The cruise
As we approached our first stop, Acapulco, the Captain got on the public address system and announced that the police had found 12 decapitated bodies in one of the main squares that morning, but he had decided to dock anyway. He said that these were drug-related killings and that as long as we kept to the main tourist areas we were not in any danger!
This was after he had announced that he had slowed our progress so as to arrive two hours later than scheduled in Acapulco because there was a major political demonstration taking place in the main square close to where we were due to dock. In fact as we approached the harbor we could hear the loud sounds of political speakers shouting into microphones and a large crowd had assembled. Also, a helicopter circled around the downtown area dragging a poster for the particular candidate who organized the rally, a candidate for Governor of Guerrero State.
Naomi and I chose not to go on any of the organized tours, but went walking by ourselves. We went across the main road next to the harbor right into the fortress (actually there were a thousand steps, but we didn't realize that there was a footbridge straight from the dock). The fortress of San Diego has been made into a museum, that tells the history of Acapulco, how it had for several centuries been the main port of New Spain for goods from China shipped thru the Philippines and then to Acapulco across the Pacific and from there to Spain. But, it became less important because of British pirates and when Mexico revolted in 1830 and became independent, the trade stopped and Acapulco became a small village until the American tourist boom started in the 1950's.
From the Fort we walked to the nearby main square, the Zocalo. But, it was small and dirty and the Cathedral was ugly. We walked thru the crowds dispersing from the political rally, but they were good-natured and we had no problem. We stopped to have a meal at a restaurant named "!00% pure" and then took a cab the whole length of the magnificent bay. But, it was so commercialized, it could have been Miami, although not as nice. .
Our next stop was Zihuatanejo (try saying that fast), that was the complete opposite to Acapulco. It was a small town, with mostly two story buildings all in a dark brown color. We walked around the whole of it in a few hours. It had a lovely small bay with palm trees down to the shore, and we had lunch in a seaside cafe. Of course we could have returned to the ship to eat a huge meal, but that lacked the local color.
The next day we stopped at Puerto Vallarta, which was another large city, but much cleaner and nicer than Acapulco, that reminded us of a French-style resort. Here we trolled the shops and bought a few things. We also found a small Naval Museum right by the front and had tea served by ensigns in white uniforms.
Mazatlan was another large city with a huge bay, but once again was very commercialized. We took a cab along the whole front to the "Gold Zone." Everything here was about buying and shopping, mostly in gold and silver. So after a snack at a seaside restaurant we took a cab back to the ship.
Our final port-of-call was Cabo St. Lucas, on the tip of the Baja peninsula. It was a nice Mediterranean-style seaside resort, but had nothing much to distinguish it. The weather was hot here (in the 80's F) and we enjoyed that. When we had arrived in California it had been cold and rainy, and I caught a cold.
After our five stops in 10 days we sailed back to Los Angeles, and luckily the weather had improved by then. The ship itself, the Sapphire Princess, was enormous (2,700 passengers and 1,100 crew). I understand that due to the violence in Mexico, Princess lines is currently not stopping at some of the above ports. Of course we greatly enjoyed the well-prepared and plentiful food, probably eating twice our normal diet. In the evenings we dined formally and enjoyed the smaller meals and the company of two nice couples. We also went to various entertainments, danced, swam and sun-bathed. Altogether a great trip.
This was after he had announced that he had slowed our progress so as to arrive two hours later than scheduled in Acapulco because there was a major political demonstration taking place in the main square close to where we were due to dock. In fact as we approached the harbor we could hear the loud sounds of political speakers shouting into microphones and a large crowd had assembled. Also, a helicopter circled around the downtown area dragging a poster for the particular candidate who organized the rally, a candidate for Governor of Guerrero State.
Naomi and I chose not to go on any of the organized tours, but went walking by ourselves. We went across the main road next to the harbor right into the fortress (actually there were a thousand steps, but we didn't realize that there was a footbridge straight from the dock). The fortress of San Diego has been made into a museum, that tells the history of Acapulco, how it had for several centuries been the main port of New Spain for goods from China shipped thru the Philippines and then to Acapulco across the Pacific and from there to Spain. But, it became less important because of British pirates and when Mexico revolted in 1830 and became independent, the trade stopped and Acapulco became a small village until the American tourist boom started in the 1950's.
From the Fort we walked to the nearby main square, the Zocalo. But, it was small and dirty and the Cathedral was ugly. We walked thru the crowds dispersing from the political rally, but they were good-natured and we had no problem. We stopped to have a meal at a restaurant named "!00% pure" and then took a cab the whole length of the magnificent bay. But, it was so commercialized, it could have been Miami, although not as nice. .
Our next stop was Zihuatanejo (try saying that fast), that was the complete opposite to Acapulco. It was a small town, with mostly two story buildings all in a dark brown color. We walked around the whole of it in a few hours. It had a lovely small bay with palm trees down to the shore, and we had lunch in a seaside cafe. Of course we could have returned to the ship to eat a huge meal, but that lacked the local color.
The next day we stopped at Puerto Vallarta, which was another large city, but much cleaner and nicer than Acapulco, that reminded us of a French-style resort. Here we trolled the shops and bought a few things. We also found a small Naval Museum right by the front and had tea served by ensigns in white uniforms.
Mazatlan was another large city with a huge bay, but once again was very commercialized. We took a cab along the whole front to the "Gold Zone." Everything here was about buying and shopping, mostly in gold and silver. So after a snack at a seaside restaurant we took a cab back to the ship.
Our final port-of-call was Cabo St. Lucas, on the tip of the Baja peninsula. It was a nice Mediterranean-style seaside resort, but had nothing much to distinguish it. The weather was hot here (in the 80's F) and we enjoyed that. When we had arrived in California it had been cold and rainy, and I caught a cold.
After our five stops in 10 days we sailed back to Los Angeles, and luckily the weather had improved by then. The ship itself, the Sapphire Princess, was enormous (2,700 passengers and 1,100 crew). I understand that due to the violence in Mexico, Princess lines is currently not stopping at some of the above ports. Of course we greatly enjoyed the well-prepared and plentiful food, probably eating twice our normal diet. In the evenings we dined formally and enjoyed the smaller meals and the company of two nice couples. We also went to various entertainments, danced, swam and sun-bathed. Altogether a great trip.
posted by Jack Cohen at 7:23 AM
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