We hit the ground running in Mazatlan, where we spent the past week. Joan and I got our teeth cleaned for just $100 for the both of us. It was so nice to not have to worry about insurance! I was also impressed that though I’d scheduled a deep cleaning, the dentist told me that it wasn’t necessary.
We picked a dentist in the Golden Zone so that we could also explore the area recommended by many in the Facebook ex-pat group here. While there were resorts, a huge air conditioned mall, and more modern neighborhoods, we were glad to get back to our place in Old Town. Through AirBnB, rented a studio in a seven unit complex we refer to as Melrose place.
In the short time we’ve been here we’ve joined a community of long term visitors to Mazatlan. Andres rents the unit next to ours. He’s here from Los Angeles and getting his 16 year old son set up in Mazatlan as he was recently recruited by the professional soccer team here. We learned that two of his daughters have also moved to Mexico for a more comfortable living. One is a photographer who just produced an independent film making its way around the US; the other is a chef in Guanajuato. We’ve made a note to visit her restaurant when we get there in January.
Our downstairs neighbor, Valerie, is a retired landscaper who, for now, lives on Bainbridge island across from Seattle. She arrived just two days ago and shared with us over a glass of wine that she was also exploring her options in Mexico. She rented her apartment here for a month, but she will also explore other Mexican towns over the winter to determine whether she wants to relocate here.
In less than a week, we’ve become part of a community of nomads who have dismissed conventional living. It is inspiring to be surrounded by people our age who are just beginning to explore the next generation of life’s possibilities, and we are able to share experiences and recommendations.
Andres has been a great resource for local eateries as he shares our desire to eat healthy. Through him, we’ve found hole in the wall restaurants serving healthy organic options. The other day we visited Comida Sana (Safe Food), which is a vegan deli started by an Italian couple from Sicily. They shared that they wash all of their fruits and vegetables in purified water and even have clients who come in just to buy produce from them.
On our own, Joan and I have found Totem and Cafe Olivia, which both serve amazing organic dishes in beautiful settings. One of our favorites is a juice shot made with lemon juice, ginger, turmeric, and a dusting of chili pepper. It’s a nice palate and stomach cleanser. They also have fruit smoothies with beets, spinach, and any other superfood you can think of.
What we like best about staying in Old Town is that we can walk to all of these wonderful restaurants. While the Golden Zone offered some of the resort comforts, we didn’t see any restaurants with the healthy offerings and charming environments that we’ve found within minutes of our place. In fact, every evening, we see parades of cars streaming in from the north as we walk past them queued in traffic.
Our week here has gone by quickly, and we’re looking forward to spending longer periods in other parts of Mexico. It will be a relief to get to cooler temperatures as we arrived in Mazatlan during the humid season. Still, we’ll miss the dazzling sunsets over the Pacific and the cliff divers who perform daily along the Malecon (boardwalk).
