Today it is trying to rain. Linda told me about the spider she was watching building his web in the tree in the backyard and catching flys'and bugs, the spider was not Linda.
Diane and I headed off after breakfast to see the Museum Archeologica in Centro Historico Mazatlan.
Caught the Centro bus and got off before it turned to go downtown at the fisherman's beach. We decided that we would follow the coast to the museum as on the map it looked very close to the beach and going through downtown seemed like it would b very confusing and we didn't want to get lost. Of course we found out later that it is way easier and shorter to go through downtown than along the sea walk but we enjoyed the walk very much and saw so many new beautiful, fun and exciting things.
At the fisherman's beach there were the little shacks selling fresh coconuts and oysters along the walkway. We passed several fishermen bringing their catches in from their boats and one boat just being brought up on the beach using small logs as rollers. I finally got to see the brown pelicans up close as they were all over the beach.
We continued down the Olas Atlas Road along the coast. Lovely, all new territory for both of us to discover. One of those carnival statues that are at least twenty feet tall depicting a merman. Wayne had told us that they were installing some new statues at the far end of the malecon for the carnival happening in a few weeks so these must be them.
the hill that we walked around was the hill with all the antenna towers on it and was much bigger in circumference than it first appeared. We enjoyed the seawall cliffs and little beaches with either rocks or course sand.
There were a few houses and buildings that might have been schools , universities, colleges, and in one driveway was this old dog with sweater on it. His owners must have thought it a cold day for an old dog and so dressed him for the weather. so cute. not a chihuahua but very cute.
We found the Continuity of Life statue fountain that is advertised all over the place. Very pretty, leaping dolphins with a sea chariot carrying a man and woman, both of them naked as the day and anatomically correct. We are so puritan in North America it is nice to see that there are places in the wold that are not, so puritan that is. Took a few Photos there. a nice pace for a sit down with a great view over the bay.
Continued on down to the Divers plaza passing several statues of don’t know who but will look them up.
There was a diver ready to go, we thought. He stood there and stood there. I kept filming him thinking that he was gong to go but he did not. Maybe he was waiting for a bigger crowd. Then we realized he was waiting for the real diver. Rojo was the Diver and when he got up there it did not take him long to position himself and dive into the water missing the rocks by maybe three or four feet it seemed. Quite impressive.After the dive a man came around to see if we wanted to donate to the diver but I waited for Rojo and asked him if the man was with him and he said yes and that he was going to be diving in Rio de janero the next Saturday and that they were broadcasting it on TSN. We wished him luck.
We walked on passing the Diablos cave where, during the Mexican revolution, was there more than one?, they hid soldiers and guns. did you know that the Mexicans freed their slaves 25 years before the states did and that they integrated the slaves into their society unlike the states? very nice of them I think. they didn't have as many slaves as the states did to start with so maybe it was easier for them to do that. just saying.
We passed the lovely Woman of Mazatlan statue, again anotomically correct. We asked a couple of young men how much farther to Sixto Asuna and they said not far, maybe ten minutes and seemed quite pleased that they could help two old foreign ladies. I wonder if they took into account the walking speed of two old ladies to come up with that figure?
A few more blocks and we passed some very interestingly painted buildings. One was a restaurant with John wayne, Clint Eastwood, Jonny Depp as tonTo and the new lone Ranger whose name I cannot remember but who I thought did a pretty good job in the movie.. not to sure who they were targeting with that. cowboys?
Minutes later we came to Deer square, a very lovely old part of Mazatlan with its own little beach and some young men trying to surf. The surf was not very big but they were having fun anyway.
There were a few older hotels and cafes including another looney bean cafe. They have such good coffee. diane was tempted but decided against it at this time.
We found our way across the street and discovered that we were on the sixto Asuna street with the museo archaeologic just around the corner and a few feet down the street and which was open and free. It was very interesting but small, no photos allowed inside and only a few things outside but very worthwhile if you are ever in Mazatlan. They need a rich patron to help them to get bigger and better and maybe with a little gift shop. Loads of information in both spanish and english. Carved stones from the labradas, rather creepy funeral urns, weaving bobbins, urns, bowls, jewelry. Wish it was bigger.
Right around the corner is the restaurant Macaws, actually a bed and breakfast-hotel-restaurant and gift/art shop which is very nice. We had lunch there before trying to go to the art gallery but it turned out it was closed on Sunday so we would have to come back. Great idea and next time we will come a different way and then we will be able to find our way around Mazatlan no problem.
We thought lets go to the beach again but wound up going on a rather round about tour of little known Mazatlan. I wanted to get to where the cruise ships come in thinking that there might be some more gift shops and postcards but we were thwarted in our efforts to get to the docks. No matter which road we took we ended up not going to the docks.
We went over busy roads and down quiet ones, we went up hills past very old buildings and they were right beside brightly coloured buildings. We passed flowers bright yellow, deep red hibiscus the size of dinner plates, little yellow bells soft blue, large small and in-between on the ground and in the trees and on bushes.
We passed cats and bus stops and ended up going over a large hill and we could see the docks and a rather interesting church spire(which I later learned was the church of Maria del Mar... Mary of the sea) but we could not find our way to the docks.
We did however, find our way to the road which would lead us to the light house.
At first Diane did not want to go to climb to the light house but with only a little cajoling I convinced her that if Wayne could do it we could most certainly do it. and it was a cloudy day and when are we going to be back this way again?
So we went past the young couple getting their wedding photos taken on the beach, (the rest of the wedding party did not seem all that impressed with hanging out on the beach while the photographer posed them and snapped merrily away).
We walked past the marinas with the sail boats and charter boats, the fishing boats and the little gecko hiding under the agave leaf.
Past the water treatment plant ( rather unpleasant odors there) and all the way to the light house hill where we thought about it and decided that if there were no bathrooms up there we could be in trouble so went back down the road to find a washroom before attempting our fantastic feat of climbing.
Back to the base of the hill and we climbed to the top. The Path is nice and wide and not too steep mostly. About halfway up we met a nice kitty and the nice wide path turned into wide concrete stairs.
At first they were numbered and we thought 'oh god I hope they are not all numbered' but they were not. There were some quotes on the odd step here and there which lost something in translation . (if your eyes are good then your body will be illuminated but if heart is pure if the rebels lips) and (spiritual path to enlightenment) which is pretty straight forward.
About halfway up the staircase there is an open section where there is no handrail or wall protecting one from falling to their death if they trip over the edge. Can you tell I have a fear of falling over edges? The sidewalk is of course very safe and wide but I still walked on the extreme inside around that corner till there was a railing again to give me that sense of security. Such a wuse baby.
We did take a few moments to rest up before continuing up the path. Only took us about 40 minutes to climb all the way up from the bottom of the hill. There were lots of folks walking up and down, young and old, and lots of birds circling high overhead and in the trees or just flying past and black butterflies. There were lots of these lovely little black butterflies everywhere. so pretty. my friend Carol tells me It is Melanis cephise, called the "White-Rayed Pixie" or "White-Tipped Pixie" butterfly. How pretty. Google "Butterflies of Central Mexico"
Lovely views from up there so we did sit for while to enjoy them and to catch our breath again. I turn red if I excersize at all so my face was very red when we got to the top and even when going down, which was much easier than going up, I was still red in the face with all my exertions.
We decided to take a pulmonia home from there for 100 pesos as we could not walk anymore. Got home and had showers first thing. Then thought we would open a bottle of wine but I was too tired to even drink and just hit the sac right after supper.
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