International Altruism Festival

We are making good progress filming the Puerto Vallarta episode. It is our plan to include a local charity in each show. More and more people want to do something useful while vacationing. We call it purpose-driven vacation. Last Sunday we filmed at the 8th International Altruism Festival that takes place every May in Puerto Vallarta. There we had a chance to produce a short trailer and meet with 24 charities. 

A Success Story

Amigos Score Again: AFTER TASTE!!!

Once again we surprised ourselves with a home run event; this time AFTER TASTE. Last night’s concert and World Premiere of TRAVEL SECRETS MEXICO- La Cruz de Huanacaxtle was a hands down success judging by the attendance, all comments and compliments. It turns out that we like to have a good time and will come out in significant numbers to do so. How could the combination of Tatewari, Mango Duo (sharing a few songs with…), Bryan Savage, Geo (for a few with), Latcho & Andrea and grand master Philo w/Tom Lillianthal on bass go wrong? AND how about an extended version of the TRAVEL SECRETS MEXICO video that had the crowd applauding throughout because it was SO awesome.


Need to thank all of you for coming, it’s what makes this HAPPEN; your participation and enthusiasm is what drives these events. HUGE thanks to all of the musicians who donated their time and talent to this amazing event. Thanks to Philo for coordinating the musicians and sound and for emceeing effortlessly. Is it safe to say that this is the 1st Annual AFTER TASTE? I think so and hope that everyone involved will enthusiastically want to do it again in a BIGGER way next year. Major Thanks as always to the Marina Riviera Nayarit for not only allowing us to stage this event on their gorgeous (most beautiful venue in the Bahia) property but for providing food and drink from Restaurant Ikuai AND the incredible wait staff headed by Angel and work crew headed by Rodolfo. Thank you Rafa and Katrina.


Finally, ridiculously HUGE thanks, kudos and a shout out to Gitta & Herbert Kellner who produced the video HIDDEN SECRETS MEXICO- La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, produced the DVDs of the musicians, manufactured them, DONATED THEM, and, OH YEAH,..came up with the idea for AFTER TASTE in the first place. These guys are amazing and a treasure. We re so lucky to have had them as guests in La Cruz.


And now I will say that after the Regata Copa Mexico, Tiangui Turistico Grand Opening Ceremony and AFTER TASTE, which have owned me for the past month, I will be taking a few days off…Enjoy the photos; video in the not-too-distant future. Muchisimas gracias Amigos.

The Original Article was published in the Amigos de La Cruz Website:

Link to Website

Our next Goal: Puerto Vallarta

The show must go on. We sailed to Puerto Vallarta and started filming the next episode. Puerto Vallarta is a vibrant city with a beautiful Old Town and a long beach promenade (in Spanish: Malecon). This promenade is packed with visitors from all over the world. The Mexicans take the whole family out and enjoy the cooler evenings up to midnight and longer.

Families at the Malecon

People dancing on the street

11:00 pm at the Malecon

It is our plan to include a charity segment in each of our TV shows. We do not want to show only the sunny sides of the places and cities we visit. There are people in need everywhere and they are part of the picture. Sometimes we just ignore the disadvantaged and impoverished. It is our goal to leave a positive trail behind us wherever we go and make a difference in people's lives.

Grand Velas Resort in Puerto Vallarta

A few days ago we filmed the most shocking scenes in a long time, the "Dump People". Only 15 minutes away from the white sandy beach and the luxury of 4 and 5 star resorts of Puerto Vallarta is a place that tourists never visit. It’s called Colonia Magisterio, also known as the garbage dump.

People and Vultures working side by side

The combination of unemployment and extreme poverty led many people scavenge along with the vultures in these piles of garbage. In order to feed themselves and their families, people who have no other alternatives work long days, looking for salvageable materials for their own use or to sell.

Looking for Glass and Plastic

Some of them return home after a long day and night at work, other constructed their houses out of the rubble and stay.

The "Dump Villas"

Puerto Vallarta, like any other big city, produces tons of garbage. Big trucks arrive here every day and dump what others call trash. Working on a dump is considered one of the worst forms of labor. Over the years, people have figured out ways of organizing the trash and making small profits off salvageable and recyclable materials.

Hard work with only one arm

Individuals use makeshift spears to pick through the garbage that is then sorted and sold to suppliers of recyclable materials. The workers are self-employed individuals who collect salvageable items such as plastic, aluminum cans, and scrap metals such as copper and iron. They earn 400 Pesos a month, that is 35 US$.

Nobody should work like this 

Living and working here brings terrible health hazards to the people. Often, families need to scavenge food from the waste as they lack the means necessary to purchase food. 

Digging for something edible 

The food that is scavenged is mostly from restaurants dumping meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. The consumption of this rotting food frequently leads to intestinal and digestive problems.

She was lucky and found food somebody discarded

We asked Daniel, the Supervisor, how we could help to improve the lives of these people. As soon as the episode about Puerto Vallarta is finished, we will come up with an action plan to rally some support for the people at the dump.

Daniel explains what the needs are

Although it might not seem like it, garbage is a huge, multibillion dollar business, and it's about time that the weakest link in the chain, the sorters, have a decent life and are respected for their silent contribution to the environment.

First Episode of Travel Secrets Mexico finished

After more than two months of hard work we finished the first episode of Travel Secrets Mexico. The show presents La Cruz de Huanacaxtle in Banderas Bay near Puerto Vallarta. The little town has a great marina and sailors from all over the world meet here. When we arrived in La Cruz we thought the town has not a lot to offer, but after we started filming we found out that there are more than 25 restaurants with a variety of entertainment.

What us really surprised was the musical scene. We did not expect so many talented musicians on a high quality level. Some of them already finished world tours. The first episode shows you how good they really are. We produced free DVDs for them in exchange for their appearance during a charity event for the Amigos de La Cruz. During this evening more than 400 people attended the All-Star Concert and World Premiere of our TV show. We were able to raise more than US$4,000 for the Amigos de La Cruz.

We enjoyed working with the Amigos de La Cruz because they support an orphanage, provide school supplies and computers for kids, maintain a work-for-food program for women in need and manage a very successful street cleaning and recycling program. They also provide medical help for children in need in cooperation with the Friendship Club.

Tatawari, a very successful local band

The Marina's Amphitheater was packed

Mango Duo, another excellent team

Mike and Verena visiting La Cruz

Preparations for the concert

The first episode of Travel Secrets Mexico was well received by all visitors. We sent a link to our show to all our friends and received a lot of valuable feedback. We therefore decided to reedit the show to implement all the good ideas. Thank you for your input!

If you have not seen the show yet, here is the link to the first episode:

Episode 1 - La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

If you want to see the trailers, just go to our YouTube Channel:

Travel Secrets Mexico - YouTube Channel

President Felipe Calderon visits Copa 2012

Today was an exciting day. We got press credentials for filming Copa. Regatta Copa México is a joint effort between the Mexican Government, the Government of Nayarit and the Mexican Sailing Associations, as well as the Mexican Navy, the Ministry of Tourism, the Mexican Tourism Council, the National Sports Commission (CONADE), the Mexican Sailing Federation, San Diego Yacht Club, La Cruz Yatch Club, Vallarta Yacht Club, Valle de Bravo Nautical Club and Marival Resort and Residences. It is a great perpetual multiclass event that will take place every two years, throughout the coasts and ports of Mexico. The objective is to stimulate and support sailing sports and promote the natural beauties and infrastructures of the coasts of Mexico, while generating the interest of tourism. Our TV show "Travel Secrets Mexico" fits right into this concept.

Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico  gave the shotgun start of the MEXORC at the Regatta Copa Mexico Olympic Edition, that has been running from March 2nd and will continue receiving the best sailors in Banderas Bay, the main tourist spot of the Riviera Nayarit, leading destination for water sports, until the 18th of the same month. The President was accompanied by the Minister of the Mexican Navy, Mariano Francisco Saynez, the Minister of Tourism, Gloria Guevara Manzo,  Roberto Sandoval, Governor of Nayart, Emilio Gonzalez, Governor of Jalisco, Raul Rodrigo Perez, Minister of Tourism of Nayarit, Ernesto Amtmann, Chairman of the OrganizingComitte of the Regatta Copa Mexico Olympic Edition  and its Vice President Peter Wiegandt.


The President of Mexico thanked the participants for being part of this event that promotes employment for thousands of families dedicated to tourism in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit.

President of Mexico

President Felipe Calderon with Trophy