BAJACAT'S SAN FELIPE TRIP

Even a fishing village like San felipe is a easy target for a quick trip to Baja, thinking about the caos that " SEMANA SANTA" (spring break) is going to bring, I made plans to visit SF before that.I bought my insurance online got my Baja posse ready to leave on Friday 04-03, around 2:00pm.Firts problem on sight, High winds advisory on I-8, highway patrol made a detour and seend High profile veh, back, we where wave throught,that only slow us down a bit.Around 4:00 pm we reach Calexico, We refill our gas tanks change some dollars for pesos and off to SF,sounds easy right!, well is not. While exiting the border I took the right side instated of the left, saw some signs for SF and end up getting lost for 40 minutes, more time waste it, I swallow my pride( you see Im supposed to be the guide for the other vehicles that where with me), and ask a local for directions, " he smile an said, NO AMIGO SAN FELIPE IS THE OTHER WAY, go back to avenida UNION by the Delegacion de policia make a right, that is going to take you to MEX 5.Finally we reach the construction outside SF, its about 10 miles of sideroads at this time is already 7:00 pm, we actually made to SF at 7:30 pm,5 hours after we left National City, I dont know where I lost so much time.
DAY # 1-The haunt for a good hotel, firts stop COSTA AZUL, "CUANTO POR UNA HABITACION DOBLE SENORITA", the lady there just gave us a quick eyeball and say "90 DOLLARES POR NOCHE", to rich for my blood so next stop Hotel CARIBE,In front of Costa Azul, here the price was cheaper, $60 dllrs for a 2 double kingsize beds,realy nice rooms if you don't mine the noise from the street,belive me after dark the Malecon shows its real face, wich is lots of cars driving in circles, we call it crussing here in San Diego,with lound speakers hangging from roof and doors playing corridos, people dancing in back off pick up trucks drinking dancing and with a local police truck with lights on ridding behinde them honking their horns, Mexico is truly odd some times but facinating to.We stop walking and start looking for a place to eat, we end up in RICE & BEANS, realy nice place and not so expensive.

DAY # 2- We wake up around 8:00 am and went looking for Fonda EL MINUTO, A Ken Cooke recomendation for cheap breakfast, got something to to eat for everybody( lady got real happy when she saw our group 12 people),servise was fast and cheap. Back to Mex 5 to drive the 20+/- miles to reach VALLE DE GIGANTES, reach the gate where a exchange $ 10 per car for a map of the area,and of to find the GIANTS, you drive up to a point that has a sign that says 4X4 only, so we park my sister ASPEN, there and took off in my truck.Lost of rds that take you out the SF desert lots of SAHUAROS the Giants of the valley, another unic place in Baja.Next stop Punta Estrella, here the rate is $30 per car for camping and $5 per hour just for the day,lots of palapas didn't see the showers but kind of pricy for me.Got back to town to have dinner in RICE & BEANS again, this time a order the steam clams w./ garlic souce and the breaded shirmp.Another walk in the Malecon and to the top of the VIRGEN'S shrine, very nice views of SF from this point.Back to the hotel to rest nad to get ready for the finall day(Sunday) to return to the states. Wake up around 8:00am got my kids to pack all our stuff, to set up for a last walk in the Malecon by this time you can see the campers alraedy in the beach.
Breakfast at RICE & BEANS, where i left a BAJANOMAD sticker on the inside of the restaurant, got me to orders of chilaquiles w/ chorizo yes two orders they where so good that I order a second order to the surprise of the waiter. Air up tires and left SF at 11:30am, around 2:00pm I was taking the toll rd to bypass Mexicali, I just pay my dues around $5 dollars and then I was greeted by 5 patrols (FEDERALES) having a check point,I was stop and very polite answer the question, then the officer says "you are not driving alone right, i just look at him and said why you ask, to his reply, i see you have a two way radio on your side' Oh that radio!, Yes we all driving in a group of 3 vehicles Im the firts one, there is two in the back of me.I was ask to continue and the other two cars wheren't stop at the check point.Nice little detour if you don''t want to go throght mexicali, the side road is about 16+/- miles and takes you right about CERRO CENTINELA, A FEW MILES from CANON DE GUADALUPE entry point in the SALADA.
Arrive at TECATE at 3:50 pm for our BAJA tradittion, wich is to eat tacos right before we cross to the states, and then a firts one for me a two hour crossing time to reach the USA side, WOW , TECATE IS getting to be a slow border crossing.
Made it back to National City around 7:20 pm, another great short trip to Baja.[[[ in my observations you can see that tourisum is down in some parts off baja, most off the people that i saw camping and walking in the malecon where locals and everybody down there agrees that it's not the same as previous years. That will be my closing statement]]], untill next time BAJANOMADS...
VALLE DE GIGANTES
GIANT SAHUARO
TIME OUT
RICE & BEANS
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
SAN FELIPE LIGHT HOUSE
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OUT THIS PICTURE
A MUST IN SAN FELIPE


WILL GATTER THE OTHER PICTURES AND I WILL POST A SECOND THREAD IN THIS FORUM..

Chuck, we were there with our neighbors in a seperate vehicle last week. Sign says $10/car and the rastafarian caretaker wouldn't bargain so I paid but my neighbor only had pesos and got in for 100.

I think it would be a great place to camp out during the full moon and wander among the towering cardons in the moonlight. Peyote optional.