Since we’ve moved here, I find myself frequently telling people, “Oh, it’s another parade,” as I rush out to the terrace to enjoy the festivities.
In the spring, during the festival season in the city’s schools, we can get three or four parades pass by in a day. You might think that after five years of living here, the enthusiasm diminishes, but who can NOT smile when you see colorful balloons, hear oompah bands, and usually get to see young people with smiling faces, crowns and sashes? Everyone shouts and hoots, beeps their horns, waves a flag or banner, and there is always a police escort with lights flashing and siren blaring.
No, the malecón is not the place you live for peace and quiet. It’s a pulsating artery of the city, and we enjoy that completely. Several times a week we also have terrific fireworks to watch, and there is always a rush in the house to discover whether the fireworks are out front over the bay, or out back over the stadium at the city. Ah, life’s challenges.
I took a bit of video of today’s parade. I think it’ll bring a smile to your face…. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do! Simple but sweet. Video is below.
For those of you who wanted to view the video but couldn’t, because I’d used a clip from a song, I’ve now deleted that clip and the revised video is above. You should be able to see it no problem now.
How many times have I posted to their Facebook wall, asking them to play at home? How many times have I joked with Joel in the elevator, telling him we need him here?
Finally, last night, we were able to see Banda El Recodo for the third time in concert. They played up at the Mazatlán International Center, as part of events leading up to tonight’s Premios Oye, the Latin American Grammy awards. Below is one of the first songs they opened with, the Corrido de Mazatlán, of course.
Their music is so tight; sound was perfect. They all danced, kicked and blowed their horns for two hours non-stop. It was an evening full of joy and life, minus my querido Poncho, of course 😦 Click on any of the photos below to enlarge it, or to view a slideshow.
Every time we see this group, we are so impressed with the event itself. It is incredibly well orchestrated, on Vegas levels. Below I’ll post a slideshow of some of the backdrops, the staging. Banda El Recodo has to employ the best graphics and stage design professionals anywhere! At the start of the concert, a huge screen on the right side got loose and blew dangerously in the wind. It took less than two minutes for a stagehand to get it down and safely secured, and maybe two songs later, it was back up, securely fastened and in working order. Most impressive! Enjoy the slideshow below.
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For those of you attending the ceremonies tonight, I can share with you a bit of what we learned last night. This applies to general admission people only (we were not VIPs). They will not let you take in any food or drink, or any sharp items that could hurt someone else. There are 3 or 4 areas where your tickets are checked and your bags/person searched, so no friends getting friends in. Tonight they are expecting 12,000 people, so get in early! Parking was of course crazy, especially when things finished, as you have all those people walking in front of cars trying to get out of the lots. Parking was on the street and in dirt lots like last year; the parking garage was not accessible. They even had the overhead walkway blocked off (you know I wanted to sit up there).
Tonight’s Premios Oye stars are scheduled to include: Alejandro Sanz, Emmanuel, Mijares, Sasha, Benny y Érick, Cristian Castro, Belinda, Alan Tatcher, Danna paola, Francisco Céspedes, Banda El Recodo, Banda Max, Carlos Gatica, Fey, 3Bal MTY, Chamín Correa, Monserrat Olivier, Jan, María Daniela y Sonido, M15, Fobia, Il Volo, Pedro Rivera, José Manuel Figueroa, Juan Solo, Kinky, María José. Miró, Grupo Pesado and Sofí Mayen. Carlos Gatica and Fey will be the masters of ceremony.
Red carpet starts at 7:00 pm, and the awards ceremony at 8:00. Special awards will go to four founders of Sinaloan banda music: Don Cruz Lizárraga, René Camacho, Germán Lizárraga and Salvador Lizárraga. Special tribute for their artistic career will be given to the singer Marco Antonio Muñiz and guitarist Chamín Correa. A special tribute will be offered to our dearly departed “Diva of the Banda”, Jenny Rivera.
I received an announcement today that urged people to dress comfortably, since most of us will be standing during the awards. I know lots of people will dress to the nines, and I’m looking forward to seeing that. But me, I’ll obey the advice, thank you very much!
Why do I love sunrise so much? Acompáñenme, por favor. Pull up a chair and join me, won’t you? Here’s the walk I took just after sunrise this morning. Get why I like it? There was quite a bit of fog over the city, as you can see. Vamos a comenzar el camino un poco después del amanecer. Caminaremos hasta arriba del faro. ¿Ven porque me gusta tanto? Hoy había bastante niebla sobre la ciudad, como pueden ver.
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¿Y desde arriba? ¿Como se ve? Aquí arriba no había nada de niebla hoy por la mañana. How did it look up top this morning, looking out over the city, and down on the boats? There wasn’t a bit of fog up here this morning.
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After a short break up top, I start the walk back down. Now I don’t have to turn around to see the view—it’s in all its glory right in front of me! Después de un pequeño descanso por arriba, comienzo la bajada. Ahora no tengo que voltearme para apreciar la vista—todo está esplendidamente enfrente de mí.
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Al fin, tengo que volver a casa, para comenzar el día de trabajo. Pero me quedan unas vistas más. Qué difíciles las mañanas aquí en el puerto, ¿verdad? Finally, I have to make my way home so I can get to work. But I still have a few things left to see; it’s such a difficult challenge living here in our fair port. 😉
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Thank you for joining me! ¡Gracias por acompañarme!
I often give him a hard time, that he’s going to meet his girlfriend. She does tell him, after all, repeatedly and with lots of gushing, that she loves him. Of course, she tells me she loves me, too. How many barbers love you? I expect it’s quite a common expression of emotion here in Mazatlán, fortunately for all of us who live here.
As with most forms of commerce in most cities worldwide, shops of a certain type tend to do business near each other. Thus, in Mazatlán, we have a “barber row” and a “stationary shop row” and an “electronics store row.”
Delia
barbershop row el centro
Owner and tamale maker extraordinaire
antique barber chair
cut ideas
Concordia chairs
prices
massage
Greg learned about his favorite place from his buddy Scott, who we miss mightily. What does he love about going to this barbershop? Delia, of course. She always has a huge smile, lots of hugs and kisses, and a desire to catch up on the few weeks of life since she’s last seen you. And she ends each of her haircuts with a motorized handheld massager! What’s not to love?
Greg also, I know, loves the ambience of the place: the antique barber chairs, the handmade wooden chairs from Concordia that comprise the waiting area, the retro haircut drawings to provide you ideas, and, of course, the prices. We even enjoy the owner, María Inéz, who lives near us and makes some killer tamales.
If you enjoy good old-fashioned barbering, a close shave, or a cut that ends with a relaxing massage, do visit your nearby barbershop row. It beats the mall anytime. At least for some.
Photo by Hiroki Fuse Masuda, Danjiri Matsuri, Sumiyoshi
It is the beginning of matsuri or festival season in Japan. I have been seeing so many wonderful photos from friends, and I am longing to be there with them. My longtime work colleagues are having an “OB/OG-kai,” (“old boy-old girl reunion) in a few days, and I sooooo want to be there with them.
My beloved sister-cousin hasn’t been well, though she is most strongly on the mend! Her daughter and family are with her on her farm today, and they are making rhubarb pie. Thank goodness for Facetime, but I want my “beam me up, Scottie” device!
They say home is where the heart is. Fortunately, I have many loved ones in many places—as do many of you.
And life is what we make it. In those moments when we are missing loved ones, craving to be somewhere else, or in multiple places at the same time, the universe stops us up short. Pay attention! Look around! Enjoy this moment, now, right where you are!
(You can click any photo below to see it larger or view a slideshow with captions.)
Capuccino at Looney Bean North
Low tide
The view over the bay in Cerritos
Pelican pair breakfasting with us
Fishing boats waiting their next journey to sea
After coffee we walked through the trailer court
Had to drive downtown for a couple of errands
Yet another creative way to port stuff around town
Have a portable speaker, will play
The postal delivery man and others eating breakfast street side
Another palapa Friday
Coconut on the beach
This morning we woke up a bit earlier than our usual on a Saturday, in order to take Danny up to Anglo Moderno so he could take his SAT tests. Poor us, we were forced to greet another beautiful blue-sky day on the ocean, with good coffee, serendipitously meeting good friends, and taking a walk around a part of town we don’t visit every day.
After that, we drove south along the malecón for a few errands downtown, of course delighting in a few sights along the way.
The final photos above were taken yesterday, during our “palapa Friday” tradition. Fresh seafood and coconuts on the beach, to cap off a busy week of work. La vida dura—life is tough. Thank you all for enjoying life with us, wherever you are!
I almost forgot! I also took some video of the gorgeous morning. Here you go. Enjoy!
¡VidaMaz! 