Mazatlan

After an overnight voyage from Chacala, we arrived at Mazatlan Tuesday, March 22, 2011.  We had a great view of the city as we sailed to our destination at Marina Mazatlan, about six miles north of the old town.

In the Mazatlan Market

We have traveled into the center of the city twice. The old town has a European look to it, especially in the vicinity of Plazuela Machado, a square with a Parisian flavor.  There is a very long malecon (seaside walk) with plenty of bronze sculpture, a bit formal compared to the whimsy of the malecon in La Paz.  We visited the Peralta Theater, a restored 19th century playhouse named after the opera diva Angela Peralta who arrived in Mazatlan in 1883, contracted yellow fever and died.  We walked through the large indoor market, comparable to the one we saw in Manzanillo.

A City with Hills

Mazatlan has a unique taxi service. Everywhere in the old town area, you see small, white, open air taxis, with two bench seats, covered by an awning.  For tourists, these so-called pulmonias can be both useful and annoying because as you walk it seems that every hundred feet or so one or another of them blows its little whistle to get your attention. On our first foray into the old town it was getting late and instead of taking the bus back to the marina, we broke down and took a pulmonia all the way. It only cost 100 pesos, and as he drove the driver explained to Sally (my Spanish is not good enough to have understood) the history of the service with its own small local factory. The taxis are built on top of Volkswagen beetle frames and equipped with VW engines. Until a few years ago, beetles were still being made in Mexico, but now the basic parts must be imported from Brazil.  The ten-mile ride was chilly for me sitting in the back seat in just t-shirt and shorts, but it was fun.

Sally and Alan on the Mazatlan Malecon

Alan Contemplates his Fitness Regime

The marina is in an area that is largely undeveloped, with the exception of time-share condominiums and apartment complexes.  There are good restaurants at the marina, however. We have been at other marinas with restaurants which were either struggling or defunct, but those here seem to be getting along, perhaps because, in addition to the boats, the condos and apartments provide customers. We have eaten excellent pizza at La Mona, most of whose customers are young, middle-class Mexicans, a clientele that has been largely missing in restaurants we have frequented in Mexico.

This is our last day here.  Early tomorrow we will head across the Sea of Cortez for Bahia Los Frailes, on the Baja Peninsula.

Our current location, at Marina Mazatlan, is 23 16.300'N, 106 27.278'W .