We REALLY liked Puerto Escondido. When we first arrived we weren't too sure it was a place we might consider returning to and staying for an extended period. We arrived in late October and it was really humid and really hot. What we learned is that we were experiencing the end of the rainy season. After about a week, it was still hot, but the humidity dropped a bit, the ocean breezes picked up and the rain pretty much stopped. And, of course, our bodies became more accustomed to the humidity. We liked Puerto to the point that we spent some time looking at properties to get an idea of the market there.
One of the things I enjoyed most was going for a run on the beach in the morning after I finished teaching. It was about a 3.5 mile round trip run from our house near La Punta to the bay just past Playa Zicatela called Bahía Principal ("main bay"). There was usually something to see on the beach or in the water (like the turtle carcass pictured above - see the "Puerto Escondido: Part II" gallery for more pics) and the bay was always humming with activity. Fisherman were just returning with their catch, getting it ready for sale, cleaning and folding their nets and moving their boats inland. Many of them moved their boats "old school" style using logs as rollers.
While the full-time fishermen ("pescadores") were finishing their day, the sport fishermen were just starting - waiting for their tourist passengers to arrive so they could set out to sea after tuna, marlin and other large fish.
Sometimes, on off days when I didn't run, Janne and I would walk to the bay. One treat I liked to enjoy for breakfast was a cup of fresh raw camarones y pulpo (shrimp and octopus) in a red sauce with lime, diced veggies and spices. Kind of sounds like ceviche, but they didn't call it ceviche. They gave you the cup along with 2 packs of crackers. Cost: 35 pesos (about $1.75US). Super fresh and super good!
We decided to "splurge" one day during our final week. We went to Bacocho Beach and checked out an all inclusive resort. The day pass included unlimited food and drink (including alcohol) - $55 for 2 people. After relaxing at the resort all day, we walked about 300 yards down the beach for a sunset baby turtle release.
When we were in Puerto, we spent some time working on some medical issues. Our mission was two-fold. We were trying to find some prescription medications and we were trying to get some vaccinations (typhoid, yellow fever, Hep A&B to name a few). We needed these to be prepared for some of the countries we will be visiting in the future. We were having no luck at the pharmacies so we visited a doctor. In México, many pharmacies have a doctor's office that you visit through a side door. We went to one looking for assistance. There was a sign on the door (wish I had taken a picture of it) that said to take a seat, wait your turn and the cost would be 35 pesos (about $1.75US)! We waited our turn and saw the doctor. She seemed very professional but spoke little English. I was able to get by, with my limited Spanish and Google Translate, and she provided us with some helpful information and then refused to accept payment. Quite a breath of fresh air after dealing with the American health care system. When we left her office we went to a local clinic, that the doctor suggested we visit, and we were treated equally well there.
As I mentioned in the "Part I" blog, the waves in Puerto are no joke. When I was running one morning, I came across this guy (above pic). I wanted to talk to him but thought I probably shouldn't bother him as he was likely bummin' about his board. But after I passed him by about 20 yards, I circled back and asked him, in Spanish, if I could take a picture. He smiled and agreed and I quickly realized he was a fellow Gringo. His name was Tom and he was from San Diego. I think the waves were a little overhead that day with some double overhead sets. He said it wasn't the first board he broke there and he had only been there a couple months. He was a software developer that could work from anywhere - at least for a while. I think he was way more bummed that he had to go to New York in about a month (December - brrrr) for his work than he was about his broken board. For you surfers out there, a friend of mine that is on an epic road trip from Los Angeles to the tip of Argentina, recently posted a blog about the hazards of surfing Puerto. See the gallery section for a link to his blog entry.
One day, after being in Puerto for a few weeks, we were driving through town in a taxi and I realized that there were nearly no homeless people. I couldn't see any and I couldn't remember seeing any. Yes, there was definitely poverty - but very few, if any, homeless. This struck me. The Mexican culture does a lot better job than the American culture when it comes to taking care of people - even though they have a fraction of the resources that we have in America. I attribute this reality to two major factors. First, their families are much closer knit than ours are. Second, their healthcare system - regardless to how it compares with ours - takes care of ALL the people and not just the ones that can afford it.
All in all, we really enjoyed our time in Puerto Escondido and look forward to returning someday. It has a lot going for it: beach, surf, great food, friendly locals, relatively pollution and crime free and a low cost of living (I got a haircut for $2.50US including tip). Is it perfect? No - there are frequent power outages, good internet is hard to come by and you usually can't flush your toilet paper. But, believe it or not, that's part of the charm and excitement of living in/visiting a foreign land.
So, that's it for Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, México. You will find many more pictures and comments in the "Gallery" section of this website. If you want to be notified of future postings, just go back to the home page, scroll to the bottom and subscribe. Next stop: Panamá!
Love your blog and hearing all about your adventures! Can't wait to read all about your thoughts/adventures in Panama!