No New Baseball Stadium, says Governor

by Maureen Dietrich

9 Jan 15 

mazmessenger.com

 

Culiacán: Sinaloa Governor Mario López Valdez said yesterday that following the sale of grupo Modelo there will be no new baseball stadium in Mazatlán.

He told media the land for the stadium located beside the Convention Center in the Marina had already been purchased but with the sale of the company the philosophy had changed.

The Governor said he also understood Mazatlán’s Venados baseball team was to be sold and depending on the new owners they would see (if the project would continue).

(from Noroeste)

Aquarium Shark Tank Could be Open by Easter

by Maureen Dietrich

8 Jan 15 

mazmessenger.com

Fraught with construction and technical errors, the shark tank remains empty

In July, 2010 the construction of a shark tank at Mazatlán’s aquarium began. At that time, the Sinaloa government announced the tank would be open to the public at the end of that year or beginning of 2011. Fraught with construction and technical errors, the shark tank remains empty and has become a thorn in the side of both the Sinaloa and municipal governments.

Yesterday at a closed door meeting, Mazatlán Mayor Carlos Felton and Secretary of Public Works, José Luis Sevilla, agreed to move the project forward saying they see many positive aspects for the project and ways to solve current problems.

Including, they announced, a meeting with a technician today who investigated the installation and operation of the tank’s life support system to diagnose what is missing and how much it will cost to make the tank operational. With luck, said the Mayor, there will be sharks in the tank by Semana Santa (Easter).

And although the Secretary of Public Works stated there are no funds in the municipality´s budget for the project, the Mayor assured media Sinaloa Public Works has money earmarked for the aquarium and the Secretary of Tourism may have some remaining funds to contribute.

Municipal councilmen Humberto Becerra Batista, coordinator of the Comisión de Urbanismo, and Esperanza Kazuga Osaka, pointed out they were not included in the closed door meeting and called for transparency saying although they have insisted on being given information about the project they have not received any explanations.

What they have noticed, said Becerra Batista, is a project poorly executed which has not been explained to them. They want transparency and an accounting and called on the Sinaloa Auditor General´s office to follow up.

 (from Noroeste)

Artwalk Celebrates 10 Years!

by Maureen Dietrich

20 Nov 14 

mazmessenger.com

 

Tourists and locals peruse the Artwalk display at Casa Etnika in Centro Historico.

‘Open Studio,’ ‘Camino del Arte,’ ‘First Fridays,’ and now simply ‘Artwalk’ all refer to the free self-guided tour of artist studios and galleries in Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico which has evolved over the past 10 years becoming one of the favorite cultural events of ‘the Season.’

Initiated as a once a year event based on my experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically San Jose and Oakland, the first Open Studio tour in Mazatlán had 12 locations and 22 artists. Although it was attended by just a handful of expats and even fewer locals, we were encouraged to continue for two more years as the number of participants and visitors gradually increased. Over time, however, we realized that Mazatlán’s tourism could support this event once a month versus once a year which led us to inaugurate First Friday Artwalk (Camino del Arte in Spanish), November through May.

In her studio, artist Glen Rogers explains her technique to interested art lovers.

Artwalk is a visual feast, a roving street party from studio to gallery within a 10 block area of Mazatlán’s Old Town with its colorful ‘tropical neo-classical’ architecture. During the tour, visitors have a rare opportunity to see inside these historic buildings while visiting artists in their homes, studios, shops and galleries. Paintings, prints, sculpture, photography, stained glass, fine art jewelry and mixed media works in every style imaginable await behind each door. This is an opportunity to talk with the artists about their work, learn about their technique and inspiration, purchase an original to take home, or just enjoy the moment. At most locations, refreshments are offered and sometimes music or special events.

Friends make a night of it, choosing which locations to visit and strolling the streets with map in hand, perhaps visiting 5 or 6 locations then having dinner and drinks at one of the local restaurants. From an artist’s perspective, the exposure is priceless – I’ve had some of my best commissions and sales through the contacts that I’ve made. And I always enjoy meeting folks and sharing my art and my passion about prints and printmaking.

The arts are notorious for bringing a city to life and Mazatlán has undergone just such a revival over the twelve years that I have lived here. Artwalk, with its focus on the visual arts, has contributed to an exciting lineup of cultural activity. With support from Cultura and local businesses, coverage by the New York Times, Alaska Airlines’ Nextstop.tv, a Value Award by Westjet’s Up! Magazine, mentions in travel blogs and cruiser magazines, Artwalk continues to attract good artists, galleries, and art lovers to the area.

This year’s tour features 23 locations (marked by colorful banners and balloons) and represents 48 artists including Mexicans, U.S. Citizens and Canadians. The dates are: November 7, December 5, January 2, February 6, March 6, April 10 (2^nd Friday due to Semana Santa), and May 1.

To celebrate our 10^th year anniversary, Artwalk will be hosting an exhibition and party at Casa Haas on Tuesday March 3, 2015 and will feature artwork by over 100 artists who have participated over the last 10 years!

Visit the website: www.artwalkmazatlan.com

Mexico: A Travel Destination that offers everything you have always dreamed about

theyucatantimes.com

There are many countries on Earth that you should visit before you die, but not so many that are ideal to spend vacation, not so many that simply seem to offer everything you have always dreamed about.

Mexico is one of the very few places that seem to have it all: impressive countryside, beautiful beaches, majestic pyramids, first-class museums, colorful culture, millenary traditions, great wine, delicious food, adventure parks, and so on, and so on.

Mexico offers a wide variety of hotels & vacation packages, there is one Website, where you can find competitive rates and hotels in almost all Mexican destinations:www.mexresorts.com. We could continue with hundreds of examples, but let’s focus on the most important ones:

 Great and predictable weather

No need to say that if you only have two weeks of vacation in a year you don’t want to see them  spoiled by unexpected rain or permanent clouds. An indisputable advantage of Mexico is its predictable weather. There might be rare surprises of course, but this beautiful country has very defined seasons in most places. For example, you can easily discover that you should visit Puerto Vallarta between November and April to have 100% of sunny days guaranteed and avoid hurricanes that if you prefer milder, spring climate you should head to Cuernavaca or Valle de Bravo all year round.

Great beaches

If you take into consideration that Mexico is surrounded by Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, you will know that there are plenty of options for beach vacation. The coastline of Mexico is 5,800 miles and there are 17 states with beautiful beaches, five-star resorts, water sports, and boutique eco hotels. Baja California, Nayarit, Guerrero, Yucatán are only few examples of everything that you may find.

Great food

I know, you’ve probably heard many scary stories about the Montezuma revenge and how sick you may get with Mexican food I may assure you that this is very unjust stereotype. You are very probable to have stomach problems if you eat in suspicious places in any country, not only in Mexico, and there are very few nations on Earth whose food was added by UNESCO to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The French got pretty mad when the news was released… In no other country you will be offered such a wide range of tastes and in no other places you will see that spicy is a very limited word to describe all shades of chili peppers.

Archaeological sites you shouldn’t miss

Mexico has a long list of fascinating must-see archaeological sites and you won’t have time to see them all. Definitely, the most famous ones are the Pyramids in the State of Mexico, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon that are on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  However, there are plenty of others almost in every state. You have Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Yaxchilan and Palenque in Chiapas, El Tajin in Veracruz, Monte Alban in Oaxaca, Tenochtitlan in Mexico City, Cholula in Puebla, La Quemada in Zacatecas, and many others.

by  Oliver Weickardt

Source: http://www.ontheroadin.com/

Mexico to Launch Website Stressing Sportfishing Rules

Sandra Dibble - UTSanDiego.com
go to original
October 7, 2014

Mexico City, Mexico - The Mexican government has announced a new website aimed at helping US tourists understand the steps required to fish legally in its waters. It will be designed towards clarifying the requirements of the country's federal agencies including customs, fisheries, and immigration.

"The message is very clear. You are most welcome in our country because tourists are important in Mexico," said Ana Luisa Fajer, director general of Mexico’s Foreign Relations Secretariat for North America. "But at the same time there are very clear and specific rules and regulations."

Fajer and other Mexican federal officials announced the new website last week at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego. They expect to launch the website later this year.

On the site, visitors will learn about things such as Mexican customs' rules stating that visitors can bring up to four fishing rods into the country without paying duties. They will also learn that they need to pay about $25 for a tourist visa from Mexico's National Migration Institute. Rodulfo Figueroa, Mexico's top federal immigration official in Baja California estimated that only 25 percent of those who come fishing in Mexico do so with the proper permit.

Failure to comply with the regulations can result in an abrupt end to fishing trips. The new website is expected to provide information about the rules and list specific sanctions that apply for those who violate them.

"Nautical tourists will be informed of which documents they will need to go fishing in Mexico with no hesitation," said Alejandro Santander, a representative of Mexico’s Tourism Board.

San Diego sportfishermen in recent years has expressed concern about the lack of clarity surrounding Mexico’s regulations. At a meeting in San Diego last year with Mexican authorities, boaters said they were confused about how to comply with Mexico’s tourist visa requirements.

Louis Almeida, president of the "San Diego Anglers," a recreational fishing club with 400 members, applauded the announcement. "It would be very beneficial to have a one-stop shop," he said. "Right now we go to multiple websites."

Fred Huber, co-owner of three sportfishing boats in San Diego, said those in the charter business are mindful of following Mexican regulations. "We've had to learn how to do it, because it's our business," he said. "We're dealing with a foreign country, and we're just thankful to be there."

Original Story

How to Put Together Your Own Travel Group

yoga-nyc-beats.com

Getting ready to travel to a vacation destination takes a lot of planning but if you are considering putting together a travel group that's a whole different kind of organizing that you are going to have to get involved with. Below you'll find a few basic things you should know in order to put together a successful trip for a group of people. 

The most important thing is to pick out the destination and from that work on creating an itinerary. This itinerary is very important because it will include all the details of the departure, arrival, places you will be visiting, how long the trip is going to be and other details. This needs to be all planned out before you even invite people to join the group. If you have this all prepared you will have a better chance of getting people interested in going on the trip with you. 

After you have the itinerary figured out you will need to set up a registration process. You need to have this set far before the actual time of departure. You need to be able to know in advance how many people are wanting to go so that you can then move onto reserving the transportation to get there and the accommodations that you will need for the trip. You also might want to ask for advanced payment for the trip so that you can handle the reservations with ease. 

You can use the amount of people that are coming to be able to try and get the best rates for travel that you possibly can. There are a lot of different hotels, airlines and even tour buses that will give discounts for larger parties. Large groups often get offered extra amenities to go with the accommodations for no extra charge. 

You will need to get information from those who are coming to see if there are any special needs. If there are diet issues or if there are disabilities that may need special attention. You need to know these things in order to get proper accommodations and find places to eat that will accommodate special diets, etc. 

If you are completely in charge of the travel group then it's probably a good idea if you come up with some rules and regulations that are handed out to all those who are going to be traveling with the group. If everyone knows what is expected of them in advance, it's going to be a lot easier in the long run for everyone to stay focused on their trip without complications so that they can enjoy themselves. This means you need to include when there are tours and when everyone will be expected to join the group in order to leave for the tour on time and other things that will help make the trip safe and enjoyable for everyone. 

Gov’t announces funding to help boost ecotourism projects

Mexico News Daily

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

 

Swimming with whale sharks, kayaking, river-rafting, diving and caving are among the myriad activities that Mexico offers in the way of ecotourism. With that in mind, the federal government has announced the allocation of 107 million pesos for its promotion in 14 areas of the country.

The money will be matched in equal amount by state governments.

The National Commission for Protected Areas estimates that ecotourism brought 2.5 million visitors last year, while 1,126 ecotourism businesses have been identified.

That figure is expected to grow in the coming years now that community businesses created in rural areas are in the process of developing their capacity and will be offering additional ecotourism attractions.

Along with its 174 protected natural areas Mexico is believed to have the largest number of species of reptile at 707, and comes in at second place for the number of mammal species, at 438.

It also ranks very high for species of amphibian and flora, which are found here in abundance.

The funding announcement was made at Adventure Travel Mexico 2014 by Carlos Joaquín González of the Tourism Secretariat. He said the ecotourism segment of the tourist industry is seen as having potential for innovative tourism products and for attracting new markets.

Source: Economía Hoy (sp)

- See more at: http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/govt-announces-funding-help-boost-ecotourism-projects/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=ecotourismfunding#sthash.rCb0PQs7.dpuf

MEXICO: caught world record Pacific needlefish

internationalfishingnews.com
May 30, 2014



MEXICO: caught world record Pacific needlefish This fishing news about a new world record come from Pisces Sportfishing in Baja California, Mexico. In fact Pisces surf fishing guide Wesley Brough, was hooked this big size Pacific needlefish for a weight of 19.4 pound: If approved by IGFA (international Game fish Association - www.igfa.org) is the largest needlefish every caught on rod and reel. The previous record was only 16 pound set in a couple of years ago in Isla Secas, Panama.

Picachos is Mexico's newest hot bass lake

tylerpaper.com

Saturday, 19 April 2014 22:11 

Written by Steve Knight

PUERTA de SAN MARCOS, MEXICO – The water was green and clear and the surrounding foothills were almost copper in color. It was hard to know whether to look down or look up.

With seven days of fishing there was plenty of time to do both.

 Lake Picachos, a 14,000-acre irrigation and water supply lake an hour east of Mazatlan, could be the next big thing in Mexico bass fishing. Time will tell, but the lake that has only been opened since last winter has already produced a lake-record topping 12 pounds and hundred-count boat numbers are normal. That comes just five years after being stocked.

“Two and a half years after being stocked they caught a 7-pound bass. I knew then this lake was going to be good,” said Ron Speed Jr., of Ron Speed Jr. Adventures, the first American and only outfitter on the lake.

Being first is nothing new for the Malakoff-base company. Speed’s father, Ron Sr., who started the business in the 1970s, was the first to build a lodge at Lake Guerrero and has been taking American fishermen into the country almost continuously ever since.

Being the first, especially in Mexico, always comes with growing pains. For Speed and his group of young commercial fishermen and farmers turned fishing guides the problems have been the same as with fishermen on any new lake, finding the flats and drop-offs, locating roadbeds and arroyos or creeks, but in this case it is on a lake where 45 feet of water is not unusual and 60 feet isn’t uncommon.

Right now the lake is down about 20 percent for the spring growing season and could recede another 5 percent before the rainy season begins. Fishing is still good, but is only expected to get better after the runoff rain from the mountains refills it this summer.

Being first has also including dealing with a still-under-construction camp, but by the time the big fish season comes back around in November those kinks should be worked out. For now, however, the first wave of adventurous fishermen is making do without television by catching more fish in a day than they might in a month at home.

Located down scenic, winding roads leading from Mazatlan, Picachos is in the foothills of the western Sierra Madre Mountains.

Unlike Texas lakes, there was no bulldozer sculpting done within the lake’s footprint before the dam was closed six years ago. Everything that was there then remains, returning like ghosts from the dead each spring when the lake is drawn down during the area’s growing season. That includes three villages whose residents were transplanted to new communities built for them.

Just a couple of years ago Speed really hadn’t expected to start an operation at the lake, his first flying solo since his father’s retirement in 2013.

“I had heard about a lake near Mazatlan. I had heard it was going to be small so I didn’t put much stock in it, but then my partner Carlos Lizarraga called and asked if we were going in,” Speed said.

Only then did he learn that the lake was going to be at least 12,000 acres (there is actually no official size, only best guesses), and plans quickly began to fall into place, including partnering with Puerta de San Marcos on a lodge. That, along with hiring local residents as camp employees and guides, has created a beneficial partnership for both sides. It offers Speed comfort in stability and it brings tourists and their dollars to the town.

“The local mayor has clout and he is hell-bent and determined to protect the lake. He has control over both the sport fishing and the commercial fishing,” Speed said.

Like other western Mexican lakes, commercial netters are allowed on Piscachos to net talapia, but their nets were gone by April 1 instead of the state mandated May 1 with an eye on tourism. The local fishing co-operative also falls under the mayor’s rule so he has the power to close the season early and turn the lake over to visiting sportfishermen.

But recreational fishermen are also restricted. At least for now there is no legal harvest of bass, and there is a check station leading from the lake to make sure the rule is enforced.

“To me this is the best of all the lakes,” said Speed of the quality of Piscachos as a new lake compared to openings at nearby El Salto, Comedero and Huetes. “Comedero didn’t have Florida bass in it when it opened. Salto was stocked with Florida bass, but there was either 1-pound fish or 10-pound fish. There was nothing in between.”

Huetes, he explained started off hot, but within four years was a flop.

“I think this lake is going to hold up as long as they continue to protect it like they do now,” Speed said.
There were seven fishermen on the trip, only the seventh American group to fish the lake fed by Rio Presidio.

After one afternoon and morning attempting to learn the waters, it was clear how good the lake was when boat after boat had 100-plus-fish daily catches.

One day one boat had over 200. Those came mostly from a hole Austin angler Mike Leggett and I found one morning when we boated between 40 and 50 bass, averaging probably 3 pounds.

However, the next morning the spot turned cold. Showing it to Speed, he said he didn’t think the bass had left, but had just moved out as the water level continued to drop. After hunting and pecking coves, brush lines and points, the fish were found again by the boatload.

The key everywehre was finding spots where the water depth came up to 17 feet or less, or bass were suspended up in deeper water.
 
Across the lake other fishermen were honed in on humps coming out of deep water that were holding shad. Throwing three-quarter ounce spinners, crankbaits and soft plastics they were loading up, but with bass up to 11 pounds. Several double digits were landed during the week and even more 7-, 8- and 9-pounders were boated.

Living in a lake filled with forage including shad, tiliapia and freshwater prawns, a healthy 3-pound bass fought every bit as much as one twice its size. Spinner bait blades were constantly getting ripped off and 20-pound test line was being tested.

The fish were also so aggressive that one striking the bait would cause another equaled sized or larger to challenge making double hook-ups common for the fisherman quick enough to cast in behind first catch.

Although more like the canyon lakes of the western U.S., Piscachos is not for the weak or light.

Seventeen-pound test line is an absolute minimum. Twenty-pound and up is recommended. Submerged tree limbs and brush are everywhere, but unlike South Texas it isn’t filled with thorns. Fishermen can get their catch through it and retrieve hung lines, but only with good knots and tough line.

Being new and lightly fished, almost any color soft plastic bait is going to work. Watermelon green was a guarantee. Half-ounce weights are a necessity for getting down in the deep water quickly.

Heavier spinners, three-quarter ounce to an ounce, are also recommended. Speed is a spinner bait fan, especially as a locator bait. The heavier baits allow him to get to the bottom faster where he slow roles them back to the boat. It can work for catching big fish as well.

Through the week numbers stayed consistent and with each day top weights only got better.

Besides learning the lake, right now Speed is hamstrung by a lodge that still needs to get a few kinks worked out and is awaiting new boats to clear customs.

Those things are easy to forget about with good fishing and scenery that is outstanding. Along with the natural beauty the lake is a birdwatchers dream with species like parrots, green parakeets, long-tailed urracas and chacalacas screeching from the trees along the shore.

Despite some of the best big bass fishing coming in the summer, the lodge closes in mid-July for the rainy season at which time the lake will recharge.

Mazatlan-Durango highway - Durango City