MAZATLÁN HISTORIC DISTRICT & CENTRAL MARKET: Some of Our Favorite Places in Old Town

We Get Homesick for Mazatlán!

Pretty Houses on Angel Flores Street

     When we are in the United States visiting family during the summer, we miss Mazatlán, its beautiful bay and beaches, many favorite restaurants, and the pretty colonial buildings in the old Historic District. I begin looking through my photos of Mazatlán, showing my favorites to my husband, Jon. We reminisce about our happy times there, exploring all the niches in Old Town, many of which are being restored with new plaster and bright paint. One of our favorite blocks of pretty houses in Mazatlán's Historic District is Angel Flores between Calle Niños Heroes and Venus. We catch the bus to the Golden Zone on this street, so we often stand on this corner admiring the Mexican colonial architecture. Here are a few more photos of the many buildings recently restored in the Centro Histórico.

Daytime Stroll through the Plaza Machado

Corner of Constitución & Belisario Dominquez

     One typically warm, sunny afternoon we had lunch at the cozy restaurant named "Raizc3s" in this beautifully restored building on the corner of Constitución and Belisario Dominquez streets in Old Town. Our table centered on the arch-topped open window so we had a nice view for people watching as we dined. Our lunch was delicious and we look forward to returning to try their breakfast. The staff was very attentive and friendly.
     Our favorite restaurant in Old Town is La Mona Pizzeria on Niño Heroes between Mariano Escobedo and Constitución. Hardly a week goes by when we are living in Mazatlán before we are planning our next dinner at La Mona's with its friendly service and yummy salads and wood fired pizza. The wine selection is good and the prices are fair. The first evening we arrive back in Mazatlán in the fall, we'll hop on the bus and head to La Mona's!

La Mona Pizzeria -- Our Favorite in Mazatlán!

Entering La Mona Pizzeria -- Like We've Come Back Home!

Jon Watches Soccer on TV, Surrounded by Whimsical Artwork

     We enjoy shopping at the central market in Mazatlán, especially for fresh produce. The variety of fruits and vegetables available is amazing and the prices are very reasonable. It is well worth the bus ride from the RV Park where we stay to the downtown market to shop. The meat, poultry, and fish counters are much more attractive than I remember them being ten years ago. The entire market is clean, neat, and has enough variety in dry goods, clothing, leather and other crafts to keep us shopping for hours. But, I like the Mexican way of taking brief shopping trips to the market every day or two so we always have very fresh produce and meat. It's so much more enjoyable than spending an hour at the supermarket! And the best part...strawberries, tomatoes, and other produce actually have flavor, just like they were picked ripe in the field (which they probably were), unlike the pulpy, flavorless things we buy in the U.S.A. that just look like strawberries and tomatoes. We love living in Mazatlán!

Beautiful Fresh Fruit and Vegetables at the Central Market!

Colorful Clothing, Piñatas, Crafts, and More

Refrigerated, Clean Meat Counters (Improves the Smell of the Market, Too!)

     Read more about "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" in my book available on Amazon.com. View a sample by clicking HERE.

Follow our adventures at: www.HealthyLivingandTravelinginMexico.com

BeFIT FITNESS CENTERS IN MAZATLÁN: Zumba, CrossFit, TRX, Spinning, Yoga, and More!

BeFiT in Mazatlán

Look for the "BeFiT Fitness Center" Banner

     There are so many ways to stay physically fit in Mazatlán. When our usual Zumba class in the park with Penny Fuller (see blog post by clicking at: Zumba with Penny in the Morning )was finished for the season and we weren't ready to leave Mazatlán, I started searching for another way to work out. One day, as we were riding the bus from the Golden Zone toward Punta Cerritos RV Park, I saw this large "BeFiT Fitness Center" banner hanging above a building at the curve where Avenida Camarón Sábalo turns into the Marina area.

Entry of the BeFiT Fitness Center

     When I googled BeFiT in Mazatlán, I found out there are three of these fitness centers in this city. I contacted them through their website to find out if they have Zumba classes and was excited to find that they do! The class times are different at each location, but the class at the location closest to us was at 8:00AM. I can understand working out at 8:00AM while it is relatively cool outside, but I'm just not a morning person. So I have to admit that we did not make it to their Zumba class or the Crossfit, TRX, Spinning, Yoga class or any other of their many fitness classes, though we plan to next season. With three locations and plenty of class options and times, we have no excuse!

Jon Working out on the Weight Machines

     We did work out in the fitness center one afternoon and were impressed with the selection of equipment. Jon and I both did twenty minutes on the cross-trainer machines and then a rotation on the weight machines. Afterward we completed twenty minutes of floor exercises to round out our workout. The air conditioning wasn't turned on so it was pretty warm in the gym, especially on the third floor where the weight machines were. Morning would have been a more comfortable time to exercise at the BeFiT Fitness Center in mid-May. I was glad we had brought out water bottles and sweat towels!

Plenty of Cross-Trainers, Treadmills, and Rowing Machines

     I enjoyed reading several health-related quotes etched into windows in the fitness center, encouraging members to focus on the importance of good health. This was the first time I had heard Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote of "The First Wealth is Health" and I learned it in Spanish at the BeFiT Fitness Center, as it was etched in a window above the cross-trainer I was exercising on. Trying to understand the other three motivational quotes written in Spanish on the windows kept my mind off of the monotony of pushing my arms and legs in the repetitive circles (I would rather be doing Zumba!). The slogans written in Spanish were complex enough that I had to take photos so I could translate their meanings later. I liked seeing the health-oriented words written in Spanish for the Mexican gym members, and encouraging the gringos who visit to learn the local language. After our workout, we found the locker rooms and showers to be clean and in good condition. 

"The First Wealth is Health"

     To see all three BeFiT Fitness Center locations in Mazatlán and to contact them for current class schedules, go to their website at www.befit.mx .
     I invite you to read more about fitness opportunities and other benefits of living in (or visiting) Mazatlán in my eBook available from Amazon.com. To see a free sample click at: "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" eBook Sample