Monday, February 5, 2024
It was another beautiful sunny day in Mazatlan, which reached 84 degrees. We were scheduled to arrive at 8:00 a.m.
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(Shown above is Mazatlan as we're coming into the port.)
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BRIEF HISTORY OF MAZATLAN
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipio, known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located on the Pacific coast across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word for "place of deer". Indigenous groups were in the region of Mazatlán prior to the arrival of the Spanish. During the early years of the Spanish conquest in Sinaloa, the region currently occupied by the municipality of Mazatlán remained uninhabited. The city was colonized in 1531 by the Conquistador where many indigenous people lived.
Until the early 19th century, Mazatlán was a collection of huts inhabited by indigenous people whose major occupation was fishing. In 1829, a Filipino banker named Juan Nepomuceno Machado arrived and established commercial relations with vessels coming to Mazatlán from far off places such as Chile, Peru, the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. By 1836, the city had a population of between 4,000 and 5,000.
In 1846 during the Mexican-American war, Mazatlán was invaded and occupied by the U.S. military as part of the U.S. Pacific Coast campaign. In 1859, the port was blockaded by Captain Sidney Grenfell of the British steamship H.M.S. Amethyst. On November 13, 1864, the French Army and the Imperialist forces took possession of Mazatlán, until they were deported on November 13, 1866, by General Ramón Corona's forces. After customs officials seized twenty-three ounces of gold from the British warship Chanticleer on June 18, 1868, which at the time was blockading the port, its captain, William H. Bridge, threatened to bomb the city on November 22.
During the California Gold Rush, fortune hunters from the United States' East Coast sailed from New York Harbor and other Atlantic ports to Mexican ports in the Gulf of Mexico. After landing, the aspiring miners traveled over land for weeks to Mazatlán, where they would embark from the port to arrive in San Francisco in another four to five weeks.
By the mid-19th century, a large group of immigrants arrived from Germany. Over time, Mazatlán developed into a commercial seaport, importing equipment for the nearby gold and silver mines. It served as the capital of Sinaloa from 1859 to 1873. The German settlers also influenced the local music, banda, with some genres being an alteration of Bavarian folk music. The settlers established the Pacifico Brewery on March 14, 1900. Mazatlán has a rich culture and art community. In addition to the Angela Peralta Theater, Mazatlán has many galleries and artist's studios, such as the Mazatlán's art museum, the Museo del Arte, which both have exhibits from Mexican and international artists.
With a population of 438,434 in the city and 489,987 in the municipality, Mazatlán is the second-largest city in the state. The municipality has a land area of 1,184.75 square miles and includes smaller outlying communities such as Villa Unión, La Noria, El Quelite, and El Habal.
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Today, Mazatlan is a relaxed west coast vacationer’s paradise with a great atmosphere, golden beaches, and a mecca for seafood lovers. Located in the state of Sinaloa, it runs parallel to Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Known as the Pearl of the Pacific, it is a region with unique history filled with Spanish conquistadors, buccaneer battles, and Gold Rush-era prospectors. Mazatlan is cradled by mountains and lapped by the cerulean waters of the Pacific. Mazatlan has thrived on its fishing industry and its busy commercial port for centuries.
While on this cruise, we were docked at the Port of Mazatlan, a very industrial and commercial port mostly used by container ships.
(Shown above is our virtual balcony showing the commercial port of Mazatlan.)
Before going ashore this morning, we had breakfast in the dining room. Mel had his usual, an everything omelet, while I decided to have two eggs over hard, crispy bacon, a hash brown, and a toasted English muffin with peanut butter (see below). This is proof that I am able to have breakfast and make it my own way.
After breakfast I walked out on deck 4 and took a few pictures of the commercial port in Mazatlan (see below) before heading to my stateroom to meet Mel there before going out to explore Mazatlan.
We walked off the cruise ship in Mazatlan at about 9:30 a.m., and we don't have to be back aboard until 5:30 p.m.
We had to take a complimentary shuttle (see above) to get into Mazatlan after getting off the cruise ship in the commercial port area.
We were soon at the Port of Mazatlan Cruise Terminal and this is where the shuttle dropped us off (see below).
Inside the terminal building, we found dozens of small shops and kiosks, most of which were selling the same stuff -- souvenir magnets, t-shirts, knick-knacks, unlicensed NFL caps, jewelry, clothing, and leather items (probably mostly were made in China). Stuff we didn't need or want.
When we exited the cruise terminal, what do you think we found? Yep, I bet you guessed it . . . more vendors! For the most part, they sell the same stuff as inside the terminal building. And, when we walked another 50 yards through the parking lot, there was an even larger building filled with more local merchants! So, when it comes time to stocking up for your next garage sale -- this definitely was the place!
This extremely touristy market area in Mazatlan was so much like Cozumel -- with vendors continually calling out and wanting to take us on a private tour. After we got past that annoyance, it was easy for us to explore the Old Town of Mazatlan by simply following the “blue line.” The blue line is an actual line painted in the street from the cruise ship dock to the Plaza Machado, the historic and artistic center of Mazatlán, to help folks find their way.
The sign above says, "Follow the Blue Line."
Above, we are welcomed to Mazatlan. We cross in the crosswalk and continue on our journey.
Above, we were once again welcomed to Mazatlan, and the sign tells us to proceed to the right to go to the Centro Historico. Below, volunteers wearing bright blue T-shirts printed with “Mazatlán Tourist Aide Volunteer,” helped us continue on the right way.
(Shown above is Mazatlan Tourist Aide Volunteers in blue shirts.)
(Shown above is the map the volunteers gave us.)
We continued to follow the blue line.
Still following the blue line . . .
We're at another major street crossing and we knew we were going the right way when we saw the sign on the corner post indicating that we needed to continue straight to the Centro Historico (Historic Center) and Catedral (Church).
We continued on straight ahead. Mel walks along an interesting heavily graffiti-faced wall.
I found the green building above rather interesting because it had decorative plates and tiles cemented into the structure. The street map below shows the general Centro area with a circle around the Plazuela Machado, where we are heading.
Shown above is a side view of the building that used to house the Museo Casa Machado, but is now a restaurant -- Casa 46. The front view of Casa 46 is shown below.
Shown below, Mel continues on toward the teatro (theater).
We have just arrived at the Plazuela Machado. From the port, it was a pleasant and leisurely 15-to 20-minute walk to Old Mazatlan on flat, cobblestone streets and sidewalks.
Today the restored Plaza Machado and its 19th century historic buildings as well as the surrounding Centro Historico feature architecture influenced by the French and Spanish. The area is populated with sightseeing and tourist attractions like chic cafés; art galleries; the Angela Peralta Theater and other Mazatlan Centro Historico cultural attractions.
(View of the Plazuela Machado.)
The Plaza is the heart of the Mazatlan Centro Historico, and one of the loveliest plazas in all of Mexico. The plaza was once a marsh area -- sort of a mini estuary -- fed by the ocean, but in 1832 a sea wall was constructed along Olas Altas beach, drying the area and making it suitable for construction of larger buildings.
The Plazuela Machado that we know today was originally constructed in 1837, financed by wealthy international trader Juan Nepomucendo Machado. It was certainly not designed as a tourist attraction -- as the Pearl of the Pacific had no tourists at that time. Plaza Machado was designed to reflect growing wealth and commercial power, and serve as the heart of the Mazatlan Centro Historico which was, at that time, simply Centro.
Once referred to as Paseo de las Naranjas (Orange Tree Walk) because of the orange trees that surrounded the space, the plaza quickly became the focal point for the community and a place where all social classes gathered.
The kiosk and garden occupy the center of the Plazuela Machado. The tall palm trees throughout the Plazuela area provide plenty of welcoming shade for weary strollers seeking to rest on one of the many benches.
The beautiful iron gazebo in the center of the square was built in 1870, serving as a platform for performers and furthe cementing the plaza as a central public space. The restored Plaza Machado is at the heart of the culture-rich Mazatlan Centro Historico renewal, and the focal point of a massive revitalization that has taken place in recent years.
Plaza Machado is open at all hours year-round; however, individual shops and restaurants will have their own hours. The plaza is just around the corner from the Teatro Angela Peralta in Old Mazatlán.
(Shown above is a colonial building in the Plaza Machado.)
Shown above is Mel walking by the restored Angela Peralta Theater in Mazatlan. It is truly one of Mazatlan's most important cultural treasures and has played an important role in the revitalization of the Centro Historico. Located just off the Plaza Machado, the Angela Peralta Theater is one of the most important Mazatlan tourist attractions and host the most sophisticated theater and musical performances drawing internationally known artists.
The banner shown on the theater building informs us that the Carnaval will soon be in Mazatlan. (This blog will give more information about the Mazatlan Carnaval further down in this post.)
The plaque above told us that the Angela Peralta Theater, a neo-classical gem is one of the few 19th century theaters still in operation in northwestern Mexico. It was built and named for businessman Manuel Rubio by engineer Andres Librado Tapia and its grand opening took place in Febuary of 1874. For more than a century the Angela Peralta has done service as an opera house and theater, a circus, boxing arena, cantina, and cinema. And it also hosted school ceremonies, vaudeville performances, burlesque shows and annual Carnival events before being closed down for 30 years.
In the early 1940's the theater was renamed in honor of "The Mexican Nightingale", Angela Peralta, an internationally-known homegrown diva who died of yellow fever shortly before her scheduled Mazatlan performance in 1882. Her tragic death had a powerful impace on the city's cultural history and on the theater itself which underwent long years of restoration before its triumphant re-opening in 1992.
Shown above is Angela Peralta, the “Mexican Nightingale” died in a yellow fever epidemic in Mazatlán in 1883.
We continued on along the coblestone sidewalk.
The plaque above told us about the Fine Arts Municipal Center. Originally this sprawling building functioned as one Mazatlan first inns and was known as the Exchange Bank.The property was later refurbished and opened as the Iturbide Hotel. It was here, in room 10, that world renown soprano Angela Peralta Castera succumbed to yellow fever in August of 1882.
The story goes that the diva contracted matrimony with her manager, Julian Montiel, "in articula martis," that is 15 minutes after her death. At the turn of the 19th century, the Casino of Mazatlan opened its doors for business on the building's second floor and quickly became a gathering place for the port town's elite. Later, the building housed a mechanic's workshop and in 1965, it was the spot where businessman Miguel Ramirez Urquijo transfored a humble golf cart into Mazatlan's most popular form of transportation, the open-air "pulmonia." Finally, in the 1990s, the rundown property was purchased by the municipal government and later re-opened as the Fine Arts Municipal Center.
(Shown above and below is the Centro Municipal de Artes at the Plazuela Machado.)
Offering a traditional restaurant and a shared lounge, the Hotel Machado Mazatlán (shown below) is located just 164 feet from the Angela Peralta Theatre in Mazatlán’s historic center.
We saw several of these open-air Pulmonia taxis (shown below) in the Plaza Marchado area in Mazatlan. They are just everywhere -- seems to be a favorite mode of transportation.
From the Plaza Marchado, as we crossed the street we saw the statue of Amado Nervo (1870-1919). Amado Nervo (shown below) was a poet who lived in a wooden house in Olas Altas in 1901.
Mel walks across the street to the Edificio Medrano on the corner of Calle Mariano Escobedo and Calle Cranaval in Old Mazatlán. Note the unique wooden curved door. The building is known as Edifice Medrano in honor of the family that built it. The first reference to the building site dates to 1850 when the property was owned by businessman General Antonio Grosso, another of the rich landowners of the day. By 1920, the Medrano family owned the property and erected the two story edifice that stands today.
We continued along Carnaval and then turned on 21 de Marzo and followed it past the City Hall on the right with the Plaza de la Republica on the left (see map below).
The Mazatlan City Hall is over 140 years old, and since we are here around Carnaval, it is decorated with glittery Carnaval Mazatlan decorations (see below).
The Plaza de la Republica faces the magnificent Basilica de la Immaculada Concepcion, Mazatlan's largest Catholic church and the Mazatlan City Hall. Originally constructed in 1870, at the center of Plaza de la Republica we found a lovely ironwork Porfirian bandstand that was constructed in 1909. The plaza has large palm trees that provide shade and verdant foliage that gives the entire space a tropical feel. There are numerous vendors and a distinct concentration of shoe shine and shoe repair stalls.
Shown above is a 19th Century map of Old Mazatlán. Indigenous people had inhabited the area for thousands of years before the Spanish under Nuño de Guzman arrived in 1531 to set up a port to handle exports of gold and silver found in mines in the area. The top of this map faces west and the bottom faces east. At the top of the map, Olas Altas beach is bracketed by Cerro de las Neverias (Icebox Hill) on the right, and Cerro del Vigia (Lookout Hill) on the left. Plazuela Machado is three blocks east of Playa Olas Altas.
We walked all around the Plaza de la Republica (see pictures above and below).
Mel walked over to the OXXO to get a beer and a bottle of water for me. We sat on the bench in Plaza de la Republica for a little while.
We found several shoe shine and shoe repair stalls (see above and below).
Near the gazebo, a monument to military heroes stands. It's the Brigada Sinaloa, which celebrated 100 years in 2010 (see above).
Before we walked across the street to see the beautiful Immaculate Conception Cathedral, we stopped to take a picture of the glitzy Mazatlan sign (see below with Mel peeking out between the letters "Z" and "A."
Next we walked across the street to see the crowning glory of Mazatlán’s Old Town -- the 19th-century cathedral that bears Gothic and Moorish influences and has a striking collection of stained-glass windows.
With its soaring towers, elegant cupola and imposing scale, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral dominated the historic center of Mazatlán. We marveled at its architecturally impressive façade and discovered a lavish interior with chandeliers, icons, frescoes and mosaics.
The cathedral covers an entire city block in Mazatlán’s Old Town. Construction of the church began in 1856 and it took more than 40 years to complete. We walked around the exterior to fully appreciate its vast size and to survey its Gothic and Moorish features. We then gazed up at the twin towers, which rise above a main entrance adorned with sculptures. Crowning the cathedral was a large yellow-tiled cupola flanked by smaller domes.
Shown above is Spanish Bishop Juan de Zumárraga kneeling before the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Most Mexican religious art depicting the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe, either shows her alone in her classic pose, or includes Juan Diego, the indigenous man who first encountered her in the early 16th Century.
The statue above that we found to the right of the Cathedral entrance was unusual in showing a different aspect of this story. Bishop Zumárraga had been very skeptical that the Virgin had really appeared before this lowly person. He asked for proof. Juan Diego returned to the ruined Aztec temple and the Virgin told him to collect flowers (traditionally roses) from the hill on which the temple was located. Juan Diego returned to the bishop with a cloak full of miraculously out-of-season flowers (as it was winter). Opening the garment, both he and Bishop Zumárraga were astonished to find the image of the Virgin imprinted on the fabric. That moment is captured in the statue above and below.
Shown above are the doors to the inside of the cathedral. Inside, the cathedral was a true artistic gem, with Gothic arches supporting elegant Renaissance-style domes. The gilded Baroque altar was adorned with statuettes and featured an image of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. The exuberant interior also had embossed wall decorations, graceful chandeliers and murals. The cathedral has an extravagant organ that was built by the famed French organ builder, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.
Begun by the Bishop Pedro Loza y Pardave (see above) in 1856, the central Mazatlan Cathedral was built on the site of an ancient Indian temple. Mazatlan's turbulent history delayed the completion of the church until 1899. In 1937 -- after additional work -- the church was elevated to the status of a "basilica" -- that of a Roman Catholic church given special ceremonial privileges by the Pope.
Inside the Basilica, the image of the city's patron saint, the Virgin de la Purisima Conception floats over the gilded, baroque main altar. Overhead, soaring rounded Renaissance domes and gilded Gothic arches create an airy and spiritual space.
Shown above was the interior of the main nave of the Cathedral. The style of the church was very eclectic, combining Moorish, Gothic, Baroque, and a touch of Neo-Classic. The steeples, which were completed between 1893-1894, were covered by yellow tiles manufactured in Europe. The main altar contained magnificent statues of saints and angels made of Italian marble, as well as the jewel of the church -- a relief carving of the Last Supper.
Shown above, the main altar was covered by a lovely cupola. The octagonal cupola formed the interior of the dome seen below in the next picture. The cupola contained four paintings, two of which are shown above. The arch was decorated by the Spanish version of a quote from Jesus, "Come to me all who are afflicted and I will console you."
San Ambrosia occupied one of the four corners below the octagonal cupola. The other three paintings were of San Bernardo and the Old Testament Prophets Zacarias and Moses. St. Ambrose was one of the Four Doctors of the Catholic Church who were considered its greatest theologians. While he was a great theologian, he also advocated violent action against synagogues, becoming one of the earliest anti-semitites.
He successfully protested the Roman Emperor's order to rebuild a synagogue destroyed by a mob. This led to similar anti-semitic destruction all over the Empire of which St. Ambrose explicitly approved. St. Ambrose successfully confronted several of the Roman Emperors of his time, persuading them to reverse their stances on religious issues and to support the Catholic theological positions.
Shown above is the ceiling of one of the four lateral naves. Two of these naves were on either side of the main altar, and the others bracketed the main entrance. The ceilings showed Neo-Classic influence. The four naves were dedicated to the Virgin of Rosario, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, San Jose, and the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Shown above was one of the Basacilica's unique architectural features -- its 28 stained glass windows incorporated a Star of David. Legend has it that this gesture was in gratitude for the donation of cionstruction funds by the Mazatlan Jewish community.
Near the front entrance was one of many statues in the Cathedral. The beautiful purple robe contrasted nicely with the alternating light and dark stone blocks of the wall. According to a nearby sign, this church did not become a basilica cathedral and the seat of Mazatlan's diocese until 1958 -- 103 years after construction was begun.
Shown above was the Nave of the Virgin of Guadalupe -- where if Catholics could light a candle, which was a traditional Catholic ritual.
After our visit to the church, we went to the big market between the street of Melchor Ocampo and Leandro Valle (see map below). The Mercado Pino Suarez (or Mazatlan's central market) is a busy indoor marketplace that has been open since 1900 with vendors of produce, meat, handicrafts and apparel.
Shown above is the Mercado Pino Suarez market. This large market was formerly known as Jose Maria Pino Suarez Market. It opened in 1899 with the name Manuel Romero Rubio and then the name was changed in 1915 to Jose Maria Pino Suarez in honor of the vice president of Mexico, who was shot in 1913. The market had several entrances. As of 2017, the market boasted 260 stalls! One of the entrances had a meat section where there were the very pungent and sharp smells of pig's heads proudly displayed along with other hanging meat. Just beware, because on warm days there could be a lot of flies as well.
The second story level of the market was packed with local restaurants (that were installed in 1952 out of the previous storage area). The market was divided in sections by food types. There were aisles with fresh seafood, chicken, beef and pork -- and miles of aisles of fresh fruits and vegetables. The market also had cheese vendors -- featuring some delicious locally produced farmers cheeses -- as well as herb and spice shops. Beyond food, the market had numerous shops and vendors of tourist items, like t-shirts, hats, and all sorts of souvenirs representing a day of sightseeing in the Centro Historico.
Shown above, the handmade dolls eagerly awaited new owners. Mercado Pino Suarez sold a wide variety of goods, not just food. They also had jewelry, shoes and other leatherwork, hand-embroidered dresses, and much more. And even if you didn't make any purchases, a walk through the Mercado was entertaining in its own right.
Shown above and below are pictures of the exterior of Mazatlán’s Pino Suárez Mercado. This 1899 structure was built of iron and steel in the art nouveau style of the Eiffel Tower, which had been constructed just a few years earlier. The area was lively with busses, cars, taxis, and hordes of people!
The mercado (market) is located about five blocks from the Plazuela Machado, and it occupies a city block between Aquilles Serdan and Benito Juarez and Melchor Ocampo and Leandro Valle.
In 1895, the construction of the market was ordered as the markets that existed at that time that were operated outdoors had unhealthy conditions. The market was designed by Alejandro Loubet Guzmán and took 5 years to build. It was founded on May 5, 1899, with the name of Mercado Manuel Romero Rubio, and was inaugurated by the then governor of the state Guillermo Cañedo.
On February 14, 1915, its name was changed to Mercado Pino Suárez in honor of the vice president of Mexico José María Pino Suárez, who was assassinated a year after visiting Mazatlán in 1913. The market has undergone several changes over time; during the first years of its existence on Benito Juárez Street there was a wide esplanade, where diners were installed; after 1910, the outside of the market was filled with stalls and in 1910, the city council authorized the installation of permanent stalls around the market. In 1951, renovation works were carried out on the market.
There were lots of vendors outside the mercado – pictured above was a cart that would be pushed home every evening. On this end of the cart were the delicious coconut treats called cocadas.
Here was another cart outside the mercado with more coconut treats, lovely dates, gumdrops, and in the foreground cucumber and watermelon.
There were numerous small “comida economica” or cheap food stands both outside the mercado (like the one shown above) and throughout the entire upper floor.
And with the warm year-round climate, fruit drinks like those shown above were very popular and refreshing.
The mercado was not just for fresh food and meat. It truly had pretty much anything needed. Shown above was a Café El Marino stand. This large coffee company was founded in 1950 in Mazatlán.
Shown above were some of the many types of beans, garlics, lentils, and spices.
This fruteria was one of the at least 40 different vendors of fruits and vegetables in the mercado. This photo showed the interior steel structure of the mercado as well.
There were also a number of small grocery stores within the market. Even if they looked small, they truly had it all.
Shown above was a cremeria (where cream was made). They had cheese, yogurt, milk, and other dairy products, as well as packaged tortillas, too.
Shown above was a panaderia (bakery) -- lots of sweet goodies.
And as shown above and below, there was an abundance of fresh fish. Almost certainly, many of these were still swimming off the coast only a few hours ago.
There were many stands of meat -- chicken, beef, pig heads, as well as hanging meat as shown below.
Pig's heads anyone? There were many unusual delicacies at the Mercado Pino Suarez.
This smiling fellow shown above would probably rather be somewhere else, don't you think?
After going through the Mercado Pino Suarez, we headed back.
We walked around the other side of the cathedral.
Shown above was the Canobbio's Arcade that occupied the west side of the Plazuela along Calle Heriberto Frias. The Arcade, which occupied the whole length of the block, was named after the Canobbio family, who maintained a drug store here in the late 19th Century.
Above the Arcade was the Museo Machado (opened in 1999), that recreated the lifestyle of prosperous 19th Century Mazatlecos, as the locals like to be called. Originally the building had only one floor and was called Portal de la Lonja. In 1864, the second story was added by architect Juan Modini and the building took on the look you see today.
We soon arrived back at the Plazuela Machado. I walked around and took a couple pictures of the beautiful large Madri Gras lady statue in the plaza (see above and below).
We decided to sit down on one of the benches in the Plaza Machado. It was a beautiful rectangular-shaped square in the Historic Old Town of Mazatlán. The interior was primarily palm trees and gardens, but there was also a large gazebo. The outside was a walkway lined with benches.
I sat there while Mel got us something to drink. After Mel came back with drinks, I took a peek at the t-shirts we had bought at the Mercado (market), but after discovering that the t-shirts didn't say anything about Carnaval Mazatlan or the Eclipse Barroco, Mel decided to walk back over to the big market to find the right t-shirts, while I waited here.
Shown above is one of the vendors in the square across from the bench I was sitting on waiting for Mel to return.
Shown above and below was an interesting thinking statue I saw in the square.
Shown above in the square was a lady playing guitar right by the tree in front of the hotel with lots of streamers and homemade beads hanging from it.
Shown above is one of the brightly colored Carnaval Mazatlan black t-shirts we got from Mazatlan.
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INFORMATION ON CARNAVAL CELEBRATION IN MAZATLAN
Carnaval (as it is spelled in Mazatlan) was the biggest annual event of the year in Mazatlán! It was more like a festival and consists of many events including huge parades, large coronations, large concerts, fireworks, and street parties with hundreds of thousands of people there!
Carnaval was a Christian tradition that celebrated the short period before Lent began -- running from Thursday, February 8 to Tuesday, February 13, 2024 (known a Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday). Tuesday, February 13 was significant in the Catholic religion because it was the last day of feasting before Lent began on Ash Wednesday.
The Mazatlán Carnaval was basically the same as our Mardi Gras, but the Mazatlán version was very artistic with lots of Pacifico beer and partying! The first Carnaval in Mazatlán was held in 1898 and has been an annual event ever since.
Carnaval occurred over six days and included many events. The Carnaval in Mazatlán was reported to be the 3rd largest in the world after Rio De Janeiro and New Orleans! The theme of the 2024 Carnaval in Mazatlán was Baroque Eclipse. The year of 2024 was the 126th anniversary of the first Carnaval in Mazatlán in 1898!
This year's theme of Mazatlan Carnival 2024 was Eclipse Barroco. It was a combination of celebrating the total eclipse of the sun on April 8, and honoring the baroque era -- 1600 to around 1750 -- which was lush and lavish. The holiday of Carnaval was celebrated as the last chance for the indulgence of carnal pleasures that must be given up by Catholics for 40 days during Lent.
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Just a couple more of the famous sites to see in Mazatlan included:
1) The tribute to the Beatles crossing Abbey Road. This was Mazatlan’s newest attraction along Liverpool Street. The bronze statues featured the four members crossing the street -- with Paul McCartney barefoot like on the “Abbey Road” album (see below).
2) The “yellow submarine” located at the other end of the Callejón Liverpool (shown below). the bright yellow contrasted significantly against the white and grey buildings.
After we left the market square area, we walked back toward our ship past the street named Carnaval. Note the beautifully decorated dragon on the side of the building below.
We walked back through the arch welcoming us to Mazatlan (shown above) and across the crosswalk (shown below).
We then walked into the port area of Mazatlan.
Mel stopped briefly to look in the OXXO store to see if they had beer for sale.
We strolled through the port shopping area on our way back to the ship.
We stopped to eat lunch at the Green Bar (shown above) -- which is an outdoor bar at the Mazatlan cruise port. The Green Bar has been a staple in the cruise terminal for years. It's in the outdoor courtyard where you can sit at the bar or at one of the nearby tables covered with an umbrella for shade. They have a selection of bottled beers and a full bar, and also great food.
Mel had the beef/chicken fajitas for $8 (see above and below).
While I had the chicken nacos for $7 (see below). Everything was really fantastic!
After lunch, we headed back into the terminal building and walked through it before walking out to catch a shuttle back to our cruise ship.
We hopped on the shuttle right outside and were soon whisked off toward our cruise ship.
When we got on the ship around 1:45 p.m., we went up to our stateroom and found the bat towel art creature hanging (see below).
After getting cleaned up after our day in Mazatlan, I decided to go down to deck 4 and take a few pictures of the port of Mazatlan from the cruise ship (see above and below).
Then at 4:30 p.m. I met Mel at the Schooner Bar for a drink before dinner.
I had a blended frozen mango and peach schnapps daiquiri, while Mel had a Dark 'N Stormy (see above).
And although I didn't have what is called the "Love Connection" as shown above, perhaps next time we cruise I will try it. This drink has three layers of frozen, fruity flavors -- strawberry daiquiri, mango daiquiri, and piña colada for the ultimate tropical cocktail.
We went to dinner in the Main Dining Room at 5:15 p.m. Shown above is Bhuwasid our assistant waiter filling water glasses with a smile. We ordered off the "Taste of the US" menu (see below).
For a starter, Mel had the chilled shrimp cocktail (shown above), while we both had the baked potato soup (shown below).
Then for a main course, we both had the lobster mac and cheese -- which is decadent lobster and pasta in a rich cheese sauce topped with toasted buttery bread crumbs (see above). Mel also had jambala, while I had beef loin with vegetables and a bake potato (shown below).
For dessert, Mel had a fudge brownie and two scoops of vanilla ice cream (see above), while I had the Royal cheesecake (see below).
After dinner at around 7:00 p.m., we went to the Royal Theater on deck 3 for the Spotlight Showtime starring the Royal Caribbean Singers. While there Mel had Olga our favorite bartender make us each a mudslide to enjoy. The performance tonight was a special performance from vocalists Katherine Parrish and Ryan Doyle.
Katherine Parrish (shown above) has been working as a Featured Singer for Royal Caribbean International aboard Navigator of the Seas which sails the Mexican Riviera (performing in Ballroom Fever and Showgirl: Past, Present, and Future).
Ryan Doyle has also been working as a Featured Singer for Royal Caribbean International aboard Navigator of the Seas which sails the Mexican Riviera (performing in Ballroom Fever and Showgirl: Past, Present, and Future).
Shown above and below is Katherine Parrish singing.
Shown above and below is Ryan Doyle singing.
Then after the show, we went to the ISkate: Reach for the Stars performance in Studio B on deck 3 at 8:45 p.m. This show began at 9:15 p.m. The talented skaters put their best blade forward in a dazzling showcase odf their best moves set to their own favorite tunes.
The talented skaters are shown performing above and below.
Shirley & Mel
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