Mazatlan’s Storm Damage is Being Repaired

Zeb and Eider Duck and their humans had a great time in Mazatlan.  We were able to do everything we wanted to do.   You may remember that a strong hurricane hit Los Cabos, Mexico in early September.   Los Cabos and Mazatlan are really very close.   The Gulf of California separates Los Cabos on the Baja Peninsula from Mazatlan on the mainland.   For several weeks after the hurricane, Mazatlan was hit with extremely high waves.   We want to show you some of the water damage we saw, a few months later.   Our first resort, Torres Mazatlan, has a lot of beachfront property.   There is a cement wall between the resort property and the waterfront.

Wall between beach and resort

Wall between beach and resort

The water did a lot of damage to parts of this wall.   There had been many high walls of sand bags to protect things.

Sand bags to protect resort.

Sand bags to protect resort.

Some of these sand bags remain here.   One of the days in our vacations we experienced high waves.   Not doing damage, because the sand bags still offered some protection.   Much of the damage at Torres Mazatlan had been repaired before our arrival.   Our second condo was Villas El Rancho.  This is a much smaller complex.   The repairs were beginning while we were there.   From our condo, the doors opened to a grassy area with lounge chairs over looking the beach.   However, the water was so high, that the entire area was covered in water, and mostly washed away.   This is how our patio area looked when we arrived.

Our patio, but repairs are being completed

Our patio, but repairs are being completed

However, the repairs were being made very quickly.   We bet the repairs are all finished now.   The resort sits above the beach, so this was the only area of severe water damage.     The water had also damaged the stairs from the beach to our condo.

Stairs will be replaced

Stairs will be replaced

Several areas along the beach were being repaired.

Working on beach front property

Working on beach front property

We just want to show you that there was not much damage away from the beach.   We love these palm trees with the bright red berries and no damage here.

We love the red berries on these palm trees

We love the red berries on these palm trees

The restaurant at El Rancho is elevated overlooking the beach.   The restaurant, Lupitas, was serving tasty food and the view was great.

From our restaurant during breakfast.

From our restaurant during breakfast.

The repairs were progressing quickly, so we hope you will visit Mazatlan soon and enjoy the beaches and the friendly people.   We are glad we were in Mazatlan.

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Caring for Coconut Palm Trees at Torres Mazatlan

Coconut palm trees are really tall.   We love to see the trees with coconuts growing, but what would happen if it got windy and the coconuts started to fall?   Ouch!   This tree has a lot of heavy coconuts.

Lots of coconuts on this tree

Lots of coconuts on this tree

One day Zeb and Eider Duck saw men trimming the coconut trees.   They cut down coconuts and many palm fronds.   We first watched them use a ladder to climb part way up the tree.

Using a ladder to begin climbing

Using a ladder to begin climbing

When they reached the top of the ladder, they climbed higher in the tree.   This man got to the top of the ladder and climbed even higher.  You can see that the ladder is still there.   The other men on the ground have not moved it away yet.

And still climbing higher

And still climbing higher

Now he is cutting, both palm fronds and coconuts.

Much cutting

Much cutting

This man just cut a bunch of coconuts off the tree.   You can see one of the bunches of coconuts falling to the ground.

See the bunch of falling coconuts?

See the bunch of falling coconuts?

When he has cut as much as necessary, he starts to climb down the tree.

Starting down

Starting down

As you can see, he really does not climb down, he repels down the tree trunk.

Repelling down the tree

Repelling down the tree

There were three men climbing and trimming the trees.   Several more stayed on the ground removing the fallen coconuts and palm fronds.   This is another man repelling down the trunk to the ground.

More than one tree trimmer

More than one tree trimmer

Torres Mazatlan has many palm trees, but this is the area they were trimming while we watched.

Trimming trees in this area today

Trimming trees in this area today

We loved watching, but we ducks do not want to go to the top of these coconut palm trees.   We like staying on the ground while they climb and trim.

Christmas Decorations at Torres Mazatlan

I, Zeb the Duck, and Eider Duck, loved the Christmas decorations at our resort in Mazatlan, Mexico.

Torres Mazatlan.  Our home for the week.

Torres Mazatlan. Our home for the week.

It was great having Christmas decorations to remind us that Christmas is almost here.  We are used to colder weather for Christmas, but we are enjoying the pool, beach and warm, sunny weather.  The Christmas tree and Nativity scene were beautiful.

These decorations were made by Torres Mazatlan employees in 1992

These decorations were made by Torres Mazatlan employees in 1992

We especially liked the story of the Christmas tree.  The employees made the tree from palm fronds and decorated it with coconuts wrapped in colored paper.  Torres Mazatlan has used this tree since 1992 as a symbol of Love and Peace on Earth.

Entering the resort, just past the security station, this festive scene greets us.

Just past security station

Just past security station near the entrance of the resort

The Christmas flowers near the registration desk are very much a sign of Christmas.

Such vivid colors

Such vivid colors

The Santa display with Santa’s mailbox was very popular.

Letters to Santa go in this mailbox

Letters to Santa go in this mailbox

Leaving the registration area, we passed through this decorated arch.

Looks so tropical

Looks so tropical

Wandering through the grounds, we liked this cart of flowers with Christmas decorations on the ground.

Flowers are always nice.

Flowers are always nice.

Near our patio, we enjoyed this cart of Christmas packages.

Presents everywhere

Presents everywhere

It was especially nice at night when the lights were on.

One day we watched the younger human children break a piñata.

He is trying

He is trying

This is a great Mexican custom and the kids had fun.

She is older, so the piñata moves while she tries

She is older, so the piñata moves while she tries

We had fun watching this also.

It won't be long before piñata is broken and candy falls to ground

It won’t be long before piñata is broken and candy falls to ground

Our humans said we were too small to swing the stick and also too small to scramble with the humans picking up the candy.

While enjoying tropical weather it was nice to see the Christmas spirit around us.  We hope you are enjoying seeing Christmas decorations wherever you are during the Christmas season.

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.