Ah...Mazatlan!

After our fantastic crossing, our home coming to El Cid was as great as we had dreamed. After our two months here last year, many of the workers and the many cruisers who permanently live here remembered us. It was so fun to see everyone again. Within ten minutes of docking, Esteban, the dock manager came over to talk about fishing in the canal, Lalo a dock worker came over with a greeting, and Gilberto swung the water taxi close enough to yell out hellos and bark at Rudy (he loves that dog!). When we saw Fidel at the pool bar, he dropped what he was doing to rush over and tell us his big news - he had been promoted to manager at the Iguana Pool and was voted El Cid's Worker of the Year. Very well deserved! Marina El Cid looks even more beautiful, and it is obvious that business is good and they are reinvesting their money in the property.

It's hard to believe it is almost Christmas - especially while you are soaking in the sun at the poolside. But we have hung our lights and I will be making Christmas cookies over the next couple days. On Thursday, Marina El Cid hosts a Christmas party for the cruisers. On Friday, we are going to the Christmas celebration thrown by the Salvation Army featuring the children in their orphanage.

We spent the day yesterday walking around the old section of Mazatlan - down by the cliff divers, all along the Malecon of Olas Altas and over to the Central Market. We love this City!