As we write we have to keep getting up to watch the antics of the large numbers of turtles swimming close to the ship. They are close to the surface and appear to be basking in the hot sun with one flipper (?) sticking up out of the water as if they are waving to us. they are not very big, probably 50cm or so across. Just like the dolphins, impossible to photograph. Probably should be on Deck 7 closer to the sea. A keen photographer close to us has a marvellous shot of a seagull perching on the back of a turtle hitching a ride! There's another sudden rush of people to the railings - dolphins this time.
Huatulco was our next port of call; not a place as such but an area of coastline with many rocky inlets and 36 beaches, at the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains 500km south of Acapulco. The ship docked in one of the narrow bays - Santa Cruz. 70% of the bays are nature reserves and will never be developed. The resort areas have been developed with great care taken to preserve marine life and wildlife.
Santa Cruz is a small development built around the bay which has the only public beach accessible on foot rather than by sea. The beach is lined with small shops and seafood restaurants. The picturesque marina was reminiscent of the south of France - Cogolin - with brick paved walkways and colourful yachts and fishing boats against a backdrop of pastel buildings - very pretty.
Good to see some of the crew enjoying some well earned free time on the beach, riding the big inflatable banana and tearing around on jet skis. We heard all about it from the waiters at dinner too.
We took a taxi to the small town of La Crucecita a couple of miles inland. Could have walked it via the short cut over the hill but the temperature was well into the 30s. This lovely little town was just as we imagined - expected to see Clint Eastwood any time coming out of one of the many bars!!
The shop, bars and pastel pink church are concentrated round the central, shady square where the locals sit, probably wondering what has hit their tiny town and disturbed their peace.
We were still on a mission to find a Post Office! - again. Having bought Mexican stamps on board all we really needed was a post box - easy you say. Oh no; we couldn't find a post box so headed for the Post Office, which the Mexicans seem to locate right on the edge of their towns for some reason. No post box though, it was inside the building and, yes, you guessed, it being Saturday and after 1pm - closed!
We had obviously caused some interest among the local security men, both armed with rather large rifles, who, on seeing us prowling round the building trying to find the post box decided to check us out. A little Spanish came in handy here.
We had already had a quick look round the shops and had earmarked one to return to. Not before stopping off at a lovely bar set in a shady courtyard, complete with well and colourful pots of geraniums and camellias. An ice cold beer and a Cola light cooled us down and as usual a quick check to see if we could get a wifi connection proved positive so we updated the mail and had a quick chat to Claire & co.; Matt and Sam were down in Norwich for football and Emma and Toby must have been out as we couldn't make contact with them. We decided - well one of us did - that we could not leave Mexico without some silver jewellery, so it was back to the shop!!!!
Yes we did eat out this time at a restaurant on the beach - garlic shrimps, rice and tacos washed down with a Mexican beer.Very good too.
Just been treated to the most amazing dolphin display imaginable - probably 30 or so dolphins leaping high out of the water doing somersaults - it's as if they know they have a huge captive audience - how we wished we had posh camera for some of those shots!! Makes Seaworld in Orlando look a bit tame!
250 n miles to run to the Panama Canal which will necessitate the Smithies hauling themselves out of bed at the ungodly hour of 6.30am!