Baja Bernie - 10-27-2007 at 09:26 AM
Thought I would post this one to celebrate 'grover's' getting my avatar back for me....Really felt naked without my amigo's smiling at me.
And as a tiny reminder of why I and so many others have landed here in what 'used' to be Manana Land.
From my book, "Bouncing Around Baja"
La Frontera, a land in flux! People flowing here from all over the mainland of Mexico. Each attempting to fill a beautiful desert, a quiet void with
their noisy coming. From every corner of Mother Mexico they come looking for a brighter future. Drawn by the lure of employment and the promises of a
‘good life.’ Much as the immigrants in Norte America were told, “Go West, Young Man!” They are mostly attracted to the larger cities of Tijuana,
Mexicali and Ensenada. The Norte Americans began their trek into Baja much earlier, in the 1950’s and 60’s. These crazy gringos from the North were
not interested in the big cities. Oh! No! They were looking for the wild and almost unpopulated reaches of the great desert and the beaches and bays.
Cabo San Lucas was just being rediscovered by the likes of Ray Cannon who would make it world famous by his stories of world class sports fishing.
A bunch of crazy guys and gals they were. The first wave were the nutty professors who were cataloging new forms of cacti with their every step into
this unexplored land. Next came the fishermen with their overpowering need to rid the seas of untold numbers of fish and to catch the ‘record for the
largest fish’ landed. Guys like Fred Hoctor, who sailed into Campo Loco in the early ‘50’s. His book, “Baja Haha,” is a classic. He describes,
tongue in cheek, a few of the early gringos who made up the first wave of characters.
I arrived in this land of manana (not today) in the early 1960’s with the second wave of almost civilized drinkers of cactus juice. Most of us didn’t
care about the maguey—a very useful native plant. Fishing was not our bag! Though some of us were quite good at it. Not for records but to eat.
We came to Baja to kick back and relax—we were worn down by the rat race in the States. Baja provided just the proper tonic for our needs. We
learned the credo: NO HURRY AND NO WORRY! This was a place to slow down and enjoy life! It was a great experience. We interacted with the happy,
smiling, people who lived in our part of Baja. We know it is really not ours—but our new Mexican friends made us welcome.
They nudged us into a better and more honest understanding of ourselves. They caused us to know that watches were of no practical value in this
little bit of paradise. Time was only your friend if you realized that its passage only added to your enjoyment. Getting older doesn’t matter, it
only matters that you live your life with your family and friends and that you extend your hand in friendship to all of the wonderful people around
you.
With an open mind you will learn a more relaxing way of life AND you may learn what is truly important in life!
You will definitely learn that ONCE THE DUST OF BAJA SETTLES ON YOUR SHOULDERS YOU MAY NEVER SHAKE IT OFF!
P.S. Thinking back it is interesting to see those small, isolated, fishing camps that we discovered have grown and become villages, or even fair
sized town...As so many of you now say........."I guess that's progress."
Gozar (Enjoy)!