When First Impressions are Misleading

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas Mexico

We arrived yesterday after an 8 hour drive from La Crucecita. We now have a whole new understanding of Huatulco as a major Fonatur project, the ambitious design and the reality within the current global recession. We became suspicious of La Crucecita's validity as a real Mexican pueblo when we realized we didn't see any dogs on the streets, there were no "mofles" or "llantera" shops and not a single "ferreteria"to be seen. Where are all those somewhat scruffy looking businesses that are the lifeblood of our town of Zihuatanejo? We learned the answer when we spoke with some of the locals who explained that every building in the town is only 20 years old and that the looks and impression of Mexico is a package designed by Fonatur. It's a nice place to visit, but not really a place to live! However, in saying that, we did enjoy some of the best live music and saw lively venues full of both locals and tourists - a scene that Zihua is missing these days.

Our coastal route along Hwy. 200 is one of the routes that has been designated to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence. Ruta 2010 signs seemed to be a good name for this odyssey of ours. However, we said goodbye to the coast, the windy towns of the Tehuantepec isthmus and we began our inland trip through Tuxtla, the modern and busy capital city of Chiapas. From there the road climbs even higher to San Cristobal.

We arrived in the late afternoon, and found our way through the busy streets full of people dressed in traditional clothing (I can't wait to see the textile mercados) to our destination. Our apartment is in the complex http://www.kukurutz.com/. Like many colonial towns, the facades are deceiving and from the outside, the buildng looked to be very old and in poor repair...but what waited inside was truly a delight. However, let me back up and explain what happened on our first interaction with a person in this town....and we hope first impressions will not be lasting ones.

As we were getting out of our car across the street and down the block from our destination, I was holding on to my printed internet map of the school and the apartment. A young Mexican man approached me and asked if he could help me. This often occurs in Mexico where I sense people are proud of their towns and want a newcomer to have a good experience. I told him that we were fine and were just walking over to check into our new apartment. He excitedly took the papers from me and walked us across the street, where he rang the bell and spoke to the young woman in Spanish. We were taken in and he accompanied us to our apartment where he began to tour us and show us the TV, fireplace, curtains, bathroom towels, shower etc. The caretaker arrived and looked confused, but he spoke no English and I was given a registration form to complete. The young man encouraged me to sit down and fill in my registration. Gene went back to get the car and begin to bring in our luggage with the caretaker and his children.

No sooner had I sat down with my pen than this young Mexican man started asking me where I was from and where I had bought my colorful Mexican bag. I was chatting with him and filling out the form, thinking that he would be asking me for a propina for his assistance, when I heard my gum package wrapper crinkle in his pocket. I said "hey what are you doing with my gum"'...and then I realized he had his hand inside my bag and at that second he bolted out of the door and out through the gateway that had been opened to allow Gene easy access with our luggage. I yelled "Robo" (robbery) and everyone looked very confused as the caretaker had been told by the young man that he was our taxi driver. I was lucky as he only took approximately 300 pesos from my zippered change purse. It could have been much worse, but this was not an auspicious start to our 2 week stay here. I can only hope that his need for my money was much more than mine.

The town is vibrant with faces, costumes, architecture and locations we are not famliar with. It is pushing the envelope of my comfort levels. In the mercado this morning, the faces weren't the soft and welcoming faces we see in Zihuatanejo, but the wizened, hardened faces of the tiny, sinuous indigenous people we see struggling with their loads in their heavy woolen clothing.

Today we signed up for our Spanish classes which begin Monday at http://www.lacasaenelarbol.org/. We planned it, we wanted it, we need it, but can we cope?

Red Fish, Blue Fish, Yellow Fish and a Hotel Flamboyant too

La Crucecita, Bahias de Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico

Today, we left Puerto Escondido. My feelings about it are slightly different after 24 hours in the town. I now think of it as I think of other sport oriented places like Banff, Whistler, Lake Tahoe. You are either one of the people doing the sport...in this case it was surfing. Or you are one of the people who are really trying hard to get noticed. There were a lot of young people in bikinis, boardshorts and tanned to perfection. Brazilian wax shops were in abundance. There were also a lot of older "Hippies"in various forms of Oaxacan traditional dress - perhaps enroute to yoga classes or other forms of self-discovery as the metaphysical shops were also not to be missed.

Our last 3 days of beach exposure before we head to our mountain destinations, are destined to be spent snorkelling and exploring the various coves that make up the Bahias de Huatulco. This area is a national park, and the environment is struggling to compete with Fonatur's version of the Mexican tourist experience. Our goal is to see all 7 bays that comprise the park, so Gene and I decided to endure 13 kms. of dust, washouts and washboard surface to see the first of the bays as you head East. Bahia San Augustin is just far enough away from the main resort to be ignored by most tourists except those who go on the Ecotourism side trips. We were not disappointed.

Bahia San Augustin was one of those places that we all dream of. It jumped right out of the movie Y tu Mama Tambien..in fact, I swear it was the bay of that movie. An industrious restauranter, Manuel waved us into his enramada con estacionmento and we gladly left the dusty Ford behind to snorkel in one of the nicest waterfront parks we have seen. The bay has a large living coral reef that is easily accessed, and we were happy to see no one standing on it, feeding fish or otherwise fouling the area. After a long snorkel with most of our favorite tropical fish visible in crystal clear water, and a bit of a struggle to get Gene back up due to his reliance on one leg only, we enjoyed a lunch of filete pescado a la parilla (what else??).

We found the little Mexican town of La Crucecita right on the doorstep of the articial town of Santa cruz de Huatulco, and the developments along the coast. It is our kind of place - a zocalo, numerous authentic restaurants, shops and within walking distance of one of the bays we want to explore tomorrow.... And how could we pass up staying at the Hotel Flamboyant....a colonial gem across the street from the Zocalo. This just could be the best 3 days of my life!

On the Road Again

Playa Zicatela, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico.

If life is a highway, I'm back on the road again after a speed bump and a detour. First the speed bump,...Gene took a 'little"fall on the rocks to Playa Los Gatos. This happened back in December when our son Eric first came to visit. It wasn't witnessed by me (or anyone else), so I want to say it was little, but it started a trend in falling for Gene that has resulted in an injured right leg which has persisted and created a reduction in his mobility and necessitated the use of a "baton", a colorful cane I bought at the mercado, to navigate over the uneven surfaces which make up Mexico. He's getting better but he is being very careful as any setback could change our plans on this trip. Then my life took a "detour"when I went back to Vancouver to stay with our daughter Kristen and Reilly while she underwent surgery. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and I wanted to be with her while she had the surgery and recovered. This was a detour in our plans for another full winter in Mexico, but one that gave me the unexpected plesaures of a chance to be with my children and learn more about their lives in Vancouver. And see Vancouver pre-Olympics in all its glory. Well done Canada, and well done Kristen who has made a quick and healthful recovery.

Gene and I are both figuratively and literally back on the road and in this case, it's Mexico's National Hwy. 200. Let me be the first to say that it is a road with a lot of speed bumps, but here they are called TOPES. We have taken this highway before, with our friends Paul and Lynn and last year with Frank and Helga. Highway 200 winds down the scenic coastline of Pacific Mexico and for the last 2 days we have driven from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, bypassing Acapulco (thanks GPS and Guia Roja) and are now in Pto. Escondido Oaxaca state. It is a slow, winding way to see the country side but we do love it and are happy to be on our journey together again. Today is a rest day, we aren't travelling. Instead we are watching the strength and beauty of surfers as the vye for position on the waves here at Playa Zicatela. Like Zihuatanejo, Pto. Escondido seems to be lacking in tourists. The restaurants, beachside palapas, roads, streets are empty waiting for the usual crowds of the "high season" to come. We should feel lucky to be here while it is so nice and quiet, but this quiet means that this is not a good time for Mexico. And when it's not a good time for Mexico, it makes our presence feel all the more significant to all the Mexicans we encounter. We have to make sure that our journey on this highway is one where we respect our status as visitors. We are visitantes who have started a journey realizing that we don't know what's ahead on this journey just as certainly as we do not know what's ahead on the journey of life!

Gracias por Amigos and La Madera has a Gran Posada

Our son, Eric who is visiting us for 3 weeks is using this as a training venue for Ironman Canada Triathlon which he is registered to compete in August, 2010. On Saturday he decided to swim to Los Gatos beach from Playa La Madera, our local beach. It would be a 2.5 km swim for him and would be perfect for training. I decided to join him, meeting him at the west end of Playa La Ropa, wearing flippers and my mask and snorkel, and being quite positive I could manage a reduced distance. Things started off well, I saw a giant sea turtle slowly floating along on the rocks beneath me and marvelled in it's beauty. I remembered my friend Lillia telling me that seeing a tortuga is good luck. Little did I know how much I would need that.

It was a long swim for me and Eric had to wait for me a few times but we happily swam into Los Gatos beach and walked to our friend Franco's restaurant, Otillia's, with the plan arranged to meet Gene who was walking over accompanied by Cori. He was carrying our bag of shoes, money, cell phone, clothes etc. for a day at the beach. We waited, and we waited....and we knew something was wrong. It is a powerless feeling to be without communication and without a plan....so eventually Eric and I swam back to the East end of La Ropa, where we couldn't find Gene's car and we flagged down a taxi who was willing to take us in our wet swimsuits, without money back home. We used our administrators phone and found out that indeed, Gene had fallen and injured himself while walking along the rocky path to Los Gatos. He had managed to connect with our friend Roger (Rogelio) and being the good guy Roger is, he quickly responded and jumped onto the water taxi with our backpack and my phone to find us and rescue us....a white knight on his cruising bike here in our La ceiba/Casa Ceiba group of ex-pats. Gene had endured pain and suffering and had driven back to La Ropa to find us.....we were gone and back home.....a comedy of errors, but with a good enough ending that no one was dead, no one was in hospital, and the day could continue..

So at 6 p.m. we headed to the 3rd annual La Madera Posada. This event, which we all support both monetarily and in person, is the locals chance to put on a Xmas concert/food and drink event and sell handcrafts, meet local politicians and all in all have a grand time in the "hood". Calle Adelita is closed off to vehicles and the street turns into a grand party for everyone. We timed our arrival to coincide with 3 parrots on the top of a taxi cab! Our friends and neighbours in La Madera do know how to have fun and celebrate the season.

And as our son observed, we are living where the emphasis is on "life"...this place is just so alive be it animal (humans and otherwise) or vegetable...life in all it's pain, glory and beauty surrounds us! Vive Mexico and Vive Zihuatanejo!

The Little Town that Could

We live on Vancouver Island in the summers. A few years ago, the logging industry, fishing industry and mining industry all collapsed and many small towns were left with no employment options. The small mining/logging town of Chemainus reinvented itself as a tourist destination with walls of murals, tourist boutiques and a lively theatre scene. Zihuatanejo reminds me of Chemainus, the "little town that could".

Last year was devastating for this small Mexican town. We were in the midst of a global recession, a violent drug war fought at times locally - too close for many of our comfort levels and enough publicized by a US travel alert about the area; and finally, when things couldn't get worse, H1N1 occurred here first. Needless to say, much of the town suffered and many locals endured financial hardships as their livelihood is tied to our spending habits.

This year, something wonderful is happening here. The new mayor, El Presidente Alexandro Bravo has somehow secured funds to engage each community in a major rebuilding campaign. Everywhere we go signs are hung on lampstandards and bridges with the slogan "No detiene su marcha, vamos juntos" ....or "don't stop your progress, together let's go!". The list of projects that we have been most impressed by are:
1. Major repainting campaign of all the previously yellow/red painted infrastructure which was heavily damaged by graffiti.
2. El Centro is being beautified by a series of scultpures, terrazo tile overhangs and signage and new benches/plantings.
3. A special day "Dia del Migrante" to honor and thank all of us who move here, make purchases and contribute to the livelihood of the community. The evening ceremony was spectacular with our favorite Jimi Mamou as the closing act...Jimi has indeed contributed his talents to this town.
4. The first annual cross Zihuatanejo Bay swim (our daughter Amy, finished second in the female category and won 3,000 pesos).
5. A huge rock concert in the cancha....can't really describe the volume or the sound, but imagine your worst case scenario for ear drum damage and multiply that by 3.
6. A vibrant "Domingos Culturales" program where every Sunday night, locals and tourists meet in the town's basketball court/square La cancha to sample regional food and watch and hear international, national, regional and local arts groups perform.
7. Neighborhood Posadas (but you'll have to wait to read about our neighborhoods recent Saturday night street party!!).

All of these projects and events make me feel proud to call this little town home, and give me hope that somehow these good works will convince others like me to visit, spend some money and get to know and love this area as much as we do. Of course, there is a tiny little voice within that questions where this money is coming from....and the reality maybe that the drug cartels now control Zihua..and will fund it and keep us all safe as long as we don't get in their way. The municipal, state and federal police presence is larger than ever this year...and the fighting is gone! Gracias a dios!

Family es Muy Importante

In the last few weeks, our life has involved regular commutes, both picking up and dropping off travellers to our local airport. Having a car here has allowed us to offer assistance to the many people here who don't have vehicles, so we are always ready to assist folks who are arriving or leaving our little piece of paradise. I often combine the drop off with a beach walk with Cori on Playa Blanca, a pristine stretch of unspoiled sand where the fresh breezes and huge waves seem to cleanse the humid stillness of Zihua from my body and my mind.

Recently, we've been fortunate as our family, two daughters and their boyfriends and our son have all chosen to spend time here with us. We faithfully tracked their flights to ensure that the stormy weather at home had not delayed them, and we arrived early at the frigid air conditioned airport arrivals area catching glimpses through the waiting room glass of the pale and tired folks arriving. We chuckled at their long pants, sweaters and boots and watched their expressions as they step out into the heat on the outside of the building.

This last week has highlighted a phenomenon here where Mexicans make their annual pilgrimmage back home from the Estados Unidos to Mexico. These proud and successful immigrants come home to be with their families for the important holiday season. Well dressed, and equipped with the latest in electronic travel aids, they arrive with suitcases overflowing with presents and household items for the locals. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings many from small rural communities in this agricultural state of Guerrero, wait in the waiting room alongside us seeking the first glimpse of long separated family members, some arriving with new babies to proudly show off at this Christmas family time. We laugh as the idea of 'travelling light" is not a value here. The porters and taxi drivers, finally have the customers they have waited for while us frugal ex-pats arrive with our limited baggage, no gift rule and our own vehicle to drive back into town.

When we arrive in our little colonia, La Madera, we have our opportunity to proudly introduce our family to our friends and neighbours. Our Mexican neighbours greet them with such warmth and love we know they share our happiness that at last we are a true familia!!!

The Virgin of Guadalupe - a busy time in Zihua

For the past week the locals, with many of us as interested onlookers, have been partaking in the celebration of the religious holiday that culminated yesterday, December 12th. This is the anniversary of the day when the Virgen de Guadalupe made an appearance to a peasant near Mexico City. Ever since then, Mexico has been honoring this religious icon in favor of Jesus Christ who the remainder of the Roman Catholic world idolizes as the icon of it's faith. Some how this seems right in Zihuatanejo, named originally Zihuatlan, or place of women.

All year long, jewellery, tee shirts, pins, paintings, lacquer wear, plastic bags and statuettes are on display all with the characteristic sunrays radiating from around the image of the beautiful virgin. But it is in the first 2 weeks of December when the whole country seems gripped by all things related to the Virgen de Guadalupe. The image appears everywhere and on everything!

Each night, processions of faithful of all ages, grouped together by neighborhood, family or employer carried beautiful floral displays in honor of the Virgin. Chanting the same song with accompanying music, and carrying candles the processions all walk slowly through town to the church where the floral display is left.

We live only a block away from the church where the ultimate celebration occurs, so last evening, before supper, we all headed over to watch the event unfold. We are drawn by the song, the fireworks and the families, each with their children proudly dressed for the occasion in traditional peasant garb. Each little boy has a tiny mustache and sideburns proudly painted on and each little girl is the epitome of beauty with long braids and ribbons, earrings and necklaces of shiny beads.

The final hours of the celebration build to a crescendo when the giant firecracker laden pinwheels are lit and the city is shaken by one blast of fireworks after another.

This also coincides with the start of the busy season, it marks the final days before the hoped for onslaught of tourists from the north begin and it is as if the town is saying "Wake up...we're ready" bring on the season!