Back in the 1960’s and 70’s, the Mexican government sought out ways to bring tourists in to see the many natural wonders that lay hidden and largely unknown within it’s borders. Because these many historically and ecologically rich locations were largely unavailable to the public, the Mexican government created a master plan to bring people in to see and learn about Mexican history and wildlife. The project that created Ixtapa was part of the same master planning that also brought Cancun out of obscurity. The Federal Bureau for Tourist Development was the entity behind the development of the resort city that is know known as Ixtapa.

Before this large and beautiful city was constructed, the small town of Zihuatanejo was already in existence. This small fishing village has developed into a wonderful place for visitors to explore and discover the many historical structures and sites in the area.

The current site of the city of Ixtapa was originally a coconut tree plantation. One of the main features of this city is its natural beauty. Because it was once a plantation, the surroundings provide a gorgeous tropical aura for visitors to enjoy during their stay.

In conclusion, the historically rich area and the beautiful surroundings of the city of Ixtapa make it a wonderful destination for anyone that is looking for an interesting vacation spot.

Though many people often look only at the glittering, large cities in Mexico when planning a vacation, there are also many small villages that are waiting to be explored by those that are interested in learning of the history of the country of Mexico and that wish to get away from the city. One of these villages is the small town of Zihuatanejo. Though it is located just 6 kilometers away from the large and bustling city of Ixtapa, this small jewel situated on the Mexican coast is indeed a wonderful place to visit.

Many of us have heard of the incredible natural beauty of the area surrounding Ixtapa. That same natural beauty surrounds the town of Zihuatanejo. Although this small town has been developed slightly, it still retains that small town flavor that sets it apart from other destinations in Mexico.

Even before Zihuatanejo established itself as a fishing village, it was a haven for the Spanish fleet, privateers and even pirates! From the late 1800’s throughout the years until the 1970’s, Zihuatanejo stayed a small, sleepy fishing village. But after the Mexican government began its development of Ixtapa, Cancun and several other large cities, Zihuatanejo’s proximity to Ixtapa brought more traffic through this small place. Because of the increased traffic through the town, about 1,000 hotel rooms are now available for those that are looking for accommodations in the town.

Zihuatenejo also possesses a historic downtown area that, at one time, was marked only by three distinct features: the pier, the basketball court and an open-air theatre.

Mexico has been known throughout history for its port cities and the culture and architecture contained therein. One of these cities is the thriving and beautiful city of Mazatlan.

Mazatlan literally means, “place of the deer.” Though deer are rarely seen now because of the large population, the name remains as a reminder to the citizens of the city of their heritage. The name Mazatlan came from an Aztec language that was not originally native to the area. Historians believe that a translator that came with an explorer brought the language with him and gave the city its name. Though Mazatlan was not officially a city until the 1820’s, it was inhabited by an indigenous Indian tribe known as the Totarames. This culture left behind beautiful artifacts in the way of polychrome pottery. The pottery contains intricate designs and colors that are indicitive of a highly developed society.

Another interesting facet of Mazatlan’s history is that it has been occupied many different times by various different countries. Even the Confederate government at the time of the American Civil War tried to bring Mexico over to the rebel side by occupying the city. History tells us, however, that this plan did not succeed. The city also bears the title of being the first city on the American continent, and the second in the world, to be bombed. Tripoli, Libya is the first. The bomb was a crude piece of construction that was filled with nails and dynamite and wrapped in leather. This rather unpleasant surprise was intended by General Carranza to be dropped on a specific target. Tragically for the citizens of Mazatlan, the bomb was as crudely dropped as it was made. The explosive landed in the middle of the busy city streets of the city and killed several citizens and soldiers. This, however, is only a reflection of Mexico’s war-torn past.

In addition to all of these fascinating events that took place in Mazatlan, it also has the distinction of being one of Mexico’s premier coastal ports, historically. Until the Mexican government put armaments on the coast surrounding the harbor, pirates preying on Spanish ships often took up residence in the sheltered harbor. Mazatlan’s harbor is very unique because of the hills surrounding it, thus giving it a naturally protected port. Eventually, the Mexican goverment became tired of the unlawful intruders and reinforced the area. Though the pirates vanished near the 1800’s, the stories of gold-laden Spanish galleons and lost treasure continue to cause speculation about the possible location of pirated Spanish treasure in the caves along the coast.

Today, Mazatlan is one of the key tourist destinations in the Northwestern part of Mexico. The colorful and rich history and culture preserved by the people has made the city a wonderful place to visit. The city has many interesting sites to see, and has a rich history of being visited by digintaries such as Gregory Peck, a famous actor, David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University and Andrew Greyson, the noted ornithologist, among many others. The wonderful white sand beaches, historical architecture and colorful population make this city a premier destination for anyone that is looking for a fun and interesting way to spend their vacation.

Of all of the interesting sites to see in Mexico, Mexico City is perhaps the most interesting of all. Built on an underground lake and constructed on the site of an ancient Aztec cultural center, the city is laden with historical significance. The original name of the city was Tenochtitlan, which was perhaps the largest and most beautiful city in the world at the time. Travelers from the Western world hailed it as being the most beautiful city in the entire world. The city had many waterways that were all interconnected to allow water travel throughout the whole of the city. These waterways extended up to the entrance at the edges of the city, and several different causeways or bridges connected the city to the outside world.With its magnificent architecture and large population, Tenochtitlan was the center of culture for the Aztec population. However, in the 1500’s, the Aztec way of life was to change forever.

The Aztec King, Moctezuma II, believed that, upon Cortes’ arrival, that he must be the Aztec god, Quetzelcoatl. According to Aztec beliefs and legends, this god was to return and would have white skin. Cortes used this belief to his advantage and took the king captive, where he later died in captivity in 1520.

After the city was conquered by the Spaniards, the city was damaged and remained as such until the Mexican War for Independence. After the Mexican Constitution was written in 1824, it specified that the capital city of the new country would be Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan.

When the Mexican President (or dictator, as he is called by some) Porfiro Diaz took control of the country in 1876, he introduced many important things to the city. He ordered schools to be built, roads to be constructed and planned and all of the other necessary infrastructure that the city needed to be put into progress. Although this man did rule with an iron fist and caused harm to be brought to his people, he did do something right in that he began work on the capital. As a result, Mexico City remained technologically advanced throughout the 1800’s and early 1900’s, as well.

By the 1970’s however, Mexico City had lost some of its legendary charm. Old palaces and colonial homes had been demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. One of these roads was the Avenida Insurgentes, which had been laid out and built by 1924. However, in the 1990’s the city’s mayor began a process that is still underway to restore Mexico City to its former glory.

Though some of the historical architecture has been demolished, many works of art and other beautiful historical structures remain for visitors to enjoy. One of these features is the magnificent Xochimilco Floating Gardens, which have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Mexico city also features 160 museums, 100 art galleries, making it the leader in the world for its art culture, and 30 concert halls that remain busy with cultural activities and presentations all throughout the year.

Though Mexico City has undergone a tumultuous and war-torn past, the city and its inhabitants have persevered throughout time to preserve the unique culture and history that remains documented today.

If I had to go back to the USA, I would most miss the ability to “livein the moment” and the gentility and kindness of the people.
Barbara Eckrote from babsofsanmiguel.blogspot

I moved back to a rural area of the US, so people are generally pretty friendly, but still not as friendly as where we were in Mexico.

The friendliness of the people and their acceptance of us, the weather, the lower cost of living.
Brenda from Brenda and Roy Going to Mexico

I don’t know if it was just the novelty of some gringos who couldn’t speak Spanish or what, but the children seemed much more friendly than in the US.

I would miss the lovely tropical weather, I would miss sleeping year-round with the windows open and wearing sandals all the time. I would also miss my friends. I would miss my veterinarian and my dentist. I would miss being able to buy cheap limes.
RiverGirl from RiverGirl

When we left Mexico we discovered that we missed the limes and avocados. We also became frustrated with the US veterinarian compared with the one we had in Mexico. I don’t know about the dentist–we fortunately didn’t need to visit one, but the doctor we had in Mexico was wonderful.

I would miss the weather (minus the major hurricanes, Wilma was enough!), the beautiful beaches and most importantly, the bonds I’ve made with friends here. Other things that aren’t as important but still nice: the sense of freedom you feel when living here as there aren’t so many rules and regulations, how cheap it is to get your car fixed here, how great and cheap Mexican food is, how easy it is to pick up prescriptions at the drug store, how the cost of living is significantly cheaper, cheap taxis, and how easy it is to get around since it’s such a small city.
Elizabeth from Mexico “Way”

My experience in Durango at trying to get my car fixed was a little different. It was going to be very expensive, so I took care of it myself–but it may depend on where you live and knowing the right places to go.

I did find it very interesting that there were a lot fewer rules. Mexico seems to be setup for smart people. There aren’t a bunch of laws to keep you from doing something stupid and hurting yourself.

1. The warmth and kindliness of the people
2. The weather
3. The lower cost of living
Rosana Hart from Mexico with Heart

I think the warmth of the people is related to their easy going approach to life. It is a lot easier to be friendly to strangers when you aren’t constantly in a hurry to get somewhere and do something.

Nature.
John Bokma from Johnbokma

I liked how Mexico hadn’t been as commercialized. There were a lot more places where you could go enjoy nature without a lot of rules of “don’t go here” or “don’t go there”.

I would miss: Low cost of living, specifically in property taxes, utility costs, and real estate costs. The health-care system here is far superior too. And those agreeable women. I married one.
Michael Dickson from La vida bougainvillea

It is pretty amazing how much property taxes are in the US. The houses we saw for sale in Mexico weren’t what I’d consider cheap, but still much less expensive than something similar in the US.

The warm smiles of our neighbors and their wonderful sense of humor and their ability to enjoy life despite having very little wealth or material possessions.
Jim and Mindy from Jim and Mindy in Rural Veracruz

People did seem much more friendly–especially when compared to a large city in the US. I think that had we been in a rural area in Mexico we would have noticed the difference even more.

If I had to leave Mexico I would not return to the United States. I would go south. But assuming what will not pass, living on the beach. I could never afford to live on a beach anywhere in the United States.
Lynn DeWeese-Parkinson from Tijuana Bible

If we go back to Mexico we will be looking for a beach town.

The people. A more welcoming, genuine, friendly and fun bunch of people you’d be hard to find. I was welcomed into many homes, shown so many local events, foods, drinks, sights. Everyone has ideas of what to see, where to go and also show an interest in where you’re from and your own culture. I already had a few good Tapatian (from Guadalajara) friends when I arrived, but met many new people who still keep in regular contact 5 months after we left, offering us places to stay on our next visit (hopefully soon).
I also miss pay-as-you-go cell phones… you buy your fichas (credits), use them, recharge them. The way things should be… None of this dollar a day, use it or not malarkey…
Gwyn Fisher from Gwyn’s Blog

It is interesting to see how Mexico has built models for selling cell phones that is entirely different than what goes on in the US. It is very much built around the payment infrastructure that is in place and the Mexican mindset.

Leaving Mexico is simply not on the agenda. It’s not an option.
Jennifer J. Rose fromStaring at Strangers

I suppose that Jennifer would just miss everything far to much.

What was the biggest thing you had to adjust to in Mexico?

The biggest adjustment was learning the processes for accomplishing bill paying, garbage pickup, phone repair. Daily things that you don’t encounter when you’re traveling in Mexico.
Barbara Eckrote from Babs of San Miguel.blogspot

When we were in Mexico it was very interesting to see how bills were paid. In the US, you get mailed a bill. If you don’t pay it the service gets shutoff and you have to pay some type of expensive fee to get the service turned back on again in addition to paying the bill. This fee recognizes that it is expensive for the telephone, electric or cable company to turn your service off and back on again. Mexico’s infrastructure is built so it is not expensive to turn things on and off. Sometimes you would get a paper bill, but often you would need to just remember to go down and pay whatever you owe. If you didn’t that service would get cut off so you’d know to go pay it.

Probably the language difference.
Brenda from Brenda And Roy Going To Mexico

This was a challenge for us as well. We picked up quite a bit while we were there, but not nearly as much as we would have liked.

The inefficiency and corruption in government were hard for me to adjust to. I also had trouble with how poor service can be, at all levels. The concept that the customer is always right is not known in this part of Mexico.
RiverGirl from RiverGirl

The corruption was something that we didn’t have to deal with specifically, but it was very different. There is just a different attitude about being on the police force. While I’m sure that some officers have great integrity it appears that the standards of what is acceptable is much lower. Part of this comes from not paying high enough wages to police officers and expecting them to supplement their income through bribes. I’ve heard of some cases where a policeman is given his job, but with the condition that he pay the person who hired him a certain amount each month for the privilege of being employed.

I’ve had to become more patient with the way things work around here and had to try and let go of my strong feelings with regards to the way things “should work”. There are a lot of extra annoyances and stresses about living in Mexico. Generally those annoyances can be pretty funny and interesting when you first move here. But after a while, when you get into a routine of things and try to live a regular “real” life from day to day, they can be more and more annoying and stressful. So when the repairman says he’ll show up at 6 and never does, but decides to show up a week later unannounced, you have to really learn to roll with it. Sometimes I do….sometimes…. not so much! LOL!
Elizabeth from Mexico “Way”

We ran into this as well. At first it seemed obvious that if people would just do stuff the way we expected things would work out much better. Of course we didn’t tell anyone this, but you get use to the way things work in the States and assume everyone should follow the same protocol. After we had been there for awhile, more of the things that were different made sense.

For example, in Durango they have free trash pickup twice each day, but most of the streets don’t have signs.  I couldn’t figure out why they didn’t make people pay for the trash and invest in street signs.  However after being there for a while it makes sense.  People can still find their way around, but a lot of people wouldn’t want to pay extra for trash pickup, so it would just end up in the streets.

Easy. The traffic. Still haven’t adjusted.
Rosana Hart from Mexico with Heart

We generally avoided driving. The taxi service was good and we felt much safer with someone who knew how to avoid the other drivers. Once I was out driving with my friend and he warned me that I should yield to traffic at the next intersection. I didn’t see any signs so I asked how he knew that. He said “Everyone knows that the other street has the right of way.” He said it was probably on some map or something in the city records. For me that was a little scary and good reason to avoid driving more than necessary.

Can’t think of anything right now other than learning the language.
John Bokma from Johnbokma

John evidently had a very easy time adjusting.

Rudeness of people, especially in traffic. Inconsideration in general that manifests itself in countless ways.
Michael Dickson from La vida bougainvillea

When we were there we found things that seemed rude, but as we got to understand the culture better, we realized that some of the things we were doing seemed very rude to the Mexicans.

The traffic is a big issue. Coming from the US there is a very different standard of what is acceptable and it is difficult to get use to.

Learning Spanish - of course we knew we were just beginners but it was a significant stress not being able to communicate well and understanding so little of what people said despite studying Spanish six months before our trip and daily once we got to Mexico.
Jim and Mindy from Jim and Mindy in Rural Veracruz

I found that much of my study of Spanish was useless in real conversations. Either my accent was wrong or I was using a correct synonym that was so uncommon they had no idea what I was talking about. I became very good at charades however.

The increasing militarization of Mexico has been difficult. I have still not completely adjusted to having to pass through military roadblocks almost wherever I go.
Lynn DeWeese-Parkinson from Tijuana Bible

I wasn’t sure whether the military checkpoints should make me feel safer or more nervous. The only ones I remember going through were with our friends and were no big deal. It still seemed odd to see people with machine guns waving you over.

To be honest, I feel just as comfortable in Mexico as where I grew up in the UK or have lived in the US, if not more so. It’s actually quite hard to think of anything that really needed adjusting to. 

Witnessing levels of poverty absent or hidden in other countries, like kids of 7 selling chewing gum on the streets or flowers in bars late at night is something you never fully get used to and there are constant reminders of the huge divides and contrasts of a modern Mexican city like Guadalajara. That would be the major thing, and everyone has their own way of assuaging their first-world guilt.

On a more prosaic level though, some people take a while to get used to the food, I never had any problems and ate food from street vendors almost every day (the trick is to look for places with queues of locals). Drinking bottled water was new to me and having the water guy deliver gallon bottles every few days was odd at first but it’s not exactly life-changing. Driving can be tricky at major intersections, but despite Guadalajara’s ever rising levels of traffic, it’s still nowhere near as dangerous/ frustrating as it is getting from A to B in the SF Bay Area. Paying tolls to use decent motorways does take some adjusting though. If you’re planning a long journey you’ll need a lot of cash handy to pay the tolls for the extremely modern, well-equipped roads. However you can plan ahead with a handy new web tool from the Transport Department’s website that tells you how much the charges will be.

Gwyn Fisher from Gwyn’s Blog

We had reasonably good success with the food. I got really sick once and we aren’t really sure why. Bottled water was a little bit of an annoyance especially when you go out to eat. I generally drink a lot of water with spicy foods so I can easily spend as much on water as on the meal itself.

Looking back, there was really no major adjustment, because I was already sufficiently familiar with the country and knew what to expect.
Jennifer J. Rose from Staring at Strangers

What prompted you to move to Mexico?

I came to Mexico because I have loved the country for over 40 years and wanted to live in this culture.
Barbara Eckrote from Babs of San Miguel.blogspot

It is hard to underestimate the experience of living in a culture you love.

We were originally just coming to Mexico for one winter to escape our cold Alberta, Canada winter.  We fell in love with the area that we live in now and decided to retire early and move here.  I guess the main reason was the weather.
Brenda from Brenda and Roy Going to Mexico 

One of the advantages of Mexico is the ability to retire for less than you can in other countries. When we were in Durango the winters were cold, but nothing like Canada. However, the houses were all made to stay cool, so it seemed pretty cold even thought it wasn’t that bad.

My husband is Mexican, and we always planned to live in Mexico for at
least a few years.  We’ve been here almost 5 years.
RiverGirl from River Girl 

When we were in Mexico we met quite a few people who had moved there with their Mexican spouse. Marrying someone from Mexico can make it easier to adjust in some way. On the other hand you don’t necessarily get to go through culture shock together

I had taken my first vacation to Cancun, Mexico with a group of friends and upon my return I could not get Mexico off the brain.  During a discussion with a friend I made an off handed comment about how I should just move to Mexico.   His response was that I couldn’t do it and that I wouldn’t do it so I thought to myself, “Why not?”.  I promptly decided to move to Mexico for 3 months as a sort of “trial run” and when I returned back home, I decided I would pay off my debts, network, do more research, learn Spanish and wait for the right time and opportunity to move back for the long haul.  The time and opportunity showed up and I’ve been living in Cancun, Mexico for the last 5-1/2 years.
Elizabeth from Mexico “Way”

So basically Elizabeth moved to Mexico on a dare. Well it makes for a great story.

We had spent a lot of time in Mexico and knew we liked it. Thought it would be fun. And mostly it is!
Rosana Hart from Mexico with Heart

One common theme I see with people who have moved to Mexico permanently is that they spent a lot of time there ahead deciding to move. This is probably a wise move.

I fell in love with a girl from Xalapa on-line. Her brother introduced us, and after 4 months I decided to move to Xalapa to see if things would work out for us. (We’re now married and have a daughter).
John Bokma from Johnbokma / MexIT

Nothing like love to encourage you to move countries. I have a friend who did something similar, but in the end he and his girlfriend moved back to the US.

Cheap living and agreeable women.
Michael Dickson from La vida bougainvillea

When we were in Mexico it seemed odd what was cheap. Things that we thought would be expensive were very inexpensive–like healthcare. Things that we thought would be cheap were expensive–like fruits and vegetables. I guess some might depend on where you live–Durango doesn’t grow a lot of their own food. Some of the fruit we were buying was actually imported from the US.

Poor health and financial pressures…
Jim and Mindy from Jim and Mindy in Rural Veracruz

The financial advantage of living in Mexico can be tremendous–especially if you can find a rural area and learn to take advantage of the things that are inexpensive in Mexico. Jim and MIndy seem to have done this well.

A thousand things. The immediate cause was retirement and the ability to do so. First among other things was a complete disgust with a lifetime of U.S. imperialism and the increase of fascism and militarization inside the United States itself. Secondarily Mexico attracts through the warmth of its people and what I perceive as a much healthier social atmosphere.
Lynn DeWeese-Parkinson from Tijuana Bible

In Mexico where we were at it was routine to find military roadblocks with soldiers armed with machine guns. I have seen less militarization in the US than in Mexico, but perhaps I was living in a place with an unusual amount of military activity. I would agree that many components of Mexican society seem to be healthier than in the US.

My wife’s a sociology grad student and is writing her PhD dissertation on “How Tequila became Mexico’s national drink”. Her research naturally led us to Jalisco, Mexico, home of Tequila and also the place we met 10 years ago when I was studying as part of my undergraduate degree in Spanish. We thought we’d only be there for a year but managed to extend the stay after she won various grants and scholarships.
Gwyn Fisher from Gwyn’s Blog

This has got to the be the most unique reason I’ve ever heard for someone to move to Mexico! That is quite a dissertation topic. My topic seems quite boring after reading yours.

There was no single precipitating factor, because the move was a natural progression for me.  When people ask why I moved to Mexico, my response is “Because I could.”
Jennifer J. Rose from Staring at Strangers

I talked with several people about the pay rates in Mexico and it sounded like someone with a law degree or accounting degree would be very happy to get a salary of $5,000 per year. In fact it sounded like many younger accountants and lawyers were having a very difficult time making even half of that in Durango.

I didn’t get the chance to really explore the educational system in Durango, Mexico. Superficially it appears that most of the degrees from universities are similar in scope to a degree from a Junior College in the US, but it may vary depending on where you go. Law and accounting seemed to be very popular fields of study. In Mexico there are fewer regulations, so it is significantly easier to become a lawyer. In fact I think all you really need to do is say that you are a lawyer.

When we decided to come back to the US, we needed to get our stuff back from Durango. Based on the idea that most people were struggling to make less than $500 per month, we asked our friends if they knew of anyone who would be interested in driving our stuff up to the border at Laredo for $300 US. Our friends couldn’t find anyone who was trust worthy, had a vehicle and would be willing to do it. (We ended up getting our stuff when the pastor of the church had to come back to the border to renew his vehicle permit.)

The difficulty might have been more related to the lack of vehicles, but I was still surprised. While in Durango it seemed like there were a lot of people looking for work.

A few months later we were talking with our friends who were setting up a tamale stand. They had a recipe, some people to cook and a cart, but couldn’t find anyone willing to do the actual selling. They ran it for a few weeks themselves and it made very good money, but no one was willing to work on a commission basis.

This also seemed strange because a job on commission seems like a better option than no job at all–especially one where someone was already running it and had proved it could make a lot of money. Our friends tried to find people by setting up base salary plus commission, but still couldn’t find anyone willing to work.

During one of Mexico’s revolutions there seems to have been a backlash against business owners. I think this was because there was practically no middle class. Most of the businesses were owned by the government or the very rich. Because of this there are many laws designed to be very much in favor of the employees that make things difficult for the employer. It can be difficult to fire someone because you are required to pay them a substantial (compared with their salary) amount of money as severance.

By contrast the American War for Independence was pushed primarily by business men and the middle class. Much of the difficulties with England impacted middle class business men much more than the lone farmer. As a result, US law seems to be setup to encourage business growth more than the laws in Mexico.

I still think there are some great opportunities for hiring people in Mexico. India and the Philippines have companies where people will work as your full time personal assistant for $500 to $2,000 per month. Mexico would be the ideal place to hire people for this type of work because of their location geographically. However, finding the employees would probably be very difficult. It might be a little easier around Mexico City or other larger populations centers.

If Mexico would really make a push to teach students English, give them a basic technology education and establish the same mindset that seems prevalent in India, I think individuals working from their homes using the internet could bring in billions of dollars into Mexico over the next 10 years.

The place where buying on demand is most noticeable is when you look at how the locals approach phone and cable services. It seems like many of them pay for the service and use it until it gets shut off. Then they pay again and are good to go for another month.

That wouldn’t work in the US because of the additional fees of getting service re-instated, but at least in Durango it seems to be very common.

I suppose the low cost of labor helps feed this. Also if everyone does it, it would be difficult for the phone company and cable company to start permanently blocking customers who don’t pay on time without losing a lot of their business. Another thing to consider is the poor mail service. You often won’t get a bill in the mail, so turning off service is the companies way of letting you know it is time to pay.