Un VaZIHo en Zihuatanejo

https://youtu.be/4xoaHFLQwIg

QEPD Tamakún (click to enlarge images)

Zihuatanejo is in mourning this Saturday with the passing of Roberto Piza Ríos, better known as Tamakún, the crocodile tamer. He was 75 years old. Born on June 5, 1950 in Coyuca de Benítez, he arrived to Zihuatanejo in the late 70's just as the tourism boom was beginning. He was an avid athlete, practicing boxing and participating in numerous of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo's Triatlóns. He won 2nd place in the 65-69 year-old category in the Triatlón Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in May 2008. He was an avid fan of Mexico's fútbol team América, wearing their team clothing daily for years. He first gained fame walking the local beaches carrying a small crocodile that he'd adopted and letting tourists take his picture for a small fee. The local government used his services to relocate various crocodiles. Later, when the local government stupidly created a crisis for the crocodiles that lived in Laguna del Negro by fencing them in and causing overcrowding at Playa Linda, he stepped in to feed them, eventually earning tips for posing with the crocodiles. He'd ride a large tricycle carrying donations of fish and chicken from the Mercado Municipal to Playa Linda until eventually the government gave him a cuatrimoto. After suffering a few accidents, he finally had to retire from caring for the enclosed crocodiles at Playa Linda. The local government named the crocodile enclosure at Playa Linda after him. He also had a beautiful mural painted in his honor at Zihuatanejo's former zócalo, now known as the Cancha Municipal, but the previous municipal administration unceremoniously and unnecessarily destroyed it to avariciously replace the wall where it was painted with new cement from the mayor's own cement company. Rodrigo & Gabriela wrote a song in his honor that was played at a gala at the Obama White House and also used as the theme for the TV series Breaking Bad. Unfortunately, the local government never remunerated him adequately, and he died in poverty. However, he will forever remain a beloved icon of Zihuatanejo by many longtime and new residents as well as by thousands of our visitors who posed for their photos with him. No history of Zihuatanejo is complete without his story.

There was another unfortunate death today. A teenage Gringo was attacked by a shark while spearfishing at the beach known as The Ranch in La Unión. Apparently, he carried the fish he'd caught on his body, and the shark bit him while trying to get the fish.

This morning I happened to be watching the webcam for Playa Blanca when I saw a group of at least 3 whales come within 100 meters of the shore where there happened to be several people. The whales spouted several times, not quite jumping in the shallow water but almost, until a boat full of tourists came towards them, then they swam off towards the coast near Playa Manzanillo with the boat following. This is a wonderful time of year to see them both from shore and from guided tour boats who know to keep a respectful and safe distance from. Other videos on the web show boats practically on top of them, which is not cool at all. Please, only use reputable certified guides such as those recommended on my ACTIVITIES page if you take a whale watching tour.

Don't forget to visit "Las Iguanas Bazar" in La Ropa next to Casa Tucanes this Sunday from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. where you'll find a fun time, the wonderful works of local artisans and merchants, and lots of sustainable products.
https://lasiguanasbazar.com/eventos

A good place to escape the problems of the world is Troncones. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Troncones is one of its loveliest vacation lodgings, Regalo del Mar. A uniquely Mexican small, exotic, luxurious tropical-style vacation guest inn on the beach at Playa Troncones with comfortable suites, bungalows, and a pool. Surrounded by exuberant gardens and natural beauty, it's a place for nature lovers, peaceful and ideal for relaxing. Far from anything resembling stress.
Luxury Vacation Rentals in Troncones

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
#MásSeguridadPúblicaMenosCemento
#NoBlueFlag
#PreservemosPlayaManzanillo
#DenunciaElEcocidio

Playa Principal llena de visitantes durante las vacaciones navideñas, muchos aprovechando de la poca sombra que hay poco después del mediodía.