Acapulco and it's HOT !
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2006
1
19
29
Trip End
Apr 30, 2006
Acapulco,
Mexico
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Getting out of Tecoman in the morning proved to be a challenge. The town is laid out much like a bowl of spaghetti and the road signs are pretty well non-existent. Asking directions got us even more lost and if it weren't for our GPS showing the Mex 200 and our way to it we'd probably still be there. So eventually we got under way down the road again looking for Teclia. The road takes along the coast haphazardly up and over the many hills and jutting rock cliffs. We eventually see a sign for Playa Tenicita but somehow we miss the turnoff and since it's still early in the day we opt to go to the next beach at Nexpa that Ben & Bev told us was a good sopt and they may be there. We find Nexpa and get on the beach and yet another paradise to behold. After a rought ride on a coblestone and rutted dirt road ride down a very steep incline we see the Playa and Ben & Bev are there as well as a host of oute VW vans and many outher as it's a surfers heaven
Acapulco scene 1
. There's a sopt open right next to Ben & Bev on the beach with a great Palapa beween us. They evidently just got there a few minuites before us as they were just popping there top when we showed up. After lowering the tire pressur to 15 pounds in the rear tire we drove right out in the soft sand and got set up in one of the mose ideallic sites we've been in so far. After a grest sunset, watching the surfers antica Rita made us all a great diner and we all went off to sleep peacefully to the sound of crashing waves just meer meeters from our door steps.In the morning we are greeted to an amazing sunrise with flock of birds from a lagoon nearby. After a slow breakfast and camp breakdown and re-inflating the tires we get off again toward Zihautanejo our next appointed stop. Leaving Ben & Bev there as they will say a few more days then start heading north and maybe we will meet again at EveryBus in April. We get off the Playa and at the entrance to the highway ther's a young fellow looking for a ride south. We agree to give him a lift as far as Playa Azul just before Zihutanerjo. He's from Spain and is spending six monthe in Mexico backpacking around. He's happy for the ride and marvels at our Westy's accommodations.
We arrive in Zihaut late in the afternoon and after some scouting around the few RV parks there we choose the Los Cabanos, a Mex family run spot not far from the hotel crowed beach
Acapulco scene 2
. Los Cabanos has five spots and one is open right next to a Eurovan from Quebec. Andre and Collete are acquaintances we have meet at BusFusion and the Madeline Islands. Across from us are Richard and Carla from Orangeville and they give us a guided tour of the Ziahut shopping and bar scene on Friday morning. We end up becoming good friends and learn a lot about Zihaut from them as they have been there awhile and have been coming back here for years. After suffering the high heat and tight accommodations with no Playa view for two days we decide to get on the road to Pie de la Questa and Acapulco. On the way we stop for lunch at a Pemax station and I change the oil for the second time on this trip. All looks good and we get into Pie de la Questa, just on the northern end of Acapulco, late afternoon. There we meet more friends, Normand and Josie from the Quebec Club. We decide to joint them in the beach front Acapulco Trailer park, which is almost empty due to most tourists heading back north now because of the rising temperatures. Normand and Josie have been here since late November and they have their site looking like home. We find it just right for us also as there is lots of shade provided by the many tall palm trees. On the wide long light tan sandy beach there are good palapas for hanging our hammock. We set up and hang our hammock and open a few cold Cervaza's and another paradise is found. Blue whales are performing acrobatics until a beautiful sunset arrives and we go off to have a shrimp pizza and margaritas at the beach restaurant next to the campground
Acapulco scene 3
. When we get back we find ourselves locked out of the campground as we have not paid yet and did not get the key to the gate. Our friends inside had realized this and left the beach gate open so when we pushed on it it opened. Almost had to spend the night on the beach .......... oh my god !!This morning I've been helping Normand with an electrical problem on his Westy and I eventually had to head off to the COSTO with him to get a new battery. This brings us right into and through downtown, beachfront, Acapulco. What a sight to behold ! Now back at our camp with the breeze blowing it is great as I type in my chair gazing out over a lovely beach with huge waves crashing in on the beach. Not good for swimming here.........far too dangerous ! Rita and I are off now to take the tourist bus into Acapulco to go see the cliff divers and snoop around the BIG city. Later..........
Back from our adventure which included our first ride in one of the many Mex buses and what a spectacle it was, bus ride and divers included. Four Mex dudes in tight black swim trunks make their way through the crowd up and over a retaining wall into the ocean below, swim about a bit then proceed to climb up a near vertical 110 foot shear rock face then once at the top theirs a bunch of hub bub over a loud speaker that we do not understand and the four dudes do some stretching exercises, say some prayers and then dive of the cliff head first
Acapulco scene 4
. First one then two together all from a ledge a few meters down from the top then the fourth one form the highest point. They climb up outta the water, make their way up through the crowd asking for Pesos in exchange for autographs and pictures with them. The really crazy part is the spot of water they jump into is quite small between jetting rocks so their aim must be dead on or ................. ! So that action over we get a taxi ride back to our camp about a half hour away for $12 which include a sight seeing tour of Acapulco at night from some of the higher mountain roads. With a population of some 2,000,000 persons the light show from Acapulco at night is spectacular. Along the road we see many buses and taxis, mostly VW beetles all with neon lights glowing and adding to the bizarre dance of vehicles winding their way along the crowded streets.Monday morning after a walk up and down the beach fighting off the beach dogs we head for Acapulco and the Mercado Central for shopping......again ! Another great bus ride on the Mex bus system is thrilling. These guys give no ground to anyone in their path, pick-up and discharge passengers everywhere and anywhere, the entire roadway is the Bus Stop ! Most if not all have regular horns plus whistle horns so that the driver can whistle at the pretty girls along his path. A powerful sound system is always blaring out some Mexicanna music for our entertainment. Every other car on the road besides the multitude of buses is a VW beetle, usually blue & white used for taxi service
On the Mex bus- 1
. The VW air-cooled engine is alive and well in Mexico being in Beetles, Buses, Things, Variants, and dune buggys which practically cover the streets of Acapulco and it's surrounds. There's not problem finding a taxi here. Everyone driving any kind of vehicle is a taxi and they all let you know it by blowing their whistle horns every two minuites ! We eventually get to the Mercdo and stroll about the tons of goods for sale not buying much then with the hot sun wearing us out we head for Cervaza's and a lite lunch then back to find a but back to Pie de la Questa and our camp. Somehow we get the wrong bus and end up getting the full tilt tour of the back roads of the village of Pie de la Questa which included the side by side passing our our bus with another on a steep incline on this rock laden dirt road where it sure lookes as if there were'nt enough room for one bus to pass let alone two side by side. Wellm the buses pass each other as the two drivers jocky for position and eventually we get back to our beach front camp albiet with a few km walk in the hot mid day sun.Back at camp we relax on the beach with Cervaza's and chat with our camp friends. Jim and Dot, next to us in a right hand drive British city bus they converted to a camper have two Yamaha enduro bikes locked up in a rear compartment, and have been travelling on a worldwide tour since 2000 and will keep on until 2007, seven years on the road in a small 30 foot camper
On the Mex bus- 2
. You can get more details of their adventures and all the countries they have visited thus far at their website: www.beady.com/roundtheworld. Being motorcycle people I got along with them right off. They have been in the Dakar rally. Around the Isle of Mann course and many other famous motor cycle racing venues. So last night we spent quite a bit of time with them story telling. One of their most recent motorcycle adventures was taking their bikes up through he copper canyon, getting lost and spending the night riding around finding their way back to camp ! Obviously they did and what a tale !Us, we're outta here today heading for supply shopping at the Wallmart on the south side of Acapulco about an hour from here. We will camp near there for the night then Wednesday morning we off to Puerto Escondido and hopefully we reach there by evening. We're told it a long hard road with 200 to 300 topes ! Yiles ! More from there if and when we get there. Hasta luego amigos !
