Xcalak (ish-ka-laack) is a sleepy little place tucked in under the radar almost at the end of the eastern side of Mexico. What a place! Most people walk or have bicycles. There are no paved roads. We have been told there are only 300 people who live here. The 3 restaurants that they do have, we think trade which days to be open. There's only 1 open on Sunday afternoon with 1 person working because of the soccer games on tv. It's kinda like stepping back in time. How about 40 yrs ago. There are no stores, groceries or otherwise, just little corner stores that sell small items. We asked a woman at the 1 restaurant how they get their food. She explained there are cars from other villages that come by daily with different things for sale or someone goes to the big city (Chetumal) & brings things back.
The young people running the dive shop/hotel are really cool. They are all ecologically minded, crazy about diving & from all over the world. Reminds me of a cute hippy hobbit. Everyone here is as helpful as can be & always smiling. Why wouldn't they be smiling? They have found something that most of the world doesn't know exists. We can see escaping to a place like this. There is no pretentiousness, no rude people thinking they are better than the next, just down to Earth lovely people.
Code enforcement would have a heyday here. The bare wires hanging with light bulbs at the end, the outside bathrooms & commodes that you cannot flush the paper down (have to put it in the trash next to the commode), no windows - just jalousies made of wood. There is so much that is so simple. How did we get to be such a want, want, want society? The only thing that really matters is what you want in your heart - which, of course is LOVE. To Love one another - whomever we are - is the answer.