PLAZA CARDENAS

Three short blocks away,  my street runs into a large plaza.  It is the largest plaza this side of the river, but I had never paid much attention to it until my coffee shop reopened on the square.  It always reminded me of a small Pershing Square because of the underground parking garage.  Nothing of any note surrounds the square..  It is where I saw the dance group led by the drag queen and where I saw the body of Christ being led up the street.  All of which I would have missed had I not been at my coffee shop.

A friend of mine who was visiting told me it used to be one of the most beautiful parks in Puerto Vallarta.  There were lots of trees and lush tropical plants.  Now it is mostly concrete with some planters.  Like all squares in Mexico there is a large gazebo and at one end is a small amphitheater.  Fortunately they managed to save the large trees from the old park, and I guess the large statue of Mr. Cardenas ( I have to assume that for their is no plaque on it)  The planters have grass and small shrubs now.  But the grass is dead and many of the small palms and shrubs are dying.

About five years ago, someone came up with the "brilliant" idea of putting a garage under it, so the old park was dug up.  Never mind that Mexicans won't pay for parking and most gringos either walk or take cabs.  The parking lot is almost always totally empty.  The one good idea they had was to put in public bathrooms; something this town could use judging from the smell of the side walks.   But alas the entrance to the bath rooms is locked.  You can see the signs giving you the times of day it is open, but you may not be able to see the padlock on the gate.  I have never seen it open.

Then someone (maybe the same someone) came up with another "brilliant" idea.,  Lets build a huge building with commercial and residential to create a need for parking.  So there is this enormous building that takes up the entire block facing the plaza and rising over eight stories high.  It too is completely empty.  You can see the condos with balconies that would either over look the park, of from the higher floors the ocean; none are occupied.  The story I heard is that the builder used beach sand in the concrete to save money and as a result the salt is already eroding the concrete.  The City says, it must be torn down to the ground.  Someone did not pay off the right person.

Whoever built that enormous structure must have lost a fortune, the garage makes no money for it is always empty, so no one will pay to water the park.  They city says it is the responsibility of the garage and the garage refuses.  So, the plants continue to die.

Then I came up with my own "brilliant" idea.  For some time I have thought of volunteering for some kind of charity work. Something to fill my time between going to the beach, the gym, Spanish class, shopping, and of course my "pub crawls".  But I can't stand being around old people (they are much too cranky);  children make me nervous, and I faint at the sight of a needle.  I do love animals, but the shelter is clear across town and I see enough dog poop on the side walks.  I have no real skills or talent (which made finding a job pretty iffy as well), so what could I do.  Then it came to me,  I will adopt a park!!

One thing I am good at is watering, but where would I get the water.  I can't even get bottled water delivered to my apartment, how could I come up with enough water for a park?  Then, I thought I will start my own charity to "Save the Park"  The regulars from my coffee shop when it was on Olas Altos certainly looked wealthy and when they find out that it is now located on this square I am sure they would be sympathetic.  But they all flew North (along with my hummingbirds) and won't be back until November or December.  Of course the rainy season will occur before they get back here.  The truth is I am basically lazy, so, I have decided just to pray for an early rain.