Still Here - Doing Chores

Well another departure day has come and gone – and we are still in Mazatlan – just something about being here that we both like (of course it would be nicer if we were in Alfie.) So why did we decide to stay another week? Ummm….too lazy to move, like going to Plaza nights, visiting with people from the city days – And real reasons, had to find a watch repair man for Bills favorite watch (we did and it will be fixed by Wednesday and will cost US25 – was asked three times that to “maybe” fix it in US.)

The watchmakers place in Centro
And had to find an alterations lady for his new pants.
That’s done too – 60Pesos to shorten them (US$ 4.75) Found one thing that is not cheaper here – ink for the printer – same price here and there.
Took some pictures of some of the beads we bought
There are five of these boxes full
And over 100 of the little cups full
and some of the other material. - this is the woven stuff
And wouldn’t you know we found another bead place in centro – this one has real beads – not just seed beads and they had earring backs. Opens up a whole new world. Paid 600Pesos appx. US$55 for what would have cost around US$500 at home. WOW. I love this country. (no pictures)
Beautiful full moon the last couple of nights. Last night, Saturday, we of course went over to the Plaza Machado again to eat and listen to music. There was a big “to do” there. The Queen of Carnaval was being chosen in the main plaza by the Cathedral but in Machado there was a huge TV screen and seating so people could watch. Big cheer went up when one of girls scores were read. I think she must have been the favorite and was eventually the one chosen Queen. Quite a big deal here. She will reign for a year. Sitting next to us in the restaurant were a couple of very nice ladies – Bill got talking to them and it turns out one of them had been the queen quite a few years ago. But she now lives in Minnesota and was just back for Carnaval. Both claimed they were in their 50s and both looked mid thirties – I want their secret. Another enjoyable evening and fun ride home. As I mentioned before Saturday night is park and drink on the Malecón and cruise the town through the Golden Zone. Cannot be in a hurry. One thing we saw that I hadn’t seen before. Well I’d seen the guy standing at the curb in front of a store with a box in his hands but never knew what he was doing. Well…..the car in front of us stopped at the curb talked to the guy – he went into the store filled the box with beer cans – 20 of them and brought them out to the car. Money exchanged hands and the beer went into the front seat. Then the guy went back into the store and brought out a bag of cans and opened the trunk and put them into a cooler that was waiting there. He waved and the car pulled away beer cans being opened as it moved. Curb service of a whole different kind. We asked and the legal drinking age here is 18 – but no one seems to pay much attention to it.
More and more of the streets in the Centro district are being blocked off at the Malecón getting ready for Carnaval. Crowd control when its party time. The lighted masks are up on all the light poles. Brightly colored lights are strung from pole to pole and across streets. More platforms for performances are going up and porta potties are being brought in. In the fabric store the area selling sequins and feathers was mobbed – carnaval costumes in the making. The road going to the campground is being dug up for new pipes. So we take a detour over the parkway in the center. To make sure you notice it at night there are big buckets full of flaming diesel fuel to mark the way.
Hard to get a good picture of them while we're moving - but its the two lighted areas in the middle.

So how are we going to amuse ourselves for another week – who knows?