What a day! I am a hot, sweaty and tired mess, but the hours spent wandering the quaint streets of Zihuatanejo have left me certain that I’ve gotten a true taste of this fisherman’s village that dates back to the 13th century.
Lunch at Restaurantes Mexicanos Any (formerly Tamales y Atoles Any) allowed me to sample some of the region’s oldest and most labor-intensive dishes, like Posole, Mole, and Tamales. After a few bites of Any’s green Posole, served traditionally with oregano, chile, lime, onion, radish, avocado and queso fresco, you will pledge to return, just as soon as you are finished digesting your current meal. Fresh horchata and jamaica help squelch the oppressive heat, and in no time I was reaching the bottom of my bowl.
After gorging myself, I was happy to hit to the streets in search of some local color and a little tourista shopping, only to find most shops closed for afternoon siesta (typically, shops will close around 1pm and re-open at 4pm). I bargained with some of the few open vendors before pausing to enjoy a refreshing iced coffee on the beach next to the fishing boats that had pulled in for the day.
Once the caffeine kicked in, I headed to Arte Nativo on El Paseo del Pescador, an artist’s co-op run by local hero Alfredo Tapio. His shop serves to teach and encourage young artists and promote works that portray the traditional coastal lifestyle of Zihuatanejo’s citizens. Many of his students often go on to teach art in other communities without access to art schools or supplies. (For more information, go to: www.galeriartenativo.com)
I returned to the hotel just in time to catch the seasonal release of baby sea turtles into the Pacific ocean. In an attempt to better their chances of survival, the hotel collects the newborns who often become an easy meal for local birds and fish. After 2 – 3 weeks in captivity, the babies are slightly stronger and more equipped to handle the 20 foot journey. The exercise happens at dusk and excited hotel guests line the shore and cheer on the turtles as they lay them gently in the sand. The little tortugas instictively head towards the lapping waves and the aquatic lives they were meant to lead.
After three days in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, I can totally relate.
~Vanessa Torres, reporting live from Ixtapa
September 12th, 2009 - 7:05 am
Dear Vanessa,
Baby turtles, called crias, should NEVER be kept for any longer than a day before they are released into the waves. They need to start feeding immediately and to do that they need to be in the ocean. I learned this information in Turtle School put on by the Dept. of Ecology in Zhiuatanejo. If the hotel where you stayed is keeping baby turtles for any length of time, it is endangering their chances of survival and contributing only to the hotels bottom line. I hope you will help spread this important information so more baby turtles can find their way to the waves in time to survive!
Barbara
September 18th, 2009 - 6:05 am
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September 21st, 2009 - 3:32 pm
Barbara,
I am sorry to hear that! I was informed by the hotel that this practice has increased the survival rates of these turtles. Perhaps the person I was speaking to was not as informed as they should be as they did tell me it was 1-2 weeks that the turtles were being kept. Perhaps it is shorter than that? There certainly were a lot of them, perhaps they were being fed? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but you raise a good point, that no one should take on the job of “rescuing” wild animals unless they are knowledgable and capable of providing the exact care required.
Vanessa´s last blog ..“I Dated the Ex of a Hollywood Starlet”