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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

Sunday, January 31, 2021

AMLO Hasn’t Done Enough to Address Mexico’s Gender-Based Violence Epidemic BY BELÉN FERNÁNDEZ Violence against women in Mexico, including femicides, has skyrocketed in recent years. And despite presiding over a gender-equal government and decrying machismo, AMLO has done little to address the growing epidemic.

 

AMLO Hasn’t Done Enough to Address Mexico’s Gender-Based Violence Epidemic

Violence against women in Mexico, including femicides, has skyrocketed in recent years. And despite presiding over a gender-equal government and decrying machismo, AMLO has done little to address the growing epidemic.



On a recent morning in the coastal village of Zipolite in Mexico’s Oaxaca State, I went for a jog on the beach with a fourteen-year-old — we’ll call her Alejandra — from Tapachula on the Mexican-Guatemalan border. Alejandra had come to Zipolite with her mother to work in a restaurant for the couple of months that constitute the high season here, and told me matter-of-factly that her older sister had traditionally accompanied her mom — but that her sister had recently been murdered by a jealous militar. Recounting how the man had beaten and strangled her sister in a Tapachula motel room, Alejandra went on to describe her mother’s barrio-permeating screams upon hearing the news. Her sister left behind a four-year-old son.

The killer, Alejandra told me, was ultimately tried and incarcerated — a relatively rare occurrence in a country where both femicides and impunity abound. An average of ten women are murdered each day in Mexico, with femicides skyrocketing 137 percent between 2015 and 2020. Given the underreporting of such crimes and the tendency to categorize femicides as ordinary homicides, the actual numbers are likely much higher. Last year, Mexico’s El Universal newspaper reported that between 2015 and 2018, a mere 7 percent of crimes against women had been investigated, and that only 5 to 7 percent of alleged criminals in these cases appeared before a judge. Nearly 80 percent of Mexican women report feeling unsafe.

The initial spike in femicides took place on the watch of right-wing president Enrique Peña Nieto, who governed Mexico from 2012 until 2018. However, the trend has continued under the left-wing rule of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), who despite presiding over a gender-equal government and decrying machismo, has reacted to femicides and violence against women in a manner that is at best odd and at worst horrifying.

In February, shortly after twenty-five-year-old Ingrid Escamilla was stabbed, skinned, and disemboweled in her Mexico City apartment, AMLO expressed resentment during a press conference that the femicide issue should distract from the raffle of Mexico’s presidential airplane.

The same week, also in Mexico City, seven-year-old Fátima Aldrighett was abducted, tortured, sexually abused, and murdered. The moral of the story, according to AMLO, was that the neoliberalism of previous governments had triggered societal decay and a loss of values — and that growing feminist protests in Mexico were part of a right-wing plot against his administration.

There’s no denying that neoliberalism fosters violence and subordinates women. But telling aggrieved Mexican women that they can’t think for themselves and are simply victims of right-wing manipulation is no way to go about dismantling the patriarchy. (Nor, it bears mentioning, is AMLO’s anti-neoliberal rhetoric easily reconcilable with all of his actions, which have included celebrating with Donald Trump the new iteration of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which destroyed countless Mexican lives and was linked to a surge in lethal violence against women.) Similarly, AMLO’s condescending comments about minor acts of vandalism committed by feminist protesters implies that he’s more concerned about the destruction of private property than the destruction of women’s bodies.

The coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home measures have further exacerbated the problem. In July, UN Women in Mexico calculated a 60 percent increase in domestic violence against women based on phone calls placed to the organization’s help-lines. In the first four months of 2020, 987 women and girls were murdered, including 267 in April, the deadliest month yet on record.

Here, too, AMLO hasn’t been helpful — arguing that 90 percent of domestic violence calls made to emergency hotlines are false and releasing a public service video with advice on how to avoid violence in the home, such as taking a deep breath and counting to ten.

In an April article for the Indypendent, Mexico City–based director of the Americas Program, Laura Carlsen, noted that, while the AMLO government was defunding women’s shelters and declining to offer much-needed compensation for caregiving work during the pandemic — the brunt of which falls to women — some $190 million in additional funds had been allotted to the Mexican armed forces to “confront the virus.”

The military is regularly accused of “human rights violations, including rape and sexual violence,” Carlsen emphasized. It doesn’t take much imagination, then, to ponder the potential implications for Mexico’s female population of the ever-expanding role of such a comprehensively “patriarchal institution.”

Which brings us back to my jogging partner Alejandra, whose sister was murdered in Tapachula by the jealous militar. Alejandra’s absentee father, himself a retired Marine, had blamed Alejandra’s mother for the murder. When he then came down with coronavirus and moved back into the family house to be cared for — thereby infecting Alejandra, her nephew, and her mom — domestic discord had reached such levels that Alejandra had jumped at the chance to work in Zipolite, she told me. Now, as the pandemic rages and compounds Mexico’s femicide epidemic, there’s really no time to stop and count to ten.

VivaZipolite - • @dr.pedrofmartinez 🪅 ZIPOLITE y... | Facebook Facebook dr.pedrofmartinez 🪅 Z I P O L I T E y sus colores 🪅 ... #beachlife • • • • • #zipolite #pareopants #travel #visitmexico #beachvibes #beachstyle #gay...




VivaZipolite - • @dr.pedrofmartinez 🪅 ZIPOLITE y... | Facebook
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Saturday, January 30, 2021

Hotel Casa Mixteca - Zipolite, Mexiko Trip Stories Hotel Casa Mixteca. Zipolite, Mexiko. Avenida Roca Blanca Colonia Roca Blanca sin número. thumb_up 9.40 / 10 (138).

 


Hotel Casa Mixteca - Zipolite, Mexiko
Hotel Casa Mixteca. Zipolite, Mexiko. Avenida Roca Blanca Colonia Roca Blanca sin número. thumb_up 9.40 / 10 (138).

Casa Choroni frente al mar de Zipolite - Houses for Rent in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico - Airbnb Airbnb Oceanfront house at Zipolite beach with two levels, two beds, kitchen,terrace, hammock. Delight the best sunrises and sunsets having a cup of the best ...

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Oceanfront house at Zipolite beach with two levels, two beds, kitchen,terrace, hammock. Delight the best sunrises and sunsets having a cup of the best ...

Villa Aikia (Adults Suites A/C) - Zipolite, Mexiko Trip Stories Villa Aikia adult only property is situated in Zipolite, 600 metres from Zipolite Walkway and 1.7 km from Love Beach. The hotel has a year-round ...

 


Villa Aikia (Adults Suites A/C) - Zipolite, Mexiko
Villa Aikia adult only property is situated in Zipolite, 600 metres from Zipolite Walkway and 1.7 km from Love Beach. The hotel has a year-round ...

Although US quarantine details remain unclear, flights canceled as travelers wary Some people are changing their plans to travel to the United States due to a new quarantine rule even though it is not being enforced.

 

Although US quarantine details remain unclear, flights canceled as travelers wary

Some people are changing their plans to travel to the United States due to a new quarantine rule even though it is not being enforced. FULL STORY

Scientists Identify New Whale Species In The Gulf of Mexico

 

Mix
npr.org
Scientists Identify New Whale Species In The Gulf of Mexico
The Rice's whale can grow to 42 ft and is critically endangered, with fewer than 100 left.

CASA CACTUS CERCA DE ZIPOLITE - Guest suites for Rent in Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, Mexico Airbnb Habitacion en un segundo piso, a tres cuadras de la playa, a 10 minutos caminando a la playa estacahuite y a 8 minutos de la playa ZIPOLITE playa ...

 


CASA CACTUS NEAR ZIPOLITE - Guest suites for Rent in Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, Mexico  
Room on the second floor, three blocks from the beach, 10 minutes walking to the Estacahuite beach and 8 minutes from the ZIPOLITE beach ...  





The real find in this caving area turns out to be the paradise around it Thermal waters, exotic flora and fauna and idyllic nightscapes distinguish Las Cuevas By John Pint Published on Friday, January 29, 2021

 https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/presa-de-las-cuevas-nayarit/ Relaxing in the transparent, 38 C waters around Las Cuevas.Relaxing in the transparent, 38-degrees Celsius waters around Las Cuevas. 

The real find in this caving area turns out to be the paradise around it

Thermal waters, exotic flora and fauna and idyllic nightscapes distinguish Las Cuevas

One of the lesser-known benefits of cave exploring in Mexico is the occasional natural wonder you stumble upon while beating the bush in search of a cavern.

On many an occasion, that elusive cave (cave) turns out to be a mere sinkhole , just another hole in the ground that no self-respecting bat would ever deign to live in. Ah, but that natural wonder discovered along the way could be anything from a dazzling waterfall to a stupendous mirador or lookout point: a veritable jewel that only the folks in the local ranchos know anything about.       

One of the best examples is what I call the Hot Pool of Paradise.

Many years ago, I was examining the topographic map for Ceboruco Volcano in Nayarit and spotted a place called Las Cuevas not far from the little town of Verde Valle.  

On one fine day off, we went to Verde Valle, where a local beekeeper confirmed that we would indeed find caves at Las Cuevas and told us how to get there:

The shelter cave entrance.
The shelter cave entrance.

"Just follow the railroad tracks and turn right after four kilometers," he said.

This we did, and nailed to a tree at that exact spot we found a sign for Balneario Los Cocos, a name indicating that we had encountered a natural spa. Geez, we thought: a noisy water park here in the middle of nowhere? It's not possible!    

But for the sake of those marvelous caves we were after, we continued right on. The road turned out to be so rough that our worries about finding taco stands at the end of it soon vanished.

For 2.5 kilometers, we bounced along that poor excuse for a road until, on our left, we spotted the shelter cave - about 15 meters long and 10 meters deep, offering fine protection from the elements.

Its well-blackened, slanted ceiling suggested that people had been using it for this purpose for many, many years. This place, to our surprise, was “furnished” with tables, chairs and a stove, all made of flat rocks; it even included an old grave.

A horseman then came by and told us that the cave was being used every year as a temporary home for workers during the harvest season.

In the "raining tree" we found this homopteran, a sucking insect, species unknown.
In the “raining tree” we found this homopteran, a sucking insect, species unknown.

“This cave ,” he told us, “used to be very deep and long, but the passage leading to the rest of it has been sealed off because vampire bats would come out of it every night and scare people. It doesn't look like it, but this cave goes all the way through the hill. If you go around to the back of it, you will find the other entrance. " 

Just past the cave, we came to a nice-looking lagoon, which was actually a dam. The water was lukewarm, and we could see fish jumping in it. Here we parked and began walking around to find a good camping spot.

"How about under that fig tree?" I suggested.

To our great amazement, the moment we stepped beneath the tree's spreading branches, it began to rain; the moment we stepped away from it, the rain stopped. Among us was naturalist Jesus “Chuy” Moreno, to whom we immediately turned for an explanation. Chuy climbed up onto a low branch and came back down with a bug in his hand. It somewhat resembled a grasshopper, but it was gray and fuzzy.

"This," I have announced, "is what's causing the 'rain.' But it isn't rain at all: these insects are peeing on us! "

There was a brook (the source of the lagoon) flowing next to the fig tree, and we followed it upstream to its origin, a hot spring bubbling up in the middle of a shallow, natural pool with a sandy bottom. Somebody had conveniently channeled its outflow into two artificial swimming pools, giving us three different bathing temperatures to choose from. It seemed that we had found Balneario el Coco but without the crowd and the noise!

Chuy Moreno discovers how to get a warm night's sleep without a tent.
Chuy Moreno discovers how to get a warm night's sleep without a tent.

This was obviously the ideal place for us to camp. We immediately got busy cooking supper.

"For dessert," I announced, "We're going to have cajeta [caramel] which I am going to produce by simply heating this ordinary can of sweetened condensed milk."  

I was about to open the can when Chuy stopped me.

"No, don't open it," I insisted. "My mother makes this all the time, and you shouldn't open the can."

"Okay," I said. "Mom knows best." And so I placed the can on top of some hot coals in the campfire.

Something then distracted me, and I completely forgot about my cajeta delight until we all heard a tremendous bang.  

Gazing at the stars while soaking in the Hot Pool of Paradise.
Gazing at the stars while soaking in the Hot Pool of Paradise.

A great white cloud shot straight up into the air above the campfire.

"The cajeta !" I cried as white rain fell back down, coating every one of us with sugary goo. Only later did we learn that the unopened can should be placed inside a pot of boiling water, not directly over a flame. 

Fortunately, the hot spring was right at hand for removing that sticky residue. When night fell, steamy vapors began to rise from the shallow pool, which was surrounded by exotic plants that look like wild pineapples festooned with yellow ping-pong balls. The water was crystalline, amazingly transparent, and its temperature was 38 C - perfect for a soothing hot bath on a cold winter's night. In that delicious hot pool, we lay on our backs on its sandy bottom, staring up at the stars, hunting for meteorites, while we were serenaded by a big brown owl hooting from a branch far above us.

"This," we decided, "may be as close to paradise as we'll ever get." And the name stuck.

We spent the next day hunting for a cave entrance on the other side of the hill.

"Look for a clearing," our informant had told us, "with a cabra tree in the middle of it."

The pochote produces real cotton balls and is easily recognized by its spiked trunk.
The pochote produces real cotton balls and is easily recognized by its spiked trunk.

Now, we had never heard of a cabra tree, but we were told that its fruit comes in pairs “that look like large hog's balls,” just the sort of thing we were sure we couldn't miss.

As we beat about the bush (with nary a clearing to be seen anywhere), we spotted iguanas, squirrels and lots of birds, such as motmots, orioles, hawks and sleek wild turkeys. We also came upon some impressively spiked pochote (silk cotton) trees, one of which was home to a mysterious great black ball on its trunk, which turned out to be hundreds of daddy longlegs all huddled together in a quivering black mass. We even came upon a few of those hog's-ball trees.  

Yes, in the course of the morning we spotted everything but that cave, and we eventually came to the conclusion that the real treasure of Las Cuevas is its enchanting Pool of Paradise.

I returned there a few weeks ago, and I'm happy to report that the only development has been the transformation of the shelter cave into a kind of church. The hot spring, however, is just as rustic - and delicious - as ever. Should you go there on a weekday you will have "paradise" all to yourself, but on Sunday afternoons and evenings a lot of locals come here to picnic and bathe.

If you have a high-clearance vehicle and a weekday at your disposal, ask Google Maps to take you to “48HJ + 7F Corral Falso, Nayarit.” This will get you to within two kilometers of the lagoon, cave and hot pool.

To cover the rest of the distance, switch to satellite view, and you can easily see how to get farther north to the lagoon, which is also very visible. The shelter cave is on the left side of the road, 200 meters south of the lagoon; the hot spring is 300 meters north of the lagoon. And now, Paradise is yours!

The writer has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for 31 years, and is the author of  "A Guide to West Mexico's Guachimontones and Surrounding Area" and co-author of "Outdoors in Western Mexico." More of his writing can be found  on his website .

Ever on the horizon is still smoldering Ceboruco Volcano.
Ever on the horizon is still smoldering Ceboruco Volcano.

 

Close-up of the crucifix painted on the ceiling.
Close-up of the crucifix painted on the ceiling.

 

Camping at the Hot Pool of Paradise.
Camping at the Hot Pool of Paradise.

 

Once a home for seasonal workers, the cave now serves as a church.
Once a home for seasonal workers, the cave now serves as a church.

 

The lagoon has lukewarm water and plenty of fish.
The lagoon has lukewarm water and plenty of fish.

 

The spring-fed Pool of Paradise, located at the end of a rough road in the state of Nayarit.
The spring-fed Pool of Paradise, located at the end of a rough road in the state of Nayarit.

Suavecitas Gay Travel's tweet - "Estamos a 8 días para nuestra salida a Zipolite desde CDMX ... Trendsmap Suavecitas Gay Travel's tweet - "Estamos a 8 días para nuestra salida a Zipolite desde CDMX, Puebla y Oaxaca. Aún estás a tiempo de sumarte a esta ...

 


Suavecitas Gay Travel's tweet - "Estamos a 8 días para nuestra salida a Zipolite desde CDMX ...
Suavecitas Gay Travel's tweet - "Estamos a 8 días para nuestra salida a Zipolite desde CDMX, Puebla y Oaxaca. Aún estás a tiempo de sumarte a esta ...

Ebook Zipolite-Beach of the Dead - MB Sheldon - ?Matthew B. Sheldon | LaFeltrinelli Feltrinelli Acquista l'eBook Zipolite-Beach of the Dead di Matthew B. Sheldon in offerta, scaricalo in formato epub o pdf su La Feltrinelli.

 Ebook Zipolite-Beach of the Dead - MB Sheldon - ?Matthew B. Sheldon | LaFeltrinelli

Acquista l'eBook Zipolite-Beach of the Dead di Matthew B. Sheldon in offerta, scaricalo in formato epub o pdf su La Feltrinelli.


Descrizione

This is a true story. I wrote it in collaboration with my wife. She and I were boy and girl friends in the spring of 1980 when we decided to take a vacation to Mexico. The story begins with an incident unfolding that completely changes their trip south of the US border from a vacation into a definitive moment in their lives. Then the story flashes back to weeks earlier where we find them both working in the resort town of Breckenridge, Colorado; Debra as a ski instructor and Matthew as a co-director of an outdoor education center for the handicapped. Both are about to be laid off from their respective jobs which allows them to make plans to travel south first by pickup truck then by plane, train, and,finally, bus. After arriving deep in the southern reaches of Mexico,the couple has but one night of relative calm before being robbed of all their cash, visas, and many other essentials not the least of which was their IDs! Matthew will have to be seen by a doctor and Debra almost drowns in the Pacific Ocean. It takes week for them to receive some money wired to them from Matthew's boss and documents from the American Embassy stating that they were truly US citizens before they attempt to cross the border back into El Paso, Texas. With the help of two Americans in the import business, they safely cross the border and arrive back home in Breckenridge.