Well, my battery is dead on my camera, and I forgot my charger. For those of you who know me, this should not be a surprise.

Hopefully, I can find a charger in Merida for our second week.

The loss of the battery, however, is the perfect segue into the concept we discussed today: the tourist gaze.

In case you are interested in why this is a class and not a "vacation," we've started a discussion of the tourist gaze (Urry). This idea suggests that media create the images in our heads about place, which shape our experience. So, for example, for those of you who are Stateside, the images you hear about Mexico are likely 1) violence/drug trade, 2) illegal immigration and 3) the Mayan Riviera (Cancun and Cozumel -- the places for what is known for what is called "sun, sand, and sex" tourism.)

The tourist gaze suggests that the media shape our expectations and desires for Mexico. Students looked at news articles, travel guide books and official websites about the Yucatan before the trip, and the three items above dominated the mediated narratives about Mexico. There was no mention of Puerto Morelos, the little fishing village we are staying in between the tourist destinations of Cancun and Tulum. There is little mention of the contemporary Mayan people and culture.

Why do media sell the narratives they sell? Why these and not others? What are the social implications of the "images in our heads" about places and people?

Some things to ponder....

Hasta luego.