Trip Report, 3/11-3/17

Trip report, 3/11-3/17
There was really only one major problem with our third trip to Ixtapa/Zihua: we were only there 6 nights. Need to correct that problem in the future!
We took the 1:05 a.m. Aeromexico flight from Chicago and it went pretty well. My husband was questioning how much money we’d really saved with this schedule as we sat in the Mexico City airport from 5:30-8:30 waiting to board the 9 a.m. flight to Zihua. But after we arrived at the hotel by 10:30 and had our first Coronas by 11:30, his attitude was just fine.
Krystal Hotel: We thought it was a fine place to stay if you don’t want All-Inclusive and plenty of others feel the same way, including some former Dorado Pacifico customers (like us).
Dinners out: Bigotes de Zapata in Ixtapa (great tacos pastor), Daniel’s (fish in parchment, yum), Sunset Bar for drinks and then Paty’s for dinner (fish fajitas, yum again), Chez Arnold on Las Gatas (wonderful service, pescadillas not so good but great shrimp tacos), Chili Beans in Ixtapa (Solaiedo was closed this night, Chili Beans bill was 20 percent too much and we had to complain; and the number of children trying to sell us things was NON-STOP), Nardo’s (awesome, best dinner of the week, best margaritas ever, best staff, please go!), and finally on the last night, we went to Los Braceros early for an order of fish tacos and then later went to Lety’s for coconut shrimp and shrimp in chipotle cream sauce (split two dinners among four of us). That’s what happens when you’re only in town six nights—you double up for dinner. The place on my bucket list we didn’t make was El Manglar.
On the day we went to Las Gatas, we rode the bus to the Elektra store and then walked through the Mercado municipal. It was so fun! My sister in law had never been to I/Z before so we had fun taking her around town. We’d never been to Las Gatas on our previous trips so that was on my bucket list. Enjoyed the snorkeling and wonderful service from our waiter Shey (sp?).
Carnival in Zihua: Would prefer not to be there during this event in the future. The crowds, the traffic, the loud music and everything else got old after the first night we were in town. Missed the usual hum of life around the basketball court in the evenings.
All in all, a great trip. My college-age, blond-haired daughter loved using her Spanish and at places like Nardo’s we had three waiters hovering around us—but they were so fun! Can’t wait to go back, maybe in two years? So many places to visit, so little time.