Chaos Leaves Town

This town also plays host to a gathering of bikers every year about 3 weeks after Carnival. It’s said that 5,000 bikers from all over Mexico and the US show up for a week of festivities, rallys, and parades. The parade, as luck would have it, goes right by the campground I was staying in after the La Posta park finally closed. It’s called the California RV Park and is closer to the beach then La Posta was. So it’s a short bike ride, less then a block, over to the seashore. The bikers parade started over in old town and went right by here. There were probably 1,000 bikes in the parade and since the street was nice and straight right here, we were treated to bike tricks all day. Donuts, wheelies, high speed runs, and people balancing on drivers shoulders. The parade was sort of intermittent and I usually turned off the camera between shots so some pictures here were hurried as I struggled with the camera’s ‘ON’ delay and managing the battery.

The news media was doing fly overs:

The crowd loves this sort of thing, lots of shiny bikes, 4-wheelers, etc:

This went on for 2-3 hours into the night. There were lots of kids riding with their parents and some pretty girls showing off:

Next time some shots of the park where I stayed.

There are many activities in Maz, and one day while riding my bike on the beach I arranged to take a sail on a Hobie Cat a couple days later. The fee was $300 pesos for four people. Back at the RV park, I found a couple people that wanted to go. Two of them bailed out on us so it was just me and another guy. But we ended up being out on the water for an hour and a half, we could cover more ground with just two of us and the captain. We left the beach after the crew screwed around with the equipment for a half hour trying to get the sail up…we switched to another cat. The sea was warm, it was around 75F air temperature and there was a fresh breeze. We headed north along the coast, then turned west between two large islands. Then we skirted Deer and Goat islands (really a single island unless the seas are large, then a small land bridge between them can be swamped, creating for a time, two islands). All in all, a pleasant way to spend a couple hours. Other ways to spend fun time here are the Seadoos, 4 wheelers, parasailing, dune buggies, motorcycles, bikes, etc. Everything you can think of is available to rent here.

The beach was a little quiet at 10AM:

The crew trying to get the sail to hoist correctly:

Someone already out there and we’re still waiting for a working cat!:

Finally:

Looking back to hotel row:

One of those crazy parasailers, I was always hearing stories of people getting into trouble while flying in one of those and bouncing off buildings while trying to land, but no one I heard of was injured:

Looking off to the north:

The island we could have gone to if we’d paid for 3 hours instead of 1:

Deer Island…right off of hotel row. They have daily excursions over there. Not much to it other then a small resturant so I never went:

Our intrepid captain. He owns the boat and sails nearly every day all year round. This time of year there are few tourists so we got a free extra half hour out on the ocean:

Here we are approaching one of the islands:

Here’s where the ocean can split the island, our captain told us that you can get through there but best it’s tried at high tide and with a power boat:

Saw several of these birds dive into the ocean, sometimes right in front of us, but this is the only good picture I could get:

Did get this shot of one of the birds diving:

It was at the middle of March, Rosa, the La Posta RV park manager, decided to have her birthday party at the park, so she invited nearly all those that were still there for a little get together. I got lucky and was invited. I went out with Ismeal, her husband, to buy a floral arrangement for the party the morning of the party. Since I’d asked him to drive me to the flower shop a few days before, he knew what I was getting her so he went out early and got her a HUGE arrangement. Bigger then the one I got her. Twice as big. Of course he didn’t say anything about it until we got back to the park. Then he told me mine was so small I should throw it away in the garbage. Harumph. Well, it’s his wife, so I suppose it’s OK. Anyway, they provided liquor, beer, music, and food so it was a great time. We all tried to avoid asking her how old she was, and I was successful, I don’t know her age.

Here’s a shot of where I’m parked now, just behind the party area and pool, nice shade in the afternoon:

The party being set up and all:

Some people start showing up:

Chelsea looks ready to pout:

Chelsea was very sad since she was leaving the next day, she was Rosa’s shadow for weeks, months, and Rosa seemed to love having a temporary daughter helping her around the park since her children are both boys. Well, young men, really. Chelsea helped out so much and was around so much that most of us called her the Assistant Manager. Many of us also thought that she needed a few months hanging around kids her own age. No one at the park near her age at all.

Anyway, as the night wore on everyone danced and carried on, we pounded down the free tequilla and beer, the food was great, and the music flowed…great time.

Ismeal and Rosa:

Still setting up:

Chelsea’s mom and dad, very helpful people, and from Canada even:

One of my friends:

Rosa cuts her cake:

More fun!:

Ismeal hates that brand of tequilla, don’t blame him, it was pretty bad:

Rosa’s son out there dancing. Got drunk enough when we weren’t watching to have to puke in mom’s car on the way home, HA!:

A ‘good night’ dance:

The next morning I grabbed my bike and rode the beach. It’s only a block from here:

An artist getting practice with sand sculpture:

Riding back home, just a block off the golden zone, I noticed this dead rat:

Well, even an old guy like me wants to go out once in a while so a couple days ago I went out to enjoy the nightlife in Mazatlan. If I were 30 or so, I’d be thrilled. But now I’m kind of underwhelmed with the whole thing. I went back to a bar I’d been to before and the same band was playing. I’m told they are one of the top 5 bands in all of Mazatlan so I was surprised when they sucked. The first time I listened to them they were right on, this time they couldn’t sing a note. At least the women couldn’t. The men seemed to do a much better job this time then last. Anyway, here’s some new pictures of that gal I told you about that has all the stage presence. She was sick so she didn’t sing but she let me take her picture and when I shook her hand something electric passed between us. When I got up, I removed the Taser barbs from my skin and thanked her for letting me off easy. It was the least I could do.

Here’s the gal that sings Joplin…but she didn’t do very well this night:

And her again, playing bongos:

Then some guy I hadn’t seen the first time I heard the band, but he did an excellent job:

This guy was right on with every song he did, very talented:

I’m not big on huge crowds of people in the middle of a big town watching parades so when Mazatlan had their big ‘Carnival’ parade I hung back and waited for them all to come to me. The La Posta RV park where I’m staying is at the end of the 4-5 mile long parade route. The parade is very much like the one in New Orleans. Here in Maz it’s mostly young people that get all dressed up and either dance in the streets or ride the hundreds of homely truck pulled floats. The parade went right by the front gate of La Posta so we got to see all the floats. Problem was that after 5 miles of walking & waving most of the kids had lost their enthusiasm for that charade but when I pointed my camera at them, they would perk right up and dance or wave with a huge smile…keeping the dream of the gringo alive I suppose. No, wait, that’s too cynical…they really seemed to be enjoying themselves in the parade but were pretty tired when they got to us. Lots of pretty girls dressed in funny outfits. Many of the kids, nearly all, were teenagers, high school and college age and it didn’t take much to get them to stop and dance while others or I took pictures. During the entire parade there were fireworks going off from the beach two blocks away.

Here they come!:

Well, that was the Mazatlan ‘Carnival’. Great fun. A few nights later, they did it again! The music really gets your feet taping.

One morning I awoke at just before dawn and decided to get on the bike and go check out the seashore…

The statues are for Carnival which occurs Feb. 15th thru Feb. 20th. Longer if you consider all the pre and post events.

I do go out occasionally. There is a bar not to far from here that boasts the 4th most popular band in Maz. The first night I went to see them, they were spot on. From the first cover song on they did a great (or rather, nearly great) job. There are two women singers in the band and this one did a very good rendition of 3 or 4 Janis Joplin tunes but didn’t have much stage presence. The male singers did a poor job. But the music was good to dance to and the occasional bad voice was made up for by the good voices.

This gal, on the other hand, had terrific presence, enchanting moves, and a silky, honey dipped voice with some dry peppers sprinkled in.

Some of the folks enjoying the warm evening air:

Later on, still a very compelling and attractive presence:

One of the many good looking women alone this night, or out with girlfriends:

More lovelies enjoying themselves:

A few days later, I went to one of the concerts here in Maz that celebrate the upcoming carnival. It’s the world’s 3rd largest carnival (when New Orleans has one). This show attracted me because of the appearance of Fernando de la Mora, the Mexican opera singer widely considered to be the heir apparent to Luciano Pavarotti. I do enjoy opera, or at least the greatest hits, and have attended several. So hearing this new tenor was worth the $300 pesos the ticket cost. He sang ‘Nesum Dorma’ right off the bat. The highs were a little tentative but overall he did a skilled workman’s job. Later, after his cords had a chance to warm up, it was easy to hear why de la Mora WILL be Pavarotti’s replacement around the world, he nailed every note. If I had heard about the concert earlier, I’d have been in the first row.

First the stage was set with some ballet:

Then de la Mora came out and sang several peices:

During interludes, we got plenty of fireworks over the stadium:

More singing, you can just make out the gold throne at the back of the stage where the Queen is sitting:

Then Mexico’s best mariache band came out and did 10 lively pieces, I have 2 of their albums:

My seat was near 2nd base on the infield of the Mazatlan baseball stadium. The stage was off beyond the infield…in the near outfield. The stands directly behind were mostly filled and there were 3 large TV screens to watch all the action. The occasion was the Queen of the Carnival was here to be introduced to the populace. With all her ladies-in-waiting. I didn’t get any good pictures of them, none that I took came out. Next year I’ll do better.

After I arrived at La Posta RV park, I discovered that the owners had finally sold the place. Word is that it’s been sold to Costco as a site for a new store. We know that the land right around this area on the beach is $400 US per meter squared (m2), right across the street it’s $300 US m2, so here, a couple blocks back from the beach $250 US m2 wouldn’t be out of line…that is $6,000,000 US for the owner. An older guy with beginning Alzheimers, bad enough that he has a paid helper. Perhaps you could say he waited to long to get his price, I would agree. I’m told the guy has been asking for $6 M for years.

Anyway, the owner & family ‘allowed’ a shut down party for the RV’ers here. Some RV’ers have lived here for years or have been coming here every year for decades. It was a pot luck and I brought my famous cottage cheese salad. The owner sprung for the extra tables and chairs, the balloons, the plastic ware, and that is about it. Guess he didn’t want to cash that lovely $6 M US check just yet. We had fun anyway.

Getting set up…

Rosita & Ismeal’s son:

Chelsea asks me to help her select the music for all those old people…she was at a loss:

Rosita attends to the owner, and his family:

Some of the staff enjoying the treats provided by the RV’ers:

A week later we had another party. This time the owner did pay for everything. Food, booze, setup, tear down, even a band. We were all pleasantly surprised.