Friday, January 18, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Life on Death Beach
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| "Life on Death Beach" chronicles the lives of a group of volunteer lifeguards as they struggle for recognition in their own town, and the patients and therapists at a rehabilitation clinic down the street, who may be able to give more than a little insight into the Lifeguards' precarious and tragic situation through their own battles with Mexican society. | ||||||||||||||||
| JeffArak@Gmail.com | ||||||||||||||||
Playa Zipolite
Zipolite
We are now on our third day settled in at Rancho Los Mangos in Zipolite (about 45 minutes south of Puerto Escondido, just a few km from Puerto Angel). I have to say, Puerto Escondido/Zicoleta was a bit of a flop – very difficult to find a spot for the Sprinters, populated almost entirely by gringos, and with a shore break that keeps all but the more experienced surfers out of the water. On the up side, the food choices were fantastic. My and Bryans favorite was a place called Cayuca that specializes in Oaxacan food. Jose, the owner, spent about a half an hour giving Bryan and I a tutorial on the different types of mezcal. The food was so good we convinced the rest of the group to return the next night to celebrate Jamies birthday. He and Kelly are otherwise known as The Tranquillos, an overlanding couple that Bryan and the rest of the STT crew got to know very well during the 3 weeks they spent at Sayulita before I got there. Happily, when we decamped from Zicoleta and headed for Zipolite they came along – good company 
We are really enjoying Zipolite and the amenities of Rancho Los Mangos – after 3 days of hunkering down in “The Alley” in Zicoleta it’s nice to have access to shade, pool, etc. The town of Zipolite is really nice and has a surprisingly active night life. The beach is great for running – flat and firm packed – but also famous for a set of dangerous rip currents that can make swimming dicey. So far while we’ve been here the currents have actually been pretty tame and Jamie proved today that there is actually some good surfing to be had at the north end of the beach.
Jamie tears it up
Nude beach at north end of Zipolite – sorry, no closeups
The main drag in Zipolite
Christmas is coming fast and we’ve decided that we’re going to head inland to Chiapas to post up in San Cristobal for the holiday and a break from the hot weather. Hard to break away from Zipolite though…
7 Reasons to Go to Mexico City Now Posted by Fodor's Guest Blogger on January 14, 2013
7 Reasons to Go to Mexico City Now
By Jill Fergus
You may have been to Mexico’s beach resorts like Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, or perhaps you’ve visited its beautiful colonial-era cities like San Miguel de Allende. But if you’ve never been to Mexico City, now is the time to go. This thriving, cosmopolitan capital city has plenty of exciting aspects—from a new museum showcasing works of renowned Mexican artists to a growing culinary scene led by innovative chefs like Enrique Olvera. There are also hip boutique hotels and up-and-coming neighborhoods—along with some classic can’t-miss attractions. So when planning your next trip to Mexico, make Mexico City your first stop.
A welcome addition to the city’s cultural scene is the recently openedSoumaya Museum whose ultra-modern design (it resembles a trapezoid in motion) has architecture buffs buzzing. Owned by Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, the world-class collection features Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros murals, El Greco, Miro, Van Gogh and Matisse paintings, Rodin and Salvador Dali sculptures and rare colonial-era Mexican gold coins.
The city is known for its design-conscious boutique hotels, many owned by Grupo Habita including fashionable Condesa DF which attracts those in the film and art worlds to its rooftop bar, and Habita, the brand’s first property. Its latest hotel is Distrito Capital, located in Santa Fe, the city’s commercial district, whose 30 minimalist rooms on the top floors of a sleek skyscraper offer fabulous city views.
The city has a vibrant culinary scene lead by young chefs like Enrique Olvera whose Pujol restaurant in the Polanco district is widely considered to be the best in Mexico City. Savor his modern take on traditional Mexican dishes during a tasting menu in the intimate and elegant dining room. Some of the unique and whimsical creations might include smoked corn "lollipops", a goat cheese ball in a spicy tomato broth, caviar souffle and berry sorbet in mezcal.
Tequila’s lesser known sister spirit, mezcal, is the all the rage in Mexico City with the fashionable set flocking to the many mezcalerias that have been springing up all over town. One of the mezcal pioneers is La Botica in Condesa (it now has several other locations). Other spots to sample this smoky spirit made from the maguey plant (a form of agave) include La Clandestina and Corazon de Maguey.
Explore up-and-coming La Roma, a former gritty area that has been transformed into an artsy, bohemian neighborhood with plenty of galleries, vintage clothing shops, boutiques (from emerging Mexican fashion designers to independent bookstores to coffee houses). Popular meeting spots are Hotel Brick, in a restored mansion with a small but fun cocktail bar (try the cucumber-peppermint martini) and Brasserie La Moderna, by celebrity chef Richard Sandoval.
Another cultural highlight is the newly-minted Museo Tamayo, which reopened last August after years of renovations of its building and facilities. The contemporary museum, named for Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo, has also expanded its exhibition space offering opportunities for visitors to see more of its permanent collection, including numerous Tamayo works as well as pieces from Picasso, Max Ernst, Francis Bacon and Isami Noguchi.
And while there are always new things happening in the capital city, its heart and soul is still the Centro Historico, dominated by the Zocalo, an enormous public square surrounded by historic churches and museums. Since the times of the Aztecs it’s been a gathering place—nowadays there are religious festivals, citizen protests and concerts (including a performance by Shakira, which drew a crowd of 210,000). Steps away is the archeological ruins of Templo Mayor, one of the main temples of the Aztecs when the city was known as Tenochtitlan.
Photo Credits: Soumaya Museum: Arturoosorno | Dreamstime.com; Grupo Habita: Habita Hotel pool by animalvegetable Attribution License; Pujol: Courtesy of Pujol; La Botica: La Botica MezcalerÃa: DF, MX. by Alejandro De La Cruz Attribution-NoDerivs License; Hotel Brick: Courtesy of Hotel Brick; Museo Tamayo: museo rufino tamayo by transient musket Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License; Centro Historico: dubassy/Shutterstock
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Overland Travel - Zipolite, Mexico - Overland Travel Mexico, Uncategorized - My attitude has improved dramatically from yesterday. Nothing a good night's sleep and a day without driving cant cure ... overlandsphere.com/overland-travel/americas/.../114603
Overland Travel - Zipolite, Mexico -
Overland Travel Mexico, Uncategorized - My attitude has improved dramatically from yesterday. Nothing a good night's sleep and a day without driving cant cure ...
overlandsphere.com/overland-
Zipolite, Mexico
Overland Adventure Travel - Read the original post on the overlanders website: theDangerz | theDangerz.
My attitude has improved dramatically from yesterday. Nothing a good night’s sleep and a day without driving cant cure.
There was nothing luxurious or fun abut the last few days and we feel completely lucky to have run into friends to at least break up the 3 days of driving. It’s funny how a long drive gives you an opportunity to get a bit lost in your own mind. We never question whether this trip is right for us but my brain questions just about every other aspect. What is our goal, how far are we going, how will we know when we’ve found it? I don’t particularly love driving or sleeping in a van… I love having a home and the projects that come with it, and days like yesterday make we almost want to throw in the towel and call it all off. But then we arrive at some seldom visited town and untouched beach and I remember why we are driving to begin with. If only we could find a way to explore and discover new places without all the driving in between I would be a really happy man. If only we could afford that catamaran…
We realized last night that Karma isn’t allowed on the beach here, which will make hanging out on the sand and surfing all day a difficult thing. Add to that the fact we are a 15 minute walk to the water, and we might be attempting that hill out of town before too long.
We realized last night that Karma isn’t allowed on the beach here, which will make hanging out on the sand and surfing all day a difficult thing. Add to that the fact we are a 15 minute walk to the water, and we might be attempting that hill out of town before too long.
A full day of lounging around followed by a good night of sleep and a sunrise session in the surf was just what the doctor ordered. It’s been long enough that we might have forgotten any skills we learned a few months back but the beach is gorgeous and the rocky point attracts pelicans and iguanas who to bask in the sun and watch us paddle in. Not a bad way to spend the morning. We make a run at the hill up away from the beach and then wait on the other surfers to offer them a ride. 7people, 5boards and a dog inside the bus- definitely a record for us. We stop into pepe’s to unload everyone, rinse off, eat some breakfast and pay our bill before leaving.
Somehow, the bus also managed the hills on the way out of town. We didn’t have to add a tow to our list after all. That cash we saved for just such an occasion suddenly gets to go towards lunch. In Huatulco we search for a restaurant with wifi but this place is way to big and fast paced for us so we move on north to zipolite. Even before stepping foot in the sand we know that this is more our speed. Slow but not completely off the beaten path. The beach out front is clothing optional and the stores and cabanas that line it are all palapa-roofed. The roads are still dirt and the crowd looks diverse (and every person we pass loves the bus)- reminds us of tulum oh so many years ago. As we pop into a few cabana complexes asking about camping in their parking lot we stumble across a gem. I ask if we can see the inside, just hoping for a few photos and some architectural inspiration (for the off chance we ever build our own palapa on the beach) but as the doors are opened jen decides immediately that we are staying.
A bit of a vacation within a vacation if you will. Our first real splurge since leaving in july. A tiny white walled cabana in the sand overlooking the surf, complete with a hammock built for two out front. Pure indulgence, but we feel like we’ve earned it. Too many hard days of driving and i guess i shouldn’t be terribly surprised.
Before nestling into our hammock, we rinse off in the ocean and watch karma get her puppy on back and forth across the sand in and out of the water, and jen leans in to tell me she’s “putting this in with the rally expenses”.
David Archuleta - Rainbow (Remix)
David Archuleta - Rainbow (Remix) - Playa Zipolite
Budget, Backpackers, Surfers, Beach Lovers, Naturalist, Hippie, Sun and Sand worshipers, Off the Beaten Path Paradise! Everyone is welcome atZipolite!
playazipolite.blogspot.com/...
Playa Zipolite. Welcome To The Beach Of The Dead!: David Archuleta - Rainbow (Remix)
Budget, Backpackers, Surfers, Beach Lovers, Naturalist, Hippie, Sun and Sand worshipers, Off the Beaten Path Paradise! Everyone is welcome atZipolite!
playazipolite.blogspot.com/...
Playa Zipolite. Welcome To The Beach Of The Dead!: David Archuleta - Rainbow (Remix)
A deep day on Playa Zipolite, Mexico
A deep day on Playa Zipolite, Mexico
We had read that one of the much debated translations of Zipolite was “beach of the dead”. Sadly, today we found out why.
We awoke to the calming sound of waves breaking just out the open doors of our cabana. As morning arrives the mosquito net surrounding our bed adds a gentle glow to the beachscape beyond. Jen has already climbed out twice to snap photos of a breathtaking sunrise, one which tried hard to outdo even the sunset from last night. We move slowly, enjoying the tranquil nature of our surroundings. First coffee, then breakfast looking over the hammock. This is a life we could get used to.
We awoke to the calming sound of waves breaking just out the open doors of our cabana. As morning arrives the mosquito net surrounding our bed adds a gentle glow to the beachscape beyond. Jen has already climbed out twice to snap photos of a breathtaking sunrise, one which tried hard to outdo even the sunset from last night. We move slowly, enjoying the tranquil nature of our surroundings. First coffee, then breakfast looking over the hammock. This is a life we could get used to.
As the temperature follows the rising sun we eventually wander to the water where we’ve been watching a few locals doing tricks on their boogie boards. The waves that crash out front seem to range anywhere from gentle 1’-2’ rollers to thundering overhead monsters and these kids on their boards seemed dwarfed in comparison to the wall of water towering behind them.
I wade out to try and snap a few photos of the 100s of hungry pelicans sitting just past the break and we chuckle as the laziest of pelicans doesn’t take off fast enough to fly over the wave and instead finds himself surfing clumsily in to shore. I try to float along with the crashing waves to get a photo just at the moment when the wave starts to break and the pelicans dart overtop…waiting until the last possible second to momentarily leave their meal ticket.
I play for maybe half an hour before heading back in to jen and karma who have been standing guard in the shallow water- Karma is convinced she’s the lifeguard of every beach we visit. As i try to show Jen a photo of our surfing pelican, clothingless guys come running up from the point and shouting for help. Apparently two guys have been pulled into the riptide and then pushed into a churning hole between the rocks and the point. I hand jen the camera and run into into the water to help (in hindsight, not taking enough time to discuss my plans with jen nor to set her mind at ease). I swim out into the current and try to find a place to get near the closest guy without getting sucked in and becoming part of the problem, but the rip proves too difficult. A local with fins and a boogie board is making faster progress towards him and i abort mission, swim with the rip out to sea before swimming parallel to safety and crash with the waves back into shore.
The boogie boarder eventually does the same with guy in tow and we pull him in to shore where an actual lifeguard is arriving from the far end of the beach. The lifeguard directs others to the point (and to the guys companion), then goes back to work on trying to resuscitate. Sadly, they work on him forever and cant successfully bring him back. A tranquil day and happy vacation ruined, and the lives of whoever he has touched immediately have gaping hole that he used to fill. We never met this man, but our hearts pour out to his companion and to everyone who knew him.
We have since come to learn that this is a tragic but frighteningly frequent occurrence here. On our walk last night we saw the speed at which the water was gathering at this end of the beach and discussed the force with which that water must be returning to sea, but we certainly didn’t expect this type of outcome hours later. Zipolite apparently has always had very dangerous riptides and currents the length of the beach. Deaths here used to be extremely high but with the changing of the beach landscape and the creation/training of a lifeguard crew a decade ago the number of deaths has plummeted. Rescues it seems are still a daily occurrence, and as we set out to walk down the beach later in the day men, women and children are laughing and playing in the massive waves rather than sitting frightened on shore. It’s only near sunset that we notice the flags alerting swimmers to the danger level. Todays flag was flying red.
While we sit quietly in our cabana and later wander out to tour the beach and town, our minds keep coming back to this morning’s fateful event. A good reminder for us on so many levels. One of safety and security clearly, but more one of respect and of being thankful. A reminder that life is an excruciatingly fleeting event that is almost completely out of our control. Every day and every minute is a precious gift. There are warnings about just about every thing that a person could choose to do and each choice can end good or bad. If we spend our time worrying about the worst possible outcome we would likely would never leave home, open a window or turn the lights on. We certainly wouldn’t be driving on any highway, out traveling the world or playing in the waves (on this or any other beach). Those who warn most loudly not to are often those who haven’t done it out of their own fears.
I live and play with a constant and healthy respect for the ocean. I am so aware that this thing that we find so beautiful can become powerful and deadly in a moment, and will always remember coming close to losing my own life in a current off another beach. At moments in the water today i had pauses of fear. Fear for my own safety, that i had may have made a bad choice by entering the water or that (as it turned out) i was too late or couldn’t help. Looking back, my current fears are simply not taking advantage of every moment to love and live life fully.
It seems about the only thing we do have control over is how we choose to spend the days/moments that we do have. To breathe in deeply the air around us, to love/respect/cherish those dear to us, and to strive to live our dreams while there’s time. Tomorrow i’ll be more thankful for the opportunity to walk down the beach, to be walking with those that i love and to be given the chance to go back in the water to play with the pelicans.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Mexico Residency Visas
Mexico Residency Visas
We have no picture – but we do have a thousand words below:
We have interrupted the Beach Bodega project to renew our right to stay in Mexico. This has been an annual event for the last 8 years – truth be known – not our favorite yearly event.
Over the years we have attempted to be a beacon of information in this regard. That with no knowledge as to what it is worth, if anything, to anyone.
So here is this year’s first installment: How we obtained permission to be in Mexico – Part 1
Before I start venting, let me administer the most sage advice to any of this. Go to the INM office on an exploratory mission FIRST. In the last few years they have provided a sheet with a list of documents and procedures to secure your particular flavor of visa. It has taken these many years to get it in my thick skull that this is the ONLY sound method of starting out.
What I had been doing (OK the venting is starting) was scouring the Internet, and reviewing others and our own past experience for a head up on getting started. This is pretty much a waste of time (and paper if you have any green concern).
We had been reading a Merida Forum that leads to a myriad of comments, experiential stories and advice. Not to dis those that contribute because just the idea that people would share information without demanding money for it is a wonderful thing – but in this case counterproductive – truly. By the time you go away from there you will be so confused and disoriented that you will run out (not walk) to find the first help available at any price.
Rest assured there is help. A cottage industry of help to get your passport has sprung up. Dare I say that perhaps some of the confusion is spawned by those that can make a living at setting you straight – rather like the unemployed fire fighter that starts a fire to get some work? Principled as I am – I refuse to take this most sensible approach. Did I just write principled? OK let’s go with stubborn and cheap – it fits.
Starting Sunday we put together a plan for our first visit. A plan spawned from aforementioned Internet advice from well intending people.
Monday we went to the copy store; one capable of transferring computerized documents from a memory stick (we have a half dozen printers in various states of non-working – let’s not even go into that. We had request letters and financial statements and numbers to supply to the INM officer – lots of stuff – lots of copies.
We headed to the Puerto Airport complex which houses, well trailers, the local INM office. We had to sit outside after filling out the ‘guest book’ registration. There were a couple of people before us including a small herd organized by one of those aforementioned paperwork handlers.
In short order – perhaps 15 minutes – we were motioned to enter the small trailer. Here I should credit two points of advancement – a few years ago we had to sit in stiff chairs under the sun – now there is an awning and the sweat box they called an office with little elbow room beyond space for two people, is now refrigerated. Layered dressing will probably work best to adapt from the hot to chilly environments.
We were greeted by the hombre (Mexican Federal Agent) that made Anita cry a couple of years back. He was super friendly. I suppose still carrying some guilt for his harsh treatment. Good greeting passed, our paperwork just did not cut it.
We are applying for permanent residency in Mexico. The laws and requirements have changed radically (as of early November of last year). The immigration (INM) offices seem to be getting organized and more aware of requirements and process.
Here is an overview of some of the major changes – When wishing to stay in Mexico for longer than 180 days (tourists,) first time applicants MUST apply at a Mexican Consulate in their home country for a temporary or permanent stay in Mexico. There are no exceptions to this.
The financial requirements (income from sources out-side of Mexico) have increased substantially. A lot of people are worried, upset and/or angry over these financial increases – MANY will no longer have the monthly income or other qualifying factors any longer. Our understanding is that there are some ‘grandfathering conditions’ to all that. But those seem to be transitional and thus remain distressing to many.
The annual fees have also increased, however the fee is on a declining scale based on the number of years one applies for. The good news in that regard is you can now apply for as many as four years of continuing permission to stay as a temporary resident. Very good news for those that have been doing this Mexican Hat Dance for years – each and every year.
Even better still is a much more friendly method to attain permanent residence – NO MORE VISITS to the INM office – HOORAY! This comes with some VERY STIFF financial requirements; and a still undefined possibility of no longer being able to drive your foreign plated vehicle here in Mexico.
There is also a point system that equates to one being worthy of attaining residency by way of academic and working skills deemed beneficial to the country.
Does this all sound complicated? Boy howdy it is!
Getting back to our actual experience yesterday – we were given a printed form with 13 issues to be satisfied when applying for permanent residency. In the last few years we had been able to submit financial information in English – no longer – they wanted our bank statements in Spanish – ugh!
A letter requesting our desire for permanent residency which was created in Spanish via a sample from the Merida Forum was deemed unsatisfactory. Different language was provided to re-do the document.
They did manage to give us a paper to take to any bank for each to pay a 1000 peso application fee. We waited in line at the bank for more than an hour to pay the fees. End of day one – we were off to home to redo and gather information as required on the newly acquired form – We go back today – more on all this tomorrow. Stay Tuned!
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