Zipolite Pics

Zipolite has an interesting recent history. It became popular as a hangout for American hippies in the 60s and 70s, but acquired a reputation for crime in later years (the open use of drugs inevitably attracted unsavoury types). Ten years ago it was not safe to walk along the beach at night for fear of being mugged or worse. Then, a few years ago, local business owners clubbed together to pay a group of vigilantes to "clean up" the beach. Nightly patrols by men armed with sticks soon chased away the trouble makers and Zipolite became the safe, inexpensive, chilled out travellers beach that it is today. Many of the businesses were destroyed by a big fire a few years later, but most are now rebuilt and up and running again. Pretty much anything goes here - drugs, nudity - there´s no police presence and no need for one.

We´re staying in a place right on the beach and have a balcony from which, at high tide, you could almost jump into the sea. The perpetually stoned American owner, Daniel, is a really friendly and generous guy, especially considering it´s the low season and we´re paying (almost literally) peanuts for one of his best rooms.

We visited the turtle "sanctuary" at Mazunte beach yesterday. Seeing the turtles was interesting and the work they do means more turtles survive than would naturally. However I found the experience saddening (in the same way that staring at caged animals in English zoos can be a bit sad). It´s a shame they don´t get government funding, as then maybe the adult turtles, which are intelligent, surprisingly graceful animals and steeped in the art of survival, would not have to swim backwards and forwards in small tanks to raise the tourist dollars.

Anywho, we´re off to San Cristobal tonight on a night bus (12-14 hours in the estimate), just when we were getting used to the beach lifestyle too.....should be cooler in the mountains though, which is definitely a welcome change.