Cozumel = "hell on earth?!"

[94GTStang]

Fortunately, the cruise ships seem to have all decided to pull out at the same time, about 5-7PM. This leaves the town nice and quiet for the leftover riff-raff and divers. I won't go to town during the day anymore, I too find myself apologizing for the jerks.
We stay a FA, specifically for the AI. It mostly pays for itself for breakfast, lunch and drinks. We've stayed there so often we know pretty much everyone on staff, so we get the small hotel vibe from the place. It's nice being welcomed back.
Coz may not be bathed in the unspoiled purity that people like to remember, but what is? Everyone of us changes a place whenever we go. I'm sure there are a few on SB who can truly afford to get off the beaten path: I can't. So I like Coz, warts, Wilma and all.

x's 2

I hate going into town with all the gringo tourists. Each time we go we always see the locals getting into it with the pod people. Some kids broke a smoking pipe and claimed it was already like that. We of course witnessed it happen. Then they mutter "f-ing Mexicans".
Then last year we saw a group of pod people get stopped by the policia because they broke a scooter and wouldn't pay for that either.
That's when we just head to Mezcalitos and sit in the sand till they leave. Coz is a much much better place when the pod people leave

 

[Tigerman]

x's 2

I hate going into town with all the gringo tourists. Each time we go we always see the locals getting into it with the pod people. Some kids broke a smoking pipe and claimed it was already like that. We of course witnessed it happen. Then they mutter "f-ing Mexicans".
Then last year we saw a group of pod people get stopped by the policia because they broke a scooter and wouldn't pay for that either.
That's when we just head to Mezcalitos and sit in the sand till they leave. Coz is a much much better place when the pod people leave

Thats just like driving your car, cursing all the morons who have to drive around (and have no skill at it) at the same time as you...

 

[Diver Kat]

Hi Kat, The Austinites can just join the Houston crowd, what do you think? I am ready to go....you are going soon, yes? Let's see, we jump on a plane and we are there in a few hours.. I can deal with it. Sue

Hey Sue!! I'm going to HELL first thing in the morning!! Can't wait to 'BURN' there!

 

[Sue Sue]

Hey Sue!! I'm going to HELL first thing in the morning!! Can't wait to 'BURN' there!

Ah, Kat, you got that right and I am happy for you . My turn in May :luxhello: Have a great time. Sue

 

[Christi]

x's 2

I hate going into town with all the gringo tourists.

Uh, I hate to break it to you...but you ARE a gringo tourist. You're just a land based one

And I've seen just as many land based gringo tourists behaving badly as I have "pod people" acting badly.

 

[94GTStang]

Uh, I hate to break it to you...but you ARE a gringo tourist. You're just a land based one

And I've seen just as many land based gringo tourists behaving badly as I have "pod people" acting badly.

Yea I know I'm a gringo tourist and I'm sure there are plenty of non cruise ship people that do act up on the island and elsewhere. Heck, each time I was in Spain there was always an American I saw that thought they should be waited on hand and foot because they were Americans. However, I've noticed that a lot of the people that actually book a trip to Coz are really down to Earth and easy going people. Look at the people that have came into this thread. Good people here. I was just basing my opinion on what I've seen while the ships were in port as opposed to what I've seen when they were not.

I at least feel that I take part in and respect the Island's culture and people. Practice my years of Spanish and just treat people how I like to be treated.

 

[Noboundaries]

My wife and I are new divers so we only have a penny's worth of experience to add to the discussion. Our backyard is California's north coast, a cold, dark place where good vis is 20 feet in predominately green, kelp-forested water. 3-10 feet vis is more the average based upon our experience. We don't have coral reefs, we have submerged rocks that are called reefs, but they are covered with some really interesting sea life. That's the basis for our dive comparison to Cozumel.

We dove Cozumel for the first time the week after Thanksgiving 2007. Prior to arriving we'd heard that the reefs suffered dramatically from the hurricanes. We did see damage (see coral graveyard pic attachment), but we also found massive coral towers, beautiful swim throughs, abundant reef life, and 100 foot visibilities.

Diving in California has taught me one thing; focus on the little details when diving and you'll find beauty everywhere you dive. The big picture might not be visually compelling (although it was in Cozumel), but the little picture tells a dramatic story of life and survival below the waves.

The beautiful people of Cozumel share a similar story above the waves, adapting to the cruise ship tourist trade to survive. The cruise ship culture is the big picture and it is necessary for the economy to remain healthy, but it isn't a compelling story. When the boats depart though, that's when the little things really come to life and the genuine beauty is found in the smiles and culture of the residents.

 

[miketsp]

If it wasn't for the diving Coz would be one of the last places on this earth that I'd go back to and that's saying something because I've worked in over 20 countries and visited others.

From the sheer aggressiveness of the counter staff in the shops to the obvious expectation and pressure to receive a fat tip for even shoddy or almost non-existent service. Although this latter can obviously be put down to the American influence. Thank God there aren't too many Americans in Cuba or that place would be ruined too.

 

[blackhat72]

I'm only a newbie at diving, and pretty much a newbie at international travel in recent years, so I have to qualify my comments on that basis.

My wife and I just got back from our first trip to Coz last week. I really enjoyed the diving. The only comparisons I have are the "reefs" and wrecks off Freeport and the Cat Cay area of the Bahamas. I can't speak of comparisons to GBR or Truk or Hawaii or Fiji or any other grand sites. I can't afford a trip like that in either dollars or time. GBI, Coz, Roatan, and Bimini I can afford. I can be blowing bubbles the same day as I leave home.

The wife is a non-swimmer, non-diver, and she can get seasick in the tub. She said she'd be interested to go back. There was enough for her to do to stay occupied while I blew bubbles. She prefered Coz to Freeport because there seemed to be more to do.

I liked Coz when I could get away from the waterfront and the turista sites. Get back a few streets and prices dropped, food was better, and the local people weren't quite so interested in your wallet. We drove to the "other side" one afternoon and couldn't believe the difference. Stopped and got iced coconuts instead of cerveza or sodas.

We stayed at a dive hotel south of town. The people there were friendly and helpful. They tolerated my bad Spanish and helped me improve it. We'd go to town for dinner and found several nice, off the path restaurants (and I still have more exploring to do). I like the Mission restaurant, good food and low priced.

I can go to McDonald's, Starbucks, Burger King and Subway here.

I expect that I'll go back with the kids for a week and stay in a house next time. I can dive, they can snorkle, we can go to the other side, I can practice my bad Spanish.

Is Coz my favorite? No. Would I go back? You bet. Do I have a favorite travel (dive) place? No. Have I been to "Hell on Earth"? Not yet.

 

[scubawife]

I can go to McDonald's, Starbucks, Burger King and Subway here.

I don't go to them at home so I have absolutely no interest while on vacation, regardless of where.

Funny though that in Cozumel in the evening we see McDonald's full with Mexican families. I have friends on the mainland who were thrilled to get a Subway in Tulum.

We go away and want something different then we have at home. American brands are all over the world and not just for the consumption of American tourists. There's McDonald's in Russia, Australia, China... so why not in Mexico?