Hikes 2016 and beyond. . .: Saturday, Jan 28, 2017, Mazatlan urban hike

A boat awaits refurbishing at the astillero (shipyard) where Gilberto Landazuri works his 18th year.

This was the only significant hike I engaged in while visiting Mazatlan. The purpose was to deliver a piñata to Gilberto Landazuri at his home in Playa Sur. I set out in the morning and walked to Panama Restaurant, stopping enroute to purchase a cotton summer "suit" -- pants and a nice shirt, both white. At Panama I had a Mango Mambo, because I was hot and thirsty. Then I hiked to Valentino's, and at that traffic circle headed east and then south to Gran Plaza, where I planned to pick up a "tarjeta cumpleaños" (birthday card), which had, in Spanish, the statement that "I'm so old that my birthday candles cost more than my cake." Gilberto's birthday is Feb. 4. He will be 78 and he and Gloria will have been married 51 years.

At the Gran Plaza I ran into a young woman at a booth who spoke excellent English. She had studied in high school and college and had worked cruise ships to Alaska, Costa Rica and Hawaii.

From Gran Plaza I headed toward the Marcado, but caught a bus on Ave. Del Mar enroute. From Marcado I hiked to Gloria and Gilberto's home via the Machado, another Panama Restaurant (a small one) where I bought an orange fanta and rested, and theng a small book store along the way, where I purchased two paperbacks for the women in our foursome. I walked right past Gloria's, not seeing the iglesia, and had to backtrack.

Gilberto was there. I delivered the present and card, we talked for a while, then Gilberto went to work, and I went along, to the shipyard, where I shot photos. Afterward Gilberto drove me part-way to the bus stop. I told him it wasn't necessary and got out just past their home, and walked to the Marcado, where 10 pesos put me on a Sabalo Central back to Pueblo Bonito.

What follows are the maps of different legs of the journey: .76 m; 1.25 m; .98 m; 1.3 m and 1.76 m for a total of 6 miles, or 9.6 km.