Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight

 

"Don't tou find, judging from his picture, that his eyes are full of tears and that his lips are sad with a secret sorrow?”

-“Lincoln’s Melancholy” by Joshua Shenk

Years ago, on my first trip to Graceland, I had occasion to visit the ladies room. As I entered a stall I noticed writing scrawled on the interior of the door. A message, in lipstick read,” Dear Elvis, I love you and miss you.” Th"De message seemed heartfelt but I was amused by the idea that if Elvis returned he would visit the ladies room.

 With the premiere of Spielberg’s movie Lincoln, detailing the final months of his life, I have begun to wonder which places would he visit if he were to return. Which places, events and individuals did he hold so dear that he would want one more look to remind him of what happened there? Would they be places of triumph or tragedy? Poet Vache Lindsay, author of “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” and Springfield, Illinois native, felt he would have paced the streets of Springfield, Illinois in contemplation of a world that had not sufficiently learned the universal lessons to be taught by the Civil War.

I am far less certain of the paths he would tread but I am sure it would be among the places I have listed. All of the sites mentioned are also open to the less “spectral” traveler and make an ideal mini-vacation or cross country trip.

The sites are chronological, when possible and by location. Bear in mind that you will be traveling by mundane means, car, foot, etc., so you will need more time than Lincoln would to adequately visit the locations. Check online for days of operation, opening and closings times and admission costs.

Abraham Lincoln was born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln in 1809 on the Sinking Springs Farm in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Thomas had recently purchased the 348-acre plot of land for $200.00 and erected a one-room log cabin approximately 16 X 18-ft. The Lincoln’s moved from the farm in 1811.

In 1909, a cornerstone was laid for a monument to be designed by John Russell Pope. A neoclassical structure was completed in 1911 and five years later was designated a National Park. Fifty-six steps, one for each year of his life, lead to a marble Greek temple that houses a replica of the birth home on the site of the original.

Lincoln said that his earliest memories were of his second home, 30-acre Knob Creek Farm, a few miles from Sinking Spring. www.nps.gov/abli

Indiana’s Pigeon Creek Farm lays claim to being the place where Lincoln’s values were shaped and where he grew into manhood. The Lincoln Memorial National Monument offers a 15-minute orientation film, museum exhibits, cabin site, five panels interpreting Lincoln’s life, a living history farm and the gravesite of his mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Nancy died in 1818 and in 1819 Thomas married Sarah Bush. She brought to the home a number of books and a love of learning that she shared with Abraham,www.nps.gov/libo

At the age of 22, Lincoln moved to New Salem Village in Illinois, now a state historic site, and lived there for six years. The years from 1831-37 seem to have served as a test period. He tried out a number of occupations including clerk, postmaster (1835) surveyor (1833), soldier (1833), and lawyer (1836). The fully furnished reconstructions interpret the Lincoln years through use of authentically clad docents and special programs. www.lincolnsnewsalem.com

On April 15, 1837, Lincoln moved 20-miles to Springfield, Illinois and established a law partnership with John Stuart. He was elected to the Illinois General Assembly and practiced law as a Circuit Court Judge. In 1839 he met Mary Todd and the next year they become engaged. In 1841 Lincoln broke the engagement but in 1842 they continued the engagement and on November 4, 1842 Mary became Mrs. Lincoln. Nine months later Robert Todd Lincoln was born. www.visit-springfieldillinois.com

From 1847-49 Lincoln served in the US House of Representatives and lived in DC but it is his second stay in Washington that is most remembered. On November 6, 1860 Lincoln was elected President of the US and on December 20th South Carolina seceded from the Union. Lincoln departed for Washington on February 11, 1861, never to return alive. The Springfield years are a turning point in Lincoln’s life.

The only extant building in which Lincoln practiced law is the restored Lincoln Herndon Law Offices located on the 3rd-floor of Tinsley’s Store across from the State Capitol. Stephen Logan was his partner from 43-44 and Herndon was his partner until 1852. A small visitor center on the ground floor presents an orientation program and contains exhibits. Some architectural elements survive including the banister. http://www.illinoishistory.gov/hs/lincoln_herndon

The only home that Lincoln ever owned was purchased for $1,200 in 1844. The house, originally quite small, was expanded in 1856. When they moved to Washington they rented the house, fully expecting to return and resume their lives there. Arrive early for the tour so you can walk through the neighborhood and view the outdoor exhibits. www.nps.gov/liho/index.htm

The Greek revival Old State Capitol State Historic Site is an exact replica of the state capitol building that Lincoln would have known. In my opinion this is an extremely significant location in his story. At this site he honed his legal skills, appeared before the State Supreme Court, established his campaign headquarters and it is here that his body was returned to lie in state on May 3rd and 4th in 1865 prior to his internment. Most importantly, in Representatives Hall he rose and delivered his eloquent “House Divided’ speech in Representatives Hall. www.illinoishistory.gov/hs/old_capitol

The Great Western or Lincoln Depot is the station from which Lincoln bid farewell to his friends and neighbors as he left for Washington in February of 1861. The speech is hauntingly beautiful and almost elegiac. Visitors can hear an audio version in the depot. www.nps.gov/liho/great-western-depot.htm

“Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened in 2004 but its history dates from the 19th-century. The facility holds the world’s largest collection of Lincoln related materials. This superb, state-of-the-art, interactive museum provides visitors of all ages with a complete Lincoln experience from his childhood to the grave. Life-sized models of the Lincoln family greet visitors and provide a great photo op. This is an outstanding venue and you should set aside a minimum of two hours for a visit. www.alplm.org

Lincoln Douglas Square in Alton, Illinois was the scene in October 1858 of the last of seven debates between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln on the campaign trail for the Illinois’ US Senate seat. Debates lasted three hours and drew large crowds. Many believe that it was this series of debates that brought Lincoln to the attention of the masses. Lincoln did not win the seat but two years later became the 16th President. The site is now denoted with life-sized bronze sculptures of the two men in debate poses. www.visitalton.com

Initially the White House was referred to as the President’s House and it is not until it was painted white to cover the signs of British attempts to burn it in 1814 that it received the name though it was not official until 1901. Every president with the exception of Washington, though he selected the site, has lived there. Of all the former residents legend has it that Lincoln’s ghost is observed the most often. He is said to appear on the second floor.

It should be noted that the Green Room was the scene of several séances held by Mary Lincoln to communicate with her deceased son Willie. Tours of the first floor are offered but tours of the Lincoln Bedroom are not. From the exterior it is seen as the second and third windows on the east end of the second floor It should be noted that during Lincoln’s tenure the area that is now the Lincoln Bedroom was his office. www.whitehouse.gov

The 1842 President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home is located atop a hill a few miles from the White House. The cottage served as a summer retreat from the oppressive conditions of DC and the family first visited in 1862 and returned for the summers of 1862 and 63. Here Lincoln wrote the largest portion of the Emancipation Proclamation. www.lincolncottage.org

Lincoln loved the theater and on April 14, 1865, with Lee’s surrender, it was a lighthearted Mary and Abraham who ascended the stairs to the Presidential Box in the balcony. John Wilkes Booth entered the box and shot Lincoln in the head with a .44 Derringer. Tours of the interior of Ford Theater and self-guided tours of the museum on the lower level are available. www.nps.gov/foth

 The President was carried across the street to Peterson House where he expired at 7:22 AM the next morning. Self-guided tours of the boarding house include the parlor in which Mary Lincoln kept a vigil and the bedroom where Lincoln died. www.fordstheatre.org/home/performances-events/tours/petersen-house

 Lincoln’s Tomb in Springfield’s Oak Ridge Cemetery is the burial site of Abraham, Mary, Todd, Tad and Eddie Lincoln. This magnificent tomb was designed by Larkin Mead and received Lincoln’s body in 1871. The granite edifice is 72-ft. wide and 117-ft. tall. The interior is stunning with statues depicting pivotal points in Lincoln’s life. Lincoln is interred in a vault beneath the floor while the family rests in crypts placed in the south wall. This is the second most visited cemetery in the country. www.lincolntomb.org

Congress sanctioned the Lincoln Monument Association in 1867 but it took 47-years for construction to begin and an additional eight, May 30, 1922, for it to be dedicated. The Greek Parthenon-style white marble monument faces The Capitol. The 36 Doric columns represent the 36 states in April of 1865 while a frieze above enumerates the 48 states in 1922. The sculpture of a seated Lincoln was carved by Daniel Chester French and is 19-ft by 19-ft and his hands form the sign language symbols for A and L. His two most famous speeches are carved into the walls, “The Gettysburg Address” and the “Second Inaugural Address” along with two Jules Guerin murals.

Etched above Lincoln’s head are the words, “In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.”www.nps.gov/linc

If Abraham Lincoln does indeed walk at midnight where would he walk? I think, well, it does not really matter what I think. Travel his path and decide for yourself.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 2012

Montgomery, Alabama, My Soul Looks Back in Wonder

“…still here was this young woman going for an upset price of $610, but no one would bid, and the auctioneer, after vain attempts to raise the price and excite competition, said, “Not sold to-day, Sally; you may get down”      W. H. Russell, Esq., London Times Correspondent.

The state of Alabama took its name from the Alibamu Indians who settled the region around 10,000 years ago and established two villages, Ikanatchati and Towasa, on the site that is now Montgomery. Spanish explorers led by Hernando De Soto made first contact in 1540. Nearly two centuries later, in 1716, James McQueen became the first resident of the area. Two groups founded towns, East Alabama and Philadelphia, around 1817. The two towns merged in December 1819 and took the name of Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery. That same month Alabama gained statehood and in 1846 Montgomery became the capital of the state.

The Montgomery region was a natural crossroads and a Native American trade route crossed the area for many years prior to European incursion. In the 19th-century, trade continued and Montgomery became an important shipping port and center of the lucrative cotton and slave trades.

By 1819, slaves accounted for more than 30 percent of Alabama’s approximately 128,000 inhabitants and the slave population more than doubled during the 1820s and again during the 1830s. When Alabama seceded from the Union in 1861 the state’s 435,080 slaves made up 45 percent of the total population making Alabama the state with the fourth largest number of enslaved individuals. The black population had swelled 939 percent in 40 years.

Montgomery served as the first Confederate capital for a brief period of time and it was there that a Secession Convention was held on January 6, 1861 and voted to secede on January 11th. Jefferson Davis was selected to serve as President of the Confederacy. The capital was relocated to Richmond to be nearer to the initial battles. Union troops marched into Montgomery, led by Gen. James Wilson, in April 1865.

Visitors can trace the American story from the Civil War to Civil Rights in a variety of ways throughout the city. The opening act of the war occurred here, the Selma to Montgomery March ended at the steps of the State Capital and it is widely held that the march led directly to President Johnson’s signing of the Voting Rights Act, a watershed event in Civil Rights history. There are numerous sites in Montgomery that must be seen and I strongly suggest that you plan to spend several days. www.visitingmontgomery.com

After the US banned the transatlantic slave trade in 1807 the internal slave trade became increasingly important and Montgomery became a major market for slaves being sold south. Initially they walked but by the mid-1800s slaves were moved by rail and steamboat and marched along Commerce and Market Streets to be sold by the more than 160 slave traders located in the immediate area. (Market Street was renamed Dexter Avenue.) Slaves were held in “depots” until they were auctioned in Court Square and auctions were held as late as 1864.

Four historic markers document Montgomery’s role in the slave trade. A sign, on the exterior of Union Station at 300 Water St., relates information on transporting slaves by ship and rail. A slave warehouse was located at 122 Commerce St. and a plaque there interprets the site. The third marker, Monroe and Lawrence Sts., details the number and use of depots along Market Street.

Court Square, the location of the fourth marker, is an excellent place to obtain a crash course on Montgomery’s role in national history. The square was the primary slave market and regular auctions were held there. Directly across the street is the site of the former telegram office from which Confederate Secretary of War Leroy Pope Walker sent the message to Charleston authorizing the attack on Fort Sumter, beginning the Civil War. City Council placed a fountain over the artesian well in the square in 1885. The fountain’s focal point is a statue of Hebe, the Cupbearer of the Gods.

On another corner of the square is a marker denoting the stop where Rosa Parks boarded the bus on December 1, 1955 to go home to her Cleveland Court apartment, now on Rosa Parks Avenue. Although she was not the first woman to be arrested for refusing to give up her seat, she would serve as the match that ignited freedom’s fire.

Parks, the youth leader of the local NAACP, worked as a seamstress in the Montgomery Fair Department Store. She boarded the bus after work and took a seat. The first 10 rows were reserved for white passengers, the last 10 for blacks and the 16 in the center were available to all unless whites overflowed the first 10 rows. Rosa took a seat in the middle and two blocks later, in front of the Empire Theatre, she refused to yield her seat to a white male passenger and was arrested.

Twenty-four hours later E. D. Nixon, NAACP president, Clifford Durr, a white lawyer and his wife Virginia, bailed her out and she agreed to become the test case to challenge the constitutionality of legalized segregation. Her 30-minute trial on December 5th resulted in $14.00 in fines and court costs. She also lost her appeal. The Montgomery Bus Boycott began the day of her trial.

The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was formed and a young pastor, Dr. Martin Luther King, was selected to serve as president. They made only three demands, that the drivers be courteous to blacks, that seating be on a first come first served basis and that black drivers be hired to service black neighborhoods. The boycott lasted a total of 381 days, until December 20, 1956, with a huge economic impact. The bus company lost approximately $3,000 daily because 75 percent of the riders were African American amounting to 30-40,000 black passengers daily.

The boycott ended when the US Supreme Court ruled, in Browder v. Gayle, that Alabama’s laws mandating segregated buses were not constitutional. The ruling went into effect on December 20, 1956. Segregationists continued to fight and on January 1, 1959 Montgomery closed 13 public parks rather than integrate them.

Troy University’s Rosa Parks Library & Museum is located on the site of the Empire Theater. The museum features 55,000-sq, ft. of exhibit space and a theater. Tours begin with an orientation and a multi-media production that immerses you in 1955 Montgomery. You then proceed to the corner where Rosa Parks boards the bus while you look on. The tour then proceeds chronologically through the boycott. Highlights of the exhibitions are life-sized dioramas that depict important events and the displayed documents, all of which are original. “The Victory Ride,” a recreation of the first bus ride taken by the leaders of the movement is particularly poignant. Prior to exiting visitors should have their photo taken with a sculpture of a seated Rosa Parks in a nearby gallery. Rosa Parks was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame in 2008.

In 2006 a children’s wing was added adjacent to the main museum to provide the historic context that younger people need to understand the significance of the boycott. Visitors board the Cleveland Avenue Time Machine and encounter Jim Crow, Dred Scott and Harriet Tubman. This is a creative and informative experience for all ages. www.trojan.troy.edu/community/rosa-parks-museum/index

Reverend King assumed the pastorate of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in September 1954. He and his family would live there in the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Parsonage until February of 1960. The parsonage was constructed in 1912 and became home to the church’s ministers in 1919. Dr. Vernon Johns, the previous activist minister, lived there from 1947 to 1952.

The parsonage was bombed at 9 PM on January 31, 1956 while King was out and Coretta and their 10-month old daughter were at home. Visual remnants of the bombing can be seen on the right side of the porch. After the bombing King spoke to a crowd of African Americans who had gathered outside, requesting calm and assuring them that the struggle would continue even if he should die. A little over a year later the parsonage was bombed a second time, destroying the front of the residence. Seven white men were arrested, two confessed, all were found not guilty at trial.

Tours of the one-story house begin in the visitor’s center with a film and a conversation with a church member who shares memories and personal photos of Dr. King. Guests then proceed to the house. The residence is outfitted with some of the family’s personal belongings and highlights include his office and personal record collection.

On January 27, 1956, King received a threatening phone call. The call was so vitriolic that it gave him pause. He went into the kitchen and prayed and experienced an epiphany. An inner voice eradicated his doubts and from that moment on his path was set. The kitchen in which he prayed is the most moving part of the tour. www.dexterkingmemorial.org

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church was established in 1877 in what had been a slave warehouse. The land was purchased for $250 and black builder William Watkins erected the structure using bricks that remained from an 1883 street paving. The church was designed with a bell tower and loving arms staircase. Dexter Ave Baptist served as the base for the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and 1956. Tours of the church are regularly scheduled and include the original pews and the Bible and pulpit used by Rev. King. On the lower lever a mural depicts important scenes from King’s life. The church is a 1974 National Historic Landmark. www.dexterkingmemorial.org

From the front of the church you are only a short walk to the capital and directly across the street from the Alabama State Supreme Court where many Civil Rights cases were heard.

The Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station burst onto the national scene on May 20, 1961 at 10:23 AM when 21 freedom riders, none older than 22, arrived at this bus station. Their goal was to protest discriminatory interstate transit practices. The rides began in early May but the level of violence was so great that US Attorney General Robert Kennedy sent an assistant, John Seigenthaler, to Birmingham. Only one group continued on and the riders were attacked and viciously beaten by a white mob, including Seigenthaler, who was shadowing the bus by car and reporters. The attack was so horrifying that it caused the federal Interstate Commerce Commission to mandate that all interstate bus stations be integrated on September 22, 1961. The Montgomery Station is a National Historic Site and houses a museum that interprets the experiences of the integrated groups of Freedom Riders. www.preserveala.org/greyhoundstation.aspx

Beulah Baptist Church, 3703 Rosa Parks Ave., was incorporated in 1919. The church was the setting for meetings during the boycott and this was the church that the family of Nathaniel Adams Coles attended and his mother was the choir’s pianist.

The Cole-Sanford House, the single-story childhood home of Nat King Cole still stands at 1524 St. John Street. In 1956 Cole became the first African American to host a weekly national network program. That same year during an appearance at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham Cole was beaten by a white mob while on stage. He died of cancer in 1965 but in 1985 he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. His brother accepted the award for him in a ceremony in Boutwell Auditorium. The house is a private residence.

Remember, the African American story is everyone’s story. Plan a trip to Alabama. www.alabama.travel

“If we are wrong justice is a lie.” M. L. King, Jr. December 5, 1955

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2014

Mexico’s Playa Mujeres Excellence Resorts

Mexico’s Playa Mujeres Excellence Resorts

                  Nearly 5000 years ago Mayans migrated into the Yucatán region of Mexico and between 500 BC and 900 AD they constructed large commercial, ceremonial and religious centers. The first documented Europeans to sail into the area, although they did not land, were part of the 1513 Ponce de León expedition. Four years later Francisco Hernández de Córdova, while seeking slaves, landed. Encountering indigenous people he asked where he was in Spanish. They responded in their language, “ Tetec dtan. Ma t natic a dtan,” basically, “What are you saying?”  Córdova believed they were answering his question and, hearing their words as “Yucatán”, named the land accordingly.

                  This unbelievably lush and bountiful region remained relatively isolated until the 1950s because the only access was by sea. In the mid-20^th century both a railway and a road were constructed to connect the Yucatán to the rest of the country. Because of its former inaccessibility the region has maintained much of the Mayan culture and is home to one of the largest indigenous populations and the greatest number of indigenous language speakers.

                  The Yucatán’s semi-tropical eastern coastline is lapped by the Caribbean waters, famous for being comprised of seven distinctive colors of blue. The pristine beaches and world’s 5^th largest barrier reef make this a tourist destination just as it was a sacred and secular destination for the ancients. There are currently more than 2,500 ruins, of varying sizes, in the area including Chichen Itzá, Cobá and Tulum. Seventeen of the ruins have been restored and two have been designated Wonders of the New World. 

                  Mayan roads were engineering marvels. They were comprised of three layers covered with limestone and crushed shells. These “white roads” were luminescent in the dark and were gateways to the culture and to the most beautiful and luxurious places along the coastline. Modern roads follow many of these same paths and lead to still stunning destinations.

                  Three adjacent resorts comprise the Excellence Group Luxury Hotels and Resorts complex and are located just a few miles from Aeropuerto de Cancun off one of those ancient roads at the end of a stunningly landscaped boulevard that appears carved out of the jungle’s lush foliage. Architecturally the resorts blend harmoniously with the setting, the sea and each other. The two newest properties, Beloved and Finest, offer unique experiences and opportunities to immerse oneself in the culture and spirit of the country.

                  Finest Playa Mujeres is the larger and newer of the two luxury resorts. It is the sole all-inclusive, family friendly resort in the Cancun area and it accomplishes this in a novel manner. One entire section of the resort is for families while a second section is reserved for adults only. A common area accessible to all guests separates the sections.

                  There are more than 400 accommodations, including rooftop suites and casitas, the smallest of which is 800-sq. ft. and features a full range of amenities. The exclusively adult Excellence Club accommodations feature Bvlgary toiletries and an upgraded minibar. ADA rooms are available. Many activities are offered and Finest is an ideal wedding location because of the setting and the layout.

                  Finest offers 12 all-inclusive international restaurants complete with vegetarian options, 16 bars including the trendy Sky Bar, 10 swimming pools, a 3,500-sq ft. state-of-the-art fitness center and spa. The One Spa menu boasts treatments based on both traditional and modern techniques with a special hydrotherapy experience that is linked to the sea. www.finestresorts.com

Beloved, a 5-star adults only boutique all-Inclusive resort is the most romantic destination in the area.  There are 109 luxurious accommodations with designer amenities, Jacuzzi and minibar. There are 4 restaurants, 4 bars, 3 swimming pools, a 304-ft. beachfront and complete selection of water based activities and land excursions. It provides a singular romantic and intimate experience with an unprecedented level of service. There are 3 service providers per guest.

Beloved’s 35,000-sq. ft. Spa & Wellness Center presents guests with numerous treatment options. The signature hydrothermal therapies that are taken in the Agua Viva facility include the crystal steam Hammam, Roman Caldarium and Swedish Sauna. Each guest is assigned a personal thermal valet and treatments end with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. www.belovedhotels.com

Excursions to nearby sites can be arranged from either resort that create a perfect combination of traditional culture and sensual Caribbean luxury. There are several nearby day-trip notable cultural destinations including Mayan ruins, cenotes and Xcaret Mexico. Xcaret Mexico is a must for a quick overview of authentic Mexico, its traditions and architecture. Highlights of a visit include activities in an underground river, exhibitions and "Xcaret Mexico Espectacular," a musical trip through history. www.xcaret.com

Excellence Group Luxury Hotels and Resorts is a best bet. Specials and packages are offered online and you will be amazed at how affordable your visit can be.

Travel Tips:

                  There are small things about traveling that can be problematic but charging your personal devices has just be removed from the list by a new device, the Twist World Adapter Duo. This universal travel adaptor functions in more than 150 countries, has 2 USB ports, a universal AC outlet, a built-in MacBook charging port and you can charge as many as 3 devices at a time. The adaptor is round, lightweight, a mere 3.5 by 2.5-inches long and it is available online at the Grommet. www.thegrommet.com

                  The Kingdom of Peacocks, by Fadel AlMheiri, is a great vacation read. Originally written as one of a trilogy of screenplays. it deftly conjures up pictures of unbridled adventure. The story, though not a historical narrative, recounts a tale of Portuguese exploration and exploitation in the early 16^th-century when Portugal ruled the seas. The book is available in hardback, paperback and Kindle editions.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexican Bliss

 “Dale valor a las cosas, no por lo que valen, sino por lo que significan.”  Gabriel García Márquez *

Puerto Vallarta is set like a gemstone in the center of the scythe-shaped Bahia de Banderas between the sea and the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains. The 26-mile long Bahia de Banderas, Banderas Bay, is the largest bay in Mexico and the sheer beauty is breathtaking. P.V., as it is referred to by visitors and residents alike, is internationally famous for its beautiful sunsets, beaches, geographical diversity, flora, fauna, cuisine, culture and world-class hospitality. The weather is close to perfect and even the rainy season, November through March, does not put a damper on living “la vida loco”. visitmexico.com

Indigenous tribes lived in the region for centuries, sustaining themselves by fishing and farming, prior to first contact with Europeans in 1524 when Francisco Cortes encountered 18,000 indians. They were carrying feathered banners and the Spainards named the area the Valle de Las Banderas or the Valley of the Flags. The next fully documented visitor, Don Pedro de Alvarado, 17-years later is credited with “discovering” the site that is now Puerto Vallarta. For more than 300-years P.V. was a small fishing village largely overlooked except by the occasional ship seeking a port in a storm, a resupplying point or pirate vessels waiting to launch an attack on unsuspecting Spanish treasure ships. The bay during those years was referred to as Humpbck Bay because of the large number of whales in the waters.

In 1851 Guadalupe Sanchez began to grow crops on land he purchased to ship to the silver mines in the surrounding mountains. His business flourished as the mines began to use it as a mining supply transfer point. Originally referred to as Puerto Las Peñas, as the settlement grew it was renamed Ignacio Vallarta to honor a former governor. In 1918 it was officially named Puerto Vallarta and was designated a Mexican city. The Rosita Hotel was the first hotel in the area. It opened in 1948 and provided ample accommodations for the few visitors who came.

A stunning series of events took place in Puerto Vallerta in the 1960s that would catapult the city onto the international tourism stage. The tale begins with the meeting of director John Huston and P.V. architect Guillermo Wulff. Huston was scouting locations for his latest movie, The Night of the Iguana and Wulff proposed that he consider Mismaloya, a small fishing village just south of the city. Mismaloya’s beach is located in a cove and behind the village rises the jungle. A set was erected and filming, with Richard Burton, began in 1963.

Richard Burton was in the throes of a love affair with Elizabeth Taylor, she joined him there and Burton and Taylor purchased two houses across the street from one another. Burton had a bridge constructed, Lover’s Arch, between the two so that he would not have to cross the street. Soon movie stars, intellectuals and paparazzi began arriving and with the movie opening in 1964 a spotlight was turned on Puerto Vallarta as a tourist destination that has never dimmed.

Huston established a home on leased land in a Chacala Indian community in Las Caletas and it is there that he wrote his autobiography. The island can be visited but only on a guided tour. The movie set is closed and Casa Kimberley, the Taylor home, is being renovated into an upscale hotel. Views of the house and the bridge can be obtained from the street.

One of the most incredible aspects of visiting Puerto Vallarta is the fact that Mexican culture envelopes you. No areas are so tourist filled that you do not have the opportunity to experience the city with and in the same ways the residents do.

There are not a large number of museums in the city but Museo Arqueológico del Cuale, the Archeological Museum, provides an overview of the cultural history. The museum opened in 1978 and underwent a renovation in 2005. The permanent collection was donated from other Mexican museums and contains artifacts dating from the Precolumbian Era circa 5000 B.C. and continues through the Spanish conquest. Gallery highlights of the chronological exhibits include artworks and pre-Hispanic shaft tombs. Interpretive information is available in English.

Strolling the streets of the downtown is an important part of experiencing the city. The cobblestone streets are a pathway to the finest restaurants and entertainment. The most famous of these routes is a walk along El Malecón. This walk should be taken during both daylight and dusk as the experiences are totally different. Malecón extends from the Hotel Rosita to Los Muertos Beach, a 1-mile, 12-block pedestrian zone bordered by a seawall. Fidencio Benitez, a native of the indigenous Huichol, decorated the patterned pavement with designs. Bronze sculptures line the walkway and are perfect places to take photographs. The most iconic and most photographed is Rafael Zamarripa’s “El Caballito de Mar,” “The Boy on the Seahorse”.  A lad with a cowboy sombrero rides a seahorse situated against the sea backdrop. The seahorse represents the city’s durable links with the sea trades, the sombrero signifies Mexican history and culture and the welcoming smile on the boy’s face visually depicts the warm welcome the city extends to all visitors. The statue was originally created in 1960 and is approximately 9’ in height. Guided ArtWalk tours are offered that include nine art galleries as well as guided sculpture tours. vallartaartwalk.com

Art lovers must pay homage to Manuel Lepe, one of Mexico’s most famous artists, by visiting El Palacio Municipal, Old City Hall. His mural is displayed there. Lepe was born in Puerto Vallarta and had no formal training. His works are so colorful and exuberant that UNICEF has used his designs.

Performances of Los Voladores de Papantla, the flyers of Papantla, are regularly scheduled on the promenade. Five elaborately costumed men ascend a 98’ pole. Four of the men plunge from the pole, tethered by one foot, and spin around the pole 13 times before alighting on the ground. When multiplied by 4 the total number of spins equals the Aztec sacred number 52. The fifth man remains balanced atop the pole as he plays music to accompany the performance.

Virgin de Guadalupe Church was completed in 1951 and dedicated to the patron saint of both the city and Mexico. The church is a mix of styles with the central portion being neo-classical with renaissance towers. The church is located on the site of an earlier chapel and the larger edifice was begun in October of 1912. After several interruptions work on the dome began in 1940. A tour of the interior showcases a 1945 venerated oil painting of the Virgin by Ignacio Rameriz.

The church’s most outstanding architectural feature is a brick bell tower topped by a crown. The crown was originally gilt and designed after one worn by Empress Carlotta of Mexico. The original was destroyed by an earthquake in 1995 and was temporarily replaced with one made of fiberglass. In 2009 a new 31’ by 48’ crown, with a glass dome and a cross, created by Carlos Terres, was placed atop the church. The design incorporates symbols, 8 angels bear the crown, 24 gemstone boxes stand for the 24 hours in a day and 5 large palms signify the 5 most important events in the history of the city. The first 12 days of December the church becomes the pivotal site in Puerto Vallarta’s most important faith-based event, the Fiestas de la Virgin Guadalupe. Year round Virgin de Guadalupe Church is a major pilgrimage site.

Playa Los Muertos, Deadman’s Beach, is the city’s most popular beach. There are several stories about the naming of the area but the one that is supported by oral testimony and archeological evidence points to the beach having been a sacred burial site for local natives. Remnants of gravesites, pottery shards and bones in ceramic vessels have been recovered.

                 CNN designated Los Muertos Pier one of the most beautiful worldwide. The pier, designed by José de Jesús Torres Vega, opened in 2013 in the heart of most romantic portion of the beach. The $2.4-million pier includes a pedestrian zone, seating, docking facilities and an evening light show. This is a perfect place to watch the sunset. Adjacent to the pier are restaurants and shops ideal for browsing after dark. 

Puerto Vallarta offers a wide-range of lodgings, from apartments to luxurious villas, from self-catering to all-inclusives. The city has won awards as the friendliest city in the world and that extends to their extensive and uniformly high quality hospitality network. That being said, I suggest that visitors choose accommodations based on location, service, environmental responsibility and service to the community. The adults-only Villa Premire Hotel & Spa exceeded my expectations.

The Villa Premire has been honored with numerous awards for a commitment to personalized service that begins the moment you step onto the property. You are greeted with a cold towel, a refreshing drink and a 5-minute massage in a private area. Pillow and accommodation fragrance menus are presented at check-in and guests select the types of pillows and which of seven aromas you want your room to have. Each of the 83 rooms and suites offer boutique bath products and designer linens. On-site restaurants feature traditional cuisine through room, pool and table service.

Villa Premire is a primary supporter of La Orquesta Escuela de Puerto Vallarta (OEPV), the School Orchestra of Puerto Vallarta. This community program is designed to teach music with an additional emphasis on developing leaders, academics, self-discipline, communication and collaboration skills, transcending class, race and social barriers. There are three skill levels from beginner to advanced incorporating ages 8 to 22. All students receive scholarships from 10% to 100%. Additional information on performances and donations is available online. facebook.com/oepuertovallarta

The Jazz Foundation is a new addition to P.V.’s  nightlife scene and the city’s first jazz club. Opened in June in Downtown, the club is designed to replicate a traditional jazz club with  specialty drinks and Creole cuisine. As an all-inclusive jazz forum the facility includes a library and features special events and programming. jazzpv.com

Among Puerto Vallarta’s numerous claims to fame is the designation , “Gourmet Capital of the Mexican Pacific.” Noted for its traditional cuisine UNESCO has recognized the variety and quality of the traditional cuisine of inestimable value as an intangible cultural heritage and there are more than 300 restaurants from which to choose. Each November the 10-day Festival Gourmet International Vallarta is held. festivalgourmet.com

La Palapa was the first restaurant located on Playa Los Muertos and has been serving tne best of tropical Mexican cuisine since 1959. The family-owned restaurant has maintained the spirit and style of the original thatched roof structure. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. House specialties include Pepper Crusted Tellowfin Tuna and La Palapa Shrimp. This is a very romantic choice. lapalapapv.com

Tino´s is a traditional Mexican seafood restaurant that has successfully blended local seafood with fresh vegetables and spices to create unique spins on old favorites. The restaurant began more than 18-years ago and has blossomed into a local favorite. Everything is good here but you must try the zarandeado fillet. I am told the secret is in the marinade. tinosvallarta.com

Chef Hugo Ahumada’s  restaurant Maia is situated in the lounge of the Villa Mercedes Petit Hotel and also serves dinner each evening in the courtyard. The chef’s goal is to prepare dishes that feed both your body and your spirit and his philosophy permeates the cuisine and the décor. All meals are prepared with regional ingredients and served in handcrafted vessels made by area craftspeople using recycled wood. Artists’ works featuring cultural and historic themes decorate the walls. The traditional Mexican menu is totally unique showcasing organic foods and creative combinations. facebook.com/Maia-restaurante

Puerto Vallarta is as near a perfect destination as one can hope for and it is all easily accessible and affordable and all necessary planning tools and information can be found online. Next week we venture outside the city for additional thrills. visitpuertovallarta.com

*”Value things not because of their worth but because of their meaning.”

Originally Published September 2015