MeXscape

When My 18 year old son and I arrived in Mazatlan it was the height of the dry season, however the only thing dry was the jungle, we were both drenched, natures sauna cleaning your pores. The heat and humidly this time of year required any and all outdoor activities to be conducted only in areas where you were wafted by the constant ocean breezes or actually submersed in the water itself. We spent our time between the water, beach front cantinas and air conditioned comfort, it was in the beach front cantinas we replenished the liquids that continuously flowed from every inch of our skin.

After completing my most recent foray into the English-speaking world, I discovered that I have had a complete shift in my personal reality. Six months in Mazatlan is the longest period of time I have immersed myself within this open and friendly culture.

One of the things I love about Mazatlan is abundance of food available to you when out for an evening stroll. The carts are absent during the day, but as soon as the sun goes down, the streets mysteriously fill with food vendors like moon flowers blooming at dusk.

Well...Snickers the Wonder Dog actually managed to catch a rather large Iguana today. We were on our afternoon bicycle ride, I on the bike and Snickers following along behind; she doesn’t have her own bike yet. I am not sure how she managed to corner and capture the damn thing, but it was (and still is), about one meter long. When I realized she was not right next to me or even close behind me, I stopped and looked back to see her in the lizard hunting mode, about 50 meters away.

Not for the reasons most people think. I have no fear of armed marauders, highwaymen, con men, or the like. What I'm referring to is more insidious. I'm talking about the real danger in Mexico - Addiction! Spending time in Mexico can leave you battling a number of addictions.