Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Getting to Acapulco for a Day or Weekend English Language Teaching Retreat

Getting to Acapulco

Getting to Acapulco is pretty simple; from Mexico City, it’s a six-hour, 230-peso* bus ride from the South Terminal (Terminal Sur - metro stop: Tasqueña) on frequently-departing Grupo Estsrella Blanca buses. The ultra-deluxe buses feature one or two full-length movies, extra-wide, plush, reclining lounge chairs and a freshly made sandwich and cold beverage of your choice handed out as you board. Buses take the non-stop toll expressway directly to the coast. Second class transport lines (180* pesos, 6 ½ to 7 grueling hours) still use the old route through the mountains passing Cuernavaca, Taxco and Chilpancingo, Guerrero state’s capitol city. A day or weekend retreat in Acapulco might be just what the doctor ordered after a typical week of teaching English as a foreign language in Mexico City or environs.

*Quoted prices are subject to change

photo: Playa Popular, a local’s beach site in Acapulco away from the tourists

Getting Around Acapulco

It’s ridiculously easy to traverse the city. In fact, if it got any easier, you’d have to be carried around on the wings of angels. The main thoroughfare, Costera Miguel Aleman, follows the crescent-shaped shore virtually from one end to its other several kilometers away. Blue taxis are abundant costing ten* to fifteen* pesos for most destinations within the city. Blue and white city buses follow “La Costera” too and are a bargain 3* pesos. Even bus lines that venture up the rolling slopes of Acapulco’s residential districts pass briefly along “La Costera”, mostly near the Zocalo. Green and white city buses wind their way up and over the cliffs to locales outside but near the city and set you back a whopping 5 *pesos for a journey of 30 to 40 minutes. We’ll be taking one of these day trips to “Pie de la Cuesta” later when you might need another relaxing break from teaching English as a foreign language in Mexico City and environs, Cuernavaca, Taxco or Chilpancingo, perhaps.

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Now YOU too can live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. Need professional, original content for your blog, newsletter or website? Or for comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail the author at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

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