Hurricane Vance has had us under its cloudcover for most of this Saturday since daybreak. For locals, this is great weather. Extremely comfortable with mild temperatures. Lupita and I enjoyed running our morning chores that included a trip to our favorite tortillera near the mercado municipal.

Sadly, our municipal government doesn't have enough education to know to moderate the volume of sound at public events so as not to harm people's hearing, especially of the children; nor do they know better not to send leaf blowers at 5:30 in the morning, on a Saturday no less, to work in front of residences and tourist lodgings. I keep hoping for the day, but they continue to disappoint.

The pier was busy with folks seeking water taxis to Las Gatas even though the port was closed to small vessels, meaning the fishermen won't be leaving the bay tonight to work the sea mounts and islets along our coast. So no fresh fish this Sunday. For folks who don't mind frozen food, no problem.

It only started to sprinkle later in the day and only very lightly. Visitors and locals continue to be seen out'n'about enjoying the evening. The storm looks like it's sending plenty of clouds our way, but once again they don't seem to hold much rain, same as the last hurricane. It looks like we'll continue overcast and with the possibility of rain this Sunday, too. Sounds like a great day for reading as well as watching sports and movies.

I forgot to mention that yesterday was our daughter's birthday, and we bought her a delicious chocolate cake from La Boquita bakery. The daughter of the owner, also named Lupita, used to be a student of mine around 30 or so years ago. Her cakes have always been the best I've ever tasted, though I don't think I've ever tasted a bad cake here in Mexico where they DON'T come from a box. No Better Crocker or Dunkin Hines for over 37 years!

The arrival of the tall ship Cuauhtémoc will be delayed due to Hurricane Vance. Possibly by 2 days. Gee, I guess the ticket scam didn't work out for the municipal government so well after all.

Imagine your vacation in this beautiful 3-bedroom oceanfront villa called Casa Kokopeli. This tropical-style beachfront home with a pool offers plenty of comfort, privacy and relaxation. Located right on Troncones Beach within easy walking distance of the village as well as several convenience stores and numerous restaurants. It can easily accommodate up to 8 people comfortably. (click to enlarge photo)
Vacation Rentals in Troncones

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Un atardecer como fuego en el cielo visto desde el muelle municipal en Zihuatanejo.

It barely sprinkled briefly Thursday night in spite of forecasted probabilities. Friday morning was sunny and humid. As soon as we stepped outside two gentlemen visiting from north of the border came up to Lupita asking her in English about where to get information about the hurricane. I had to laugh because they never asked if she spoke English, and she just looked at me with a twinkle in her eye knowing I'd have to answer. They apologized graciously and I suggested they check my website for the latest info. "Oh, you're Rob," one said and told us they knew my website and had shopped at our boutique. I hope they read this, because they didn't introduce themselves so I don't know their names, but they seemed quite nice and excited to be here, possibly because they might be experiencing a hurricane, which I guess they don't have where they come from.

So it looks like visitors are beginning to arrive and our tourist season is getting underway. I hope so. Since we rather stupidly rely 100% on tourism, things have been rough with a meager influx of mostly only weekend visitors who mostly only spend their money on a meal at a beach restaurant and then leave. We see almost nothing from the folks who visit the Ixtapa hotels.

Hurricane Vance looks like it may give us some much-needed rain and some big waves. Earlier in the day its projected trajectory seemed to bring it in our direction, but this evening it looks like it may hit the coast as a tropical storm along the coast of Michoacán or near Manzanillo in Colima. This could be the last rain we get for the year, though I hope not. The folks in Coahuayutla in the sierra say their corn crops failed due to a lack of rain. Bummer!

But the waterfalls at Mesas de Bravo, La Vainilla and Posquelite look to be flowing full force. Now's a real good time to visit those places with one of the guides I recommend on my ACTIVITIES page.

No local lodging better represents the true magic of Zihuatanejo than the Hotel Catalina at Playa La Ropa. An oasis in a garden of paradise. Comfortable rooms with privileged views, delicious food at their restaurant, extremely warm and friendly staff, and the truest ambiance of old Zihuatanejo. (click to enlarge image)
Zihuatanejo Hotels, Inns & B&Bs

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

La estatua que simboliza la región de la Costa Grande, una piedra gigante que es todo que queda de lo que antes fue Plaza Olof Palme, unos cocodrilos de bronce y el puente que cruza el canal La Boquita con un cielo dramático en el fondo durante el mediodía en Zihuatanejo.

Last night's storm to our southeast turned out to be another dud, another tease, another letdown. ¡Tamos saláo!

Thursday morning was bright and sunny. Not hardly a cloud in the sky. But the humidity continues. And it built up again today along with the clouds, though it still hasn't rained for about 2 weeks since Hurricane Simon. The outer bands of Tropical Storm Vance have arrived, and there's a decent chance of rain this evening and a higher chance of rain this Friday. We certainly need it. This storm could bring the last rains we receive this year. We can expect some wind gusts over 40 km/h this weekend as well as some large swells and possibly more flooding from another storm surge. Vance is expected to be a Cat 2 hurricane when it passes closest to our port. If you're here or planning on being here, I urge you to keep an eye on our local weather.
https://www.zihuatanejo.net/html/weather.html

Lupita and I were both lamenting today the Disneyfication of Día de Muertos here. For us, like for many local families, it's a very solemn and sad commemoration of the lives of people we've loved and lost. We'll go to the places where we've buried family members or saved their ashes and remember them. But it's a painful time for us. Not a reason to get drunk, have parades, wear costumes, have parties, and generally turn it into some kind of perverse caricature of Halloween. But alcohol vendors and merchandisers use any excuse to push their wares, and our local politicians seek popularity and legitimacy while they enrich themselves. So please excuse us if we don't share the "party" mood with you. While I post the local events here on my website, I don't necessarily agree with them. The only part that is local culture are the altars some families place along the waterfront or in the plazas where we share some of our personal life with friends, neighbors and visitors.

A favorite location for many visitors, Amor del Sol located overlooking Playa La Madera is an extremely comfortable and nicely appointed condominium that offers from 1 to 3 bedrooms (only pay for what you need!). The complex has a pool, but the ocean at La Madera is often calm enough for easy swimming. (click to enlarge photo)
Vacation Rentals in Zihuatanejo

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Una tormenta se forma hacia el sureste durante el atardecer en la bahía de Zihuatanejo.

This Friday Night kick back and enjoy live wonderful Music from Rock, Blues, Country, Latin and more. Listen to the sounds of many of your Favorite songs and some originals. Make plans to Eat, Drink and be Totally Entertained at El Leñador (The Lumber Jack) Restaurant in Zihuatanejo. Try our Wood Smoked Oven Pizza, and also our Burgers, Ribs, Assorted Tacos, Taters, Fries and so much more, plus a Large variety of drinks. Start the season off with a great time, so come on over ! No Reservation needed and Bring the family. The Fun Starts at 7pm This Friday Night the 23rd (barring any heavy rain)

Don´t Miss Out!

Address: El Leñador Restaurant. Av. José María Morelos Y Pavon 31, Centro, Zihuatanejo. Located right across from the Zihua Olympic swimming pool next to Pops Bubbles with walk-in front and rear entrances and plenty of parking in rear.

The Tuesday evening storm over the sierra never reached Zihuatanejo. Barely a few drops. It rained in Lagunillas according to a video I saw posted. Lucky them. This evening there's a huge thunderhead to our southeast that could bring us some rain. The forecast for this evening says the chances are good.

This Wednesday was another spectacular day. Plenty of sunshine and some picturesque clouds. The seas calmed down considerably later in the day. A shame there were almost no visitors in Zihuatanejo, though Ixtapa's hotels continue doing a decent business even though their guests mostly never leave the hotels, and Ixtapa's shopping district and restaurants are hurting worse than ever. I guess the local government wants Ixtapa's businesses to fail since it continues doing nothing but pouring more cement and promising falsely that the new cement will attract more visitors. Only foolish people believe such nonsense.

A lot of people are also angry at the local government for what appears to be a scam related to the "free tickets" to take tours of the tall ship Cuauhtémoc when it arrives. All the promo said the tickets would be available on the day of the ship's arrival, but without warning they were made available yesterday, and in less than 10 minutes the tickets were gone. Most folks here assume the mayor's "friends" got most of them. So don't bother going to Casa Zihua seeking tickets. Bummer, but it's something I suppose we should've expected.

Tormenta tropical Vance is expected to become a hurricane this Friday. So far the forecast shows it keeping well off our coast, but it could follow the footsteps of Trudy and get quite close. Still too early to tell, so everyone here needs to remain alert.

Enjoy your jueves pozolero!

Enjoy spectacular views from almost every part of this comfortable and spacious 1-bedroom multilevel condominium, Villa Vista. Located at the Punta Peñasco complex on a small hill overlooking La Ropa Beach and Zihuatanejo's bay. The condo features 2 full bathrooms, a modern fully equipped kitchen, high-speed Wi-Fi, a Smart TV, laundry service, a reserved covered parking space, and a pool.
Zihuatanejo Vacation Rentals

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

El ocaso sobre el cerro El Almacén y la entrada de la laguna Las Salinas en Zihuatanejo.

We enjoyed a beautiful Monday night, though a bit warmer than previous nights. Tuesday morning was bright and sunny. Lupita and I decided to go to Carmelo's at the mercado municipal for breakfast to take home. She got picaditas and I got a huge torta de jamón. We also got some delicious jugo verde to wash it all down with. They always make everything to perfection! And it's always a pleasure to go there. They're good people.

The downtown beach remained mostly empty today. Hardly a visitor around, though the municipal government's tourism office says Canadians are already arriving. We saw a few extranjeros on our evening walk, but not many. Mostly just our neighbors and other locals.

Locals are anxious for a good tourist season after the poor ones we've had recently. I'm still not seeing any advertising for Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa, so it's up to people like you to spread the word, and we definitely need your help. Tell your family and friends. Share my website with them.

It almost rained this evening. The sky darkened and clouds covered the top of Cerro Viejo. There was thunder and lightning in the hills. Even felt a few tiny drops while we were out walking, but then nothing happened downtown. And I was surprised to read today that Coahuayutla not far from us in the sierra is at risk of losing their corn crops because of a drought. But we may get something from the next storm that seems to be behaving similarly to Trudy, but so far it looks like it's staying farther away from our coast. The long-range forecast shows it hooking back towards the mainland, but well to our north. Worth keeping an eye on, but nothing to be alarmed about. We'll be fortunate if we get any rain from it, though we're certain to get some more big waves.

You'll find quality Mexican hats for sun protection in many styles, comfortable beachwear, light tropical shirts for men and women, handcrafts, and hand-made jewelry at the lovely Boutique Sunset. Located in the first block from the waterfront in downtown Zihuatanejo next to Plaza del Artista, in the same block as the museum. Currently offering a 15% discount on everything (click to enlarge photo)
Stores, Shops, Galleries & Boutiques in Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Casa Arcadia y el hermoso árbol amate frente a Plaza del Artista durante el atardecer en Zihuatanejo.

If so, what is it called?

I am not sure if one exists mixing budget with a bit extra. But, I live in hope.

Thanks in advance.

P.

After a perfect night for sleeping, we awoke to a beautiful overcast morning in Zihuatanejo. It stayed overcast for much of the day, and the humidity kept creeping upwards, but so far still no real rain in over 2 weeks.

The pan dulce we got from Panadería La Boquita was delicious with our licuados de plátano and fresh locally grown coffee this morning. So was our comida of onion soup, salad, chicken in some dreamy cream sauce, and frijoles with tortillas delivered to our home from La Jaiba Feliz. Every day I'm thankful for our fresh local fare. Nothing frozen. Nothing imported. Most of our food comes from the region. And living downtown where everything we need is within easy walking distance is icing on the cake. I just might be the luckiest Gringo in Mexico!

Another big swirly thing is predicted to be sitting around 600 km off our coast by next Saturday. As long as it doesn't loop back towards us, as storms tend to do at this time of year, we should be okay.

The streets and beaches seemed practically void of visitors today. As cooler weather advances in the far northern latitudes, we should start seeing more visitors from there. Hopefully they can find the flights they need. Our local tourism authorities seem to just simulate their jobs while collecting healthy paychecks, attending lots of parties, and travelling to places we don't really receive any tourists from. It's been decades since anyone has truly done any serious targeted advertising for Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa, and it shows in our loss of visitors with the purchasing power we need. I do what I can, but I don't have their budgets. I count on people like you helping to spread the word by telling your family and friends about us. You folks remain our best advertisers.

Zihuatanejo Ixtapa Charters offers a wide variety of beautiful luxury yachts, party boats and sport fishing boats large and small available for private charters and personalized tours. Experienced and friendly captains and crews offering unforgettable adventures and experiences including dolphin and whale watching, sport fishing, snorkeling, sunsets, special events, weddings, and parties at sea. (click to enlarge image)
Activities, Charters and Tours in Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Un amanecer perfecto y normal en la bahía de Zihuatanejo.

The mar de fondo continues generating large swells that make for wonderful sleeping sounds, and the temperatures have remained quite mild since the passing of Hurricane Trudy.

Another area of low pressure is forming off the coast of Guatemala that bears watching. Although it looks like it may head in the direction of Clipperton Island, this is the time of year when storms tend to track back towards our coast, so they all bear keeping a close eye on. We've been extremely fortunate with 4 recent close calls one right after the other.

Amazingly the beaches including Playa Las Gatas were busy this Sunday. Restaurants had to make repairs while waiting tables and serving meals. Probably a good thing today that so many of our current crop of visitors bring their own food and drinks with them.

And lots of people were out strolling this evening. The pier was a popular place to visit, but Lupita and I were surprised to openly hear criticisms of the mayor's folly by passersby who apparently were mostly locals.

There was an event with a guitarrist at the Cancha Municipal this evening, and I believe there were also folkloric dancers because there were tents set up like dressing rooms and I heard the click clack of dancing shoes.

Next Friday at 6PM there will be another Fandango Costeño with folkloric music and dancers on tarimas at Plaza del Artista. These are always fun events, and I hope lots of people will come enjoy it.

Centrally located and very affordable, Condo Serenidad #2 is a 1-bedroom condo overlooking Playa La Madera in Zihuatanejo that offers many comforts to make you feel at home on your vacation. It enjoys an extremely lovely view of the beach and bay, and with the large picture window open, it has a very open-air feel and receives refreshing breezes through the palm trees in front. This vacation rental condo has a full kitchen, Wi-fi, A/C, and cable TV as well as a pool on the property and 24-hour security. Easy walking distance to many restaurants as well as downtown shopping. (click to enlarge the photo)
Zihuatanejo Vacation Rentals

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

La calma después de la tormenta. Este domingo fue un día de postal en Zihuatanejo aunque la marea aún estaba un poco alta y con olas de un evento mar de fondo.

With Hurricane Trudy sitting off our coast, sleep wasn't easy Friday night. It never did rain and there was barely any breeze, but there was a 4.3 earthquake at 3:36 AM whose epicenter was directly in front of Zihuatanejo's bay, a little ways past La Piedra Solitaria. Didn't feel a thing.

We dodged another bullet. No strong winds. No torrential rains (barely a sprinkle). Lucky us!

Right around dawn the breeze picked up a bit and so did the sound of the waves. Looking out our window I saw the entire beach and the Paseo del Pescador in front of Plaza del Artista were underwater. I went to our rooftop, and by sheer luck I saw the first wave that sent water through the plaza all the way to the street. See the photos below.

We walked over to the museum to check the canal, and it was totally full with waves running into it and continuing up the canal. Waves were just beginning to run through the plaza beside the museum. People were starting to show up, so I took some quick photos and a video. Then we walked down to the plaza by the restaurant El Dani (formerly Daniel's) and the waves were just starting to reach there, so I took some more photos and another video. You can see the videos I filmed on my Facebook, Threads, Instagram, or Bluesky pages.

Some people confused about the waves blamed it on the earthquake. I didn't feel like educating everyone today about the confluence of the storm surge, groundswells (mar de fondo event), Kelvin waves, and extreme tides from the overheated water (El Niño), so I let folks believe what they wanted.

Since the piers were unusable, tourists showed up in droves to Playa Principal and quickly filled the beach and beachfront restaurants. The waves eventually receded from the beach as the storm passed and the storm surge subsided, but the mar de fondo waves were still a bit dangerous for folks who aren't strong swimmers, so the local police were warning people to stay out of the ocean.

The Paseo del Pescador is so full of sand that workers have been at it for hours, and they aren't even halfway done even though it's almost 7:30 PM. Maybe they shouldn't have covered a third of the beach with cement!

The beach is practically gone in front of the Cancha Municipal. Way too much cement too close to the water's edge. Just like when you stand at the edge of the water and the sand washes out from under your feet, the weight from all the cement has the same effect.

Still no lights at the pier, but the mud has mostly dried up.

If you enjoy learning about and experiencing some of our local flora and fauna, El Refugio de Potosí is a center for wildlife conservation and environmental education. Among its attractions, it features a fully reconstructed sperm whale skeleton (the only one in Mexico), an observation tower, a wheelchair accessible footpath for observing local flora and fauna, and a butterfly pavilion. Located near the beach on the road to Barra de Potosí. Perfect for the entire family. (click to enlarge image)
Guide to Activities, Charters & Tours in Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

La primera ola que envía agua a través de Plaza del Artista hasta la calle Juan N. Álvarez esquina con Vicente Guerrero.

LLega el agua de una ola hasta la calle. Nota que la calle aún está seca.

Otra toma de Plaza del Artista con agua llegando del mar.

Todo el Paseo del Pescador desde el museo hasta la cancha municipal lleno de agua, piedras y arena.

Las olas empiezan a llegar hasta la plaza al lado del restaurante El Dani, antes Daniel's.

Una panga se llena con agua de las olas.

La playa muy reducida por la marejada ciclónica, las mareas extremas, las olas Kelvin y el incremento en su temperatura por El Niño. Y también por el cemento que ahora tapa más de una tercera parte de la playa.

El área de los pescadores totalmente inundada.

Un hermoso pelícano en el muelle buscando su sustento. Los embarcaderos del muelle totalmente inútiles. Se ven en la distancia unos troncos flotando usados por los pescadores para orillar sus pangas.

Las olas llenaron con agua del mar la calle Vicente Guerrero hasta la calle Nicolás Bravo.

If out of business, any recommendations in Zihua area?

Separately, I am also looking for a place in Zihua that will detail a vehicle including buffing out scratches.

Gracias

After a cool, calm and refreshing night of perfect sleep, we awoke to a cloudy morning, but it barely sprinkled today and there was hardly a noticeable breeze. You'd never know we were under threat of a hurricane. But the Capitanía opened the bay up to small vessels, and fishermen were able to work, and water taxis were able to go to Playa Las Gatas and Isla Ixtapa.

Everyone was focused on tracking the storm, and early today before noon it was reported that Trudy had been upgraded to a Cat 3 hurricane, a powerful storm. But a hurricane tracker flew through it and reported that the hurricane was losing force, and just after noon it was downgraded to a Cat 1. As the hurricane neared our coast it seemed to be weakening, and its rains were breaking up instead of growing denser. While it rained heavily in other parts of the state, it barely sprinkled in Zihuatanejo, and the sun even came out intermittently. Amazing! We appear to have dodged another bullet.

We still may see some rains and gusting wind this Saturday, and we're definitely going to be seeing more large waves and extreme tides, but the prospects of a devastating storm hitting us have diminished considerably, and one can sense the collective sigh of relief among locals.

Surfers can rejoice because the surf's up!

Don't miss the Eco-Tianguis "Sanka" that happens every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 1:40 p.m. in the small plaza in front of the Vicente Guerrero school, across the street from the Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande in downtown Zihuatanejo by the waterfront where La Boquita canal runs into the bay. If it looks like rain, then they'll set up in the Cancha Solidaridad two blocks to the east just off Paseo de La Boquita. Besides wonderful handcrafts, they feature a variety of homegrown produce, fresh foods including pastries, breads and tamales, fresh coffee, juices, and mezcal.
https://www.facebook.com/ecotianguissanka

In an island-like atmosphere apart from the rest of Zihuatanejo you'll find Villa del Co at Playa Las Gatas behind Carlo Scuba and their restaurant Chez Camille. Perfect for nature lovers and divers. A 2-story vacation rental bungalow with three bedrooms that can be rented separately. Features A/C in the ground floor apartments and an open-air upstairs apartment with mosquito netting, each with a private bathroom. Shared kitchen, terrace and dining area. A true paradise! (click image to enlarge)
Vacation Rentals in Zihuatanejo

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Bandas del huracán Trudy hoy en la distancia frente a la muy tranquila bahía de Zihuatanejo.

We awoke to another beautiful morning this Thursday in Zihuatanejo. Lupita and I decided bolillos rellenos sounded good for breakfast, so off to the mercado we went, and man did we score some delicious food!

Visitors remain scarce in Zihuatanejo. Restaurants and shops saw very little business today. And with Hurricane Trudy looming in the distance, the weekend isn't looking good either.

The latest forecast has Trudy skimming along our coast and heading towards Manzanillo. It's expected to be a Cat 4 while it's closest to us. We could be getting winds gusting over 60 km/h, waves from 3 to 5 meters, and between 100 and 50 mm of rain. The outer bands of Trudy passed overhead this afternoon, and the skies have remained cloudy since then. We had some light rain and gusting winds for a while later this afternoon, but everything is calm at the moment. Saturday morning continues looking like it will be the roughest time for us. The port of Zihuatanejo and Playa Linda are closed to small vessels, meaning no fishermen are working, and schools remain closed until Monday. All we can do is prepare ourselves for the worst, hope for the best, and stay informed.
https://www.zihuatanejo.net/html/weather.html

Penthouse Suite 612 is a 2-bedroom beachfront condominium for sale on Playa El Palmar in Ixtapa at the Tesoro Ixtapa Hotel & Condos. Near shopping centers, golf courses, banks, and restaurants. The condo comes fully furnished. Owners and their guests have access to the resort hotel's facilities including pool, beach, bars, and restaurants. (click to enlarge image)
Real Estate Properties and Services in Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa and Troncones

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

El Niño, el paso de los huracanes, el mar de fondo, las ondas Kelvin y las marejadas han estado afectando todas las playas en la bahía de Zihuatanejo igual que toda la costa del Pacífico mexicano.

This Wednesday morning there wasn't a cloud to be found, and the bright, clear sunny sky almost seemed alien. It was another absolutely picture-postcard-perfect day in Zihuatanejo. Not many visitors around, and many shops and restaurants remained closed. But there was some action at the pier with water taxis and a few charters. Unfortunately, the entrance continues to be a muddy mess, and there continue to be no lights after dark.

As more data becomes available, it's looking more and more like Trudy is going to miss us. While we'll likely get some rain, it doesn't look like we'll be getting any tropical storm-level wind gusts. Let's hope the current forecast holds and that it doesn't jiggle in its projected trajectory or stall and change route altogether. In an overabundance of caution, schools will be closed throughout the state this Thursday, which personally I think is unnecessary. Especially when I remember what it used to take to cancel school when I was a kid: only during a blizzard! And then I'd grab my sled and head out for hillsides near and far for miles around. My footprints often being the only ones I'd see.

Be sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Windy is currently more reliable than NOAA.
https://www.zihuatanejo.net/html/weather.html

The bocote trees are already blooming on Zihuatanejo's hillsides. Their white flowers visible all around the bay where there are still trees. They are associated with Día de Muertos here due to the timing of their blooming.

If you want to pamper yourself and enjoy some of the finest accommodations at Playa La Ropa, check out Villa Carolina. A small elegant contemporary B&B Mexican style villa hotel ideally situated less than 100 meters from the beach in Zihuatanejo. It features a private pool and luxurious suites with kitchenettes, A/C and internet. (click to enlarge image)
Hotels in Zihuatanejo

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Pescadores salen desde la playa Principal en sus pangas abiertas para trabajar durante la noche fuera de la bahía de Zihuatanejo.

The animal import gentlemen did not like the fact that my screw worm certificate had information from the week before as my first itinerary was cancelled by Alaska and there is only a 5 day window for use. My vet in Alaska briefly looked at my dog the second time and then signed the same form in blue ink but it was not good enough to please the inspector. I told him that the important pieces of information were original and not photocopy and there was nothing I could do except stay at the airport since my vet was 4000 miles away. He finally relented.

Then Aduana had at me with my plastic tote seeing a 90 day supply and more of medicines and some simple photovoltaic light bulbs I was bringing for a friend. The inspector insisted on charging me $1000 MXN on less than $300 USD in goods. I also had a several year old mi fi device I use for internet and translator device. Both of which were purchased more than 6 months ago. This is a very poor way to get introduced to Zihua.

This Tuesday morning began partly overcast and the temperature was refreshingly cool. The skies quickly cleared and it became a gloriously sunny day. Just what we needed. A shame hardly any visitors were around to enjoy it.

The waves and tides remain high. Surfers have some excellent days ahead except for Friday and Saturday when conditions could be dangerous due to the approach of Hurricane Trudy which is expected to pass very close to us causing intense winds, large waves and extremely high tides.

Beach erosion continues claiming constructions that were allowed to be built too close to the beach, especially along Playa Larga and Playa Blanca. Severe beach erosion has also been reported in Troncones.

The projected path of Trudy is apparently giving forecasters some issues. The latest projection has it heading dangerously close to Acapulco, almost hitting the coast, before swerving and following the coast towards us and continuing northwesterly. It looks like we can expect wind gusts of 60 knots or more along with heavy rains and extremely high surf.

In the bay the water temperature is around 31°C while along the coast it's around 30°C. One good thing about the storms is they seem to be having a cooling effect on the water as well as the ambient temperature.

You can find details about the visit of the Mexican naval training sailing vessel Cuauhtémoc and tickets for free tours on my Community Notices & Events page.
https://www.zihuatanejo.net/comunidad/

Still no lights at the scene of the crime known as the pier entrance. Over 6 months now. Unbelievable and unforgiveable!

If you're looking for an affordable vacation rental with a great location, take a look at Casa Contenta at La Ceiba complex. A comfortable vacation lodging located a block from the beach in Colonia La Madera and near many excellent restaurants. Enjoy your vacation in this 2-bedroom condo with a spacious living/dining area and a balcony overlooking a garden and pool. (click to enlarge image)
Zihuatanejo Vacation Rentals

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Un pelícano vigila a los pescadores durante el amanecer en la bahía de Zihuatanejo.

This Monday was a beautiful and sunny day. The city workers spent much of the day using a water tanker to wash the sand off the downtown walkway, which will be full of sand again very soon. The sand is now piled up higher on the beach than the height of the walkway. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to cover 3 more meters of the beach with cement.

Well, the good news is that it doesn't look like soon-to-be Hurricane Trudy will make landfall in Zihuatanejo or very close by, though it's still iffy forecasting its trajectory. The bad news is that it looks like it's going to another powerful storm, and it's going to get very close to us, much closer than Polo got, with extremely strong wind gusts in our area. Our hillsides only protect us so much, and I wouldn't want to be on the high parts of any of them. We can also expect an extreme storm surge. This is likely going to be the end of some beachfront dwellings and businesses in our region.

Apparently some readers think I'm being alarmist. While I certainly hope I'm wrong, you have to be foolish not to want as much advance warning as possible when a storm this powerful is expected to come this close to us, and that's what the purpose of my warning has been for. The only people who have been unappreciative have been foreigners. I get it. Retirees and vacationers don't want their happy hours with margaritas interrupted, they don't want any stress or worries other than where to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sorry, not sorry. I suppose I could just post such warnings in Spanish from now on and save myself a lot of hassle with unappreciative non-citizens. But then I might as well just shut down the whole website when it comes to that.

While I'm not particularly happy to see our formerly solemn Dia de Muertos turned into a flashy Disneylandish spectacle with parties and parades, I posted the planned events for Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa and Troncones on my Community Notices and Events page for those of you who are interested.

The tall ship Cuauhtémoc will arrive in Zihuatanejo Bay for three days October 29, 30 and 31. Guided tours are free from 1 to 5PM. Free tickets will be available at Casa Zihua next to the Cancha Municipal. Limit 4 per person.

One of the loveliest vacation lodgings at La Ropa and one of my very favorite vacation rentals to promote is Villa Zanzibar, a charming 3-bedroom private villa tucked away in the old original La Ropa community at the southern end of the beach a short easy walk up from the waterfront. Located in one of the most peaceful areas of our community, this is a place to feel relaxed and at home. (click to enlarge photo)
Zihuatanejo Vacation Rentals

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Un macaco (garza nocturna corona negra) joven busca su comida en el canal La Boquita que está llena con agua del mar mientras unas mujeres practican yoga en el Paseo del Pescador frente al Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande de Guerrero.

Saturday night it rained lightly much of the night, stopping before dawn. People were out early enjoying being able to walk around without it raining. I was surprised to see how many tourists were in town since they've either been stuck indoors like everyone else or they just arrived. The port of Zihuatanejo was opened for small vessels at 8AM, and immediately there was a rush to get to the pier to get to Playa Las Gatas. Isla Ixtapa was only accessible via the pier at Playa Quieta. The pier at Playa Linda is again a disaster and a danger to the public. The sun even came out today, FINALLY, and sort of helped dry things out, but it'll take several more days of sunshine to get rid of all the mud at the pier. Unfortunately, the forecast for our part of the coast looks dire for the coming week.

This is Windy.com's forecast for next Friday. If you watch it in motion, it looks like a hurricane is heading straight for Zihuatanejo. I strongly recommend preparing for the worst starting now.
https://www.zihuatanejo.net/html/weather.html

Those who can leave probably should get on it. The rest of us have no choice but to hunker down and deal with the looming disaster. Those who think I'm being an alarmist are certainly within their rights to wait and see if I'm wrong, and if so tell me a hearty "TOLD YA SO!" But if I'm right, then I get to do the same to you if we both live through it.

The waterfront and pier were full of mostly neighbors and locals enjoying the respite from the rain this Sunday evening. Yes, the pier remains a muddy mess with no lights after dark. A stain on the local government that appears to simply not care about the people who use and work from the pier daily. Even though municipal workers spent hours trying to clean the sand off the waterfront walkway, it remains extremely sandy. Maybe instead of building a cement walkway that covered 3 meters more of the beach with cement, the municipal government should've simply built a small wall to keep the sand and the waves out. That was my wife's suggestion when they were planning it.

A lovely little hotel in Troncones is Hotel Los Sueños. This enchanting oceanfront inn offers 6 one-bedroom suites, a two-bedroom family suite with kitchen, and a "cozy" surfers' room also with kitchen, queen-size bed and bunk bed. All rooms have A/C, fridge, hammock, wireless internet, and there is a pool on the property. Located on Playa Troncones within easy walking distance of the village, restaurants and convenience stores.
Hotels & Inns in Troncones

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#JusticiaParaAlexSerna
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoPlayasBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Una pausa entre las tormentas durante la tarde desde Playa Principal en Zihuatanejo.