Letting reality wash over me

I have fallen victim of Mexico’beach lifestyle. Help!

No! Stay away!
Get your clean hands off of me!
If you want to stay pass over the tacos and beer!

Mexico does have some pretty nice beaches so far, but nothing to write home about. You know, sand, but not too fine or white; ocean, but not too blue or crystal clear; the usual stuff you expect when the water meets the land.

Reality. Forget about the glossy magazines showing you resorts in “Mexico” (they lie themselves straight into your wallets and overworked dreams). Mexico is not glossy. It is not shiny in any sort of way. It is rather more the texture of a coarse canvas that has lasted through the ages – a bit greasy or bold in spots, but mostly gritty and layered with the marks of time. It is equally wise and lost in its existence right next to polyester and nylon, which have slowly melted, sometimes awkwardly, along its shores for the comfort of its visitors.

Reality in Mexico… dust fills every last one of your pores, and seems to only be dislodged by the constant jerking and bouncing over the topes (giant unmarked speed bumps) and road craters one has to tackle to get anywhere. But the frequent slowing down allows the air to bring along the smokey flavors of a nearby taco stand and the sight of another poor town.

None of that matters when you are lying on the perfectly average beach, gobbling down delicious food and sipping on a beer that is slowly dripping its chillness down your tanning fingers.

So tucked safely under the arm of another traveling family, we are letting reality completely wash over us, while we are enjoying our privileged positions in Mexico. Yep, I said it. Don’t get me wrong, we are still cooking a lot and eating at the mercifully bountiful street carts. We are still searching out the smaller places and calm beaches. But for a moment, exploration has given way to simple pleasures.

Pass another beer, dear. Photos of ‘reality’ will come in shortly.