US travel advisory: "Sinaloa state – Do Not Travel"

Ray exiting the Ferry to Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

Ray y yo podimos dormir en el ferry a Mazatlán. El mejor obstáculo a dormir fue los televisiónes. Llegábamos en Mazatlán y montamos a el otro puerto, para ir a la "Isla de las Piedras" (no es una isla, es una península). Compré un boleto y encontré una taquería. El plan estaba comer tacos y continuar en la ruta. Pero entonces, conocí a Freddy. La madre de Freddy me vendió dos tacos y hablé con Freddy.  

Freddy es un maestro de baile. Él enseña baila a estudiantes de escuela primera y segundaria, y otros. Vivió en Mazatlán toda su vida. Me dijo que el mejor carnival en el Mundo es en Brasil. Número dos, New Orleans, u número tres, Mazatlán. ¡A veces, Freddy y sus estudiantes ganan la competencia de baile en el carnival de Mazatlán!

Un cambio de planes. Ray y yo vamos a pasar un rato en Mazatlán. 

The Mazatlán malecón has sections of swimming beach and sections of rough rocky coast also.

Freddy cocinó pescado con arroz y una ensalada. Nos guió en Mazatlán en la tarde. Caminábamos en el centro del ciudad, a el pueblo chino, el pueblo viejo, y más. Tiene muchos amigos en Mazatlán. Creo que es un poco famoso aquí. 

Subíamos El Faro también. Arriba en El Faro, hay una vista increíble de Mazatlán.

Mazatlán tiene la Cervecería de Pacífico para todo el mundo. Freddy y Ray beben Pacífico en la playa. 

Mazatlán means 'Place of Deer' in an indegineous language. We saw no deer in Mazatlán, only sculptures of them. And a thigh tattoo of a deer with a third eye. 

Ray and I behind a deer sculpture. It refused to turn around for the picture. 

The biggest oysters Ray had ever seen. And he lived in New Orleans for four years. 

People in America told me that Mexico was dangerous. Some people in La Paz said that mainland Mexico is more dangerous. The US government advises against travelling to Sinaloa. 

Sandal shopping in Mazatlán.

Ray greets the washing machine rental delivery truck outside Freddy's house in Mazatlán. 

It was Semana de las Trocas in Mazatlán. We visited the truck parade. 

I asked Freddy about going out at night in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. He said that "don't go out at night" means past 1AM, especially if you're drunk. And the risk would be petty crime such as theft. I really need to be careful in other towns, he said. 

After feasting on the best tacos in Mazatlán, Freddy and I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Spanish with Spanish subtitles, while Ray took his best shirt and INREACH on a Tinder date. 

Freddy in front of two of his paintings. 

The next morning, Ray felt a bit sick, so I continued alone. 

I searched for a place to camp, it went something like this:

Before Concordia I asked someone where to camp. They said to ask at the Oxxo (convenience store). I asked a fruit vendor and bought bananas. She didn't know of a place. I asked at the Oxxo, they seemed unsure. I didn't understand their directions, but I thought it had something to do with a bank. There was no nearby bank, so I searched for a hotel. The hotel was $800 so I searched for another hotel. I couldn't find it. I searched for a third hotel, and asked an old man where to camp. He gave me directions to a baseball field. There were several, and I wasn't sure which one he was suggesting. At the baseball field, I asked a woman with a baby and two children if I could camp at the baseball field. She said it was not a safe place to camp. She showed me to the other baseball field, and said it was more safe. This field was huge, with many stadium lights, people, and lots of open area. It would do. I rode up to some people having a party and asked if it would be a bad idea to camp here. They said it would be fine, there's a toilet even. Among them was Gerardo, who invited me to stay at his house. I'm now in a bed at his house. Fed and showered. 

The next day, I ran errands with Gerardo.

Gerardo has been a soccer coach for 30 years. He lives with his wife and his daughter. They fed me incredible food and offered me everything. 

When flooded with generosity, I sometimes feel undeserving. There are others who could benefit more from these resources. I was born into a middle class American citizenship. I could go to college and pursue any career. It's hard to imagine a more privileged position. These people want to host me, though. Gerardo specifically told me he wanted me to stay, and that his friends in the park wanted to help me also. Thank you Gerardo.

Gerardo advised that the mountains where I'm headed are dangerous, and people can't be trusted as much. 

I continued into the mountains, where Ray was staying at the ranch of his Tinder date's family. Sounds like his date went OK.