Remember the VERY cool “mini Mazatlán” diorama we wrote about last Christmas? The size of a garage, it includes the malecón and many of its beautiful monuments.
Well its creator extraordinaire, Marco Hernández Álvarez, has now added the Baluarte Bridge to his work! His replica is 4 meters long, 2.10 meters high, and uses 120 meters of “cable.” The towers are decked out with LED lighting. I have not yet seen it live, but he tells me the full diorama is up and ready for viewing! I can’t wait! Today he is putting some signs on the bridge, and he will send me photos when he’s done. I definitely recommend that you make the trip to see it this holiday season.
Marco invites our readers to visit him at Rio Panuco #106, Colonia Reforma. He’s given me permission to share with you his cell phone number: (669) 145-00-13. Please call him before you come and he’ll make sure he’s there to open the gate for you to come in and take a look around. While I’ve never spoken to him in English, my guess is he’s speaks it quite well. Give him a hug for me, please. Below are a couple of photos of the bridge replica at night all lit up.
Kids love Mazatlán! The list below should help you enjoy our fair city with children—whether you are traveling here on holiday or live here and are wondering about something new and different to do with your kids during school break.
We first published this list in January 2012, so here we are updating it with more current information. The to-dos are organized alphabetically. Enjoy!
Aquarium and bird show: The aquarium in Mazatlán is a lot of fun. The most exciting thing at the aquarium is you can swim with the sharks! In addition to the indoor marine exhibits there are entertaining bird, sea lion and animal shows held on outdoor covered stages. Aquarium staff do most of the rescue of marine animals and birds here in town, so we all very much appreciate you supporting this venue.
Batting cages: On Avenida del Mar, right next to the double yellow towers (Las Gavias), is a batting cage called Wild Pitch. There is another one up on Avenida de la Marina in the Pacific Golf Center.
Beach day: Pick a beach, any beach. You can get chair-side service and do all your souvenir and gift shopping with the vendors at a hotel beach. You can dine on fresh, affordable seafood in a palapa/thatched hut on Playa Pinos. Make sand castles, pick up sea shells and sea glass, play soccer or football, volleyball or catch … You name it, you can’t go wrong with kids and a beach.
Bicycling: Biking along the malecón/oceanside promenade is gorgeous, easy and fun! From Valentino’s to the Pedro Infante Monument is about 4 miles one-way, it’s of course a very level ride, and safely out of the traffic. Our friend Estrella Caro runs Baikas, a bike rental located inside the Belmar Hotel in Olas Altas. Her bikes are incredibly wonderful. There is also a brand-new bike rental, Sea Breeze, located beside the La Paloma condominiums, at 7000 A Ave. del Mar (983-4070). Want something a little more adventurous, perhaps for the teenagers—something tougher, like mountain biking? Güero, Kelly, will take you on a tour, or take you around the mountain bike course he has set up. His shop, Kelly’s Bikes, is on Avenida de la Marina. He has bikes to loan out as well.
Bird watching, hiking and picnicking: The lush Estero del Yugo nature preserve on the north end of town makes for a day of hiking and bird watching. Bring a picnic lunch, binoculars, and your camera.
Boogie board: Bring your own, or buy one at one of the many shops along Avenida del Mar or Av. Camarón Sábalo. It’s a whole lot of fun!
El Bosque/City Park: Located one block off the malecón, just south of Ave. Insurgentes, this park has a large pond with waterfowl, swing sets and climbing gyms, a small zoo, and a walking trail. There are play areas in small parks throughout the city, though I recommend you check their safety before letting your kids climb up and slide down.
Bowling: Space Bowling, up on the north end of town near Marina El Cid, has fun laser-light bowling at night, and makes for good refuge if you happen to be here during rainy season. The newest bowling alley is inside the Gran Plaza: Recorcholis. There is also an ice skating rink and extensive video arcade here.
Boxing: Older teenagers and young adults may enjoy a night of boxing. Our boys love it, as you get up close and personal to the boxers. I imagine the ring card girls don’t hurt their eyes either 🙂 Held on Friday nights about once every month, downtown in the Cancha German Evers.
Catamaran: You can have one of the playeros take you and your family out for a cruise around the bay for very little cash. Watch the sea lions (Mazatlán is their southernmost point), cruise past Bird, Goat and Deer Islands, and view the city from the sea. A boat ride is always fun. There are also sailboats, or you can go out on a party boat and enjoy music, dinner or sunset.
Driving range: Pacific Golf Center on Avenida de la Marina is a whole lot of fun for younger and older kids, as well as adults. They also have batting cages, a bar, and a full restaurant.
Fishermen: Sitting near the pangas/boats at Playa Norte beach in the morning, watching the fishermen bring in their boats, unload and sell their fish, can make for a very enjoyable morning for a family. There is excellent fishing in Mazatlán, and if your children enjoy it, you can fish from shore or rent a boat to take your family out deep-sea fishing.
Hiking: Climbing up the lighthouse is a terrific family event, with gorgeous views from the top. On this blog you can find many posts about the route. On the north side of town, Estero del Yugo is a gorgeous nature preserve with both a coastal lagoon (fresh water) and estuary (brackish water). Your family can walk or bike several trails. Nature walks and plant medicine tours are offered year-round. They are primarily in Spanish, but Sandra and staff speak English and will do their best to accommodate you. Just give them a call.
Horseback riding: There is nothing like a family horseback ride on the beach, or through a forest of palm trees. Rent horses on Stone Island or as you head up the beach north of town (Ginger has recently retired, but there are others who walk the beach in Cerritos renting horses).
Inline skating: That 4-mile malecón is calling your name! You and the family can of course walk it, or you can rent skates in Olas Altas at the Looney Bean coffee shop.
Ice skating: Yes, you can come to the tropics and let the kids ice skate! The rink is inside the Gran Plaza at Recorcholis.
Island day: Spending a day at either Deer Island (one of the three islands in the bay) or Stone Island (it’s actually a peninsula) feels like going back in time to a simpler, more charming era. Pretend you’re shipwrecked, or that you own your own private piece of paradise. On Stone Island there are plenty of restaurants with lots of adult beverages; the beach is great for kids as the ocean is pretty calm. On Deer Island you can get a few things to eat or drink. You can get tours to either island that include banana boating, snorkeling or jet skiing; Stone Island tours often include horseback riding. Stone Island has an affordable water ferry (about US$3 round trip per person).
Kayaking: Rent a couple of kayaks on the beach in front of one of the hotels, and enjoy some terrific family time paddling in the bay.
Fly a Kite: Buy one anywhere, and spend a few hours flying it on the beach. Enjoy some ceviche, fresh fruit or turnovers/empanadas from a strolling vendor, and maybe some live music from a passing band.
Climb the Lighthouse: One of our very favorite family activities, we do this a couple of times a week. The climb only takes about 20 minutes, and the view from the top is gorgeous!
Movies: Movie theaters in Mazatlán are MUCH more affordable ventures than they are north of the border. If you don’t speak Spanish, be sure to see a subtitled movie rather than one that’s dubbed. Cinemex in the new shopping center, Galerías Mazatlán (north side of town), advertises a “4D” viewing experience. Cinépolis is in the Gran Plaza; Gaviotas is an older theater near Valentino’s in the Golden Zone; and the two Cinemexes are in the main part of town on Insurgentes Street.
Paint ball: For some weird reason, paint ball is called “Gotcha” in Mazatlecan Spanish. The nearest location is Master Gotcha located behind Casa Country in the Golden Zone. Closed on Tuesdays, check their Facebook page for specials. The second one is Gotcha Las Espuelas, located just outside of town.
Parasailing: Before I parasailed I never imagined I’d enjoy it as much as I did! It is amazingly fun and exciting! Book a trip on the beach in front of your hotel.
View or tour the Port: Watch the workings of the port from the Mirador or the Old Observatory. Drive, walk or bike up Paseo del Centenario to either of these places, and you will be rewarded with incredible views of the city of Mazatlán and the workings of its port. See the loading and unloading at the docks, the boats of the largest shrimping fleet in the Americas, as well as the tuna fleet. You an also hire one of the panga-owners to take you on a cruise through the Parque Bonfil, to see all the shrimp and tuna boats up close and personal.
Witness Sea Turtles laying their eggs: Witness sea turtles laying eggs on the beach from June through November or later every year. It is an amazing process to watch, but please don’t bother the nesting Moms! You can read a blog post about the sea turtles here.
Sea Turtle release: Groups can make arrangements via the Aquarium to do a private release of baby sea turtles, or you may call the Aquarium to see if there is a release scheduled while you are in town. Release season is August to December. On Stone Island (at Estrella del Mar) there is a sea turtle sanctuary, and the kids (and adults) may very much enjoy visiting it.
Skate park: Bring your skateboard, rip stick, BMX bike or inline skates, or just your eyes and good humor to watch the festivities. One skate park is next to the outdoor gym in Playa Norte—we did a blog post about it. A second and very wonderful one is in the median on the boulevard that runs beside the City Park/Bosque de la Ciudad.
Snorkeling: Playa Norte has a sheltered beach, just south of the swim club and the outdoor gym, which has pretty interesting snorkeling: lots of colorful fish and sea glass. On Deer Island you can snorkel for octopus or scallops. The oyster divers are also a very friendly lot here, and they will be happy to have you pay them to dive with them—only recommended if your kids are expert swimmers, of course.
Spray fountain: Right across the street from the Fisherman’s Monument, this relatively new water park installation is a big hit with local and tourist kids alike!
Swimming: This would seem to be a no-brainer. In the pool, in the ocean, Mazatlán is a swimmers’ paradise. Something our family loves is, in the early morning, to go down to Playa Norte and watch the swim club swimmers do their ocean swims. Many are grandmas and grandpas and boy can they swim! In November each year the club does a Travesía, during which swimmers swim out to Deer Island! You are most welcome to join them in the early mornings, starting about 6:00 am.
Swim with Dolphins (in the wild): Go out with Oscar and crew from Onca Explorations. They will get you to a pod of dolphins, and let you jump overboard to be in the water with the wild dolphins. It is soooo cool to have them swim around you. Our blog post about this here.
Swim with Sharks: The aquarium offers this cool activity. Swimming with sharks sounds so cool and dangerous (yet isn’t)! This activity takes place in a glass-fronted pool with a guide.
Tide pools: One of the BEST activities ever, on the planet, for families with young children. Bring a book of tide pool life along with you, put on some water shoes, and take a walk when the tide is out along the beach south of Valentino’s. Starfish, crabs, tadpoles, sea urchins… Gotta love it!
Video arcade: Ok, I don’t like going on vacation to have the kids go to an arcade, but I do remember traveling to Prague and having my kid beg for laser tag, so it happens. The best video arcade that I know of is in the Gran Plaza shopping mall at Recorcholis. There is also a small, “cooler” one for teenagers just north of Valentino’s, on the second level.
Water park: If the kids want more slide action than the hotel pool or the spray fountain can provide, take them up to Mazagua, on the north end of town on the way to the Hotel Riu or Emerald Bay.
Whale watching: I definitely suggest you go out with Oscar and crew from Onca. Nothing like having a marine biologist, who knows these whales intimately, cataloging and tracking their movements, teach you about them. You can almost touch these gorgeous creatures, and the sound of their breathing will blow you away! Our blog post about this, one of our absolute favorite things to do here.
Zip line: Huana Coa is located in La Noria, close to the Los Osuna mezcal distillery. It is a whole lot of fun! They use double-cables for added safety, and state-of-the-art equipment. Veraneando has twelve zip lines, including one where two people can ride/race in parallel. They also offer a river tour. If you haven’t zip lined, we HIGHLY recommend it.
In addition to the above year-round activities, there are also terrific seasonal events that you should try not to miss. These include:
Carnaval/Mardis Gras (a very family-oriented five days before Ash Wednesday, usually February or March)
MotoWeek, a huge gathering of motorcycles from around the continent. Includes concerts, an expo and a huge parade (early April each year)
La Frasca/Shrimping in the estuary A once-in-a-lifetime experience for families, occurs only during shrimping season. You will need a car or driver and to speak Spanish or have an interpreter or guide (when shrimp season opens, usually in September)
Independence Day, especially “El Grito” the night before in the main Plaza downtown (September 15)
Day of the Dead, altars and callejoneada parade (November 1 and 2)
AeroFest, held in November along the malecón for a few years. This event was not held in 2013, but we trust it will be back!
Revolution Day (November 20)
ExpoCar, usually held in December, this is a car show and, I guess, drag racing event. Exhibitions, concerts, and lots of burning rubber.
Look for signs for special events such as Monster Truck shows, Lucha Libre, circuses (one going on somewhere in town at least once/month), carnavals/fairs (5-7 every year), NBA exhibition games, etc….
There are also “cultural” events such as bullfighting (held occasionally) and cock fighting (held all the time at various venues). Look for signs or ask around when you are in town if you are interested.
Kids love Mazatlán! I’ve only included things right here in town. There are also loads of things to do outside the city—small pueblos to visit, the petroglyphs at Las Labradas… Please let us know what adventures you and your kids or grandkids enjoy, and we’ll add them in!
Coming into the Angela Peralta Theater on Saturday, October 12, the doors to the theater remained closed. I asked my girlfriend if we were late, as I wasn’t wearing a watch. I knew we were 10 minutes before curtain time. “You are fine,” said the usher. “Just walk down here and turn right.” As we walked down a long, dark hallway, I wondered if this was some sort of early Halloween or Day of the Dead prank. But, no, we were being ushered ONTO the stage!
What a feeling! I of course turned around, looked out at that gorgeous theater, and hammed it up a bit. My moment of fame on the stage! The stage was set up very simply, with several folding tables, a few props, a large television screen and video camera, and hooks hanging from the catwalks overhead. There were bleachers set up on the stage, facing this smaller performance area. Cool! We took a seat.
As we waited, a guy dressed as a painter used a roller on an extension pole to paint some very cool scenes. Then, just before the play started, he painted over it all. Heartbreak. But very interesting. (Video below) They ended up using the white wall as a projection screen during the performance. And the dog that just happened to be wandering around the stage before the play, dovetailing seamlessly with the evening’s performance—pure serendipity.
The play we were about to see was entitled, “Baños Roma,” by the internationally renowned theater troupe, Teatro Línea de Sombra. I knew it was the story of José Ángel (Mantequilla) Nápoles, the famous Cuban-Mexican boxer (career of 78 wins and 7 losses, with 55 wins by knockout), interwoven with the story of the horrible violence and cultural illness that took over Ciudad Juárez and the “Baños Roma” neighborhood. I am most interested in the latter, so was looking forward to the play. It did not disappoint. In fact, the actors and production company received a standing ovation! We were all so incredibly moved by the performance that people hung around, talking, watching. The ushers actually had to ask people to leave!
What made this performance so incredible? Of course, the narrative: both stories are incredibly powerful and emotive, and they were woven together seamlessly, dovetailing and building on one another. What really stood out to me, however, was the unbelievable creativity of the performance. With an extreme minimalism of props and sets, we were taken inside the experiences of the “lost women” of Ciudad Juárez. Sawdust on the floor served first as a dance floor, then as a map of the city on which to draw the layout of streets. A punching bag was filled with fabrics; unpacking it showed clothing and memories. Actors took turns in extreme closeup to a camera, and spoke to us via large screen projection. Scales were laid down on the floor to represent weigh-ins and weight categories for boxers. We listened to the metamorphosis of an amazingly talented throat-voice actor, and then he also played the sax. A live band came in at one point, during a drinking party on stage. A can of white spray was shot into the air to represent snow falling on a dead dog, the memory of a woman in the story. Another woman died, or was killed, in front of us, and the dramatic simplicity was heartbreaking. Punching bags hung from the catwalk transformed into poles for exotic dancing. It was the best of a Mexican performance—raw, poetic, ferocious—and the best of creative minimalism. (Photos below)
Talking sideways to a camera, with a huge screen facing the audience
Using a boxing bag as a pole for dancing
Adding artefacts to an overhead projector screen, to trace experiences of a lifetime
“Snow” in Mazatlán
The life assembled, on a simple stage
Voice actor and sax player
Singing karaoke, to mimic nightlife in Cd. Juárez
The real Nápoles
Bright light on a dark stage to indicate a cruel death
Thank you, CULTURA Mazatlán, for bringing this here! And for 120 pesos a ticket, you permitted me to pay for my friend!
Línea de la Sombra is a traveling troupe, so if you get a chance to watch them, don’t miss it!
Every year since 1990 (that’s 23 years!), thanks to Yolanda Medina and her entire family plus friends, over 2000 families in the very poorest areas of Mazatlán receive a whole chicken, 10 days’ worth of food, some gently used clothing, toys and candy for the kiddos.
Waiting my turn
This is a truly multinational effort, with loads of locals, foreign residents, snow birds and even tourists joining in. It’s quite magical. It is our favorite event of the year. The joy of being able to bring such joy to people! Won’t you join us or help out? There are options for nearly everyone. Here are a few:
Buy tickets for the fundraiser breakfast on Saturday December 7, 2013, from 8:30 am at the API/cruise ship dock. Your ticket, which costs 150 pesos, will include breakfast, a raffle, and entrance to a Christmas Bazaar and Silent Auction. Tickets are on sale at the Mazatlán Membership Library in the Centro Histórico, as well as at Post-N-Ship in the Golden Zone (across from DHL and Aeromexico, next to Dolce Mami). You can call me at 118-4114, or Jorge Medina, in English, at cell phone number 6691-10-0744, and he’ll get you tickets. Quite a few foreign residents will be selling them as well.
Can’t make the breakfast? Please give a donation! 100% of your money goes to buy food for those in need, as all of us who work on this project are volunteer. People who are out of town asked if they could please donate, so I’ve set up a link on the right of this blog, right under where readers subscribe. Just click on “Donate” and you can do so via PayPal. I know recipients will appreciate your help!
Collect your gently used clothing, toys, and stuffed animals, buy some candy to give the kids, donate used blankets or coats, and bring it by Jorge’s shop, Quince Letras Wrought Iron (corner of Francisco Villa and Tampico, just down the hill from the Church of Cristo Rey /Christ the King church), downtown.
Make items for the Christmas bazaar—craft items, sewn items, canned goods, pies, cakes. 100% of the money collected at the bazaar goes to buy food for those in need.
Donate items for the Silent Auction. Do you own a restaurant or know someone who does? Do you own a spa or frequent one? How about a hairdresser? Do you make stained glass or paint, or…? Please, help us collect items to be sold in the Silent Auction. It’s a great way to promote a local business, and for such a good cause!
Solicit donations of foodstuffs with a shelf life: rice, beans, pasta, canned tuna, tomato puree, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, instant coffee, and cookies are most welcome!
Join Yolanda the week of December 16th, to pack bulk foodstuff into smaller portions, so we can be ready to go on the “big day,” December 24th.
Let us know you have a truck and are game to drive it on December 24th. We (almost) always need more vehicles in which to transport the frozen chickens and food sacks.
Join us on December 24th! That is the day we will meet early in the morning at Quince Letras to assemble ourselves into routes, pack up the items we’ll need for that route, and then drive to the colonias to hand it all out. Show up at 7:00 if it’s your first time; 6:30 if you know the drill.
Want to know more details about this project? Other posts on this blog about Breakfast of the Chickens:
Sometimes routines can be a really good thing. We hike the lighthouse hill, as you know, several times a week. It’s wonderful to see those who also have that routine, and to notice the small, day-to-day and week-to-week changes.
Sunrises are always gorgeous here, and today’s over the harbor was no exception.
Flowers are in full glory right now. The smell is intoxicating, and they are also a definite feast for the eyes. I love how the flowering vines grow over and decorate the cacti, and I especially love watching the shrimp boats just outside the port.
The other day we noticed some young men painting new murals on the walls of Colegio Pacífico on the hill. There was already one there from 2011, but now there are quite a few more.
And, finally, as we worked our way home to start the day’s work, we met up with a march for World Mental Health Day. Marines, nurses, and a whole lot of young people took part in the parade. It was encouraging to see.
And, we’re showered and at our desks by 9:00 am! Thank you, Mazatlán, for all your beauty!
¡VidaMaz! 