Florida recently changed its public beach laws so that waterfront properties can now block public access ALONG the beach, something they couldn’t do before. One more thing to lament the loss of in what used to be such a beautiful place.

Places that fall for the propaganda of their own image not only quickly lose much of what made the place attractive in the first place, but they can also lose their identity (if they ever had one). Though Zihuatanejo still seems "quaint" to folks coming here from the big cities, the light pollution at night that is visible at La Ropa and Las Gatas (ni hablar de los demás cerros) is a stark reminder how quickly we are losing one after another of our main attractions.

Fortunately what many of us consider the true heart of Zihuatanejo, its fishing tradition, remains intact and a constant for the hundreds of families that depend on it, albeit local coastal fishing is itself stretched to limits it probably can't sustain. We've already seen lost or greatly diminished several marine species that used to be bountiful. But things like internet, social media and even WhatsApp help locals become more aware of certain local problems and help them to share ideas for resolving them. It's amazing what goes on behind the scenes nowadays, and here and there little miracles seem to take place and we converse better and resolve more.

Here are a couple of visual aids to remind folks precisely what is the true heart and soul of Zihuatanejo.