Day 15, Tuesday, February 27, 2007

After a short day of travel most of us took a walking tour of Los Alamos. This is an old silver and gold mining town and we are standing in front of an old chapel. We had a tour guide that explained the history of the town and it was most interesting.

This is the alter of the chapel. Like everything else in Mexico, what you see outside does not indicate what you will find inside, as is evidenced by the beautiful courtyards behind tall walls.

Here is just one such courtyard.

The bougainvillea was just lovely hanging over the many walls.

After the tour we all came back and fixed a dinner of things that could not be taken back over the border into the USA. I'm sure there were some strange combinations.

Day 14, Monday, February 26, 2007

Travel day for us today leaving about 8 am and we once again crossed over the Tropic of Cancer. Of course, this time was going in the opposite direction. We had traveled this road 4 days ago when we headed down to Mazatlan so the sights were familiar but still very interesting. Especially the farming going on in the area and the harvesting. We got through our first inspection, this one for agriculture. None of us was stopped nor boarded for a search. Great!

Bragging Rights !

Four men from the group went out fishing and Cliff caught the catch of the day. Only some of the fish was taken home and the rest was given to the crew.

We finished off the day with a pot luck dinner. How a group can get together such an array of food on short order is beyond me, and all of it great!

We'll leave in the morning about 8:30 am and head to Los Alamos, a new place to visit. Maybe there will be vendors there???

Day 13, Sunday, February 25, 2007

A number of folks went out on this boat to Stone Island on a tour. It included a bouncy ride in the Sea of Cortez to see some "pirate" caves on two of the islands and then a very small island with some sea lions resting. The sea lions come here in the winter from North America and Canada waters to have their babies. It was quite windy and therefore chilly.
















The Holland America ship Ryndam was in port and was expected to leave at 5 p.m. tonight. It is a small ship in comparison to the mega ships that they are building today but made our little vessel seem very small indeed.

Some went horseback riding, others snorkeled or took a banana boat ride to view the turtles, or a horse drawn carriage ride. All this was include in the tour price of $20 per person. Very reasonable.

We are all back now and getting our coach's ready for travel in the morning. We will be heading out about 7 a.m. and it will be a long drive back to Los Mochis where we will gather for a pot luck dinner.

Day 12, Saturday, February 24, 2007

Today was a free day and some of the group went off in a little rental car like this one and toured the area. Others watched their rigs being washed and waxed and others just rested.

Some walked the beach, others watched the beach walkers!

The evening was a Fiesta at the Hotel Playa. All the food and drink and a show, such a deal!

We have started a second photo album which can be found at www.picasaweb.google.com/mimmexico/mexicocaravanII

Please visit it often as it is updated daily.

Day 11, Friday, February 23, 2007

This morning we all took a bus tour of Mazatlan after a buffet breakfast on the beach at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan, the same hotel that we had dinner at last night.

The tour took us all along the beach front and to the area where the local fishermen drive their boats up on shore and then sell their fish. You can see the many pelicans looking for a handout. Many of us bought jumbo shrimp from a local that brings it right into the park daily. If you go down to buy fish it is the catch of the day and it varies but we never were told just what they do catch in the area.

Mazatlan is also noted for it's cliff divers. We were able to watch as a few jumped off into the pounding surf. Nothing any of us wanted to do, even feet first.

There is a lot of new growth and condos along the beach area. In fact, one of the few RV parks has been sold and a Costco is going in it's place.

We shopped in a local grocery store that carried many of Costco's brands so they are already heavy in the area.

We toured the old town market and this is just one of the many stalls that we found. This is the way most of the people in the area shop, just like big cities of old. I was really impressed with how high some could stack their wares.

Thursday, Day 10, February 22

We have arrived in Maztalan! This is our first look at the Sea of Cortez. And that is from some distance, but you can see the waves, a little.













We are parked in an old coconut grove that was turned into an RV Park about 30 years ago. As you can see, the trees are still here and the spaces are very small. This is a 42 foot coach being parked in a 34 foot space. And not a scratch on the coach or those around it. But it did take some good maneuvering.









Dinner was at the Hotel Playa, Mazatlan, on the beach overlooking a beautiful sunset and a cruse liner going out to it's next port. We are all tired and have headed back to our coach's for a good nights rest for another full day tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

Wednesday, Day 9, February 21, 2007

After overnight in a no frills rail yard it was time to begin the unloading process. The flatcars were brought to the unloading dock and the rails that they had put on the sides of the cars so that we could walk around were first removed. The ramps were added between the cars and the unloading began. You really had to trust the man leading you over the ramps and down the flatcar. You had only inches on one side of the coach before you would drive off the side.

We drove about 10 minutes to a campground where we rested up before being taken to dinner at a hotel in town. This had to be the best shrimp that I have ever had, and quite a few others voiced the same opinion. As downtown is also the "market" area a few ventured out to see what was available. Not much for us as either we didn't recognise it and couldn't read it in Spanish or had no place to put it. After dinner we all came back full and sleepy and all went to bed early as we'll have to be up early in the morning for our briefing and then we will hit the road for a 254 mile drive down to Mazatlan where we will camp for a few days. See you down the road.