AmbiZIHón Que Perjudica

As you know, I'm not a local, but the pictures you have posted are truly saddening. I'm almost afraid to come down and see it all "in the flesh".

You're a local property owner who has shed some blood, sweat and tears here. Close enough.

That's a pretty unfair representation of before and after. Your after representation shows uncompleted renovation. The final product is yet to be seen. Would be nice if some benches would be installed along the cancha. Personally I think the overall project is pleasing to the eye and brings Zihuatanejo into the 21st century. We can always reach back for our memories of what it used to be and smile.

Time passes on and the world will forever be changing. Get about living or get about dieing.

You're right. For the locals we've only lost some trees we've grown up with all our lives, but for you tourists yes, so PLEASING TO THE EYE like looking down an empty freeway! They will build the exact same FREE loyalty-buying palapa that was built at Tata's, and that will be built at Valeria's II and Daniel's. It will be STERILE, uniform, soulless, a pale caricature of what it used to be. And what has been done is an insult to a lot of locals who unlike daytrippers or whatever you are live here year round and loved our waterfront and its trees. But who cares about what locals think, right? Pleasing to the eye... I suppose if you're into CONCRETE.

The 21st century??? ¡Ubícate, güey! This isn't Los Ángeles or Miami Beach and we sure as hell don't aspire to be! Why did you choose Zihuatanejo? The beach? The weather? Nothing to do with the CULTURE or the AMBIANCE? Maybe you'd be happier in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán or Los Cabos.

The world will be changing? Yes, under the hand of greedy and arrogant humans. Too bad we can't change it for the better. Cutting down all our palm trees and planting sickly looking young ones that obviously didn't grow up on this beach isn't making anything better. It's making certain people RICHER. Please don't pretend this has anything to do with aesthetics or tourism. This is all about a huge self-assigned budget with zero transparency.

All most of the locals wanted was some upkeep and yes, some benches would've been nice. Not tons of concrete now covering about one-third of our beach. That is exactly what we didn't want.

In the first section of the Paseo to La Madera all the plants have died now that the politicians took their photos. In the area next to the museum where the politicians posed for their photo a few months ago with some ugly sign, the plants are already dead. Raised planters lined with concrete on the bottom will be full of dead plants before long, and the little paving stones will soon be chiclet-stained crumbled pebbles. And of course all the lost trees cannot be replaced. This latest remodelación will suffer same fate as the 6 previous remodelaciones we've had in the past 3 decades. Intentional neglect and decay. A sign of poor public administration.

Don't really want to argue with you but let me set you straight. First time in Z was the winter of 66-67 for some serious R & R and long before you even knew the world was round. Many trips here thru the 90's 00's and 010's. Yes I care about Z and it's people. Have many friends here and many are business owners. I am empathetic to their struggle over the past 18 months and am doing my best to help them in ways unknown to you.

I have watched the changes over the years and shared some of the disappointments and frustrations of what the corrupt local politicians do here. But that is the character of Zihua and Mexico. Not unlike any other country in the world.

And no I could never be happier than I am living here in Zihuatanejo. The difference between you and me is that I can't spend my life bitching and complaining about things I can't control. Yes, I know about the power of the vote and political commentary and action. Been there and done that but I would rather spend my life living in the moment, enjoying what the day brings, the happiness I derive by being among the Mexican people and my Mexican friends. Humor and goodwill are an important part of the balance in my life. Not interested in anything else! Have a great day and you do what you want to do and I'll do the same.

I think you bring a lot complaining and vitriol to your own board that offputs people who are more likely believing that this a message board about touring, accommodations and recreation. Most of all according to what you have written above isn't tourism the lifeblood of Zihuatanejo?

How many times have you been banned and signed up with a new moniker? There's something familiar about your posts (not just this one).

Oh, I knew quite a lot about the world when you allegedly first came to Zihuatanejo. But that's an interesting comment you made because it reminds me of one I've read here before.

Spend my life bitching? Hardly. Knowing the difference between right and wrong and not being afraid to speak out when others are is what distinguishes people like me from people like you. I put my neck on the line like very few other locals while you live your la-la land life, which is fine. You've probably worked hard to deserve it. But I know who I won't count on when the going gets rough and we need people to get things done.

Never claimed this was a warm and fuzzy website for tourists looking for happy hours and babes. It's always been a place where I've spoken truth to power and where I try to weed out the people looking for something Zihuatanejo isn't or who will look down their noses at us poor third-worlders and mistreat the locals. If those folks are put off then I'm doing something right. This isn't about me, but I'm the one who has to run this website. Anyone who thinks they can do a better job is welcome to take over.

Since you apparently aren't a day tripper why don't you introduce yourself with a name?

I'm surprised you didn't comment on my choice of music. ¿Hablas español?

Maybe the government does not want Foreign Tourists in Zihua and all these changes are to attract Mexican tourists? Maybe we are being critical of the decimation of nature as this what they want, not what most of us want. Time will tell if there will be enough money coming in to keep the local shops open or they move to Ixtapa as business will follow money or they go out of business. Economics has a way of impacting the future.