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| Travel in Mexico |
Sat 03/05/03 |
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The early arrival at 5:30 from Santiago didn't really help me with my connecting flight to Ixtapa at 11am, so I wandered around the airport for a few hours trying to sleep, eat and withdraw money, successful completing only the latter two objectives.
After the short flight to Ixtapa got ripped off right away by the taxi company who charged me an exorbitant 190 Pesos for a 15 minute ride from the airport to Ixtapa bus station, from which I almost immediately caught a Estrella Blanca bus to Lazaro Cardenas, during which I finally managed to get an hour or so of sleep. In Lazaro I switched to a VW Bus and then to another slightly larger bus in Playa Azul, which then dropped me off in Caleta del Campo about 1.5 hours later. From Caleta I caught a taxi to Rio Nexpa Beach where I finally arrived at around 4pm - a very good time for the entire trip.
Met up with Kirsten in a beach restaurant and finally managed to set my backpack down in Rio Nexpa Rooms, an upmarket hostel where Kirsten, Dave, Cynthia and Tony (Dave's brother and sister in law) were staying.
The place which had been built by a Texan called Kyle who is living and surfing there with his partner Gabi from Italy, is truly is amazing. The details and innovative decoration as well as the use of local materials make this a very nice and reasonably priced place to stay in Rio Nexpa.
Cooked an excellent dinner at the hostel and had some of the great wine I had hauled all the way from Chile before wandering over to a beach restaurant, armed with a bottle of Tequila and a pack of cards. Didn't quite manage to finish the card game as I was still somewhat exhausted from the trip but did get through the bottle nicely between the five of us. (The heat here makes you so thirsty and the mixture with Kas just tastes very very refreshing.)
| Rio Nexpa Beach |
Sun 04/05/03 |
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This Sunday would be a day of relaxation, lounging around the house, writing up some of my diary, which I had neglected over the last week in Santiago and having some good conversations with Dave and Kirsten about life and work, politics and the future.
Dave and Kirsten pretty much did all the cooking that night an we had another nice dinner at the hostel, by the time we were done it was too late for the evening card game.
| Cinco de Mayo |
Mon 05/05/03 |
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After a terrific fruit smoothie (banana and mango) laid on the beach and tried my luck at surfing for a little while, at which I of course miserably failed, not even being able to stand up on the board.
In the afternoon hitched into Caleta de Campo to buy some vegetables and meat for an evening BBQ and called Nicole for her Birthday (which was the day before but there are no working phones in Rio Nexpa Beach).
On the way back to Rio Nexpa I lost my gorra (baseball cap) in the wind and when I returned 10 minutes later someone else hat already snatched it!
The series of bad luck continued with a somewhat unsuccessful barbie, as the wood being used developed a quite unnatural smell on combustion, so ended up finishing off the meat in the pan.
Played some more cards on the beach before marvelling at the phosphorescent algae being washed ashore in the break - truly awesome.
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| Rio Nexpa Rooms - Interior of House |
Rio Nexpa Rooms - Interior of Room |
Rio Nexpa Rooms - Detail of Floor |
Pano of Rio Nexpa Beach |
Pano of Rio Nexpa Beach |
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| Rio Nexpa Beach - Town |
Dave's Hammock Pattern |
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| Day on the road to Acapulco |
Tue 06/05/03 |
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After a lazy morning and great breakfast, practically using all our leftovers we managed to make our way into Caleta and Dave & Kirsten practically immediately caught a long distance bus to Manzanillo, whilst I stepped onto the small local bus to Lazaro, from where I continued my journey with only a short stopover of 20 minutes onwards to Acapulco.
This time I was using the Estrella d'Oro busses but the Estrella Blanco seemed faster and more comfortable. Arrived in Acapulco at 9:30pm and after a short bus ride found the Zocalo area and stumbled across the California Inn, which seemed reasonable and close to the square so ended up staying there.
Found a cool place to eat nearby called Ricardo's and also managed to run into a nice and air conditioned internet cafe close by, where I checked my mail for the first time in a couple of days.
| Walking around Acapulco |
Wed 07/05/03 |
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During my walking tour around town discovered a very cool bakery in Calle La Paz close to Plaza Zocalo run by a French woman, and after some nice pastries walked to the bus terminal in Ejido to buy my ticket for the night bus to Puerto Angel (little risky as the stretch of road used to be known for it's highway robberies, and apparently there still are a couple of incidents every year).
Then took a look around the "Mercado Artesanal" which really is quite saddening as all the people speak English and are quite keen on selling you practically anything - so forget it (really). Much more interesting was the Mercado Central, extending over a huge area and offering practically everything you can think of in terms of religious artefacts, spices, tools, clothes, fruit and vegetables, toiletries, chicken, meat and fish etc. etc. at fair prices. (even to gringos)
Found a cap to replace mine and then made my way down into town to visit the Fuerte de San Diego, which would have cost a steep 33 Pesos entry so decided to give the cultural aspect a miss, and while I was at that thought I might do it properly and go to the cinema to escape the incredibly humid heat.
Ended up seeing X-Men 2 which was quite entertaining but nothing I would want to buy on DVD for my own collection. In the evening walked up the the Quebrada to watch the divers plunge down from 35 metres into the ocean swell below. (A minimum of three dive at 13:00, 19:30, 20:30, 21:30 and 22:30, costing 25 Pesos entry including a softdrink or beer) After this entertaining display paid Ricardo's another visit trying the tostadas (I personally liked the Tacos, which I had the day before better) and then caught the night bus to Pochutla, which is the launch point to get to Zipolite, my final destination.
A final word about Acapulco, which turned out to be an interesting place to stop over but certainly not a location I would want to spend more than a day, despite it's "world-class" beaches. With some more travel experience in Mexico, one other thing about Acapulco was quite striking - it is relatively cheap to eat and stay there, despite/because of it's rather large size.
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California Inn
La Paz 12, Acapulco - Ph: (07) 4822893
100 Peso Single /c Bano |
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| Quebrada Divers Top |
Quebrada Diver before Jump |
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| Zipolite |
Thu 08/05/03 |
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Of course we didn't get robbed in the bus, and arrived safely in Pochutla at around 10am on Thursday, where I decided to spend some time in an internet cafe to upload the pictures from Rio Nexpa and sort out an update on the website.
Then caught a collectivo for 12 Pesos to Zipolite, after initially having fought off the crowds of taxistas hanging around the bus station, who would have gladly taken me for 100 Pesos!
After an uncomfortable 20 minute ride during which I was basically sitting on the gearshift (collectivo drivers always put 5 passengers in the taxis, two in front three in the back), we made it to Zipolite and after a short walk around the beachfront settled for a 100 Peso room in the Lyoban, which I was planning to swap for a hammock on the second night to save some money.
Zipolite really does have a very relaxing atmosphere to it and the hostel right on the beach with the waves crashing practically 30 steps from the patio make for a VERY pleasant experience. Walked along the beach for a while at sunset and after checking out some other places feel quite content with the Lyoban I chose.
| Beach- and Workday |
Fri 09/05/03 |
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Called my dad for his birthday in the morning before the insupportable heat set in again, which one could only marginally escape on the first floor of the hostel in one of the plentiful hammocks available being cooled by a slight sea breeze.
Apart from working on some photos and the website and spent a relaxing day alternating between beach and first floor hammock.
My evening walk took me to the other side of the bay where I had some food at a place called "El Alquimista" which seemed pretty upmarket, so the quite good food cost a little more than the other places in town charged. The cabanas for rent next to the restaurant seem to be awesome, yet probably not exactly cheap.
Ended up drinking a beer on the beach in the disco practically next door to the hostel, during which I had to think of the awesome beach disco called Dino's in Tofo, Mocambique.
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Lyoban
on the beach, Zipolite - Ph: (9)585843177
100 Single/ 50 Hammock |
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| Lyoban Interior |
Beachview from Lyoban Terrace |
Quicktime VR of Lyoban Beachview |
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| Oaxaca |
Sat 10/05/03 |
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Set off in the morning by taxi to Pochutla and from there took a 12 seater minibus along one of the windiest roads I have ever seen climbing up from sea level to almost 2000m before dropping back down into a plane on which Oaxaca is located.(Ride cost 120 P and takes about 5 hours)
From the Lonely Planet had selected the Magic Hostel, where I met a Canadian called Josh just as I was walking in the door. The Magic Hostel there has character and a nice bar upstairs but the constant shortage of water and some unusable toilets, poor quality showers etc don't really make this place recommendable.
Spent the evening walking around town and taking lots of pics of Santo Domingo the most picturesque church in Oaxaca. Then after a short stop at the hostal headed for a bar called La Cucaracha together with Josh for a "degustacion" of different types of Tequila and Mezcal (joven/blanco/reposado/anejo), with the anejo tequila tasting best (of course). On the same topic I still haven't gotten over the fact that Tequila in Mexico costs more than in some European duty free shops and supermarkets.
From there we continued to a blur of other bars which all were quite packed, and seemed to close at around 12 or 1am, however nothing extraordinary in terms of design or location worth mentioning.
| more Oaxaca |
Sun 11/05/03 |
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Wandered around the public market in the morning trying one of the local specialities, a hot chocolate for a steep 14 Pesos and after some more exploration on foot of the city South of the Zocalo returned to the market together with Josh for a traditional lunch, where you go around one section of the market buying tacos, meat, vegetables, salsas and drinks all from different tiny businesses which in the end of the course make for a tasty, yet at 100 Pesos for two, somewhat pricey meal.
The afternoon passed by swiftly in one of the cafe's called "La Crepe" close to the Plaza Santo Domingo, and an internet cafe close by, followed by a visit to the small but nice Museo Contemporaneo, which at the time was showing an interesting exhibition called "Polvo" by the Polish born artist Xawery Wolski, now living in Mexico City.
Unfortunately I had not re-checked my bus ticket so I missed the one I had booked and had to buy another ticket at 50% discounted rate for the slower bus leaving at 9pm instead of 8pm. Sometimes I do wonder how I could forget such a fundamental lesson as to always check departure times?
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| Theatro Macedonia |
Calle 5 Mayo |
Pano Iglesia Santo Domingo |
Iglesia Santo Domingo |
Iglesia Santo Domingo |
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| Iglesia Santo Domingo |
Iglesia Santo Domingo Interior |
Pano Plaza Santo Domingo |
Pano Magic Hostel Interor |
Capellania de la Defensa |
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| Iglesia San Franciso |
Mercado - Gallenas |
Pano Mercado Juarez |
Museo Arte Contemporaneo |
Xawery Woloski - Polvo |
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| Xawery Woloski - Polvo |
Xawery Woloski - Polvo |
Xawery Woloski - Polvo |
Museo Arte Contemporaneo - Interior |
Iglesia cerca del Hostel |
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