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One of the things my wife and I have discovered in our travels is the value of a city tour when visiting a new city, especially in a country where we don't speak the language. These tours give us a better overview of the city as a whole and help us figure out where things are and what places/things we might want to invest our limited time into exploring in more detail. Consequently, one of the first things we did on our first full day in the city was to arrange for a tour of the city.
We were picked up at the hotel around 10:00am by an employee from our travel company, and we were surprised to find that we were the only visitors booked for a tour that day. We climbed into the brand new car for our very private tour. We started out driving along the Costera, while our guide described the history of this tourist area of the city and explained the importance of tourism to the local economy. We then headed up the mountain at the east end of the bay, into the exclusive, wealthy neighborhoods there (our guide pointed out the house owned by MGM Studios and the house Sylvester Stallone rented while he was in Acapulco shooting Rambo II). At the top of the mountain, we stopped and got out of the car to visit the Peace Chapel.
The land this chapel occupies used to belong to one of Acapulco's wealthiest families. When the family's two sons died in a plane crash in the mountains between Acapulco and Mexico City, the mother promised to build a chapel in their memory if their bodies were recovered. This chapel and its landmark cross (128 feet tall) are non-denominational and are dedicated to world peace in memory of the two sons. The open air chapel is starkly beautiful in its simplicity, and the cross can be seen throughout the city. The sons and their parents are all buried under the chapel. The sole surviving member of the family, a daughter, donated the chapel to the city and now lives in Mexico City.
The views from the chapel grounds are spectacular. You can see the entire bay and the waterfront, as well as the Pacific Ocean and the city sprawling up into the mountains that form a natural amphitheater around the bay.
After spending a some time exploring the grounds at the chapel, we climbed back into the car and headed back into the heart of the city. Our driver took us off the main road and away from the tourist areas of the city. As we headed up into the hills, he pointed out many of the details about how the residents of Acapulco lived. We saw the shanties constructed by squatters, cobbled together from whatever scrap materials were at hand. Many of these families subsist on incomes of less than US$10 per day. It is clear that very little of the tourist money that comes into this city reaches these people, who must struggle to find work. Even so, all their children attend school, which is compulsory and free. Even the public colleges and universities are free, though students must complete a year of public service before they can receive their degrees.
After making our way through a number of neighborhoods, we returned to the city center, where we stopped at the main square. The square is filled with fountains and banyan trees provide shade for the vendors and street performers who congregate here. The shops and restaurants that surround the square provide a canvas color and scents that mix with the sounds of the street to provide a vibrant sensory experience. On the north end of the square is the cathedral. This was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting a grand Spanish Colonial church, but instead my eyes were greeted by a white structure with Byzantine style minarets. It was quite a striking building, graceful in its simple lines, and smaller than I would have guessed for a city of this size in a Catholic country.
Our next stop was the central market. We only had time to explore one small corner of this huge complex of interconnected stalls. The entire market covers block after block, with stalls connected by a maze of narrow alleyways. The vendors compete for your attention as you walk by, trying to entice you to inspect their merchandise and trying to engage in a price negotiation. We ended up buying some hair clips and dresses for our daughters, perhaps spending more than we should have, but it was fun interacting with the vendors and browsing through the stalls. Again the sensory stimulus of the vibrant colors, sounds and smells was almost overwhelming.
Back in the car, we climbed the ridge on the west side of the bay. This is the old part of the city, where the original hotels were built during the height of Acapulco's popularity with the celebrities of Hollywood back in the 1950's. We made a brief stop at the Hotel Flamingo, which is famous because it was owned by a group of Hollywood stars, including Johnny Weismuller (of Tarzan fame) and John Wayne. The lobby is full of autographed photos the the rich and famous who stayed here in those days. The hotel is now popular with American retirees, who like to rent rooms for extended stays in the city. Located on the top of a cliff facing the Pacific Ocean, the rooms have spectacular views, and enjoy pleasant ocean breezes that compensate for the lack of air conditioning.
Finally, we made our way to our final stop at La Quebrada. This is the venue for the famous cliff divers, young men willing to through themselves off of a 130 foot cliff into the shallow surf of a narrow channel off the ocean. They must carefully time their dives with the action of the waves to ensure sufficient water depth. At the top of the cliff is a small shrine, where the divers pause for a prayer before they jump. To reach the cliff top, divers must swim across the channel and climb the cliff face. A number of divers find ledges or outcrops and make their dives from lower heights, but the most experienced diver climbs to the top and makes the full 136 foot plunge to the water below.
After watching the divers, we made our way back to the hotel and the beach. We now had a better appreciation for the city and its people. It was now time to make plans for the rest of the week, before relaxing with a drink by the pool.
We were picked up at the hotel around 10:00am by an employee from our travel company, and we were surprised to find that we were the only visitors booked for a tour that day. We climbed into the brand new car for our very private tour. We started out driving along the Costera, while our guide described the history of this tourist area of the city and explained the importance of tourism to the local economy. We then headed up the mountain at the east end of the bay, into the exclusive, wealthy neighborhoods there (our guide pointed out the house owned by MGM Studios and the house Sylvester Stallone rented while he was in Acapulco shooting Rambo II). At the top of the mountain, we stopped and got out of the car to visit the Peace Chapel.
The land this chapel occupies used to belong to one of Acapulco's wealthiest families. When the family's two sons died in a plane crash in the mountains between Acapulco and Mexico City, the mother promised to build a chapel in their memory if their bodies were recovered. This chapel and its landmark cross (128 feet tall) are non-denominational and are dedicated to world peace in memory of the two sons. The open air chapel is starkly beautiful in its simplicity, and the cross can be seen throughout the city. The sons and their parents are all buried under the chapel. The sole surviving member of the family, a daughter, donated the chapel to the city and now lives in Mexico City.
The views from the chapel grounds are spectacular. You can see the entire bay and the waterfront, as well as the Pacific Ocean and the city sprawling up into the mountains that form a natural amphitheater around the bay.
After spending a some time exploring the grounds at the chapel, we climbed back into the car and headed back into the heart of the city. Our driver took us off the main road and away from the tourist areas of the city. As we headed up into the hills, he pointed out many of the details about how the residents of Acapulco lived. We saw the shanties constructed by squatters, cobbled together from whatever scrap materials were at hand. Many of these families subsist on incomes of less than US$10 per day. It is clear that very little of the tourist money that comes into this city reaches these people, who must struggle to find work. Even so, all their children attend school, which is compulsory and free. Even the public colleges and universities are free, though students must complete a year of public service before they can receive their degrees.
After making our way through a number of neighborhoods, we returned to the city center, where we stopped at the main square. The square is filled with fountains and banyan trees provide shade for the vendors and street performers who congregate here. The shops and restaurants that surround the square provide a canvas color and scents that mix with the sounds of the street to provide a vibrant sensory experience. On the north end of the square is the cathedral. This was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting a grand Spanish Colonial church, but instead my eyes were greeted by a white structure with Byzantine style minarets. It was quite a striking building, graceful in its simple lines, and smaller than I would have guessed for a city of this size in a Catholic country.
Our next stop was the central market. We only had time to explore one small corner of this huge complex of interconnected stalls. The entire market covers block after block, with stalls connected by a maze of narrow alleyways. The vendors compete for your attention as you walk by, trying to entice you to inspect their merchandise and trying to engage in a price negotiation. We ended up buying some hair clips and dresses for our daughters, perhaps spending more than we should have, but it was fun interacting with the vendors and browsing through the stalls. Again the sensory stimulus of the vibrant colors, sounds and smells was almost overwhelming.
Back in the car, we climbed the ridge on the west side of the bay. This is the old part of the city, where the original hotels were built during the height of Acapulco's popularity with the celebrities of Hollywood back in the 1950's. We made a brief stop at the Hotel Flamingo, which is famous because it was owned by a group of Hollywood stars, including Johnny Weismuller (of Tarzan fame) and John Wayne. The lobby is full of autographed photos the the rich and famous who stayed here in those days. The hotel is now popular with American retirees, who like to rent rooms for extended stays in the city. Located on the top of a cliff facing the Pacific Ocean, the rooms have spectacular views, and enjoy pleasant ocean breezes that compensate for the lack of air conditioning.
Finally, we made our way to our final stop at La Quebrada. This is the venue for the famous cliff divers, young men willing to through themselves off of a 130 foot cliff into the shallow surf of a narrow channel off the ocean. They must carefully time their dives with the action of the waves to ensure sufficient water depth. At the top of the cliff is a small shrine, where the divers pause for a prayer before they jump. To reach the cliff top, divers must swim across the channel and climb the cliff face. A number of divers find ledges or outcrops and make their dives from lower heights, but the most experienced diver climbs to the top and makes the full 136 foot plunge to the water below.
After watching the divers, we made our way back to the hotel and the beach. We now had a better appreciation for the city and its people. It was now time to make plans for the rest of the week, before relaxing with a drink by the pool.
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