Mazatlan, Part Two: History, Market, Cathedral

Unlike many of its sister Mexican resorts, Mazatlan did not originate from 20th century developers throwing money at a tiny village along an inviting stretch of sand. 

In prehistoric times indigenous people fished its waters, and in the early 16th century the Spanish founded the port as a convenient point from which to ship booty from nearby gold and silver mines.  Pirate raids stifled development until 1829 when a Filipino banker named Machado recognized the city's potential as an international seaport.  By the end of the 19th century Mazatlan traders were doing business with places as distant as Chile, Peru, Europe, Pacific Asia, and the United States.  

Mazatlan was shelled by U.S. forces during the 1846-1848 Mexican American War, and in 1864 the French occupied the city which became a part of the Mexican Empire under Maximilian.  In November of 1866 the Mexican general Ramon Corona expelled the French, and Mazatlan once again became Mexican.  

During the Mexican Revolution Mazatlan was the second world city after Tripoli to suffer aerial bombardment.  General Venustiano Carranza (later president) ordered a biplane to drop a crude bomb of nails and dynamite on Ice House Hill.  The bomb landed on a street an killed two citizens.

As bizarre as it seems, many fortune hunters heading for Western gold fields sailed from Mazatlan to San Francisco.  They booked passage from New York and other Atlantic ports, then made their way overland to the Pacific.

Mazatlan's entry into the tourist trade began in the 1940s when Hollywood discovered the Mexican Riviera.  Development began at the fringes of the historic Old Town and continues south to this day.  With more than 90 hotel and condo properties including nearly 50 four- and five-star resorts, the Gold Coast has expanded to Nuevo Mazatlan, Marina Mazatlan, and the Diamond Beach area.

Although this luxury resort atmosphere appeals to many (the city had 1,728,200 visitors in 2007), it is not my preference.  Living in the old quarter, eating at its restaurants, and wandering its streets is the way I roll.

On my first full day in the city, I woke at Hotel La Siesta, threw on a robe, and went out on my balcony.  The morning was cool and walkers were bundled up as they strolled the Malecon. I hurried to breakfast at the Shrimp Bucket, kicked off my flip flops, and laced up my walking shoes--target Central Market.   

Markets are my particular passion as they are the heartbeat of a  town. I was not disappointed in Pino Suarez.  Although it was January, the fruits and vegetables were prime. The butchers' cases were filled with both the familiar and the unusual.  I may buy trotters for Christmas posole, but I've yet to cook a whole hog's head.

Perhaps the best selections were at the fish mongers' stalls.  The red snapper was so fresh and clear of eye that I sincerely wished for a place to cook it.  And of course there was an abundance of fresh shrimp, langoustines, octopus and  other denizens of the briny deep.  Between talking with the vendors and taking photographs, I passed most of the morning before realizing that I still had to visit the neighboring cathedral.  

Needing the fortification of a sit-down and a cup of coffee, I wandered into Panama, a restaurant and bakery.  They filled my needs with a good cup of cafe con leche and the best concha sweet roll I've ever eaten.

The cathedral was my last stop of the day before heading back to La Siesta for lunch and a siesta.  Actually a basilica (the seat of the regional bishop), the Catedral Basilica de la Purisma Concepcion evidences a Gothic influence on the exterior with its two towers and lateral windows.  The interior has three naves, the central one is Gothic, and the lateral ones are neoclassical.  Adding to the proliferation of styles, the decor is baroque.  Work was begun in 1856 but interrupted in 1875 by President Juarez's Laws of Reform.  Parish priest Miguel Lacarra finished the structure in 1899.

In a following blog, I'll take you around the area near Machado Square with its museums, shops and galleries.

 

Mazatlan, Part One: A Tale of Two Cities

If you've enjoyed only Mazatlan's Gold Zone resorts with their air-brushed ambiance, you don't know Mazatlan, a city with a dual persona.  A recent trip to Mexico gave me an insight into the delightful port city whose roots go back to the 17th century and earlier.

An error in airline reservations for a conference left me with a quandary.  Do I cough up an extra $150 to change my flights, or do I invest that money in discovering the soul behind an uber developed resort?  A quick Internet check uncovered several small, traditional hotels which would enable me to spend those open days exploring.  The decision was made.  The airlines would not get my funds, and I would discover the original Mazatlan, a city older and richer than its modern incarnation.

My first bit of luck was selecting the 58-room Hotel La Siesta, located on Olas Altas  directly across the Malecon and walking distance to the market, cathedral, museums and shops.  Built around the interior patio concept, La Siesta has both interior and ocean-view rooms.  I went for an ocean-view room with  balcony.  It was spanking clean, a bit spare and basic with tile floors, a bath with shower, and airy with windows opening on Pacific breezes.  Early mornings found me on my balcony watching the parade of locals and fitness enthusiasts walking the Malecon. Evenings I would read a bit while watching the sun dip below the horizon.

Service was impeccable, and front desk personnel were helpful in mapping directions, carting my heavy bags up the three floors to my room (no elevator), and securing taxis or a pulmonia, the open air, golf-car-like transport used all over the city.   The pool with its sunning chaises and burbling fountain is in an interior courtyard.  In January it was a bit chilly for swimming, but it's a lovely spot when the weather is more moderate.  

Another bit of fortune was the discovery of The Shrimp Bucket, located on the hotel's first level.  Although the name conjures up images of tourist traps, this was not the case.  In business since 1963, The Shrimp Bucket is one of the finest seafood restaurants in town.  Its breakfasts are legendary, and on weekends the tables are jammed, mostly with locals.

I probably sampled almost everything from the menu during my stay.   For under $5 , my breakfast was either a Numero Uno, fresh squeezed juice, two fried eggs, with crispy bacon, refried beans, toast and jam, and coffee with refills, or Numero Dos, ranch-style eggs with the usual accompaniments. 

Their shrimp tacos were crispy and fresh, tasting of brine and salsa.  Their Shrimp Salad Towers for $5.50 were two four-inch portions brimming with shrimp, avocado, carrots, and garnished with cilantro and bell pepper oils.  Delicious!   I wasn't brave or hungry enough to order their specialty, 15 ($3) or 30 ($21) freshly poached peel-and-eat shrimp in a bucket with lime and a trio of tangy dipping sauces.

La Siesta was home base for my city wanderings, which I will describe in following blogs.  After returning home and dealing with all the detritus that piles up while you're away, I find myself closing my eyes and imagining myself back on their balcony, watching the parade of life on the Malecon.

Note:  prices are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change.

Hotel La Siesta

Olas Altas 11 Sur

Mazatla, Sinaloa, Mexico 82000

011 (669) 981-2640 (from U.S.)

www.lasiesta.com.mx 

www.gomazatlan.com

Ay Chihuahua, What a Road Trip

Arrow straight, the highway pierces the great desert stretching south from El Paso and Cuidad Juarez into the Mexican state of Chihuahua. From the border to Ciudad Chihuahua, you traverse 231 miles of arid scrub land, once the floor of a great inland sea and now covered in creosote, yucca, mesquite and palo verde.Heading west and south you pass through Cuauhtemoc and the tidy fields of the Mennonite camps before climbing into the mountains. It's a long haul to Creel, the village that serves as a central hub for exploration of the region best known as Copper Canyon.Copper Canyon Country is comprised not of a single canyon but a 10,000 square mile area riven by seven canyons: Urique, Copper, Batopilas, Sinforosa of the Rio Verde, Tararecua, Cusárare and Conchos. We know these collectively by the Spanish term ABarrancas del Cobre,@ a barranca being a type of canyon in which the walls descend in a series of benches rather than in one sheer drop.Most visitors to this area come via the famed Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad, which runs between Ciudad Chihuahua and Los Mochis in Sinaloa. Although the journey is one of the most beautiful rail trips in the world, it does not descend into the canyon system. It's possible to stop at various stations along the route, but only at Divisadero does the line offer views into canyon depths. This is the most popular place for passengers to disembark, do hurried shopping among the many Tarahumara Indian stalls lining the platform, and snap a few pictures of Urique Canyon, at this point 1,300 meters deep.Our group of explorers decided to forgo the tourist route and go down into the canyons. Making a two-day stop in Creel, our first excursion was a hike to Cusárare Falls. Two routes take you to the falls, the first is 3 km and begins at a trail head approximately 14 miles south on the road to Batopilas. The second trail begins at Copper Canyon Lodge and follows the left-hand side of the river for 4 km to the falls. Although not as high as Basaseachi Falls to the northwest, Cusárare is a heady sight with ribbons of turquoise water spilling 100 feet over a rock face and droplets creating a shimmering rainbow. From the overlook on the heights, you can see children splashing in the pools at the cascade’s base.Returning to Creel for the night, we visited the small museum at the train station and the Tarahumara Mission store where we purchased books, baskets and other Indian-made crafts. By morning we were rested and ready to head out.The road to Batopilas is long and tortuous but unabashedly beautifully. Your views are not of massive rock formations like Arizona's Grand Canyon, but of pine-covered slopes dropping down to silver slips of river. As you descend, you pass through a series of climatic zones from subalpine to subtropical. Flowers bloom all year long in Batopilas and summer nights are really torrid.It's 46 miles of paved road from Creel to Samachique and about 40 miles of one-lane dirt from there to Batopilas. The trip takes a minimum of five hours, and top speed on dirt is 25 miles per hour. There’s not much sign of the fabled Tarahumara Indians unless you happen to make the trip on a Monday, as we did. About two hours after leaving Creel, we saw a small Indian boy hopefully scanning our passing vehicle. Our driver, an expert in the Tarahumara culture, pulled to a stop, climbed from the van and spoke to the child. After a quick exchange, the boy quietly hopped on board. This little hitchhiker was going to school, and like many Tarahumara children, his school was in a distant village. Every Monday he would walk the ten miles to the boarding school, and every Friday he would walk the return ten miles back to his family casita. In this region, no one considers this excessive hardship.In their own language, these people call themselves the Raramuri, or the runners, and their feats of long distance loping are legendary. Two Tarahumara men competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic marathon but lost badly complaining over the shortness of distance and the fact that they were required to wear shoes.Dusty and tired we arrived in Batopilas late in the afternoon. The town with a population of approximately one thousand runs three miles along the river's west bank and is only a block or two wide. Arriving at our hotel and quickly unloading our gear, we were back in the van for the drive to Satevó Mission before sunset.Located on a wide stretch of flood plain of the Rio Batopilas, the mission was built in the early 1600s by Jesuits using Tarahumara labor. Imposing and completely out of proportion for its location, it has three domes and a bell tower several stories high. In considerable disrepair, it is still the most impressive edifice in the area unless you consider the Hacienda de San Miguel back in Batopilas. On the east side of the river and visible from town, the large complex served as the office of the local mining company and the residence of Alexander Shepard, one of the area's first silver tycoons. For a modest fee, you can tour the ruins which include the remains of an assay office, refectory, boardinghouse, corral and stables, machine shop, iron foundry, ingot mill and amalgamation sheds.After a simple dinner at one of the few establishments still open during the extensive street excavations, we retired to our rooms, only to be beckoned outside by music emanating from the plaza. Some local musicians had formed a group and were attempting to resurrect an old tradition of weekly concerts. Standing on the sidelines while the music played, children pirouetted and an elderly couple gaily waltzed, we concluded that the rewards of the journey had been commensurate with its difficulty. We’d experienced a part of Copper Canyon Country few travelers get to see.If you go (phone numbers reflect dialing from the U.S.A.)For a visitor’s guide to Chihuahua:Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Development, State of Chihuahua, Libertad No. 1300, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico, C.P. 31000; Phone (011521) 429‑3421 and (011521) 429‑3320; Email cturismo@buzon.chihuahua.gob.mxSelf-drive: Contact your local AAA for regulations on taking your own vehicle into Mexico. Accommodations and restaurants:Creel:Parador de la Montaña, Allende 114 C.P. 31060, Chihuahua, Chih, Mexico; phone 011 (521) 410-4580 or 011 (521) 415-5408.The Lodge at Creel (Best Western), Creel, Chih., Mexico; phone (800) 904-7500 in Mexico, (800) 528-1234 in the U.S.A.; email bwcreel@prodigy.net.mxCusarare:
Sierra Lodge, 20 miles from Creel. For information, (800) 776-3942; for reservations, faxBatopilas (telephone in the city of Chihuahua):Hotel Casa Real de Minas, 011 (521) 456-06-32.

Award Double Header

This week it's been raining blessings. My book Backroads & Byways of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions was named a winner in the New Mexico Book Awards. The publisher is The Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton, and the guide is available through bookstores and on-line.

In addition, I received notice that I had been awarded writer of the year in "2008 Best of Albuqueque," sponsored by the U.S. Local Business Association. I am honored to receive the accolade because no matter where I roam in my writing career, Albuquerque is home--my favorite place on earth.

International Gastromony & Tourism

Put a dozen or so international foodies in a room, give them a couple hours to discuss their culinary traditions, and you have a fascinating afternoon. During the UNESCO International Conference on Creative Tourism, I participated in a symposium on gastronomy and how it influences travel.

Within the circle of experts, the lively discussion hit on diverse topics. After briefly introducing ourselves, we discussed our favorite food cities and why their food appealed so strongly. As with many such interactions, the primaries lead quickly into the discussion of culinary issues.

One of the first to speak was Julia Chiu from Toronto, who concentrated on the social aspect new regulations had on Japan, especially the inferior material found recently in imports from China. She also touched on the Japanese custom of producing special foods which Asian custom believes a benefit to the elderly.

Benedetto Zacchiroli, from the Bologna Mayor’s office, entertained us with tales of his experiences with Italian food in the U.S. Now we know real pasta Bolognese is not made with spaghetti but tagliatelli, the meat is never beef but pork, and the sauce is called ragu. The American version, he commented, is but one example of the globalization of traditional dishes.

A representative from Santiago de Compostela provided insights in Galician cuisine, generally misunderstood outside her country. The foods of Spain’s northwestern peninsula are not, as often portrayed, Mediterranean, but Atlantic. The Galician’s catch over 80 different types of saltwater fish, both along their coast and world-wide as well as a tremendous quantity of mussels and other shellfish. Vigo, the largest city in Galicia, is Spain’s most important fishing port and the third largest in Europe.

George Poussin, who oversees UNESCO Creative Cities program, spoke of the cult dimension of gastronomy and the “intangible heritage” of traditional cooking. Emphasizing the difference being creativity, he said we need not only protect the past but open new culinary criteria.

In addition, he mentioned how difficult it was, especially in developing, countries, to initiate the Creative Cities plan. Currently, there are only 12: Aswan, Egypt; Berlin: Bologna: Buenos Aires: Edinburgh;: Glasgow; Lyon; Melbourne; Montreal; Seville; Popayan, Columbia; and Santa Fe, the only U.S. representative.


Perhaps Jo Harvey Allen of Santa Fe voiced the most interesting topic. She has been instrumental in a program electronically joining farmer’s markets around the world. Dubbed “SEE,” it involves ten mammoth LCD screens to be mounted in select growers’ markets, starting with Santa Fe’s well-known Railyard Market. “Markets are the heartbeat of a whole city,” she said, “and we plan to connect time-zone adjusted video installations. If you’re in Barcelona’s Boqueria, you can see the action in Santa Fe.” The program has been funded and a committee is considering appropriate locations.

Summing up our feelings as we dispersed to the ballroom to hear Geoffrey Godbey speak, Duncan Sill of the Santa Fe County Planning & Development Division, said, “As travelers, gastronomy is a good way to engage in the human condition.” Amen to that!

Conference on Creative Tourism

In the first global gathering of its kind, delegates from around the world met in Santa Fe this week to explore the concept of Creative Tourism. The comprehensive program included talks, seminars, and interaction with Santa Fe artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, craftspeople, and business experts.

What is creative tourism? The definition developed cooperatively by UNESCO’s Creative Cities is “engaging travelers in a community’s culture through active participation which provides the visitor an authentic experience of a community’s heritage”. The goal is to promote the social, economic, and cultural development of municipalities in both the developed and developing world.

Why did UNESCO choose the city format?

1. Cities harbor the entire range of cultural actors throughout the creative industry chain from the creative act to production and distribution.
2. As breeding grounds for creative clusters, cities have great potential to harness creativity, and connecting cities can mobilize this potential for global impact
3. Cities are small enough to affect local cultural industries but also large enough to serve as gateways to international markets.

Santa Fe holds the distinction of being the only Creative City in the U.S., joining Aswan, Berlin, Bologna, Buenos Aires, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lyon, Melbourne, Montreal, Popayan, Columbia, and Seville.

I was able to attend the Wednesday session, and in the following days, I will discuss our roundtable on Gastronomy, which attracted delegates from Japan, France, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona, Bologna, as well as several of us New Mexicans.

In addition, I hope to share with you ideas from a fascinating lunch speaker, Geoffrey Godbey, a specialist on re-positioning of leisure and tourism services for the future.

Stay tuned!