Mazatlan

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Torres Mazatlan Resort in Mazatlan, Mexico

Zeb and Eider Duck are in Mazatlan, Mexico.   We are staying at Torres Mazatlan Resort.   We already showed you the Christmas decorations, but today we want you to see more of the resort.   When we looked around our condo, these towels made us smile.

Our towels are just adorable.

Our towels are just adorable.

We took them to the table on our patio so you could see them.   When we wanted a meal, this is the restaurant.

What a restaurant. Pool on one side and ocean on the other side.

What a restaurant. Pool on one side and ocean on the other side.

Everything we ate there was really good.   Wandering around the grounds we saw the shuffleboard courts.

Zeb and Eider on the shuffleboard court

Zeb and Eider on the shuffleboard court

Someday we might try this.  But, it is rather big for little ducks.   Perhaps practice scoring soccer goals here?

Soccer practice anyone?

Soccer practice anyone?

We would have fun.   Further explorations took us to the tennis courts.

Tennis courts are big

Tennis courts are big

This looks like it would be fun, but little ducks don’t think we could hit the ball over the net.    Now this we could do.   These grills are for any of the guests at Torres Mazatlan to use.

Our humans grill food outside when we are home. Yum!

Our humans grill food outside when we are home.  Yum!

However, mom does not cook on vacation.   Wow!   Look at this waterfall by the swimming pool.

Waterfall at pool.

Waterfall at pool.  Iguana lifeguard on duty.

We even have an iguana as a lifeguard now.   He moves around when he wants, but we see him here often when it is sunny.     Humans seem to really like this place.

Let's go inside.

Let’s go inside.

Let’s see what the massage area looks like.   We are on the table, ready for a duck massage.

Ducks are ready.

Ducks are ready.

On tropical vacations, this is one of our favorite places to be.   We love swimming pools and lounging in the sun.

Tropical vacations are so much fun for us.

Tropical vacations are so much fun for us.

Mom, we need a cool drink.   We see the waterfall, the slide and the iguana lifeguard.

We still love this. Can we go?

We still love this. Can we go?

We really want to go down this slide.    We really are going down the slide and into the pool.

We love this!

We love this!

That was great!   If you come here, try the slide.   You will love it.

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Making Tiles in Malpica, Mexico

We recently showed you the great bakery in Malpica, Mexico.   There is also a fantastic silver store there.   But today, we will show you how to make tiles.

So many tiles

So many tiles

Behind the silver store, this gentleman makes beautiful tiles.   He is ready to begin.   He started with this powder.

From this pile of powder to a beautiful tile

From this pile of powder to a beautiful tile

The mixture goes into a form.

Mixed and spread in this form

Mixed and spread in this form

Then color is added.

Adding the blue color

Adding the blue color

Today it is blue.   Now the tile goes to the next form.   He swirls and makes a design with a pencil.

Using a pencil to swirl and make the design

Using a pencil to swirl and make the design

He is finished with the tile.

That is amazing!

That is amazing!

This looks great!   All that is needed now is for the tile to bake and dry.

Zeb and Eider like these tiles

Zeb and Eider like these tiles

These tiles are all the same shape.

A perfect fit every time

A perfect fit every time

Thanks to the molds and forms.   The individual tiles fit together perfectly.   Our tour guide buys a few tiles each time he comes here.   He says his backyard patio is almost all tiled now, and he says it looks fabulous.   This gentleman makes tiles of various colors and designs.

So many choices

So many choices

We really liked these tiles, but the humans said they were not carrying tiles home.   So, we admired them and took photos to remember the tiles and this man.   It is now time to return to our van and leave the cobblestone streets of Malpica.

Leaving Malpica

Leaving Malpica

We really enjoyed our time here and everybody was so friendly and nice to us.   When you visit Mazatlan, we hope you take a side trip to Malpica.   Have a fresh roll from the bakery, get a tile and think of us, the Colorado Traveling Ducks.

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Cruising near Mazatlan’s Lighthouse with Zeb and Eider Duck

We, Zeb and Eider Duck, are going on a boat.   We took a bus from our resort to near Mazatlan’s lighthouse and now we are cruising in the bay.

We love boat rides

We love boat rides

Isn’t this pretty?  We love boats.   This is Mazatlan’s famous lighthouse.

El Faro, or the Lighthouse

El Faro, or the Lighthouse

This is the highest natural lighthouse in the world.   It is 157 meters, or 523 feet above high tide.   In 1933 this lighthouse was converted to electricity and now uses a 1,000 watt bulb.    That is equivalent to 600,000 candles.   Our guide told us that pirates previously used these caves under the lighthouse.

Former pirate caves under the lighthouse

Former pirate caves under the lighthouse

No pirates here now, though.   You can see that we are cruising near the city of Mazatlan.

Close to Mazatlan

Close to Mazatlan

This is the first sea lion to arrive this year.

More sea lions will arrive soon. He looks a little scared of us

More sea lions will arrive soon. He looks a little scared of us

We were told that many sea lions spend the winter here in Mazatlan.   We are approaching these white islands.

Bright white, because???

Bright white, because???

Many birds spend either the winter, or live here all year.     So many birds that our guide told us the rocks are not really white; they are covered with bird poop.   Here are some of the birds watching us arrive.

We are being watched

We are being watched

Our guide told us these are brown boobies.

Brown Boobies at the top the rock

Brown Boobies at the top the rock

This one is our favorite.

Our new friend

Our new friend

We, Zeb and Eider Duck, liked our boat ride.   When you are Mazatlan, you would enjoy a boat ride also.   It was great, but now we must get off the boat.

This was fun. Hope you go on a boat soon

This was fun. Hope you go on a boat soon

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Old Mazatlan with Zeb and Eider Duck

Zeb and Eider Duck visited the market, or Mercado, in Mazatlan.   Then we walked to the main plaza, or zocalo.   We admired the fruit available from this vender.

These look so good. We love the little oranges

These look so good. We love the little oranges

Here is another vender with even more choices for shoppers.

Colors are so bright

Colors are so bright

The policeman was directing traffic in this congested area.

Directing traffic in Old Mazatlan

Directing traffic in Old Mazatlan

Mom told us that most old Mexican cities have a main plaza, called the zocalo and the main cathedral faces this plaza.   Mazatlan’s cathedral is old and beautiful.

Main Cathedral in Mazatlan

Main Cathedral in Mazatlan

Inside people were working, preparing for a ceremony almost ready to begin.

Ornate alter. Flowers arriving now.

Ornate altar.  Flowers arriving now.

We are not sure if it was a wedding, but the flowers were being delivered and we saw a young girl in a beautiful long white dress.   She may have been the flower girl?

Across from the cathedral, in the park, the gazebo is very pretty.

We sat in this gazebo for a few minutes. Love it!

We sat in this gazebo for a few minutes. Love it!

Near the gazebo, the monument to military heroes stands.

Brigada Sinaloa. Celebrated 100 years.

Brigada Sinaloa. Celebrated 100 years.

Since it was near Christmas, Santa’s temporary home was on the edge of the park.

Santa's temporary home

Santa’s temporary home

He was not home when we were there.  Probably supervising the elves.   We really liked this Nativity scene.

In Mazatlan's main plaza

In Mazatlan’s main plaza

Santa Claus and presents are fun, but we all remember the real reason for Christmas.  When you are in a Mexican town, visit the main plaza, or zocalo.   It is a peaceful and pretty part of any town or Mexican experience.

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Mazatlan’s Market with Zeb and Eider Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, and my Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, went to the market in Mazatlan, Mexico.   This is not like going to the mall at home.   The market is exciting!   They sell so much stuff here.   This man is selling meat.

Fresh meat here

Fresh meat here

We have a kitchen in our condo, but the humans do not want to cook on vacation, so we did not buy anything from him.   Here is more meat.

This will be cut into smaller pieces

This will be cut into smaller pieces

Another man cuts this into smaller portions.

Moving away from the fresh meat, we admired these hats.

Colorful, but too big for ducks

Colorful, but too big for ducks

This cabinet has so many ceramic skulls and masks.

Skulls of many sizes

Skulls of many sizes

Mom bought a small skull.   We don’t know why, but she liked it.   There are so many booths selling souvenirs of Mexico.

So many choices

So many choices

These are so colorful.

Can we take it all home???

Can we take it all home???

Look at all these shells.

Shell wind chimes and so much more

Shells for all occasions

Other booths sold clothing and leather.   This market, or Mercado, has everything.  The lunch counter looked inviting, but we did not eat here.

Mom loves lunch counters and food from street venders.

Mom loves lunch counters and food from street venders.

Maybe next time.   This man is entertaining people while they shop and eat.

We like him

We like him

He is working for tips only.   Piñatas are at many Mexican parties.   This one is a typical shape.

Big and colorful

Big and colorful

At parties, or fiestas, the piñata is filled with candy.  The young humans take turns trying to break the piñata and then everybody dives for the candy.   It looks like a lot of fun for humans.  These are special piñatas for Christmas.

Piñatas for Christmas.

Piñatas for Christmas.

Aren’t they fun?   This is a sample of what you might see walking around the Mercado in Mazatlan.

Visit a market soon.

Visit a market soon.

This place is wonderful.  We hope you visit a Mexican market soon.  You will have a great experience.  We did.

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Welcome to Torres Mazatlan

I, Zeb the Duck, and Alaska cousin Eider Duck, went to Torres Mazatlan resort in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Torres Mazatlan. Our home for the week.

Torres Mazatlan. Our home for the week.

We love Mazatlan.

We thought this Christmas tree made from palm fronds

The employees of Torres Mazatlan created this tree.

The employees of Torres Mazatlan created this tree.

and decorated with wrapped coconuts was great.  The Nativity scene was beautiful also.

Nativity scene to remember the birth of Jesus

Nativity scene to remember the birth of Jesus

There was his big red box labeled Toy Box.

Toys for the children of Mazatlan. This is the season for giving.

Toys for the children of Mazatlan. This is the season for giving.

The staff at Torres Mazatlan donates toys and money to provide Christmas Eve dinners and toys for the people of Mazatlan.  We think this is great.  We will give them money also.  Eider, Zeb and the humans want to help.

We attended the welcome party Monday evening.   They served mango daiquiris and mango margaritas.   We ducks did not try any but the humans seemed to really like the mango daiquiris.  We liked the mariachi band.

Mariachis to welcome us to Mazatlan

Mariachis to welcome us to Mazatlan

The music is so happy.

Let's dance

Let’s dance

Just makes everyone want to dance and be happy.

When it got dark, they had the official lighting of the Christmas tree

Wow!

Wow!

and the Nativity scene.

The lights create magic

The lights create magic

Aren’t they pretty?  We liked the welcome party.  We liked the mariachis.

So typical of Mexico

So typical of Mexico

We liked the popcorn.  And we really liked the Christmas tree being lit while we were there.  As they say in Mexico, Feliz Navidad.   Merry Christmas to you all.  We will tell you more about our time in Mexico soon.