Visiting Puerto Vallarta - Part 15

Malecon Boardwalk and Sculptures

One of the things to enjoy in the area is a simple stroll along Puerto Vallarta’s seawall promenade known locally as the Malecon Boardwalk. During the day the whole area comes alive with vendors, musicians, jugglers, and artisans displaying their products. The tourists and local pedestrians can enjoy these activities in glorious sunshine and fresh ocean air while getting some gentle exercise. The paved boardwalk follows the curve of the beach and ocean for a one-mile stretch and runs parallel to the main street.

The Malecon begins in the North at the Hotel Rosita at 31 Octubre Street and then runs southward ending at the Los Arcos Amphitheatre at Zaragoza Street. One of Puerto Vallarta most interesting points is its spectacular al fresco bronze sculptures that line the beach boardwalk. You really need to put aside a whole morning and take the time to explore them all. Every Tuesday from the middle of November until the middle of April the Galleria Pacifico sponsors a free two-hour Sculpture Walking Tour which takes place from 9:30 a. m. to 11:30 a. m. No reservations required and the tour starts off in front of the Millennium sculpture near the Hotel Rosita at the north end of the Malecon. Quite often during these tours, you will have the chance to meet some of the sculptors of the statues on the boardwalk and hear them talk about their works.

Sculptures of the Malecon

The Millennium by Mathis Lídice, 2001

At the north end of the Malecon, the first sculpture is “The Millennium. ” This gently curving piece represents the passage of time of time throughout the millenniums. At the bottom of the curve is a DNA double helix and dividing cell representing the beginning of life as humans evolved from the sea alongside octopus, fish, frogs, and lizards. The first millennium is represented by a sword-wielding Charlemagne, and the second millennium by Aztec poet king Nezahualcoyotl. Our future is represented by the final figure, a partially suspended woman of wisdom releasing a dove of peace, with her face and outstretched arms lifted upwards to the sky.

La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet, 1984

A little farther north is “La Nostalgia, ” the silhouette of a man and woman sitting side by side, gazing out toward the city. It is with this bronze piece that sculptor Ramiz Barquet eternalized his love for wife and painter Nelly Barquet. Although when they were young the two had planned to marry, over the years they lost track of one another, married other people, each separately raising families of their own. 27 seven years later in a twist of fate, the couple were reunited. This happened at the very spot where this sculpture rests. The two spent considerable time reminiscing about the life that they had almost had together. When Ramiz proposed marriage to Nelly, he vowed to create a tribute to their love for the entire world to see.

Continued in part 16