Viva Tequila (Mescal)!

My perfect Mazatlan Monday would go something like this...

We’d breakfast by the pool with a Spanish lesson on the side, followed by some pats and kisses from Geordie and Maggie. The day would be spent touring around the countryside with Joanna and Harry, starting with at the local mescal factory, Osuna (tequila made outside of the state of Jalisco officially has to be referred to as mescal).



Osuna makes gold medal winning mescal, and has been doing so for more than 150 years. Our guide explained to us how they take the pineapple-like stalks of the blue agave cactus, trim them down, bake them in underground ovens, and let them ferment.

The mellow and sweet caramel juice is then separated from the fibre and put through a series of processes, one of which is required to REDUCE the alcohol content (as per very strict government regulations).








After so many years, this family-run operation is incredibly efficient and their product – truly, the best tequila I have ever tasted (sorry Mike!).


Lunch was found and enjoyed at the Hacienda Las Moras...a timeless and beautiful apparition just a short distance (but long, and at some times very bumpy drive) from town.


















We were hmm...entertained (?) by some schmuck who insisted on regaling each and every gory detail of his gunshot wound survival.


Toward the end of his half-hour tale, we wondered if the assailant might not have been someone who knew him.

The margaritas,tortilla soup, and coconut shrimp more than made up for him.



















Bellies full and brains reeling from mas forte margaritas we made it as far as the pool deck before the siesta struck.


Suddenly it was 4 o’clock! The shadows grew long and the light ever so lovely. Shutterbugs unite!



















We attempted a tour of the petting zoo, complete with pigs, wall-hopping baby goats, shy horses and their colts, turkeys and two pair of attack geese.


Thankfully, the peacocks roamed freely which meant we could enjoy them without fear of waddle by goosing.



















Wanda, intrepid and reliable as ever, delivered us home in time for sunset...another spectacular end to the day.