Day 13 in Mazatlan - Saturday 31 jan - Second to last day in Mazatlan - Up, up and away!

It rained almost all night long, not hard but enough to put water in the pool. Woke up around 6 and started packing and sorting and discovering that I really did need another bag to take home all the bulky things I had purchased. They were certainly not going to fit into the one carry-on size suitcase I had brought with me. Came downstairs to find Diane bailing out the pool so assisted her with that. showered and had a toast and tea for breakfast.Then 

Diane and I headed off to the beach and our adventure for today. Stopped in a few shops to see about another bag. They were all basically the same bags with each store charging a different price. The shops on the road you could always talk down but the hotels were firm with their prices. They varied between 200 pesos to 120 pesos. 

I didn’t want to buy a bag until after my parachuting adventure so we went to the Mazatlan Inn and discovered that they were just doing the first happy hour! At 1215 I had a fortifier of a mazatlan Bias ( half pina colada and have mango daiquiri), so good. Enjoyed my last time at the Inn. Edwin, our waiter was happy to have his picture taken and so was the lifeguard. 

We went onto the beach looking for Peter the parachute guy we had talked to days before when we were only interested in keeping our feet on the ground. The sun had come out in full force and all the beach vendors, ( I call them walkmart as they carry everything they are selling with them as they walk the beaches) tried to sell me hats. I am still not as tanned as most everyone down there although I m quite tanned for me. We found where Peter usually was and asked a gentleman, Salo, where he was. it turns out Peter does not show up sometimes as he was a bit of a party person and sometimes got in trouble for it. So Salo took us to the parachute folks down the beach.

Fernando, Garcias and Marco? or Francisco? were the guys who were going to get me up there and catch me when I came down. I had to wait for a few other people to go before me so Diane and I amused ourselves in the shade of a beach umbrella. I wasn’t nervous but a little excited  about going up. 500 pesos or about 50 bucks. I filmed the people coming down and landing oh so gently on the beach . I should have also filmed the take off as it is quite an experience.

My turn, 

'-life vest- on and secure, 

-step into the leg hole of the paragliding apparatus. - done, 

-get strapped in on both sides. two gentlemen one on each side adjusting the straps and getting them snug- Okay, 

-do not carry camera on wrist- no - put camera on strap of life vest - right, 

-received very clear instructions on the operation of the chute- pull the red strap when I see the red flag- yes, 

-squat down and walk when the boat starts to pull you- 

-do not stand up and walk- squat and walk... yes 

-keep squatting and walking and sit down now 

-and up I went after winging one of the ground guys with my foot, 

up 

and up 

and up. 

 like the feather in Forrest Gump

I was floating in the air!

I yahooed very loudly as it was such a great feeling. 

there I was, for just a moment, thinking of falling to my death, for just a moment though. My children would love this,  my grandchildren would love this. there I was

above the beach, 

sailing over the bay. 

I felt for my camera and started to take photos both single and video.
There was a moment when I felt as if  I was not really sitting very deeply in the sitting strap and was concerned about falling out and dangling a 100 feet above the water, but I got over it pretty quickly. ( I was strapped in to the harness and if I dangled then I dangled)

My parachute was multi coloured and I tried to get some shots of it

I was attached to the boat by a single large strong rope. 

It was actually very quiet up there, no boat sounds at all.

I thought that I would see all those birds that we were always seeing from down on the beach but I don't think I did see a single one.

The view was fantastic!

Now the boat was turning around and we were headed back to the beach. I looked for where my crew was but could not see them. I tried to find the hotel and get my bearings for where they might be. I turned on my camera and just let it run to get the landing and then I saw them. 

All my instructions were there in my head. 

Find the red cord with my right hand. 

Pull down with your right hand to your shoulder when you see the red flag. 

I saw the red flag and started to pull. Man oh man, it was hard. 

I Pulled but was only getting about halfway to my shoulder. I need to start working out to get more upper body strength. 

I pulled as hard as I could for quite a while it seemed and was starting to get closer to the hotels than I thought I should be but he had not dropped the red flag so I pulled some more. 

I had been slowly dropping in height as the boat was slowing down, getting closer and closer to the beach and when he the fellow on the beach dropped the red flag, I let go of the cord and the boat pulled me right into their waiting arms. 

i tucked my legs in so as not to hit them in the face with my feet but 'Standup …standup! were the last instructions as they grabbed me and the lines to the chute to make sure the wind did not pull me away again. 

Did I have a good time?
Did I take lots of photos?
 Why yes I did and actually I was still recording right now. I turned off the camera. They helped me out of the para-gliding harness. 

What an experience! Diane was there congratulating me on my success. 

My legs and hands were a little(maybe more than a little) shaky, with all the adrenaline I think.

We went and sat down for a bit in the shade of the umbrella and Fernando came over to get paid. I gave him 700 pesos.  A 200 peso tip for getting me up there safely and back down alive in one piece with nothing broken or damaged. I figure that works out to about 5 bucks a piece for the three guys on the beach and the guy in the boat. He shook my hand very heartily and when I looked a little confused about which way to go on the beach he laughed and pointed us back the way we had come from. A nice looking man.

We laughed too and headed to the next hotel for its happy hour and a well deserved congratulatory and calming drink. Very tasty Pina coladas at two for one. 65 pesos for two are a very good deal.

We looked at the pictures and film that I had taken reliving the experience. Wonderful! Now the landing film shows quite a bit of chaos but it really was a very nice landing. 

After calming down a bit  we decided to have lunch at the Verde Tomato ( the green Tomato) but when we got there we were not that impressed with the menu so decided to go to Pancho’s. Diane had been there before and said it was good. Stopped in at the little shop where I bought the wind chime of brightly coloured fish made of coconuts and wood and picked up a bag for 100 pesos. It is big enough to carry all the rest of the things that I purchased. Diane picked up one of the wind-chimes, hers with coconut  turtles. We passed an old building with a tree growing right in front of the door. who would plant a tree that close to a building let alone in front of a door like that?

We wandered down to Pancho’s and got an inside table at first and placed our order. They brought us tortilla chips with salsa to nibble on while we waited so we sipped our drinks and nibbled our chips with gusto. A beer for Diane and an Ice tea for me. What a lovely place. The very large mushroom and garlic starters arrived and when the two ladies across from us left we slid over to their ocean front table. Lovely. Our food and drinks were transferred over to our new table. The starters were huge so we could not finish it all so got some to go. The green salad for me and nachos for Diane arrived. Good food, good company, sea and sand.  What a great day.



There was one vendor who was selling a lightweight jacket with a hood that I wanted.  Diane had one like it and so I had seen it up close on her. He said four hundred so I got out 250 and went down and told him that it was all I had and got it. The truth was that after paying for dinner and saving money for the cab for tomorrow, it was all I had. The salad was nice but they used canned peas. odd. 

After lunch we wandered out onto the beach as it was one we had not been on before. l think now that we have been on every beach in Mazatlan. Lots of families  with kids playing on banana boats. 

Turned up at a hotel that looked promising for having an exit onto the road. We passed a lovely waterfall and pond with water lilies. A maid coming out  of the area showed us into a man made labyrinth of caves and to another waterfall. there were lots of tunnels and paths, stairs to temples with giant hand chairs and little secret gardens. wonderful to keep the kids amused. 

We found our way out and went to the liquor store as Diane wanted to pickup some Kaluha for the house. At Pancho’s they give you a free drink, a brown cow at the end of your meal. How nice is that? As we were walking down the street the black police went by and I took a photo. how brave am I. the black police ors ethe ones that fight the drug cartels and wear all black to hide their identities so that they and their fails are safe from retaliation.

When we went past the shell museum/store I couldn't resist getting a picture of me getting my wings, seemed appropriate condsidering my activities earlier in the day. on the way home we saw this little lizard impression in the sidewalk. I think it was a real lizard impression or the impression of a real lizard. poor thing. but I guess he is immortalized now in the sidewalk on the way home from the shell museum.

Got home and even after all our walking around were still very full. Downloaded the photos and watched them on the computer. Uploaded the photos to Facebook and then watched the latest Downton Abbey episode. 
Diane went upstairs to read and I finished uploading a few more videos from the days activities. 
checked my packing and the all the drawers and the closet. Walked around the house to make sure I didn't forget anything. I did not ....forget anything that is.
I fell asleep pretty fast and I think I dreamt of men catching me. How sweet it is.