Baja - Day 12

We have been enjoying our morning coffee while watching the sun rise – a beautiful part of the day. 

The manatees jump out of the water – as high as 2 feet – and do a “belly smack” – you can hear it from the shore! We saw a whale spout late yesterday afternoon and it came up out of the water a couple times before disappearing.

We picked up Carlos and Megan at the airport in San Jose Del Cabo around noon. They rented a cute place just up the beach from us for a week. We are so looking forward to spending time with them. Of course, we had to have margaritas and dinner at El Gecko!

We have seen jeeps and cars driving down the beach so, you know Roger, “if they can do it, I can do it!” NOT! 100 yards and we are stuck in the soft sand! We tried to push it out with no success. Finally, two guys in an ATV, with a wench on the front, stopped to help. They wouldn’t take any money but, Roger told them where we were staying so they came over for a beer!

We rented a 4 seat ATV for a week, will pick it up this morning. Anxious to explore the quaint towns up and down the beach! We miss the fish mongers coming to the RV with their fresh catch!

Baja - Day 10

Enjoying our morning coffee watching the sun rise along the Sea of Cortez.

Our view along the beach

Home sweet home for a couple weeks!

The internet cafe!

Here are the washers.......

Here are the dryers! Kay would love it!

Baja - Day 9

The road leading out of Ciudad Constitucion was horrible – we were driving in a bumpy, dust fog for miles – but we finally came upon a nice, straight highway and were happy campers! Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. It has been a good news – bad news kind of day! The good news – when the roads were good, they were very good. The bad news – when the roads were bad, they were VERY bad! We will be glad to arrive at our “freedom time” park in Los Barrilles tonight.

The wagon master announces oncoming traffic on narrow roads - because most of us are taking our half out of the middle. This morning Becky said there was an oncoming truck with only one headlight. I responded “we used to call them pididdles – and when we were dating you got to kiss your boyfriend when you saw one!”

In the U.S. you often see crosses along the roadside to commemorate someone who died in an accident there. In Mexico they build shrines and sometimes small chapels decorated with Catholic statues and/or pictures and plastic flowers (even a beer bottle in one!) – many of them much nicer than the houses they live in!

The Mexican government recently raised the price of gas - actually, just lowered their subsidies – and we have seen a few trucker blockades at Pem Ex stations in protest. But, we have not had any problems purchasing gasoline or diesel fuel. It is just weird when they say “5,000 pesos!”

We arrived at Playa Del Norte and our RV site right on the Sea of Cortez beach around 4pm. There is restaurant next door, the El Geiko, so many of us went over for a margarita. We figured we not only wanted one but needed and deserved one! It was happy hour so the waiter brought us all two for one – OMG – I can’t do that again! We ended up eating dinner there – they made guacamole at our table and my coconut shrimp were as big as pork chops! Yum!

Baja - Day 8

We got up early this morning and enjoyed our coffee while watching the sun rise and dolphins in the bay.

It’s a good thing the drivers had a nice 3 day respite because this morning’s drive has been challenging - through the mountains and along the Sea of Cortez coastline. Can’t begin to describe how beautiful and yet how desolate and vast this country is! Mexico could be a rich country if they could figure out a beneficial use for cactus and old tires!

We stayed in a campground with fine thin dirt/dust – it’s only redeeming quality was their WiFi connection and Ciudad Constitucion had a decent grocery store!

Baja - Day 7

Today was a lazy day. Roger & I went into town, enjoyed breakfast at a little bakery with WiFi and checked emails etc. We rode our bikes around the bay, relaxed and baked beans in the dutch oven  for the potluck tonight. A truly lovely place but we would be bored here all winter! Cool in the mornings and evenings but hot when the sun shines! Beautiful moonlight evenings on the beach!

Baja - Day 6

We are camping on the beach at Santispac – gorgeous! – about 12 miles south of Mulege (moo-la-hay.) It is on a protected cove so there are several sailboats moored around the small islands. We are here for 3 nights but many of the people we have met are spending 2-3 months. Of course, we had to try the margaritas at the little restaurant here and Roger and Tommy are tasting all the salsas on a quest to find the best! We grilled steaks and had a candlelight dinner at our table on the beach last night – a full moon and stars added to the ambiance! This morning we watched the sun rise and bought fresh fish and vegetables from a vendor in a pickup truck selling his “catch” to all the newcomers!

Dorothy and I went into town to check out the market and internet. Look at this gorgeous bougainvillea!

Baja - Day 5

I was finally able to publish my blog last night and this morning – good internet at the Rice ‘N Beans restaurant. More breakfast tacos for Roger & Tommy!

The last military stop took forever because the guards came into our rigs and “snooped!” Our guy just acted like he was curious to see the inside – opened the pantry, the frig and the freezer but did not take anything. One tried to take two beers and Wally told him “no, they are mine!” Tommy’s guy picked up his two Bluetooth speakers, handed one back to Tommy and put the other in his pocket and said “mine?” – Tommy let him have it but, John, our wagon master said he shouldn’t have because they’ll just expect bribes from the next group.

We went into St. Ignacio this morning to see a lovely old church on the town square. The local ice cream shop served as breakfast for many.

The weather is beautiful – in the 80’s with a breeze.  We only drove about a 100 miles today – past the Volcan de Tres Virgenes or the 3 Virgins Volcano and then down the Cuesta del Infierno or as all of us called it “The Hill From Hell!” As we passed through the town of Santa Rosalia we caught our first glimpse of the Sea of Cortez – deep blue water with Caribbean blue and sand beaches.