Observations in Mazatlan
This is our 3rd trip to Mexico and as you can well imagine, there are some things that we see that are out of the ordinary from what we experience at home. Here are just a few examples:
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| How many people will fit in the bed of a Pick-up Truck? |
Wearing a seatbelt is the law, but doesn't seem to be enforced by Police with the residents. Pick Up Trucks are often filled with people riding in the bed of the truck. You often see a family of 3 riding on a motorcycle too. However, just the other day a friend of ours (American) received a ticket for not wearing his seatbelt. The fine was 180 pesos (about $15).
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| Typical catch of the day |
The Aries Sport Fishing Fleet go out daily from the El Cid Marina. They have a number of boats that are chartered by fishing enthusiasts. This is a typical catch but we've seen many more and much larger fish here too.
It is common practice for police vehicles (Municipal, Federal and Tourist Police) to drive around with their police strobe lights flashing at all times. I now understand it is a city mandate in order to make tourists feel safer. In seeing the vast presence of the police, you know you can always get help if you need it. In the event of a real emergency, they turn on their sirens and honk their horns too. So if you happen to be driving in Mazatlan and see a police vehicle in your rear view mirror with all the lights flashing and spinning, don't panic, that's just the way they normally drive around town.
It is also common practice for Federal Drug Police to wear balaclava masks with body armour and mounted machine guns in their police vehicles. They wear balaclava masks to protect their identities. It is a little scary when you first see it, but you get used to it.
Excessive noise is something you have to get used to here as well. All events seem to be conducted at full volume, no matter what they are.
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| The sidewalk narrows after a phone booth is installed |
The sidewalks are not well maintained and are actually quite treacherous. Never take your eyes off the sidewalk (or your feet) while walking. There are hundreds of examples but I just took these 2 pictures in the space of a couple of minutes.
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Gaping holes and uneven pavement on sidewalks is common
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Of course there are many positive things about Mazatlan too which is why we love it here:
- The average overnight low temperature in Winter is 15 C with a daytime high temperature of 26 C. That's the coldest it gets during our 5 months here!
- Eating out is relatively cheap and the food is very good. For example, breakfast out costs us 150 pesos total and includes orange juice or fruit plate, bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and coffee or tea. A similar breakfast at home would cost 3 times as much. Best of all, we can eat it on the beach while wearing a bathing suit or shorts and flip flops!
- A bottle of cold beer at a fancy resort hotel or restaurant on the beach costs just 25 pesos at most and during happy hour, you can get 2 for the price of 1. The cost of living is excellent!
- We have met so many wonderful people and made so many new friends.
- We love the adventurous life style!
Out and About
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| Kim and crew off to Stone Island again for the day |
Sailing to Stone Island on January 31st for the day so Kim can dive and clean the bottom of the boat and replace the zincs. Bob, Luc, Tina and Douglas joined him for a Sail while Bev and I went shopping to the Gran Plaza Mall. After that we all met up at Lety's on Stone Island for lunch and some rest and relaxation on the beach.
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Kim and crew returning from Stone Island at dusk
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| Sunset/Helicopter - I took the picture from the roof of the Freeman Hotel |
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| Jan and Tina enjoying the Plaza Machado just before Carnival |
Carnival 2016 in Mazatlan
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| Donald Trump was chosen to burn in effigy |
Carnival in Mazatlan was held this year from Thursday, February 4th to Tuesday, February 9th. This was the 118th year for Carnival in Mazatlan. The 2016 theme was 'Mazatlantida' which I understand means 'you experience waves of happiness when you are close to the ocean'. Thousands of tourists arrive from all over Mexico and abroad to be part of this extravaganza which includes parades, fireworks and fabulous entertainment. One of the popular events is 'Burning of the Bad Humour'. Each year political or 'outspoken' people are in the running, and the Mexicans always wonder who will be chosen to burn in effigy. The person is represented as a puppet of large dimensions, loaded with gunpowder, toured throughout the Centro area, then incinerated. This year they chose Donald Trump. The street party began on February 4th and ended February 9th. During this time the beer was flowing and the Malecon was jam packed full! I recently read in the Mazatlan Messenger newspaper that more than 600,000 people attended Carnival.
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| Burning of the Bad Humour |
Rather than 'burning' of the bad humour, it turned out to be more like an 'explosion'!
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| Fireworks during Carnival |
We understand the Fireworks were spectacular during Carnival. We see fireworks here every weekend so tend not to be too interested in going to watch them anymore. It probably has lots to do with the fact that they terrify Douglas, so we don't want to take him to them, or leave him home alone on the boat where he can hear the blasts and feel the sonic boom.
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| The Colours and formations were beautiful |
One evening we went out for dinner and on the way home we could hear fireworks. We got on the boat and poor Douglas was hiding in a corner and he had managed to get himself in behind our rather large fan. We don't know how he did it but that's how scared he was. The fireworks are beautiful though.
Here are just a couple examples of the floats from the parade. Very colourful!
Jason & Tanya's Visit
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| Breakfast together on the beach at Loco's Loco's |
We were very fortunate to have Jason and Tanya pay us a visit from February 5th to the 12th. They stayed on the boat with us on their first night, then moved into a nearby Hotel. The week went by so fast and we had a terrific time together!
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| Jason and Tanya enjoying the sunshine, and the beach |
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| Kim and Jason enjoying some Dad and Son time together |
At Jason and Tanya's Hotel Room for drinks before going to Centro and the Plaza Machado for dinner.
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| This was the view from Jason and Tanya's Hotel room |
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| Party time in the Pulmonia taxi |
Jason enjoying a beer in the Pulmonia taxi on the way to the Plaza Machado for fireworks night at Carnival 2016.
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| Dinner at Il Mosto in the Plaza Machado |
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| Dinner at Las Brochetas with Peter, Tanya, Jason, Luc and Tina |
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A Las Brochetas Specialty - Piping hot Chicken Molcajete
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| Jan, Douglas, Luc, Tina, Tanya and Jason - About to climb Faro |
Jan, Douglas, Luc, Tina, Tanya, Jason and Kim caught the 10 peso bus so we could climb Faro Lighthouse, then got a Panga to spend the day at Stone Island.
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| Tina, Luc, Jason and Jan resting at the top of Faro Lighthouse |
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| Luc, Tanya, Tina, Jason and Jan on top of Faro |
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| Tanya, Jason, Kim and Jan enjoying the spectacular views |
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| Is Tina in jail ... ha ha - great views behind her |
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| Panga ride over to Stone Island |
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| Jason, Tanya and Tina enjoying a swim before lunch at Lety's |
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| Jason enjoying Miller Time on Stone Island at Lety's Restaurant |
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| Kim, Douglas, Jan, Tina, Luc and Jason at Lety's |
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| Jason helping Tanya down a few rocks on our beach walk - their last beach walk before returning home later that day |
What's Next?
We are going with friends, Bob and Bev, on a road trip to San Blas and Chacala tomorrow morning for 2 or 3 days. We plan to go on a Jungle Tour to see Crocodiles in their natural habitat, among other things. It should be fun!
On March 11th my parents arrive for a 2 week stay at the El Cid Marina Resort. We can hardly wait to see them, and to show them around Mazatlan.
Our flight home is booked for April 8th so Kim is counting down his time left here in sunny and warm Mazatlan ... just 51 days remaining. We look forward to reconnecting with our family and friends then!
