Lovely sunsets...
Picturesque cemeteries...
Boat-filled piers...
And the beautiful shoreline.
But all is not beautiful on Isla. In fact, there is a LOT on Isla that is not very attractive. We don't see much of it from on-line posters. We mostly see beach shots and glorious sunsets. A few people post pictures of local buildings, but rarely do you see photos of the not so glamorous scenes of the island.Like this place which is right in el centro. My first visit to Isla was in September of 2006. This place looked a little bit better than it does now...but not much.
This is on the same side of the block as La Pena. They rent golf cars in the building to the left.
I call this one "Empty Windows." If I recall correctly, it's a few blocks southwest of the zocalo. I like the architecture and would like to have seen it when it was in good condition.
This is right downtown...I'm sure everyone has passed by it many times.
As is this.
This one's kind of tucked back off the street between two buildings. I want to say it's next to Hemingway's, but I could be wrong about that. It's in that general area, though.
This one was another "tucked back" one...it's across the street from Justicia Social next to new condo construction.
This one is behind the orange house with the white fence posted above.
I'm sure everyone recognizes the little row houses on Lopez Mateos close to the cemetery.
I took this last December before the Malecon was finished. I was walking all over the rubble and rocks to see what was back there.
This would have been a good location for a restaurant...the ocean is right behind me.
South of the zocalo.
This was also taken in the pre-Malecon rubble. I though it was one of those ironic shots...pretty, dainty little panties hanging in not-so-pretty surroundings.
This one is also in el centro.
I can't remember where this is.
I don't think I have to say where this is.
This is in the Colonias near where I stayed at Casa Laguna.
In my humble opinion, it's all a part of what makes Isla special, and I'll take the bad with the good any day.
7 comments:
I agree..take the bad with the good anyday!
I'm not so sure the bad is bad. For me as habitation, claro que si. But for those with simple needs, who spend 18 hours a day outside, returning to a little hovel can be quite comforting.
When in need of a reality check, I go up the street to visit a neighbor who has cancer and sells Fuller products to have some cash flow.
She has no money to speak of and does not consider herself poor.
She picks sour orange leaves for me to make soporific tea. I bring her carrot juice for her cancer.
Our dogs play together, we talk about her childhood. She throws parties for her grandkids, who live in nicer places. We need the ying for the yang, I think.
You're right, Zina...it's all relative. I probably shouldn't have used the word, "bad" because I certainly don't think of anything on Isla that way...except for maybe Senor Frog. :-/
Maybe "not for the tourists" would have been a better word. Every coin has two sides, doesn't it.
Once the malecon was complete, I took a walk and saw the "backside" of many houses that I had never seen before. Not pretty. I did notice that many used to be cantinas or little restaurants. Now decaying with life moving on to Hidalgo. Such a pity that the malecon cannot be renovated to include these little shops and restaurants again. It would be so lovely to have breakfast or dinner along the malecon. A missed opportunity I think.
Great images Deb. Nicely seen.
Thanks, Scott.
I agree, Wayne. M&J's is the only place along there. What a shame considering the view.
Deb...Love all the shots. I know when I am walking around looking different buildings, I try to picture what they looked like in their beginnings.
I agree with Wayne about the Malecon businesses. Although, where I live on Isla, it would create a lot more traffic past our place.
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