My Weekend Essay, Research Paper
While on vacation in Acapulco Mexico, I, along with my family and friends took a tour
by boat to a small resort island. As we approached, I was awestruck by its beauty. I knew this
was going to be fun, but had no idea that this place would be forever etched in my mind. We
were greeted at the dock by two natives dressed in brightly colored tropical shirts, white pants
and shoes. They were also wearing smiles just as bright. They escorted us to an open-air type
restaurant with a thatched roof that was actually attached to the pier at which we docked. The
restaurant had a casual atmosphere that made us very comfortable. The food was served buffet
style, with an elegant array of Mexican and American cuisine. The entertainment provided in the
restaurant during and after the buffet was delightful. A ten minute introduction to the Mexican
culture was followed by an intriguing native dance, performed by a man dressed in an authentic
looking costume consisting of only a rawhide G-string with a short apron front. His sandals had
leather cords winding halfway up his legs. This dance depicted a story of a hunter and his prey. It
was narrated by a woman who was also in costume. Brightly dressed Mexican men were beating
drums and banging sticks providing the sound effects for the story. This was truly a great
beginning to a wonderful afternoon. Behind the restaurant was a low mountainous area,
accessible by walking trails only. We hiked one of these trails, observing the brightly colored
tropical plants and trees that flourished greatly on this well maintained terrain. A beautiful
waterfall added to the splendor, and when we reached the top, a lookout provided a panoramic
view of the entire bay. What a breathtaking sight! There was a bar here, and after a cool drink
we decided to head down. We took a different trail down that brought us to the base of the
mountain. In front of us, about 150 feet was the beach. It was 90 degrees and the Mexican sun
made the sand hot under our feet. However, a gentle breeze kept us comfortable otherwise.
On the beach we rented a cabana, which is little more than a thatched umbrella, table and beach
chairs. There, we sat and enjoyed one of those big tropical drinks that has fruit on the edge of the
glass and a small umbrella of its own. Staring out into the bay from my chair, was possibly the
most serene feeling I have had in my life. There were many people around and they were making
plenty of noise, but my mind was absorbed with the natural beauty of this place. It was like none
that I had ever seen before. Looking across the bay toward the mainland, with all its hustle and
bustle, I felt as if I had found paradise. I had been to the ocean twice before, but only in the U.S.,
and never to a bay. Bay waters are much calmer, and therefore much clearer-so clear, in fact,
that at a depth of six feet I was able to see a penny. The color of the water is also amazingly
different from ocean water. The intensity of the blue color is almost fluorescent. After we rested,
we decided it was time to get wet, so we donned our snorkeling gear and entered the warm
water. I had never snorkeled before, but it wasn’t long before I felt comfortable. Most of our
experience was in very shallow water and I don’t think it was ever necessary to go down more
than ten feet. The fish didn’t seem to be bothered by our presence, and although I don’t know
what kind they were, I touched two of them, and their reaction was only to flip their tail. About
forty feet out from the beach it was still only about seven or eight feet deep, and that’s where the
coral appeared. This is something that no television or video could do justice to. The vivid colors
of the coral alone were enough to make this whole trip worthwhile. There were many different
types of fish, most of them with vibrant colors, varying in size from the size of a silver dollar, to
the size of a foot or more in length. If you’ve seen the salt water fish aquariums in a pet store,
you know of the vibrant colors that I am talking about. But being in the water with these
creatures of beauty, who seem to welcome your presence, is something that needs to be
experienced to appreciate. Wading back toward shore, I have to say I was sorry that this part of
the day was over. Back on the beach, a horn signaled the need to prepare for the trip across the
bay. Fortunately, the boat which came to pick us up was not the same as the boat that dropped us
off. This one had a glass bottom that enabled the passengers to observe everything beneath the
boat. There was an experienced diver who was a part of the entertainment. He dived under the
boat, and as we watched in awe, he grabbed the tail of a seven-foot shark, pulling himself close
enough to the shark?s head to be bitten, and he then began to pet the shark as if it were only a
puppy. Other antics were included with a couple of other fish as we made our way back to the
mainland. Once on shore we headed back to our hotel just in time to see yet another attraction,
an Acapulco sunset! We made our way to the roof of the hotel, so that we could get a panoramic
view. The rainbow of colors in the sky was more than you could see in any painting, no matter
who the artist. There were hues of peach to deep orange, pale pink to deep fusca and purple.
Gold was entwined throughout, and the sun itself was like a ball of fire. The colors kept
changing, as if an artist was continually trying to improve on its beauty. The sunset lasted about
twenty minutes, but the colorful streaks in the sky remained vivid for another half hour. I have
never seen a magnificent sunset like this ever before. Twenty years have passed now since that
trip. In that time I have seen many beautiful places, but none have made as profoundly an
impression on me as that little island in Acapulco Bay.
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