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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Insane Surf, Nudists, and Hippy Communes!


Insane Surf, Nudists, and Hippy Communes!

North America » Mexico » Oaxaca » Zipolite
May 30th 2011 

Puerto EscondidoPuerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido

The view from our hostel.
Puerto Escondido is a quiet Mexican town with an insane beach break, most commonly known as the Mexican Pipeline. I read later that it is one of the heaviest beach breaks in the world, and many people have broken their boards or even their spines in the pounding surf. 

Apart from surfing, there is not a lot to do in Escondido, so thankfully we managed to find a few kiddies waves that were more suited to my level. Unfortunately my year-long stint in London had taken its toll and my surfing was more than a little rusty, but I still managed to have fun! We spent a couple of nights drinking beer in the local bars, where we met a lovely Australian couple called Beth and Matt. They, like us, were sick of the heat, and were thinking of heading down to a little chilled out beach called Zipolite. We also had Zipolite on our 'must do list' so we decided to join them. 

Zipolite is Mexico's only official nudist beach; however, the entire time we were there we only saw three nude people, and none of them were pretty. There was nothing much to do there apart from 
ZipoliteZipolite
Zipolite

The place we stayed. It was indeed, a nice place on the beach.
lie in hammocks, read, eat, splash about in the surf, and drink beer. It was pure heaven! At night we often made the excursion down to 'El Chocolate Invincible', the bar owned by Mr Crazy Horse Invincible. So the story goes, Crazy Horse got drunk one night in England, where he's from, and legally changed his name to Crazy Horse Invincible. He is a really nice bloke, but at the time he had a broken leg and was hobbling around on crutches. We asked how he broke his leg and he said that he fell from the first floor of his mates' house while sleepwalking one night. He refuses to go to the hospital to get it fixed , despite the fact that the local community has offered to pay his hospital bills. One night on the way back from his bar we saw a huge turtle laying eggs in the sand. 

We also met an awesome couple of Mexican guys who were staying in the room next to us. They spoke great English and enjoyed listening to Claire, myself, and the Australian couple talk about our home countries. We ended up catching a ride with them to a 
little mountain town called San Jose Del Pacifico; Mexico's home of magic mushrooms. We managed to avoid the magic mushrooms, which luckily were out of season, and ended up staying in this weird hippy commune. In the evening the clouds descended and the entire town was shrouded in this eerie fog, while tiny fire flies provided flickers of light around the tops of the trees. The people in the commune were very nice and the scenery was spectacular, but weren't really feeling the hippy vibe so we decided to move on.

Travel Blog » North America » Mexico » Oaxaca » Zipolite


Zipolite

Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish
rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A
devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering
the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,
underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income
distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian
population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000
marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition
defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.
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Zipolite sunsetLi

Zipolite sunset

About time one of those sunset photos made it onto the blog...


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Washington » Seattle » Pioneer Square March 16th 2012


United States flagPublished: March 16th 2012North America » United States » Washington » Seattle » Pioneer Square
March 16th 2012 

Hola a todos! 

The place of origin is misleading hehe. I'm actually in West Seattle at my fave lil pub. The Bridge enjoying a beer or two. Anyways straight to the point....am off to the Oaxaca Coast from May 7th through July 7th or so. Lately the weather has been ugly here! Rain, snow and wind, makes me long for 86F temps and water temps of 82F. Already booked my apartment and got vaccinations squared away! I need this! No phone,but net as needed! I was kinda tossed as to where to go actually. I had spoken with my sister who immediately said i ought to consider a pilgrimage to Spain with her, because she had a friend tell her "it would be awesome". I fired back you ought to consider what you like before making decisions! She sort of agreed. Always struck me as odd when someone pushes a spot on others...bottomline is follow your interests! I cannot wait to see folks albeit for a short time in Mexico City! I made many friends. Will prove to be a wicked trip to say the least...its a 15 hour bus trip from Mexico city to the coast ugggh! On a lighter note seems i locked in my flight at just the right time as speculators are driving oil prices way up. 

Was zero issues booking accomodations...Chris the owner of place I'm staying since it's offseason was very nice. An Aussie family man seems a good guy. So two months of laying around getting sun,although I do insist on seeing the turtle reserve in Mazunte! Well a cutie is eyeballing me (likely due to my freakish looks) so will bid everyone a goodbye and take my leave! Loves to some...the finger to others. Hasta pronto.

Puerto Escondido May 8th 2012


Mexicos flagPublished: May 8th 2012North America » Mexico » Oaxaca » Puerto Escondido
May 8th 2012 

Pulley Point Pulley Point
Pulley Point

Eagle Harbor near Seattle!
Well I've arrived! After 51 hours of little sleep! The way here is not for the faint of heart!!!! 5 hours on the first plane, 3 hours on the second plane and 12 gruelling hours on a bus! But I just met the owner properly after my 7 hour nap,and had a couple beers with him. 

I did before i left...go for a mind cleansing ferry ride in Seattle to clear my head. Certainly needed. Not had a chance to look around much as I was buggered when I arrived and promptly crashed,but will post a couple pictures from Seattle and only one from here then hit the bed as I'm still tired and the 2 beers made this worse.

Puerto Escondido May 9th 2012


Mexicos flagPublished: May 9th 2012North America » Mexico » Oaxaca » Puerto Escondido
May 9th 2012 

P1020045P1020045
P1020045

My pool and home for the next 2 months.
Second night here. It gets very peaceably quiet after dark here. So earlier today i went on the roof to score some pictures of the sunset...but haze made it impossible. Thank god I've 61 more tries to get it right! Folks here seem insanely laid back...and sometimes thats not a good thing. Details aside i listened to a woman explain how she had left the corporate world to sling burgers at a cousins bar; which I found hilarious considering she obviously had'nt mastered multi-syllable words yet! Hmmmmm. I've a lil buddy here he/she cracks me up a tiny lizard with a giant appetite for gimpy flies and other insects. Sadly the lil bugger has been too stealthy to snap a pic so far. 

Anywho I wandered up to the rooftop to hopefully snap some sunset pictures and breaks of the pipeline on zicatela beach. And while the shots are beautiful the surf here is not friendly save for experienced surfers. Many tourists either die or come close underestimating the undertow here! But beautiful nonetheless. Well its 930 pm here and I'm old and sun does me in so I'm off to the rain locker, but before i go I'll post 
P1020049P1020049
P1020049

Laps anyone?
more pictures. 

Hasta pronto a todos!

Puerto Escondido May 13th 2012


Puerto Escondido
May 13th 2012 

Cactus rock!Cactus rock!
Cactus rock!

A bizarre cactus growing right out of a rock!
Well I've been here nearly a week. This morning since I am always first one up Chris the owner and I took his dogs and went and had breakfast on the beach. Quiet Sunday here as the surf was small today so folks kinda hid inside all day. 

I learned the value of having a homebase here. It helps to be able to come home with 800 pesos worth of groceries and be able to eat for near a week on it and cook right here. 

Everyone keeps talking rain here. I've yet to see a cloud, daytimes are 91-95 degrees F and blistering sun that requires a nap between 12pm and 4pm haha.The high heat has kept me rather sheltered as I acclimate slowly! Very slowly. I have however met some great folks here...not downtown as of yet simply because the heat has curtailed my travels to the Super Che grocery/hardware/everything legal for sale store! 

Next week if I feel energetic I might catch a bus to Mazunte (turtle reserve). Although sometimes I forget I am here another near 8 weeks so I need to chill out a bit..which honestly isn't my style. Anyway I've a date 
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse

The lighthouse at the southern break.
with some chorizo I fried up earlier for tacos then maybe a nap and a wander down the hill to Zicatela beach. I will post photos I've recently taken. 

Hasta pronto a todos!

Puerto Escondido May 16th 2012


Puerto Escondido
May 16th 2012 

The title says all! After days of dry lightening last night at 1030 pm I heard it...faint raindrops! Exciting for the simple reason theres been no rain here for 8 months! After a few minutes it came down hard!!!!! The Aussie surfers all popped out and into the palapa for beers to cheer it on. And the temp. dropped a glorious 10 degrees instantly. 

And tho I too came out and joined in the cheers i soon realized this was perfect sleeping weather and retired. As i walked down the steps a huge toad jumped out and we stared each other down in the deluge..myself perfectly happy to be getting soaked to the bone! 

And this morning over a pot of coffee well before anyone else is stirring i snapped pictures of the 30 or so frogs making ungodly geese-type honking noises in the now way overfull pool. 3 inches of rain in 2 hours means new animals coming out of hiding and a freshness in the air that leaves me feeling slightly voyueristic as i soak it all in. I can only hope that this is the start of the 2 hour downpours so common in the sub 
Rental car!Rental car!
Rental car!

My rental after i lost track of it one evening! HAHA
tropics! On that note I will post a few pictures then go for a walk. Seems a new day has begun! 

Hasta pronto a todos

Puerto Escondido May 22nd 2012


Puerto Escondido
May 22nd 2012 

IguanaIguana
Iguana

My little buddy hanging out watching me!
Good early morning people! Haven't blogged for a few days, namely because I've been properly lazy! Ok explaining the title...I'll start with "Aussies". There are numerous here in town given the surf culture here. Anyway Saturday night I decided to see if I still had it in me for a night out. Proved I do but I Paid the next day haha. We left here at 6pm with a bottle of coffee flavored mescal (yummy) the 4 of us wandered up the beach to the party hostel. The evening wound up with 4 Aussie guys 3 Aussie girls...I think the 4th girl was a Kiwi, A Sepo (me) and a Mexican noone knew. As my evening wound down at 515am i found myself following my compatriots down the road with one stray Aussie reaching through the bars of the oxxo store (like 7-11) screaming at the woman clerk! At this point I decided "taxi time" and headed home. All told was still a fun evening and it seems I'm ok every now and again hangin' with the youngins'. Ok moving on to Mexican dentists! I've had a tooth that has been cracked since January when it inexplicitly exploded on a flight 
Iguana.Iguana.
Iguana.

My buddy giving me the stink eye! As if to say "go away"!
from Oregon to Seattle. So I found a dentist locally armed with a prescription my home doc filled for me. So when it flared up again last week I promptly went to see this guy and all told pulling tooth and an upper and lower cleaning will be 122 dollars US. Not bad! But as he broke it in half and removed half then ground it out and proceeded to try n pop the rest out i yelped like a lil girl whose favorite toy had been taken away...(still infected) so I now have half a molar and some drugs to kill pain and infection with a second appointment this Saturday! Am hoping the second yank goes well because I want to head to Oaxaca for a weekend. Oh and as i close this up..the other day I caught an Iguana hanging out in a tree outside my bungalow, so will post pictures of him! 

Hasta pronto a todos!