Puerto Penasco Living Magazine

A Perspective on Mexico Travel

By Grant and Judy Mackenzie, Sr.
May 26th, 2009

Sometimes we all need to be reminded to put things in perspective. It happens all the time, something may seem earth shattering in the moment it is occurring and when we have the ability to  stop and look back we think well…maybe we over reacted. Perhaps that's what is happening right now when it comes to Mexico travel and tourism.  

Puerto Penasco Mexico is a beautiful destination 60 miles south of the Arizona border. A quiet little beach town with a population over 50,000(see Wikipedia info) it has had little violent crime and offers beachside relaxation and fishing on the beautiful Sea of Cortez.

It is not close to Mexico City. The capital of Mexico has a population exceeding 22 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world by population according to the United Nations and other organizations.

In fact Puerto Penasco is only 215 miles from Phoenix, Arizona the 5th largest city in the United States. Phoenix is 1,998 miles from Washington DC the capital of the United States and Puerto Penasco is less than 2000 miles from the capital Mexico City. This quiet little seaport town is no closer to the capital of their state capital than Phoenix is to Washington D.C.

Think about it if something happens in Washington DC with violence or murders or swine flu, do we close the borders of the United States? It is our capital, just like Mexico City is Mexico’s capital. When the sniper attacks occurred in the DC suburban area did we close the United States down and send warnings not to visit the US? Certainly no one would have thought to announce any warnings about Phoenix with issues happening in DC? Do other countries close their borders from the US and cancel their trips to all of the United States when something concerning happens in our capital?

Or let us use a smaller more comparable town to Puerto Penasco, Mexico. For this example, how about Show Low, Arizona, a beautiful mountain town with some of the largest Ponderosa Pines in the world and great skiing. Definitely smaller population then Puerto Penasco but a unique tourist destination similar to Rocky Point. So, if we hear about something happening in Show Low will we avoid the entire US or Arizona? For that matter will we cancel our trips to Show Low? Of course not, that sounds ridiculous. Well, then why are we cancelling our beach vacations to Mexico?

In March 2009, a shoot out occurred in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Show Low, Arizona ( see article on murders) . The murders happened right around spring break time and Show Low, Arizona with its rugged high elevation and beautiful mountains is a Spring Break skiing destination…why didn’t universities issue warning about going to Show Low?

Because sometimes bad things happen no matter where you are at in the world.  People get the flu, a horrific shoot out happens at a Wal Mart in a small town, and someone shoots a man on the freeway in Phoenix. Horrible bad things happen in small and large towns every day. Do we stop traveling and stay at home? Of course not. Let’s get some reality.

Perhaps, before you cancel your trips to Mexico, you should understand where you are going and what happens in your own neighborhood and put things in perspective. Think about the 36,000 cases of flu last year in the United States.

As of today, unlike Phoenix, Arizona, there has not been one report of H1N1 previously known as swine flu in the town of Puerto Penasco or the state of Sonora.

What does this mean to you?
 
Plan a weekend road trip to Rocky Point. Go to a laid back place where you can have lunch with the sound of the waves and sit on a blanket under clear skies with millions of stars. Go have some fun in the sun without any smog and clear air.

Go jet skiing, parasailing, swimming, beachcombing, have some margaritas and eat a few yummy tacos. Just returning from a long weekend in Puerto Penasco, the weather was fantastic and the water is at a perfect temperature. The business owners are waiting for you ready to ensure you have a great vacation and hoping tourism picks up, I guarantee you will get spectacular service!

The weather is beautiful, wish you were here!
See you soon! 
Judy and Grant
www.ourrockypointrealtor.com