.....so this is mainland Mexico

We really have been enjoying ourselves here in Mazatlan. Anchored in the old harbor we are located away from the tourist spots and marinas of Mazatlan. We have been taking the bus, shopping in the open air market and eating with the locals which is without a doubt a much richer experience than being with all the other gringos in the resort areas of Mexico. Once away from the tourist spots you stop looking like a walking, talking money tree and the locals start treating you like a person...not really unlike being in any tourist spot in the U.S. I suppose.

The food here is quite a bit cheaper than on the Baja side of Mexico and the fresh fruit and vegetables are amazing. Since Mazatlan has the largest shrimping fleet in the world we have taken it upon ourselves to gorge ourselves on fresh shrimp almost daily....it is a tough life but hey someone has to do it :). We have gotten pretty good at cooking both coconut and garlic butter shrimp.

Before leaving the states we were warned over and over about how dangerous and violent Mexico was but I have to say after visiting various ports over the past few months I believe that this is the biggest misstatement of facts that I have heard in a very long time. Most of the people we have run into here are unbelievably warm and friendly and there dedication to family is touching. Religion plays a big part in the culture here and is evident in about every place you go in Mexico. It really is a wonderful culture and it seems ashame that there is such a misguided view of how things are in Mexico by many in the U.S.