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Beach, Village + Urban Living in Oaxaca July 2014, Issue 39 FREE The Eye Relaxing into Summer The Circus The Magic of Hagia Sofia Wonderful Coastal Lagoons
Beach, Village + Urban Living in OaxacaJuly 2014, Issue 39FREE
The Eye
Relaxing into Summer
The Circus
The Magic of Hagia Sofia
WonderfulCoastal Lagoons
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Read ‘The Eye’ Online
www.eyemagazine.net
JaneThe Eye 3
The Eye is a monthly all-English magazine that is distributed throughout the state of Oaxaca. It can be found for FREE at hotels, restaurants and community hot spots. Should you wish to receive copies, advertise or submit some writing or photography please send us an email.
This magazine is made possible by the advertisers so please thank them when you use their [email protected]
Editor: Jane BauerCopy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk, Erin Vig
Writers: Marcia Chaiken, Jan Chaiken, Julie Etra, Brooke Gazer, Leigh Morrow, Carole Reedy,
Alvin Starkman, Deborah Van Hoewyk, Kary Vannice,
Cover photo: Fesus Robert
Photography: Exsodus, Leigh Morrow, CSP, Kary Vannice
Advertising Assistant: Casilda Mendoza LopezLayout: Jane Bauer
Opinions and words are those of the author anddo not necessarily reflect the opinion of The
Eye.
We welcome submissions and input. To get involved send us an email.
he Oaxacan coast is filled with wonder and magic. This fairytale-like quality took me by surprise Twhen I first moved, in 1997, to the village of
Mazunte. It was much quieter than it is now and I rented a cabaña on the beach for less than 100 USD a month- no electricity and the floor was sand, but the view was glorious. I spent my days swimming and my nights reading by candlelight. When reading by candlelight started to strain my eyes, I would walk across the field of the elementary school
, where there was a bare bulb I could turn on and lie on one of the pews to read.
Occasionally, we would get gypsies passing through and in the evening everyone from the village would clamber into their makeshift theater to watch a movie for five pesos. There was also a small fair that came with a merry-go-round that had dancing wooden horses and sold cotton candy.
One night having burned down my candle and unable to fall asleep, despite the lulling of the pounding surf, I decided to go read in the church. I allowed my feet to follow the well worn path- I was not organized enough to have a flashlight! It was a moonless night which made for a very dark sky, except for the glow of the stars. I often found it hard to believe how little a role nature had played in my everyday life before my Mexico life- not counting snowstorms!
As I made my way down the path, my head in the clouds, my hand clutching my book, my foot hit something. I looked down to see a large metal cage, I peered closer, squinting my eyes in the darkness to see what was there. Before I had a moment to be afraid, a large pair of eyes was looking out at me. I was face to face with a lion! He didn't growl or swat at me, nor was he drugged up and lethargic. He was just looking at me. I smiled and kept walking to the church. Surreal is the word that would later come to mind.
The next day all the kids were talking about how the circus was in the village. Of course we went and I saw my friend the lion perform- he was grand and majestic and the clear star of the show in this tiny family run circus.
This month our writers explore the Oaxacan coast and we even have a piece about the Mermejita Circus- an animal free circus based out of Mazunte which makes me feel that despite the fact that you would be hard pressed to find a cabaña like mine from so many years ago, the magic lives on.
See you next month,
to the little church
“Everything you can imagine is real”Pablo Picasso
In This Issue
The Eye 4
EDITORIAL PAGE 3REAL ESTATE LISTINGS PAGE 17EVENTS CALENDAR PAGE 18In Oaxaca City The Eye is now available at Amate Books.
EditorialBy Jane BauerPage 3
Origin of the term GringoBy Julie EtraPage 5
Hagia SofiaBy Brooke GazerPage 6
24 Hours in Oaxaca CityBy Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.Page 7
Mermejita CircusBy Deborah Van HoewykPage 9
San AgustinilloBy Carole ReedyPage 11
3 Must-Do ActivitiesBy Leigh MorrowPage 13
Coastal LagoonsBy Marcia Chaiken and Jan ChaikenPage 14
Going EastBy Julie Etra Page 15
Hurricane HuntersBy Kary VannicePage 16
The Eye 5
Lawyer Perla Vazquez Moctezuma
Hotel Maxico, Local #1Santa Cruz Huatulco, Oaxaca
Mobile 958 116 7292 TelcelMobile 958 107 3221 Movistar
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Immigration Specialist
t does not come from soldiers signing 'Green Grow the Rushes O' during the Mexican-American War (1846-48), or from Panamanians urging our soldiers in green uniforms to go home during the canal uprisings, in 1903 when the US established the exclusive Canal Zone or in I1964 when the Panamanians demanded that their flag be
flown in the Zone. The chronology does not work.
From Snopes: ' The Diccionario Castellano of 1787 noted that in Malaga "foreigners who have a certain type of accent which keeps them from speaking Spanish easily and naturally" were referred to as gringos, and the same term was used in Madrid, particularly for the Irish. Additionally from Snopes: The English version of the proverb shows up in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1599), when Casca, one of the conspirators against Caesar, proclaims: Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again; but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. (I was unable to verify either of these references as I was unwilling to buy the Diccionario, although it looks fascinating and supposedly copies are available for purchase on line).
According to another reference, The Real (Royal) Academia Espanola, gringo means: 1. Adjective: Foreigner, especially one who speaks English, in general one who speaks a language other than Spanish. 2. Foreigner. 3. In Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, an American 4. In Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru a blond, fair skinned person. 4. Unintelligible language.
In reality it may be traced th thback to the late 18 ot 19
century: Spanish, literally ' f o re ign , f o re igner , o r gibberish,' an alteration of griego 'Greek.' We still say 'Sounds like Greek to me' when we don't understand something.
Origin of the term 'Gringo' By Julie Etra
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The Eye 6
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The Jimenez family uses traditional and magical methods to make their incredible mezcal; cultivating each plant for 10 years, cooking the heart of the plant in wood ovens for several days and using a horse drawn stone wheel before fermenting it in oak barrels. Salud!
he organic gardens of Hagia Sofia offer a remarkable contrast to Huatulco's sun and sand environment. Located about 30 minutes from the airport and well into the mountains, the temperature can be Tconsiderably cooler and with the help of irrigation it
is green year round. This sustainable agro-ecological development has some 30,000 plants and trees in addition to hosting a broad range of butterflies, birds and other wildlife.
Upon arrival you are offered a cool glass of fruit water or hot Oaxacan coffee along with a selection of fruit, grown organically on the plantation and warm quesadillas. While relaxing under a canopy of foliage, birdsongs serenade you accompanied by the music of the rushing river.
This is a walking tour and it begins with a stroll through the exotic flower garden. No ordinary rose garden; it includes about 230 flowering plants from Oaxaca in addition to over 60 ornamentals from Asia and South America. Many tower several meters in height with spectacular colors and unusual forms. (See July 2014). From there you enter the herb garden with shaded walkways draped in delicate mauve Regina. These herbs are grown both for medicinal purposes and for flavor. Each flower and herb is labeled so that visitors know what they are seeing. Bring your camera!
The lion's share of this enormous 130 hector property is taken up as orchards and wandering among the eighty varieties of fruit trees is quite pleasurable. Under a vast range of foliage the cool air is deliciously perfumed by an array of tropical scents as the river continues its musical refrain. Benches are scattered throughout the properly so that visitors can rest and drink in the ambiance. Mangos, guavas, cashews, passion fruit and star fruit are but a sampling of the numerous exotic trees. Every month offers different delightful delicacies.
Back at the visitors center Blanca prepares a scrumptious lunch over a wood fired stove offering a choice of beef or fish. Marinated tilapia, fresh from the river, is wrapped in banana leaf, baked to perfection and served with rice, beans and tortillas. The late afternoon is spent by the river where you can change into swimwear and have an invigorating dip in the cool spring water.
The entire enterprise is committed to organic practices; creating compost and preparing their own natural fertilizers, using alternative energies and biodegradable products. Hagia Sofia offers a day of spectacular natural beauty and serenity that is dramatically different from nine pristine bays which are the primary draw to the region. Do not miss it.
For more information or to book a tour: Tel: (958) 58 7 08 71, Cel: 958 583 7943,
Brooke Gazer operates Agua Azul la Villa, a Bed and
Breakfast in Huatulco,
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Beyond the Beach:
Hagia SofiaBy Brooke Gazer
The Eye 7
En Route to The Beach: 24 Hours in Oaxaca City
By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
t's one of the most frequently asked questions about Oaxaca City, the UNESCO World Heritage Site: “I'm flying into Oaxaca City on the way to the beach (usually Puerto Escondido or Huatulco), and will be there for only a day, so what should I see?” The answer is straightforward enough, but the sand, sun and surf crowd doesn't want to hear it: “You're making a big mistake only spending 24 hours in Oaxaca, so change your itinerary.” But there's a secondary, substantive reply for the Iunmoved: “Pack the most noteworthy sights into a single day.”
4 :00 – 6:30 p.m. I t 's important to visit at least two of the main Dominican churches in downtown Oaxaca. Santa Domingo is the most impressive, so consider it a high priority. Others, which you may in fact walk by in the course of the day, are the Cathedral and El Templo de La Soledad. For baroque, amble into San Felipe Neri, where Mexico's native son, Oaxacan Benito Juárez, was married. You'll also have time to appreciate one of the smaller museums, so choose from the textile museum, the stamp museum, and the Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art. Each of these can be visited in about 40 minutes.
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. It's still too early for dinner, at least by Oaxacan standards. Your options include sipping a premium blend coffee (i.e. at Nuevo Mundo, La Brújula or Café Antigua), sitting outside at Jardín Socrates for a dish of refreshing nieve (water and milk based sherbets), or sampling a couple of mezcals while learning about production and tasting notes (i.e. at Mezcaloteca, In Situ, or any of the dozen or so other mezcalerias peppering the downtown core)
7:30 – 8:30 p.m. It's time to return to your accommodations to freshen up before dinner.
8:30 – 10:30 p.m. Higher end dinner options include Los Danzantes, Casa Oaxaca, Origen and La Pitiona. It's best to read several online reviews before choosing since opinions about restaurants are extremely subjective.
Discuss Final Details of Your Oaxaca Visit with Lodging Manager or ConciergeYour hotel or B & B will provide you with a complimentary map of all major downtown Oaxaca sights, including the foregoing. Time permitting, have a brief chat with the manager or concierge and have him note the location of each stop you hope to make. It's also advisable to confirm days and hours of closures, since some sights are open only six days a week, and many close for siesta for two or three hours. If your accommodation provides value added service, you should be able to email in advance of your visit, to pin down many details of your whirlwind tour of Oaxaca.
Alvin Starkman has been advising tourists to Oaxaca for over two decades. If “stuck” in Oaxaca for a second day, consider taking one of Alvin's Mezcal Educational
Excursions of Oaxaca
Itinerary for Spending 24 Hours in OaxacaThe following schedule is not etched in stone, and in fact contains options which address different interests which may dictate preferred sights to visit. Aside from the Monte Albán ruin, every sight and restaurant is downtown and easily accessible on foot.
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel or B & B. Regarding the latter, often breakfast service does not begin until 8:00 a.m., in which case consider foregoing the free meal and eating in a regular restaurant.
8:30 – 12:00 p.m. Walk to the Santa Domingo Cultural Center, or take a taxi or the dedicated bus line to the Monte Albán ruin. If there are any must-see ruins and museums in the state, these are the two. Both bus and taxi to Monte Albán are fast and easy. Going at a leisurely pace, each sight takes a couple of hours to see.
12:00 – 2:00 p.m. There are several market options in Oaxaca City. It's important to visit at least one which includes a good selection of handicrafts, and another frequented by mainly locals shopping for meats & fish, fruits & vegetables, breads & pastries, and dry goods such as clothing. The main downtown marketplaces in Oaxaca's centro histórico are the Benito Juárez and 20 de Noviembre markets, across the street from each other. Close by is the Mercado de las Artesanias, for local crafts such as textiles (cotton woven products, wool rugs known as tapetes, and embroidered blouses, dresses and shirts), pottery (terra cotta, green glazed, barro negro, etc.) and hand carved and painted wooden figures (alebrijes).
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Many museums and businesses close for siesta, usually between these hours, some remaining closed until 5:00 p.m. Thus, one's time is maximized by holding out until 2:00 p.m. before stopping for lunch. Choices include eating on the zócalo which provides an opportunity to soak up downtown pageantry, or at middle of the road restaurants popular with both tourists and Oaxacans alike, such as La Biznaga, Las Quince Letras and La Olla.
The Oaxacan Coast
Step Right Up, Ladies and Gentlemen! See, Hear, Feel Something Completely New and Different!
hen did you last go to the circus? For me, it was long ago and late at night in New York City, when the elephants still marched from Queens into Manhattan through the Midtown Tunnel,
thWcrossed on 34 Street, and paraded into Manhattan's Madison Square Garden. Definitely a thing of the past—Ringling Brothers performs in Brooklyn, there is no elephant walk, and animal rights groups have been pretty successful in eliminating circus animals entirely.
The Contemporary CircusThe traditional circus, in vogue since Englishman Philip Astley started up “Astley's Amphitheatre of Equestrian Arts” in the 1770s, is giving way to the “contemporary” or “new” circus. And just what is the “new circus”? It started in France, but closer to home, it really made it big in Quebec. Think Cirque du Soleil, the biggest of them all! Born outside Quebec in 1984, Cirque du Soleil wasn't the first “new” Canadian circus; that honor goes to the Théâtre de l'Aubergine, which emphasized the skills and antics of clowning, followed by the National Circus School in Montreal. But Cirque is the example we're most familiar with.
The greatest and grandest, grandiose and gargantuan (courtesy of $7 million in government funding to get them on their feet), Cirque du Soleil is the largest theatrical producer in the world, a glorious celebration of the aesthetics of human physicality. Cirque is the Vegas-version of the new circus arts, with over 5,000 employees working on six continents, raking in $810 million in 2010. Nonetheless, it started out the way most new circus troupes do, with 20 street performers called
Not that the new circus doesn't have ancient roots in street performance around the world, but today's new circus represents a distinct break from the circus we saw when we were kids. Traditionally, circus families and menageries of exotic animals constituted the performers in the ring, while today conservatory-trained artists concentrate on developing and displaying acrobatic technique in a variety of settings. Traditional spectacle has been replaced with theatrical, often character-driven acts that may tie together into a narrative across the performance. Traditional circus music was written to excite people, announce the spectacles, and generate suspense, while music in the contemporary circus establishes the mood and supports the characters or narrative. And the traditional circus seeks “shock and awe,” to keep its audience off balance, feeling surrounded by the potential for danger, rather than becoming absorbed in feats that serve to tell a story.
The Mermejita CircusContemporary circus has come to town on the Oaxacan coast, specifically in Mazunte. The Mermejita Circus, a collective with an orientation to community and the environment, is a true exemplar of the new circus. According to its spokesperson, Uruguayan aerialist Mariana Blanco, artistic/acrobatic technique is at the core of their circus work, but “technique is not the only thing of importance. The new circus incorporates theater, dance, multiple artistic disciplines. The idea is to transmit a sensation, a feeling, to recount a story. And you work hard to make it look simple.”
Les Échassiers (the wading birds) who toured Quebec on a minimal budget.
By Deborah Van Hoewyk
The Eye 9
How did Mermejita get started, and how did it come to Mazunte? Mariana was working here and there, in the Huatulco area. One day she went to Mazunte, and it was love at first sight. She and her husband, Nicolás Sandoval, had already been working as acrobats in circus settings throughout Latin America, including Cuba, and they were already using Mermejita Circus as their stage name. When another contemporary circus came to Mazunte, it connected with Mariana and Nicolás. Miriam Edo Sugrañes was with the visiting troupe, but when they left, she stayed, and together, the three created a vision for building
Seeing Mermejita
Mermejita had started an annual encuentro (meeting with workshops) for circus arts a number of years ago, and it has grown into a full-fledged festival held every February. People who want to study circus arts participate in the workshops, and then put on performances, some open to the public; check the f e s t i va l webs i t e t o see what ' s go ing on
( ). The 2014 Festival ran from February 22 to March 2, included 18 circus arts workshops, a small circus film festival in the community library (Tod Browning, Federico Fellini, and “Man on Wire”), and performances in various venues throughout Mazunte.
Studying with MermejitaThe Mermejita Circus provides instruction both during the annual festival and on a regular basis in Mazunte. Nicolás Sandoval teaches techniques for mástil, or Chinese pole work, as well as the rueda cyr (a person-sized hoop). Sandoval didn't take up circus arts until he was 24, but his sports skills, not to mention work as both a tango instructor and in construction, stood him in good stead. Like Mariana, Nicolás emphasizes the idea that the new circus is more theater than circus. Miriam Edo Sugrañes teaches skills for the trapeze and silks (fabric strips that support the performer and that can be manipulated to provide lyrical shapes to support the performance).
When asked how the Mermejita Circus “stays in business,” Mariana replies, “It's taken a lot of work to get where we are, in our own place, and we are always looking for more work. But I'm a very lucky person—we don't have a lot of money, but at least I don't have to work at something else and do the circus on the side. I live for my work, really.”
a circus within the community, a circus that might be an attraction for tourists while at the same time benefiting the community by promoting and protecting the environment. By 2009, the Mermejita Circus company was formally organized to present performances and offer training workshops for adults and children.
Locally, the Mermejita Circus is usually in Mazunte in high season (December to March), when they perform in their own Espacio Mermejita in Mazunte (for free!) and in hotels and other performances spaces along the coast. Sometimes the hotel and local-venue performances are open to the public, but seeing them in Mazunte is way better.
( )
www.festivalcircomazunte.com/
www.facebook.com/mermejita.circus
Last year, Mermejita began working with Circo Atayde Hermanos, which is the oldest family-owned, continuously-operating circus in the world. Founded in 1888, Circo Atayde harks back to the traditional circus in many of its acts and the use of animals as performers. When Mariana and Nicolás visited the Atayde circus arts encuentro to take some workshops last year, Circo Atayde sat up and took notice, inviting Mermejita to return later in the year and again in April of this year. The pairing matches the best of the traditional with the innovation of contemporary circus.
The Eye 10
Frida´s
Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico
Fish Taco Food TruckHitting the Road July 2014
www.FridasFishTacos.com
TACOS DE PESCADOTACOS DE CAMARON
TACOS DE NOPAL
The Eye 11
lthough the distances between pueblos are short when measured in kilometers or hours, a visitor traveling the Oaxacan Coast and touring villages from Puerto Escondido to Huatulco will feel diverse emotions and can anticipate a variety of unique Aexperiences.
San Agustinillo is the place for you if you seek tranquility: a place to lie in a hammock on the beach and read. Or a quiet cove in which to build a sandcastle, a shore on which to stroll, viewing the seagulls, garzas, and pelicans that dot the rocks, sea, and sand. A tiny, quiet café/bar in which to sip an icy beer or margarita…or a strong, hot espresso. W i t h a l o c a l population of about 300, most residents of San Agustinillo are native to the area or hail from o ther par t s o f Mex i c o . A f ew foreigners have settled here over the years, mostly from France, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Britain. If you stand on the beach, you can see the whole town. One main road with some arteries weaves off into the hills.
Swimming and surfing are the main water sports. There's also a small library (La Biblioteca de San Agustinillo) located in the Casa Municipal, with a fine selection of books for all ages in several languages. Need something to read? The library lends books to everyone, locals and tourists alike, for no fee.
If that sounds like paradise, it is.
Maximum relaxation often includes massages and yoga. The best masseuse on the coast is Azeneth Aguirre, who offers massages by appointment at her home on Cerro Largo. There are yoga classes given by Mario Corella, owner of Cerro Largo cabañas (a peaceful, remote spot for those seeking pure isolation).
San Agustinillo is a delightful place for children. You won't find the usual frenetic beach activities like wave runners , je t sk is , parachute rides, and bungee jumping. But, here your children can run on the beach, collect shells, splashin the water and learn about turtles and the local flora and fauna.
During certain months of the year, there are also workshops and a reading program at the library.
On the main road you'll find an internet office and, across the road, an interesting Oaxacañan artisan store, Arte Sano, owned and managed by the friendly, delightful, and knowledgeable Isis and Hugo, who can explain the origin of the crafts and the various mezcals they sell. There's also an ice cream store, various tiendas for incidental items, and here on the main road you'll find entrances to most of the restaurants and hotels. There are no banks or nail salons in town.
Up the hill a bit (look for the signs), there's a true Irish bar run by a bonny Irish lass and her son. Called Casa Magica, there's a pool table, TV with channels for foreign sports, and a nice selection of cocktails. A recent addition to their business, the owners now offer charming, spacious two-story cabañas with kitchens.
Don't despair if you're the type of person who yearns for an evening of music, dancing, and socializing after a lazy, quiet day. The swinging villages of Mazunte and Zipolite are a stone's throw away: Mazunte a mere 1 kilometer from San Agustinillo and Zipolite 3 kilometers.
In these two pueblos the streets don't roll up after dark as they do in San Agustinillo. Day and night in Zipolite there are activities at El Colibri, a beach bar that attracts many foreign tourists. Owners Kevin Kelley and Gilda Torres know how to entertain, bringing years of experience to the coast, he from Chicago and she from Mexico City. There are major league American football, basketball, and hockey games shown on satellite TV during the appropriate seasons. You'll also discover live music, chess tournaments, and card games here. This bar is reminiscent of the one in the former TV sitcom Cheers, where “everybody knows your name” after your initial visit. Consider making it your first stop when visiting Zipolite to orient yourself to this beach.
Zipolite also boasts the best restaurant on the Costa Chica, called La Providencia. Owners Javier and Paco (originally from Mexico City) offer a fine dining experience in the magical jungle-like ambiance off the beaten path in Zipolite. Paco creates the sumptuous evening dinners in the kitchen while Javier attends to your every need. Both are amiable, and it is obvious that Providencia is their labor of love. Popular favorite main dishes are the medallions of beef, tuna or dorado, and the jumbo coconut shrimp. The appetizers, soups and desserts are also prepared with the freshest ingredients and most interesting spices. Reservations are suggested during the busy tourist season.
Businesses of the beach: cabañas and restaurants of San Agustinillo The majority of people who visit the Oaxacan Coast for a vacation want to sleep in a beachside accommodation, dreaming to the sounds of the waves crashing the sand in a comfortable, reasonably priced room. There are no high-rise hotels here, no room service, and no business centers (though most of the accommodations listed here do offer wireless internet service). Be aware that most hotels and restaurants do not take credit cards. Just recently cell phone service came to the area--there still are no land line phones. Most of the beachside businesses listed here serve two purposes: they provide comfortable cabañas and excellent dining experiences.
San Agustinillo: One Main Road and a Spectacular Beach
By Carole Reedy
The Eye 12
La Mora Posada and CaféLocated on the main road right in the center of town is the three-story La Mora, owned and operated by super-friendly, efficient, and helpful Mexico City natives Rosa and Nacho. Service is excellent at their café on the first floor, open 8 am to 2 pm for breakfast or lunch. The food is fresh, healthy, and cooked to order, with excellent homemade desserts, coffee, and Mexican specialties. In the evening, the space is converted into an Italian restaurant with tasty specialties created by native Italian Angelo.
On the second floor there are three pleasant rooms, one with a kitchen and the other two with small refrigerators and safes, one double bed, and showers with hot water (another amenity not available everywhere). The balconies face the beach so you can sit at your table and check your email while enjoying nature. Floor three is a one-bedroom apartment with a bird's-eye view of the sea and sand. A king-sized bed in the bedroom and futon in the sala make this a comfortable space for one to three people. There's also a full kitchen and terrace. Un SueñoWalk out of your white-washed individual cabaña onto the sand and into the beach breeze. Your home here with happy-go-lucky Julien Pardinilla (French and Spanish by way of Mexico City) is an attractive one-bedroom cabaña, one double bed with mosquito net, spacious bathroom, and porch. The palm-lined beach is your front yard.
Punta PlacerAs you walk the beach, you'll see the clients of Punta Placer relaxing on their terraces, watching the fishermen come in and go out to sea. All rooms face the ocean and have lovely interiors and bathrooms. There's also a small restaurant and impeccable individual service given by Claire and David, expats from France.
México Lindo y qué RicoThis was one of the first successful businesses on the beach and it remains so today due to the attentiveness of its proprietor, the lovely Leyla. Located on the end of town closest to Mazunte, the restaurant tables sit right on the beach, where you can enjoy meals from 8 am to 11 pm. There is fresh fish always, as well as pizza and Mexican specialties. The adjacent rooms are clean and comfortable with the expected excellent views. The repeat clientele itself speaks for the fine reputation of the hotel/restaurant. People come back every year and stay for weeks, even months!
Paraiso del PescadorThe beautiful, air-conditioned rooms of the new Paraiso del Pescador now sit beachside. Old-timers will remember when native San Agustinillo resident Theresa Rodíguez's hotel and restaurant was located on the other side of the road. This new building is larger much more deluxe. She and her family serve the same popular meals they have for the past 18 years, in the restaurant on the first floor.
Posada La TermitaBeautifully decorated deluxe spacious rooms on the beach surround the lovely patio restaurant owned by the dazzling, vivacious Isabel from Italy and her handsome and amiable husband Ricardo from Argentina. The specialty here is pizza, and we challenge you to find a better one. The calzones are also to die for!
El PelícanoBarbecued dorado is the specialty of lifetime Puerto Angel resident Lourdes and her family, who own and manage this beachfront restaurant. Be sure to try it. The excellent desserts are hard to pass up. There are a few rooms to rent and, of this writing, it appears that they are expanding.
Palapa EveliaEvelia and her husband Mario are long-time residents of San Agustinillo. According to her clients, she prepares the best huachinango on the beach. Right on the beach, next to Mexico Lindo, Evelia serves breakfast through late lunch. She also rents a few basic rooms above the restaurant with beautiful views at reasonable prices.
The small area of the coast that includes Playa Ventanilla, Mazunte, San Agustinillo, Zipolite, and Puerto Angel offers a vacation of interior discovery rather than a blast of external stimuli. Few people leave dissatisfied.
¡Disfruta la tranquilidad! Carole Reedy, a resident of Mexico City, lived in San Agustinillo for 10 years from 1999 to 2009. She is happy t o answer any ques t i ons you may have . carolina_reedy(at)yahoo.com
roll the taxi window down and let the warm, humid air blow across my face, the road straightens through the lush flat farmland growing mangoes and papayas and then winds upwards towards the coast. My first glimpse of the water is always a welcoming sign. Almost home Iagain. Just 45 mins north from the Huatulco Airport, the
small seaside communities of Ventanilla, Mazunte and San Agustinillo shine like diamonds along the Oaxacan coast. Three years ago we took the leap, having fallen head over heels in love with the area, and built a home in San Agustinillo. This quaint coastal village with it's picture perfect bay and warm wide golden beaches is safe, warm and inviting. If you are searching for a tranquil vacation with just enough amenities to satisfy your cappuccino cravings or a cool handmade Italian Gelado midday, then San Agustinillo is waiting for you.
Here are my top three things to do when you can drag your feet from the ridicoulsly warm water of the Pacific .
Hike to Punta CometaWalk up the hill from San A g u s t i n i l l o i n t o neighbouring Mazunte and follow the main road to the beach. Just before you see the beach, the road branches to the right. During the rainy season this road is prone to wash outs and despite paving it each year, the water always wins, washing all the hard work away. The road runs by the cemetery with its pots of artificial flowers and crumbling headstones . Keep going and watch for the wooden markers saying simply -Punta Cometa.
This trail offers spectacular vistas of Playa Mermejita and the rolling Pacific Ocean from the unique perspective of a peninsula jutting into the water. Punta Cometa is the most southern peninsula on the Pacific side of the North American continent. Local history tells a story of a treasure hidden by the Aztecs somewhere on Punta Cometa. It is considered by many to be a magical and healing spot. Many searching sacred wisdom visit Punta Cometa on their journey of self discovery. A gigantic towering cactus was living on the point, but the last hurricane toppled the succulent. New, younger offspring are flourishing and if your visit is in the spring, they will delight you with a bounty of yellow blooms. Once you have walked the circular route and appreciated the Pacific from the various vantage points, take the trail back and savour sunset from Playa Mermejita, the perfect place to watch the orange fireball sun melt like ice cream into the Pacific.
Monday market in PochutlaRise early on Monday and hop on the back one of the many white and blue collectivos that provide cheap quick transport into Pochutla. You will bounce along on two wooden benches rubbing elbows with children in school uniforms, moms holding babies, farmers with their sacks of coffee and locals on their way to work. Monday is market day and Pochutla won't disappoint. The white canvas awnings filter the sun and vendors line the streets that are closed to traffic, selling everything from mole to pirated DVDs. I buy red leaf lettuce straight from the farm, white Calla Lillies picked from the highlands, a loaf of bread still warm from the oven and hiding under a red checkered cloth and six ripe red tomatoes, taking care not to topple the perfectly balanced display. Take time to people watch at the new outdoor cafe right on the square where they serve authentic Oaxacan hot chocolate in a ceramic bowl.
Whale and Dolphin Boat Ride Wake early and catch a ride on one of the four boats Captain Beto Fajardo has waiting on the beach of San Agustinillo. His parents were one of the two founding families of San Agustinillo and for generations have been fishing these waters. The powerful motor quickly cuts through the waves and out to the open ocean where you will squeal with delight as Humpback Whales breach right beside you in perfect synchronicity. Three pods of school aged dolphins cavort for my camera but I'm not quick enough to catch the sailfish in flight. We stop and snorkel in a secluded bay where a momma Manta Ray and her two babies swim by. Yellow Parrot fish and tiny iridescent blue ones are spotted feeding on the coral. I bob up, just in time to see a large turtle swim by. These gentle creatures were once slaughtered all along this coast but now are protected and a government funded rehabilitation / education centre in Mazunte explains the tragic history and new focus on preservation. The ride culminates in a rapid run for the beach which Beto navigates with precision and years of practise . We land high on the sand as the hull sails over the two logs placed there to help with our assent, and pulls the motor up , just in time.
Leigh Morrow is a Vancouver writer. You can rent her home in San Agustinillo during times when she is back
in Canada. www.gosanagustinillo.com.
3 Must-Do Activities!
By Leigh Morrow
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The Coastal Lagoons of Oaxaca by Day and Night
By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
he coastal lagoons of Oaxaca are hidden treasures. Many people drive along the coast highway with no destinations in mind other than towns or beaches. But in fact some fascinating lagoons lie a relatively short distance off the main road. T
Two large lagoons not far from Huatulco are very accessible. Manialtepec Lagoon is located north of Puerto Escondido, and La Ventanilla is slightly north of Puerto Angel. In addition, the
These lagoons are frequented by birders, biologists, and savvy tourists in addition to indigenous people. Lagoons around the world are remarkable for the biodiversity of the habitat, which provides shelter and sustenance to an enormous variety of animal species and rare plants. As coastal lagoons are gradually disappearing, it is worthwhile taking the opportunity now to experience ones that are close. The current enthusiasts for lagoons would probably be glad to keep these treasures hidden, but the more people who recognize the value of lagoons and delight in what they offer, the larger will be the constituency for protecting them.
If you visit during daytime, the beauty of the lagoons, even from a distance, is breath-taking. Since the lagoons are fed by both fresh water rivers and streams of water flowing from mountains and ocean tides, the mineral content of the water varies within the same lagoon and between them. This variation produces remarkable changes in color as your boat moves from place to place, or if you raise your eyes you will see a roiling kaleidoscope of colors from deep blue to green to grey and brown.
The islands in lagoons appear to float above the water, because the trees that adapt to living in a lagoon magically begin above the surface and appear to be walking on the water. The primary trees are mangroves, which are adapted to saline conditions, at times, even more intense than sea water. Red mangroves ring the islands, standing on long exposed salt-resistant roots. Black and white mangroves and button willows spread out in the interiors of the islands, protected by their red cousins. None of these plants are seen outside tropical latitudes. The mangroves not only bind the soil in place against tidal action, they actually make soil by capturing sediment that is flowing past. They provide a fertile environment for other trees and plants including coconut, spaghetti algae and widgeon grass. In the shallower parts of the lagoons, water lilies show off their beautiful flowers that you may have only seen previously in the most opulent paintings of Monet.
Lagunas de Chacahua (a national park) are relatively close to Puerto Escondido but cannot be accessed without taking a boat ride.
Under the surface, the roots of the mangroves provide a sanctuary and nursery for a rich collection of sea life-from microorganisms to invertebrate larvae, to oysters, crabs, and baby fish. Swimming in and out of the mangrove roots are sea bass, catfish, and other finny friends.
The mangroves harbor a rich soup of delicacies that attract hundreds of different types of birds. Some of the birds that you will see in lagoons are actually common on the Oaxacan coast; these include pelicans, herons, ibis and egrets. Still, you are unlikely to experience the thrilling sight of a tree full of pelicans elsewhere. Birders are attracted to lagoon areas because of the presence of more elusive species such as the roseate spoonbill and the white fronted parrot. Birders who keep meticulous records of their sightings can check off over 350 different species of birds.
But visitors to lagoons, beware! Lurking in wait for a tasty avian or fish dinner are crocodiles. The “log” floating in the water near the mangroves can turn into a huge mouth full of nasty teeth. Although the crocs have plenty of nonhuman food to keep their bellies full, it's best not to trail your hands or feet in the water while
gliding through the lagoons. Other reptilian cousins found among the mangroves include iguanas, lizards and snakes. But they are less intrepid than their toothy relatives, and glimpses are rare.
Humans are only one species of mammals attracted to the lagoons. Deer can commonly be seen on the lagoon shores, even though they are shy. Tiny rodents provide a draw for carnivores such as bobcats and omnivorous racoons.
By night, the predatory mammals become more active. If you take a moonlit trip through a lagoon, it can be quite an auditory adventure. The hoots of owls, the rustle of the mammalian hunters, and the sound of waves on the beaches at the end of the lagoons provide a nocturnal chorus.
Continued on page 15
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Lagoons continued from page 14We are fortunate to have available to us a magnificent night-time lagoon experience at the Manialtepec lagoon. It cannot be guaranteed at every visit because it is dependent on the temperature and currents of the ocean and the light conditions. Given the right circumstances, millions of phosphorescent dinoflagellates are washed into Manialtepec lagoon, turning the waters luminescent. Tiny points of light float lazily around you under the surface of the water. On clear moonless nights, it seems as if millions of stars above have been reflected in the waters below. Moreover, every large object in the water, especially if it is moving, will be outlined in a hauntingly brilliant silver-blue aura. Your boat driver will invite you to swim in these dark but glowing waters. If you do, and see your body invisible but your outline ablaze, you will have an indelible memory that cannot easily be duplicated anywhere on earth.
Why are the lagoons gradually vanishing? It is sad to realize that we humans are destroying lagoons. Some are being destroyed by draining the waters and removing the mangroves to build hotels. Most are perishing by slowly being poisoned by agricultural toxic fertilizer that washes into the rivers that feed the lagoons. And even human visitors who carelessly toss trash into the lagoons speed up the deterioration.
If this article has stimulated you to want to see the lagoons, you'll have to take some initiative to do so. We're not going to provide the standard information about locations of entrances to these attractions, available services, and hours of operation. If you are interested in experiencing and protecting this precious habitat, we hope you will make the effort to enjoy the lagoons by day or night.
Going East.... By Julie Etra
o the east of Huatulco is a long strip of tranquil beaches and hidden surf spots that are worth exploring if you have an adventurous spirit. The best way is by car, which you can rent or hire a taxi. T
Just beyond Conejos lies La Bocana, which literally means outlet or mouth, in this case of the Copalita River (Copalita means the little Copal tree, a species that grows in the areas and is famous for its peeling bark and resinous sap). La Bocana is just on the edge o f Fonatur ' s jurisdiction, which ends in the middle of the river. This is a popular surfing beach frequented by locals and some ex pats and tourists, with several palapa restaurants and a small hotel. It is a great place to grab lunch or a snack and watch the surf. The actual estuary is just east of the beach and is a fantastic place for bird watching, and is the outlet for river rafting trips down the Copalita.
The next beach community is Playa el Mojon (meaning milestone, milepost, marker) located off the grid. Surf can be good here too but it is also known for its tranquility, remoteness, and non-Fonatur oversight while still close to the amenities of Huatulco. Playa el Mojon has mostly single-family homes and vacation rentals, owned by nationals and non-Mexicans, and a small hotel. Word has it that an organic farm is in the planning stages at the eastern end of the back beach. The next community of note along the coast is Barra de la Cruz, famous for its very good surf, beach lagoon, and rich flora and fauna. It was established in the 1960s in the municipality of Santiago Astata, and has a population of around 600 primarily of Zapotec and Chontal descent. The community is traditional and mostly self-governing with its own celebrations and extensive knowledge of the medicinal plants, mangroves, and cultivation of coconuts, papayas, limes, bananas, mangos, and other tropical crops on which it largely relied in the earlier days. Of course that has changed with the construction of Highway 200 and the development of Huatulco. The town professes to not sell property to foreigners, including other Mexicans not from Barra. None-the-less services are limited but the setting is gorgeous. The last time I was there in 2012 there was a good community operated palapa restaurant on the beach with cold beer, which they quit serving in the late afternoon. Pepe's surf shop also has a restaurant. There are seven to eight good months of surfing. Check this video to get a better feel for the
place.
Farther east on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are var ious beaches, none of which I have visited, but Chipehua stands out as a particularly interesting place, only 47 km to the west of Salina Cruz. I first learned of this c o m m u n i t y r e a d i n g L a Almadraba by Leonardo Da Jandra, and then again in an Oaxaca City newspaper article. It is also a less-known surfing beach, but has recently received funds from the government to build a small ecotourism center. The locals are mostly fishermen but the new center has a restaurant and cabanas for rent equipped with hammocks, a tranquil place where you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves. There is a huge sand dune formed by the wind, mangroves, trails, and the ruins of Polvorín that can all be explored with help from the local guides. Sign me up!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php? v=803430649668661&set=vb.377139545631109&type=2&theater
esidents of coastal cities and towns on both the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico start to turn their eyes toward the skies and watch with expectancy (and sometimes dread) at the local area weather forecasts, sometime around mid May - the official Rstart of Hurricane Season.
But, for those of us living on the beautiful coast of Oaxaca, this year those reports started early, and along with them, the
rdHurricane Hunters, of the 53 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based out of Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.
When the first tropical depression of the season started showing strong signs of becoming a full-blown hurricane, the Hurricane Hunters fired up the 4 4300 horsepower turbo prop engines on their Hercules C-130H aircraft and prepared to enter the storm.
The Hurricane Hunters, an elite squadron of highly trained expert pilots, navigators and weather experts, are responsible for the transmission of data that helps the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predict the track and force of a hurricane; a task that has likely saved thousands of lives.
On their recent reconnaissance of the Pacific tropical storm, they made a stop in Huatulco and offered a select few a look at their impressive aircraft, sophisticated equipment and gave the press a glimpse at what few humans have ever seen with their personal accounts of what it is like to enter the eye of a hurricane.
Lieutenant Colonel John Talbot describes his experience inside the 'Herc' aircraft when flying through a storm as not really dangerous, or even that scary after 25 years on the job, but certainly bumpy. He says in the “Eye Wall”, the roughest part of the ride, just before the plane breaks into the eye of the hurricane, the plane can go up or down 500 meters!
The C-130H has a fuel autonomy of more than 12 hours. A normal flight for the crew will last 8 to 12 hours. They take off from their base in Biloxi and fly to the storms location,
rdanywhere within their coverage zone. The 53 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron covers a huge geographic area. They fly the northern Atlantic coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico across Mexico to the Pacific coast and over to the Hawaiian Islands.
Once they arrive to the storm, they have a set flight path, two straight lines that form an X through the storm. To make the two passes through the storm they start at its outer edge, flying parallel to the winds, pass through storm enter the eye wall, and exit the other side before changing position to enter the storm again 90 degrees from their initial entry point.
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During their round-trip flight from Mississippi, they will fly this X pattern through the hurricane 4 to 5 times, gathering real-time data that is instantly transmitted via satellite to the National Hurricane Center. Of the crew of 4, there are 2 who are responsible for meteorological data gathering, the Aerial Reconna issance Weather Of f i cer and Weather
Loadmaster/Dropsonde Systems Operator.
Weather data, like the storms position, speed is gathered with instruments on the aircraft itself. Other meteorological data is gathered with a highly specialized weather instrument that is dropped from the airplane, called a dropsonde. A dropsonde is equipped with tiny computers that gather weather data as it falls through the storm on its way to a watery grave. This little instrument can measure, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, temperature, all important factors in determining where a hurricane may make land fall and what category it will be when it does.
All of that valuable data is transmitted automatical ly to the National Hurricane Center, which is using it to communicate wi th emergency preparedness crews in nearby cities and towns.
Of course, once hurricane season is in full swing, there is potential for the NHC to be tracking more than one storm at a time. And they need data 24 hours a day, in order to make accurate predictions that can save lives and money. With crews of 4 traveling 12 hours in just one flight, how do they
manage to cover all this area for an entire hurricane season? Well, they have 10 aircraft and 20 crews of 4 that serve in the
rd53 . They are equipped to send 2 or 3 aircraft to the same location in order to gather real-time data around the clock. All told, they can cover 3 storms at the same time.
Luckily, the storm these Hurricane Hunters came to track in early May, remained a tropical storm. But, had the storm developed differently, those of us living here on the Mexican
rdcoast, would have had the brave men and women of the 53 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron to thank for the early warnings and potentially life saving evacuation orders.
Once completing their mission here in Huatulco the Hunters were off to track other potentially destructive storms including hurricanes Amanda, Boris and Christina, so far this season. But with weather patterns becoming more extreme on a global scale, they are sure to see even more letters of the alphabet fly by as the 2014 hurricane season rages on.
Hurricane HuntersBy Kary Vannice
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Zócalo- Oaxaca City
Xochimilco Organic Market
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Duplicate Bridge (ACBL sanctioned)
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Hidalgo 104, Jalatlaco
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Music: Bebe y TuCafe CentralHidalgo 302
9pm
Music: Evening of Beatles Songsat Funky Cat
Belisario Dominguez 100110pm FREE
Mezcal Fair July 19th-30th
El Llano
GuelagetzaLunes del Cerro
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Mushroom FairSee Page 12for details.
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8:30pm FREE
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Starts 6pm at 8 regions fountain and ends at
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