BajaNomad - A month in Bahia Asuncion

A month in Bahia Asuncion

Bajaboy - 7-12-2011 at 11:06 PM

We just returned from our place in Bahia Asunion. It was a great month with the family. We had many highlights including "running" into fellow Nomads Paulina and Dern on one of my trail runs.

Returned today via Tecate and had a long wait. When we approached the boarder crossing we were surprised to find another Mexican military checkpoint maybe 50 yards from the border crossing. Weird!

Can't wait to get back in September.

Zac

https://picasaweb.google.com/ZAJohnston/BAVacationSummer2011...

[Edited on 7-13-2011 by Bajaboy]

woody with a view - 7-13-2011 at 05:54 AM

looks great Zac, the place and the family....

Curt63 - 7-13-2011 at 06:56 AM

Real nice!

bajajudy - 7-13-2011 at 07:03 AM

Great shots
What lucky kids!.....all of you :tumble:

DENNIS - 7-13-2011 at 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajaboy
When we approached the boarder crossing we were surprised to find another Mexican military checkpoint maybe 50 yards from the border crossing. Weird!

I think some of these roving military operations are for public relations.....to show the tourists and others that they're on the job protecting everybody.
Oh well....can't hurt.

shari - 7-13-2011 at 07:36 AM

What a fantastic trip album kids that really shows the diversity of Asuncion!!! One of the kazillion things I love about this area are the number of different beaches to enjoy...all have unique features and of course pristine. I love the photos of the running trails and well....all the shots of how you guys have integrated so beautifully into the community. We are proud to call you amigos!

Zac and Tracy had the courage to buy one of those "little shacks"...they saw the potential and with some imagination and work poco a poco, they have done a fantastic job of making a nice little home out of it....see you in september!

David K - 7-13-2011 at 07:49 AM

The military check and lane control just before leaving Mexico, in Tecate has been there the last two trips (July 4th and Memorial Day)... They spent a long time on a U.S. motorhome, before letting it go... It does seem to be for show, and pointless.

Bajaboy - 7-13-2011 at 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
What a fantastic trip album kids that really shows the diversity of Asuncion!!! One of the kazillion things I love about this area are the number of different beaches to enjoy...all have unique features and of course pristine. I love the photos of the running trails and well....all the shots of how you guys have integrated so beautifully into the community. We are proud to call you amigos!

Zac and Tracy had the courage to buy one of those "little shacks"...they saw the potential and with some imagination and work poco a poco, they have done a fantastic job of making a nice little home out of it....see you in september!

Thanks for the kind words Shari. We really enjoy creating our little castle one trip at a time. It's also fun to open up the pics of when we first bought the place...amazing!

And I agree with you about the incredible diversity of beaches and landscape around BA. There is so much to see and do with minimal effort.

Sorry we missed the graduation party at the Cancha....it sounded like a good time.

Curt63 - 7-13-2011 at 07:54 AM

I went through Tecate a week ago and they were there with some little electronic gizmo that had a 24" vertical black cylinder and horizontal chrome antenna off the top.

It was held by the soldier as he walked slowly past each car as if it was some type of sensor.

These were the most happy go lucky and sloppily dressed Mexican soldiers I've ever seen.

Does anyone know what that was?

bajajurel - 7-13-2011 at 08:21 AM

It is supposed to detect gunpowder / explosives but it is a piece of crud that doesn't work. I researched this the first time I saw it used at the checkpoint north of El Rosario 4 or 5 years ago and every review was negative.

Quote:

Originally posted by Curt63
I went through Tecate a week ago and they were there with some little electronic gizmo that had a 24" vertical black cylinder and horizontal chrome antenna off the top.

It was held by the soldier as he walked slowly past each car as if it was some type of sensor.

These were the most happy go lucky and sloppily dressed Mexican soldiers I've ever seen.

Does anyone know what that was?

DENNIS - 7-13-2011 at 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajurel
It is supposed to detect gunpowder / explosives

Mexican Army keeping the US safe. I like that. :lol:

Mexitron - 7-13-2011 at 10:20 AM

Nice pics! Can't wait to see Asuncion again.

BajaBlanca - 7-13-2011 at 02:21 PM

what a wonderful trip you all had !! food and beach and runs and sunsets and kids kids kids .. your house is so cozy-looking - great job of making it a home away from home ... See you next time, for sure !

Iflyfish - 7-13-2011 at 03:07 PM

Great pics!! It is a pleasure to see your family and new home grow before our eyes. Wonderful! Lucky kid. Great grandma too! Hope we meet one day.

Iflyfish

standingwave - 7-13-2011 at 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajurel
It is supposed to detect gunpowder / explosives

Mexican Army keeping the US safe. I like that. :lol:

\

When we went through last month he told me that it could detect molecules of cannabis! :yes:

Udo - 7-13-2011 at 07:41 PM

SUPERB fotos, Zac
Can't wait til our turn comes later this year!

Heather - 7-13-2011 at 08:58 PM

Enjoyed the pix.
Your little girl looks just like you! I can tell one of her favorite things to eat is sand...I remember those days! I also got a kick out of the storage tub/bucket baths...my girls sure used to enjoy those! They're a little too big now, but they took many a bucket bath a few years ago!

rts551 - 7-13-2011 at 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
The military check and lane control just before leaving Mexico, in Tecate has been there the last two trips (July 4th and Memorial Day)... They spent a long time on a U.S. motorhome, before letting it go... It does seem to be for show, and pointless.

I agree. lets let everyone go unchecked. way better!

Dominica - 7-14-2011 at 02:22 AM

Zac and Tracy.

What a fantastic job you two have done on your casita - I love it. And the pic's of BA are very helpful as well.....my first trip there is coming up in August....thanks for the advance preview! Good luck with your continuing efforts and I hope to meet you some day in BA someday when you return!

All the best,

Susan

Mulegena - 7-14-2011 at 08:25 AM

You've done great stuff with your place. Especially like the outdoor garden areas, trees 'n plants. All seem so natural. Good for you, glad you had such a great time.

Von - 7-14-2011 at 08:51 AM

Cool Pictures Zach! Enjoyed them. Looked like it was a very relaxing time the whole time AWESOME!

standingwave - 7-14-2011 at 09:50 AM

Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures. I especially like that one of Gabriel and Izaak.

Eli - 7-14-2011 at 11:38 AM

Wonderful pictures, I love watching kids growing up on the beaches in Baja, it is just the best place ever to be a kid! Of course I am wondering what the temps., water and air are like about now? I am sure cooler than down towards the tip.

David K - 7-14-2011 at 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551

Quote:

I agree. lets let everyone go unchecked. way better!

Why are the Mexicans checking anything that in 20 more feet will be in the U.S. and checked by us?

Checking going into a country is normal... checking you over when you are leaving is just... counter-normal. :lol:

Bajaboy - 7-14-2011 at 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eli
Wonderful pictures, I love watching kids growing up on the beaches in Baja, it is just the best place ever to be a kid! Of course I am wondering what the temps., water and air are like about now? I am sure cooler than down towards the tip.

Water temps while we were there ranged from 62-65. When we first arrived, the water was too cold to spend any time in but it gradually warmed. Day time air temps ranged from 70-81 over the course of the month but this can vary depending on what part of town you're in. All in all, great weather with light to moderate winds.

Running trails

John M - 7-14-2011 at 03:23 PM

Bajaboy - the photos are so cool! The video and the end was really nice too.

We only spent a few days there, at Shari's - she didn't mention or hint of the trails you were running on or I might have disappeared for a few hours each day.

We hope to make trips to Asucnion in the future.

John M

Mulegena - 7-14-2011 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by John M
Bajaboy - the photos are so cool! The video and the end was really nice too.

We only spent a few days there, at Shari's - she didn't mention or hint of the trails you were running on or I might have disappeared for a few hours each day.

We hope to make trips to Asucnion in the future.

John M

Didn't know about the trails, either, but I know there are lots of places to go exploring around here, way more to this place than meets the eye first off.
Yes, John, please do return. As one of Asuncion's newest citizenry let me tell you how beautiful the days of summer are here, one after 'thuther. The vizability is particularly great today: can view the two mountains that come out of the east down to the coast between here and La Bocana-- I think I see Blanca and Les on their front porch.
Come on down for the Town Festival Days in mid-August.
Just heard two airplanes buzz the town which means that the Flying Dentists are arriving at the strip for their 2-day clinic!

Mid - August?? eh

John M - 7-14-2011 at 05:14 PM

What dates in August? We are hosting a historical society deep pit bbq on Sunday the 14th - if it were the 20/21 of August.....maybe we could consider it.

John

Eli - 7-14-2011 at 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajaboy

Quote:

Sounds delicious. Being from Southern Baja, I get kind of obsessed about summer weather/water temps. Thanks for the thumbs up, maybe someday I will head North instead of South in the summer.

Cielomar - 7-17-2011 at 03:58 PM

Zac-

Missed you this year down in Elias Calles especially when it came to planting more cocos. You'll have to see how those little sticks we planted look now. Heading north at the beginning of August. Perhaps we can catch up when we're passing through...

AlanDow - 7-17-2011 at 08:19 PM

Bajaboy, Great pics around Asuncion. We bought a couple lots in Asuncion on a visit last year, and hope to begin building within a year or so. My wife and I will be back this Oct or November for a visit, I will ask Shari to point us in your direction if you are still in town, so we can stop and say hi.

Since you included pics of your new septic system, I am curious to ask you if you did much research on what type of system to install? When I was in Asuncion and visited some construction sites it looked like the prevailing practice was to install “cesspools” versus “septic tanks” (differentiated by the fact that the cesspools are constructed with gravel bottoms and non-mortared gaps between the block walls, for immediate drainage; versus a water tight septic tank and separate drain field). However from your pics it looks like yours might actually be a septic tank, as I see mortar between the blocks (yet I saw no drain line to a separate drain field – was a drain field installed later)?

The reason I inquire is that every since I have become familiar with the “Mexican way” of dealing with toilet paper in septic systems (not flushing TP) I have wondered why this is the case, since flushing TP is not a problem with the style of septic systems I am familiar with north of the boarder. Now that we are planning to build in Mexico, I would like to better understand what is the basis for this practice - determine if this is more culture/tradition based, or if there really is some objective basis for following this practice in Mexico?

Since cesspools have not been allowed in the US for some time, I initially thought maybe this practice is due to some inability of cesspools to deal with TP, versus US style septic tanks with separate drain fields. I posted this question on bajagringo’s construction blog and was told by others that this is due to a past practice in Mexico of putting in square shaped traps in drain lines. And that as long as I avoid these (just install standard ABS or PCV cleanouts instead) there should be no problem with flushing TP no matter if you have a septic tank and drain field, or a cesspool system.

Since you just went to the trouble and expense to put in a new septic system, I thought who better to ask for additional input regarding this question. Thanks.

And again thanks for sharing your pics (I especially liked the ones taken in the hills of the trails and with the coast in the distance – just beautiful).

shari - 7-17-2011 at 08:28 PM

the Asuncion traditional fiestas are Aug.12-15 this year...Zac will be glad he isnt here for them as the fair sets the rides up just a bit from his front yard...it's gonna be 4 days of NOISY till 4 in the morning up in Asuncion Heights!!!

AmoPescar - 7-18-2011 at 11:06 PM

ZAC...

Nice pics of the place and the family. Glad you are loving the Baja life!
You've really don e a nice job fixing the place up...it's really looking good!

Miguelamo

edm1 - 7-27-2011 at 06:56 PM

Great family fun, thanks for sharing those wonderful photos and video. My wife and I were there earlier this month and we love the town.