Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Sun and Sand on the Oaxacan Coast Posted on February 11, 2013 As published in The Oaxaca Times 2/10/13
http://hannaharonowitz.com/2013/02/11/sun-and-sand-on-the-oaxacan-coast/
Sun and Sand on the Oaxacan Coast
As published in The Oaxaca Times 2/10/13
Blue sea, white sand and electric pink sunsets. Although the colorful city of Oaxaca can often be hard to leave, the Oaxacan coast is a must-see destination for any tourist, and for a resident, it is a compulsory weekend getaway.
There are plenty of microbus and van operators that service routes from Oaxaca to the coast, although the 6-7 hour bus ride, which hairpin curves itself through the mountains, is a test for even the strongest stomach. Arm yourself with nausea medication, an Ipod (reading is out of the question) and a neck pillow or eye mask to help you doze off in relative comfort. For those with weak stomachs and more patience or funds, opt for an ADO bus that routes through Acapulco, or a quick flight on Aerotucán.
To reach Puerto Escondido, one of the most popular destinations, Servicio Express (Arista 116; 516-40-59) has nine departures daily between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. for about M$200.
Puerto Escondido is a laid-back fishing town, which has become a worldwide surfing desination due to the famous wave, the so-called “Mexican Pipeline,” that breaks on Playa Zicatela. Considered one the best surfing waves in the world, it has long drawn surfers, and with them, the surf culture that is now characteristic of Puerto Escondido. While the surf is superb (and calmer during the dry season Nov.-April), swimming here can be a bit treacherous which makes sunbathing on the perfect white sand beach an ideal activity for the non-surfer.
Surfers, fisherman casting lures by hand, and diving pelicans compete for space on La Punta, or the southernmost point of the bay. With recent additions La Punta now has several comfortable and affordable accommodations fronted with palapa restaurants and is a good alternative if you are looking for something more laid-back than the happening, developed downtown of Playa Zicatela.
The Tower Bridge Backpackers Hostel (Oceano Antartico 1; 954-582-0823), although located a bit off the beaten path near Playa Carrizalillo, is very popular among younger backpackers looking for a social ambience to meet other travelers.
For nightlife, Playa Zicatela is the place to be, with restaurants and bars that line the main drag of Calle del Morro. Start your night at Casa Babylon, a kitschy and lovable bar that has a great collection of Mexican Masks and English-language books lining the walls, and serves up world-class mojitos and live music many nights of the week. Continue on to one of the beach bars if you want to drink over-priced cocktails on daybeds with your toes in the sand, and then end your night at Barfly, a spacious rooftop bar located above the La Hostería restaurant, where DJs spin a mix of latin-electro-pop and a lively crowd dances into the night.
If the surf and party vibe isn’t what you’re looking for head south to Mazunte by catching a public bus in front of the Super Che Supermarket, asking the driver to drop you off at Las Cruces de San Antonio and then catching a collectivo (shared taxi) that usually looks like a pickup truck with a tarp on the back, into town. The trip should take about an hour and the pristine cove of Mazunte is worth it. With a great swimming beach, a chilled-out hippie vibe, and unbeatable sunsets, Mazunte has long attracted the laid-back traveller, many of whom seem to never leave.
If you’d prefer to head directly to Mazunte or Zipolite (Mazunte’s neighbor) straight from Oaxaca City, Eclipse 70 (Bustamente 70; 951-516-1068) has departures from Oaxaca every hour between 3:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m., arriving to Pochutla, which is just a 20 minute taxi ride away from those coastal towns.
The main road in town, Paseo del Mazunte, which runs parallel and slightly inland of the beach, is where you can find cheaper eats and budget accommodation. On the eastern end of the beach you will find somewhat dingy but passable rooms with shared bathrooms for reasonable beachfront prices (about M$50-150) located behind sandy-floored restaurants.
Playa Rinconcito, as the western end of the beach is called, is home to some higher-end accommodation and restaurants. With a stellar location on a hill by the beach, Posada el Arquitecto has dorms (M$70) and private cabañas (M$400-750). For more bang for your buck, head uphill from the most western street, Andador Rinconcito, towards Punta Cometa for unbeatable views of Mazunte. At Cabañas Miramar, you can stay in a clean, comfortable cabaña with a private bathroom and balcony (M$350 for single bed, M$600 for a double), and then follow a short, steep path downhill to reach the beach.
Punta Cometa, a rocky point that juts south out in the sea, provides incredible views to both to the east and west, making it a uniquely perfect place to view both the sunrise and the sunset. On the western side of Punta Cometa is a small, stunning beach with intense waves called Playa Mermejita, which is a great location for nighttime bonfires.
For activities, Mazunte offers a turtle refuge center, Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga, as well as lanchas, or small boats, which leave from the beach at 8 a.m. (M$180) guided by local fishermen to view turtles, as well as dolphins and whales. While there are several options for yoga, Agama Yoga Center, which you reach by heading west on the main road, is popular for its drop-in classes (M$100) as well as retreats and delicious vegetarian fare.
For breakfast, don’t miss La Baguette bakery’s pan relleno, a freshly-baked bun filled with half-melted chocolate and bananas, accompanied by a licuado, or a fresh fruit juice or smoothie, from the shop next door. For dinner, Siddartha, has a good selection of international fare, including vegetarian options and an unbeatable view of the sea.
Heading east on the main road out of Mazunte (just 20 minutes on foot), you will reach the charmingly small bay of San Augustinillo, where the calm surf provides great swimming, body boarding and mediocre snorkeling.
Continue 2.5 miles east (ten minutes in collectivo) to reach Zipolite, an expansive stretch of white sand with a rough surf and free spirit. A best bet for the budget traveler, camping is a great option here. Try Luna Azul if you have your own tent (M$100 per week) or ask around at the plethora of accommodations that stretch along the beachfront.
Zipolite is known for its nude beach, happening nightlife and relaxed pace. However, beware the dangerous rip tides, which only experienced surfers should attempt, as well as some incidents of theft and assault. For a longer stay for less, miles of perfect coastline and an ‘anything-goes’ attitude, Zipolite is the destination.
Whether you are called to the beach for surfing, sunbathing, snorkeling, seafood, nightlife, yoga or any other beach-bound activity, the Oaxacan coast will not disappoint.
Oaxaca's Refined Riviera - Puerto Escondido, Mexico - Oaxaca's Refined Riviera - MensJournal.com mensjournal.com Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Sometimes the name of a place perfectly sums up its appeal. That's how it is with Puerto Escondido, the "Hidden Port."
| Oaxaca's Refined Riviera - Puerto Escondido, Mexico - Oaxaca's Refined Riviera - MensJournal.com
Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Sometimes the name of a place perfectly sums up its appeal. That's how it is with Puerto Escondido, the "Hidden Port."
|
EXPERT ADVICE
The World's 8 Best Beaches for Adventure
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
7 of 8
Courtesy Designhotels.com
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Courtesy Designhotels.com
Sometimes the appeal of a place is right there in its name.
That's how it is with Puerto Escondido: the "Hidden Port." Clinging
to the tip of Mexico's elbow, on the country's sparsely populated southern
coast (a.k.a. "the Oaxacan Riviera"), halfway between Acapulco and
Guatemala, this formerly sleepy fishing village is slowly undergoing a tourist
boom – but one that has avoided the crush and commercialization of its more
famous neighbors. It's growing, but it doesn't feel overgrown.
I arrived near the end of November, the tail of the rainy
season, on a prop plane from Mexico City. My hotel, the Villas Carrizalillo,
was near an area called the Rinconada, a 10-minute walk from town. A grand old
boulevard with a small art gallery and several amazing restaurants, the
Rinconada used to be the town's airstrip, until the town outgrew it; still,
these days, the airport is only five minutes away. The hotel, really a
collection of 12 villas, is situated on a bluff overlooking the cobalt-colored
thumb of Carrizalillo Bay. The American co-owner, New York-via-Georgia
transplant Amy Hardy, found the place 10 years ago, abandoned by its previous
owners, and she and her partner did a full renovation. It now boasts a
nouveau-Mexican restaurant (sweet mango mahimahi ceviche, pineapple guacamole)
and a private staircase down to the little-used beach cove, where you can surf
a gentle beginner-friendly break, standup paddle with sea turtles and manta
rays, or enjoy shrimp quesadillas or a cold michelada (beer with lime and
spice) at one of a handful of beach palapas (thatched-roof gazebos).
Ricardo Maya, the bartender at the Villas Carrizalillo, grew
up in Mexico City. The first time he came to the Oaxacan coast was in the early
1980s, when he visited nearby Zipolite. "I don't even remember Puerto
then," he said. When he came back in 2004 to teach Spanish to travelers,
he could hardly believe the growth. Still, he said, the place suited him: He'd
lived near Aspen for several years, and – in both climate and down-to-earth
demeanor – Puerto Escondido was pretty much the opposite. Then he poured us
both another shot of Fidencio – Amy Hardy's line of organic mezcal,
hand-distilled in Oaxaca by a fourth-generation mescalero who worked the same
ground as his great-grandfather. (My favorite was the Fidencio Tobalá,
distilled from 100 percent wild agave harvested during the new moon.)
There's a lot of this going around P.E. these days: a sort
of Puerto Vallarta meets Portland vibe, fueled by natives and expats alike.
There's the French woman from Montréal who opened a patisserie inside the
mercado and the Italian who rents scooters out of his gelato shop. In Mazunte,
an eco-tourist town (it's home to the National Mexican Turtle Center) a little
way down the coast, a locally owned cooperative manufactures organic cosmetics,
and closer to home, just off the main backpacker's drag, a young couple named
Sabrina and Graco (she's Austrian; he's from Veracruz) gutted an old storefront
and built out their own wood-walled restaurant called La Olita ("the
little wave"), which serves the best fish tacos east of Ensenada.
You'll find a similar up-and-coming micro-scene in Tulum, on
the Yucatán Peninsula, but Puerto has something the Caribbean side doesn't:
killer waves. Tourism-wise, surfing is Puerto's bread and butter, and quality
breaks can be found for miles in both directions: Chacagua and Puerto Ángel.
The marquee spot, though, is Playa Zicatela, a thrilling three-kilometer beach
break right in the middle of town, which draws so many top surfers from all
over the world that it's earned the nickname "the Mexican Pipeline."
The pummeling current isn't for novices, though; people have drowned, so if
you're just getting comfortable on a board, proceed with caution.
One afternoon I drove out to the Laguna de Manialtepec, an
unofficial nature preserve about 30 minutes outside town, where, for 75 pesos
(about $5.75) an hour, the ladies at Restaurante la Flor del Pacífico rented me
a kayak and paddle and even threw in a cold Bohemia. As the bottle of beer
sweated in the cup holder, I spent two blissful hours kayaking around the
lagoon – which I had entirely to myself, if you don't count the herons and
hummingbirds and majestic black hawks, as well as the biggest flock of cormorants
I've ever seen. Then the gigantic red sun (it somehow looked bigger than it
does at home) dipped below the tree line, and it was just me and the water and
the stars.
Back at the dock, I met up with Lalo Escamilla, an avian
biologist who studies birds for a nearby university. When he's not counting
egrets or tracking spoonbills, Lalo leads eco-tours on his 12-person boat. I
was in luck, he told me: "The phosphorescence is here!" Three or four
times a year, certain spots in the lagoon are visited by phosphorescent
microorganisms, which glow silver and shimmery in the inky black water,
transforming an already gorgeous nighttime swim into something truly
otherworldly. It was only after we'd been backstroking around for about 10
minutes that a young boy on the tour who was visiting from Mexico City, asked
if there were any crocodiles in the lagoon. "Yes," Lalo said with a
grin, preparing a joke he'd clearly made before, "but don't worry."
He pointed to the bioluminescent trails we all left in our wake. "You
can," he said, winking, "see them coming."
Not far past Manialtepec, at the end of a bumpy road down a
rugged stretch of coastline, is a possible glimpse of Puerto's future: the
Hotel Escondido, which opened before Christmas. Operated by Grupo Habita, a
boutique chain based in Mexico City (imagine a Mexican version of the Standard
or the Ace), it comprises 16 individual thatched-roof bungalows, each of which
has beachfront views and its own private pool. A spa and sauna and an
underground music lounge (literally, it's underground) add to the feeling of
rustic luxury; other high-design copycats might not be far behind.
But the surest sign that change is on the way to Puerto is a
brand-new highway, 125 kilometers, cutting through vast fields of almonds,
papayas, and mangoes, between Oaxaca City and the coast. When I was there,
orange-vested construction crews were hard at work, on pace to finish the
project by early 2015. When it opens, the highway will cut the travel time from
Mexico City in half and make it possible to drive from Oaxaca City to the coast
in a little more than two hours – down from six. Some of the expats I spoke
with were a little worried that the road might destroy the town's quiet charm.
But the locals were pretty excited. "Claro!" a taxi driver named
Jorge – who was born in Puerto – told me. It would bring more visitors, more
money, cheaper goods to buy. What's not to love? And if it meant slightly
bigger crowds waiting for waves every weekend, or a few more overpriced hotels,
well, no importa. Change was inevitable, after all. Puerto could take it.
Getting there: Fly to Mexico City; connect to Puerto
Escondido.
By Josh Eells
Read more:
http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/the-worlds-8-best-beaches-for-adventure-20140210/puerto-escondido-mexico#ixzz2t6BvaAAq
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Piña Palmera 2014 - The Eye Clinic Surgicenter theeyesurgicenter.com Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues, Our 17th medical mission to Piña Palmera (since Oct 2002) included both optometry (general optometry and ...
| Update! Piña Palmera 2014 - The Eye Clinic Surgicenter
Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues, Our 17th medical mission to Piña Palmera (since Oct 2002) included both optometry (general optometry and ...
Eye Surgery At Pina Palmera, Zipolite,
Oaxaca, Mexico
|
Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues,
Our 17th medical mission to Piña Palmera (since Oct 2002) included both optometry (general optometry and screening for surgery) and ophthalmology (eye surgery). Yet in a larger sense, it included reunions with old friends, a global sense of family, God’s constant hand of guidance, and dancing. Somehow, the sight of a goofy, 6’3” gringo dancing around the place has always brought joy to Malena (the oldest resident of Piña), on my left, with Jose and volunteer Katherine on my right.
Our 17th medical mission to Piña Palmera (since Oct 2002) included both optometry (general optometry and screening for surgery) and ophthalmology (eye surgery). Yet in a larger sense, it included reunions with old friends, a global sense of family, God’s constant hand of guidance, and dancing. Somehow, the sight of a goofy, 6’3” gringo dancing around the place has always brought joy to Malena (the oldest resident of Piña), on my left, with Jose and volunteer Katherine on my right.
For over 25 years Piña Palmera has brought joy and hope to persons with disabilities in this rural area of southern Oaxaca, now a world leader in “Community-based Rehabilitation.” With teams of volunteers from around the world, they establish partnerships with even more rural villages to provide care and instruction. Although there are several residents at their home base in Zipolite, their emphasis is to support persons with disabilities remaining n their homes and communities. KL has traveled with Piña teams to many villages in our history, and we now have an established surgery space in Piña. n the first photo, we are dancing on the porch directly in front of the residence. You can see our surgery space painted in orange just over my shoulder. Our surgery patients are doing pre-op/post-op in the same space where the residents are spending their day. The first surgery photo above shows Dr. Brian LaGreca (Billings, MT) operating, with his wife Stacey assisting him to his right as surgical scrub. Dr. Hector Cámara (Mérida, Yukatán, Mexico) observes, and nurse DuAnne Diers (Sheridan, WY) is in the foreground as circulating nurse. In this photo you can see the relative size and importance of the surgical microscope, which was transported from the US in Feb 2005.
Optometrist Dr. Tracy Ammann (Riverton, WY), her mother, Joyce Meling, and I arrived on Thursday afternoon, 23 Feb, and immediately began our optometry clinic, providing care, glasses where needed, and screening patients for surgery the following week. We screened Thur-Sat and then welcomed the surgical team on Sat to prepare for surgeries Mon-Thur 27-30 Feb. This report will focus on the surgical side of the work, while Tracy and Joyce will follow with more details on the optometry clinic. In summary, we saw well over 100 patients in the optometry clinic, and performed 25 surgeries, 23 for cataracts, one iridectomy (for glaucoma) and one pterygium.
The morning after each day of surgery, the docs check the eyes of all of the previous day’s patients, take notes, provide and review post-op instructions. Here, Brian checks the first eye of the first patient of this year’s mission. This man was scheduled for surgery last year, but was unable to complete the surgery due to a cough. A year later, he was the first candidate on the list.
When the team arrives to Piña on surgery days, everyone has a role. While Brian and Hector check over the patients, Joyce is usually the first person they see as she removes the gauze and eye patches which were placed over the surgical eye the day before. These are often dramatic moments, especially if the eye receiving surgery is the first expression of clear vision for many years. After helping with post-op, Joyce returns immediately to assist Tracy as she measures patients for the current day’s surgery, and then they receive more optometry patients for the current day.
Cheli, a physical therapist on the Piña staff, has become indispensable to our work. Shown here with Brian, she lines up patients from the several communities, maintains communication, and is the most important voice in establishing the post-op instructions and any follow-on care necessary. Thanks be to God and all the people who work with us, our success rate is very high, with no reports of post-op infections, largely credited to Cheli’s careful instruction. In this rural area, our patients must care for their surgical eye for several weeks, due to potential damage from sun, dust and smoke from cooking fires.
My role in the team is predominately with recruiting, logistics, and technical assistance. However, thanks to the several docs who have trained me over the years, I also work with optometry screening, circulating in surgery and occasionally scrubbing-in. In surgery week I began my days greeting patients, then worked to clean the surgery as DuAnne and Stacey prepared to “open” the first case. Then I returned to assist Tracy and Joyce with optometry until all patients are seen. At day’s end, I get to “play,” and enter the surgery to provide breaks for DuAnne and Stacey. Here, I was privileged to scrub-in for Hector as he operated, with Brian looking on.
I took this photo in order to provide Brian and Stacey with a shot for their Christmas Card next year! Couples elect to do many things with their vacation time, and this was Stacey’s first visit to Piña. Scrubbing for surgery is very intense, and one cannot help but feel the pressure of providing just the right piece of equipment and response to each request from the surgeon. To see Stacey and Brian function as scrub/surgeon/wife/husband was like watching a couple dance who have danced together for many years. From the observer, they appeared gentle, seamless, and effortless. But the reality is that the inner intensity is constant until the surgery is completed.
The residential building which houses our surgery space was renamed “Casa Gary” in February 2012, after our dear and late friend, Gary Benson. The caption reads, “Por su compromiso con Piña Palmera a travez de Kata Loukan.” “For your dedication to Piña Palmera through Kata Loukan.” On of the scriptures we considered on this mission was II Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” We hope, in our continued work, not only to reflect the ‘face of Christ,’ but also the face of Gary in all we do. Amen.
All roles have been introduced so far with the exception of Elena. She has been a dear friend and partner of KL for many years, and returns with us not to perform dentistry (her specialty) but to assist us with pre-op/post-op on the day of surgery. She has a heart as big as the mountains of Oaxáca, and we are blessed to have her as part of our family.
The best part of building something – like a tree house – is standing in it. The best and most comforting part of this work is just sitting in the surgery at day’s end. Breathing, looking around, listening, and giving thanks to God for giving us the ideas and the wisdom to carry out the vision. We firmly believe that God pays for what God orders. If the Lord wants it done, it will be done, and we must constantly trust in that. If the Lord does not want it done, no effort on our part will establish it. I’ve never seen a physical mountain moved by faith, but I have seen an eye surgery built in México, and it’s still there.
After finishing in the surgery, DuAnne and I walked to the neighboring village to look for our docs, and passed by Elena, seated by the outdoor dining area. With music blasting from my phone, we danced again, and this photo well-describes the event.
We expect medical professionals to give their time and their lost earnings from their respective practices, in order to come with us to offer care to underserved children of God. For our part, we want to make sure that those partners eat well and rest well. Since our first visit to Piña, we have stayed at the place called Cerro Largo, which has become for us a ‘home away from home.’ The colors and the light reflected in this evening meal goes far in capturing the refreshment we find in good food and time together at each day’s end. Last night and this morning, I feel like a young child returned from summer camp, missing my fellow campers greatly, and wondering how I can press on without them!
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