Barcelona Spain
December 2018 - Toronto ON - Mazatlan Mexico
Saturday
Pink Saturday
Six Word Saturday
Wit's End Challenge WIND
I don't think the sun is ever going to come out!
We had a great dinner with my cousin and her wife at a local pub, lots of laughs!
Across from the pub.
Wit's End Challenge WIND
I don't think the sun is ever going to come out!
We had a great dinner with my cousin and her wife at a local pub, lots of laughs!
Across from the pub.
Sunday
Inspired Sunday Madrid
One Word Sunday WHITE
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge SEASONAL
We spent the day getting ready for Mexico! We leave early Tuesday morning.
So laundry, tidying up, cleaning out the fridge, eating what's left, and getting packing done.
Monday
Foto Tunes
Monday Mural
Wordless
Last day to get things done. Early downtown for some errands, get pesos, money, some stuff at the drugstore and a new bathing suit.
Dundas Square, it needs some snow!
The Hard Rock Cafe is no more, Shoppers' Drug Mart took over the building. and the store’s upper floor hosts the Friar’s Music Museum, a boutique exhibition space dedicated to the melodious history of a short strip of a long street once enlivened by music luminaries of the Oscar Peterson, Jackie Shane and B.B. King kind.
To some, the mini-museum (named after the long-gone Friar’s Tavern music venue) is just what the doctor ordered.
Tree in First Canadian Place.
Home and final packing.
Dinner - Swiss Chalet delivery, chicken.
The weather looks like this! As a guide 28 C is about 82 F.
Inspired Sunday Madrid
One Word Sunday WHITE
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge SEASONAL
We spent the day getting ready for Mexico! We leave early Tuesday morning.
So laundry, tidying up, cleaning out the fridge, eating what's left, and getting packing done.
Monday
Foto Tunes
Monday Mural
Wordless
Last day to get things done. Early downtown for some errands, get pesos, money, some stuff at the drugstore and a new bathing suit.
Dundas Square, it needs some snow!
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The Hard Rock Cafe is no more, Shoppers' Drug Mart took over the building. and the store’s upper floor hosts the Friar’s Music Museum, a boutique exhibition space dedicated to the melodious history of a short strip of a long street once enlivened by music luminaries of the Oscar Peterson, Jackie Shane and B.B. King kind.
To some, the mini-museum (named after the long-gone Friar’s Tavern music venue) is just what the doctor ordered.
Tree in First Canadian Place.
Home and final packing.
Dinner - Swiss Chalet delivery, chicken.
The weather looks like this! As a guide 28 C is about 82 F.
Tuesday
Cee's Fun Foto Challenge Farm Animals
Tuesday Treasures Toronto
Tuesday Photo Challenge
We're awake and up at 5:30 before the alarm goes at 6 AM, strip the bed, have coffee and we are in the limo at 6:30.
The airport is absolutely packed with charters headed south for a week.
Luckily we are flying Aeromexico and check in is quick and easy. From there through the Trusted Travellers' line as we have Nexus cards and we are in the airport lounge in no time. We have an hour to get some breakfast before we head to our gate at 8:30 for 9:15 departure.
Comfortable flight, breakfast was served as were drinks later into the flight.
We cleared immigration in Mexico City and then found the AMEX lounge. They have a set menu, chicken soup, pizza or pasta and a dessert.
Then onto our flight to Mazatlan where we were greeted by our driver from King David, always use them and highly recommend!
Traffic was bumper to bumper, the Christmas holidays have started for Mexicans so lots of tourists.
But we are checked in and in our rooms by 8 PM local time.
We walked out to the Fish Market restaurant for dinner.
Mahi Mahi for John and shrimp, scallop and tuna ceviche for me. Total bill $32 CDN.
There is a two hour time difference to Toronto.
1 Canadian dollar is equal to 15 pesos.
We're awake and up at 5:30 before the alarm goes at 6 AM, strip the bed, have coffee and we are in the limo at 6:30.
The airport is absolutely packed with charters headed south for a week.
Luckily we are flying Aeromexico and check in is quick and easy. From there through the Trusted Travellers' line as we have Nexus cards and we are in the airport lounge in no time. We have an hour to get some breakfast before we head to our gate at 8:30 for 9:15 departure.
Comfortable flight, breakfast was served as were drinks later into the flight.
We cleared immigration in Mexico City and then found the AMEX lounge. They have a set menu, chicken soup, pizza or pasta and a dessert.
Then onto our flight to Mazatlan where we were greeted by our driver from King David, always use them and highly recommend!
Traffic was bumper to bumper, the Christmas holidays have started for Mexicans so lots of tourists.
But we are checked in and in our rooms by 8 PM local time.
We walked out to the Fish Market restaurant for dinner.
Mahi Mahi for John and shrimp, scallop and tuna ceviche for me. Total bill $32 CDN.
There is a two hour time difference to Toronto.
1 Canadian dollar is equal to 15 pesos.
Wednesday
ABC Wednesday Letter X
ABC Wednesday Letter X
The view out our window this morning.
We were up bright and early, coffee and then met Bill and Carol outside at 8:45. It was so good to see them after ten months!
We headed to Los Osuna, according to their website Alfonso Osuna met with the President of Mexico in the early 2000s and received permission to produce and distribute their product so long as they did not represent it as Tequila. Whatever you call it, the product is delicious.
We'd been here before but today they were grinding the pinas, which only happens every 5-6 months. I'll do a separate post on the process.
Bill and John supervising.
I'm tasting it after it is boiled, pure sugar.
Driving to lunch next to the distillery, flowers one side and a cactus fence the other.
We headed to Los Osuna, according to their website Alfonso Osuna met with the President of Mexico in the early 2000s and received permission to produce and distribute their product so long as they did not represent it as Tequila. Whatever you call it, the product is delicious.
We'd been here before but today they were grinding the pinas, which only happens every 5-6 months. I'll do a separate post on the process.
Bill and John supervising.
I'm tasting it after it is boiled, pure sugar.
Bill, playing photographer, Carol and me, taking photos.
Complimentary nachos, sweet potato chips cheese and salsa.
Three cafe de olla and one Americano.
Cafe de Olla
8 cups of water
5 ounces piloncillo (see below)
⅔ cup of dark coffee, ground medium-coarse (between a flat bottom and French press grind)
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange peel (optional)
Piloncillo is commonplace in Mexico, but it’s not always easy to find at home. It’s unrefined sugar cane, often sold in small cones. You might find it at a Mexican grocery store or in the Latino section of a large supermarket. For the most authentic Café de Olla, use piloncillo. If you can’t find it, though, 1 cup of brown sugar will serve as a fine substitute.
The orange peel adds a sweet, citrus complexity to the finished beverage.
How to Brew Mexican Coffee
Once you have your ingredients gathered, it takes about 15 minutes to make Mexican coffee. Follow these steps:
Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan.
Add the piloncillo or brown sugar and stir so it dissolves.
Add the coffee, cinnamon stick, and orange peel (if using).
Turn off the heat and let steep while covered for 10 minutes.
Strain out the cinnamon stick and orange peel. You can use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to strain out the ingredients. If you don’t have these but have a French press, pull out the cinnamon stick and orange peel with a spoon, and then pour the brew into the press. You can easily filter out the grounds once the coffee is in the French press.
John's Mexican eggs, beans, potatoes, green peppers and onions.
In the women's bathroom.
Then they kindly took us to Soriana's to do our first grcoery order, back to El Cid and a quiet afternoon.
Salad for dinner. The plan is to only have one large meal, either breakfast or lunch and salad for dinner. If we are in for breakfast it will be fruit salad, yogurt and cereal.
Salad for dinner. The plan is to only have one large meal, either breakfast or lunch and salad for dinner. If we are in for breakfast it will be fruit salad, yogurt and cereal.
Thursday
Thursday Doors Toledo Spain
A Photo A Week EYES
Best salsa!
My shrimp tacos, packed solid.
John's rather large Mexican plate.
Complimentary kahlua and milk.
We stopped at Henderson's butcher shop and picked up three steaks and some ground beef, $20 CDN.
Back for a siesta before the Salvation Army Children's Christmas show. We had perfect seats as our balcony overlooked the performance.
Back for a siesta before the Salvation Army Children's Christmas show. We had perfect seats as our balcony overlooked the performance.
This is an orphanage, the children are either orphans or have been removed from a dangerous environment. There are several groups of siblings. They are provided with housing, schooling and medical/dental care. The Salvation Army does not provide funds to the home nor does the government. They receive funding from several charities including a Canadian and American charity. The expats in Mazatlan also provide a lot of support through donations.
This young gentleman, 18, is a resident and just started technical school through the generosity of an expat couple. Carol also mentioned that a couple from their park donated a van to the home.
They have started a band, also due to some donations.
Friday
Pull Up a Seat Barcelona Spain
Weekend Roundup Letter Y
Weekend Reflections Granada Spain
Wits End Weekly Photo Challenge Holiday Traditions
We were up and having coffee when we got a message from Carol asking if we wanted to go to Centro and have breakfast! Sure!
Union Kitchen for breakfast, new to us.
Croque Monsieur, I expected a croissant.
John enjoyed his eggs with chilaquiles.
Christmas decorations in Plaza Machado.
I haven't seen these in bloom before, Carol calls them orchid trees.
Gray palm trees.
Bakery
Decorations in the main plaza.
Cakes in Panama bakery.
Walking back through Machado after going to the market.
We had planned on going to Wal-Mart as we heard they carried a variety of gluten free products. Nope. But we stocked up since we had a ride.
Back for a relaxing afternoon, reading and blogging.
BOOKS
We'll be getting caught up on our reading in the next couple of weeks.
I finished Sometimes I Lie, I liked it but there are a lots of dissatisfied readers on Goodreads who say they couldn't figure out the ending.
The Lying Game was okay, I didn't really like any of them or feel for their mess they made.
The Favorite Sister revolves around a reality show (I never watch any) with totally self-absorbed young women. Meh.
We'll be getting caught up on our reading in the next couple of weeks.
I finished Sometimes I Lie, I liked it but there are a lots of dissatisfied readers on Goodreads who say they couldn't figure out the ending.
The Lying Game was okay, I didn't really like any of them or feel for their mess they made.
The Favorite Sister revolves around a reality show (I never watch any) with totally self-absorbed young women. Meh.
I started Limitless and I can't put it down!
Beth hosts Weekend Cooking where you can post anything food related.
Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy.
Sundays in my City
Seasons
Monday Walks
Monday Morning Blog Club
Through My Lens Monday
Our World Tuesday
Wanderful Wednesday #wanderfulwednesday
Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy.
Sundays in my City
Seasons
Monday Walks
Monday Morning Blog Club
Through My Lens Monday
Our World Tuesday
Wanderful Wednesday #wanderfulwednesday
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Given it only reached about 18 here today, on our longest day in Summer, 28 sounds quite ok. You don't seem to be very keen being in Toronto for the winter.
ReplyDelete18 is ok for me. Winter in Toronto is too gray and dull. I don't mind the snow, but can't take the lack of sunshine. We use our timeshare and it gets us away doing other things.
DeleteIt's the cactus fence that catches my attention. I've never seen something like that before, but given the area and climate, that actually makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that it's Mexico time already! I'm so much more relaxed just looking at the lovely colors, the ocean all that yummy food. It's so cold and blustery in Pennsylvania today -- so nice to see you in the warmth!
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never, Jackie! We got caught up in our own travel mania but it turned out well in the end. Happy New Year to you! :) :)
ReplyDelete