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What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 10, ACAPULCO (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

Acapulco is happenin’!  What a fun, hustling, bustling city.  It is the Grand Dame of vacation destinations.  It can truly be said that as far as the sunny, ‘escape the drudgery of winter’ tourism industry goes, Acapulco has been the place to be for over 60 years!  Ever since the Hollywood jet-set crowned Acapulco “King of the Getaway” back in the 50’s, it has been a tourist Mecca.  And it’s easy to see why.  There is so much to enjoy here!  Today we visited hotels and hotspots that are super-hip shrines to a bygone era of Hollywood royalty.  We visited the solemn and beautiful mountaintop chapel that a grief-stricken family built in memory of their tragically lost son.  We watched the daring clavadistas (cliff-divers) bravely plunge into the surge 90 feet below.  We ate incredibly fresh, deftly prepared seafood.  And I tried my first bungee jump!

It is so gratifying to visit a coastal city of one million people that’s history is so fascinating.  A ‘resort town’ that has stood the test of time, and which seems to be entering a new era in which it will pass into that small club of places that people around the world recognize as almost mythical cosmopolitan beach destinations.  Places with a vibrant city feel, coupled with all the beach and sun related fun you can handle.  Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Buenos Aires and Sydney, to name a few.  Pretty good company, no?

Well, I’m sorry to say it, but this will be my last blog entry (for now?...) from this amazing jaunt around the beaches of Mexico.  We set out with one question in mind: “What is really happening in Mexico?”  And I think that we have collected an enormous amount of (admittedly anecdotal) evidence that the reality of life in the resort locations that tourists from around the world generally visit is pretty much the same as it has always been – awesome.  Sure, anecdotal evidence is not ‘statistically accurate’, but I think that if you watch all the interviews we have posted on this blog you would have to agree that we have talked to all kinds of people - probably someone just like you - and that their overwhelming sentiment is that they feel perfectly safe down here.  In fact, they are feeling waaaaay better than that – they are having one heck of a fantastic time! 

I can speak candidly for myself and Director Mike, my partner in this endeavor, WE HAVE NOT FELT LIKE WE HAVE BEEN IN DANGER FOR ONE SECOND!  I mean, not while we were doing anything – and let’s face it, we have gone more places and done more things in the last ten days than many people do in their lifetime.  I can unequivocally state that we both personally think that you’re as safe as houses down here.  Don’t join a drug cartel.  That’s about all the safety advice I can give you.  But hey, if you don’t believe me – check out the what, almost 100 video clips that we have amassed over the last ten days.  We think they speak for themselves.  And no, we don’t have a team of editors cutting out the bad stories – there simply haven’t been any.  It’s just the two of us, with a little help from some locals who know where to go to find the tourists, working late into the night to upload this video diary for you, to let you know just what in blazes is really going on down here.  I would of course caution anyone about the border towns – that’s just common sense – but we spoke to a family that drove their camper van right through one of those towns, and they are just fine.  Don’t believe the hype.  We actually spoke with a fellow that compared the situation with the media coverage of Mexico now with that of the SARS epidemic in Canada few years ago.  Remember that?  Did it seem sensible to be concerned about travelling to Canada just because a handful of people in Toronto had come down with a horrible disease?  I’m in no way trivializing the loss that some people experienced due to that tragedy.  I’m talking about perspective here, and I think that it’s something that we all should try and exercise.  Toronto had the SARS concert, with the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Justin Timberlake etc.  Who does Mexico have?  Just us.  Scott and Mike.  I sincerely hope that we have made a difference.

Thanks to everyone who has checked out our stories.  Thanks to all the people who took the time to speak with us.  And thanks to all the people who helped us along the way.  Please DO look into the archives on this blog page of the places we’ve been, what we’ve done, and the people we’ve met over the last ten days.  We sincerely hope you find the videos and text informative, and, Madre de Dios, entertaining. 

Salut!  From Scott & Mike

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 1 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 2 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 3 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 4 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 5 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 6 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 7 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 8 ACAPULCO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 10 - Part 9 ACAPULCO

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 9, IXTAPA & ZIHUATANEJO (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

Day two in the state of Guerrero’s double your pleasure destination, and we’re itching for a bit of exercise.  Surfing is a popular pastime (for many, a lifestyle) all around the world, and the coast around Ixtapa offers many great breaks to test your skills.  Unfortunately, I don’t have any yet, so I thought I’d get a quick lesson with Leon, at Catcha L’ola.  He is a well-known fixture in town, and can teach you how to surf, or, if you already know how, he can take you around the region and share his knowledge of the secret spots.

There were two of us out there for the first time in our lives.  Me, and Ted from Oakville Ontario.  We were given a cursory(!) lesson, and then unleashed upon the waves!  I’ve always wanted to try surfing, but the chance just hasn’t come my way, or when it did, I always found the surfing “dudes” a little off-putting with their “not on my wave,” attitude.   I am happy to report that on Playa Linda today, I experienced none of this.  It was a totally unintimidating environment in which to flail around like a fish out of water… in the water – which was surprisingly warm, for the Pacific Ocean.  And videotape doesn’t lie – I actually experienced the incomparable feeling of standing up on a surfboard and riding a wave!  Sure, it was on a surfboard the size of a bus, on waves the size of… well, of really small waves, but it sure felt amazing!  Save me a spot on the wave, Leon!  I’ll be back!

My feats of derring-do in the ocean were followed up with a near-miraculous moment on one of Ixtapa’s golf courses.  Alberto, the pro at the Real de Palmas agreed to take us out and show us the course.  Even in the throes of the dry season, the fairways and greens seemed well kept and remarkably green, and the views of the ocean and up close and personal encounters with Alligators and Iguanas made a buzz around the links that much more enjoyable.  Just don’t shank your ultra-high-tech golf balls into the drink, because if you go after them, you might end up vying for supremacy over a magical land with a dagger wielding, high-flying boy who refused to grow up…  And then I teed up my drive and cranked it right up the middle of the fairway and onto the apron of the green, avoiding an enormous pond, three sand traps, and a partridge in a pear tree!  One swing!  No practice swing, no warm-up, camera on me, people clamouring to play through – and I nailed it!  I was in position for a possible eagle!  Then of course I 4 putted it and bogeyed the hole.  For a minute there I thought I was in the running for the assistant pro’s position, Alberto seemed so impressed. 

On the theme of sports, there’s one more thing I’d like to add to this overly long, and somewhat self-aggrandizing post: The other night, while typing away, I had the TV in my room on, and lo and behold, Lucha Libre leapt onto the screen with a vengeance!  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, it refers to what I consider to be a wonderfully fun aspect of Mexican culture:  amateurish wrestling in crazy masks.  Now, I apologize to the purists out there who would take offence, but it was just that.  And it was so fun to watch.  The masks make a stylish and borderline frightening souvenir, as well!

Ok, we’ve arrived in the bustling, vibrant city of Acapulco – Once THE most popular and prestigious vacation destination in the Americas.  The place that really started it all.  I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow and drink it’s milkshake!

Scott
(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 9 - Part 1 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 9 - Part 2 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 9 - Part 3 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 9 - Part 4 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 9 - Part 5 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 8, ZIHUATANEJO & IXTAPA(SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

So far on this trip to some of Mexico’s beachfront hotspots, we’ve met all kinds of people from all over the world.  And get this - they are all just having an amazing time; enjoying themselves, taking the sun, discovering new activities and enjoying familiar ones.

But what about the Mexicans themselves?  How do they fit into this equation?  Are they a gang of bloodthirsty drug-dealers?  Certainly not.  The truth is that they are a nation of people that at heart are just like us.  They want to live their lives working and enjoying themselves with their friends and families.  It’s as simple as that.  Imagine that 30% of your country’s economy depended on tourism – and that someone very persuasive was telling your customers to stay away from your country because of something that basically would not affect them at all.  The plain fact is that there are literally millions of Mexicans who depend on tourism to live: to feed, clothe and house their families.  And they do an admirable, honest job of it.  A whole population of people should not pay for the sins of a tiny minority that has nothing to do with them.  It’s just common sense.

We’ve been trying to let the people of Canada and the world know that it is patently ridiculous to boycott a country as fabulous as Mexico because of a problem that hardly touches most of it and has it’s origins in our own need for… distraction?  I mean, where do you think the drugs that are at the raison d’etre of this issue are going, anyway?  It is certainly no coincidence that the recent violence in Mexico finds its focal point at the U.S. border. 

Anyone who has ever been to this country knows that Mexicans are a kind and generous people.  We interviewed three generations of a Canadian family today on the beach in Zihuatanejo, and their story, more than any other we’ve filmed in the last week, illustrates the reality of traveling in Mexico.  They are a family taking a six-month sabbatical from their busy lives back in Calgary to drive wherever their inspiration takes them – all over Mexico.  Watch the video.  It speaks for itself.  Then try not to think about whether or not your circumstances would allow you to do something similar!

As for us, in Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo we have found yet another fantastic travelling destination.  Zihuatanejo offers all the charm and character that a small coastal city possibly can, and it’s younger sister Ixtapa just up the road rounds out the offerings for the tourist in this region with it’s opulent resorts, spas, golf courses, marina, and fine dining.  It is hard to imagine a better pairing of two destinations

Scott
(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 1 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 2 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 3 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 4 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 5 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 6 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 7 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 8 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 9 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 8 - Part 10 IXTAPA / ZIHUATANEJO

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 7, RIVIERA NAYARIT (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

I just love getting to see new places, and as luck would have it, the western leg of our lightning tour of Mexico takes us to no fewer than four distinct regions that are wholly new to us:  Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Ixtapa, and, most mysteriously, the Riviera Nayarit. 

Well, it turns out that the name refers to the coastline of the state of Nayarit, and that coastline offers the exceedingly upscale resorts of Punta Mita and Nuevo Vallarta, including the Four Seasons Resort, frequented by the rich and famous; and many golf courses, including no less than two designed by Jack Nicklaus himself!  It also boasts the charming bohemian town of Sayulita, that’s been attracting surfers and vagabonds for many years.

Natural wonders abound here as well, with many species of sea turtles returning here to lay their eggs.  The coast is also renowned in birder circles as being one of the top spots in the Americas to see an astonishing assortment of our feathered friends, including the elusive Blue-Footed Booby! 

The tiny island town of Mexcaltitan, found further up the coast in a large lagoon, is thought to be the mythical land of Aztlan, where the Aztecs were shown a vision of an eagle clutching a snake in it’s talons while perched upon a nopales cactus.  7 tribes set out across the country, searching for this sign that would tell them where to found a new city.  One of those tribes did come upon this scene (that is now the coat of arms on Mexico’s flag) in the spot that would one day become Mexico City.  So the entire Aztec empire was really born here… in a vision!

We’re off to Ixtapa tomorrow!  Come back and see what’s going on there…

Scott
(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

 

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 1 RIVIERA NAYARIT

 

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 2 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 3 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 4 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 5 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 6 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 7 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 7 - Part 8 RIVIERA NAYARIT

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 6, YELAPA & VALLARTA (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

We got up looking forward to a day trip over to Yelapa, which is a small beach town on the far southernmost part of the Bahia de Banderas.  It is only accessible by boat, and by virtue of this, the riff-raff are really kept to a minimum – with the exception of… Us!!!

We were ever hopeful that, by the grace of God, we might get lucky and see some Humpback whales during our 30 min water taxi ride over to Yelapa.  The Humpbacks congregate here in the Bay from December to March every year to calve, and the whale watching is apparently spectacular.  But alas, nothin’ doin’. 

Drat.

As it happens, we ended up speaking with TWO separate groups of people today that had lucked out and seen a cow with her calf during a water taxi ride.  We had been assured by two separate whale watching enterprises that the chances of actually seeing any whales were approximately nil, as the Humpbacks had apparently skee-daddled up north to the Pacific Northwest.  They didn’t even want to take our money.  Oh well, that’s how the baleen crumbles.

Yelapa was lovely.  Quiet, secluded, everything you could really want in a beachfront getaway.  You could really feel the relaxation in the air.  Or perhaps you could smell it… No matter, the point is that it was ultra-relaxationy.  There’s more to do there that we had suspected; horseback riding, snorkeling, a waterfall to go check out, and a whole village by the sea, accessible only by boat; and a beautiful, remote beach.  Cool.

We managed to visit the Costa Club all-inclusive back in Puerto Vallarta upon our return, and the enthusiastic folks in the pool rose up with an enthusiastic “Come To Mexico!!!”  Hmmm…  Why don’t you?

Scott
(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 1 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 2 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 3 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 4 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

 
What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 5 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 6 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 6 - Part 7 PUERTO VALLARTA/YELAPA

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 5, PUERTO VALLARTA (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

This is our first time in Puerto Vallarta, and wow, what a lovely city it is.  The Bahia de Banderas is spectacular, and the Sierra Madre forms a gorgeous backdrop to a city made up of the older section of white-washed buildings with terra-cotta roofs climbing up the hills, and towering high-rise hotels in the more modern parts of town.  We’re staying in one of those hotels, the Sheraton Buganvilias, and our 21^st floor rooms afford a spectacular view of the Bay and the city and the towns that string along the shore to the south.

We got a great taste of the city today, checking out the Marina district, the Zona Romantico in the old city, and of course, the oceanfront boardwalk, the malecon.  The people of Puerto Vallarta throng to the waterfront, particularly in the afternoon, after the heat of the day has dissipated somewhat, to watch the sunset, see the various performers, and just relax, socialize, and dine at one of the many restaurants that line the shore. 

Puerto Vallarta

is known for it’s incredible restaurants, boasting over 400, from renown chef Thierry Bouet’s Café des Artistes, which has been rated amongst the top 100 restaurants in the world, to a panoply of charming spots offering more down-to-earth fare.  We experienced what must be the most extravagant coffee on the planet tonight at the Mar Azul .  What made it so amazing was the showmanship that the bartender brought to it.  He had two… er… silver gravy boat/genie’s lanterns that he poured tequila into which he then set on fire.  He poured the tequila back and forth between them, creating a stream of fire 3 feet long!  It was really impressive.  After he poured what honestly looked like pure fire into tall wine glasses, added some kahlua, coffee, whipped cream, a flambéed cherry, and some ‘secret ingredients’, he somehow managed to set the whole shooting match on fire as well!  The glasses were engulfed in a seemingly impossible amount of flame.  And after all that, the drink was delicious to boot!  Sweet.

We’ll be continuing our exploration Puerto Vallarta and it’s environs tomorrow, so please do stay tuned!

Scott
Contact me at - WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com



What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 1 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 2 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 3 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 4 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 5 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 6 PUERTO VALLARTA

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 5 - Part 7 PUERTO VALLARTA

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 4, PLAYA DEL CARMEN to PUERTO VALLARTA (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

With only a few more hours left to us in Playa del Carmen before we had to head to Cancun Airport to board an Aeromexico flight to Puerto Vallarta, we went to Playa’s main drag for shopping, eating and drinking, and general frivolity: Quinta Avenida (5^th Ave.). 

It would seem that it’s business as usual here, with tourists from all around the world enjoying the laid-back pace, the world-class shopping, and the veritable smorgasbord of food and drink available at Quinta’s many excellent restaurants and boutique hotels. 

Danger quotient: 0.  We even found some people who were just blithely walking around in the ACTUAL TOWN of Playa del Carmen.  I mean, they were BLOCKS away from the main drag!  And they still said that they were having a grand ol’ time!  I mean, they were NOWHERE NEAR any other tourists.  What gives?  We’re even having fun just hearing about how these people are having fun.  It’s something called fun by proxy.  Isn’t it time that you stopped having fun by proxy and just came down here and had some of this fun for yourself?  Think about it!

We’re here in Puerto Vallarta now, and we can hear the waves breaking on the shore from our hotel room.  When’s the last time you heard that wonderful sound?  See you tomorrow!

Scott
(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 1 PLAY DEL CARMEN

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 2 PLAY DEL CARMEN

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 3 PLAY DEL CARMEN

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 4 PLAY DEL CARMEN

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 5 PLAY DEL CARMEN

What Is Really Happening In Mexico? Day 4 - Part 6 PLAY DEL CARMEN

Maps/Pictures of the Trip

ANY trouble is MILES AWAY!!!

(CLICK images to enlarge)

Having fun in the sun in MEXICO!
 

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 3, COZUMEL (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

Ola!  We almost missed our ferry to Cozumel this morning!  I swear, we had the best intentions, but in spite of that, it all boiled down to careening through the throngs of people along 5^th Ave in Playa del Carmen at a dead sprint.  There was the always- present danger of ankle injury while running at full speed in flip-flops, but we made it!

The ferry ride over was pretty uneventful for such a dangerous place.  The ferry even had air conditioning.  Weird.  When we arrived, it did seem like there could be some threat level from the many cruise ship patrons on the island.  For a few terrifying moments, it seemed as though we might be in danger of having to wait in line for everything all day behind a never ending line-up of cruisers!  But then we discovered that the island is actually pretty big (80,000 people live here!), and that although there are thousands of cruise ship visitors, they are mostly well-mannered and there is plenty of space for them to blend in with the local population. 

We had heard that Cozumel was home to an unruly gang – of dolphins!   These bloodthirsty banditos of the seas had apparently been terrorizing small groups of tourists for years here, jumping high in the air, shaking peoples’ hands (with their fins, by God), and letting small children rub their bellies!  We just had to see what all the ruckus was about, so we went to Dolphin Discovery at Chankanaab Park.  It turns out these bad-ass dolphins are actually super friendly and like to eat massive amounts of capelin… imported from Canada! We have yet to experience anything frightening, scary, or even mildly threatening down here in Mexico.  Perhaps we’ll have more luck getting into trouble on the notorious west coast of Mexico.  We leave for Puerta Vallarta tomorrow afternoon.  The name alone shivers me timbers! Ahoy mateys! See you tomorrow.

Scott

(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

 

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 1 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 2 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 3 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 4 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 5 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 8 COZUMEL

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 3 - Part 9 COZUMEL

What's REALLY Happening In MEXICO? - Day 2, PLAYA DEL CARMEN (SCROLL DOWN to view TODAY'S VIDEOS)

After having a delectable buffet breakfast at Dreams Cancun, we said goodbye to our gracious hosts and jumped in a van for the ride down to Playa Del Carmen.  At the end of a smooth and uneventful drive, we arrived at The Royal Playa del Carmen, which would be our luxurious base of operations in downtown Playa del Carmen for the next two days.  We received a very warm welcome from The Royal’s staff, and set out to see if this sunny oceanside town could offer us more blood-curdling thrills than it’s big sister up the peninsula Cancun had. 
I must say, that so far the most sinister sign of danger I have seen here in Mexico has been the many “Piso Resbaloso” signs posted all over the place.  It means “Slippery When Wet”, and is good to keep in mind, as there must not be any marble left in Italy, because the hotels on the Mayan Riviera must have used it all in their construction.  I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the streets are lined with it, there’s so much of it, and it is, indeed, slippery when wet!  Resbaloso… Say it out loud to yourself.  REZ-BA-LOSSO! I think it’s my new favourite Spanish word.
So we roamed poolside and scoured the beach all day, talking to tourists of all stripes – from young spring breakers to more experienced travellers.  We were out to hear the most terrifying tales of danger.  Tales that would curl your toes and make you run home to momma.  What we got was a far cry from that.  No one reported a run in with a voracious under-tow, or a tough negotiation with a slippery silver salesman, or even so much as a hangnail.
So what gives?  Could it be possible that Mexico’s Mayan Riviera remains a safe, sunny respite from the cold reality of the northern winter?  Perhaps everyone we spoke with has been hypnotized, put under a spell by some dastardly Mexican Merlin… Or perhaps, and this theory seems more likely to me – the hoo-haw in the news and whatnot is speaking of an area in Mexico that is as far away from Playa del Carmen as Edmonton is from Toronto.  Could it be that this fear of going to the resort towns of Mexico is completely unfounded?  Could it be that the blanket warnings about Mexico are the same as saying don’t visit the aquarium to see the cuddly sea otters because the killer whales might up and jump right out of their tank and eat you!

Scott

(WhatIsReallyHappeningInMexico@hotmail.com)

 

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 1 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 2 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 3 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

 What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 5 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 4 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

 
What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 6 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

 
What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 7 PLAYA DEL CARMEN

What's Really Happening In Mexico? Day 2 - Part 8 PLAYA DEL CARMEN