Friday - La Martina

Friday we left around 9:00 to drive up to La Martina Restaurant, where the red X is. More or less. The red part of the road is where the construction I mentioned is. 

For the first part of the road the brush hasn't been cut back. And it not as green this year as it was last year. 

Nearing Los Osuna Distillery and La Martina Restaurant. The agave is about three years old. Will have to grown another four to six year before harvesting.

Turning off the road. 

I love this living fence. We've been watching it slowly grow for years. 

On the other side of the entrance road there are beautiful bougainvillea growing .And lots an lots of butterflies this year. 

Puling up to the restaurant. All the colors are amazing. The restaurant is Mexican Pink. 

Looking through the open courtyard towards the eating areas in the back. Had our temperatures taken and given sanitizer for our hands. Had to be wearing masks to get in. 

I don't remember what they are called but they are gorgeous. They surround the fountain. 

Looking out from the outside eating area into the back yard and buildings. 

They have a new adobe oven, but it isn't in use yet, just finished building it. Built where the vegetable garden used to be. 

Also a new deck for events. But they are going to change the roof on it. As it is now the sun goes through the roof and it gets too hot to stay there. 

The huge tree that used to be here died over the summer and had to be cut down, New trees have been planted. And there is a new sprout from the old roots. 

We usually sit at this table, but today took one in the shade. We were the only customers there. All  wait staff were wearing masks. A couple other people came later and sat on the other side of the patio area. The burlap above the area is to replaced the shade from the tree. 

Little details are so great, this is the salt shaker,

Love the sweet potato chips and fresh cheese. We both had cafe de Olla. Mexican coffee. Some of the best we've ever had is here. 

The roof over the deck that will be replaced. Part of the side yard. 

Looking out back again. At one time the bigger building was going to be used as a little souvenir store. Don't know if it is in use or not. 

My meal.  Fruit, granola and yogurt. Delicious, but too much. 

Bill's meal. He said it was excellent. 

One of the serving rooms. No longer use the huge round table in the middle Small tables in the corners. 

Would love to take this home with me. Her eyes and smile are great. 

Bill talking to the cook. The sign says more or less "It is dangerous to go into the kitchen as the cook is crazy." The regular cook, Johnny was not there as his mother broke her arm and he is taking care of her. 

Out on the front entrance. I like pigs. 

The colors and decorations are amazing.

As is the floor. 

Just another picture of the outside. 

Beautiful day, excellent meal and service and good to see all the servers and owner again. All are well and none have been ill. Thank goodness. The owner and Bill were discussing the Argentine condiment Chimichurri - her cook tried making it. Bill tasted it and said it was bad. So she asked him for the ingredients, said she would buy them if Bill would come make it for her. So guess we will be going back there. On a weekday and early, before customers start arriving. 

Another day without drama, I can feel myself calming down.

We continued on to La Noria but will leave that for tomorrow's post. 

El Quelite on Thursday

We decided Thursday morning that we wanted to get out for a while. Why drive up to El Quelite, it was a Thursday so they shouldn't be too busy. We take the blue route.

On the way out we discovered the highway between the toll road and the free road is under construction almost the entire way. They are making it into a four lane road. It will be nice when it is finished. Had to be careful going through the construction. All kinds of machinery and people moving around.

This part is close to being done. 

Which way should we go? Left to El Quelite - right to La Noria?

The turn off from the free road to El Quelite is finished as is the entire road to town. Many of the beautiful bougainvillea plants are gone though. But there are still some pretty impressive bunches of them. 

Just about to enter town. Through the arch. 

Just a few of the colorful homes leading into town. Like the way they are reflected in the hood of the car. Didn't notice it until I looked at the picture. 

Just some decoration leading into town. Always think it is pretty and worthy of yet another picture of it. 

A store and a really nice hotel. Took lots of pictures of the rooms last year. 

Oh my gosh, there are lots and lots of people in town. The street was lined with cars as far as we could see. What a surprise. This is what you see on a weekend day, not Thursday. Lots of vendors too. 

We turned right down the street that goes in front of the big archway leading into the restaurant. Oh, oh. Lots of vendors, horses and a truck coming our way! Luckily  the truck backed up so we could continue. I thought I'd have a video of it on the dash cam, but it over wrote it later in the day when we went out again. The big arch doors to the restaurant are closed and locked. Everyone must enter through the front door and go through the entire house to reach the restaurant. Too many people there we didn't stop. 

The little store with the unusual cacti. 

This one is getting stranger and stranger. 

We just continued driving through town. This bush has three different shades of petals on it. Beautiful. 

We for sure will go  back another day when maybe it won't be so crowded. 

Stopped at WalMart before going home. There too sanitation is in force, in one door out the other. Temperature taken, hands sprayed and sanitizer to walk through. Must wear a mask to get in. Everyone inside was pretty much trying to stay distanced. Of course we forgot our bags, and didn't want to go way down to other door to exit and then come back in. So we now have two more new bags to add to our collection. 

Late afternoon we took a drive to Centro. You might have to click on it more than once and/or reload the  blog to make it work. New program I'm using...

All along the Malecon to the look out point by the light house, then back through the Plazuela Machado where we parked for a bit and walked around. 

[I'm working on getting a couple of videos from the dash cam to post - new program, big learning curve.] We were glad to see that this parking lot was open again. The nephew of the owner, a very nice lady who we used to see all the time, is now running the lot. 

Walked over to Machado - the Christmas decorations are starting to go up. 

A lot of the businesses/restaurants were open. It was about 4:00 in the afternoon. Not many people there. 

An art piece there. Kind of the way we feel about 2020!

Looks like the restaurant upstairs has enclosed the dining area with glass. I would have thought they would leave it open now days. Maybe the panels do open up when people are there. Will have to watch and see. 

It is still an ugly building - All kinds of money and time spent redoing it for nothing but more ugly.

Several of the restaurants are new. The one on the right used to be La Boeheim (sp) The one on the left also has a new name. 

There is a bikini shop here now.  Getting ready to put the chairs and tables out for Pedro and Lola's

This restaurant has changed hands too it is now Sandunga. Still have music though. 

Didn't see the birthday girl, just her entourage getting ready to have their pictures taken. 

Back in the car heading home. Street on side of Central Market is all torn up again. Seems like it is a yearly thing. 

Market was open and busy, people upstairs eating in the restaurant.  Don't think we'll be going in there this year. 

A vendor resting in the children's play ground. 

The sunset from the Malecon. And home we went. 

And so passes another day in Mazatlan. 

Friday we took another field trip.