Stone Island, Mazatlan, Mexico

We decided to take a water taxi to Stone Island.  To catch the water taxi we took a short walk, or you can take a regular taxi, to the very small ferry terminal.  Well, it is not really a terminal but a shack. The boat ride to the island takes about 4 minutes.

Water Taxi...$30 peso's each for a round trip ticket.  $18 peso's to the US Dollar !

Stone Island isn't really an Island. It's just what people call it ! I guess the drive to the island would take a very long time...maybe they don't even have a road to it.

It is a wonderful place. You can just relax and soak up the sun and sea.  There are restaurants all along the beach. You can rent horses, ATV's or take a  Banana Boat ride. We opt just to lay on the beach with a drink in our hand and of course taste the food.

While on the beach you will have many...I mean "many" locals trying to sell you stuff.  About every 3-4 minutes someone will ask you if you want to purchase something.  They were very polite and not pushy.  We would just say no thank you. They would respond with; "no problem" or "almost free"! Again,  it wasn't a problem at all, they were very polite and friendly.

A man with many hats !

This guy would walk up and down the beach pushing his wheel barrel selling blankets.   Hard workers !

This guy was a clothing department store. He was carrying lots of clothing.

View from our beach chairs.

When we got to the beach we just wanted to just lay back in a beach chair and have a tropical drink. So how you get a free beach chair, an umbrella and even some beach towels,  There is secret to it!   Really !  I will share with you what took me forever to figure out !   Just sit down and ask for it  !!

Our spot under the umbrella. See Andy !

The hard life.

Fu Fu drink !

These are just photos to give you an idea of what the beach area looks like and the general feel of the place.

The best view on the beach !!

Carnaval

This is where we are calling home for the next 7 days. We are on the 8th floor over looking "Olas Altas". We are smack in the middle of the Centro Historico which is walking distance to the ferry for Stone Island and the Cerro Del Creston (lighthouse).

Thought I would try out the infinity pool.  Pretty cool...never been in one !

                                                      We decide to take a walkabout

Coats of Arms of Mazatlan and Sinaloa.

Mazatleca Woman Monument.

Have no idea the name of this sculpture !  

We were just walking down a side street and saw this. Someones front yard !

Historical Square.

Republic Square.

Not missing her gnome !

Inside the Cathedral Immaculate Conception.

Beautiful !

Not sure I was supposed to be taking photos during mass.

At the plaza.

Very interesting place !    It is a pool !    High tide fills it.

Another view.

As we were walking by...what the hell is he doing up there ?

Oh ! Now we know !  Watch out for the rocks !

Saturday night we walk out the front door and we are in the middle of the Carnaval festivities.  Lots of music, vendors and the fireworks.  We didn't leave the condo until about 9:00 pm.  Andy said it's probably the first time in 25 years she left the house at that time of the night.  She actually stayed up until about midnight.

The music was great, even if we couldn't understand a single word they were singing. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. So did we !

Later, when we went to bed, it was like trying to sleep in the middle of a disco. The party went on until 0500!!! The music is so loud you can't even talk to each other in the condo !  Hey...relax... we are in Mexico.  We can always sleep later !

As the band plays on.

Dancing in the streets. Oh yea... drinking too !

Every 50 feet or so another band is playing.

She was pretty much ready for bed before we even headed out,. Glasses on, make up off, surprised she didn't wear her PJ's.

Spectacular fireworks display.  Some of them were out over the ocean and simultaneously some were going off directly over our heads.  You could even see the ashes from the fireworks streaming down on the crowd. It was amazing and would never happen in the States !

One of the main events of "Carnaval" is the parade.  We are about 4 or 5 miles from where it was so we grabbed a taxi and headed over to the festivities around 1:30. The parade was going to start around 5:30 pm.  The taxi's are golf carts. I highly recommend using them.  It is very inexpensive. You will get a wild ride dodging cars, motorcycles, people and what ever else can get in your drivers way. Loved it !

Once there, we noticed half of the road was covered in white plastic outdoor chairs.  These chairs are lined up for miles and miles. They all look the same !  Who put these chairs here ?   Where in the hell did they get so many chairs from the same manufacturer  ?   How do you get one? Does it costs to sit in one ?  If so, How much ?

We walked for awhile until we saw a "Gringo" to ask.  He tried to sell us two of his tickets for $26 USD a piece. For that price we will get a white chair and a buffet.   We decided that seemed a little weird so we politely declined and kept on going.

After asking a few other people we came across a very nice Gringo couple, Dwight and Kitty. They live here full time. We will see them later this week, maybe for lunch or dinner ! They were sitting with a local Mexican family. Next thing we know we've been invited to join them.

We found out how to get a white chair(s) ! Three or four days before the parade the locals park their car in a parking space.  I believe, but not for sure, the morning before the parade you must move your car for the parade and you replace the car with those white plastic chairs, tables and rope off your area.  Sometimes, they have to hire a person to sit in their spot if they have to work.

These two people below are two of the most gracious generous people I have ever met.  Not only did the offer their space but shared all of their food and beer too.  I have heard how friendly the Mexican people are... but I didn't expect this.  NOT AT ALL !  They treated us like we were friends for years. They kept offering food and beer. Which I accepted with gratitude.  They didn't expect nothing in return but friendship. IT WAS AMAZING !

We talked with them for several hours, of course in English, I don't speak Spanish !  They shared their stories about living in the States and their life in Mexico.  We found out they had lived in Idaho for a number of years. They even have a Gringo daughter. Well, that is what she called herself. It was definitely an eye opener to hear the pros and con's from their perspective.

I wish I could have gotten their names and phone numbers because they are people I would have liked to know better !!! Well, I did get their names, I just don't remember them, lol.

Our amazing hosts!!

This drink is made of tomato juice, clam, and beer !  Nope ! Didn't try it !

                This was early on in the day before 800,000 people showed up for the parade.  

See all those white chairs !  Did Walmart have a large sale or something !  lol 

Before the parade starts, about 2 hours, the sponsors have their own little parade.  They have dancing girls and they throw out free stuff to the crowd.  I tried but I didn't get anything free !  Dang !!!

Dancing mermaid girls.

See the free orange plastic cups.  Nope I didn't get one !

The US Army even had a float in the Parade...they are a sponsor !  Very surprising !  They don't look soldiers I know !

They party is just starting to warm up!

Yea, here is the story!  We didn't get to see the parade! Nope !  Since the Parade didn't really get to our spot until after 7:45pm and would last at least two hours we knew we would have to walk the 5-6 miles back while dodging the crowd. The decision was made. Lets try and get a taxi. It took awhile but we got one.  We would still be there if we had waited until the parade was over !

One thing that stands out about the Carnaval !   There are a lot of Mexicans here!

I still believe the trip was well worth it even if we didn't see the parade !  We meet some wonderful people I will never forget !!!  I know Andy feels the same !!!

The "DRIVE" to Mazatlan, Mexico. We are "LOST" !

We departed San Carlos at 0530 and we were supposed to get to Mazatlan by 15:00 to check into the condo. The condo is located smack in the middle of the Carnival action so the road was to be blocked off by the police starting at 1500.

We didn't make it !  Nope ! We arrived at the Condo Rental Office at 16:15 which is about a 15 minute drive from the Condo.  Here is the story...and I am sticking to it !

We left at 0530 as planned but about 5 miles away Andy forgot her car phone charger so we had to turn around but half way there she found it.  We turned around again, now we are on our way.

Driving through Mexico is very interesting. Goats, cattle, even people are all over the roads, not to mention random pot holes and speed bumps that appear out of no where!  Now, I can see why you wouldn't want to drive at night. Be ready for anything is the best I can describe it!  Don't get me wrong in some places you wouldn't even know your driving in an other country let alone in Mexico. It can seem like you are driving through the states then poof...you know your not !

I was the driver, Andy was the navigator. No I didn't kill her...she is still alive but I am sure we both gave each other a few more grey hairs. We were doing good until " the wrong turn". What is the Mexican word meaning " Libre". We didn't know either!  We followed the sign that said 15 Mexico libre instead of 15D Mexico.  Oops... we just messed up. We took the "free" road not the "toll" road". Oh boy this could be a mistake..oh well we will just drive... it's bound to take us to Mazatlan.

We made it to Mazatlan... the long way...we are late! The road will be closed to the condo ! SHIT! We will just have to check into the condo managers office and then get a room for the night. This could be a costly mistake. We will get robbed!  Oh well, it is just money! So I asked Andy where the office was...she didn't know !  SAY WHAT !  ARE YOU SERIOUS !!!  She said, my GPS isn't working or my phone email.  You can just call and ask her for directions". I said "OH REALLY,  do you know where we are. How are we going to ask for directions to their office if we have no idea where in the hell we are".  I was staying calm and quiet as I always do.   NOT !!!  We continued to drive aimlessly through the very busy congested city.

All of a sudden I hear, very loudly, "WALMART" !  OH THANK GOD !  WE ARE FOUND !  I can now call the woman at the condo office and she can give me directions from here to their office. Not so fast Preston...not so fast !  There are more than one Walmart in Mazatlan ! Oh yea and she speaks broken English, remember we are in Mexico !. Of course this has to happen! To make a long story short, we found the place.

Now we are way past the deadline.  Not to worry amigos. I will get you there!  You will just have to park on the street somewhere, because you will not be able to get to the parking garage. The street is barricaded.  "So how far away will we have to leave the car?"   "Who knows he says"!  Well, under normal circumstances this might not have been much of an issue. However, Andy has brought all of our food items from the RV, so she can cook in the condo a few nights and breakfasts.  Two bags of food, a huge cooler, suitcases, computer bags, pillows, not to mention the wine bag.  Gonzales, our guide to the condo, was just shaking his head. He must have thought "you crazy gringos"!  Well, Gonzales was our knight in shining armor. We pull up to the policia barricade he gets out of the car and chats with the guy. Low and behold the barricade is moved, just for us!  Our car is safely in the parking garage. I AM DONE ! SPENT !


We arrived to our condo. Wow what a trip !  Great place to hang out for a week !

View from our balcony.

Looking down from the balcony.

 She is alive...Proof of life !

Kayak on the Sea of Cortez !

We are alive and well in San Carlos, Mexico. Again, the weather has been fantastic ! The pace down here is slower and the days just mosey right along. Can't hardly believe we have been here a month.

Now some of the "not so great stuff" ! The internet here in the RV Park is spotty unless we want to walk up to the club house. It takes about 20 seconds to walk there and is open from 9 AM to 10 PM.   The hot spot on our phone is spotty as well. The trick is to use the RV Park or Hot Spot early in the morning or late at night when others aren't using it so we don't have to walk the 20 seconds. Now this is roughing it !  lol

Another thing that's not so great, I can't use my Dish TV in San Carlos. However, we do get cable which is very fuzzy and only get ABC. CBS, NBC and CNN. during sports programs they take CNN away and put it on ESPN.

Well that's about it of the "not so great stuff".  I think I can live with that ! lol

We go out often to eat or just hangout !  Below is an afternoon lunch outing we had on the beach the other day at the Soggy Peso Bar.  This is where they filmed the movie "Catch 22" back in the 70's. There was nothing here back then.

The music was alive and so were the dancers. A very festive feel in the air !

Lunch and music on the beach.

Andy blogging now....going to tell you about our kayaking trip.  Barney, Melody, Jim, and our new friend Kathryn, and I decided to give it a go.  As you can see, it was a beautiful morning.  Our guide Enrique took us out for about an hour and a half trip.

All ready to go..dang where is Preston !

Jim and I in the cave.

Barney and Mel were warned from the start. The 2 man kayak is called the "Heartbreaker".  I did hear a bit of conflict coming from that direction!

Beautiful rock formations and scenery...here we come...way back there !

Our guide was wonderful and very informative.  We learned tons about the birds in the area, different kinds of cactus and the fish.

There we are !  What fun !!

Smile Barney Bender Man.

Stroke..stroke..stroke.  

How cool is this.

I am LOVING Mexico....way more than my hubby, I do believe. My day starts at the gym, and from there you never know what we might do.  Card games, out to lunch, excursion to Walmart, lol.  The afternoon usually wraps up with with a happy hour outside our RV and we all head home to dinner or we go out.  We are so fortunate to be here with seven wonderful friends...and a few new ones we are meeting along the way.  We would love to have visitors....come on down!!!