“They also found a note with a single word written on it: “Zihuatanejo.””
OK, you got me. How about a clue?
Zihuatanejo = “Rosebud”
Or a town in Mexico, per search.
The character says that he wants to go there and open a hotel, fix up a boat so he can take guests out on fishing trips.
The character also says that the Mexicans say that the Pacific Ocean has no memories . A warm place without any memories is what the character yearns for.
The mentioning of the town resulted in the town becoming a tourist destination.
The Shawshank Redemption