Manzanillo, Mexico

New-to-us Port #3

Manzanillo is the self-proclaimed sailfish capital of the world … and that is evident from the statues interspersed around the waterfront … including at the end of the pier.

Disembarking shortly after the ship was cleared at noon, we headed off to the beach. The tourist beaches — in the old hotel zone of Las Brisas and the new hotel zone near the Santiago Peninsula — require transportation … public bus or taxi … both of which are readily available from near the pier.

Instead, we decided to head to San Pedrito, a public beach about 30-minutes away on foot. Seeking shade where we could find it, we came to the beach and rented an umbrella — complete with a table and chairs — from El Marino, one of the restaurants on the beach.

That the place is rustic goes without saying. No food but plenty of “bebidas” (drinks). One of the other restaurants will bring food if you want. We plan to have an early dinner in town, so no worries.

That it is noisy also goes without saying … lots of families with kids enjoying their Sunday on the beach. Add to that the crowing roosters and the surf crashing ashore. No crazy music, though. And the vendors hawking their wares do so quietly, graciously accepting our “no, gracias” without quibble.

Somehow none of this bothers us today. We’re amongst the locals … away from the touristy part of the city. Life is good.Read more