Zihuatanejo, Long Time No See

Mile after mile our Parhikuni bus was approaching our destination. I kept watching the landscape of southern Michoacan in front of my eyes, and hardly noticed that the sun was setting until it was totally dark. When we entered the state of Guerrero shortly afterwards, I became very impatient and just couldn't wait to leave the bus.
A few people descended in Ixtapa, then the driver continued driving and a few minutes later we finally arrived in Zihuatanejo. Feeling happy and relieved, we got down to pick up our bags. Soon-to-be-married Kimberly and Jairo were waiting for us at the hall and in no time they were driving us to the family house. The weather was deliciously hot, just like I had expected and, after a short drive, we were finally there.
The members of the Franco family ran out of their house and gave us the warmest of receptions: the matriarch of the family, Dona Reyna, together with Chayo, Wendy, Guero, and Carlos gave us affectionate hugs and kisses, helped us with our bags and invited us to a delicious homemade dinner, our first reunion in about six years. Rodolfo was very surprised at their affectionate gestures, and soon understood that the people here really mean it when they say "your friends are our friends".
Because other members of the family were expected that night and the following day, it was impossible for Dona Reyna to accommodate us at the house, and this really made her sad. However I told her not to worry and assured her that Rodofo and I would be very comfortable at the little hotel just a couple of blocks away. "But you MUST come here for breakfast in the morning", she ordered, and I agreed... almost mouth-watering at the thought of the delicious chilaquiles she offered to make.

We spent the nigh at the modest family-owned Casa de Huespedes Longino's, located almost on top of the Las Mesas hill and with a beautiful breath-taking sight of the Zihuatanejo bay below. The rooms are clean and comfortable and it has the luxury of a pool. The next morning I impatiently got up, had a quick shower and urged Rodolfo to leave the place -- nothing in the world would make me miss the sunrise. And off we went, descending the steep streets of Las Mesas hills, down to Colonia Zapata and further downtown. There are many "combis" and taxis that would take us, but I preferred to walk and look around.


We arrived at the wharf just in time for the pre-sunrise pictures, just like I had done the first time that I visited Zihuatanejo. There are no words to describe the beautiful scene of the calm sea, the pelicans swimming gracefully, the absolutely gorgeous light of the morning, and the early-bird locals who gather to buy fish from the fishermen who caught them just minutes before. Just like them, I also bought fresh-caught fish and brought it to the house.

The civil wedding ceremony of Kimberly and Jairo took place that afternoon at the beach called Playa Larga, a quiet place from where you can see the huge granite rocks called Morros del Potosi, in the middle of the sea. The happy and good-looking couple couldn't have chosen a more romantic spot for their wedding. After the ceremony we enjoyed a delicious meal and then walked toward the beach. I took off my sandals and left my feet be caressed by the sand. And just as we had witnessed the birth of the day that morning, we were blessed to contemplate the sun go down into the sea.