At Tower Bridge Luxury Bungalows and Vacation Rentals we offer hands down the finest facilities and accomodations at far below the price of staying at a hotel. We also pride ourselve in offering the best customer service in Southern Mexico! Below is a list of our rental types and rates by season. Please call us for a quote on long term stays or to rent the entire property for special occassions such as family reunions, weddings or that special vacation. HOME | RENTAL INFO PRICES | PUERTO ESCONDIDO | PHOTOS | LINKS | CONTACT copyright 2004 puertobungalows.com - all rights reserved HOME _____ RENTAL INFO PRICING _____ PHOTOS _____ PUERTO ESCONDIDO _____ LINKS _____ CONTACT US Call us at 01152 954 582 0840 High season: Jan. Feb. March. April. Nov. Dec. Slow season: May. June. July. Aug. Sep. Oct. Room rates are based on single or double occupancy and subject to change without notice. All prices are in US Dollars For more information please call or E-Mail LUXURY HOUSE RENTAL The Luxury House Rental features many beautiful views from the master bedroom that overlooks the garden and swimming pool. The Master Bedroom is tiled throughout and contains numerous traditional Mexican rugs. Other features include: King size bed Large sitting area Two Bathrooms - Inlcuding large, private master bath Large Kitchen inlcuding all utensils and appliances Large Dining/Entertaining room that can sit up to 15 people Full entertainment center including large screen TV, DVD and Stereo system RATES : (Triple Occupancy) HIGH Day Week Month 150 700 1700 LOW Day Week Month 50 400 1000 LUXURY STUDIO RENTAL Our Luxury Studio Rental features a shared kitchen, authentic Oaxacan style and decor, access to all of our facilities, Cable TV and much more! RATES : (Double Occupancy) HIGH Day Week Month 60 250 650 LOW Day Week Month 15 70 250 LUXURY APARTMENT RENTAL Our Luxury Fully Furnish Apartment Rental features a full kitchen, authentic Oaxacan style and decor, access to all of our facilities, Cable TV and much more! RATES : (Double Occupancy) HIGH Day Week Month 110 500 1000 LOW Day Week Month 40 300 600 LUXURY BUNGALOW RENTALS Each Luxury Bungalow is decorated in authentic Oaxaca style, from the terracotta floor, to the hand painted Mexican art work hanging on the walls. Each Bungalow also features Cable T.V., Air Conditioning (or fan) and a comfortable sitting area. All are equipped with full private bathrooms containing hot water and Spanish tiles covering the walls and floors. Note: We have multiple Luxury Bungalow units available for rent RATES : (Double Occupancy) HIGH Day Week Month 90 400 900 LOW Day Week Month 30 250 450
Private Villas for rent in California. Villas and condo exchanges for Golf.. Reference Password Members 1 st Class Vacations. Golfing Holidays. Private Villas and Apartments for Exchange 28,794,875 visitors since opening on 24 May 1999 Click Here for our Rental Properties WANTED - Click here to ADD your own request. Tscroll_init (0) OWNERS - Add Your Vacation Property. Click here to add us to your favorites. This show a summary of locations for home exchanges where apartments, condos and villas are in or near locations with a golf course nearby. Click on this image next to the property for more information Where this appears there is a full availability calendar Town Count - Avalon/catalina Island (1), Berkeley (1), Beverly Hills (los Angeles) (1), Big Bear Lake (1), Camarillo (1), Del Mar (2), Escondido (1), Foothill Ranch (1), Fremont (1), La Jolla (1), La Qunita (1), Laguna Beach (1), Lake Tahoe (1), Los Angeles (1), Los Olivos (1), Mammoth Lakes (1), Nipomo (1), Oakland (2), Oceanside (1), Orinda (1), Pacific Grove (1), Paradise (1), Pioneertown (1), Point Arena (1), Sacramento (1), San Clemente (1), San Diego (2), San Francisco (1), San Rafael (1), Santa Barbara (1), Santa Cruz (3), Santa Monica (2), Santa Rosa (1), Tahoe Donner (1), Truckee (2), Tustin (1), Vacaville (1), Valencia (1), Valley Springs (1), Ventura (1), Vista (1) 2567 :Avalon/catalina island :- A beautiful, 2 bedroom, 4 bathroom Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms A beautiful, 2 bedroom, den with fireplace in livingroom. Dining area seperate. It has 4 bathrooms, with underground parking. The golfcart, which is what we all use for transportation here, is included. We're a block from the beach, and its the prettiest ... (more) 3841 :Berkeley :- Beautiful home in hills above SF Bay Exchange Details. Europe, Anytime, europe Sleeps up to 4, has 3 bedrooms Our home lies in a very quiet neighborhood in the North Berkeley Hills, just below the crest called Grizzly Peak Boulevard. It is only five minutes from Tilden Park, a large regional recreation area which contains a lovely lake and beach surrounded by trees, ... (more) 3342 :Beverly hills (los angeles) :- Beverly Hills, Calif. apt exchange or Rent Exchange Details. Paris-Ile de France or Open or Lazio or New York or Europe, Anytime, Paris center jUNE 18,2005 nyc june 25 manhattan (nr javits) Sleeps up to 3, has 1 bedroom BEVERLY HILLS (Los Angeles)1 bedroom apartment (double bed) completely furnished, ground floor, bright, treadmill, with (2) cable TV and a great music system. Dining area, 1 bathroom with tub and separate shower. You may have use of my computer(with DSL) ... (more) 3731 :Big bear lake :- Cienaga Creek Ranch - Big Bear Cabins in California Rental - Green is free availability. 2004 Dec 2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2006 Jan Feb Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, open Sleeps up to 4, has 1 bedroom Cienaga Creek Ranch - Big Bear Cabins in California - The sky is bluer and the stars are brighter at Cienaga Creek Ranch - your slice of paradise right in Big Bear, California. Cienaga Creek Ranch - Escape to your private Big Bear Cabins in ... (more) 5742 :Camarillo :- Cozy two-bedroom, two-bath home Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, open Sleeps up to 2, has 1 bedroom MI CASA ES SU CASA. Cozy two-bedroom, two-bath home, suitable for two (non-smoking) people. Master bedroom has king size bed, large TV and adjoining bath. Second bedroom is set up as a computer room, with high-speed internet connection. Telephone service ... (more) 6202 :Del mar :- Ocean view aparment, 3 doors from the ocean Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, open Sleeps up to 4, has 1 bedroom 1 bedroom, 1 bathrom spacious apartment walking distance to Del Mar Village, quiet and relaxing. 1/4 to State Park with hiking/biking trails. Perfect for a healthy and fit couple who would like to get away from the city and relax in a comfortable beach area. ... (more) 8367 :Del mar :- Beachside property; 2400 Sq ft; 3BR, 3BA; tennis, pool, spa Exchange Details. New York, Anytime, new york Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Panoramic Ocean View; walk to beach; lovely resort town of Del Mar. Quiet 3BR, 3 BA, 2400 sq ft townhome with 2 master-sized bedrooms. Recently remodeled throughout, all new appliances, entertainment/media room. Complex has 2 tennis courts, 2 swimming ... (more) 5537 :Escondido :- San Diego County North Beautiful View Home Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 5, has 3 bedrooms 3 bedroom/3 bath detached 2600 sq. ft. executive home on an acre of land in North Escondido, California. The spacious master bedroom has an open-beamed cathedral ceiling, and the en suite bathroom has a glassed-in shower and a whirlpool tub big enough for ... (more) 4623 :Foothill ranch :- Cozy model home in southern California Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Downstairs is the bachelor kitchen (refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, etc.), breakfast bar, and television area (TV, VCR, Stereo, etc.) The washer and dryer are located in the garage and off the hallway is a powder room. There is also a patio ... (more) 3976 :Fremont :- 5 bedroom, 3 bath home Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, switzerland Sleeps up to 8, has 5 bedrooms 5 Bedroom, 3 bath home in quiet green neighborhood with beautiful view on surrounding hills. Large family kitchen with fire place, 2 living rooms. Very child friendly. Nice back yard with BBQ place. Walk to park with lake. Nice suburb in the San Francisco ... (more) 4127 :La jolla :- Sunshine & sea spray Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Large 2bdr/2ba third floor condominium directly across the street from the ocean, with small \"white water\" view from west facing balcony. Modern unit with all amenities. Our unit is very bright, light and airy with an abundance of windows resulting in a ... (more) 8222 :La qunita :- Casa luna in la quinta spa & resort Rental - Green is free availability. 2004 Dec 2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2006 Jan Feb Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Casa Luna Santa Rosa Cove Located in La Qunita Resort & Spa complex – Casa Luna is a 1,922 Sq. Feet - 172 Sq. Meters. Marble floors & granite counter tops make for elegant entertaining. Newly remodeled and painted this professionally decorated home ... (more) 4138 :Laguna beach :- Mod. home overlooking the Pacific Ocean Exchange Details. Paris-Ile de France, Anytime, paris Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Single family residence, 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, modern kitchen, dining and living room with fireplace, many decks, hot tub and view of Ocean. 10 min walk to Beach, 15 min. walk to town. (more) 6443 :Lake tahoe :- Beautiful Custom Three Bedroom Home at Lake Tahoe Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 8, has 3 bedrooms We have a beautiful Lake Tahoe three bedroom home available. It is minutes to Heavenly Ski resort as well as eight other ski resorts! The property is on a double lot backing a 7 acre meadow and offers all amenities.The lake's shoreline is walking distance ... (more) 8508 :Los angeles :- Seven Acre Private Estate with Panoramic Ocean Views Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 5, has 5 bedrooms Seven Acre Private Estate with total panoramic view. Exclusive guarded and gated private community. Five bedrooms, three baths, heated and covered pool, hillside spa, professional barbecue, acres for children to play, trails, tennis, horseback riding. Vast ... (more) 4224 :Los olivos :- 20 acre ranch+guest house, pool, jacuzzi Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, copenhagen Sleeps up to 10, has 4 bedrooms 20 acre ranch in foothill of san raphael mountains. modern two story home with great kitchen. also 3 bedroom guest house. altogether sleeps 10. there are 6 private bathrooms, 5 with showers and 1 with jacuzzi tub for two. detached entertainment center with ... (more) 4016 :Mammoth lakes :- Eastern Sierra Mountain Condo Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 7, has 2 bedrooms Beautiful 2 bed, 2 bath condo w/ great views in beautiful resort area. Near hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, golf, fishing, etc. Pool, spa, Sauna on premises. Great restaurants in town. 35 miles from Yosemite National Park, short drive to Bodie ghost ... (more) 4886 :Nipomo :- Blacklake Golf Resort - Two Vacation Rental Condos Rental - Green is free availability. 2004 Dec 2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2006 Jan Feb Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Two clean, fully equipped and comfortably furnished vacation rental condos at Blacklake Golf Resort. Privately owned condos located on California's beautiful Central Coast, between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Discounted rates for golf - At ... (more) 5290 :Oakland :- 3+BR/3+ba overlooking San Francisco Bay Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, coastal maine Sleeps up to - Varies Beautiful art deco home in the East Bay hills with home office/fam room/4th bedroom. Garden,decks, hot tub, gourmet kitchen. Partial bay views. Hiking trails.Quiet and private. 30 min. to downtown San Francisco.Available August through September ... (more) 8651 :Oakland :- Spacious artist loft in artist community, beautiful garden Exchange Details. Italy, Anytime, italy Sleeps up to 3, has 2 bedrooms Lovely studio 1200 square feet, washer and dryer, garden, secure parking, near public transportaion, sunny and warm in the summer unlike San Francisco that can be cold and foggy Very clean One small cat (more) 4716 :Oceanside :- Newer 4+ bedroom home near San Diego Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 5, has 4 bedrooms Newer 4+ Bedroom 3 bath home in prestigious Marbella with many upgraded amenities. Two gas-fired fireplaces, private office with two computers, fax, xerox. Giant screen TV in family room, multiple televisions, two VCR's. Stereo CD in Living Room, Master, ... (more) 2390 :Orinda :- Beautiful quiet suburban town Exchange Details. France or Spain or Europe or Italy or Scotland or United Kingdom, Between 2005 Jul and 2005 Aug, Looking for city or country Sleeps up to 7, has 3 bedrooms Our house is in a beautiful quiet suburban town twenty miles east of San Francisco with easy access to all Bay Area attractions. There are three bedrooms, two baths,an updated kitchen with all amenities. We have a deck in front and three out back, each with ... (more) 5019 :Pacific grove :- Two story 4 bedroom 2 bath Exchange Details. London, Anytime, london Sleeps up to 5, has 4 bedrooms Two story 4 bedroom 2 bath house 3 blocks from the Monterey Bay. Monterey Bay Aquarium is a 10 minute walk away. House is about a half a mile from the center of Pacific Grove which is nicknamed "The Last Hometown". (more) 6137 :Paradise :- Rural, 3-bedroom, 2 bath home on two wooded acres Exchange Details. Australasia or Europe, Anytime, europe, australia, nz Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Quiet location on two acres in small Northern California town (pop. 27,000). Home is surrounded by pine and fir trees. One floor/approx 1700 square feet. Owner cannot assume responsibility for the deer which roam freely through the area and frequently take ... (more) 10278 :Pioneertown :- Old western filming town Exchange Details. Open or Caribbean and Atlantic Islands or Central America, Anytime, On or near the water Open or Caribbean and Atlantic Islands or Central America, Between 2004 Nov and 2005 Jan for 1-2 weeks, On or close to water Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Old Western Filming Town...Town was built in the mid 1940's for filming of Western movies by Roy Rogers and his gang. Lot's of history here still to be told. (www.pioneertown.com) Famous Honky Tonk nightclub within 1 mile from house. House is on 2 acres, ... (more) 4646 :Point arena :- Northern California Ocean bluff home Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 6, has 2 bedrooms A two story, Cape Cod style home on a bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean, north of San Francisco. There are expansive views of the ocean from all rooms. It has two bedrooms, two baths and is decorated in antiques. (more) 7455 :Sacramento :- 1 hour from beautiful lake tahoe, 1 hour from San Francisco Exchange Details. Europe or France or Spain or Italy or Europe, Anytime, spain, france, italy, europe... Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms Cute house in quiet neighboorhood. Great home to take day trips to Tahoe, the wine country(Napa) and San Francisco. (more) 10020 :San clemente :- Spacious 3 bedroom cottage 3 blocks from beach, ocean view Exchange Details. Spain, Anytime, barcelona, spain Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Spacious, beautiful 3 bedroom cottage 3 blocks from the beach, ocean view from sun deck in front, beautiful shaded garden in rear, 2 baths, entertainment on front and rear decks, hardwood floors, french doors, "most perfect climate in the ... (more) 9264 :San diego :- Large house near Mission Bay in San Diego Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, open to all Sleeps up to 5, has 2 bedrooms We have a large house near Mission Bay in San Diego. We have exchanged many times. The Pacific Ocean is about 1 mile from our house. We can travel any time, but prefer non school holidays, except in colder climates, such as Scandinavia. There is a ... (more) 2859 :San diego :- Large 2 story mediterranean style home close to La Jolla. Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 8, has 4 bedrooms Large 2 story mediterranean home with 4 bedrooms,2 1/2 baths,2 livingrooms,fireplace walking distance to large bay/water park. 5-7 minutes to southern california's most beautiful beaches,san diego zoo, sea world, parks, swimmimg pools, golf & tennis. Close ... (more) 8665 :San francisco :- 2bedroom victorian in pacific heights san francisco Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, florence Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms 6462 :San rafael :- Beautiful 5 BR home outside SFwith hottub Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 5, has 5 bedrooms Our home is located approximately 20 miles north of San Francisco in the historic town of San Rafael. We are a family of 4 traveling to Australia for a 3-month sabbatical, beginning in December 2002. The house is a 5 bedroom/ 3 baths with two large ... (more) 6108 :Santa barbara :- Bright & Cheery Santa Barbara Condo Rental - Green is free availability. 2004 Dec 2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2006 Jan Feb Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 5, has 2 bedrooms Bright & cheery condo in Santa Barbara -- 1/2 mile to downtown restaurants, shopping and theaters. Also, very close to beaches, the harbor and some wonderful sailing. This condo comfortably sleeps 4-5 people and is fully furnished with treasures from our ... (more) 157 :Santa cruz :- Joan Patrick & Bert Jakubs Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 4, has 2 bedrooms We have a 4 story, 10 year old condominium located in Santa Cruz, CA. It has 1,441 square feet of space (about 470 square meters). The 1st level is a one car garage with a laundry room containing a washer and dryer in the house off the garage. The 2nd ... (more) 10529 :Santa cruz :- Rural setting near town, three bedrooms, satellite TV Exchange Details. France or Switzerland, Between 2005 May and 2005 Sep, Alsace or Western Switzerland Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Large home, country living near city, spacious decks, wood-burning pizza oven, Satellite TV, next to Chaminade Resort. We are within 1 KM of Monterey Bay, famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk, fine restaurants, golf courses (3 local courses plus close to Pebble Beach ... (more) 10953 :Santa cruz :- Elegantly restored 1870 Victorian home near ocean, redwoods Exchange Details. Italy or France or Greece, Between 2005 Jun and 2005 Jul for 2-3 weeks, 3-4 bedrooms Sleeps up to 8, has 4 bedrooms Wisteria House was built of heartwood, first-growth redwood in 1870 and has had only 3 owners since. The present owners completely restored it in 2003 in a manner that is simple but elegant. The house sits on 1/3 acre in a historic district of the resort town ... (more) 5906 :Santa monica :- Charming Santa Monica apartment Exchange Details. Paris-Ile de France, Anytime, paris/monaco Sleeps up to 2, has 1 bedroom 1 bedroom apartment (70m sq), sleeps 2, in very desirable area of Santa Monica, Montana Avenue, which has lots of upscale shopping, and restaurants within walking distance. Hardwood floors, high-speed internet, entertainment center, and laundry. Beach is 20 ... (more) 10577 :Santa monica :- Stunning townhouse with pool steps from Pacific Ocean Exchange Details. London, Between 2004 Dec and 2005 Jan for 10 days December 23-January 2, Two bedrooms in central london Sleeps up to 3, has 2 bedrooms Luxurious 2 bedroom/2 bath townhouse in a quiet neighborhood just steps from a lovely park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Convenient to the Getty Museum, Disney Concert Hall and many other attractions. You may use our Lexus LS-400 for trips around the Los ... (more) 7931 :Santa rosa :- Charming rural home surrounded by vineyards Exchange Details. New Zealand, Between 2006 Jan and 2006 Mar for 2-3 months, South island Sleeps up to 6, has 2 bedrooms We have a charming 3 bedroom/ 2 bath home in a rural setting surrounded by vineyards. we have a hot tub and a petanque court and a beautifully landscaped yard. there are spacious decks to relax and enjoy the views. we have a woodburning stove in addition to ... (more) 3824 :Tahoe donner :- Cabin in Lake Tahoe California Exchange Details. Paris-Ile de France, Anytime, central paris, july 10-21, 2001 Sleeps up to 8, has 3 bedrooms 3 bedroom 2 bath cabin with garage. 2 bedrooms have queen beds, 1 bedroom has 4 twin beds (for the kids). 20-25 minutes to Squaw Valley, North Star, Alpine, Sugar Bowl and other ski resorts. Exercise/sauna/jacuzze/pool facilities 3 minutes away. Lake ... (more) 5557 :Truckee :- 3 br condo Exchange Details. Hawaii, Anytime, maui Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms 3br condo in prestigous ski resort (more) 8573 :Truckee :- Summer/winter mountain estate property Exchange Details. Caribbean and Atlantic Islands or Hawaii, Anytime, maui; carribean Sleeps up to 10, has 5 bedrooms Mountain estate property; large executive home with private apartment included; all season outdoor spa; near major lake tahoe ski resorts for winter activities and lakes and truckee river for summer; 18 acre estate with magnificant views of boca lake and ... (more) 10852 :Tustin :- Lluxury, executive private home w/ pool and VIEWS Exchange Details. Open, Anytime for open, Anyplace of interest Sleeps up to 8, has 4 bedrooms Beautiful 4000sq ft home w/3 bedrooms, 4 baths,office, greatroom with bar, pool table. Courtyard like grounds, private pool and spa. Gated family community 15 miles to Newport Beach, 10 miles to Disneyland, Knotts and 30 minutes to downtown LA. Incredible ... (more) 7702 :Vacaville :- Lovely home close to many attractions Exchange Details. Open, Anytime, open Sleeps up to 6, has 3 bedrooms Light, open, well kept three bedroom home with 2 car garage in great location. Beautiful walking path with a view of the hills. Fenced,landscaped yard and covered patio. (more) 9829 :Valencia :- Beautiful, 2 story home in a cul de sac street , luxurious Exchange Details. Iceland or Europe or Europe, Anytime, israel, europe Sleeps up to 6, has 4 bedrooms Beautiful spacious house with 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, large kitchen and dining area, living room, family room, formal dining room and a den. Garden in front and back of house. Cul de Sac street with pool and clubhouse across the street. The house view ... (more) 160 :Valley springs :- Gold Country Getaway Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 6, has 2 bedrooms 2 bedroom/ 2 bath - sleeps six. Fireplace - lots of books and local information provided. Telescope available on request. Bicycles in garage. Wildlife seen on property: wild turkey, deer, racoons, lots of birds. 1 acre lot with lots of large oak trees. ... (more) 10606 :Ventura :- Perfect Southern California location for a family vacation Exchange Details. Open or United Kingdom or France or Ireland, Between 2005 Jun and 2005 Aug, Looking for locations with cultural interest and historical significance Sleeps up to 8, has 4 bedrooms Our home has four bedrooms and 3½ baths, 2,500 sq. feet, and two stories. It is very kid friendly & perfect for a large family. It can accommodate eight people. The master bedroom has a queen bed, bathroom, and private balcony that is lovely for bird ... (more) 7493 :Vista :- 3 Bedroom cottage house with community pool and spa (free) Exchange Details. There are no requests currently listed. You can still make contact if interested. Sleeps up to 7, has 3 bedrooms We live in a select community with high standards, beautiful landscaping, golf and tennis courses. Our house features 3 bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a large kitchen with dining area for 6 + kids' table! large living room with fireplace. Our front and ... (more) Registered Address: 45 Montpelier Road, Brighton, UK, BN1 3BA. Home Page , Add Property , Search , Admin
Puerto Escondido Connection Real Estate Lodging l Vacation Rentals l Real Estate l Restaurants l Reservation Form l Services/Businesses l Info l Attractions l Construction Services l Beaches Surfing Fishing Market / Shopping Cliffside Path Walk Local Wildlife House of Two Cities This beautiful property may be what you are looking for. Located above Zicatela beach and the coastal highway, you have a great view of everything along with one of the most fantanstic gardens in the area. The construction consists of 2 buildings with a total of 895 square meters: the main house is 2 bedroom and 2.5 bathrooms and the guest/servant house is 2 separate units with baths. The main house also has an upstairs studio (great view) that can be converted into another bedroom. The palapa area and terraces all offer cool places to relax and enjoy your home in paradise. The garden area is 625 square meters and is full of well maintained, mature local and exotic plants. There is also plenty of room for a pool if you want to build one. The house is equipped with a phone line (hard to get in this area) and comes with all appliances and quite a bit of furniture. The house is also available for rent or lease with info in the Vacation Rental section. For more info, please email specific questions to us for quick response. __________ Price: $380,000 US - all reasonable offers considered. Fax: From USA: 011 52 954 582 2963 E-mail: 2citiessale@puertoconnection.com Reservations: Click here to print a fax reservation form More Photos:
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Recommended Specials Real Estate - Nationwide Spa/Hot tub/ Sauna Supplies Pool Supplies - $50 REBATE Carpet - Up to 70% OFF Faucets - FREE SHIPPING Bath Tubs - FREE SHIPPING FREE Home Appraisal Bath Tub Liner Installation Dishwashers - FREE SHIPPING Generator SALE! When buying a home you need to decide how much you can afford to spend on a home. Since few people buy their homes outright it is best to familiarize yourself with the available financial options. Your realtor can also help you with this process. Many different types of mortgages are available. Learn about them, and make sure you understand the pros and cons of each. Your real estate broker can help you. Also consider current loan interest rates. The lower the current interest rate, the more expensive the home you can afford. House-hunting is an important part of buying a home. To find the best house, apartment, property, ranch, land, building, condominium etc. a realtor can be helpful in directing your search. You can also look for a new home yourself, and then ask your broker to show you the potential home. Use the Internet. Pick up real estate flyers and magazines to find a home to buy. Read the real estate section of the local newspaper. Explore desirable neighborhoods and look for for sale signs. Attend open houses. Turn your two car garage into a three car garage. Build an Addional bedroom off the back side of your vacation home. Build onto your house by building an Additional sunroom or family room. Remodel your family's basement by turning it into an additional family room. Remodel your home's basement to create a gameroom for the children to play in. Kitchen Remodels include removing all of the cabinets and appliances. Master bathroom Remodels can include replaing the bathtub and adding an additional shower stall. Home Additions require obtaining a permit. How do I get started? 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DJ Events | www.sdreader.com Entire Site Articles Events Movies Music Restaurants Theater Home Classifieds Coupons Contests Job Giant Matches Page 9 Calendar Events Movies Music Restaurants Theater Articles Ask Saffron Best Buys City Lights Cover Story Crasher Diary of a Diva Driven It's a Crime Letters Matthew Alice Poetry Reading Remote Control Sheep and Goats Sporting Box Guides Baja Best Winners Chiropractic Health & Beauty Legal Online Ads Travel Wedding Contact Us San Diego | Downtown | Beaches | North County | South Bay | East County | DJ Events Thursday, December 30-Wednesday, January 5 DJ Events Accent: Saturdays, deep soulful house and disco with ALA, Brian Cabalic, and Mikeytown. La Cantina, 535 Fourth Avenue, downtown. 619-239-1808. Air Conditioned: Thursdays, Lounge with DJ Gage. Fridays, old skool, funk, and disco with DJ Jr. MixMaster. Saturdays, electronic funk with DJ Sean Perry. Tuesdays, Vaya!, DJs SK and Sesqui spin hard salsa, mambo, and boogaloo. Wednesdays, Rockboxx, '80s and '70s rock with DJs Atari, $ergio, and Jr. MixMaster. 4673 30th Street, University Heights. 619-501-9831. Axis Martini Bar: Thursdays, Groove, DJs D-Skwiz and Enigma spin Top 40, hip-hop, and R&B. Fridays, Social, DJ Tasya spins downtempo, sexy lounge, and deep house. Saturdays, Plush, DJs SR-71, Paul D, and Steez spin your favorite dance, hip-hop, and Top 40. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. No cover. 2010 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar. 858-755-2077. Bad: Second and fourth Wednesday of the month, '80s, rock, and electro. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; no cover. Rebar, 3404 30th Avenue, North Park. 619-291-3730. Blitzkrieg Bop: First, third, and fifth Monday of the month, punk, indie, and rock 'n' roll with DJ Mr. Hyde. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. Kadan, 4696 30th Street, North Park. 619-640-2500. Booty Basement: Fourth Saturday of the month, hip-hop, '80s, and soul with DJs Rob, Ikah, and Dimitri. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. The Whistle Stop Bar, 2236 Fern Street, South Park. 619-284-6784. The Boulevard: Thursdays, Club Boulevard, hip-hop and house with DJs Marc Thrasher and Van. Saturdays, Metropolis, hip-hop, reggae, and house, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. 925 W. San Marcos Boulevard, San Marcos. 760-510-0004. Church of Noise: Second and fourth Monday of the month, new noise mixed with alternative rock classics. Hosted by DJ Mr. Hyde. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. Kadan, 4696 30th Street, North Park. 619-640-2500. Club '80s: Thursdays, the best of the '80s with DJs Bryan Pollard and Brian Anderson. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. Shooterz, 3815 30th Street, North Park. 619-574-0744. Club '70s: Sundays, the best of the '70s, glam rock, glitter disco, and punk, with DJs B.P., Morgan Young, and Sickboy. Shooterz, 3815 30th Street, North Park. 619-574-0744. Darkwave Garden: Wednesdays, ethereal-electro-fetish. No cover. Kadan, 4696 30th Street, North Park. 619-640-2500. Deep: Thursdays, drum 'n' bass and jungle music with DJs Wallkrawler, Probable Cause, and IzM. 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. The Rhythm Lounge, 3048 Midway Drive, Midway. 619-224-4835. Dub Dynamite: Mondays, reggae in a dub style -- roots, stepper, and UK with Kid Natty and Lionel Judah. No cover. Bar Dynamite, 1808 Washington Street, Mission Hills. 619-295-8743. Electrum: Third Saturday of the month, rhythmic noise, power electro, and militant beats with DJs Bryan Pollard, Chuiy Bitios, and Thermal Detonator. No cover; 21 and up. Kadan, 4696 30th Street, North Park. 619-640-2500. Faction-6: Tuesdays, elektroclash, indie, and synthpop with DJs B-czar, Talbot, and NarcoLept. No cover. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. Kadan, 4696 30th Street, North Park. 619-640-2500. Fusion Young Adult Laser Dance Club: Fridays and Saturdays, DJ Dizzy D spins hip-hop, booty bass, and reggae. 775 Metcalf Street, Escondido. 760-741-9393. G101 Lounge: Fridays and Saturdays, two rooms of fresh beats and atmosphere. 100 Harbor Drive, Suite 101, downtown. 619-702-7101. Hands on Wax: Thursdays, house, hip-hop, and downtempo with DJs SK, Matsu, and Dylan Jones; live percussion by Ken. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Surf 'N' Saddle, 123 West Plaza Street (Lomas Santa Fe and Highway 101), Solana Beach. 858-755-9474. MixLab: Thursdays, DJ Dex spins an eclectic listening session: alternative hip-hop, urban soul, and Latin grooves. 9 p.m.; 21 and up. No cover. Candelas, 416 Third Avenue, downtown. 619-702-4455. Musique: Every other Saturday, deep to disco with DJs Mateo and Billy O. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Seven-17, 717 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp. 619-232-4440. One Nation: Second Saturday of the month, bootleg remixes, '80s classics, and hip-hop with DJs Bart Blackstone and Atari. The Whistle Stop Bar, 2236 Fern Street, South Park. 619-284-6784. Plum Loco Saloon: Thursdays, Latin Night with DJ Rick La Voz. Fridays, hip-hop with DJ Lenny. Saturdays, old skool and hip-hop with DJ Rick La Voz. Sundays, Reggae Night with DJs Nico and Josh. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. 2511 Sweetwater Road, National City. 619-475-7313. The Pompeii Room: Thursdays, DJ Stiffy spins dirty South, hip-hop, and reggae. Fridays, DJ Kool T spins hip-hop, R&B, and alternative. Saturdays, DJ Kool T and Stiffy spin hip-hop, R&B, and retro. 740 Nordahl Road, San Marcos. 760-737-5040. Red C Lounge: Thursdays, hip-hop. Fridays and Saturdays, house. Sundays, downtempo and house. Tuesdays, house. Wednesdays, Relax, '70s and '80s funk. No cover; 21 and up. 756 Fifth Avenue, downtown, 619-233-2838. subLIFE: Every other Friday, DJs Chronick, Chris Two Four, and Dust-t spin deep and progressive house. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Gato Loco, 634 Broadway, downtown. 619-544-1609. Super Hit: Sundays, two rooms of reggae and dancehall with Rashy, Dash Eye, and KOFI. Aubergine, 500 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp. 619-232-8100. Therapy: Fridays, industrial, gothic, and darkwave. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 21 and up. Shooterz, 3815 30th Street, North Park. 619-574-0744. Touch: Saturdays, lounge and house music. 9 p.m.; 21 and up. Hayama Sushi, 911 Camino del Rio South, Mission Valley. 619-692-1152. Transport: First and third Saturdays of the month, Brit rock, indie, and electroclash with DJ Gabe Vega and guests. The Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern Street (corner of 30th and Juniper), Golden Hill. 619-284-6784. @intro:If you wish to submit a listing, call 619-235-3000, ext. 405, night or day by 5 p.m. Friday, the week prior to publication. To send weekly or monthly schedules, fax to 760-788-1309 or mail to Reader Music Scene, P.O. Box 85803, San Diego CA 92186-5803. You may also submit information online at SanDiegoReader.com by clicking on the music section. Upcoming concerts, DJ events, or performances that are not at a club should be directed to 619-235-3000, ext. 261; e-mailed to sellis@nethere.com; or faxed to 619-881-2401. Top of page Home Page | Matches | Classifieds | Movies | Restaurants | Menus Music | Events | Theater | City Lights | Comments? | Coupons Premier Wireless Service. Get a free Motorola Vader phone and Cingular service for only $9.99 per month. Your best source for your best deal! San Diego Real Estate Info. FREE quick online home evaluation. Beat other buyers to HOT, NEW listings. Join our VIP Buyer Program. Baja.com for everything south of the border, including weather and surfing info and great finds for food and lodging! house rentals CHULA VISTA / OTAY MESA. $1825. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 1500+ square foot house. 2-car garage. Fireplace, washer / dryer. Great neighborhood. 3724 Schirra Street. Jim, 619-435-0145 ... Copacabana Brazilian Steakhouse & Lounge 50% off all-you-can-eat houses CHULA VISTA. 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Visitors' Comments on Puerto Escondido, Page 3 Home >> Oaxaca >> Puerto Escondido >> Visitors' Comments Visitors' Comments on Puerto Escondido Main Index Puerto Escondido Map Most Recent Visitors' Comments More Recent Visitors' Comments About • Home • Search Salt Water Fishing Dear Tom: I had the good fortune to visit friends in Puerto Escondido with my 17 year old son in July of 1999. We had a great time, but I wanted people on your Website who are interested in salt water fishing to know about a wonderful opportunity. Almost by chance, I ran into a transplanted Chicagoite by the name of Steve Posing , who is married to Maria Salinas , whose parents own a clean and neat budget hotel, called the Hotel Ben Zaa , 011-52-9-58-205-23 or fax 9-58-205-72. Steve and the Hotel offer three days of salt water fishing and a day's visit to the lagoons plus six days of lodging for $375.00 (US) per person. Steve will also pick you up at the Huatulco airport and bring you to the hotel. They rent their rooms $10.00 (US) per day singles and $20.00 double occupancy. One of best days we had of many in Puerto Escondido was when my kid got a 100-pound sailfish with Steve and his partner. Steve is a great guy and is filled with wonderful stories about life in Mexico and Puerto Escondido. Check it out. Douglas S. Dunham 206.292.9090 FAX 206.292.9736 d_dunham@ix.netcom.com August 1999 Looking for a Rental for Jan-Apr 2000 Hi Tom, love all your information. My husband and myself are looking for a rental close to Zicatela beach with a pool, for Jan 15 - April 16, 2000. We will be arriving with our two small dogs whom we cannot leave behind. Hope to here from someone soon. Thanks. Andrea Wood northwoods@nidlink.com 208-777-9618 (home) 662 Coles Loop, Post Falls, ID 83854 U.S.A. August 1999 Bitter about Puerto Escondido Dear Tom, It's very possible that you won't want to publish what I've got to say about Puerto, however, let the truth be heard. I've been living in Puerto on and off probably around, close to thirty years, you may have known my father, who is buried there coincidentally, Ted Mowers, Aida the snakes husband, you must know Aida Mowers? How long did you say you've been kicking around this place? My family is probably one of the first to arrive here from a hell of a lot better places, whatever possessed my father to move to this place is beyond me, but that's neither here nor there, he's dead and buried there as of April 87', fool that he was, Ted", I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone who is actually serious about living in Mexico, don't bring anything here that you can't afford to lose, including your life, I know lot's of dead people that'll tell you that, the problem is getting in touch with them. What should I tell you about this stinky little place with pretty beaches and major personal problems. I'll recommend it to anyone who likes to get drunk, once you get to see the place for what it really is, if you weren't an alcy when you came here you will be one when you leave. Most of the people that live here, quite a lot of poor Canadians that can't afford or else are too stupid to find a better place are people that either can't go home for some reason or another, or just had one mushroom too many. Oh, it's a lovely place on the surface, almost paradise except I don't recall too many snakes in paradise, and this place is full of them, buy a piece of property or marry one of the gold diggers from around here and you'll see. By the way I wouldn't hold very high hopes of getting anything back out of the place, what you bring here you had better be prepared to part with. I guess you could say I'm not a big fan, that's probably what it sounds like, but I keep going back, guess you could say I'm a sucker for punishment, not to mention I'm not very smart. My bottom line is bring lot's of money and expect to use it all, try to use it yourself before someone else scams you out of it and don't expect too many people to help you around here when the chips are down, unless it's for an ulterior motive. Not too many sincere people living here, and that's a fact, I think the last one I knew was my Dad, and he's twelve years dead and buried. I don't really have a lot of good things to say about Puerto, the beaches are nice sometimes, but really that's about it, it's a damn good place to lose things dear to you and get a lot of disrespect, very little care for anything other than your pesos. That's Puerto Jodido, some people are o.k. but if take a close enough look, not too many people last here. Just try to enjoy the beaches and sometimes cheap booze, and smile while they stick it to you, they really like that. Long time F.O.P.E., I won't give my definition of what that means, have a good time, and be nice to these people even if they are just looking for an opportunity to screw you. bye for now, Roky roky@pop3.sprint.ca August 1999 African Communities Hi Tom. I recently returned from Oaxaca and am already planning my next trip. While there I learned about the "Costa Chica" where many slaves settled after slavery was abolished. I am having a hard time finding info on the costa chica. can you help me in my search. What pueblos constitues the costa chica???? Do you know of any web sites or books that discuss this part of Oaxaca, and Guerrero?, in detail.... Monica monib@mindspring.com August 1999 Costa Chica refers to all of the Guerreran coast and most of the Oaxacan coast (as far east as Huatulco). I recall reading somewhere about black communities that came about due to shipwrecked slave ships. I don't have the specifics, but it seems like there was one such community near one of the lagoons around Puerto Escondido. These descendents are a definite minority, not comprising a significant portion of the area population. Perhaps another reader can offer more information. -Tom About Crime in Puerto Escondido ¿Como estas,que tal? This is Adam again and there is a topic concerning Puerto Escondido that I would like to discuss. Namely, the negative criticism I've read from certain people who have had the unfortunate happen to them while visiting Puerto. Most parts of Oaxaca are third world. This includes Puerto Escondido, just take a trip up into the mountains on one of the many beautiful dirt roads the government strives to perfect? With poverty also comes crime. If you haven't eaten in several days what would you do? Yes there are crimes in Puerto Escondido as there are crimes everywhere else in the world. Take it from a seasoned veteran, play it smart and you will not in most cases have any trouble, i.e. don't wander off of the beaten path unless you are with someone who knows the territory, when you're finding your way home on one of those drunken nights, (trust me there will be many of those) stay away from dangerous areas; common sense: dark alleys, Zicatela beach by the rocks, etc. Remember Mexico is in most places is underdeveloped and in some cases even third world. Are your kids at the age of 7 selling gum to help bring money into the house? Puerto Escondido is no different. On the contrary, I've found the majority of people living in Puerto Escondido much more friendly and social than normal American citizens. This even despite the large majority being impoverished. Play it safe in Puerto and you will not be the target of any crime, as is anywhere else. Other than that hope to see you there! Until then, keep it "tranquilo." Best wishes, Adam A. Praleikas dvbowers@seidata.com August 1999 Casa de los Gringos Locos ¿Como estas, que tal? My name is Adam Praleikas. I'm twenty years old and am from Cincinnati, Ohio. I visit Puerto Escondido every November until January. (this is the time when Puerto Escondido is really kicking). Anyway, my uncle has lived here for 15 years and owns several business there, one of which is "La Union" carneceria. I consider Puerto Escondido my second home and have a few words I'd like to say about the place. Puerto Escondido is a magical place. It's one of those places on earth that has a different kind of energy. Call it "love in the air" call it what you will. Whatever, it is it's extraordinary. Any doubts, just ask anyone whose ever visited Puerto if they plan on returning. The answer will be a definite yes. Puerto Escondido is an international meeting place. I personally have met people, mostly beautiful women, from places such as Italy, Canada, Argentina, United States, Austria, and Germany to name a few. Puerto has this 60's, San Francisco, Bohemian type of feel to it. You just have to experience it to understand. Although I live in Ohio my heart is always there in Puerto. If you're looking for romance, excitement or just anything what better place to look for it than in Puerto. I promise you will not be disappointed. If you're there November through January hit the adoquin (main tourist area) and ask Rene at Central Surf, or Jorge at Cocos for Adam or ask the taxi for "la casa de los gringos locos" and we can go party all night long! Best wishes, Adam A. Praleikas dvbowers@seidata.com August 1999 Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido by Bus Hi Tom, Just got back from an extended trip to Oaxaca including some time on the Pacific Coast, July 13-23. Heading from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido we took La Estrella Roja del Sureste from the second class bus terminal, hoping to duplicate the "trip" in the Oaxacan Bus adventure . Twenty years have changed things - it was a brand spanking new red Mercedes bus with padded reclining seats. Seven hours and 70 pesos and we were in Puerto Escondido. We stayed at Beach Hotel Ines which was an excellent deal. There were no problems encountered at Puerto Escondido by my group, although I sure heard about them from others. The beach at Zicatela was pretty empty, the whole place somewhat devoid of tourists. I don't know if at was all the bad PR Puerto Escondido had been receiving or just the fact that everyone may have been in Oaxaca at La Guelaguetza . Next we headed over to Puerto Angel using Estrella Blanca . I found Puerto Angel to be much more exotic than Escondido, the circular bay and surrounding hills creating an impressive vista. Contrary to some of the guidebooks, the beach was spotless and the water crystal clear. We stayed at Posada Canon Devata a naturalistic tropical paradise. It is highly recommended. While at Puerto Angel I talked to a number of the locals - all assured me that there was a conscious effort on the part of the community to keep the problems out. At no time did we ever encounter any difficulties - we even walked back from Zipolite at night, something the guide books recommend against. At Levyis and Vicente, Playa Panteón, we arranged for a boat to take us east along the coast - some of the most spectacular scenery I've every seen anywhere. Just wanted to point out some positive things about Oaxaca to counteract so much bad publicity. Gene Paull Brownsville, Texas paullgj@UTB1.UTB.EDU August 1999 Necesita Información y Ayuda Escribo para contarte mi caso a ver hasta que punto me puedes ayudar. Primero que nada soy un joven de 21 años y proveniente de Costa Rica. Lo que me gustaría saber es como es el nivel de vida por alla? Pues tengo planes de mudarme el proximo año a Puerto Escondido, así que tambien me gustaria saber cuales son los requerimientos migratorios y el status de trabajo para un extranjero (en otras palabras si no voy a tener problema en vivir alla y trabajar alla). Si a tu alcanze esta me gustaría que me pudieras conseguir la información necesaría. En estos momentos no me encuentro en Costa Rica. Me encuentro en New Jersey en U.S.A.. pero en Diciembre regreso a mi pais. Asi que me gustaría saber lo más pronto posible acreca de Puerto Escondido para mudarme lo más pronto posible! Ademas me gustaría preguntarte acerca de las oportunidades de trabajo por allá para un joven de 21 años que habla Inglés. Conocimiento en programas de computadora (Windows, Power Point, Excel, etc.) y buena presentación! Te voy a agradecer cualquier informacion que me puedas brindar! Javier Rivera KEALOHILANI@prodigy.net July 25, 1999 Memorable Experience Buenos Dias Amigos! I visited Puerto Escondido in May of 1999, and absolutely adored the place. I was greatly missing the place, so I decided to check the internet to find some pictures and stumbled on this web page. I think it's a great thing to have, it gives us the opportunity to keep up to date on what's going on, and it also gives us a chance to read about other people's experience. In May, myself, as well as a group of 16 others were in Puerto Escondido to do an eye clinic in conjunction with Friends of Puerto Escondido . Our group consisted of 8 doctors, 1 priest, 1 lawyer, and the rest of us were students. Not only was it challenging to find the right prescription for each person who came through, but it was the most rewarding experience I've ever been part of. Our clinic helped over 1200 people see the world a bit better and brighter. Through this unique experience, we made many friends. Lisa , who provided us with 3 meals a day and a breathtaking view of the ocean from her restaurant, Hotel Lauren , and the staff for the wonderfully comfortable accommodations and hospitality, our drivers, the staff from Friends of Puerto Escondido, as well as the representatives of the Lion's Club. The interpreters we had to help us out during the clinic were also very helpful and amazingly patient with us, and many thanks to all the others I'm forgetting to mention. Hats off to everyone who helped make our clinic the success it turned out to be. We could never had done it without them. The city was beautiful, one of the cleanest and most enjoyable places I've ever visited. The food was delicious and the drinks were the best I've ever had (a little on the strong side, but great just the same). I would definitely go back in a heart beat, and who knows, in a few years we may go back to do another eye clinic. The memories of this trip will live on forever in my heart and mind. Many thanks, Kimberly O'Brien 929078@ican.net Cornwall, Ontario, Canada July 1999 Where to Stay, Work, Learn Spanish? I recently came back from a 3-1/2 month stay in Oaxaca mostly Puerto Escondido. I can't express how much I enjoyed it. I made so many friends and saw so many beautiful sights. I have decided to return in late November or early December for 4 months. What I am looking for is some tips on finding work in Puerto and cheap living arrangements. I would prefer to stay in town or close to Zicatela beach also I need to improve my Spanish, can you suggest anywhere? Well Tom I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find all this info in P.E. and Oaxaca. I'm getting excited just thinking about my return. When I first arrived in Puerto, Paul the owner of Buena Vista on Zicatela said to me "you'll be back"(so did everyone else actually!) And so I shall. Keep updating the site it's great to hear new gossip. Anne Merrilees Toronto, Ontario, Canada amerrilees@hotmail .com June 1999 Surfing Answers I read your post in one of the home pages about Puerto Escondido, I used to live there, I am Mexican, and now I am studying away from there, but once in a while I make a trip to that nice place. Well, about your question on renting a surf board in Puerto Escondido, you can rent a surf board at the Central Surf , there are two shops with that name, one of them near the touristic walk street, and one at the beach of Zicatela (where there are the big waves to surf). But these places are not the only ones where you can rent a board; there are many others, you just need to look around a bit. About some surf instructors, again, in the Central Surf you can talk with the owner or one of his brothers, they are good surfers, and they give leasons about surfing or bodyboarding. There are some places on Zicatela beach where you can practice, where the waves are not so big, just ask locals about some of the recommended places to go. (use common sense, sometimes they make some jokes to foreigners, but they are nice if you treat them a little). Max López Vicerrectoría de Innovación Tecnológica e Internacionalización, ITESM mlopez@itesm.mx June 1999 Surfing Questions I would like to know where to rent surf boards in Puerto Escondido and what surfing locations are good for beginners. Are there surfing instructors? I would appreciate your recommendations. I get these questions from time to time. Tom Penick The Pacific Coast of Mexico tom@tomzap.com June 1999 Want Budget Accommodations My boyfriend and I are going backpacking for 3 months, beginning next week in Mexico. Having kept track of this web site and particularly the feedback from recent visitors, we are determined to spend some time in Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido. As we have to stretch our money (which we don't have a lot of) over quite a long period of time, we can't afford to stay in the more luxurious accommodation that is usually recommended on the internet. I am hoping you might have recommendations as to cheap accommodation - preferably clean and safe. I have found several recommendations in guide books, but would appreciate more current information as to prices and standards (including places not to stay, if applicable). Any responses would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance. Jane Aitken jane.aitken@mailcity.com June 22, 1999 Thieves Target Guests of Villa Belmar Have followed this site for some time now and enjoy it. Yes all the good things seem to be reported good and we have enjoyed this place for 8 years for the 4 weeks in January, nice break from Minnesota winter. The disappointment this year was when my wife and the other lady in our group were robbed at knife point not 200 yards south of the Villa Belmar when they were taking their morning walk. Yes they made a BIG mistake by carrying a tiny little bag with their beach thongs in it. This was the fifth guest in two weeks from the Belmar robbed and the management treated it rather casually until some of us pushed and spoke rather harshly about the town and agreed with the US news programs that rated Puerto as one of the top ten in crime . Owners then seemed to listen to our negative comments to new visitors and realized that we were not going to agree that it was the ladies fault for carrying a simple beach bag. They seemed to take some action but it just continued. The regulars like us that have gotten to know many winter guests agree that the numbers were down in January 99, empty streets, empty cafes, empty shops. Thank God for Carmen's and Zipolite beach . After 25 years of 2 to4 weeks in Mexico were found PE 8 years ago and we are booked thru 2001. Yes the ladies were robbed at knife point and others from the hotel were but this had NOTHING to do with the hotel, just lack of enforcement on the beach. The Hotel Inez were used for five years but when we started 4 weeks we wanted ocean view and larger rooms and I have to say it is quieter but that is due to the age of most of the guests and the ownership at the Villa Belmar. www.villabelmar.com Genaro in the office makes you feel welcome when you arrive, during your stay and when you leave. Senor Belmar is a gracious host who lakes time to talk the history of the area, politics, and what ever is the topic of the day. You will find everyone VERY helpful, grounds kept perfect, always expanding, maid service, laundry, lunch at the pool, and limited breakfast and lunch at the dining area at the office. Expensive ?? I don't think so in relation to what we pay in the states. We take a monthly rate of about $ 750.00 US for the largest 2 room suite with full kitchen(the only two room suite) Our room is booked 2 years ahead so we can't get it until 2002 again so we went up to the top floor. For those who don't want stairs and a bit of a walk to the hotel from Carmens this is not the place. If you want to party late and make noise this is not the place. Taxi is a must after dark from restaurants to the hotel, there are several hundred yards to walk on a totally dark beach to the hotels lower entrance from Art and Harry's. I can only suggest one try it if these comments fit what you want for a vacation. Out of the way place to eat in PE. Believe it is called Adam's Chicken.. It is just across from the parking lot at the market, kind of near the appliance store. Chicken done on rotating racks and it is very tasty and served with rice and a coleslaw and they will get you a beer from down the street. Reasonable, very..Yes who likes taking a bus downtown but we enjoy this place each week. Great town P.E. but you are a guest in this town and act accordingly, don't be the UGLY AMERICAN that I have seen in the high rise beach front hotels in other towns, keep PE mellow and laid back. Place that I haven't noticed on the site is what is known as Grizzly's or if Double D doesn't mind we still call Crow's. Group of rather likeable guys and ladies. Great place for conversation on a hot afternoon and the coldest beer on the beach. Want to know where and what just ask them. I enjoy flying my kite down there and having a few cool ones. That will be our first place to check out next Jan 4. Watch for the rainbow colored bag kite coming down the beach. As not everyone can be there on Jan. 1, I hope there are millennium parties for the entire month. Take care and I will see you at Grizzly's or on the beach. Marc mjhalver@uslink.net June 1999 Always on My Mind Thank you for this web site. It helps me to keep Puerto Escondido closer to my heart. I first visited Puerto Escondido in 1977 when I was an exchange student studying at UNAM in Mexico City . My friends and I boarded a rickety bus in Oaxaca for the overnight trip to Puerto Escondido. At four in the morning, we rolled out of the bus squeezing between ladies holding chickens who stood in the aisle all night and bundles of fragrant vegetables and flowers crowding the rest of the aisle way. The bus stopped next to a place where some people were cutting up a recently slaughtered goat. It was quite a surreal experience! My friends and I ambled down the hill half asleep and landed at the Hotel Loren where we caught some shut eye. When we got up we walked to the beach and couldn't believe our eyes! What a beautiful place! I have never been the same since! Back then I sensed that I had discovered paradise. The passing years and many adventures since have confirmed this to be true. One of my favorite memories is from another trip to Puerto Escondido in 1982 : I was sitting on the beach with my Walkman (a new thing back then) when some little boys approached me and asked me what I was doing. I showed them the Walkman and explained that it made music. One of the boys looked at me curiously then picked up the wire to the headphones and put it against his ear as if he could hear the music that way. It was one of the sweetest and most innocent things I had ever seen. I'm sure those same little boys are grown now and are hip to all of the trends in the U.S. now thanks to satellite TV which I noticed had a big presence in P.E. during my last visit in 1993. Puerto Escondido has grown up a lot since my first visit and has lost some of its innocence which made it so beautiful and appealing. But it is still a sparkling jewel and its laid back, no hassles attitude and mix of international visitors is not to be equaled anywhere. Puerto Escondido will always have special place in my heart, just like a dear friend or relative! N. Garcia PazNG@aol.com San Francisco, California June 8, 1999 Want to Rent an Apartment I am looking for an inexpensive apartment on a monthly basis in P.E. Hopefully, with cable or satellite tv. Daniel Butler danilbruce@yahoo.com June 1999 Currency Exchange Dear Mr. Penick I enjoy reading your internet information on www.eden.com [now tomzap.com]. It's very well done. Please tell me about money what to do? Should I use ATM-machines in Puerto Escondido or rather change money by using travelers cheques? What I want to avoid is exchange rip-offs, therefore I want to know if it is a difference between the different kinds (American Express, or Thomas Cook etc.) of travelers cheques, or do they charge each cheque with a basis fee (like they did to me in South Africa; so you are in a bad situation, if you just took US$20s and so on). Can you give me advice? If I use ATM machines with a Visa-Card they charge for each transaction in Germany DM 10,- (US$ 5.26 (today)). If I use Visa in restaurants, there is no transaction fee. How is attitude to use credit cards in hotels/restaurants/shops? Yours, Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Eppendorf Dresden, Germany hhmze@hotmail.com June 1999 For visitors from the United States, the best way is to use an ATM card and withdraw pesos from the ATM machines. There is a small charge by our bank, maybe $1, and the rate of exchange is very good. The ATM machines accept credit cards as well, as you have said, but you are at the mercy of what the company issuing the card wishes to charge. American Express travelers cheques are the most widely recognized. It would be best to exchange them for pesos at a bank. Money exchange houses sometimes offer reasonable rates as well. Airports usually don't offer particularly good rates of exchange. Most hotels and restaurants will accept AE cheques too, but the rate of exchange may not be as good. If you purchase a $20 US travelers cheque, you pay the service charge at the time of purchase. In Mexico, it is worth the same as $20 US cash usually, especially at a bank. Keep track of your cheques. Losses that are not reported immediately may not be reimbursed. Visa cards are widely accepted, especially in pricier hotels and restaurants. Establishments operating on tight budgets are not as enthusiastic about accepting credit cards because it takes so long for them to receive payment from the credit card company. So for you I would suggest American Express travelers cheques, that you would exchange for pesos periodically at a bank. Try to conserve small change to use for small purchases from street vendors, etc., who won't be able to make change for a large bill (currency). If your hotel costs $50 US or more per night, I would pay for it with your Visa card. Use your Visa card for meals at this hotel and at pricier restaurants. Use your Visa card as a backup for cash if you run out of travelers checks. Enjoy your trip. Tom Penick The Pacific Coast of Oaxaca tom@tomzap.com Photos on the Web I just put up a personal travel website www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Beach/5432/index.html and have posted some photos of the Hotel Santa Fe and Puerto Escondido and a few of Oaxaca . I will be changing it periodically and including more photos. Please come and visit and check out the photos of this beautiful area of Mexico. Liz Goodwin liz.goodwin@ametek.com May 1999 Announcement from Hotel Villa Sol/Days Inn Hotel Villa Sol has the pleasure to inform of our new e-mail address where you may send all kind of comments to help us improve our service. We have finally finished all the reconstruction work, and invite all the people to the new Days Inn hosting service. Sr. Victor de la O General Manager daysinn@ptoescondido.com.mx May 1999 Looking for Mathew, Milo, and Claud FOUND I am looking for three friends of mine from England who I heard last of in Puerto Escondido. Their names were Mathew, Milo, and Claud and they were traveling through Mexico two summers ago in a black Chevy van and no one has heard of them since. Thank you. Dave xgz82@dial.pipex.com May 1999 Worried About Travel by Bus Hi all.. I am about to go on a trip to Puerto Escondido with some family. I am very excited to do so, but what worries me is that we are going by bus. I have heard some horror stories on the Federales... if anyone has traveled that far by bus please let me know how it went and what precautions to take for I am new to this. I would really appreciate this. Thanks Taly cameron_099@hotmail.com May 1999 Gina, the "Information Goddess" We were in Puerto Escondido in Feb 95 and fell in love with the place. as a matter of fact Gina (the information goddess, Love the name) helped us by translating as we were attempting to purchase a restaurant there. Unfortunately the time was not right for us then, however we would move there tomorrow if we could. We are debating whether we should come there for new years 1999 and would like to know what's happening then. If you happen to see her please tell Gina hello from Joe 7 Lorna in Port Hardy, Canada. Please send us any information you have on room rates etc. for the last week in Dec '99 and the first week in Jan2000. Thank you Lorna & Joe Kersey kersey@island.net May 1999 Anyone Know Paho Colonial Bungalows? Enjoying the site & looking forward to our turn. My parent's-in-law & extended family of 8 adults and kids 7, 5, 3 yrs, 10 months & 3 months went to Puerto Angel for 3 weeks at Christmas '87 and had an awesome time. These seniors have been to Escondido twice in the last year & are returning again in Nov '99 to help celebrate their brother's marriage. They visited & took photos of a nice spot behind Manzanio??? beach in Puerto Escondido, which they are trying to make reservations for for a month. Paho Colonial Bungalows is an 8-unit villa. They had a fax/phone number but no contact has been possible. We think that Jose Efran Buciade of MAB realty (c/o Eglphyiha condominium calle 3a. poniente P.E.) is the contact person. Any ideas on how to track them down? Thank you for your time. My husband & I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary this fall (& my fortieth!) and we are planning on our first ever adult-only trip. If childcare still is an issue back up here in Canada for us come fall, we're contemplating bringing the kids. (12, 9 & 6) Would you say that there is calmish snorkeling & beginner surfing available in P.E.? Whether couple or family, we will be winging the bookings (i.e: flight last min, etc.) as we're on a farmer's frugal budget. Any opinions on villas/bungalows & kids? (We're normally campers so used to roughing it.) We'd probably go relive a visit to Angel, too & Oaxaca city. Thanks again. Lee Mounsey Oliver, British Columbia Canada email: osprey1.bc.sympatico.ca May 1999 Friends of Puerto Escondido Begins Its 2 nd Season Friends of Puerto Escondido (FOPE) , a support and resource group for foreigners and other concerned individuals, celebrates its first year of existence this month. And an impressive year it's been! The group has created an Emergency Response Team , which, in coordination with the state tourist office, can render support to any foreigner in an emergency situation. FOPE has established clear channels of communication with consular officials of many nations and has produced a valuable resource list for its members. The group has also been active in the larger community. Among its many activities: More than 22,000 pesos have been raised to support the work of Casa Hogar , the local orphanage. Bookshelves and books have been donated and installed in the Cultural Center, Casa de la Cultura , and a drive to provide the most requested books is an ongoing project. Friends of Pto. Escondido meets the 2 nd Saturday of every month at Paul Cleaver's Tabachin del Puerto , located behind the Hotel Santa Fe, at 4 p.m. The next meeting will be June 12. Call Vicki Cole, 582-1673 for more information. Dra. Beach drabeach@ptoescondido.com.mx my Home for Sale in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca May 9, 1999 Memories, La Parilla del Gitano Tom; I would like to thank you for creating such a great site! I just happened to stumble upon it one day, and now I go back every week just to make sure of what I'm missing back home in Puerto Escondido. Born and raised in West Virginia, my family moved to Puerto when I was 12 years old, and to this day, I consider Puerto to be my true home, and where I belong. I lived there for 4 years and haven't been back since 1991, and miss it terribly. I can still listen to a song, and look at photos, and it always brings mass tears to my eyes, that's the kind of effect this town has on me. That's where my friends were, and my life, and I would recommend that everyone visit Puerto just once and you'll consider it to be your home as well. I'm sure that many of the things I remember, have either changed or no longer exist. I remember going to Bananas and Tio Mac's on any given weekend, and then off to La Disco Bacocho , or El Tubo . I would going swimming at Coco's , or sneak into the pool at the Santa Fe . I miss my school, my friends, and just being a kid growing up in the most beautiful place on earth. For anyone who may remember (this goes way back), my parents owned a restaurant, called La Parilla del Gitano (The Gypsy's Grill) right off of Perez Gasga. My parents being Robert and Mary Jane Taylor , we served American food, and welcomed all. I miss all the commotion of a weekend home from boarding school in Oaxaca, and seeing all the people, from places Id never heard of (I still have the huge guest book customers were given to write comments and stories of their homeland in, I look at it now and again, and wonder if any of them remember me, as much as I do them?) I could ramble on forever about Puerto, but it's just one of those things where until you see it for yourself, you won't fully under... I was young and took the fact that I thought I would be there forever for granted, and now that I'm back in West Virginia, I couldn't miss anything more. So for those people who by chance remember me, my folks, or any of the places I mentioned, and just want to share stories, feel free to email me. Its been a long time away from home, and hopefully, I'll get back there, one day soon. Until then, keep my memory beautiful, and take care of my home for me.... All the love in the world... Rachel Oliverio latina88@webtv.net May 1999 News From the Local Server Tom. We have been watching your pages for the last 3 months. We are the owners of the local server in Puerto Escondido. The rates, you know them by Dra. Garnet Beach, we need to expand the market until the rates will be comparable to U.S. The main important thing for us, is to make this service a window to the world for many local people that never had access to interne before, and suffer the consequences of bad, incomplete or not well global information. We will appreciate all comments from our visitors or from any people in the world who love this place. We will have a mailbox for comments next week. Greetings, Armando Ibarra aibarra@ptoescondido.com.mx results@ptoescondido.com.mx April 1999 New Internet Service in Puerto Escondido We now have a server in Puerto Escondido . I am the 3rd to be connected! $500 Pesos to install and $350/mo for 30hrs and $450 for 50hrs. It is probably about double U.S. prices? But better than paying long distance charges and $194/mo! Dra. Beach drabeach@ptoescondido.com.mx my Home for Sale in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca April 1999 As Long as The Sky is Blue Thanks for the site Tom, I check in every day hoping for new comments.... My girlfriend, Mary, and I visited Puerto, for the 2nd year in a row, during the 2nd 2 weeks of March '99. We fell in love with the place last year, and will return annually for as long as the sky is blue, and the sand is hot, and the ocean is warm, and the margaritas are cold. We stayed at the Flor de Maria during both of our visits, and recommend this wonderful hotel to anyone looking for an inexpensive, quality "paradise" hide-a-way. The rooms are comfortable and clean, [and cheap!.. we paid $35/double, w/maid service] the restaurant is 1st class, and the roof-top bar/pool area is a quiet, lazy oasis with the world's friendliest bartender, Felix . Mornings, we would usually breakfast at Carmen's almost directly across the road. It's fabulous!! There is really nothing else to say about this funky, little bakery [the other location is on Zicatela, and is probably the hottest breakfast/lunch spot on the beach.] The beach, out the front door of the hotel and down the road about 50 yards, is among the nicest anywhere on the Pacific. Pictures do not do justice and this is one of the last places where the fishing boats pull right into the bay and sell their catch to the local merchants and tourists. The seafood in Puerto is the best anywhere in the world. Our favorite restaurant is Junto al Mar . We would spend many, many hours at this beachside joint, enjoying drinks and food, often for lunch AND dinner. We get disbelief from friends when we tell them we had a hard time spending $25 for a whole evening of drinking and dining. There are many good restaurants in town [including a new Japanese/sushi restaurant on Zicatela] but Junto al Mar is world-class. Maria's , in the Hotel Flor de Maria, is also an excellent restaurant, serving Italian/steak/seafood specialties. And everyone should check out Paul's at the Hotel Tabuchin [behind the Santa Fe Hotel.] We had wonderful lunches here, and the host is an American long-time resident of Puerto. A very interesting fellow, and a great conversationalist. We are considering accommodations here on our next visit. Sunsets are awesome from the roof-tops of many places here, but we found the roof/bar/restaurant at the Hotel Arco Iris to be the most fun. Great margaritas too! We walked and took taxi's everywhere. We never felt unsafe. We never experienced any unfriendly behavior or attitude from the locals. If we ever saw any unpleasantness it was from other tourists who would have been happier at a Club Med or maybe Disney World. The locals, whether in the service industry or merchants/shop owners, were never anything but polite and gracious. As for reports of increased crime, remember; A Little Common Sense Goes A Long Way!! Period. I could go on and on, but Puerto Escondido is someplace that really needs to be experienced, not just read about. If the big, corporate, commercial, crowded mega-resorts are your idea of a "Mexican vacation" then Puerto is not for you. If you're looking for relaxation and beauty and culture and real experience, you will have a hard time finding anywhere comparable. Brian Drake Minneapolis, MN BDrake6969@aol.com Mary Kalka Minneapolis, MN MaryC@aol.com Puerto Escondido Review Hi Tom, thanks again for this great web site, it's been so helpful in planning my vacations. Recently I returned from my second visit to Puerto Escondido, during the third week of March. Recent reports indicating a drop in tourism seemed confirmed by the general quiet on evening ambles on the pedestrian mall downtown. However, we had a wonderful time; it's still the same great place as last year (we were there two weeks before the notorious murder), and the pleasure of watching waves and surfers on Zicatela certainly is undiminished. Getting there: From Huatulco it's about 60 miles to Puerto Escondido. See previous comments on taking a cab from the airport . We paid $80 U.S. (the initial price was $100, but we hesitated and they came down 20 percent). It was still a rake-off but, with two of us to split the cost, it was worth it to get there and start relaxing. The ride is about an hour and a half. Other travelers recommend walking out to the highway and hailing a bus or a passing cab from town (town cabs are far cheaper than the airport ones). It's only about a block from the airport terminal to the highway; elsewhere in these pages there are cautions about walking on this road, but it didn't look too risky to me. On the way back to Huatulco we took a cab from the Santa Fe Hotel for 500 pesos, or about $50 US. I'm pretty sure that's the "official" rate from P.E., though of course it's all negotiable. Eating: This time we checked out La Gota de Vida and El Cafecito on Zicatela and found them highly recommendable. At both restaurants we ate everything offered and had no problem. Conventional wisdom for U.S. travelers in Mexico says don't eat anything that isn't cooked unless you picked or peeled it yourself, but these and other restaurants (though not all) in Puerto Escondido take obvious pains with sanitation and are trustworthy. Check out the wonderful licuados (fruit smoothies) - they must make 30 varieties at La Gota. And they're nearly as ubiquitous and cheap as soda pop in the U.S. I also must put in another plug for my all-around favorite restaurant in P.E., La Galera on the top floor of the Arco Iris Hotel . It's not the fanciest, but the overall quality, price and variety of the food, the service, and the great view of the beach make it hard to beat. Hotels: Based partly on a recommendation on these pages, we stayed at El Tabachin for part of the trip and really enjoyed it. It's just up the hill from and behind the Santa Fe, at the end of the short street that runs behind the latter. Not only were the accommodations great (fantastic view from the balcony of our room), so was the food. Best huevos rancheros I've ever had. The proprietor is an American who's lived there for 17 years. He and the staff were very congenial and helpful. We also checked out, though didn't stay at, the new Hotel Olas Altas along Zicatela. It looks like a good one in the nicer but not extravagant category; construction was just finishing up and they were offering a very enticing rate special. Big pool, airy if somewhat sterile-looking central court, clean rooms. Also looked at the Buena Vista on the recommendation of another traveler. It's up a considerable flight of steps off the beach road (look for the hotel's sign painted in an alleyway near Cabanas Olas Altas ) but is said to be worth the climb for the accommodations, the ocean views, and the breeze. Staff we talked to spoke English and were very friendly. Safety: Again, we had no problems. One interesting thing was that the much-touted floodlights along Zicatela beach stayed unlit during the week we were there. Personally, I was glad: Had they been on, the stars would not have been nearly so enjoyable. I wouldn't walk on any dark beach near a city anyway, here or there, so it was fine with me. Mosquitoes : They're there, even in the dry season. At night they can invade your room and make sleep impossible. Even if your room has good screens they'll get in through gaps in the frames. Unless you have air conditioning, nights are usually too warm to seek refuge under the covers, so that's out. What to do? We found those slow-burning repellent coils work well, if you don't mind a little smoke in your room (sure it means breathing a pesticide, but it's not something you do every day all your life. Lighten up!). They're available in the pharmacies under the brand name Raidolitos . Or use mosquito netting, hung from the ceiling and draped over your bed. Most hotels I've been in don't offer nets, though often there will be hooks for hanging them, so you might want to bring your own (numerous suppliers on the worldwide web or buy them in P.E.). I haven't used netting myself but I'm taking one along next time I go. All in all, Puerto Escondido is a great place to go if you're looking for a relaxed, low-key, relatively untouristed getaway with fantastic sun and surf. I'll be back there soon, for sure. Ralph A Pribble rpribble@juno.com April 1999 Roads to Puerto Escondido We just returned to Mexico City from Puerto Escondido. If you go by road use the Acapulco toll road; the cost for Autopista del Sol is $390.00 pesos all the way to Acapulco and the coast road to Puerto Escondido is real good. We went by Oaxaca and the road is real awful from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. Have a nice trip and real fun. Ra l Cruz L pez Mexico City rcrzl@yahoo.com April 1999 Looking for Places to Rent I visited Puerto Escondido last summer and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I stayed at Hotel Santa Fe [ photo 53K ] and absolutely loved it- everything was perfect! I am thinking about moving to Puerto Escondido next summer for 2 or 3 months and would like any information you have concerning places to rent. Thanks for your help! Kim Knuth knuthkim@hotmail.com April 1999 Looking for a Realtor I am travelling to Puerto Escondido soon and was wondering if anyone could recommend a real estate agent for possible home or property in the area. Please let me know. BRL84AD8@aol.com April 1999 Looking for Surfing Magazine Ciao, My name's Giuseppe Repetto I'm Italian surf photographer Do you know this Mexican Surf Magazine? La Ola Mexicana If you know is possible, please send me the address? I like to collect the Surf Magazine. I come to Mexico 2 times in Baja California last year. I like very well the Mexican waves. Next time I come to Puerto Escondido, for best Surf Trip. Keep Surfing Giuseppe Repetto http://utenti.tripod.it/surfando mailto giurepetto@iol.it April 1999 '98 Tragedy and Flor de Maria My friend Heather, her two young girls and I have traveled to Puerto twice in '97 and '98. Staying approx. 3 weeks each time. Late March, through Easter and into mid April. A most beautiful place, great peoples and finest of foods. In '98 we arrived just after the murder of Carol Schlossburg. This was a tragic happening for Zicatela. I was very pleased to see the swift action of local law enforcement in regards to this event. I understand that the accused are now in custody. Our prayers go out to you Carol. It should be understood that this was a very isolated event and not common in these parts. We have always resided at the Hotel Flor de Maria . A wonderful, economical dwelling with friendly staff, good food and Canadian proprietors. I highly recommend this place. Ask anyone for directions. Features roof top pool and lounging as well as a wet bar. In comparison to other 'snooty' hotels in Puerto, you will find this to be a '10'. Guests are cosmopolitan, of middle income and very friendly too! We paid for a two bed room at under $30 USD a night. When you leave, please tip the help well, Maria will divide it amongst them. Enjoy and Paz... Jeremy and Heather w7eme@qsl.net April 1999 Reflections on Puerto Escondido I have been reading through some of the letters people have written about their experiences in Puerto Escondido, and they have made me very reflective. I get a lump in my gut when I think of Puerto, and of Mexico, and when I go back to my time spent there in 1993, it's like putting on my favorite old pair of flip-flops. My memories of Puerto aren't as vivid as they used to be, so your website allows me to refresh them even though I'm not able to return there in person right now. The friends, learning to surf, dancing to salsa music at Son y La Rumba , the beaches, swimming, soccer at sunset, fruit bars from La Michoacana, hanging for hours in my hammock, the solitude of walks at sunrise along Zipolite...oh to be there again. I was in Mexico in 93, and was only 21 then. I had just lost my Mom to cancer the year before. University, boyfriends, family, friends...nothing mattered, existing was a chore. On a whim, a friend and I decided to postpone our university careers, and catch a flight to Mexico. We drove through one of Manitoba's worst January storms to Minneapolis and got on the cheapest flight we could find to anywhere in Mexico. With one travel book, a bit of savings, very hopeless Spanish ,and absolutely no plans, we were on our way. We landed in Mazatl n, and for four months we bounced all over Mexico and Central America. Oh, the stories I could tell, and have told, over beers on so many cold winter nights... And then, running short on funds, and feeling like we needed to stop somewhere, we headed once again for the coast. I had heard about Puerto, and somehow knew that that would be a good place to hunker down for a while. Little did I know that I would get stuck in this place forever...if only in my mind. My friend loved it too, but she had other spots in mind...after two weeks in Puerto, and all that time travelling together, we said our good-byes one sweltering March afternoon. As she pulled away on the Tres Estrella bus to Acapulco, I wondered how I could have made such a ridiculous decision...had the surfing caused too much brain damage already??? But then I turned, and glanced out over the coast line, the sun beamed through my soul, the smell of corn tortillas drifted through the breeze, and I new that although I was alone, everything I needed was right there, that moment in Puerto Escondido. This feeling has never left me. Kirk Talent kirktale@cadvision.com March 1999 Hwy 175, Looking for a new Hideaway This is somewhat dated, but...Last summer (August 98) I and my group left Oaxaca for Puerto Escondido @ 9:a.m. After several delays involving a flat tire, a saga in itself, we were making pretty good time through the mountains. About half way between San Jos al Pacifico and Pochutla we came to a halt; a tanker truck had slid off of the road trying to negotiate one of the hairpin turns and was blocking both lanes. This was 5 p.m. The first tow truck from Pochutla broke its chain trying to pull the truck out. Finally a backhoe arrived and carved out part of the mountainside to make one-lane for cars to pass. We had been the first headed to the coast to arrive on the scene and got through quickly. The remarkable thing to us was, How did the truck get that far? The road was in sad shape: one lane only passable at times because of mud slides, several bridges under repair, and several short detours. All in all it was a harrowing trip for us. [ Hwy 175 is in pretty good shape now with only a few 1-lane spots; still advise against nighttime travel though. - Tom ] We got to Puerto Escondido at 5a.m. As usual, as you well know, it was worth the effort. We spent a marvelous three days recuperating and then were off up the coast road to Taxco. I'm looking for a new spot on the coast this year. Something between Manzanillo and Zihuatanejo and Playa Azul geographically looks good. Do you know anything about the beach along there? Are there satisfactory accommodations? (comparable say to the Arcoiris in Pto E) [ But of course; Mar Vida in Barra de Navidad or Hotel Royale in Cuastecomates. - Tom ] Marshall mstu@mailexcite.com March 1999 Where's the Food? My wife and I visited Puerto Escondido in mid-March this year. It was my second visit after five years away, and my wife's first. Let me add just a few details and thoughts to the excellent comments of your other contributors. I knew from my previous trip that it was possible to take a bus or "collectivo" from the Huatulco airport if you walk out to the highway. Unfortunately, our plane's departure was delayed by snow in Toronto so we arrived quite late in the afternoon. Taking a slow bus to Puerto would mean we'd arrive after dark. With no hotel reservation we decided to take a cab all the way. The cab bandits at the terminal wanted 900 pesos [ that's about $85 U.S. ] for the trip. As we walked toward the highway the price dropped to 600, then 350. We were able to finally negotiate a 300 peso cost for the 90 minute trip. I've heard others say you can get the cost down to 250. One thing that disappointed me in Puerto this time was the quality of the food. On my previous trip I had very little money and cheap was more important than variety or quality. This time we had more money, and as we do a lot of Mexican-style cooking at home, I was looking for some taste delights. However, with the exception of a superb red snapper at Danny's Terrace, everything else was humdrum. Even that venerable staple of Mexican life -- refried beans -- were watery and flavourless. When you consider the freshness and variety of the food available in the Mercado , there seems to be no excuse for the dullness of the food along the tourist stretch. (I exclude the superb pastries at Carmen's from this critique; they are, as always, superb!) We even walked up to La Perla (near the new supermarket above highway 200) thinking that a place that caters to Mexicans might be better. Even here, the lobster was incredibly tough and the breaded jumbo shrimp was mainly batter. On the subject of safety, we were untouched by any hint of crime. We walked from the Playa Principal to Playa Bacocho through a residential area and back via the lighthouse. We never felt unsafe, although we do agree with one of your other writers who writes that the police are pretty useless. At night they patrol the walking street in huge numbers but we didn't see any on the beaches. A local resident told us that when the police do walk along the beach they follow a predictable schedule, so it wouldn't take a criminal genius to get away with robbery. Here's another suggestion: don't drive to the beach in the Laguna Chacaqua National Park unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle with high road clearance (which, fortunately, we did). Once you turn off highway 200 there are no signs to the town and the road is 29 kilometres of sand. By the way, when you get to the town, don't bother asking one of the local fishermen for a tour of the lagoon unless you speak Spanish and you know what birds you're looking for. These men are fishermen and know very little about the other wildlife. Take a guided tour of Laguna Manialtepec , instead. Needless to say, the meal we had in this little town was dreadful, despite the fact that the red snapper and shrimp we ordered were probably caught only 100 metres from where we sat. Two final thoughts. There is nothing nicer than sitting in a palapa after sunset, drinking happy hour Cuba libres , watching the kids play soccer under the new security lights and listening to the surf pound on the sand. Second, when we went up to the new market we discovered it was 90% empty. The locals seem to have simply smiled when the governor came to open the place and when he was gone they went back to their traditional stalls made of canvas, bamboo and leftover wood. Mexico has a deep sense of tradition and that's one of things we love about it. Governors and fancy new buildings come and go, but the wonderful people of Mexico go on forever. Steve Lindt London, Ontario, Canada wolfie@execulink.com March 1999 The "Villa" Tom - Thanks for the forum... We've just returned from our 3 rd consecutive year of one full month (Feb. each year), in Puerto Escondido. We stay at the fabulous little Hotel Mayflower owned/operated by the witty and charming, Minne Dahlberg . A fellow Canadian (expat) who speaks German, Spanish, English (and "un peu Francais"); one of the most accommodating and helpful individuals you could hope to meet. As much as we loved our time in Puerto, we had a somewhat unpleasant experience I'd like to relate, so that others can be a little more "savvy" than we were. Last year, on one of our walks through town, I stopped to admire a lovely little house called " Casa Blanca ", located on Calle a Puerto Angelito 204. It so happened that the owners, Ralph & Mina Lewis of Redway California, were in the yard, and invited us in to view her house, and asked us if we would be interested in renting next year (1999). Even though we had already paid a $100 U.S. deposit for another accommodation, we agreed between ourselves to forfeit the deposit, and rent the house; the location was ideal - midway to the main street of town and the beautiful Manzanillo Beach, and I wanted to experience "living like a local". Upon our return to Toronto, I immediately sent them a deposit of $100 U.S. (bank draft), as a gesture of good will, and our "gentlemans agreement". Throughout the year, I did my best to maintain contact via letters, Christmas cards, long distance telephone calls, but had no response until late November, when I received a midnight telephone call from Mina - waking me from sleep to give me the "good news/bad news" scenario. The bad news (for us) was that they had the good fortune to rent the "Casa Blanca" for a year. The good news(??), they would give us their personal residence " The Villa ", instead. We had not seen this house & had no idea of the location etc. but Mina assured me that if I liked her little "Casa Blanca", I would LOVE the "Villa". We felt that we were now "stuck" because our vacation was only 2 months away, we had forfeited our previous reservation, and it was high season...what success would we have in finding suitable alternate accommodation for the month? So we decided to wait & see, surely, their own private residence would be wonderful. The day before we arrived in Pto., we phoned the Lewis' representatives (Maritza & Alfonso Garcia), from Acapulco, to give details of our arrival, as Maritza would be taking us to this "VILLA". (I'm sure you can imagine where this is all leading.....) The "villa" was in some God foresaken part of town, high in the hills behind the Santa Fe Hotel, and completely isolated; as Ralph had so slyly phrased it to me on the phone - "TRANQUIL". There had been no preparations made for our arrival - no linens, towels, beds not made up, no window curtains, outdoor furniture stacked in the living area (obviously the floors had not been swept/washed), and the house completely unaired. The worst part was the next morning, when in daylight, I was able to see the yard absolutely UNDULATING with ants and the walls inside the house crawling with other insects. I'm fully aware of the effects of nature in the tropics, and the effort required to keep control - clearly there had been no preparation for our arrival. We spent 1 night and returned the keys to Maritza Garcia, along with a 6 page letter to Ralph & Mina Lewis detailing all the above, & requesting the return of my deposit, plus the loss of my original deposit at the hotel. Of course, I am naive...after they arrived on the 15 th , and I finally managed to contact them by telephone, Mina calmly advised me that "that's not the way I do business", and further, that it was in fact, us, that had "broken the contract", because she had offered alternative accommodation. The moral of this story, if there is one, is: Get your contract in writing; and be aware of with whom you are dealing. We did in fact manage to resurrect the remainder of our holiday, thanks to the ambiance of Minne's "Hotel Mayflower", and the interesting cross section of travelers she attracts from all over the globe. Gloria Smith terrygloria@webtv.net March 1999 Robbed at Knifepoint Hi Tom. I know you love Puerto & I really liked it, too until I felt like a complete victim of the community when my boyfriend and I were robbed at knifepoint by banditos and the police laughed it off. I'm going to think twice before I vacation in a spot that locals and tourist have such an obvious income disparity. Here's my story: BE CAREFUL in Paradise. Leave your cameras at home. Though it looks like a safe town because of the presence of the policia, the policia were anything but helpful when my friend and I were robbed by knifepoint in broad daylight. Last Friday, March 5 we were hiking up the stairs toward the lighthouse when three bambino banditos grabbed us from behind with a knife. While holding a knife to my friend's neck they grabbed his camera and backpack.. We chased after these teenaged bandits but the police in the Adoquin refused to give chase. We filed a report with the police (who spoke as much English as we did Spanish) who chuckled at our story: Stupid, rich Americans. We're rich and vacationing in their city; they are poor and can't afford to eat at the restaurant they're serving us at. Be careful. Julie Meyer jmeyer@uswebcks.com March 1999 Spirits Dampened in Zipolite, Escondido Better I just returned from a two-week vacation in southern Oaxaca State. I had read this web page before I left, so was able to take along some insightful info. We flew in to Acapulco and got on the first bus we could find to Puerto Escondido . It took about 8 hours including the tire blowout. We stayed there for 2 nights, but anxiously hightailed it out of there for the magic and beauty of Zipolite that we had heard so much about. We stayed at the beachfront cabana at Shambala's ...big mistake. The room was full of scorpions (some two inches long-big enough to do a lot of harm), tarantulas and poisonous centipedes . Okay, okay no big deal.... I could handle that, after all we were in a tropical part of the world, and we did have mosquito nets to discourage these little critters. However, what was to come was worse...the third night of our stay we woke up at 4am to banditos stealing all our stuff. They took our backpacks which contained clothes, shoes, books and cameras... not a single picture of the trip as a result. Fortunately we all slept with our money belts under our pillows, or they would have gotten them too. We were very lucky we weren't physically harmed... when the banditos heard us wake up, they flew out the window. Now, don't get me wrong, Shambala is a beautiful place.. awesome food and friendly people. But I would seriously recommend sleeping up in the hammocks rather than the beachfront cabana. It has no locks when you are sleeping. I'm sure we were not the first to be robbed, nor the last. The riptide in Zipolite is horrifying. We watched two people drown in the waters the second day there. As for the peace and magic everyone talks about...I couldn't find it anywhere. There were people everywhere and restaurants from one end of the beach to the other. It was not the Zipolite I had in mind at all. We visited Mazunte , which is a 15 minute taxi away...now there was peace and magic !! It was much smaller. I would highly recommend visiting this paradise. And the turtle sanctuary is worth checking out too. Then we decided to head back to Puerto Escondido where we stayed for the remaining week of our holiday. I would definitely visit PE again. We stayed on Playa Zicatela . We quickly became addicted to Carmen's pastries at La Cafecita (especially her mango pastry), and everything on the menu at La Gota da Vida . It has an excellent vegetarian menu!!! We stayed at Hotel Ines . It cost us $10 Canadian each per night (4 people sharing a room). It has a beautiful pool and the rooms are immaculate. In fact this room was only $2 more per night than the one in Zipolite (which had no private shower or toilet). We danced away a few nights to a salsa band at La Rumba .. a bar in town...lots of fun. Even though we dealt with a lot of disaster this trip, I don't regret a single moment of it. Possessions can be replaced, but the memories and the stories are worth every lost item. For any of you heading off to these parts....be safe and enjoy. schlack@islandnet.com March 1999 Checking up on Paull Hi Tom: Our family - me, my husband Ross, our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren (5 and 8) just returned from a wonderful vacation in Puerto Escondido and wanted to add our comments to your visitor's webpage. Our son, Paull, is there on "an adventure" (since November) and this is the reason we visited P.E. We stayed at the Flor de Maria and found the accommodation and atmosphere just great. Our grandchildren got a kick out of Henry, the owner - Maria's pet parrot who joined us for breakfast most mornings. We thoroughly enjoyed the ocean and most evenings went to Art and Harry's at Zicatela for the food, the view and also because there were some iguanas close by that our grandchildren loved to feed. Our granddaughter Olivia celebrated her eighth birthday at Art and Harry's with children they met at our hotel - it was a fun day. Paull has made many wonderful friends there and often goes fishing with Carlos Sanchez Mendez who has a fishing boat and also is the president of the sport fishing cooperative which operates the El Pescador restaurant. [ The cooperative is an important new initiative in puerto escondido which is trying to establish itself as a centre of excellence for service and results in sports fishing. - Paull ] While we were there most of the fishing expeditions had limited success, but after we returned home we heard that Peter Wilson of Halifax and Don Brillmaier of Wilsonsin caught a 550-pound marlin thirteen feet long. They all snacked on some of this delicious fish later. We found the people to be very friendly...and honest. We were going on a walking tour with Gina (you probably know who I mean) and I forgot my purse in the taxi. Gina cooly called central dispatch and within five minutes the young taxi driver was back with my purse and everything intact. He received a reward! The tour was terrific and Gina is an energetic and informed guide. We thoroughly enjoyed it. They were having a week-long celebration in Chila about a fifteen-minute drive from P.E. and we went to a spectacular fireworks display one evening and a rodeo another. There was always lots to do but relaxing in a cabana by the ocean or on the rooftop of the Flora de Maria with the pool, comfortable chairs and Felix (our amiable bartender) was often enjoyed. Shirley and Ross Barkell barkells@nrtco.net March 1999 Comments from Holland Hi Tom, its nice to read the visitors comments about Mexico. Too bad I found it after our trip, but to be honest I never heard of Puerto Escondido before. My friend worked in the Gulf of Campeche for about 8 weeks and then I decided to go to Mexico too for the holidays. I went after Christmas and we met in Mexico City, there we spent a few days, including new years eve which we spent in a restaurant with a Mariachi band, that was a nice experience. Friends from Holland were at Puerto Escondido and they called us in our hotel and asked us to come to Puerto Escondido for a few days. So we hired a car and went there in 2 days. We drove from Mexico City to Acapulco and that was okay but then we took a short cut before Acapulco toward Puerto Escondido. That was not such a good idea, a very bad road. There were holes and mules and kids and pigs and suddenly even the road ended into a river. I thought there must a ferry or something but no, so we decided to cross after a small boy told us that we could he ran in front of us and so we made it. Later it became dark so we decided to stop and look for a hotel. The only thing we found was a posada at Cruz Grande a horrible place ,very dirty. There we had a meal at a restaurant, a very nice fish and a lot of beers. The next morning we left very early and finally arrived at Puerto Escondido. From this trip at least I can say that we saw the real Mexico. We spent only a few days in Puerto Escondido but it was fantastic. The beach, the food; we went fishing and caught a sailfish of 2.20 meters and 35 kilo. We gave the fish to the waiters of the restaurant where we ate every day (the first one if you enter the main beach; I don't remember the name) and they prepared it for us in the evening. We drove back via Oaxaca, also a very nice city and then we had to go home. We are planning to go back in November also for the fishing tournament. Before we go I'll read the comments. greetings from Holland willfred sluis willfred.sluis@bibl.hwb.nl March 1999 Looking for Sister *Have received phone number and found sister. Thank you. I need a telephone number (or the e-mail, if they have one): the hotel Ugo Il Viandante of Puerto Escondido. It's very very important for me, I need to speek with an Italian man called Joe who stays at Ugo Il Viandante; I wish to find out about my sister Elisabetta. She is in Mexico and I have not heard from her since January. Stefania Muti s.muti@regione.vda.it February 1999 Bring a Surfboard to Puerto? I want to visit Puerto Escondido for surfing, so I wanted to bring my own surfboard, but American Airlines wants to charge me $185 for my surfboard each way from Frankfurt to Acapulco. Now I am thinking about buying a surfboard in Puerto Escondido and selling it again at the end of my trip. Is it possible to buy "good" surfboards in Puerto Escondido or is it better to bring my own? Torsten Dutschek Torsten.Dutschek@BakerNet.com Frankfurt, Germany February 1999 Houses for Rent For Rent. Large, comfortable home - Fully furnished, modern appliances, plus linen, towels, dishes, and cookware. Large pool, cabana, and guest cottage. Complete maid service. Rinconada/Bacocho area - a quiet, clean suburb of Puerto. Ten minutes walk to beaches. Available May 1 for up to one year. US $400 /mo. negotiable. For Rent spacious, private, self-contained suite, with large balcony and top floor terrace. Fully furnished, modern appliances, linen, towels, cookware. Pool, cababa, daily maid service. Rinconada/Bacocho clean, quiet, cool. Ten minutes walk to beaches. Available now for short or long term rent. US $300 /mo. negotiable. David Collier Fax reply only: (604) 688-5659 February 1999 Friends of Puerto Escondido News It was a big month for Friends of Puerto Escondido (FOPE) . The benefit Christmas for our local orphanage, Casa Hogar Nueva Vida , raised more than 9,000 pesos that was used to buy clothing and shoes for the 14 abandoned children who are cared for at the center. FOPE also hosted a party at Casa Hogar on D a de los Reyes (Day of Kings, Jan. 6) with pi atas and other treats. Then on Jan. 9, the regular monthly meeting of the organization hosted the appearance of the U.S. and Canadian Consuls from Mexico City, as well as their consular agentas in Oaxaca . At least 100 foreigners attended a reception to introduce FOPE to the visiting embassy representatives and local Mexican officials. Individuals had the opportunity to meet with their country's representatives to discuss their concerns and to clarify the nature of the support and assistance that the embassy can offer to those resident in Mexico. The next meeting of Friends of Puerto Escondido will be held on Feb. 13 at 4 P.M. at Instituto Bilingue . (The meetings are in English.) Call Vicki Cole at 2-1673 for further information. Garnet Beach drabeach@ptoescondido.com.mx my Home for Sale in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca February 1999 Some Current News From Puerto Escondido I've been living full time there for nearly six years teaching English and Spanish and have watched the town grow, prosper and suffer. Currently we're suffering from a 70% drop in tourism owing to a combination of factors, not the least of which is the widely reported increase in crime. I must mention here that the murderers of Carol Schlossberg , who was tragically killed last March ('98), are in jail. They weren't from Puerto, but the extensive internet and TV coverage of that crime painted the entire town black with its broad brush. Beach robberies have been on the rise, but the newly elected mayor of Puerto (as the locals call it), as well as the newly elected governor of Oaxaca, have made crime a top priority. The agente municipal (mayor) is honest, hard-working and trustworthy. (If you'd like to write him directly with tactful suggestions or comments, address your letters to: Arq. Wilibaldo Mijangos Calvo , Agente Municipal, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca 71980, MEXICO). It's not reasonable to expect a reply, but perhaps you will. It's important to put crime in its sociological perspective. The rise of the dollar against the peso (currently at 10.30 pesos/1 US dollar) makes travel to Mexico very attractive. Minimum wage in Oaxaca is less than $3.00 US per day. Puerto has developed into arguably the gem city of the Oaxacan coast, attracting not only tourists, but poor people from mountain communities (many of which are coffee producing and are feeling the effects of the substantial drop in coffee prices) who arrive in hopes of finding work. Tourists who walk alone on unpopulated stretches of beach carrying daypacks, wearing jewelry, and carrying more than 50 pesos may well be at risk of robbery. Be smart! The new lights along Zicatela and the Bahia Principal (Main Bay) have cut down on robberies at night, but it's as foolish to tempt fate and stroll the beach in unlighted areas as it would be to take a similar stroll along most US beaches I know. With regard to money : There are four banks with ATMs. You'll get the best exchange rate with short lines. Don't forget your pin number. A new group, " The Friends of Puerto Escondido ", invites all foreigners to its ranks, whether they're just visiting or living in Puerto. It meets once a month, on the second Saturday at 4:00. Members and visitors share information about the "Best Of"... medical personnel, upholsterers, dentists, etc.... as well as warning of scams and sharing emergency contact information in ones country of origin, blood types (most Mexicans are O positive) and other helpful tips. The group also sponsors special events such as a sand sculpture contest and fund raisers for the local orphanage. Contact Gina (see below) for directions to the meeting site. Ebullient Gina Machorro has been mentioned in various visitors comments. (She'll be especially tickled at the sobriquet " The Information Goddess ") Fully bilingual, she works for the Oaxacan tourist information service ( SEDETUR ), and her desk is just outside the chains of the Adoquin (main tourist street) in front of the Hotel Roca Mar . On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8-10 she leads a fascinating walking tour of Puerto , well worth the 150 pesos. She treats her guests to handmade tortillas and local breads, as well as beverages, and takes them to out-of-the way places of interest. (Because Puerto has grown like Topsy, it's hard to find many of these places on ones own.) Gina can also arrange long and short term rentals from the cheap to the luxurious, and has leads on some wonderful pieces of land for sale. She can be reached at 011-52- (958) 2 02 76. She won't be able to call you back unless it's collect. Government workers are paid very little, but you'll find that she knows everything about everything in Puerto Escondido. The territorial conflict between Santa Maria Colotepec, San Pedro Mixtepec and Puerto Escondido, centuries old, may be resolved this year (1999). All lay claim to Puerto because of (surprise,surprise!) $$$$, that is, the tremendous tax revenues generated by tourism in Puerto. As of now, very little money goes directly to Puerto Escondido as a governmental entity. That has hindered sewage treatment as well as solutions to other infrastructure problems. There is considerable hope on the horizon. Because tourism is down this year, many hotels have lowered their rates . It's a great opportunity to visit and get acquainted with a fascinating area. My best advice is to fly to Oaxaca, spend one to three days there in one of Mexico's most interesting cities (I recommend Hotel Calesa Real --near the center of town, very clean, quiet, reasonable), then take AeroVega (buy your tickets at the Hotel Monte Alb n in front of the cathedral or at a travel agency) to Puerto in the morning. You'll arrive in 30 minutes and feel as if those $65 US were well spent. Busses taking one of three routes are an option, but all trips take between 7-12 hours on roads waiting for new tax revenues (collected mostly in March) to be repaired. Vancouver, B.C., Toronto and Minneapolis are among the cities I know which have cheap charters to Huatulco, 2 hours south of Puerto. From the airport there, you can take the airport transportation (comfortable, air conditioned, HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE--about $100 US--vans), or, if you don't have much luggage, you can walk out to the highway and flag down a bus that says "Puerto Escondido", or a mini-bus that says "Pochutla". If you go to Pochutla, you'll take a similar mini-bus to Puerto which will leave shortly after you arrive in Pochutla. The bus trips will cost between $3 and $10. Puerto Escondido is a wonderful place to live. Is it perfect? Of course not, but then I don't know of such a place. I feel completely safe and continue to enjoy the friendly inhabitants, the delicious seafood, the beautiful beaches, the proximity to breathtaking Manialtepec Lagoon (20 min.) and its miriad birds , the lovely weather (within several degrees of 80 F year 'round), the proximity to the city of Oaxaca and the benefits of a lower cost of living. The promise by Telmex to become a local internet server remains a hollow one as do many of that company's others. You may e-mail me, but because I'm forced to go through a server in Oaxaca (I pay 95 pesos an hour for e-mail only), please include a "snailmail" (mailing) address. I'll try to get back to you. If it's more urgent, I can call you collect. Sheila C. palomas@antequera.com January 1999 Huatulco/Puerto Escondido Tom, congratulations on you page! I think it's great and extremely helpful for everybody who wants to spend some time in Oaxacan coast. We just arrived home from our vacations in the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. We were there from December 26 up to January 10. First, my boyfriend, another friend and myself, drove from Mexico City to Huatulco. The road was good. We arrived in Huatulco on December 26 and stayed in Bah a Santa Cruz in Hotel Biniguenda , which has many nice rooms. I have to say that it was extremely expensive (considering what you get for your money), it costed us US$ 130 per night, however all of the Huatulco was full due to the Christmas season. The hotel itself is nice and I am sure that during the low season, the price is much lower. We had a nice and not expensive dinner at one of the beach restaurants at Santa Cruz and another one at the Argentinean restaurant in Tangolunda bay. The restaurant is nice and so is the food, but very expensive. After two days in Huatulco we went to Puerto Escondido . My boyfriend and I first fell in love with Puerto Escondido in 1994 and have been there for 4 times since our first visit. We made a reservation in Posada Real in advance, because we stayed in this hotel 3 times before and loved it, especially its garden from where the sunsets are fabulous and the nice beach club with a lovely pool. However this time, it was a little different. The pool in the beach club was so dirty that it was impossible to see the bottom of the pool! After we complained to the manager, it got a little better. The hotel staff were also not as friendly as they used to be. Sometimes, we waited for our drinks at the hotel garden for 30 minutes, or we were ignored when we tried to order. Which I find weird is that when we were friendly with them and tried hard with our broken Spanish, they ignored us, however after we started to speak English only, it got better. Nobody at Posada Real speaks English. Maybe we will try Santa Fe hotel next time we come to Puerto Escondido. During our previous stays in Puerto Escondido we usually had our dinners at Posada del Tiburon , a restaurant I considered to be the best in the world (mind you, I go to France a lot!). This time, the service was awful, to put it mildly. We made reservation for New Years dinner and paid in advance. We ate at that restaurant 3 nights before the New Year's, so they knew us. As agreed, we arrived to the restaurant at 10 p.m., waited for 2.5 hours and did not get any food whatsoever! After 2.5 hours we wanted our money back and left. They completely spoiled our New Year's party! Therefore, don't go to Posada del Tiburon! It was very good, but it went very bad. After a week in Puerto Escondido we took a Cristobal Colon bus to Huatulco. We made a reservation in Camino Real Zaashila and we loved it! We had a very nice room with the ocean view and a private pool. We found out about this fabulous hotel from your page, Tom, and I am very grateful for it. As everybody that stayed there, we believe that it is marvelous and worth every dollar you spend for it. We spent a little more that we intended, but it was definitely worth it! The main pool in the Zaashila is huge, the beach is really beautiful and nothing can beat your own private pool! We stayed in Huatulco for a week. My boyfriend went snorkeling to the La Entrega , said it was nice, but it was really funny, because on the day that we went there, there was a huge Celebrity Cruises ship parked in the bay (I still have no idea how something so huge could park in that tiny bay). We tried most of the restaurants in the La Crucecita Zocalo and all were nice, even though some were very expensive, like the Cactus . We flew back to Mexico City and loved the Huatulco airport . It's the nicest air terminal I have ever seen! I am sure that Puerto Escondido and Huatulco are ones of the most beautiful places on this planet and we will go there again. Happy New Year and best regards from very cold Europe, Tamara Tamara.Guzelj@deloitte-touche.si January 1999 Comments from Chihuahua Thank you for this great page. It's a shame I found it after the trip. My husband and I were at Puerto Escondido last December 7th and it was a beautiful experience. We really enjoyed our trip. From my particular point of view I can tell you we didn't like Hotel Ines , it is very cheap but at least our room (No.13) wasn't the best one. Maybe the bungalows or apartments are better. Anyway, we moved to Santa Fe and although it is not very cheap it is worth it. It's a beautiful place and people were very gentle and helpful. Also the food in the restaurant is great. I am Mexican and even we live far away from the sea (Chihuahua). Let me tell you our experience with sea food at Puerto Escondido wasn't very pleasant, I prefer mariscos at Chihuahua. Maybe because I didn't read all the comments on this page. Playa Carrizalillo is paradise!! Also the tour to Chacagua is beautiful. All the people in the area are great and nice. I found dogs are happy residents at Zicatela and Puerto Escondido. I really recommend El Cafecito , great place, service, food and prices. It is a shame I lost my film of Puerto Escondido, I will miss everything from that small place. Look forward to visiting Puerto Escondido next year. If you could provide us with some information regarding land prices in the Bacocho (and Puerto Escondido in general) area. We would really appreciate it. Thank you and have a great Navidad!!! grupo7@infosel.net.mx December 1998 I Love Puerto Escondido I love Puerto. I've been going there since 1995 I even bought land there I haven't been there since Feb. of this year so I suppose I need to plan a trip real soon. I was so surprised to see it online. It made me remember all the good times I had there and all the good people I met. There is something in the air in puerto that makes you fall in love, believe me. GoodGirly2@aol.com December 1998 Report: Security, Restaurants, Hotels, Roads Puerto's Agente Municipal has made some major changes for tourist security. The entire beach along Perez Gasca and the north part of Zicatela is fully lighted , enabling people to stroll along the waterfront after dark. There are about 18 high powered flood lamps illuminating the entire area. They truly did a most excellent job of this. Brown-shirted Policia Turistica patrol the beaches and tourist areas. We were in town for both the Sailfish Tournament and the Surf Championship and were very much aware of a large army presence at those events. Puerto knows the value of its tourist industry and is making major steps to preserve it. Mexicana Airlines doesn't not seem to see matters quite the same. They have transferred their service into Puerto E./Huatulco to AeroCaribe and there are a lot of people who are NOT happy about it. Schedules seem to change without notice, travel agents get incorrect connection times and information, and a number of people have been left at the airport due to unannounced cancellations. I suppose it will eventually sort itself out, but as one bitter taxista told me, "Mexicana has abandoned us." Restaurants: The Best Place in Town Award (in my opinion) Junto al Mar - The floodlights on the beach add dramatically to the charm of this most excellent spot. Seafoods were prepared to perfection, service was outstanding, and prices, all things considered, were modest. It has been our habit to have at least one "fancy" meal while in Puerto, and that was always at the Santa F . Junto al Mar, at the west end of the Adoqu n, has served notice that the Santa F is going to have to work harder if they want us back. Sardinia de Plata - does not merit mention on your page. La Torre - relatively new place in Bacocho at the west end of Rinconada. We have visited several times now and confidently recommend it. The menu does not currently offer seafoods, offering instead some very tasty chicken and beef dishes, prepared with in decidedly regional styles. La Torre is an attractive, albeit small place, having only about 10 tables. It is impeccably clean, service was exceptional and prices were modest. My old friend Silvio at the Taquer a Playita has enjoyed so much business that he had to relocate... only about 1/2 a block, but to the chagrin of many of his long-standing customers, myself among them. He now has much more space and his braziers are built into a separate glassed-in area. you can still watch the food preparations, but you are no longer exposed to the heat of the charcoal. During the Fiestas de noviembre, he was serving up two of the biggest pastors I have ever seen. Nobody disputes the fact that Silvio's tacos are the best in the area, perhaps the best in the country! Taquer a Mayra - another favourite place. From the newsstand on Avenida Oaxaca it is one block east (up the hill.) Serves a full regional menu but the tlayudas with beef or chicken are my clear favourites. Danny's Terrace at the Rinc n del Pacifico has made some changes on the terraza (very pleasant and breezy now) - recommended for lunches. Cafecito on Zicatela is still beating the daylights out of the competition. Quality, prices and service are all among the best. The owner is obsessive about cleanliness, particularly washrooms. I even got to do emergency repairs on the toilet for him during the surfing championship... you would think I might get a free lunch for it? I'll remind him when we go back in February. Next to Cafecito is a new hotel, Olas Altas . It is part of a very welcome "new look" in Zicatela. It features about 50 rooms and suites a VERY attractive place. Landscaping was just about complete at the end of November. I'll get you a photo in February, Tom. Prices were around $60 CDN for the single rooms, just over $100 CDN for the suites. Fiesta Mexicana has deteriorated, a "hotelucho," a dump. Damage from Pauline and Rick has not been dealt with, but they seem to be continuing in business anyway. It is dreary and seedy - best to bulldoze the thing into the adjacent ravine and use it for fill. Current gossip is that the place is tied up in a marital dispute and probably won't be improved until that issue is settled. Hotel Villa Sol is under a limited reconstruction. We saw a Days Inns car parked there several days and are speculating that it will be a part of the Days Inn chain. Part of the Villa Sol name had been painted over. Road report Huatulco to Puerto E. - generally in very good shape. A few minor rough spots close to Puerto, but otherwise OK. Acapulco to Puerto E. - Very much improved. Most of last year's detours are fixed. No problems. Oaxaca to Puerto - via Sola de Vega (Hwy 131), still many sudden potholes and single-lane traffic areas due washouts. All in all, Puerto is looking great, still bright green from the late rains. The holiday season is going to be a very busy one. Wayne deedub@coastworks.com December 1998 Driving From Ontario I would like to know the best way to get to Puerto Escondido by car. We are planning a trip in January and would like to here from people who have traveled from Ontario Canada and what route etc. they took. Also the boarder crossings and what location or motel would be the best ones to stay at. Janet camp@indiancarver.com November 1998 Puerto Escondido and Area Jeez Tom, I hardly know where to start! Just recently got my 1st computer and was browsing for information on Puerto Escondido, when I found your web site. And I gotta tell you, it's great!! Very informative. I've gotten a lot of information not only from it but the various links. My first encounter with Puerto Escondido was in 1989. Went down on a whim with two amigos, for 1 wk., next yr. 3 wks., after that 2 months, from middle of Jan. til middle of March. Ultimate goal--Oct. til April. Don't really stay in Puerto anymore, as much as I use it as a jumping off place to explore southern Mexico. I do a lot of backpacking and such. My woman gets down there a couple of wks. during Feb. I first went down to Puerto Escondido in Feb., 1989 (20-30 yrs. too late, but that's another story). A lot has changed in that short of time, pop. 8,000 to more than 30,000. Some good, some bad, but that's a problem that's universal. But anyway, puerto has a variety of visitors or turistas, the Playa Principal varity, (older gringos, folks that want to be right on the beach), the Zicatela (surfers, party folks, etc.), folks who have been going there from when the main tourist Strassa was all sand (still is occasionally during the rainy season) and have found many local friends and cheaper accommodations. Myself, I've been staying at the Hotel Ben Zaa for the last 6 yrs. Family run by the Salinas family. Great people. Located away from the majority fo the other hotels. Beautiful view from the 3rd story rooftop. Great sunset view. Really a 360 degree view of all of Puerto. Reasonable rates ($10 single, $15 double). San Augustinillo: Camped next to Evelia's last time for 2 wks. No charge as long as I ate there. Became the night watchman of sorts, helped clean up in the a.m. and p.m. Everything is pretty well back to normal since Pauline & Rick , less palm trees and a few roofs still missing, especially at the Turtle Museum . I'm anxious to see if it's back on line. My understanding is that they had to cut loose of all the turtles due lack of power, setting back a 10 yr. research project. Knowing how long it takes the gov. to do anything it is quite a blow to the local economy. As you know, tourism was to take place of the annual turtle slaughter. Mazunte: Expect to rent Umberto's place for a wk. when the Mrs. comes down. My friends, Tony & Helen from B.C. have a little airstream there. I believe Helen is on your web site relating their experience with Rick. Beautiful, calm bay. Well, enough for now. Getting geared up for my annual break. Expect to leave Jan. 15. Going to Campeche 1st. for a couple of wks. bumming around the ruins of the Yucatan (if anyone has info, please e-mail me). Then to Palenque, camp up stream at Agua Azul (found a camp site last yr.--10 pesos a nite), then down to Puerto E. to meet my little love muffin". By the way, they are removing the dock at Puerto Angel , possibly putting in a new one. Miguel mikesucio@aol.com November 1998 Choosing Between Puertos Dear Tom: We spoke last month re: Puerto Angel and Posada Canon Devata. Got back last week from two weeks in Oaxaca - nine in the city and six in Puerto Escondido. Originally was going to go to Puerto Angel (thanks for the contact # for Kiri). Made a lot of friends in Oaxaca and they advised changing my plans; thought I'd enjoy P.E. more - more activity. I suppose they were right; passed through P.A. on my way to Huatulco Airport and it was very quiet, although very lovely. Plan to spend some time there on my next trip down. As for P.E., it was very nice (although awfully hot). Had downloaded some info from your website on P.E. prior to leaving, and I was glad I did. Stayed at Hotel Arco Iris and I highly recommend it. Inexpensive (and they give a 10% discount if you pay in full), very clean, lovely grounds, wonderfully pleasant and helpful staff, and the view is incredible. They also serve a good and inexpensive breakfast, although Cafecito is definitely the place to eat on the Zicatela. Was in P.E. when the Governor of Oaxaca came for the beach-lighting ceremony . Yes the beaches at P.E. are now lit at night, from Bah a Principal to almost the end of Zicatela. Not very romantic, but certainly safer now. Allen AKlein3641@aol.com November 1998 Volunteer Work? I visited Puerto Escondido in the winter of 1993, and have not stopped thinking about it since. In fact, I am hoping to spend a couple of months in Puerto Escondido this Spring. The last time I visited Puerto Escondido, I stayed much longer than expected, because I absolutely fell in love with the place. I would love to hear what is new in Puerto Escondido. Is there still a Canadian man running a bakery/cafe in Puerto? I cannot remember his name now, but do remember that he was very kind. I would also like to know if there is any work/volunteer work for foreign travelers in the area right now. Jennifer jake@imag.net.ab.ca November 1998 September in Puerto Escondido Thanks for the web site. Its great to read about one of the nicest places in the world and hear from others who have been there. My wife and I had two wonderful weeks in Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido in September 98. Puerto Escondido manages to retain its small town feel while still providing reasonable tourist amenities such as hotels and restaurants. The Hotel Santa Fe [ photo 53K ] sets the standard for service, has a great tropical feel, the best restaurant in town and views of the ocean. As usual the local people and foreign residents were very friendly and helpful. A couple of recent additions at Zicatela beach include La Bella Vita , an outstanding Italian restaurant just across from the Santa Fe and Dann's Bar at Noel's Cabanas. La Bella Vita uses fresh local produce to make dishes like "insalata caprese" (fresh tomatoes, basil and mozarella) and garlic shrimp with tomatos and pasta. Dann's Bar is a collection of plastic tables under palapas next door to Cabo Blanco. Dan is an-expat from Ventura, California, who is married to a local lady. Dann's attracts a colorful crowd of retired Americans, Australian surfers and German tourists. Its a great place to listen to tall tales and enjoy a few cold ones. Many people ask about safety in Mexico . There is an increased police presence on the beach in Puerto Escondido. All of the local cops seemed competent. I felt completely safe but we also make a point of using common sense as to where we go and when. Stay off the beach at night. Of greater concern is the undertow at Zicatela beach. This is not a swimming beach and only experienced ocean swimmers should go in the water. So if you go to Puerto this winter please stop by Dann's and have a cold beer for me. Tell him Mike and Susan from Ohio State say Hi! Mike and Susan mike.spino@obm.State.OH.US November 1998 Tales of the Heart , an article by Kenneth Richards. Love in 1995 At the end of 1995 my boyfriend and I visited Puerto Escondido and fell in love on the beach. Now we are married and returning for a holiday. Because we had such a lovely time three years ago we are a little nervous about returning and wonder if anyone can tell us what to expect in the way of changes since then? Also, I was sorry to see reports in the comments section of a rape/murder. How very sad for Carol Schlosberg, her family and friends. My heart goes out to them. I hope they will forgive me for wondering how her tragedy is likely to affect our visit. I can't help wondering if the situation remains tense, or the police presence heavy. Thirdly, Ben and I have both had health problems this year and have to be very careful what we eat at the moment. Normally, I don't worry about diet at all (anyone who sees me on the beach will see result) but we really have to be careful this time. Can anyone give us some do's and don'ts please. Fourthly, is there a smart/cheap way of getting from Puerto Escondido airport into the town? Thanks, Tom, for this website. All the best to all of you Cathy benandcathy@nineginge.demon.co.uk November 1998 Looking For A Place To Rent Have enjoyed browsing you web site. My wife and I are interested in renting a 2-bedroom apartment or small villa for the month of July or August somewhere in Mexico on the Coast. Please reply to: Hank Rudin PO 1776 Onset, MA 02558 hveer@aol.com November 1998 Manialtepec Lagoon & Ecological Notes I've been enjoying your website for some months now - great work. You have a knack to tell it like it is - the good, the bad, and the ugly. My name is Michael Malone , owner /operator of Hidden Voyages Ecotours" ( Viajes Escondidos SA de CV ) which is noted several times in your pages. My wife and I have migrated to Puerto Escondido each winter now for 3 to 4 months for the past 18 years. We've watched Puerto grow and change drastically in this time, but still love it and look forward to returning year after year. Recently I have set up a web-site for which I would appreciate a link. I have posted some aerial photos of Manialtepec Lagoon which you are welcome to use on your site if you wish. You may check it out at: http://www.wincom.net/~pelewing/hvecotur.html I am a neophyte computer user and will attempt in the near future to forward you a list of the 260 bird species that I have identified in the vicinity of Puerto - from Chacahua Lagoon National Park, Manialtepec Lagoon, and the foothills adjacent Puerto, The region is extremely rich in biodiversity, very little of which has any protection whatsoever. Through ecotourism I am attempting to promote awareness of this richness so that local peoples and international travelers can better understand and appreciate it, which in turn will give an economic incentive to protect it. Its a long, slow battle that may take a generation. It's heart-breaking to watch it slowly be destroyed - Manialtepec is threatened from all sides by cattle production, jet-skis, shrimp cultivation, drainage schemes, clandestine cutting of mangrove, population pressures, you name it. For the past several years I have been leading both National and Massachusetts Audubon groups on 8-day tours of Oaxaca with 4-day stays in both Oaxaca City and in Puerto, again bringing in some economic activity to provide jobs for Oaxaque os, instill pride in their wildlife resources, and get them directly involved in its management and conservation. Oaxaca has biological resources every bit as rich as Costa Rica, which the state government is finally waking up to and beginning to promote. We will drive down to Puerto at the end of November and be there until approximately April 1, our usual routine. If you will be in Puerto at that time please drop into Turismo Rodimar on the adoquin and introduce yourself. It would be my pleasure to take you out on a morning tour of Manialtepec Lagoon and show you some of its highlights. Regards from Ontario, Canada Michael Malone pelewing@wincom.net October 1998 Puerto Update My husband and I just came back from Puerto for a long weekend, it was too short this time but is better than nothing. The weather was incredible, just some rain at night. We like to stay in the Beach hotel Ines in Zicatela. They have web page: www.hotel-ines.com . There is some good news about Puerto: El Son y la Rumba are now in the adoquin and Mayka is singing wonderfully. In that place you can also dance close to the waves. Ana (brasilian buggyboarder) and Barto (from Peru Surfer) in November are going to have a Baby. Big Jim and his wife had a baby boy last week (he is the one that manages the river trips with Blue. Morgan works in the spa of the hotel Ines, the spa is incredible, sauna, Jacuzzi and you can get a massage for 150 pesos, and also is working for a web that informs the surfers about the waves around the world. He was owner of Bruno´s after Bill and Patty. The main road had some problems in the rainy season but all the people of the town are helping to build the road; they help with work, food and water for the workers, etc. This kind of collaboration they call tequio . All this to have it fixed as soon as possible. Tips: If you go to the market you can buy shimp, 1 kilo for 45.00 pesos. Incredible! If I remember something else I would write later. I am planing to spend the new year there again. Maru maru_u@hotmail.com October 1998 La Michoacana Me gusto navegar por tu pagina, es bastante interesante y muy completa. Es agradable encontrar sugerencias tan atinadas. El Cafecito es fascinante, la comida, la gente, la puesta del sol. Ojala puedas incluir en tus recomendaciones posteriores la paleteria y neveria La Michoacana , en donde se disfrutan unas paletas, nieves (ice cream) y aguas frescas verdaderamente exquisitas y refrescantes. Ojala tomen en cuenta mi opinion. Gracias y felicidades. omar14468@hotmail.com Septiembre 1998 Searching for Miguel Leyud Ruiz My name is Patti and I am from the Canadian Arctic. I am trying to locate Miguel Leyud Ruiz who works (worked) at the Posada Real. The reason for the contact is simply to know if he is O.K. as I heard he has been very ill. He worked in the restaurant there. If you can help me, I would be most grateful. Thank you. I have been to Puerto Escondido a few times and long to go back soon. Please reply attn: Patti H. dabrah@ssimicro.com August 1998 Fun at Arco Iris Our stay in Puerto was nothing short of laid back. Lots of sun, sand, surf. We stayed at Hotel Arco Iris ! Don't miss it---the staff goes out of their way to help you. In fact it was their pleasure to make us happy, the restaurant is excellent, and the manager Jose is lots of fun to talk with and willing to help out in any way. Arco Iris was one of the first hotels to be on Zicatela Beach, it has spectacular views and don't miss happy hour on the third floor with live music a few nights a week. So the next time in Escondido check out the Arco Iris and also for some fun look up Jorgue's diving shop across from Santa Fe hotel. Good fun good prices. We didn't see any crime and felt safe which is always good! Have a great time in Escondido! jlamber4@ix.netcom.com August 1998 Looking for Film Producer living in P.E. Two years ago our friends vacationed in Puerto Escondido. From them we've learned that there is a Canadian woman living permanently in Puerto Escondido and involved in film. Producing films or screening them in a small theatre. We do not know her name and address. But wish to get in touch with her. Do you by any chance know her and perhaps can advice us about her e-mail address or phone so we can contact her? Tad Jaworski Toronto, Ontario, Canada tamtad@ica.net August 1998 Hotel El Tabachin I was in Oaxaca for a month, first in Oaxaca City for the language institute there (excellent!), and then to Puerto Escondido for a week. I was so impressed with the hotel where I stayed in Puerto, that I want everyone to know about it. It's called El Tabachin. It's very reasonably priced. My husband and I stayed on the third floor "suite" for $55/night. Unbelievable, because it's a huge room with two beds, a kitchen, and lots of extra room, windows, plenty of ventilation. Best of all is the balcony. We had a spectacular view. Tabachin is next to Santa Fe, and I read over and over how wonderful S.F. is. And, I'm sure it is. But not one room there had as fantastic a view as we did. Not only is Tabachin on a hill, but the fact that our room (the entire floor was our room!), was on the third floor put us up very high. And, if that wasn't enough, there was an open deck above us. This place is really nice. Beautiful blue tiles on the floor and stairs, four ceiling fans, two doors (for better ventilation), a balcony on three sides, a large water tank with purified water, a large tiled shower, and decorated in spanish colonial. It isn't just the hotel itself, but the owner, Pablo (or Paul), who makes the place so special. Pablo is a relaxed, extremely intelligent, well-traveled man, who is fascinating to talk with. He is very humble, too. If you call him and ask him about his hotel he will be quite modest about it. Oh, and he has a courtyard set up with tables for breakfast. The fruits are organic and grown on his property in Nopala. The coffee is locally grown, as well. The food is very good. He just serves breakfast, however. Pablo also has two houses in Nopala, a mountain village about two hours from Puerto Escondido. He has them available mainly in the winter months. He did take us on a tour there, and treated us to a fantastic lunch made by his cook in Nopala. Pablo has many local people working for him, and he pays them well, and also supports them financially in their higher education. I highly recommend El Tabachin. If you do go there, please ask Pablo if there is anything you could bring to him. He is very appreciative, and will repay you for whatever it costs. I took sheets with me for him, and he was very grateful. phone number for El Tabachin: 011 52 958 21179 Connie mattz@teleport.com July 1998 Surfing Question: What is the difference between seasons? I was in Puerto Escondido for 2 weeks of June in the summer of 1997. The surf was huge for about 1 and a half days, triple overhead or more. It was small for about 3 or 4 days. Other days seemed average, about 1.5 to double overhead. I am planning a visit to Puerto this winter, in January or February. I would be grateful for information about what kind or surf conditions can be expected at Zicatela beach during these months. If anyone has information regarding this please post it here or e mail me at hordur@vedur.is. I was very pleased with my trip. Highs were good food, excellent surf and mostly friendly people. Lows where heat and mosquitoes. My advice to travelers to Puerto is this. Pack light but have plenty of reading material. Puerto is a great place to relax. Hordur Thordarson hordur@vedur.is July 1998 Fishing Question I am an avid "light tackle" fisherman. Are there many fresh-water lagoons which may house Black Bass? In particular I am looking for a species that is found in Southern Mexico and Central America---in the USA we call them "Peacock" Bass . They are large, going upward of 7 kilos, and are brilliant in color. I do not know the Spanish name for this species. Can you help me out on this? I should arrive in mid-September and plan on staying [in Zipolite] until the 1st of the year. Any info would be greatly appreciated . Larry W. Phillips LarryMex@webtv.net June 1998 More Comment on the Murder in P.E. I am boggled by the comments made by "citizen zero" What if it had been one of his family members that had been murdered, or his daughter if he has one? Then what? Would he still feel the same way? I dont care if it has happened a million times. There comes a time when you do have to make a "big Hoopla" about such a serious crime, and thank god the woman had some kind of connections because had she not then this crime would have gone unnoticed as well. The slime ball that raped and murdered her had raped another girl years ago. And she lived to point him out to authorities. He was sentenced to 25years in prison, but apparently he was released after serving only 8 years. See unfortunately society is filled with people like "citizen ZERO'S" they are brain washed with all the violent movies they have watched that they believe a rape and murder is no big deal. It is a big deal! And had a "hoopla not been made out of this terrible tragedy the slime ball would still be out on the loose and it would have happened to another woman as well. MARUCA@webtv.net June 1998 Fantastic First Trip Just returned from our first trip to Puerto Escondido. Nope, one week is not enough! Stayed in a house just behind Art & Harry's - Zicatela Beach. Beautiful weather (hot!) and a great middle of the night windstorm complete with lightening and thunder. A few places we must mention - The Cafecita is the place to be for coffee, terrific breakfasts, good conversation, and of course surf watching. The owners; Dan & Carmen are friendly and good-humored. The employees are great - Claudia taught us the fine art of ordering in Spanish, and Nadine gave us great local tips. La Gota da Vita has good fare too. Las Crotos - on the Aloquin was excellent dinner - white tablecloth, fresh fish - right on the ocean. Dan's 24-hour minimart on Zicatela - is a great place to stop by for a Sol- Cervesa, people watching, and the sacred practice of hammock stretching (hanging out in a hammock for a few hours). If you feel the yearn of the sea, take a quick taxi to Puerto Angelita and ask for Omar (Nadine's honey). He'll take you out on la lancha (boat) for a good price to fish for Bonita, see the huge sea turtles , and tour 7 gorgeous beaches. Speaking of beaches, Zicatela is the best surf and surfer watching spot. Playa Marinero is great people watching, and good swimming. Carazalillo is paradise! While we were there, the local newspaper arrived with lots of scuttlebutt. Apparently two (non-local) men have been caught who admitted to the murder . Next time - its two weeks (or more)...... BirdHouse@wclynx.com June 1998 Comment on the Murder in P.E. I have sat back and listened to all the hoopla surrounding the unfortunate murder in Puerto Escondido last April. Now I'd like to make a few comments of my own. I just happened to be there when the murder happened, but the first reports I heard claimed it had been a simple drowning. It is unfortunate that someone was murdered on vacation, but I would be nearly as upset if someone I loved drown too. This event has been blown totally out of proportion in my opinion. I have been visiting P.E. since 1971, when the little cove of Puerto Angelito had a coral reef (murdered by development) and Zicatela Beach was a pristine stretch of sand with virgin barrels of unsurfed waves, and they turned off the generator in town every night. Even back then two English women were raped while camping down on Zicatela. In those days the locals told the tourists not to get too far from town at night because there was a Navy base close by. People used to drown back then too. Mexico's Pipeline can take out even the strongest swimmer if the surf is huge and his luck is bad that day. The drowning rate is probably ten times what it was in 1971. Is the murder rate ten times worse? Probably. That's just because there's more people. The media hype about the murder is just that--hype. It was a slow week in the United States and the tabloids were scraping the bottom of the fear-mongering barrel. Believe me, I would camp half way down Zicatela beach a hundred times before I would even dare to walk down a back street in any of Americas major cities. The murder in P.E. was akin to being struck by lightning. It was just a case of bad luck. Mexican police may be a bit laid back, but I'm sure they do the best job that they can do. I tire of hearing that they are corrupt, (like American law enforcement are all ex-choir boys), and that they don't take their jobs seriously (ever talk to a congressman?), and that they take bribes, (ever hear of lobbyists and campaign funding reform?), and if you're rich you'll get off, but if you're poor you'll go to jail (remember O.J. Simpson?) Mexico is a far safer place to be than the good old U.S.A. I'll take care of myself thank you very much. Mexico is still a relatively free country, and I refuse to trade liberty for security, because you can lose your freedoms, but you will never, ever be able to completely ensure your security. If you want warm sun, sandy beaches, nice hotels all the amenities and lots and lots of regulation and friendly, smiling police officers directing your every move, go to Florida, or Malibu Beach. Just hope to God you don't get caught in some crossfire, car jacking, or drug deal gone bad. If you fear Mexico, please by all means stay home. American paranoia is a disease that threatens the warmth and ambiance that the Mexican people bestow on foreign visitors so lavishly. If you open up to them, trust them and have the "amigo spirit," Mexico will reward you with the most relaxing, fulfilling and truly memorable vacation experience you could ever hope to have. The American media would have you believe that Mexico is a violent, corrupt and decadent country. But that could not be further from the truth. It is most certainly the other way around--a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Citizen Zero skydog@abac.com May 1998 Puerto E. 5 Years Later We just got back from 2 weeks on the beach. What little damage there was from the hurricane seems to be under repair. We were interviewed by a guy from NBC who was on the plane from Mexico City. He was doing a story on the murder in March and wanted to know what our feelings were and why we would place ourselves in harm's way. I told him that, as long time visitors to Escondido, I didn't see the crime issue as any more relevant an issue then it would be if I stayed at home. I suggested that he do a story about all the Mexican nationals who die on our southern border every year. It is sad, however, that this woman died in the manner that she did. Conversations with Americanos and locals indicated a high level of frustration with local law enforcement and a perceived lack of dedication to the job. There is a meeting scheduled (today, I believe) to organize a support group for residents. The smoke from the fires in Mexico was very evident in Escondido but not unbearable. We had 2 days out of 14 that were very smoky but still enjoyable. The biggest effect seemed to be an increase in humidity which drove up the thirst for more cerveza at the beach. The beach has really changed since I was last in Escondido (5 years ago). As a result, the surf was less than it has been and the barrels were nowhere the length or quality that they used to be. While I don't surf anymore, others still seemed to be enjoying themselves. Thanks for this website, Tom. I'll stay in touch. deaner@nwinternet.com May 1998 Safe and Enjoyable Trip My husband and I just got back from 2 days in Oaxaca City and 5 days in Puerto Escondido . We felt comfortable the entire time. There was a noticeable police presence in both places. We some police with automatic rifles, often in groups of 4 or 5. In Oaxaca we stayed at the Victoria Hotel . It did not have air conditioning because usually it is cooler at night and none is needed. However, it was 92 degrees the first night we were there thanks to El Ni o. It started to cool off about 4 AM. The next day we kept our drapes closed until the sun set and it was much more comfortable. The z calo was wonderful on Saturday afternoon! The colors, crafts, people and food were a scene to devour. We sat at a cafe on the square, had a cervesa and people watched. There were several political rallies slated for the evening with live bands. Many young people were there later in the afternoon. We felt safe walking within 2 or 3 blocks on all sides of the square. The food and drinks at the hotel were excellent. The people genuine and gracious and the hotel gardens and grounds beautiful. Our room was $80 per night but well worth the view from the terrace bar and the restaurant. They had a breakfast buffet with authentic Mexican dishes that changed daily. Before we left, the maitre d' brought the manager of the hotel to our table so she could invite us to return. We will definitely return to the Victoria when in Mexico again and recommend their hospitality, beautiful hotel and scenic views. In Puerto Escondido we stayed at the Santa Fe [ photo 53K ]. Upon arrival they gave us a choice of two rooms, one at $48 and one at $56/night. We chose the more expensive room by the pool. It was brighter and a little larger with an alcove for a table and chairs. The bathrooms are huge with 2 sinks and a shower with a window up high, completely tiled all around. There were large mirrors and Hollywood style make-up lights above each sink and counter. They also have air conditioning and a fan. We used the AC during the day and the fan at night. The Santa Fe is incredible. It is a Spanish-Moorish paradise - a spectacle for the eyes. They have 2 pools - one for adults only. You can sit on the terrace above Zicatela beach and watch the waves crashing or the young people playing soccer. The roar of the waves could be heard in our room at night even with our windows closed! The restaurant was wonderful. The garlic shrimp were grilled and left in their shells like a lobster tail would be. The red snapper was heavenly. The one Italian dish I had - fettuccini alfredo - was disappointing. No meat is served. We walked the mile on Marinero Beach to the zona tourista each day. We were warned not to take the road to town. We ate at Bananas for breakfast - fruit crepes and ham/cheese crepes with Oaxacan cheese. Both were excellent! We also ate at Perla Flameante (tuna teriyaki style) and at Posada (Tiberon) - excellent garlic shrimp in a spicy red sauce. We ate lunch only once at a small cafe across from the ice cream stand opting for tacos con pollo and enchiladas con pollo. Both were excellent with the 2 for 1 cervesa since Happy Hour is all day long there. We also ventured into the town itself up on the hill. We took a taxi to the Mercado and from there walked a few blocks and bought some tapes. We returned the next day to go to PE's only " supermarket " which is around Av. 4 Norte a block west of Av. Oaxaca. There was a police guard at the entrance. We then walked down Oaxaca Avenue to 1st Ave. and the newsstand. The Tacqueria across the street was closed since it was only about 1 PM. A taxi anywhere in town is 10 pesos and it is definitely worth taking - they are everywhere. We wound up our stay with an overnight in Mexico City. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Dias Plaza (close to the airport) instead of the Imperial Hotel downtown (originally reserved) because of the warnings about taxis. The Holiday Inn has a shuttle. It was expensive ($110/night) but a beautiful hotel - very art deco with a lobby atrium that went to the skylight above. Everywhere we went, the Mexican people were hospitable and gracious. Our safety was paramount to them and to the tourist trade in general and they gave us advice on where to go and what to stay away from. We took their advice and had a wonderful experience. We met some young people traveling around Mexico on a shoestring who stayed on Zicatela for 30 pesos (about $4) a night (no AC) and they felt safe as well. We highly recommend the Hotel Victoria and the Santa Fe. Liz_Goodwin Ametek%AMETEK@notesgw.compuserve.com May 1998 Murder at Noon It is a sad thing when you hear that someone has been murdered for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But this time she was at the right place at the right time! What can you do when something like this happens? Besides sharing in the grief and outrage many feel, I feel that in a place with a primitive police who use primitive methods of interrogation, perhaps the best thing that could happen is that concerned citizens put enough pressure on the local authorities to simply execute the criminal. Is he a politician? Is he a local police officer? It doesn't matter. In a place with primitive methods, primitive justice will work. Omar Guillen carrillo@305fs.AssiniboineC.MB.CA May 1998 Roadblock on Hwy 200 Thought I would offer comments from a recent first-time trip to Puerto Escondido. I had been looking for a destination in Mexico that offered a tranquil, low-key beach getaway, and when I encountered this web site I knew I had found the place. It was very helpful in planning my trip; it also makes for some great daydreaming. [ virtual vacationing--it's real busy Monday mornings - Tom ] We got a great deal on a charter from Minneapolis to Huatulco in March, $152 round trip. We stayed our first night in La Crucecita, the town which is one hub of the Huatulco resort area. Got a room at the Flamboyant; nice place, right on the square. Next day, with the help of the travel office by the hotel's front desk, we were able to hire a taxi to Puerto Escondido for a reasonable 400 pesos. We got almost as far as Pochutla before coming up on a long line of stopped vehicles. Turned out the road was blocked some distance up ahead. I asked the driver if it was Zapatistas and he said, "no, no, just the people. It's political." No one had any information about whether the block was being or might be cleared, so we sat awhile and waited. Apparently we could have walked up to the roadblock and caught a taxi on the other side to continue the trip. But, as my friend would have had to lug a heavy suitcase (I had a pack) about a mile in the blazing sun, we elected to return to Huatulco. I had heard that these roadblocks were a possibility; just our bad luck it happened to us. People in La Crucecita said it happens maybe every month or two; sometimes the blockade lasts two hours, sometimes 24. The next day we still couldn't get any good information about whether the road was open, so we decided to let another day go by, to make sure, before attempting it again. So, after landing on a Tuesday, we finally did get to Puerto on Friday. We never did find out what the actual roadblock consisted of -- rocks, trees, people? There was no evidence of it along the road which we could see later. In Puerto we booked into the Arco Iris . This is a very nice budget hotel, with great staff, nice gardens and a good pool. The restaurant on the third floor, La Galera , was excellent and the best overall dining value we found; the view of the beach from there is delightful. However, at night our ground-floor room proved to be full of mosquitoes . The screens were good but there were gaps all around the doors. We didn't have nets or adequate repellent, and it was way too hot to cover up, so we got almost no sleep that night. So the next morning we moved up the road to the Santa Fe. And that was wonderful, a very good place. Lush gardens, beautiful tiled stairways, good room with cross ventilation and A/C. All this comes at a price, of course, about $84 US for our room, three times what we paid at the Arco. A cab downtown was 10 pesos, and they come by every few minutes. Heck of a deal. (A tip for other first-timers to this area: Bring mosquito netting and repellent just in case. We had read the warnings about bugs but as it was the dry season we didn't expect to see any. Wrong. It would have been handy to have some spray for the ankles while dining in the evenings.) We had read much in advance about hurricane damage. There were some wrecked palapas and abandoned buildings. But not having visited the area before I had nothing to compare with, and whatever damage remained didn't detract from our experience. Weather: in the 90s and sunny every day we were in the area. Afternoons, the sun's heat could get downright fierce, but most days there was a delightful breeze. In the evening it can get pretty breathless if you're downtown; out along Zicatela, it's better. Zicatela Beach was the thing for us. Each afternoon we would take day packs and hang out under the palapas along the beach. At some we were asked for a small rental fee (20 pesos typically) by one of the palapa cantinas along the beach, others didn't seem to be tended. Watching the thunder and crash of those big waves while feeling the delightful sea breeze is a pastime it would be hard to tire of. Everyone comes down to the beach to watch the sunset, and even the locals would ooh and aah when the bigger sets came booming in. As the big event neared, we would bestir ourselves and stroll the strand, where for a magical hour everyone seems united by the eternal beauty of a Pacific sunset. Re: crime, Puerto Escondido didn't strike us as a particularly dangerous place and we didn't hear of any incidents while we were there. Zicatela beach is big and very dark at night, not the kind of place most people would feel comfortable hanging around late anyway. In daylight, at least on the half-mile or so of beach nearer to town, there were usually enough people around to offer safety in numbers. On the street fronting the beach, there's a one-block stretch on the upper end without lights where you might want to tweak up your "situational awareness" a little passing there at night. For the most part I felt safe in the Zicatela area after dark, if not necessarily on the beach itself. I can't speak for late-nighters, as we were in by 11:00. We did notice piles of new metal standards staged for installation along the beach road, perhaps for new power lines or street lights. We found the swimming great on Playa Marinero. We rented boogie boards from kids on the beach and had a great time riding the six-footers. If you miss-time the break of your wave and don't dive for the bottom before it crashes over you, you can really get "maytagged." This might not be news to experienced ocean swimmers but we don't get much practice with big waves in Minnesota. On several occasions while being power-flushed toward the beach at what felt like 30 miles an hour, I was really glad there were no rocks or coral on the bottom. As the beach was our main draw, we didn't get into town much beyond a couple of evening ambles along the pedestrian zone. Tourism may be down in Puerto according to some reports, but there seemed to be plenty going on downtown. We did notice that no place looked what you could call busy, and the staff at the restaurants were really working the sidewalks, trying to entice diners in from the street. They succeeded with us at the Junto al Mar , where we had a good seafood dinner. It was the only place we tried in town. To avoid any more surprises with the road, we took a bus back to Huatulco the day before our flight left. (Cristobal Colon line, primera clase, departed right on time and was very comfortable.) So we had only three days in Puerto. But I'm looking forward to getting to know the place better on future trips. Until then, I'll look to these pages whenever I need a mental escape back to the beach. Keep those comments coming, and much thanks for this very enjoyable web site! Don G. Pribble donprib@juno.com April 1998 La Comida y el Hotel Ines I am from Mexico City, and we (my family and I) have visited Puerto many times over the past 5 years. I am going to write in Spanish because it's easier for me. Hemos visitado Puerto Escondido muchas veces y en diferentes epocas del a o. La unica que no recomendamos es semana santa, por que hay mucha gente, y por lo tanto es menos la seguridad en la zona y la gente ensucia mucho las playas. Hemos visto en los ultimos a os muchos cambios en Puerto Escondido, desde que exist a el Brunos con Patty y Bill, luego con Morgan y ahora que es parte del Cafecito, realmente se extrana el Brunos como era antes, aunque el nuevo est muy bien, lo que recomendamos muy temprano en la ma ana (abren a las 6 a.m.) es el Cafecito siempre hay gente con quien platicar e intercambiar comentarios. Por la tarde no hay que perderse de ir al adoqu n (pedestrian zone) a tomar un rico gelato a la gelater a italiana a la entrada de esta calle antes de los taxis. La comida Italiana es muy buena y barata. En Zicatela Beach est el restaurant de los T os , la comida es muy abundante y a buenos precios. En cuanto a hotel siempre nos quedamos en el Hotel Ines justo en la playa, tienen diferentes tipos de cuartos, unos con cocina otros caba as etc. casi hemos recorrido todos los cuartos del hotel, la alberca y el restaurant-bar est n muy bonitos y Lola y Mario los cocineros preparan un spaghetti carbonara delicioso los precios son buenos, la due a del Hotel se llama Ines. Maru rxgonzal@tonatiuh.sis.uia.mx April 1998 What's Happening to Zicatela? I am disturbed to hear about some violent issues against tourists at Puerto Escondido. I have been going to Puerto Escondido for over 10 years and have stayed at hotel Santa Fe [ photo 53K ] while on various surfing trips. I have been trying to talk my wife to go back and the press is not helping. I have never had a problem other than being bothered by a local a-hole because he got tired of seeing me around for over 3 weeks; still one of the better surf vacations in the western hemisphere. Great people, great surf, great food. I hope that it stays that way. I'm a bit disturbed about putting a street on playa Zicatella; had to wonder what was next. Tommy Sheridan tsheridan@worldnet.att.net April 1998 Souvenirs Ola ! J'ai visite le site sur Puerto Escondido, sympa ! J'ai passe 6 jours a PE au mois de fevrier. C'etait durant mon voyage au Mexique qui a dure un mois. Nous avons descendu la cote pacifique depuis San Blas jusqu'a PE. Ensuite nous sommes passe dans le Chipias pour terminer a Isla Mujeres. Je peux dire aujourd'hui de tout les endroits ou nous avons sejourne, c'est PE qui nous a le + enchante, vraiment... Nous avons pratique le body board dans des vagues plutot cool. Le surf est vraiment impressionant, nous avons eu la chance d'assister a une session de 4 metres a 7 heure du matin. Mais sans parler du surf, c'est l'ambiance qui regne qui fait de PE un paradis. Ambiance tres jeune, nationalites tres diverses. Le soir pour faire la fete, il n'y a rien de mieux. On nous disait que l'endroit ete dangereux le soir, nous avons ete mefiant, et pourtant cela nous a paru cool. J'ai eu l'occasion de me balader seul devant la plage en pleine nuit et je n'ai jamais eu de probleme. Pourtant les temoignages d'agression nous montrent bien que nous ne sommes pas assez mefiants. Ce q'il faut retenir c'est que PE, c'est un paradis pour les surfeurs et un paradis pour faire la fete, et passer des journees cool, au rythme mexicain quoi... Vincent info@bsproductions.fr April 1998 Best Tacos at La Playita Hi There Tom! I want to thank you very much for the information you give in your site. I went on vacation last week with my mom, my aunt, and my grandmother. I stayed at Villas Bacocho Hotel, and your information helped us very much in our trip. I live in Mexico City. My mom always wanted to take me to Pto. Escondido, and last week we did it. Your site helped us to visit nice places, to learn about which beaches are nice or which ones aren't. We had a pleasant vacation. Thanks to you, I tasted the BEST TACOS AL PASTOR I have ever tasted! Taqueria La Playita Rules! I'm building my own Mexico City Web Site, but I haven't finished the html script. Thank you again. Joel Morales joelft@ragnatela.net.mx April 1998 Anybody Know about Danny's Bar? Hi: We have planned a two-week stay in Puerto Escondido next month and having read the reports on this excellent website, are really looking forward to it. We have been recommended a place called "Danny's Bar" as being a fun, young place to stay. However, I have read all your Visitors' Comments as well as several guide books and found this mentioned nowhere. Does anyone know of the existence of such a place and if so, can they recommend it? We would really appreciate any info and will certainly drop an email recounting our experiences on our return. Linda lindac@informix.com April 1998 Looking for a Family to Stay With Hi: I would like to live with a family for about a month in Puerto. Do you know of any families who take in boarders? I've done this in Cuernavaca and loved it. I also did it in Oaxaca City, but the experience there was too rustic. Lynne tcmmoore@warwick.net April 1998 Rape, Murder in Puerto Escondido One of my closest friends was travelling across Mexico with her partner. While staying at a hotel in Puerto Escondido, she went for a walk on the beach alone. Not at night, but in broad daylight. She was found later, apparently drowned. Later, autopsy showed she had been raped, sodomized and murdered. The local authorities told us that these things happen but they never catch the perpetrators. They don't seem to be pursuing any investigation beyond the autopsy. We feel shocked, horrified and helpless. Any advice how to take steps to make this horrible tragedy less likely to recur? Doesn't the government or tourist industry care that tourist can get raped and murdered without consequence? Any advice would be appreciated. David Berman david@dharma.org April 1998 see news account Retiring to Puerto Escondido I have read very carefully the comments about Puerto Escondido. Last year, on Christmas break I traveled from Puebla, where I live, to Oaxaca, Puerto Angel, and Puerto Escondido. It was such an experience the road from Mihuatlán, to Puerto Angel, it was 90% destroyed by hurricane Pauline ; nobody told us about it. I was traveling with my 15-year old kid, and it took me more than five hours to get there. However, it was really surprising to visit Puerto Escondido. Although I was there just for a few hours, I really got to like it. The point is that since I am recently divorced, and planning to retire, (I am 45 years old), still young ???, but wishing to have a quieter life, I am looking for a place to live and do what I like most, to write about Mexico. I am Mexican, you may have already noticed because of my English. I am trying to meet friends who have already been in Puerto Escondido before. I will go again on April 4, planning to stay there for a week Thank you for you information and hoping to hear from you. Raul Payan apayan@pue1.telmex.net.mx March 1998 Puerto Escondido Updates It's mid March and very hot in Puerto Escondido. February was not as windy as in the past years. An update on good places to eat: La Torre in Rinconada--halfway between Bococho and Rinconada on the divided four-lane that runs to the Agencia Municipal. Their hamburger and french fries are great. Burger comes with cheese and bacon. The plate costs eighteen pesos. Their typical dishes are great. Seafood tends to be a little pricey by our standards, but you might find it well within acceptable limits. Very clean. Arco Iris is a bit slow and some have complained of food coming cool, but they still have good food, and reasonable. Just arrive half an hour before you want to be waited on and things should work out. On the adoquin is a lovely shop called El Tigre Azul run by a couple from Puebla. Extremely hospitable, very clean, artistic atmosphere--many artworks for sale. The owners are talented and pleasant to chat with. Good view from the top floor. I have heard that people complain about their salads being too big! The only place to eat at Carrizalillo Beach is Marias' Restaurant --but don't go down asking for Marias. The other locals have caught on and they all claim to be "Marias'". The real Maria can be found nestled under the larger palm trees, three quarters of the distance to the far end of the beach from the trailer park walking trail. Art and Harry's are way too pricy for us. The same hamburger and french fries is 35 pesos (most other places 15 to 18). Don't get me wrong. Art and Harry's is reasonable by stateside standards, but by Puerto standards, hang on to your hat. Los Tios has OK seafood on the beach. A little noisy at times, but friendly atmosphere. La Cafecita --too bad they pushed Brunos out of the way. The new pier has begun and the road along the adoquin is still torn up. Hopefully it will all be fixed by Santa Semana. New things coming to Puerto daily. Can you believe stop signs ? Can you believe a ceramic shop with classes? Will upgrade the road conditions within a month from the Texas border thru Mexico City, Acapulco and P.E. They were trying to fix the damage from the hurricanes when we passed thru in January. Let's see how far they got. Shirlee MSdollshop@aol.com March 1998 Taxi Scam I saw Ellen (of Pete and Ellen in Puerto Escondido) yesterday, and she told me of a scam the taxistas are pulling at the airport. They bought their ticket for the proper zone at the official counter, but the driver stopped after a few blocks and told them that there would be an additional charge for 'excess baggage.' Gotcha! Clay Cummins claycum@juno.com February 1998 Airport Scam There appears to be a parking scam being run by airport security officers. After arriving in Huatulco on the 4th of February, a young uniformed type tried to shake down our cab driver for 75 pesos. We protested because parking is supposed to be free at the airport. The individual supposedly called his supervisor but we noticed he never depressed the send key on his walkie-talkie. Another passing security guard refused to become involved in his attempt to collect. After a heated exchange we left without paying. We were dropped off at Huatulco by friends on Feb. 17 and they reported the same attempted shakedown occurred to them, this time for 90 pesos. They didn't pay either. A resident Canadian reported a similar incident occurred at the Puerto Escondido airport . He got around the problem by demanding an official receipt with the government (Hacienda) stamp on it which, of course, wasn't forthcoming. A word to the wise. Steve Bevitt Berkeley, CA sbevitt@astsoft.com February 1998 Puerto Escondido Update - February 25, 1998 General Comments Puerto Escondido is a travelers' and vacationers' dream right now. Tourism is down this year to perhaps a third of its normal level. One government official told us that if it were not for "old timers like you we would have no one here." (Aside: The "old timer" comment referred to the fact that we've been returning for many years, and definitely not to our ages.) Because there are so few tourists, service everywhere in Puerto Escondido this year is faster and more attentive. We never saw at any time of day or night more than few dozen tourists in the shops and restaurants along the Adoquin (pedestrian zone) on Avenida Perez Gasga by the Playa Principal . Getting a good table for dinner was the least of our problems. On several occasions we were just about the only patrons. In fact the only restaurants we saw that had more than a half dozen guests on a regular basis were the Santa Fe , Arco Iris , Art and Harry's , Lorenzo's (every table filled both times were there), and El Cafecito . If you thought Puerto Escondido was friendly in the past, try it now. (Aside: dinner for four, including wine and tip, regularly was under US $40.00.) In The Aftermath of Hurricane Pauline The effects of Hurricane Pauline on Puerto Escondido last October were relatively minor to start (Hurricane Rick was just a big blow) and are largely invisible to visitors today. The few roofs that were damaged have been repaired. A state tourist bureau worker showed us some pictures of the main street immediately after the storm. The amount of dirt and sand and mud that had washed down was quite incredible. "We all learned what to do with a shovel," she told us. By the time we arrived the feet and tons of sand and dirt that washed down the hillsides into the Adoquin and Avenida Perez Gasga near the Palapa Restaurant had been shoveled up, carted off, and swept away. Hardly a sign of the hurricanes remained. We had an opportunity to view a home-made 1-1/2 hour long video documentary of the Hurricane Pauline's aftermath in the small (population All the scores of little palapas dotting the three beaches from the fishing fleet to Art & Harry's are still there and apparently unaffected by the storms. Symbolic of the shortage of visitors however, the three palapa areas on Zicatela nearest town are not being used this season. [Aside: We gained a new respect for those fragile looking thatched roofs that look like they would blow away in any healthy wind storm. Well, they don't blow away, but tiled roofs and asphalt roofs do. A local builder explained that when the air pressure changes suddenly and dramatically, as it does during hurricanes, the thatching lifts a bit allowing the pressure to equalize. Tile and asphalt roofs can't do that so they actually blow out.] The Weather The weather was postcard beautiful but noticeably cooler this year with day time highs occasionally reaching to 80 but mostly only to the upper 70s, and evening lows in the 60s. Everyone blames El Niño. Once it was cloudy for part of the day. Otherwise we had -- as expected in the height of the dry season -- weeks of brilliant sunshine and no rain. The cool onshore and onshore breezes were almost continuous this year. On several days it was too windy and/or cool for me to eat breakfast on our terrace . The waves were consistently stronger and higher for a longer period of time this year than any time in at least the last 10 years. Twice while we were there, the *Wave Fax* listed Puerto Escondido among the world's best. (Aside: After years of watching vacationers on Puerto Escondido's beaches, I've come to the conclusion that, generally speaking, 40-year-old men with pot bellies should probably not wear bikinis.) The IN Places The IN places to eat this year include most of the usual old stand-byes. The Santa Fe [ photo 53K ] remains in a class by itself as the premier hotel and premier dining room in Puerto Escondido. The Arco Iris remains popular for sunset drinks and also for lunch and dinner (they have the most interesting and extensive Mexican menu in town and very modest prices). Art and Harry's at the far end of Zicatela is still a surfer's hang-out and is very popular with Americans of all ages. Sunday night is particularly busy. They have entertainment three nights a week. In town, El Tiberon does a wonderful chicken in orange sauce. Los Grotos and Danny's Terrace at the Rincon del Pacifico are also popular with vacationers. The Tequila Sunrise remains the one popular disco night spot. Conspicuously missing from this year's IN list are the Perla Flameante in the pedestrian zone and the Flora de Marie . None of the 'regulars' ever mentioned either one this year and while we did talk about trying them we just never got around to it, probably because there were a lot of other interesting places to try. The never popular Blue Iguana disco on Zicatela is not making it. Eco-tours to the Manialtepec and Chacahua lagoons remain the singularly most popular day trips. Another popular excursion is a 2-hour float down the Colotepec River . Probably the most popular and interesting one night overnight trip is to Santo Reyes Nopala in the mountain coffee growing region. Paul Cleaver of the Tabachin del Puerto (at the Santa Fe) has a place in Nopala for overnight guest. Out this year are side trips to Puerto Angel and to Huatulco . Hurricane damage to Pto. Angel has dampened interest in that direction, and periodic road blocks outside Huatulco set up by Indians sympathetic to the Chiapas situation has dampened enthusiasm for that trip. (Aside: It is hard for two people to spend US $30 for a meal in Puerto Escondido, but it's possible. Elizabeth and I have done it twice in 10 years. The second was this year at the Santa Fe where we had a nice bottle of local white wine and the two most expensive dishes on the menu -- proving once again that with enough persistence most anything is do-able.) What's New Reporting on what's new, three of the biggest items for vacationers are restaurants. Heading the list is El Cafecito , located on Zicatela beach next to Carmine's in the spot where Bruno's was last year (Bruno's is gone from Puerto Escondido). Cafecito is run by Carmine and Dan (of Carmine's Bakery fame) who did some remodeling (like e.e. cummins' Buffalo Bill, the bar is 'defunct' and the stairs are now on the right). They have a very limited but as you would expect an interesting and high quality menu. (Aside: The reason I spend a lot of time here talking about eating places is because eating is a really big deal for vacationers in Puerto Escondido. As someone put it to us years ago when we first started going there, "There are only two things to do in Puerto Escondido after dark: count the stars and talk about where you want to have dinner the next night." Elizabeth says he was showing his age.) Another is Mario's Italian restaurant just outside the eastern end of the Adoquin and a few places down from (and not to be confused with) his Pizzaland . Mario greets guest personally and offers the warmest and most attentive service of any restaurant in town. It also has such amenities as white table cloths and cloth napkins, serves water without being asked, and provides beautiful light classical music in the background for dining. Typical of his attentiveness, on Valentine's day, Mario presented women with carnations. A very popular dish is the baked meat lasagna. A third restaurant new to the IN list this year is Lorenzo's which moved from its temporary 3rd floor spot across from El Tiberone on the Adoquin to a location just off Mexico 200 and across from the Suzuki landmark (1a Sur & 2a Poniente). The roast pork is probably (and deservedly) Larry's most popular dish. (Aside: As tangible evidence of Puerto Escondido's maturity, we ate fresh leafy green salads almost every day and in at least a half dozen places. Ten years ago, eating fresh vegetables any place in Puerto Escondido was a risky and generally not too smart a feat, even at the Santa Fe.) A second new thing of interest to vacationers is the SUN , Puerto Escondido's free English language newsletter/newspaper (it looks like a newsletter, feels like a newsletter, and is published monthly like many newsletters, but its publisher calls it a newspaper). It has a calendar of local events, advertising for many of the more popular tourist oriented businesses, information about local events of interests to vacationers, and even a column devoted to the history of Puerto Escondido. It offers US subscriptions for $25. El Mercado (the old market) is being significantly expanded and modernized. Currently, fresh fruits, meats, fish, flowers and the like are the main items. A few blocks down from El Mercado, there is now Puerto Escondido's first real US-style super market (of sorts), Ahorrara . (Aside: We could buy all kinds of coffee in Puerto Escondido but nowhere could we find coffee filters. Even our maid came up empty handed when put to the task.) On the beach, the grassy mall between the road and Zicatela Beach is developing beautifully. The tallest of the palms planted there five years ago now reach 15-20 feet. And for those interested in such things, construction of the prominently situated 4-story house at the end of the point beyond the lighthouse is finally completed. At the Santa Fe , the luxurious Terraza section is finished thus bringing the number of rooms to 72. The Tabachin del Puerto section remains a favorite with the arts and craftsy set. Phones and TVs have been installed in the suites in the Zicatela Bungalows section (not all of us are sure this is progress however). New lounges were added to their pool area. (Aside: One of our truly observant companions pointed out that each evening in February the sun sets in Puerto Escondido almost exactly one sun's width to the north of where it set the previous evening.) Crime in Puerto Escondido Crime in Puerto Escondido has been widely reported on the Internet, and it has state and local tourism authorities worried. A frustrated government official told me that in one day alone the previous week there were six reports of burglaries and thefts from tourists. That is more than would be reported in a whole season 10 years ago. Three weeks ago, a man and two women were robbed at knife point after leaving the Tequila night club. Two weeks ago (according to a knowledgeable resident) four Puerto Escondido police officers were arrested (after the Police Chief was put in the public spotlight by a call-in talk radio program) for robbing tourists late at night near Art & Harry's (they reportedly used a Puerto Escondido Police car!). Ten years ago, tourists could and often did sleep safely on the beaches at night. Five years ago we were 'advised' to avoid walking alone on the beaches late at night. This year we were 'told' to stay off the beaches after sunset. Crime has tourist officials concerned. Within the last month representatives from all the state and local agencies involved held a strategy meeting looking for ways to deal with the problem. At the same time however, for the first year since the murder on Playa Marinero in 1993, there are no police on the beaches. But there are police guarding the chains that limit vehicular access to the pedestrian zone. How serious the authorities are about crime is thus an open question. Preview of Coming Attractions In the category of *coming events,* several interesting and potentially important things are either in process or on the drawing broads. Sewer lines are now being laid all along the three beaches (Principal, Marinero and Zicatela). A knowledgeable insider told me that all the businesses along the beach had gotten a letter from the federal government telling them to get hooked up or torn down. (The same letter allegedly tells them to keep their music down to 60 decibels.) Also in progress, Mexico 200 (the Coastal Highway) is being widened into a 4-lane road from the airport through the city to the Colotepec River at Barra and the federal military base. And the long planned and always deferred marina is now being started in front of the port captain's headquarters. The first piers were being put in before we left. The idea for the marina was part of the original federal government plan for Escondido when it was planning to develop the 70 mile strip between the new resort of Huatulco that it was going to (and did) build and the old village of Puerto Escondido. The government built airports in both places, repaired the road between the two points, started to develop Huatulco, and then ran out of money. A dozen times in the ensuing years some group has tried to resurrect the marina idea, but without success. Of interest to Internet fans, TelMex reportedly will put an internet node in Puerto Escondido this June. I expect there will be an Internet cafe there when we get back next winter. Finally, but certainly not least, Puerto Escondido with its alleged population of 40,000+ is fast on the way to becoming the City of Puerto Escondido. Presently, Puerto Escondido is claimed by two towns (different original maps). Because of the peculiarities of local and Oaxacan politics, there are now in effect FOUR mayors ! While we were there, one of the towns was vacating their offices in downtown Puerto Escondido, and several people were actively campaigning for mayor. (Aside: While I have no idea of its significance for the greater future of Puerto Escondido, time shares have arrived. US $450/month for 10 years (plus $130/month condo fee) will get you a 1-bedroom fully furnished unit with daily maid service in the Bocacho area west of town. Ah well, another ho-hum day in paradise.) Brian J. Larkin - 1301 20th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 - 202 296-3205 BJLarkin@juno.com February 1998 In Response to Questions Hi, I'm writing to respond to two of the requests for info dated February of 1998. I just happened upon your site and was happy to read about Puerto Escondido, as I spent 2 wonderful weeks there this past summer during a 2 month stay in Mexico. The ability to speak the language goes a long way there -- I found the locals to be extremely friendly. Anyway, in regards to which road is better to take from the city of Oaxaca: I tried 3 different routes. The "long way" (down to Salina Cruz and then up the coast to Puerto) is the only first class route. I paid about 160 pesos at that time ($20) for a one way ticket. The ride is smoother, it's generally safer, and they have movies and stuff. Plus they stop for food. The "other way" (straight west over the mountains and towards the coast) which LOOKS shorter as the crow flies, can only be done by second class bus (which is really more like third). They do stop, but the choice of the Mexican Deli Mart equivalent could be better, and the toilets are the pits (literally). It might be a bit shorter time-wise (an hour?) but there are hairpin turns for HOURS. I think it was around $6-7. As we careened from turn to turn I found myself debating what was more probable: that I would lose my cookies (I think that was, in fact, the only lunch I'd had that day) or that I'd fly off a cliff to an early death, along with the drunken farmer on my left. I have to admit, the second class bus trip was much more Interesting. The drunken man who saw me trying to grapple with "Como Agua Para Chocolate" via an English-Spanish dictionary, was amazed that there was an equivalent English word for almost every Spanish word he could come up with (mas o menos). ("Loco?" "Crazy." "Craaazzy.") Anyway the other route I took was from Puerto to Mexico City. You have to go back down to Salina Cruz and THROUGH Oaxaca City. It was LONG. Too long. If you are considering this definitely figure out a way to swing up through Acapulco or something. (I can't remember why I wasn't able to do this at the time). There was also a question about where to stay that's "an inexpensive to moderate hotel in Puerto Escondido (preferably with a pool and near a beach)". I think there are maybe 2 that fit all three of those requirements. When I was there (in the summer) they seemed to have slightly different crowds. Arco Iris was a little more expensive and kind of family oriented but had nice rooms. It's right on the beach (anything on Zicatela is less than 50 ft. from the beach), and has a pool as I recall. I think the other one is called Hotel or Bungalows Zicatela and is more of a younger or surfer crowd. It definitely has a small pool and I'm not sure what the rooms are like, but they are probably decent. I think it's also probably a little less expensive. It all depends on your definition of "moderate". (The nicest Hotel in Puerto Escondido (Sante Fe) [ photo 53K ] is on the dividing line between the two best beaches. I'm sure it has a pool (although I'd call to make sure) and I think it's high in the double digit dollars cost-wise. To some people, that is moderate.) Frankly, you will be swimming in one of the most beautiful, enjoyable bodies of water you would ever want to swim in. I can't see why anyone would want a pool -- except for maybe a water temperature change (?), or swimming at night. If you want to be right on the beach, pick something (anything) on Zicatela. It's mostly for surfing but you can "dip" there. If you're an adventurous traveler, I'd just book one or two nights somewhere and then look around when you're down there. I ended up spending the longest portion of my stay in a wooden bungalow up on a hill, overlooking the beach. It had a beautiful view of the bay and Zicatela off in the distance, which I could see from my palm thatched veranda while swinging in a hammock. There was always a nice breeze, even on the hottest days, and it felt appropriately rustic, even slightly romantic. There were only four units and I shared a bathroom, but for $10/night I thought I had the nicest place in Puerto Escondido. But it was just one of those places you see and say, "se renten?" And he says, "manana tengo una. Quieras?" (I got a little long winded there....I think I miss it!) msweeney@nimbus.ocis.temple.edu February 1998 Hurricane/Sewage Damage to Carrizalillo and Bacocho areas I stood aghast, looking over Bacocho. It was hard to believe that several units of the hotel Fiesta Mexicana had fallen over the cliff and had crumbled down the barranca. My husband on foot is much faster than I, and he called me over to look farther down. The sewage pipe that had discretely emptied sewage waters (without treatment) into the ocean had split. Puerto Escondido ran its sewage into the ocean back thirty years ago when we first stumbled upon the small town of 800 people. A few years ago when the town put in a sewage treatment plant for the main beach area, it was way too small. Now, several sewage drains have been emptying unnoticed into the Bacocho area, and this small town has surged in population to near to 50,000. That's a lot of you know what emptying directly into the ocean. When the second hurricane hit, the barrancas all around Puerto Escondido suffered severe damage. You have only to swim out in any of the bays and look up the hill. There are many raw cuts to gaping gashes, devoid of vegetation from the tremendous force of the gathering waters surging out to sea. In the area of Carrizalillo, palm trees that we planted thirty years ago were swept down the 50 degree barranca. It is now a 90 degree drop. Because the government of the town is under siege from the next town over, there is no one to complain to (about the black waters) with any authority. Oaxaca state holds its election next year and at that time Puerto Escondido may only have one "presidente" of the town, instead of the two who are arguing over the position. It is such a mess that people are being advised to not pay their property taxes until the issue is settled, because both municipalities want the taxes. Sure would like to know who to contact about the raw sewage. It would be nice to save the sea life while it still might be possible. Shirlee MSdollshop@aol.com February 1998 Where are Those Plants? I just wanted to share a bit of info with you all. I haven't heard anybody mention those large green plants that grow on the road from Oaxaca to P.E. Not dope, but a natural cure for diabetes. I hope that nobody takes advantage of this info for financial gain, but if you need a cure, these will work. Now you only have to find them. And how about that photo of the Aero Morelos plane that landed without landing gear? Great shot, and be sure I'll take Aerovega. John B. jbneso@aol.com February 1998 Recommendations? Greetings; Your website is turning out to be a fantastic aid as I plan a trip to the Oaxaca region! I am primarily interested in visiting Puerto Escondido after flying into Huatulco. Can anyone could recommend an inexpensive to moderate hotel in Puerto Escondido (preferably with a pool and near a beach) that would be helpful as well. Thanks for the help! Jeff Jorgensen jjorgensen@pdl.com February 1998 Back to Normal, Almost We went to Puerto Escondido in the first two months of December, and found that the area has had very little storm damage that has not been repaired. The outlining areas are the ones that were more devastated by the two storms. Peanut crops were destroyed, Piña Palmera had a lot of distruction (including downed trees and downed fences which resulted in the cattle of the neighbors getting onto the property causing more problems) and small villages in the hills, which were difficult to reach because of bad roads were in trouble, too. But the tourist areas were just fine and ready for business as usual. Beaches are in good shape and boats ready for the tourists, too. One person who made our trip much better was a tour guide named: Anatolia Marquez . She can be reached at her desk at the Rincón Pacifico Hotel on Av. Alfonso Perez Gasca. Phones: 22001 or 20056 She was not only a wonderful guide (who speaks English), but she can also do a medical (not sexual) message that can make anyone feel better. She can also introduce tourists to the real Mexican people, including letting them know different little hints to make a tourist realize more about the people and the culture of the area that he or she or they are visiting (if that tourist is interested in learning more about this) or she will arrange for tourists to see the really interesting things that are in the area besides the great beaches. Puerto Escondido has three real types of beaches - something for everyone. And, it is "open for business" now. Cecelia Tinkle Langley, B.C. ctinkle@VXL.ca Feb.5, 1998 Road Info Request Love your Web page about Oaxaca/Puerto Escondido/Puerto Angel. A friend and I are planning to drive from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido at the end of March and are trying to get info about the roads, best way to go, etc. I heard that Route 131 (more direct) is now paved all the way, though it wasn't always. But most guide books say the only way to go is Route 175. Anything anybody can tell us about this trip would be greatly appreciated. Sheila Salman hishe@ix.netcom.com February 1998 What's Happening to Zicatela? Hi, I just returned from my third trip in 7 years to the state of Oaxaca. Went to the capital for four days, Escondido 9 days and Puerto Angel 2 days. Oaxaca has visibly grown, evidenced by increased activity on the zocolo by tourists and vendors. We got out to some of the villages near the city and did some shopping and exploring that was worth the effort of figuring out the second class buses. Puerto Escondido was bittersweet. I was glad to return but saddened by what has happened on Zicatela beach. The changes there support my theory that given something beautiful, folks will find a way to ugly it. Geez! What is in the minds of the city fathers? I will not be returning until I hear that mess of palapas and shacks across the road from the hotels is gone. Going down to Puerto Angel was a relief, even though the horror of the hurricanes is still fresh there. This was my first time there. I liked it and wished to be able to stay longer. I'd love to return. The beaches are more inviting to my taste, and I'd rather spread American dollars around to people so much in need. I do love Mexico and want to explore more of it in the future. Skdrennen@aol.com January 1998 Trouble in Paradise Spent an other wonderful vacation and New Year in Puerto. Things seemed the same as I remembered them, except for the damage from the hurricane. There was a whole section of stairs and street missing by the Mayflower Hotel . The weather was great and the people friendly as ever. Here's a warning though...a German friend was walking back from El Tubo with his girlfriend at about 4:00 am on Marinero Beach and was jumped by some men. Luckily nothing happened to the girl and he survived the attack battered and bruised. They didn't take anything from him...just beat him up. He should have known better, he's been going to Puerto for the last 8 years...it goes to show you, you can't get too comfortable, and all those warnings you hear about being on the beach after hours should be heeded. I can't believe the McPhee's have traveled to Mexico so many times and never invested in a travel guide. I suggest they purchase a Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico , all the info they're asking for can be found there. All except the time schedules for the busses...that's up to luck and availability. Again, great job and keep it up! Until next time! ciao - mariela mari123@hotmail.com January 1998 Mariposa Speaks your Language We left Quebec on December 1, 1997 and we drove during five days (6000 Km) to reach Puerto Escondido. When we got there, we rented an apartment at the Oasis hotel for fifteen dollars per day. We came back to Quebec on december 26, 1997. This was a very special and most interesting trip. At Puerto Escondido, Pacific Ocean is gorgeous, so are the sunsets and the numerous beaches. I would like to pass a message to all Canadians who look forward to visit Puerto Escondido. By the way, I have had the opportunity to lunch at the Restaurant Mariposa. This restaurant belongs to Pancho who is an excellent Mexican cook (particularly in the cooking of meats). He may serve his customers in English, French, Italian or in Spanish - quite special ! For these reasons, I strongly recommend the Restaurant Mariposa . Address: Ildefonzo Juarez (Poncho) Restaurant Mariposa Avenida Juarez, #208 Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico Jules Perron Québec, Canada jules_perron@sympatico.ca Janvier 1998 Bus Info? My wife and I have been going down to Puerto Escondido for the past 12 years, and flying in, usually from Mexico City. This year, Mexicana is hitting us with a return fare from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido of $396.00 canadian per person. While our airfare return from central western Canada to Mexico City is only $715.00, we feel Mexicana is too much. So we are wondering if anyone could supply us with information on the premiere bus service between Mexico City and Puerto Escondido, like what bus terminal in Mexico City would it leave from, and possibly the times and cost? Thanks, Jack McPhee j.mcphee@sk.sympatico.ca January 1998 Unforgetable Vacation I said I'd send you comments upon return--fue inolvidable! El agua, la comida, la gente, todo! We enjoyed our very comfortable stay at Posada Real even though it was off the beaten track. In some ways, that was good. Why did I hear that people don't like that hotel? We mixed with Mexican tourists on a couple of different day-long excursions. One to Huatulco to go snorkeling, one to Laguna Chacahua. Enjoyed both very much. I was thankful that we were not surrounded by North Americans and was given a chance to practice my Spanish. Boogied at Zicatela, surf never warranted renting boards. You need to add Carmen's o El Cafecito to your list of restaurants. Breakfast is superb with rich coffee. Do you know the dates for the 1998 surf contests there? Do you have information on other surf spots internationally? Melanie joneses@lompoc.sbceo.k12.ca.us January 1998 Sportfishing in La Barra (Jalisco) Walt Work of Ann Arbor & I were in Barra 11-29 to 12-6 fishing every day with Enrique Figueroa . We caught numerous small tuna , 10 sails , 55 small macao sharks but only 2 dorado . The highlight was a 184# yellow fin tuna . Just great fun. We landed it despite breaking our rod. We met John Williams and Butch, as well as his charming wife, Constance. They operate the water sports center at the Grand Bay and are worth a visit but don't mention the fortunes of the Longhorns or Cowboys to John. We stayed at the Bogavante where we have stayed for 6 years during the week after Thanksgiving. It remains acceptable. Ramon's has kept its position as our favorite and most convenient restaurant. Piper's is a great nite spot. We saw John, Butch & Constance there enjoying the live music and dancing. Barra remains one of our favorites but we will be at Puerto Escondido for Christmas & to celebrate the New Year and a big MICHIGAN WOLVERINE victory in the Rose Bowl and a National Championship. John Dewane St. Joseph, Michigan jedgoblu@qtm.net December 1997 Anybody know about a new highway? We are preparing a trip by car to Puerto Escondido, and have read with great interest the many stories. We have been to P. E. many times over the last ten years but have never driven down there. The route we are going to travel takes us from southern Ontario, Canada thru the U.S.A. to Brownsville Texas. From there we travel along the Gulf of Mexico and will move inland to the city of Oaxaca. Rumor has it that a new road has recently opened that would take us right into Puerto (131??) and save us the travel thru to Pochutla or even worse, Huatulco. I have heard that the recent few storms passing through may have washed this road out. I would love to hear from someone who may be in the know about this final leg of our journey. Tom, your site is the best thing next to being there! Best regards Gerry, & Margie germarmc@ibnx.com December 1997 A Few words about Escondido Just got back yesterday. Rick was a pipsqueak of a storm. Almost no damage. A few words about Puerto Escondido . La Gota de Vida is no longer in the pedestrian mall, it has moved to the corner of Hotel Acuario in Zicatela. Had a hell of a time finding La Posada restaurant. When I found it the La Posada is in very small letters and the word Tiberon is very large. Excellent food and it's such a nondescript looking place. Loved it. While we were eating lightning struck the hotel across the street and also the hotel Escondido up the hill. Hotel Escondido was destroyed. We had a really great time on this vacation. Stayed at the Santa Fe , Ines and Kndel@aol.com. The last one was too far away from the action and I wouldn't do that again. If I remember anything important I will E-mail again. Ken DeLoach Kndel@aol.com November 1997 Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Flight Mexicana is now running a 5:00 pm 727 from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. My wife and I are booked on December 1. This is certainly good news for the local economy. Dave Bennie Rocky Point, NC 11/19/97 Flying and Bussing AeroVega is a very small airline running one to three flights a day between Pto. Escondido and Oaxaca. Flights are at 7:00 and 9:00, generally, with more or fewer flights as dictated by demand, from what we could determine. Our craft was a mid-70's Cessna that seated six or seven passengers. (I sat right behind the pilot and kept an eye on the altimeter!) Flying time was about 40 minutes. AeroVega's office is on the central circle downtown, just to the east of the tourist info booth and they were recommended by Gina , the information goddess. Our friends flew Aero Caribe , which recently began direct service from P.E. to Oaxaca with a 37 passenger craft. Caribe is currently offering a 2-for-1 deal that makes it the best value in P.E. air travel at under 400 NP per passenger. The AeroCaribe flight was smooth, they said, and included one free beer each! AeroCaribe is running a two for one special: they paid 710 NP for both tickets, as opposed to 430 each that we paid for AeroVega. I don't know how long that will be available. The Bus Situation: Two of us went first class on Cristobal Colon for 130 NP. This was comfy, but because of the damage Pauline did to the highways, CC is using the Salina Cruz route to the coast towns. This means that after more than 6 hours of cruising, you finally see the ocean in Salina Cruz, still more than 5 hours of torturously slow travel along the dilapidated coast road from Puerto Escondido. All in all it was a 12 hour trip, despite the ticket agent's claim of 9 hours. Our friends went the second-class route via Pochutla for 60 NP. The good news is that the trip took a mere 9 hours, but the bad news is that the highway is in such bad shape even the bus driver was amazed that he was getting through. (Apparently, Nov 4 was the first day they had opened that road to buses.) At some places the passage over washed out cliff roads was filled in by packed boulders and some passengers' nerves gave out. They jumped off the bus and walked across the gap, reboarding after the bus was a dozen meters down the road. Harrowing was one of the milder descriptions used. Tom Achor achor@earthlink.net Portland, Oregon November 13, 1997 Hurricane Recovery We just left PE on Sunday, 11/9. Although there are signs that there had been a recent hurricane (Pauline, that is) we found everything to be operating or with repairs well underway. I noticed that several of the beachfront businesses on Playa Marinero were not open and don't look like they are even being worked on, and even the Santa Fe looks pretty battered. All over, workers were busily rethatching palapas, but for the most part PE looked unscathed. In fact, the longest lasting impact of the storm in PE may be the cancellation of a lot of booked vacations. There is an obvious dearth of tourist business and the news of Hurricane Rick will probably not help the situation. We had our pick of rooms, tables and beach space everywhere we went. At Flor de Maria , where we stayed, the rooftop bar and pool area were being fixed up when Hurricane Rick struck Sunday afternoon. We flew to Oaxaca Sunday morning on AeroVega and had no problems, but when I called down to the hotel Sunday night, Maria said that all later flights were cancelled and that they were waiting out Hurricane Rick in the dark. We had received no notice that a serious storm was even imminent! I talked with Maria again on Monday and she said that the damage was not too bad, they were just mopping up all the water. All services had been restored by that time. Hope that was the last of this wicked hurricane season for Mexico! My friends who waited out the storm in PE will be home tonight with their account, which I will send you. BTW, I can't say enough about the quality and value of our lodgings at Flor de Maria . The rooms were spotless, the courtyard and pool very pleasant and the restaurant the best we had in all of Mexico. And, most of all, the hosts, Lino and Maria, are unequalled in their hospitality and conviviality. Highly recommended! Tom Achor achor@earthlink.net Portland, Oregon November 13, 1997 Hurricane Rick Hurricane Rick made landfall on the western Oaxacan coast, just west of Puerto Escondido moving east northeast on the evening of 11/9. This hurricane does not appear to have the strength that Pauline had; the satellite photo does not show that an eye has formed. However the rains from this one will likely complicate travel on the coastal highway and other roads where temporary repairs were made by filling in washed out areas with dirt. There have been isolated power outages and loss of telephone service. Tom Penick tom@tomzap.com November 10, 1997 Hurricane Rick in Puerto Escondido Neither Robin nor Juanita were available but I did talk with the reservations clerk at the Santa Fe . I didn't get his name but he recognized mine before checking the reservations book, so he's one of the folks we know. "Everything is normal," he said. "We had very little damage. Everything in Escondido is normal this morning, power, telephone. It is nothing like Paulina a few weeks ago." Brian J. Larkin Washington, DC BJLarkin@juno.com November 10, 1997 Looking for a Place to Rent We are a Norwegian young couple with two small children, who plans on living in puerto Escondido or nearby, for about a year. Could you please help us find a comfortable bungalow or apartment with all facilities, for long term renting? We would appreciate some prices and places where we can get more info. Cheap or moderate prices is necessary, preferably outside the most common tourist spots. We hope you can help us. Stine and Chris Sovik Oslo, Norway paal@biocom-graphics.com November 1997 Back to Normal Tom, I have exchanged e-mail messages with Brian Larkin re my trip later this week to P.E. He suggested I call Gina Espinosa in P.E. and gave me her telephone number. I called Gina this morning at about 6:30 a.m. California time--8:30 a.m. Puerto Escondido time. Gina answered on the second ring and gave me the kind of information I was hoping for---P.E. is in good shape and didn't suffer any serious damage from Pauline. Telephones were down briefly, but everything is pretty much back to normal. She said Zicatela beach is in good shape, restaurants are operational, etc. etc. Also gathered from her comments that business is not yet quite as brisk as usual. Hope the above is helpful. Bruce Samuel bsamuel@bbs.macnexus.org November 3, 1997 Damage Report from Wayne Looks like Puerto weathered the storm well. We suffered only a few broken windows at our place . The beaches will be a bit grubby with driftwood and debris for another two or three weeks. Roads and bridges that were damaged are being repaired. Power and phone services, although intermittent, are available during the daytime at least. Lots of trees blown down but not much else to report right now. I'll have the full scoop for you on the way back, possibly sooner if the BBS in Puerto is sending out mail packets to the internet servers in Oaxaca. Hasta luego, Wayne Adams deedub@coastworks.com October 21, 1997 Hurricane Pauline Dear Tom, You may remember that I emailed you during the summer to inquire about rain in Pto Angel because I was planning a trip in Oct. Well..... I have just returned from what will always be a memorable "vacation!" We stayed in a condo in Pto Escondido, but decided to take a day trip (for lunch!) to Pto Angel on Wed, the day of Pauline. We of course had no idea a hurricane was predicted (or was it? I still don't know). Our VW bug had a canvas roof that wouldn't shut, making the trip a bit difficult as the rain increased and we considered pulling over for shelter on the way. Thank goodness we didn't, b/c of course it only got worse. Wind & rain were quite strong when we got to the little restaurant in town where we had lunch to wait out the storm(!). Soon of course, the wind was howling, rain was spraying through windows like a hose, and eventually the sea was coming under the doors. We experienced the "eye" when darkness suddenly became light, and having seen a documentary on hurricanes, I knew that this was the real thing, and that the other side of this light could be worse. It was harrowing, and luckily we were able to get to higher ground, moving upstairs of this building, by this time feeling very vulnerable. The owner of the little restaurant/hotel was wonderful. We had a room for the night, candles, water and candy bars! The town was in incredibly bad shape - power lines down, trees down, and most roofs off homes. Many homes completely destroyed, roads blocked, mud everywhere. Local people lost so much, but were immediately working to clear roads of debris and assist each other. We decided to try to get back to Pto Escondido, although there were conflicting reports about road access. Our VW had been submerged in water and had thick mud on the floor and in the gear shift, but characteristically, it started up when jumped (finding cables was another adventure!) The trip took over 3 hours, but w/the help of local people who moved power lines and trees out of our way, we got through. Pto Escondido was also hit and had no power or water, so we decided to try to fly out Fri AM. We were very lucky to get a flight to Mexico City that day. Much activity at the airport...supplies of food, water, & medications had already begun. I wanted to give you an update and thank you for your info which was quite correct. You mentioned that this was hurricane season.... Thanks again, Julie Strudlowski psyclib@earthlink.net October 13, 1997 More from Julie: In Puerto Escondido there appeared to be fewer trees down and less damage to buildings than in Puerto Angel. We saw some roofs damaged in PE, but had little time to notice much more. Without power and water, restaurants were largely closed (we found one open and it was serving eggs, hamburgers and fish and cold beer! They had block ice, so we knew someone had a generator!) With most everything closed, it was hard to tell what internal damage may have occurred. We were quite exhausted when we finally got to Pto Escondido, so we did little exploring. The road along Zicatela beach didn't appear to be badly damaged, although we turned around early when we saw that there was no power anywhere. I hope also that Art & Harry's etc is ok. We decided to get on the first plane available once we determined that there were diminishing supplies (which, needless to say, were needed by the locals). We were staying at the Condos Carrizalillo on the 3rd floor and when we arrived there, we found that it had been flooded w/about 3" of water from the rain that had seeped under the door. Our view of the ocean which was stunning before Pauline was even more lovely after because a few trees had fallen and cleared the vista! I wish I could be of more help. This was my first trip to Puerto Escondido, and certainly, won't be my last. Julie S Redwood City, CA Concerns on Hurricane Pauline I visited Puerto Escondido in 1995 and would love to return someday. After a week in the villages along the coast and in the mountains, we enjoyed the luxury of the Hotel Santa Fe. I think the group I was with bought two dozen hammocks. I'm writing today (Oct. 11) because we're concerned for our friends in Puerto and Jamiltepec and that area. Your site has provided the most news we could find on hurricane Pauline. ===Wheel's on fire, rolling down the road. Let's notify my next of kin; this wheel shall explode ... Visit my web site at http://www.angelfire.com/ks/thackerfactor Or check out my photos of Great Bend at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1656 -- My SoHo Studio. Susan Thacker susanthacker@hotmail.com October 1997 Fishing and the Magic of Puerto Escondido Absolutely the best!! I haven't been back to Puerto Escondido since 1983, but there was a time when our whole crew spent every winter for 2-3 months fishing and partying in Puerto Escondido. We always stayed in the bungalows and even today I have an ice chest filled with all of my fishing gear waiting for me to return. I remember when Pasquale had a small beach restaurante on the beach, just a shack with a pool table in the back where we would suck down Superiors and laugh all night, the mexican night highlighting the raucous joy and fishing tales from the days trip to the Pacific. Often we would dine on our catches, Pasquale's wife grumbling, she never liked us gringos much anyway, usually dorado, tuna, or an occasional sailfish we had fought for hours to bring in. Pasquale built a larger place, very beautiful in fact, but only lived long enough to enjoy his newfound wealth for a year before his punctured body washed up on shore, his body covered with over 20 stab wounds, the victim of federales who felt they weren't receiving their due "mordida". Or it might have been fellow narcotraficantes or even his wife, whose jealousy was known throughout Puerto Escondido. It's too bad, he always had the greatest grin, but the underside of Mexico is ever-present and ever dangerous, kind of like the cancerous rot beneath the surface of a beautiful woman infected with AIDS, ever seductive, ever dangerous. Back then we were all cowboys of one sort or another. Vacations that lasted 3 months were nothing for us. But let me tell you about the fishing . Cruising out before dawn before the sun began its rise, before the heat forced you into cerveza after cerveza, the fish were already jumping. Jacques Frel, tuna, and dorado abounded. You could see the schools of fish in the distance, followed by the ever-present birds, the sentinels of the spoor so to speak, and we would head toward the silver flashes, beckoning us to battle in the early morn. Before long the whine of the lines whipping out as one after another hit, the zing that still raises my blood pressure, and always brings a raucous grin to my face. Frequently we would bring seaweed paper and wasabi mustard so that as we brought the fish in, we could make California rolls, the freshest sushi in the world, the mustard so hot it would bring tears to our eyes and laughter to our throats. I never caught a marlin , but I hooked one 100 yards off of Roca Blanca. It was out of National Geographic, this awesome monster about 1000 lbs rising out of the water like leviathan, twisting and fighting the line, leaping in an arc that just took the breath away before he splashed back into the blue water, breaking my line and my heart with his incredible beauty. But I have danced with the sailfish as they pirouette on their tails, a dance of death with a ferocious fight that almost shamed me in its final step, an adversary so noble what right did I have to take his life - but on the other hand there is nothing like sailfish steaks charbroiled on the grills at the bungalows, everybody getting together, rockin', dancin', and just plain having the time of their lives. You see there is magic in Puerto Escondido, the kind of magic that only lives outside the US. It's the kind of magic that manifests itself in the sight of a million sea turtles basking on the ocean surface on a hot, listless day or the leap of a manta ray twenty feet high as he tells the world of his natural majesty. It's the dark angels of the sea, the mako, the brown, the great white, sharks of every ilk, that are ever-present and occasionally take a life when one is just a little too careless. In 1982, a group of surfers hooked a great white, fought it for hours, drifted further and further out, until they disappeared forever. It's the translucent creatures of the great deep who live miles below, dotting the surface with their corpses, reminding you of just how vast and wide the blue Pacific really is. It's the magic of horseback riding through the wild foliage of Mexico, splashing through streams at a gallop, then stopping at a primitive village where the only respite from the heat is an ancient cooler with ice cold Tecate to dry your parched throat. It's the magic of bare breasted beauties from all over the world walking the beaches turning your libido into a wild beast of the night and the early morning trumpet calls or reveille that sounds like the tortured call of some primordial beast, but in reality is only the wakeup for 18 year old kids with the latest in automatic weaponry to "protect" the citizenry. It's the magic of dancing 'til dawn, drunk on te"killya" slammers and the atmosphere of a night life that made Fellini's nightscapes akin to an evening on the farm. There was always a group of us that went down, 20 or more women and men, who called ourselves the " Too Much Fun " club. Not all of us made it, but damn it we lived, and if we were to sum up the best of times it would have been at our second home, every winter without fail, Puerto Escondido. And now that I'm free once more, I think I'll take another trip down there soon. They say its still unspoiled and the water's still a bit dangerous. Great! I'll soon be opening that old ice chest and battling the denizens of the sea and reliving what for was for mine, the best of times. Hasta la Vista Michael Weatherby drasylum@mindspring.com September 1997 Looking for a Place to Stay My husband and I are interested in spending two months in PE mid January to mid March. We are looking for a clean, comfortable condo, villas, or room with kitchen facilities at an inexpensive rate. (Pool would be nice.) Anyone with info please Email me at mike@recorder.ca . Thanks. Ellen mike@recorder.ca September 1997 Engaged in Escondido I was in Esco last October with my girlfriend, and we are planning a return this year in early November. It was the greatest holiday we had ever had and are planning on making it a yearly trip. We got engaged so we have a lot of years to come. Bruno's was our favorite spot to eat and hang. We were usually sleeping by 10pm and up around 7am. The waves and sun knocks you out. I was getting up earlier there then on normal work days. We stayed at the Bungalows Zicatela for 15 dollars a night and will either stay there or at Arco Iris this year. Can't wait. CG clg@who.com September 1997 Trouble on the Night Bus The followed appeared in the newsgroup rec.travel.latin-america on 9/2/97: I'm just back from my trip in Mexico, and I'd like to share an experience that occurred to me: I was going with a night trip bus (primera clase de estrella blanca) from Zihuatenejo to Puerto Escondido. In the half way from Acapulco to Puerto Escondido, at about 3.00 a.m., the bus suddenly stopped because there was a tree on the street. Immediately someone started throwing rocks to our bus. Two windows got broken and people was in panic. The bus driver tried to avoid the obstacle and (thank God) we escaped from the trap. The day after a travel agent told me that it's not the first time that night buses going south from Acapulco are stopped by robbers in that way. I hope that can help you...Diego. Mario Marchioni cir@emails.com Surf Report The following post was spotted in the news group alt.surfing on 8/25/97 in reply to a request for information: I was in Puerto Escondido about a month ago. Its real easy to find a place right on the beach. You want to take a cab to Playa Zicatela. Hotels range from 50 to 400 pesos (about 8 pesos/dollar) a night, there are plenty of them, and I found plenty of empty rooms. The beach break was solid 10-12 foot barrels. I didn't even paddle out. The peaks were pretty crowded too. About 20-30 guys out on each one. Great for taking pics though. The point break was great. Sand bottom with a lot of rocks. Real long mellow rides, but the take off zone is only about 10-yards wide and there were probably 30 guys on it. You have to be real aggressive to get a wave there. Miguel Antonio moby@dnaix.com August 1977 On Oaxaca, Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido The following post was spotted in the news group rec.travel.latin-america on 8/4/97 in reply to a request for information: I am no expert on this area by any means but can give you my admittedly limited experience, since no one else seems to want to. First of all, if you are interested in the culture, I would plan to spend more than two days in Oaxaca.(or, for that matter, Mexico City justifies 2 weeks in itself) While in Oaxaca visit the ruins of Monte Alban. There are villages in the area worth a trip for the crafts produced there. The local market is worth a day. In town there are several spectacular churches, other historic buildings, museums. The main zócalo is wonderful, with live music most nights, sidewalk cafes and bistros, lots of folks coming and going; the heart of the city. Get a good guide book, and enjoy this wonderful city. I spent 4days there a couple years ago and it wasn't near long enough. How to get there? If you like hours and hours of winding mountain roads, by all means take the bus . The views are spectacular, to understate it. White-knuckle spectacular. We drove a rental car from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. 7 hours. Next time, we take the plane. As far as Puerto Angel is concerned. Forgive me my impertinence, but your question re: AC probably gave everyone who has been to Puerto Angel a good chuckle. If you are concerned about AC, Puerto Angel is not for you. The question in Puerto Angel is whether or not there are screens on the windows, and if they are good screens. Whether your "room" even has walls. Is there is a bed, or just a hammock? Get my drift? You will be lucky to have a fan, forget AC. It is a VERY rustic place, with rustic accommodations, with a drop-dead gorgeous beach, very little to do but relax, and enjoy it. [ Actually the Soraya has five large airconditioned rooms for about $35 U.S. ] Puerto Escondido is a different story. PE is still a very small town and still very undeveloped by most folks' standards. There are accommodations within most budgets, from hammock hooks on the beach to -yes, AC rooms,- but not too many of them. The "town" is very laid back, just a few streets strung out along the beach. There are a few hotels, a few good places to eat and drink, and most of the conveniences one would need. Here too, there is very little to do but relax, enjoy the beach, socialize with other travelers. There is a tiny bit of nightlife downtown, a tours to the "jungle" for nature-viewing. During the right time of year you might be able to see turtles nesting or hatching. That's about it. The hotel you mention, Arco Iris is in one of my guidebooks, says it is a classy place, right on the beach, nice gardens and pool, spacious rooms, some with kitchens. Sounds nice. We stayed at Flor de Maria, about $30 a night, not cheap for Mexico, but good value in PE. Canadian owned, so bilingual. They have a bar and pool on the roof, good view of the ocean, Italian restaurant onsite, bakery across the (sand) street for breakfast, tienda across the street for cervezas before the rooftop bar opens. What more could you ask for? Not real fancy but nice. No AC, but good screens . There are a couple of higher scale places. The Santa Fe, next door to Marias, looked nice. As far as reservations, we just showed up (end of January)and lucked out with a room in the place we wanted, but they were turning people away the next day and the day after. There might be a problem if you have your heart set on a particular hotel. At high-high season (Xmas, Easter) I would for sure get reservations. Hope this helps a little. Sheri sherik@badger.tds.net August 1997 Travel Companion Wanted WANTED: Travel companion, travel together share expenses 50/50. I plan to stay in Zipolite, Puerto Angel, and/or Puerto Escondido. I want to go for one month in October, November, December 1997. I'm flexible. If we like it, and you decide you want to, we'll stay for two months. This is the first time that I will be traveling that far into Mexico. If anyone has any info to contribute on this area it would be appreciated. I am going alone if I have to but would prefer to have a companion along. Denton (Denny) drjordan@ns1.iswt.com July 1997 City of Oaxaca I just returned from a one week excursion to Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca. I found your website to be very helpful in my planning and so I am adding my contribution. This was a short trip, inspired by a $240 charter from Minneapolis, MN, to Huatulco. That's a long ways for the bucks. We walked the few blocks from the airport to the highway and caught the first bus passing to Pochutla where we easily hopped another bus to Puerto Escondido. This cost us $2 apiece rather than the $40 cab fare. We found out after talking with long term residents in Puerto Escondido that this is a risky method because budget travelers are targeted for robbery on the walk to the road. We took a cab for our return. We stayed at the Arco Iris and were pleasantly surprised at what we got for our money. Huge room, private balcony, oceanfront, very nice pool and gardens, very good and cheap meals. The desk was always staffed and helpful. They held our excess luggage while we traveled to Oaxaca and gave us a room with a kitchen (with no extra charge) when we returned. All of this for $26 per night double is really remarkable. I was able to make reservations at no cost by using the hotelmex site on the internet. The place has a very nice Mexican feel to it, lots of tile and kind of rustic. We found excellent pizza and ice-cream deserts at the Galeria on the pedestrian mall. The Sante Fe is the place for a more formal meal. We also enjoyed watching the children climb the rocks on Playa Marinero as they returned home after Sunday Mass, while eating at the Sante Fe. Aero Morelos isn't flying to Oaxaca at the moment, and now we know why . We had very nice flights in a six-seat Cessna flown by Aero Vega . One engine refused to start both legs of the trip however. We sat on the runway a long time and then it kicked in during the taxi. I suspect it was completely safe although it could cause you to wonder. The flight costs $100 round trip from P.E. and we spent less time in the air than on the runway. It goes at about 8 AM each morning and you make reservations a day or two in advance. Oaxaca must be loved by everyone. It struck me as more sophisticated and European than other Mexican cities. Absolutely spotless public parks, concerts, sidewalk cafes etc. There are many tours available to the ruins and the villages, almost all at the same price and doing the same things. There is a separate touristic bus company at the Hotel Angel for those who want to do these things on their own and save a few bucks. We stayed at the Hotel Monte Alban , which is an old colonial hotel in the heart of town. High beamed ceilings, wrought iron balcony out to the plaza, quiet and comfortable. They had folkloric dances in the lobby but the people were out by ten and you got to watch the show free. I believe the Monte Alban charged $26 per night. I was told it is hard to find a bad meal in Oaxaca and as far as I can tell that is true. We had good meals at the most expensive places and at the budget eateries. All of the restaurants around the plaza seem to be popular and all that we sampled were very good. This region of Mexico is great for those who want to sample some of the real Mexico, shop, play, and get value for their money. I had no concerns for safety in the City of Oaxaca. There were police women everywhere and no apparent problems. Puerto Escondido is pretty upfront about the beach incidents they have had. We didn't take any chances walking in dark areas. We had no problems and no one we visited had any bad experiences. My impression was that things are well organized and civil, but that the poverty and social unrest in the area dictate that you stay away from isolated areas while carrying anything valuable. Kristin Kallsen kkallsen@ngwmail.des.state.mn.us July 1997 Heavenly Vacation plus a Plane Crash My husband, I and another couple visited Escondido for 8 days the end of May. It was one of the BEST vacation trips I have been on. We read your pages before we left. They helped tremendously. The only drawback to our trip was the day trip we decided to take to Oaxaca city. We took Aero Vega to Oaxaca on a Tuesday and the ride was great. Small plane, which made it exciting, and the pilot was excellent. However, on the trip back on Aero Morelos the next day, the pilot forgot to put the landing gear down. The next day we heard that the airport, or whoever, was putting out a story about calibrated landing lights. Not true. There was also two gentlemen from Oaxaca and a priest on this plane. Strangely, this was the second time this year that the priest had had this experience. We all knew that the pilot forgot. It would have been much more scary if we had known what was going on, but we weren't even sure til we exited the plane. As we hit the ground, the pilot slapped his knee. It was pretty obvious then that he had just remembered. As we were skidding across the runway, the plane started going towards the right and we noticed that the propellers were bent. It came to a stop on its own and we all exited the plane as fast as we could. No fire, thank goodness. The worst thing about this was that NO ONE from the airline to the airport personnel asked if we were okay. The only words from them were no pictures. Well, we have pictures. [Wait till you see the photo . Actually, landing a small plane on its belly is not very dangerous. It has happened to many general aviation pilots and is just expensive and very embarrassing. The props are ruined because the tips are bent and the engines have to be torn down and inspected. Other than the bent props and bruised ego, there's usually very little damage. -Tom] Back to the Heaven part. We stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe . Everyone there was always friendly and attentive. We were prepared for "everything is slower in Mexico," but you couldn't tell it at Santa Fe. They had the best food, and the hotel is one of the prettiest sites there. The whole area was pretty dry because it was the end of the dry season, but at this hotel, it looked like paradise. The rates were excellent. We paid only $52.00 a night. The room was huge and we heard that all the rooms were different. They all had terraces, some not very big. We met a lot of interesting people from all over the world. And the first day we ran into someone with whom we had mutual acquaintances back in our old neighborhood in Dallas Texas. Small World! We highly recommend the side trip to Oaxaca , just don't take Aero Morelos. (I wouldn't mention their name, except that they had no regard for our welfare after the "belly landing", and the pilot was obviously incompetent.) We went to the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban . It was incredible. There was a teachers strike going on and the streets were filled with people living under tents and awnings. It was pretty crazy. We visited a restaurant for lunch and again for after dinner drinks and desert called "del Vitral" --beautiful. They gave us our own little room that night to enjoy our drinks. Excellent staff. We especially tried to remember the things we read regarding Mexican attitudes and everyone was right on. They are a proud people. If you treat them with respect you will get along great. Everyone was always nice to us and they appreciated it when we used our spanish, the guys were better at spanish that my girlfiend and I, but we communicated very well. We also decided to fly into Mexico City for a day before flying into Puerto Escondido since we were going to be gone for 9 days. We stayed at the Hotel Maria Christina and hired a driver, Cesar , for the day. He was terrific. Very educated, spoke english well and took us everywhere. We packed a lot into that day. National Palace, the Cathedral, the Zocalo, Zona Rosa, Coyoacán where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived, which is now a museum. A couple of markets, excellent lunch at a restaurant that had the word "cuba" in the name and was close to the zocalo. If you have the time, haven't been to Mexico City, it is well worth the trip. Stay away from American Hotels and find a smaller Mexican hotel. Rates are much cheaper and the Maria Christina was excellent. The trip was one we will remember always. We kept our valuables locked up, no one got sick and the only thing we stayed away from was the water, (bought bottled water) and only ate the fresh vegetables and fruits in the nicer places. Had dinner one night at the Posada Real hotel in Puerto Escondido - not good at all. There is an Italian restaurant close to one of the walkways to the beach in Perez Gazga, that was very good and they show a movie every night called "Puerto Escondido" - fun. Montezuma's bar was a lot of fun. Art and Harry's food was good and service was friendly (I think everyone gets free shots here, at least the newcomers.) We missed Herman's, it was closed. There were good one's but I can't remember them all. The last day we went to Carizillo beach. It was beautiful water, not many people and a beautiful bay also, kinda private. Not as hot as Angelito or Principal. We think the best way to do this is to hire a boat to take you over. You can set a time to be picked up, set under a palapa, order drinks and food. The fish is caught after it is ordered, cooked right there and served with french fries, pico de gallo, avocado, salt and pepper and probably other stuff you can order too. This beach is definitely a must if you are going to Escondido. I know I'm leaving out a lot of good places, but the only thing I would change about this trip is the return plane ride from Oaxaca. But hey, we definitely have something to talk about for a while! P Miller pmiller@nkn.net June 1997 Windsurfing Spots in Oaxaca The following appeared in the newsgroup rec.travel.latin-america on 6/15/97: >Oliver Sandtner wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> i´m planning to go to Mexico for three month till August 97. Therefor >> i'm looking for informations about windsurfing and surfing in Mexico. >> >> Any ideas? (Email preferred) >> >> osandtner@karlsruhe.netsurf.de >> ul2e@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de In Bruce Davis writes: > >Oliver: Try Puerto Escondido on the Pacific coast. Lots of inexpensive >hotels, good seafood and it is easy to get there. The waves are >extremely powerful and somewhat dangerous for the inexperienced surfer. >One of the most beautiful villages in Mexico--good surfing/windsurfing >shops. Have a great time! > Good advice if you're looking for the social scene and surfing. For windsurfers, if you're a SERIOUS shredder and want some major air, go a little farther south to the gulf of Tehuantepec and Salina Cruz. The gulf is one of the few places in the world where sailboat's insurance is void on entry! Be careful though, you could get blown all the way to OZ! It isn't pretty but the wind screams ALL the time and it ain't for lightweights. Eat an iguana tamale for me!.....Howard llfertig@ix.netcom.com(Lynda Fertig) June 1997 Super Cafe Hi Tom....enjoyed your web page on Puerto Escondido. I was there for 2 1/2 weeks during New Year and had a great time! I'm planning on spending all my future New Year holidays there from now on. That's the effect this city and it's people had on me. I found a small coffee shop called Super Cafe . Have you heard of it? It's run by an older couple and it's located on those stairs (across from La Gota De Vida restaurant on Perez Gazga) heading up to the church. It's on the left half-way up. Fresh coffee, great view, excellent breakfast, and great people. I recommend it. Mariela Botella mvb41585@Bayou.UH.EDU June 1997 Hotels, Food, Beaches Great job on the web pages, Tom! My friends and I carried printouts with us and they helped immeasurably. Food, Hotels My two friends and I just returned home and I want to pass along some info on hotels, food, and beaches. (One of us is a caterer so these gastronomic recommendations aren't made lightly.) When we first arrived in Puerto Escondido, it was incredibly hot (hovering at 100° F ), so we opted for a hotel with air conditioning. Our first night, we stayed in a double room at the Paraiso Escondido for 365 pesos (US $45), which was pricey for us. However, the place was gorgeously funky and our room had its own balcony, which afforded a great view of the bay. Also, there is a Banamex right on the corner, which has an ATM ("Caja Automatica"). One drawback is the distance to the Playa Principal. We decided to take the 10 peso taxi over to check out Playa Zicatela. Although Zicatela is a surfer's beach, it was definitely more our speed--a younger crowd focused on the beach. That night we ate at Hotel Santa Fe (expensive--huachinango is their specialty, also have great chiles rellenos and shrimp-stuffed avocados), and checked out the Arco Iris Hotel . Unfortunately, there were no vacancies so we moseyed down to Beach Hotel Inez . The German proprietress showed us a regular room in the back (180 pesos), a bungalow with burners, a tree house , and a 2nd-story beachfront room that had 2 terraces, a refrigerator, and a safe (300 pesos). We splurged on the latter and enjoyed it immensely. The hotel had a refreshing pool, a flowering courtyard, and daily maid service. We highly recommend it. Most days, we went down to Cafecito (co-owned by an amiable Canadian named Dan) for breakfast. The cafe specializes in freshly baked goods and gives free refills on coffee. Dan is building a restaurant directly next door and it will stick to interior Mexican cuisine. We also ate at health-conscious La Gota de Vida , owned by a friendly guy from Naples, Italy. They offer tasty smoothies, hummus, veggie sandwiches on fresh whole-wheat buns, and fresh pasta (we sampled a delicous dinner of fresh fettucinne with a creamy, roasted red pepper sauce). We also tried to eat at Hermann's Best (eastern end of the walkway), but Herman was on vacation. Almost every afternoon, we headed to the ice cream place, La Michoacana , for paletas (popsicles made from fresh fruit). The banana daiquiris are great at Arco Iris, but the food is not. Cipriano's Pizza served a huge mound of tasty guacamole. And we never could find Bruno's on Playa Marinero. Our discovery, made 2 days before departure, was the surfer hangout Art and Harry's (Playa Zicatela). What great food! We tried beef burritos, pasta with garlic/cheese and veggies, a teriyaki chicken burger with cajun fries, fresh guacamole, and cheap drinks. Our waitress, Teresa, was friendly and efficient and brought us free shots to boot! Believe me, we ate alot of food on this trip (most of it interior Mexican) but for your food dollar, you can't beat this place. If you miss catching the news, you can watch CNN every morning (8 am-12 pm) and sports or surf videos at night. Beaches Apparently, people don't take the red flags seriously enough; don't attempt to swim at Playa Zicatela . You will get sucked out to sea or destroyed by massive waves. The waves are still present but more manageable at Playa Marinero (rent boogie boards from a boy on the beach for 10 pesos/hr). Playa Principal is fine for swimming but if there are a lot of people there, watch out for boys standing in the water fishing with hand-held lines right next to you. For a relaxing day, get a 15 peso taxi to Playa Carrizalillo and relax under a palapa between peaceful swims. You can take a boat back to Escondido for about 15 pesos per person or hike back up the cliff to catch a taxi. At most beaches, restaurants let you use their palapas providing you buy a couple of drinks or some food. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Caroline Chamberlain caroline.chamberlain@amd.com June 1997 Daylight Attack on Zicatela Just a couple of comments about what was generally an awesome trip my boyfriend and I did to Oaxaca in March...We liked the Puerto Angel area of the coast best, due to its lack of crowds and "tranquilo" atmosphere. However, one experience we had on the third day of our trip, in Puerto Escondido, bears repeating... We had hiked way down Zicatela to get away from the crowds (it was Easter week, lots of vacationing Mexicans and of course the usual foreigners) for a day. We certainly were not alone on the beach, there were some surfers down by where we were (the far end of Zicatela), and assorted folks walking on the beach. We had read enough tales of robberies on Zicatela to be wary of being there after dark, so we started walking back towards the main surfing area of Zicatela well before sunset. We were blissfully walking arm-in-arm at the water's edge, gazing out over the sea, when out of nowhere, this young Mexican guy comes ramming into me from behind. I gasped in shock, and let out a small scream when I realized he had a 6" knife in hand. His eyes showed us that he was at least as frightened as we were. Though I speak some Spanish, I didn't understand his words, aside from "dinero", but it was all-too-obvious to us that he wanted the large, brand new technical Dana backpack that my boyfriend carried, stuffed with our stuff...snorkeling gear (unfortunately there is no good snorkeling on that beach!), passports/money/credit card, walkman and tapes, etc... I was carrying nothing except my camera. He went after my boyfriend (John) with the knife, and John's first reaction was to resist. This guy was about 5'4", several inches shorter than either one of us. I would have given up whatever I had immediately, but it was not in my hands at that point. John is very quick on his feet, agile, and strong, and was able to spar with the guy a bit and let him know that he wasn't gonna get anything. When he realized that, he came after me for the camera, and I decided quite spontaneously to present a unified front, and screamed "NO!!!" at the top of my lungs at him, and held my camera close to my body. We realized right away, thankfully for us, that this guy did not want to use the knife. It probably works quite well as a threat of violence and most gringos kick down whatever they have. Anyway, he ended up running off back up by the road, from where I suppose he had come, after about 30 seconds... I have to say it was quite possibly the longest 30 seconds of my life!! Very surreal, indeed. I certainly am not advocating that anyone else try this, it was just an instinctive reaction on John's part, and would have been a horrible mistake if the guy had used the knife on either of us. It was a lesson in terms of the real danger of this happening...even though it was still light out, and there were people on the beach less than 100 yards away. He had a window of opportunity, and went for it. It's unfortunate that you can't safely get away from the crowds there, but it does seem to be the reality. Luckily we had no other bad encounters in the rest of our 2-1/2 weeks in Oaxaca. I feel that this was an exceptional encounter, and something that is much more likely to happen in our great country. Only in the US, they'd likely have a gun, not be afraid to use it, and it would likely be a drug-motivated robbery attempt. I doubt this guy would have bought crack or heroin with our stuff, probably just tortillas...I still feel many times safer anywhere in Mexico that I've been than walking around many cities in the US at night. Happy travels....Oaxaca is lovely (the city as well as its coast). tracym tracym@digitaledge.com May 1997 Police, Crime, and enjoying P.E. on a Budget Puerto Escondido is a beautiful small city (population circa 35,000). I absolutely fell for its warm beaches and beautiful setting. As a college kid on a tight budget, I also liked the fact that I could stay in a nice room that easily slept three with a private bath, shower, toilet, refrigerator and even a stove for 120 Pesos Nuevos. Can't beat that deal. Food was likewise as cheap, one could easily eat three meals a day for less than 45 Pesos on Calle de los Moros, located right on the principal surfing beach, Playa Zicatela . The only drawback, a wanting night life. The only happening bar that we encountered was in the center of town, towards the end (from the South) of the pedestrian walking area. Here we met guys and gals from all over the world. Most of Western Europe was represented by one or two delegates, the Middle East, South Africa and yes, some North Americans. There are some drawbacks that go hand in hand about traveling in a third world country. For one, the police are generally susceptible to corruption and thus can persecute you for relatively nothing or nothing illegal at all. They are oftentimes looking for a little bribe, which you should give them, however, not as much as they ask for. Another thing, the "organized" crime is also evident. No this is not Mafia style, but it will get you hurt if you are not careful. Friends of mine have been approached at the beach and told that they were going to go back to the hotel and get all of their money, passports and whatever else they have that's valuable by villainous individuals. These thugs, who are often armed, then accompany the victim back to his/her room and carry out this robbery. Obviously these are extreme cases, but they do happen and will immediately ruin one's great escape. I hope that all who go to Puerto Escondido go with an open mind. It is not a resort town, no building stretches into the heavens more than 3 stories, and there is only one 4-star hotel, La Posada Real . Which, of course has American resort prices. Puerto Escondido is beautiful and calm. The kind of place that can be more appropriately enjoyed on longer trips, 2-3 weeks or even longer. If you do it right, bargain a little here and there, stay in a cheap place, you will only use any hotel you stay at for sleeping (which on our trip did not occur before 4 or 5:00 A.M.), and eat at the right restaurants, you can easily have an affordable trip for a couple of weeks for the fraction of the cost of attending more prominent vacation destinations, i.e. Acapulco, Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, or others. By the way, it helps it you can at least speak conversational Spanish . Though the taxi drivers will love to try out their broken English slang. Have a good vacation, and enjoy the distinct flavor of Puerto Escondido. Buenas vacaciones y encanta el sabor distincto de Puerto Escondido. Gregory Bates March 1997 Manialtepec Dear Tom, Just a word to thank you for your Oaxaca Coast home pages. I read them obsessively before going for the first time this January, and I go back to them now to reminisce. This is a magical part of the world, and I now feel some strong connection to it. I intend to go back often, and maybe even to have a little casita there someday. The people were like angels, the scenery equally divine. Thanks for your part in turning me on to a special place that has already changed my life in important ways. I spent some time in Puerto Angel-Zipolite and some time outside Puerto Escondido . I had a car rented and really got to explore. I got to know Gloria's (of Shambala) brother, Danny, and he took me hiking to some property they have in the mountains where these rivers meet in the middle of the jungle. The scenery and swimming was awesome. I got to know some wonderful folks. Hung out with some of the people who live out on the barrier beach of the Manialtepec lagoon ( Puerto Suelo ). These people are really caught in the middle; on the one hand, the ecologists rightly want to preserve the lagoon, but these people (many of them descendants of shipwrecked slaves) who have lived here for a few hundred years are now considered squatters. They have very few means to earn the currency they need to buy cornmeal. Do you know of anyone who is trying to help them? I would love to get involved. We "first world" people use (and waste) so many of the world's resources; it's seems so unfair that people who have lived in harmony with the land now have to bear the burden of conserving what little we haven't yet squandered. Joan martoraj@erols.com March 1997 A Return to Puerto We recently returned from Puerto Escondido (Late Jan.) While there, we used this page printed out and carried with us, at least some parts. What a major enhancement to the trip the pages made. We flew into Acapulco and were immediately grossed out. We immediately decided to return To Puerto Escondido. Unfortunately it meant the bus. Very exciting. While in Puerto we ate at Herman's ( great value) and stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe . Pricey but well worth it. The Best food.was to be had there.. We also spent time at the Montezuma's Revenge bar, where Xavier was the most friendly bartender that a pair of thirsty tourists could ever ask for. He idolizes Tom Cruise in Cocktail. If you're headed that way take him a mixing glass and shaker for him to flip. The Turtle Museum trip is well worth the time expended, as are the lancha trips to the beaches north of Playa Principal. We stopped in for the afternoon at Zipolite at the behest of a local cabdriver. The locals seemed to be in awe of, as well as laughing at the nude tourists that frequent the place. We didn't spend much time there. The Crow's Nest bar on Playa Zicatela is a marvel of sorts. Ask the crow to see his photographic gallery. The best of the whole trip was how little Puerto Escondido had changed in the last 10 years. Zicatela was developing, but it felt much the same as it did in the eighties. I'm sure the locals would dispute this but from an outsiders point of view it was still muy tranquilo. Mike Sheridan spudchef@pdt.net March 1997 Side Trip from Huatulco An aside [from my Huatulco comment].. it was disappointing to travel to Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido (after having spent a few months there in 1985) and see what a decaying resort begins to look like after it hasn't been kept up and respect is abandoned for the beauty of nature. When I was at Zipolite in '85 there were no unsightly beach huts catering to tourists, only the seaside and a sense of awe when you walked the shore and had nothing to distract you from the power and magnitude of the ocean. In Puerto Escondido there are no street lights left that work, because of vandalism. These areas need to be protected from the encroachment of tourism by setting higher standards and preserving the reasons why travelers come in the first place. I'd enjoy hearing any comments from others that enjoy Mexico, particularly San Miguel de Allende , since I want to make a trip there on my next visit to Mexico. Barb Oshanski CADENCENT@aol.com Toronto Ontario February 1997 Trip to Puerto Escondido from Acapulco The bus ride took about 7hrs from Acapulco to Puerto Escondido . The fare was only 75 pesos . The bus was air-conditioned and the road was good...The inconvenience was the topes (bumps) they have when you enter and leave each village...very hard on the back... It was dark when we arrived. We walked from the bus terminal down toward the beach/ocean...less then a 5 min walk...and took a room at the San Juan Hotel for only 130 pesos. It was a full moon that night and how beautiful was dinner with the full moon coming up over the ocean. The next day, we took a room for 4 more nights, on the 3rd floor, for 120 pesos per night. What a beautiful view of the ocean and beach from that floor. There were other hotels and cabañas around...the cabañas were about 40 pesos a night and another hotel named the Mayflower , costing about 200 pesos a night also had shared rooms/bathrooms to offer at 30 pesos per person per night. All of those hotels/cabanas are not on the beach. We had to walk down some stairs, then on to the board walk, where restaurants/boutiques were, then on the beach...about a 3/4 min walk. The restaurants offered a wide variety of meals. The sea food was the most expensive, 50/60 pesos; the Mexican dishes were the least expensive: from 25/30 pesos. For those who do not know the value of the pesos it averages about $5.50Cnd. The Mexicans are proud/honest people. Beggars are very scarce. Do not go around showing off your good fortune and jewelry. Keep it very simple and they will respect you for it. You do not need to speak much Spanish , but you do need to carry your dictionary. They have a Market north of the town, about a 15-min walk. This market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and clothing...even some restaurants... So, if you are looking for a quiet, unpolluted place to go, Puerto Escondido is the place to go...You fly to Acapulco and bus south to Puerto Escondido.. Our adventure continues on to Oaxaca, north of Puerto Escondido. . . . Didi and Mumu semard@netcom.ca February 1997 Recommending Bungalows Villa Marinero I've spent many vacations with my family in Puerto Escondido. I would like to recommend the place where I usually stay. It is called Bungalows Villa Marinero . Phone (958) 20180. Located on Marinero Beach . It offers one or two-bedroom quaint beach front cottages with ceiling fans, kitchenettes, front porch (with hammocks) outdoor recreation center, and pool. The place is family owned and operated. The grounds are meticulously kept. Peaceful and relaxing getaway. Prices are very reasonable: between 35 and 65 US dollars for 2-5 people (February 1997). Highly recommended. Robert J. O'Brien rjomd@msn.com Austin, TX February 1997 Question about Kayaking I've been to Puerto Escondido and Puerto Angel a few times since 1971, but never by kayak. I have a portable two person kayak, but I know the giant waves prevent landing at many of the beaches. If you have any first or second hand info other than what's already on your site, I would appreciate it. I am planning a three week trip in March with a friend and will do the lagoons etc. I would like info on tiny secluded coves where we could camp. Nothing is scarier than paddling twenty miles on the back of huge olas wondering if you have twenty more miles before a safe landing area appears. Thanks. Dwight Farr dfarr@telis.org January 1997 Hermann's Best and big tuna boats I have been meaning to write you about a wonderful restaurant we found and have been frequenting often. The restaurant name is Hermann's Best . It's located on the eastern end of the Pedestrian Zone, on the right, just before the zone becomes "pedestrian only," beside Mario's Pizza . For 17 pesos you get a huge portion of fish or chicken prepared as you request, plus beans, rice, a salad, tortillas, and great salsa. The service is excellent and the owner/chef is very personable. The place is small but there are 7 tables--oftentimes they are all taken! In our Puerto Escondido dining out experience (one of us for over six years) Hermann's Best without a doubt serves the best fish in town! I can also report (sadly) that the first of the enormous Tuna boats arrived yesterday. The presence of these boats litters the harbor and the horizon. And with long lines and nets they gluttonously capture the majority of the tuna that move through here. If this is to be like last year, there will be up to 12 Tuna Boats working the Pacific between here and Huatulco--with a helicopter "spotting" the tuna schools for them. This is really atrocious to see. Everyone is talking about them; no one is thrilled to see them. Alison January 7, 1997 On Grasshoppers, Markets, Sail Fishing I'm sure there are many places in Mexico which have very interesting and unique features, but Oaxaca has enormous biodiversity as well as indigenous cultural diversity. One unusual activity which seems to be really unique to Oaxaca is the practice of coaching tourists/visitors when--en Oaxaca comen chapolines. Chapolines , as it turns out, are sort of stir-fried grasshoppers . They are sorted by size and sold by weight in nearly all of the markets. Actually they are rather good, as these "natural" foods go. Within the state and within 40 miles of Oaxaca city there is a system of traveling markets . A shop-till-you-drop person could literally spend every day at a new market site. The state is famous for black pottery, green glaze pottery, wood carvings, basketry, mescal, artistic weavings. It is also a wonderful place to study ancient architecture. Oaxaca city is probably the most studied social setting in the world. Anthropologists and sociologists seem to flock there. The people of the state of Oaxaca host several fabulous festivals, maybe the most spectacular is the Guelaguetza which is held the last 2 weeks in July. Puerto Escondido is an exceptional place for sail fishing . There are lots of boats available and the price is relatively inexpensive. Fishing is great and close to shore, so there are no hours long trips to the fishing grounds. Check with: Manuel Chavez Col. Aeropuerto Domicilio Conocido s/n Pto. Econdido. Oaxaca Mexico for details and to schedule a fishing trip. Jim Kitts jrk@finsandfur.fw.umn.edu December 1996 [Mr. Kitts has also contributed an article on coffee-growing and ecotourism .] One More Time, by bus Hi Tom, Dawn here again! Back from another Mexican adventure. I recently visited the great state of Oaxaca in Mexico, again and there are a few things I wanted to add to my last entry . . . . If you have the option of flying in to Puerto Escondido rather than taking the autobús [bus] from Oaxaca, Oaxaca I strongly recommend doing so. I had a bit of a nightmare the last time I was there in June. Come to find out there were two autobús stations in Oaxaca and I ended up at the wrong one! I really only have myself to blame but I am hoping to spare someone else the same hassles. If you do not know about the autobúses already I am here to give you a little insight... The bus ride from Oaxaca to Puerto is around an 8-hour ride. It's a very curved road and it's not for the person that gets motion sickness . I suggest taking the A-line bus that is a little more expensive and well worth extra Pesos. It costs around 85-140 Pesos (85 being the lowest line and 140 being the best) If you do have the option though I suggest flying. My bus ride was supposed to take 8 hours, well it ended up taking 11 hours. A broken down bus lying in our path delayed all traffic both directions for hours. The plane ride takes around 45 minutes to an hour and the cost is reasonable. There are direct flights into Puerto from Mexico City. This flight takes around 2 hours, flying directly into Puerto's small but accommodating airport. Once again these are just suggestions, that I have had to learn the hard way! I hope everyone who reads this gets the opportunity to experience Puerto and all it's gifts of sun , surf and great food ! Thanks for posting these comments, Tom. I have received many upon many inquires concerning Puerto since my last post! Keep up the good work! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Mexico is the best adventure and everyone should experience it! [ For more information about transportation and comments about the bus ride, visit the Transportation section. ] Dawn akb@why.net October 1996 A Question about Retirement in Puerto Escondido: Hi, Tom, this is a question about retirees living in Puerto Escondido!! I'm the co-author of a book called Choose Mexico (about retirement in Mexico), and we're updating the book. It's been some time since I was in Puerto Escondido, so I really need to know a couple of things... mainly, are there many (any) retired Canadians or U.S. citizens living there? I'd love to talk with one of them, to find out how they like living there, and what kind of advice they might have to some senior citizen-surfer who wants to retire in PE??? [ Please assist Mr. Howells with a reply. ] John Howells, sr jhowells@ix.netcom.com September 27, 1996 Accommodations in Puerto Escondido The following appeared in the newsgroup rec.travel.latin-america : amberbugg@aol.com (Amberbugg) wrote: > Can anyone recommend accommodations in Pto. Escondido that > are good and reasonable? I am going in October. What about > transport around there too? Hotels in Pto. Escondido are generally quite small (20-40 rooms) and run from $9 to $65 and up. In general, the rooms on in town on the beach itself run about $15 - $20 in the off season. On Zicatella beach rooms range from $9 - $25. In October you do not need a reservation. I'd suggest you take the airport taxi to the Arco Iris . You can either stay there or walk to anyplace that you want to stay. The Arco Iris on Zicatela Beach is probably the best buy in Escondido. Standard rooms in October will be about $15 and with kitchenette will be about $20. It has the largest and most varied menu at very low prices. It is right on the beach which has world class surfing. Parking is plentiful and they have a nice pool. The Paradisio Escondido is charming and runs about $35-$45. It is managed by a German fellow, Fredrico, who is not especially charming but runs the place in a very orderly fashion. Its dining area is nothing to write to the Washington Post about, but the place itself is really very nice. Rooms have air conditioning. It is 2 blocks from the main beach and overlooks the bay. The Hotel Santa Fe is the best in town with prices starting at about $65. Everything about it is the best including its vegetarian menu. I've skipped a lot of quite satisfactory places, the Rincon for example and the Lauren , because they are less interesting. Have fun. Brian blarkin@cpcug.org September 1996 Fishing Most experiences I read about Puerto involve surfing. Has anyone tried the fishing? It is, in a word, outstanding. My first day out I caught a 175 lb. Blue Marlin that I won't soon forget. Sailfish and Dorado are also plentiful. The ponga boats cannot accomodate the big fish and the captain that I know is Captain Howard Horton on a boat named "Robalo." He works with the locals and is an excellent captain and overall guide to the area. He can be reached locally at 958-21761 . The fishing season is from mid-November through the end of April. Everyone, it seems, knows about the Spaghetti House Italian Restaurant. Yes it is good food. And cheap. Coco's (on the main street) is a great bar with a band, "Los Vichos," (The Beatles) singing excellent versions of everything from Pearl Jam and the Meat Puppets to Led Zepplin and the Stones. Alison September 1996 From Brazil: I returned last week from Puerto Escondido. It's the best place of the world, everybody is friendly, Mexicans are funny.. The hotel Arco Iris was marvelous, cheap and the staff love Brasilians. I knew La Punta, there are good waves there and Zicatela (the best beach, where I have surfed before). I bought some pictures of my waves from Mike and Norman. It was the best vacation of my life, and because it was cheap and cool I'm saving money to return there as soon as possible. Your HTML helped me a lot. There are good tips there that are really useful. Richard Spirandelli Neto richard@mps.com.br Curitiba - PR Brasil August 1996. The Manialtepec Lagoon Puerto Escondido is a wonderful, laid back place. We were fortunate to stay at Flor de Maria with Lino and Maria, originally from Toronto. The food in the restaurant was wonderful and the hotel is so very close to the beach. Took a wonderful tour to the Manialtepec Lagoon with Michael Malone , who believe it or not, is almost a neighbour. He hails from Kingsville, Ontario and winters with his wife in Puerto Escondido and runs the lagoon tours. Apparently, Michael was instrumental in persuading the Mexican government to make the lagoon a protected area. While on the tour, we visited a very deserted, beautiful beach which was later featured in Conde Nast Traveller as one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico. I would highly recommend it as a great place to visit as long as you aren't into the exciting nightlife scene. It's a laid back place with laid back people but we loved it! The only drawback that I could see was having to ride the bus from Huatulco airport to Puerto Escondido after the flight from Toronto. Pat Belanger cookie@cwconnect.ca Pain Court, Ontario Canada. August 1996 Puerto Escondido Touristy? From the newsgroup rec.travel.latin-america: mexplore@aol.com (Mexplore) wrote: >We wouldn't call Pto. Escondido "touristy" in the Cancun or Acapulco sense >although it has grown considerably in the last 10 years. The hotels and >restaurants are still predominantly low key and low cost. No Planet >Hollywoods or Hard Rock Cafes. But even more low key is Puerto Angel if >you just want to kick back for a few days and can entertain yourselves. >The Felsteds-publishers, Mexican Meanderings newsletter I've watched Pto. Escondido "develop" for the past 20 years and I certainly agree with the Felsteds. Actually development has not meant a feeling of tourism and tourists except for one very small area along Zicatela Beach. For the rest, development has been limited largely to paving the streets, putting in an airport, and population growth in the non-beach part of the city. Brian J. Larkin blarkin@cpcug.org August 1996 Driving from Mexico City Your web pages - especially the maps - were indeed very useful for the tour, that we did in the 2 last weeks of June '96. With a rented car we went from Mexico City to Oaxaca City (6 hours). It is really a beautiful and charming town. Also the surrounding places are worthwhile to visit. We found a public e-mail office one block west of the Zócalo [town square]. Further, climbing over the Sierra Madre del Sur we reached Puerto Escondido after 7 hours including a stop in Puerto Angel . Your map guided us on the picturesque road along the coast from Puerto Angel to San Antonio via Zipolite . In Puerto Escondido we stayed in the Hotel Posada Real , good standard. We enjoyed the beautiful pool area at the Playa Bococho but not the food in their restaurant. As it is very easy and cheap (10 pesos) to go by taxi from the hotel to the pedestrian mall, we tested and enjoyed the restaurants downtown. La Perla Flameante was outstanding, at least for our European taste. The former La Palapa changed the name. It was also very good, very friendly service. Our tour on the Laguna de Manialtepec started at "La Alejandria". A big Centro Turístico situated at km 125 on the Carretera Costera [coastal highway 200]. This is a wonderful and recommended place. We enjoyed the kind hospitality and the typical but very clean premises. Following the advice of our travel agent we did not drive from Puerto Escondido to Acapulco along the coastline. They said raids had occurred in the last weeks?? So we went back to Oaxaca and this time we really had fun with the unique adventure of driving on such a road, admiring the breathtaking outlooks and the constantly changing vegetation. We really had two exciting weeks. The only negative was a policeman in Mexico City who "took" from us $90 U.S., pretending we had not regarded a red light. But he refused to give us a receipt. So the robbery was in the capital but not on the Carretera Costera in Oaxaca, where people are kind and open-minded. Walter Kils-Huetten Am Bonneshof 16 D-40474 Duesseldorf, Germany Walter.Kils-Huetten@t-online.de July 1996 Living Cheap, Playing Hard Puerto Escondido is such a charming little beach town. I hope it doesn't grow into a popular tourist destination. Something is funny about the cheese in Mexico though. Was there in mid-May and lived cheap and played hard. Lots of international travelers staying, and passing through. The locals are very cool. Walking up to town on the hill is a neat experience. Get fresh fish, beans and rice when you restaurant - it is good and won't make you sick. Does anyone know where Pasquali's is - It is a town some distance north of Puerto possibly even north of Acapulco? Bob Tema Krueger Wright Design kwdmpls@bitstream.net June 1996 What it's Like In Puerto Escondido I just returned yesterday from Puerto Escondido and it was paradise. I highly recommend it to anyone. It's still a small, virtually untouched from modern society, town in Mexico. It's a true rareness to find someplace so terrific and still traditional. I highly recommend staying somewhere off of Zicatela Beach if you want to save money and still be within walking distance of the "Downtown". When I first arrived I stayed at the Posada Real , which ended up being too far away from the restaurants and bars for me. I do recommend it for the elderly tourist or honeymooners because it is secluded and out of the main stream. You can get a room off of Zicatela Beach for around 45-60 Pesos. With the exchange rate at 7.35 US it comes out to be around $10 a night. You can't beat that. I found the best restaurant in all of Puerto Escondido to be Bruno's . They have the most versatile menu and fantastic service. If anyone hasn't been to Mexico before you should know that you can sometimes wait 20 minutes just to see a menu and another 35-40 till your food shows up at your table. Bruno's has a theme night every day (except Monday'sthey're closed). Tuesday is sushi night and a not miss in my book. They serve breakfast, with a fantastic selection from Eggs Benedict at 21 Pesos, to yogurt/granola over fruit at 12 Pesos. Every meal there is great. If you stop in Bruno's have one of Debra's Margarita's and feel any tension leave your body as the waves crash at the beach in front of you. If you're a traveler such as I you pack to be prepared, so these are a few essentials I either found handy or forgot to take that will make your trip to Puerto Escondido tensionless. Sunscreen and a really good lotion is a must. Mosquito repellent came in handy for those tropical nights. Leave any jeans or long sleeved clothes at home even at the coolest of nights they're not necessary. Extra bag for the souvenirs . Everything is such a fantastic bargain, you will definitely buy something. A good book -and if you finish it while you're there, not to worry there are book exchanges all over town. Comfortable shoes . High heals and high dollar designer shoes are not easy to get around on and it's to dusty for the expensive ones. An open mind is also highly appreciated by the locals. Puerto Escondido reminded me of a cross between Haight Ashbury and Gilligans Island with a zip of Mexico thrown in to give it a charge. I wish anyone who's going a great time. I just got back and I'm planning to return in 3 months. [ did that ] You just can't get enough of this town or it's people. Puerto Escondido is a must! Feel free to e-mail me with any questions. Dawn akb@why.net March 1996 Read about a Oaxacan Bus Adventure Another Bus trip to Oaxaca I have made this round-trip journey 5 times, three by regular 1st class bus, once by deluxe 1st class bus, and the last time by airplane. Trust me... by far nothing beats the plane trip for ease or time. If you plan on taking the bus, either take lots of Dramamine or maybe a plastic bag, or both. If you don't need/use them, one of your neighboring passengers will (probably on that special occasion when the bathroom is out of service). You sure can't beat the bus for economy (from $8-12 US) but chancing a 7-9 hour journey (longer if there are rains or a flat) just isn't worth it. The airplane ride, though a little bumpy, is very scenic and touches down about 40 minutes after takeoff. Once there, don't eat it if you can't peel it, boil it, cook the hell out of it, etc. And try to buy bottled water produced in Mexico City or some other big place, not from a local water bottler (bottled water from Oaxaca City is usually OK). I have always returned from the Escondido sick with something, but I've never really followed my own advice. Watch out for the undertow. Oh, and have a great time :-) M. Brian Riley antmbrx@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU January 1996 It's Hot Here! A lovely town but very very hot (at least for us Northern Europeans!). Body boards available at reasonable rates in surf shops on the Plaza Gasga, and great fun if you're a total beginner. If traveling by bus from San Christobal allow time for road blocks (the 12.5 hour scheduled journey actually took 27 hours!) Pamela Currie aps20113@paisley.ac.uk 12/23/95 Tino, the fishing guide: Twenty six years ago while camping about 20 miles north of Puerto Escondido on the coast, my wife and I got very sick. We were helpless and if not for the kindness of the local villagers I do not know what would have happened. A particular young man took special interest in me personally during this episode and over the years we have developed a friendship between us. My friend's name is Tino. About 15 years ago he gravitated to Puerto Escondido where he now captains his own fishing boat and supports his family as a sport fishing guide. Photo of Tino. Tino is much more than a fishing guide, his personality exudes friendliness and he is the most patient Spanish teacher that one could find. His boat can be contracted for sight seeing, hidden beach swims or sunset cruises as well as fishing. If you can think of it Tino will do it. This person grew up an oyster diver and advanced to this captain position. He seems to have crawled out of the sea. The name of his boat is Ava Maria and anyone on the Puerto Escondido beach can get you to him. Leave directions to where you are staying and any of the fishermen will see that he finds you. Richard Malmed PARADOX398@aol.com 7/22/95 Driving in from Oaxaca: We stopped in to Puerto Angel on the way to Puerto Escondido as we drove over the mountains from Oaxaca. It was an unbelievable trip! 7.5 hrs on the main road. The return trip on the (mostly) dirt road took us 10.5 hours. On the whole, a pretty rough trip, but I'm glad we did it. No gringos in those mountains! Anyway, Puerto Escondido remains a lovely place to hang out at the beach and have a laid-back vacation. I recommend the Hotel Santa Fe very highly. We stayed in the adjoining Santa Cruz bungalows (two rooms w/kitchen) and ate most meals at the Santa Fe restaurant. In the morning, we had lovely pastry at the French bakery up the beach. Be sure to take the walk along the coast north from the town (at the end of the beach). The paved pathway goes on for miles and it's very well done. Next time we're there, we plan to stay a couple of days in Puerto Angel. It's still a very nice, funky town. LaurelK@aol.com 1/21/95 Surfin': Tom - I was there about four years ago and I sit here with a smile on my face. Yeah, world class surf, world class babes, and excellent accommodations @ $15 a night beachfront. The one suggestion that I tell everyone, Take spf 40 sunscreen and an umbrella. There are people there from all over the world and the locals can rip. Also pack the surfstick well. Really pad it! -I'll be in touch. Fisher 1/26/95 | Top of page | Main index | Search | What's new | The Pacific Coast of Mexico www.tomzap.com Tom Penick: tom@tomzap.com
Graduate Housing Policies and Services 2003-2004 Introduction Graduate Housing Staff Health, Safety and Security Issues Life-Threatening Emergencies Maintenance Emergencies: 5-1602 Residence Security Electrical Safety Reminders Fire, Earthquake, and other Safety Issues Alarms Equipment Evacuation Fire Extinguishers Hallway/Stairway Access Wheelchair Access Fire Hazards / Hazardous Materials Candles and Torches Cooking Barbecue Grills Halogen Lighting Hazardous Materials Lead Advisory Asbestos and Lead Management Program Holiday Fire Prevention Pest Control Pest Control Chemicals Stanford University Integrated Pest Management Program Repair / Replacement Requests Fix-it Requests Window Repair Plumbing Maintenance Conduct Issues The Fundamental Standard Guests Smoke-Free Environmental Policy Weapons Utilities Outages Electrical Water Apartment Inventory and Cleanliness Checklist Storage Academic Year Summer Storage for Crothers Hall Residents Keys Lock out policy University Access to Rooms Inspections Moving Out “Lock and Go” Program Appliances and Miscellaneous Equipment Damage or Loss Cleaning and Housekeeping Aesthetic Appearance of Residence Apartment Cleaning Guide Cleaning Chemicals Safety Precautions Possible Cleaning Products* and Supplies General Cleaning Grounds Pets Plants Trash Removal Hand Trucks Modifications Painting Flyers and Solicitation Parties, Special Events/Community Space Reservations Party or Event Clean-up Projects, Food Preparation Cutting Posters Furniture Student Rooms/Apartments Common Areas/Lounges Heating Insurance Lighting Screen Doors Computer Clusters Laundry Rooms Recycling Telephone, Television, and Computer Connections Utilities Vending Machines Skates and Skateboards Vehicles and Parking Battery-operated Vehicles Bicycles Motorcycles Parking and Towing of Vehicles Capital Improvement Program and Graduate Housing Construction Websites Introduction This edition of Housing Policies and Services is in effect 9/1/03 - 8/31/04. Student Housing (SHS) is responsible for providing professional cleaning and building management for all student housing on campus. In the graduate area, this represents 4,000 students and over 1.7 million square feet of residence building space. The SHS Central Office is located at 565 Cowell Lane and the telephone number is 725-1600. The Central Office also serves as the Satellite Operations Center (SOC) for all student housing in case of an emergency. Your Housing Supervisor is the building manager for your residence and works closely with the Student Housing Associate (SHSA) and other staff to help ensure that your home is safe, clean, comfortable, and supportive of your educational endeavors. The Housing Supervisor hires, trains, and supervises the custodial staff to ensure that University cleaning standards are met and oversees work done on the buildings and grounds. Housing Policies and Services is a supplement to the Residence Agreement, http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/has/resagree/, it details policies that you need to be aware of and abide by while in student housing. You can find Housing Policies and Services on the web at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/policies/. Graduate Housing Staff Graduate Housing Operations 859 Escondido Road Stanford, CA 94305 Phone: 650-723-1171 Melissa Purcell : Manager, Graduate Housing Operations Phone: 723-3294 Email: mpurcell@stanford Kriss Ferrier: Administrative Associate Phone: 723-1104 Email: kferrier@stanford Barbara Morgan: Office Administrator Phone: 723-1174 Email: bmorgan@stanford Diana Birkenseer: Student Housing Associate Escondido Village, Couples and Family residents Phone: 723-1171 E-mail: birk@stanford Anna Carriel: Student Housing Services Associate Escondido Village, Single residents Phone: 723-1171 E-mail: acarriel@Stanford Marcela Chaverri: Student Housing Services Associate Escondido Village, Studio residents Phone: 723-1171 E-mail: chaverri@Stanford Judi Levin: Student Housing Service Associate Crothers and Crothers Memorial residents Phone: 723-1738 E-mail: jjlevin@stanford Gina Martinez: Student Housing Services Associate Rains and Lyman residents Phone: 725-4739 (Rains), Lyman (5-9788) E-mail: ginamar@stanford Escondido Village: Housing Supervisor: Lee Murray Buildings 1-54 Phone: 725-0852 Studios 3, 4, 5, 6 Email: lmurray@stanford Custodial Staff: Gladys Granados Miriam Granados Escondido Village: Housing Supervisor: Raul Ponce Buildings 55-108 Phone: 725-1809 Abrams Email: rponce@stanford Barnes Custodial Staff: Hoskins Joe Arriola Hulme Teresa Robles Crothers Housing Supervisor: Vinnie Hama Crothers Memorial Phone: 736-1073 Escondido Village: Email: vhama@stanford Buildings 110-125 Custodial Staff: Studio 2 Gregory Banks Quillen Rosa Martinez McFarland Irene McKnight Blackwelder Lilian Agpawan Robert Rodriguez Rains Housing Supervisor: Betsy DelSarto Escondido Village: Phone: 725-0850 Buildings 127-144 Email: delsarto@stanford Studio 1 Custodial Staff: Estella Garcia Maria Ruiz Lyman Housing Supervisor: Enrique Jevons Schwab Residential Center Phone: 725-9143 Email: ejevons@stanford Custodial Staff: Jesus Flores Feng Chen Su Cheng Beatriz Diaz Antonio Medina Rafaela Orosco Facilities Assistant: Jessica Enfantino, Schwab Email: jenfanti@stanford.edu Phone: 724-3680 Schwab General Mgr. Bernadette de Rafael, Gerardo Jimenez, Schwab Assistant Mgr. Malia Mika, Schwab Assistant Mgr. Graduate Life Office Chris Griffith: Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs/Residence Dean Phone: 723-1171 Email: griffith@stanford Andy Hernandez: Assistant Dean/Residence Dean Phone: 723-1171 E-mail: android@stanford Thom Massey: Assistant Dean/Residence Dean Phone: 723-1171 Email: upglobal@stanford Health, Safety and Security Issues Life-Threatening Emergencies For any life-threatening emergency, call 9-911 from any campus phone to summon fire, police, and paramedic services. You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the location of alarms, fire-fighting equipment, and emergency procedures for your residence. Fire and earthquake safety information is posted in residences and earthquake emergency procedures are detailed in the front section of the Stanford Directory. Maintenance Emergencies: 5-1602 If you have an emergency situation (such as a flood, a shower that won t turn off, an apartment door that won t lock, etc.), please call 5-1602. Staff at that number will contact whoever is needed to respond to the emergency. This number is staffed 24 hours a day, and is for emergencies only. All other requests for service must be submitted via fix-it form, at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit . When you call 5-1602 outside normal business hours, you will hear a lengthy voicemail message designed to route your request to the most appropriate staff. You ll be talking to the University s central dispatch office which handles all after-hours maintenance calls on campus, dispatches doctors to the Medical Center, and monitors the various campus alarm systems. Be sure to give the dispatcher your full name, phone number, apartment/neighborhood name and address, and the exact location of the problem. The dispatcher will then call the Student Housing duty supervisor at home, who may call you back for more information. The duty supervisor assesses the nature of the problem and determines the appropriate response. The pay for calling staff back to campus for an after-hours emergency is mandated by the union contract and is quite high. Consequently, if your situation is a true emergency, staff will be brought back to campus as fast as they can get here, but if it can wait until the next work day, the duty supervisor will defer the response until then. Any questions or concerns about after-hours emergency response should be reported to your Housing Supervisor the next business day. Residence Security It is essential that you keep your doors locked at all times crime does happen, even on idyllic campuses like Stanford s, and the same unlocked door that lets invited guests in can let thieves (and worse) in too. Ensure that doors latch behind you when you enter or leave a building, refrain from propping doors open, keep doors locked, avoid allowing strangers to enter the building behind you, and call the police at 9-911 any time you see suspicious people in or around your residence. Your odds of being the victim of theft or other crime go down dramatically when you and roommates show by these security measures that you care for one another. Please carry your residence key at all times. Electrical Safety Reminders Never modify a plug by bending or removing the prongs. If plug prongs are bent, loose, or missing replace the device. If plug prongs break off and remain in the outlet slots after insertion or withdrawal, do not try to remove them. Call 5-1602 for assistance this is considered a maintenance emergency. Cord adapters used to defeat the ground connection (i.e., 3-prong to 2-prong adapters) are dangerous and must not be used. All outlets and any electrical conductors must be sufficiently grounded, and if you re uncertain whether or not this is true, call your Housing Supervisor for assistance. Outlets should be mounted firmly in their enclosures and should not move when the plug is inserted. Loose outlets can cause short circuits. If you discover a loose outlet or other faulty electrical equipment do not use it until an electrician from Student Housing Services can make repairs. Damaged electrical enclosures such as switches, outlets, and junction boxes should be reported immediately to your Housing Supervisor. Extension cords should be used only when absolutely necessary and only on a temporary basis. Extension cords should not be used in place of permanent or fixed wiring. If you must use an extension cord, we recommend using a multiple outlet power strip equipped with an internal circuit breaker. Do not daisy chain extension cords and/or power strips (i.e., do not plug one extension cord into another). Replace frayed or damaged cords. Never unplug equipment by pulling on the cord; always remove by the plug. Ensure that electrical cords are not damaged by being wedged against furniture or doors. Do not run cords under carpeting. Large appliances (e.g., full-sized refrigerators) are permitted only in kitchens and kitchenettes, not in student rooms or residence common areas. Fire, Earthquake, and other Safety Issues Alarms. Never assume that a building alarm goes directly to the fire department always call 9-911 in an emergency situation. Alarms may be only local when power is out. Keep flashlights and fresh batteries on hand in case of a power outage. No candles. The Fire Department has informed us that during residence evacuations when alarms are activated, the Fire Department will not turn off the alarm until every resident and visitor has evacuated the building. Please do not call in to cancel a false alarm ; the Fire Department is obligated to respond regardless of the cause. Anyone found to have set off a false fire alarm, whether purposely or because of carelessness, is subject to substantial fines (e.g., a single-engine response costs over $600) and loss of residence privileges. Note: This provision is aimed solely at individuals who misuse the alarm system. This is not intended to dissuade you from setting off an alarm if you believe there is a fire in the residence. Fire Equipment. It is against the law and University policy to tamper with any fire equipment , and violators will be subject to substantial fines (minimum $500), University disciplinary action, and criminal penalties. Fire equipment that is not in working order jeopardizes all residents. As used here, fire equipment includes fire extinguishers and hoses, fire alarm pull boxes, smoke detectors, automatic door closers, fire sprinklers, exit signs, and evacuation maps. Tampering includes removing or covering exit signs, hanging anything from sprinkler systems, altering the function of door closers, disabling smoke detectors, discharging fire extinguishers for any purpose other than putting out a fire, and doing anything else that compromises the proper functioning of fire equipment. Evacuation. Evacuation signs are posted in apartment/common areas indicating the nearest exit and evacuation instructions . Please familiarize yourself with the location of all exits from your residence! In the event of an evacuation, please report to your building s assigned Emergency Assembly Point (EAP) for further instructions. Fire Extinguishers. All buildings are equipped with fire extinguishers, and the Stanford Fire Marshal s Office and Department of Public Safety conduct periodic fire drills. In addition, a fire safety program designed for your specific area can be arranged through the Stanford Fire Marshal s Office. Please let your CA know if you would like to schedule a program. Hallway, Stairway, and Entrance Access. All student housing is inspected by the County Fire Marshal for safety and fire code compliance. Residents are required to keep common areas including, but not limited to, hallways, walkways, common areas, stairways, entrances, balconies and patios clear of boxes, bicycles, mattresses, bed frames, etc. Any items left in a hallway or common area will be removed immediately by University staff. If University staff have to remove items left in these areas, residents will be charged. Repeated violations will incur escalating charges. Wheelchair Access Wheelchair ramps, curb cuts, lifts and building entryways must remain clear at all times to allow students and others who use wheelchairs access to the residence. Do not lock your bike to the railings or park it on or near these ramps or lifts. Bikes, cars, or anything else found blocking wheelchair access will be impounded and a fee charged to retrieve them. Fire Hazards / Hazardous Materials Candles and Torches. Because of their risk to life and property, candles, incense and torches are prohibited anywhere inside or around your residence. Please keep flashlights and fresh batteries on hand for use during power outages. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact your Housing Supervisor. Cooking. To avoid fire hazards in the kitchen, do not leave anything on the stove unattended, especially oil! You may use tin foil to line the drip pans beneath your stove burners, but be sure you clean them regularly to keep them free of grease and oil. Toasters (or any other cooking appliance) should not be placed on the carpet and areas around appliances shall be kept free of combustibles such as paper etc. If you live in Crothers or Crothers Memorial, cooking is permitted only in the designated kitchen areas, not in the dorm rooms or study rooms. No hotplates or other cooking appliances are allowed in Crothers or Crothers Memorial student rooms or study rooms. Barbecue Grills. Barbecue grills may be a fire hazard under certain circumstances. Please exercise caution in using them, and never use them inside under any circumstances. Never leave outdoor grills/hibachis unattended. Read package instructions on the use of charcoal briquettes. Do not put hot coals into dumpsters since this will cause a fire. California Fire Code prohibits storage under exit stairways. Barbecue storage is not permitted under exterior stairways or within interior stairways. These areas are not storage spaces they are escape routes. Halogen Lighting. Because of fire hazard concerns and high energy consumption, halogen lamps are not allowed in University housing. Residents who are found to have a halogen lamp in their room or apartment are charged $100 upon discovery and $100 per day until it is permanently removed. Hazardous Materials. Hazardous materials must not be used or stored in or around residences. Examples of hazardous materials include flammable liquids like gasoline or paint thinner, automotive or industrial batteries, chemicals, corrosive materials, and explosives. If you have any questions about using or storing a material, contact your Housing Supervisor. Do not pour motor oil on the ground or down any drain . Motor oil is a hazardous waste material and cannot legally be recycled or discarded on campus. You may take used motor oil to any Jiffy Lube location for proper disposal. If you change your own oil, it is advisable to do so at the time of the campus Hazardous Waste Disposal Day, when the old oil will not need storing and can be disposed of properly and promptly. Watch for notices regarding this event or contact the Health and Safety Coordinator at 723-7187. Disposal of compact fluorescent lamps and fluorescent tubes. The Environmental Protection Agency recently passed legislation prohibiting any fluorescent bulbs from being disposed of in landfill. Previously, the EPA permitted a small number of bulbs to be discarded in solid waste streams, ultimately ending up in landfill. This exemption has been revoked. You may dispose of fluorescent lamps and tubes at the campus Hazardous Waste Disposal Day . Computers, Monitors and other Consumer Electronic Devices . When you move out do not leave computers, monitors, printers, appliances, electronics, etc. in your apartment or by the dumpsters; doing so may result in the assessment of disposal charges. You may dispose of these items at the campus Hazardous Waste Disposal Day. Lead Advisory. Federal and California law requires that notice be provided to persons who are exposed even to extremely small quantities of lead. Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint chips and dust can pose health hazards if not managed properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, lessors must disclose the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. Lessees must also receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention. Stanford University has an ongoing testing program for lead in Escondido Village and provides information to Escondido Village families and Resident Fellows with children. Testing has indicated low levels of lead in dust, soil and sand samples. Previous testing of painted surfaces in Escondido Village revealed varying levels of lead in the paint in the apartment units tested. More complete information about testing results and a federally approved pamphlet about ways to minimize risk will be provided to you at check-in. If you would like to review this material sooner, please contact the Health and Safety representative at 723-7187. Asbestos and Lead Management Program. The University has ongoing asbestos and lead paint management programs and reserves the right to conduct periodic inspections and monitoring and to perform necessary repairs to conform to health and safety standards. You may be temporarily or permanently relocated to another room/apartment if abatement or removal of asbestos or lead is required. Unless you have the prior written approval of your Housing Supervisor, you may not penetrate floor tile or sprayed-on acoustical ceiling materials with hooks, nails or other materials, nor scrape or sand any painted surfaces in your living space. Pipe or boiler insulation must never be moved or disturbed. Holiday Fire Prevention Decorations May not obstruct or conceal (in whole or in part) any emergency routes, signs, or fire safety devices such as exit lights, fire alarm pull boxes, fire hose cabinets, fire extinguishers, sprinkler heads, smoke detectors, etc. Must be made from a non-flammable material or treated with a flame-retardant solution or process approved by the State Fire Marshal. Trees All holiday trees (natural or artificial) must be kept out of corridors, and away from doorways and heat sources. Cut trees must have a tag showing that they have been treated with a flame-retardant solution or process approved by the State Fire Marshal. The tag must include the name and registration number of the chemical used, the name of the treatment company, and the date of treatment. Cut natural trees must be in water at all times in order to slow the natural drying process. Lights Must bear the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) seal of approval. Be certain that there are no loose sockets and that the wires are not frayed or damaged. Do not run wiring through doorways, under carpeting or through holes in walls. Do not use zip cord type (short, standard, usually white) extension cords. We recommend using a multiple outlet power strip equipped with an internal circuit breaker. Never plug one extension cord into another. Be sure to turn off decorative lights when you leave the building. Also, please remember Do not decorate corridors with wrapping paper. Dispose of all decorations, wrappings and trees by taking them to designated disposal areas. Pest Control Crane Pest Control handles extermination needs for Student Housing Services. A Crane representative is on campus Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, excluding holidays. During these hours, contact your Housing Supervisor regarding pest control needs. If you call the emergency maintenance number (5-1602) after hours or on weekends, your call will be handled by the duty supervisor who will determine if it is feasible to bring the exterminator back to campus at an overtime rate of pay. When possible, calls are deferred to the next business day in an effort to keep costs down. Any infestations introduced by the residents will result in charges being levied for the recovery cost of the eradication of the pests. Pest Control Chemicals In order to be responsible landlords and compliant with a new law effective January 1, 2001, all new residents will receive a copy of a letter from the University s pest control provider, Crane Pest Control. As the new law requires, this letter is given out to inform new residents of the common chemicals used to control pests in the exterior and interior of the residence. Please note that whenever a resident requests pest control action to occur inside the residence, a separate and specific notice will be given to, or left for, the resident. This notice contains information on what agent was used and any pertinent instructions that Crane Pest Control recommends be followed. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Health and Safety at 723-7187. Stanford University Integrated Pest Management Program The pesticides utilized on your property are specifically listed on a receipt form left after each application. For your information, they come from the following list: (Active ingredients are underlined , and common insecticide names follow.) INSECTICIDES: Abamectin B1 Avert/Advance Bendiocarb Ficam D/Ficam W Bendiocarb, Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide Ficam Plus Bifenthrin Talstar G Boric Acid Borid/MRF 2000/PT 240D/240 Perma Dust Cyfluthrin Tempo 20WP/Cy-Kick CS Deltamethrin Delta Dust/Deltagard G/Suspend SC Diazinon Knox-Out 2FM Eugenol.2-Phenethyl Propionate Eco PCO Jet/Eco PCO-AC/Eco PCO-D/Eco PCO-ACU Fipronil Maxforce FC Hydramethylon Maxforce/Maxforce/G/Seige Gel Lambda-Dyhalothrin Demand CS Methoprene, Permethrin Precor 2000 Orthoboric Acid Niban G/Drax/Drax PF Pyrethrins, Cyfluthrin, Technical Piperonyl Butoxide Pro-Control Plus Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide Kicker. Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide (Technical) P.I. Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide (Technical). Amorphous Silica Gel, Petroleum Disillate Drione/PT 230 Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide (Technical). N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide Microcare Pyrethrins, Piperonyl Butoxide. N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide. Petroleum Distillate Purge III Sodium Tetraborate. Decahydrate Terro Ant Killer II Silfluramid Advance Dual Choice Bait Tralomethrin Saga WP 3-Phenoxybenzyl D-CIS and Trans 2. 2-Dimetyl-3 (2-Methyl Propenyl) Cyclopropanecarboxylate.Isopropyl Alcohol. Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride. N-Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride Steri-Fab RODENTICIDES: Bromadiolone Contrac/Maki LARVICIDES: Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner Mosquito Dunks The following information from Crane Pest Control tells you how to prevent or alleviate pest problems. Any infestations introduced by the residents will result in charges being levied for the recovery costs of the eradication of the pests. Ants. Ants prefer different foods according to species and conditions. Some ants appear to favor sweets, others are meat eaters, and others eat seeds. Good housekeeping is very important because ants will go elsewhere if there is no food around to attract them. Ants venture indoors looking for food especially during the winter rains and summer heat. For ant problems, you will be asked to spray the ant trail with a household cleaner such as isopropyl alcohol put in a spray bottle, which should eliminate the immediate problem. An exterminator would then be dispatched the next business day. Bedbugs . People are normally bitten by bed bugs while they sleep since the bed bug is a nocturnal feeding insect. Evidence of bed bug bites comes from blood spots on bed clothing and irritation from salivary secretions. Best prevention is to keep non-University owned furnishings out of the residence. Cockroaches. Discourage roaches by keeping your home neat and clean. They can go for weeks without food or water, and they breed and hide in trash. Store food in containers that roaches can t penetrate. Fleas. Fleas live primarily on warm-blooded animals, especially feral cats. They pierce their hosts skin for blood meals and lay their eggs on or nearby their host animals. Raccoons, skunks, wild cats, and squirrels can be live-trapped and removed. Call your Housing Supervisor to contact a local animal control agency. Caution: skunks in particular are potential carriers of rabies. Rats and mice look for food and shelter indoors during the rainy season. To prevent rodent infestations, clean up food sources and close off pest entry points. Outdoors, make sure to keep your residence and surrounding property clear of trash and debris. Indoors, keep doors closed, remove trash, and vacuum all cracks and crevices from floor to ceiling. Mice only need 1/4 of an inch opening to get in; rats need only 1/2 inch. Use steel wool to seal small holes. Snakes. Most varieties are beneficial and should not be disturbed. Animal control agencies can relocate them if you don t want them near your residence. Spiders prefer to winter inside, so be careful to shake out anything that has been stored outside or in a basement, especially firewood or other items that have been placed against walls. To make your residence less suitable for spiders, eliminate the insects they eat and vacuum their webs. Spray spiders directly with insecticide once you locate their hiding places. Preparing for a pest control visit. Prior to any insecticide application, it is mandatory that food, utensils, work surfaces, etc. be properly covered and protected to prevent contamination. Cooperation also includes minimizing clutter, which may harbor insects and rodents. It is important to clean with the knowledge that a dirty mop, a discarded lemon peel, or an open bottle of juice can serve as a nest for fruit flies. Lockers, cabinets and closets can house pests and should be left unlocked for access by technicians. Repair / Replacement Requests Fix-it Requests The fix-it request is available online at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit . Use it to submit all requests for repairs or replacements in your residence. Requests are processed Monday through Friday by your Housing Supervisor, and work is managed by the Student Housing Services Maintenance Department. Be very careful when inputting your work request. If you select the incorrect residence or input the wrong apartment number, completion of your request may be delayed or workers may be sent to the wrong location. This is costly, and disruptive to other residents. Please remember: if you have a maintenance emergency call 5-1602. You are not permitted to repair electrical, plumbing, heating, security equipment, glass or any other University property, nor are you permitted to contract with vendors outside Student Housing for any such repairs. Window Repair You will be charged the cost of repairing a window if you have broken it. When a window cannot be immediately repaired and there are safety, security, or weather concerns, it is boarded up. The charge for boarding up a window is in addition to the cost of replacing the window and depends upon the day of the week, the time of day, and the location of the window (e.g., ground floor or higher). Plumbing Maintenance To prevent injury to our employees doing repair work, do not use any chemical in the drain for any reason. For repairs, please submit a fix-it request at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit . Conduct Issues The Fundamental Standard has set the standard of conduct for students at Stanford since 1896. It states: Students at Stanford are expected to show both within and without the University such respect for order, morality, personal honor and the rights of others as is demanded of good citizens. Failure to do this will be sufficient cause for removal from the University. By taking occupancy in a residence, you become a member of that residence community and agree to accept the responsibilities and obligations associated with being a good neighbor and citizen. Disturbing noise in or around a residence which infringes on the rights of other residents or members of the University community is not permitted. Guests. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children and guests, and will be held financially accountable for any misconduct on their part. You may have visitors, including overnight guests, in your apartment as long as you occupy your apartment for the duration of their visit and they comply with all University policies and all terms and conditions of the Residence Agreement. You must have the approval of your roommate(s). You must obtain permission from your local residence office for a guest to stay more than three consecutive days or five days total per quarter. Any guest who stays longer than three consecutive days or five days total per quarter is deemed an unauthorized occupant and you will be subject to unauthorized occupancy charges. Smoke-Free Environment Policy. It is the policy of Stanford University that smoking of tobacco products in enclosed buildings and facilities and during indoor or outdoor events on the campus is prohibited. In University residences, this includes all interior common areas, individual rooms and apartments, covered walkways, balconies, outdoor areas where smoke may drift into buildings, and during organized indoor or outdoor events. Violations of this policy may result in loss of University housing privileges. Weapons. Dangerous weapons (including but not limited to firearms and knives) and ammunition are prohibited in student residences. If you want to keep a weapon at Stanford, you must store it with Stanford Police Services. Utilities Outages Electrical. In the event of an electrical outage, please turn off all electronic equipment and appliances, especially computers, to avoid any damage due to a power surge when electricity is restored. During an electrical outage use flashlights and not candles. Leave a light on to alert you when power has been restored. According to Pacific Gas and Electric, your refrigerator contents should be fine for a period up to 16 hours as long as you leave the refrigerator door shut. Water. At times it may be necessary to shut off the water to your apartment or building for repair or maintenance work. When you turn the water on after a shutdown, it may gurgle or spit as it comes out of the tap, or it may be discolored or cloudy. The water will return to normal if you run the water for a couple of minutes. Apartment Inventory and Cleanliness Checklist At the time of taking occupancy, each occupant of a room/apartment should read carefully, complete, and return an apartment inventory and cleanliness checklist to your residence office. If you move to another space during the year, be sure to get a new form from your residence office. Please complete the form and return it to your residence office within five days of your arrival. The checklist gives you the opportunity to declare the condition of your room and contents upon moving in and reduces the possibility of your being charged for a pre-existing condition. Y ou are billed for any loss or damage not reported by you on your Apartment Inventory and Cleanliness Checklist when you take occupancy. Storage Your storage options depend on your residence and the time of year. In addition storage is available to all residents through the Stanford Storage Services at http://studentstorage.stanford.edu Academic Year Escondido Village. The low-rise units in Escondido Village have a shared storage room in the building with the exception of apartments in Increment V (Buildings 127-144). Apartments in Increment V do not have storage space outside the apartment. Mid-rise and high-rise apartments have an assigned storage cage in a common storage room on each floor. We recommend that you provide a padlock for your storage cage. All apartment keys should open the storage room in your building/floor. If you have problems accessing your storage with your apartment key or if there are items in your designated storage cage upon your arrival, please contact your Housing Supervisor. Remove all your personal belongings from storage when you leave campus, or they will be discarded so the incoming residents can use the space. There is no storage available in the Studios. Crothers, Crothers Memorial, Rains, Lyman and EV Studios. There is extremely limited storage at Crothers and Crothers Memorial. See your Community Associate or SHSA for access to storage areas in these buildings. There is no storage available in Rains, Lyman and the Escondido Village Studios. Summer Storage for Crothers Hall Residents If you live in Crothers Hall, which closes to students for the summer, the University provides summer storage of personal property including bikes in selected areas of housing. Please contact your CA or SHSA for details and watch for notices with information regarding boxes, charges, hours and locations. All student storage areas must be in compliance with fire codes at all times. Non-compliance will result in closure of the storage area. No on-campus storage is provided for students departing for Stanford programs away from the home campus. Refer to http://studentstorage.stanford.edu for storage info. All stored items must be identified with your name and address. Storage of hazardous materials, including but not limited to flammable materials, toxic chemicals, explosives, and sharp objects, is prohibited. Furniture, major appliances, and empty cardboard boxes may not be stored, and any such items found in storage areas are subject to disposal or removal and storage at your expense. You are responsible for items you store that cause bodily injury or property damage to you, the University or others, or that require environmental compliance measures. The University is not responsible for the loss, damage, or disappearance of any property stored in University residences or left abandoned on University property, including bicycles and appliances. All storage areas must be emptied upon your departure. Anything left behind will be considered abandoned and will be discarded. All rooms and apartments are furnished by the University, except for a limited number of unfurnished apartments in specified areas of Escondido Village. No storage is provided for University or personal furniture. Storage sheds are not permitted. Keys Lock out policy. The following graduate housing lockout system has been in effect since October 1999: Additional keys are issued at no extra charge to all graduate residents for a total of 2 keys for each single student resident and 4 keys for each couple/family resident. Extra keys can be kept in your campus office or in your car, given to a friend or neighbor, or put anywhere else where they will be safe and available to you if you lock yourself out. (Note: they should NOT be put under a doormat, under a flowerpot, or on top of the doorsill burglars know these hiding places far too well.) When you move out, you will be accountable for returning, by the established deadline, all keys checked out to you, or the apartment/room will be rekeyed at your expense. Staff backup on campus to respond to lockouts. Student Housing staff will continue to be on campus and available to let you in from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm Fridays, and weekends from 9 am to 5:30 pm if you cannot find your keys and can show the person your I.D. (See rate information below.) Extended-hours professional backup available on campus if you lock yourself out. A roving security patrol stationed in Escondido Village is available Sunday through Thursday from 8 pm to midnight, and Friday and Saturday* 5:30 pm to 2 am. The patrol will carry a pager, and will be able to let you into your apartment/room if you lock yourself out and you cannot find your keys, and if you can show the person your I.D. (See rate information below.) *Note change in service hours to reflect the weekend as Friday and Saturday. Emergency backup to respond to lockouts during other hours. Student Housing technicians will continue to be on call at all other hours, and can come to campus from their homes to let you in if you lock yourself out and you cannot find your keys. You must show your I.D to be let back into your apartment/room. (Callbacks are extremely costly see rate information below.) Charges for after-hours lockout assistance. Having extra keys should make paid lockout assistance rarely necessary. However, to help defray the costs of staffing for backup assistance in the event you cannot find either your first key or your extra key/s, the following charges will be in effect: 8 am 5 pm Monday Friday except University holidays (no charge to borrow a key from the residence office, and return it the next business day) 5 pm 8 pm Monday Friday except University holidays 9 am 5:30 pm weekends $25 8 pm midnight, Sunday Thursday 5:30 pm 2 am Friday Saturday $75 After midnight Sunday Thursday After 2 am weekends and on University holidays $250 (This is the union-mandated minimum callback pay.) If you lose a key, report it immediately to the residence office and your lock will be rekeyed immediately. Your room/apartment will be rekeyed regardless of where you lost the key, and you will be charged for the cost. If your key is damaged, please turn it in and you will be charged only the replacement cost of the key itself. You may not duplicate your key and only a Student Housing locksmith may alter or repair a lock. Graduate Housing rekey charges range from $70.00 in Crothers/Cro Mem to $200 in Rains Housing . When you move out, you must turn in your keys according to the procedure and deadline specified by your SHSA or your room/apartment will be rekeyed at your expense. Because you are not checked out of your residence until you return your keys to the residence office you will be charged not only for a rekey but also for unauthorized occupancy. (Unauthorized occupancy fees are $175 per day or portion of a day for singles and $225 per day or portion of a day for couples and families). If you have moved out and forgotten to turn in your keys, do not mail them back to campus; the space already will have been rekeyed for the next resident. You are liable for the $175/$225 per day until it has been verified that you are gone. University Access to Rooms The University reserves the right to enter any space at any time in cases of emergency, at the request of a resident or for the purpose of inspection, maintenance, or repair, to accommodate tours by contractors or representatives of visiting schools and organizations and between quarters/semesters. You may not change any lock or place any additional locks on any door of your room, apartment, or residence. In the event of an emergency, the University may remove students belongings for cleaning, repair, storage and/or protection. Inspections Periodic inspections of rooms/apartments are scheduled on a rotating basis throughout the year for the purpose of identifying maintenance needs; ensuring health, safety and cleanliness standards are being maintained; and planning for renovation or refurbishment projects. Prior to the end of each academic term, pre-inspections may be conducted at your request or at the initiative of your Housing Supervisor. Due to the large volume of students vacating residences, it is impractical to schedule individual appointments for pre-inspections or final inspections. However, when we enter your apartment, we will leave notification . After you have vacated your room/apartment, a final inspection is done and any charges for cleaning or damage are billed to you and/or your roommates. Moving Out You must vacate your room/apartment by your move-out deadline, since other residents will be moving in very soon afterwards. If you do not remove all your belongings and turn in your keys at your residence office by the move-out deadline, you will be charged $175 per day or portion of a day for singles and $225 per day or portion of a day for couples and families for unauthorized occupancy. You may also be charged for rekeying the room/apartment - charges range from $70.00 to $200 depending on your residence. A pre-inspection is done of any apartment when a resident files a Termination of Occupancy Card anytime up to dead week. A follow-up inspection is done as quickly as time allows after your keys are turned in. Cleaning by University staff and final inspection is done after the apartment cleaning. You can find additional information at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/gradhousing/moveout.html Lock and Go Program Single students who are leaving the Stanford area for the summer and are contracted for their apartment through the following year may take advantage of the Lock and Go program. Students may leave their belongings in their room/apartment, but turn in their keys at the beginning of the summer term. Rent for the room/apartment is reduced to $500 for the whole summer. This lock and go option is only available to single students who (1) have an assignment that offers a private , locking bedroom, (2) have a contract that extends through the summer in that same residence option, (3) receive a Lottery assignment for the same residence option, and (4) are not in occupancy for the whole summer. This option is not available to students in shared occupancy units such as dormitory double-occupancy apartments. Rooms will be locked and unavailable to any occupants for the formal summer term dates (June 19 - September 1, 2004). Rooms can be unlocked on August 18, 2004 at the earliest. Students who require occupancy within these dates are not eligible for this program, and regular rent will apply. Appliances and Miscellaneous Equipment To prevent overloading electrical circuits and to conserve energy, please limit electrical equipment in rooms to such items as computers, study lamps (task lighting), clocks, stereos, coffee makers, personal vanity items, and other small appliances. These items must be maintained in good operating condition. Appliances with open heating elements, such as hot plates and electric heaters, are prohibited. In addition, large appliances (e.g., full-sized refrigerators) are not permitted in student rooms or common areas and may not be hooked up anywhere outside of your apartment. Air Conditioners are not allowed in University Housing. Hot tubs, saunas and pools (wading, doughboy, etc.) of any size or kind are not allowed within or outside the residences due to the danger and liability they represent. The Stanford community includes people of all ages, ranging from infants and toddlers to elderly people. Stanford University does not supply or install individual washers, dryers, or dishwashers. If you wish to provide your own you need to be aware that you are responsible for installation, removal, and all costs of repairs, damage and replacement of property (ordinary wear and tear excepted) owned by the University or students. We do not endorse any particular rental appliance vendor. Garbage Disposal How To Use Your Garbage Disposal Correctly Turn the cold water on at the kitchen faucet. Turn on the garbage disposal. Dispose of soft food substances only (no fibrous foods or trash). To avoid severe damage, never pour grease of any kind into the disposal. Let food clear disposal. Turn off the garbage disposal. Let water run 15-30 seconds longer to flush the sink lines. Turn off water. Trouble Shooting If your garbage disposal does not turn on when you flip the switch: First, make sure you have followed the directions above, How to Use Your Garbage Disposal Correctly. Second, turn off the switch, then look inside to check for objects blocking the blades. Do not put any kind of metal or hard object in the garbage disposal, such as bones, seeds, etc. Do not stuff your garbage disposal and then turn it on. Third, push the reset button on the bottom of the disposal. If it still does not work, fill out a fix-it request. Stove. While you may line your range burner under pans with tin foil, make sure to keep them clean and free of grease and oil to avoid a fire. Never leave anything on the stove unattended, especially oil! Drains . To prevent injury to our employees doing repair work, do not use any chemical in the drains for any reason . For repairs, please submit a fix-it request at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit. Damage or Loss You are responsible for any damage to or loss of University property in your room/apartment or building in the event there is a common area damage in a studio, mid-rise or high-rise. Removal of any University-owned property from its designated location is reported to the police by Graduate Housing Operations staff. The person responsible must pay for the cost of each item taken and may face University disciplinary action under the Fundamental Standard and/or possible criminal penalties. University disciplinary penalties include loss of University housing privileges. You are responsible for your own, your family members and your guest s negligence or misconduct that results in bodily injury or property damage. If you have received a damage bill, please take care of it immediately. You have 30 days after the date of the billing in which to pay or appeal a student damage bill. Any bill not challenged within 30 days of issuance is no longer subject to review. If you plan to be away from your residence for an extended period of time, make sure someone attends to any billing you may receive. If you need information regarding a billing for cleaning or damage please contact cs.bil@forsythe.stanford.edu. Floor Damage. You are responsible for damage to vinyl or carpeting in your apartment. If the carpet is soiled we will attempt to have it cleaned. If the stains cannot be removed, the carpet will be replaced and you will be billed. All floor covering replacements, both carpet and vinyl, is replaced seam to seam. We do not patch carpeting or vinyl. Wall Damage. If your walls require patching and painting due to damage beyond normal wear and tear (nail or screw holes, large gauges, hooks, etc.) you will be charged not only for repairing the holes but also for corner to corner painting of the entire wall. Do not use nails, screws, bolts, etc. in the walls. (See Modifications, Projects for additional information.) Cleaning and Housekeeping Aesthetic Appearance of Residence Please help maintain a neat and clean appearance of your residence both inside and within the sight of passersby. Do not put foil, cardboard or any other unsightly materials or objects in or on your room/apartment windows, and keep balconies and patios clear. Balconies and patios may not be used to store items, even briefly. Storage sheds are not permitted, nor are television antennas. If, in the judgment of your Housing Supervisor, an item causes a pest or fire hazard or diminishes the appearance of the residence, you will be asked to remove it. If University staff have to remove the item/s, you will be charged. You are responsible for the cleanliness of your room/apartment, emptying personal trash in outdoor dumpsters, and keeping your room/apartment in good order and condition throughout your residency in order to comply with health and safety codes and to minimize deterioration of the facility. If you have room/apartment mates, you are jointly responsible for cleaning common areas of your room, suite, or apartment. Ask your SHSA or Housing Supervisor for the location of the closest dumpster to your apartment. When you move out, your room/apartment must be neat and clean, and all equipment and furniture must be in place and properly assembled. You will be billed for any needed cleaning, for movement and reassembly of furniture, and for removal and disposal of any personal items you abandon. If your roommate(s) move out and you remain in occupancy, you are jointly responsible for cleaning the common areas of your room/apartment before the new roommate(s) assigned to you arrive. You and any remaining or departing roommate(s) will share the cost of any cleaning needed in the common areas. Apartment Cleaning Guide It is your responsibility to clean and maintain your apartment throughout your residency, to avoid deterioration of the facilities. The following guidelines include recommendations about what types of cleaning products to use. Most cleaning charges result when departing students abandon their apartments without returning them to their original condition or from residents failure to clean regularly and thoroughly, causing a buildup of grime that is difficult or impossible to remove. If you share an apartment with another student, you are responsible for cleaning your bedroom, and you and your roommate(s) are collectively responsible for cleaning all the shared areas (e.g., bathroom, kitchen). University staff will clean and sanitize partials as each resident moves out. You will be billed individually for cleaning or damage charges in your bedroom, but you and your roommate(s) will be billed equally for cleaning or damage charges in the shared areas. Cleaning Chemicals Safety Precautions Keep all cleaning chemicals out of children s reach. Always read instructions on cleaning products completely before beginning any work. Do not mix cleaning chemicals, since this can create deadly gases. Make sure you work in a well-ventilated area when using ammonia or other strong cleaners. Always wear rubber gloves to prevent skin contact with cleaning products. Kitchen Countertops: Don t place any hot items such as pots or pans on top of the counters, especially Formica counters, since these items will burn or otherwise damage the countertops. When using a knife to prepare food, use a cutting board. Cutting directly on the Formica countertops can cause permanent damage as well as create an unsanitary condition, and cutting can even scar tile countertops. Wash counters with mild soap and water solution using a clean cloth or sponge and towel dry. Cabinets: Wash inside, outside and around the handles with mild detergent solution. For sticky spots, use a grease cutting solution such as Fantastic or Formula 409. Be careful not to scrub off the paint. Drawers: Empty completely and wipe out with a damp cloth. Remove shelf paper and wash sticky spots. If there is a sticky residue from the shelf paper, use Goof Off or a similar adhesive remover. Wood: Wash with Murphy s Oil Soap and dry. Do not use furniture polish. Paint/Metal Surfaces: Wash with mild detergent and dry. Refrigerator: Wash the inside walls, racks, vegetable drawers, crisper top, and door gasket (the rubber strip around the door.) Wash the outside walls with mild detergent or baking soda solution, rinse thoroughly, and wipe dry. Wash top, sides, front and drip pans that are located behind lower front plate. Do not use sharp objects, hair dryers or other heating elements to loosen ice. Leave the refrigerator on a low setting after cleaning, and close the door. Stove: Wash the top, sides, front, control panel, drip pan, and oven drawer with a cleaning solution to remove grease and marks. Use a non-abrasive cleanser to remove all residue on the drip pans, underneath and on top of the rings (around the coils on top), on the broiler/grill (both sides) and oven racks (both sides). Soak these areas in hot soapy ammonia solution to loosen stubborn residue. Oven: If your apartment has a self-cleaning oven, do not use any chemicals in this type of oven. To clean, just set the self-cleaning cycle. After the oven cools, wipe out all the ashes. Pick up instructions on how to operate the self-cleaning cycle from your Housing Supervisor. If you use an oven cleaner on the racks, remove them from the oven and carefully follow all the directions on the container. Do not spill the cleaner on the exterior chrome, enamel, or kitchen floor, since it will cause damage. Stove hoods/filters (Quillen, Blackwelder, Buildings 127-144 and Rains): Wash stove hood with a cleaning solution/degreaser. Remove and wash filter with hot sudsy water or soak overnight in an ammonia solution. Rinse, let air dry and re-install. Breadboard/cutting board: Wash with a mild soap and water solution. Use lemon juice to remove stains and odors. Sink splash board, metal molding, disposal and chrome fixtures: Wash with a non-abrasive cleanser or cleaning solution. Rinse well and wipe dry to avoid spotting or residue. Do not use steel wool pads on the sink as they will scratch and discolor the porcelain. Bathroom Fan/vent: Brush dust/dirt off, then clean with sponge. Fixtures: Wash the tub, tile, sink, chrome fixtures, toothbrush holder, soap dish, and toilet (bowl, seal, lid, under and behind water tank) with strong detergent solution. Rinse well and wipe dry to avoid spotting and residue. Bath tile may require a soap scum cleaner and stiff brush or scrubber to remove mold and mildew from grout. Soap film, mold and mildew build-up can be prevented with weekly cleaning. Open windows to ventilate. Fiberglass Shower/Tubs: Please use a non-abrasive cleanser only. Use a tile-and-grout cleaning spray. Decals: Remove them with rubbing alcohol or cleaning solution. Possible Cleaning Products* and Supplies Caution: Never mix cleaning products, since this may create poisonous fumes. Do not use more than is recommended on the label. Always use the appropriate product for the job (e.g. don t use oven cleaner to clean the bathtub). Wear rubber gloves when using any of these products. Read labels carefully and follow directions. ITEM PRODUCT BRAND NAME ACCESSORIES sinks, tub counter tops spray cleaner non-abrasive cleanser Lysol Basin, Tub Tile Cleaner Dow Bathroom Cleaner Comet Soft Scrub Formula 409 scrub sponge rust stains on sinks/tubs Zud Barkeeper s Friend scrub sponge toilet bowl toilet bowl cleaner Lysol Bowl Cleaner Vanish toilet bowl brush faucets mirrors windows spray glass cleaner Windex Glass Plus clean cloths paper towels light fixtures window screens floors walls cupboards countertops trash cans all purpose cleaner Spic N Span Lysol Liquid Cleaner Formula 409 sponge clean cloths mop vent fan filters refrigerators white enameled areas of stove stove hoods stove top under burners badly soiled wall all purpose cleaner greasy areas on doors spray degreaser dishwashing soap Formula 409 Fantastic Dawn Joy Palmolive Murphy s Oil Soap scrub sponge green scour pad disinfecting bathroom, kitchen, trash cans disinfectant Lysol Disinfectant Spray Lysol Liquid Cleaner removing mildew in bathroom or kitchen mildew remover Tilex X-14 oven racks (out of oven) oven cleaner cleanser Easy Off Mr. Muscle S.O.S. oven cleaning pads Comet Ajax sponges wire brush newspaper or other protection for surface stove burners ammonia cleanser Parsons Comet green scour pad * List is illustrative only and does not imply that Student Housing endorses these specific products. Floors Linoleum or tile floors: Wash with cleaning solution and rinse to avoid streaking. Remove black marks with Formula 409 or steel wool pads. You do not need to wax the floors for the final inspection. Carpet: Vacuum regularly. Remove spots as soon as possible with carpet cleaner solution. General Cleaning Furniture: Wash vinyl-covered chairs and sofa with mild liquid detergent. Clean crevices and wipe dry. Remove the cushions and vacuum or wipe them underneath with damp sponge. Upholstered furniture: Spot clean, if necessary. Vacuum or clean the crevices and underside with a damp sponge. Wood tables, chairs, dressers and bookcases: Wash all surfaces with Murphy s Oil Soap and wipe dry. Apply furniture polish if needed. Plastic-top furniture: Wash with mild liquid detergent and wipe dry. Drawers: Remove spills, and stains, and any contact paper/adhesive, then wipe with a damp cloth or sponge. Mattress/box springs: Every six months, clean both sides of the mattresses, then rotate mattress for more comfort and evenness. Wipe the frame clean. Drapes: Do not wash the drapes; washing them causes damage, for which you will be charged. If you are concerned about the cleanliness of your window coverings please contact your Housing Supervisor. Screens: Wash the screen and frame with mild liquid detergent to remove dust and grease. Windows/glass doors: Wash with ammonia and water solution or a glass cleaner such as Windex. Use a squeegee to remove the solution and wipe dry with paper towels or newspaper. Wash during the daylight hours, as streaks are hard to see under artificial light. There is a window film on all windows in Studios 1,2, 3, and 4. In order to maintain the effectiveness of this film do not use abrasive materials to clean the film use Windex and a soft paper towel. Walls, baseboards: Dust to remove cobwebs and loose dirt. Wipe down walls using an all-purpose cleaner and hot water solution. Towel dry. (Do not disturb ceilings.) Wipe off the fluorescent light under the kitchen cabinet, but make sure it has been turned off long enough to cool first. Heaters (Convectors): Dust and wash off with damp sponge, then dry. Doors: Wash sides, doorknobs and frames with mild cleaning solution. Closets: Wash shelves, walls, doors with mild cleaning solution and wipe dry. Remove all paper from shelving. Stairs: Whisk broom or vacuum the stairs and treads and then wash with medium strength cleaning solution. Wash wooden rails with Murphy s Oil Soap and wipe dry. Walls: Wash with a mild cleaning solution. Use cleanser such as Formula 409 on black marks or heavy grease and rinse. Wash walls from the top down to avoid streaking. Wash baseboards. Use spackle or other hole filler to fill small nail holes in the walls. Maintenance will fill large nail holes or other excessive damage and will charge you for the repair. Do not use adhesive, masking, or scotch tape on walls, since it will damage the painted surface. Ceilings: Buildings 55-144, Abrams, Barnes, Hulme, Hoskins, McFarland, Quillen and Blackwelder have sprayed acoustical ceilings which must not be disturbed by cleaning or installing plant hangers or hooks for bikes. Patios/Balconies: Remove any personal articles from front and rear patios and balconies, sweep, and damp mop. Standard Cleaning Costs Level I 0 Apartment has been well cleaned. No charge Level II* $125 Substantial cleaning required in kitchen or bathroom. Level III $225 Extensive cleaning required in kitchen and bathroom. Level IV $TBD Determined by time required to clean. *Crothers/Crothers Memorial (dorm room only) Level II = $50.00 Grounds All housing complexes have grounds maintained by the Stanford Grounds Department. You are responsible for keeping your patio, porch or balcony swept clear of leaves and other debris . If you notice areas in need of attention, please let your Housing Supervisor know and he/she will contact Grounds. We also ask your help in keeping litter off the grounds. We spend approximately $200,000 annually to pick up litter! Please do not cut or break any foliage off plants or trees for any reason and do not do any independent planting without the prior approval of your Housing Supervisor. Pets Keeping pets of any kind including fish and caged animals in or about University residences is prohibited. Please do not adopt the feral cats on our campus. If you find an abandoned or wild animal, call Santa Clara County Animal Control at 408-779-4791 or the Cat Network at catnet@forsythe.stanford.edu . For more information visit http://catnet.stanford.edu. If you are found to have a pet, you will be charged $100 per day from the date of discovery until it is permanently removed from campus. You are also charged for the cost of any damage by the pet, including the introduction of fleas into the residence, and for any services required to remove the pet if abandoned by you. Persistent or recurrent violation of this policy will cause you to lose your residence privileges . If you observe a pet in residence please notify your residence office. Plants Please avoid watering your plants in showers, bathtubs or sinks due to the plumbing problems that result. University-provided plants in common areas are professionally maintained please do not pour anything into their pots . Trash Removal Please put your trash in plastic bags ( do not use paper bags ), tie them shut and take them to the dumpsters provided outside your residence. Residents of student apartments are expected to provide their own routine housekeeping supplies and equipment, including vacuum cleaners. Hand Trucks A limited number of small dollies/hand trucks are available at the Graduate Housing Office at 859 Escondido Road and at your local residence office. Hand trucks are lent out on a first come, first served basis for a 24-hour period. In order to borrow a hand truck, you will be required to leave your Stanford ID card at the office until the hand truck is returned. Modifications Modifications (e.g., painting, installing shelves or hooks, adding patio fencing, etc.) are not permitted. Changes undertaken are subject to removal at your expense. All fixtures and improvements to the premises become the property of the University. Residents are not permitted to modify existing interior/exterior walls or to disturb interior ceilings or floors. Painting Picture Hanging We haven t found an adhesive that will not remove paint. Therefore, we encourage you to use pushpins, not tape, and you must not affix sticky stars or other adhesive decorations to the ceiling or elsewhere in your room/apartment. If your walls require patching and painting, you will be charged not only for repairing the holes but also for corner to corner painting of the entire wall. Do not use nails, hooks, bolts or screws in the walls. (See Modifications, Projects for more information.) Flyers and Solicitation Flyers may be posted only on bulletin boards; materials posted anywhere else will be removed . Door-to-door solicitation and posting flyers in residences are not permitted. Students wishing to display merchandise or to conduct informational meetings in residences must have the prior approval of the residence office or senior residence staff person. If an unauthorized solicitor bothers you, please notify the police, 723-9633 (non-emergency number). Parties, Special Events/Community Space Reservations Party or Event Clean-up If you hold a party or other event in any of the community spaces, you are expected to clean up immediately following the event e.g., clean up any spills and stains, discard all debris, restore furniture to its proper configuration in the room, vacuum, dry any wet surfaces, etc. Liquids left on any surface overnight are likely to cause expensive damage. If custodial clean up is required you will be charged. If you move the furniture, please pick it up rather than dragging it across vinyl, wood and carpeted floors and possibly damaging the floor and furniture. If you would like to reserve any of the community spaces, please go to your local residence office where you can check the reservation binder for availability. If you want to rent equipment for special functions such as plays and guest speakers you can rent equipment from Stanford Event Services. Available equipment includes risers, folding chairs, trashcans, tables and bulletin boards. Projects, Food Preparation Cutting Please do not use Exacto-Knives or any other cutting implement on furniture, counters, tables, or any wood, tile, or vinyl surfaces; doing so can cause permanent damage and a substantial cost to you and your roommate(s). If you have an academic project that requires using a sharp implement, contact the Graduate Housing Office to borrow a piece of masonite to cut on. Cutting boards for food preparation may be purchased at any supermarket or hardware store. Posters If you paint posters or other projects, please make sure you thoroughly protect surfaces under and around your work to avoid staining concrete, carpet, stairwells, patios, balconies, etc. Be aware that spray paint drifts a long way in the breeze, and use it well away from anything that shouldn t be painted. Furniture The University provides interior furnishings in residences. None of these furnishings are to be moved outside for any reason because sun and rain ruin the upholstery and wood finish. Residents responsible for leaving furniture outside will be billed the replacement cost. Student Rooms/Apartments All student rooms/apartments come with a standard set of furniture, except for a limited number of unfurnished apartments in Escondido Village. If a furniture item is missing from your room/apartment when you move in notify your Housing Supervisor and note it on your apartment inventory and cleanliness checklist. An extra bed is not provided for children under 2. You must provide a crib for children under 2. Please keep your student room/apartment furniture (including built-ins, bed frames and mattresses) in your room/apartment and do not lend it to anyone. There is no storage available for apartment furniture. When you move out, remember to return all furnishings to the original set-up. Common Areas/Lounges All ping-pong and pool tables, TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc., belong to the residence group. Responsibility for seeing to their repair and maintenance falls to the Community Associates. If you would like to contract for University services to make repairs, please contact your Housing Supervisor. No common room furniture is to be taken to individual apartments or moved outside. Heating When it starts to get cold outside Turning on the heating system at Stanford is not as simple as just adjusting a thermostat or flipping a switch. There are a few separate systems for individual buildings. To turn the heat on throughout housing can take a few days. Before turning on the heat, we want to see a consistent lower temperature for several days in a row and the long-term forecast predicts a consistent temperature. The same applies to turning the heat off when the weather starts to turn warmer. Once the heat is on If you have questions or problems with the heating system, first make sure that your heating system has adequate clear space around it for air circulation. If valves or knobs are broken, fill out a fix-it form online at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit . Do not close radiator valves completely, as this will cause clanging and banging when hot steam hits cold pipes. If your heater does not provide a reasonable temperature, contact your Housing Supervisor. Insurance The University assumes no responsibility and does not provide insurance or any other financial protection for the personal property of residents, their families, or guests . You should obtain your own renter s insurance protection against loss, damage, or theft of your personal property. Lighting Student residences are provided with general, overhead lighting only. Students are expected to provide their own task lighting (e.g., desk lamps) if they want it. However, due to fire hazard and high-energy usage, halogen lighting is prohibited. Any student-provided task lighting must not exceed 150W per fixture. If the bulbs and/or covers of University-provided lighting need replacing, please submit a fix-it request online at http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit . Ceiling light shades can be difficult to remove and can be damaged or cracked if removed improperly. Screen Doors Do not install mailboxes or other fixtures on screen doors. Please push only on the wood portion of the door and not the screen to open it. If damage occurs to the screen, you will be charged the cost to repair it. Computer Clusters All graduate residents have computer clusters available to them. Please check your welcome packet or with your residence office for locations. The use of the computer cluster is governed by Residential Computing s Acceptable Use Policy, which is available at http://rescomp.stanford.edu/about/use.html . To prevent damage to the equipment, avoid taking food or drink into computer rooms. To help ensure the security of the equipment, please make sure the doors are closed and locked at all times. Please do not leave the doors propped open. The furnishings and equipment within the computer clusters are University property and may not be removed from their designated location. In case of missing or damaged equipment, the person responsible must pay for the cost of each item taken and may face University disciplinary action under the Fundamental Standard and/or possible criminal penalties. When the loss or damage cannot be traced to a specific individual, residence funds may be billed to cover the expense. If you have any questions about your computer cluster, contact Residential Computing at http://rescomp.stanford.edu/ . Laundry Rooms Be sure to follow instructions for using laundry machines. When wash and dry cycles are finished remove the clothing promptly from the machines. If any of the equipment malfunctions, please report it to your Housing Supervisor. Student Housing is not responsible for missing items left in the laundry room area. An outside vendor contracted with Student Housing maintains laundry equipment. If you are having trouble with your laundry room card reader please call 723-1611 or email cardtrouble@stanford.edu The University is currently considering a program that would allow unlimited coinless and cardless laundry service charged directly to your student bill. At this printing, the decision is pending. Recycling Recycling has a positive impact on the environment and your rent rate, and we urge you to participate in this important program. Recycling bins are located near dumpsters, by the elevators in Schwab, and throughout the lowrises in Escondido Village. Please do not dump non-recyclable trash in these containers . If you contaminate recycling e.g., cans with junk mail the whole load must be dumped as garbage and the contractor charges the University for the two-hour round-trip to the landfill. Corrugated cardboard is especially valuable, so please always recycle your cardboard. Recycling bins cannot be kept in common areas such as hallways or exits because of fire codes. Recyclable items must be placed within the containers items left beside them will not be picked up. Beverage Containers Bin Will accept: aluminum cans, cleaned aluminum foil, bi-metal and tin cans, rinsed glass bottles and jars, plastic #1 PETE, and plastic #2 HDPE. Will not accept: aerosol containers, frosted glass, mirrors, plastic #3-7, plastic bags, plate glass, test tubes, polystyrene (Styrofoam), Pyrex, or scrap metal. Mixed Paper Bin Will accept: colored paper, computer paper, envelopes (sticky labels and windows are okay), file folders, glossy paper, junk mail, magazines, paperback books, paperboard (e.g., cereal boxes), phone books, shredded paper, and white paper. Staples and metal paper clips are okay. Will not accept: blueprints, corrugated cardboard, food contaminated paper (e.g., pizza boxes), hardback books, newspaper, paper cups, napkins, plates, tissues, or plastic- type papers (used for express mail). No rubber bands or plastic paper clips. Newspaper Bin Will accept: newspaper, newspaper inserts, and time schedules. Will not accept: blueprints, books, magazines, mixed paper, paper bags, or phone books. Corrugated Cardboard Bin Will accept: corrugated cardboard and brown paper bags. Will not accept: blueprints, file folders, food contaminated cardboard (e.g., pizza boxes), paperboard (e.g., cereal boxes), polystyrene or any packing material, waxy or plasticized paperboard, or white or colored paper bags. Please crush all cardboard. Polystyrene may be taken to packaging centers for reuse. Telephone, Television, and Computer Connections Telephone service and cable television service are provided by the University (via Stanford Communication Services) for a fee. Students must provide their own telephone and television sets. While you may use a television antenna inside your apartment, you may not affix any antenna to the exterior of your room, apartment or building. (See Aesthetic Appearance of Residence above.) Applications for service are available when you arrive on campus. Responsibility for charges rests solely with the person to whom service is issued. Students in shared-occupancy apartments are expected to cooperate on the use of service and the payment of installation and monthly charges. It is a federal offense to receive a cable television signal without proper authorization from the cable television service provider. It is also illegal to allow another party to gain access to the cable television signal from your service. The University only provides each subscriber authorization to access cable television service from the service outlet(s) in his/her room/apartment. The University traces any unauthorized reception back to its source and responsible students are deemed in violation of federal law and University policy. The University assumes responsibility for repairs to all interior telephone and cable television and computer wiring that runs inside walls to jacks, in student rooms except when damage to jacks or wiring is caused by the acts of others. In cases where others cause damage, the University performs the repair and charges the cost of the repair to the person or persons responsible. When responsibility cannot be attributed to a specific person, all occupants of the room/apartment are jointly and severally liable for all charges. Due to aesthetic concerns and an agreement with Communication Services, satellite dishes are not allowed. Questions regarding telephone or cable television service should be directed to Communication Services, Forsythe Hall, Stanford, CA 94305-4140, (650) 725-HELP or http://cns.stanford.edu. Questions regarding in-room computer connections should be directed to your Residential Computer Coordinator, http://rescomp.stanford.edu/ Utilities Your rent includes normal water, sewer, electricity, heat, and trash disposal services. You are responsible for paying for all other services or utilities. The University will not be liable for a failure to supply utilities or for an interruption of service. You must comply with University conservation measures and at all times exercise reasonable efforts to conserve resources. Please help conserve water by not washing your car on campus (there are several car washes near campus), limiting your personal use and reporting leaks promptly. Report any flooding immediately by calling 5-1602. Vending Machines Stanford Dining Services contracts with vending machine firms to furnish exclusive service to the entire campus. For this reason, no student groups are permitted to install vending machines of any type. The University is not responsible for money lost in vending machines. Skates and Skateboards Inline skates and roller-skates are not to be used inside any residence, as they damage carpets, hard-surface floors, walls and furniture. They also must not be used on railings, planters, or any other surface not designed for pedestrian, bike, or auto traffic. Skateboards are banned by ordinance from all regions of student housing except Escondido Village. Stanford seems to attract local high school skaters and skateboarders, some of whom have caused thousands of dollars in damage to residential and academic areas of the campus. If you witness such destructive behavior, please notify the police by calling 3-9633, and let your Housing Supervisor know. Vehicles and Parking Battery-operated Vehicles Except for wheelchairs, battery-operated vehicles are not allowed inside residences. Bicycles The California Vehicle Code requires you to obtain a license for your bicycle. Licenses are available at Transportation Programs, 340 Bonair Siding, Stanford, CA 94305. It is important to register your bike at the start of the year so you will be able to demonstrate ownership in the event of theft and recovery. Also, if you do not store your bike in the summer and it is impounded, the only way you can claim it is by producing your registration number and paying a retrieval fee. If your bike has to be removed and it is locked, the lock will be cut and the bike removed at your expense. Bike racks are available throughout housing and are sometimes partially obscured by shrubbery for security and aesthetic reasons. Please do not secure your bike on top of or entwined through plants. Bikes should be locked to the racks to reduce the risk of theft and to ensure that all entrances and walkways are kept clear for foot and wheelchair traffic. Please be aware, though, that no bike rack is theft-proof, and you park your bike at your own risk. Due to fire safety codes covering the safe entrance and exit of residences, bikes must not be left in any interior common areas and, in particular, hallways, walkways and entryways. If bikes are found in these areas, they will be removed. If bikes are locked to any object other than a bike rack or if they are blocking wheelchair access, the locks are cut and the bikes impounded. To avoid being charged at the end of your residency, if you keep your bicycle in your room/apartment or balcony, do not install hooks in the walls or ceilings. During the summer months, the Department of Public Safety, Student Housing, and Facilities Operations remove abandoned bikes from racks in order to maintain an adequate number of secure parking spaces and thereby discourage bicycle theft. Bikes may also be removed from racks that are being relocated due to construction. Housing and Facilities work crews remove the bikes, which are then taken to a Public Safety facility for processing. The bicycles are held for a minimum of 30 days before they are donated to registered charities. During this time, an attempt is made to contact the owners of the bicycles through registration records to ascertain whether they wish to exercise their ownership rights. If you believe your bike may have been removed and you wish to claim it, please contact the Special Services Unit (SSU) at 650-723-0806. If possible, have your bicycle license number handy. Please do not leave your bike on racks when you leave campus, even if only for the summer. Motorcycles All motorcycles and scooters are required to bear permits and may be driven only where automobiles are driven and parked only in automobile parking areas. They are not to be parked in or near bike racks. They are also prohibited in or within 100 feet of any University residence because of fire codes (unless specifically authorized by a sign or other University marking). Police will ticket vehicles found illegally parked. Any vehicle parked inside a building will be impounded and all costs billed to the owner. Parking and Towing of Vehicles Stanford police, who are Santa Clara County Sheriff s Deputies, enforce vehicle-parking regulations. Santa Clara County retains all monies collected from parking citations. Motor or battery-driven vehicles may be kept, operated, and parked on the Stanford campus only in accordance with the rules and regulations established by Stanford University, available from Transportation Programs. You must purchase a parking permit from Transportation Programs to park your car, motorcycle, or scooter. Any vehicle abandoned or stored anywhere on Stanford University property, including but not limited to streets, parking lots, and open areas, will be removed and stored at the owner s expense. If it is not claimed, it will be disposed of by sale, junking, or dismantling in accordance with the provisions of the California Vehicle Code. Any vehicle that is not in running condition or that is left unused for more than one week will be considered abandoned or stored. Any vehicle illegally parked within designated tow-away or disabled-person zones will be ticketed, removed and stored at the owner s expense. Please do not block any dumpster or bollard , even briefly; violators are subject to substantial charges from the University and ticketing and towing by police. Do not drive or park on lawns or pedestrian walkways. The cost to repair landscaping, sprinkler heads, or broken pipes is very high. Storage of gasoline or other fuels within 100 feet of University residences is prohibited. No mechanical or other maintenance work is allowed on boats, cars, motorcycles or other vehicles in residence living areas, in designated parking areas, or in adjacent street areas. See http://www-facilities.stanford.edu/transportation/bonair.html Capital Improvement Program and Graduate Housing Construction Construction in Escondido Village. In 1993, the University began a Capital Improvement Program that includes substantial renovations, asbestos abatement, seismic strengthening, and lead paint management. Radiant heating upgrades may be performed in some Escondido Village low-rises beginning in the fall of 2003 and seismic retrofitting may be performed in Escondido Village high-rise buildings (Blackwelder and Quillen ) in summer 2004. The exact schedule has not been set at the time of this publication. The seismic work may be performed while students are in residence, which may cause some disruption for several days in the summer. Students are advised to expect increased noise, dust, debris and traffic around these projects. Some residents may be required to move to different apartments or to temporarily vacate their apartments while work is underway; however, every effort will be made to perform all work when apartments vacate or in unobtrusive ways while students are in residence. Your Graduate Housing Operations Housing Supervisor or SHSA will provide periodic updates and information about specific capital improvement projects during the year. Websites Graduate Housing Operations: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/gradhousing/index.html Gradhousingadmin@lists.stanford.edu Student Housing Frequently Asked Questions: http://studenthousing.stanford.edu/faq.html Housecleaning Services for student rooms/apartments: http://housecleaning.stanford.edu Student Storage Services: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/summerstorage/ Dry-cleaning and Laundry services: http://fmp-web-2.stanford.edu/countrystore/drycleaning.htm Housing and Dining Services: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/index.html Contains links to Student Housing Services, Housing Assignment Services, Community Housing Services, and more. Stanford Dining: http://dining.stanford.edu Student Housing: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/index.html Fix-it Form: http://goddard.stanford.edu/hds/fixit Submit all non-emergency fix-it requests online. We recommend making this address a bookmark on your computer. Graduate Life Office: http://ww.stanford.edu/group/glo Housing Assignment Services: http://housing.stanford.edu Email: housingassignments@lists.stanford.edu Communication Services: http://cns.stanford.edu Transportation: http://transportation.stanford.edu Capital Improvement Program: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/cip/cip.html Residential Computing: http://rescomp.stanford.edu/ For information and links associated with Residential Computing services in Stanford residences.
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#1 Vacation Rentals Directory Beach Houses Vacation Homes Contact Owners Direct... Home List Your Rental Help Home Owner Login About Us Disclaimer More Vacation Rentals >> World : United States : California : San Diego Area : Carlsbad Carlsbad California Vacation Rentals Presents Cottages By The Sea/Carlsbad-Oceanside Duplex w/ 2 Bedrooms - 1 Bathrooms - Sleeps 4 Email this listing to a friend Vacation Rental Owner/Manager We apologize, this property is no longer listed on our site. We invite you to click on any of the above links to view the many properties we have listed in this area. Vacation Rental Description Ideally situated between Carlsbad Village and Oceanside Harbor, this charming 2 bedroom, 1 bath duplex has a one car garage, and is just 4 blocks from the beach in a relaxed neighborhood setting. Fully furnished including newer Kitchen Appliances, Accessories, and all towels and linens. Vacation Rental Amenities This cozy duplex is clean, bright, and tastefully decorated with a nautical theme, and offers all the amenities of home. For a true California cuisine experience, walk to the Beachbreak Cafe for breakfast before starting out your day in exploration of the many miles of sandy shoreline. The Red and White Market just a few doors down, offers gourmet style meats, cheeses, and fresh fruits and vegetables for barbeques on your own private patio, or perhaps a sunset picnic at the beach. Bicycle, Boating, and Surfing Rentals are all within easy access to the property. For those traveling be car, your own locked garage offers ample storage for bicycles and sports equipment. Activities and Attractions A beautiful lagoon borders this neighborhood offering quick access to Carlbad Village, where you can enjoy the many quaint antique shops, fine dining, and outdoor summer jazz concerts of this charming seaside town. Legoland, Wild Animal Park, and the exciting shops of the Carlbad Company Stores offer activities for every member of the family. Beautiful Golf Courses including Four Seasons and La Costa are within easy access. The Famous Oceanside Pier and Harbor are within walking or biking distance. Downtown San Diego is just a 25 mile drive or you may choose to use The Coaster for efficient and affordable transportation around town. You can pick up a train every 15 minutes from The Carlsbad Station - just 4 blocks away from the property. Meander through country roads to explore the growing new wineries through Escondido and Temeculah. For a memorable cultural experience, visit artsy Laguna -just a 30 minute Ocean Drive on the beautiful Pacific. Vacation Rental Rates 700.00 to 1000.00 PER WEEK /September through April 2000.00 PER MONTH / September through April 900.00 to 1200.00 PER WEEK /May through August 3500.00 a month PER WEEK / May through August Carlsbad California Vacation Rentals Vacation VacationRentals.com is quickly becoming one of the largest and most useful specialized travel site on the internet for finding vacation rental homes. With its intelligent search engine, VacationRentals.com is the easiest place for travelers to find and rent unique vacation rentals including cabins, beach house, villas, bed and breakfasts and other vacation lodging. VacationRentals.com is the most efficient means for owners to promote their rental properties. 1997-2004 VacationRentals.com LLC All Rights Reserved.
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R ENTALS Click on Photo for more pictures. Casa de Carmen y Dan Deluxe cabanas and ocean view apartments for rent by week, or month. There are varying accommodations to choose from and each has its own kitchenette and private bath. This location offers it all: steps away from the beach and easy walk to downtown Zicatela, roof top observation deck with panoramic views, lap pool with nice lounge area, daily maid service, security and comfort. Prices are based on double occupancy. $3000 to $6500 pesos/month -or- $900 to $1900 pesos/week Casa Punta Vista Two bedroom, two bath home located three blocks above the highway in the Playa Zicatela area. New rooftop palapa area with surf viewing tower and great view of The Point. Nice yard for BBQing . Walled, gated, off street parking, secure. AC in the master bedroom. This neighborhood has a nice Mexican flavor. $500 to $600 U.S./month -or- $200 to $250 U.S. /week (plus electric) Departementos Shangri - La Less than one block from Zicatela Beach, Comfortable and quiet, remodeled rooms, new beds and appliances. Apartments have bathrooms, Kitchens with sink, gas stove, refridgerator, 1 or 2 matrimonial bed(s) and room safes. Covered terrace and hammocks overlooking the tropical garden for each unit. FREE WIFI Internet access in all rooms Sleeps 2 - 4 Week $120.00 -- 200.00 U.S. w/ A/C -or- Month $350.00 -- 550.00 U.S. w/A/C Bungalows Santiago Enjoy a taste of Mexico in this small rustic home located in a quaint Mexican neighborhood. The bedroom is on the first floor, the kitchen and bath are on the second floor, and the third floor is for relaxing and enjoying the nice ocean view. From here you are walking distance to the tourist zone, Playa Marinero, Playa Principal, and to the town center. Includes cleaning service once a week. Additional bungalow available. Sleeps 2 High Season $350 U.S. per month -or- $100 U.S. per week Casa Manzanita Enjoy a taste of Mexico in the first floor duplex apartment with one bedroom, one bath, and kitchen. Located 6 blocks above the beach in the Playa Zicatela area. Front and back covered terraces to enjoy our lovely Puerto climate. Access to shared third floor roof top deck for ocean views and sunsets... High Season $3500 pesos/month -or- Low Season $2500 pesos/month Casa Rincon Triplex with one bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor and studio apartment on the 3rd floor. (First floor is rented year round.) Located close to Playa Carrizalillo which is great for swimming and to the Rinconada commercial strip for easy access to small stores, restaurants, and an email cafe. $400 U.S./month per floor -or- $125 U.S./week per floor Cabanas El Maguey Three newly constructed cabanas in Zicatela Beach. Each cabana has a nicely equipped kitchenette with new appliances, colorful tiled bath, combination living/sleeping area and terrace with built in furniture. Short walk to shopping, restaurants, and to the main beach area of Zicatela. Includes cleaning service two times a week. Sleeps 2 - 3 High Season $4000 pesos per month Low season $3000 pesos per month Casa Sol y Luna 2nd Floor Second floor apartment of brand new triplex in the Rinconada area. Colorfully decorated and tastefully tiled throughout. Nicely equipped kitchen, 1 bedroom with KING SIZE bed, covered porch with nice view, short walk to Rinconada commercial zone and to Playa Carrizalillo for swimming and snorkeling. Includes cleaning service once a week. High Season $1085 U.S. /month or $250 U.S./week Low Season $855 U.S./month or $200 U.S./week Casa Sol y Luna 3rd Floor Third floor apartment of brand new triplex in the Rinconada area. Colorfully decorated and tastefully tiled throughout. One bedroom with queen size bed, kitchen, combination kitchen/dining/living area all under palapa roof. Nice view, short walk to Rinconada commercial zone and to Playa Carrizalillo for swimming and snorkeling. Includes cleaning service once a week. High Season $1085 U.S. /month or $250 U.S./week Low Season $855 U.S./month or $200 U.S./week Casa Zicatela Newly constructed 1400 sq. ft. home with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Second floor living area to enjoy the the ocean view and breezes. Located in Zicatela Beach one block from the main surf break. On site caretaker to assure your comfort. Maid service twice a week included and cooking can be arranged for additional fee. TV/VCR included. Sleeps 4 High Season $1000 U.S. per month High Season $400 U.S. per week Casa de La Lily New custom luxury home with 3 kitchens, 3 living areas, 5 bedrooms each with its own full bath. Mosaic work throughout by well know artist. Includes maid service, gardener, pool man, satellite TV and Internet access. Cooking service available upon request. The 2nd and 3rd floors have beautiful ocean view and the 1st floor opens out to porch/garden area overlooking large pool with children's wading area. Located at famous Mexpipe surf break with world class views of the surf and beautiful sunsets. Walk to great restaurants, shopping, and taxis. The property is rented by floor if you need something smaller but a great place to bring a large family or a group of friends. Limit of 10 people. $800 to $1000 U.S./month per floor $350 to $500 U.S./week per floor Casa Linda Enjoy the outstanding views from this well equipped 2 bedroom, 2 bath ocean front home. The open style palapa living area overlooks the newly built swimming pool and garden area. The master suite with king size bed has an ocean view. The upper level palapa area constantly catches the sea breezes and sunset views. Centrally located near the lighthouse for living ease. High Season $1950 US /month -or- $560 US/week Low Season $1150 US /month -or- $395 US/week Casa La Sur Available Two bedroom, two bath bi-level suite with lovely and tropical shared pool area. Convieniently located within walking distance to the tourist area of town and also to the downtown shopping area. View overlooking Playa Zicatela ahead and the mountains to the left from the pleasant 2nd floor terrace. Includes maid service and Internet connection. $1500 US /month -or- $500 US /week Casa La Cruz If you enjoy solitude and unique hill side setting try this two bedroom, 1-1/2 bath home with swimming pool. The kitchen/dining/living area has an open and airy design to enjoy panoramic views of the beach, mountains, and town. Located above the beach at The Point with a 5 to 10 walk for surfing, swimming, or to check out the little palapa restaurants and stores in this quaint area of town. Transportation is recommended for trips to town, shopping, or an evening out as the taxi service is not nearby. Maid service twice a week included. Sleeps 4 - 5 High Season $1900 U.S./month -or- $700 U.S./week Low Season $1500 U.S./month -or- $500 U.S./week Go Back To Top If you would like additional information about any of the properties listed, please email us at info@zicatelaproperties.com [ Home ] [ Zicatela Properties ] [ Sales ] [ Multi-Unit ] [ Vacant Land ] [ Commercial Property ] [ Contact Us ] Zicatela Properties 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved.
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Bernardino Religious Direct TV Television DisCopyLabs Turnkey Software Manufact. Disney Amusement Park/Hotel Diversified Techn. Systs. Instrumentation Systs. Documentum, Inc. Software Dole Food Co. Food Doubletree Hotel (Hilton) Doubletree Inn Hotels (Hilton) Dow Jones & Co., Inc. Inform. Svcs., Publications Dow Jones & Co., Inc., Inform. Svcs., Publications Downey S & L Banking Downey Sav's. & Loan Banking Downey Savings & Loan Banking Downey Savings and Loan Banking DPS Media Group Multimedia Services DR Systems Teleradiology Drummond Medical Group Medical Practice Dryden Center Flight Research DSD Business Systems Acctg. & Business Software Duarte (City) Government Ducommun Aerostructures Aerostructure Components Ductech Technologies Aviation, Aerospace, Tele-Comm's. Duncan Aviation Aircraft Maintenance DV411 Syst's. Integration Components Dynamic Details Printed Circuit Board Mfg. Dynamix Logistics Software Dynapac Product Development E! Networks TV Programming E.B. 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Law Enforcement I S West Internet Service Provider iBASEt Information Based Technology IBM Computers ICG Communications Communications IDM Corp. Real Estate Information IDS Bridge Engnr/Design Software Ikon Office Solutions Office Services & Products iLanguage Language Translation Imageworks (Sony Pictures) Entertainment Impact Software, Inc. Project Management Imperial Beach (City) Government Imperial Cnty. Off. of Educ. Education Imperial County Off. of Educ. Education Imperial County Off. of Education Education Imperial Irrigation Distr. Utility Imperial Valley College Education indiespace Internet Entertainment Marketing Indio (City) Government Industrial Electronic Engnrs. Electronic Displays Infiniti Media Audio,Video Cassette Cases Info Techn. Solutions Financial Systems Infonet Services Corp. Communications InfoPro Info Tech Services Information Resources, Inc. Business Software Systems Information Sciences Inst. Computer & Communics. 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Insurance John Wayne Airport Airport Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Johnson Controls Various Johnson Fain Architects Jones & Stokes Environmental Consulting Josephson Institute of Ethics Character Education Josephson Werdowatz Structural Engineering Svcs. K Designers Home Remodeling KABC Talkradio Radio Kaiser Electroprecision Aerospace, Aviation & Missiles Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Karl Strauss Brewery Brewery Karl Strauss Restaurants Restaurant Kawasaki Motorcycles, ATVs, Watercraft Kay's Bridal Bridal Salon KB Toys Retail Toy Stores KCET Public Television Station Keane Consulting & Custom Software Kellogg's Food Company Kennedy Information Consult.&Recruit. Res'rch &Publ. Kern Community College Dist. Education Kern County Government Kern County Supt. of Schools Education Kern High School Distr. Education Kett Information Systems Software Kiewit Construction Kimberly-Clark Consumer Products Kindred Healthcare Healthcare Kinko's Document Services Kleinfelder Constr. 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