Long,

the weather down here has been cold and it pretty much snowed and drizzeled all day. All in all it has been quite a lowsy day.

My misunderstanding with regards to who you were recommending as a guide. You are right of course with regards to having to be on the look out for those enterprising locals.

Cultural differances aside the locals scams are usually quite obvious to me but then again being constantly on the alert while on vacation usually does not make for a very good one.

I have found that no matter what the culture you find yourself in there is one commonality amound them all and that is the culture of money hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I have also found that other than advances in mankinds technology there is very little new under the sun. The cons and scams of today have all been played out many times and in many different variations before. These scams like extortion, protection, ponzi, bucket shops etc all fail when the light is shined on them.

For instance I have on occasion wondered when staying at one of these resorts in vacation paradise if the mobbing you get by some of the locals when you try to leave the resort grounds is not totally uncalculated by the resort. Afterall I am sure that it has occured to more than one resort manager that it would be far better for his bottom line if he had a captive clientele spending all of there money at the resort than on other attractions hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. If you add the locals cons and schemes into it too then these people can become quite irritating.

Personally I do not nickel and dime it and if the resort offers me what I want at a resonable price then I am more than willing to stay there and do business with them for the convenience they offer.

Speaking of guides down in Mexico, since you seem to be quite knowledgable on the matter and area in question perhaps you could recommend one to me if you happen to know one from your past travels and wish to throw him a little business.

All in my honest opinion of course as always.

Regards,

F.F.