DAY 14 - ZIHUATANEJO AND IXTAPA - FEBRUARY 9, 2010

IT IS QUITE UNCUSTOMARY FOR US TO BE OUT OF BED BEFORE 8:30 EACH MORNING BUT HERE WE ARE BREAKING TRADITION WITH AWAKING BEFORE THE BIRDS. THE ONLY LIGHT TO BE SEEN AS WE ATE BREAKFAST ON THE DECK OUTSIDE THE BUFFET WAS THAT OF THE LIGHT STANDS HANGING FROM THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.

OUR REPORTING TIME IN THE LOUNGE THIS MORNING WAS 7:15 EVEN THOUGH OUR TOUR WASN’T SCHEDULED UNTIL 8:00. EXTRA TIME HAS TO BE ALLOWED FOR TENDERING. ZIHUATANEJO DOES NOT HAVE A NATURAL PORT AND THEREFORE SHIP MUST DROP ANCHER IN THE BAY. ALL PASSENGERS GOING ASHORE MUST BE TENDER IN THE LIFEBOATS.

WE WERE MET BY TOUR GUIDES ASHORE AND WERE QUICKLY LEAD TO OUR TOUR BUS. TODAY WE ARE HEADED TO THE SMALL TOWN OF PETILAN.

PETILAN, AS I UNDERSTAND, HAS RECEIVED WORLD RECOGNITION FOR THE MIRACLES OF HEALING THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THROUGH PRAYERS LAID AT THE ALTER. THE CHURCH WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 1585 BUT WAS REBUILT WHEN IT WAS DESTROYED IN A VOLCANIC EARTHQUAKE IN 1949.

EXCEPT FOR THE WALL THAT HELD THE CRUCIFIX OF CHIRST, ALL THE WALL CAME TUMBLING DOWN. SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE CRUCIFIX WAS REMOVED FROM THE WALL IT ALSO COLLAPSED. TODAYS CHURCH IS QUITE SIMPLE AND PLAIN IN DESIGN BUT HAS 6 VERY COLORFUL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS OF CHRIST IN THE GARDEN, LAST SUPPER AND THE CRUCIFIXION.

THE LITTLE TOWN, WITH NARROW STREETS JUST WIDE ENOUGH FOR THE SMALLEST OF CARS, IS LAID BACK AND WAITING EAGERLY FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE TOURS. BECAUSE OF THE NARROW STREETS OUR BUS PARKED SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM THE CHURCH. IT WAS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO LEISURELY WALK AMONG THE PEOPLE. IT WAS TRULY ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE.

WE HAVE LEARNED IN OUR TRAVELS THAT NO TOUR EVER TAKES THE DIRECT ROUTE TO THE TOURS OBJECTIVE. SEVERAL INTERESTING SHORT STOPS FILLED OUT THE ITINERARY.

AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH IXTAPA (ISH-TAP-A) AND ZIHUATANEJO

(Z-HUT-TA-NA-YO) WE COULD SEE SIGNS OF DECORATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FESTIVAL HEADING INTO LENT. ALTHOUGH THE COMBINED POPULATION OF THESE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IS 110,000 THEY ALSO ARE SMALL. IN A BLINK OF AN EYE OUR BUS WAS IN THE COUNTRY. THE SERRIA MADRE MOUNTAINS ON OUR LEFT AND BROKEN DOWN SHACKS AND FARMLAND ON OUR RIGHT. OUR FIRST STOP TOOKS US THROUGH A COCONUT PLANTATION TO A 15 MILE LONG WHITE SANDS BEACH, PLAYA LARGA, WITH BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE OCEAN...AND HUCKSTER SELLING THEIR WARES.

ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE MAIN ROAD WE STOPPED AT THE PLANTATION FOR A CULTURAL EVENT. IN OUR 45 MINUTE STAY WE LEARNED THAT NOTHING IS WASTED IN THE PROCESS OF HARVESTING COCONUTS.

THE HUSKS ARE USED FOR FUEL BY BURNING THEM, ONCE THE MEAT, COCONUT, IS REMOVED FROM THE SHELL, THE SHELL IS USED TO MAKE BUTTONS. THE COCONUT IS MILK IS USED IN THE PRODUCTION AS AN INGREDIENT FOR MAKING PINA COLADAS. THE MEAT, BESIDES EATING IT, IS USED IN THE MAKING OF COOKING OILS, AND COSMETICS. TRAVELING IS SO EDUCATIONAL.

OUR SECOND STOP WAS EVEN MORE INTERESTING. A FEW MILE FROM THE COCONUT PLANTATION PULLED OF HE MAIN HIGHWAY AND ONTO A NARROW, BUMPY DIRT ROAD. ALTHOUGH WE WERE ON THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES IT SEEN FOREVER AS EVERY BUMP JOSTLED YOU FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN YOUR SEAT. YET, WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION IN GOOD SHAPE.

THE SITE WAS THE HOMES AND MANUFACTURING LOCATION OF AN INDIGENOUS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE CLAY TITLES FOR ROOFS, BRICKS AND FIGURINES. THE ENIRE PROCESS IS DONE BY HAND. AS EACH PIECE IS COMPLETED IN IS PLACED ON THE GROUNG, HOPEFULLY IN THE SUN, TO DRY...APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS.

AFTER DRYING THEY ARE STACKED IN AN AREA THAT COVERS 12 SQUARE FEET AND THEY ENCLOSE THE ITEMS IN A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDING TO KILN DRY, FIRED, TEMPERED OR WHAT EVER TERM YOU ARE USE TO USING, THE ITEMS BEFORE THEY TAKE THEM TO MARKET OR SELL THEM TO A RETAILER. IT TAKES 18 HOURS TO FIRE THE ITEMS AND ANOTHER 2 DAYS TO LET THE ITEMS COOL AFTER FIRING.

AS I MENTIONED, THE WHOLE PROCESS, FROM DIGGING THE CLAY TO FIRING THE ITEMS IS DONE BY HAND. THEY BUILD A NEW FURNACE EVER SEVERAL DAYS TO FIRE THE ITEMS. FIRED ITEMS TURN RED WHEN THE FIRING IS COMPLETED. DID I HEAR SOMEONE ASK, WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF FUEL? GLAD YOU ASK. THE PURCHASE TONS OF COCONUT HUSKS FRO THE PLANTATION. LIKE I SAID, NOTHING GOES TO WASTE.

THE LAST TENDER FROM SHORE TO THE SHIP WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE AT 1:30. OUR BUS ARRIVED BACK AT PORT AT 1:20 AND OUR 10 MINUTE WALK TO THE PIER GOT US ON JUST IN TIME. THE SHIP SET SAIL AT 2:00.

SIDE STORY: I HAD NOTICED A MAN ON THE SHIP AND IN PASSING WE EXCHANGED GREETINGS. UPON HEARING HIS VOICE, AND ONLY FOR A FEW WORDS, I FELT I KNEW HIM FROM SOMEWHERE.

AS WE WERE IN LINE TO BOARD THE TENDER THIS MAN IS BEHIND ME. I TURNED TO HIM AND GREETED HIM AND INTRODUCED MYSELF. HE RESPONDED AND SAID HIS NAME WAS JOHN (JON). I REPLIED “AS IN MILLER.”

HE LOOKED SHOCKED AND REPLIED YES. I WAS CORRECT IN MY THINKING, HE IS JON MILLER THE ANNOUNCER FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS AND ESPN BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK.

(WE ALSO HAD TAB HUNTER ON THE SHIP...FOR THOSE OF US OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER)

AT DINNER THE ENTIRE TABLE WAS FILLED WITH CONVERSATIONS OF THE DAYS ACTIVITIES. WE EXITED THE DINING ROOM AND SHOT OVER TO THE LOUNGE FOR A GOOD SEAT FOR TONIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT. LINDA GENTILLE WAS BACK TO PLAY THE PIANO. ANOTHER EXCELLENT SHOW.

OUR IDEA WAS TO HIT THE SACK EARLY SO IT WOULD IN TURN MAKE US MORE TIRIED TOMORROW NIGHT. THURSDAY MORING WE HAVE TO GET UP AND BE ON THE BUS AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING FOR OUR EXCURSION TO THE COPPER CANYON.

THE PLAN DIDN’T WORK. THEY WERE HAVING A POOL PARTY ON DECK 9 AND THE NOISE KEEP US UP UNTILL ABOUT 11:30. PLANS, I GUESS, ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN.

FACTS:

HARVESTING COCONUTS REQUIRES TAPING 4 TO 7 BAMBOO POLE TOGETHER, WITH THE TOP PIECE HAVING A KNIFE ATTACHED TO SEPARATE THEM FROM THE TREE. COCONUT TREES LIVE AROUND 100 YEARS AND ONCE PLANTED TAKE 5 YEARS TO PRODUCE FRIUT. IF A TREE DOESN’T PRODUCE FRUIT WITHIN 7 YEARS THEY DETERMINE IT IS A MALE AND IT IS REPLANTED IN THE CENTER OF A LARGE GROUP OF FEMALE TREES.

THE WOOD OF A COCONUT TREE IS EXTREMELY HARD AND IS USED FOR FURNITURE OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS.

THE AREAS THREE TOP MONEY MAKERS ARE, TOURIST, FARMING AND THE MINING OF GOLD AND SILVER.

OUR GUIDE TODAY WAS JUAN AND THE DRIVER WAS JOSE OR PEPE.