We ended up spending 4 days and 4 nights in Marina Mazatlan. Not sure where all the time went – it seems like mostly chores!
Let’s see, of course there was washing the boat down and vacuuming inside. And laundry! Cathy defrosted the frig (see picture to right) and we reprovisioned at the Mega (kind of like a super Walmart). That was a bus ride towards downtown. We got on the wrong bus coming back, and it turned around about a mile short of the marina so we just walked the rest of the way, dragging a cart and carrying 2 other bags full of groceries. Doug changed the engine oil/filter and fuel filter (for the first time completely on his own). We decided to fill our fuel tank by carting jerry jugs from the Pemex station across the road instead of stopping at a fuel dock. We needed about 40 gallons – which with our two 5-gallon jugs meant 4 trips. We can only manage 2 jugs on our handcart anyway. The overall process took about 4 hours. Doug went to Telcel to figure out how to pay for the next month of 3G data card service.We also finished up some books. We both read Gringos in Paradise (which we had borrowed from Laurie – and she hadn’t even read it yet so we needed to return it before we left), a story about an American couple that moved to Sayulita (just north of Puerto Vallarta) and their adventures in building and furnishing a house there. Over the last couple weeks we also both read “The Collector” by Baldacci and “The Associate” by Grisham. After so many spy/detective novels, we wonder if the cruising folks we meet might really be in a witness protection program!
We did manage to have a little fun too.
Doug went to a baseball game. Patty on Pacific Voyager organized it. There was a group of 12 that went – there and back by pick-up truck “taxis” – the bed had seats along both sides and a cover over the top. The transportation safety board in the US would freak out, but it seemed natural here. The local team, the Mazatlan Vedanos (deer) was apparently champions last year, and won the first half of this season. It was a pretty good game, with the Vedanos losing to the Hermosillo “Orangemen “ 4 to 1. Level of play was about equivalent to US triple-A ball. Pacifico was the sponsor of Mazatlan, and Tecate the sponsor of Hermosillo – all the jerseys had big beer logos on the back. Doug had the requisite hot dog and beer (a Pacifico vendor was camped out right next to the section we were sitting in), as well as a fruit cup – freshly prepared at the seat with a sprinkling of pepper spices and fresh squeezed lime juice.
Patty took Marcia, Roz, Laurie and Cathy to old town Mazatlan
including the Mercado downtown, for open art studios Friday. The old town Mercado reminded Cathy of the old French Market in New Orleans where she grew up. She has fond memories of shopping there with her parents when she was a young girl.
Please note: baby not for sale...
Even the central square with its Basilica de la Immaculada Concepcion looks like Jackson Square. To celebrate the Christmas season the locals erected a tree on one side of the square made from plastic bottles filled with different colored water.
And then of course there were meals and margaritas. We finally learned the secret of the best Margarita. Hugo and Jena, we use the lime squeezer a lot now. On Friday morning we said goodbye to Russ & Roz, whom we might see again in February in PV before they take off for the South Pacific, and to Michael & Laurie, whom we will probably see next along the “Gold Coast” between PV and Z-town after the new year, as we head north and they head south.
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