Acapulco will always be personal.
I’ve been to many places; I'm like the Polynesian people: a traveler, ever-changing. However, I will always be a devoted fan of the sea and of my hometown. Acapulco is one of those cities that so many people have stories about. My dad used to tell me that the actor from one of the many Tarzan movies went there to shoot a film and ended up staying. It’s a beautiful place in Mexico, on the Guerrero side, closer to the sea than to anything else. It's warm, the rain is refreshing, and the ocean is always warm.It’s a port with so much to see and do, home to descendants of the Mazahua, former enslaved people, Chinese, Japanese, tourists who never left, and all kinds of stories and travelers. It will always be one of my favorite places to return to; there’s no place like Acapulco. The people perfectly blend the essence of being Mexican, with inherited and fused customs, food, and places.I’ve always been a lover of words; I love telling people about my favorite city and sharing a piece of myself with the world. But this time, I’m sharing some photos with you—not of the beach, as I usually might, but of something that teleports me right back there. During my last trip with my dad, back when I was still this angry, sad teenager, he forced me to go to a public pool in a working-class neighborhood—a place known more for bad stories than for its people. I’m sharing these photos I took when I first realized that taking pictures could capture a piece of the world.In the photo, we see a taxi driver arriving after a long shift with his daughter, a little girl who is overjoyed because her dad remembered to take her swimming. I remember he just sat there for two hours and let her swim, play, and eventually show off her new moves. He stayed there the whole time. I believe simple things connect us as humans; I believe we are all someone’s child, we were all kids once, and even if for him it was just a couple of hours spent sleeping awkwardly on a plastic chair, I think she will remember it. At least I do.
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