Finally in Mazatlan…

Got into Mazatlan around 3pm and headed right for my favorite RV park, California Trailer Park, which is just a block from the ocean and the malecon and right on the  south edge of the ‘Golden Zone’. I’ve been here many times before so I’m use to the place. It too was less then half full. There were only 8 RVs and on inspection, only one of them had US plates. All the rest were from Canada.

All settled in at California Trailer Park in Mazatlan.

See my neighbor there? They were having some touch up painting done to their rig when I arrived. With the same crew I wanted to use. Didn’t take me long to wander over there and talk to Juan about painting my rig. But I did make a mistake and mention I’d be there in Maz until May. He quoted me $10,000 pesos about 20 minutes after I’d asked him and told him what I wanted done. I checked and the quote was only $776 USD. So I jumped on it. He thought he’d be able to start in 2-3 weeks. Fair enough. At least I was on the schedule.

The weather, as always, was perfect. Around 75°F days, with a cool breeze off the ocean starting up around 4pm. Then a nice cool night.

The peaceful Pacific.

And there's that cool looking bar/restaurant/dance club.

That club is pretty cool. Has a grand piano bar, sweeping stair cases, etc. But with tourist traffic down so much here, like all over Mexico, it’s probably struggling to stay open. Sad, I like it there.

Stacy came up to visit me from Peurto Vallarta for a couple weeks.

She’s my friend from Alaska and she usually spends the winter here in Mexico. But usually in PV. She had rented an apartment several miles south of PV, near a small village, and overlooking the ocean. She was co-renting with a friend but it got to be a difficult situation after a few weeks so she just moved up to Mazatlan and left her gurl friend on her own.

Found a couple guys who were heading up the coast and got a ride from them to Maz.

So, I got some company for a couple, three weeks. She rented her own room in old town in a haunted hotel. It’s also fallen on hard times. One of those places that had movie stars staying there in ’40’s – ’60’s. You could still see it’s former, but now faded, glory.

Night club with fireworks happening over on the beach.

We found a restaurant in old town that had the most delicious steaks. Right at the central plaza so the place was jumping with locals and a few tourists. Damn it was good steak. They had a flaming coffee drink that we tried but it was too late in the evening and it kept us up for hours…with headaches. A couple weeks later we went back for another steak but that time we only had pineapple flambe’ for excitement.

Enjoying fruit from a street vendor while heading for market.

Lots of crap.

I really tried to find something I needed but, no such luck. Wanted to help these people out a little what with the lack of tourists and all. All the dang shirts were man made fibers and I wanted cotton or a cotton blend. Nope, none anywhere here.

Not a very big crowd that would be typical in past years.

Stacy found some shoes and some jewelry, and I found her a dress that I thought was cool and the silly gurl actually bought it. Days later she didn’t want it, wasn’t her style after all. Pushover.

Stacy admiring the stink in the meat section of the plaza.

Many of these small stores in Maz have two different prices when you ask. One for locals, and one for tourists. But it doesn’t take long to figure that out, and the stores we usually went to are geared for locals so they post their prices. It’s still easy to find yourself looking at a product that is nothing more then a cheap knockoff of a name brand. Have to really examine stuff to assure yourself that it’s actually the brand you think it is…and often it’s not.

On the way back to my RV, we pass the bullring.

They still have old world style bull fighting in Mexico. In most of Spain it’s more cruel elements have been outlawed. But even there, some tiny villages still have old style bullfights. I meant to go to one here in Maz but never made it. Too much other stuff to do.

Ahh, the beach.

More beach...it's everywhere.

These pictures are across the street from where Stacy was staying.

Well that’s enough for today. I might add more tomorrow.