MAZATLAN: WE KEEP RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR!

Long, Clean Sandy Beach in Mazatlan

SO MANY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT MAZATLAN!

     I want to analyze what makes Jon and I yearn for our return to Mazatlán each winter, and what makes us want to linger there for weeks in the spring, reluctant to return to the United States. I want to list the things that Jon and I love about living in Mazatlán. In writing that simple sentence, I have admitted to myself that we do live in Mazatlán when we go there. It is simply a matter of how long we live there each time we travel to this, our current favorite city in Mexico. 

     Some of these items on my list seem simplistic, even unimportant at first. For instance, does anyone care how we got our laundry done? This became an important item when we lived in a motorhome without a washer and dryer for 6 months of the year. Does anyone care where we went to get our pesos, the Mexican currency? When we were trying to stretch our dollars, we wanted the best exchange rate with the lowest fees, and we wanted to withdraw the maximum number of pesos possible so we didn't have to visit an ATM more than

Longest Malecon in the World is in Mazatlan

once a week. We always paid in cash in Mexico to eliminate the risk of credit card fraud and international credit card charges. We also tried to avoid ATMs that were not at actual banks whenever possible, such as the ones at grocery stores, mini-markets, and Pemex gas stations, as there have been cases reported of Debit Cards being cloned at some of these ATMs. So where the banks were located, in relation to where we lived, became important to us. Other foreigners who live in Mexico part-time or full-time would agree, I believe.

     Our list of things we love about Mazatlán is based on living in an RV Park. But hotels, condos, and apartments surround the area that we lived in, so this list applies to living or staying in these types of places also. So, here is our list of things, small and large, that we love about living in Mazatlán during the winter:

     ·    Warm, sunny weather with relatively low humidity, average maximum 79.3 degrees F/ 26.3 degrees C in December, 29.1 and 84.4 degrees F /29.1 degrees C in May

•  Longer hours of daylight than north of the border

Beautiful Mazatlan Sunset

• Warm ocean water, Average: 74.6°F /23.7°C in December, 79.9°F/ 26.6°C in May
• Gentle waves, yet strong enough to get some great boogie boarding rides most days·         Ocean in the Golden Zone is safe for children to play in on most days, as the beach is protected here by the nearby islands and the tip of Baja California across the sea, so that the waves and undertow are seldom dangerous.
•     Sunsets that never cease to amaze us in their beauty, different every day
•     Many good restaurants along the beach, serving a variety of seafood
•     Most restaurant prices are relatively low for a resort area.
•     Many dog-friendly places to take dogs, including the beach, parks, and many restaurants
•        A family-friendly city. Mexican families and international families alike enjoy coming here for vacation and to live.
•         RV Parks next to the beach with 24 hour security
•        Many good restaurants within walking distance of our RV Park, and many more within an easy bus trip or taxi ride in the Golden Zone and Historical District

Living at Mar Rosa RV Park on the Beach

•     Buses stop frequently in front of our RV Park and are inexpensive. The bus system is easy to use to get to the Historical District, the Central Market, the Malecón, and anywhere in the Golden Zone. (Tourist district)
•        A very long, clean, sandy beach is perfect for taking long walks
• Great people-watching city, whether on the beach, in the parks, in the Plazas, or on the Malecón.
•       Laundry service at the RV Park is great! I dropped my bagged laundry off at the RV Park office in the morning and we received it delivered to our motorhome in the afternoon, washed, dried, and neatly folded. I got very spoiled with this service!
  ·         The Palms Resort is next door to Mar Rosa RV Park. The staff is very friendly and welcomes us when we drop in for a margarita, lunch, and a dip in their inviting swimming pool. The palapa bar/restaurant overlooks the beach and is a good place to watch the sunset. They don’t mind if we bring Bella for sunset cocktail hour, as she sits quietly under our table on the balcony.
  ·         Great internet service at Mar Rosa RV Park—it was an additional charge of about 200 pesos per week ($15 U.S.), but well worth it. Internet was not good in many RV Parks in Mexico.

  

  Zumba with Penny in the Park

  ·         Great Zumba classes within walking distance of our RV Park!
  ·         Many fitness centers in the Golden Zone
  ·         A good Mexican Central Market for purchasing quality produce, meat, and other supplies
  ·         A Produce Truck comes to the RV Park at least once weekly with good quality fruit and vegetable for a very fair price. This is a fun way to shop without leaving home!
  ·         Many good supermarkets and Wal-Mart within driving or taxi ride range
  ·         Banamex and BanNorte Banks within walking or bus ride distance of our RV Park on Avenida Camarón Sábalo, the main boulevard that runs in front of our RV Park and through the Golden Zone
  ·         The longest Malecón (walkway along the beach) in the world! This promenade is nearly ten miles long (twenty-one kilometers) and wide enough for plenty of traffic including bicycles, pedestrians, strollers, dogs, and people on rollerblades. It is a place that couples, singles, and families come to spend time together, both during the daytime and in the evening when it is well lit. Along the Malecón, there are cliffs, monuments, gazebos, old buildings, hotels, shops, restaurants, bars, sculptures, street vendors, and benches for resting and watching people.

  

  Listening to Music on Plaza Machado

  ·         We have met many friendly and fun people while living in Mazatlán, mostly other gringos who live at the same RV Park, go to the same Zumba classes, hang out at the same restaurants and bars, and return to live in Mazatlán every winter.
  ·         Great live music at restaurants in the Historical District and Golden Zone. 

  

            I could go on and on with this list. It has become clear that we love Mazatlán and that it will definitely be on our list of places to live part of each winter. We can't wait to return to Mazatlan in December!

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Terry L Turrell

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