Saturday started with rain, not a common sight here!!! We had a light breakfast, finished packing up. Check out here is noon, so we went to the desk around then to see if our new room was ready. It wasn't but they didn't expect us to leave our current room until it was, nice touch.
We went back around 1 and they were just cleaning it so we went to lunch as the desk clerk said he would come to the restaurant when it was ready.
Lunch was shrimp in garlic. Nice and spicy. And fresh buns, delicious, I ate two.
The desk clerk came into the restaurant and we received our new keys for a one bedroom unit one floor down and in the first building, really close to the lobby, deli and laundry, as well as the coffee shop with rocking chairs.
The bellboy came with us to pack up the old room and loaded the golf cart to take us to the new one.
Unpacking groceries.
Large bedroom with TV and great view.
The view from our balcony.
We settled in and John watched the golf and then some internet shows while I read.
Sunday awoke to a lovely morning and John made scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast.
Big question of the day, go for groceries early or do pool time and then do groceries? Won't go into town today as it is Sunday and the market and other places will be closed.
So, bus for groceries at 11. Military were out in force in front of Mega, stopping cars, obviously looking for someone.
Mega is always fun, there are many tourist shopping there and someone always talks to you. On our first stop this year, a man, seeing my cell phone (when it was still working) asked me for help with his, I couldn't but explained that John was close by. John helped him out.
This trip I was stopped several times, did I know where the garlic was. Yes, I believe it is over there. Walked there, yes here it is.
Getting some bread in the bakery, you take a tray and thongs and pick up the bread, buns, pastry etc and bring it to be tallied up and packaged. I have a pastry and I am stopped and asked if I know what kind of fruit is in it, Yes, it is raisin.
John has to come look for me the last time, as he is wondering why it is taking me so long to get yogurt. Well, first you have a conversation regarding what flavours you all like.
Then I am approached to see if I know what/where the whipping cream is. That leads to a discussion on how to find sour cream and that I use plain yogurt as whipping cream and she says or use sour cream. So we toddle off and search for the whipping cream, coming up lucky.
We couldn't find corn starch for thickening, but did find arrowroot, which jogged a memory that it would work, quick Google and yes it is perfect as well as gluten free.
Then we take a pulmonia back with our load.
Putting the groceries away I took a couple of photos.
Not a bad sunset tonight.
Monday we had coffee and enjoyed the view, one of the first without any fog in the early morning.
Some photos outside El Cid as we waited for our ride.
Bill and Carol picked us up and we went to Lucky B's for breakfast. The idea was to get a front row seat to watch the "boat people" as John calls the cruise ship people who are in for the day and are bused to the various spots, like jewelry shops. They bustle around looking for anything that says Mazatlan. I heard one woman looking at a purse bemoaning the fact that it didn't say Mazatlan.
Click here for lots more photos. And here for Carol's recap.
The cruise ships will be here on four days this week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Next week there will only be two, both coming from Puerto Vallarta on their way to Cabo San Lucas.They arrive around 7 AM and depart at 5 PM.
Here is the restaurant owner's car, one of many, parked outside.
We were joined by Gilberto, a friend of Bill and Carol's and the artist who painted Willie and the car above, as well as the murals in the restaurant.
I had the ranchero eggs on tostadas, a new favourite of mine. This was delicious!! John had an omelet which he declared delicious.
Bill saying "you are acting like tourists" and us saying "yup, doing blog homework"!
Carol caught us!
We then went shopping around Gaviotas. Bill picked up a couple of things to take home, a metal palm tree and a large painted parrot. Then I picked up a cute salt and pepper and another Catrina, a bride and groom on a bicycle. Photos will wait until we get home, as they are all wrapped up.
Then I started looking at bracelets, silver ones are my downfall, especially ones I can wear all the time. Bill came over, he was a jeweler, and made sure I got good quality and price. The one I chose, was too big but Bill said his jeweler could take a couple of links out for me. We rang up our purchases, with a great deal thanks to Bill and had assurances from Teresa the sales person to come back and see her for good prices.
Bill then took us to his guy to get my bracelet re-sized, it would be ready tomorrow,
Bill and Carol went their way to do some errands and we shopped around.
Must go in here next time as I forgot to get a photo of their sign.
Inside a hotel.
We were entertained by a band that was set up outside our door entertaining the patrons on the restaurant terrace while I prepared dinner.
I made a curry chicken with rice for dinner.
Onions and peppers cooking up.
I haven't mentioned that a maid drops by evening evening to make sure we have enough towels and gives us a couple of "kisses".
Tuesday was a lazy morning, I had a latte sitting in a rocking chair on the marina and John had a wildberry smoothie.
I wanted some bird/wing shots for Friday Finds.
That blue boat will take you over the the staircase where the beach is.
I took a walk around the resort to get some flower photos.
Walking back I don't notice John on our balcony until I'm closer.
We then went to pick up my bracelet, $100 pesos to re-size. We passed Teresa from Michael's on the way and were rewarded with big hugs.
Some pool time, a siesta for John and we got ready for a farewell dinner with Bill and Carol and friends of theirs, Dawn and Mike.
Raphael was playing at Torres Mazatlan. We have one of his CDs at home.
I wanted the shrimp tacos, but sad to say, and we have eaten here many times over the years, they were not the best. John had the fajitas and he also commented that they were greasy and the tortillas were very dry.
Carol's shrimp and avocado did look good.
Still, it's more about the company and there were heartfelt good-byes and hopes to meet up in Las Vegas in a few weeks.
Wednesday the morning got cloudier as it went on with infrequent peeks from the sun. Until by noon the day is totally grey and it is chilly as I take a walk around the resort.
The resort has fishing trips and they had just come back, one guy was obviously lucky.
Not sure why this one was gutted, that's how it was when I walked over.
Looking for food.
I stroll down to the other end of the resort. There are nine buildings. This one is seven floors, the others are four. This one houses their show units.
On the other side is the pool, you can swim through the caves.
I look up at the large rocks and spy this, looking down on me.
The sun made a brief appearance at sunset.
This evening we are
Thursday bright and sunny.
While waiting for the bus we realize there are new signs. The plastic hasn't been removed as yet.
We headed downtown with no destination until we were on the bus and decided to get off at the shrimp ladies. I've written about them before.
Great hot sauce shop!
these ladies line the street selling shrimp, all sizes and colours. They average about $300 pesos for a kilo - that is $20.57 CDN for 2.2 lbs.
While standing there I looked around and realized I recognized the woman who gives food tours of the market, for $45 US per person, which we thought was very pricey, It is so easy to wander around the market and area and just talk to the vendors.
There are also a couple of fishmongers in this area. There are lots more inside the market.
A more fragrant walk through the tiny flower market.
Next stop was the European Sausage Market, a small shop on Benito Juarez. Out stepped the owner, Canadian and asked if it was our first time, yes, then he said, we start with a toothpick and you start sampling.
Look at all the gluten free choices!
I can vouch that the "damn hot" were "damn hot"!
All are frozen and shipped from Canada. They will soon all be gluten free, it just so happened that the supplier used wheat flour in this shipment instead of the order for corn flour. We bought some English bangers and anise Italian.
Looking towards the cathedral as we move on.
A quick walk by the main market, no stopping as we will be back when we catch the bus.
Into the plaza across from the cathedral and there is a band.
Looking towards Calle Angel Flores.
Road construction led to a detour on our way to lunch.
Angelina's for lunch. This is a very pretty place. Service is mediocre. And I do think first impressions can make or break a place especially if the food was just average as it was.
The bar is open to the restaurant and it was off-putting that the counter was covered in dirty glasses and bottles I would assume from last night. There was a bartender, but keeping the area tidy obviously was not on his job description since it remained dirty the entire time although he had nothing to do other than pour two beers for us.
There was a hostess who waved us to sit anywhere. She spent the entire time laughing and flirting with a guy who came in just after us. She squealed several times and had to be hushed by the lone server.
We were the only customers for quite a while and then three separate couples arrived.
Ladies' washroom.
We shared Keith's papas, fries with pepper and Parmesan. Delicious.
John had steak tacos, and wasn't very impressed as they were lukewarm and lacking any seasoning.
My shrimp tacos were good.
Nothing inspired us to make a return visit.
We took the bus to the large liquor store to get some good tequila and then a pulmonia back.
We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon reading and watching movies.
Friday we went downtown to the optometrist that Bill and Carol use. John took his glasses and she read the prescription, John picked frames to have sunglasses made. Total cost $2200 pesos or $150 CDN and they will be ready on Tuesday. BTW there were cheaper frames.
Walking by the market.
Smells so good!
After a stop into the cathedral (insert John's eye roll) we went to Panama's for lunch. This is a local Mazatlan bakery chain that the Mexicans love and it is always full. I had orange juice and a bacon cheese grilled sandwich and John had an omelet. Both came with homemade potatoes delicious especially with their green sauce on them.
Here's a recipe for salsa verde that I will definitely be making. To quote a famous commercial "I could eat that *&%$er on anything"!!
Pastries, anyone?
To market, to market for eggs, tomatoes and potatoes.
The yellow on the end is lard, the middle is bacon fat, and I'm still working on what the brown one is.
We then gingerly boarded the bus with 6 eggs in my purse, in a plastic bag. We got off at Henderson's as I hoped to find a pot roast for Sunday, but no luck.
As we walked back to El Cid we spotted these guys living on the walls surrounding an abandoned resort.
We strolled around the resort. We went up to the 7th floor, this is overlooking that abandoned resort, that whole beach is fenced off, what a shame.
What a great view of the resort!
We were treated to a rather windy sunset.
I wrote this list early in the week so some things did get crossed off as done.
Come Saturday we only have one week left here in Mazatlan. There's a few things on my list, lunch at the Indian place and maybe
DINNER
Saturday - wraps after big lunch
Sunday - sweet and sour meatballs with rice, not great photo, I should have cleaned the plate up, but it was oh, so good.
Monday - curry chicken - a definite miss this time, it was just too salty
Tuesday - Torres Mazatlan tacos and fajitas
Wednesday - spaghetti and home made meatballs
Thursday - salad for me and spaghetti and meatballs for John
Friday - anise Italian sausages, fried potatoes with onions. Sausages were delicious!
BOOKS
I mentioned last week that I had started Elizabeth the Queen. I found it to be rather boring, choppy and felt like it was superficial and biased towards the Queen. I am, quite frankly, an avid Anglophile but this just read like a bunch of gossipy articles hobbled together. So I gave up.
Blood on Snow, what! A Jo Nesbo book and I didn't like it??? This was a fast read, a couple of hours at most. It felt like a draft or short story, not satisfying at all.
This is Happy all I can say is if this is the author's idea of happy then it's no wonder she is so miserable. She has amazing chances at experiences and she is so self-absorbed. Definitely first world problems.
Leave Me this was a woman I could identify with.What I wasn't sure about was where te birth mother story was going, I do have some ideas of my own.
The Good Life also kept me involved and interested. I'm always a sucker for stories abut 9/11. Ageing hipsters and spoiled princesses and adulterers, a Manhattanite lifestyle that I can only envision and a lot of first world problems.
In My Paris Kitchen loved it. the author and chef is David Lebovitz. I loved this book and it made me excited to get home and start really cooking. It is part story part cookbook and part food history. I enjoyed his coverage of ingredients and how best to use them. Garlic gets a whole section. I love that he hates certain things like celery.
I started a list of recipes I wanted to try that got out of hand. So I found his blog and the recipes are there.
Celery root soup with horseradish cream and ham chips
Beet hummus
Merguez meatballs with spicy mayo
duck terrine
Onion tart
Chocolate terrine with ginger creme
Rosemary oil
Fresh herb omelet
Okay before I go on, I may have to buy this book as I borrowed this one from the library!
SHARING WITH:
Friday Photo Journal
Beth hosts Weekend Cooking where you can post anything food related.
You've been keeping busy. We are resting from the 500 miles we've done so far. Beam me up Scotty!
ReplyDeleteNice photos of flowers and cactus.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
The cacti, flowers, and those lizards are my favourites!
ReplyDeleteYou have the best vacations! I love the places you stay, the food you eat...and the colorful scenery. I felt as though I was right there.
ReplyDeleteOf your books, I read and enjoyed The Good Life a few years ago.
Thanks for sharing, and here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST
Such beautiful, colorful photos! My favorite is Calle Angel Flores. Thank you for sharing your Mazatlan experience through your photos.
ReplyDeleteSome very colorful photos, I loved the cacti as well. David Lebovitz is a favorite too - read that book and occasionally visit his blog.
ReplyDeleteI loved the cacti and the restaurant owner's car!
ReplyDeleteI don't even know where to begin -- the colors, the flowers, the markets, the sunsets, the meals! What a place. I always love your recaps of the week. I too love green sauce, I'm going to check out the recipe you linked. I missed that Jo Nesbo too, so I'll be looking into that. Bummer on the Elizabeth book. And I'm embarrassed to admit I still haven't read that Lebovitz.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'll ever get to stay at a Mexican resort, but I feel like I almost know what it might be like from your posts. I wish that there was more consistently good food for you. The flowers and colours of the markets are attractive. I'm a fan of David Leibovitz but haven't got round to getting In My Paris Kitchen as yet- I know I'd like it, I'd like to make most of those recipes too.
ReplyDelete