Into Lovely Homes and Jazzy Art Galleries

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how much I think about Mazatlan as our third home country. And then I saw a poster at the El Cid Country Club advertising an Annual Tour of Mazatlan Homes sponsored by the Damas Trabajandos for the “A Drop in the Ocean” cause. What if we upped our investment and bought a home in this city? I reasoned that, even if we do not, the tour would give us excellent ideas about how to decorate our new Viewpoint home base with a Mexican theme. There were seven homes on the tour but these are the five I liked. Two of them I really, really liked.

Casa Maria Cortez

the second floor garden at Casa Maria Cortez

I was immediately enamored by this home. The color yellow is everywhere, unifying the home and brightening the look. The main house has the living room, dining room, kitchen, and a portico. There are also three bedrooms on the upper floor. A two-story casita with an upper and lower bedroom has a beautiful garden area on the second floor that joins the two houses. Also connecting the two houses on the ground level is a swimming pool. With lots of space filled with plants, flowers, and greens, the entire compound feels very open and refreshing. Big décor pieces are flushed into huge windows. The beautiful owner, Maria, operates a popular restaurant across the street.

courtyard, Casa Constitution

Casa Constitucion

Angelina, the owner of the second house, also owns a restaurant named after her. She didn't have a name for her house but, when I pressed her, she said, "Call it Casa Constitucion." The one-story main house has the portico, the kitchen, dining, bar, and master’s bedroom. Built in the 1850s, it feels old Spanish. A small courtyard is in front with lots of greens and a central fountain. The lot is fairly small and the newer yellow casita has one bedroom on the ground and two on the second.

the Catedral Spires
from the Casa Las Campanas

Casa de Las Campanas

We were not allowed to take pictures of the inside of the third home so I only have photos of the garden and porticos. Also built in the 1850s, it feels a lot like a house museum. With many antique fixtures, furniture and décor, American owners Greg and Renee enthusiastically talked about the distinctive features of their home, especially those that the previous owner was able to obtain from Bel Mar, the original Malecon Hotel when they did an update.  The living room, the playroom, the dining room, the kitchen, and the bedrooms are on one floor laid out as an L-shape. There is a two-level courtyard: the upper level with a garden and a central fountain and the lower level with a patio/bar and a small swimming pool. The property is called Casa de Las Campanas. The Mazatlan Catedral’s spires can be seen from the garden and you can hear the bells that begin to chime at 5 am.

dining room, Casa Delaney

Casa Delaney

This property is owned by Kim and Tom Delaney who decided to retire in beautiful Mazatlan just a few years ago. It sits on the area called El Rebajo which means a recess. The original hill was cut-off to create a beautiful raised residential space for the now multi-colored homes (see headline photo). This house is the one with the yellow façade. The entrance opens to a sitting room and a spacious living room that leads to a dining room, split level, that then leads to the kitchen. Between the dining room and the living room are stairs to the family room and two bedrooms upstairs. The dining room looks out to a small garden while the kitchen leads to the bar/patio and a good-sized blue swimming pool at the back.

Casa Guzman

what you see when you walk into Casa Guzman

As they say, “Save the best for last.” The Casa Guzman is on the highest point of Mazatlan, beside the  Observatorio Historico de Mazatlan which is being converted into a museum, atop Cerro del Vigia. So we had to change to smaller buses since the big bus would not be able to climb the winding uphill road. And this house wowed us all. It has a 360-degree view of the city of Mazatlan/ and all the waters around it, It overlooks the El Faro Lighthouse which is the highest operating lighthouse in the world sitting atop the opposite hill, Cerro del Creston, and the twin Mexican “icebergs” so called because they are white with bird poop. More than 17,000 square feet in three levels, new sections are still being built (the renovations started a couple of years ago). The main level has the receiving area, a formal living area, a den, a dining /family area, and a large kitchen that all open to the majestic views. The lower level has a family room, a cellar, and another social area that opens to a garden. There you will find a modern infinity pool and a cedar fire pit area for relaxing. The garden continues on to a play area for the young couple Karla and Amado’s children. The upper floor with the bedrooms was not open for us to see, however. This gorgeous home is elegantly laid out, decorated with stunning art pieces, and built with classy high ceilings.

fire pit, infinity pool, and jacuzzi at Casa Guzman

Dorey and her "Mazatlan Doors"

We took the opportunity to visit the Old Observatory beside it for more photos of the views. This house (and the first) gave rise to the following question: “Should we settle into a beautiful home and forego our wandering life?” After some talk, we decided not just yet or maybe not ever. We could never afford this last one and, even if we are able to buy something like the first, both of us do not really like maintaining a house. All-inclusive vacation and resort community are perfect for us.

Jazzy Art Galleries

But we got lots of ideas for decorating our little Viewpoint home base. At the Casa de Las Campanas was a wall full of Spanish masks. They may be perfect for the space above our bed headboard. If we find at least six pieces we love, we will string them together. Actually, we also got a lot of ideas from the Art Walk in Centro Hispanico that happens every first Friday of the month. We were able to visit around ten of the fifty galleries and stopped only because we had found an art piece that we fell for at the Beau Pres Gallery. It is a collection of sixteen photographs of beautiful Mazatlan doors set in two door panels each with eight frames. Since we have a car, we can easily bring it home! Next year, we will go to more galleries. And we may again tour a new set of homes. It’s not only fun but also enriching.

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Seeing Thriving Wildlife in Estuaries and Sanctuaries

Mazatlan boasts of 80 kilometers of coastline and seven islands that dot its scenic bay. It is thus home to a lot of interesting aquatic activities. We had opportunities to go on day trips to the Turtle Sanctuary, to do a Sunset Bay cruise, and to frolic at one of the islands. The fun touristy activities were plenty but it was seeing the thriving wildlife that was most heartwarming.

Catamaran on a Sunset Bay Cruise

The Sea Turtle Sanctuary

I was already getting sad. Somebody told me that the turtles come to Mazatlan during the months of July to November on their annual migratory patterns. We were given this free Pronatour turtle sanctuary tour as Elite members and we had come during the wrong month! Then I heard that a few stragglers wander to Mazatlan’s shores during the odd months and the tour was available once a week!

El Verde Camacho

So, one Friday, together with about nine other adults and three children, we went on a day trip to El Verde Camacho, the marine turtle station just outside of Mazatlán where researchers have been monitoring and collecting data on the sea turtle nesting and stranding activity for almost 40 years. The tour includes round trip transportation from the hotel in an air-conditioned van and lunch.

turtle release ceremony

Imagine my delight when, after lunch, the tour included a ceremony when each one of us was given a 6-hour old sea turtle to release back to sea. The station collects the eggs and enables a higher percentage of them to hatch in incubators instead of being left alone on their natural sand habitats to be savagely preyed upon. I named my baby Memo, short for Guillermo which is Mexican for William in honor of Bill.

An Estuary by the Beach

beneath the mangroves at the estuary

The day trip also included a special boat trip through the Estuary beside the station. Immediately, we saw baby crocs hiding amongst the leaves and tiny hermit crabs scurrying around our boat when it was being launched. We rode through and under thick white and red mangrove trees piled onto the murky waters inhabited by lots of fish. As a result, there were many large birds flying all around.

a bird up close

I loved all the swooping and swishing of the wildlife from under and above the water. I also cherished all the opportunities I got for photographing the birds in a wonderful ecology so bountiful for them to thrive. I never had seen them fly so close to me before. It was a great side trip of the tour.

Some Rock Sanctuaries

Mexican icebergs, the bird sanctuaries

On our Sunset Bay Cruise, before the sun actually set, our huge party catamaran took us to the rock islands that are called Mexican icebergs. They jut out of the blue waters like their Arctic counterparts but their white color does not come from ice. They are bird poop. These rocks are great bird sanctuaries, along with Bird Island. 

the sea lions' rock sanctuary

Near the two is a different kind of sanctuary. It is a small rock, home to more than a dozen sea lions, happily frolicking between the rock and the waters around them. Some of us on the catamaran imitated their unique grunts, hoping to strike an animated conversation, before taking off for our sunset gazing time

An Island Sanctuary

Deer Island is the other island where the animals called men, women, and pets get their own frolic time. I feel compelled to include this day trip as an example of seeing another kind of thriving life. This island is a nearby refuge from the busy city which we just left behind for half a day. They are so near each other.

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Are All-Inclusive Resorts Worth Your Money? Part 2

MITIGATING THE DISADVANTAGES 

It seems like the ideal life. No more housekeeping, laundry, dishwashing, cooking, and other mundane activities. Everything is available at the flick of the finger, so to speak: food, facilities, fun, and fascinating sunsets. You have no worries, cares, and hassles. All your time for things that make you happy. But there are three definite major disadvantages.

Weight Gain

You have all the food you want...and at the best locations. It is all-inclusive so you want to get the best values for your money and eat as much of the best ones as fast as possible, especially if you are staying for a short limited time. This is exactly what we did. On the first month, it was no wonder I gained  many extra pounds and developed a “baby bump.” But, on this our eighth week, I have returned to my original weight. Although traces of the bump still remain, I am well on the way to returning home as I left…without it. The following are the best practices we developed to deal with this major disadvantage.

go-to eating place

First, we put breakfast back to simple: in the room. Just like at home, we have breakfast as soon as we wake up. So we stocked up on simple things like cinnamon rolls and butter, bagels and cream cheese, or granola with nuts and raisins, together with lots of fruits and juices. We still go down to breakfast twice a week: once on Wednesday to have oatmeal or yogurt and hot chocolate; on Sundays for brunch of pasta and paella.

my favorite salad

Second, we put lunch also to a simple event. Our go-to place is La Alhambra, the open-air buffet by the sea which features a grilled item every day-grilled fish, roasted pork tacos, grilled fajitas, etc. I stick to this one dish. The restaurant also has the most complete salad bar in the entire complex. My go-to salad is a small plate of jicama and lettuce with a sprinkling of fake crab meat; usually, without dressing.

Third, we still make dinner our Event of the Day but we don’t go to the buffets anymore. We stick to a la carte dining. In buffets, there are a lot of filler items and you can get drawn to fill your plate with many of these. Even with small samples of each, they can add up to a bunch. A la carte ordering gives you the best dishes from the chef, the freshest versions of the dish, and limits what you can order. In the beginning, we ordered an appetizer, a soup or salad, an entrée, and a dessert. Now, we stick to sometimes just an appetizer or two or an entrée and split the salad and dessert.

Fourth, we are also eating healthy because there is just so many fruits, vegetables, seafood, fish, chicken, and pork available alongside with red meat. In fact, the latter is almost a no-no for us now. In the beginning, we were drawn to the New York, ribeye, filet mignon, churrasco, or arrachera steaks but now we are opting more for fish, shrimp, lobster, and chicken, sometimes pork. And we always start with salads or vegetable antipasti and make sure we have some fruits for the day. I am sure we get our required daily allowances of many vitamins and minerals.

Mexican cazuelitas

Fifth, our exercise regimen has been consistent. We spend thirty minutes at the fitness center every day. Bill hits balls at the golf course and tennis courts. We sometimes even join dancing classes. Our Fitbit shows that we walk at least 10,000 steps every day because we walk from one facility to another among four buildings in the resort complex and not use the free shuttle provided. At home, the kitchen and dining room are just a few steps from the bedroom and the living room. This is even complemented by afternoon walks on the beach or to the shops of the Zona Dorada, the shopping zone beside the complex.

  

Social and Cultural Isolation

There is another major disadvantage of all-inclusive resort stays. Let me call it the risk of social and cultural isolation. It comes from being confined to the resort facilities, again to get the best values from the money you paid, especially if you are staying for a short limited time. 

First, to counter social isolation, El Cid offers many activities. Bill and I have joined Spanish, dancing, cooking, and cocktail-mixing classes. Bill has sometimes joined tequila tasting and me, Texas Hold’em. Every evening, there are shows in the El Cid Theater: Mexican, Impersonators, Broadway, Tropical, Children's, and Audience Participation. Lobby bars have karaoke nights, casino nights, live music, etc.  Each restaurant offers different kinds of live music with different cuisines. And there are always activities on the beach. These are all opportunities for meeting new friends.

my Texas Hold'em group

Second, even if family and long-time friends are more special, we cannot transport all of them to Mazatlan. The staff of El Cid including the wait staff, the maids, and the drivers, and the guards, and the Mexican people, in general, are so hospitable, they can be our "family" while we are in El Cid. In fact, there is an Elite Lounge dedicated to hosting all-inclusive guests and catering to our every need. The Lounge is also where we have met many new friends from fellow guests. We look forward to meeting all of them again in the next season when we return to Mazatlan.

Bill's tequila tasting group

But how about cultural isolation? This is why we choose Mazatlan instead of Cancun. Mazatlan has an excellent broader community one can get involved with. With a population of 650,000, the city has a full plate of entertainment options, from concerts to movies to theater to opera. We have also done three-day trips and have four others scheduled before we go home. An Art Walk every first Friday of the month is such a fun activity. Trips to the Library have been enlightening and enjoyable.



We don't tire of inspecting each branch of the Michaels Gallery chain with their quality Mexican home decor. There are three main shopping districts: the new Mazatlan Galleria Mall area with Liverpool and Sears department stores and Walmart/Sams Club nearby, the Zona Dorada, and the Old Town Mercado and Centro Hispanico. And there is a major Flea Market in Juarez every Sunday morning. We should not forget the large supermarket chains like Soriana, Mega, and Ley. As a result of great shopping values, we are bringing home an art piece for the house, favorite new hats, quality inexpensive clothes, and some new jewelry!

Since we are staying for three months each year, we actually are able to make and keep friends and not be isolated within the confines of the resort. But then you will ask what about cost, especially because we are staying for such a long time. This is the last major disadvantage of all-inclusive resorts.  I will discuss in Part 3, four weeks from now after we have seen how everything goes and counted all the expenses at the end of our thirteen-week stay. Then we will have the final answer to the question "Are All-Inclusive Stays Worth Your Money?" 

Would You Like to Know the Real Secret to Mexican Cooking?

We have been in the El Cid Resorts of Mazatlan, Mexico for six weeks now. Even if there are 9 restaurants of different cuisines (Argentinian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Mazatleca and four International), we have had a lot of Mexican food. Aside from La Cascada dedicated to Mexican food and Dona Sol dedicated to local dishes of Mazatlan, Mexican dishes are included in every buffet and special days are dedicated to Mexican cuisine in the international restaurants.

tinga de res

Desayuno, the Mexican Breakfast

chilaquiles

For breakfast, we have gotten to know staples like molletes, sopes, chilaquiles (verde o rojo), and huevos rancheros. There are American options: tocino (bacon), salchichas (sausages), pancakes, French toasts, waffles, papa bibil (hash browns), cereals, crepes, omelets, and huevos a gusto (eggs of your choice). I like it that they always have a pot of avena (oats) with amaranto, pasas (raisins), coconut shreds, granola, and cinnamon always available for sprinkling. Varieties of pan (bread) can be grilled or toasted with all kinds of queso, mantequilla y margarina, and peanut butter and jam for spreads. Frutas tropicales are all sliced up with cottage cheese or yogurt for toppings and all colors of gelatin on the side. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, agua con hielo, and all kinds of jugos are always ready.

Comida o Cena, All-Day Mexican Food

sopa de mariscos

chile relleno

There are a great variety of main dishes for lunch (comida) or dinner (cena). Most of us already know the following from our Tex-Mex cuisine: enchiladas, burritos, tacos, gorditas, tostadas, and fajitas. But our six weeks in Mazatlan, Mexico has exposed us to so much more: carnitas, mole, barbacoa, pibil, tinga, cochinitas, asada, birria, menudo, campechanga, chamorro, and other dishes you rarely find in Mexican restaurants in the US. Apperitivos include all preparations of nachos with different types of salsa, guacamole, and frijoles. Carbs are either arroz (rice), tortillas (but mostly maiz and not harina), papas (potatoes), and all kinds of pan (bread). The soups we have come to love are pozole, mariscos, albondigas, elotes de crema, or sopa de ajo. Of course, we cannot resist the postres (desserts) like varieties of flan, churros, pasteles (cakes and pastries), and candied bananas or sweet potatoes. Bebidas are horchata, cebada, or tequila-based ones.

El Cid's Cooking Class

Activities provided for free have created a lot of value for our stay in El Cid. Enrique, the Activities leader, has done a great job of promoting the cooking class every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 pm, for example, for about 16-20 of us, eager students. We gather at La Concha which a lot of the hotel guests consider the best restaurant. In the class, we have learned how to cook international food like pasta marinara, paella Valenciana, sushi, Caesar’s salad, ceviche, fajitas, and sopa de mariscos. Next ones slated are pozole, enchilada, tacos, chicken tortilla soup, and so much more.

our cooking class by the sea

Chef Luis Villa

Interview with the Chef

I interviewed one of our very personable chefs/instructors, Senor Luis Villa. In spite of the fact that he knows very little English, he was always able to convey to us the ingredients, the steps, and the secrets of a dish, with Enrique at his side. I conducted this interview without an interpreter. After all, another activity I consider very valuable is the Spanish classes I am also taking. 

Senor Luis is forty-eight years old and has two boys, Luis Angel, fourteen and Eric, seven. Our featured chef learned how to cook at a very young age right at his home in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. His mother, Maria de la Luz, and grandmother, Felicitas, are both passionate cooks who made everything painstakingly from scratch. But when they were away, Luis cooked for himself. Now, after cooking assignments for eighteen years, he considers seafood and Mexican cooking his specialty

pescado zarandeado

His favorite Mexican dish is mole. It is also one of Bill’s favorites. When I asked him why he said it is because it is a complex dish made from a lot of ingredients that can number up to thirty. Thus, a creative cook can come up with many different flavors, using different types of chiles, for instance. And when I asked him what dish he would prepare for a special someone, he said he often prepares carne en su jugo (meat in its juice) for his wife, Erica. Actually, it reminds me of the popular sous vide cooking.

Mexican-style paella

tequila, sangria, y limon

When I wanted to find out the secret to Mexican cooking, he immediately said tiempo. It means time. In other words, the cook must have a lot of patience because it takes time for the flavors to come out, to fuse, and to intensify. He says it would be easy to take two, three, or four hours to prepare dinner, depending on the dishes one wants to prepare for the family.

For the last question, I asked him what advice he can give those of us who want to enjoy eating and cooking Mexican food. Just as easily, he said we have to learn to watch the chiles. Mexican cuisine utilizes them heavily and consistently. And there are many kinds of different colors, various flavors, and increasing degrees of spiciness. There is the jalapeno (green), poblano (green), guajillo (red), and wero (pale yellow) for flavoring, coloring, and mild spiciness. Then there is the small serrano for more spiciness. Finally, if you dare, there is the habanero, the hottest of them all. Of course, there are also Mexican spices.  

We have six more weeks to go. I will surely learn more. And I am so happy El Cid offers cooking classes with great chefs like Senor Luis and organizers like Enrique.

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Are All-inclusive Resorts Worth Your Money? (Part 1)

We just completed the first four weeks of a thirteen-week all-inclusive stay at El Cid Resorts’ El Moro Beach Hotel. Bill has long wanted to retire in Mexico and, since I did not want to primarily for health care reasons, we have compromised on this program. I have gained x pounds even with a focused effort to stay slim by exercising daily. It is not really the pounds but it’s where they land. There is a noticeable “baby bump” that I do not like. It makes me not want to don a swimsuit in this beach paradise!

the four El Cid Resorts in Mazatlan

This is what all-inclusive means in El Cid Resorts. It means all-you-can-eat and drink at any of the following food and beverage outlets whenever we stay in any of these vicinities: four Mazatlan hotels (El Moro, La Marina, La Castilla, and La Granada), two Cancun hotels (Ventus and La Marina), La Ceiba in Cozumel, and those that will open in the new Cabo San Lucas facility. This year, we are in El Moro in Mazatlan. 

some of the restaurants in El Cid Resorts

These are all that are available for our use:

1.    9 Restaurants

La Concha-international food

El Patio-Argentinian food

La Marina-international food

El Alcazar-Italian food

Ban Horu-Japanese food

La Pergola-international food

La Cascada-Mexican food

La Alhambra-international food

La Terraza-international food

2.    5 Snack and Drink Bars

La Gruya

El Patio

La Conchinita

Snack Bars at La Marina

3.    2 Lobby Bars

El Moro

La Castilla

4.    4 Exclusive Elite Lounge, one at each hotel

some of the facilities at the El Cid Golf And Country Club

It also means free use of the facilities of the Casa Club (the Mazatlan Golf and Country Club owned by El Cid) such as the swimming pool, tennis courts, the fitness center, and sauna and steam bath. Discounts are available at the golf course and the Spa Garden. There are also huge discounts for boating and fishing at the Mazatlan Marina Yacht Club which is at the La Marina premises. El Cid also owns Pronatours and tours come at sizable discounts there, too.

the beach fronting El Moro

There is a beachfront and two pool complexes with swim-up bars and large hot tubs for resort guests to use at La Granada, La Castilla, and El Moro. In addition, there are three private pool complexes and a private beachfront for the exclusive use of Elite members like us at El Moro and La Marina. Finally, at every hotel, activities are organized targeting various interests of guests. We have taken courses in Spanish, salsa and other Latin dances, cooking, and mixing drinks, for example. There are more.

some of the activities we joined

In addition, Mazatlan is a great Mexican town to visit. With a population of 500,000, it is considered the Shrimp Capital of the World, has the longest Malecon in Mexico, and has, for an icon, the highest lighthouse in the world on a hill by the bay. There is a vibrant downtown center and many short day trips can take you to colonial villages, a few islands, and even the city of Durango up in the mountains.

It really means great vacations with abundant food, adequate facilities, and many adventures at one great location. But there are major drawbacks to this lifestyle, not the least of which are unwanted weight gain and unwarranted expense. Others may set in for those who stay too long (like us). Boredom with the food, activities, and facilities and the increased feeling of isolation even amid plenty of people (due to lack of solid social circles unless you are adept at meeting strangers) may all set in.

But these are negatives that arise only because of the way we use the benefits. If we exercise moderation and balance, then there will be fewer. of them And with better planning, there may be none. I am developing a few Best Practices for All-Inclusive Resort Stays and will post about them after the eighth week as Part 2 of this series. It is a lifestyle that deserves honing because it is the best that one can have. We are giving ourselves the chance to enjoy it before we leave his world permanently. We do believe it is worth the money and an analysis of costs will be in Part 3 after our twelfth week.

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pinnable image

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I hope you will stay tuned.