Are the palapas officially designated for specific restaurants? Couldn't the restaurant next door strong-arm its way into a palapa? They are built with public money after all. I see Palapa Wars in the future.

Apparently they are for each specific restaurant. So if one closes and reopens as a different business they still have a palapa. I see it as a blatant stunt to buy votes before the last election, and YES: using public funds. A percentage from each public project undoubtedly going directly to influential pockets.

But the space that the others are taking up was already being used by their tables.

Perhaps for some, but you’re still missing the point. The value of their businesses was increased. Some didn’t use much beach, others had pretty “simple” beach areas. None had cement structures as these palapas essentially are. It’s an unfair advantage and favoritism. If I were one of the competitors I’d be demanding equal treatment or the removal of the structures. Personally I prefer the latter. Now what was previously the rattiest restaurant looks just like the other three. None of them could’ve afforded to build such a structure, for starters the cement pillars would never have been permitted.

Wouldn't a palapa in front of Joe's wipe out the fisherman's marketing area?

Obviously, but not the point. The entire remodelación including the other palapas also takes up precious beach space. Why the favoritism?

The wind yesterday left a lot of sand and debris piled up in the plazas, walkways and streets, but not enough rain to even wet the ground. Disappointing. Still, our darn near perfect weather still allows us to bathe without using any hot water and to enjoy sleeping with the windows open.

Quite a few tourists are in town enjoying the summer holidays. If only we could convince them to wear their facemasks while around others. Guerrero currently has over 2,000 active cases with over 90 of them here in Zihuatanejo. We should be going to Semáforo Amarillo, but there have been no indications from the state government that it plans to do so. They seem more concerned about appearances and tourist money than public health.

I'm still not firing on all cylinders (if I ever was). But I keep trying to move ahead, get my work done, and take care of family chores.

This is from a couple of days ago. All the beach palapas are finished now. A nice free present for a few restaurants from the municipal and state governments. My friend Joe at Café Marina could use a nice palapa but he didn't get one. Neither did my friend Joaquín of La Porteña.