Mexico.....Aye-Yi-Yi

Okay, to be fair I am not a big fan of Mexico.  The people are wonderful, very accommodating but I struggle with the poverty knowing that Mexico is rich in lots of natural resources including oil and silver but has a long history of crime and political corruption.

Our first stop was Cabo San Lucas.  Upon entering the port, the view is stunning, absolutely gorgeous.

 However that is about as far as it goes.  I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this.  You enter the port area which is overrun with tourist shops and bars.  Then once you leave that area you are thrust into a barren landscape with virtually nothing to see.

I can understand why some movie stars and politicians like it here because it is so private, uncongested.  However it was a HUGE disappointment for all of us.  Once you left the coast it was pretty bleak although the locals tried hard to entertain us.

We did visit a glass factory where they use recycled glass to make beautiful art.......

 

And that was pretty much it.  The only other high point, or should I say low point, was when our bus got in a wreck.......

Next stop was Puerto Vallarta.  Now this is what I was expecting.  Beautiful big city with an old town although it is a relatively new city having been popularized by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton while filming Night of the Iguana.  It was pretty but once again, I am not a big fan of Mexico and there are limited things to see and do.

 

 

Same with Huatalco.  It is rural, has a scenic coastline and that is about it.

I think if you were from a northern climate you might really enjoy these stops for the snorkeling and beaches but being Floridians, they didn't do much for us.

Our final Mexican stop was Puerto Chapias, near the city of Tepechula.  This is a traditional Mexican town that was pounded by a major hurricane earlier this year doing extensive damage from which they are still trying to recover.  This is the real Mexico with busy central squares and lots of people going about their daily lives.

It is located by the Mayan ruins of Izapa which were very interesting in that they are not at all like the Aztec ones found in other parts of Mexico.

I was particularly fascinated by the tiny museum in Tepechula.  Although very small, it had some incredible artifacts any museum would love to have.  I was absolutely amazed by them.

So there you have it, the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Cabo and Puerto Vallarta are clearly tourist destinations and Huatalco is trying hard.  Only Tepechula was a truly Mexican town representative of the rest of the country.

I don't think  I will be coming back this way any time soon.

Next post will be Costa Rica, a beautiful country which understandably attracts a lot of ex pats.  Beautiful lowland and hihglands, lots of English speaking natives, low cost of living and very welcoming to new people coming in.