Visit to Old Town

Jake next to the pig's head at the market

Today we made our way to Old Town here in Mazatlan.  We all thoroughly enjoyed it.  We took the bus (much easier than San Carlos) and got off at the Mercado Municipal.  It's basically a huge market where everyone rents stalls and brings their goods to sell whether it's fruit, veggies, meat, clothes, jewelry, you name it.  We didn't buy anything today (too overwhelmed) but intend on going back Monday to get some fresh shrimp from the "shrimp ladies" and some veggies.

After the market we went to the Cathedral.  This is the "Catedral Basilica de la Purisima Concepcion."  It's dedicated to the city's patron saint, Virgen de la Purisima Concepcion (Virgin of the Immaculate Conception).  It's the most beautiful cathedral I've ever seen (at least in my adult life where I've been paying attention).

Next stop was lunch.  We ate in a little plaza called Plazuela Machado at the Beach Burger.  I know, why would you go all the way to Mexico to eat a hamburger.  I'm telling you, the ground beef here is 100% tastier than what we get at home.  Granted you might get a bone here or there (don't gross out, pretend you're eating fish), but we've decided they don't descriminate on what they grind up.  So you're not just getting the left overs.  You may be eating a sirlion or filet mignon burger and not even know it.

We went to the Archeology Museum, but it was a little sparse compared to others we've been to.

Finally, we ended the day walking down the Malecon (boardwalk) and looking at all of the beautiful bronze statues that dot the area.  We'd heard there were cliff divers here.  For a price, they'll dive off the cliff into the rough surf between a bunch of huge bolders.  I, for one, could not come up with a price that I would take to jump off these rocks.  So when they told us it was $10 a jump, we paid up.  I was scared for the guy.  Andy was able to get a good picture.

Amazing!

One too many complaints about how tired his legs were... 

We stopped and watched a baptism in the ocean

Jake riding a dolphin in an empty fountain

Jake's little piggy's were tired and we couldn't find a bus so we hopped a ride back in one of the "Pulmonia's" here.  They're basically golf cart's on steroids.    Evidently, these type of taxis were invented here in Mazatlan by a guy named don Miguel Ramirez Urquijo 55 years ago.  Originally they were aimed at carrying freight and later started carrying passengers.  He died this year at age 91.  It was a great way to see the city from a different point of view.

Tomorrow is boat cleaning day.  See, our maid never seems to find us, no matter how good our GPS coordinates are.  So, Andy and Jake will clean the outside while I do the inside...then we'll feel a little human again.  I'm too embarrassed to put a picture up, so that should tell you something.