The beach was ours!
There was a small restaurant at the
hotel, which we shared with a donkey that seemed to roam the beach.
We named her Donkey Jote; she visited us four times in our two
days there.
We had to drive 30 minutes to Ixtapa to get money to pay for the hotel and on the way back, we stopped at a roadside fish restaurant for our anniversary dinner:
The waiter came to the table with three fish on a platter and asked us which one we wanted: for $25 we would get a dinner for four. With our Mexican beers, it was a perfect anniversary dinner. The fish was grilled, along with pieces of octopus, squid, shrimp, and scallops. We were also served perfect rice, toasted bread, and a small pile of steamed vegetables.
Back to the hotel for a sunset walk on the beach and a refreshing dip in the pool.
The beach was still ours the next morning. Surfers were out catching the waves, along with pelicans and frigate birds. We found hermit crabs to play with.
With the pool right next to the restaurant, we could order dinner, swim for awhile, and then eat in our swimming suits (and drink some more Mexican beer).
In a guidebook, we found an old hotel on a quiet bay: the Boca Chica.
View from our terrace, really quite idyllic:
Here was the "quiet" cove we were on: full of umbrellas, chairs, and people.
We snorkled in the shallow water in the cove; it was the first time the kids had seen tropical fish. The crabs made it risky to climb on the rocks to get in (they are hungry for toes!) so we just had to jump in and start swimming.
One of the most famous features of Acapulco is the cliff divers, so we had to go see them.
We had to drive 30 minutes to Ixtapa to get money to pay for the hotel and on the way back, we stopped at a roadside fish restaurant for our anniversary dinner:
The waiter came to the table with three fish on a platter and asked us which one we wanted: for $25 we would get a dinner for four. With our Mexican beers, it was a perfect anniversary dinner. The fish was grilled, along with pieces of octopus, squid, shrimp, and scallops. We were also served perfect rice, toasted bread, and a small pile of steamed vegetables.
Back to the hotel for a sunset walk on the beach and a refreshing dip in the pool.
The beach was still ours the next morning. Surfers were out catching the waves, along with pelicans and frigate birds. We found hermit crabs to play with.
With the pool right next to the restaurant, we could order dinner, swim for awhile, and then eat in our swimming suits (and drink some more Mexican beer).
For reasons that aren't quite clear, we decided to drive south to
Acapulco. We knew we'd never be this close again and we wanted to
see what all the fuss was about. Sarah needed a new swimsuit and
Helen really wanted her to get one in Acapulco (we never did: all the
suits were pretty risque or too odd: a camouflage bikini?).
In a guidebook, we found an old hotel on a quiet bay: the Boca Chica.
View from our terrace, really quite idyllic:
Here was the "quiet" cove we were on: full of umbrellas, chairs, and people.
We snorkled in the shallow water in the cove; it was the first time the kids had seen tropical fish. The crabs made it risky to climb on the rocks to get in (they are hungry for toes!) so we just had to jump in and start swimming.
One of the most famous features of Acapulco is the cliff divers, so we had to go see them.
They climb the rock face opposite the
viewing platform where a crowd had gathered; they make a big deal of
crossing themselves in front of each of two alters at the top and
kissing the statues inside. Then, one by one, they wait for waves
to be just right and they dive into a narrow chasm and the ocean below.
This shows the cliff that they climb, the alters at the top, and the
chasm they dive in to.
Mexico wakes up slowly so the early morning (any time before about
10:00) is peaceful: dogs and pigeons cleaned up the beaches, early
morning runners dotted the beach.
We drove to the beaches with the big hotels, where all the rich and famous people stay.
This shows the cliff that they climb, the alters at the top, and the
chasm they dive in to.
We returned to our "quiet cove" to find it empty so the kids played in the waves while we watched the moon rise above the ocean.
We drove to the beaches with the big hotels, where all the rich and famous people stay.
On the way home, we visited a mountain
town called Taxco, known for its handcrafts and silver. Like
Guanajuato, it is situated on a hillside and houses precariously climb
the slopes. Unlike Guanajuato, where the houses were brightly
colored, all the houses of Taxco are white with red roofs.
We found a hotel (Loma Linda) with rooms that overlook the deep valley below.
This is the view from our shower:
Here is a set of pictures that Margaret took of the market and streets:
Many shops have big bags of dog food right by the door; you can buy food by the pound (or less), but we wondered how many street dogs just stick their heads into the bags for a snack. Here is a stall of beans and dog food:
We learned where all of the old VW bugs have gone: to Mexico. In Taxco, they are used as taxis:
As usual, the town center is marked by the cathedral.
We found a hotel (Loma Linda) with rooms that overlook the deep valley below.
This is the view from our shower:
Here is a set of pictures that Margaret took of the market and streets:
Many shops have big bags of dog food right by the door; you can buy food by the pound (or less), but we wondered how many street dogs just stick their heads into the bags for a snack. Here is a stall of beans and dog food:
We learned where all of the old VW bugs have gone: to Mexico. In Taxco, they are used as taxis:
As usual, the town center is marked by the cathedral.