This is where there is a guy who trains dancing horses. Plus, it's just a nice little typical village. I always find it interesting how you only have to be 16 kms (10 miles) outside the hustle and bustle of the big city of Mazatlan to find yourself out in the country. You'd never know that you're so close to the city.
Typical little house in the countryside...
We could live in a place like this.
But not at this location. We would need a higher altitude. Still too hot around here.
They set up a viewing area for us.
This horse was really friendly.
Big Friesian horse.
The training takes between 6 months and 1 year, depending on the horse. And some horses just can't be trained. We only saw three horses do the dancing, and they were all in various stages of training. Interestingly, only the black horse looked like he enjoyed it, but who knows.
Took a video for you... turn up your volume...
Ruth, with the big black Friesian. Never did get his name!
Next stop was a cock fighting rooster farm. We could tell right away that there wasn't much interest in our group to see how cock fighting roosters are bred. Yes, it's still very much a Mexican cultural experience, but not one these people had any interest in. Either did we, we have to admit.
So we simply stopped at the side of the road and took a photo out the bus window...
Every rooster gets his own little home.
Can you imagine what this area sounds like at 5:00am? No wonder there were no nearby homes!
Next stop was the leather craft workshops at the clean little town of La Noria...
The town of La Noria.
Hand made leather goods for sale.
Everything made right here.
Mike, ready for happy hour!
The church in La Noria.
Another leather workshop.
Making sandals.
Pretty little town, and super clean!
Next stop was the tequila factory. Now, we have been to the big Herradura Tequila factory and we have also been to small local operations up in the mountains. This one was kind of in between, and there wasn't much going on. Possibly because of Semana Santa (Holy Week), but either way it wasn't a very impressive visit.
The group looking at the process.
They make five different types here. Pricey stuff, starting at 350 pesos ($25 CAD, $20 USD).
For perspective, you can buy good tequila in Mexico for 200 pesos a bottle.
Because of it's location close to Mazatlan, it was a bit touristy to us, and at tourist prices. I expect they cater to the cruise ship crowd.
There were two taste tests included in your 50 peso ($3.50 CAD, $2.75 USD) entrance fee.
Here's Angelika trying a taste!
And, with all that tasting done on an empty stomach, we headed to the town of El Quelite. Another really nice little town. We could have spent the day just exploring there. We were just there for lunch, although we did have a half an hour afterwards to wander around.
We went to the restaurant El Meson de Los Laureanos for lunch, and it was fantastic.
Ready for lunch!
I had the chicken enchiladas.
Ruth had birria.
Pretty little town Busy, too!
Again, I could live in a little town like this if it was higher up in the mountains.
Overall, another really good day with the group. This was the last group tour, and today is our last full day together. We have our farewell dinner at 5:00pm this afternoon, and tomorrow morning we split off in different directions as part of the group will exit at Lukeville, and we will exit with a couple of other rigs at Laredo.
Today, we are taking some of them into Mazatlan.
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Big price drop on Brawny Paper Towels. Record low... time to stock up!
And in Canada... another record low price...
I loved Mazatlán but the beaches were full of jelly fish at the time we traveled there. We flew down so we didn't have a car to explore out to countryside. It looks beautiful and my house is about the size of that little white house. I have a small three bedroom bungalow. When we had it built in the late 1980's, we were out in the country but now we have two major freeways criss crossing several blocks from our home. The last cotton field is blocked from our view with the new loop 202 being built. I don't understand why city officials that have allowed the city to sprawl knowing we have limited water supply. I love the heat...I'm a true Phoenician I guess.
ReplyDeleteI guess it was either a bad time of year or a bad year for jellyfish when you were there, we didn't see any but then again we didn't have much time to be out on the beach when we were in Mazatlan.
DeleteYou don't have to have a car to visit the little towns in the countryside there is always a local bus that will take you and it is very inexpensive. We love doing that because it just adds to the experience. As for that little house in the picture at the top, we could easily live in that. We thought it was really a cute little house.
What were the prices like at the leather workshops?
ReplyDeleteThe prices seemed very reasonable. It think a leather belt was between $12- $15/CAD. We didn't buy anything so we didn't ask the prices other than asking those people that did happen to purchase something.
DeleteLoved the small villages around the area and we toured the Tequila factory on our own enjoyed it and actually bought a bottle of their tequila, pricey but we really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteWe actually didn't really enjoy that tequila factory there very much. It may have been a better experience if they were actually making tequila at the time but after seeing the mescal operation up in the mountains at a little rustic family place it sort of spoiled us and even the big tequila factories in Tequila couldn't match the experience. Honestly we are going to suggest that they cancel that place and add more time to the little town where we had lunch. We really loved it there.
DeleteLove your pics! I’m homesick for Mexico!
ReplyDeleteWe know what you mean! We just crossed back into Texas today and we are already missing Mexico, well maybe not some of the roads! ;-)
DeleteActor George Clooney and country music star George Strait have both invested in Mexican Tequila producers, which they import and promote in the US. They cost more than 200 pesos here, believe me!
ReplyDeleteLots of money in the booze business...
DeleteCock fighting is slowly being prohibited (for whatever that may mean) as has the bull fighting.
ReplyDeleteRuth, you look marvelous! I guess the caravan business has been good to you!!!!!
Yes, our guide was mentioning that to us and we knew about bull fighting but there are still places where you can see both in Mexico. I feel sorry for the both the bulls and the roosters. :-(
DeleteThank you Chris! :-)
Great final tour:)
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice note to end the trip on. :-)
DeleteIt was a nice note to end the trip on. :-)
DeleteSmall Mexican villages are beautiful. A great final day. We hope you do it again next year...
ReplyDeleteWe love the small Mexican villages, they are the best! :-)
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