Acapulco, Mexico

A very large resort city on the Pacific with 2 beautiful bays with calm waters, is 200 miles from Mexico City (and at the end of the San Andreas fault). With 2 million people with incredible views and Mexico’s largest beaches and most beautiful hotels. What made this place so popular? Not the A 1616 fort protecting the Spanish from pirates that still stands (opposite our ship) as a historical museum although closed due to recent earthquake damage. The success of Acapulco- the Hollywood people that visited and had homes (and hotels) here in the 50’s (we visited the El Flamingo now a "shrine" to all the stars that stayed there). Also, the Love Boat visited every week and probably didn’t hurt. We visited all 3 areas in a highlights tour, the old town with quaint hotels and restaurants (and of course shopping, which we always avoid). The newer area with large hotels, resorts and taller apartment buildings and the up-and-coming area where there are entire little villages of homes (all with beautiful pools) being built (we could live there if it wasn’t almost as expensive as NB). I had been in Acapulco in 1980 and then in 1995 before the drug and gang wars and corruption that killed tourism from 2007ish until very recently. Finally the area and crime has been cleaned up and they are trying very hard to get tourist back to the area. (photos 1-6)

The highlight was the world-famous cliff divers of La Quebrada that have been diving there since 1934. It might have been the pina colada AND margarita that be both had before 10am while watching a folklore show (maybe that’s why they have siestas) but it was incredible. There were many divers that dove from different heights of the rocky cliffs based upon their skills with the climax being a diver at 140’ above the 42' wide inlet and shallow water, less than 15’ deep. (photos 7-9 and 1 video)

The day’s highlight was back on the ship after a very detailed interesting lecture on coffee production and evolution, with Karen dancing with the Mariachis. (photos 10-13)Read more