The Mexican Mediterranean

You know I've never been to the Mediterranean but when we drive the heights and see the vistas around Zihua I always get that vibe .

Like the Mayan Riviera thing . The Mexican Mediterranean

It's a tolerable position to adopt with old world charm and traditional values and simple foods being embraced and sought out .

Run with it . It's marketing baby . Start gowing some olives .

The main downtown beach in Puerto Vallarta is called Los Muertos , about as exciting as La Ropa . Some marketing wizard renamed the area , the remance zone . We call it the HE-mance zone , ourselves .

I keep up on many of the destinations mentioned and the Nayarit destinations have done little in the way of marketing or substantial change and just bled off some of the PV traffic .

Sayulita , Nayarit , has a certain reputation as being cool . Tulum is another such place . Troncones also enjoys such a buzz . Why is that? Troncones is nice ! Barra de Potosi is as nice to me and barely known to those that haven't actually been to the area . Both really nice destinations but one has the cool factor and one is unknown .

Separate issue

Not to beat a dead horse but the outstanding snorkeling , from shore , basically for free is a huge untapped draw .

Celebrate a wonderful experience like Las Gatas and Isla Ixtapa !

Brag about all the turtles in the area and nesting , both natural and assisted .

Bump the eco tour wonderlands in Barra de Potosi and Playa Valentine and the miles and miles of private beach at Playa Larga and Playa Blanca , whale watching , the whole natural package that can be found so easily .

Fabricate some history of nudism out there and market that .

Anyway , it's a balance between protecting local culture and food and letting those things fend for themselves on their own strengths against the farther North American , exported , cultural imperialism we all live with .

I love the wandering old men in barber shirts that play and sing the national and local songs but if some kid can make a living playing accoustic Pink Floyd along with some Mexican standards we gotta bend to the pressure and encourage him .

It's a balance that's hard to manage but it's better than dolphinareums and discos .

Please be happy , always