From malls to movies to music in one day

This the part of the newest mall in Mazatlan. We went there yesterday to find yoga mats at Walmart. There's a new one a ways north of here in a new mega-mall area that also includes a Sears store and a Liverpool (perhaps Mexico's best known high end department store). The bus trip up took about an hour and once we got there we were shocked to see this brand new development essentially empty of shoppers.  Walmart had 20 cashiers and one was open with no line up at all.

We found our mats and then crossed the new highway to the big mall on the other side.  It was even emptier. There were probably ten times more staff than shoppers midday on a Thursday and the parking lot was essentially empty. Hopefully things will change for these merchants.

The movies are in English and shown in an old building in the historic centre. Recreo offers movies,s play readings, and concerts as well as Spanish classes and speakers. It's  small theatre seating about 60 and the seats are tiered and very comfy, plus it had fans going so it was nice and cool. The movie we saw was an indie movie that came out in 2013 and it was excellent. It's called Short Term12 and you get a chance to see it, don't miss it.  It's been winning prizes at film festivals and justifiably so.

After the movie got out around 5:00 we walked down to the water and watched the sunset from the top of the Freeman Hotel. This hotel was the pride of Mazatlan in the 1940s and then fell into decay but was restored a few years ago and is now a Best Western Hotel.  We went up the 1947 elevator to the 12th floor and had a drink by their little pool. What a fabulous spot for a sunset moment.

Next stop was a shared meal at Pedro and Lola's overlooking the Plazuela Machado.  As we were finishing our shrimp and salad an old guy wearing sneakers wobbled up on a bicycle and went into the restaurant, only to come out with mis and wires and a saxophone. He seemed kind of shaky as he was setting up the equipment and putting together his mouthpiece, but when we engaged him in conversation it was apparent that he has it pretty much together.

This is Jock, who turned 84 yesterday, and plays twice a week in the plaza with two younger musicians. He tells us that he played in the Seattle Symphony and had a long musical career. He says he was a prize fighter and fought in Korea. He tells us he has a boat that he keeps on Saltspring Island and spends time with his sweetheart in New York. He spends winters in Mazatlan and plays several gigs to pass the time.

It's hard to know if it's all true, but if even half of it is, he's an impressive guy.  We didn't get to hear him play as we were heading home to bed, but on Sunday we're going to hear him play at a restaurant.

It turns out there's a lot of culture, both Capital C and small C in Mazatlan.