Category Archives: Life in Mazatlán

Chicken Breakfast 2016

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Kids charming the camera woman while they line up for candy!

Want to have the best Christmas ever? Join us to bring joy to those in need! It’s a whole lot of fun, and a memory you will never forget!

Since 1990, Yolanda Medina and her family from the Quince Letras area of town have spearheaded an effort to feed those in need at Christmas time. In 2015, we fed over 3000 families with your help!

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Just some of the despensas—bags of food—ready to deliver in one of the trucks.

What is the “Chicken Breakfast?”
It is a two-step process to feed the neediest in our community.

First is a fundraising breakfast held in early December to raise money to buy one whole chicken and ten days’ worth of food for each family—we buy for as many families as we possibly can.

Second, on Christmas Eve morning (24 December), dozens of us gather together to load trucks and go out to the invasiones, the poorest, “squatter” areas of Mazatlán, to make people happy and hand out the goods! We give the chickens and foodstuffs, plus gently used clothing, linens, shoes, coats, and new toys and candy.

It is important to know that several of us go out to the squatter areas the week before Christmas. There we meet with area leaders and go around with them to hand out tickets, to ensure that those in need receive what they need, and that no one cheats or “double dips.” We especially want to ensure that we get food and clothes to the elderly and the disabled, so we go door to door to make sure everyone knows about the event, and to make plans to get things to those who can’t walk to the delivery site.

The history:

Yolanda Medina’s daughter, María Yolanda, was very sick. She and her husband kept vigil in the hospital, taking care of all their daughter’s needs. As Yoly’s sister-in-law Isa tells the story:

“It was Christmas Eve 1990, and María Yolanda’s days were counted. Yolanda and her late husband, Modesto, were in no mood to eat, let alone have a Christmas Dinner with all the fixings. But that night, a woman knocked on the hospital room door and peeked to see if there was someone with the patient. She came in to hand Yolanda and Modesto a box with a hot Christmas Dinner meal — and told them Merry Christmas and that God was with them. Yolanda never forgot that gesture.

After María Yolanda passed away, Yolanda got us all together and told us what had happened. So, the first couple of years, we had culinary arts students volunteer their time to prepare a Christmas Dinner meal, with donated ingredients from friends and family, and all of us volunteered to fill disposable thermal boxes with the hot dinners, load them into cars and pick-up trucks, and off we went, to hospitals, traffic intersections, parks — wherever we thought we might find people that, for one reason or another, wouldn’t be privy to a nice Christmas Dinner.

However, this was a huge effort, and very expensive, so we couldn’t cover that much ground. So we thought in terms of something more practical, something that could be cooked and prepared at home. This way, we could make sure many more families could have a Christmas Dinner. That’s when we started the Desayuno de los Pollos.”

How to help:

  1. Buy (or sell) tickets for the fundraising breakfast. Contact me at dianne@vidamaz.com, or buy them from anyone selling them around town. Post and Ship in the Golden Zone (beside Dolce Mami, across from FedEx) will have tickets also.
  2. Download a poster you can print out to help sell tickets or collect donations. Write on the poster with your details.
  3. Make crafts or baked goods to be sold at the bazaar during the breakfast.
  4. Donate (or gather) items for the silent auction (download a gift certificate, artwork, restaurant meals, hotel stays, airfares…)
  5. Help set up, cook, serve or clean up after the breakfast.
  6. Donate money (in person or click on the link), gently used clothing, diapers, lightly worn shoes, linens, blankets coats, new toys, or candy. 100% goes to those in need. Post and Ship will be happy to collect items if you drop them off there (beside Dolce Mami, across from FedEx).
  7. Help pack the food into packets—the week before Christmas.
  8. Help us load the trucks and deliver the goodies on December 24th! This is, of course, the most fun and a terrific tradition with friends and family.

When and where is the breakfast?
In 2016, it’s on Saturday December 10th, 8:30-10:30 am in the cruise ship dock/API. Please join us and bring all your friends! Your 180 peso ticket includes a full homemade breakfast, coffee and juice, a ticket for the door prize, a ticket for the raffle, and access to the Christmas bazaar.

API dock is on Emilio Barragón nearly across from the new OXXO. Below is a map. If you can’t find it, ask any taxi driver or blue shirt/Tourism Volunteer.

API

How can I get to Quince Letras on December 24th, or to help pack?
Come by 6:30 am if you are driving a truck, 7:00 am if you are helping us load and deliver. We usually finish by 11:30 or noon, but some years it’s taken longer (depends how many routes you participate in).

Quince Letras, corner of Tampico and Francisco Villas streets We load from either side of this

Quince Letras, corner of Tampico and Francisco Villas streets We load from either side of this “Coca Cola” store on the corner

LOCATION: 15 (QUINCE) LETRAS, corner of Francisco Villa and Tampico, just down the hill from the Church of Cristo Rey (Christ the King—photo below).

  1. From Avenida del Mar turn East at the Fisherman’s Monument.
  2. Go to the first light and turn right.
  3. Proceed one block and turn left (Francisco Villa street, just before the Pemex station).
  4. Go two blocks.
  5. If you are NOT driving a truck or transporting supplies, please park in the next block. This will give us room for loading. Once you’ve parked, walk another block down, past the iron works business called “Quince Letras.” On the corner of Francisco Villa and Tampico you will see a small store with a bright red “Coca Cola” hand painted on the outside, across from a tortillería. A door next to the Cocheras Automaticas business will be open. That’s Yolanda’s mother’s house, and it’s from there that we’ll be loading.
  6. If you are driving a truck or transporting supplies, please drive up to Tampico street (the “Coca Cola” store on your right on the corner), turn right, and park. We will be loading right there.

IMG_0669If you can’t find it, just ask someone for “Quince Letras” or “Desayuno de los Pollos/Medina family.” Everyone in the area will know.

Merry Christmas to all! And see you there!

  1. Download a poster you can print out to help sell tickets or collect donations. Thank you for your help!
  2. Download and view or use a PowerPoint presentation with a full explanation of the project: chicken-breakfast-presentation
  3. Download a gift certificate to fill out, and we’ll advertise your business or service at the breakfast! Just contact us and we’ll pick it up!

Have questions? Contact the organizers:

  • Jorge Medina (speaks English well) on his mobile, (669) 110-0744
  • Yolanda Medina (some English) at (669) 431-4529

5 Ways to Combat Mazatlecan Zombies

dsc_0363Day of the Dead is the main holiday in Mazatlán this time of year. Children and young adults, however, also celebrate the import—Halloween. Young children dress up and go Trick-or-Treating to shopping centers, while young adults dress in sexier costumes and head to the clubs. In our blue-skied, beach side community, we are thus normally spared the dangerous threat of many of the Halloween monsters from up north, such as witches, werewolves, vampires, mummies, devils and—zombies. The key word is “normally.”

Due to the unrelenting passion of a small group of zealots, Mazatlán has had the misfortune to have fallen prey to a zombie invasion for the past four years.

I put on my anthropologist’s hat today, as well as my bravery, to risk life and limb in order to gain insight into these most mysterious and menacing of characters. Gratefully I’ve lived to tell the tale—barely. My life is owed to the one brave survivor who fought the zombies off and defended both my life and our fair port.

Below I will share with you five key insights I gained today during my perilous anthropological investigations. I trust they might better help us combat the zombie invasion should it happen again next year. Click on any photo to enlarge it, or to view a slideshow.

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Isaac, Yezil and Wert Lovehorror

1. You may be deluded into thinking that there are no zombies in Mazatlán, that only catrinas frequent our fair city. No! Once a year, zombies roam the malecón! They’ve done so every Halloween for four years. It’s become an untenable menace! The leader of the Zombie Walk Mazatlán is Wert Lovehorror. His wife Yezil and their eldest son, Izack play key roles in the horrible happening. It is they who are responsible for this threat.

2. You may think of zombies as angry—grimacing, screaming, groaning and glaring. Mazatlecan zombies, however, smile—even their muerte se pasa sin llorar (their death passes without crying, playing on the Corrido de Mazatlán). They also pose for pictures and freely give interviews. Do not be misled! Despite their charms, they are highly treacherous!

3. When humans are in short supply, zombies eat ice cream! I feared for the ice cream vendor when he approached the invaders, but he was fearless. He assured me that zombies could be diverted away from human fare by playing upon their love of ice cream. And, sure enough, he knew what he was talking about! Our local zombies seem to have no clear preference regarding the type of ice cream they’ll go for, however—they devoured their frozen prey with gusto in all sorts of different flavors. If a zombie approaches you, get out the ice cream! They also talk on cell phones, so you can hand them one as a diversion.

Lupita Venegas and Jesús Pérez

4. Mazatlecan zombies are kind! They think of others and give to the needy. Every zombie or survivor who participates in the zombie walk is asked to bring despensas/food stuffs for Hambretón. Hambretón’s annual food drive, by the way, concludes next Saturday, November 5, in Sendero Plaza from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Join them there! And bring some canned goods or dry food! Do not let this kindness fool you…

5. Zombies apply makeup free of charge, and give out lessons and tips on how to make disgusting things. Need blood? Honey mixed with red food coloring; absolutely sickening. Need peeling skin? Mix white glue in with your face paint, and it’ll look like you have leprosy. Want to have no eyes? Cover them with tulle fabric. How about the ugliest, slimiest-looking intestine you might want to have falling out of your gashed-open stomach? Gelatin and pantyhose!

Will you fall for their tricks? Will you join the ranks of the zombies next year? Or will you be one of the survivors, and fight to defend Mazatlán?

Our Beloved Malecón de Mazatlán

We all love the malecón, Mazatlán’s oceanside promenade. While Tourism sometimes says our malecón is 21 km long, that length would have to include the Zona Dorada as well, which is clearly not malecón. But from Valentino’s to Pedro Infante is 8-1/2 km. If we add in Paseo del Centenario and the real, original malecón in Olas Altas, our annual Carnavál party zone, it’s a few kilometers longer yet. The world’s longest uninterrupted oceanside path is said to be the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver.

Here in Mazatlán you can ride a bike, rollerblade, jog or walk amidst incredible views. When the tide is high you can even get refreshingly splashed. In the fall months you can often witness sea turtles coming into the beach to lay their eggs. You can watch parades, marathons, protests, and incredible fireworks along the malecón of Mazatlán.

Most of us realize how much our malecón has changed over the years: lengthening it, widening it, various concrete designs and paint jobs, different types and colors of benches, planters, lighting, and, most recently, the palmeras. Remember when we had to avoid dog excrement all the time? Fortunately that custom has mostly died out, and by and large pet owners are fairly responsible when using the malecón to walk their pets.

I’ve written previously about how the culture of the malecón has changed. Most significantly to me is how in the past ten years it’s become the world’s largest gymnasium, at the same time that Mazatlán has become a pulsating center of athleticism. Ocean-fed pools are a rarity worldwide, and our own malecón is home to the beautiful Carpa Olivera that’s both historic and refurbished, as well as the Swimming Club. In addition to the athletes, the mesmerizing views, and sunsets unlike no other, our malecón also houses a grand collection of statues and monuments.

malecon-usersOne of the newest efforts on the malecón are the signs to have walkers and runners use the side of the malecón closest to the ocean, and bicyclists, skateboarders and roller blades use the side closest to the traffic. With 14,000 people using the malecón on a daily basis, according to city figures, this can’t always happen, but already I’ve noticed it’s made a significant difference.

All you snowbirds, welcome back! Those who have survived the heat and humidity, rain and wind of this summer, we’re almost ready for cooler weather! I look forward to seeing you on the malecón! Sunrise, sunset, daytime and night views there are gorgeous. What better place to enjoy people watching and the beauty of our city, and get some exercise?

3 Dead Turtles On The Malecón

dsc_0074In front of our home today was a gorgeous large sea turtle. I ran down with my camera because I thought she was going to lay her eggs.

Upon approaching, however, she stunk. She was bleeding. And her eyes were very, very dead.

Heartbreak. Click on any photo to enlarge or view a slideshow.

Carlos, from PROFEPA, was there making sure no one touched her. He told me he was not officially authorized to move the turtle, and he was waiting for his boss to give him instruction. But, he said, the turtle I saw was the THIRD one found dead on the malecón this morning! Carlos assured me all three would be examined to determine the cause of death.

Infographic on Our Malecón

A few weeks ago a lady from a marketing company contacted me, asking for information about our beloved malecón. She said she was tasked with making an infographic for a new hotel in town.

It’s always fun when someone asks you about something you love, and Lord knows I absolutely adore our malecón. It’s one of Mazatlán’s greatest treasures. I don’t know where this lady is based, but my guess is she knows nothing about Mazatlán, but was given this task. She was very nice.

A week or two later, I heard from Janet Blaser, M! Magazine, that she’d been contacted as well, and liked what the lady showed her I’d said about our malecón being the world’s largest gym.

Turns out the infographic is for the new Choice hotel, Quality Inn Mazatlán. The marketing company gave me permission to share the infographic with you. It’s pretty cool. I hope it’ll show up so that you can zoom in and read it easily.

Mazatlan_choice_EN-FINAL-v2

I rather like it. Cool to have an infographic on Mazatlán. I would have preferred a good picture of our three gorgeous islands in the bay and the killer views, but… Please let us know what you think. You may remember I did perhaps Mazatlán’s very first infographic a few years ago, about our Carnavál.

Of course, when we give input on these things, there’s never enough room for everything. Infographics are summaries. Interested in what I told the lady? Here’s my note:

My apologies, Ana; we have been traveling in Colombia for work and didn’t have a chance to respond.

The malecón to me is the world’s longest outdoor gymnasium. You can ride bicycles, in-line skate, jog, or walk. You can also do yoga on the beach, zumba, open-water swim with members of the swim club at Playa Norte, surf, standup paddle board, or parasail. You can rent a catamaran, Hoby-cat or jet ski and check out the sea lions or head out to the quiet beach on Deer Island, with killer views of the city. In addition to these many sports, there are palapa restaurants where you can sit with your toes in the sand and eat fresh shrimp, scallops, ceviche or fish.

https://vidamaz.com/2009/10/04/el-gimnasio-mas-grande-del-mundothe-worlds-biggest-gymnasium/

Carpa Olivera is one of the world’s very few ocean-fed public swimming pools, free of charge and extremely scenic.

https://vidamaz.com/2015/05/01/carpa-olivera-ocean-fed-pool-positions-mazatlan-among-worlds-elite/

Once a year locals swim out to Deer Island in the Travesía Anual:

https://vidamaz.com/2013/03/03/la-travesia-anual-annual-community-swim-from-playa-norte-to-deer-island-mazatlan/

During Carnavál, the world’s third largest, two parades go down the full length of the malecón.

https://vidamaz.com/2013/02/18/street-view-carnaval-de-mazatlan-2013-desfile-principal/

https://vidamaz.com/2012/02/22/carnaval-parade-preparations/

During the Maratón Internacional del Pacífico, there are fireworks set off from a dozen places along the malecón, making for an incredible sight.

https://vidamaz.com/2015/11/29/festival-de-la-luz-2015/

Enjoy! Have a wonderful summer, everyone!