Mazatlan

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Landed in Mérida!

Oy, it’s been a very long day, but I’m here!

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I made the mistake of going to bed at my usual time yesterday and so I was up at 6AM, not good when you know bedtime won’t be till 11PM your time/midnight local time.

I had 5.5 hours to kill till departure for the airport so I had a lie in, then made breakfast and finished packing and cleaning the house (I always give the floors a final pass at the last minute). My ride showed up 10 minutes early, but I was very nearly ready. Better early than late when you’re on your way to the airport!

The road out is just about all paved!!! It’s unbelievable. I heard that there is talk of paving more of the main street on Isla, too. The times, they are a changing! Needless to say, we were at the airport in record time.

Since I wasn’t sure that my luggage was under the weight limit for carry on, I elected to check in at a desk, something I haven’t done in a long time. To give me less to handle, I only had my small suitcase and my tote bag, which was full to bursting with my electronics, documents, liquids, and more. It was heavy, but I made the right call. Check-in, done in Spanish, went smoothly and I was given tags for my bags confirming they had been weighed and were to good to go. I was warned that there would be a 10-minute delay for my flight, but assured that I had plenty of time to make my connection…

I’ve spent a lot of time on the main level of the Mazatlán airport, but had never been upstairs. All there was up there was a couple of restaurants and shops, plus a Carl Jr’s hamburger stand. I was pretty sure there was nothing beyond security for food and, being a full three hours early for my flight, I’d decided to have lunch at the airport. The two restaurants were ridiculously expensive, even for an airport, and not appealing, so I caved and got a fast food cheeseburger. Should have brought my own lunch!

I then went through security and, wow, that went very quickly! I didn’t get a pat down (it helped that I remembered not to wear a bra with underwire!) and I didn’t have to take my shoes off. My liquids were packed correctly (which the lady at check-in had confirmed anyway) and I didn’t have to turn on my electronic devices. My suitcase did raise a flag and they asked for permission to open it. What was I going to say, no?! As I expected, they were curious about my stainless steel French press, but accepted my explanation without even touching it. I did get a laugh for having marked my bag of white powder as “leche con polvo” (powdered milk)!

There was just about nothing on the other side, just a jewelry stand and a small bar/cafe where I could have gotten an even more expensive lunch than on the other side. I did spend a whopping $15 on a bottle of water and also $40 for a coffee. My first thought was that was a crazy price, but it was an Americano, so espresso from fresh ground beans with hot water. It was so smooth I was able to enjoy it black. Totally worth the money!

It was a long wait. I really could have left home later, but I’d rather the wait than to be rushed. I watched an ep of the show I’m currently enjoying (Defiance) on my iPad and that helped 45 minutes go by quickly! I also finished a funny book about the career of a customs inspector in the UK, rather à propos reading for my location.

We finally boarded, 10 minutes late, but we were off very quickly. I’ve only ever before flown Air Canada, West Jet and one of the U.S. airlines. InterJet had something none of those airlines have: leg and elbow room.

It was interesting to see Maz and Isla from the air as we took off. The airport is so close that I could spot my house as we were taking off. I am not joking/exaggerating! It was a case that I had to know exactly where to look as we made our ascent, and I did!

We only had about a 1.5 hour flight, but still had a snack and beverage service. I accepted a small bag of rather yummy Frito/Dorito-style chip things with a bit of kick, but was at a loss as to what to ask for a beverage other than water. When flying in Canada, I always get ginger ale and it’s a huge treat, but I knew they wouldn’t have that in Mexico. I asked if they had a soda with lime hoping to get something like a 7-Up or Sprite. The flight attendant pondered my question for a couple of seconds and said, “7-Up?” Yup, that worked. 🙂 I only have soda on airplanes because the carbonation helps me clear my ears.

I read through my flight and we were in Mexico City in no time! It’s huge! I thought Chicagoland (where I’ve landed several times) was big, but this was civilisation as far as the eye could see! Traffic was bad! As we landed, I could see many roads were backed up.

By the time I’d deplaned, I only had about an hour until my next flight was supposed to board, so my first priority was to find my new gate. It wasn’t on the boards, so I asked at an Interjet information kiosk and was told to come back at 7:00, about 45 minutes later. So I went off in search of food and found a rather uninspiring food court with Subways, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Wings, and a few other stands. I picked Sbarro’s, which I think is a U.S. pizza chain (I only know the name from the movie The Terminal), just because pizza sounded good and their pizza looked decent enough, even if a slice with toppings was $72! I went with just plain cheese for $51 and had to grudgingly admit that it was pretty good, especially for airport pizza. 🙂 I then popped into a 7-Eleven to buy a litre bottle of water so I wouldn’t have to worry about finding some when I got to Mérida. That would give me enough to get me through the morning, including making coffee. $11. Even Mexico airports gouge you on everything!

It was 7:00 by that point, so I went back to the information kiosk, where I was told to come back at 7:30. What? That’s when we were supposed to leave! They said a word I did not recognise. I know “delayed” as “con retrazo” (very close to the French “en retard). They used a word that started with d and it took me a second to process that this is what they were saying. Delayed?! OMG. I asked how long and they said about 30 minutes.

Thirty minutes was fine. I’d told my host I would be there between 10:00 and 11:00 and a half-hour delay put me at the apartment around 10:15, 10:30. Absolutely no reason to panic. I still had no idea where my gate was going to be and found a seat within sight of the information desk. Minutes after I sat down, a man in a bright orange security vest came up to me and said “You’re going to Mérida?” I replied in the affirmative and he told me to go to gate three and that we’d be boarding around 7:45. Talk about service!

This was my first time traveling through a country where I can barely understand the language when spoken and I’m glad I made it through as well as I did. There were some English announcements, but the accent was so strong it wasn’t really not much clearer than the Spanish.

Our plane finally arrived and the passengers on it deplaned in record time. I was one of the last ones to be allowed to board. Air Canada will board rows such and such, then such and such and Interjet has a similar zone system. I understood this on my first leg of the trip, but couldn’t find my zone on my ticket. This time around, I had plenty of time to locate it way at the bottom. Zone one, since I was in row six. Great, I’d be one of the first to deplane!

We boarded with great efficiency and were taking off in no time at all. I was very impressed! It was another very short journey, just enough time for a snack and a few chapters of a book before Mérida was sprawled below me.

I’d texted my “greeter” in MC and hadn’t received a reply, so I decided to call him before getting in a taxi. Always risky. I don’t do well on the phone at all. I thought we agreed that he would be waiting for me when I arrived, but had a feeling I’d be left waiting on a curb…

Like Maz’s airport, Mérida’s airport has official taxis with set rates. I’d been told it would be $200 to go to my apartment, but they insisted on $270. Fiiiine.

I knew I wasn’t in the proverbial Kansas anymore when my taxi driver actually buckled up… and didn’t drive like a maniac… and obeyed all red lights and stop signs. What I could see of Mérida was very clean and tidy, with clear road signs. All a sharp contrast to Mazatlán. I told the driver this and we started chatting. He says that April and May are the worst months here weather-wise.

He found the apartment without any trouble and I knew I was at the right place because a) the street had a sign that matched the street name I’d been given; b) the building had a number that matched the address I’d been given; and c) the building looked like the picture from the Airbnb site. 🙂

So there I was on the curb. The door into the apartment complex was locked. I was a bit earlier than I thought I’d be, the journey from the airport having been super quick, so I figured the guy was going to be along shortly. But after a good 20 minutes, I was beyond ready to be settled for the night (and grateful to be in a neighbourhood that felt safe!) and used the last 4% of my battery on the phone to try my “greeter” again. Augh, he’d been inside one of the apartments the whole time waiting for me to call!

He rushed out to show me to my place, in the back of the complex and up… a spiral staircase. Be still my beating heart! The only way I would be more excited about my apartment was if it also had a turret. I’ve always dreamed of living somewhere with a spiral staircase!

The apartment is large and seems clean. I got a whirlwind tour and discovered that I have a balcony! What a bonus! I am a tad disappointed by the kitchen, though. I don’t even have a decent pot in which to boil water tomorrow. So I have some shopping to do. I’m going to be here for eight days and it’ll totally be worth it to get some cheap things to be comfortable. Just from tonight, I know I need:

– a pot and a frying pan;
– a new sponge for the kitchen;
– wash cloths for the bathroom (I knew I should have packed some — even my hotel in Durango didn’t have any);
– trash bags (although shopping should will take care of that);
– toilet paper

No big deal at all. It’ll give me a chance to figure out where I’ll be buying home goods when I move to this neighbourhood! 🙂

I had a shower and then crashed in bed with my computer, where I am writing this post. I am very grateful that the bed is super comfortable, a huge improvement over my bed on Isla, even with a topper!

I think I will be happy here for the next eight days. Let’s see what the morning brings.

I apologise for any typos in this post. I’m starting to see double. 🙂

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Lovely Ambiance

I had dinner with my friend Sue tonight. I didn’t realise until the bill came that I was being treated for my part in the Great iPad Rescue, so what a lovely surprise that was! Thanks!

We started with a glass of wine and a sunset from her roof, which has an amazing view of the harbour where the cruise ships come in. We then went nearly next door to a restaurant that is open in the evenings, a rarity on Isla. This is a fairly new place just up from the beach off of the road to Goat Island. Sue has been there a few times and you really need to know it’s there because there’s almost no lighting. Best way I can describe it is that it’s on the new access road to the beach, about halfway between the beach and Goat Island road entrance points. They have a sign listing their offerings and that they are abierto (open).

The restaurant is really charming. The furniture is made from pallets. You can sit out in the open overlooking the water…

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Or under a giant palapa on a brick terrace.

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This is not a “cendaduria” like Miguel’s with inexpensive fast food, but a proper sit down restaurant to enjoy a gourmet meal. Sue had had the garlic shrimp before and loved it, so we went for that, plus a Pacifico each. The garlic shrimp were plump and cooked to perfection. They came with the standard tomato rice and a surprising salad made of romaine lettuce, onion, cucumber, tomato, and pineapple (!), with a really good dressing made of oil and lime juice. We also had a basket of tortillas.

Dinner for two was $280, so $120 for the garlic shrimp and $20 for the beer. Definitely too much to make it a regular haunt, but what a great spot for a romantic date or just relaxing with a friend. I will definitely be back!

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Been a While

Not counting my adventure with Sue, today marked a full two weeks since the last time I went to town! I’ve just been insanely busy with work and haven’t lacked for anything. I can get all the basic groceries I need right here on Isla, as well as cold beer, and meals out. The only reason I went across the bay today was to make a withdrawal at the bank.

On the way there, I popped into a little Chinese restaurant on Juan Carrasco and had a really good lunch of beef and broccoli (and carrots) with an egg roll, rice, and ice tea. The main was really good and not too heavy, with the broccoli perfectly cooked. Good deal at $44, even if I ended up leaving most of the rice.

My stop at the bank didn’t take long. There will be a Scotiabank near my place in Mérida, but I didn’t want to arrive with just the cash I had on me, even if I know it will go far even with the cost of transportation to and from the airports. I’m really glad the expensive parts of the trip are paid for and out of the budget and that the first half of the month was almost expense-free. I’ll be able to have a good time in Mérida and maybe even get out of town for a day… I really haven’t made any plans yet for my time there, much like I didn’t do much prep for Durango. I’ll figure it out when I arrive.

Since I was out where I was, I continued a bit further to the big Waldo’s since I’d forgotten to bring my travel-sized bottles for toiletries from Canada. I was able to find inexpensive small plastic bottles to transfer shampoo and body wash into and I also bought a travel-sized container of hand cream and one of toothpaste. I haven’t actually checked if Interjet has rules for liquids or not, but I’d rather not bring big containers anyway. I also restocked on wet wipes. You can never have too many packages of those in Mexico!

My total at Waldo’s was higher than expected. I checked my receipt and realised I’d been charged twice for the hand cream. It was only $10, but it was the principle of the thing. So I went back in and the cashier told me to just go get another bottle so she wouldn’t have to process a refund. Fine for $10. I like have those little bottles handy in my purse anyway.

I was seriously drooping as I made my way back to the embarcadero as it’s back to being really hot out. Mérida is going to be about the same, high in the 30s C, so I’d better get used to it!

Sue and I are having dinner tonight, a nice treat before heading out. There’s a new restaurant by her place that apparently makes amazing garlic shrimp, so that’s what’s on the menu as long as the place is open. Mmmmmm.

Well, I’m off to keep packing. I hope that I can do all carry on luggage, but I might be over the weight allowance for that. I don’t fly out till 3:05, but I’m getting to the airport for noonish. That will give me plenty of time to get through security and possibly have a bite to eat before I take off. I’ll be in Mexico City by 5:00 my time here (6:00 their time) and will have just enough time to grab some dinner thanks to a 1.5-hour layover. I should be landing in Mérida around 9:30 their time (8:30 my time) and if I don’t have to wait for luggage, should be in a taxi by 10:00. The airport is within city limits and I’m told a ride to my apartment in Centro should only take about 20 minutes. Someone will be waiting for me when I get there. It’ll be a long day, but just think where I’ll be when I finally land!

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A Change of Scenery

Whew. I’m leaving for Mérida on Friday and I don’t think I could possibly deserve — or need — a vacation more than I do now! After taking it pretty easy in January and reorienting myself with new clients, I’ve worked my tail off in February! I can’t believe how much I earned in just two weeks this month. I also have the peace of mind of knowing that I’ll have a full roster when I go back to work March 1st.

One of the most exciting projects I’m going to start on is a new transcription project for Gutsu films. I am very proud to have been their Transcription Coordinator for the forthcoming documentary Freedom for the Wolf and am thrilled to be on board for their next project. I’ll be doing some law enforcement work on top of that, as well as a little proofreading and general transcription. I don’t think I’ve been this happy with my workload in ages (outside of the proofreading contract that just ended, of course).

I was going to get takeout last night, but was too beat to fathom putting on my flip-flops and schlepping “all the way” to Miguel’s. You know I’m tired when cooking feels like less work than eating out! But tonight, as I sent off the final transcript and invoice for a major project, knowing that I have a couple of easy days of work left before my vacation, I just needed a change of scenery.

So, being the classy gal that I am, I transferred the rest of my white wine to a water bottle (the wine bottle being too large to carry in my purse) and went to Miguel’s. I brought a book, but ended up spending most of my time talking to Angela about different things and getting in some much needed linguistic practice. My word of the day is “castigar” (to punish).

I ordered a shrimp burrito and a chorreada.

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I still don’t quite know what the latter is all about, but it’s yummy. I like the base, which is a charred maize product. It’s much thicker than a tortilla and has a strong corn taste, but is not crunchy like a tostada. I like a lot of guacamole, hot sauce, and lime juice on my chorreadas!

I haven’t really had many cravings for the shrimp burritos this winter for some reason and each time I have one, I wonder why because they are so good!!! I like these with just the avocado sauce normally, but tonight added both hot sauce and chiles curtidos (pickled jalapeños) and that hit the spot tonight for some reason. Usually, I like the burritos because they’re not spicy, but I must have been in a mood tonight.

Miguel and Angela had a sign by the counter today announcing that they now have agua frescas made from fresh fruit. I asked what kinds and it was hibiscus (jamaica), horchata (which Angela qualified as being riced-based, which I knew, but haven’t tried yet), and… guava. My favourite! I bought a litre bottle from her and will finish it tomorrow as it is very dense since it has so much fruit in it. YUM. Look at the pretty colour!

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Dinner was $80 with the tip (6.58CAD or 5USD). That was it for Miguel’s for February. I can’t believe it’ll already be March next time I go!

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Mission Not So Impossible

I had an adventure and a half this morning!

My riding friend Sue emailed yesterday to ask if I could go to town today to act as a translator. I cannot remember the last time I’ve been to town and could do very well with a few hours away from my desk, so I was glad for the excuse to take off. I met her at 9:30 this morning and got the scoop on what we were off to do.

By way of background, she’s friends with a guy named Rus who had come to Isla for a few weeks from Minnesota and stayed in the apartment next to him. I met him once and he’s super nice. Rus uses his iPad to take pictures and while in Maz one day he set it down and forgot it! He had years worth of pictures on it and was devastated. He put up reward posters in the area where he lost it (Centro between the Mercado and Olas Altas), but nothing came of it.

When he got home, he called Apple and they told him how to activate the Find My iPad feature so that a message would pop up on the lock screen saying the iPad is lost and giving contact information (I need to make sure I have that working on my own iOS devices!).

Incredibly enough, someone had turned the iPad in to the police!!!!! Soon as that notification showed up on the lock screen, a very lovely lady named Marisela who works for the police called Rus in Minnesota to let him know she had his iPad. Rus then asked Sue to go pick it up. Sue had other friends of hers call Marisela to get an address and then asked me to go with her to be a translator.

Which brings us to this morning. The information on a scrap of paper was almost meaningless to me, but I did understand that we were heading into the Juárez colonia. I said our best bet would be to give the paper to a pulmonía driver and see if he could figure it out. Our driver, Mario, looked at it for a bit and saw a street name. That was good enough for him and off we went. Sue and I go to Juárez regularly, so we knew we were in the right neighbourhood and not getting taken for a ride.

We got to the street and he asked a few people if they could get us to Marisela from the rest of the information on the paper. No. Sue had Marisela’s number and I had my phone with money on it so I asked Mario if he would speak to her if I dialed on my phone. Sure. He got hold of her and started with “Marisela? Good. I’m a pulmonía driver and I’ve got a couple of Gringos looking for you…” Sue and I got that bit and burst out laughing. He talked for a bit and said “Aaaaah” a lot, which was a good sign.

Mario hung up, handed me back the phone, and drove a couple more blocks to where we needed to be. We really were “right there” and we had made the right decision to trust a pulmonía driver. This is where we learned that we were going to a community police station for the first time! We were shocked! We’d already asked Mario to wait for us and had made it clear as we were driving around that we were prepared to pay, so he told us where he’d be waiting and wished us good luck.

I asked a police officer outside about Marisela, but he didn’t seem too keen to help. It was an older gentleman in civilian clothing sitting across from him who took pity on us and led us in to Marisela’s office.

Sue had been told to come with ID, so we figured she’d show her passport, get the iPad, and we’d be on our way. No. I have no idea how long we were in that stuffy room, but it was a while! Marisela got all of Sue’s details to make sure they matched up with her information, was happy to see her number on Sue’s phone in an email from Rus, and then asked us for Rus’ address and birthday. Hmmm… Thankfully, Sue’s phone is set up to call the States easily so she called him and left a message. He called right back with the missing information. Sue then had to sign for the iPad and, get this, give her thumb print! They were thorough! Finally, we had to pose for pictures together with the iPad and also with Marisela, probably for their Facebook page or bulletin board. Whew!

Sue was a bit stressed during all of this, but I was having a blast. One thing was clear, there was no way she would have made it without translator. As she said, she would have been driving around in aimless circles and it would have been a waste of her time and money.

The iPad finally secure in her purse, we headed out and Mario whisked us back to the Playa Sur embarcadero. We’d determined the trip would be worth $300 to Mario, which is what he quoted us when we arrived, but we gave him $400. The trip had started off with him being a little uneasy and very likely wondering if it would be worth his time, but he was laughing with us at the end and left very happy and sufficiently compensated for nearly two hours of his time.

As soon as we got to Sue’s place, she sent Rus a picture of us holding his iPad. He’s a happy guy!

The iPad’s not home yet, though, of course. Sue is taking it home to Lethbridge with her, where she will courier it to Rus in Minnesota. But it’s safe and sound for now and he’ll have it in about eight weeks.

The takeaway from this story is that there are some really good people out there. This happy ending would not have been possible without the good Samaritan turning the iPad in to the authorities. And Apple deserves some credit for having a method to get its devices home when they fall in the hands of good people.

It was an awesome morning. Thanks, Sue, for asking me to be your translator on this fun adventure!