Change Comes To Bacalar

Bacalar is a small but rapidly growing village near the frontier with Belize and about 40 miles from the Caribbean coast which is being called The Costa Maya.

Quickly the old houses and Mayan life-style are giving way to the modern world. I have already written here and on Blogcritics Magazine of how "Mexico's Crackdown On Drug Violence Came To My Door Today".

Federal agents continue to heavily patrol this part of the state after the wave of violence from Cancun to Chetumal. The discovery of a weapons and an ammunition cache (the explosive, body-armor piercing variety) two houses away from me have galvanized authorities.

It is the problem with having been "discovered". A lot of evil people came with the "discovery".

The new houses that are being built in the town and on the edges of the jungle opened by the new federal highway are cement with glass windows, electricity and running water. But that level of modernity comes at a price. The old ways will have to give way to new.

Even now Chetumal, the nearby small city, is seeing more international-styled stores and malls ( a new Sam's Club, an enclosed mall with an Office Depot and America's export of ill-health, McDonald's and Burger King). More offices and businesses keeping hours that don't include the 3-4 hour siesta this sweaty climate had always adopted.

I am working hard, although I wonder exactly why, to re-design this site into something more uniquely mine and with far better image galleries than Blogger, for all its ease and solidity, can offer.

I have been playing with Dreamweaver and Photoshop and thinking of finally deciding on a domain name and getting a host. We shall see. It is energy of which I have so little and a "learning curve" that taxes my ancient geekiness to its small limits. Or I can quit and spend the time and energy on more profitable enerprises. Now that my cataracts have been removed from my right eye I can photograph again. It has been too long. Slowly I begin to shoot again.

Mexico
Photography
Laguna Bacalar