| It's probably safe to say, that when
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| | earmarked billions of dollars for a 15
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| asked which fruit is the most popular
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| | year development program that will
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| fruit in the world, the majority of
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| | include more than 20,000 new condos and
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| Americans and Canadians would respond
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| | villas with the associated
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| with apples or bananas. That response
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| | infrastructure. This entire area is
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| would be normal, but far from accurate.
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| | surrounded by mango orchards where
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| To the astonishment of most North
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| | approximately 1.5 million metric tons of
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| Americans, mangoes are consumed worldwide
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| | mangoes are grown annually, making Mexico
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| by a factor of three to one over bananas
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| | the third largest producer of mangoes
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| and ten to one over apples. Although
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| | after India and China.
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| mangoes are still considered to be exotic
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| | After vacationing in Vallarta two or
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| fruits in America, ranking as number 24
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| | three times a year for 15 years we
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| of the top 25 fruits consumed in the US,
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| | decided to move there in 1997 and make
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| they are considered to be staples in
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| | Vallarta our permanent retirement
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| India, South Asia, China, and Latin
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| | destination. We bought our dream villa on
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| America; often being referred to as "the
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| | the mountainside with a panoramic view of
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| king of the fruits". Evidently, those in
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| | Banderas Bay in an area known as the
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| the many far corners of the world have
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| | Beverly Hills of Vallarta. One of our
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| learned something that has yet to be
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| | first projects was to landscape the ½
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| discovered in North America!
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| | acre mountainside lot. With an abundance
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| There are over 2,000 different varieties
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| | of tropical flowers and fruit trees
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| of mangoes ranging in size from a few
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| | available, the choice of plants was
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| ounces to as much as four pounds. One
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| | difficult and somewhat overwhelming.
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| thing they all have in common is their
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| | After living in the States for 55 years,
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| nutritional value; mangoes are a
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| | we were virtually oblivious to the
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| fantastic source of vitamins C and E,
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| | qualities that mangoes had to offer.
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| niacin, potassium, iron, and beta
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| | However, due to their abundance in the
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| carotene which converts to vitamin A in
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| | local supermarkets, we decided to give
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| the body.
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| | them a try. To our surprise, they were
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| The fresh, ripe mango is a very juicy and
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| | absolutely delicious; perhaps better than
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| sweet fruit with a unique and delicious
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| | any fruit we'd ever had! A decade later,
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| taste. Some mangoes have a soft and pulpy
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| | after enjoying a constant supply of
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| texture similar to an over-ripe plum,
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| | mangoes for ten years, it's hard to
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| while others have a firmer flesh similar
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| | imagine that we went a lifetime without
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| to that of a cantaloupe.
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| | enjoying mangoes and that so many other
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| Mangoes are widely used in chutney, fruit
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| | North Americans have also missed out on
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| bars, cereal products, juices, pies, ice
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| | this experience.
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| creams, and even milk shakes. Although a
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| | Okay, back to the landscaping project.
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| little messy due to their high juice
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| | Since we were introduced to the numerous
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| content, they can be enjoyed simply by
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| | beneficial qualities that the mangoes
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| slicing the fruit as you would a peach or
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| | offered, we decided to plant some mango
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| pear.
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| | trees and were directed to a nursery in
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| Okay, now that we know what the most
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| | Nayarit, about 10 miles from home. The
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| popular fruit in the world is, we must
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| | nursery was located on the edge of a huge
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| determine from where in the world these
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| | mango orchard where mangoes grew as far
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| mangoes come. Mangoes are grown
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| | as the eye could see.
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| throughout the tropics but India is by
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| | The owners of the orchard / nursery gave
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| far the largest producer and consumer of
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| | us a short presentation on mangoes,
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| mangoes in the world. In fact, for more
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| | briefly outlining the differences between
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| than 6,000 years, mango trees have been a
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| | the varieties grown there. After the
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| status symbol in India. Behind India are
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| | presentation, they asked us why we were
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| other areas within South Asia and parts
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| | buying mango trees. We informed them that
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| of Australia. It wasn't until the 19th
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| | we loved the taste of mangoes and were
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| century that mangoes were introduced to
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| | landscaping our new yard and thought it
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| parts of Africa, South America, Hawaii,
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| | would be nice to have fresh mangoes
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| and Mexico.
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| | available. As is so typical in Mexico,
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| For years, India has been unsuccessfully
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| | rather than selling us some mango trees,
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| negotiating the exportation of mangoes to
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| | they suggested we save the time, hassle,
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| the US, however just recently some
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| | and money and just help ourselves to the
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| agreements have been finalized, clearing
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| | mangoes. They pointed out to the orchard
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| the way for exportation of mangoes from
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| | and indicated that there were millions of
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| India to the US. In return, they will
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| | mangoes and that we could have all that
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| allow the US to export peas, beans,
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| | we wanted for free; they would even help
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| almonds, and would you believe, Harley
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| | us fill up the car if we needed help! We
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| Davidson motorcycles to India. Of those
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| | never did buy those trees but do have an
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| mangoes that currently make their way to
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| | unlimited supply of those delicious
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| the US and Canada, approximately 80% come
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| | mangoes!
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| from Mexico with the majority being grown
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| | That was one of our first lessons learned
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| in the Mexican state of Nayarit which is
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| | in Vallarta as it pertains to the Mexican
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| on the same latitude as Hawaii.
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| | hospitality. It's no wonder that Puerto
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| Nayarit, one of Mexico's 31 states, is
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| | Vallarta was selected as the friendliest
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| located along the Pacific Ocean having
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| | resort destination in the world by a
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| its southern border with the state of
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| | recent survey of Conde Nast readers. One
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| Jalisco. The beautiful tourist
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| | of the reasons for the friendliness of
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| destination and retirement community of
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| | the area is probably due to its perfect
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| Puerto Vallarta lies at the border of
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| | climate. Not only perfect for mangoes,
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| these two states with its downtown area
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| | but with an average daily temperature of
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| or El Centro located in Jalisco and Nuevo
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| | 73°F for seven months of the year, it's
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| Vallarta located in Nayarit. Puerto
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| | perfect for its residents.
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| Vallarta is located at the northern end
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| | In summarizing, if you're interested in
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| of the Mexican Riviera and just recently,
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| | sampling some of the most popular fruit
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| Fonatur, the National Tourism and
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| | in the world, you might just want to
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| Development Board of Mexico, has coined
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| | visit the most popular resort destination
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| the term Riviera Nayarit for that section
| |
| | in the world, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,
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| of pristine and majestic Pacific
| |
| | and have some real fun while sipping your
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| shoreline in the state of Nayarit. As a
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| | mango margarita!
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| note of interest, Fonatur has recently
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|