The panic is over…everything is back to normal…whatever that is!

This morning I tried posting my blog the normal way and…it posted they way it usually does.  What caused the problem..who knows, who fixed the problem…who knows, do I care…no!  Was it an Open Live Writer problem or a Google problem I don’t know.  Lots of …I don’t knows.  Please note there may be blogs you haven’t read as I post in chronological order not on today’s date.  My headache is gone! 

The painful post!

I just managed to get last Friday’s post done.  I went back to my completed Open Live Writer draft and then removed each picture and left a number notation for the photo.  I copied the post to Blogger draft, uploaded all the pictures from last Friday, picked out each photo one at a time and inserted it where each notation was and then posted.  Not efficient and very time consuming at all but it is done.  I made comments on a couple of blogs today bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t post due to error (500) and received a comment back from Doug.  Thanks for that!  All right all you very efficient geeks out there….get working and figure this out!  We’re counting on you!

Chayito for Ladies’ lunch

This is a family owned restaurant that has been in business since 1987…that’s 30 years so they must be doing something right.

Nine of us for lunch today and not too far to go.  We hopped onto a Cerritos Juarez bus to take us to lunch.  It was an old, beat up,  9 peso a ride bus that turns off before the malecon.  Didn’t matter because we weren’t going downtown today….just into the beginning of the Golden Zone.

Mexican Regional Food Sinaloa Style says their sign.  This restaurant is Janice’s choice and she is with us today.

We arrived at about 11:45 and lunch isn’t served until 12 so what could we do while we waited…well…a cocktail would take up a little time! 

We chat while the drinks arrive.  From the left Sandi, Marilyn, Sharen, Janice, Nancy, Jeannette, Bonnie, Pam and the empty chair is me.  This is a very large restaurant and while we waited a Mexican party of 13 came in to eat.  No problem.

                      

I ordered tortilla soup and a shrimp Chimichanga.  The soup arrived first and it was a …make it any way you want deal.  A small teakettle of very hot broth and all the fixings on the side. 

                  

Kind of funny expression on my face but I was trying to pour and not spill it on myself!  I like the concept of do it yourself and it was very good. 

The food arrived in very short order and I took the opportunity to get a picture. 

The young waiter had tried to bob into the picture above and missed so ….I gave him his own photo op! 

Sharen has tacos.

Sandi had beef tacos.

Bonnie had the chicken molcajete and that is not a shadow from my camera, that is steam!   It was bubbling and boiling hot, hot, hot!  She ate almost all of it and said it was very good. 

Jeannette’s burger….with a bite out of it!

Marilyn’s enchiladas.

I would guess that is a beef arrechera plate….looks good. 

We are all eating and in the end my tortilla soup and or shrimp Chimichanga would have been enough.  I thought the soup would be smaller and I couldn’t finish all of it or all of the Chimichanga.  I’d always wanted to try a Chimichanga….maybe I just like the sound of the name!

And now for the yummy in house desserts.  The waiter (family owner?) was very personable and when he saw I hadn’t finished my food he said “ You have to stay until you eat it all!”  I pouted a bit and he let me go!  But….no dessert for me.   Everyone else was full too but quite a few take out desserts went home for husbands.  Isn’t that nice. 

I told Sandi that she should get the waiter to pull the ticket for next weeks choice of a ladies’ lunch restaurant and it turned out to be the “ Mr. Lionso Playa Bruja.”  It is located on the beach at the end of the road at Cerritos so that really isn’t far to go.  

I told our waiter that we were the “ travelling lunch ladies” and his restaurant was going to get a great review on my blog.  He was happy with that. 

Good service, good food, good prices and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.  Thanks for including this restaurant Janice. 

And now for….a little shopping!  Some of us headed along the street and some of us hopped the bus home.  I followed along shopping as I wanted to get a Carnival T-shirt from the Pacific Pearl which is located just north of Chayito.  We stopped there and a few t-shirts were bought and then onward to pick up this and that….here and there.  By 3pm we were done and on the bus home. 

A really nice afternoon with friends. 

Problems

The blog is presently down.  I am not able to publish my blog from Open Live Writer.  I am receiving an error (500.)  I can publish text, but not pictures.  After scanning the net I find I am not the only one that has this problem and no one else has any idea what to do.  In the past I have had errors that I was able to fix but...not this one.  I have copied and pasted the blog draft into blogger but it doesn't take the pictures with it.  I really can't do my blog drafts while I'm on line so I'm not sure what's going to happen at this point.  Sigh. 

Dinner at Topolo’s with Ian/Linda/Bazil and Brenda

Tuesday was a busy day for me.  I started the day with my 45 minute walk at 6:45 am,  drove to WalMart for groceries after breakfast, had our water jug filled at our water depot, came home to play cards in the afternoon after lunch and then Eric and I went out for dinner.  That’s a lot as I’m usually a one event a day gal!  Also, I’ve not been feeling up to snuff…sort of like I might get a cold but not really getting one. 

This evening Eric and I went downtown in a pulmonia with Ian and Bazil to Topolo.  We were meeting Linda and Brenda at the restaurant as they had been off shopping at Liverpool beforehand. 

It’s been unusually cool lately and even though I had a light jacket on ….I was cold.  The pulmonia was an older one that wasn’t in the best of shape.  The gears were grinding, the idle was too low so he kept reving the engine, the steering was shot and the exhaust was overpowering.  As there is so much construction on the malecon we drove all over “Hell’s half acre” to get downtown.  Our driver was personable and kept saying “ Don’t worry, be happy” and that made up for some of it…but not all of it!

The pictures aren’t very good as the light was too low and when I used the flash we looked like deer caught in the headlights!  I have been to Topolo before but no one else had.  They were suitably impressed by the ambiance!  Topolo is one of the top rated restaurants in Mazatlan and it was on our visitors list as a dinner destination.

The interior of the restaurant is an open air courtyard full of trees and vegetation and with all the lights is just lovely.  As it is cold I was also a bit cold here as well.  

Here the waiter is making us fresh salsa at the table. 

So…what did we order.    Linda, Eric and I ordered the tuna which was coated in black sesame seeds and wasabi.  Ian had a Mazatlan plate, Bazil had salmon and I think Brenda had chicken.  What did we think of the meals? …well Ian said his was one of the best meals he’d eaten anywhere (he really enjoyed the chili relleno), Linda said her’s was great as did Brenda and Bazil and they said it was the best meal they’d eaten in Mazatlan.    Both Eric and I noted that the food was cold.  Tuna cold, veggies cool and rice slightly warm.  For me that spoils a meal no matter how good it tastes.  What does it take to have the plates hot before you plate the food?  I do this for everynight dinners since hot food should be…hot. 

Following the dinner we all ordered dessert and it was scrumptios…cheese cake, chocolote mousse cake and key lime pie.  It sort of made up for the cold meal.  Eric says that I am such a good cook that he doesn’t even like to eat out…..thanks honey! 

An enjoyable evening with family and friends and then home to bed.  Eric and I caught the bus home behind the mercado.  The rest of the crew rode home in the same pulmonia that we’d come down in.  The Mexican driver had received 300 pesos for the 150 peso ride downtown and he wasn’t going to let a return trip get away from him. He was standing outside the door waiting when we came out after dinner.   I think they would have preferred a warm taxi ride home but…what can you do?

I heard from Linda the next day that Bazil said “ Next time someone else can ride in the front seat of the pulmonia!”  Too funny. 

All in all a nice evening out. 

Water Music by G. F. Handel at the Angela Peralta

Today I attended my second Sunday afternoon concert of the season.  Ruth, Eddie, Angie, Joanne, Dwight and myself all boarded the bus and headed downtown.

This mother boarded the bus with her son (sitting in front of her) and this little cutie.  She didn’t know quite what to make of me and just kept staring!

A bit longer walk down Constitucion to the theatre today as the bus is travelling two blocks east of it’s usual route in front of the mercado.  Hopefully the pavement will be done soon.

Wonderful, colourful perspective.

When we arrived at the Plazuela this band was playing.

They weren’t playing “ Mariachi” and were very good.  Something is always going on in the square….especially on a Sunday.  

This is Ruth’s daughter Joanne and her man, Dwight.  A really nice couple!  As George and Sharen aren’t up to snuff yet (recovering from bronchitis and pneumonia) Ruth bought their tickets for Joanne and Dwight.

Time to head inside as we are about 10 minutes from start time.

The theatre has been beautifully restored to it’s former glory.

The orchestra is just starting to arrive.

A few more.

Gordon Campbell is just getting ready to welcome us and start the concert.  He is a very personable host and he speaks to us in English and Spanish.  He has been living in Mexico for 40 years and started out as the principal French Horn in the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico in Mexico City.   In 2012 he founded the Camerata Campbell with a January, February and March season here in Mazatlan.   He also has many other accomplishments in other areas of Mexico.  He is  real asset to Mexico and Mazatlan and today he is conducting.  He gave us some history of Handel’s water music suites.  He explained it was written and played for King George I on July 17, 1717 on the River Thames….hence…water music!

I had to zoom without a flash so this is a bit blurry.  Maestro Campbell  had a bit of trouble with the lighting in the first half of the concert and had to call for more light so he could see what he was doing!  Perhaps there was a new technician running the lights as they kept turning off and on in different areas as the concert progressed.  Very disruptive for an orchestra.

                   
I am not sitting with the rest of the people I came with as I don’t have season’s tickets.  I am a few rows back but my seat is very good.  It is intermission and I’ll bet Gordon Campbell is having a word with the lighting engineer!
When the second half began he said that he bet that we’d never had a light show like the first half of the concert before! 
It was a lovely concert played by a very accomplished orchestra and when they got a standing ovation at the end they very generously played their last piece again.

There are many restaurants circling the square and since no one had had lunch it was time to sit down and have something to eat.  I think we are at the Gala restaurant which is a favorite of Ruth and Eddie’s. 

This is why!  Sundays they serve paella and both Eddie, Angie and Dwight ordered it.  Looks delicious.

Ruth had a salmon/avocado salad and I had Vietnamese spring rolls.  Both were very good.  Prior to this they served us a basket of mixed warm bread and they followed this with a tostada and red pepper hummus.

We had paid our bill and were ready to leave when they arrived with cones full of passion fruit sherbet….who could resist that!  Yummy.
A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon in Mazatlan.

Let's take a ride to El Tigre

Friday, January 19, 2018
We’ve been to El Tigre many times but it’s one of my favorite rides…once you get out of the city!  Today Frank and Sandi joined us in their jeep.

When we left the park I flipped the camera over my shoulder and took a picture of Frank and Sandi.  I usually flip these pictures but…I thought it was kind of neat.

 We bypass the first part of 15 and then join it a bit farther south.  Not too busy here.

 The smoke is really pouring out of the power station today.

Need a mattress….I see where you can get one.

 Coming into Villa Union.

 Up ahead turn right at the sign that says El Walamo.

 A busy little side street that always seems like it is market day.

 You will never go hungry or be unable to buy what you need in Mexico.

 I spotted this cute little guy as we rode along….and no I didn’t cut his mother’s head off right at her boobs on purpose.  However they are rather giant!

 Always a nice hacienda with beautiful gardens.

 Lots and lots of crops being grown out this way.

 Coming into El Walamo.

 A poor little town with a big, well kept church.

 “ Main Street!”

 Big expensive farm machinery parked everywhere.  Agribusiness has lots of money.

 The road is good and the highway is quiet.

 I always wonder what the cattle are actually eating out there.  Must be lots of sand in their stomachs.

 Every time we come out this way their is more and more aquaculture.  It’s really close to the ocean and they have easy access to sea water.

 The long wide open beautiful beach.

 El Tigre on the right up ahead.

The Jeep and Big Red look nice together.

 Lots of room for…lots of people.  It’s really busy here on the weekend.

 Sandi and Eric wait while Frank and I go look at fish.

 Frank and Sandi like to have their fish done Zarandeado.  This means it is split from head to tail, covered in peppers and grilled on the barbecue.   But first,  you have to choose your fish.  There were quite a lot of robalo in the cooler but there were also a couple of red snapper which is a better choice. 

Frank chose the 2 kilo one.  A big fish but there will be leftovers to take home.

 The fish is on the barbecue.

 Hot coals and it won’t take long.
Our lunch was served first and I was disappointed.  There was lots of rice, salad and onions and it was served with hot tortillas but the fish empanizado (breaded) was greasy and overcooked.   There were two pieces of fish and this was  a medium plate for 140 pesos.  We had two pieces of fish on a similar plate in Estacion Dimas that was perfectly cooked for 80 pesos.  Sandi graciously gave me some of their fish. 

 These cows were roaming free around the restaurant and moments later one of the waitresses was chasing them across the field.

 Here we are….the happy motorcycle riders!

 Eric checks the mileage on the GPS.  We know which way we’re going…back through El Rosario, on the free road to Villa Union and then the toll bypass to Mazatlan.

 All right already…lets go!

 Beautiful beach.

 Over the estuary.

 East to El Rosario.

 We pass through a couple of little towns.  Neat old building.

 Hey, we could have had pollo at the edge of the road.

 And….stopped at the bar for a beer!

 A roadside clothing sale.

 School’s out for the day.

 Bye, bye Aqua Verde.

 Harvesting.

 Another little town with another little church.

 Getting closer to El Rosario and this truck is full of tomatoes.  They are never really ripe…if they were they’d all be mush!

 Beautiful tree.

 We’re into El Rosario….turn left at the church.

 Beautiful stone work.

 This is where we usually make our next left turn.  We saw a detour sign before this but no arrow so we kept going.   It’s hard to see when you are on a motorcycle as Eric has his eyes on the road and I have to peek around him.  We turned around here and back tracked.

 There was a lot of turn left, turn right etc.

 We saw a bus a ways back and probably could have just followed it.
A few left rights later we ended up back at the main highway and we headed south.

 On the free road heading north to Mazatlan.

 Grain silo with sheep grazing under it…not much to eat here.

 Guess who?

 The agave field is still growing.

 Another truck full of tomatoes…but a smaller one.

 Coming into Villa Union and we’ll turn right.

 We will go up and over and turn left around the round-a-bout to get on the toll road.  There is not one sign anywhere telling you how to get on it and go to Mazatlan!!

 Around we go….straight ahead is the road to Concordia.

 Here we are on the lovely concrete bypass.

 Corn growing here.

 The toll booth.   22 pesos for the moto and worth every penny!

Up ahead ….Mazatlan.

It was a good ride and a good day.  Maybe next time we’ll try a different restaurant.