The hotel zone in Mazatlan is called the Zona Dorado - Personally, you can have it. Hotel after hotel, built around 20 years ago, and showing their age. The restaurants serve shrimp because this is the "shrimp capital of the world." Other fish tend to be Dorado (Mahi-Mahi) fish smothered in all kinds of horrific sauces. One was Pepto Bismal pink and emerald green! Scattered around are tourist shops with lots of mass produced goods.
Mazatlan is now a cruise ship destination. However, ships from all over the world come in to drop off cars, and to pick up tuna, shrimp and other fish.
This is a view of the city (obviously).
This is the cathedral in the old city center. A few blocks away is a
market where people sell fish and meats, and shoes, all under one roof!
The area is just
over the mountains from Durango, the beef raising center of Mexico.
Inside the cathedral a wedding was going on. The city had been
populated in the 19th century by Germans (who founded the Pacifico
brewery), however, its roots go back to 1541 AD. The cathedral was not
as opulent as others we have seen in Mexico. 
Everybody was working to "re-do" the city. Beach restaurants were
getting re-thatched; the malecon was being repaved; buildings were
being spruced up. When the US economy is doing well, it seems the
Mexican economy is, too.NEXT