Amigos:    No Snow in November…Then It Began!!!!

December: 5:00 pm…its starting to snow. The first of the season and the first we’ve seen in years.Nora and I took out hot chocolate and sat by the picture window, watching the soft flakes drift down, clinging the trees and covering the ground….it was beautiful!!!

2nd week……..We woke to a lovely blanket of crystal snow covering the landscape. What a beautiful sight: every tree and shrub covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it!! I did both our driveway and our sidewalk. Later a park snowplow can along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street.  The driver smiled and waved. I waved back and shoveled it again.

3rd week……. It snowed an additional 5 inches last night and the temperature has dropped to around 11 degrees. Several limbs on the trees and shrubs snapped, due to the weight of the snow. I shoveled our driveway again. Shortly afterwards the snowplow came by and did his trick. Much of the snow is brownish gray.

ETC…….warmed up enough during the day to create some slush which soon became is when the temp dropped again. Bought snow tires for the Previa. Fell on my ass in the driveway…$145 to a chiropactor, but nothing was broke. More snow and ice expected!?!?

ETC…..Still cold. Slid into a guard rail and did a considerable amount of damage to the right quarter panel. Had another 8 inches of white poop last night. Previa covered in salt and crud. More shovellinga in store for me today. That damn snowplow came by twice today.

ETC…..2 degrees outside…More &%+& snow. Not a tree or shrub of the property that hasn’t been damaged. Power off most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and kerosene heater, which tipped over and nearly burned the house dow. I managed to put the flames out, but sufferd 2nd degree burns on my hands and lost all my eyelashes and evebrows (EXAGERATION !!!) Car slid on ice on the way to the emergency room and was totaled (again EXAGERATING)

ETC…..Goddamn mother -&%*@!! white stuff keep coming down. Have to put on all the clothes we own just to the &%$#@* mailbox. If I ever catch the SOB the drives the snowplough, I’ll chew open his chest and rip out his heart. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling, and then comes down the street about 100 MPH and buries our driveway AGAIN.  Power still off!  Toilet froze and part of the roof started to cave in.

ETC…..8 GD more #%&*^ inches of *&^%$# snow and *&^%$# sleet and *&^%$# ice and God knows what other kind of white *&^%$ crap fell last night. I wounded the *&^%$ snowplow ahole driver with an ice axe but he got away. Nora left me….car won’t start….I think I’m going snowblind. I can’t move my toes. Have not seen the sun in weeks . More snow predicted. Wind chill minus 22  &^%$#@ degrees.

IT’s BACK TO MEXICO NEXT WINTER!!!! Only fools or idiots stay here all winter.

(from the WhatsUpMaz Forum [Message 32529])

Is Mazatlan, Mexico Safe?

For tourists, the answer is definitely yes.

We actually addressed the question of Mazatlan Safety a couple months ago, but thought it would be worth giving an updated answer. So, here’s the real facts about safety in Mazatlan.

Violence in Mexico in general

There’s no doubt that there has been a great increase in violence in Mexico. This is due to Mexican President Calderon’s decision to take a strong stance in fighting against the drug trafficking cartels.

No Danger for Tourists

However, tourists in Mexico are generally safe, and in Mazatlan there is nothing for them to worry about. There are a few hot spots of violence along the border where even tourists might be in some danger, but that’s 700 miles away from Mazatlan.

Apparently there are some people quoting terrible negative statistics about tourists dying in Mexico. Rather than respond to that myself, here’s an article that explains very thoroughly what the statistics really show when you don’t twist and manipulate them:
The Problem with “Non-Natural” Death Statistics. BTW, The Truth About Mexico is a wonderful resource site for finding what real people living in Mexico have to say about the situation here.

The Swine Flu Was Overblown Too

How overblown was the scare about the A H1N1 virus? Well, in Mazatlan there still haven’t been any confirmed cases. So it seems like telling people to cancel their vacations was a little extreme.

Mazatlan is Still It’s Wonderful Self

The friendly and open people, the fun activities, the great food, the beautiful beaches… they’re all still here waiting for you to come and have a great time!

Villas El Rancho Beach Resort

This information is provided by Villas El Rancho, a beachfront resort in the New Mazatlan area. Specializing in relaxing vacations, we’re located on Cerritos Beach in a quiet and tranquil area - probably the safest area in Mazatlan! Click here to discover more about a delightful beach vacation with us.

We found our week’s stay at El Rancho very refreshing and enjoyable. After seeing all of the surrounding high rise resorts we appreciated the fact that El Rancho has kept their facility as single villas. We felt like we get more attention from the resort staff and they are much friendlier than if you are on the 12th floor of some high rise.

We truly enjoyed the hospitality shown by Horatio and by Luis. They gave us a tour of the city and helped us with directions and recommended places to visit. The housekeeping staff was also very good. We also enjoyed your “La Fonda” restaurant.

Our villa was a little out-dated, but I know you are in the middle of remodeling most of the villas, so that will enhance the vacation experience even more.

We are looking forward to our next visit to El Rancho, hopefully this fall. Thanks again.

Ken and Patte Fisher

Thank you, Ken and Patte! We really appreciate your comments! It’s a real encouragement to all of the staff, and we will definitely keep working to maintain what’s wonderful and unique about El Rancho, and to make it even better!

Want a recipe for disaster? Pack up your bags and fly away for a family vacation without thinking about activities for your kids. Can you imagine? Whining! Frustration! Trying to find activities at the last minute, only to find that what you want to do is only available on certain days, but not on the day you have available! It’s enough to give you nightmares!

Thankfully, for a family vacation in Mazatlan that never needs to happen! Mazatlan is a wonderfully family-oriented tourist destination, and there’s a great variety of activities that the whole family can enjoy.

The Mazatlan Aquarium

First of all, let me suggest the Mazatlan Aquarium. It’s always been a nice place for the family to visit, but in October of 2008 they opened a new “Ocean Tank” which made it stupendous! (Here’s an article we wrote about the new Ocean Tank at the Mazatlan Aquarium - with pictures!.) The new tank is the biggest in LatinAmerica, and allows you to see a large variety of species of ocean wildlife interacting in their “natural” environment. It’s really very impressive - it’s much more than just fish, there are sharks and sting rays and giant sea turtles and much more. You really don’t want to miss it!

The Mazatlan Aquarium is really an all-day activity, because it not only has several tanks, each for a different eco-system from a different part of the world, it also has a shark tank, a sea-lion show, a mini-zoo, a parrot show, botanical gardens (with crocodiles!), and a program about the conservation of sea turtles! That ought to entertain the family for a while, don’t you think! For some pictures (and descriptions in Spanish) you can see the official website: Mazatlan Aquarium.

Mazagua, Mazatlan’s Water Park

Another great activity for kids is to visit the Mazagua Water Park. It offers everything you expect to keep your family wet and entertained - slides of different types, a river to move around, a wave pool, a play area, and much more. It’s closed during January and February (the only time when Mazatlan gets cold enough that playing in the water isn’t fun), but available for your family’s enjoyment all the rest of the year. For some photos, you can see their website: Mazagua Water Park

Huana Coa Canopy Adventure

If you have older kids, the zip line adventure can be a real blast. With facilities outside of Mazatlan at the start of the Sierra Madre mountains, the adventure includes multiple zip lines over the trees. It’s a great adventure with beautiful views. More info and some fantastic photos at the website: http://www.huanacoa.com/

And much more…

There are many more activities available in Mazatlan that are wonderful for families, depending on the age and inclinations of your kids. Of course there are tons of water sports (jet skis, boogie boards, banana boat rides, and much more). There’s also surfing, horseback riding, whale watching, and I know I’m forgetting a lot! Oh, and just playing on the beach - making sand castles, for example! Explore some of the sites about Mazatlan and you’re sure to find even more wonderful ideas!

Good luck on your family vacation in Mazatlan! As long as you do come prepared, you’re bound to have a great time!

———————–
This information is provided by Villas El Rancho Beach Resort, located on Cerritos Beach in the New Mazatlan area, just past the marina. With a very family-friendly atmosphere, and villas where families can stay together comfortably, El Rancho is a wonderful place for family vacations. You can also see our ideas about what makes for a REAL family vacation.

Here’s the article:
10 Truths About Travel

But what really makes for a family vacation? I mean, not just a vacation where everybody in the family goes, but where your family really enjoys quality time together, has fun together, and draws closer because of the vacation.

“Family-Friendly” Resorts - Are They Really?

The reason I started thinking about this is because of what the typical “family-friendly” beach resort offers. In Mazatlan, lots of resorts claim to be family-friendly. And they’re beautiful. And they have great photos of families on the beach with big smiles on their faces.

But what do these supposedly family-friendly resorts really offer?

Well, some of them have a really big, fancy pool for kids to play in. And they have some sort of “kids club.” So they provide activities for your kids. Basically, they offer child care.  So, on your Mazatlan family vacation, your kids can stay busy and you don’t have to worry about them. Somebody at the resort will watch them for you and make sure they have some fun.

Do you think that really makes for a “family” vacation?

A Real Family Vacation

I think it’s such a shame! When you come to Mazatlan for a “family” vacation, you shouldn’t separate your family! Isn’t your family already separated too much back home? Aren’t there already too many things pulling each member of the family in their own direction? Work, school, extra-curricular activities, each person hanging out with their own friends - after all that, when does your family ever have a chance to spend time together?

Well, I think that for a minimum it should be on vacation.

When you come on your family vacation to Mazatlan, you actually get to leave behind all the regular activities and obligations. You actually have time - the whole day - to spend however you like. Why not spend it together?

I think a “family resort” that actually separates your family is anything but family-friendly. A family resort should make it easier to have fun together.

Family Fun Together in Mazatlan

Mazatlan is such a great place for families! You can have so much fun together! First of all, you can play on the beach together. Whether it’s playing in the waves, building a sand castle, taking turns burying each other in the sand, or looking for seashells, you can do it all together, and you’ll have a great time!

And Mazatlan has so many other great things to do together! You can explore the historic downtown, or visit the aquarium, or go riding horseback. There’s so many great options,… but do it together!

Family Time at El Rancho

That’s what I love about El Rancho, and why I think it’s a real Mazatlan family resort. The pool doesn’t have any fancy slides or anything, and El Rancho doesn’t offer a kids club to entertain your kids. But it does offer a place where your family can have fun together - where you can stay together comfortably (not cramped). Where you can enjoy the beach and the pool, because they’re right outside your door.  And where you can feel safe and not worry about your kids, because it’s small and there are no crowds for them to get lost in.

Make an effort to really spend time together on your next family vacation in Mazatlan. You won’t regret it. In fact, you’ll have great memories of it for many years to come!

And if you’d like to know more about the benefits of family vacations at El Rancho, here’s some more info: Family Vacations at El Rancho.

However, I found an article that already explains it all, by some gringos in Merida (in the Yucatan). So instead of repeating what they said, here’s the link. Just substitute hte Mazatlan area code (669) for the Merida area code and you’re good to go!

http://www.yucatanliving.com/yucatan-survivor/how-to-dial-a-phone-number-in-mexico.htm

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=8e691dcf627bab5e72b42dbd5f4cbc65

The article addresses the concerns, and shows from a variety of sources that the media has severely exaggerated the problem. It also points out that the source of many of the exaggerated reports is actually the Florida Tourism Council, which is definitely not a very impartial witness.

It’s actually interesting that in the comments on the article, the question of how many tourists have been killed in Mazatlan comes up. The answer? Zero! One person from an originally Mexican family was killed on the highway to Durango a couple hours away from Mazatlan while on the way to vacation there, but that is the only tourist death in Mazatlan even remotely related to the supposedly out of control drug violence.

If you have plans to come to Mazatlan, or are making plans to vacation on the beach, come and enjoy yourself! The “war on drugs” is not going to affect you while you’re here anymore than it does while you’re home!

1. What do you enjoy most about El Rancho?
   Enjoyed to the fullest the beautiful sunset.
2. Was there anything that took away from your vacation experience?
   Absolutely not - every thing was wonderful & peaceful!!!!!!!!!!
3. Is there anybody who took great care of you that you’d like to recognize?
   All staff is recognized & appreciated - they’re polite, helpful & respectful.
4. Do you have any suggestions for how we could make El Rancho better for your next vacation?
   Don’t have any suggestions at this time - it’s the best and it can’t get any better!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Cristina! We’re certainly going to try to make El Rancho even better anyway, but it’s certainly encouraging to know that you really enjoyed your vacation!

We’re looking forward to the next time you’re able to visit us!

If you’re interested in seeing more authentic art than what you can find in the souvenir shops in the Golden Zone, we recommend a visit to Nidart, the “Nido de Artesanos” or “Nest of Artisans.”

Located in a 19th Century house in the Historic Downtown of Mazatlan, Nidart is home to a family of artisans, and their friends. They produce a wide variety of leather work, clay and leather figurines, and much more.

To know more, visit their website at http://www.nidart.com.

To visit them, their website has a map showing their location, which is next to the Angela Peralta Theater.