In case you’ve been living in a cave, there was a total eclipse of the sun in Mazatlan, Mexico on April 8, 2024. People said it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and at my age, I figured I’d better catch this one. It was only a 7-hour bus ride from Guadalajara. And, as luck would have it, I was able to book a beachfront hotel room at the last minute. My stars were lining up for this celestial event.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect on eclipse day. If I were back in Los Angeles, I’d expect to be stuck in the middle of a crowded beach surrounded by throngs of chanting Hare Krishnas. I could only hope my Mazatlan experience would be more genuinely Mexican.
So, what do you bring to a total solar eclipse? First of all, solar eclipse viewing glasses certified to meet “ISO” safety standard number yada, yada, yada. I was well equipped on that score. I even brought along a few extras in case I met any cute cocktail waitresses who were desperate for a pair.
I also brought along my own folding beach chair, a bag of snacks, and a cooler full of soft drinks in case I met any cute Hare Krishnas desperate for a cold drink. At the last minute, I decided to pack my passport in case this whole eclipse thing turned into a “Close Encounter of the Third Kind.” Ever since seeing that movie, I’ve always considered myself to be a prime candidate for study by space aliens, and I wouldn’t want to miss out on a free intergalactic vacation just because I forgot my passport.
The first-class bus ride was quite pleasant, though I would advise against drinking a lot of liquid before you leave. Going to the restroom while the bus bounces and swerves along mountain roads is a lot more challenging than on an airplane. I suppose I would offer the same advice to anybody considering an intergalactic trip on an alien spaceship. Don’t forget, there will be zero gravity up there.
I was quite pleased when I got to my hotel, though I had trouble with the magnetic key card. Nothing new there. I always have trouble with those damn things. I tried every which way — arrow up, arrow down, magnetic strip forward and backward. Nothing worked. I stormed down to the lobby to complain, and the clerk said she’d send somebody up to help me. So, I went back up, and while waiting I tried every which way again. No luck. Finally, a young lady showed up and I told her of my plight. But all she said was, “that’s my room.” Only then did I realize I’d been shoving my card for room 443 into the lock of room 445. Yep. Definitely a prime candidate for study by space aliens.
When the big day came, TV news clips showed there were thousands of people crammed shoulder to shoulder on Mazatlan’s downtown public beach. I was glad to be in a 4-star hotel with its own private beachfront. If this was going to be once in a lifetime, I might as well go first class. I didn’t need the folding beach chair. I was able to watch the whole shebang while sitting at a pool-side table on the restaurant’s patio. I didn’t need the snacks. I was able to make two passes through the full breakfast buffet while awaiting the big event. And I didn’t need the cooler full of sodas. I had access to all the umbrella drinks I could possibly want from the pool-side bar. But I decided I’d better not take the chance of seeing double at the critical moment. So, I was sipping a cappuccino when the eclipse started.
There were about 60 or 70 people at the far end of the pool comfortably ensconced in padded chaise lounges while staring up at the sky. There were another 10 or so viewing from the frothy bubbles of the hotel’s hot tub. To provide the right ambiance, the hotel piped in ethereal, new-age music composed specifically for viewing eclipses. It was timed to reach crescendo just as totality was approaching.
At precisely 11:07 a.m., totality began. We all cheered and applauded as if that might encourage an extended performance. For a full 4 minutes and 18 seconds, we gave those celestial bodies a standing ovation.
I’d read all sorts of descriptions by experienced eclipse watchers. I’ll spare you all the clichés. I can’t say I experienced all of them, but there was definitely a “wow” factor. I felt a great sense of accomplishment, as if I had just completed some great physical challenge – like climbing a mountain or finishing a marathon. And I didn’t even have to break a sweat. I’ve never had a bucket list, but I’m considering starting one just so I can check off “Total Solar Eclipse.”
The couple at the next table was juggling three SLR cameras, each equipped with an enormous telephoto lens. After it was all over, I found out they were hard-core eclipse chasers who had come all the way from Ireland. The man had been chasing eclipses since 1980. He had already booked hotel rooms for the 2026 eclipse in Iceland, and the 2027 eclipse in Luxor, Egypt. He highly recommended that one. It was predicted to last for 6 minutes, and there was zero chance of cloud cover in the middle of the Egyptian desert. He was kind enough to email me nine spectacular shots he’d gotten of this eclipse.
The only thing left to do now was to buy a Mazatlan Eclipse T-shirt proving I had been here. But none of the shops on hotel row had any. So I wound up taking a 40-minute ride on a crowded bus to the downtown Central Market. But alas, all of the dozens of T-shirt vendors in the market had sold out the day before. Oh well, I suppose I can find one on Amazon. In fact, I might as well just buy the T-shirt for the Luxor, Egypt eclipse now, and save myself the trip.
The visit to the Central Market wasn’t a total loss. I decided to take a taxi back to my hotel and while stuck in rush hour traffic, we wound up behind one of the many pick-up trucks that had been converted to open-air taxis with a sunshade on top and benches along the sides. Inside this one, there were a half-dozen girls who were apparently exotic dancers either going to or coming from an eclipse party. One girl was wearing a gold lame bikini. Another wore a white, see-through harem outfit. A third was dressed like a police dominatrix. I couldn’t see the others, but you get the picture.
So, for most of the 40-minute slog through rush hour traffic, the cab driver and I were being entertained by beautiful young women doing highly suggestive dance moves, both solo and in pairs. The erotic dancing continued from one traffic light to the next. At one, a little old Mexican woman who was selling Chiclets approached the girls but had no luck peddling her wares. The girls were too busy peddling theirs. They even performed their bumps and grinds while we were stopped in front of a government building guarded by a squad of Mexican marines in full combat gear. I’ll bet their buddies back at the base will never believe their story about that Uber filled with Spice Girls who did a drive-by performance to entertain the troops.
Eventually, the truck turned off headed to their next gig which, unfortunately, wasn’t at my hotel. Too bad. I still had that cooler full of sodas in case anybody was desperate for a cold drink.
Well, all in all, I don’t know if my Mazatlan experience could be described as life-altering. But it was definitely memorable. Oh, and the eclipse was pretty neat too.
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