The Reality And The Dream

Is the condo boom of South Florida real or a counterfeit version of life amid luxury in a tropical version of the American Dream? Photo ©Howard Dratch, 2007.

SOBE, South Beach, Miami Beach in what was once the tropical dream, Miami. Here the ship passes the southern tip of the barrier island that has become an urban playground, the center of the lure of the Sun Belt and the America-land theme park of the Caribbean, Central and South American worlds. Here is land's end, what was what was left of the island as island rather than urban development.

Here in Bacalar such things are beginning to happen albeit on a tiny level. This week a real, full-size Caterpillar bulldozer began its dozing across the cove on what had been a pretty piece of land with an abandoned house begun years ago with walls and roof, no floor or windows. The land is being leveled for a building site and rumor (chisme) along the coast road is that it will be "condos". Condos in Mexico could mean a skyscraper or four apartments. Bacalar is not Miami. It is not America.

Hopefully the mortgage crisis which has widened so far and begun to affect other industries and economies, will not stop the growth (the sale of my house is really what is on my mind) and prices of the last vestiges of Mexico's Caribbean coast. Mahajual on the Xcalak penisula near here is now called "The Costa Maya" and is rebuilding after Hurricane Dean's direct hit and devastation. The state government has earmarked large sums (really large in pesos) to rebuild a planned Mahajual as a tourist destination. Bacalar is considered part of this plan.



Sterling Silver version of a "Tiffany inspired" ring for $22 on-line.

Looking at condos and apartments, thinking of cities where I might live there is always the real and the dream and the lines are blurred. A designer jewelry on-line catalog caught my interest. They have many "designer" items that are designer inspired jewelry. Which is to say that they sell copies of luxuriously designed items which may be in less precious materials. ("Is it real - or is it Quanta Bella? Only you will know.......") The prices are highly attractive, as are some of the pieces. I was taken with this mesh ring of stainless steel mesh.