Acapulco by Photo: #s 7-12

On the afternoon of my first full day in Acapulco, Mandy took me to the Zocolo, which is like the town square where all the "stuff" is happening...vendors, musicians, lots of shade and benches etc., etc. A few things that really caught my attention: 1) more painted trees, except these were absolutely ancient trees, the kind that you know were there when Fransisco Chico sailed into the bay in 1521. They were absolutely stunning, with park benches built around them and massive shady canopies...and white paint slathered all over the trunk. I honestly do not get it. I can't figure out why all the trees have been defaced, except to say that Mexicans must really hate ants. 2) a men's aerobics class that was going full force in a upstairs studio gym right there on the square. It was nothing remarkable, except that the music was really grinding and those guys were really going for the gold, and we (everyone in the Zocolo) were all watching. 3) The OXXO...again, nothing remarkable, except to point out that there is a convenience store called OXXO in Mexico like every six feet. And we went in one to get a drink, and Mandy only had 200 pesos to pay with (which is like $20), and they were going to get really mad at her for paying with such a large bill. And you know what? They did, a little. I'm trying to imagine someone at a BP getting all up in my face for paying for a Vitamin Water with a $20 and I'm just not picturing it, but change is a big deal in Acapulco. Without it, you're like a leper.

The Zocolo is also where the Catholic cathedral is, which is why Mandy brought me in the first place. Most of the cathedrals I've been in are completely emptied out in the back half so tourists can walk around a look at the side chapels and such, even while a mass is going on. That wasn't the case with San Felipe's...it was a full church and they were busy busy. Try as I might, I couldn't figure out what part of the mass it was, the priest was just going on and on (which could've been the homily, or could've been the announcements if it was the priest at my mom's church). I didn't want to skulk around in the back, so we asked the lady in the gift shop (for sale: prayer cards and those votive candles you find in the grocery store) what time mass would be over and left having no idea what she said, but planning on coming back later.

It was at this point that I realized that something was going on with Michael Jackson. Okay, he had died a few weeks before, but either the news was just reaching Mexico or they were having a hard time letting him go. As we walked out of the Zocolo towards some shops to poke around in, I realized every loudspeaker in the near vicinity was blasting a Jacko song. And once we got to said shops, Thriller, Beat It, and Bad were playing on the TVs on a continuous loop. This happened essentially the entire week. It was very surreal. If you want to sum up Acapulco, you could do it like so: "Machine guns, Michael Jackson, and mangoes on a stick." Need I say more?

Eventually we went back to the church, maybe an hour later, and still no dice. Nothing had changed. Either it was the most long-winded priest in the world who was still giving the homily, or mass had started all over again and nobody had bothered to leave. The only thing different was that some people had started to melt. I was starting to melt myself, so I snapped a few pictures from the back of the church and we said goodbye to the Zocolo.