MANZANILLO

The rates are reasonable, the rooms are clean, and there is hot water.

Why is it, I hate stairs, I never get ground floor. But the view was worth it. (I know, I know, I need the exercise.)

BREEZE WAY, ON THE THIRD FLOOR	MY ROOM HAD A BALCONY

Within a block or two there are: grocery; meat; and fish stores; a cantina or two; laundry services; and restaurants.

Though we had been told it was close to table dance clubs the closest we could find was five blocks away.

There are several table dance clubs scattered throughout the city. After being spoiled by the one in Mazatlan I found the clubs disappointing; the prices too high; and the girls too white.

We did check them out. A different one every night.

There are three I will tell you about.

One is a few blocks East of the bus terminal. It is called Club Tropicasa.

Club Tropicasa opens at 4:00 PM and closes at 11:00 PM. The ambience is rustic Mexican. Table dances are P50 and a private dance is P100.

I said it closes at 11:00, but let me explain. In the back of the club is a doorway and at 11:00 they usher all the customers through the back door into an adjoining room. Now you are in Club Caribbean Cool.

Club Caribbean Cool has a more modernistic ambience; metal, glass, more lights and the music is louder. It is the same music that could be heard in Club Tropicasa and it is the same girls up on the stage. However the prices are higher.

A public table dance is now P60 and a private dance is P250.

This club is located near a major intersection and if you take the road to the South and then take a side road up a long steep hill you will come to a club called Chica Chica.

This club is nothing to write home about. The prices are high, P100 for a five minute table dance and P250 for a privado.

However, as you enter the parking area, on the left hand side, is a restaurant. It is built on the edge of the cliff. You don’t want to look down, if you are afraid of heights. But, if you want to take a date for an evening supper, with a fantastic view.

P.S. You can also get a similar view if you get a window seat in the club. And to my mind the view out the window was better than the view of the girls on the stage.

In either case you want to choose an evening when there is a off shore breeze as Manzanillo has a terrible air pollution problem.

If you go North from the traffic circle where the sail boat is, on the right hand side you will encounter a club called `Fantasy’.

Count your change, and don’t let the doorman change subject while making change. He will conveniently forget that he still owes you more change if you gave him a big bill.

The first two pictures in this story were taken from my balcony. Later I learned I could go to the roof and see 360 degrees.

The plaza was still under construction in Jan. `04. While we were there they were filling in the large planters.

LOOKING DOWN ON THE PLAZA	ONE EVENING, CHILDREN LINED UP, AND WERE GIVEN GIFTS.

Two years later, `6/03, I stayed in the same hotel and took this picture from the same balcony. The El Centro was completed and planted.

Did I mention, the hotel is only 2 blocks from a huge beach. (Pictures at the end of the story.)

The following shots were taken from the rooftop.

A RAINY EVENING RESULTED IN A SPECTACULAR SUNSET.	JUST AHEAD OF THE STORM, A CRUISE SHIP LEAVES THE INNER HARBOUR.

A STORMY EVENING RESULTED IN A SPECTACULAR SUNRISE.	THE INNER HARBOUR IS AN IMPORTANT SHIPPING CENTER

Manzanillo is the main container port for Mexico’s West coast.

LAS GAVIOTAS, AN ECOLOGICAL PARK, IS VERY CLOSE TO THE HOTEL.	I FOUND THAT THE HOTEL IS WITHIN WALING DISTANCE OF THE BUS TERMINAL

A PLEASANT WALK BACK FROM THE BUS DEPOT TOOK ME THROUGH THE HEART OF LAS GAVIOTAS.	NO GLASS OR CURTAINS IN THE WINDOWS BUT DETAILED TO THE STICKERS FOUND ON THE BACK OF BIG BUSSES.

IT HOLDS TWO PEOPLE, THE DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER.	BASICALLY, MANZANILLO IS DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS. THE THREE MAIN STREETS COME TOGETHER AROUND THIS LARGE SAILBOAT. (Canadians will note the Bank of Nova Scotia in the background.)

JUST SOUTH OF THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE ON AVE. MEXICO	COFFEE, COFFEE, AND MORE, OH, AND BREAKFAST, GREAT OMELETS.

This restaurant, in the Hotel Colonial, situated on the beach, does not serve lunch or supper, but you can have breakfast at lunch time.

PHIL, FROM ALASKA, LEANS ON A GIANT COFFEE CUP. LOOK INSIDE THE CUP, FANTASTIC.	BEHIND SOME HOUSES THAT FACE THE BEACH

LOOKING NORTH FROM THE CENTER OF MANZANILLO, PLAYA LAS BRISAS

PLAYA LAS BRISAS, LOOKING SOUTH FROM THE CENTER OF MANZANILLO

To the right of center smokes pours into the sky from an oil fired hydro generating station. I believe this is the major source of the pollution in Manzanillo.

At the base of the mountain on the right is the main downtown core of stores and shopping.

END

When I went from Mazatlan to Manzanillo I didn't buy advance tickets, which my friend did, so I was unable to get on the bus with him because the busses were full on Sunday night.

Phil took the bus through Puerto Vallarta. An hour after he left I left, on a bus to Guadalajara.

Arriving in Guadalajara I ran into the depot and asked when the next bus left for Manzanillo.

I was told, 3 minutes. I bought a ticket, ran out and jumped on the bus.

I got to Manzanillo an hour before Phil.

The road through Vallarta is twisty and winding, the road to Guadalajara is freeway