The first vote will be for our new wheels mentioned in this blog post. The second vote will be for my new sunset ocean view seating area – which is still a work in progress but discussed in this post and also here. Your votes on the suggestions submitted to us by yourselves will guide us in making a decision.
Please vote on a name for what we have been calling ‘ Put – Put ‘ from the following suggestions by making a comment.
~ Grasshopper
~ Dune Buggy
~ Lizard Blitz
~ Verde Vroom
~ C’s Lime Beast
~The Turtle
~ the Bomb
~Cool Jewall
~ The Chuckle Chariot
~ Emerald Buggy
~ Put – Put
Next help choose a name for my very special area overlooking the sunset, also by making a comment.
So happy to welcome a long time blog reader to Mexico. She has done all her paperwork including visiting a US Mexican Consulate and crossed yesterday into Sonora. Don’t know if she got temporal or permanente? She is very happy to be living here now in Mexico. I think her favorite parts thus far are the loud music and hummingbirds 😎 A huge amount of work on her part but so worth it. Not an easy move from eastern USA. Very happy to have been able to help her.
Colin’s photo of the April 2024 eclipse here in Mazatlan. Perfect for our 2025 April calendar.
The boys coffee morning hang out. We have known these fellows Randy and Merle ( not Andy on top right ) since 2009. Look at those socks.
Hope you had enough syrup for your wafflles Merle. Love your very special smile.
Great photo taken by Tris as they flew out of Mazatlan on April 2nd. So sad they had to leave two months early but oh what a great photo of the Isla. Shipping channel on the right along with El Faro and we are on that bay on the left – you can see the long stretch of the isthmus that we are on ( just about mid photo ). How fortunate we are to be living here.
Not a great sunset this evening, but I managed to catch one of the last few shrimp boats coming in. Shrimp season is officially over. Prices will now be sky high for shrimp. We stocked up.
It is a fun thing, actually a very entertaining object, as well as a practical item.
Many people who live here on the Isla have an ATV or bicycle as their main form of transportation. Of course most walk. Some have golf carts, scooters or side by sides. We walk the beach but for other errands such as a quick trip to the small local tienda or to the ferreteria and often out for a meal, we take the Jeep. And each time we take the launcha across to Mazatlan we drive to one of the two embarcaderos.
Ideally seeing as this will be our home for a long time to come ( well we hope so ) we thought it practical for us to park the Jeep and cover it and to get our personal form of local Isla transportation.
So the search began. Definitely not an ATV, much too difficult for me to get up on never mind drive. Then we looked at some used side by sides also known as UTVs. So Can -Ams where checked out as where various Polaris vehicles and a few others, but they were all to difficult to me to get up into. Colin even paid a mechanic to come and check out a few. Some were much too noisy. We looked at two wonderful used golf carts complete with lithium batteries for sale at Estrella Del Mar. However we soon realized that we can’t take them out onto the beach, much too low to the ground.
Finally we stumbled upon something almost too good to be true. A brand new 2025 UTV sold here in Mazatlan by SUNL de Mexico and shipped from Guadalajara and made in China. Delivered here to us on the Isla at no extra charge. A UTV O Tipo Razer SUNL 200CC FP. Looks like the next two photos.
Except the one that they had here was not red but orange. No, non, nada!
Sneek peek of ours.
We purchased “it” the very end of January. It came from Guadalajara and we only had a choice of orange, blue or green. Red would have been our choice but that was the 2024 model. However the weather has been much too cold to use it, not to mention the daily damp fog.
We finally started using if a few days ago. Love it. The girls love it as well. Have not yet been to the beach with it. Very soon I expect.
Well, we have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride the past 4 days. Very suddenly about noonish on Friday the 28th we lost all electricity to our site. It appears that a neighbor was doing some patio construction when they accidentally cut an electrical connection. We just happened to be right there at the time when the fellow who did it, came out holding a hacksaw saying that an electrical line had been cut. So Colin and then Joe went to check our respective electrical connections and sure enough we had no power. The fellow who manages our site only showed up after dark with his electrician. Of course nothing could be sorted out in the dark. The next day was not much better. And the translator we use, lives in Guadalajara!
All of this brush has been burned and the ashes raked and removed.
Going up there is going to be so much fun.
Very long story short we are now waiting for the CFE ( Federal Electricity Commission ) to come and sort out the problem. As you know we have a new to us RV which runs entirely on electricity. The past 4 days has been a challenge resulting in a good deal of stress. For some reason our generator would not start unless plugged in to at least 15AMPs for a short period of time. OR we could start the RV and from there the generator. And it appears that the house batteries that came with this RV are not holding as good a charge as they should. Then we have a problem with the water pump affecting flushing the toilet. So lots of issues all at once. So far we have been able save the food in the fridge. Heating the water for showers is a bit of a challenge so don’t get too close 😎 We are hoping that by Monday or Tuesday we have a solution. Not to worry, we have plan B and C and possibly D. Plan F ( fail ) involves returning to Canada – perhaps just me!!
Our good friend Nancy has goats visit on a regular basis. She also feeds iguanas daily. Life on the Isla is different.
I wrote the above yesterday ( Sunday ) and here we are Monday at 7PM with no change. No CFE. Well not exactly true. Late yesterday ( which is why I am only completing this post the next day ) Erik ( our RV tech who has been ill for over two weeks ) showed up to try and help us out. He was able to sort out that the neighbors ground wire had been cut which in turn had affected our own electrical connection. After a great deal of testing this and that and trying few things Erik was able to create a very temporary fix using one of our dog fence rebars and a hose clamp. And voila we were functioning. Suddenly we had electricity to run our fridge and hot water ( yeah, a shower again ). So next Colin has to go out and find the proper copper pieces required to create a proper ground. We are still having water pump issues and continue to use a bucket of water to flush but electricity is everything. Low to no shower pressure is acceptable.
I don’t think I showed you our computer desk set up.
Oh and thanks for your suggestions re naming my bit of paradise – which due to all the stuff happening I have not been to for a few days. I am likely going to go with something with “C’s” in the name. So keep your thinking caps on.
In real time, this past Saturday evening we attended a beyond spectacular classical guitar performance by a lovely young woman ( only 23 ) from Russia. This was her first time ever in Mexico and she loved it. Her concert brought me to tears.
A snippet of one of her pieces. She is one with her instrument.
Perhaps due to a conflict of activities only 18 people attended.
Sorry if this is a repeat. Great yellow hibiscus.
The Mazatlan Film and Theatre Group put on two play readings this season and we attended both. Always a joy. Looking forward to performing with them one day once we are settled. Many years ago I actually directed a play at the Banff School of Fine Arts as well as performed in a few. Theatre, opera and symphony are a huge part of my past.
We had three cruise ships in port Wednesday. It was a lovely day, first in a long while.
With Colin’s help I was able to climb up and take the following photos. The dirt path is a bit slippery for me to attempt on my own.
The Norwegian Bliss.
Still two ships left at dock. This huge, many ton piece of concrete has been here on top of the various rocks that were used to build the berm. So ugly.
The work started on “my” site last Monday. It is going to be a slow process. We are dealing with people who work where and when they can and most importantly when they want to. So sometimes after paying them for that days work they don’t come back for a few days. When they need more pesos they will start work again. Jimmy is a great worker and so is his current helper.
I know this will work out.
And our compound just across the road.
We are in a hold position waiting for him complete phase one. Once he does we will pay the end of that phase. The next part of the project depends on when he is ready to work again.
He worked until dark Wednesday night.
The Carnival Panorama heading out to sea.
The Norwegian ship stopping at the shipping channel entrance so that the passengers can enjoy the setting sun.
Last ship in port. In the foreground, behind that monster piece of concrete, you can see the Playa Sur Embarcadero. Between the cruise ship and our pier are two tuna boats getting ready to head out. That is how close we are to our transportation to Mazatlan via the water taxis as they are sometimes called. The last lancha leaves the Isla at 6:30PM. We also have another ‘main’ Embarcadero that is open 24/7, about a 5 minute drive away.
The Holland America Koningsdam had to do a multi point turn in order to sail out.
So why am I creating this special space? Simply because I need to see the sunset every night. My soul needs this vista, this inspiration. Would you like to help me create a name for my new space? Could it be as simple as ‘Contessa’s Corner’? A special friend suggested ‘El Cielo de la Condesa’ (Contessa’s Sky )! Or El cielito de Contessa ( Contessa’s little heaven )? How about El Corazon ( heart ) de Contessa? What do you think? Suggestions are very welcome.
Maybe I’ve been too lazy to post of late or perhaps I have been too busy to create a blog post? Once again it is catchup time. Always so much happening in our lives. So many folks to visit with, so many things to do and some needed RV Renovations which should be completed in another ten days or so. I will start with catching up on our February events.
Thanks to friends wintering here in Mazatan and their sharp eyes I now have a very comfortable supportive back rest for my computer chair. Ordered online thru Amazon.com.mx. But you need to have an address for delivery which we do not have here on the Island. Thank you Mary – Ann and Allan.
Ciela’s ears are doing well since the visit to the new vet in Centro. The girls are very happy here. My hair remains a bit too blonde for my liking but I will get used to it. Longtime friend from Kelowna, Sue, says that my hair looks sassy. I love that word.
We first met Allan and Mary-Ann at Holiday Park during our Covid winter but already knew her as a fellow blogger. At that time they were RV full timers. They now mix up RV travel, along with a home in Alberta and their RV. Superb dinner at El Velero. I think it was the last day of February.
Yesterday ( that would be real time “as in March 10” ) we had four Mexicans wash the RV from top to bottom using the power washer. Colin worked with them. Most of the time was spent cleaning the roof. But in three hours they also weeded our entire compound and did a great job on the RV. It is still cool here, most unusual for this time of year according to the locals. The girls and I spend most of the time inside while Colin does the outside things. It was so windy last night that we thought we might lose some of our palapa fronds but all was well this morning. But when we have a sunny protected spot, we sit out in the sun.
By the way we sold the RV sofa for full price to a doctor about 90 minutes south of here. Will soon have reno photos of what is happening in that space. We also just sold our extra fridge/freezer. So all that is left is to sell the house back in Canada. Nothing happening there yet – except for some falling snow.
Have not had any fisherman out front for a while now. Maybe too cold?
We are now officially part of our neighbors family to our right ( facing the ocean ). Our RV to the left.
This was Aitana’s 6th birthday on January 3rd ( I think – can’t recall exactly ) Her mother is pregnant with their second child but not feeling well but was trying her best to enjoy the festivities from her bed ( open window ).
Our Mexican neighbors have adopted us into their family. February 21st they had a gender reveal.
It’s boy!! Due in June. We should be here.
The above was written March 9th. Today March 26th I must complete this post or go to bed without dinner. Dinner is an excellent curry fish chowder currently baking with the crockpot. Back to posting, pronto.
We often attend the Gordon Campbell very high end musical Sunday afternoon events. The first one we attended this season was on February 9th at the Teatro Angel Peralta. It was Big Band Rock performed by the MazAzul Big Band with the addition of a few extra musicians. They are a group of international musicians ( Canada, Mexico and France ) who perform in Mazatlan during the winter season. The group offers original and unique arrangements of popular Soft Rock, Swing, Blues, R & B and Jazz Rock that showcase the diversity and ability of the players. They were beyond excellent.
It was a sold out performance.
This same band was hired to play at a private commitment ceremony here on the Isla the day I started this post ( March 9th ) which is how it somehow never got finished until today. Now that was a party.
Great celebration.
The very next week ( February 16 th ) we went so see Cuarteto Ventura. A group of guitarists from Culiacan whom are friends of Colin’s. Simply fabulous musicians. Their performance was ” Around the World in 20 songs!! ” Excellent. They sang in French, Italian and other languages as well as Russian. Amazing.
We have also remained involved in the Blues Concert series at Water’s Edge in Mazatlan Centro. Depending on the artist there are 2 -5 performances per artist. A very giving couple here on Stone Island are opening their home here on the Isla to a single performance once during the artists time here in Mazatlan.
Stunning drone photo by one of the local RVers. That is our RV with our palapa on the right of photo ( next to the white wall ). This was March 17th. Colin is involved ( volunteering ) in filming each artist at the restaurant and yet again here on the Isla.
We have been busy living each day to the fullest. I have missed some events and will add them later as I come across the photos. We have been busy with music and theater and rv renos and meeting new people. Hard to keep living this wonderful life and keep posting at the some time. However everyday I am stronger and my momentum is building.
Hopefully this covers and explains the gaps in the past weeks.
It is 9:40PM and we have not had dinner and Colin is napping so I must stop here and move on. Much more next time.
I need more than a few hours notice to bring in supplies for such a momentous occasion. Perhaps we should make this a monthly event. What do you think?
However I have been thinking about creating something special to celebrate the end of each day – other than a cocktail of course. As most of you know I have been known for my signature sunset photos for years, well probably since 2010 when this blog started.
Totally love where we live. This is Carlie’s corner.
What you don’t know is that the noseeums ( biting bugs, worse than mosquitoes in my opinion ) came out at dusk at the Tres Amigos RV Park and with each one of those stunning sunset photos I was being eaten alive. As you know this is our second winter here and we have no bugs, we honestly don’t.
So why have I not been taking my sunsets photos? Because there is a rock/cement berm just behind us along the shipping channel and I am not stable enough to climb up to take my sunset shots. I have a fear of falling and really hurting myself. Most of you know that I have had both hips replaced and that puts me in the somewhat fragile category.
As long as the feral cats stay hidden life is good re the barking. Otherwise life is a pain in the ears.
I have been biding my time what with all we have been doing ( music, theatre, rv renos and some yard work and who knows what else – some very special visits with exceptional people ) and keeping so busy that I have not been able to keep you up to date with all of my Que Pasa. Not to worry as you will be brought up to date eventually – in fact I have been working on a post but keep getting interrupted with life. Isn’t that wonderful! Someone commented on how I was actually up early the one day. We have no complaints at all. Methinks it is better to be happy busy than laying around beyond exhausted and you know that I have done that.
I have so many wonderful things to share with you. But back to today……
………oops that was an interruption by Colin! Yes I said to him “I am writing a blog post and that is how I like to do it – just as I feel inspired to do so and as it comes to me”. The last post never got finished as we had to go out to a very fun event but I just never got back to it. However I will finish it and catch up on the past 5 -6 weeks as this is the diary of our lives. It will happen – just not sure when.
So Jimmy and his friend, here in the photo, I don’t know his name yet, came to work today. Colin was walking the girls on the beach and I thought it strange that I had not yet heard from Jimmy so I went out to check. The two of them were already working at creating my new space. However we did not have an exact plan yesterday ( Sunday as we headed out ) and they had started at the wrong location. But I was able to redirect them quickly and in the end it was easier for them. My photo was too late to show all the debris and rocks from the bottom of the photo to where the fellow in white was working. You can see some of the garbage piled to the right which will be removed. Already they have leveled out the ground and are removing the large plant as you can see. FYI the smooth roundish structure to the right must have been some sort of anchor that was placed up here when the berm was constructed many many years ago. No way to remove it. A huge ugly obstacle.
So the girls are in bed waiting and Colin wants me to finish up but no not yet!! I am going to write when I feel like it and here I am. We were at a blues music event this evening but I want to write about today and how I got my sunset dream started.
The plant is gone and Jimmy ( in the blue ) has leveled the ground even more. Most of the holes have been filled in to create smooth surface for me to walk on. Best of all that thin cement overhang shown in the above photo is partially gone.
Yesterday we were headed about ( again an unexpected outing at El Velero ) ) could not say no as it was my boy band, Los Cryps. More about that in another post. But I will give you a hint. That is where I met my new great friend Judy that inspired this post. Turns out that we had met way back, maybe 2011 or 2012?? So as we headed out this local fellow ( SEE ABOVE PHOTO WITH THE GUY IN WHITE ) went past on his bicycle and I stopped him and asked him to come by today. Sorry about the photo being ahead of the explanation but you will just have to deal with it!!
As you can see I can’t just do at a quick tell all post – it goes on and on and on. I do believe that I am finally feeling myself again. I am so inspired. However it is almost 11PM and I must just get on with it.
On our way to the event tonight that Colin was filming and I was simply attending ( but still had to pay for ) I took this snapshot. The promise of things to come.
I left at the intermission as I can still only handle so much at one time and yesterday at El Velero wore me out – of course I danced!! Colin walked up to take this photo from my ‘things to come’ spot. Love those clouds. The ‘spot’ needs more work so stick with me for the promise of great things to come.
March 21st taken by Mary-Ann Knight from near Valentino’s.
Taken by Dallas yesterday, March 23rd here on the Isla.
Stayed tuned for some staccato blog posts.
Ahh it is almost midnight, I simply must get some rest as tomorrow is yet another full day.
Yesterday were the fantastic fireworks as well as the coronation of the Queen of Carnaval. Remember when I organized the boat cruises ( x3 ) in past years. We were perfectly located here to see the fireworks this year but mother nature decided to stop the wind, not even a wee breeze. So we watched very very little thru thick smoke. Here are a few photos from the internet.
The theme of Carnaval this year is La Perla.
Friday we had some friends over for the afternoon – more on that in another post. But while out dining we were approached by a vendor wanting to sell us masks. Colin has purchased several over the years but ours were run down primarily because of humidity. So we purchased two and our friends got another. I am ashamed to say that we got ours for such a low price, we should have offered even more.
Just a snap shot but the new ones are much larger.
Reading and relaxing but dressed for Carnaval.
This is the giant paper-mache statue located at the Plazuela Machado. Taken by moi!
Many other manigotes line the malecon here in Mazatlan. These were taken from the internet.
Love the sunflowers.
As I mentioned in a past post we have chosen to stay home for a variety of reasons this year. Despite having been invited ( well I invited myself ) to have condo balcony view we said no. Here are a few photos I took off of live streaming.
We are certainly hoping that March will bring us warmer temperatures. It has been a chilly few months for us. We are on the ocean and it is always cooler than posted temperatures.
Can you believe that we left Canada five months ago?
Ahh our old RV, which we really loved. We don’t miss that carpet though. The girls still love Katia.
I have so much to share that how can I decide which que pasa comes first? My plan was to go in the sequence of how things happened. Right now I am just going to go with what comes to mind first off and then the next and the next, etc.
My first lovely red flower off of this hibiscus plant. Almost 3D.
Tonight was the first night of Carnaval 2025 here in Mazatlan. Colin is at the baseball stadium where the crowning of the King of Carnaval started about 20 minutes ago. Very very very long story short – the huge main entertainment for tonight cancelled yesterday The cartel sent them a very disgusting thing sending them a message that they needed to cancel their event in Mazatlan or else they would be killed The second main group also cancelled – the cartel is deadly powerful.
Heritito and Colin
About midday today Colin got a phone call from his godson ( son of maestro Heriberto ) who is an architect but also plays in an extremely popular band here in Mexico as well as abroad explaining that his band had been hired by the Mexican government to replace the original entertainment for the crowning of the King of Carnaval tonight. So that is where Colin is right now. He was only going to go for the sound check and see his godson. For security reasons I am not naming names and details. Well Colin is there in the thick of it.
What can I say after that….every morning we wake up and just plan to ease into the day and relax! Nope, nada and a simple no – that is not our life. The daily dramas continue. Somehow the today just evolves.
Heri on the far right during the performance after the crowning of the King of Carnaval, February 27th. Taken from a Facebook webpage.
We could have had prime front row seating thanks to Heri but had already decided to not attend any events this carnaval. But look at those prices, in pesos of course.
Yesterday, Wednesday the 26th I had a massage, my first in several weeks and I needed it for therapeutic reasons. Only I had to settle for a 60 minute massage instead of my usual 90 minute session. Ciela had an appointment with a new vet in Centro re her ear problems. The vet says that it is only dirt and not an infection. She cleaned out her ears and also applied an antibiotic solution.
Ciela let me know her ears were a problem by scratching and shaking her head. This started about 3 weeks ago and I kept cleaning them out and used coconut oil to reduce any infection and inflammation. The guck kept coming back. It was time to see a vet as I did not want Ciela to be uncomfortable.
New to us vet and very close to us in Centro. Here is shy Carlie allowing by Dr. Carolina to hold her.
The girls very very calm and did not need to be held down at all. Best news of all is that at at 4 years old, their teeth are in great shape and still don’t need to be cleaned under anesthetic.
Meanwhile I went to the almost next door hair salon. Colin went there last week and had a great hair cut. As we were already there I just tried it. Communication is key in any conversation. I strongly said that I only wanted poco highlights. What I meant was to get about 10 -18 highlights to blend my natural current hair with a bit of blonde. Well I got about 100 plus poco highlights. It was a great job but I really was trying to let my hair grow to its natural color with a few highlights to blend it all. I don’t mind the new look but I had been working towards a new natural look for the past 18 months. So I am a blonde again. Plus my hair was cut quite a bit shorter. Hey this is Mexico and I don’t look so bad. Actually it feels really good to have shorter hair and Colin likes the color.
First time I have ever had two stylists work on me at the same time. When They took my photo from behind I knew that my hair was not going to be as expected.
As they took the foils out I was concerned when I saw my hair was blue. Just for my notes – they did use toner later.
I wrote all of the above yesterday, February 27th and just now, late evening Friday the 28th I am completing this post.
All of these veggies, including 3 avocados & mushrooms, for only 110 pesos, about $7.50 CAD.
Here is my new colour. Nicely done vey fine ( poco ) foils.
Next time I will get the wrinkles adjusted.
Sunset photo by Dallas, a local here on the Isla.
We are directly above the post for this signboard. The tall home on the left belongs to Drew and Jeannie and we are the lights to the right, first a straight line and then some up and down. Genie and Joe’s lights are the “n” shape.
Unusual sighting of a very large double hammerhead shark. Directly out front of our casa about 3 weeks ago. The lifeguards got everyone out of the water. A local fisherman caught the huge fish in his net a few days later. The Isla beach and water is once again safe.
Yes another new to us hibiscus. This one is huge, about 6″ or a bit more.
After my mom had passed I found a large bag of extraordinary yarns including silk and others.
I knew that I did not have the expertise to create anything with it. A lady in our park back in Kelowna purchased the yarn from me at one of my many garage sales. She recognized the quality of the wool as she used to own a yarn shop. So she promised to send me photos of her creation. Not great photos but again special for me to have this part of my mom in my blog. Thank you Dawn.
I did tell you that this post was going to be a mix of events that have happened in the past month.
Someone here on the Isla is starting a chess club. However at this point it will be in Spanish, not sure Colin will be able to mange it. Up to him.
This new to us RV fit perfectly next to the palapa we built last season. However there was a bit of a gap along the front door area. Now that the sun is higher the light is starting to come in and so of course will the heat in the months to come. We had a wooden extension added to the palapa and Colin is covering it with palm branches. Looks great.
We have spent some time hanging out in our yard tonight. So easy to spot bright Venus and a few of the rest fell into place. Wish we could have had an expert here with a telescope. We are so fortunate to be where we are.
How did it get to be the last day of February? It haas been another busy month for us including attending 3 events in fours days. The is when I caught the cold that laid me low the last two weeks. Feeling much better now and no worries folks, I for certain will posting all about it in the days to come. Love how my blog is a such a great diary. Hey we even for the first time ever went to a baby gender reveal. Life is exciting. So great to know that we don’t have departure date from here. When the time is right we will move on but no idea where, somewhere here in Mexico or the US or we just stay put if we can tolerate the humidity. But probably better for the bus to move it somewhere for a bit.
The following video was taken by Colin directing after the Coronation of the Rey de Carnaval. The fireworks were being set off all around Colin from inside the stadium. How lucky we are to be able to see this. Thanks for the video mi amore.
