My feet find themselves in Cancun Mexico where im running an event space for the World Climate Summit. And when i say space i really mean a 6 bedroom beachfront mansion with a pool (seems rather redundant with an ocean 30 feet away). For most of my trip i have stayed wholed up in the Villa and have not been able to explore much but i have snuck out a little bit and have made a few observations.
Mainly that Cancun is a trashier Las Vegas and i wonder if it would be better with spring breakers en tow in an attempt to recapture youth although it would probably make it worse i imagine. Cancun is broken up into two areas which are downtown cancun where the locals live and the hotel zone where there is a stretch of 10 miles of huge monstrosities that line the eroding beaches. Ironic considering there is a climate summit in town. And yet instead of holding the summit at the hotels, its being held further North up the highways towards Playa Carmen. Along the streets and highways there are hundreds of Policia Federal who proudly display their automatic weapons and roam in reinforced pickup trucks in groups of ten. Its quite unnerving, especially considering my housemate Jean witnessed one of these officers of the law drop his loaded automatic rifle onto the street carelessly.
There are dozens of loud clubs and bars that cater to the westerners offering all you can drink access for $40 a night. Shot girls roam around forcing shots down your throat all while blowing a loud whistle seemingly a hundred times and smacking you in the face and then charging you 6 bucks. People grind all up and down eachother and not in a good way. Once in a while youll see someone attractive but for the most part it seems like its most of the Vegas rejects who end up here. At least in December well out of spring break season.
Maybe thats when we shall return... Maybe not...
But once you get out of Cancun the rest of the Riviera Maya is actually quite stunning. Small fishing villages and beach towns line the coast and the locals walk the street drinking beer openly and are eager to offer up some hash. One excited local strummed his guitar and offered some LSD even to which, after previous unsuccessful experiences, i politely declined. The sand on the beaches is the softest ive felt since the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Australia. Plus i got a fresh filet of grouper with rice, potato and vegetables for under ten dollars. Deliciousness.
1 comment:
Your description give a vivid visual. Trying to capture the Western tourists they build those sky high hotels on the beaches which create a wind draft that actually adds to the erosion problem. The wind drafts actually push sand out to see. Forty yrs ago architects warned of this. Blog is good and nice to have pics to compliment the prose. Good job!
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