On the bus from Zihuatanejo to IXTAPA I overheard two campesinos discussing upcoming plans. One said to the other, "This weekend I'm going to do nothing. And after that, I'm going to rest."

A friend rings me up. "What are you doing?" she asks.
"I am resting on a cloud of laziness," I tell her.
"Que rico," (How delicious) she says. "Don't let me disturb you."

After a week in Zihuatanejo you will be convinced you have arrived in one of the world's finest places to kick back. This is a town where the verb descansar (to rest) is revered, and those who provide you with accommodations believe an immobilized guest is a satisfied guest.

This profound soporific effect is created by the environment. Zihuatanejo has laid itself down along the edges of a crescent bay. It is not difficult to arrange to be in constant auditory contact with the world's strongest non-chemical sedative -- soothing surf. Your eyes will gaze upon: A beach or harbor view, the dense green foliage of the mountains, the coconut plantations, or some typical imagery of Mexican pueblo

life; for Zihuatanejo, except the ubiquitous craft and clothing shops, is still unspoiled.

Visit the beautiful places by eating or drinking at them:

La Ropa Beach:

Hotel Casa Que Canta: Preview watching movie When a Man Loves a Woman. At 6 PM the public may enter to have a drink at the bar. (Wear resort clothes) and appreciate the astonishing architecture and view. Voted seventh best place in the world to visit by Arts and Culture television, and seventh best place to spend beach holiday by Conde Nast Traveller. But now it has competition:

Casa Cuiltlateca: May beat out Casa Que Canta in view, exclusivity, and architectural detail and design. Only four rooms, highest viewpoint in Zihuatanejo. You can go for a drink or reserve pre-fixe dinner by credit card in advance; hours are posted at the entrance which you will see on your left at the crest of the hill separating La Madera from La Ropa Beach, or call 554-2448

At the bottom of same hill, an entrance to La Ropa Beach, admire the three 'palapa/adobe vacation homes.' There are two more on the main road (one is Quinto Troppo Hotel, the other is Villa Luz) near the entrance to Villa del Sol Hotel and Villas Mexicana Hotels, landmarked by a dolphin statue. Villas San Sebastian is across from Villa Luz (address non published on site, please ask.

The Villa del Sol Hotel is the aesthetic centerpiece ON La Ropa Beach. To spend the day under their palapas is $25 per person. (All other hotels and restaurants provide free palapas with the understanding you will buy at least drinks.) No ocean view from hotel rooms except the few most expensive units. This was the first big success in Zihuatanejo, and voted 10th by Conde Nast in best places to take a beach holiday. Watch for the rich and famous.

Move south to restaurants Gitano's, Rossy's or La Gaviota, and there is also sports television at La Perla. La Gaviota is my favorite for fresh fish (don't arrive before two or the fish won't be there yet.) Homemade tortillas to die for and salsas Chez Panisse haven't discovered yet. Watch local politicos and businessmen having power lunches.

On the mountain overlooking La Ropa you will notice a Greek Temple. Called "The Temple of Corruption" this ersatz palazzo was built by the infamously corrupt Mexico City Chief of Police Durazno's (of Lopez Portillo reign) adored ex-prostitute who manipulated herself into become his second wife. Knowing nothing about Europe, she threw a dart at its map and thus went to Greece, where she returned with a postcard of the Parthenon and demanded that their vacation house well under construction be changed to accommodate her whim--"REPRODUCE THIS!" she insisted. Eventually Durazno went to jail, she fled to

Tahiti, and the Parthenon has remained in limbo ever since, with plans to turn it into a cultural center or a casino on some drawing board somewhere. Bribe the caretaker to let you in. The frescos are in laughable bad taste but the atrium, tunnel to La Ropa and views are worth the visit.

Across the Bay, north, is Hotel Villa Vera, another must for a drink or long lunch. A caprichio (caprice) built by a 'junior' (son of magnate) Hector; once a leading race car driver, to entertain his girlfriends, all soft pastels opens onto tiny private bay with rocky beach which produces the most sexy of noises. Lay on overstuffed cushions by the pool drinking the especialidad de la casa, a frozen turquiose confection made of cane liquor. Stay till night when they light the torches. Walk up the hill to see the view from the tower unit above. This hotel is currently changing ownership.

More Restaurants: innumerable, many with substantial virtues. It is hard to have a bad meal in Zihuatanejo, whereas Ixtapa is the opposite. Eating in the market* and where-ever you see other residents partaking (eating out is a big luxury for most folks) is a sure indication of a good deal for the price.

IXTAPA:

Villa del La Selva, past the Westin. Drinks for the fabulous view at sunset, meals worth the price. This is ex-president Exchevveria's ex-vacation home (Many Mexican Presidents are known for developing a resort, most recently de la Madrid did Huatulco. Echevveria was responsible for much development in IXTAPA, and owns quite a bit of it, as one can imagine. His newer house is down the street.

Also up there El Farol, wonderful views and spinach crepes.
At the marina, Beccofino's under Italian owner Rolly's incessant vigilance. Italian food good and you can watch how rich Mexicans interact. Los Mandibles (Spanish, International) is good restaurant, also Da Buffone (Italian) or El Inferno y La Gloria (continental y Mexican)

Review from "Another Day in Paradise"**

--K.L. Moore--

The Secret Spots - Al Cilantro

"She makes a special use of her own home grown cilantro and other spices, which lead to a delicate and savory meal."

This restaurant is definitely a secret spot. Located directly behind Casa Bonita in Ixtapa, on Las Palomas right off of Las Golondrinas in Club de Golf. The restaurant is actually a bed and breakfast and the private home of Gabriela and Guillermo Braña, a wonderful Mexican couple who built their dream home and opened it as a bed and breakfast a few years ago. You dine in their courtyard next to their beautiful pool, which is landscaped with flowering plants, including several types of cilantro, hence the name. Gabriela is the chef and her menu is a set dinner with a choice of four appetizers, three to four entrees and two to three desserts. Guillermo is your waiter and the atmosphere, though exclusive, is as if you are a guest at their table. It is always nice to chat with the owners of restaurants, and
Gabriela and her husband are wonderful hosts. Gabriela's specialty is the fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisine. She makes a special use of her own home grown cilantro (leaves of the coriander plant) and other spices, which lead to a delicate and savory meal. She has some special ingredients flown in from Mexico City and the extra effort makes your dining experience very memorable. The appetizers are all equally delicious and we sampled all of them from the octopus (marinated in soy and served with delicate slices of cucumber), soup (a unique blend of zucchini and cilantro), and the most divine spring rolls you can imagine. There is also garden salad with mustard
dressing. Your entrees includes a choice of wild mushroom carbonera (or blue cheese) pasta, szechuan chicken, tuna steak or broiled tamarind pork ribs. But, perhaps, the best part of the meal is dessert. Blueberry cheesecake, chocolate mousse, tangerine mousse with blackberry coulis, mint chocolate mousse cake and different fruit parfaits, made fresh everyday with the personal touches of the chef. The blueberries are one of the special ingredients Gabriela has flown in from Mexico City, and to be honest, I had forgotten the succulent taste of blueberries. I was happy to be reminded.

The experience here is one of exclusivity and for this reservations are required. The maximum capacity is only 25, so make sure you book large parties well in advance. Al Cilantro is a welcome addition to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo's dining scene and one you will not forget for a long time to come.

Ixtapa now has a 24hr restaurant, the Zeta Club. Located on the corner next to
Señor Frogs, Zeta Club Restaurant & Bar is open 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, perfect for those late nights when everything else has been closed for hours.

ZIHUATANEJO:

Ziwok, Pauls (Swiss chef -- main drag across from Lopez Impressores)-- Los Braseros (Calle Ejido) for tacos al pastor and Mexican cuisine. My lawyer, who eats out everyday swears by the tacos at La Sanka Grill. (round the coner from the Notario #1, evenings only) My favorites --oysters, chateaubriand, Caesar salad--! are Taboga near the town square ("La Cancha") on the Paseo de Pescador one block north, or Garrobos for the carne tampequena.

TAKE-OUT:
If you like barbecue pork, go to the stall behind the market or Carnitas Uruapan on the corner by the central bus station. Get a half-kilo of carnitas, and they'll throw in some salsa, onions, cilantro and tortillas. Pick up a six-pack and some tomatoes and avocado and you'll go home with a meal you won't soon forget. Roast chickens and pizza are everywhere for takeout, and pizza places deliver. The two best bakeries are the one on Vicente Guerro last block before the beach, across from Marios' Leather Shop (try the tuna empanadas), and the croissants, pineapple pie and other treats at the green painted bakery going into town, from Plaza Kyoto from Playa Madera may even be better.

*EATING IN THE MARKET

From: Vito Perillo <vito@seanet.com
Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2001 21:18:20 -0800
Thanks to your tips, we had dinner at Sanka and Paul Suizo, lunch at Dona Licha and,amazingly, the kids humored me and we bussed out on Thursday for Posole Verde at El Prof in Coacoyul. Must say the best breakfast was in a little stall in the market where the girls got hot cakes and a chocolate smothie shake. On the beach, Elvira, Patty and Gaviota were terrific; service was suffering at Rossy.

Review from "Another Day in Paradise"

--K.L. Moore--

Doña Licha's

"Pozole, a regional specialty of Guerrero, is a soup made with hominy served in either a puerco or pollo broth."

-- K.L. Moore --

A comida corrida is a traditional Mexican lunch spot where you get a starter (usually a soup or pasta), a main meal, beans, and all thehand made tortillas you can eat, all for $18 pesos. One of my personal favorite comidas corridas here in the Zihuatanejo area is Doña Licha's. Located on Calle Los Cocos, right off of Ave. del Palmar, one block off of Plaza Kioto and directly two blocks behind the market, this is the place for those of you eager to try some of the local cuisine. The menu changes everyday and is posted right above the cashier's desk. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Sample everything from barbacoa (barbecued goat) to the best chicken enchiladas around. Some of the better dishes are calabacitas, a guisado or stew of calabazas (zucchini), rajas (bell pepper) and elotes (corn) in a tomato based sauce, Aporreadillo, sliced beef tips with egg in a spicy tomato sauce, Mole rojo, a chicken breast served in a red mole sauce. One of my personal favorites is the pozole, only served on Thursdays.

Pozole, a regional specialty of Guerrero, is a soup made with hominy served in either a puerco (pork) or pollo (chicken) broth. The comida also has a part of the menu which features specially prepared items of pechuga empanizada (breaded chicken breast), pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken breast), bistec a al plancha (grilled flank steak) and milanesa (breaded flank steak) or, for you fish lovers, pescado empanizado (breaded fish fillet). The prepared menu items are $27 pesos, served with rice, beans and tortillas and all equally delicious. 

One of the best things about the comidas corridas is the agua fresca (fresh water of the day). Doña Licha's has a different flavor everyday. Purified water is blended with ingredients such as limón (lemon), sandía (watermelon), jamaica (hibiscus flower), horchata (rice and cinnamon) or melón (cantaloupe) and offers a nice change from your normal soda or regular water.
Some come and join the locals at Doña Licha's and taste some of the local cuisine.

ON THE HILL ABOVE ZIHUATANEJO: LEADING FISH RESTAURANT PATRONIZED BY THE RICHEST AND THE POOREST.

"Todo de Hoy. Nada de Ayer" (Everything from today, Nothing from yesterday).

- K.L. Moore -

This month we journeyed off the beaten path and went to a very secret spot. A restaurant hidden up in the hills overlooking Zihuatanejo offering the freshest
fish available, Del Mar Al Paladar, is a true find.

Don't write the name down and do not even try to remember it. There are no
signs and you really have to know where you are going to get there. The
restaurant is located above La Noria, right off the road to Puerto Mio Hotel. There is no written menu, but the waiter tells you what is available. Whatever was caught that morning. The slogan on their business cards reads "Todo de Hoy. Nada de Ayer" (Everything from today, Nothing from yesterday). This is not false advertising. There is only seafood.

This is a place for those of us who truly adore seafood. Once you order, you are
brought out the house appetizer. Sea Algae. Don't grimace. It is quite tasty and
surprisingly good, a perfect way to start a meal from the ocean. The algae is
marinated in lime juice, chilis and red onions. We ordered the cucaracha
(cockroaches of the sea) tiritas, for another appetizer. I have yet to determine
exactly what animal these are, but the tiritas were delicious. The consistency of
the meat was different, much like an abalone. Another appetizer, (however, our
friends got it for a desert) is the sopa de pulpo (octopus soup). Very spicy and
quite good. As we shared the tiritas, we glanced over at the other tables, all which were full of Zihuatanejans munching on oysters, abalone, pieces of the
cucaracha, and various shrimp and fish platters. This is the test of a good
restaurant. The turnover rate. As we sat there for a few hours, enjoying a few
beers, shrimp, tuna steak (very fresh and cooked perfectly in garlic and butter), a
few more beers, the tables were never empty. The waiter had a full house, three
large tables with parties of 15 and four smaller tables. He never forgot an order
and knew the menu by heart. Remember, patience is a virtue.

The restaurant is a family operation. They are open every day from 1-8 and 2-7
on Sundays. There is a cell phone number if you want to call for directions....
044-755-7-4383. The directions they give you are rather vague. It is an adventure
in itself trying to find the place, but well worth the effort.

 Shopping: 

Pampering:

The Red Cross provides wonderful general First Aid Care for minor injuries and only asks for a small donation. The Red Cross is located up the street from Tel Mex.


Tequila -The National drink of Mexico

"The Jimador, Casadores, Conmemorativo and Don Julio tequilas are the
favorites of the Mexican people."

---Carlos Ramos---

Tequila, the national drink of Mexico, is made exclusively in Mexico and is Mexico's most famous export.

A thousand years before the Spanish came to Mexico, the Aztecs were already making a wine, pulque, from the mescal plant. When the Spanish came they brought distillation and as early as the sixteenth century, tequila was born. Tequila harvesters are called Jimadors. Tequila is produced by steaming the base of a mature agave plant to extract the sap, the sap is fermented for about 10 days then new sap is added and fermented. This produces pulque, wine. The pulque is then double-distilled in pot stills producing vino mescal. Vino mescal
is a white liquor and can be drank as is or allowed to age in oak casks to produce an añejo or aged tequila.

As for mescal and tequila, they are similar but not the same. Mescal is the potent and unrefined form, tequila is the superior form of mescal. Tequila is produced in only two designated regions of Mexico, around the city of Tequila and in the area of Tepatitlan and is only made from the blue agave plant. Mescal is produced all over Mexico and can be made from a wide variety of agaves.
Mescal is available locally and can be purchased in liter coke bottles from vendors along the beach. Drink it at your own risk! It is an acquired taste and can be very potent.

Gold tequila is aged in white casks for two to four years. Tequila añejo is aged in white casks for a minimum of one year. Silver tequila is aged in wax lined vats and is mellower than ordinary (white) tequila.

In other parts of the world tequila is used mainly for mixing, the most famous tequila drinks being the margarita and the tequila sunrise, and for shots. In Mexico tequila is serious business and is sipped like a fine wine. In the world of export tequila, Jose Cuervo has quite a reputation, here in Mexico that's just one of many choices and by no means the best. There are many different brands and
price ranges for tequila. A brand to fit every budget and enough variety to sample a new one every day. One of the most popular is the 3 Generaciones, this tequila is excellent, not too expensive and not too cheap. The Jimador, Casadores, Conmemorativo and Don Julio tequilas are the favorites of the Mexican people. All these tequilas have good flavor and color and all are very smooth. The best of all tequilas is Porfidio and one bottle costs around $100-150 USD. If you have the chance, try it.

So skip the margarita and sip it straight. Have a tequila with a beer chaser or go for the "bandera". The "bandera" or Mexican flag, is three shots glasses, one with white tequila, one with lime juice and one with sangrita, a spicy tomato juice, all sipped.

Buen Provecho
Getting up for Breakfast in Zihua

Comida economica is a wonderful thing. Full breakfast meal: tropical fruits, your choice of a whole list of egg dishes, usually served with beans and tortillas, coffee or juice, all for somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 pesos. There are also usually a whole array of other dishes to choose from for only slightly more,
omelets, pancakes and traditional Mexican dishes. Chilaquiles (Chee-la-key-lays) are a favorite Mexican breakfast dish and are also said to be a great cure for hangovers. They are soggy tortilla chips or pieces of tortillas smothered in a spicy ranchero sauce sprinkled with cheese, served as a side dish or a main entrée. "Huevos al gusto" means, eggs any way you want them, but usually just means scrambled or fried. There are several spots in central Zihua up and down Nicolas Bravo, Ejido and in the cross streets between, but you can find these wonderful little "cafés" on just about every street in town.

"Nueva Zelandia", on Cuauhtemoc between Ejido and Nicolas Bravo, and "Las Brasas", on the pedestrian walk in front of the movie theater, at the corner of Cuauhtemoc and Nicolas Bravo, are both favorite spots for locals and tourists alike. Both have a wide array of tasty breakfast fare but if you're a coffee connoisseur, you better stick with Nueva Zelandia. They have espresso and cappuccino, most other places will only have Nescafe, but with all the milk and sugar you could need. La Sirena Gorda, although not in the comida economica range does have incredible breakfasts and about the only place I've found with French toast-- and it's delicious.

For smoothies and other healthy sounding drinks, try 100%Y on Plaza Kioto, they also have a full breakfast menu. And you can get smoothie type concoctions from just about any of the juice stands around town. Licuados, sort of like milk shakes but without the ice cream are a refreshing drink for breakfast or any time. They come in every possible tropical fruit flavor as well as the standard vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. The big restaurant/juice stand on the corner about two blocks up from Electra heading towards Pollo Feliz has amazing juices and licuados. The banana licuado I had there was truly divine. It came in a huge goblet and it took everything I had to keep from ordering 2 or 3 more. Breakfast is always a great meal in Zihuatanejo, the air is cool, the streets are quiet and the
food is always cheap and good.

Footnote to: Zihuatanejo may someday go the way of all great places

Due to lax adherence to building codes, if environmental/ecological/building code and zoning issues are not addressed, some time in the not too distant future Zihuatanejo could become another polluted and overbuilt destination. To even bring up this issue to you, the potential visitor, is considered anathema by those who make a living from the tourist industry.

To give an example, a recent mayor embezzled millions while in office. A grass roots committee was formed to denounce his acts to President Zedillo. This for Mexico is pretty unheard of. The same mayor gave a building permit to a hotel owner next to my home which was totally illegal in that allowed for innumerable code violations which not only resulted in my losing part of my ocean view, but produced consequences for the rest of the neighborhood in terms of aesthetics, water and electrical supply, and traffic flow. I did what would be considered logical for a U.S. property owner: since I could get no satisfaction from the city government, I filed a civil suit, the first ever in this town for my rights of view. I then called in the media, and the Los Angeles Times Bureau Chief came down to interview the leaders of said group. I have since then been defamed consistently by other U.S. locals for my actions. They say there is a better way, but I haven't seen effective action on their part. Living in a fledgling democracy means role modeling appropriate use of the tools a democracy provides.