BajaNomad - 1st time in baja. AND LOVED IT

1st time in baja. AND LOVED IT

escristian - 8-14-2006 at 09:05 AM

Just came back from a week in Baja. Had an amazing time and thanks to everyone on these forums who adviced me to rent a car. Ended up renting the car from Avis and had absolutely no problem. Roads were very good, I live in Montreal, Canada and I wish our roads were this nice. I know next time I go to Baja I'm renting a 4x4, but that's just so I can go off-road more.

All along the way the best part of the ride was just being free, and the food!!!!! God love the Taco stands, you can feed 2 people for like 5$ Carnitas and adobado are particurlaly good.

1st day - Drove to La Bocana (Close to Port St- tomas) realized that 10 minutes is not really 10 minutes (1 hour), and that when they tell you there's a restaurant at the beach it migth not be true. But what's better then driving 1 hour on dirt roads to find a little beach and a nice mexican family that feeds you and makes you feel like part of the family

2nd day - Drove to Rosario and stayed at the best hotel 30$ can buy, amazing, clean, comfortable. Rigth next to the Pemex station. The beach at Rosario is beautiful but hard to get to. Again 10 minutes is really 1 hour, and get a 4X4

3rd day - Bahia Los Angeles. Beautiful place, way too hot. Camped out and regreted it by 2 AM when neither me or my girl could sleep. But the next day more then made it worth it when Ricardo took us out and we swam with seals, and went on a search for Whale Sharks.

4th day - Old Mill was really a great hotel, affordable and comfortable, also the old mill restaurant was very good (filet mignon) and affordable also. A must if you're around St-Quintin.

5th day - Coyote Cal's was a cool hostel where we met 3 guys that drove down from Nova Scotia. And happy hour at 11PM

Surfed for the 1st time and I'm hooked now.

6th day - Maria's hostel in el Sauzal. Beautiful hostel in a bad neighboorhood. Great for backpackers cause Maria will cook you breakfast and basically mother you.

7th day - Stayed in a motel in Ensenada. Honestly, I don't see any reason why I would stay in ensenada. When we walked by the old port and they were playing Pelican sounds on the loud speaker I knew this wasn't the place for me. If I want to party I'll head to Rosarito, where they still have a beach.

Here are some pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/escristian

David K - 8-14-2006 at 09:07 AM

Welcome to what we here call 'The Baja Feeling'!!!

Thanks for posting your report!

Diver - 8-14-2006 at 09:31 AM

I love it ! :lol:

Thanks for sharing !

thebajarunner - 8-14-2006 at 09:57 AM

You made my day, I felt like I had a hand in keeping you off the ABC and into the freedom that you found.

Ensenada, poor Ensenada.... we all loved it until we discovered that "The Real Baja" starts well South of that crazy place.

Now you can search the Nomad site for all the stuff you missed and spend the rest of your life heading down the peninsula to try and capture those great experiences.

Thanks, too, for pointing out that the "evil hiway" is not all that bad....

Nice report

John M - 8-14-2006 at 10:09 AM

Yea - Bay of L.A. does get warm.

I agree that renting a 4x4 or having a pick-up with a bit of ground clearance would really expand your exploring!

Now, since you've been to both La Bocana and to BOLA you might be interested in two neat books about those places.

First, and the older book, is "God and Mr. Gomez" - a story about a newspapermans adventures while building a home at La Bocana - 1970s era

The second is recenty written by one of the Baja Nomads, Mike Humfreville - titled "In The Shadow of the Volcano" - the family adventures in and around BOLA in the '70s and 80s

Both are available through

http://www.sunbeltpub.com/

I have no financial interest in any of it.

John M.

Bajame - 8-14-2006 at 10:55 AM

Just back from HI, It's great but Baja is in a class of it's own thats hard to beat! If I had my choice on where to live There would be no question or second thought, BAJA wins out every time!

Cypress - 8-14-2006 at 12:01 PM

Is there something about Baja that's addictive?

bajajudy - 8-14-2006 at 01:25 PM

Thank you for a great report.
It is wonderful to see a place that you love through someone else's eyes.
Think of this...you could do that 20 more times and still not see it all.....whoopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

You have found the magic

Neal Johns - 8-14-2006 at 02:15 PM

When I was middle aged (a few decades ago), one of my first trips to Baja was to La Bocana with my girl friend. We had Thanksgiving lunch on Mr. Gomez's property with his pigs for company - and she served me ....a rubber chicken! Glad you had as much fun!

Roberto - 8-14-2006 at 07:09 PM

Ensenada is cool. I understand why you wouldn't see that on your first trip where you are pressed for time and looking for quick gratification, but there's a lot there once you get a feel for the town.

Nice report, and glad you decided to pass on the bus!

Did you rent the car on the U.S. or Mexican side of the border?

FARASHA - 8-15-2006 at 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress
Is there something about Baja that's addictive?

YESSSSS!!!!! Absolutely, don't know what exactly it is - and there is no cure or program for withdrawal (like the AA's), once you are hooked, thats it!!
And the forum you can turn to to find understanding this - are the NOMAD's.
And if you have to live that far off as I have to, you keep looking for an substitute closer by ( ie. SINAI Peninsula) in my case.
Lotte :yes:

Osprey - 8-15-2006 at 11:28 AM

Cristian, if you had posted that you just got back from your first trip to California, then discribed a week spent around Los Angeles, then saying how much you loved it, you would have a lot of Californians scratching their heads and feeling sort of left out. There are lots of Baja's --- there are two states and we in the south might say of your trip that if Baja California were a fruit, you have only taken a bite of the skin.

escristian - 8-15-2006 at 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
Cristian, if you had posted that you just got back from your first trip to California, then discribed a week spent around Los Angeles, then saying how much you loved it, you would have a lot of Californians scratching their heads and feeling sort of left out. There are lots of Baja's --- there are two states and we in the south might say of your trip that if Baja California were a fruit, you have only taken a bite of the skin.

True. Maybe a better title would have been 1st time in north Baja california.

For sure next time if I find a rental agency that allows me to go past Guerrero Negro I'm heading south. If not just fly to cabo and drive north.

And someone asked before if I rented on the American or Mexican side. It was the Avis at San Diego airport. they allow you to go down up to 450 miles south of the border.

I saw some pictures of baja sur and it looks amazing, just didn't have enough time this trip.

thebajarunner - 8-15-2006 at 03:13 PM

Don't let the 'provincials' spook you.
You did the right thing, easy in and easy out.
And, to be technical:

You were in Baja California (that is the official name of the northern state)
They are in Baja California Sur (their official name)

So, yes, you "did the Baja"

and yes, the two states are quite different.
many of us prefer the more desert, open space north.

many of them prefer the beaches and lots more people at the sites for sights (how is that for a metaphor?)

The skin?

DanO - 8-15-2006 at 04:35 PM

Puh-lease. The guy packed at least a few good bites into a short trip, and now he's got the bug. Good on ya, Cristian. Roberto's right, there's lots to learn about Ensenada. Restaurants and coffee houses, art galleries and museums, mueblerias, fish taco stands (the site of one of the best, IMHO), the list goes on and on. Just stay away from anywhere the cruise ship passengers hang out, and you'll be fine.

Osprey - 8-15-2006 at 06:44 PM

We'll see what Christain has to say when he's seen it all hombres. What's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gooser. Runner: "desert open spaces?". You're right, all we have is Cabo Wabo. Be a traveler.

Gooser?

DanO - 8-15-2006 at 06:57 PM

I think you mean gander. Gooser is a very different word.

Anyway, I think we can agree that there's more to see and do on the peninsula than can possibly be taken in in just a few days. That's one of the things that draws us to it.

Been there, done that

thebajarunner - 8-15-2006 at 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
We'll see what Christain has to say when he's seen it all hombres. What's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gooser. Runner: "desert open spaces?". You're right, all we have is Cabo Wabo. Be a traveler.

Osprey,
I finished 6 Baja 1000 races into La Paz, guess you could say I have seen BCS..... what with all the pre-running, I dare say I have seen more BCS roads than you have, just a guess.
Nothing in all of Mexico compares to the beauty of Bahia Concepcion, that is the few spots where there is not a raft of tossed together palapa huts. Nothing compares to the San Ignacio and Mag Bay lagoons, especially at whale time.
Having said all that, the Baja deserts, the boojums, the saguaros, the purple mountains, ah the majesty!
It is all good.
So, don't tell him he just had a taste.... he got a real bite of the apple.

The Los Angeles metaphor was a good one. People say that they have visited LA, San Diego, etc. I tell them, next time come to "California" and I will show you Yosemite, Big Trees, running rivers, golden hills.... it is all good.

So, don't tell the man what he missed, rejoice in what he saw.
And invite him back to see your part (all except your trashy Cabo Wabo place.... we have our Santa Cruz, they both suck...yours and ours)

Roberto - 8-15-2006 at 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by escristian
And someone asked before if I rented on the American or Mexican side. It was the Avis at San Diego airport. they allow you to go down up to 450 miles south of the border.

Try Avis at the Tijuana airport next time. You will be able to go anywhere, and if you reserve from this side of the border, get a better rate.

great 1st Baja trip

BajaDanD - 8-15-2006 at 10:10 PM

come on guys most of us only made it to TJ or ensenada the first time we went to Baja
They got a pretty good taste of it for their first trip.
Sounds like they are adventureous(sp) enough that they'll get to see a lot more of it.
Good for them
Baja has just taken two more hostages. :lol:

DAND

escristian - 8-16-2006 at 08:49 AM

Hehe didn't mean to start a North/South flame war. But at least it proves that people really care about their little place in paradise.

If people are willing to voice their opinions and defend the place they prefer (south or north Baja) then that proves what I saw in this trip. That Baja is a beautiful place that hopefully will stay of the main travel roads. I love that you can still get lost in Baja.

I understand Osprey, if someone came to Canada and didn't spend time in Montreal I would tell them they missed a lot of what makes Canada special.

Next time renting in Tijuana and going all the way south!!!!!!!

Captivated...

Nicole - 8-31-2006 at 02:36 AM

I am utterly captivated... some days Baja is all I think about - I am in love with its desert, its mountains, its beaches, but especially its spirit which I viewed through the others I have met there... and here on the Nomad board of course! Congratulations on what sounds to have been an awesome awakening to all things Baja!

jimgrms - 8-31-2006 at 06:32 AM

Quote:

That Baja is a beautiful place that hopefully will stay of the main travel roads. I love that you can still get lost in Baja.south!!!!!!!

Christian just use caution you can get real lost in baja