Mexico

Cozumel, Mexico. This is not necessarily the greatest scenic photo I've ever taken but it sure captures the proper mindset of a Mexico trip.

Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. This pyramid was built by the Mayans over a thousand years ago, and is one of the finest achievements of the Mayan Empire. The large hand-carved stones are so perfectly fitted together that I doubt modern computer-controlled equipment could do much better. In the late 1980's we were able to climb down a few levels from the top and squeeze inside through a small opening but couldn't go far because (surprise!) it was really dark in there. That kind of exploration is probably not entirely approved of these days. In fact, recent reports are that you can't even climb the pyramid at all anymore.

Bummer, but understandable.

Acapulco, Mexico. This is La Quebrada in Acapulco, where the famous cliff-divers do their thing. These photos were taken from the patio of the El Mirador Hotel, which wraps around most of the narrow gulley where the divers land, and is the best place to watch the show. In the center-left of the right-hand photo is the leveled rock that divers jump from. Right behind that is a small shrine where the divers pray before each jump, which is probably a good idea. Shows were given twice a day during this visit in 1991 and they always drew in big crowds.

I still love these old-school panoramas made by taping photo prints together side by side - it gives a little more character than modern photo-stitching software.

Wall diving in Cozumel.

Cozumel, Mexico. Diving here was about as adventurous as it got back in the 1980's. A foreign land, cultural and language barriers, beautiful and mostly untouched reefs, sketchy dive boats and operators, deep and sometimes dangerous (and sometimes drunk!) scuba diving. All for rock-bottom prices too. It's the only place I've ever dove where they pass the bottle of tequila around the boat on the way out TO the dive! In spite of some of the hazards, for us Florida divers the 100-ft visibility, shear-vertical wall dives, and rich marine life were almost too good to be true.

The snorkeling's not so bad either...

Lots of these guys roaming about on both coasts of Mexico...

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I've always been a big fan of riding horses on the beach but there are not many places left where you can do it. Mexico is one of those places. Cheap, too.

Make sure to watch the sunset over the Pacific from one of the many beachfront palapas (huts).

Rio Nexpa is a long day's drive from the nearest airport. No luxuries here, just basic Mex food, hammock beds, sand floors, bathe in the ocean and bathrooms in the bushes. And scorpions. But great surf!

My primitive little surf-shack on the beach at Rio Nexpa in 1991. This is a fine left-hand river mouth break on the Pacific coast in central Mexico.

Rio Nexpa, Mexico. One of the best times of day on any west coast surf trip is the sunset happy hour. A group of good (usually new) friends, cold beer, dinner's cooking, and a great light show : what a great way to wind down after a hard day of surfing!