But why go back to the same place for so many times? There are so many reasons, the guarantee of great weather, the beautiful people, the excellent foot, great relaxation, wonderful parties and so much more. So let's take it one step at the time and see how much I can put down on paper or better yet the computer.

Well usually when people meet each other they start taking about the weather, so why not follow the same procedure and start with the weather. The guaranteed Acapulco weather is one big reason for going back so many times. I had read that Acapulco is the one place that has 360 days of sunshine a year. I can only tell you about the winter season as that us when I go south and so far we only had rain one evening of all the times we have been there. But asking the locals, people who live right in Acapulco about the rainy season, they told me that even in the rainy season it usually only rains at night.

A couple of years ago we traveled to the Dominican Republic, on the north side of the island and on getting into our room found that each room had an umbrella in the closet. Well it didn't take long to figure out why we had an umbrella in each room as it rained seven days out of the two weeks we were there. It actually rained and a few days all day long, kinds of spoils a vacation. Last year we ended up going to Cancun and again I would not go there again in January as we had rainy days and about a week of cold weather. To cold to even sit and enjoy sun tanning. In Aca on the other hand it is sunny every day, with water warm enough to just walk in and enjoy a great swim. I would guess that by now you get the idea that it's warm and sunny every day.

If you are like me then you might want to try some new and delicious food. One of the specialties is a soup dish called Posole available usually only on Thursday. Posole is made with "dried posole" which is field corn kernels that have had the skins removed with ash or lime and then dried. It is almost like a thick hearty stew typically containing corn and pork or chicken that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. A great place in Acapulco for Pozole is mansionbohemiaen.html

I have enjoyed Pozole a few different places in Acapulco. This time we asked the taxi driver for a great place for Pozole and he took us to a real Mexican restaurant that specializes in Pozole. The name of the restaurant is Testauranty Y Pozoleria, La Chilapeña. It is located on Cinco de Mayo or about one block from a well known flea market El Mercado de Artesanías El Parazal Sometimes called El Parazal. This outdoor area is really best known as the Flea Market-in both English and Spanish.

Try it you might like it. It is served with a variety of additional options like Mexican chips, an assortment of spices and much more. Now they also offer three different kinds of Pozole including red, white and green Pozole, but I've still have to find out what the different is. Now the owners of the place where just out of this world, they spoke very little English but they had no problem communicating as to what we needed. But then that is what the Mexican people are all about, friendly and helpful.

Do you like fish? Well then Acapulco is the place for you, after all Acapulco is a fishing port ever since it has been discovered. When it comes to restaurants serving fish, you don't have far to go as most places serve and specialize in fish. Some of the best fish we have enjoyed is at Paradise beach restaurant located at Condesa Beach right next to the Bungy tower. Another good place is located at Caleta Beach called La Cabaña, I can remember when that place was not much more than a palapas. La Cabaña by Fred or The Official lacabanadecaleta.com

But if you like, really like great tasting fish then let me till you about a little hidden gem at Caleta Beach almost right next to the La Cabaña. From the La Cabaña go toward the original Caleta Hotel, now called the Caleta Neptune Hotel. There on the beach you will find the fisherman selling fish from their boats they caught the night before or just coming in from fishing that morning. Well right next to the fishermen there us a small restaurant run by my friend Tito. Tito's restaurant called the "Fausto Mondragon Rosas", Playa Caleta Acapulco Gro. Remember right ext to the fishermen at Caleta Beach! So let me tell you a little more about our fishing trip and meal later that day.

Three years ago we stayed at the Caleta Hotel and partied with the fisherman just about every night. I had know many of the beach boys for years already, but this time we became friends with Tito and Popeye. Popeye took us fishing with the Queen Mary a boat from downtown Acapulco. There were four of us and it cost us only $150.00. So this year I went back to find Tito and Popeye to see about fishing, but Popeye was in the US visiting his daughter. But over a few Coronas with Tito he invited me to go fishing with his brother-in-law Agustín and the local fisherman.

Early Tuesday morning we were off at 7:00 fishing and let me tell you I was all excited. The four of us went out about 15 km with two fishing poles and two extra lines trolling, you know deep-sea fishing. I can still remember the first time I went out deep-sea fishing and was wondering why they call it deep-sea fishing when the bait floats right on top of the water. Well as soon as that marlin took the bait I soon found out why they call it deep-sea fishing!

I don't know if you ever been out deep-sea fishing. If you have then you will most likely have the same experience as I did. They take you onboard; get the bait ready, bait the hook, put out the lines and then you are ready to catch the big one. And when it does you get all excited and after about a half hour or so and some hurt mussels you get the fish close enough to the boat for them to clobber the fish and bring it in the boat. And that's the way it should be, after all you pay good money for all of that. I know I would not want to get that close to the fish and clobber it as that sword is very sharp.

However going out with a smaller boat and having a friend take you out fishing was more of an experience as I learned many things. Did you know that they cut the bait in a special way so that it would trough the water wiggling back and forth like a real fish? If it is not cut the right way and then the bait spins round and round and the fish will not go for it. The captain of the boat even took out the eyes of the fish so that it will resemble the actions more of a real fish going trough the water and of course the cutting make the fish more like a hurt fish and attracts the big fish. Interesting don't you think?

Here's another interesting point; did you know that a marlin or sword fish will first kill the bait or fish before it will swallow the bait? That means that if you try and snag the fish too soon it will not have taken the bait and will not try again. What they do is watch the marlin or swordfish try and kill his bait with his sword and then will take the bait. When that happens they count till either 5 or 10, I can't remember and then snag the fish. They also attach the line to extended pools with either clips that will let go when the fish catches the bait or in this case just some thread that breaks as soon as the fish takes the bait. This gives the fish enough time to take the bait before you try and snag the fish.

The day we were out there were not many catching anything and we didn't catch a marlin either. Both Agustín and myself snagged a fish at the same time, but Agustín's fish got away and I was lucky that mine hooked the bait really good. What we caught was a Mahi Mahi or Dorado as the Acapulco people call that type of fish. I believe that it is part of the dolphin family but resembles a small whale. The fish was almost 5 feet in length and gave me quite the fight, it went down three times and each time I brought it within reach of the boat. It took about a half hour or so before I finally brought it close enough for the captain to get a hold of it.

The Mahi Mahi took the bait real good and swallowed it; Tito was telling me that at times the fish gets hooked only by the lip. When that happens it fights even harder and gives you a much bigger fight. When it swallows the bait it still fights but not as hard as every time it pulls on the line the hook goes deeper in its stomach and hurts. Wow it took over a half hour to bring the fish in when it took the bait and swallowed the bait, how long would it have taken if it had only been hooked by he lip.

They say that the Mahi Mahi or Dorado is one of the most beautiful game fish in the sea one can catch. Well they are right as I have caught both Mahi Mahi and the swordfish and as far as I'm concerned the Mahi Mahi gives you a bigger fight.

You might remember that there were four of us and only two fishing pools; well the captain puts out two extra lines attached to the gas cans. So when the fish catches the bait the fishermen pull in the fish by hand and he has the scars on his hands to proof it. They were telling me that at times a fishermen may even loose a finger trying to bring in a big fish.

Well about half past two we made it back to Caleta beach just in time to meet my wife Jane and our friend Ann. They had been enjoying the sunshine while we were out fishing and dinking a few Coronas. But now comes the best part of all, time to eat the catch of the day. Back at Tito's restaurant called the "Fausto Mondragon Rosas", Playa Caleta Acapulco Gro. Remember right ext to the fishermen at Caleta Beach!

If you want to learn a little more about the Mahi Mahi and even how to cook the fish, go to the University of Florida website at MahiMahi.htm

One of the beach boys took the fish and skinned the fish, yes skinned the fish. The Mahi Mahi has no scales but has a skin like that of an eel. After skinning the fish he fillets it and what a stack of fillet fish we had. They sold about half of it and we, that is Tito, Agustín, Ann, Jane and I plus the captain, the beach boys ate the other half or at least we tried, but there was lots left over, even enough to take some home. Hey its good to have friends, and when it comes to Mexico friends they are there for you. After all how many of you who have gone out fishing actually ever had a taste of what they caught?

And talking about taste, that was by far the best fish we had. We had Red Snapper a couple of times while we were in Acapulco but the Mahi Mahi that was by far the best. Of course have I told you that the cook at "Fausto Mondragon Rosas" really knows her stuff? While there we also made arrangements to have one of the fishermen to go and dive for fresh lobster and another great meal. All and all we spend a lot of time again with our Acapulco friends.

But we made some more friends by the name of Elizabeth and Alex and young couple from Mexico City. We met the couple at Paradise. Paradise is a great restaurant by day but at night it turns into one big party place. They are not only located right next to the only bungy place is Acapulco but the jumpers actually get released from the bungy cord on the platform at Paradise. We were staying at the Romano Palace and another couple was telling s about the laud music coming from across the street at Paradise, Barbarroja's, and Disco Beach. I told him I know as we were there partying with the rest of them.

We spend about as many days at both Barbarroja's as we did at Paradise and both places had their own distinct character. Now one of the fun things they were doing at Paradise was their Tequila Poppers partying. They would take a hard hat and place it on your head and then take a plastic hammer and after hitting the Tequila Poppers on the hard hat the spouse of girlfriend/boyfriend would hit you with the plastic hammer while the Tequila Girl would shake your head vigorously. Oh yes, did I tell you that the Tequila Girl would put the Tequila Poppers in between either breast of your girlfriend/wife or just about any girls that was there. The other thing that I almost forgot to tell you is that I have bad habit or is it a good one, well you be the judge. My habit is that I don't go any without my camera either my full size 35 mm digital or my pocked-size digital. So as usual I had my camera with me to Paradise and that is how I met Elizabeth and Alex. Well they were having a great time with the Tequila Poppers and I was capturing everything on camera and showing them the pictures as they were having fun. I would say that they were showing off because the more pictures I was taking the more they were enjoying the Tequila Poppers.

Well we ended up exchanging email addresses and have been in touch with them ever since, and what a beautiful couple they are. They tell me that they will be getting married (in Mexico City) and want me to be the VIP photographer for their big event, what an honor! We are planning on going back to Mexico and hope to visit the couple in Mexico City. Elizabeth is planning on visiting us this summer in Canada and we are really looking forward to having her visit us.

Next I made friends with the boys running the bungy tower and enjoyed a great evening on top of the bungy tower taking photographs of the jumpers and the most fantastic sunset ever from on top a 160 feet in the air, what a rush and I didn't even have to jump, Thanks Boys! To see more about the pictures and story, have a look at Bungee

Well that's about it for now, but I will be back to paradise, a little place called Acapulco.

Fred Meulemeester