http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syFSe8coXG8

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Our first stop was La Saladita, where we hung out for a couple of hours while J. hit the surf and I hit the beach for a long beach-comb. There were piles of twisted driftwood along the beach (and happily not too much plastic garbage!) and lots of exposed rocks of all sizes. On my walk, I managed to collect about a dozen ojos de venado (buck eyes, hard seeds of the Mucuna pruriens vine that grows along riverbanks hereabouts, reputed to stave off bad luck). After that I settled in under a palm tree with a book and a frozen mango smoothie from Lourdes’ restaurant/bar/surf hangout. Great way to spend the morning.

Driving back toward Zihuatanejo, we hooked in to Troncones Beach and stopped at the Burro Borracho Restaurant for a quick lunch before heading back into town. The green of the vegetation along the highway and on the hills is spectacular this time of year.

Below are a few photos from our day.

Zihuatanejo, Troncones Beach and La Saladita are all wonderful Pacific coast destinations on the Mexican Riviera.

La Saladita

Playa la Saladita

La Saladita point

Moss and driftwood

Long view of La Saladita

Troncones Beach

The surf at Troncones Beach

Below are a few photos of Nexpa point and surf camp, and a shot of the town beach at Caleta de Campos (May 2011).

Comfortable lodging at Barra de Nexpa: Rio Nexpa Rooms

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Costa Grande de Guerrero - Image via Wikipedia

The INAH (Instituto Nacional de Arqueologia e Historia – the National Institute of Archaeology and History of Mexico) has confirmed, by means of a photographic filter process, the presence of more than 800 carvings on stone, distributed mainly in the area of the Costa Grande of the Mexican state of Guerrero, which are calculated to date from between 3,000 B.C. and 750 C.E. The Costa Grande extends from the northern edge of Acapulco Bay northward to the mouth of the the Rio Balsas at the Guerrero/Michoacan border.

Specialists have identified anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures as well as bars and dots used as counters. INAH investigator Ruben Manzanilla Lopez states that, “archaeological work in this zone commenced in 1986, after a field tour of the area, during which a simple report was generated with photographs and hand-made sketches of some of the petroglyphs, particularly from Zihuatanejo.”

Ruben Manzanilla states that works were resumed last year in Coacoyul, La Perica, La Escondida, Soledad de Maciel and Murga, all near Zihuatanejo, known then as the province of Zihuatlan, which in prehispanic times was settled by the Mexicas.

In the town of Coacoyul, a large rock measuring some 2 x 2.5 meters stands in the patio of a private home.  On the rock a carved elongated human figure can be seen measuring about 68 cms high. The rock shows chisel marks and the carvings are estimated to date from between the Pre-classic (2,500 B.C. to 200 C.E.) and Classic periods (200 – 650 C.E.)

Other stones have been discovered in the area showing number counters and carved rounded cavities (called pocitos) which it is speculated may have been used for  mortars or rainwater collection. The pocitos, says Manzanilla, also known as ojos de dios or “eyes of the gods”, are a common element along the Guerrero coast and “in the Petatlan municipality alone some 273 stones have been located with those characteristics.”

At La Perica, also near Zihuatanejo, is a large stone on which is carved the figure of a head with headdress, concentric circles, the image of a temple and a serpent, thought to date from the Post-classic period, 450 – 1,300 C.E. At La Escondido photographs have been taken of a rock carved with a circular figure, the face of a woman, a human-like body, other small faced and wavy lines which appear to represent water. These figures date from the Late Post-classic period (1,300 – 1,500 C.E.)

The petroglyphs at the Cerro de Los Brujos at Soledad de Maciel, near Petatlan, show a solar glyph, the figure of a person, two projectiles and wavy lines again representative of water. These, says Ruben Manzanilla, are thought to possibly represent the conquest of a particular community or people.

In the town of Murga is the Piedra del Mono (Monkey Stone), its largest dimensions measuring eight meters in length by two meters wide, showing sun signs, human figures and a Mexica-style skull.

According to archaeologist Ruben Manzanilla, these are only a few of the examples of the heritage carved on the enormous volcanic stones of the Costa Grande, and “these need to be preserved and cared for, not only by the specialists but by the communities where these ‘pieces of history’ are found.”

Extracted from bulletin issued by INAH, http://www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/boletines/8-investigaciones-y-estudios-historicos/4961-estudian-milenarios-petrograbados-de-la-costa-grande

The Refugio de Potosi is a wildlife conservancy project founded in 2008 that serves as an educational center and wildlife park, a shelter for hurt, abandoned and mistreated animals, many of which are rehabilitated and released again into the wild, and a research and breeding center for indigenous and endangered species of the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo area.

Situated close to a palm and mangrove-lined estuary which is a natural sanctuary for birds and reptiles, the Visitors Center holds a small gift shop, refreshment area and several cases and cages holding lizards, scorpions, snakes and other creatures. A tower has been erected on a high point of the land that affords a sweeping view of the surroundings, the beaches of Playa Larga and Playa Blanca and all the way to the Morros de Potosi, a cluster of guano-coated islands off the mound of Cerro de Guamilule (Guamilule Hill) that stands sentinel over Barra de Potosi village and lagoon. (…continued below photos)

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Paths snake through the natural vegetation of the area past trees that are the open-air hangouts of a number of large parrots and macaws, around ponds that harbor turtles and fish,  to a butterfly pavilion where an incredible number of local butterflies are collected, bred and studied, past fenced corrals where coatamundis and racoons wander, through an Iguanarium housing an astounding quantity of green and black iguanas of all sizes that hide amongst the rocks and tree branches, and past a number of large enclosures with a jaguarundi (a small wild cat indigenous to the area), colorful parrots and a number of raptors.

The Refuge boasts a skeleton of a large sperm whale — reputed to be the largest skeleton on display in the world — that was retrieved from a nearby beach after presumedly dying of old age. The Refuge was granted permission to collect the bones and they are now being slowly reconstructed. Visitors can donate and become a Whale bone sponsor to help with the costs of reconstruction  of the skeleton and thus become a vital part of the project. Visit the official website of the Refugio de Potosi to find out more about the Whale Project as well as other information and activities of the center.

You can also actively support the center by becoming a general member or a donor, or just visiting the Refugio and referring it to your friends and fellow Ixtapa Zihuatanejo visitors.  There are sponsorships being sought for benches throughout the park and for the “adoption” of a variety of animals… you can sponsor an iguana, a butterfly, even a scorpion! See the website for details.

A visit to the Potosi Wildlife Refuge is a great day trip and outing for visitors to Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, and combines perfectly with a visit to Barra and Laguna de Potosi (where you can boat or kayak through the lagoon for some bird watching) and Playa Blanca for some quality beachcombing, and where — if you’re lucky — you just may see dolphins frolicking in the surf! Make a nature day of it!

The Refugio de Potosi is open daily except Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and with the exception of December 25 and January 1. New schedule (fall 2011): Open Monday, Thursdays and Sundays, 10 AM to 5 PM. Last tour is at 4:30 PM. Reservations can be set up on alternate days for large groups if required.

It is located on the road to Barra de Potosi from Los Achotes, off the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo Highway 200.

Access to Refugio de Potosi

Entrance Donation: $60 Pesos
Local Residents: $30 Pesos (With Credentials)
Children Under 12: Donation: $30 Pesos

For special requests, large group access, general information and reservations please call +52 (755) 100-0743

Photos of Barra de Potosi

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The site had been visited by the curious for years — many stone carvings and clay artifacts were discovered in the covered mounds but not much official attention was given to the site until recently. Prior to this recent INAH interest, artifacts were collected and the site was maintained by the local inhabitants of the nearby community, who also established their own rudimentary museum in one of the homes so that visitors could appreciate the relics found in the area.

Now rechristened Xihuacan, INAH has inaugurated its new museum at the site that houses a collection of jewelry and ornaments, carved figurines, musical instruments, stone ball hoops and other artifacts extracted from the site and representative of the lives of the nobles, warriors and priests of what was once apparently an important center of the Cuitlatecos.

See http://www.vozihuatanejo.com.mx/index.php?news=4057 for more info on the opening (in Spanish)

Image via Wikipedia

Westjet is one of the Canadian airlines that flies into Ixtapa Zihuatanejo directly from Calgary during the winter season. Flights connect from a number of other locations across Canada and some points in the United States, and you can plan both simple flights and full vacations through their websites.

Here’s a video posted by Westjet featuring a 2-hour sunset catamaran cruise on Zihuatanejo Bay and over to Ixtapa that can be booked as part of their vacation package.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EcnPo5qh0M

http://www.westjetvacations.com

http://www.westjet.com

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For those who don´t speak Spanish, below is a translation of the transcript of the video. The headings correspond to those that appear in the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Z1avKSH48

Turistero Zihuatanejo video transcript translation

ZIHUATANEJO, MAGICO PUEBLO DE PESCADORES (ZIHUATANEJO, A MAGICAL FISHERMAN’S VILLAGE)

Zihuatanejo springs up along the shores of beautiful Zihuatanejo Bay, a place where the Pacific Ocean pushes its way into the Sierra Madre del Sur (coastal mountain range) to create a marvelous natural landscape.

Zihuatanejo is located in the State of Guerrero, Mexico.

BAHIA DE ZIHUATANEJO (ZIHUATANEJO BAY)

The bay holds four beaches: Principal, La Madera, La Ropa and Las Gatas.

PUEBLO DE PESCADORES (FISHING VILLAGE)

Playa Principal is the busiest because it is here that the Municipal Pier and the Maritime authorities are located.

Playa Principal is the place where, early every morning, the magical fisherman’s village is reborn.

CENTRO DE ZIHUATANEJO (DOWNTOWN ZIHUATANEJO)

(images of the town square, cultural activities and townspeople)

It is also the beach that is closest to the center of town, the heart of Zihuatanejo, its streets finished with stamped paving stones and lined with arcaded walkways.

PLAYA LA MADERA (LA MADERA BEACH)

Playa La Madera is about 200 meters long. It is said that it received its name because it was the embarkation point for fine tropical hardwoods.  Low rocky hills run right behind the beach, along which small but modern and luxurious hotels have been erected. Its sands are soft and fine.

PLAYA LA ROPA (LA ROPA BEACH)

This is the longest of all the beaches within Zihuatanejo Bay. measuring approximately one kilometer .

It is a popular beach for those who enjoy watersports. Around its shores are found a proliferation of small hotels, some of which are extremely luxurious.

It is said that many years ago a large galleon laden with merchandise from the Far East was  shipwrecked here. Textiles in its cargo holds were strewn along the beach, and for that reason it is called Playa La Ropa or “Cloth Beach”.

PLAYA LAS GATAS (LAS GATAS BEACH)

This is a small cove in the southern tip of the bay. It is protected by a rocky breakwater that provides a calm pool of water for the enjoyment of the whole family.

The legend says that the breakwater was built by the Purhepecha king Caltzonzin so that his family could have a safe bathing haven.

This beach is not accessible by land even though it is located within Zihuatanejo Bay. To reach Las Gatas, water taxis leave from the Municipal Pier, taking no more than 10 minutes to cross the bay.

Happy Friday 13th!

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Cuauhtemoc Pedestrian Street, Zihuatanejo

Over the course of the last several months, Zihuatanejo’s downtown center has been undergoing a very noticeable face-lift. Previously, major centro streets had already been repaved and services moved underground, but in addition, we now see many of the sidewalks converted into covered arcades with attractive columns – made of wood, cement or brick – supporting red-tiled overhangs, providing pedestrians both sun-shade during the winter season and rain shelter during the rainy season.  Standardized signage is being applied to give Zihuatanejo’s downtown area a coherent look. Zihuatanejo’s center is acquiring a somewhat quaint appearance that now invites idle wandering and street strolls where before one often would only take to the sidewalks out of necessity, or walk gingerly for fear of being laid low by turning an ankle in an unexpected hole or tripping over a badly-placed guy-wire.

During this period of recent renovation the wonderful Statues of the Women of Guerrero were repositioned around town. The effect of the revamping of the center became particularly noticeable around Christmas 2009, when the city and downtown businesses cooperated in festooning these walkways with a fairyland of cascading white Christmas lights that made Zihuatanejo residents and visitors alike marvel at its added attractiveness.

Arcades in Zihuatanejo

As the renovation process continues it is interesting to see in a recent press release that the city of Zihuatanejo, with the support of the federal and state government funds, will this year channel some 60 million pesos more into the updating and beautification of city services and its image. The state governor, Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, is supposed to be in town to inaugurate the initiation of the public works program called Mejoramiento de Imagen Urbana (Urban Image Improvement) on July 29th under which the remodeling and repaving of streets in the downtown core will continue as well as the updating and beautification of parks, plazas, beach accesses, parking areas, etc. Part of this effort is the restoration and refitting (green areas, public lighting, etc.) of 5 de Mayo, Benito Juarez, Morelos, Paseo La Boquita and Paseo El Palmar streets.

Personally, I can only hope that part of this process also includes a betterment and reorganization of the garbage collection service in town as well as the regulation and enforcement of tour bus access and parking in downtown and beach access areas, two subjects that are still sorely in need of attention.

To take a look at the entire press release (in Spanish), please click here: 60 mdp este año para imagen urbana