For me, the ocean is calming. The sight, smell, sound - it grounds me and gives me a sense of my tiny place in the big scheme of things. I don't need to be lounging on the beach with an adult beverage and cabana boys bringing me treats - I just need to be near it. If I'd grown up someplace without an ocean perhaps I'd feel differently. And I understand the attraction of México City. If there was an ocean there, that would have been my choice. Mazatlán is a good balance though - the tourist area is defined and somewhat separate. We're a city first, tourist area second (or third). My primary reason for the move here was to shake things up and put some change in my life. I wanted to experience a different culture, food, language - and Mazatlán was a good choice for me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a day on the beach with the adult beverage - it just happens about once every 2 or 3 months ;) And Paul, I hope that you can do the mind-shift and consider 'the act of travelling' as an important piece of your travel experience. When I did it, my travels became a lot less stressful and a ton more interesting.
It's good you enjoyed Paris, in spite of Tlaloc coming down on you!
Have you heard of Paris syndrome? Here's my very professional source: Wikpedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome
Ah yes. Yeah, I get it to some degree. But I have the opposite of that. :)
For me, the ocean is calming. The sight, smell, sound - it grounds me and gives me a sense of my tiny place in the big scheme of things. I don't need to be lounging on the beach with an adult beverage and cabana boys bringing me treats - I just need to be near it. If I'd grown up someplace without an ocean perhaps I'd feel differently. And I understand the attraction of México City. If there was an ocean there, that would have been my choice. Mazatlán is a good balance though - the tourist area is defined and somewhat separate. We're a city first, tourist area second (or third). My primary reason for the move here was to shake things up and put some change in my life. I wanted to experience a different culture, food, language - and Mazatlán was a good choice for me. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a day on the beach with the adult beverage - it just happens about once every 2 or 3 months ;) And Paul, I hope that you can do the mind-shift and consider 'the act of travelling' as an important piece of your travel experience. When I did it, my travels became a lot less stressful and a ton more interesting.