We had an interesting day yesterday. First we went out to breakfast in Centro at, of course, La Antigua. Bill ordered for him and me - our usual crepe - with caramel and cream cheese, bananas and walnuts. Also coffee. Mark ordered his OJ and crepe - I should have taken a picture of it. The only difference was instead of caramel his had Nutella. A lot of Nutella. We got our drinks okay but for some reason they brought Bill something weird no idea what it was, but for sure not what he ordered. To make a long story short - his meal ended up as take out. Oh I forgot. The block of the street where the restaurant is was closed - so we had to take a long way around to finally get to it. Then ended up parking in the middle of the street where the closed barrier was.
Then we were going to go to the watchmaker. That street was blocked off too, fixing the potholes. Next time. Then to the bakery to get some cinnamon rolls - Mark wanted them! And discovered it is closed on Monday. So I guess we will have to do it all again another day. What a hardship - not.
So we ended up at Glorieta Rodolfo Sanchez Taboada that is where the Clavadistas are. Clavadistas are the cliff divers. Parked across the street. Years ago someone painted a whole retaining wall with different birds. I didn't think any were left. Little by little vegetation covered them. So was surprised to find these.
Headed across the street. Talk about good timing. The two diver were just heading up to the platform.
They were both going to dive. Up on top.
Just seeing him standing up there give me the shakes. He is watching the waves. Has to time his dive just right when the most water is there.
There he goes.
Not a whole lot of room for error.
A video of the second diver. He stands there quite a while waiting for the perfect time to dive. You can make the video full screen - there is no sound.
I walked over to the other side of the area to take some pictures of the sculpture. This is the original statue, the little boy next to her looks like Cupid, with a quiver of arrows carried on his back. The sculpture was possibly created as early as 1980, but more likely in 1993 by Pedro Jimenez Corona. She is know as "la Sirena" and is one of the many sculptures, monuments along Mazatlan's Malecon.
I took this picture last year. Cupid is long gone.
This is what is left of her this year. Her left arm is gone and her tail is gone. Accidentally broken or stolen. What a shame. Made me want to cry.
This young man is fishing.
He has a line with a weight and a hook and bait. Slings it around the tosses it out into the water.
Another look at her.
A zoom of the Malecon skyline. Sure is changing.
A regular picture - quite a ways away.
Steps up to the divers platform - the divers don't used them but the tourists do. Not me!
Spent a little bit of time there. Bill took up one of his drones. He and Mark talking about it. See it?
Some raw video from the drone. Click here for full screen.
You never know what you will find in the road as you drive along. No warning barricades or anything. Just LOOK OUT.
These two orange barrels and a cop are always here in the road. No idea why. Maybe because there is an intersection that is used a lot there. But every one has to merge to get around him.
Another LOOK OUT only know about it before hand because the cars in that lane and pulling in front of you in your lane. Oops - surprise - need to get into the other lane. He is using a roller to paint the cross walk.
At least they have a barricade up.
And so that was how we sent our morning yesterday. It was so humid out that we didn't do any thing but stay inside with the AC in the afternoon.
I was watching the workers building the home next to the RV park. They have put the ceiling in and are now putting blocks of Styrofoam on top of it. Insulation? Still needs its roof, or maybe a third floor. Today they are still up there walking around.
On Thursday we decided to go out in the afternoon. Unusual for us. But I wanted to see the new restaurant/night club in Valentino's. It doesn't open until 1 o'clock. Just parked in the lot. Free with a receipt from one of the restaurants. Traveling band looking for a gig.
Onaltica This is what I wanted to see. A blurb about it. "With an innovative concept adapted to the natural beauty of the bay of Mazatlán and its sunsets, and an investment of more than 8 million pesos, Onaltica: Barra de Mar, the new concept of restaurant bar, was inaugurated in Punto Valentinos." And here we are inside it. Mostly a bar. With a heavy seafood and red meat menu. So here are some pictures of it.
It is part of the Valentino's complex that is being remodeled. I've seen pictures of this at night - beautiful.
Nice place to sit and have a drink and watch the sunset. This picture is looking north on the beach.
Just a couple more pictures. Really nice place.
The bar. The waiter and waitress were very nice letting us walk around.
This is the entrance.
Back outside at the beginning of the Malecon Looking south on the beach. .
"Valentino's is a land mark. Its grand architecture can be seen from a very long distance on the Malecon. It reminds one of a Disney castle." Another blurb. "A disco icon of Mazatlan of the seventies and eighties and still very popular after 2000, agonizes between abandonment, family lawsuits and economic debts and taxes with the SAT of the Ministry of Finance. Since a year ago, perhaps less, you can no longer see the multicolored lights that at night and in the distance was a positive sign and reference for locals and visitors." Actually its been several years since it has been lit up at night" Last year the city decided to start restoring it. Thank goodness.
Here is how it used to look at night with all the lights on it.
On the Malecon next to the building. the Lopez Saenz Monument with its stylized Sinaloan family, The Family Monument was created to celebrate the beginning of the 21st century, this elegant bronze sculpture depicts a Mazatlecan family looking outward with an air of optimism. Sorry the picture isn't better. There was a lot of glare.
Looking south on the beach, lots and lots of new construction.
One of the Mazatlan signs. Very seldom find it with no one in front of it. Christmas decoration is sstill up.
The Pride crosswalk. The policeman stops traffic for people to safely cross.
I went up some steps on to Valentino's deck to get some pictures. Looking south on the beach again.
Didn't realize until I got up there how badly the building has been falling apart. Lots of missing plaster and everything metal is rusted. Thought about going up those stairs but didn't.
All metal will have to be replaced. I think that used to be a patio for a restaurant.
Broken windows, more rust. People are working in that room.
The gate leading back to the Malecon.
Sure hope they keep working on it.
We then had pizza at the brand new La Mona pizza restaurant that is right next door. By eating there we got to park free! Very, very good pizza - want to go back soon. They have great outdoor seating and good service. Then on home.
Last Wednesday we finally made it to Fat Fish for RIBS. Well Mark and I had ribs, Bill had chicken. For years the day we arrived in Mazatlan we made sure to have dinner at Fat Fish. This year we broke our record. Bill no longer can eat pork. So we waited for Mark to arrive. Daniel the griller with this years version of the ribs. Also price went up 2 meals for 300 Pesos. I think when we first started going there it was 2 for 150 Pesos.
This years plate of ribs. You no longer get a green salad with the meal. Just the cole slaw, potato and garlic bread.
A couple of picture of the RIBS in the past. They still taste very good though.
Now that was RIBS.
After eating we drove across town, heading to the look out point to watch the sunset. Another loaded motorcycle, or maybe it is an ATV. Can't really tell for sure in the picture. But I think there are two wheels in the back.
The sun is starting to go down ads we drive along the Malecon. Most of the tourists have gone home now, so traffic is moving along.
One of the statue in Olas Altas. This is a Mexican movie star - Pedro Infante. Known in Sinaloa as the idol from Guamuchil.We got to the look out point just ad one of the cruise ships was leaving. Heading north. There was a lot of mist in the air and just getting dark. I was surprised the lights weren't blazing on the ship.
Right after it came the Baja Ferry.
And about five minutes later the other cruise ship was leaving.
Not much of a sunset, you can barely see the ship heading north.
The second one is going south.
By the time we started home the lights on the sidewalks in Centro were on. They sure make the old buildings look great.
One of the newer buildings on the Malecon.
The two bright light posts have colored lights on them and they shine on the ball in the center of the round about. The lights change colors.
And then we came home. Just a short outing. The weather the last week has been cloudy with a little sun and quite windy so it gets cool as soon as the sun goes down. Been kind of hanging around home.
