The Golden Years: Out and About in Mazatlan Evening

Here I am again still trying to play catch up. But most of it will be about yesterday too.

As Bill likes to say “Another beautiful day in Paradise.” The sun is up the wind has stopped and not a cloud in the sky. Supposed to stay in the low 80s. I hope. Yesterday and last night was almost perfect.

So to Backtrack – January 3^rd, a Saturday, we went to El Quelite for breakfast. Janet and Ron went with us – they’d never been there. Boy did we ever pick a bad day to go there. It was CROWDED – cars parked all over – even the back and side streets were full.

We forgot all the Mexican tourists in town for the holiday weeks – and with the new road to Durango I think half of the population from inland was here.

We even had to wait for a table in the restaurant – that has never happened before. Every seat in the main restaurant and the new section across the wash was filled. We sat under the umbrellas – which we haven’t done since I got pooped on! As always the service and food was great. And Janet and Ron really enjoyed it.

I didn’t take many pictures of the town as I think I already have a picture of every home in town. But kind of liked this one. The sign is pointing up the hill towards the bakery and the cock farm.

Up the hill we went towards the farm. Parked in front of the cemetery – It is really an interesting one with all the bovedas [houses in the cemetery] some of the bigger than the houses in town.

This time we got a chance to walk in the cock farm. The care taker opened the gate for us. The little tent like things are cement – each bird has his own “home.” There are over 3,000 birds there. This is one of the biggest farms around. The birds range in price from US dollars 300 to over thousands.

Watching us watch him. They are sure beautiful colors.

There are three or dogs wandering around the birds – they don’t pay any attention to each other. And a burro wandering through the area.

Because it was so busy we didn’t do much else. And the road into town is still all tore up but we managed to take the detour both in and out this time.

Before I forget this is a picture of the restaurant we ate in a couple of nights ago with Paquis. It’s called Campestre La Marina.

Now to yesterday. The day started out quiet already mentioned looking for printer ink and grocery shopping. Had a quiet afternoon at home. Then Bill got hungry and neither of us wanted to cook so we went out to dinner – picking up Ron and Janet on the way. We revisited the great Italian restaurant we went to the other night. Again excellent food and service. When we finished eating it was too early to go home and the weather was cooperating – warm not windy – so we took a drive. Sure glad we did.

We drove along the Malecón – there were a lot of people strolling along but not so much traffic as the holidays are over. As we came to the area where the cliff divers perform it was packed with people. So we stopped – managed to find a parking place as someone pulled out. The first thing we heard was music – flute and drum. Not a good picture because it was dark. They were playing a lot of Peruvian music – some of our favorite music.

Then we walked along the sidewalk. All kinds of food vendors were there. The food vendors have to pay 1,200 pesos per year to buy a permit from the government agency that regulates them. Their paper work is checked by roving inspectors.

Corn on the cob – and kernels of corn in cups. [to our tastes it is not very good – not sweet corn.] The dish in the middle is Salchitacos - wieners wrapped in tortillas and fried and topped with beans, cream, shredded pork, cheese, chiles, mayo and what ever else you want. The plate on the left is sliced wieners.

Handing one to a customer –

This cart sells cocos helados - cold coconut – you can just drink the milk or add a bunch of stuff like hot sauce etc. Haven’t tried one yet…

Yet another vendor. These are bananas frying.

Bananas on a tray being cut into bite sized pieces.

Topped with caramel sauce and condensed milk.

And pancakes cooking. After cooking jam or caramel sauce and/or condensed milk tops them.

Another vendor. Bill is asking her what a roll of white stuff was. It was pork fat, uncooked and cut into chunks to be added to other “stuff” No thanks.

Vendors baby patiently waiting for work to be done and to go home.

Cute right?

Back into the car and over to the Plazuela Machado for a walk around. The music school was having classes – there were four teenagers learning the xylophone. Sounded pretty good.