As far as RV parks go, this one is pretty good. Right smack dab on the beach, but also right on the main road through town so the bus can zip us out of this area and down to the Old Town area in just a few minutes. Best of both Mazatlan worlds. And this is a town that most definitely has at least three different worlds. Tourist zone with tourists everywhere, Old Town with a handful of tourists milling about, and the neighborhoods where nary a tourist is to be seen.
Only thing this campground is missing is some younger blood. There are currently 20 RVs, 37 retirees, 73 dogs under five pounds, 1 dog over five pounds, 2 adults under sixty-five, and 2 children. We’ve had quite a few friends pass through in the past couple of weeks, but our friends tend to be on the move. The gang that hangs out here is hiding out from Canadian winter and will not move until that ends. Different strokes. After a month of planting our feet in one place I think we’ve realized yet again that we’re not quite ready to join this group.
tap. tap. tap. Instagram open. Facebook open. tap. tap. OMG! Beach time with my BFF gurlz! So much fun! tap. tap. post.
swipe. swipe. OMG! Nobody has liked my status update. I have no friends. swipe. swipe.
We’ve seen this boy all over Mazatlan the past couple of years. He sells newspapers. He used to sell them with his mother, but we didn’t see her today. He’s a nice boy. Makes us sad to see how eager he is to interact with anybody who will pay attention to him. Clearly, he had to be a grown-up far too early.
We wandered around some back streets in Old Town today. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Every single street in this area of town is interesting to me. I love the layers of color and seeing life go on while the decay goes on. If someone suddenly swooped in, repaired everything to original glory, and threw a fresh coat of paint on, I wouldn’t get any satisfaction from it.
I know there is a name for this type of photography (derogatory I believe), but it’s what grabs my eye. The imperfection. Since we’ve been in Mazatlan I’ve had at least half a dozen people tell me how I could have our bus painted for cheap. It’ll look like new they all say. No thanks. I think if I did that I’d have to sell it afterwards.
Every time I walk past this building I think that we need to get some investors together and turn it into a hotel. There’s a columned courtyard inside and the building wraps around the entire block. It’s gorgeous, and extremely filthy at the same time.
When Lowe saw this truck he asked if he could go over and see if it had any flat tires. He’s smart—he has figured out that if a vehicle is sitting on flat tires that it’s okay to climb around inside of it. Made me smile. Things like that make me happy that we had a boy the second time around. Not that Ouest wouldn’t have eagerly played in the back of the truck too, it just wouldn’t have been her first thought upon seeing it. Boys are wired that way.
Ali: “Careful guys, we’re high up.”
Kids: Run to edge to see just how high.
Chili powder and paprika were on the shopping list today. Ali has taken to making her own taco seasoning. In case anyone needed evidence that we are growing up.
The bus stop on the back side of the market.
33 Comments on “Young and Old”
Ha…we’re a little older than you, at 53. But we’re still almost always the youngest ones in an RV park.
That picture of Lowe stood on/next to the tree is great! Such a handsome boy!
Thanks. We laughed when we saw him standing there with his hand on his hip like that. So grown up.
Oh man, your photos make us long for Mexico again. I know you hear it all the time, but your photos really have a way of capturing the essence and feel of the place and people (both good and bad, love the beach texting scene!).
– Katie and Mark
Thanks, guys. Credit where credit is due—the texting shot was Ali’s. I was happy to see she had taken it because I had been watching the three girls as well and thinking the exact same thing that Ali was.
We have also spent a lot of time shopping in that market in Mazatlan. It is a great town.
Love that market!!
One thing that strikes me in most third world (although Mexico is kind of second world) countries is the spiderweb of lines hovering above the streets. Why do they need so many wires? Where do they all go? Blocking the view!! 🙂
I think it is fair to say that infrastructure planning comes in a distant second to infrastructure building.
By that criterion, many parts of the US are indeed 3rd world as well. Locals don’t notice it any more, but the tourists sure do. Here is one Swiss tourist’s view of San Francisco (in French, see below the map):
http://sailingsalamander.blogspot.com/2014/09/usa-bilan.html
OK, the Swiss really are at the top when you look at infrastructure and cleanliness, but he’s right about roads being pot-holed, water pipes leaking/bursting, internet access being spotty (then again, we don’t expect good coverage across the west either).
Counting RV’s, people’s apparent age,occupations and DOGS?
Man, you have to be bored. Time to move on.
More like observant. The dog size is telling.
“Things like that make me happy that we had a boy the second time around”
So what about 3rd time round ?
Any news on that front, just asking as it seems not many pictures of Ali lately?
Thank you for keeping your blog current and up to date, so many bloggers lose interest after a few months and leave us hanging wondering what happened.
This has got to be my favorite blog by far and I’ve been following along since back when you were going to enter “The Great Race”. My friends lost a bunch of money on that fiasco, I can’t remember how long ago that was but probably 6 years.
Cheers
David
We’re 41 years old and our home is 27 feet long. Do you really think a third is on the way?
Street food from a bicycle…..got to be the best
I am not sure about the style of photography that highlights decay amongst the continuation of life, but one word for the philosophy is Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese term, that “represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete…” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi) Your love of that aesthetic puts you in great company indeed.
Thanks for that. Interesting to read about.
Best photo caption ever with the three girls on cell phones. You nailed it! I’m about to buy you a beer for that one.
chirp. chirp. chirp. 🙂
This might be my favorite posting ever. I don’t know why. Perhaps because my husband and I are in the “old” group, but have a dog over 35 lbs. Perhaps, I’m Sorry for being old, but I would still love to play, like you are, on the beach with your kids.
I just heard someone say that Mexico is one of the free-est countries in the world. I get that ambiance about it from your blog; it’s such a nice break from what’s going on in the rest of the world.
I don’t know, but I definitely feel “free-est” when I am here.
I would love to see a collection of Ouest’s best photos. I see her taking pictures almost every post. She must have some keepers amongst them!
One of these days. Right now I have a hard enough time keeping up with my own photos.
I love the pictures of the old disintegrating buildings. They are interesting to me too. As I was absorbed in shooting this old sinking ship on the coast, my girlfriend says… “that’s so ugly! why are you taking so many pictures of it?” Guess it’s all a matter of perspective.
You’re making us want to spend next winter in Mazatlan. We are both photographers and are really admiring your images. Although we’re older than you guys, we rarely relate to that older group of “snowbirds” either. Would you mind sharing the name of the RV Park?
Trailer Park Mar Rosa. Right on the beach amongst the hotels. I asked the manager the other day why the land was never sold off to a developer and he said the owner had many offers but never wanted to sell. That owner died last year. The new owner, I presume a daughter, is actively trying to sell. This could be the last year for this place. There are other RV park options, but nothing even remotely as good as this one.
Loved everything about this post, especially the colors & architecture in that old neighborhood.
I especially loved the picture about being “high up” and the kids – typical kids – dashing over to see how “high up.”
And, really?? 73 dogs under 5 pounds and one over 5 pounds? That must mean each of the 20 RVs has about 4 dogs. LOL
Love reading your blog. Although I am old enough to be your mom, I enjoy reading about what you and your family are doing. 🙂
I agree. The decay is rich and delicious to the eye.
I used to wrestle my kids that way. The rule was, I couldn’t use my legs, or my arms, or my head… Now my son is four inches taller than me and built like spring steel. I wrestle my grand kids now.
The picture of the newspaper boy brought a few tears to my eyes. Hauntingly beautiful.
Pat that shot of the old gent with the wrought iron gate is a piece of art. You should enter it in a show.
We live in an old German farm house from 1872. Our friends love it, and say our house has a soul. I love the older architecture, and I think it is true. Old buildings have a soul, even some kind of passion to them. I often wonder how they must have looked when they were new.