Mazatlan December 2009

During my last Blog I wrote that there would be no new blogs until I pulled anchor in January. This proves one more time that I can not be trusted. There have been a number of activities around here that I thought I might share and since my schedule is not crowed that much I would spend this Sunday morning entering a new blog. I should have taken a photo of my boat which is on the hard, which to non-boaters means that it is out of the water being held up, on land, by a number of stands. I need to climb a tall later now to enter my boat which is a lot of fun at two in the morning when I need to climb down to go to the bathroom. I need to be careful not to drink to much!

The marina hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for 120 people. How would you like making dinner for that many friends and relatives? The food was traditional American Thanksgiving dinner and it was very good. Everyone enjoyed themselves. After dinner the band played, we danced, and worked off the calories that we had just eaten.

















The ladies were having a lot of fun while us men sat drinking our wine and beer.



















Finally one of the more courageous men went out to join the women in dance.


















Then there were two ladies that just had to strut their stuff.

















Unlike the Sea of Cortez, there are not a lot of places to explore and anchor nearby in Mazatlan. Their is one popular place called Stone Island that many cruisers go to get out of the marina for a change in pace. There is a great place on shore with a specialty of the house, Shrimp and garlic pizza, which is to die for it is so good. The main harbor is just across from the break water that some of you might recognize that may have arrived here on a cruise ship.

This is were we ate pizza and drank a few beers.


















Cruise ships that arrived around six in the morning.



















Those of you that enjoy and occasional Pacifico beer can now brag that you have seen a photo of the original and still in service brewery.


















Yesterday late afternnon there was a release of baby turtles into the ocean. I had wanted to watch this last year but missed it so I was sure not to make the same mistake this year. The turtles are about 2 inches long and they can move quickly when they smell the waters edge as they scramble towards the beckening waters. It was a very festive environment with fireworks, hot-air balloons, a world famous marathon and a motor cycle parade. The evening temperature was in the high seventies, clear skies and hundreds of people enjoying the evening.

The turtles were given to the many small children along the beach to hold while they waited for instructions to release them onto the sand.
































































And they are off!

















What's next? Who said that I could not be cultured while cruising? I don't always set around drinking beer and huging young beautiful women.

This Friday,with two friends, I am going to the ballet to watch the Nut Cracker. I have always wanted to watch this but always waited to long to buy a ticket finding that all seats had been sold. Where else would one think you could see the Nut Cracker but in Mexico. A cost of a ticket in San Francisco would be $120. The cost here is little less than $20 and the theater is as beautiful as the Opera house in San Francisco. This years presentation is a ballet company from Cuba. Maybe I will get a chance to meet Castro and ask him for some free Cuban cigars and Rum.

Well that is it for now. It is a short blog but one that I hope you enjoy. At least you didn't have to wait until January to see another one from me.

Happy Holidays to all of you and your families and let's hope that next year is a big improvement for many of you over 2009.

Take care and be safe out there.