Despite the economy

I spent the better part of the weekend in a small beach town called Progresso.  Progresso is about 20 minutes north of Merida, so it is an easy bus ride to get to the beach.  The town of Progresso originally began because it was the closest port to Merida.  But over many years, the town has grown to become its own entity.

We spent a lot of time in Progresso last year because it is the closest beach to our home, but this weekend was the first time I've been this year.  It was amazing to see the differences that the town has made in even the past year.

Progresso has become a popular destination for cruise lines, providing a huge influx in the number of tourists and the amount of money that Progresso receives.  In the past year, they have added new buildings, finished paving streets and cleaned up the beach.  I was amazed at the changes.  Perhaps the most striking difference was that there were no longer stray dogs running the beach. 

We went to Progresso both Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday, there was a cruise ship that brought not only a mountain of tourists, but a mountain of vendors as well.  There were so many vendors walking the beaches, yelling at you from the street, trying to get you to have a massage, etc.  It was a little frustrating for someone who is trying to learn spanish because they all assumed we were with the boat.

On Sunday, there wasn't a cruise ship and the vendors had nearly all disappeared so the beach was actually pretty relaxing.  Sunday brought a mountain of Mexicans to the beach, because they all knew the boat wouldn't be there.  I'll have to remember this tip the next time I travel to Progresso.

My Lesson of the Day: Despite a bad economy, many Americans are still finding a way to travel.