Historical culture of Mazatlan

After already walking around the historical district of Mazatlan, and checking out all the vendors and produce stands of the centro, and walking through the beautiful cathedral.  We decided to do a few more touristy things, first we walked through the cultural center which housed the Museo de Arte.  This had paintings and prints of national and local artists.

We walked across the street the the Museo de Arqueologia, which had an impressive collections of artifacts from Sinaloa.

To the right: Ulama- a ball game played from your hip. The fields or "Tastas" are made up of a playing area where the boundary is defined using stones.

To the left: Burial Ritual: Large funeral urns that would hold more than one family member, the ritual was designed to portray the return of the deceased to the uterus of mother earth.










We then walked back through the Plazuela Machado to the Angela Peralta Theater.  This is one of the few 19th century theater still in operation in northwest Mexico.  Opening in 1874 named after businessman Manuel Rubio, in the early 1940's it was renamed in honor of "The Mexican Nightingale" Angela Peralta.  Who died of yellow fever shortly before her scheduled Mazatlan performance in 1882.

We walked past the palacio municipal an our way to lunch were there were hundreds of pigeons in the courtyard.

More Mazatlan

December 21st,

Well Jerry and I have been installing the solar panels for the 24 volt battery set up that our freezer is on. Now with 2 panels for the house batteries and now the 2 new ones we should be able to be very power efficient. While ashore we have continued tour around town. I found an eye doctor, after going to many, that was able to do an exam and order a years supply of contacts for me, yeah I can see again. He did a very thorough exam and since he spoke English really well I was very happy with the visit. On Saturday Marina Mazatlan held a swap meet, Jerry, myself, SV Tigger, and SV Goin South took the Toreo bus up to the marina. Since there are over 300 buses throughout Mazatlan, it is taking us a little time to figure out the system, but we are getting it. After the swap meet we had breakfast at Gus y Gus restaurant in the marina, along with a few other cruisers and SV Akupara.


While walking through Viejo Mazatlan, or Old Mazatlan there is Plazuela Machado, a dozen or so lovely restaurants surround the plaza.

Now that is an awsome christmas tree

looking into Plazuela Machado

the restuarants surrounding the plaza

On Saturday evening Jerry and I took the Sabalo Centro bus that goes through the Golden Zone, a different part of town that is catered much more to the tourist with lots of restaurants and shopping centers, up to Marina El Cid. We meet up with SV Akupara, SV Far Fetched, where Jenny and Randy were crewing along with Steve and Andrea, and went to dinner at Ernies.



Of course we have been going back down to Playa Olas Altas, this so far is one of our favorite areas to have dinner and drinks. We eat one night at Cava de Leon, I had the shrimp stuffed chile rellenos, and wow they were the best rellenos I think I have ever had. The houses in Old town are all decorated with lights and blow up Santa’s, even though it is 78 degrees during the day, it is really starting to look a lot like Christmas.

This house even looks amazing during the day!

Oh Skeeter!!

We almost adopted a new kitty, she hangs out up by the offices

Overlooking the harbor and our anchorage

Well Jerry and I made it to Mazatlan on Wednesday December 14th around 8am, after 198 miles of open sea that took around 40 hours we pulled in and anchored in Mazatlan Harbor, Club Nautico.  There are about 10 other sailboats, and a bunch of fishing boats in the anchorage with us.  This is a very busy harbor, we ever boats of every sort coming and going all day and night, but we are still enjoying it.  The only things is it has been very foggy in the mornings the last two days, so the cruise ships that start coming in around sun up have been blowing their fog horns starting around 5am.  We get about 3 cruise ships in the morning coming in then leaving around 6pm, also ferries traveling back and forth to La Paz, and lots of shrimp, fishing and tour boats all day long.  Jerry and I have been enjoying watching all the traffic coming and going, when it is not foggy. 

three cruise ships about to leave

the ferry at night time

At club Nautico there is a dingy dock, showers (though Jerry and I don't think we will be using them, kind of dirty), trash cans to use all for a small fee.  There is a gated entrance that is locked at night, along with guards all day to watch the dingy and the anchorage.  The first day Jerry and I walked up to one of the main road to look around.  There is going to be alot to see in Mazatlan, we ended having lunch at one of the many little restaurants along the malacon, then took a pulmonis taxi back to the harbor. 

Yesterday we took one of the local buses up to the Centro Mercado, which is by far the biggest market we have gone through yet.  The produce was unbelievable, so plentiful and with such vibrant colors, along with queso fresco, seafood, spices and gifts.  We walked up to the upper level were the loncherieas were ( many different lunch eateries), we chose the one that had some seating outside, we had chicken soup, enchiladas, fries and bistek rancheros and two sodas for less than 10 bucks, yes we will be trying more of those places. 

We walked throught the Catedral Basilica de la Inmaculada Concepcion, inside the large cathedral hundereds of flowers decorating the beautiful, colorful artwork.



Across the street is the Plaza de la Republica, which was surrounded by venders, shoe polishers, a guy you could pay to take a picture with his donkey. 

Jerry standing in the gazebo in the plaza

While walking through Old Mazatlan I could not help but be at awe of the colorful building everywhere, the town for the most part was clean, but every building had bars on the windows and doors.  We ended up walking back down to the malacon stopped at a few bars for some quality people watching and to enjoy the view of the pacific ocean. 

Jerry infront of a canyon by the malecon

streets full of colorful buildings

Jerry and I over looking Olas Altas Beach on the malecon

We have had a great first two days here and can't wait to see more sights, I do hope the fog does not go on the whole time we are here, but it does seem to burn off in the afternoon and warm up to about 79 degrees, but it is making it hard for me to get motivated in the morning to go running with Skeeter.

Pictures!

Here are some pictures from our last two nights in La Paz, anchored in Caleta Lobos, and Bahia de Los Muertos!

"El Chino" the best little taco stand in La Paz



Sunset in Caleta Lobos



The resort on the south end of the beach in Los Muertos



all the boats at anchor in Los Muertos

an awsome white sandy beach in Los Muertos

Dinner at "1535" in Los Muertos with SV Akupara and SV DeJa Vu

Jerry sanded and added teak oil to the ships wheel



Los Muertos

After leaving La Paz, first we anchored in Caleta Lobos, which was a small anchorage about 10 miles away, we had a great evening watching the sunset and got ready for our 46 mile sail to Los Muertos.  The next morning we pulled anchor around 7:15 am and set sail for Los Muertos, going through the Lorenzo Channel we had a few dolphins riding our wave for about 20 minutes, as always it was a spectacular sight to see.  Later we finally hooked up a male dorado about 30 inches and 8 lbs, he wasn't a monster but he put up a good fight and we had dinner for that night. 

We arrived in Los Muertos around 3:50 pm with 4 other sailboats and 1 powerboat in the anchorage already.  SV Akupare was about 30 minutes behind us, once we set the hook, I took Skeeter to shore for some much needed running time.  This had to be one of the prettiest sandy beaches, the sand was so clean and soft, there is a resort in one side of the beach and a restaurant on the other side. 

While we have been at anchor Jerry has installed our new solar charge controller, or as Jerry calls it "the magic box", which ready how much the boats battery voltage, the solar panel amperage, and controller amperage output.  He also made water, polished the fuel tank, and sanded and oiled the teak the ships wheel while I washed the boat and cleaned the galley. 

Last night we went to dinner with SV Akupara, SV DeJa Vu to the1535 restaurant on the beach, we had a great evening and today we are getting SOMF for our 198 mile journey to Mazatlan.  This will be the longest trip we have taken since we have been in the Sea of Cortez.  SV Akupara, SV DeJa Vu, and SOMF will be taking off around 4pm and arriving 40 hours later in Mazatlan Harbor. 

Leaving La Paz!

Well Jerry and I are sitting at the fuel dock in Marina Costa Baja at the beginning of La Paz Channel.  What a beautiful marina this is, when we pulled up there was a National Geographic expedition ship out of Seattle Washington was fueling.  We pulled up in front of it and waited for our turn, while waiting I took the water taxi over to the marina where there was a mini market, which actually was really nice inside with almost everything you could need, and there are about 4 restaurants and other little tiendas.  It is a little far from the town of La Paz, but they provide a shuttle service.

We really enjoyed our last couple of nights here in La Paz, we enjoyed a really good dinner at a french restaurant La Bohieme with SV Akupara and SV Cuervo, and last night we went back up to El Chino which is by far the best taco stand in La Paz, if not in all of Mexico so far.  Their el pastor tacos are great, not to salty, and the condiment and salsa bar was amazing.

We are headed up to Puerto Balandra for a night at anchor then tomorrow morning we will be heading through the San Lorenzo Channel and down to Bahia de Los Muertos for a couple of night before heading across to Mazatlan.  Jerry and I are really excited, we have enjoyed La Paz, but are ready to travel the mainland and get into the tropics..Ye Yeah!!

A few things Jerry and I have been up to here in La Paz, we had lunch at a crepe place that we knew about because SV Oceanis 2, who we met in San Carlos, the son owns it.

After walking around all over La Paz for the last couple of weeks we found a ferre-mar that has good fishing and diving supplies and for a Christmas present Jerry got me a full-length wet suit.


Well it is Monday morning; Jerry has been up in the state for the past 4 days while Skeeter, Shiraz and I have been taking care of the boat. We went through a big northern blow right before Jerry left, but the weather has been great, it gets cool in the late night early morning but around 84 degrees during the day. I have been getting the boat cleaned and organized since finishing the solar panel project, and we sold the sailing dingy so we have more front deck space, but had to do a little reorganizing for storage. I have been finally getting into the Christmas spirit by playing Christmas music and putting up our decorations, even though I will have to take down some of them for the crossing to Mazatlan.

The day that Jerry left I decided to ride my bike to Walmart which is about 2 miles but one the way back, due to lack of eye contact, I was starting to cross the street and a car pulled out and knocked me and the bike over. Everything was fine, but because of the language barrier it was embarrassing trying to communicate with the woman. I really need to work on my Spanish. I have been invited over to SV Akupara for dinner a couple of nights one night Kate made sausage and sauerkraut yummy, and another night along with Dave and Janet on SV Cuervo Kate made her famous tortellini soup. But this time she made her own Italian sausage, wow what flavor it had.

Sunset from SV Akupara

Picture of SV SOMF

Go Cougs!!  Win on for crimson and gray!! (Sad we lost the apple cup)

Dan from SV Akupara and his new dingy wheels!

Yesterday the La Paz club cruceros put on their annual December Subasta that was a large auction and bake sale for a children’s foundation, raising money for Christmas. I gave my support by buying a couple of beers, but Dan did buy some dingy wheels from the live auction. They put on a great event and had a large turnout.

Well Jerry should be back tonight, then tomorrow will be a day of provisioning and getting the boat ready to leave La Paz on Wednesday morning to start heading to Mazatlan…Yeah!