La AnticipáZIHón Premiada

https://youtu.be/YXdPAqtUh5Q

Our stroll on Friday night to the pier revealed that after six months slogging through dust and mud to reach the pier, it finally occurred to the municipal government to put a temporary wooden walkway along the worst part of the path and to fill in the areas that had been the most uneven and difficult to walk. Not for those of us who use the pier every day, but for the mayor and her guests who were coming for the arrival of the Armada de México's tall ship Cuauhtémoc. How considerate. The pier also got the maintenance it had been lacking for months, with workers working all day and through the night to do what they should've been doing for weeks in advance. But all it takes is a politician seeking a photo op to get months of maintenance done in one night. The walkways on the downtown streets were also painted at the last minute, ruining our workday since they closed the street and the smell of the paint was overwhelming, so we had to close the boutique. What a considerate municipal government we have. The blaring speakers they set up and played disco music with along the waterfront walkway during our siesta were a reminder how much they respect local culture and our people.

A cool Friday evening became a warm and humid Saturday morning. The air was heavy, and clouds partially covered the early morning sun. There was NO breeze. There were groups of tourists fresh off their buses with their suitcases and coolers, awaiting water taxis to Las Gatas along with locals all over the place awaiting the arrival of the Cuauhtémoc, El Caballero de los Mares, originally scheduled to arrive in Zihuatanejo Bay at 8AM but delayed until 9AM. As I strained to see the bowsprit coming around the point, I was shocked to see the tall masts towering over the hill first. It was much bigger than I expected! At the waterline she's 67.22 meters in length, but with the bowsprit she's 90.5 meters, and she has a beam of 12 meters. She displaces 1,800 tons and carries a crew of 185 sailors and officers. She glided into the bay slowly accompanied by 3 other naval support vessels. The crossbeams on her 3 tall masts were manned with sailors standing in their typical greeting as they always do when they enter a port. I'd hoped she would anchor in the center of the bay and give me a better view, but she stayed on the far side of the bay, heading towards La Ropa and turning in front of Capricho del Rey with the help of one of the support vessels. I don't have a telephoto lens on my old iPhone, so my photos turned out pretty bad.

After all the protocol with the politicians was over, the ship was opened to the public for tours, tickets bedamned. All you had to do was line up at the pier. The ship was open until 5PM, and it will also be open for tours this Sunday from 10AM until 5PM. No ticket necessary and no cost except 100 pesos for the water taxi.

Sunday is Día de Los Angelitos when we remember the young people in our family who passed away before reaching adulthood. A heart-wrenching day for our family as it is for many others, which is why we don't see this as a festive occasion like so many other people do. There is nothing celebratory about it for us. Monday is Dia de Muertos when we will visit the panteón to lay flowers on the tombs of deceased family members and friends whose tombs we've had spruced up for the occasion.

One of the nicer more affordable vacation rentals in La Madera neighborhood is Casa Linda & Casa Adelita, one located atop the small hill at La Madera with views of the bay and town, the other on peaceful Calle Adelita. The first with three apartments, the second with four. They can be rented all together or individually, each beautifully decorated with Mexican handcrafts, and they share a pool and Jazuzzi. One and two bedrooms, some with sofa beds. All with full kitchens, living area, balconies, and shared access to a garden with BBQ facilities as well as the rooftop terrace. (click to enlarge photo)
Zihuatanejo Vacation Rentals

¡Cuidemos nuestro patrimonio!
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El buque escuela ARM Cuauhtémoc en la bahía de Zihuatanejo por la primera vez.