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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

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Tropical Storm Carlotta


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Tropical Storm Carlotta

Tropical Storm Carlotta : 5 Day Forecast Map | Weather Underground

 As I write this, Carlotta is still a tropical storm, moving about 10 miles an hour NNW, with wind speeds up to 65 miles per hour. If you read the discussion part of the link, she is expected to become a Cat 1 Hurricane tomorrow morning, and we in Huatulco will get heavy rain and wind for most of tomorrow, with the peak of the storm passing us late tomorrow afternoon and evening.

As news of Carlotta spread today, the marine community put emergency measures into action. Local authorities have a hurricane readiness program that involves all municipal, state and federal authorities. The ramps in Santa Cruz and Marina Chahue were busy with pangas being hauled, NO RAMP FEE, and some of the big catamarans have moved to Chahue for the duration of the storm.Wonder why they are moving their boats??? Buoyweather is predicting over 4 meter waves tomorrow, that's right, over 12 foot waves!












Lancheras hauled their pangas to the lot in front of the Municipal Building in Chahue, behind Guelegetza Park. There are far more lanchas than remolques (trailers), so the pangas are blocked up on old tires and fuel tanks and some of them tied to the huge huanacastle tree next to the parking lot.

Update tomorrow.

Hurricane Carlotta Grounds Huatulco's Fishing Fleet

Huatulco, Oaxaca Mexico Friday, June 22, 2012


Friday, June 22, 2012


Huatulco, Oaxaca Mexico

Better late than never. I just happened upon this draft blog that I had started a couple of years ago when we were still on the Pacific side of Mexico! Yikes! I never actually wrote anything - just uploaded the photos and forgot about it. But I thought that it was really worth sharing because of the wonderful textiles we saw being handwoven there. And yes, I did buy some.

We were in the Huatulco Marina waiting for a weather window to cross the notorious gulf of Tehuatepec which was a 4night/5 day passage. This area of Mexico is very narrow and relatively flat so the winds from the Caribbean funnel through and intensify. Thus, a long, calm period of low winds is desired.

While we waited, we often visited the nearby town of Las Crucetas which was walking distance. Around the central plaza we spotted this woman hand-weaving a wool rug or blanket on a very rudimentary loom. This was set up as a demonstration for an attached retail store. As the Mexican government has invested in this area to accommodate tourists, there is a lot of activity and good restraurants.


We also explored some of the back roads (actually we were looking for a place to buy Jonesy some clip-on sunglasses) when we came across a small weaving enterprise. Here it was men who operated the the slightly more modern looms. The materials here were cottons. I purchased some colorful and textured placemats for our table plus a couple of pillow covers for the cockpit cushions.






Just the sight of all that fiberly goodness got me tingling! I could have just pulled up a stoll and sat and knit all day just soaking up the textile fumes.
A weaver making a tablecloth

Cones of cotton thread

There are a lot of very high-end resorts near here and I have to wonder how many folks ever set out on foot to explore beyond the central square or even their all-inclusive resorts? They certainly are missing a lot of the more interesting things that we see and I know that we have to be missing a lot too. Just yesterday on a long van ride (collectivo) to the port city of Porto Barrios I got to see fields of rubber trees in sizes from mature to nursery stock , trucks carrying the large bunches of palm oil dates to the processing plant, banana trucks headed to the port, and a pig market/selling gathering by the roadside.

















Spotted Eagle Ray















The bays of Huatulco are full of marine life. Here are two photos taken in the Marina. The first is a small spotted eagle ray who was swimming by our boat. The second is a spotted trunk fish by the walkway. The water, although murky looking, was obviously clear enough to photograph these amazing creatures.

Spotted trunk fish
What I didn't get photos of were all the birds we spotted on some of our morning walks! Here's a list for the birders out there:
White-throated magpie jay
Orange-breasted bunting (blue!)
Pale-billed woodpecker
Kiskadee
Yellow-winged Cacique
Parrots
West Mexican Chachalaca
and many, many hummingbirds


As part of the landscaping of the marina (which was all still under construction at the time) there was a short papaya tree. Usually, the blooms and fruit are way up high in the tree, but as you can I could actually reach these hefty and future yummy fruits.
Papayas on the tree
Papaya flowers



That's it for now. We're still enjoying our summer camp session here at Mario's Marina. Life is good.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Nicki Minaj - Beez In The Trap (Explicit) ft. 2 Chainz

LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It

One Direction - One Thing

Rihanna - We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock

Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo - Let's Go (Official Video)

Adele - Set Fire To The Rain (Official Video) - VSM

Beyond The Video: Some Nights

Some Nights- Fun.

Adele - Rumour Has It (With Lyrics)

Usher - Climax

Katy Perry - Part Of Me

Drake ft. RIhanna - Take care HQ (with lyrics)

Demi Lovato - Give Your Heart a Break (Official Video)

Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up [Official Music Video]

Neon Trees - Everybody Talks

Calvin Harris - Feel So Close

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)

Justin Bieber - As Long As You Love Me (Audio) ft. Big Sean

3:39 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me

Eric Church - Springsteen

Mercy (Explicit)

Karmin - Brokenhearted

drive by lyrics train

Pitbull - Back in Time (Men In Black 3 soundtrack official) HQ

The Wanted - Glad You Came (Official)

Ellie Goulding - Lights (Bassnectar Remix)

Usher - Scream (Live At Billboard Music Awards 2012)

[HD] Justin Bieber - Boyfriend - David Letterman 6-21-12

Flo Rida - New Album "Wild Ones" Digi Mash-Up (Official Audio)

Rihanna Where Have You Been Live X Factor 2012 Jay-Z Talk That Talk You Da One We Found Love

Nicki Minaj - Starships (Explicit)

One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful

We Are Young-Fun Lyrics

Katy Perry - Wide Awake (Live at MuchMusic Video Awards 2012) "MMVA'S Alternative Version"

"Payphone" by Maroon 5, cover by CIMORELLI!

Somebody That I Used To Know by gotye Making Mirrors



by gotye


Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen Call Me Maybe


Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe {LYRICS} | New Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe {LYRICS} | New Single!


Vintage Surfer Boyz


Zipolite Beach near Puerto Angel


Introducing Zipolite


Introducing Zipolite

The beautiful 1.5km stretch of pale sand called Zipolite, beginning about 2.5km west of Puerto Ángel, is fabled as southern Mexico’s perfect budget chill-out spot. It’s a place where you can do as little as you like and enjoy good food and inexpensive accommodation all in wonderfully elemental surroundings of crashing surf, pounding sun, rocky headlands and tree-covered hills. Inexpensive places to stay and eat line the beach, many still reassuringly ramshackle and wooden and with tall thatched roofs that help to create the unique Zipolite landscape. This is one of those magical places where you may find yourself postponing departure more than once.

Last updated:
 Feb 17, 2009Zipolite has a certain fame as a nudist beach; in fact total nudity is common only at the western end of the beach and in the small cove called Playa del Amor at the east end.


Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/oaxaca-state/zipolite#ixzz1yZipp5VS




More about Zipolite



Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/oaxaca-state/zipolite#ixzz1yZj0q9fa

Hurricane Carlotta Heads Towards Mexico’s Pacific Coast [Video]


Hurricane Carlotta Heads Towards Mexico’s Pacific Coast [Video]

Posted: June 15, 2012
hurricane-carlotta-projected-path-2012-mexicoTropical Storm Carlotta strengthened into a hurricane this Friday morning as it inched closer toward southern Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Carlotta, which first formed as a tropical depression late Wednesday night about 515 miles, south-southeast of Puerto Angel, Mexico, is currently about 120 miles off the country’s coast and is moving to the northwest with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the center of the storm should move near or over the coast late tonight or early tomorrow and Carlotta may become a Category 2 storm as it nears land.
“Carlotta appears to be undergoing rapid intensification and is likely to continue until the center (of the storm) moves near or over the Mexican coast in 18 hours or so,” the NHC posted at 11am EST.
The agency forecasts a dangerous storm surge and as much as 12 inches of rain that may cause flash-floods and mudslides in the Mexican states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas.
As a result, the Mexican government has issued hurricane watches and warnings (which means that hurricane conditions are expected) from Punta Maldonado to Acapulco, and a watch (which means that hurricane conditions are possible) is in effect from Acapulco to Tecpan De Galeana.
Carlotta is the first hurricane and the third named storm of the 2012 Pacific hurricane season.
The Weather Channel has more on Hurricane Carlotta and its projected path in the video below:


Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/256052/hurricane-carlotta-projected-path-2012-mexico/#OgTZjpR0zsiGcz6q.99

Skateboarding Across India

Quiet Please...Judy Tribute!

Mexico Reports 3 Dead in Wake of Hurricane Carlotta June 22, 2012


CIMSS Satellite Loop
The eye of Hurricane Carlotta can be seen collapsing as the Category 2 storm quickly weakened after making landfall in Oaxaca.
At least three people died as Category 2 Hurricane Carlotta lashed Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca on June 15.
Two of the victims were children whose home was destroyed by a mudslide triggered by the storm.
The third victim was a 56-year-old woman who perished when she attempted to drive from her riverfront home to another dwelling to find shelter.
Cities across the state reported damage to roads, bridges, utility lines and crops.
Carlotta left an estimated 4 to 8 inches of rainfall across parts of southern Mexico, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Carlotta, the third named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, passed to the north of Mexico's largest oil refinery, the 330,000 barrel-per-day Salina Cruz installation, which remained open and unaffected.
Hurricane Carlotta Track
Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS

MAZUNTE-ZIPOLITE y/o CHACAHUA | TURISMO NEIRIKA MAZUNTE-ZIPOLITE y/o CHACAHUA. Posted Yesterday by TURISMO NEIRIKA. TURISMO NEIRIKA. Agencia integral de viajes y guías de turistas. Recent ... turismo-neirika.blogspot.com/.../mazunte-zipolite-yo-chacahu...


Huatulco - at the World's Forefront of Sustainable Tourism



Huatulco - at the World's Forefront of Sustainable Tourism

View from Arrocito Beach, with protected flowers and foliage.


In the 1970, the Mexican Government through Fonatur (National Fund for Tourism Development), implemented the development of Integrally Planned Resorts, with tourism as its dynamic center-point.  In 1983, together with the Oaxaca State Government, the Master Plan for the Development of the Bays of Huatulco, which contains basic and detailed rules and regulations with regards to environment and urban and tourism development, was created.

Huatulco in its entirety has not only implemented elementary measures for the protection of the ecology and environment, but has gone much further by implementing programs that identify and recognize Huatulco as one of the most advanced tourism communities internationally with regards to the protection of its environment and the habitat of its species.

Chronology of Achievements 

Mand and Biosphere program, Huatulco, Mexico.

1998 -     The Mexican Government declares an area of more than 11,800ha, land and aquatic, a Protected Natural Area, today known as Huatulco National Park.

2003  -    The Convention on Wetlands (or Ramsar Convention) designates the “Wetlands and Corals of the Coastal Zone of Huatulco”, an area of more than 44,000ha covering land and sea, as Ramsar Site 1321.

2004 -   The Equipo Verde Huatulco (Green Team Huatulco) is established; coordinated by representatives of the main social, economic, cultural, academic and governmental sectors, it implements short, medium and long term actions and programs, to position Huatulco as the leading sustainable tourism community in Mexico and the world.

CONANP declares 8,000ha of Santa Maria Huatulco’s land part of the Communal System of Protected Natural Areas

Huatulco adopts the EarthCheck Program for Environmental Administration, a system developed by EC3 Global, aiming to obtain the international Green Globe certification, a methodology created for the evaluation and certification of sustainability for the tourism and travel industry.

2005 -    Huatulco, Sustainable Tourism Community – the destination receives the international Green Globe certification, being the first and so far only tourism destination on the American Continent to achieve this honor.

2005 -    The EarthCheck methodology of evaluation and certification, as a process of constant improvement and best environmental practice requires an annual benchmarking and evaluation in which environmental impacts and conservation of natural resources are measured, compared and evaluated under strict international standards, including reduction in waste, energy efficiency, fresh and recycled water management, application of environmental regulations and the awareness raising among the general population of conservation efforts and practices.

2006 -  The UNESCO designates the Municipality of Santa Maria Huatulco and the Huatulco National Park as a sole entity asBiosphere Reserve Huatulco, under their “Mand and Biosphere” program.

“EARTHCHECK” SUSTAINABLE TOURISM COMMUNITY

Earth Check Gold Certified 2011.

2009 -   For the 4th consecutive year, Huatulco obtains the EarthCheck certification under the Green Globe brand, and for the first time masters the “SILVER” distinction, for  going significantly beyond “best practice” levels.

2010 -     Chahué Beach is awarded the “Playa Limpia” (Clean Beach) certification by the Federal Attorney for the Protection of the Environment - PROFEPA, the first beach certified in the State of Oaxaca.

                Huatulco’s environmental footprint was determined, taking into account all economic, tourist, travel and supply activities of the destination, based on 2009 data.

                A proposal is presented to neutralize carbon emissions, applying a voluntary green bonus program with United Nations, aiming to become the first tourism destination of the American Continent, and maybe the world, to be completely carbon neutral.
  
2011 -     
Huatulco receives the EarthCheck Gold Certification, corresponding to 2010, for having complied in its entirety with the process and having obtained very favorable results.

Huatulco Carbon Neutral

Huatulco Carbon Neutral.

This ambitious project belongs to the Equipo Verde Huatulco and its main goal is to contribute to the mitigation of global warming by neutralizing emissions of all economic activities of this tourist destination, and at the same time strengthen the sustainability of the tourism community through local programs that guarantee a better quality of life for the population of the region. 

Continuing Efforts, Now and the Future

Huatulco Equipo Verde A.C.

During 2010, the Huatulco Green Team sponsored the calculation of the environmental footprint of the Bays of Huatulco, together with the Australian environment specialist company Green My Room, and with the support of FONATUR and the private sector, in order to determine the carbon emissions released yearly into the atmosphere as a result of all the tourist, travel, economic and complementary activities.  Some of the noteworthy results are that 100% of Huatulco’s electricity is clean, coming from the nearby wind electricity plant La Ventosa.  Together with the low levels of fossil energy use, this places the energy emissions indicator at 61% above best practice; waste generation at less than 500gr daily per capita is well below the national and global average, and weighs in at 7% above best practice.

As part of the first phase of the Carbon Neutral Program, and with the support of Eartcheck and Green My Room, an agreement has been signed for Huatulco for a voluntary green bonds program with which the reforestation and conservation of Scolel Te in Chiapas, Mexico, will be supported.

The short term goal for the Huatulco Carbon Neutral program is to obtain the “Low Carbon Zone” designation by Green My Room, and the long term goal is the final designation of “Carbon Free Zone”

Interesting articles in the June issue of The Eye (Huatulco) The June issue of this Huatulco magazine deals entirely with Oaxaca's insects. There is -among others- a fascinating article about Julie Etra's struggle to get rid ...


Split Coconut owner is hurricane victim By Tony Richards on 19 June, 2012



Split Coconut owner is hurricane victim

Updated 20 June, 2012
brad lopez Split Coconut owner is hurricane victim
Brad Lopez, owner of the Split Coconut in Puerto Escondido
UPDATE: Bernice Betts advises that anyone who does internet banking in Canada can go into their internet account and arrange for a donation payment by using the following information. Enter the recipient's email address as jupatab@shaw.ca and enter a question of your choosing that leads to the answer/password, BradLopez. Betts asks that donors send her an email at jupatab@shaw.ca so she can pass it along to Lopez, and  to send an acknowledgement of receipt.
Split Coconut Restaurant owner Brad Lopez is in a hospital in Oaxaca after suffering a serious head injury just as Hurricane Carlotta was about to strike on Friday evening. Friends of Lopez say he was preparing his Playa Marinero beachfront restaurant for the storm when he fell.
He spent the next two days in the Puerto Escondido hospital where he underwent surgery for a fractured skull, and was later moved by ambulance to Oaxaca for further assessment.
Friends have rallied this week in support, setting up bank accounts and systems for the payment and transfer of donations to assist Lopez with his medical and other expenses. In Puerto Escondido, Susie Hirschfield (missinformation282@yahoo.com) is coordinating donations, which may be dropped off at her home in Pueblito.
In Canada the process is being coordinated by Bernice Betts and in the United States by Lopez' step-brother Dale McFann. Cheques may be mailed to Betts at 11653 Jupata Way, North Saanich BC Canada V8L 5K1 and to McFann at 52 CR 301, Mountain Home, AR 72653. Donations may also be made to Betts through bank transfers by Internet or through a Canadian branch. Details are available from her at jupatab@shaw.ca.
The funds collected will be transferred to Hirschfield, who will forward the money to Lopez.
Betts asks if Canadian donors would try to make a donation prior to Tuesday, June 26, prior to holiday celebrations in both Canada and the U.S. Funds that arrive after that date will be forwarded later.
"Many thanks to any of you who can see your way to helping," Betts said in an email.
Lopez has more than 100 stitches in his head following the operation in Puerto. There were fears of paralysis but that danger has subsided. "At last report, Brad is feeling much better," McFann said in an email.
Staff are reported to be plannng to reopen the Split Coconut, although a large palm tree fell on the restaurant's roof during the storm. Lopez arrived in Puerto Escondido a dozen years ago and has operated the restaurant ever since. Situated under the palm trees on the beach at Playa Marinero, it is also the home of the annual series of concerts called Puerto Music.

HURRICANE CARLOTTA HITS PUERTO ESCONDIDO



HURRICANE CARLOTTA HITS PUERTO ESCONDIDO
Hurricane Carlotta, the third named Pacific storm of the season, briefly saw Category 2 status on Friday before weakening to Cat 1 and plowing almost directly into Puerto Escondido on Friday night with 90mph+ winds.


Local photographer Edwin Morales was in Puerto as the storm hit. Here is his firsthand account:


For starters the whole population of Puerto and the towns nearby were definitely NOT ready for this. The authorities were saying on the local radio it was a tropical storm and not a Category 2 hurricane. So lots of people were not ready for what we all felt.

I was tracking the storm for about two days before it hit us, and a couple of hours before it started, I was able to warn my family and all of our friends. Also: People here generally don't take things seriously. Therefore, no one had the essentials.

The storm started hitting us around 7pm with strong winds, about 50mph. The winds increased slowly until the eye of the storm was right on top of us and everything stopped. Lots of people thought it was over, but it was far from over.

That was around 8pm. As soon as the eye moved on, the winds finally came on strong, around 90mph, with gusts up to around 120mph. The darkness made things a lot worse, I think. No one could actually see what was going on.

Lots of houses lost their roofs and those inside had to run to find shelter somewhere else. I gave shelter to a family of 10 -- all in one room, hiding till next morning. The windows were whistling like crazy. It was scary. Lots of windows split apart.

Winds lasted until 10pm, I think and then the rain came. It was maybe not as strong as Pauline Hurricane in '97, but some people think the winds were stronger this time due to the wind direction.

Only a little part of the harbor area has electricity as of Monday morning. Slowly, it's getting fixed and power's being turned on in other areas of town. The area by the Point still has no power or running water. I don't even want to imagine how it is for the little communities far from here were the hurricane blasted them as well. (Note: two children died when their house was taken by a mudslide nearby, and one older woman passed away when the wind flipped her car.)

Saturday morning was really sad and awful to see all kinds of people who had lost everything the night before. Hundreds of trees had fallen all over the town. Dogs were running like crazy, as if they were wild dogs on the streets. All streets were still flooded. I can't even imagine how they were when the rain was at its strongest point on Friday night.

Lifeguards were the first to evaluate all the damage by the beach. All eight towers were completely smashed. At the harbor, there was not a single boat in the water. All boats had to be taken out. Ironically, a restaurant called the Split Coconut was split in half by the only palm tree that fell down in the entire area.

Now there's been lots of helicopters flying the area trying to evaluate all damage in the region and federal resources should be coming in shortly. I feel really bad for the people that lost everything.



The last big hurricane to make landfall here was Pauline in 1997, with winds of 109 mph, killing at least 230 people along the Pacific coast.


Luckily, other surf areas in southern Mexico fared better than Puerto. "In Salina Cruz, so far everything is good," says local surf tour operator Cesar Ramierez. "Lots of rain for five hours on Friday and showers on Saturday and Sunday, but everything is OK."


The Pacific Ocean hurricane season began on May 15 and ends on Nov. 30. Stay tuned to Surfline's Hurricanetrak for up-to-the-minute info on hurricanes around the world.

"Now there's been lots of helicopters flying the area trying to evaluate all damage in the region and federal resources should be coming in shortly," Morales wrote on Monday morning. "I feel really bad for the people that lost everything." Photo: Edwin Morales


As of Saturday morning, the beach was littered with post-storm detritus. Photo: Edwin Morales


Toppled lifeguard tower overlooks a murky, sectiony left. Meanwhile, at the harbor, there was not a single boat in the water. Photo: Edwin Morales


As of right now, it's unknown how much damage the town of Puerto Escondido and its neighbors have sustained. Photo: Edwin Morales


This was the worst hurricane to hit here since Pauline in 1997, which saw winds of 109 mph, killing at least 230 people along the Pacific coast. Photo: André Portugal


By Sunday morning, the beach clean up was well underway. Photo: Edwin Morales


"Winds lasted until 10pm, I think, and then the rain came," explained local photo Edwin Morales. The rains proceeded to flood local rivers and create mudslides in the area, killing three people. Photo: Edwin Morales


Hurricane Carlotta hit Puerto on Friday night with winds in the 90mph+ range. Photo: André Portugal