Tag Archives: Baja Sur

Catching Up on Our Way to the Silk Road

It’s been 15 plus months since I last posted. International travel compels me to keep in touch. Otherwise, I get lost in the daily hum of life.

It’s ironic because in the hum of things a lot has happened. In March of 2022 ,we bought and remodeled a hundred year old craftsman style home in Nevada and eventually moved into it. It’s a mansion compared to our “tiny” home but on the spectrum it’s still tiny. Keeping things simple.

(click on photos to enlarge)

In June we were blessed with our first grandson – joining a gaggle of girls. The boys and their families moved on to greener pastures to pursue new jobs and new adventures. One moved west and the other north. This precipitated the sale of our home in Downtown Charleston. There was no sense being there without kids and grandbabies. We had a fabulous run discovering the Southern way of life, making wonderful friends and exploring every inch of the city, closing this chapter at the end of October.

Once more we drove across the USA sending a POD back to Nevada with our art and our infamous butcher block cart which perhaps by now thinks it’s a Marco Polo apprentice roaming the continent – Nevada to South Carolina to California to South Carolina to Nevada. Home again, home again jiggity jig….

Between our remodel, moving two houses and traversing the country we only ventured out of the country to Baja Sur for a week to swathe in our old stomping grounds.

For the first time in more than 20 years we have just one home. It was settling and a good time to lay low after returning from our road trip. Everyone had plans for the holidays so hunkered down, unpacked and decompressed.

Bill spent his free time laying out the final path of our next adventure. It’s been a few years in the making and fast approaching.

While making plans life tragically happened and for the lack of having the strength to say any more… God called an Angel home.

And then it snowed – buckets of white, serene, soft and miraculous snow…

I feel wet snow
on my cold, dry skin
As the darkness falls
to settle in.
The stars shine bright
to lead my way
Through tall, snow covered trees
which bend and sway.
I know not where I came from
or where I will go,
while strange noises crunch
the new fallen snow.
I have no fears
of this strange, dark place
where sounds surround me
without a face.
The night goes on peacefully
dark and slow,
with all beauty shining
as a glistening glow.
I have been here before
though I know not when.
As sure as I know
I will be here again.
A place that is quiet,
safe comforting me,
while the icy brook flows
’round a sweet smelling tree.
I feel wet snow
on my warm, soft skin.
It is this dark place
that I want to be in.
Then I open my eyes
and it all floats away,
As bright warm sun shines
on a brand new day.
Window panes covered
in sparkling frost,
reminds me of a beautiful thing
I have lost.
My heart tells me in hours
this day will be past,
when the nighttime comes
to me slowly at last.
I am back in the snow
so pristine and clean.

Ellen Pond

It’s Baja Baby!

Where does time go? Seven months have whizzed by. It’s been a pretty low key travel year so far – Winter in Indian Wells in Southern California, spring in Charleston, South Carolina and now summer in Northern Nevada.

However, we’ve been so busy there’s often no time to breathe (except when in yoga).

If you recall we sold our Baja house three ago but retained a parcel that’s now been in escrow for two years. Closing time is slowly approaching – the lawyers needed paperwork signed/delivered and we needed an excuse to leave the country…

So – hello Baja! It’s so exciting to be back.

We rented a car and took the new “bypass” road that runs from the pay road near the Los Cabos International Airport into downtown Cabo and then 4 miles north to the Cabo San Lucas International Airport to pick up our friend Clint who flew in from Puerto Vallarta. I wasn’t familiar with it but Bill flew there on private planes many years ago. It’s small and has only one commercial carrier that only flies domestically. Not sure why International is in its title. Perhaps it suffers from Napoleon complex.

Did I mention it was so good to be back?

We drove the corridor back to SJD to pick up Barb – stopping for photos, coconut in lime juice, dominos, and alcohol.

We headed to the East Cape staying at the Palmas de Cortez in Los Barriles for three nights.

Palmas sponsored the first all women’s fishing tournament and we arrived on its last day. It was surprising yet exciting to see tables full of women at dinner. Apparently, the seas had been rough and the fish scarce but good times were had by all. They were already planning for next year’s tournament. Normally, fishing season is all about middle-aged, gray-haired, potbellied men. (click on photos to enlarge)

sunrise-pool-palapa-reflections-baja-palmas

The fishing Gods blessed us with calm seas and hungry marlin. Each of us had a turn at exhausting our reeling muscles as the fish were plentiful. Like Pac-Man the guys were bumping into each other when three marlin were on the three different lines at the same time. It’s quite thrilling watching them jump in and out of the water.

With all that excitement I’ve determined that fishing is like skiing. Three hours and I’m good.

The sunrises, sunsets and moonrises were stunning.

And animals rule! One of my favorite things about Baja. Unfortunately, we missed the burro pack.

What a difference to be in our old stomping grounds as a non-homeowner. Not a care in the world. To cure any remorse we might have conjured up about selling required a quick visit to our old house. While standing outside the fence, admiring the huge pool the new owners installed – the pool boys arrived and dumped an empty yogurt container full of chlorine in the pool and drove away. No vacuuming or scrubbing the sides.

Off to Clint and Barb’s old family house to see an even less cared for pool. Obviously no chlorine there! When the owners are away…. its the Baja way.

Mañana doesn’t mean tomorrow. It means just not today!

Onward, an hour drive south to Cabo Pulmo for two nights. It’s a little piece of heaven possessing a UNESCO World Heritage site/Marine Park – a haven for scuba divers and snorkelers. It’s a dusty little town with no electrical service – running on solar power and generators.

We hung out with our favorite divemaster and longtime friend Pepe who runs Pepe’s Dive Shop and Pepe’s Pizza (y otra comida tambien) Restaurant. Look up Pepe if you make it to Cabo Pulmo. He’ll take great care of you!

Lastly, we stayed in old town San Jose del Cabo. The quaintness, walkability and dining options make it a super special place to be.

It was bittersweet having to leave. We didn’t get our fill but know it’s there for next time.

The Rodents in my Life

Stay away and the rodents play…

It started with firing up the old Jeep on the first day in Baja after a 4 month leave. Upon opening the glove box to discover a fluffy nest, opened ketchup packages and shredded napkins a loud grinding sound belched out from the air conditioner – a glutenous meal had by the fan.

An eerie silence followed… dead fan equals dead rodent.

The poor mouse – once fat and happy – belly full of ketchup – slipped to an untimely death. Good news though – maggots were fat and happy. Fan now working.

We use Vonage (internet connected telephone) when we are in Baja – it allows unlimited phone calls to the USA for a low monthly price. Calls since arriving were sketchy at best.”I can’t hear you.” “Are you moving around?” “I only hear every 3rd word.”

I picked up our local phone to call the internet provider for assistance and the phone line was dead.

The Telmex service man checked the box at the street and found the telephone line had been completely sliced in half and the internet line was dangling – fluffy nest in the corner of the utility box. No ketchup packages. No nada.

Victory for the local phone – internet still sketchy.

We headed South to the quaint pueblo of Cabo Pulmo, host to the biggest protected coral reef in Baja, to go diving. We gathered up all of our gear – BCDs, regulators, dive computers,snorkels, masks, fins and wetsuits.

A struggle of sorts always ensues when getting into these tight thick neoprene skins – the tighter the warmer.

Creature of habit – I started with my right foot – unbeknownst to me the bottom of the leg was turned inside – a lazy “put away” job from the last dive. White knuckled and red in the face I pushed my foot firmly into the leg of my wetsuit. After a few moments of struggling my foot shot out of the leg surrounded by….. all at once…..a mouse nest.

Panic ensued followed by giggles.

Would you like them in a house?
Would you like them with a mouse?
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
Dr. Seuss

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Day 308

Welcome to the crisp autumn air in Northern Nevada from the warm coastal breezes of Baja Sur in just a matter of hours.

Day 308

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Cactus Flowers.

Buena Vista, BCS, Mexico.

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The sailfish glare……..

Los Barriles, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

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Lures.

Los Barriles, Mexico

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A battle hard fought. Sailfish. Los Barriles, Mexico.

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Surf fishing in Los Barriles, Mexico.

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This home speaks to me.

Santiago, Baja California Sur

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Flowering cardon in our yard.

Cave paintings???

A glorious Saturday had us heading north on the obstacle course for cars which we refer to as the new road. It was built several years ago, headed straight to nowhere and quickly it fell into disrepair, ridden with pot holes. Diminishing pavement sucked up undermining road base and a sprinkling of cows for good measure. We were told it had been improved and around each corner we waited for such. Low and behold some repairs had been made – a treasure hunt for our doubting minds.

We met up with our primos and headed out on the Razor toward our hike to the “cave paintings” in Boca del Alamo – thought to be around 800 years old and painted by the first inhabitants of Baja Sur.

The caves were visible from the road and near the top of a steep mountain. We were in for a long climb. I thought, “This will be fun – the view will be endless – bring it.” Hiking in Baja is an obstacle course in itself – the terrain is craggy, dry and rocky and you have to be on constant alert to dodge the sinister stickers on trees, cactus and brush – a defense mechanism bred into everything that grows here.

A quick 15 minutes later we came upon a boulder the size of the casita. We’re here?

But wait… aren’t “cave paintings” in caves? Does this mean I don’t have to hike up the side of the mountain to get to the cave?

Low and behold the underside of the rock revealed paintings of people, animals and marine life – fading away but still quite visible. What a discovery! What a canvas!

So maybe pictographs or rock art might be more appropriate terms, but avoiding the hike straight up the mountain to the caves was a pleasant surprise!

We took photos and crawled through the brush to get a better view of the sea.

A lunch at the classic seaside Mexican resort Punta Pescadero rounded off the day with boundless views and potent margaritas.

This time we took the one lane seaside dirt road back home.

Un buen día fue tenido por todos.

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The Church in Mira Flores, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

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Ok…. today is photos of the day. I was mesmerized by these 2 vultures gliding gracefully thru the sky this afternoon. They were not looking for food but enjoying the lift from the winds, cruising without a care – stopping for a break to clean themselves on our power pole then off to cruise again.

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Roca con piedra.

Cruising Highway 1 Down Baja

Tecate

Northern Nevada south through California where spring brings green vistas and blue skies. Our goal – 1600 miles away near the south end of Baja California Sur.

We prefer to cross the border into Baja, Mexico through Tecate. The wait time is mostly nonexistent and the excitement of the Ruta del Vino is a good start to any road trip.

We expected the border crossing might be congested this time. The December landslide north of Ensenada had people who would normally cross through Tijuana using the Tecate border but to our surprise we were the only car there!

The Mexican immigration officer waved us over to the inspection area (the last time we drove down the immigration officers failed to show up at all) and motioned for Bill to open the back of the Jeep. Seeing that our car was stacked like sardines with household items he less than enthusiastically decided that asking if we had cigarettes would suffice as a job well done. With a quick “no” we were on our way.

It felt to so good to be back. Back where the edges are a little rougher and life more colorful. Back to reaching into the depths of my brain to find the correct Spanish word. Back to “real” harina tortillas and pico de gallo like no other.

Harvesting

The north brought fields of crops ripe for the picking and 18 wheelers bound to parts unknown.

In Mexico not an ounce of asphalt is wasted – shoulders are a luxury known only to the neighboring country to the north. There’s barely enough room for 2 trucks to meet at the same time on the same patch of pavement without the occasional loss of a side mirror – it is imperative to pay attention.

Traveling up a narrow curving turn – a hill on one side and a drop off on the other we encountered an out of control 18 wheeler headed in our direction – in our lane. The driver skillfully maneuvered the cab of the truck back into his lane only leave his container on our side sliding towards us, ready to roll over and wipe us off the map – we had no where to go – slow motion…

Since you are reading this you know that by the grace of God we narrowly avoided being wiped off the map. Bill said that he hoped the container was full of watermelons. Not sure if that was to lessen the blow or for us to have the sweet taste of watermelon on our lips.

Los Cirios

Green farm land turned into my one of my favorite parts of the drive the Valle de Los Cirios – thousands upon thousands of funny trees – some standing straight and tall, some crooked and sprawl, some ready to fall – straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.

“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!” ― Dr. Seuss, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Boulders of Cataviña

Next beautiful stop Cataviña (the middle of nowhere) for a photo op. Rocks bigger than the car spread all over like marbles on a sidewalk. I, with my camera in hand, tip toeing over cactus plants trying to find the perfect shot as the car begins to screech from the loss of power steering fluid. Hours from a gas station.

Portable Gas Station in Cataviña

Portable Gas Station Attendant

Let the good times roll… You’re not in Mexico if you don’t have a situation that you have to figure a way out.

A few bottles of transmission fluid later (duct tape wouldn’t work this time) we lost the power steering. Bill muscled the remaining 1,000 +/- miles and got a good work out.

Bahia Concepción

North of Loreto are the turquoise sleepy bays of the Sea of Cortez – RV’s and old fish shacks line the shore.

Bahia Concepción

Road Construction

Road construction beyond road construction south of Loreto – white out driving through the dust. We guaranteed this when we stopped to have the power steering fluid washed off the car an hour earlier.