Most roof tops have iron poles of rebar sticking up as if a second, third, or fourth floor was eminent. Many are just rusted iron poles, some are partially covered concrete pillars. I have heard two reasons. One is that they are left there to show they are authorized to build an additional floor. The other, more plausible reason is that these buildings have a lower property tax rate because they are considered unfinished. No one seems to know for sure.
It is hard to tell if some buildings are going up or coming down. The recent economy has taken its toll here as evidenced by the many buildings that look like contruction was just suddenly stopped and are now just abandoned . It is hard to tell for almost all structures have unfinished sides. You can not only see the concrete blocks or bricks, but pieces of the original wood framing is still stuck to the concrete.
I have included a photo of what exists on the other side of my white, palm, and vine covered trellis. You will realize not only why I put up this barrier, but will see that I do not live in Conchas Chinas (the Beverly Hills of Puerto Vallarta). No, I live in a typical Mexican neighborhood. How many of the buildings in the photo look inhabitable? Sadly most of them are. You also see those tiny rooms on the roof tops that look like an elevator shaft (which they do not have). I have no idea.
It would be nice if all the buildings had red tile roofs. Some do, but too many are just flat black concrete, or worse yet corrugated aluminum. Some "homes" look more like lean tos. In Mexico very often a "home" simply means some sort of shelter from the rain.
Watching a building acutally being built is amazing. Mexicans seem to think that concrete will do anything and here, indeed it does. They not only use it as mortar, but as a means of patching flaws. Once the structure is up with walls and ceiling, they begin to add the plumbing and electrical (almost as an after thought) They will drill or chisel out holes to accomdate the plumbing and electrical, or just run it along the floor. They all appear sub standard (for us). I was sure that a good California 5.0 would level the town, but was told that Puerto Vallarta has had several earthquakes (I hope I am not here when the next one hits).
Now I know I am not a technical person trying to figure all this out. Remember when we were kids we picked up the phone and actually talked to each other. Do people still do that? I am still taking it all in how you ever ended up in Mexico. Back in the 70's we used to make trips to Mexico and bring home carloads of decorations for our new house in Pleasanton. We had an real adobe fireplace and furnished a lot in spanish. Glad you are enjoying your life there and would you believe today it was actually 76 degrees here and the same tomorrow. All that snow and ice in the midwest and east coast and we are having beautiful weather. Do you get to go to the movies there? American movies? We try to go at least once a week. "The Kings Speech" is wonderful. Bought tickets today for theater in SF for August. Did my taxes today, isn't that exciting? Speaking of birds, the birds here are all screwed up and thinking it is spring. The morning doves build their nest on patio every year and soon the sparrows will be back in their birdhouse nesting. I am enjoying your keeping us informed about your life there.
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