| | |  Vallarta Living | April 2009 
Team XocoDiva Takes the Big Dog Challenge
 Kristopher Saint - PVNN
| | Planned as a pilot for a possible Mexico based reality show, the Big Dog Treasure Hunt was described as half "Amazing Race" and half "Survivor." | |
This past Friday, April 3rd, I found myself rather sleepy still at 7 am waiting in the parking lot in front of the San Marino Hotel, and I wasn't sure of what I was going to be getting myself into. I was invited to tag along with the Xocodiva team to lend support in the Big Dog Treasure Hunt competition put on by SF Productions.
Planned as a pilot for a possible Mexico based reality show, it was described as half "Amazing Race" and half "Survivor." It sounded like a lot of fun; however, with the grand prize being $10,000 USD, I also realized this was one competition that was going to be taken very seriously here in easy going Puerto Vallarta.
Arriving at the park to register, there was really an exciting buzz throughout with several hundred people taking the challenge. The producers worked the crowd and many camera crews were on location to get it all on video. There were teams representing a huge number of our local businesses, and, from my point of view, you could very quickly tell who was there to have some fun, enjoy their day, etc., and who was in it to win.
I have to say I was very impressed with the organization and mobilization of some of these teams, Xocodiva certainly being one of them. Most of the teams had matching shirts, and sensed a degree of friendly bonding and friendly competition. Of course, only at the registration did I find out that this competition was planned to last until at least 8 or 9 pm!
Registration lasted a bit longer than anticipated due to the sheer number of teams that joined the challenge. Once registration was done, we were given the first envelopes filled with three clues on areas throughout Puerto Vallarta.
One of the requirements was that the teams had to use public transportation, so we all loaded up into our taxi van and set off - first clue in hand. The clues were riddles with the correct answer being the location of the points needed to win. They weren't easy either, but as we made our way through the smaller back streets of Puerto Vallarta the clues began to melt together one by one.
If this sounds too easy, let me add that there were several other levels to the competition. First, you had to obtain the three clue points by 11:30 am, giving us only about two hours of time to figure out the clues, drive to get them, and so on and so on.
Second, also in the envelope, was a paper and a map locating approximately fourteen locations were "bones" were "hidden." Actual dog bones (Big Dog Bones) had been hidden throughout Puerto Vallarta in various areas, and if you found them, you earned extra points - or so we were told.
So as some of the team members struggled to find the point clues derived from the riddles, the rest were dropped off at various points literally all over PV in search of the Big Dog Bones. This is where the producers clearly added the drama and frantic craziness to the scene. All I can say is thank goodness for cell phones!
Now the locations that did have Big Dog Bones couldn't just hand them to you if you asked, you had to ask specifically "Do you have a bone for me?" I have to say, I witnessed some very strange looks from some vendors, but just when you thought you might get slapped in the face, there you go! You're handed a Bog Done Bone worth its weight in points.
As we drove throughout town we would come across other teams, you could see they were just as frantic as we had become but it was still quite fun with everyone very much into the game. With the bones being collected, and the clues discovered, the teams had to reconnect altogether at the PV Beach Club. Here is where I started to really see the competition start to turn into a true competition. With the teams comparing each point gain, you began to see who was clearly out up front and which teams were not doing so great. And it got a little ugly at times too!
At the Beach Club, the producers had planned a series of challenges, and this is where the "Survivor" part came to play. Each team had to complete the challenges for points, one challenge being to swim out into the bay to reach a boat docked, grab a coconut, swim back and break the coconut. It's not as easy as it sounds!
For a more fun twist, another challenge was that every team member had to kiss a horse - on both ends! The final challenge ended up being cancelled thanks to some faulty batteries, but I have to say I was a little relieved since it had to do with being electro-shocked with a 150 volt stun gun. And I was just an observer...
At the Beach Club there were activities going on everywhere, the horses, the swimming competition, and then there was the Tequila shots. You could gain points (and remember, the more pints you get, the closer to the $10,000 you are,) by buying Tequila shots and/or playing Black Jack.
With drinking being a few of the involved team's strong points, there began to be a lot of Tequila thrown around. Being just an observer, I could see that this was probably strategically planned since the more the teams drank, the more the drama factored in.
Some of the teams spent a lot of money at this point to get points through drinking (and playing Black Jack,) and it felt odd to me that the PV Beach Club, a huge sponsor in the game, was making so much money off the teams whom had to buy drinks in order to stay in the game.
Only about half-way through the day, at around 3 pm, the teams were given their second envelopes with the new clues to the new point locations. This time, however, the twist was that everything was in Spanish. This did add a little more chaos, but being in Mexico, I didn't think this wasn't such an outlandish request. With more clues and locations to be found, my team really was doing well, feeling confident that they were pulling a good race.
Tired and worn out from a literally non-stop day, the teams re-registered their final point count, and left it up to the producers to make the final tally. The final party and winners announcement was held at La Iguana later that night. From my understanding there is still a question as to who has actually won the day, but from a personal perspective, the camaraderie and respect I witnessed among every team, along with the competitive hard work, reinforced the pride I have for my neighbors and leaders here in our beautiful little Puerto Vallarta.
 The search for hand-crafted chocolates in the Banderas Bay area ends at XocoDiva Artisan Chocolates. Open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, XocoDiva is located at Rodolfo Gσmez 111, next to the Hotel San Marino, in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone. Tel: 322-113-0352.
 Since moving to Puerto Vallarta in 2007, Kristopher Saint has been working in advertising writing and publicity, as well as providing entertaining and informative articles to various print and online publications, including BanderasNews.
Click HERE for more articles by Kristopher Saint. |
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