The Tourist

For my grandparents 50^th anniversary my family vacationed upon the Carnival Cruse Line. The ship sailed through the Gulf of Mexico and stopped for a day some where along the cost of Mexico. I was young at this time, and I can’t remember the place in which we landed, but I do remember some events that happened through out that day.

Waking up that morning, after sailing open waters, the ship was docked and land lay outside the window. My family met up and we fallowed the directions, like cattle, to exit the ship. Eventually we arrived at the waiting line, waiting to be quickly searched and sent on our way into Mexico. This was done in the tent we stepped into as we exited the ship. Once searched, and my family was all together again, we then carried on into a line of open shops all wanting people to buy something right away. We mindlessly shop around for a while, and this was also the first time I bargained down the price of an object with someone. I had known of this idea before, but my grandmother is the master bargainer and she was on a roll. She taught me how achieve the best price for an item. This thrift surprisingly came in handy years later when I was in New York City.

After shopping, my family separated into groups to different activities in different busses. While my grandparents went to do whatever it was they did, my parents went to see the Mayan ruins. My Aunt, Uncle, and I … we went zip lining though the forest. That was amazing. Of course I remember the thrill and excitement from flying from one tree to another, but I also remember the bus ride through the land clearly. Driving though the town it looked similar to any other “bad” side of town I have seen. Everything was very run down and poor. Once we got out of the town the bus drove us down a dirt path to the forest. Everything was green and dirt brown. I felt a connection to this place the most because of the nature. It reminded me of open country, and all those other crazy hippy nature thoughts.

We rode the bus back to the coast after zip lining. My Aunt, Uncle, and I went out on a boat that took us to the reef and we got to see beautiful colored life under the water. That only lasted an hour and then the family met up again at the shore. We went to eat some where, though sadly I don’t remember much about the food. Then we walked around some more shops killing time to go back on to the boat. The day was over and we were tired from the sun and the exciting day.

Reflecting on this experience and knowing what I know now, many years after, where I was in Mexico reminds me of my own home, South Lake Tahoe, California. Outside of the extreme heat and lack of mountains, they both share a vibe with in the town. I was born a local of South Lake Tahoe. I see tourists that come from all over the world different, like outsiders. There is a sense of resentment to these “outsiders”, but I have no other choice than to welcome them. It is their money that I life off. This town is poor with out the money tourists bring in. Going to Mexico the “locals” of that town gave off a vibe of poor lives and struggle just as I feel here on the other side. Mexico definitely reminds me of struggle. Mexico also reminds me of heat, sun, dry dirt. It’s the heat, stucco houses, and struggle that make me think of dryness there. I do not see as much lush beauty of Mexico as I do for South America. South America I think of deep lushes’ rainforests with deep dark secrets and life. Per haps I see South America like this because it is the only place I have heard of that still has a huge span of rain forest, and … I have never been there personally. I do have an urge to go though. Maybe my family and I will have to take another cruse.