A Night at the Opera

Marina Mazatlan

Another great evening at the Angela Perralta Theater – this time for a performance of La Boheme, featuring the Sinaloa Symphony, the Theater Chorus, the Mazatlan Children’s Choir, a brass band for the “tattoo,” and great sets and lighting. The singers, all local, were superb – fully as professional and up to Puccini as anyone I’ve heard.

And opera, being opera, the story is, well, an “opera.” Starving artists squeaking by in a Parisian garrett, boy meets girl, girl gets TB and dies. All set to music. Corny as it is, that Puccini knows how to evoke emotion in music, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Mimi coughed her last! [Read more…]

Elvis Impersonator in Mazatlan?

Marina Mazatlan

With more and more cruisers coming “home” to their boats here in Mazatlan, the dock is jumping. Little did we know that just astern of our boat at slip 6-28 is the site of the nightly cocktail party, beginning at 4 pm. It’s hard to be a hermit with all the laughing, talking, and drinking just off my swimstep!

BJ and Merry off the sailboat Willow and I went down to Plaza Machado this past week for an Elvis tribute show. All I can say is wow – with a full brass section and 5-voice backup choir from Mexico City, the entire Sinaloa Chamber Orchestra, and his own 5-piece band, “Elvis” rocked the house with the whole Phil Specter “wall of sound” Vegas show. I continue to be impressed with the level of culture here in Mazatlan, with the Angela Perralta Theater, one of the finest modern dance schools in Latin America, and a full-on music conservatory with practice rooms open to the square. It’s quite a treat.

Also got bottom braces this week, just in time for my 61st birthday on the 11th and Ole’s return on the 18th. Que romantic!

Day of the Dead in Mazatlan

Marina Mazatlan

Well, a few of the regular cruisers are straggling back…and heard through the grapevine that Mazatlan has a great Halloween tradition. So a few of us went downtown to Plaza Machado to check it out.

Beer Cart Photo courtesy of Dianne Hofner Saphia at https://vidamaz.com

Instead of the traditional visit to the cemetery for All Saints Day, Mazatlan has more of a community costume party and parade…featuring the Catarin and Catarina characters…and four festive burro-drawn wagons with huge kegs that pass out free beer until it’s gone. So I joined Margy and Colin and their friends from Victoria, along with Rick from Magic Places, for a ringside seat and dinner at one of the restaurants – then a stroll around to meet the donkeys who were working so hard.

Leaving La Cruz and Banderas Bay

Underway for Mazatlan

The Dolphin Statue in Puerto Vallarta

We spent a pleasant four days at the marina in La Cruz, and Ole was in pig heaven wandering around the downtown chandlery Zaragosa Marine, saving me thousands of dollars by not buying everything that caught his fancy.

The bus system makes all kinds of sense here – for 16 pesos, the equivalent of a dollar and a half, we were able to take a 45-minute trip into town for supplies, lunch, and a much-needed haircut. Neither of us has been here since the mid-80s, and the development is astounding. [Read more…]

Arrived Safe and Sound in Barra de Navidad

At Anchor, Barra de Navidad

Morning in Barra Lagoon

It’s been a wonderful few days here in Manzanillo, and it’s amazing how quickly we can settle into a routine once we’ve found a great place like this. Mornings puttering around getting chores done, then afternoons by the pool, with the obligatory margarita for me and Negra Modelo for Ole.

One of the best things about this lifestyle is connecting with people who share our passion for cruising…making new friends at each anchorage, and reconnecting with those we’ve met along the way. We’ve shared dinner and boat brand knowledge with Ron and Sheryl from Lazy Days, a 44+5 DeFever. We’ve reconnected with Barb and Gary from Hurrah, a Taiana double-ender we originally met in Bocas del Toro. And we met the wonderful Christophe and Marianne, Swiss friends of Gerry and Chris whom we’ve heard so much about. [Read more…]

Life is Brutal (Not)

At Anchor, Las Hadas Marina

At Anchor, Las Hadas Resort

If things get any worse, we’re going to have to file a complaint!

We’ve been at anchor off the spectacular Las Hadas Resort since last Monday. A small fee of 200 pesos per day or 1000 pesos per week gets us all the resort privileges…swimming pool, beach towels, gym usage, and discounts at the bars and restaurants. And nice staff who deliver poolside cocktails and snackies. Plus a great little marine chandlery with more stuff than we’ve seen in one place for the last 5 years! [Read more…]

Exploring Zihuatenejo

Marina Ixtapa

Ixtapa Bus

Today we decided to mount an excursion by bus to Zihuatanejo, just a short 10-minute, 9-peso bus ride away. Neither of us had been ashore there since the mid-1980s, and we felt like an adventure.

We took the mini-bus from the marina lighthouse to the end of the line, near the craft market and waterfront in Zihuatanejo. We felt compelled to support the local economy, adding to our hat collection and chatting with a Huichol artist, from whom we bought an exquisite beaded vase. [Read more…]

Peace and Quiet in Marina Ixtapa

Marina Ixtapa, Mexico

Emma Jo in Marina Ixtapa

After a long day of doing absolutely nothing in Zihuatanejo Bay, we spent a night with zero wind – which means the swells had their way with us all night.

And since we’ve got to repair the anemometer (requiring a trip up a ladder to the top of the mast) and the galley hot water, we decided to move 5 miles along to Marina Ixtapa.

It’s a lovely, sheltered place that requires a bit of surfing to get in – but once in, there was barely a ripple for the two nights we spent there. [Read more…]

Thoughts on Huatulco as We Prepare to Leave

Marina Chahue
Huatulco, Mexico

Huatulco Highlights

As we prepare to leave, I thought I’d better jot down our impressions of this great little spot, for those that are following our journey and hope to call in here one day.

Marina Chahue? Meh. Serviceable. That’s about the size of it. The showers and bathroom, in the words of a couple of ladies just finishing up a circumnavigation, are the third worst in the world.

The dust blows everywhere, 9 months a year. The surge at the dock eats lines. No pool. No restaurant. No shop. No amenities. Just a place to tie up, unmetered electricity and good potable water, and friendly security guards and staff who speak little to no English. [Read more…]

Visiting Don Miguel and the Spider Monkeys

Barillas Marina, El Salvador

Based on what we’ve been able to see in the weather forecasts, we’ll leave from here tomorrow and try to make Huatulco in one go. We calculate it should take us between 72 and 84 hours, depending on conditions.

We’ve enjoyed our time here in Barillas, even though we’re a bit remote. There aren’t too many boats here, so the social life is quiet. But it’s been blessedly calm, with refreshing afternoon breezes and tide swings to change the scenery four times a day. [Read more…]