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Here we are in Zihuatanejo after what was for us an enjoyable summer season during which we did some travel to parts of the world other than Mexico (Spain, France, Italy... and Texas, of course!). We were fortunate not to have touched on any of the many areas that were hit by severe weather and disasters this year, although we did return home in mid-September to several heavy downpours including the soaking that the aftermath of Stan dumped upon us. Zihuatanejo was lucky, and very little damage or problems were reported other than being thoroughly waterlogged, and those few problems we did have paled considerably compared to the grief and damage wrought by Katrina, Stan and Wilma in particular. Anyone wishing to donate funds or relief items to the victims of Stan can do so via the Mexican Red Cross - please visit http://www.cruzrojamexicana.org/%20huracanstan.php and http://www.cruzrojamexicana.org/donativos/index.php
The cruise ship season started off at the beginning of October with ships coming into our bay and discharging passengers at the Municipal dock, which now holds a newly constructed Cruise Ship terminal. Security measures are in place that limit access of the public to the dock when cruise ships are in port. We've been getting sometimes 2 and 3 cruise ships in per week from lines that include Carnival Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, P&O cruises, Crystal Cruises and several others. The ships seem to be spending a greater time in port, bussing passengers around and allowing them several hours of disembarkation time to wander around town, take a tour or two and enjoy our beaches.
We're also going to be getting more direct flights into our destination. Delta Airlines has filed applications for new routes that include direct flights from both LAX and Atlanta to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, slated to begin in February and March, 2006. Frontier Airlines will resume it's direct service 3-times-a-week direct flight from Denver, CO on November 19th, 2005 which is scheduled to run through April 15, 2006. Air Canada Vacations lists direct flights out of Calgary to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo between December 2005 and April 2006. This is in addition to direct international flights from Continental, America West, Alaska Airlines and a number of charter services, as well as the Mexican national airlines.
Construction continues to run wild in and outside of town. New roads scar the mountains behind Las Gatas, above La Ropa and in the area seaward of Almacen. Soon buildings will be begin sprouting up where before there was only green. Everywhere you go you hear the sounds of nailing, sawing, cement mixing. We are about to see a huge change in our beautiful little bay. At Troncones and other beaches both north and south, the same thing is happening. Troncones itself is actually getting a Secondary School installed, it has grown so much. And now that the inland portion of the Morelia - Zihuatanejo highway is finished, with the last bridges done around Infiernillo and the whole stretch of highway opened up (except for the town bypasses still being worked on along Coastal highway 200 just north of here) we have even more buses coming down from the interior every weekend and holiday.
Although more and more places are staying open year-round in Zihuatanejo, many of the restaurants and stores that do still close for the summer season have already reopened, such as Joey's La Marina restaurant (just love that home-style cooking!), Coconuts Restaurant and Rick's Bar. On Friday November 11, the Blue Mamou Blues Bar will be opening it's doors for it's second season which we're sure is going to be a great one - leading the Blue Mamou season blast-off will be the voice and music of Juce Garcia, so don't miss it! Check the website for details at http://www.bluemamou.com
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED for a variety of tasks to prepare for the The 3rd Annual Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival that will be held from March 26 - April 2, 2006. We have received many, many submissions from musicians from all over the world for this third year of the festival. We'll need volunteers to sell ads and drum up sponsors, run miscellaneous errands, make phone calls and distribute publicity, starting RIGHT NOW, and there'll be plenty to do all the way through the actual Festival week and beyond. If you want to buy an AD (in the program, on T-shirts or posters), become an Active Volunteer or sponsor a musician, NOW is the time to let us know by sending us the appropriate form, properly filled out. All forms are available for download on the web site, www.zihuafest.info (see http://www.zihuafest.info/sponsors/ or http://www.zihuafest.info/forms/ for form downloads)
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Another Day in Paradise November 2005 edition is now on-line at the new web site, http://www.adip.info
Articles cover Mexican history, food, fishing and other recreational and community events, travel around Mexico and tips on Real Estate and investments in this country. The web site also hosts archived versions of all past editions of the magazine since it began publication in 1999. Submissions and ads are available.
Read ADiP on-line or look for a print copy around town. Be sure to check out the list of other upcoming events - there are fishing tournaments and plenty of other sports events and openings not mentioned here.
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Add your FREE REGULAR and RECIPROCAL LINKS to Zihua-Ixtapa.com
and Surf-Mexico.com directory listings, or purchase a Sponsor
Link at a price of $98.55 USD per year.
Zihua-Ixtapa.com: Resources dealing with travel, rentals,
activities, businesses, information, etc. connected with Zihuatanejo,
Ixtapa, Troncones or any other part of the State of Guerrero,
Mexico.
Submissions can be made by going to http://www.zihua-ixtapa.com/dir,
navigating to an appropriate category and clicking on "Suggest
New Link" at the top of the page.
Surf-Mexico.com: Resources dealing with surfing, travel,
rentals, other activities, businesses, information, etc. connected
with Mexico in general. Submissions can be made by going to
http://www.surf-mexico.com/dir,
navigating to a pertinent category and clicking on "Suggest
New Link" at the top of the page.
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Regards to all,
Carol & John
Zihrena Systems
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