Thursday, April 14: Acapulco

At breakfast this morning, I learned that Bill's new I-Phone for which he bought a temporary international plan, had been sending data - or at least trying to - for the last 22 hours. Bill shared the problem with our headeaiter, Aldrin who, apparently a computer whiz, helped Bill to get it stopped and back to normal. Then Bill discovered he had over 150 e-mails, which took him several hours to process, through breakfast and the first part of our land excursion, "Sights of Acapulco and the Cliff Divers."

Although the divers have regularly scheduled dive times in the afternoon and evening, the shore excursion company had arranged a series of special dives for us in the morning. It was a clear, hot day and the sea looked enticing but I wondered how it looked at 45 to 110 feet - depending on the skill level of the diver - to the divers themselves. We were all safely ensconced on the balconies and terraces of the Mirador Hotel while the divers climbed up the steep cliffs to a pinnacle where they prayed to Our Lady of Guadaloupe, crossed themselves and then plunged, in a beautiful swan dive, into a small inlet in the sea, only about 10 - 15 feet deep. Alejandro, our guide, said there had never been a fatality but the speed at which the diver hits the water had produced some broken bones. Divers used to work for tips but have now formed themselves in a club with about 40 members - the diver who dives from the higest spot is the leader - and now are paid from funds collected from shore excursions and prices at The Mirador Hotel. What a way to make a living!

The rest of the tour wasnot much: a long bus ride through heavy traffic down Acapulco's main drag, up into the hills past Las Brisas and to the Acapulco Princess Hotel on the Pacific Ocean, where we were greeted with margaritas. At 10 o'clock in the morning! I tried to identify places I have been - Batos Beach, a condo rented years ago on the beach, Ocho Cabellos - but without luck. Some things are probably better left as fond memories.

Bill and Ted left the bus on the way back to indulge in shopping for Ted's store. I was very hot and tired and had a quiet, solitary lunch and a long nap. Princess had made a monkey out of towels and hung it in the ceiling with a note welcoming me back.

I remember a time in my life when I rushed to the beach at 10 AM and stayed there all day, coming home from beach resorts tanned and healthy-looking and tryhing to preserve that glow as long as possible. Now I stay out of the sun - a loss of pigment in my skin, thanks to chemotherapy, simply leads to ugly burns and I find I have little tolerance for heat (was this the wrong cruise for me?). I also find my stamina waning. I have some trouble getting up from a seated position and my balance isn't perfect. But like others, some even on canes or in a wheelchair, I am led around, like part of the herd, from one bus stop to the next. Everyone moves at his own pace, mostly slowly, and I wouldn't want to be a tour leader.

At the bar before dinner, I had a nice conversaton with Tom, the older of the two dance hosts. He's been at this gig with Silver Sea for two years and this is his 10th cruise. He's perfectly made for his job - attractive (but not too attractive), sauve, a good converstionalist and always watching to see which lady seems alone and needs attention. Better him than me. Once, while fun in its own way, was enough.

Stay tuned