay at Hacienda San Angel (don’t you just love the very sound of it?), we witnessed a young and lively California couple arranging their upcoming wedding here; silver-haired ex-pats, obviously coming to an upscale dinner at their favorite hangout; newlywed and anniversary couples, and groups of vacationers, celebrating birthdays, and just having a great time. At the soul of it all, constantly present, always calm, smiling, and hospitable, is the owner, accompanied by her pets – mostly puddle-Maltese mix little white dogs – all groomed and clean, with tiny pink bows in their unruly curls.
And then I’ve learned something that made me an instant fan of this amazing woman, as if her mesmerizing hotel creation was not enough. I’ve learned that Chatterton rescues abandoned animals and tries to find them new homes. Contributing to various local charities, she is especially active with SPCA of Puerto Vallarta, recently founded through her major involvement. We counted eight rescued dogs happily prancing around the courtyard, sleeping under antique chairs, or licking ice from a water dish, and although she said some of them were for adoption, somehow it was clear that if there wouldn’t be any takers, the dogs would not be abandoned. Not on her watch.
I’d say, Hacienda San Angel is a destination all its own, but being a thriving tourist destination, Puerto Vallarta offers plentiful shopping, culinary adventures, and fun activities. We missed a whale-watching cruise with Vallarta Adventures due to its enormous popularity, but luckily we made it to the Dolphin Adventure, offered by the same company (vallarta-adventures.com).
Dolphin image by Daniel Romero, courtesy Vallarta Adventures.
Swimming with dolphins has been one of my long-standing dreams, but I didn’t expect it happening in a pool, and that life jackets were required. My slight disappointment didn’t last. After a five-minute orientation, when we made an acquaintance with Nemo and Ali, 3 and 5-year-old. grey dolphins, all children and adults in our group were laughing and having a great time. Trainer Carolina explained to us that dolphins can start training at the age of one, and learn all the basic tricks. Nemo and Ali obviously mastered the art of pleasing tourists splendidly, offering hugs and kisses, rides across the pool, and showing off their acrobatic prowess. Being kissed by dolphins is like getting a smack over the head with a pair of rubber galoshes, but it’s okay. Dolphins can express a range of positive emotions, maybe not as much toward the tourists as toward their beloved trainer who never fails to reward their efforts with a handful of silvery fish. From Vallarta Adventures it was a short distance to the Puerto Vallarta airport, and by night we were back to our rainy San Francisco. It appeared that we managed to do a lot during our weekend trip, and even get an enviable tan.

Ask Emma

Question: My neighbor is a stay at home mom with a disabled child. She is a sweet woman and I enjoy talking to her from time to time, but she comes to my place whenever I’m back from work “just to chat a little,” and it can go on for hours on end. Sometimes, she almost drags me into her house if I happen to be outside and tells me all about her problems while I’m sitting on my hands thinking of all the things I could be doing instead. I understand she needs to socialize, especially when her husband is working out of town and comes home only on weekends. But I can’t be miserable all week just to accommodate her need for communication, can I?
Answer: Your neighbor’s situation, although tough and deserving compassion, is not the one that should make you suffer. Take your life into your own hands and tell your sweet neighbor that you have some work to do at home and can’t visit with her or invite her over. If that does not help, plan to see a movie, spend time at the library, or just have a drink at a bar after work. Something prevents me from advising you to visit your friends on week nights, but you can do that if you remember not to abuse their kindness and not to waste their precious free time with mindless chats.

Urban Tavern A Gathering Place

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov


Renovated and remodeled, and under new management, Urban Tavern (at Hilton San Francisco) is now a gastropub that follows all the urban trends originated Only In San Francisco. Executive chef Colin Duggan uses as much farm to table ingredients in his simple comfort food menu as possible, and the wines served at the Tavern are locally grown and sustainably, organically, or biodynamically farmed. Beer, too, comes mostly from California breweries, and its selection is constantly increasing. In fact, in a month there will be 20 more excellent beers on the menu, according to the Assistant General Manager Adam Betts. Besides wine and beer, the restaurant offers some excellent cocktails, like Maple Bourbon Sour, made with maple sugar, and Movie Star, named after the Gilligan’s Islands’ Ginger, which contains Flor de Cana rum, ginger liquor, and fresh lime. The new green approach is pronounced in the ambience as well. Urban Tavern is comfortably low lit, with exposed overhead beams made of reclaimed wood from an old farmhouse, and antique mirrors on the walls.

A centerpiece that separates the bar area from the dining room is a striking multicolored metal horse, created by Doug Owen. It consists of various salvaged parts from agricultural machinery, like a radiator from a retired tractor, or a rusty propane tank. Intended a gathering place for the hotel guests and San-Franciscans alike, the restaurant accommodates parties and events from 10 to 360 people for birthday celebrations, weddings, corporate lunches, and conferences. In the bar area, there is a long communal table made out of one single tree trunk, polished and finished, with a naturally occurring heart-shaped knothole in the middle. Cozy booths in the dining room sit from two to six, and usually fill out quickly every night at dinner time.

There are several house specialties on the menu that stand out, like the freshest plump Mussels and Clams, served with roasted sweet peppers, chorizo, smoked paprika, and grilled bread, or Sausage & Pretzel – a grilled Caggiano beer sausage from Petaluma served with a delightfully chewy warm housemade soft pretzel. Braised Baby Back Ribs are served the Old World style, with toasted faro, and Fall Vegetable Stew comes with grilled polenta, butter beans, and sweet onion broth on a side.

While the portions are tavern-large, there is plenty of enticing Small Bites on the menu to choose from. Deviled Eggs Three Ways and Hobbs Bacon “Tato Tots” definitely stand out. Desserts are mostly classic fare with a twist. Sticky Toffee Pudding is made with Anderson Valley Stout, and in a Banana Trifle Jar there are six layers of banana, cream, and caramel ingredients.

Urban Tavern is located at 333 O’Farrell Street, SF. For reservations, call 415-923-4400 or visit UrbanTavernSF.com. To book an event, call Private Dining Manager, Kyle McKibbin at 415-202-7021.

Shanghai as a Piece of Art

By Emma Krasov

Cosmopolitan, tolerant, free-spirited, indulgent, and most importantly open to new ideas, concepts, and people – throughout its history the city of Shanghai unflinchingly accepted Westerners – from merchants to refugees, from missionaries to artists, and absorbed their creeds and their lifestyles never losing its distinct identity. Resilient to historical surges and collapses, bloodsheds of war and Cultural Revolution, it survived and endured, and it stands today as a vision of the future – a gigantic bustling metropolis, full of life and creative movement. Opened today at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the ambitious Shanghai exhibition follows the development of the city as it was depicted in art in a span of 160 years, from “Beginnings” (1850-1911) to “High Times” (1912-1949) to “Revolution” (1920-1976) to “Shanghai Today” (1980-present). It’s a fascinating display of silver, lithographs, posters, oil paintings, fashion and furniture, and contemporary neon/sound and video installations all of which together are a testament to a strong artistic current that pulsates through the veins of the city in the year when Shanghai is going to host the World Expo “Better City, Better Life.” With this 130-artwork show on display, life is definitely better in San Francisco, a sister-city of Shanghai. The Museum initiated a city-wide Shanghai Celebration, a year-long festival that includes concerts, performances, exhibitions, films, and talks (shanghaicelebration.com). Shanghai exhibition is on view February 12 – September 5 at Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., SF. Call 415-581-3500 or visit asianart.org.
Images: courtesy Asian Art Museum. 1. Nanjing Road – From Series of Views of Shanghai, after 1937. By Zhao Weimin (dates unknown). Chromolithograph on paper. Collection of the Shanghai History Museum. 2. It Often Begins with a Smile, 1930s. By Jin Meisheng (19021989). Chromolithograph on paper. Collection of the Shanghai History Museum. 3. Mao Zedong, 1968. By Yu Yunjie (Chinese, 19171992). Oil on canvas. Collection of the Shanghai Art Museum.

Ask Emma

Question: I have a Valentine’s Day question for you. What to do if it’s not fun anymore? I think I am getting sick and tired of my husband of so many years. He is a good provider and a good man, but I don’t feel anything anymore. Sorry to say, my love for him is gone. I don’t know how it happened. When he is not around, I feel fine. I think of him in positive terms, but when he’s in the house, I find myself trying to run some errands or go for a walk. I dread our bedroom. I always find excuses not to sleep with him. Good that he is so tired from work most of the time he does not care much for sex. I can’t help but feeling bored out of my mind, and unhappy with him. Is there a cure?
Answer: Your lack of interest in your husband is not unusual after many years of an uneventful marriage. Of course, you understand that there are hundreds of women out there who would trade places with you, but that does not help you appreciate him any more. To fight the marital blues you should take on the task of planning entertaining events for both of you, especially since, as I understand, money is not a problem. There must be something you enjoy doing together. Try to view him as a companion, not a burden, and engage him in some fun activities. He will be tired from entertainment, not from work, which all of a sudden might seem promising. It surely will take your marriage to a better place than it is right now. Plan a trip, a picnic, a visit with friends, or a show for every weekend. Excitement and extended communication might bring back the pleasure you are lacking in your mundane twosome. Initiate it, insist on it, and be pleasant, friendly, and flirty with him as I hope you used to while dating him before you got married. See what happens. And yeah, he doesn’t care much for sex? And where were you all this time? Get a black garter belt, and a pair of fishnets, like, right now. Happy Valentine’s!

Carnaval of Orchids

The theme of the 58th annual Pacific Orchid Exposition is Carnaval – a riot of color, form and fragrance. More than 150,000 orchid flowers from all over the globe will be on view, in addition to educational exhibits from local, national and international orchid growers. Professional and amateur growers, as well as orchid societies, will be displaying their unique species and rare hybrids – here’s your chance to purchase a one-of-a-kind treasure! For the first time, the Gala Night will be held on Friday, February 26th 6:30 – 10:00 pm. The San Francisco Orchid Society will award its $5,000 scholarship to one lucky horticultural student from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. In addition to the scholarship presentation, the Gala Night will also feature live music, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and wine tasting from over 20 of the Bay Area’s premier wineries. Show and Plant Sale Friday, Saturday, Sunday, February 26-28 at Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Tickets and information at: orchidsanfrancisco.org, or call 415-665-2468. Image: Eric Hunt.

Probing Nightmares: Luc Tuymans at SFMOMA

By Emma Krasov


Observing enigmatic artwork of the contemporary Belgian artist Luc Tuymans piece after piece, gallery after gallery, is like trying to remember a dream that woke you up. Vivid colors and crisp outlines fade away, distinct events blur into secondary recollections, and the reality of the everyday overwhelms now distant happenings. Only the dream is a nightmare, and the happenings are all too real and belong to the very recent history. Tuymans turns to a “total psychological breakdown of Europe” as he puts it, caused by WWII and the Holocaust; depicting a gas chamber disguised as a shower, and spinach tablets – one of the genius German inventions, used by the Nazis on the Eastern front, and later adopted by NASA. He explores the history of Congo – formerly a colony of Belgium, and its gruesome reality in time of liberation. Following “the banality of evil” the artist turns to mundane details in the lives of serial killers and of the terminally ill, relentlessly conveing an idea of the normalcy of a nightmare, which is always lurking just beneath the surface of civility and propriety. In the first U.S. restrospective of Tuymans work, jointly organized by SFMOMA and the Wexner Center for the Arts (Columbus, Ohio) co-curators Madeleine Grynsztejn and Helen Molesworth present approxiamately 75 paintings in chronological order, which the artist rejected in his previous shows despite the fact that he usually works in series creating groups of paintings around a theme or an idea. The curators introduced the show as “a spectacular and ravishing experience,” and “beautiful, never pretty, and deeply disturbing.” Present at the opening, Tuymans gave a tour of his show to the SF art reviewers explaining the layers of meaning under each of his haunting works. Luc Tuymans is on view through May 2 at SFMOMA, 151 Third Street, San Francisco. 415-357-4000, sfmoma.org. Images: Luc Tuymans, Schwarzheide, 1986; oil on canvas; 23 5/8 x 27 5/8 in. (60 x 69.9 cm); Private collection; © Luc Tuymans; photo: courtesy David Zwirner, New York; Luc Tuymans, Body, 1990; oil on canvas; 19 1/4 x 13 3/4 in. (48.9 x 34.9 cm); Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent; © Luc Tuymans; photo: Dirk Pauwels, courtesy the artist.

Las Alamandas The Shining Paradise

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov



Emerald lawns, criss-crossed by the shadows of gently swaying coconut palms, and brightly colored villas in fuchsia, sunflower, and bluebell hues opened up like paradise after a two-hour drive from Puerto Vallarta airport through a dusty countryside.

Beyond the tinkling fountain in the middle of a clean swept tiled plaza, beyond the sparkling pool with inviting palapas and neatly stacked towels, beyond the airy suites with outdoor Jacuzzi tubs and hanging hammocks, there was a wild sandy beach teaming with hermit crabs and guarded by egrets and pelicans. Upon arrival in Las Alamandas, pretend-believe Adam and Eve, my husband and I had our first margaritas on our private terrace, and then waded in the lukewarm saline water – clear-blue, bubbly, and full of tidal life.

When flaming sunset clouds appeared over a purple mountain range, we headed in the direction of the lighted arched passageway leading to El Oasis restaurant. Wild jasmine flowers filled the night breeze with their sweet fragrance. We sat down to a festively decorated table on a terrace overlooking a manicured lawn and a beach, and white-uniformed servers immediately delivered crunchy chips with three kinds of house-made salsa – pico de gallo, chipotle, and tomatillo.


Locally caught fish and fresh grilled vegetables grown on premises seemed like the most obvious choice from a daily changing menu.

Our next stop would be a next door gallery with a tasteful collection of Mexican arts and crafts, library, entertainment center, and WiFi access. As we were returning to our Domo Master pink abode decorated with folk art, antique pieces and fresh flowers, it seemed we were the only couple in this highly exclusive private resort branded “Paradise Found.” It was getting darker and quieter around. The night birds’ chat overwhelmed the rustling of the palms and the roar of the Pacific. Disturbed by my own imagination, tainted by urban legends and too much watching of cult classics, I caught myself thinking of deserted luxury hotels and Jack Nicholson with a lawn mower instead of a snow blower... Of course, there couldn’t be anything wrong with a place visited and admired by Nicolas Cage, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston and a host of other celebs… I remembered that while greeting us on arrival, Laura Valencia, who works for Las Alamandas for many years, like the majority of employees here, told us that the area was very secluded and super secure (many guests never lock their villas). Still, I double-checked all the doors and windows of our luxurious dwelling, and made sure the full moon over our bathtub was shining through a thick glass, not through an opening in the roof...


Next morning, all my silly little anxieties evaporated in the ocean air and bright Jaliscan sunshine. At breakfast (free-range Eggs Isabel with lettuce, avocado, and salsa fresca, and orange juice freshly squeezed from estate grown fruit) we met another happy couple habitually vacationing in paradise from rainy Oregon, and a day later, a pasty television crew arrived from snowy Norway to shoot a show, aptly titled Hotel Paradise. After a delightful meal, one of many, prepared by chef Alejandro Aguilar Morales and his team, we embarked on a property tour with the staff biologist Graciela Ugalde Caballero.

We learned that Isabel Goldsmith-Patino, owner-manager, inherited a 1500-acre estate from her grandfather who built Las Hadas in Manzanillo. Instead of creating yet another tourist mega development, she decided to preserve the natural state of the coastline and built six-villa eco-friendly resort (30 to 35 guests at a time) named after a wild flower. A set of rules prohibits hunting on the property, and preserves local species as rare as jaguar and ocelot, and as common as deer and rabbit.

We took a close look at various cactuses, and learned the difference between a wild and a garden variety nopal we’ve seen earlier on our dinner plates. Black vultures were flying overhead, followed by “lazy” falcons hoping to get an easy piece of fresh carrion.

Graciela told us about more than a hundred bird species thriving in Las Alamandas, and about its involvement with the government-run sea turtle rescue program. aving been around for 300 million years, all sea turtles are now endangered. Out of eight known and living species seven are found along the Mexican Pacific coast. At the end of the rainy season in autumn, female turtles create up to five nests each – right here, on Las Alamandas beaches, and lay about a hundred eggs per nest. Then a group of volunteers – hotel staff and management – engage in collecting all the eggs and transporting them to a special incubation room, where tiny turtles would hatch under the biologist’s supervision.

When all the babies are out, alive and kicking, Graciela takes them back to the beach at sunset to avoid predators, and lets them make a 50-meter “run” to the water. She explained that although birds of prey are waiting exactly for this moment to feed on the little darlings, the turtles must cross the sand to “remember” the magnetic currents of the area and come back in 20 years to lay their own eggs. During our short visit, we were lucky to see (and hold!) a two-inch baby turtle.

Graciela asked me to remove my pewter ring before handling the baby, so an alien magnet in the metal would not mix up its senses. On our tour, we also spotted a turtle scull on one of the rocky beaches formed by the ancient volcanic lava.

A sea turtle’s chances of survival, even when protected, amount to only one percent, but 100-year-old animals return to their native shores to die… By the end of our automobile journey through the dry forest roads of Las Alamandas, we met a herd of peacefully grazing horses. Those were the working horses – guests ride them upon request – but they were roaming free in accordance with the resort rules.

A feisty red mare leads the heard, since she is the mother of the majority of other horses, and a smart cookie. When she sees staff members looking for the herd for a horseback ride, if she doesn’t feel like working, she turns around and gallops to the forest, followed by her docile brood.

Other happy animals on premises are tejones from a raccoon family. Cutesy-faced mischievous creatures sleep in the trees in daytime, but at night descend upon unsuspecting El Oasis diners begging for a piece of a freshly baked brioche or a slice of tomato. They would accept a give-away with their little fingers and waive their long tails in gratitude, but since they travel in families, sometimes reaching 10, 20 or 50 individuals, the restaurant staff asks guests not to submit to pressure.




With an extensive range of luxurious accommodations and services, like picnics on demand on private beaches; couples’ massages and other spa options; dessert and champagne delivered to a sunset lookout; and La Palapa Beach Club, where guests relax by the pool and enjoy lunch in their swimsuits, Las Alamandas is truly a paradise for weddings, anniversaries, and honeymoons.



However, enjoying a sunny retreat on a pristine ocean beach “just because” is good fortune enough to strive for it. Make your reservation and learn about luxury experiences and special packages by calling 1-888-882-9616 or by visiting alamandas.com