Filed under: wedding | Tags: Beach, Getaway, honeymoon, Riviera Maya, sunshine, vacation
*Ahhh, the honeymoon*
What a sweet, sweet getaway to the Riviera Maya. Such a gorgeous place.*
A complete escape from everything. We heard next to Zero English ~ although encountered many other languages under the sun. Many Europeans finding respite along the crystalline waters, though altogether not a crowded time of year to vacation. Perfect.
We were adopted by a fish and a beach dog, serenaded by Mariachi bands, and spoiled by the all-inclusive set-up. We swam, built fortresses in the sand, and soaked in the sunshine. Nothing to complain about and a million reasons to just feel blessed.
Several interesting conversations with locals led to some random eye-opening news about the area.
The 100% dependency on tourism, make the effects of hurricanes passing through truly economically devastating. “A hurricane shutting down hotels and tourism travel for 4 months means that no one in all of these cities is working. The entire place is out of work for 4 months, can you imagine?! And imagine if the storm is even worse….” People from all over are coming to Cancun to jump on the opportunities that come with the tides of tourism, which have begun to leave places like Acapulco in the dust.
The crime rate is rising, brought in by Mexicans from other areas – not the local, peace-loving Cancun-ians (I was told by a non-local). Bags of coke often drift ashore onto local beaches after small plane crashes. People are ripped from their mopeds. The police are too corrupt to do anything about it.
And did you know? Genuine locals from Cancun cannot roll their “r”s, so they cannot make the “rr” sound, typical in the Spanish language. Why? Because of the Mayan decent. “My children were born here, so they cannot make the “rr” sound….” a driver explained with sincerity. So when I asked if he could tell by peoples’ accent what area they are from, he said “yes” emphatically, and added that Mayans have big heads, which also helps to identify them. No, not metaphorically. “Really, they have big heads!” he laughed. “Even my children, they are so cute – they have big heads and no necks! This is the way that Mayans are. So you will know them anywhere.”
One gentleman shared his story with me of trying to make his way into the USA, paying coyotes to take him across the border. They were robbed by a desert gang, stripped down to nothing. Women, children, and men. No clothing, no belongings. Then they were stopped by police wanting money from them, of which they obviously had none (they were naked for goodness sake!), So they were forced to walk a great distance, traveling for one week, and were sent to jail in some Mexican town.
Now he doesn’t even dream of going to the States. “My family is here, my children, my heart, my life. I am happy here, so why would I leave?”
*
Everyone was so over-the-top friendly and just plain wonderful, going well out-of-their –way for us time and again. We wondered what the world would be like if we all worked with such an attitude – or even just the USA. What would it be like to smile broadly at everyone crossing your path? Give 150% of yourself? To go beyond “working” to a state of genuine care and love – to extend yourself fully into all that you’re doing. How would that change our cities? Homes?
*
The difference was palpable. They were a truly happy people around us, full of heart and life despite the struggles. Perhaps with dreams of other lands, but still fully present and generous, giving of themselves in the Now.
*
