La Paz and back

We took a "quick" trip down to La Paz and back from Dec 26 - Jan 2, with stops in Guerrero Negro, Bahia Asuncion, Conception Bay (x2), La Paz (two nights), and El Rosario.

Not as much off-road and/or exploring time on this trip as in most others - but were glad to go somewhere we had not previously been to before - out to Bahia Asuncion to see Shari, Juan, Sirena, baby Izaak, as well as Mike Younghusband with Don-Kay and Solo. Felt very honored to meet so many Nomads in Asuncion during our brief stay - and appreciate their warm welcome (to say the least).

The highway down is such less of an issue these days than in past years. Notables are the road work south of Maneadero (just a guess that it's about 4 miles worth), and also the continued repairs of 3 bridges in the San Vicente through San Quintin areas. The El Rosario bridge is once again in use. The road leading into - and somewhat south of - El Rosario has been widened. The winding road on the north side of El Rosario, while now widened, I'm going to guess will have some accidents, as it's still a winding road and people are (for now) traveling at faster speeds on it. Seems like a recipe for some problems - at least to me for now.

In BCS, they're working on a LOT of bridges. I believe they're saying they're working on over 100 bridges in BCS. It becomes very apparent right after you head south from San Ignacio. The vados of yesteryear are being replaced by bridges for better or worse.

Oh, and they're putting in a bridge in place of the vado just inland of where Mex 1 leaves the Pacific on your way south and heads inland towards El Rosario.

While we planned to leave the night of Dec 25th, we were not prepared enough to go until early Dec 26th. Left early enough from San Diego to get to Ensenada by 8am where we met up with Nomad Dennis for breakfast. Dennis we all enjoyed the opportunity to spend some time with you that morning. Thank you for all your efforts, and for spending some time with us.



(on edit: we ate at Mi Kaza as recommended by Bajadock for wifi and breakfast... wifi worked pretty well here - thanks Dennis for putting up with me checking things online here)

We got to Guerrero Negro just a few minutes after sunset. It didn't seem like it at all, but I realized while driving around town that so many places we were used to going to, were now all gone - and then it hit... it'd been over 10 years since we had spent the night in GN.



While we didn't stay there, we did eat at the restaurant/taqueria at the Cowboy Motel. Place was pretty busy with many locals. Ryland and Michelle had Carne Asada tacos. I ordered a meatless Huarache... served here as mashed potatoes with corn, mushrooms and cheese - all cooked in a pocket of foil. Seems Ryland referred back to the carne asada from here as quite memorable through the entire trip.

Prices were pretty inexpensive. Pic of the menu.....




[Edited on 1-9-2011 by BajaNomad]

Oh... Ryland and Michelle give a big thumbs up on the Frijoles Charros here as well....

Hey, is that a BEER???.... oh, nope... a Sprite. Whew!

After our journey out to Asuncion, we headed back south and made it to Playa Requeson on Conception Bay just before sunset. Usually I'll take some time stopping in, or driving through San Ignacio, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, etc on the way south, but in the interest of getting as far south as possible before dark, we did not do so this time - hoping to have some time on the drive back north to do so on this trip.

Something that came up a few times and I thought it interesting (?) to note... people would ask us our destination for the next day, or that night, etc... and our answer truly is - wherever we're at right around sunset. No firm plans of somewhere we HAVE to be (but having some places in mind depending on where we are). About the only thing we had in mind was spending a night in La Paz - but even that was not firm. Michelle wanted the warmest weather we could find, with sand and a beach - and I like exploring and moving around place-to-place, covering ground, "Nomad"-style (but time at the beach is certainly a-ok with me!). It seemed like the answer of "don't know where we'll be tonight, or tomorrow" threw people somewhat.

Anyway, I digress...

After we set up our tent at Requeson, I wandered down the beach with Ryland - and we were invited over to a campfire (of sorts) with about a dozen or more of the Canadians that spend their winters on the beach here. After a few minutes of saying hellos we got to talking about travels, and I mentioned we'd come from Asuncion, and that the road was paved all the way in, and that we'd seen some people we know with a B&B, as well as meeting up with a man that's hiking down the peninsula with a burro, and one of the women asked me at that point: "oh, do you read the Nomad board?"



At that point we found out she was Nomad BajaKeela from Vancouver Island, BC.

I'd met some of these people before when stopping through at Requeson, and they've always been so nice. This trip was no exception, and we really appreciated the short time spent with them. BajaKeela let us know they were having a New Year's Eve party at Restaurant Playa Buenaventura, and invited us to join them. "Baja Midnight" was to be at 7pm. It was quite likely we would indeed be back in the area for NYE (as we needed to be back home by Sunday, Jan 2nd) - and kept it in mind to try to make it back here for NYE.

Below, me too lazy to get out of the tent at first light.... but did take a pic through the tent screen....

Our simple tent setup, with more permanent winter visitors and their trailer setups in the background.

.

.

.

.

Ryland scouting out the local "wildlife".

.

.

Shortly after arriving in La Paz, and getting checked in... Michelle told me she was hungry and it was time to go eat....

...but honey, I'm just getting logged in to check email and the Nomad forum.....

Oh well, it's off to Las Tres Virgenes where we get a chance to chat a little with Nomad JESSE.

Review of visit to Jesse's Las Tres Virgenes is here (with more pictures):
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=50203

More when I have the chance..... (I hope).

-
Doug

Maybe next year.
If they change the law, we all might have Pacificos for breakfast.

That was fun, Doug. Thanks for making the stop.

That first 5th wheel was actually the trailer of BajaKeela (Carol, and husband Frank - who's originally from Austria). Pictures of them later...

There was also Dennis, Jim & Penny (whom we've met before), and Larry was the furthest away (of the group). There was another couple that was the travel partners for Carol and Frank... but I didn't get their names. There were also quite a few others as well.

I'm not sure of who might've had a "small" dog with them.

So, let me see.... where did I leave off.... oh yes: La Paz.

Carne asada and fish tacos at Super Tacos de Baja California Sur. This is one of a few locations. Looks like they might even have a restaurant or two in the area now as well. This location is near the entrance to the Pension California.

working area....

Cooking the carne asada....

After tacos, it was beachcombing time.... decided on the La Ventana area this day...

Like an island...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Ryland's picture out the window of a nearby salt "farm"....

Back in La Paz.... make sure you're LOOKING FOR the stop signs... sometimes difficult to find them.

Your son

Breakfast the morning of Dec 31st at La Fonda de los Briseño - up Bravo a few blocks from the Malecon.

We didn't order anything too daring here. I had a nopal omelet, which was good. Nice place, came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Quite a varied menu, and hard not to find something here you'd like. I've read that they are friendly to dietary requests also.

.

[Edited on 1-15-2011 by BajaNomad]

Time to head back north.....

Back to Conception Bay - and mindful of our open invitation to join the Canadians at Restaurant Playa Buenaventura. We arrived around dusk.

Picked up marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey's chocolate bars at the Chedraui (former CCC) in La Paz to make s'mores at Conception Bay - and here's Ryland roasting marshmallows on New Year's Eve.

Photo with Nomad BajaKeela on New Year's Eve.

Michelle and Ryland were told about the "floating orbs" outside they could see by using a flash camera and went outside to "see".

The results - definitely some interesting floating "dust" (?) particles out there to say the least.

More "orbs"....

Olivia, Mark, Michelle, Ryland, a very friendly cat, and the gentleman (who's name escapes me right now) that runs Playa La Perla next to Requeson.

Restaurant Playa Buenaventura on New Year's Eve.

[Edited on 1-15-2011 by BajaNomad]

In the morning, BajaKeela came out and invited us to coffee at their trailer just before we were set to leave. We enjoyed the conversation with she and her husband.

Photo by Ryland.

Jan 1, 2011

Back on the road north... Mulege....

Free wifi ?

Stopped for some tacos at Pepe's in Santa Rosalia. Says he's open from about 7am to 1pm these days. Fish tacos here are always good, sometimes great. Depends on the fish being used that day.

.

Long bridges being built along the highway between San Ignacio and Santa Rosalia.

Check out all the long concrete girders (?)...

Decisions, decisions.....

Paved highway to the Sierra San Francisco area... I'm so surprised to not read more reports of people going up here. ???

Christmas lights on the eagle monument at stateline.

We drove from Playa Requeson on Conception Bay all the way to El Rosario on New Year's Day. There were very few people driving the highway that day, especially in the more remote areas.

Arrived Jan 1st at the Baja Cactus in El Rosario. As I walked up to the reception desk, the man at the desk was on the phone. Found out he was talking to Antonio - and got a chance to say hello to Antonio... who gave me the news: "Doug - do you know the Nomad site is down my friend?" Uh oh. The folks at the Baja Cactus made sure I had the access I needed to work on the site and get it back up. Took me a while through the night to diagnose the problem. But glad to get it figured out and the site back online that night.

The accommodations in the new rooms of the Baja Cactus remain one of the best values one can find up and down the peninsula. It's never a poor choice to overnight - but try to have a reservation if you can manage it, as it's definitely very popular - with good reason.

Pizzas Tazz in San Quintin - recommended by BajaGringo, including the free wifi.






[Edited on 1-15-2011 by BajaNomad]

Road work still being done at the San Vicente bridge...

Almost dark as we get back into Ensenada...

...and dinner at Mariscos Bahia Ensenada on Av. Riveroll, just off Blvd. Lopez Mateos. Our first time here since they finished the remodel inside. Upscale atmosphere and service. Great, varied menu and good food. Private parking lot. Always recommended.

Mariscos Playa Azul a couple doors down is also a good one to recommend - less "atmosphere", but maybe a little better food value. Very good food here as well.

Thank you for your extensive report, Doug. I saw a lot of familiar places. I had wondered how you got the Nomad Website back up and running while on the road. You must have been wiped out, tired the next day.

Excellent trip report and pix, Doug. Thanks for taking the time.

Now about those orbs.... I hope the folks who told you about them explained that they are considered by many to be spirits or ghosts, generally benevolent in nature.

I have friends who recently returned from Machu Picchu. On the way down they stayed with a local family who invited them to the town dance being held that night. My friend was enjoying the dancers, decided to take photos. After checking images in camera, she complained to her husband that her camera must have broken - the images were filled with these orbs. So he took some photos with his camera - orbs showed up while the music was playing. When the music stopped he kept shooting. No more orbs. Orbs only showed up when music was playing. Clouds of dust? Doesn't seem they'd settle that quickly. They discussed this with their guide, who explained that the orbs were photos of the ancestors - they like to dance.

nena

[Edited on 1-16-2011 by Natalie Ann]

[Edited on 1-16-2011 by Natalie Ann]

Quote:

Originally posted by toneart I had wondered how you got the Nomad Website back up and running while on the road. You must have been wiped out, tired the next day.

Slept in, and got a late start... but that worked out okay in the end. Always does.

Thanks for sharing.

-
Doug

We had one friendly ghost in our room at Baja Cactus on Sept. 18, 2010... Here it is, in front of the TV in our room...