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Trip Reviews, Ratings and Comments - Trip Review - Club Oasis Akumal 15
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OUR AKUMAL ADVENTURE, PART 15—SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS
First of all, we would like to thank everyone on this BB and others, who through either posts or e-mails helped us prepare for our trip. Your information and words of encouragement were invaluable in making our vacation enjoyable and enriching. Except for our colds and the zoo upon arrival, we could not have had a better vacation. Thanks also for all your kind comments about our report.
Second, I must compliment again the Adventure Tours representatives in Mexico, who did an outstanding job of guiding and assisting us. Our kudos to Ricardo, Jorge, Paul, Manuel, Dionisio, and the reps at the airport both going and coming.
Third, but by no means third in my heart, I must repeat how wonderful the staff at COA were. All of them worked very hard to ensure that their guests were comfortable and well taken care of. Yes, there were some “things” we were not overly fond of, but the people themselves were the greatest. In addition, almost every resident we met was kind and helpful. The taxi drivers were pleasant and sometimes informative (when asked a question—otherwise they didn’t bother you with idle blather).
CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS
We met and interacted with Mexicans, Spaniards, Guatemalans, Germans, and Americans. All of them were friendly and polite. As I have mentioned, some of the Italians were a bit pushy, but I never had a problem with them, and several were quite pleasant. However, there was an incident at Tulum that nearly set off World War III.
Steve had gone up to the top of the building overlooking the sea. There is not much space up there, but he and several other people were playing nicely together, first one stepping forward to take a photograph or videotape and then backing up to allow the next person to do so. Suddenly, this Italian fellow pushes his way up to the ledge and just stands in front of everybody. Steve, who by this time was getting a little tired of fighting some of the Italians for his food at the buffet, said, “Well, pardon the f**k out of me!” The Italian looked at him rather stupidly, and Steve said, “Yes, you, move!” Still absolutely no comprehension. Steve, thinking about reenacting a Mayan sacrifice, says, “If you don’t move now, I’ll rip your arm off and beat you with the bloody stump!” At this point, the fellow’s friend grabbed his arm and moved him out of harm’s way. One of the guys, not American, who was up on the building with Steve said, “Thank you! I would have liked to say that!” And they all went back to taking photos and filming.
I must say that Steve is not the most patient person in the world. I would probably have handled it differently, with an “excuse” and “prego” to begin with, but the ultimate confrontation might have been the same.
The fact is, some people are just plain rude and inconsiderate wherever they come from. This can get you into big trouble away from home. I think it is also incumbent on the international traveler to know at least a little bit of the local language and something about the country they are visiting. The Italians appeared to be an insular people, self-absorbed and ignorant of their surroundings. Fortunately, Italian is close enough to Spanish that the bartenders and waiters were generally able to cope—in fact, some of them knew some Italian.
I do not mean to offend anyone here, and I’m not trying to be self-righteous, I am just stating some opinions gained from 2 weeks of close observation.
WILDLIFE AND THE CHANGING FACE OF MEXICO
I mentioned the many varieties of wildlife we saw, all of them unfettered and free. We very much enjoyed watching all the birds--white-winged doves, grackles, swifts, orioles, bananaquits, the hawk or eagle, the sea eagle, pelicans, terns, gulls, vultures, and frigate birds. I’m sure I’ve left someone out. The iguanas, geckos, and those funny, long-legged lizards who run on their hind legs were also fun. And, of course, all the fish and other sealife we saw were incredible. But how long will they be around?
The second time Steve went fishing, Jorge headed first north and then south, trying to avoid the rain. As they cruised south, they could see the enormous stretch of the Bahia Principe, a new hotel of some 2,000 rooms. Jorge wondered out loud how many animals had been sacrificed for that giant hotel.
The Yucatan is changing. Cancun itself is a created city, catering to the tourist trade. Playa del Carmen is as busy as a typical American town. Akumal is growing. As more and more visitors have discovered the delightful people and beaches of the Yucatan, the face of paradise is being remodeled into something for the tourists. This is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, the tourist trade provides very welcome income to the locals. On the other, the locals are prostituting themselves for the almighty dollar, losing their uniqueness and culture in the process.
Paradise found has meant the clearing of large tracts of jungle, the destruction of wildlife and habitats, and the introduction of unsavory elements. The reefs and coralheads are being constantly damaged by unthinking people. All too soon, paradise found may become paradise lost, as those of us looking for a different, almost pristine, experience find new territories to manipulate. We are our own worst enemy, demanding all the comforts of home and creating something totally foreign to the environment, while at the same time wanting something “different.”
There are good points, of course. The activities of Hekab Be are allowing youngsters to grow and older people to retain or regain their Mayan heritage and language. The recycling project in Akumal is hopefully having some impact. The efforts to improve the supply and quality of water in the Akumal area may someday bear fruit, not just for the tourists, but for the residents as well.
I just wonder, though, if in 500 years the remains of Bahia Principe and the other resorts will lie as silent and mysterious as the Mayan ruins.
WHAT I THINK A VACATION SHOULD BE
As one gets older, one finds that vacations that are just “fun in the sun” lack something. You go, you get a tan, you come back. But what have you gained? (I know, sometimes one does need to just decompress, but...) Vacations for me now are a pursuit of multicultural learning and, if possible, a giving back of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me.
I learned a lot on this trip. I interacted with many people and exchanged languages and ideas. I also gave back, not only with the donations for Hekab Be and the Children’s Fund, but also in helping the staff and some guests improve their English. With any luck, I managed to ameliorate the image of the “Ugly American.”
We did have a lot of fun and enjoyed ourselves immensely. But I came back not only with a good tan, but an enriched soul as well.
Thank you all so much.
Submitted by: D. Stevens -- dragon5@fullnet.net
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