What we discovered, once we arrived in IXTAPA which is only a couple of miles from ZIHUA... is that NOTHING is open so early in the morning..... all we had was coffee in our stomachs...and we were hungry. We drove down very manicured lanes along the road to IXTAPA, and enjoyed all the beautiful scenery, but we were hungry!!!!!
Finally, we parked the car at a very beautiful tourist area full of shops and 'Closed' restaurants and just walked around. Finally we spied 'Senor Frogs' and thought surely they must be open. We hurried to the front door...and guess what? It was closed.
Very hungry and disappointed, and pert near grouchy by this time, we kept walking, trying to ignore the growling of our stomachs and hoping to find something, ANYTHING that served food.
I guess IXTAPA caters to the tourist crowd that stays in their $1,000.00 dollar a night Hotels and enjoy the complimentary breakfasts, cause there is simply not much for the ordinary Joe that just wants to eat a little eggs and hashbrowns.
We ended up at the Marina. And lo and behold, a restaurant that was open! Needless to say, we sat ourselves down, and ordered. And, it turned out to be a very nice breakfast as we ate good food, and was entertained by all the millionaire yacht people that were in the harbor for some world Yacht event. We felt like we had landed among the privileged of society, and dined ourselves in presumptuous prestige. (It never hurts to pretend once in a while, eh?)
We enjoyed our false sense of privilege as long as we could..... long after the meals were ate. When we got a few sideways glances from the waiter, we would just order a refill on the coffee! Hey! We were paying customers.... and we justified our extended stay by coffee refills.
Eventually we did leave, curious as to what was in the surrounding vicinity of IXTAPA.
What we found was a really nice playa (beach) and beautiful harbor that offered you boat rides over to an island.....we were tempted to try this, but the lines were long, and we really did need to be going towards home, at some point in the morning.
We walked around this harbor a while, and when returning to the car, we passed an area that was fenced off, with alot of people staring past the fence and taking photos and making comments in Spanish that we didn't understand, but we got the drift. Something ICKY or surprising was just beyond the fence.
Of course we were curious, and stopped to look before leaving the area. What we found probably brought forth exclamations much the same as what we were hearing in Spanish, but ours were in English...and they were something like this...." OOOU...ICK.... LOOK! JULIE! AN ALLIGATOR!!.......and OH KNOW, and IGUANA!!! OH NO! WHAT IF IT FALLS ON MY HEAD?" etc etc.
We had happened upon an area that protected the local alligator and Iguana population. They were rather intimidating, and we understood the need for the fence. We were very close, and glad for the fence.
*NOTE* Chuy informed me that IGUANA meat is good for you, and that he personally has eaten IGUANA a lot! (Another ooou and ick!)
We had a wonderful morning, saw some beautiful sights, got to feel RICH for a while, and were no longer hungry. It was time to finally say Goodbye to our new found towns, IXTAPA and ZIHUATANEJO and start heading back down the coast to Chuys home..... where the final Goodbyes would eventually have to be said, as we needed to soon be driving back to Mexico City.
The Two Rapscallions....... I have dubbed them these names. And, if you ever travel with these two, you will know exactly what I mean. They are both full of surprises, and plans, and not before known advice and tidbits of experience..... (Chuy is good for that)
One of the playas (beaches) around IXTAPA. Boats and vehicles blend together, and people mull about.... its layed back on this beach.....
More of the little harbor....
TA DAH! The Iguana!
And....the Alligators right underneath our feet.....
Chuys dinner...
Look hard...on the branch is an Iguana. We were scared that it would climb out on the limb towards us..... the limb overhang the fence. I could just imagine that thing dropping on my head. You would have heard me scream from IXTAPA to Arizona!
...more Gators......
A road leading to IXTAPA
$1,000.00 (USD) plus a night!
...same price as above!
Famous Senor Frogs...that was closed!
Finally, the Marina at IXTAPA. We dined like rich people! Surrounded by Yachting millionaires from all over the world. We heard French sounding words, and who knows what else by the passerbys.
Chuy pointing out the Yacht he is going to buy!!!
You should see the handmade furniture stores. Very reasonable prices..and pretty.
And, finally back on the Coastal Road that will lead us back home, southbound. Bye Bye!!
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