Visiting Four Colonias of Mazatlan - Part I

Monday morning we went out to breakfast to another resort on the beach – they only had buffet - even though there was a menu we couldn’t order from it. Neither of us really like buffets – Sorry but I like to waited on when eating out. But the food was good and the scenery prett. Just probably won’t go back.

It was another nice day – not too hot with a slight breeze from the ocean. I feel bad when I look at the temperatures at home – highs of 20!

Our friend Roberto, who works with Paquis, called us and invited us to go along with the group to some of the colonias again so off we went. Here is a map of where we went – started at the RV park and took the new bypass – the red line [more or less] to Villa Union.  Numbers 6 and 7 are out of order.

We met up with one of the group in Villa Union in front of the hardware store - if not for following someone we would have spent the day lost. 

Following to our first stop Flor de Mayo. It was another overcast day and not real hot. 

There is always a soccer field.

As I mentioned our first stop was Flor de Mayo – a little area just south east of Villa Union right next to the 15D. The meeting/get to gether - was right in the street. We knew we were there when we saw a group of people and stacks of warm wool blankets.

 Bill visiting with some of the women waiting to hear what Paquis had to say. Three or four generations there. 

 Most of the people are women and children. Paquis is really working on trying to improving the lives of women here in Mexico. 

 Men come too but they are usually on the outskirts of the crowd. 

 Heading back to the car. Paquis in white shirt and Martha in plaid shirt. By the time we joined up with them they had already been to two other towns in the morning. 

We were now on our way to Santa Fe - another colonia just north of the airport. We know we are getting close to the meeting area when we see people headed that way. See the building on the right - it is a discount store named Bodega Aurrera - owned by Walmart.

Some of the homes with shared walls. This is one of the first times I've seen each home painted two colors, kind of pretty. 

 A unisex hairdresser.

 Some homes across from the park where the meeting was. Satellite TV and a nice agave plant. Almost all windows and doors in Mazatlan and surrounding areas have ornamental iron work on them. There are no screen doors. 

 Here comes Paquis truck with a load of blankets in it. The little girl on the right is in her school uniform.

Newspaper reporter interviewing a little boy in his school uniform. 

TV reporter for MegaCable. They were just talking - no interview. 

 The crowd is getting bigger. 

 Unloading packages of blankets from the truck. Bill is offering to help - NOT. 

 These boys were playing their drum and singing - soon they were surrounded by other children who joined in the singing. 

Getting ready to give the blankets away. Over 2000 blankets were given out total. 

 Intently listening. 

 On their way home they stopped to chat.

And then it was time to leave Santa Fe. We headed south again to the road to the airport. I wondered where we were going. Turns out we went to the airport - to eat lunch and take a much needed potty break.  But more about lunch and the rest of the day later. This is enough for this time. 

Today we had an interesting time too - just doing errands in the central part of town. Expecting some rain tonight 55% chance. Been cloudy and really cool all day. 

Cosala Pueblo Magico

Way back on December 29^th we visited the little town of Cosala. It was designated a Pueblo Mágico in 2005 because of its beauty and history. The town was founded on March 13, 1562!

We went to visit Paquis and her family in their beautiful home there. After visiting for a while her husband, Chiquis, took us on a tour of the town and a nearby silver mine. These are just a fraction of the pictures I took that day - I took 250 pictures! It has taken me this long just to decide which ones to share.

The 206 mile round trip there and back. We went there on the Libre 15 (free road) and came back on the Cuota 15D (toll road)I know I posted this map before - 

The town is one of the prettiest towns we’ve been in. It is like we stepped back into the time of the Spaniards.

Following Chiquis through the town. The colors are amazing.

 

Aren't the colors amazing? The sidewalks are high to keep water out of the homes during heavy rains and flooding.

One of the narrow streets. Lots of trees and flowers in the town too. 

We stopped at the Hotel Quinta Minera to look around. 

 Avacado trees growing in the courtyard.

Some of the grounds of the hotel - one of two pools. 

Bill and Chiquis leading the way. 

Back out on the street driving around towards the center of town. More high curbs, narrow cobblestone streets and colorful homes. 

 Most of the homes/buildings have a molding of some sort at the top of the walls, under the roof. 

 Lots of arches - typical of that Spanish era. 

 And lots of street that end abruptly - have to turn either right or left - pretty sharp turns that made me glad we were in the Jeep. 

 A small plaza with trees and fountain.

Nearing the main plaza - the church was built in the 1700s. It is white and pink.

Some of the buildings on the main plaza. All the signs above the door ways in town are written in the same type of old fashioned lettering.  

 Another view of the church from the plaza. 

One of the original buildings in the town - the Jesuit House - the crown above the door is their symbol.

 A little walk through only street. 

 More of that street

The blue building is a hardware store - the yellow has a dentist office

 Just a pretty building. I like the light fixtures and balconies. 

 Lots of vendors selling peanuts downtown. 

I have lots more pictures of the town but this gives an idea of how pretty it is. A definite must see. Like stepping back in time.
Will do another post on our visit to the silver mine and our evening with our hosts another time. This is long enough and I have to start on what we did yesterday - another amazing day here in Mazatlan. 

An evening in one of the colonias with Paquis

Let’s see what is going on now. Today Sunday was more or less a stay at home day. Except around lunch time. We drove over to the sports bar in the marina – Christy’s. We planned to eat lunch and watch the soccer game between Barcelona and Atletico but I mixed up the time and we only got to see the last five minutes of it. Barca won 3 to 1. Then we watched the first half of the Colts/Broncos game. Came home at half time and watched the end on Mazatlan TV – in Spanish. Not the ending we wanted. And the weather there in Denver – wow - ugly. I read where Manning doesn't do well in weather below 40 degrees - hummmm...

Got a message that we sold one more of our hard back books, our friend staying in the house will mail it out.

Finally think we’ve solved the bird into the window problem. Both the lower half of the window and the rearview mirror are now covered with black trash bags – he doesn’t like that. But this morning one of the big blue birds came up to the window right next to me. Grabbed onto the ledge and pecked at the window. I jumped about a foot. Kind of like looking at something from Jurassic Park.

Yesterday morning we went out to breakfast. Always a nice way to start the day. Some of the activity on the beach in front of the restaurant.

fruit on the man's head and Bill is looking at a rug - beautiful 

Then we headed into Centro Historico to do some errands. Bill had another watch that the battery wore out in, took it to the watch makers. Picked up my second pair of sunglasses. Really like them. And stopped at a printers to see about getting some more of our traveling business cards printed seeings how we don't want to pay the price of printer ink here. 200 cards will be cheaper than one cartridge of ink!

Also went to the central market where I got still another blouse! Some of the pretty hand embroidered dresses for sale.

And how is this for a slab of ribs [beef]. 17 pounds for 280 pesos – less than 20 US dollars. No we didn’t buy any. Just looked.

Late afternoon we got a call from our friend Roberto who is the congresswoman’s right-hand man. He wondered if we wanted to go out to one of the colonias [a section of town] to meet some of Paquis constituents. Of course we went. She was having a meeting in the back yard of a home. This little dog in her dress greeted us.

A lot of the homes have a brass plaque at their front doors – with their family name on it.

Setting up for the meeting – dining room chairs. They were beautiful as was the large matching table inside.

A few of the people there. More women than men. 

In the background are Bill, Roberto in light shirt and Paquis husband in blue shirt.

Talking to the people and listening to them.

The ladies of the home cooked food for everyone. The evening ended with a light meal and beverages.

Interesting evening.

Had to put gas in the Jeep last night it is around US$ 3.55 a gallon depending on the exchange rate. At least it has stopped going up every month. But doubt if it will ever go down.