In The Jail - Part 1

I am not Mayan, nor could I ever be mistaken for a Mayan woman, not even in my very colourful embroidered Mayan uniform with a red sash, but I played one in real life.  In the spa where I worked when I first arrived to the City of Broken Hearts, we had to welcome every guest with an energy cleanse (I believe this is called "smudging" in Native American traditions).  Here in Mexico it is an ancient Mayan tradition used to cleanse and repel evil influence.  My coworkers and I would go to the open fire, grab hot coals and put them into a "copalero", a ceramic pot where we would mix the coals with fresh rosemary, cinnamon and copal that would initiate a smoke that we would blow around the people before their treatment - sometimes sparks would fly and ashes would land in their hair or on their skin.  I always burned myself on the hot coals in the fire, I used to chuckle to myself because I'm so not Mayan and I have this Mayan uniform and have to smoke the people's energy!

This was nothing compared to our duties called the "checklist" - we all had to take a turn daily and come into work at 7am (2 hours earlier than our normal shift) once a week to clean the black stuff off the candle holders, oil down the tables, clean the rooms, and count how many little facial towels there were, and if any were missing, we had to figure out where they were.  Many days I got to work so tired, wondering how I ever agreed to do this for 64 pesos a day?  Popping out 30 candles, putting the candle holders into the sink and washing them with soap, drying them and then putting the candles back in, refilling the sand and incense sticks - really ridiculous chores!  It was originally started as a punishment, but before my time.

The hotel was so strict, it was like being in a jail, employees had a separate entrance than suppliers, and if we were caught walking in that entrance, we would be in trouble (all that separated them was a small bush!).  There was a fat authoritative figure sitting behind a desk at the entrance who would punch our timecard, which we had to sign, and if we were late or missed a day for a sickness, they would take away our tips for three days.  We had to show up with our uniform on, clean and pressed and were checked daily for any wrinkles, we were not allowed to go into the hotel with any purses, bags or cell phones.  Sometimes we were asked to take a breathalizer test at the end of our shift, all of us had to take it before they would punch our timecard and we had to stand in a line for them to check our bags.  

One time I had checked my timecard after my shift but forgot that I needed to get my new uniform from the warehouse, which was about 30 ft. from the entrance.  I stepped over the line and the fat authoritative figure said, "Don't take one more step, you cannot cross that line after you have checked your timecard!"  They treated us like pheasants on a good day, criminals on a bad day.

From Prada to Nada

After 9 years living in my little conservative town in Central Mexico, my relationship with the Mexican ended and I moved to an even smaller beach town.  I like to call it the "City of Broken Hearts", as everyone, including me, has come here with a broken heart, in search of healing because of all the new age therapies, the calming ocean and unlimited resources of yoga and meditation you can find here.  My life eerily unfolded just like Liz Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love.  I lost my business, my home and the love of my life, put everything I had in storage and arrived to the beach with nothing but a small suitcase for vacation and I never looked back…well, almost never, actually I looked back A LOT OKAY?!  I had it good with the Mexican, I was a domestic goddess that worked part-time and travelled the rest of the time.  Now I had to work harder than I ever would in my life.

I landed a job, a roommate and a boyfriend all in the first week, everything flowed so I knew it was meant to be…it was always my dream to live at the beach, but I didn't know it was going to be even more of a challenge.  Now on my own in Mexico, I had to face a lot of change - I went from a stable, working, family environment to WTF is this craziness?  

There are two things most expats do here at the beach: work in hotels or timeshares, I chose the hotel route.  All hotel workers have to work 6 days a week here, with 4 days off a month what can you possibly do with your life?  Management jobs are actually worse, not better as you might think, requiring you to work 12-14 hour days, remember Mexicans are used to arriving late and leaving late?  

On my one day a week off, I mostly just wanted to sleep, but I had one day to get groceries, check email, do laundry, pay bills, do banking, no time for fun!  I didn't do any yoga or even walk on the beach the first month.  I was mourning my life as a housewife!  It got dark here at 5 pm and if I was lucky and got to work the morning shift, I would get home at 4 and then have one hour and have to make the most of it, I needed time management baby!!!  I desperately wanted balance in my life, and the new boyfriend wanted me to spend all my spare time with him and I didn't have the energy or time, I wanted to have part-time boyfriend only. 

Everything was the opposite of what my life used to be - I went from dry to humid weather, I had no computer so I was back to internet cafes, I sold my car and got a bicycle and started taking the bus to work, no laundry machine so I was back to washing my clothes by hand, no stove so back to cooking on a hot plate and no Mexican, now I was living with a roommate and sleeping in a single bed - grrrrrr!  I was back to the frugal life, feeling like I was in college again, sitting on a plastic stool and eating on my roommate's massage table in the living room!!  When my sister saw the pictures of my apartment, she was so concerned about where I sat to eat dinner, I told her: "Don´t you know that us single gals eat standing up over the sink, that is why we stay skinny!".  I was so busy that I didn't have time to think "woe is me" anymore.  I went from working part-time to slave, I never had time to meet new friends and I hardly saw my roommate, I enjoyed chatting with my coworkers, as we all shared a common bond and understood each other.  A lot of people that I met at work and at the beach were all running away from something traumatic that happened to them in another city in Mexico, it appeared that we all were in the same boat here, seeking emotional refuge in each other, wanting to start a new life.

Hidden Gems of Mexico - Part 2

Another special place I like to go for a romantic getaway is Careyes, located in the Costalegre Region, between Puerto Vallarta and Barra de Navidad.  

From the first moment of arrival, we were so impressed with the personal and outstanding service they gave us - we were greeted with cold aromatherapy towels, led to our beautiful casita, "Papaya", with an open terrace/kitchen and breathtaking views of the bay.  They even offered to upgrade us to a larger 2-bedroom casita with a private plunge pool, but we declined as our casita had a better view.  This is a very romantic, unique and charming place, even the linens seemed to pick up the lovely smells from the flowers and nature around the casita.  The brightly colored casitas and bougainvillea flowers just made me smile every day.  You will get plenty of exercise hiking up and down the stairs to the beach and restaurant below.

The highlight of our trip was that we got to release baby turtles into the ocean.  The service here was impeccable, the staff went the extra mile to make sure we were well taken care of.  I would highly recommend this place for honeymooners, couples or anyone just wanting to get away and escape into a peaceful environment with birds and wildlife.  You will enjoy the sounds of the chachalacas (mini peacocks) that surround the villas.

You can take a drive down to Boca de Iguanas, a quiet beach about 45 min. away and enjoy a platter of delicious fresh oysters for 120 pesos.

The secret to staying here on a budget?  Go to www.luxurylink.com and you can find 4-night packages for approx. USD$1,200 that includes breakfast daily at the Playa Rosa Restaurant, couples massage, bottle of tequila and fresh fruit bowl.  I had the absolute best enchiladas in my life here, the breakfasts were so luxurious and filling, not "continental" like in most places.  The spa was equally a great experience, while not super luxurious but the therapists were great.  www.careyes.com.mx

What You Resist, Persists!

At first, I was flattered by the attention I got being a blond in Mexico, sometimes even feeling like a celebrity in my little town, where there were hardly any foreigners - everyone was so interested to talk to me, find out where I was from, etc. but after awhile, the charm wore off and I wanted to dye my hair brown.  But my Mexican boyfriend said, "it won't matter, they can spot you a mile away by the way you dress".  I guess that was an insult to my flip-flops and shorts attire, as locals usually only wear this type of clothing at the beach!  I never really notice it, how much I stand out, I'm just used to being in Canada, where it's very multi-cultural and there's a bit of everything. 

If you're single and looking to pick up men in Mexico, highways might be a great option for you!  My very first road trip by myself, I drove 4 hours from my little town to another city to visit a girlfriend, and on my way home, I stopped at a gas station and continued on to my exit on the highway towards home.  I started to notice this car in front of me driving very slow, so I passed, then it sped up and passed me again, then pulled in front of me and slowed down again.  I passed again, it passed me again and he started waving as he drove by.  I don't know how he could see me that well as I had a scarf hanging in my window to shield me from the sun.  Then we came to a toll booth and he was in front.  When I drove through, the lady handed me his business card and told me the gentleman wanted me to call him, but he didn't pay my toll!  He kept playing the same game until his exit finally approached, and he pulled over and was waiting for me to stop and say hello.  OK, I think I'm cute, but not THAT cute that a guy would follow me 3 hours on the highway to get my number!  When I told my Mexican friends about it, the first thing they asked was, "What kind of car did he drive?"  I'm like, it doesn't matter, he's a psycho!!

Trucks would drive by on the highway and men would just hang out the window, waving and smiling or yelling at me.  I'm not sure how they can see me from so far away.  A policeman stopped me once on my way home on the highway, and I asked him "What did I do?"  And he's like, "Nothing, I just wanted to get your number."

Another time I was in a market with a friend from Canada, and we were having breakfast at a little juice stand, all of a sudden this group of about 12 guys came up to us and asked if they could take a picture with us, we said sure, so they crowd around us and we are in the middle, just laughing, thinking we are going to be in some scrapbook somewhere and we don't even know these guys.  Then later they start following us around and want to film us, we started to get annoyed and could not get rid of them, we ended up running around the market in a maze trying to lose them and they were chasing after us with a camera!  We ended up hiding out in a little leather shop.  My friend was really freaked out and was paranoid the whole day.

Being blond has definitely been advantageous in Mexico, like when I applied for a membership at the movie rental place.  Normally, they ask for 2 references that they call and you have to have a sponsor sign for you, but because I was a foreigner, they said, OK, we'll just waive that and you can rent right away!  Also, travelling with me has its perks, usually I get ushered through customs right away and never get stopped to see what's in my luggage.  Here, they love foreigners coz they are just waiting to rip you off the minute you step outside the airport!

Lucky in Love...er Guanajuato

They say if we are lucky, we only get one great love in our lifetime, so if this is true, then I think Guanajuato just may be mine...

Guanajuato has a beautiful energy, the city fascinates me and I always feel alive and want to sing when I walk the cobblestone streets downtown to the Jardin del Union, or sit outside the Teatro de Juarez, kiss at the Callejon del Beso, or meditate in all the beautiful churches. I like to take a bus through the underground tunnels or enjoy a coffee at the Zopilote Mojado Cafe.  

I like to stroll the streets and fantasize about living in those little apartments overlooking the streets with little plants and bougainvilleas hanging over wrought-iron terraces.  I always wanted to rent one of those little apartments just to feel what it would be like to wake up in the morning and open up the shutters to the veranda, sun on your face, and say "Good morning, Guanajuato!"

When I used to tell people in Canada that I lived near Guanajuato, the first thing they were curious about was the Museum of the Mummies, and I always got dragged to it when friends came to visit.  Myself, I find it a bit disturbing just how preserved they are - even their hair is still in tact, and you can see some mothers with a pregnant belly still. 

Guanajuato is also home to the famous International Cervantino Festival held every year in October, where you can enjoy music, art and theatre productions for three weeks long.

"La Callejoneada" is a night tour of all the streets in Gto. with a group of men from the Folkloric Ballet at the University who get dressed up in velvet outfits and lead you around playing guitar, singing Mexican folk songs, telling you legends about each street and drinking tequila disguised as Kool-Aid.

I was fortunate to attend the University of Gto's intensive Spanish program for 6 months.  Tuition here was extremely cheap - in those days it was 2003, I only paid 1200 pesos for the whole semester!  Here they don't charge you more because you are a foreigner.  If you want to learn Spanish, go here, it's the most bang for your buck and the teachers are fabulous.

Assault on the Tastebuds

The pig is not really a sacred animal in Mexico.  They hang them up by their legs or cut off their heads and display them in the open-air markets, squish them in trucks to go to the slaughter house, and serve them at elaborate weddings.  I remember my first Mexican wedding - it was very elegant, with round tables and chairs draped in white linens, wrapped with teal blue ribbons and bows, beautiful matching linen napkins, and in the middle of the table a big bowl of pig skin salsa - I thought it was a regular salsa as most tables always have a bowl of salsa on them - so I started to eat it with tortilla chips and then after a few chews of what I thought was onion, I realized it was like chewing on my arm - skin it was, Chicharron (pig skin) is a very common thing that Mexicans like to eat, I guess you could say it's a bit of a delicacy here - they like to eat it in the form of raw skin sliced up, or pickled and made into a salsa, or it can be dried into spicy or plain potato-like chips in a bag to snack on, they also sell it in the markets in big dried slabs and they eat it with pozole, in the form of a crunchy tostada with salsa ontop, or slow cooked in a spicy tomato sauce served for breakfast.  I have seen people carrying huge bags of this up the streets on their backs on a hot Sunday.  But no matter how they prepare it, I have not warmed up to this dish.  Maybe the simulated chicharron potato chip, but even that I am not sure what's in it.

At my first Mexican birthday party, the main dish was a strawberry tamale with refried beans, which I thought was odd as it was like eating a sweet dessert with beans.  Corn tamales here can be sweet or savory - chicken with green sauce, green chile with cheese, pork with red sauce, prune, coconut, guava or strawberry.

Menudo is a rather repulsive dish, it's a soup made out of cow's stomach, but apparently it is famous for curing hangovers.  The pure smell of this cooking miles away can make me want to vomit more than from the alcohol I drank the night before, it really does smell like the inside of a cow's stomach!  I also inadvertently tried cow's tongue cut up in small pieces disguised as beef in a quesadilla.  I knew right away before even swallowing that it was like chewing on my own tongue!

Pozole is a Mexican soup made with white corn, chicken or pork, and they throw fresh lettuce, onion, oregano, lime and cilantro on top, I thought this was really disgusting the first time I tried it, to put fresh lettuce in hot soup, now I absolutely love it!

The only thing I have not tried yet is the iguana - if I could just catch one...

He Had Me @ Hello

It has been said that the English language is for business, French is for romance and Spanish is for talking to God.  Why is it that when Mexicans come to Canada, they have sexy accents in English, but when us Canadians go to Mexico, they say we sound like dogs barking when we speak Spanish?  Sometimes I really cringe when I overhear Americans and Canadians speaking Spanish, it's the worst accent ever, and I think 'Gosh, do I really sound like that?'  The European accent however is more fluent and understandable. 

A typical conversation at the gas station might go like this:

Me: "Hola"

Him:  "You're not from here, are you?"

Me: "Why?"

Him:  "Well, you speak kind of crooked"

All I said was hello!

Now I joke with the gas station attendants and I will say, "Yes, I was born here but I didn't learn how to speak Spanish properly" and they will give me a puzzled look and are not sure how to answer that.

A typical conversation in the market might go like this:

Me: “numero seis (6)” 

Him: “tres (3)?” 

Me: “no, seis (6)”

Him “diez (10)”

Me: “SEEEIS.”

Him: “Ahhhhhh seis.”

A Word About Mexican Friends...

I adore my Mexican friends, they adopted me into their social circles with open arms and they are the most fun, happy and loving people you will ever meet, but get yourself in a crisis and you need their help?  Usually they won't answer their phone and they won't come through for you - many of my Mexican friends have disappeared suddenly without a call or text to cancel when we had concrete plans and you can almost always expect a text a few days later about how they left their phone at home, their boyfriend got his finger slammed in the door of the taxi and they ended up going to the hospital, or that their mom's best friend arrived without notice to the airport and they had to pick her up, their cell phone died, they didn't have credit or some other invented Chinese story.  But the many Oxxo's on every corner can assure you that there's no more excuse for not having credit!

On the other hand, they can be incredibly honest about things - one night I was out with a friend and she ran into an ex-boyfriend and said to him, "What happened to you?  You got so fat!"  I could not believe it, as Canadians, even if your best friend asks you if she looks fat, you never say so.  Or she would tell me straight to my face that wearing flip-flops to a restaurant was not appropriate and that I should change.  

Mexican women dress up fancy wherever they go, whether it be to take out the garbage or go to the corner store, they always have their nails and hair done, lots of makeup, lots of jewellery, high heels, and they love to wear labels, whether they are fake or real.  Labels were hard to find where I was living, and if you did find them in a boutique somewhere, they were triple the price of what you would pay at home, so most people shopped in the tianguis markets where everything was fake.  Recently I was in Canada and I asked a friend if his Pumas sneakers were real, he laughed and replied, "What do you mean, real??!  What other kind are there?"  I got so used to people always asking me in Mexico if my purse, watch, etc. was real or from tianguis!  

Baby girls get their ears pierced before they leave the hospital and my friend would always put gel and accessories in her baby's hair, as well as put perfume on her.  Mexicans love to be well-groomed and always smelling nice!  Us Canadians could take a lesson or two from them...

The REAL Housewives of Mexico

I have rented apartments in Mexico that did not come with toilet seats, nor a fridge, stove and forget about finding one with a washer or dryer, this is considered a luxury here.  Most people only use washers as they dry their clothing in the sun.  This was very disconcerting for me when I first arrived as I was a bit of a princess coming from Canada and I wasn't willing to iron wrinkled clothes in my spare time!  The laundromats would not allow you to wash your own, so we would drop it off and for a small fee of about 6 pesos per kilo they would wash, dry and fold your laundry and pack it neat in a bag for you.  I thought this was a great luxury, until my first bunch of whites came back grey!  So I started washing things by hand or taking them to my mother-in-law's, but even she had one of those old-fashioned washing machines that only washed but did not spin the clothes!  Oh Cielos, it was like going back in time!

My first apt. did not have any cupboards or counters in the kitchen, just a sink with tiny taps and hardly any water pressure, and no counter around the sink in the bathroom and if we leaned too hard on it, it started falling from the wall!  The family loaned us a couch and a bed and we bought a small fridge for our daily essentials, an electric hot plate and made a toaster out of a coat hanger - I felt like I was camping most days, although I lived right downtown!  Thank goodness we lived right across the street from El Pipirin, "Cocina Economica" - a little kitchen that sold home-cooked Mexican food to go - every day I would line up with all the rest of the lazy housewives on the block at 12 noon and we would fight over the beans, rice, meat, salsa, tortillas and the special of the day like enchiladas or chile rellenos, they would put everything in a little sealed bag instead of a plastic container.  A meal here for two would only cost us about 60 pesos so it was cheap and delicious.  Many Mexican families run businesses out of their homes, so at night we would go to our favorite little house that sold tamales and "atole" - a hot drink made with corn flour and chocolate, or our favorite "tacos de pastor" at Los Pingüinos and Los Catrines, where they would put the hottest red salsa on your taco called "Resueño", which meant you would remember it because you would get diarrhea the next day!  

In those days, it was 1999 and it was very hard to find rentals, we found a house in a nice area out of town but were competing with other families for this house, it was the only one for rent!  So we ended up living downtown in a house that was made into 3 apartments, ours was at the top so there was hardly any water pressure.  And sometimes an odd green oily substance would come out of the shower, if we even had water at all, sometimes the wells in the street would be dry for 2-3 days.  And we would have to pack buckets of water up the stairs to flush the toilet.  I don't think we even had hot water, we just waited for the sun to heat the tank on the roof, I remember many times bathing with a bucket over my head because the water would just trickle out.  And I would have to go yell out the window at the neighbors downstairs to turn on the pump.  It was cold at night in the winter months with no heaters and tiled floors, and our apt. was infested with earwigs, flying cockroaches (I didn't know they could fly!), and other unrecognizable flying insects.  Street vendors would ring our doorbell at 7am to sell oranges, bread, etc.

Rent was very cheap, I think we paid around 3,000 pesos a month for that little apt.  But you are on your own to pay for any repairs, plumbing, etc. that may go wrong with your apt.  Mexican landlords will not pay these expenses for you, I have tried to explain that in Canada, this type of thing is included in our rent, they just give me blank stares.

Cell phones in those days were huge and expensive, so daily we would go to the internet cafe and write emails to our families.  My fiance's cousins lived nearby so we just did the pop-in whenever we wanted to get together, they didn't have cell phones, I think it was still pagers in those days!  We were not able to get a telephone in our house - Telmex had simply "ran out of lines" in our area, as hard as that was to believe.  My friends who had kids only had 2 or 3 toys, they did not have an excess of stuff for their kids like we do in Canada.

The highlight of my day would be going to the movie theatre because they miraculously had movies in English with Spanish subtitles so it was my little escape to feel somewhat "at home".  And movies were so cheap,  at 35 pesos it was becoming a daily habit.

I learned from the beginning of my journey, that you can live on very little, and I became very frugal because resources were simply just not there and I had to learn to live without my English magazines, TV, stove, telephone, washer and dryer and peanut butter!  I stopped knowing what was going on in the "real world" of celebrities, news, etc. and started living in a bubble.  My life got simpler and simpler as the days went on...

Where Are All The Toilet Seats?

I know they sell them in Mexico, I've seen them in every department store, but where are they?  This has been my biggest pet peeve!  I keep waiting to stumble upon the big secret of where they all are….Public washroom stalls will have missing doors with a seat, or a door but no seat, and some won't have any of the above and be full of s&*$ and plugged up because some foreigner put paper in the toilet.  You must always put toilet paper in the garbage bin, as disgusting at that may be, never flush it down the toilet, plumbing systems here cannot process paper.  

Bathrooms at bus stations will have locked revolving gates that you have to put a 5 peso coin in to get access - these will usually at least have paper, but still no toilet seats.  In airports, bars and malls, there is usually a señora who works at the sink for tips, she will hand you paper, and offer a little basket of gum, breath mints, condoms, etc. for a small fee.  In modern hotels, most likely there will be toilet seats, but not always, if it's a rustic hotel in a small town, not likely.  At the gas stations while travelling on highways, you are on your own baby - no toilet seats, no paper, no water and no soap!  Don't get me wrong, soap and toilet paper are widely available in Mexico, they just don't think it's a priority for bathrooms.  BYO!

Doing the "Pop-in" on a Gringo

The difference between American and Mexican hospitality

I recently did the "pop-in" on my morning bike ride in the neighbourhood of an American friend who lives in Mexico, and she had her family visiting and they were in the middle of their breakfast.  It was a very elaborate breakfast with fruit salads, fresh pastries, eggs and fresh juice.  She shooed me out as fast as I could say Gringo.  Now, a Mexican would never do this, they would welcome you in with a smile, a warm heart, open arms and make a space for you at their table and offer you a coffee, a cookie from their pantry or a leftover from their stove.  I'm not sure where they find all this food, but somehow a plate of quesadillas with beans and salsa will magically appear - Mexicans must start cooking early in the day, somehow they always have a pot of beans ready on the stove, tortillas and salsa, and can whip up a meal for 10 people in about 5 minutes - they always have extra because they are used to big, loud, family gatherings.  It's almost like they expected you to show up.  I like this spontaneous way of living.

Hidden Gems of Mexico - Part 1

A few of my secret hideaway places, off the beaten path...

San Jeronimo de Juarez, Guerrero

This little town is located about an hour's drive from Acapulco on the highway towards Ixtapa.  The town itself is nothing exciting, and if you blink, you might just miss it, but behind this town is a little treasure.  You can take a taxi or if you are driving, it's a 10 min. drive from the town to a lagoon that meets the Pacific Ocean, you can park your car there and cross the lagoon in a little "lancha" boat where you will find many rustic palapa "Enramadas" on the beach - restaurants with long picnic tables and hammocks where Mexican families like to spend their Sundays relaxing.  

Here you will enjoy the best grilled Huachinango fish - "A la talla" is my favorite, a spicy red marinade which is very traditional to this region.  They will bring you a bucket of cold beers, or a fresh cold coconut, then start serving you a 5-course meal that starts with black bean and cheese sopes, quesadillas with hand made tortillas, spicy prawn soup (fresh from the ocean with tail intact), then they will bring you the main course, a full grilled fish on the BBQ, comes with tortillas, rice, beans, and salsa "machacada".  Afterwards, you will need to take a little siesta in the hammocks and then you must try their signature dessert - fried bananas drizzled with condensed milk.  All of this meal for about 7 people will only cost you 500 pesos.  

I have travelled extensively all over Mexico from luxury resorts to frugal backpacking and this is the best food you will ever eat in Mexico!  We always visit the same restaurant and the señora has promised me she will teach me the salsa recipe, next time I go I will post it!  

The waves are pretty strong and you probably won't be able to swim here, but you can swim in the lagoon if you are not afraid of crocodiles or end the day with a walk on the beach and watch some of the most amazing sunsets!  This place is very rustic, many people come here to camp with tents, there are cold outdoor public showers and toilets that you put buckets of water down to flush.  Avoid going during the holy weeks of Semana Santa as you probably won't enjoy the crowds and seeing people bathe in the lagoon.  

If you decide to stay in the town, there are only 3 hotels, and none of them have A/C or hot water, some have roosters that will get you up early.  I usually stay in a nice place called Hotel Diana in Acapulco with a roof top pool for a very reasonable 550 pesos a night or in the neighbouring town called Tecpan, about 20 minutes away, where you can get a basic hotel with A/C and hot water for about 350 pesos a night.

El Solecito, Barra de Potosi, Guerrero

El Solecito is one of my favorite romantic places to travel, if you like to be lulled to sleep by the waves, you will enjoy staying in one of their small bungalows right on the beach.  It feels like the waves will enter your room, you are that close.  For USD$120 a night, you can rent a bungalow with a little kitchen, king size bed and a nice porch to sit and read and watch the sunsets.  A short walk on the beach and you will find Enramadas that serve the best fresh seafood soup, sopes and homemade salsas.  Breakfast is included, the chef is very good there, he was on his day off when we went and they actually called him in to specially cook for us.  

There are only 2 ocean front bungalows, #1 and #5, I like #5 the best so book early if you want ocean front.  We had a couples massage on the beach for 700 pesos.  They also have a very large pool if you feel the waves are too rough to swim in.  This little gem of a place is located in Barra de Potosi, about 20 min. outside of Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa on the highway towards Acapulco.  It can be difficult to find, it is best to call ahead for directions and try to arrive in daytime, it is a long drive down a little dirt road from the highway - we arrived late at night and the caretaker waited up for us.  

http://www.bungalows-solecito.com

In between these two lovely places I like to frequent a beach called Las Brisas, you can park your car on the side of the road and walk this beautiful long, wide virgin beach, it's great for photos as there are no people, and the waves are incredible.