Our long time friends and neighbors, Bob and Mary Shepard, have been visiting Ixtapa and extolling the virtues of the Las Brisas Hotel. For our 44th anniversary celebration this year, we flew to Zihuatanejo Airport near Ixtapa and enjoyed the Las Brisas from December 15 - 19. Rich colors made an otherwise wonderful experience all the more memorable and a photographer's dream.

Alaska Air flies directly from LAX to Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, a flight of 3 1/2 hours; we arrived about 4 pm local time (two hours later time zone than California), then took a taxi to the hotel near Ixtapa. 2003:12:15 14:52:26 9.28125 mm 1/400 f9

In English, "las brisas" is breezes. 2005:12:18 09:13:44 70 mm 1/126 f5.6

The hotel is a massive structure 20 stories high. The lobby conveys its size and weight, but somehow this monumental architecture barely imposes on the steep hillside into which it is built. Structures are open with ample opportunity for breezes to waft. 2005:12:17 12:20:03 28 mm 1/20 f3.8

Colorful local art decorates the walls of the hotel - much of it for Christmas during our visit. 2005:12:17 08:04:48 40 mm 1/60 f4.8

Each of the 400 rooms is virtually identical - large, open, and comfortable, with a deck/patio as large as the room, half covered. Rooms are complete with air conditioning, refrigerator, TV, and on the patio a lounge, hammock, and other amenities. We thought the flower heart on the bed was in honor of our anniversary, but there were different designs each day. 2005:12:16 08:30:24 28 mm 1/160 f6.3

Walk to the edge of the balcony and this is the view. All rooms face west; this view is toward the northwest. 2005:12:16 09:04:05 62 mm 1/160 f6

Another shot from the same spot shows the terraced rooms angled down in concert with the mountain slope and the private cove with beautiful beach below. 2005:12:16 09:24:11 20 mm 1/160 f6.3

Since it was late, we took a taxi to Ixtapa and the marina at the far end of town, where there are several good restaurants. Here the waiter at Bucanero's is preparing "Camerones de Diablo y Tequilla with mango sauce" for Nancy. 2003:12:15 18:11:42 5.40625 mm 1/60 f2.8