Friday, January 2, 2015

SATURDAY IN SAN SEBASTIÁN



ENTERING SAN SEBASTIAN ON DECEMBER 27TH

AFTER THE SUN APPEARED IN SAN SEBASTIÁN

CAFÉ Y CHOCOLATE EN FRENTE DE LA PLAZA
On a cool, drizzly morning two days after Christmas, we drove an hour and forty-five minutes northeast up the curvy road into foothills of the Sierras. Our destination was San Sebastián, the picturesque, movie set-looking town. Founded in 1605 during the Spanish colonial period and formally designated as a city in 1812, San Sebastián was once a thriving mining center for gold, silver and lead, with more than twenty-five mines and a number of foundries. Although the population  of San Sebastián reached 20,000  inhabitants by 1900, the Revolution of 1910 began the decline it its population. Today, there are less than 1,000 people living in San Sebastián, most of whom reside in old cut stone or adobe houses.


LA IGLESIA DE SAN SEBASTIÁN
In the late morning mist and light rain, locals were dressed boots, sweaters and wool caps.  Hot chocolate and the popular San Sebastián coffee in a small café on the main square, the fragrance of pine trees and red- ribboned wreaths and “nochebuenas” (poinsettias), made it feel like Christmas there.  A short walk around town included a visit to the baroque church of Saint Sebastián.


VIEW OF CHURCH FROM CAFÉ
Built in 1608 by the Spaniards, its serious thick, grey stone walls contrast with the small and beautiful pale aqua interior.  At lunch at Montebello, which has GREAT Italian food and where one can sit in a garden, the sun came out.  If there were nothing other than this restaurant in San Sebastián, the trip would always be worth it to me just to dine there.  Montebello is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.   Telephone number is 297-2883. 

MONTEBELLO
NOTE:  The Fiesta of San Sebastián begins January 18 and ends January 21.
FRIENDLY YOUNG FOAL AND MOTHER - APPEALING SIGHT LEAVING SAN SEBASTIAN
SAN SEBASTIÁN


In the evening, it was still sprinkling in Puerto Vallarta, where we sat on the stands at the stadium to watch the fabulous Fireworks Festival - it was France´s turn - and then see the wonderful Mexican singer, Lila Downs, in concert.  The festival ended with an incredible thirty minutes of fireworks on New Year´s Eve.  From a friend´s condo high up in the hills, we watched the fantastic displays from the pier at Los Muertos beach all the way around the horseshoe-shaped bay to Punta de Mita, forty miles away.  Far below us, sailboats and yachts gave off shimmering golden lights and sent up Chinese sky lanterns that slowly disappeared out of sight. 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152707282782655&set=vb.599527654&type=2&theater

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!     Video of Fireworks Festival by Ray Dion.



DONATIONS TO PEACEANIMALS CLINICS:  Sherry Moore - $1,000 USD    (I met Sherry several years ago when she rescued a blind dog living next to the highway at Playa Gemelas.  The homeless dog was named “Velma” after Velma Wright, who had been feeding her while she was staying at a nearby condo.  Velma had a few joyful months with Sherry in Washington before died unexpectedly of a rare disease).

Pam Lock - $100 USD
Vicky Boyd - $100 USD (her comment with donation:  “Spay, neuter, education the root of the problem here and only solution.”)
Benedicte Laur - $10 USD – earmarked for clinic at Cherie Verber´s  home
Brian Campbell - $10 USD - ditto
Michael Turner - $50 USD

?  500 pesos – Left on December 16th with a note at Cassandra Shaw´s  thanking PEACEAnimals for its work.  Alas, cannot read signature.  Please advise!

NEW PEACEANIMALS BOARD MEMBERS!  Stephanie and Paul Madden – animal lovers who live in Houston and have a home here in  Puerto Vallarta.
FELIZ NAVIDAD PARA SANTO - Y AL FIN SE SIENTE MUY SEGURO EN SU HOGAR DESPÚES DE MUCHO SUFRIMIENTO

Our board members “give and/or get” $3,000 USD annually to help support the free mobile spay/neuter clinics.  We meet once in person or via conference call every year.  Reports are sent out to board members monthly.  Members vote on important issues.  If interested in joining the board of directors, please contact me. 

CLINIC FUNDRAISER!

WHAT:                      “A PUPPY LOVE WEDDING”

To include:             appetizers;  live and silent auctions; raffle and prizes;  music by Funkswagon; and wedding for two special doggies

WHEN:                     Tuesday, February 3 – 6-10 PM

WHERE:                   Las Palapas Grille, Calle Arroyo Seco #1,   Col. Palaya la Manzanilla in La Cruz

DONATION:           150 pesos in advance;  200 pesos at door
Tickets can be purchased at:  Pets & Vets in La Cruz - Delfin and highway (directly across from Roberto's Xcholatl Restaurant)

TO BENEFIT:          FREE MOBILE SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS
ORGANIZED BY:  DANI SUMMERS
INFORMATION:   danisummers15@gmail.com


RESCUES:  A few days before Christmas as I was taking breakfasts to five homeless cats a couple of blocks away, a man stopped me asking if I knew who the owner was of the black and white puppy in the street.  It was six or eight weeks old, clean and plump and pretty. No one was in sight and no house doors were open so I picked up the puppy.   As I held it, wondering what to do next, a woman walked towards me.  I asked if the puppy were hers.  It wasn´t.    I told her I couldn´t keep it because I had eleven rescues at home. She asked if I could part with one of them because a friend of hers wanted to adopt a puppy.  We both smiled as I handed the puppy to her.   Silvia Peña, manager of the Blue Vital spa, gave me her business card and walked walked up the hill with the lucky pup.  I e-mailed her the clinic information as soon as I got home.  


 PLEASE “LIKE” PEACEANIMALS ON FACEBOOK.  THANK YOU.

LUNCH DONATIONS NEEDED FOR VET TEAM:  PEACEAnimals has a budget of 70 pesos per vet team (three persons) per day for 4 days a week for lunches. Please consider bringing lunches for our vet team to the clinics.  If you can do this, please let me know so we can create a lunch schedule.  By having lunches donated, these savings can used for purchases of supplies and medicines.  THANK YOU.





VOLUNTARIOS DEL CENTRO DE ACOPIO
Open Monday-Saturday from 8 AM-2 PM.  293-3690. The Acopio is holding adoptions every Saturday from 11 AM-2 PM at Plaza Caracól (back end of building near McDonald´s entrance) AND Macro Plaza. Dogs are walked twice a week by volunteers organized by Friends of Puerto Vallarta Animals.  Food is always needed. The government contributes almost nothing.

RIDES FOR RESCUE DOGS NEEDED:  For Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.  All expenses for dogs paid for.  Please contact robin.nobars@gmail or patty@mexpup.com

GREATERGOOD - PLEASE CLICK!  Your daily clicks or direct donations help animals, people and the planet.  www.greatergood.org; www.greatergood.com

To donate to PEACEAnimals clinics, please click on this link.  http://bit.ly/1cWY0lP
UNOS DE LAS DOZENAS DE GATOS Y GATITOS EN ADOPCIÓN EN ANGELICAT TAMBIÉN HAY GATOS ESPERANDO HOGARES EN EL CENTRO DE ACOPIO, PURRPROJECT, PURO GATO Y PARAISO FELINO.  TODAS ESTAS ORGANIZACIÓNES TIENE PÁGINAS EN FB.


SMILEAMAZON– When ordering on Amazon, if you click on the following link you can designate PEACEAnimals as a recipient of Amazon´s donation of  0.5% of some of your purchases.  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-3726038



MÁS DE UN AÑO EN EL CENTRO DE ACOPIO - ONE OF SEVERAL DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE ACOPIO (POUND) FOR OVER A YEAR

SCHEDULE/HORARIO  


January 7-10, 2015 - Punta de Mita, Nay.-  Casa de Comunidad in Corral del Risco (former PEACE headquarters) 

January 14-17 -Puerto Vallarta - colonia la primavera- calle mezquite 558-B- home of Cherie Verber. 
Directions:  Leaving Costco, head south on Francisco Villa. At the Pemex/Oxxo at Calle Viena, pull into the gas station so you can turn left onto Calle Viena (You cannot turn left from Francisco Villa at that light) Follow Calle Viena to the end. Turn left at the end, right at the next street, followed by another immediate left. Follow that road all the way down, past the field and the park.  Go up the cobbled side of the street on the big hill. The road forks at the top of the hill.  Stay to the right and go one block.  (This street is called Palmera).  At the corner, on the left, is Abarrotes El Cheque -  a landmark of sorts.  Turn right and at the end of the street on the left is a big green house.   558 Mezquite.  If all else fails, follow a #3 bus, which stops right at El Cheque, and clinic is right down the street.

January 21-24 - Las Juntas, Jal. - At the Delegación, across from the main plaza.

January 28-31 - Col. Villa las Flores, Jal. - To b advised.

Schedule, including directions and other clinic information are always on website:  www.peaceanimals.org and on this blog:  www.gretchen-peace-and-pv.blogspot.com



WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AT THE CLINICS.    Please sign up:  infopeaceanimals@gmail.com
If directions needed, please call clinic director, Paulina Stettner:  044-322-779-3585


Postscript:  Vicky Thorne- Ohly, jewelry designer, sometime clinic volunteer and wife of our star volunteer, Frank Ohly,
has just opened a very nice shop at 308 V. Carranza at Constitución.   Her jewelry, Granville Latham stained glass, and watercolors by Enrique and are for sale there.


COST FOR ONE SURGERY WEEK CLINIC IS APPROXIMATELY  $1,700 USD. 


PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION VIA CHECK, CREDIT CARD, PAYPAL, BEQUEST OR STOCK TRANSFER.  Note:  Stocks are transferred at full value without the donating stock owner being taxed.   Name of recipient of donations  for all donations is simply "PEACE."

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:





 





GreaterGood.org

  









Thank you for your interest and support.


Gretchen DeWitt – President – Board of Directors
https://www.facebook.com/PeaceAnimals

FRIGATE HOVERING OVER FISHERMAN AT LINDOMAR    photo credit:   Eric Overton
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INFORMACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL SOBRE LA ESTERILIZACIÓN PARA MASCOTAS Y LAS CLÍNICAS GRATIS EN NUESTRO WEBSITE - www.peaceanimals.org
FAVOR DE DONAR ALMUERZOS PARA EL EQUIPO. NOS CUESTA 210 PESOS 4 DÍAS LA SEMANA Y CON SUS DONACIÓNES DE COMIDA, PODEMOS USAR ESTE DINERO PARA SUMINISTROS.  GRACIAS.

GRACIAS POR SU INTERÉS Y SU APOYO.
Gretchen DeWitt – Presidente de le mesa directiva
https://www.facebook.com/PeaceAnimals

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