My Visit to the Ruins of THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA Movie Set -- Just This Morning!!!

>>> SOME DETAILS FIRST:


1. Although I retain copyright for these photos, ANYONE has my permission to download and USE these photos in any way, including part of a commercial venture (cropped or not). I only wish to get out INFORMATION. Email me (address on right), if you have questions. Most of these files are about 5MB each, so if you don't get all that here, I could email any you might need. I have other photos of the property as well.

That is my car, Miss Francine Faulk, a 2009 Pontiac Vibe, on the right -- she's a North Carolina Girl!!! Ava Gardner was born in Smithfield, NC -- and yes, I drive legally in Mexico on expired North Carolina plates. To bring your car to Mexico, you need only current registration OR title in your name -- plus up to $400.00 USD deposit that you FORFEIT if you leave later than permitted.

Smithfield is the County Seat of Johnston County, named for the Royal Governor of NC, whose daughter, Elizabeth, was CLAIMED to be wed to one of the three Kenan brothers who landed at Wilmington in the 1730s -- giving them the Stuart/Carolingian Line -- but this was later proved WRONG. That said, my sister-in-law Gail DOES have this Royal Blood Line, as do my nephews and niece -- HA!!!

And the Kenans DID found UNC Chapel Hill in 1789 with allies, simultaneously inventing the world's first Public University. And OK, no more politics!!!


2. Yesterday, I bribed the two young security guards with 200 pesos (just over $15.00 US -- to split), to let me in for an hour to take pictures, but I forgot I had left the memory card from my camera in my computer at home. Adolpho, in his mid-50s (so he CLAIMS!!!), showed up and spoke some English. We made arrangements for my return today and he would guide me.

He turned out to have worked for John Huston for many years. Huston, especially, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, too, had homes in Puerto Vallarta area that they used FREQUENTLY until their deaths (although Elizabeth was so ANGRY at the City for leasing the theater she gave PV to a porno film shower, she had not returned for many years before her recent death). The City RECENTLY gave Senor Raincoat (the theater is said to be TOTALLY "encrusted") a NEW long-term lease.

You can google to find much more about these three and their long relationship with Puerto Vallarta/Mismaloya.



>>> OUR HOUR-AND-A-HALF WALK BEGINS:

First, the Hotel:

The hotel still stands because John Huston demanded they use the right sand-to-cement mixture -- after learning that the village, adjacent to it, that he built to house his workers, was very sand-heavy, and in fact that village dissolved quickly in tropic rains and there is NOTHING left of it now.

>>> ADDED LATER: ACTUALLY, I believe the problem had been using salty beach sand -- rather than clean/cleaned.

You will soon seen many structures Huston built after the movie was made when he ran the property as a tourist attraction and party place. Adolpho said the cast and crew of the TERMINATOR movie, all made up the Mismaloya River a few kilometers, stayed in the dwellings here.

"El Eden", site of the Predator movies, has many nature trails, clean river for swimming and sliding down falls, zip lines, and I once came across a wild true buffalo while I was hiking there. El Eden can be accessed by car (or bus with uphill, several kilometer hike) -- or tour from Puerto Vallarta.

Some props remain from the Predator movies -- at El Eden.

Interior of the Hotel -- the entire property is loosely peopled with signs of people living there. I ASSUME that the several young guys who man the locked gates and truly VISCOUS guard dogs, all live on the property. Adolpho lives in a house across the street, and turned out to be the uncle of my friend of four years, Pedro, who is the sort of "King of Mismaloya", owning Teo's palapa bar and restaurant in the spot of the beach cantina in THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, as well as running snorkeling, scuba, and fishing trips with his water taxi.

No one I saw seemed to actually need those crutches.

Main room of Hotel, looking into kitchen. The roof was rebuilt a few years ago, and Adolpho tells me that the owner is NOT allowed to subdivide the huge tract of land for luxury houses, as line most of the coast, now. His English was better than my Spanish, but I could not get a clear answer on WHAT the owner plans to do.

That is Mika (MEE-kuh, for Miguel), who got my 200 pesos, yesterday!!!

View out the front of hotel. Mismaloya has had a road from Puerto Vallarta for years, now, and has grown enormously -- both Mexicans and rich Gringos.

The trail from the hotel to John Huston's post-Iguana developments leads past many ruins. When we entered this house, about two dozen bats flew out of a closet -- nearly hitting me in the face.

John Huston's Tequilla Distillery (with Adolpho), the fire pit used to slow-roast/smoke the huge core of the agave plant, after the spear-leaves are removed.

ONE of several bar/restaurants on the property, this was the largest, and this actually faces the water, it being farthest out on the promontory, and looking over the dock from which ALL provisions had to be unloaded from boats -- there being NO ROAD to Mismaloya when the film was made.

The main bar here.

The private bedroom that John Huston maintained for only Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, once had a roof, and is attached to this same bar and restaurant.

Burton and Taylor partied on Huston's property for years -- like so many other Mexicans and Gringos -- and had a several-rooms villa on the property too.

One of four Discos that Huston built on the property, it is actually bigger than it looks here.

In 2010, I also talked my way into being allowed to explore this property, and at that time, the dozen or so fanciful, thin concrete ribbons arched above the ghosts still dancing. The style was sort of "sand-drip castle" and reminiscent of the architect Antoni Gaudi. Here is an example of one of Gaudi's churches in Barcelona, Spain:

John Huston erected this concrete totem of a mama iguana going for her baby at the dock he built to unload EVERYTHING for the movie and to build his park. As you can see, the strip of land along the water is NOT fenced off and can be accessed from Mismaloya Beach.

In 2010, the rusting steel girders still remained in the water, but with some tourists climbing on them, they have been removed for safety concerns.

And finally, this monument Huston erected this monument near the hotel. I DO have my photo of it in 2010, but the bottom third is now unreadable, due to further weathering. The opposite side has the same in Spanish, and is still readable. Here is the old:

You might have to download this one to blow it up to readable size.

Later, I wrote this up the best I could. It will appear at the bottom, as well as the Spanish side, which shows, actually, MORE deterioration.

And Teo's palapa bar/restaurant on Mismaloya Beach is where FUN and mindful tourists meet!!! And you have to swim a few hundred feet out to see the hotel.

(stock photo -- sorry!!!)

Scott

My Best Reading of John Huston’s Words:

You are standing on top of most beautiful and enchanted . . . forever . . . to the history and love of this area.

It was 600 years after Christ that Mismaloya first found its place in fame. Xalisco was the name of the vast kingdom that existed and Nayarita ruled as king. . . . as the god of battle and fought bravely to keep this cove his for in all the kingdom of Xalisco, this was known as the most beautiful place where the ocean met the land. Later, the Colhoa tribe from Aztlan, the Toltecas and the Aztecas all migrated to these fertile lands and opened up a well travelled trail to the Mahuatl  empire situated in all its glory in the valley of Mexico – today, Mexico City.

In 1524, the first Spaniards arrived, led by Francisco Cortez, nephew of the famous conquistador. They marched up from the south, conquering and pacifying the Indian settlements along the coast. They claimed Mismaloya and neighboring settlements for their distant king. Father Tello, an early Spanish historian, wrote that after a two-day march through these mountains, Cortez’s troops entered a beautiful valley, where they were met by 20,000 Indians. They carried cotton flags of assorted colors and (feathers) . . . tied to their bows. In response, the Spaniards unfurled their own magnificent religious standards. Miraculously, Indians and Spaniards fell to the ground on their knees, bloodshed was averted, and this bay dubbed “Bahia de Banderas”, or “Bay of Flags” as it is still know(n) today. A tradition of peace and hospitality . . .

In 1541, the settlements within (ringing?) the bay, received their first name. The Spanish explorer . . . Alvarado disembarked in Mismaloya and promptly named the entire area La Penas (means “Penalties”) . . . rocks that guard the entrance and serve as a landmark.

You can clearly see them as you look toward the town. It was only in 1918 that the city was officially renamed Puerto Vallarta, in honor of the Governor of Jalisco, Don Luis I(gnacio). Vallarta.

For three centuries, the Spanish ruled with a firm hand, their full master . . . take on a king’s ransom in gold and silver and serf . . . in these . . . after falling prey to notorious pirates . . . place to hide and take refuge . . .

In 18(10), proud Mexican people freed themselves from the Spanish . . . new religion. Mismaloya and Pto. Vallarta languished in the past.

Some 150 years later, in 1963, the tall, white, bearded  movie director John Huston . . . to film Tennessee Williams’ “THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA”. He brought  a talented and . . . with Richard Burton, Eva Gardner, Deborah Kerr, Sue Lyon. It was here that Burton and Elizabeth Taylor – perhaps the greatest love story of their day -- the passion on and off the screen echoed . . . Reporters and tourists descended on this . . . and Pto. Vla. hasn’t been the same, since. Along with the majestic S . . . clearly seen across the bay . . . of love that will long endure.

And so dear traveler as you join us in this place of fine food, drink, and merriment, so rich in tradition, we hope you feel the passionate beat of history in your heart.

Welcome to Mismaloya!!!

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