Mazatlan

Mazatlan is a consummate tourist town.  Everywhere you go along the main drag there are people selling wares, rides, and tours.  I love the laid back feel when you are off the main drag, and chillin' on the beach, or at a tiny shrimp taco stand (I have been told that Mazatlan is the shrimp capital of the world) but whenever I am someplace of interest, like the center of town or along the boardwalk, I feel like a walking dollar bill.

Fortunately we brought tiny backpacks that have very little room so we buy keychains and take pictures as souvenirs. One of the best picture mementos is at any and all Senor Frogs you find along the way.  In front of each "Official Store" is at least one plastic frog caricature.  They make for great photo ops.

No, we didn't get transported momentarily to Sweden, this was for sale in the Zona Dorada.  Not sure what the dealio was, but I was able to channel my roots, and I believe I felt a nice nordic breeze in that moment.  I also feel like this is a good example of how far tourists traps will go to make a buck.

In Mazatlan, we stayed with a very good family friend who put us up and showed us around, hence we don't have as much knowledge of where to stay or where to eat, actually we know where to eat, we just don't know how to get there.  Here's what we do know:

• Prices are high - go to at least half the price quoted.
• People will touch you and sometimes physically pull you into their stores in the markets, be prepared. 
• A taxi ride from the boardwalk along the main drag to the center of town by the big eclectic gothic cathedral is 40 pesos.  Ask the taxi how much, say "30" he should give you 40.  
• Hang out in the waves, but not too far out - there are a lot of rip currents (sometimes called undertows), make sure you know how to swim out of one. 

Mazatlan is a great place for a vacation, the people are by and large nice but its main industry is tourism.  You are the income for the people there, and that is how they will see you.  Research the internet and gather as much recent information about where to stay, what to do and most importantly what to pay.