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modhatter
Newbie
Posts: 22
Registered: 6-30-2005
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Likes & Dislikes in Baja Living
Would love to hear from those of you currently residing in Baja. Retired - semi-retired - Other? Where in Baja do you live. Is living there what
you expected? How important has the command of the Spanish language been for you?
What are the things you like most about Baja living?
What are the things you like least?
And last, would you live there if money were not an issure? Would love to hear some personal stories that led you there.
Sonja
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bahiamia
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 12-16-2004
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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I have been living in Bahia de los Angeles for almost 17 years now. Summer like Winter...no wimping out when the temperature rises. The circumstance
that first brought me here is a story unto itself. I would not trade these years for anything, for I have had the privledge and honor of meeting some
of the most incredible people. Mexicanos & Gringos alike...both are an integral part of this very special place and my life is better and more
colorful for having experienced life here among them.
Yes, it does help if you speak some Spanish, or at least make the effort to do so. It will just make your experience all the richer. Helps also if
you have an understanding of the culture, approach to life, and priorities down here, for they are very different than those North of the Border.
Travel and see all Baja has to offer, and pay no mind to negative opinons others might voice about certain places. For the experience will vary from
individual to individual, and that is as it should be. We all have certain places we are drawn to in this world; it is a gift when we find it.
If I had listened to others negative opinions and never ventured to the place where I had made my home, I would have missed out on the adventure of a
lifetime. I would have missed out on the love of my life. I would have missed out on the incredible experiences I have had thus far. I would have
missed out on making true and trusted friends who have stood by my side in my darkest hours.
So follow your heart and listen to what it tells you. That and nothing else.
[Edited on 7-16-2005 by bahiamia]
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MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Baja Living
Retired
Best: Living next to the Ocean, Solitude.
Least: Holiday Crowds, dramatic buildup in recent years.
Language: Important to know enough to get by, would like to know more.
Money not an Object ?: I would be living in the Caribbean, preferably the BVIs or Antigua.
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bufeo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 793
Registered: 11-16-2003
Location: Santa Fe New Mexico
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Semi-retired, but do not have a 9-5 job.
About five months of the year we are on the beach at Punta Bufeo.
Being there is better than we expected.
I have a "working knowledge" of Spanish and that comes in handy. Also, I have strong feelings that since it is a Spanish-speaking country one should
endeavor to understand and learn their language and culture.
Like most the solitude and remoteness of our campo, but that would not be as pleasurable if it weren't for the kindness and friendliness of
our propietaria y su familia. We are fortunate.
It's more difficult to think of things that we least like. There really aren't any. Maybe the humidity, although I grew up in south Georgia and had
plenty of experience with humidity. We go down a couple of times in the summer, but find the winter months more enjoyable. We spend much of our
summers searching out remote trout streams in the NW U.S. and Canada. In fact, we'll be leaving in a couple of weeks for the Yukon and the NW
Territories.
We did have other options for a second residence and believe we made the correct choice. I know our daughter and son-in-law feel the same way. Even
though some consider the road we have to travel to get to Punta Bufeo is awful, we find that to be all right. It's only a ten-hour drive from our
house in Arizona and getting there is part of the pleasure. Some times I get in a hurry and we miss fauna, but for the most part we are
never in a rush.
My wife does complain occasionally that when we reach the plains south of Volcan Prieto I'm like a horse going to the barn, so I'm trying to
be better at keeping all four wheels on the road. 
We really just "happened" on the scene at Pta Bufeo. We'd spent much time and driven many miles on the peninsula since the mid-1960s and were on one
such trip in 1999 when, on our return north, we decided to go by and see a couple of friends at Pta B. We had camped near there in 1969 before any
houses had been constructed.
While there we discovered that our friends were interested in transferring the lease (we rent the land) and selling the improvements and toys--lock,
stock, and barrel.
After very little discussion my wife and I decided that it was time to put down some shallow roots in Baja. I say 'shallow' because we never intended
to live there full-time, nor at any second residence, for that matter. Pta B is a base for more extensive travel throughout the interior of the
peninsula and a wonderfully peaceful environment.
We acquired our FM-3s and have never second-guessed our decision.
We've made many good friends there, both mexicanos and gringos, and our Mexican contacts have introduced us to archaeologists,
geologists, and anthropologists from several Mexican universities and colleges, all of whom have been kind enough--and patient enough--to include a
couple of curious gringos on some of their trips.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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I live in a village on the beach about 60 miles north of Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the peninsula. Ten years and counting. Never been
back stateside.
The only thing I have not liked is the fact that all the stores close on Sundays -- every thing I have breaks down and threatens to ruin my
tranquility on Sunday.
A must to listen and learn the local language -- it's not Spanish. If you don't know it, don't try, shame on you for all the jackpots you'll find
yourself in vis a vis construction, maintenence, repair -- almost all the things you can't do alone, must have help with can and will go awry if you
don't try.
Today I caught a marlin, a dorado, 4 nice tuna before noon, all within view of my house on the beach -- used $8.80 for gas/oil -- not many places you
can do that and still be left alone. What's not to like?
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rpleger
Super Nomad
Posts: 1087
Registered: 3-12-2005
Location: H. Mulegé, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Was good.
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I live in Mulege 10 years now.
I live here year around.
It`s cheap, friendly, and a real good place to finish out my days.
I live in a house in an RV park on the river.
I can walk to Jungle Jims with my dogs and drink a few beers in the afternoon and the dogs know the way home.
I live with the love of my life and she takes good care of me.
I did not come for the culture but the people here are wonderful.
I try to shop local as much as I can to particapate in the local economy and be a good resident of the greater community.
Mulege is a wonderful place to live and I think that there are other places in Baja just as good.
Many more things to say about this place but you should have a good picture by now.
Richard on the Hill
*ABROAD*, adj. At war with savages and idiots. To be a Frenchman abroad is to
be miserable; to be an American abroad is to make others miserable.
-- Ambrose Bierce, _The Enlarged Devil\'s Dictionary_
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Los Barriles has been my home since "89". Since then I have no interest in returning to the States to date.
I found work there because I speak Spanish; so, although not a must, it was a great help to me personally.
My father is buried there. My grandchildren were born there. It truly is the only home I know.
Even so, now, I am gone South for part of the year. I sure miss my family, beautiful little home and the Sea of Cortez viewed from my bed.
What I don't miss about Baja? Well, I guess that would be work and summers heat. I am perfectly happy without dealing with either one.
[Edited on 7-17-2005 by Eli]
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pokey
Nomad
Posts: 199
Registered: 5-20-2005
Location: ensenada
Member Is Offline
Mood: sun burned
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Not retired but working as little as possible. 
Living with my wife and two young daughters in Ensenada.
Best? 3 bed 2 bath house with in-law apartment in a nice neighborhood for less than $300 a month. Electric, gas, water, cable, cable internet,
telephone bills combined come to about $100 a month.
Personally I couldn't imagine living here without having a decent command of the Spanish language but many others seem to get along just fine.
Least? The garbage/litter, noise, graffitti.
Stay here? If I had my druthers I'd be living in a cabin somewhere up in Alaska, Oregon or Idaho but If I was asked the same question in January
up there I'd probably say I'd rather be living in Baja. Did I mention that the weather is incredibly nice here in Ensenada?
Hope this helps
Keep Mexico weird
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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Mia,
Muy bien dicho, hermanita. Que te vaya muy bien, y nos vemos muy pronto.
Roberto
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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When my friends ask why I find Baja so enchanting and captivating, I answer that if they have to ask, they don't have even a clue as to why. I
further tell them that it is not for everyone and everyone's experience will be totally different. An earlier poster said it very well, that it is a
journey as well as an exploration.
We traveled extensively in Baja for almost 5-6 years before we decided to establish a home base. Now a home base for us, by decision, is a travel
trailer that I have added a porch and kitchen onto. I personally do not want a home in Mexico as that would ruin the experience for me and increase
my workload beyond what I consider reasonable. We had an aquantaince remark that if we could afford it we would have a house in a certain location.
Little did he know that we had more than enough money to buy any of those houses on the beach, but that would have wrecked the experience that we were
looking for.
How upset people in my area get when the Mexican people move in to the area and can not speak the language. It must seem the same way to the
Mexican people of Mexico when we come down there year after year and we can not speak the language. I put in a lot of effort and have worked hard
over the years to be able to speak the language. It has enriched my experience immeasurably and allowed me some small amount of integration into the
community. I find it amazing that we come to Mexico and set up our little american enclaves and do our best to never interact with the people. Now I
do not mean that I am trying to get my Mexican Interaction Cub Scout Badge to wear on my sleeve that says I am cool because I have been accepted by
another culture. But I make friends wherever I go and I pretty much treat everyone as I would like to be treated. I have a lot of friends who do
not speak any spanish at all and they miss a great deal of what goes on in terms of understanding the culture and richness of heritage. It is Mexico
and not Southern United States and things are truly different here.
I also have a pretty accurate picture of the people and culture of Baja as well as the mainland and experience has opened my eyes more all the time
so that I am not trying to fantasize everything into "always being wonderful". Just like people anywhere there are those who will take advantage of
you, there are those who will treat you like one of the family, and then there are those who will steal you blind if you turn your back for a moment.
Some like the allure and excitement of the city and the bigger tourist areas but for my lifestyle I don't really care for Loreto, Mulege, or Cabo.
I like to be just a little more off the beaten path but still like to be able to reach town for shopping and visiting. I find that when the tourists
increase in an area, the prices also increase and I am sure that bothers the "Robin Crusoe" in my personality. Also, fishing is very important to my
wife and I so we tend to go to the areas where the fishing has proven to be better.
So for us Baja is a journey and not so much a destination, with it's unique paradigms and I am thankful that I have been so fortunate to have the
experience.
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bahiamia
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 12-16-2004
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
Member Is Offline
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Roberto...
Gracias, y uds. estan 100% bienvenido aqui siempre...ok? OK! En cualquier tiempo, mi casa es su casa.
I also forgot to answer one of the questions...if money was no object, I would live the same as I do now, except first I would make sure my Parents
and Family were comfortable and free of any debt. With whatever would be leftover, I would help my friends here, and we would definitely throw some
fiestas with all the best "ingredients". First and foremost being down-to-earth CARING hermanos y hermanas, good food, good music, good times...all
the things that make life worth living.
If you try hard enough, this can be done on just about any budget. I see it here all the time. Everybody chips in and just makes it happen.
Even the heat, the cold, the wind....these are things that make one feel ALIVE. What fun or challenge is it to live in a climate controlled bubble?
Hauling your own water for instance, makes you appreciate it that much more, and I guarantee you will never take it for granted again. You cherish it
for the blessing it is. Living here all these years has been the greatest adventure.
[Edited on 7-17-2005 by bahiamia]
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MH_Stevens
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 5-17-2005
Location: Aguanga, Alta California
Member Is Offline
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What a wonderful thread. Please keep this going. Llove and peace to all you brave ones who have the courage and forsight to see and face a better
world.
Cheers,
Mike Stevens
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yankeeirishman
Banned
Posts: 1070
Registered: 3-5-2004
Location: Kalifornia
Member Is Offline
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Baja is bad...stay away!
I don?t know if you were asking for feed back from full timers only. Here?s my 2cents worth.
*Would love to hear from those of you currently residing in Baja.
Will, we are building our la casa in San Felipe. Currently residing part time in out 1963 trailer on the lot. I have spent a vast amount of time in
the Mexico?s Rivera. We found that Baja offers what we were looking for. Easy access to the area (no planes) from Sacramento, Ca. and ?New World? was
the prime reason to settle for this area.
*Retired - semi-retired - Other?
Full time slave.
*Where in Baja do you live?
Campos Octillio. San Felipe. Our house will be ready in April. I plan to live there 70% my time, devoting time to our business plan down there.
*Is living there what you expected?
Yes in a nutshell. It?s hotter that I thought it is. The Baja sun seems to be more intense than anywhere else in Mexico. Living in Baja at this point
has been a thrill, a relief .
*How important has the command of the Spanish language been for you?
Zero. My wife speaks four tongues, including Spanish. When she isn?t with me in Mexico?I never need to speak the native tongue?I get along fine.
*What are the things you like most about Baja living?
Driving distance from Sacramento will allow other family members to visit often. Natives are the best damn folks in the world?very family oriented and
honest. The Americans and other Nationalities are extremely kind and fun too. Prices are cheap. Let me say that again?. Prices are cheap! We will have
a house overlooking the Sea Of Cortez, so we ?eat? beach everyday! Not a lot of population in SF and many other centers. The best is?exploration of a
vast, mostly undeveloped land.
*What are the things you like least?
Oh..that?s easy. The heat!
*And last, would you live there if money were not an issue?
Yes. It will allow family to be 12 hours away.
What control freaks there are here. Don\'t believe that post you just read!
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
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Since we are no longer full timers, I'll second what Mia has to say. Mia, you hit the nail on the head. If anyone can hit that nail, it's you.
We'll be seeing you shortly. If there's anything we can bring down, U2U me with in the next two weeks.
P. y D.
[Edited on 17-7-2005 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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mike odell
Nomad
Posts: 267
Registered: 12-17-2002
Location: La Ribera BCS
Member Is Offline
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baja whatta life!
Im not sure what I should say about this subject, so just gonna run with random thoughts! Been here a while, Plan on
staying awhile longer, as long as my wife and kids want me too!
I find this life about as close to perfect as I could visualise,
been all over the US, Asia, some other areas, points in between, but BAJA is like no other place I have been, Desert,
Sea, Mountains, I have my window open right now so as to let out my cigarette smoke which my youngest daughter hates, but the heat keeps creeping in,
which I tolerate!
Yea, it's hot here right now, but I remember 30-40 below 0!
Don't care to go back to that!!
I just looked out my window, Ospreys house is dark as most of my neighbors, last night,{Sat} a lot more activity!!
Sundays in this little town are usaually very quiet, Sat is the night everyone howls a bit!! I heard one car go buy about 40 minutes ago! Oopps!
Activity just happen here!! My nieghbor just yelled at me! Vacas en sus Jardine!! Damn, I forgot to close the gate, 4 hungry cows were eating my
wifies Plants! Let the shepard and the Rottie { Natashia y
Bear, out , they just had a ton of fun running cows out of the yard and up about two blocks, only problem is getting them back to the house!Ellen the
oldest, takes them to the beach everyday to swim, they love to follow the quad, so she starts the quad and they beat feet back to the yard! Back to
quiet now! Rio my littlest and her new pup Mia, had a great laugh. I know that this is not nearly as much fun as drive by shootings and traffic but
thats some of the reasons that life is sooooo good here! Viva Baja, Viva Mexico, Viva!!!!!!!
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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(sob)
(sob) rub it in more please! More salt and lime also! 
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mike odell
Nomad
Posts: 267
Registered: 12-17-2002
Location: La Ribera BCS
Member Is Offline
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Sharks!
Sharks, Did I in some way pee you off, don't reallyunderstand your comeback? Are you trolling? Late isn't it?
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mike odell
Sharks, Did I in some way pee you off, don't reallyunderstand your comeback? Are you trolling? Late isn't it? |
just sobbing cause I'm jealous and stuck workin' my but off. I just got off work. No troll, wrong context amigo
I started thinking about what you said hence the edit.
Maybe you shoot to much from the hip.
Do I not deserve your respect somehow? Do you think I behave like a troll. I, like you desire to understand peoples replys such as your last one. What
say you. I seems I peed you off without even trying. OK, benefit of the doubt. Gnight.
[Edited on 7-18-2005 by Sharksbaja]
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modhatter
Newbie
Posts: 22
Registered: 6-30-2005
Member Is Offline
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Love these stories
I am facinated with all your stories, as I am sure other readers are also, and like another member said earlier in the thread "Keep them coming" We
want to hear your story, And for those of you who posted a reply all ready, thank you for sharing your experiences with us.
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
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A Day in the Life of this Expat
First I suppose everyone should ask themselves what they like and dislike about where ever they live.
Here is a day in the life of this expat:
I usually wake up at sunrise. In the winter I can lift my head and see the sun coming up over the Sea of Cortez. This time of year I see a glow over
to my left. I head out to the porch to make my coffee. At this point I check the temperature and in the summer the barometer?that is my weather
channel. We make our coffee outside because my husband and I are clumsy in the morning and have made too many messes in the indoor kitchen. After
the caffeine is flowing through my blood, I give my dogs their vitamins, fill their food and water bowls and check my email which invariably leads to
checking in on Nomads. By this time my husband has stumbled by on his way to the coffee and is headed to his office to check in.
After we have certified that the world is still out there and that Telmex hasn?t cut another cable(i. e. we still have internet), we load the girls up
and head to the beach. We have a set path that we take( I told my husband if anyone ever wanted to kidnap us we sure would be easy to follow). First
we wave at whoever is working at the deposito?we wont go into how we know all of them?then we head to the fish palapas to see how many pangas have
gone out. We wave to the commercial fishermen who are already back in and unloading their catch. We wave to the guy who sits in his pickup with the
refrigerator over on its back in the bed waiting to be filled with the COD. We go through town, waving at Marina who is out everyday raking the sand
in front of her house into the most wonderful designs. We occasionally see Oswaldo, (father of Miquel with whom we always fish) sitting in one of
those white metal rockers(they are quite the deal by the way. We bought two 8 years ago and still rock in them daily) with his grandchild in his lap.
I am always afraid to wave at people with children in their arms as I am afraid that they will wave and drop the child but none the less we wave at
Oswaldo. By this time we are out of the village and truly headed for the beach.
We travel down the road that has the BIG ?this road is closed? sign to arroyo ranchito and head in toward the beach. We walk for about 45 min to an
hour. Most days it is too rough to swim but this time of year we do dips. We wait until it is relatively calm, run in dip to our chin and run back
out. This is also part of my weather channel activity. Is there a swell? Where is it coming from? How hot is it? Is there a breeze, from which
direction?
Once back home, we shower(is this boring or what!?!?!!) and I usually make breakfast while my husband waters the plants. This morning we had fajitas
with leftover mashed potatoes as the crust, fresh squeezed o j(this is one of my major likes about living here?.one of those big red mesh bags,
probably 10 kilos, of oranges 60pesos?.the bag I got the other day still had crisp green leaves on any stems that had been left behind) and fruit
salad which I picked passion fruit, papaya and mangos from my yard to make. We do go out for breakie every now and then. We usually go to this place
where we can get 2 huge fresh squeezed, 2 orders huevos rancheros and the bill is 80pesos. Sometimes my husband gets aqua de pepino (cucumber water)
which makes me burp just thinking of but then the bill is 70pesos.
Since we are in business and no longer retired we work until lunch. This is also when I do my housework. I love doing laundry. Standing out under
the palms hanging out my clean clothes makes me a happy camper?.life?s small sweet pleasures. Then you get to smell them when they are dry and ready
to be folded, once again standing under the palms, and then put away?
For lunch we may go to a taco stand or eat a sandwich at home. We are under construction, so after the workers leave we wander out to see the
progress of that morning?s work. Today my neighbor and friend, Nacho, stopped by to say hello. He built both of our palapas and helped us move the
palms and trees from the construction area. Since we have known him anytime we see him in our cars, he plays chicken with us. The first time, my
heart stopped but from then on it became a fun game for all of us?so far! He tells me that he is sorry he never came back with the palo de arco for
our fence but he forgot?..jeez, honesty que padre. Anyway his palapas are not works of art like you see around. They are simple shade palapas. They
keep out the rain and the sun so are good enough for me. We decided that since we live in hurricane country maybe we wouldn?t blow our wad on the
palapa. The one over our porch cost $1000, 8 years ago, the one over our second floor cost $1200, 4 years ago. When Marty blew through here the
highest point of the roof blew out. For $200 he fixed it for us. That was after my husband helped him get his generator going?.blown fuse
I will say right now that if we had errands to do we wouldn?t eat here but will be at the bank, paying the phone bill, the electric bill?etc?all those
fun things that have to be done but here you have to do them in person?you do not mail in your phone bill, nor any other utilities. At least that is
the way it is here.
By now it is siesta time and we do take one almost everyday. I sleep for about 20 minutes as I have found that if I sleep much longer than that I
wake up hazy as opposed to refreshed which is of course what I am striving for.
When I get up, I decide to make a key lime pie. So I go out in my yard risking puncture wounds to retrieve enough limes to make my pie.
By the time the pies come out of the oven it is time for sunset on the second floor. We almost always have a breeze up there and we enjoy sitting up
there perhaps having a cerveza?.ok definitely having a cerveza?ok or two. As the sun sets I marvel at what a beautiful place we live in. I bet that
some of you who have read other posts of mine are wondering when the whining about the new marina starts?.. I decided last night when, in between two
cement trucks that passed, I saw a wave break over the berm of the estuary and heard it crash to shore that life was still good here and if I had some
patience it would almost return to what it was?almost.
We eat at home a lot and I must admit having Costco sure makes that easier. Not only can we buy cheap wine to go with our dinner but we have healthy
things to eat now. Like fresh spinach, salads and all kinds of fresh veggies that we didn?t have before. Especially this time of year. But in the
same breath, it breaks my heart to see all the local grocery stores going belly up. I still buy all my beef from Frutas y Verduras a local chain, but
everytime I go into their store there is less and less on the shelves. They are definitely being driven out of business. I don?t really know the
answer to that problem. And although I am a child of the 60?s(ok I was more than a child then) I don?t see myself boycotting Costco or Home Depot.
And I refuse to feel quilty because my life is easier now.
We have a tv but no cable or sat. We very seldom turn it on. We did buy a Sirius sat radio when we were in the states in May and I must say that has
changed my life and my attitude considerably?.all for the better.
I see that I have finished my day so will close this NOW.
Those of you who don?t live here but want to?just do it. Even if you find it is not for you, at least then you will know. There are certainly a lot
of other places to go but I don?t believe that there is any place finer.
[Edited on 7-19-2005 by bajajudy]
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