This morning we docked in this lovely little port which has been rehabilitated in the last five years. The Mexican government invested in upgrading this port facility with a wonderful result. We were told that they only get about three cruise ships each month and during the rainy season months they get none as all the ships are headed to Alaska.
They were very happy to see us and had a troupe of dancers on the pier to provide a bit of entertainment by dancing to traditional music. The port itself is very small and can only handle one ship at a time. You can see from the pictures what a pretty place the port is.
We took a bus into the city of Tapachula, about a 45 minute ride. There we found a hive of activity surrounding the square in the center of town and the open air market a block away. Once again, there was entertainment in the square where we saw a reincarnation of Poncho Villa singing, replete with a holstered hand gun. There was also the obligatory flute player looking for tips. We visited the museum which had some artifacts from the Aztec and Mayan cultures including an ornate skull decorated with turquoise and gold.
We walked across the square to visit the outdoor market. We have learned to visit these types of places early before the heat of the day. I think the pictures give ample evidence as to why this is a good idea. As hot as it was when we were there, consider walking among booths of hanging meat and fish when it is really hot. We quickly decided to wait until we got back to the ship to have lunch. The market was reminiscent of many of the markets we experienced in the South East Asian countries. Refrigeration apparently is not deemed important to the sanitary storage of meat and fish.
It was an interesting visit and I came away with a the clear understanding that Mexico is trying hard to improve their opportunities for tourism.
Please no more pictures of skull and dead chickens, I have to eat lunch soon.
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