Things have been very busy here at our resorts over the past month. Spring Break was good and it sure looked like everyone had a great time. Oh to be so young and carefree again. Actually, if I had the chance, I'm not sure if I would go back again or not - well, yeah, why not. This past week, Semana Santa filled the town to absolute capacity and I will be surprised if we don't break yet another record for the number of visitors during the holiday.

Sales have also been very good. We have been working non-stop on offers, counter-offers, and closings. People are finally starting to get the picture that the market is changing and now is the time to buy. We now have over $4.5 Million in sales and pending sales for this year. That number is almost the same as we sold in all of 2013. If things continue the way that they are going, we are going to have a very good year.

Our new hours have taken effect and our sales offices are all open from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The restaurant and Tiki Bar at the Sonoran Sky have been very busy and based on the comments that I have heard, everyone is enjoying the new venue. How can you beat it? Excellent food and service in an elegant setting right on the beach.

We'll be promoting in Las Vegas this month at the National Cadillac Collectors Show. It looks to be another very big event and a draw for a lot of potential Buyers. With the new flights beginning in June, we hope to bring some first time visitors from this show as well. The response to our previous shows this year has been great, so we'll just keep on working them.

  

When you come down next time, check out those beautiful big blue information signs just before the checkpoint outside of town. They were donated by yours truly (Sonoran Resorts) to let 1st timers know that there is an official checkpoint coming up and that it is there for everyone's safety. Of course, I tried to get them to put our logo on the signs but they said no. No surprise and it's OK. That was not the purpose - I just had to give it a try.

  

Finally, our Las Vegas Night is taking shape and will be held on Saturday, May 25th, in our Sonoran Sky convention center on the 2nd floor of the resort. It is bigger and set up better than the restaurant where we held it last year. And, our new restaurant will provide the buffet and we have added more blackjack tables this year. I'm still trying to work out a craps table as we have a real honest-to-goodness professional ex-craps dealer right here in Penasco who is willing to work the event for the benefit of DIF City Charity. We are still working out some details but this year promises to be even bigger and better than last years super successful and fun event. We'll have lots of prizes, raffles, blackjack, roulette, hopefully craps, and another Texas Holdem Tournament. Tickets will be available at the door or online, with final details coming in my May 1st Newsletter. If you would like more info before that, please feel free to contact me.  

  

      

 Please check out some of our condos for sale along the right column.

You can see all of our listings by going to our website:

www.SonoranResorts.mx 

  

Don't forget, if you have email service through Yahoo or Gmail, please scroll to the bottom of this email and click "View Entire Message" to see the entire newsletter. For some reason, those email providers tend to cut part of it off.

  

Enjoy the beautiful April weather and, as always, please don't hesitate to call or email me if I can help you with anything at all. I'm happy to be of service.

Sincerely,

Jim Ringquist

Broker/Director of Sales and Marketing

Sonoran Resorts   Spa - Sea - Sun - Sky

602-476-7511

rockypointjim@gmail.com 

www.SonoranResorts.mx 

 

Once again, I hope that you enjoy the newsletter and continue to recommend it to your friends. Our audience keeps growing and I really appreciate all your positive comments. Thanks for the help in spreading the word. Also, please feel free to give me thoughts, suggestions, or ideas for future newsletters.

The contracts have been signed and it is official - Flights from Las Vegas to Puerto Penasco, continuing on to Hermosillo will officially begin on June 20, 2013. The original scheduled date was set for June 15th, but a call to Aeromexico confirmed that the official date will be the 20th. The flights will begin twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays. I understand that they will be testing the route twice per week with an aircraft with a capacity of around 50 passengers and hope to increase frequency or aircraft size as demand increases.

This route has been guaranteed until at least the end of the year and, of course, we all hope that it proves successful and becomes a permanent route. It will certainly be needed as the convention center is completed later this year, and definitely, when the home port opens in 2015. Using Las Vegas as the hub will greatly increase the desirability and ease of making the trip. Las Vegas is a very popular and easy to get to international destination, not to mention the fact that many from the desert city itself will certainly want to visit our beautiful oceanfront resort city. The fact that the route includes Hermosillo will also play a big part in the probable success as there are many in that City who will love to visit Las Vegas.

I was told that the ticket prices will be around $500 round trip. While that may sound a bit high, please remember that a large portion of that price goes directly to international fees and taxes. If you were to rent a car, pay Mexican insurance, gasoline, and include the convenience of flying, it will certainly be worth it for many people. Over all, I think that this is the best plan for flights that we have had so far. Other than starting a bit late in the season, it is a great plan and I predict that it will be a success. I haven't seen much in official print yet, but here is a link to an article mentioning the new route: Route News

There is another bit of news that may interest all of you Phoenix area folks. It seems that a company named Jet Purple (not kidding) is working on providing flights from Scottsdale to Puerto Penasco. I am not privy to all the details yet but Puerto Penasco is listed on their website http://jetpurple.com/ as a destination.

When we were younger, running around Rocky Point (or any other unfamiliar vacation site) we risked our lives on quads and forced our trucks up sandy mountains until they almost rolled over and other crazy, injury-prone antics we performed in the name of adventure.  Some of us were lucky enough to make it through those days, others made it with nominal to serious injuries, their friends and relatives wondering if they would make it all the way back to Tucson or Phoenix or their home towns even farther away still alive as we arranged for emergency evacuation by ground or air.  And, if we were involved, we also know the huge expense involved to pay for such emergency evacuation, especially if it occurs in another country.

 

Enter SkyMed Emergency Air Evacuation, the travel related membership service founded in 1989 for the specific purpose of providing an affordable way for its members to both physically and financially survive a life threatening

 

According to SkyMed, who operate in 32 countries with headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, the cost for such evacuations ranges from $9,500 to $50,000 USD and because emergency evacuations from foreign countries aren't covered by most insurance policies, payment is normally demanded up front.

 

Even as permanent residents here in Rocky Point, and certainly for visitors, in a critical medical emergency, most of us want to be taken to our doctor or specialist with whom we are familiar back in the USA. This is where SkyMed could provide the peace of mind for us to enjoy a stress-free life style here in our little slice of paradise by the sea.

 

When we heard about the services of SkyMed, it seemed like a real solution to fill the affordability void that exists for the situations in which we might find ourselves here in Rocky Point:  like needing to get to a hospital in Tucson or Phoenix (or anywhere in the U.S. or Canada for that matter) as soon as possible.

 

 

 

There are so many reasons-over 2,500 of them actually-why Americans should support the Puerto Peñasco Red Cross with donations during their annual fundraising campaign that runs through the end of April.  About this same time each year, regular visitors expect to see the dozens of volunteers with white coffee cans strategically located at traffic lights along Benito Juarez. You can almost gauge the springtime by their smiling presence and gestures of appreciation for whatever amount you can drop into their collection cans. They'll thank you by placing a small round white sticker with a red cross on your windshield.

 

However, even the Rocky Point Regulars may not know just how important this particular campaign period is to the local organization.  Even though this is a national campaign that starts nationwide on the same day as determined by the national headquarters, it is the only major fundraiser from which all the money raised goes entirely to the local office.  In fact, the funds raised from the street collections each year must total enough to cover at least 50% of the local Red Cross annual bare bones operating budget of $70,000 USD-a tough nut to crack a peso or two at a time on street corners. The other 50% comes from solicitations from local businesses. The only other funds they receive come through the state auto license renewal program that solicits a $50 peso voluntary donation to support the Red Cross. Funds from this program can only be used for the purchase of hard assets like equipment, furnishings and medical related vehicles such as ambulances.

 

It's a fact that the more we know about what is needed and why, the more willing we are to help a particular cause. And the good news is us gringos, in the proper spirit, could make a significant difference in this year's campaign since it takes place during the high visitorship holidays of Spring Break and Semana Santa (Easter week).  So we're hoping that after learning some new facts about the Red Cross and the many ways they assist visitors you'll be more likely to remember to throw all your change in your shirt pocket or the console of your car before you head down town every day during this annual campaign. By the way, any denomination is gratefully accepted, and in any national currency you may have (they'll take any of it-pesos, dollars, francs, lire, in coins or bills.-and exchange it with the bank)...

  

 

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If you have been in Rocky Point lately, you have certainly seen an OXXO store... or 2, or 3, or 50. Some of them are almost across the street from each other. But, where did they all come from? Who owns them all? Why are there so many, so close together?

 

OXXO is pronounced OX-SO, pretty much just as it looks. I have heard many people trying to be overly creative with their pronunciations but, sadly, it is just pronounced the simple boring way that is is written. 

 

The stores are not franchised and are all officially owned by FEMSA (Fomento Económico Mexicano). FEMSA, is the largest beverage company in Mexico and in Latin America  and as of September 2011, also the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the world.  FEMSA originated as the Cuauhtémoc Brewery in 1890, which was restructured as FEMSA in 1988. It is still based in Monterrey, Mexico.

 

OXXO was founded in Monterrey in 1977, following a FEMSA marketing plan to use company-owned stores to promote and market the Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc beer brands. This distribution method bypassed the traditional Mexican network of local wholesalers (deposito de cerveza) selling beer via local supermarkets and small stores (tiendas and miscelaneas). In the first stores, the only products sold were beer, snacks and cigars. The success of the stores was such that the project kept growing and OXXO built new locations rapidly, becoming a ubiquitous presence in Mexican cities and towns.  

 

The first official OXXO store was opened in 1978 in Monterrey. OXXO stores then spread to Chihuahua, Hermosillo, and Nuevo Laredo. Throughout the eighties, OXXO gained fame around the cities where it was established. In 1998, the 1000th store was opened. On July 6, 2011 was announced the opening of the 9000th store, established in Oaxaca. Obviously, fairly recently, they discovered Puerto Penasco as well. 

 

FEMSA is the owner of many recognizable brands of beer such as: Tecate, Bohemia, Sol, Dos Equis, Superior, Noche Buena, Indio, Carta Blanca, Kaiser, Xingu, and Bavaria.

 

As of January 2010, Heineken of Holland bought the beverage division of Mexico's FEMSA for $7.6 billion Dollars. So, now when you buy your beverages at an OXXO, the money isn't staying local. It isn't even staying National. In the end, much of it is likely going all the way to Holland.

 

I must admit that I am not a fan of OXXO. They came to town like a swarm of locust and they have really forced some great family owned stores out of business. Even my favorite Burrito and Doughnut store, Reggies 8/12 and Drunken Doughnuts, have closed their doors since an OXXO went in just down the street. The sign on their door says "closed for remodeling" but it has been that way for quite some time now and I've seen no remodeling going on. I had noticed that their shelves were getting more sparse lately as well.

 

Like it or not, it looks as if OXXO is here to stay. But, for me, I'll continue to shop in the local tiendas, expendios, and  panadarias as often as possible, and I will continue to enjoy the experience of buying locally. 

 

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers (RCPM) are Rocky Point's most loyal international rock and roll band and, arguably, one of America's hardest working music makers who have a league of extremely loyal followers. Last year thousands of fans (affectionately called "Peacemakers") came to our little slice of paradise by the sea from 32 states and 7 countries to rock Circus Mexicus 2012!

 








 

 

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Mexico's Economy is Booming

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Carlos Slim's father, Julién Slim Haddad, immigrated to Mexico from Lebanon at age 14. With one of his brothers, he opened a dry-goods store in Mexico City. When foreign investors fled the country following the revolution of 1910, Julián Slim resolved to remain in Mexico. By the 1920s, he had acquired a number of businesses and substantial real estate in the capital city. Julián married Doña Linda Helú, a daughter of Lebanese immigrants. The couple raised six children, of whom Carlos Slim Helú was the fifth.  

Remembering the lessons of thrift he had learned from his father, he and his growing family lived modestly, while earnings from his businesses were re-invested in expansion and more acquisitions. Over the next two decades, Carlos Slim astutely acquired companies he believed were undervalued and skillfully overhauled their management. He diversified methodically, investing in real estate, then a construction equipment company, then mining interests. The portfolio of Slim companies grew to include a printer, a tobacco company and retail stores.

In 1982, Mexico plunged into an economic crisis. The government defaulted on its foreign debts, and many Mexican investors rushed to expatriate their capital. Carlos Slim's confidence in his country held firm, and he acquired the Mexican affiliates of Reynolds Aluminum, General Tire and the Sanborn's chain of stores and cafeterias. As the economy recovered, Slim's fortune grew, and his acquisitions accelerated. He acquired the Mexican interests of a number of U.S.-based brands: Firestone tires, Hershey's chocolate, Denny's coffee shops. He bought and merged a number of insurance companies into the giant firm Seguros Inbursa.

The greatest opportunity of all presented itself when the Mexican government began to divest itself of a number of state-owned monopolies. After taking the holding company public in 1990, Slim's Grupo Carso, with French and American partners, purchased the state telephone company, Teléfonos de México (Telmex). Slim took a special interest in a small component of Telmex's operations, the company's fledgling cellular service. Slim had a unique idea for building the customer base for cell phone service in Mexico's struggling economy. He sold the handsets with a month's service prepaid, and rather than sending the customers a monthly bill, Slim enabled his customers to buy prepaid phone cards, using their minutes as needed. 

 

Telmex executives resisted the plan at first, convinced that aggressive promotion of prepaid cell phones would undermine the market for traditional landline service. As it happened, the prepaid program filled an enormous need, and the customer base grew by 66 percent every year for the next 15 years. In the wake of the dot com bust of 2000, foreign-owned cellular ventures throughout Latin America floundered. Slim scooped them up, combining cellular services in a market he understood better than anyone else...

 

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Carlos and Michelle Hopkins have been running the Puerto Peñasco branch of their 30 year old family owned restaurant supply business now for about five years. They built a solid reputation among locals, visitors and chefs supplying food and supplies to restaurants all over town from their former warehouse facility near Josefa and Benito Juarez.

Adapting to the challenging economic times along with their customers, Michelle and Carlos recently moved their service to a smaller, more manageable store front on the corner of Juan de la Barrera and Kino, right across from Numeros next to the video store.  From this location they can continue serving walk-in business and have developed a stream-lined delivery system, much like drop shipping, from their headquarters in Nogales that keeps their prestigious restaurant clientele in stock. Indeed, their loyal customers include the likes of Pan e Vino, Chef Mickey, Brothers Pizza, Boo Bar, and others. It's reasonable to assume that if CS is preferred by those popular eateries, then CS should certainly have everything we look for to fill our home cooking needs.  One visit to their new location proved that assumption to be correct.

 

The public is always welcome to purchase from their fully stocked depot of hard to find foods and spices (Fresh Refrigerated-yep, refrigerated-Eggs, Cheddar Cheese, English Muffins, Rye Bread, Marble Rye, Sour Dough, Real Butter, Worstershire and Soy Sauce, Dijon Mustard and a slew of Herbs and Spices), canned and bagged goods (Nestea, Tempura Mix, Varieties of Mixed Nuts, Dried Mushrooms, Baby Clams, Mandarin Oranges and much more),  kitchenware and supplies (Restaurant Quality Pots and Pans, Utensils, Aprons, Cloth Napkins, Scales, plus plastic and paper supplies) as well as a surprising array of frozen food choices usually found only in the U.S. (Lobster Tails, Pastrami, Sliced Pepperoni, Thick Quality Bacon, Sausage Patties, Chicken Wings, Thighs and Breasts to name a few) at prices you'll be hard pressed to match elsewhere. You can even get your knives sharpened at CS Supply for just $15 pesos!

 

During our visit, we first labeled it "The place where you go when you can't find it any place else." Later we determined CS Supply should be "The place where you start."  For inquiries or more information, call Michelle or Carlos at their Puerto Peñasco Land Line:  638-388-6556.

 

  

 

After being blown away by last year's premier presentation of pure and colorful Mexican Folkloric music, singing and dancing, it's hard to believe how it could be topped this year. However, after speaking with Martín Martínez, head of the organizing committee again this year along with Laura Palacio and Carmen Martens, we're convinced that everyone is in for a night of spectacular entertainment, good food and of course great pure Mexican tequila! 

 

The venue once again is the Whale Hill Amphitheatre, which has received a detailed makeover assuring that the amazing light show against the natural rock cliff background will be aglow all evening to shock even the wildest imaginations of young and old, expats and natives, residents and visitors along with the sounds and colors of "Traditional Old Mexico." Thanks to the creative talents of Socorro Gonzalez and Nina Mier of Cine Club Primera Toma, this year will have old-time Mexican movies showing continuously against one section of the giant cliff.

 

Even though he won't release the names until he has signed contracts in hand, Martín assures us that he is in final negotiations with several nationally famous Mariachis and singers to bring even more excitement to this year's event. Like last year, there will be highly talented Mexican Folkloric Ballet Dancers and, again topping the cuteness charts will be the young children dancing to traditional folklore songs in full costume!

 

Martín expects more exhibitors this year representing tequilas, restaurants, developers and others. If you are interested in having an exhibitor space at the Tequila Festival, please contact Martín Martínez by email atmarrmartinez@hotmail.com or on his local cell at 638-380-5496.

 

A promising new event at the Festival this year is the "Margarita Contest" that will be organized by the Mayan Resort Food and Beverage department and sponsored by Tequila Peñasco. The contest will be  made up of 10 bartenders from mostly local establishments competing for a prize of $500 USD for the "Best" Margarita as determined by four judges who will be basing their votes on Creativity, Originality and, of course, Taste. In addition to the $500 prize, the winner will have bragging rights until the 3rdAnnual Tequila Festival next year...

 

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As dusk falls over the arid countryside of Northern Mexico, the farmer heads home, leaving his cows, horses and goats snug in their pens. Lurking in the shadows, however, is a hairless gargoyle with long, razor-sharp teeth: the legendary chupacabra. He has picked out his victim for this night: a fat, slow cow. As the farmer turns out the lights in his home, the chupacabra goes to work. In the morning, the farmer will find nothing but a desiccated husk in the stall that once housed his best milking cow.

Since about 1990, legends have grown all over Latin America (particularly Mexico and Puerto Rico) and the United States of the "chupacabra," (whose name translates from the Spanish as "goat-sucker") a nocturnal monster that drinks animal blood. "Sightings" of the beast have grown exponentially, and there have even been some photos and videos taken, although definitive proof (such as a live chupacabra in custody) continue to elude the legions of people who claim that their animals have been attacked.

Although eyewitness descriptions vary, most agree that the chupacabra is humanoid or canine in general appearance, although some have described it as reptilian. Skin is gray, scaly and may have sharp spines or quills. It is often, but not always, described with a long snout. In general, they're smaller than a human, but some describe them as being as large as a bear. They can run very quickly and leap great distances. Some witnesses claim that they have wings and a tail. Naturally, it boasts impressive fangs that allow it to better wound its victims to suck out the blood. Although a chupacabra may sound vaguely like a vampire, it is not considered to be "undead" in the traditional sense.

The myth of the "chupacabra" isn't as old as many people think. The first sightings and incidents occurred in the early 1990's in Puerto Rico, but it since has become a firm part of Latin American folklore. It has even made appearances in such pop-culture favorites such as Scooby-doo movies and the X-files television show.

Is the Chupacabra Real?

 

That depends on who you ask. People in Canovanas, Puerto Rico, certainly think so: they blame the chupacabra for the suspicious deaths of more than 150 farm animals in 1995 and several locals claim to have seen it. In 1996, farmers in Calderon, in Northern Mexico, took up axes and rifles and formed vigilante groups to hunt down an alleged chupacabra that had been terrorizing local goats. These are just a few of the scores of chupacabra reports from all over both American continents.

 

Naysayers consider the chupacabra to be a sort of Latin American Bigfoot. No living or dead chupacabras have ever been found. Zoologists are at a loss to declare what sort of species may be behind the attacks, although some say it may be a sort of large bat. "Photos" of the chupacabra abound on the internet, few of which are even remotely convincing.

 

Real or not, the chupacabra has entered the realm of myth, folklore, and pop culture, so it seems that it is here to stay. So, be very careful in remote areas at night in Mexico because, you just never know...

 

 

Have a great April. Until next month, Salud, Dinero, y Amor... y tiempo para disfrutarlos!