BajaNomad - Cactus Sanctuary

Cactus Sanctuary

BMG - 6-15-2008 at 12:01 PM

Went out to the Cactus Sanctuary near La Paz with another Baja Nomad couple. Very interesting place to visit when you are in La Paz. The Sanctuary is a few miles off the main road, not far from El Triunfo towards La Paz.

It was fun and very interesting. The caretaker speaks excellent English and lots of signs in both Spanish and English. Cost is M$50 per person. We want to go back after the rainy season to see the changes.

Here is a slideshow (7.9mb wmv file) that plays on Windows Media Player.

Photostory Slideshow

shari - 6-15-2008 at 01:46 PM

gracias...stunning...peaceful....impressive old growth cactus there. Love the fuchia colours. (What slide show program did you use?)

Russ - 6-15-2008 at 02:04 PM

Damn! I only get the great music.

Sharksbaja - 6-15-2008 at 02:22 PM

Cool video using slides. Some odd looking growth in there! Thanks for sharing.

Gadget - 6-15-2008 at 02:34 PM

That was great!
Who is the flamenco artist on your sound track?

Bob H - 6-15-2008 at 02:36 PM

Very cool slide show.... loved the cactus that had fallen over and several new cactus plants shot out of the old trunk.
Bob H

Freebird - 6-15-2008 at 03:07 PM

Wonderfull, maravilloso!!!

How did you do that? I mean which software did you use?

BMG - 6-15-2008 at 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
gracias...stunning...peaceful....impressive old growth cactus there. Love the fuchia colours. (What slide show program did you use?)

Photo Story is a Microsoft product designed to play on Windows Media Player 7 or later.

Photo Story 3 can be downloaded here.

Russ - 6-15-2008 at 03:13 PM

I opened my Windows side of my Mac and it ran great. Very impressive garden! And of course the photographer did a fine job too

A few photos.

BMG - 6-15-2008 at 03:23 PM

Some of these were included in the slideshow.

Our guide was enthusiastic and full of great information.

Here I am hugging an 800 year old cardon. My arms did not fit around it.

Ana next to a cactus skeleton.

Cactus fruit.

I thought it was pretty tasty.

Some really incredible cacti.

Mutated Cactus

standingwave - 6-15-2008 at 03:54 PM

I wonder what causes the occasional cactus to grow strange like that one you show.
Here is another example - taken in the little cactus garden at the top of the hill on the back way into Agua Caliente from Miraflores.

[Edited on 6-16-2008 by standingwave]

mutated cactus.jpg - 49kB

longlegsinlapaz - 6-15-2008 at 04:29 PM

Excellent presentation!!! I want to go sometime after construction here is all done! Since it fell in after the cholla pic, was that green fruit you ate from the cholla? And I'd like to go despite the fact I spied that bee hive in amongst all the other stickery things!

(note to self: Take Benedryl!)

Mexitron - 6-15-2008 at 04:44 PM

Thanks for the great show!

Don Alley - 6-15-2008 at 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
Damn! I only get the great music.

Me too.

Are you using a Mac by chance?

Microsoft is using software to make slideshows with what's called a "WVP2 Codec" that is not compatible with Mac OSX Quicktime or Mac Windows Media PLayer. There is no patch or component available to download for a Mac.

But we have been to the Sanctuary and it's really nice. We were there after a rainy season and it was overgrown with vines. Beautiful.

lingililingili - 6-15-2008 at 05:16 PM

Kate: It would beat that eyeball would it not?

Quote:

Originally posted by morgaine7
Those are beautiful, thanks! The cardon-hugger would make a super avatar. :biggrin:

Do you know what time they open in the morning, and are they open every day?

Kate

bajajudy - 6-15-2008 at 06:35 PM

I believe that the deformity is caused by a disease.
Where is Cardon Man when we need him?

Oops I forgot to say how nice the vid was. played just fine for me and yes who was the musician?

[Edited on 6-16-2008 by bajajudy]

Paulina - 6-15-2008 at 07:37 PM

That was great! Another adventure added to my "to do" list.

Thanks,

P<*)))>{

lingililingili - 6-15-2008 at 08:27 PM

Hey Longlegs: I did not think construction would ever be done. I thought when you finished you would just start another!

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
Excellent presentation!!! I want to go sometime after construction here is all done! Since it fell in after the cholla pic, was that green fruit you ate from the cholla? And I'd like to go despite the fact I spied that bee hive in amongst all the other stickery things!

(note to self: Take Benedryl!)

BMG - 6-16-2008 at 08:01 AM

Thanks for all the nice comments. Sorry about the Apple problem. I'll ask Bill Gates about it next time we have lunch.

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget
Who is the flamenco artist on your sound track?

Ottmar Liebert - from his album 'Poets & Angels'

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
Since it fell in after the cholla pic, was that green fruit you ate from the cholla? And I'd like to go despite the fact I spied that bee hive in amongst all the other stickery things!

That was cholla fruit. Not really sweet but it had a nice 'clean' flavor.

Across the street is a cemetery. Stay away from the cistern. Lots of bees around it.

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Alley
We were there after a rainy season and it was overgrown with vines.

I saw the photos you posted of your visit there in late 2006. Quite a difference in the greenery! We plan on going back in October/November.

Quote:

Originally posted by morgaine7
The cardon-hugger would make a super avatar.
Do you know what time they open in the morning, and are they open every day?

The EYE stays. How else can I keep watch over all of you?

The sanctuary opens when the caretaker arrives. It closes when he leaves. It's open everyday he's there. There is no electricity or phone. No posted sign for hours. When we asked he said he would be open full time from now on but I think the above rules still apply. Plan on walking through the cemetery (same parking lot) if he's not there or driving on to El Triunfo to check out the ruins if the sanctuary is closed when you visit.

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajudy
I believe that the deformity is caused by a disease.

I don't remember hearing or reading what causes the deformities. They referred to them as "monsters".

David K - 6-16-2008 at 08:26 AM

Really great slide show BMG!!! Thank you very much for making and sharing it!

Here is a 'monster' east of El Rosario and north from Los Martires (km. 103.5)

longlegsinlapaz - 6-16-2008 at 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lingililingili
Hey Longlegs: I did not think construction would ever be done. I thought when you finished you would just start another!

Way to go to send me spiraling into deep depression! :no:

And here I sit here without any Squirt! :no:

Nor any workers...it IS Monday, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised!! :no:

lingililingili - 6-16-2008 at 09:37 AM

Quote:

No Squirt?!!! Oh No!!! I have some of that diet stuff if you get really crazy with your Squirt withdrawals.

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz

Way to go to send me spiraling into deep depression! :no:

And here I sit here without any Squirt! :no:

Nor any workers...it IS Monday, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised!! :no:

Steve in Oro Valley - 6-16-2008 at 12:28 PM

Crestate forms of many kinds of cacti occur everywhere.

Odd- the Knobby Pitaya dulce (Stenocereus thurberi) which can look like that in Arizona and Sonora - the form is usually attributable to regular frost in early spring which constrict the stems ...

I doubt that frost occurs in the neighborhood around La Paz...

Very nice presentation!

Steve in Oro Valley

Cypress - 6-16-2008 at 12:44 PM

BMG, Those cactus pictures were neat. :bounce:

Thanks.

redmesa - 6-17-2008 at 11:02 AM

Loved the cactus and Ottmar is wonderful! Thank you.

bacquito - 6-17-2008 at 05:41 PM

Great video and great music: :yes: