Untitled by Raiveran
Zihuatanejo is the poverty-stricken airport town down the road from Ixtapa, a government-planned resort town n the state of Guerrero. Despite the “5000 rooms” available for tourists in Ixtapa, or the fact that cruise ships stop there, or that the staff for Ixtapa probably comes exclusively from there, the people of Zihua live in abject poverty, which apparently is “normal”. Zihua is a good lesson for tourists who don’t usually spend a lot of time thinking about where their services come from. There are many shops and artisans. Beware the haggling of vendors – the prices are inflated. The prices are not in perspective, they’re in American dollar values. This means that you won’t get very much at rock bottom prices – goods are just as expensive as in any American resort town.
Beware the conversion problem you’ll have; prices are listed EVERYWHERE in pesos, then American dollars. If you’re using Canadian money, you’ll get confused. 500 pesos is $5.00. 5000 pesos is $50.00. Look at the bills you have and make sure you understand how much you really have left.
There are some places of subdued beauty in Zihua. I suggest the beach. The town itself is crowded, low-rise and decrepit. The people are mostly polite, though I personally wondered how they felt about their lives and town being invaded by white tourists. Keep in mind that 95% of the population is Catholic; try not to walk around in your bikini top, wear a shirt or tank over it. The families seem happy as units, and the community does plays (I think mostly morality plays) and other types of things.
I think the last bus to Ixtapa leaves at 1AM. If you miss it, it’s a $15.00 cab ride for you. Wander in the tourist district down side streets between the “tourist” market and the military base. There are lots of small, nice, bars and restaurants.
over 2 years ago














