Losing One’s Inhibitions in Mazatlan

by Russ Davis

Located on a peninsula that extends from the Sierra Madres to the Pacific Ocean, Mazatlan is one of Mexico’s most popular vacation destinations. It has beautiful beaches, a magnificent cathedral, some of the world’s best sport fishing and a perfect year-round climate. But when you talk to people who have been to Mazatlan, they seldom mention any of these attractions; all they seem to talk about is what a great time they had at a place called Senior Frog’s. This popular little bar is located in an area known as the Zona Darado or Golden Zone, a 13-mile stretch of white sandy beach where the best hotels, restaurants and nightclubs are centered. Vacationers and sun worshipers frolic on the beach and go parasailing. Some of the cruise ships offer shopping tours of this area while they are in port. But when the swimming and shopping are over, everybody heads for Senior Frog’s. It’s easy to find, every cab driver in Mazatlan knows where it is. The two-story stucco building with large green canvas awnings and large palm trees with white-washed trunks is located just across the street from the beach. There is a statue of what has to be the world’s ugliest frog near the entrance. The bar opens at 10 a.m. and by 10:30 the party is in full swing. By noon it’s packed.Inside, the walls are all painted yellow, except for the ones that are either purple or green. But it doesn’t matter because just about every square inch of wall and ceiling space is filled with sayings and quotes like: Hard work never killed anyone but why take a chance. And there are the frog pictures. Frogs eating, frogs drinking, frogs dancing etc. And while the décor may seem a little contrived, the giant margaritas, buckets of beer, good food and dancing to very loud music replicates the atmosphere of an authentic Mexican Cantina. There is even a “Tequila Bandito” who roams through the dining room wearing a giant sombrero, a gun slinger’s holster that holds two bottles of tequila, crossed bandoleers with shot glasses stuffed in the cartridge loops - and with a nod from your waiter, he’ll pour you a “double slammer” quicker than you can blink an eye.

The place is clean, the waiters and bartenders are friendly and the patrons, most of whom are vacationing “gringos” like yourself are all having a good time so what the heck – you were only going to stay for a little while, but then someone in your party buys a round and before you know it you’re out there on the dance floor having a great old time. And then after a while you notice a crowd gathering down at the far end of the bar where about a half dozen people have climbed up on what

appears to be an old mantle and are dancing their hearts out much to the delight of the crowd down below who are cheering them on. It seems reckless and even dangerous somebody could fall and get hurt, but the party mood prevails and nobody is thinking about anything but the moment, the music and the fun. They say the Senior Frog’s experience is measured in degrees of lost inhibitions and that you haven’t really had a good time until you let your hair down and dance on the mantel.

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