This trip really came together on a whim. Spring is sure to be a very busy time for me at work again this year, and I felt it was important to take advantage of my 4 weeks of vacation and enjoy a break. We needed something not too expensive, so we decided to use free tickets. We both had more than 35,000 miles available on Northwest, so we started looking for option. First we were thinking of the East Coast, and visiting Boston and Maine. Then we decided to see is the miles could get us somewhere warm. I think I suggested Mazatlan because of Bart and Annette's wedding there. We looked, and the miles were enough!
Then we began hotel research. Again, we wanted to keep costs down. I did a ton of searching on Hotels.com, and was ultimately really disappointed with their options. I ended up on Trip Advisor and had much better luck. The reviews were invaluable - talking about thefts at the Howard Johnson of all places (I always thought you could count on them!). Eventually I tried out the bed and breakfast search. The options were amazing - really glowing reviews and beautiful spaces, with affordable prices. We settled on 4 nights at Captain Moe's and 3 nights at Casa de Leyendas. This arangement allowed us to split our time between the Golden Zone (tourist/resort area with beautiful beaches) and the Centro Historic (part of downtown with restored buildings, markets, restaurants, etc.).
Things got off to a good start. We took the "kids" (our plant starts) to Dave's mom for "babysitting." They let us stay the night, and took us to the airport in the morning. The flight down was so easy and comfortable. Light packing meant we could carry on, and it was wonderful to sit together on the flight. We had an empty seat next to us for added space - yay! On the way down we had a direct flight to Mazatlan.
I had booked a shuttle service for the airport. That was an experience! They asked us if we were over 28 - who asks about 28? Turns out they spend the shuttle ride trying to sell you on Pueblo Bonito time shares, but they didn't try with us because we were too young. I've decided that I will continue to say I'm under 28 long after that birthday. The area we were driving through was pretty run down, but luckily my mom had warned me about this.
About 40 minutes later we were dropped off at Captain Moe's in the Golden Zone. It was so cute! Moe and Dorothy welcomed us, and we were told that he might be the captain, but she is the admiral! We were starving, so we decided to head right out to get our bearings and search for sustenance. Several times we noticed that other tourists did not walk the way that we did. There are zillions of pulmonias (open air taxis), and they are cheap, so most people used those. It just didn't seem necessary to us, and the exercise was great. Eventually we found the Mega - basically Mexico's Fred Meyer, and very gringo-friendly. We loaded up on some basic snacks and treats, and headed home. That night we ate at Gus Gus, one of our least exciting meals I have to say, but I guess nachos, quesadillas, and Pacificos are a pretty relaxing way to start vacation!
The next day we did more exploring, walking along the beach and looking at the big resorts. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday really run together in my mind because each day involved time walking the beach, relaxing at the B&B, reading, and just generally decompressing. Breakfasts at Captain Moe's were so great - we both had granola with yogurt, coffee, fruit, and sometimes bread and juice. It was light and a great way to start the day. I finished Mansfield Park, my book club pick, and we both worked on our tan. I get too hot after a while in the sun, so we'd go walking and then return home for siesta. After lunch and a nap we'd generally head back out for dinner, sunset, and walking the main drag. We were amused by the truly insane number of Senor Frogs, and made sure to find a place for ice cream! It was fun to chat with Moe and Dorothy, and to meet the other guests.
On Tuesday we went to the aquarium. We got there at the perfect time to see both the sea lion and bird show (I know, an aquarium, but also a small zoo). The shows were really cute, even if they were in Spanish (very, very quickly spoken Spanish!). We also visited a store Dorothy had mentioned, with crafts from all over Mexico and set prices. We loved it - so many great things at great prices! We bought a set of pottery to go next to Dave's fireplace, a beautiful blue pitcher, and a few other smaller items.
On Wednesday we checked out for the move downtown. It was really sad to leave Moe and Dorothy's. We felt like we really fit in there. But, we were ready for a change of scenery and felt like we were off for a second vacation. Since we had purchased pottery, we had a bit more stuff. That meant it was time for our first pulmonia ride to downtown. It's not too far, but it would be a serious walk - probably a couple of hours to walk. We had yet to travel this far south, so it was great ot have the open air cab to look out and take in the view.Casa de Leyendas was a beautiful as we had hoped. Gorgeous colors, amazing renovated touches, lots of shared spaces and patios, and perfectly maintained. Our hostess was a little flaky, but really nice, and her husband was easy to talk to. It was a very different experience, so upscale compared to Captain Moe's. They had several staff who made breakfast, cleaned, and maintained the building, and the overall atmosphere felt more formal to me. They offer to help you plan your trip and organize your activities, which was nice, but we were on a budget and didn't want to pay for super-touristy experiences like Stone Island. I didn't feel like they were really accustomed to travelers quite like us (or at least me!), but I would absolutely recommend it to others for the beauty, comfort, and class. I guess Captain Moe's suited me!
The Centro Historico was exactly what we had hoped for. After checking in on Wednesday, we walked to the Plaza Machado (lots of restaurants and night life) and had the most amazing lunch at Pura Vida. This vegetarian restaurant was better than just about anything I've seem in Seattle. I had one of the most delicious veggie burgers I've ever had, and Dave was ecstatic about veggie chorizo in a burrito. Needless to say, we stuffed ourselves far beyond what we normally would do in that heat. Then we continued our walk to the cathedral. All I can say is: WOW! It was gorgeous. The yellow color was striking against the blue sky, and the inside felt like a European cathedral with all the details, arches, and stained glass. After the cathedral we continued on to the central market, which was pretty overwhelming. A cruise ship was in, so there were lots of gringos and plenty of people trying to sell us things. We accidentally happened upon the meat section (when I just about walked into a giant hunk of cow hanging off a table). More than a little overwhelming for a couple of vegetarians who don't like crowds! That night we had PB&J at home because we were still so full from lunch - again, our hosts found us weird!
On Thursday morning we had our first Casa de Leyendas breakfast. Dave was in heaven with a breakfast burrito, but I just shared his and has some yogurt and toast. Eggs just felt too heavy to me. We got ready and decided to walk to the lighthouse. Turns out we picked about the hottest day - oops. It's a good walking just getting out there, and we had been warned that you have to pass the sewage treatment plant to get there. It did smell for a short distance, but that went away once we got past and started the climb. We had to pause in the shade to drink water and cool down, but eventually we made it to the top. The lighthouse is very old, not much to see in itself, bt the views were spectacular. We could see all the way up to the Golden Zone, and noticed the harbor where cruise ships come in. On the way back down we say two lizards - fun! That night I was craving pizza, and we managed to find a place. Unfortunately they barely spoke English, and my Spanish is not particularly conversational. We figured it out, though, and the food was great.
On Friday we walked, went to the beach, read, saw the cliff divers, and had a great last dinner. Dave really wanted to swim on the trip, so he braved the waves despite my protests about the red flags. Others were in the water and he didn't go out that far, but he still made me nervous diving into waves! I was glad to have a beach umbrella available to borrow from the B&B, so I enjoyed coffee while he swam - not usualy my style, but it was right at the time. Dinner was our only meal on the Plaza Machado. We found a really nice host/waiter who offered us some vegetarian alternatives. The B&B had internet, phone, and TV in the shared space, so we looked for SciFi Channel to try and watch Battlestar Galactica - no luck.
Saturday it started raining! It was good that we were leaving. We had breakfast under the umbrella and laughed about the staff's fear of the rain. Then the shuttle service came to get us - but really they found us a cab and sent us to the airport in that. It was fine, and so much faster than the shuttle! They weren't trying to sell us, so they took the most direct route. We were watching the planes at the airport, and it was amusing to see a tiny 12 person plane. I was very glad not to be taking that! Our 50 person plane to Mexico City wasn't much better, though. The space was small, and our boxes of pottery had to go under the seats rather than overhead. It was a very bumpy flight - especially getting into smoggy Mexico City. That city really does sprawl out right to the edges of the valley! Getting onto the next flight they were inspecting carry-ons. They made me remove the string from my box of pottery, and the undid some of the tape to peak in. It was a test of my Spanish for sure. Dave and I weren't book to sit together, but fortunately I talked the guy next to me into switching. That flight was also bumpy, but not quite as bad. The food service was amusing. I said we both had vegetarian meals, and the steward said, "No, this is very good. You'll like it." I was not amused by the lunch meat sandwich. Thank you, AeroMexico.Getting home we were exhausted and extremely hungry. It was so amazing to have delicious food (Thank you, Carol!). Tomato soup and grilled cheese were exactly what we needed! I was assured that the "kids" (plants) were very well behaved, and we loaded up to head home.
Overall the trip was a wonderful experience for us. We really enjoyed spending all that time together!
Since the trip we've been focused on my move, garden preparations (lots more seedlings!), and busier work schedules. Wish us luck with the spring!
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