Mexico 2024

We're home sweet home after a great trip to Zihua, which never disappoints. In fact, there isn't a single thing I'd change about our week in mostly sunny, always lovely paradise. As I'm writing, we are under a tornado warning. A tornado warning in February! It was above 50 degrees today. The air smelled of spring this morning, but I know winter is just taking a break.

I always think that the sign of a good vacation is that feeling of being ready to come home. I suppose it can also be the sign of a disastrous trip as in Lord get me out of here. I assure you that was not the case. I decompressed and left feeling restored. The sun and the sea are magic elixirs. So are the special people who call Zihua home. They are welcoming and warm. We made many new friends, and after visiting here for 30 years, it feels like a home away from home.

We stayed in a beautiful condo further from town and closer to the beach. The best part was the terrace which was an outdoor room with quite a view. It was quiet, except for the chakalakas for a short time in the morning. They sound like squeaky machinery or murder. We usually had the pool to ourselves and were a quick and somewhat tenuous down hill walk to the beach, but the uphill walk back was worse, yet totally worth it.

Our first stop after checking in and changing was the beach. We stayed until sunset because watching the sea swallow the sun never gets old. And then we made sure to bear witness several more times during our stay. We made it to Jungle Pizza just before close. When you're only going to eat one meal a day, pizza fits the bill even in Mexico, and the pies are wood fired and delicious. We retired to the terrace with a dreamy view of the city and the full moon rising for a night cap(s) and planning the week. And by that I mean shushing out our want to dos all the while knowing our days would unfold organically. The namesake green light of Casa Rayo Verde was spotted over the bay not to be seen for the rest of the trip.

Sunday was a pool day for the chicas and a Baracruda day for the guys for some futbol americano. We joined them for the second play off game and then we walked down the street to our favorite, Tacos Oaxacas. It's where the locals eat so it's authentic, delicious and cheap. It's also busy. Sunday night is family night in Zihua. so the streets are bustling with diners, vendors, performers and it's such a happy place. A walk along the malecon is quite entertaining.

Monday is the first cloudy day I've ever experienced in my 30 years of travel to Mexico. I don't complain and I still lather up before hitting the beach because it's still hot and this gringo is allergic to the sun. We get chairs at La Pirata with Angel for the day. There are more sand pipers running in the sand and pelicans dive bombing for fish than sun bathers on La Ropa. We walk to Los Arcos, take a salty dip or two and have crispy taquitos and cold beers for lunch. After the 300 stair climb back to Punta Marina, a dip in the cold pool is refreshing. We walk into #304 and are welcomed by the scent of Olga's home cooking. Dinner will be ready at 7 o'clock. The homemade tortillas, pico and guac would have been enough for me, but Olga also made torritos, Pollo Barbacoa, Carne Fajitas, rice and beans. She also set the table on the terrace, lit candles, served us and cleaned up. A game of Wizard was dessert. I won. The question game was next. Sue is real, determined and respectable. Pedro is loyal, incredible, solid. Miguel is smart, loyal and amazing. I am loving, kind, authentic. Eventually Sue and I call it a night because the guys are dueling Trumps all night. 

On Tuesday we read, swim and nap by the pool. We make it to Coconuts for the last 30 minutes of hora de feliz and our first margaritas of this trip. They are muy fuerte and so so good. So is our second dinner of the week at Tacos Oaxaca. We get our table, our perro and the guys go down the street to buy a bottle of wine. Tacos Oaxacas is not the kind of establishment that serves vino, but Moy brings us a bucket of ice to keep it cold without us even asking. It is true that we could probably happily eat here every day of the week.

Beach walks are first thing Wednesday. Pete, our earliest riser, spots a crocodile not far from shore on La Ropa. When Mike and I head down for a pass on la playa, the croc is still the main topic of interest and there are only a few fools people in the water. It's a good day to steer clear of the beach. Good thing we have plans to go to open Mike at Miguel's in el centro. It's a cool little joint on the second floor jam packed with day drinking ex pats, lots of retired guitar playing guys and a bohemian Costa Rican violin playing Lothario. There are a million and one stories here with this cast of characters, and I love it. We hit the mercado before dark and everyone finds what we are looking for. In fact, the exact earrings I was dreaming of, I found. I almost bought a much more expensive not quite right pair at a local jeweler, but thankfully I waited. We celebrate our shopping success at Coconuts for happy hour. Yes, there is a pattern here and we are creatures of habit. Sue takes us over the canal to one of our favorite streets for what is my best dinner of the trip at Zihua Bay. The street is lit with twinkle lights and lined with musicians, dogs, cats, dancers. We run into friends we made earlier in the day and people from our flight. I share my divine and fresh from the sea grilled shrimp with a gato blanco, but I do not give her any of the tequila coffee concoction the waiter brings us for dessert.

Thursday I wake with the realization that the week that seemed so long, is getting short. I have no regrets just a determination to eke out all the goodness I can. We hit the pool and then head to the beach for sunset and happy hour. As we approach at 6:41, the sun is on the decline. This is a ritual sight that never ever gets old. We walk down the beach in the gloaming and take it all in: the pelicans heading out, the lovers dancing on the beach, the lights slowly appearing in Z, the boats ferrying people from Las Gatas. Dinner is at Patsy's. With my feet in the sand and a view of the sea, I know my mahi mahi is fresh. I eat it all. 

On Friday we go to Adelita's for breakfast. Eggs Benedict with poblano sauce is no joke. Fresh mango is not too funny either. Our last day is a beach day and we park ourselves at La Perla. La playa is busy and happening today. No crocodiles, only a sea snake and some man o wars. I swim, but my head is on a swivel. We head to Patsy's for sunset happy hour and stay for our last supper. Coconut shrimp I will dream of. A dreamy night walk on the beach and up the hill precludes a swim back home under the stars.

 And that folks...is a wrap.