Angela:
Early in February, I said to Mike, "My sister's birthday is coming up, maybe I'll go visit her in Kentucky again, like last year." An excited expression ran across his face and he replied, oh so casually, "Oh ok, well then maybe I'll take a trip to Mazatlan, again." I pushed down a little bit of jealousy and replied, "Ok."
You see, last year I decided to go spend several days with my sister around her birthday, February 12. Mike decided there was no use in him hanging around the house alone on a holiday weekend (President's Day), and he thought he needed a break from winter so he decided to take a trip to somewhere warm. He convinced our friend, Jeremy, to go with him and their thoughts turned to Mexico. Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan... Mazatlan won out because it was cheapest, closest, and easiest to get to. When I phoned from Kentucky last year to hear Mike was headed to Mazatlan, Mexico, I was a bit jealous. But I was having a fun trip and I was happy he was getting to go somewhere too. They spent a few days in Mazatlan and loved it.
Jeremy agreed to go back to Mazatlan this year, and Mike realized that the timeframe in question was Carnaval. Last year when Mike went to Mazatlan it was just after Carnaval and he had wished he hadn’t missed it. It seemed like a sign that the trip was meant to be. Then Jeremy backed out, opting for fiscal responsibility. Mike was still determined to go, so sorry Nikki… Mazatlan here I come! I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity. And soon we were on our way!
Feb. 11, 2010
Mike:
2/11 Early departure – 6:10am flight but must go to counter. Up at 2:09 after I snooze. Shower / fold shirts / finish packing on road at 3:25am. Learning coffee at airport closed, 2.5 days no smoking and now no coffee – What am I to do? At airport 20 minute wait to check in. Go to McDonald’s for Egg McMuffins, hash browns and orange juice for Angela and a giant unsweetened iced coffee for me. Bad food/bad coffee – the perfect airport meal. Got seats in first class. Flight attendant – nice, like a little troll with a big smile. Relax with frappuccino while plane loads, coke & Robert Earl Keen/Tom Waits on flight. Relax and settle in for the ride to Phoenix.
Angela:
2-11 We left our house pre-dawn for a sunrise flight to Phoenix connecting to Mazatlan. First Class all the way baby! Working for the airlines does have its rewards. Ticket counter opened at 4:30, we arrive at 4. After that the flights go smooth, no worries. Mike let me have the window both legs and I enjoy watching the sunrise from above the clouds and snapping aerial photos. Between photos, I start reading The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Enjoying it despite the creep factor of the 6 year old girl with the middle-aged man. Listen to Andrés Segovia, nice. Struck, once again, by the enormity of Phoenix and its suburbs. Rows and rows of little houses, neatly arranged in curves and geometric patterns. Over Mexico, I think, – so many mountains. Rows and rows of mountains with snaking brown roads leading to little reflecting towns. Nearer to Mazatlan the land gets flatter, less wild, more agricultural. I don’t see the ocean before we land. I wonder vaguely where Mazatlan is. Mike points at a smokestack in the distance, “That way.” Mike:
Phoenix Airport quick/easy – another 1st class upgrade – on plane, Bloody Mary before takeoff, frappuccino and Bailey’s with Big Lebowski in flight – not a White Russian, but damn good! Mexico paperwork in flight – hoping for green light when going through customs. After A.M. flail in security anything is possible – caught sneaking too many liquids through and new belt set off alarm – amateur! Take the damn bus next time!
Now if I can only get another Frap/Bailey’s. Friggin’ attendant hitting on some Mexican dude – Bring me my $20 in booze wench! Ah, Vacation!Angela:
First off the plane means first through immigration and customs, green light at customs means we are free to enter Mexico, without having our bags rifled. Yay! The time-share salesmen grab Mike in the guise of taxi negotiators, but Mike knows better and we don’t become obligated to spend the day listening to their sales pitch.
Mike:
Awesome!!- Timeshare scam at airport - I win – I know the booth to buy cab fare. So fun to see disappointment at my knowledge of the process. Cab from airport as expected – Robot Driver – is he breathing??? He must be – did you see the way he dodged that bus? Mexico, I can tell I’m here because it SMELLS like Mexico – What is that smell??? I want to say I like it, but I’m afraid it might be something gross, so I won’t. Really I don’t care what it is – I love how relaxed I feel in Mexico – and that smell takes me there instantly. Robot man got us right to the front door; in fact he almost backed up right through the front door – worth the 30 Peso tip!! Checked in – got 3rd floor front of building – nothing higher available! And that for a friggin’ platinum member of the frequent sleeper club – this must be the 3rd world! Room ok – until Angela spots that we have a 2nd small balcony facing the street – Wait, is this thing designed to hold people or is it just for décor? It didn’t fall off– Hooray! The street life is so fun, almost better than the ocean view – I have an idea – a room that stretches from the front to the back – nothing missed that way – except a lot of $$$.
Angela:
We drive through the countryside to Mazatlan. A couple smaller towns/suburbs? On the way, mostly fields and odd little rectangular buildings, some painted beautiful bright colors, others are of unpainted concrete. We see some farm animals in pens. Mazatlan is busy-busy. The main road has lots of traffic. Traffic rules seem to be more of a suggestion than law. The taxi weaves around busses, trucks, and other vehicles at crazy speeds. We arrive at the hotel around one-ish (not bad, eh?). We like the room, one balcony with seating, a partial ocean view and partial street view; then a second tiny balcony facing the street. Even though I’m really tired from such an early start I don’t feel like napping. We check out the lobby, pool area, and bar overlooking the beach. Then take a walk on the beach northward. Mike says that direction is less interesting on the street, but that the Cuban place he wants to eat at is that way. The beach is beautiful, many pelicans and seagulls are flying overhead; we watch an amphibious vehicle take to the sea; people play bocce, a group of musicians walk ahead of us; a streamlet flows from the concrete wall to the ocean. Eventually, we cut back out to the road and head south toward the hotel, looking for the Cuban place. We’ve almost given up on it when voilà – there it is – Carlos & Lucia’s. Marty the very friendly host/waiter seats us. Great food – especially fried plantains- yum!! Have dessert because Marty insists he has something special. Flambéed bananas with ice cream and chocolate sauce. It’s good, but really just the fried plantains are better. I could eat them forever!
Mike:
Walk on beach – search for a little Cuban food place – can’t find – Oh, wait there it is – Cuban asado, Cuban shrimp (garlic, onion, bell pepper) Food Awesome! Drinks as big as my head – hottest girl in the world – it’s perfect! Good-Great – someone needs to carry me to the hotel – how many pesos would that cost? NOTE: Angela loves congri & fried plantains – keep her away from them if you’re not a chubby chaser!
After dinner walk back to hotel – Massive military (20-30) presence outside bank with auto weapons and hummers. Walked right through middle – didn’t get shot or arrested – cool.
Angela: Later we catch a pulmonia ride to Olas Altos (Old Town) to check out the coronation of the “King of Joy.” The King of Joy's mini-parade had passed us earlier while we were still walking along the main street. Someone sending up fireworks; a few cars blasting conflicting music with pretty scantily clad women and a chicken-man holding on and dancing at the same time; and the main attraction a large flat-bed truck full of young men in jester-type outfits, one singled out - must be the King of Joy, himself, and young women in colorful flowing costumes throwing confetti & dancing. When we got in the pulmonia Mike asked him to take us to the "King of Joy" celebrations and after zipping in and out of side-streets around copious amounts of traffic we had caught up with the parade. Mike films from the pulmonia; the pretty dancers wave, the chicken dances provocatively, and the King hams it up for us. The parade comes to its halt and so do we. Thanking the driver, we follow the colorfully dressed people up to bright neon-gates and huge crowds. Mike separates from me to film and a scary lady federale (police) grabs me from behind and motions she wants to search my purse. I open it for her, there isn't much inside and she motions me away. Unsettled, I notice that no one else is getting searched, I guess gringos are just suspicious here. I note that Mike and I are the only gringos in sight, actually. Oh well, no harm in the end, so I let go of it and move on into the crowd. And what a crowd it is, so many people. We eventually find a stage, and watch many Mexican bands. The bands in Mazatlan either have an accordion and some stringed instruments (usually including guitar & bass) and a snare drum, or a plethora of horns and drums. There seem to be no female singers, except one children's singing group, consisting of three girls and a boy singing pop style songs with choreographed dancing. One band has a singer whose costume includes an oversized cowboy-style pistol & holster which he swings around suggestively to huge laughs from the crowd. The friendly man standing next to us makes sure to point it out, several times. A bunch of beauty queens each topped with a very tall sparkly crown march across the stage. It's fun, but after a while it seems pretty repetitive and eventually we are too tired to really care that they may never get to the coronation itself. We head back to the hotel exhausted.
Mike:
Went to King Coronation - 1st Pulmonia ride - price double last year - Carnival! Followed/caught small parade. Ceremony = lots of horns, a band with a lead singer with a BIG GUN - "Did you see his big gun???" We left before actual coronation - who knows how long it would take - we got tired and left.
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On the Beach - Zona Dorada
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On the Street - Zona Dorada
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Carlos & Lucia's - Zona Dorada
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Coronation of the King of Joy - Olas Altos
The King's Entourage
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A lighted gate welcomes us to Carnaval
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The King of Joy passes by
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Bands perform on stage in front of the symbol of Mazatlan, a deer.
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these are all fabulous fotos - I agree about the dead mermaid, very strange ad.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a great time for my birthday :) thanks for sharing your amazing blog!