On the Cover: Zihuatanejo school children marching at the Independence Day Parade, September 16, 2000. Photo by Catherine Krantz.

Welcome to Another Day in Paradise.

Ixtapa – Zihuatanejo’s first and only English language magazine for expatriates and visitors alike.

We hope you enjoy our informative and entertaining publication and welcome any feedback or contributions.

This is the first issue of our second season.

Sea Turtles of Mexico
Sea Turtles are air breathing marine reptiles that have existed in our oceans for over 15 million years, since the age of the dinosaurs. It has only been in the last 1 years that their numbers have plunged. Of the estimated 1s of sea turtle species that once lived, only eight remain.

 

Karma 2 Surf Contest Held at Escolleras
After 3 days of rain Saturday dawned clear and beautiful for the Karma 2 surfing contest held at Escolleras, on the beach next to Marina Ixtapa, on the final day of September.

 

The Taste of Mexico – Cilantro
CILANTRO (Coriandrum Sativum) was widely used in Ancient Egypt as a medicinal plant and for sacrificial purposes. It was grown originally in India and the Mediterranean basin and is also used profusely in Mexican and Thai cooking.

 

Fishing – Meet the Captains
Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo is gaining recognition as one of the top year round sailfish producing areas in the world. So much, it now attracts some of the best fishermen on the globe to the several tournaments that are held here each year.

 

Fishing Report – October
The end of the rain season is near. The humidity starts to lower and the temperature starts to decline as we go into our “Fall”. Not so the fishing. This is traditionally the start of the season for us.

 

Taking the short bus to Ixtapa
There are a large number of Taxis in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa that will take you just about anywhere you want to go at a pretty reasonable rate (13 pesos for anywhere in Zihua, 2 from Centro to La Ropa or 3-45 to Ixtapa depending on the time of day). But if you want something a little more interesting and economical, take the bus.

 

Driving Adventures In Mexico – Nogales to Zihuatanejo
¡Bloodthirsty banditos around every corner! Extortionist Federales on the straight-aways! No gas stations and disgusting washrooms if you find one. Ominous warnings from friends wake you from your sleep. ¿You’re driving to Zihuatanejo?

 

Travel – Shopping Lake Pátzcuaro
I was asked to go on a scouting/shopping expedition to Michoacan, specifically the area in and around Pátzcuaro, with a friend. I have been to Pátzcuaro before and thought a return to the city I had become so enchanted with would be a wonderful reprieve from the rainy season on the Pacific Coast. So off we headed one cool morning, on the road for Michoacan.

 

Beach Reading – The Rum Diary
When the rum drinking starts before noon, you rarely make it through the night. Or so goes the tale of Hunter S. Thompson’s, The Rum Diary, set in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the late 5’s.