We spent a wonderful week in Mexico with friends Darrell and Cindy.  When we made our reservations last fall, Delta was our best flight option. Through the intervening months, Delta changed times, routes, airlines, and even our departure date!

Our Boise to Minneapolis to Mazatlan route stayed the same but Delta’s change meant we had to leave Boise at 5:30 a.m. on Friday instead of mid-morning Saturday. Fortunately, Cindy was able to take the extra day off work but Delta didn’t pay for our extra night at the resort.

We have time-share weeks at Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay in Mazatlan and have been there many times.  Darrell and Cindy came with us previously in 2012.  We traded for Cabo the last two years so were very glad to be going back to Emerald Bay.  From the welcoming Tequila Sunrise forward, it was our Happy Place all week long!

This was our room with the balcony overlooking the pool and the ocean.

We spent a lot of time by the pool lounging, playing cards and enjoying nachos, pina coladas, miami-vices, chi-chis and other adult beverages.

We enjoyed painting our Mexican pottery. You paint a pre stamped design and the people providing the opportunity make them look beautiful!

The resort grounds are lovely with a variety of flora and fauna.

There are iguana!

We went to Mass on Sunday, a combination of English and translated Spanish.

I went para-sailing right off the resort beach!   Here I am getting strapped in and receiving instructions.

Randy para-sailed on our honeymoon – 36 years later it was my turn!

The servers around the pool and in the restaurants are wonderful. One of the waiters had us giggling. He was so efficient that he was removing our dishes before we were finished with them. We finally had to hold on to our glasses so they didn’t disappear.

We did leave Emerald Bay and go into town a few times. We went to Randy’s favorite restaurant – Fat Fish.   It isn’t fancy AT ALL but is #7 of 300+ on Trip Advisor.

They offer  ‘2 for 1’ ribs, steak or breaded shrimp dinners for 220 pesos (currently $11.73) With drinks and a tip – it was about $15 per couple.

We ate at Panchos in the Golden Zone. We were having a fine time enjoying our meals, complimentary tequila and complimentary kailua and cream when our waiter noticed I wasn’t eating my carne asada (too rare).  So, he gave us another round of tequila and a piece of cake to share.

When we got our second round of complimentary kailua and cream- mine was HUGE and went unfinished!

Our time wasn’t totally spent eating and drinking!  We went on a City Tour one evening.

Another day we walked along the maleacon and enjoyed sites and views along the way.

The hotel behind us is where we spent our honeymoon in 1980.

There are a variety of statues along the maleacon.

This statue commemorates pulmonias – Mazatlan’s famous open air taxis.  They were called pulmonias because opponents tried to discourage their use by suggesting that those who rode in them would get pneumonia. The discouragement didn’t work. Pulmonias are everywhere and riding in them is fun!

Off to dinner in one of Mazatlan’s famous pulmonias.

We rode a city bus (also an experience) into the historic district to see the Cathedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción, begun in 1856 and completed in 1899.

This Roman Catholic cathedral has 28 stained glass windows featuring a Star of David.  This was done in gratitude to a local Jewish family who provided funds to complete the church.

We visited during Mass and there was no English translation this time. Mass is celebrated many times each day.

We visited Mazatlan’s main market.  We’ve been there before but enjoyed experiencing it with Darrell and Cindy.

Selling and buying marlin meat at the market.

The “on the hoof that morning” meat market is somewhat shocking to our American sensibilities. We visited in the early afternoon and there was still a lot of meat sitting out. I asked what happened to the meat that didn’t sell and was told that it was purchased and frozen for sale in grocery stores.

Cindy finding Mexican candy for the grandchildren.

We have our yearly supply of amaretto and coffee flavored sipping tequila!

All too soon our week (plus one day) at our Happy Place was over and it was time to re-engage with Delta. That meant a 2:30 a.m. alarm to catch our 3:30 taxi to get to the Mazatlan airport at 4:00.  (That was NOT the original plan!)

Setting both phone alarms!  

I wore this, my last clean shirt, on the way home.  It was a conversation starter over and over again!  Randy isn’t even a Seahawks fan but bought one too because it was so clever!  

Our Delta revised route home took us from Mazatlan at 6:00 a.m. (on AeroMexico) south to Mexico City (five hour delay), back on Delta to Salt Lake City and then into Boise at 9:30 pm. It was a long day.

Randy and Darrell trying to sleep in the Mexico City airport

We appreciate that the pilots and flight attendants got us there and back safely.  We are trying to remember that, ultimately, this is the most important thing.   But, we still don’t like Delta!