Jan 24, 2014

Dinner at Miguel’s

The beach front restaurants on Isla de la Piedra/Stone Island close between 5 and 6 PM.  They are open first thing in the morning for breakfast, lunch, drinks and an early dinner.  The few of us who live on the Isla know that we have to be make specific arrangements if we want a late dinner and most of the restaurants are accommodating but really they are open for the tourists who come to the Isla for the day.  If you remember when we first got here there was a new place, Restaurant Internacional, that was open from noon until 9PM.  We enjoyed it the few times we went but there were not enough customers and it is no longer in operation.  I feel for the two young fellows that tried so hard to make a go of it.  Perhaps is was the location, perhaps it was the menu.  I really don’t know.

There is a long time favorite place here on the Isla that caters to the locals.  It really doesn’t get hopping till after 9PM.  So we decided to catch the sunset first.

Actually we first watched Val and John try to realign their Shaw Dish. While cleaning his RV the other day John just ever so slightly nudged the dish and now they are missing a few favorite channels. No luck tonight but there is always manana.

It took a while but finally we saw some color in the sky. One of my pet peeves are folks who wait until the sun sets behind a hill or drops behind the horizon or into the water and then simply turn around and leave. Often the best conditions are many minutes later and they miss it all.

We drove off to Miguel's about 6 PM, early by Isla standards. We really could have and should have walked, it is less than a mile away.

There is not much to the place, a few plastic tables and chairs, some wooden benches and no menus.

You order from the painted signs and then they will pretty much make anything you ask. Those two pink signs in front of the counter are advertising a special today, tacos made of beef head parts. The food is great here but we passed on those particular tacos.

You are welcome to bring your own beverages, most brought cerveza but I brought vino blanco.

The food was very good and the price was right. For instance, 3 shrimp tacos for 60 pesos or 2 shrimp and cheese burritos with fries for 90 pesos. From the left, Colin, John and Val, Lynne from Winnie Views, and Hugh our friend from Canada.

Be sure to put Miguel’s on your to do list when you visit the Isla.  From the beach it is behind Carmelita’s and just across the paved road.  Umm, we only have the one paved road here on the Isla.

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Comments(3)

Jan 23, 2014

Que Pasa

I’m still here and I am feeling almost 100%.  We’ve just been busy getting ready for a visitor.  Hugh, a friend and previous photographer with our bushiness when we lived in Vancouver emailed that he wanted to come visit us and to experience the Isla.  Rather than get a room at a hotel we arranged for the rental of an RV here at Tres Amgios.  That way he is closer to us and can cook some meals on his own and generally just have the normal freedom of an RVer.

We were able to arrange for a nice sunset for his arrival.

We got some nice color in the sky way to the left of where the sun had set.

Even Caeli was taken by the display and sat at the top of the stairs to enjoy the view.

Hugh arrived last Tuesday and had to be at the Vancouver airport at 4:00AM so he was ready for appies at sunset and then a good meal.

First thing Wednesday morning we were treated to our horse parade. Hugh owns a horse so it quite interested in them.

One of my readers asked what the horses do during the day.  Mostly they are used to take tourists for rides along the beach and through various sections of the Isla.  Usually the groups are no more the eight so there could be a variety of tours happening at the same time.   Hugh’s initial opinion is that the horses seem to be well cared for and seemed overall healthy.

There are seven restaurants in this photo. One resourceful owner painted his shade umbrellas green. A great way to make his establishment stand out.

This place is new this season and stands out with its colorful tablecloths and nicely painted brick work at the back.

Carmelita's is well known on the Isla and it trying some new advertising with the boat and flag.

After a not so great sunset we opted for dinner on the beach in front of our propane fire pit. It's not cold but it adds to the ambience.

Somehow I just have been busy in the kitchen but we are going to switch that out to dinners out starting tonight.

Tags: , , , ,

Comments(3)

Jan 20, 2014

Mazatlan water views

Last Friday enroute to our Enchanted Evening I took some interesting shots I would like to share with you.

Taken from the panga as we head across the shipping channel.

The famous Pacifico Brewery in the background. It was repainted in the past few weeks and now sports the name Corona, the new owners.

Those are tuna boats in the shot above.  They were preparing last Friday evening for the opening of the tuna season which started two days ago.

A returning panga to the Isla.

The majority of the shrimp fleet is back in port. We see very few shrimpers out there now. If you look closely, you will see an overturned ship across the bottom left with a pelican resting on it, as well as a few tilting bloats on the right.

I guess there is no junk yard to send these vessels to.

Todays Isla morning view. The horses are coming.

I hope your day was as peaceful as ours.

Tags: , , ,

Comments(8)

Jan 19, 2014

Just another Isla weekend

Saturday was quiet as I recovered from my hectic Friday evening.

Unexpected visit by two members of the Blue Rose Band who play every Wednesday at La Palapa del Mar starting at 6:30PM. They rock the house! We were there just before Christmas.

A short vist with Alberta, Steve and Lola as the sun set. It was just an okay sunset, I didn't even take a photo.

We spent Sunday preparing for a visit from a Canadian friend.

David Perez, one of the owners of Tres Amigos Rv Park is renting his personal RV out to our friend and spent a good part of the day preparing his site, including painting the patio and bringing in plants.

With no prior notice, Mother Nature decided to put on a show Sunday evening.

The colors were beyond amazing.

Notice the distance between these three boats....just saying!!

Tags: , , , , ,

Comments(2)

Jan 18, 2014

Enchanted Evening

It was another perfect evening to add to my memory book.  I truly wish that you all could have been with us in town last evening.  The warm air, the lights, the people, the architecture of the Plazuela Machado and the music……magical!

We headed across to Mazatlan on the panga just before sunset and the lighting was superb. I have more photos to share with you of the water another day.

First stop was to have some photo prints made and we ran right into our friend Avy. He had RVed here at Tres Amigos but his wife passed two years ago and he is now staying in Centro. Avy and I had a lovely chat while Colin had his prints made.

Our next stop was to drop off my camera for repair and on the way back to the Plazuela we heard music and just around the corner we peeked through the window into one of the music schools classes. Just a fun shot.

Our last task was to pick up some symphony tickets at the Angela Peralta Theatre Box Office. I was taken by this young man sitting on the ground and reading in such beautiful surroundings.

We were meeting a couple for dinner and we stopped for a drink as we were early. While scanning the crowd watching for our dinner partners we were greeted with a "Hello Contessa". Meet Hannelore and Peter who haven't been in town quite two weeks yet. They are friends of friends from Kamloops and of course they read this blog. We were all delighted to finally meet. We look forward to your visit to the Isla and spending more time with you.

By now we had been looking for the folks we were dining with for about 45 minutes. It was a bit tricky as we had never set eyes on them before, nor they us.  We had decided on a restaurant but all the good tables, in my opinion, were full so we sat just 2 tables over at another restaurant keeping our eyes peeled for them.  Between us we must have got up three times asking strangers if they were so and so.  Nada, but one fellow who knows them said they were not there.  So we waited.  Finally I sent Colin over to a table where a couple were having drinks.  I didn’t think it was them as they didn’t seem to be looking out for anyone to join them but I thought we should ask just in case and of course it was.  As they had gone ahead and ordered their meals ( I guess they thought we were not coming ) we brought our drinks over to them and proceeded to have a wee visit.

We were there only moments when yet another couple came up to us. Meet Edna and Otto whom we have know for at least 10 years but perhaps have only seen them 3 times in those ten years. We first met them in Kelowna at Holiday Park Resort, they came to see us in Acapulco one year and we saw them another time in Teacapan while visiting someone else. They are wintering in Mazatlan in their RV this winter. We look forward to their visit to the Isla. It was great seeing you both last evening.

We finally ordered our meals and shortly thereafter our dinner companions had their food served so we just went and had ourselves a wee dance.  The music was addictive and you felt that you just had to dance.  Back to our table just in time for our Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp.  It would have been perfect but it was very salty which I wonder if it comes from the shrimp being put in brine when caught at sea.  I have to say that we were surprised when our companions abruptly decided to leave.  We had been together less then an hour and were just getting acquainted.  They live here year round and we were anxious to ask some questions.  Sadly they refused to have their photo taken.

The night was young and the party was just getting underway. The band, Los Cryps who I usually refer to as the boy band was in top form. This is my 3rd or 4th time listening to them and I heard music thay they had not performed before.

We were at La Tramoya Restaurant. There were no empty tables here nor at any other restaurant in the Plazuela. The night was alive with energy.

The tablecloths incorporated cute short phrases. It just added to the fun of the evening.

When Colin got tired of dancing I continued on with Laurie who was sitting with a large group next to us. As our table was furthest back from the action we just danced inside the restaurant. Much more space to do our thing. I can't believe I was doing the twist.

Laurie and her husband???John, I think. I had so much fun! Enjoy your vacation.

This fellow did a great job entertaining the crowd with his rope tricks when the band took a break. Colin's new amigo.

Later Melodie came over to chat and see how our evening was going. She her husband were the first people we had asked if they were the couple we were supposed to be dining with. It was lovely meeting you, just not enough time in one night to spend with everyone.

It was time to go but we didn't really want to leave so we strolled around the square and listened to this group for a few moments. There are all kinds of vendors selling things like hats, jewellery and other items. Some of it is very good but we were there for the magic of the music, not shopping.

A final visit with some of the band members. We had gone to the Plazuela last evening to pick up a CD that Colin had requested two weeks ago when we saw the band after Artwalk. They do not have CD's nor had they made one. They will try and get us one next time. I tried to explain to them that they would make a lot of money by selling a CD of their wonderful rock and roll 50's and 60's music.

I love this group. Los Cryps plays inside at La Boheme Restaurant every Saturday evening and outside in the bandstand gazebo every second Friday evening. I hope to see you there soon.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Comments(12)

« Prev - Next »