I’ve written you before about cosplay in our fair city. Dressing up as anime or movie characters, and even acting the part, has become a huge worldwide industry, from Japan, Korea and China to the Americas and Europe. We’ve had several conventions in town, and this past Sunday evening La Mona downtown hosted an event by Carlos Reyes and his Copa Cosplay Pacífico.
The event included participants walking the cat walk much like a fashion show, and the judges choosing the best characters. First we got the top seven, then the top two. In between there was singing and some awesomely cool movies of cosplayers (locally called “freakies”) doing their thing on the beach and around time.
I love events like this. It’s wonderful to see people enjoying themselves and acting silly. I fell in love with the tiniest cosplayer, whose Mom also dressed up, though Dad sat to take care of her. Poison Ivy was my personal favorite—so much energy and joy of life infused into that character! She definitely stole the show. She took second place, while the giant machine-cat guy (please tell me the character’s name) placed first. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
Last night they announced the national event will take place at La Mona on July 11th. I probably won’t be here for it, so please plan to attend and take photos for me!
One of the most enjoyable local fishing traditions in Mazatlán is when the pajaritos run. In English these delicious fish, normally fried up whole here, are called ballyhoos, flying halfbeaks or spipefish, closely related to needlefish. They are called “flying fish” in our local parlance because they glide over the surface of the water at up to 60 kph/37 mph.
The fishing boats glowing on the bay and reflecting on the beach as they catch pajaritos
Last night the boats were all fortunately very close in fishing, and you could easily watch them come in to unload and sell. The energy was palpable and festive; the fishermen make good money for just a few hours’ work. It was a fun family scene, far tamer than in non-pandemic times but still a lot of excitement. You can maintain your social distance and get down to the boats to buy your fish. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
Pajarito Season Mazatlán 2021
In May of 2019 I took my tripod and good camera down to Playa Norte to capture the joy and excitement of this event. You can see those photos and read an in-depth story here. This year of course we have a pandemic, and I was not comfortable to take more than a quick masked walk through the area and photos with my cell phone.
Pajarito season can last just a few days or, if we’re lucky, a few weeks. So, head down to your nearest fishing boat mooring and get yours! You can find them on Stone Island, at the embarcadero to Stone Island, and in Playa Norte. It’s best to take your own container—a big bucket or smaller bowl or Tupperware will do. They were again selling for 40 pesos per kg and cleaned ones for 100 pesos per kg. If you don’t want to cook your own, local seafood places have them on the menu now. They are delicious! If you haven’t tried this local tradition, don’t miss it. If you have, I’m sure you’re happy to know the pajaritos are back.
Most every expatriate living even part of the year in Mazatlán knows of Athina Spa. Ten years ago, Athina Afroditi Pyrovolissianou (say that three times fast!) opened her spa doors in a gorgeous building in historic downtown after having fallen in love with our beautiful port, and today she has a second location in the Golden Zone.
Scott and Athina on their wedding day, May 2019
Athina Spa supports fourteen local families. Today our community is in danger of losing that business, as it has had to be used as collateral to pay 2.5 million pesos in medical bills. A sad story, for sure.
Many of us know and love Athina. She is always ready with a big smile and a bear hug (ok, this latter maybe not during this time of social distancing). She is a positive, loving woman and a friend to everyone she meets. Athina contributes to every charitable cause there is in this fair city; she is incredibly generous with her spa services and her time. She supports local artists, hosting a gallery and inviting us to display our work periodically in her locations. And she is a whole lot of fun, an invaluable member of our local community.
A single mother for many years, those of us who know her were so very happy when she and Scott Peterson fell in love. Loving people deserve loving companionship, and their story was a dream come true. Handsome and beautiful, both full of life, radiating love and joy. Their beautiful beachside wedding in May, 2019 was THE event of the season. Now, as they approach their second anniversary, they are experiencing heartbreak.
To escape the craziness of spring break here, the couple went to Puerto Morelos in Quintana Roo, where there are quiet resorts along the Caribbean Sea. On the third day of their holiday Scott fell ill: hot and cold flashes and difficulty breathing. He tested negative for COVID but had water on his right lung. As sadly can happen in Latin America, Athina tells me that the hospitals looked at them as foreigners and saw dollar signs. Scott was intubated and spent over two weeks in two different hospitals, both of which insisted on treating him for COVID and over-medicating him, according to doctors here. The love of Athina’s life has since been diagnosed with fibrosis of the lungs and severe pneumonia.
At a local fundraiser
At the wedding
With Scott not getting better and medical bills piling up, Athina made the difficult decision to airlift Scott back home to Mazatlán, where she is familiar with the hospitals and medical staff and felt she could better trust that Scott would receive the best care.
“I am living in a nightmare and I can’t wake up. I feel a little better being at home and not 1200 miles away from it! I am exhausted mentally and emotionally, but I do know this too shall pass,” she told me.
Scott continues in intensive care locally but is being treated by one of Mazatlán’s leading pulmonary specialists. Shirleen Von Hoffman has set up a GoFundMe account to help these two dear people. If you are able to help out, I know they will be deeply grateful. Local people can transfer to their HSBC debit card from the bank or OXXO, to account number 4213-1660-7591-5045, in the name of Athina Afroditi Pyrovolissianou. I’ll attach a photo that Athina sent me, but it’s very difficult to read.
Athina’s card
Please, everyone, learn from their heartbreak. So many expats here self-insure. If you have a lot of cash lying around as back up, or if you never have major issues, you’ll be fine. But, as with this case, an unfortunate illness has beat this family down and jeopardized a ten-year business. The irony is that Scott and Athina were in the process of obtaining major medical insurance when they took their trip.
I’m confident many of you will join with me in prayers for Scott, that he recovers well and quickly now that he’s in his adopted hometown, and for our beloved Athina as she tries to get through this nightmare. Thank you for any financial or moral support you can extend them.
Today we handed over the keys to the “House of Good Vibrations,” as I now call it, thanks to the love and generosity of over 80 individuals, couples and families who built and furnished the small blue “Home for Juan Manuel!”
18 people attended an appreciation ceremony this morning, during which the new owners, Don Rodolfo and Juan Manuel, expressed their thanks to the VidaMaz community. Juan Manuel and Don Rodolfo both were completely overwhelmed with your generosity. They both cried several different times and were at a complete loss for words. You truly have changed their lives and filled them with hope! They plan to move in tomorrow. Many people arrived today bearing food and gifts to help the men settle into their new home.
One of the attendees recorded the “giving of the keys” ceremony on her cell phone. Sadly the wind was rather gusty at times, but I believe you can hear most of it. The full video is below:
We first announced this project to build a small house on November 25, 2020. Initially it was to be a 3 x 4 meter home with an outdoor bathroom and kitchen. Since Juan Manuel is on crutches (he has only one leg) and blind, we felt the home needed indoor plumbing, and you agreed. We ended up building a home that is 4 x 6 meters, so still very small, but very livable and much better than anything they would have dreamed possible. You even helped us install hot water! You all donated kitchen sink, cupboards, refrigerator, microwave, utensils, bathroom sink, toilet, shower, mirror, a shelf, a trundle bed, two tables, four chairs, a ceiling fan, boiler, a tinaco, concrete, gravel, doors, windows, septic tank… you truly rocked this! You gave monetary donations of 20 to 32,000 pesos. Thank you!
Every step of the way, if we had difficulties, you came through to help. We had been searching for weeks for a trundle bed. Two men will live here, but there is not enough room in the house for two single beds and a user of crutches to move around. Last week we kindly received the donation of the donor’s grandson’s beloved, solid wood trundle bed with two mattresses AND handmade quilts! Juan Manuel and Don Rodolfo were over the moon when they saw it. Zata installed the front walkway this week, but, of course, most of Mazatlán has been without water this week. How to make concrete for the stairs? No worries; we figured it out.
In the end, we came in exactly with the money needed. Greg and I personally paid for a bonus to thank Zata, our albañil; without his honesty and dedication I can only imagine how difficult this project might have been.
Total Spent: 130,795 pesos or US$6507
Construction: 94,886
Refrigerator: 1225
Boiler, install and protection: 7784
Walkway and yard work: 14,300
Electrical from street: 12,600
The amount above is significantly higher than our original estimate for this project, but that estimate was for a basic structure only: no windows, doors, plumbing, electrical nor interior furnishings. Even with the ease with which it functioned—your generous donations, no theft, an honest and dependable builder—it was way more work than any of us imagined it would be. Feeling the joy and happiness of these two men today, however, made it more than worthwile. I trust you are happy to have participated.
The full story of the building of this house is right here. You can read it from the beginning if you are interested:
Bless you all! I trust your heart is bursting with joy! Pretty much everyone who attended the ceremony this morning remarked at how moved they felt, how honored they were to be able to make a difference in someone’s lives, and how wonderful it is to be in the company of people committed to making this world a bit sweeter.
Everyone who donated should have received an invitation from me to a ceremony of appreciation and handing over of the keys to A Home for Juan Manuel next Saturday, March 13, at 11 am. If you have supported this effort and the internet intercepted your invitation, please send me a private message and I will resend it to you. We are limiting attendance due to the pandemic. Masks and social distancing are required. We will conduct tours of the small home for two people at a time, and Juan Manuel and Don Rodolfo will join us. It will be a short and simple ceremony, but full of love and caring—you all have done a beautiful thing!
This past week we:
Built a simple back patio and installed the donated washboard and a water hookup.
Purchased and installed a water heater and protection with another very generous donation earmarked for this purpose.
Received the donation of the major part of a brand-new refrigerator, with us making up the final 1225 pesos, thanks to Mueblería Valdez and Liz Garza.
Our two wonderful painter volunteers, Martin and Marie-Anne Glaude, finished painting the inside of the house.
We had a hiccup today when we went out to the house, as water was coming off the roof. It seems the float in the tinaco has broken and is not registering when the tank is full. Zata fixed that once already, but we shut the water off and he will fix it again and hopefully for good tomorrow.
This week his goal is to add fill to even out the front yard a bit. It won’t be anywhere near perfect, but it’ll be better. Zata will also move the extra donated gravel to the side yard, so the yard looks cleaner and more finished. Finally and best of all, he will build a front sidewalk leading up to the house. We had hoped for a ramp, and Kay Rodgers kindly collected money for it, but what we have available isn’t quite enough. Thus, we have opted to have Zata put in a concrete walkway with extra deep steps (five in total, I believe, as it’s a steep grade up to the house). Juan Manuel should be able to use it with his crutches no problem, and it should be easy enough to add a ramp later if and when he needs to use a wheelchair. Hopefully that day won’t come!
Thank you and may good karma shower over you for a long time! The home is much better and more solid than originally planned, thanks to all of you: indoor kitchen and bath, hot water, brand-new microwave and refrigerator, bright coats of paint. I look forward to thanking you live and in person on Saturday, as do Juan Manuel, Don Rodolfo, Greg, Jorge, Yolanda and Zata.
¡VidaMaz! 