Thoughts After Vacation...

We got back from Puerto Vallarta Jalisco, Mexico on Sunday. Part of me was glad to leave Mexico and come home. The part of me that finally relaxed was wary of coming home, back to the stress of work, life, etc. I have such mixed feelings about the trip. In some ways it was a very beautiful place. I enjoyed all of the lush greenery around the hotel, but that was artifically induced. Outside of the resort communities the landscape is pretty dry. PV hasn't seen any rain since November. We went there at the beginning of the "rainy season," but no rain yet. You could certainly feel the humidity. That hit us like a brick the minute we deplaned.

It's sad to see such disparity between the rich and the poor. I have to say though, the people in PV and the surrounding towns really know how to make due and enjoy their lives. They aren't caught up in the race for things, status, etc. Everyone we got to know there loves their job. They are so happy, despite a crippled economy. Tourism has come to a screeching halt due to the swine flu pandemic. That makes them upset. They are peeved at the media hype. I don't know if it's hype, but it affected them nonetheless.

We met so many people there that work for straight tips - something that enfuriated me. We were constantly baraged with people that had their hands out due to necessity. It made me very uncomfortable. Everywhere you went and everything you did required multiple tips. Why don't these people get paid? We went on several tours and all of the "employees" worked for tips only. The tour companies charged alot of money, had free labor and very little overhead - probably Americans! I found myself in an internal tug-of-war as a result. I don't know if I can go back and support the exploitation of such wonderful people.

I suspect that the exploitation is what has caused the new wave of "begging" by the street hawkers. Everywhere you go there are people that can book your tours. They don't actually book the tours, but you think that's what they are up to until the little pad of paper with a hotel logo comes out. If you just sit in on a 90 minute timeshare presentation you can get these tours for free. Well, there's no such thing as a free lunch. We learned that the hard way.

If you submit yourself to these presentations you are in for the hardest sell of your life. These big marketing companies that the local resorts contract with have come up with an excellent scheme. And a scheme it is! It's more like a big fat fraud... More later. I have to go to work. Sorry!