Is Mazatlan Safe ???

We still get asked by many of our friends and relatives, Is Mazatlan Safe?? Well I could quote you many, many statistics but thought you might like to see a new little video done by some folks here in Mazatlan.

Everyone who comes here to visit or live has to make up their own minds re what they are comfortable with. For Sandie and I we have decided that this is what we will continue to do as long as we physically can.

Enjoy. Copy the whole address to view the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z0BjIKPqzkc

Jackie Peterson

This is not a blog I like to do but I feel it is important to share the passing of a true friend of Sandies and mine and a great friend of Mazatlan. I know many of you reading this post will not know Jackie but she was what we envision as the spirit of Mazatlan. I won't dwell on her history but want to say how much of a spirit she was to us and to Mazatlan. In my humble opinion the measure of a person is the effect the person had on her fellow citizens and the community she has decided to make her home; in that respect Jackie was a citizen and leader of our community.

She will be sorely missed.

Sunset in Mazatlan

I know, not another picture of a sunset in Mazatlan !!! But it is one of the great things about living here. A beautiful warm evening, a refreshment of your choice (an ice cold Pacifico for me, white wine for Sandie), good friends and a view that can't be beat. Like the commercial says so well, "Priceless".

These pictures were taken from the patio of our very good friends who live in the marina. They own a very nice condo and a 42' sailboat. Decadent indeed but they are living the life they worked very hard for. Right now they have finished a sail down the coast to Ixtapa and are working their way home stopping in all the small moorings along the way. About a two to three month trip.

Maybe some day there might be a sail for us somewhere
, who knows. The possibilities are endless.

Flowers of Mexico

So we're back ... After a very long delay in posting we have decided to start sharing the responsibility between Sandie and I for keeping this blog up to date. Things happen, people get busy and some important things get dropped but we wanted to make sure that sharing our experiences here in Mazatlan continue; especially for the folks that faithfully have read Sandie in the past.

So this will be my first post which we will make sure we update regularly from now on.

We recently were invited to some friends house to have a look at an amazing cascade of bright orange flowers which covered much of their courtyard. From what I have been able to figure out they are called either an Orange Flame vine, or a Dunny vine, or a Golden Shower vine or an Orange Trumpet Creeper.

We see these flowers around Mazatlan quite often and never really thought much about them but the display we saw this evening was spectacular. They don't last very long on the vine and as our friend said; "They sure look nice but it sure is a pain sweeping them up all the time". We are trying out some new settings on our camera so some of these pics may look a little different then normal.

It was a great evening; good friends, a beautiful home, unique flowers and some very tasty martini's. It doesn't get much better than that and why we love this city.

My Christmas Story

This city, and the people whom we have met here, never cease to amaze me.

Years ago, when we first came to Mazatlan, we lived in a little house on Azueta, and didn't have internet or a telephone. When we needed to use the internet we took Abi and walked to Fish Taco where we were able access WiFii.

Telephones were a bit trickier. We bought long distance calling cards at the local pharmacies and then found public telephones along the street. It was all a bit tricky as often the telephones did not work, or the traffic noises were so loud we couldn't hear. After much trial and error we discovered a telephone outside a small hospital several blocks from the house. It was our first full term visit and we called home regularly, much more than we do now. We spent a lot of time at that telephone, reassuring our family that we really were fine, and incredibly happy!

After several weeks of standing on the side of the street, hollering into the phone, the homeowner of the house across the street wandered over and offered us the use of his Vonage phone. He had seen us out there, often, and took pity on us.

However, at the time we had no idea what a Vonage phone was. Nor did we have any idea how open and generous people are to strangers in Mazatlan. We never did take him up on his offer, and shortly afterwords, moved up the hill to the Casita, where we had both a Vonage phone, and the internet. But, I always remembered him.

Last night we attended a party to celebrate Hannukah and it was a simply amazing evening. We ate latkes, and way too much other food, listened to some wonderful music, and also, as a group, made our own. It was a wonderful chance to learn more about the customs and traditions of our Jewish friends and we had a marvelous time.

However, imagine our surprise when we arrived at the house, which we had never before visited, to discover that it was THAT house!

The hunt for a telephone and the kindness of the man who offered the use of his has always been one of my fondest memories of our first months in Mazatlan. And now it is one of my Christmas stories.

I don't think it matters if you are Christian and celebrate Christmas, or Jewish and celebrate Hannukah. It also doesn't matter if you are Muslim, Hindu or Agnostic.

It's just all about being kind, caring and considerate, and helping out in any way you can.

So, to all, in whatever language you speak, and whatever religion you practice, "Peace on Earth and Love to All".

Baseball

Well, Mazatlan is certainly never boring. Saturday evening we were watching a Flamenco performance, and Sunday evening we went to a Ball Game.

The Venados, our local heros, have been are not doing very well this season, but we were hopeful that our presence would be of some assistance.

A bit of a history lesson here. The Venados are part of a winter league, at the AAA minor league level and have been a team since the 1940's. They have been in the January playoffs for years, however are struggling this year. In the 2004-2005 season, the Venados won the Mexican Pacific League title for the seventh time. During 2008 they won the Mexican championship and represented Mexico in the Caribbean World Series in January 2009.

Home games are played at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal, which was constructed in 1962. It is 325 feet down the stadium's right and left field lines and 400 feet to the center field wall. In 2000 the stadium underwent a major remodeling that expanded capacity from 12,000 to 14,000. I just threw in the measurements for fun - I have absolutely no idea how big ball stadiums usually are!

There were probably 20 of us, all hanging around the first base line, cheering loudly, and doing everything in our power to inspire the boys on the field, but to no avail. The final score was 7 to 4, and the Yaquis, from Obregon, were the victors. The seventh inning was very exciting, the Venados had the bases loaded and a home run would have put them in the lead, but, alas, the batter struck out. At times, watching baseball can be very stressful.

Our team lost the game, and hopefully we were not too much of a hindrance as the hooting and hollering from our side of the field did get a bit loud at times, however, win or lose, we had a lot of fun.

We ate (the hot dogs were delicious)

and had a few drinks.

We admired the hats and noisemakers

and several of the male members of the group also admired the girls.

Oh, and yes, we actually did watch a lot of the game!

There is absolutely nothing like a beisbal game, Mexican style!!

Flamenco

The Museo Pérez Meza is a close walk from the Casita and consists of a Heritage Museum with tables available for coffee and a sweet treat, with spaces for children's activities and conferences. There is also a music forum, the garden of the Trova. The aim of the Museo is to investigate and preserve the history of the Pérez family, whose musical legacy has been shared by several generations.

We are not fans of Banda music, but it is wildly popular in the State of Sinaloa. Luis Pérez Meza, who is referred to as El Trovador del Campo, was a composer, a singer and a pioneer in the recording of Banda. Other family members have continued the tradition and the Museo has been established to collect anecdotes and material pertaining to these Sinaolese troubadors.

Last night we attended a Flamenco performance at the Museo Perez Meza, featuring Citlali Iglesias, a teacher at the Mazatlan de la Compania de danza Mirabras Flamenco, and several of her students.

It was a marvelous evening and the dancers and music were amazing. The pictures really don't do them justice, you really do need to be there to hear the music, the clapping hands, and the pounding feet!