Daylight and a few vibrations from the ship--here we are in Zihuatenejo! Oh my goodness, how beautiful--a perfect little cove surrounded by green hills and beautiful villas on the hillside. We see a few stretches of beach--it's hard to tell if they're sandy or rocky--a marina filled with boats, and a small cove with wooden fishing boats beached on the sand. We can't wait to explore.
We tender to shore and walk a few blocks through a quaint little town with a few shops and restaurants to the bus stop. A 15-minute ride--for 35 cents per person--mostly on a highway takes us to Ixtapa. This is the new government endeavor to build hotels (somewhat like Cancun 15 years ago). At first sight, it remind us of Palm Beach in Aruba--high-rise hotels, everything neat and clean, shopping centers with shops, bars, and restaurants across the main boulevard.
We get off the bus and walk through a hotel lobby to the beach, hoping to spend a few hours before returning to Zihua's cute little cove. Nice beach, small breakers with tan, soft sand--a little difficult to walk on. We can't stay at any hotel--they're all-inclusive; therefore, outside guests are not permitted to purchase food or drinks and spend a few hours. That was disappointing, because it does look relaxing. A timeshare exchange here would be pleasant, it seems, but we're off to get a cab back to Playa La Ropa in Zihuatenejo--the area that has managed to retain its small-fishing-village image and charm.