D and A's Mexican Vacaciones

Our World Tuesday


Hola, amigos!!

I am writing a recap of our first two weeks in Mazatlan this year which was shared with two friends from Calgary. D had never been to Mexico.

270 miles or 435 km

The four of us left on December 28 Las Vegas where we had spent a week together that included D's birthday and Christmas. The plan was to drive to Los Angeles for the evening and leave on Sunday morning for our flight to Mazatlan.

We made one stop on our way to the Hilton at LAX.

Most photos are D's with some of mine thrown in.

Once checked in and our car taken care of (long term parking for 63 days) we relaxed. Dinner in hotel restaurant (awful service as usual on this our third stay here).

Everyone was ready for the airport shuttle at 8AM. 

Security was super easy, they do a pre-clearance and we all made it, meaning that we did not have to remove shoes, belts, laptops etc. As the FAA person put it "do the opposite of what you are used to"!

Quick breakfast at the airport, some duty free shopping and we're aboard our Alaska Air flight. We shared a cheese platter.

Nice, easy flight and we are there!

While you are on-board the cabin crew provides you with a Mexican Customs form and a form for Mexican Immigration. The immigration form, called a FMN has a detachable card which immigration agents will stamp as you enter the country. This is your tourist visa and should be stored away carefully because you will need to present it as you exit the country.

Customs works on a green light/red light system, however as we passed through there was an immigration officer "manning" it. . He determined the colour button for us to press - green so we were cleared. If the light is red, which seemed to happen mainly to Mexicans returning home, an agent will pull you aside for a quick check of your luggage.

We always book our airport transportation through the timeshare company and King David was waiting for us. 

Shame on me for getting us scammed as soon as we get onto Mexican land! King David employees wear yellow golf shirts and a guy in a yellow golf shirt walked up and asked us if we wanted margaritas for our bus ride. I said yes, not realizing he ran a bar just next to the meeting place. Mucho pesos later we were on our way.

The first thing we noticed was the large police presence that wasn't here last February. It seems that the cruise ships have returned to Mazatlan and one of their demands was for a heavy police image. So there are federal, municipal, social, traffic and tourist police with flashing lights everywhere. I will state right now, that I think Mazatlan is a very safe place to visit!!

 We checked into a one bedroom for three nights.

Happy hour in the palapa.

We headed down to Plazuela Machado by pulmonia to meet The Golden Years for dinner at Beach Burger.

The square was decked out for the holidays.

Monday was a relaxing morning at the condo.

Then a stroll along the beach to Las Brujas 3KM each way.

 Sunset - always perfect

Dinner 2 for 1 ribs 

 Tuesday New year's Eve started with a bus trip to the market.

 One must visit the shrimp ladies or changueras (click on link for more photos and details) when in Mazatlan. We went to a different restaurant this time across from the shrimp ladies.

Menu board outside.

Check out the built in hole for the beer bucket! The server was amazing! She anticipated our every move,

Time to head back and get ready for NYE celebrations!

For more NYE photos click here.

Wednesday -  We moved into our two bedroom unit on new year's day.

The first sunset of the new year was very spectacular.

We had dinner at the Palapa.

Thursday - time to do a serious grocery shopping at Walmart, a new location just opened. I can't say it was very impressive from a food point of view, no garlic, no cilantro, limited meat selection. We picked up steaks, salad and potatoes for dinner.

Friday - we went to the Art Walk at Plazula Machado and had dinner with friends.

Saturday we decided to head down to check out the fishermen.

 A snack of oysters more photos here.

Lunch 

A shared mixed plate of shrimp. The coconut shrimps are the best!

Wandering around town

Dinner in - roast chicken

Sunday - hanging around beach

Home made lunch on the deck, salsa and chicken sandwiches.

Dinner Plazuela Machado to listen to Mazatlan native Rafael Rodriquez

There is always a group of ladies who love to line dance when he (or anyone for that matter) plays.

Monday We headed out early to catch the fishermen.

Dinner at Casa Country, getting there in a truck cab.

Check out the purse stand.

Our server making guacamole and warm salsa.

Tuesday - D and A took a day trip the tequila factory and El Quelite. We went to the market and had the butcher cut us four steaks for dinner.

Wednesday we took the bus to the market for D to pick up some souvenirs.

We headed to the Shrimp Ladies for another feast at the same restaurant. My favourite lady.

Then we left them to wander around and they ended up lost and came back by pulmonia.

We decided to eat at the Palapa.

Thursday - we wandered down to Playa Gaviotas and stopped into some shops. Then had lunch at Gringo Lingo click here for more photos.

Back into the Zona Dorada and we strolled over to the shops by Gus Gus where we stopped for a beer while D and A looked at some stuff. We had the chattiest waiter, who said he had lived in Winterpeg (Winnipeg) and had married a French Canadian, tired of her nagging, he moved to Poland and married a Polish woman and had a daughter. Seems she had the same nagging problem so he came back to Mazatlan.

Once in a pulmonia heading back to the condo D realized she didn't have her purse. Sheer panic stepped in and they hightailed it back to Gus Gus where the two girls who had been sitting behind us had handed it over to the bartender.

Friday The Golden Years asked us to have breakfast as it was D and A's last day.

Then we took the bus, a newer one outfitted with amusing handgrips and a TV showing clips of Just For Laughs, a Quebec syndicated TV show.

First stop was the Seashell Museum click for more photos.

Then into the Tequila distillery

Playa Mazatlan

Then a walk along the Malecon beach.

Dinner was at Pedro y Lola at Plazuela Machado. We sat outside and listened to all the various music going on around us.

Photos to come - on D's camera!!

Saturday - departure day

Don't make me go back to the snow and cold!