A Day Off

With Gitane in the boatyard for new bottom paint, we gave ourselves a day off.  After working in the heat and humidity of Mazatlan for ten days, we decided that we wanted to be entertained and cool so we opted for a matinee movie. 

The RV park that we will call home for another week is near an air-conditioned swanky mall with a couple of theaters.  We chose the super luxe theater to watch Bridge of Spies in English.  The tickets are half price on Wednesdays so we forked out US$2.75 each.  I can’t tell you how much better it is to watch a really good movie while wallowing comfortably in the spaciousness of a leather recliner. These recliners bear no resemblance whatsoever to what the airlines call reclining seats.  Neither could they ever be considered to be in the same genre as seats typically found in US theaters.  These are jumbo size La-z Boys that every physique can snuggle into and be happy.  Push a button and the foot rest pops up and the aisles are so wide that they remain unimpeded.  No one has to climb over you to get past.   

The recliners are in sets of two with four sets to a row.  Each set is separated from the neighbors by a console on which stands a thin lamp whose soft beam is controlled by a different button.  Each seat has a small swivel table attached to the armrest. Push yet another button and your server arrives toting an iPad for ordering food and beverage. Not the usual movie food that the next day you know you’ll regret having eaten, but lasagna, pizza and salads are on this menu which is more extensive than some restaurants.  One entire page is devoted to well drinks and cocktails.  Beer gets a half page while the other half is filled with the many flavors of popcorn that are available.  The wine selection needs a whole page.  We ordered a medium box of popcorn and a beer that set us back US $6.00.

With only 50 seats in the theater we felt that we were in a wealthy friend’s large living room, watching a good movie on a great big screen. 

It was dark when the movie ended so we stopped for dinner at the air-conditioned swanky mall’s food court. The Chinese vendor had a 2-for-1 promotion.  They piled our plates high and gave us each ½ liter of iced tea for a whopping US$ 6.00.

Promotions abound this time of year.  Even the boatyard came up with a deal. 

It was a good day off.