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tions I provide you called "A walk in the downtown area," in Chapter 5. After
the walk, stop at one of the cafes in Olas Altas for a nice Mexican lunch while
people watching.
Following lunch, you should be rested and ready for some serious shop-
ping. You can be sure that a pulmonia will be parked nearby, and the driver will
be waiting for you to pay the check and stand. Tell him to take you to "Here is
Paco" gift shop. There are several shops on that and the block south of Paco's
that you can get the same deal by showing my book. When you are ready to
drop, hail another Pulmonia and tell the driver to take you to the cruise ship
dock. Enjoy the open-air ride along the malecón to your home-away-from-
home-on-the-sea.
Prescription drugs in Mexico are much cheaper than in the US and Canada.
The Belmar Pharmacy has established a way to order your drugs on line and
pick them up at the dock in Mazatlán. The Belmar Pharmacy website is
http://www.maztravel.com/drugs/.
Pleasure Boats: Or as my friend Ken jokingly calls them, "The boat people."
There is ample moorage either downtown or at El Cid Marina. At the Isla
Marina in the downtown area the cost is $.17 U.S. per foot per day. For moor-
age that includes water (not potable, but not sea water either) and electricity,
the cost is $.25 U.S. per foot per day. The cost for moorage at El Cid is a bit
more.
Driving. I've found that driving in Mexico is as safe as driving in the United
States. Before you decide to drive to Mazatlán, you should know the docu-
mentation requirements and costs. There are many two-lane highways in
Mexico that do not charge tolls, but are sometimes narrow and have numerous
potholes. Toll roads are like super highways in the U.S., but are costly--about
$52 U.S. from Nogales to Mazatlán. Gasoline prices hover around $3 U.S. per
gallon and increase annually. I've driven the toll road (cuota) from Nogales,
Arizona to Mazatlán and found it to be a beautiful, picturesque drive.
Documentation. All other individual documentation previously stated
must be presented when crossing the border. You must have a copy of your
vehicle title and registration. If your vehicle is currently being financed, a nota-
rized letter of permission from the financing institution giving permission for
the vehicle to be taken to Mexico must be provided. If you are leasing your
vehicle, the same type letter must be presented. Be aware that most leasing
companies will not issue the letter for more than a 30-day period. Before I left
home I made copies of:
-My passport and my wife's passport.
-My driver's license.
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M a z a t l a n I S P a r a d i s e