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Monday, March 18, 2024

Don Giovanni opera with Ruth and Marion.

 

Saturday night was a special outing for Ruth, Marion and I.  We all went on the bus ....but separately.  I arrived first at the Plaza Machado, Ruth waited for awhile for a bus and she was next but....no Marion.  Her bus was pokey and there must have been an accident or something as it took a round about route.  We were going to dinner first at the Nao Kitchen Bar which is highly rated on Foodies and, somewhere we'd wanted to go.  Marion met us there so Ruth and I were already on our first drink.  I tried a LaLa Land which is a deviation from my usual beer and it was yummy!

Ruth and Marion and Ruth has her favorite Negroni. 

Me with my shawl which Ruth just loves.  It is something that I bought in San Carlos, Sonora in Saggitario and it was made by the Yaki Indians.  

The bottom edge is unraveled fabric that is all intricately woven. 

The center is embroidered with a hummingbird motif.  

Ruth and I decided to split Pad Thai and some special dumplings.

Looks yummy but we were disappointed.  The noodles in the Pad Thai were really under cooked, not al dente but under cooked.  It also had very little sauce.  The dumplings were okay.  After all the reviews, we expected more.  

Unfortunately Marion had Pad Thai too.  However the service was good and the atmosphere was pleasant.  It wasn't anywhere as busy as I'd thought it would be either.  

The opera started at 8pm and we walked back to the Plaza Machado and it was a beautiful at night.  

A lovely warm evening with no wind and everyone was enjoying dinner outside.  


The vendors booths are so colorful and all lit up. 

One of the carnival statues has been left in place.  Isn't it something!


The music was playing and Ruth was dancing along, a lady coming towards her was dancing and smiling and these two ladies were holding arms and dancing...how fun is that!


People everywhere and it would continue long into the evening past midnight. 

Don Giovanni.  I am not an opera person but this was a great opportunity to see a live performance. 

The cast is assembling and you can see conductor Gordon Campbell in the orchestra pit getting ready.  Up above the score was in Spanish but translated into English so we knew what was being said.  Very helpful. 

The cast was large although there were only four or five main characters.  

Marion and I.  We were sitting on the first balcony so it was easy to see. 

Don Giovanni is a womanizing scoundrel!   In the end he got his just due and died 😁

The opera was a long three hours which went much past my bedtime but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
 When we came out the Plaza was still hopping.  We found a pulmonia to take us home so off we went.  It's hard to get photos in the dark as we were moving but there were people out and about all the way home.  All along the malecon and the Golden Zone where the night clubs were in full swing.  It was a delightful evening with good friends even if I didn't get to bed until midnight.πŸ˜‰


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Los Zarapes for Ladies lunch

 We are coming to the end of the season and people are getting ready to leave.  Lots try to get out before Semana Santa or Easter as it's the busiest holiday week of the year.  Thursday we were back in the Golden Zone on the south end of Gaviotis.  Los Zarapes is a restaurant that many people visited when it was in it's previous location.  Then it had lots of Mexican flavor and now it seems much more generic as it is attached to a hotel.  We were a large group of 13. 

This photo by Ruth is from 2014 and most of us except for Regina and Jeannette are still trooping off for lunch together.  
The new Los Zarapes.  We were seated on the outside patio, so for some it was a bit cool.  The wind was blowing and the sun disappeared but....we persevered!

 

I ordered a Tamarindada on a whim and it was very tasty...a bit like iced tea.

Ruth with Sandy behind....margaritas were their drink of choice. 

The whole group except for you know who!

From the left Georgia, Diane, Marilyn and Pat who suggested this weeks restaurant.  I'd thought we should go to La Catrina but Pat informed me music trivia starts at 1pm on Thursdays so that was a....no go!

Sort of a selfie. 

Cathy, Susie and Marilyn.  This is a well run restaurant that had no trouble with separate checks.  The waitress gave us each a small post-it with a letter on it.  Funny enough I was a C and Cathy was a K.  We are both Kathryn or Catherine and our letters were backwards!

Similar to the Topolo restaurant there was fresh made salsa from fire roasted tomatoes and onions.  We said we'd like it medium hot and he said " Gringo medium or Mexican medium"  Gringo please!  Served with chips and very good refried beans with three moljacetes of salsa for the table.  

Looks yummy and ....it was!

The service here was excellent and all the wait staff were very friendly.  Pat ordered tortilla soup and she said it was good but the broth was a bit spicy for her. 


Colorful pinatas and you can see the streamers blowing sideways.  I was glad I brought a sweater even though it was very warm out.  You just never know and sometimes the restaurant is over air conditioned.  



Cathy had salad and she said it was overdressed which is a common issue here.  She said she should remember to ask for dressing on the side.  


Susie ordered steak with all the fixings.  She said it was the best steak she has every eaten in Mexico which is a huge compliment as she has eaten steak many times here in Mazatlan.  

A number of us ordered chicken enchiladas and I and others were not impressed.  Just dry chicken inside and not enough sauce.  I did open them up and add refried beans and guacamole and that helped.  


Ruth said there should be a picture of me ....so here I am!

Liz ordered brochettes or shish kaboob  and it came with coleslaw and zucchini fritters and she ate three quarters of it.  I'm guessing it was good. Marion smiling beside her.


Georgia had mushrooms and shrimp in a gravy but...there were no shrimp!   Back to the kitchen for shrimp. 

It returned and she said it could have used a little more seasoning.  They do like things in gravy here but I wouldn't think shrimp would be one of them. 

Marion had the Teacapan plate which had a very good chili relleno on it.  Everyone has a different idea about chili relleno and I prefer mine in a broth while lots like them without.  Marion said her meal was good. 

Diane had the same thing as Marion. 


Marilyn had chicken parmigana which came with spagetti....again very good.  


In the end the reviews were mixed.  Those of us with the enchiladas were not impressed with their meal but others had something different and were.  You can't please everyone all of the time can you?
All in all a good experience.  The service was excellent, meals delivered promptly and no issues with the checks.  I would still say this is a middle of the road restaurant but still a good place to stop for a meal.  At this point some wandered off to shop and some went home.  Cathy and I walked down to Mega Sorianna ( to differentiate from old Soriana) I needed a few things and so did she.  We caught the bus home and ran into a whole bunch of the ladies on the way.  
A good day.


Thursday, March 14, 2024

San Ignacio for lunch.

 

There are many beautiful places to go here in Mexico and San Ignacio is one of them!  So, we were off yesterday morning around 9:45 for a ride and lunch.  Once again on our circuitous route as the north highway access bridge to both the free road and the toll road is under construction.  A lovely warm day that got very warm by the time we got inland to San Ignacio. 

Single lane traffic on the maxipista or toll road as we head north to the Marmol cut off.  You can see they have a crane over the bridge. 

I just lift the cell phone camera up and snap and ...it always seems to turn out.  Two birdies fixing the bridge. 

East through Marmol and then north to the San Ignacio cut off where we go through Coyotitan first.  I always end up taking a couple of photos here just because it's such a pretty little town. 

The lovely, clean, tree lined street. 

Every town now has a very colorful sign...even Mazatlan!

Up the valley east to San Ignacio. 

We cross the Piaxtla river...not much water at this time of the year. 

Always clean and pretty here. 

We bought radishes or rabono the last time we came here with Frank and Sandi and Eric stopped quickly as he loves radishes. 

Two ladies selling but we bought from the old woman ( you know, about my ageπŸ˜ƒ) sitting by the wall.  They are the size of crab apples and I hoped they weren't woody.  20 pesos or $1.60 Canadian per bunch. 


Selfie...who likes a selfie...not me!

We ate here back in January with Frank and Sandi and it was good.  Mariscos or seafood El Gallo.  I have cooked shrimp and pulpo or octopus with various vegetables and lime.  Very good. 

Eric had agua chili which is uncooked shrimp in a spicy broth with onions etc.  I prefer my seafood cooked but Eric likes ceviche which is uncooked so, he liked this. 

Ketchup in a box?

These two young girls whizzed by us on an electric scooter.  Here you can see them trying to lift it down onto the sidewalk. 

This abuelo or grandfather must have collected his nietos or grand children from school.  He was very carefully shepherding them along holding their hands.  The little boy was telling him a big story and he was listening carefully with a big smile on his face.  So sweet!

The square is all dressed up.  A great place to congregate and visit. 

Not too much shade right now as the trees have had a major hair cut. 

Lunch is done and Eric and I are walking back to the bike which is parked on the other side of the square.  Very confusing one way streets here. 

Look at that beautiful old building.  Imagine the stories it could tell!  Right beside an old building renovated and turned into a Super mercado or grocery store. 

Heading up the one way street out of town. 

Bye the way I got the entering and leaving signs backwards...but you get the gist of it😁

Bye bye San Ignacio...we'll be back next year.  I might also mention it was a very warm day yesterday.  We stopped and pealed off clothes on the way up and going back I was down to my long sleeved T-shirt.  35.5 C in San Ignacio.  That's warm.  When we got back to ocean where our house is it had dropped 5 degrees.  A nice day and ride.