Day 13 - Acapulco, Mexico

So I'm currently sitting in the Acapulco port terminal before we board the ship after a day in the city. Emma is finally talking to Marina on a nice long distance call, and while I sit here, my shirt is drenched with sweat. I feel disgusting.

Today's Monday -- and it is today that the residents of Acapulco are celebrating Mother's Day -- or at least that's what all the street vendors are telling us. Not quite sure if they're telling the truth or if they're just trying a new angle to increase sales.

From the ship, Acapulco looks impressive -- hilltop resorts, inviting water and boats galore. But it isn't until after you step across the secure port border that you're attacked by cabbies and "government paid" tourist guides. I'm still not sure which guides were actually sponsored and which were impostors.

We made our way along the harbor shoreline -- past the fisherman fileting this morning's catch near the sidewalk. Each tourist-looking couple we passed along our way said the same thing: Not much to see here. The alternative being paying to watch a lunatic diver jump off a cliff.

So instead, we walked near downtown -- with a pseudo government-sponsored (maybe) guide wouldn't leave our side -- to the Old Market.

The market seems to be one big cooperative with store owners helping in other's stores. As we walked from booth to booth, the owner would turn on the lights and the fan to make sure we were comfortable -- so we'd spend as much time there as possible. And as we walked out, off go the lights and fan. In one store, we were admiring a wood-carved bowl which appeared to be hand-painted and glazed. We started at $75, got it down to $25 and then walked away wondering how much the bowl was actually worth.

We picked up some maracas for Cole and Braydon -- because Sara and Jeremy explicitly asked for a very loud and annoying toy for the boys. <--- sarcasm

After the shopping spree, we headed down to Fuerte de San Diego and museum -- only to find out it was closed on Mondays. Neat.

Did I mention Em did her best to blend into the Mexican culture today -- my petite white girl with the blonde hair wearing a new white dress we bought in Fuerte Amador. My all white companion...

The downtown cathedral is small but vibrant. When we arrived, mass was being held so we quietly observed the ceremony without taking photos or video. Which is a bit of a shame seeing how beautiful the interior of the dome was.

Today was also a change for us. While walking through Cartagena, Em was called "Lady" while bracelets were being thrown at her. But here in Acapulco, the sales pitch changed to "best price for the honeymooners." Oh silly street vendors, how you slay us...

Even though we're only a couple hundred nautical miles from Huatulco, it's amazing to see the difference in cultures. There's of course the Mexican standards (cuisine, music, colors, etc.), but Huatulco was more of a small-town feel. Which we absolutely preferred.

Back on the ship, we somehow managed to take a nap before the Italian-inspired dinner in the dining room.

We arrived at the dining room a little later than usual, so we didn't have our normal wait staff. Instead, we were assigned Jorge -- who would give us a menu -- but then tell us "No, you don't want that. You want this instead." Okay Jorge..

Emma

Appetizer: Eggplant Parmesan

Salad/Soup: Minestrone vegetable soup

Main Course: Pot roast / shrimp to share

Dessert: Tiramisu and rouleau to split

Ryan

Appetizer: Nippy peach soup

Salad/Soup: Minestrone vegetable soup

Main Course: Fish saltimboca and fettuccine / shrimp to share

Dessert: Tiramisu and rouleau to split

I wish I could tell you the dishes' exact names...but Jorge's method didn't really allow for it.

We sat next to an older couple who had sailed with Princess 11 times -- and with an August Alaska trip planned. Watching them interact was great fun -- listening to the wife tell her husband he needed to finish his potatoes and take another bite of his salmon before he could have his Love Boat Dream dessert.

Tonight was also "Island Night" on the top pool deck -- where grandparents take their shirts off, drink alcohol from neon glasses and dance to the macarena without abandon. Which is a trainwreck to watch, but still impressive to see that many people all having fun at the same time. Especially when one of the games that night was called "Chunky Hunky Man" or as we know it: musical chairs.

Walking back to our room, we encountered one Asian lady who may have purchased every pool toy available... as she carried them back to her room. If anything, it was funny. At least it was that night. Very random. Especially since we never saw anybody in the pools with pool toys.

Photos from the Day

Video from the Day

Tomorrow: At Sea