• 29Sep

  It’s all about the weather

  Mazatlan, weather 12 Comments

  

  Wherever people live, they talk about the weather, it’s just what we do. Whether it is snow in the midwest or rain in the northwest, we always compare what we’re experiencing with some perfect “other” place. But the reality is that the perfect place really isn’t just about the weather. If it was, then San Diego would be piled 100 deep with people! And for me, the weather is one reason you accept or reject a place to live, just not the whole reason.

  I mostly love the weather here in Mazatlán. It has it’s challenges… and those are the summer months. The heat starts in June and it gets cranked up… and up… and up… until you start dreaming about other places.

  By the way, this is an appropriate moment for the Boiling Frog Story.

  If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to
  clamber out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the
  heat on low, it will float there quite placidly. As the water gradually heats up,
  the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot
  bath, and before long, with a smile on its face, it will unresistingly allow
  itself to be boiled to death.

  —Version of the story from Daniel Quinn’s The Story of B

  In Mazatlán, the snowbirds leave in droves in April.  Those of us who stay all year shake our heads at their missing May and June, two of the nicest months of the year.  Some year round gringos pack up for a couple of months and head to the hills.  Well, inland, that is – like around Lake Chapala or maybe Oaxaca.  Some head back to the US for an extended visit with family.  Some of us stay and boil, without sense to get out of the pot. (That was a reference to the frogs, above…)

  But boil we do, and get more and more fed up with the heat while it continues to crank up and up.  Until what happens?  (drum roll) You get a few days of a tiny bit cooler weather and you can sit back and smile.  And remember some of the wonderful things about this city that you get to enjoy by yourselves until the snowbirds start showing back up in November.

  But for right now, the temperature being just a bit lower is all it takes to make Mazatlán the happiest place around.  And it’s not just me, everyone feels a bit of change and we all know we are just about to move into the most perfect eight months of the year!  (er, well, usually this happens the first week in November, so I might be jumping the gun just a bit…)

  
  

  
• 25Sep

  We know how to have fun.

  Mazatlan, family 9 Comments

  We have been off goofing around with daughter Jess instead of blogging… here is a peek into what we were up to for the last week.  Along with reading, talking, coffee drinking, dog walking, and all the rest.

  She got in Friday afternoon, and our previous post showed the delicious cupcakes we devoured and the beautiful sunset we enjoyed from the top of the Freeman Hotel in Centro.

  Saturday we took a drive up to El Quelite and had lunch at Los Laureanos.  It was a relaxing day, the meal was good, and we were able to show her some of the beautiful countryside around here.  We dined out at Le Sorelle fairly late and then walked home through the Plazuela Machado to absorb the ambiance of a Saturday night.

  Sunday we got up and headed out in a pulmonia to the tianguis at Juarez without even a cup of coffee.  We knew there would be goodies there (we had agua frescas) and we wanted to get there early before all the good stuff was gone.  Jess bought a 70’s dress and I bought a bag of the cutest little apples, but we didn’t find anything else that we couldn’t live without. Afterwards, we grabbed a pulmonia and had him take us to our favorite Sunday breakfast restaurant, Panamá near the Cathedral.  We had a wonderful breakfast that kept us full until late in the day. After relaxing at home for a while, in the afternoon we changed into swimsuits and headed to a palapa restaurant at Playa Norte for a swim and a beer.  Or maybe a couple of swims and a couple of beers!  It was a wonderful afternoon and we felt the glow.

  Monday Paul had work to do in the morning so Jess and I headed out to go shopping.  She is a freelance florist and loves to make her own aprons, so we had a blast at the fabric store.  She bought six or seven different fabrics of a meter or two each. Then we went to the heavy oilcloth place and she got a couple of meters of those for aprons, too.  Of course I had to drag her to the dulceria and then to Ley for ingredients for the tortilla soup we made for dinner that night.  (I got the recipe from Joy in Mexico City.) Later we headed to friends’ for a drink and then the delicious tortilla soup and a movie at home.

  Tuesday we let Paul work in the morning again and then jumped into swimsuits, and took a panga over to Isla de la Piedra.  (Stone Island)  It was pretty dead over there but we got a prime table at Palapa Estebín and had another wonderful day swimming, drinking beer and coke and eating shrimp.  Later that night we just had to take Jess to Zab Thai for the best Thai food for miles!

  Wednesday for our afternoon adventure we decided to head to a hotel in the golden zone to enjoy a pool experience.  Hotel Las Flores had no problem with us using the pool and eating lunch along with their hotel guests and also some people who were day tripping from a cruise ship.  In the  evening we headed to Pizza Moreno and had their wonderful pizza and pasta.

  Thursday afternoon we drove out to Playa Bruja to have lunch at the restaurant there and watch the surfers.  We got a great table and enjoyed the breeze and the three piece ranchera group for several hours.  We were still so full from lunch that we just ate a few crackers that night for dinner!

  Friday we headed to the airport to send her back home.  I can’t believe that the visit went so fast!

  
• 19Sep

  Family time

  family 14 Comments

  

  A couple of days ago was one of the hottest and wettest days so far.  After running around doing errands we came home and talked about how hot it was and hoped that daughter Jessica would be ready for the heat when she came.  Then the wind picked up and the rain came down, and even though it only lasted an hour or so it was enough to cool everything off.  We are back in the tolerable zone for now, and Jessica has arrived from NYC  and managing just fine.

  

  Whenever someone arrives in the afternoon we know it’s too late for going to the beach but it’s not too late for the Freeman or Puerto Viejo.  Last night we headed to the Freeman to watch the sunset.  As always, it was beautiful.

  Then home for Paul to make arrachera and me rice and vegies.  But the highlight of the evening was CUPCAKES!  Jess brought cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery in NYC.  Oh my god, I have never tasted anything so good.  And being a tiny bit squished didn’t hurt them at all.

  

  We have a full day planned today.  The last time Jess was here it was Semana Santa so we didn’t show her around town like we would have liked.  And we’re going to take a drive out of town for lunch, and dinner out, too.  It is Saturday, after all.

  

  More later!

  
  

  

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