I'm headed to "Stone Island" for the day!

Today I'm going over to Stone Island for the day with some girlfriends. Here is some info about this area of Mazatlan. Should be a fun day! Greg is staying home today, as the electrician is coming to work on the fans. We're getting ready for our visit from my sister, Cindy and her son Alex. They will be here in just 5 more days. :)

http://www.advantagemexico.com/mazatlan/stone_island.html

Be sure to click on Stone Island under "Labels" at the right and you will find photos from last year when we took Jessica, Serena and Jackie to Stone Island for the day. Enjoy!

Haven't posted a sunset for you in a while.

Here's one from a few evenings ago. Enjoy!

Update on a few children at Orfanatorio de Mazatlan

Greg's latest projects at the orphanage.



He also fixed this bike for Kevin.

Luciana is all smiles. She is now making trips once a month to Monterey to have work done on her jaw. We can see marked improvement in her face and her personality. More outgoing now.

Gala Flamenca performance

Annually, about this time of year, Orfanatorio de Mazatlan holds a fundraiser in the form of a musical performance. This is the orphanage where Greg and I volunteer much of our time during our 6 months stay in Mazatlan.

This year the donated performance was a production of the Flamenca dance. It was performed by a dance group here in Mazatlan, Miura Expresion Flamenca. For more information about this dance group, here is their website. http://www.miuraexpresionflamenca.com/ We've seen this group a couple of times at the Angela Peralta Theater and the performance that is in the video trailer on the website is the one we saw, "Romance de Tablao". It was fabulous!

Miura Expresion Flamenca was founded in 2004 by Lucero Martinez. It's the only school dedicated specifically to the art of flamenco in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico.

Here is an excerpt from the website:

"Miura, is the only company in Mexico that looks to create productions with a contemporary vision in music and dance, offering innovative performances, faithful to the pure and jondo passion of flamenco. Miura´s focus is not only in the art of the individual talent but in creating a story that needs to be expressed through dance and music from beginning to end. The company is composed of Mexican artists that together, combine the traditional with the modern and vanguard of the new flamenco techniques, awaking the interest of the audience in general and not only in the flamenco experts."

At the end of the performance, there was a heartwarming slideshow of the children of Orfanatorio de Mazatlan. Then, a presentation of roses by the the children to the performers and a thank you from the President of the orphanage, Christina Pena.

Due to lighting and location of our seats, the following photos and video clips can't begin to show you just how incredible this performance was but I hope they will give you an idea. (Remember you can double-click the photos to enlarge them) Greg and I have attended this fundraiser for 4 years and this is by far the best we've seen. Just beautiful, professional music, dancing, lighting and gowns! You'll see what I mean when you view the photos and video clips. Enjoy!

As the musicians take the stage, notice the beautiful tapestry backdrop.

The musicians perform without the dancers.

The founder, instructor of Miura Expresion Flamenca, performs in this video.

After this beautiful performance, there was a heartwarming slideshow of the children and then a standing ovation for the musicians and dancers.

The amazing musicians and singer stand for the crowd.

The musicians and dancers take a bow.

The children present the musicians and dancers with roses.

Please note the children are sitting in front on the stage.

Christina Pena, President, gives closing remarks at the end to this

spectacular evening at Orfanatorio de Mazatlan.

Day 7 last full day of Mike & Janet's visit

On Mike & Janet's last full day in Mazatlan, Janet and I went shopping at Gran Plaza and the Golden Zone. The guys went golfing at Estrella del Mar on Stone Island. For all you golfing enthusiasts, here is the website for this popular 18-hole championship golf course here in Mazatlan. http://www.estrelladelmar.com/


Mike took these great photos of the golf course.

Ocean front club house restaurant.

The all important, banos!

Greg seemed to have found himself here alot during the game.

Along the stone fence, that surrounds the golf course, are many iguanas soaking up the rays.
Do you see him here?

The guys had a fun day golfing and Janet and I discovered lots of treasures that she took back home to family and friends.

Our visit with Mike and Janet went way too fast but we have lots of adventures together that we will hold as cherished memories for years to come.

Day 6

We started the 6th day, of Janet and Mike's visit, with a trip to the orphanage. The children were having lunch and celebrating a birthday in this picture below. Janet and Mike enjoyed visiting this humble orphanage and meeting the children that we talk so much about.

Then we were off to the Central Market. A little silver jewelry shopping

And you just can't go to the market without going through the meat section.

Then we were off to the city center to view Mazatlan's breathtaking cathedral which was completed in 1899. Mike took these photos. I just couldn't decide on which ones to post, they were all soooo good. By the way, the photos I have posted about Mike and Janet's visit were a combination of ours and theirs. Great photos Mike & Janet!

Across the street from the cathedral is the Centro Plaza de la Republica. Great place to get a shoeshine or relax on a bench for people watching or feed the pigeons.

Then it was time for a drink at the El Mirador Restaurant overlooking the area where the cruise ships dock. This is an excellent place to watch them leave port at sunset.

The Norwegian Star was docked.

View of El Faro lighthouse from the El Mirador.

These were the kids we watched climb the stairs below the restaurant

as we waited for the cruise ship to leave.

As it turned out, the cruise ship never left. A mexican family in the restaurant tried to tell us, in Spanish, the tide was too low. The ship was still docked the next morning. So not sure what happened but we watched a beautiful sunset from the El Mirador.

Now it was time for dinner at the famous "Poncho's Restaurant" in the Golden Zone. We even had a performance on the beach below while we enjoyed our dinner.

Janet had a shrimp dish served in a mocejeta.

One more day of adventures to come.......Stay tuned.

Day 5 continues

After we left the tequila factory, it was time for lunch. We stopped in at Hacienda Las Moras, an old restored agave plantation. It's been turned into a resort that offers casitas you can rent. It's a beautiful hacienda with many types of animals roaming the grounds.

They are still working on restoring the agave fields that surround the hacienda.

Beautiful bougainvillea everywhere.

A baby goat was looking for it's mama. He/she had been

born not too long ago, as you can still see the umbilical cord.

The mama had rejected the baby and they were feeding

him/her with a bottle. Very sad. See video clip below, crying

for mama. :(

Many, many gorgeous peacocks roam the grounds.

And some funny looking chickens.

The girls take time out for a photo shoot.

We had a delicious lunch at Hacienda Las Moras.

Up on the hill above the hacienda, is a little church.

As we end the 5th day of our adventures with Mike & Janet,

we relax with another beautiful sunset.