Loreto - we first visited this port 4 years ago and really loved it then. At that time a couple of cruise lines stopped there. HAL is the only cruise line that stops there now from what I have been told (maybe someone knows of another cruise line that stops there.) Even though the people went out of their way to welcome us, there are very few shops there now. There used to be quite a few shops before you got to the hotel, plaza & church area. Now there are only a couple of vendors with their wares displayed on the ground. You have to walk beyond the church where there are more vendors but still not as many as there were 4 years ago. There are many sections along the avenue that are now vacant lots and it appears that nothing is going to be built on them. As I said, the people went out of their way to welcome us. A marachi band played in the plaza for awhile. Then for about an hour many of the grade school and high school students performed dances from around the world (Hula's, Rumba's, Mexican Hat Dance, etc.). And they still take great pride in trimming their trees to form an arch over the main avenue.