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Graham
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Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Thanks for the interesting pictures.
Santa Rosalia was for many years one of my favorite Baja spots. Before companies like Baja Mining staked their claims, my wife Bonni and I spent weeks
and weeks camped out in the canyons around town, digging up interesting rocks and minerals and recording everything we could, and interviewing some of
the locals.
Ah the lovely black sand beaches...
I think a lot of it was made up of furnace slag...
Perhaps not a good place to get a tan
Sure hope the mining companies have respected the old cemeteries in those canyons...
This one, in French, was particularly sad. Here lies Angele Bailly. Died 11 April 1897 at nine and a half months. Regretted by her father and mother.
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toneart
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Great post and photos, Blanca!
Santa Rosalia has fascinating architecture. You can really see the French influence in the beautiful government buildings around the plaza, the Gandhi
Library and the Eiffel designed and constructed church.
The rest of the town looks to me like an old western town in the United States. Lots of interesting, unique architecture, and colorful too. It is a
wonder that the whole town has not caught fire with all its wooden structures.
Don't you miss Javier and Pilar at the immigration building? Well, I will never have to jump through their hoops again, having surrendered my FM3 two
years ago. You have circumvented all of that hassle.
Congratulations on helping to raise the local plastic bag problem consciousness. You are teaching and yet, not being intrusive. Your community accepts
you as their own.
Regards to Les!
Antonio Bandares 
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Pompano
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Blanca, muchas gracias. You made a very nice photo trip of one of our favorite Baja towns...Santa Rosalia. There is sooo much more to the place than
the bakery, a metal church, and all the wood structures. Living so closely for so many years, I've got way too many photos to clutter up your thread.
But here's a couple of my favorites from back-in-the-day. We have some history with the place.
1974. Co-Pilot and I spent a lot of great times in Sta. Rosalia and the area. One of our favorite hobbies was to go exploring/hiking around the old
then-defunct mines in the mountains near Sta. Rosalia. We always came across some priceless objects..'junk'...but we made them muy importante by
calling them ....'artifacts' - great fun.
Of course, a visit to this place was always a reason to head to the town and to.... 'El Boleo'! Yummmm...I'll just take all of those, por favor! 
[Edited on 1-11-2015 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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mtnpop
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Location: Colorado/mulege
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Quote: Originally posted by bajajudy  | Definitely check out the cemetery. Not only is the view spectacular but you can see how MANY people died in the mine...scary! I don't remember the
exact numbers but thousands died...not hundreds, not tens. Also go to the museum, across from the Francis hotel down a block. I assume it is still
open. Breakfast at the Francis ain't bad either....famous for their french toast.
I agree with buddha about the town. Get out and walk around, down side streets. The old wooden structures are pretty cool.
Don't forget the fried chicken place across from the train engine. |
The chicken place is Turco's I think,, right next to the school... great chicken dinner,, last I remember 1/2 chicken was 80 peso and a whole
chicken was 180 peso go figure 2 halves are cheaper than the whole order
also love their squid dip they bring while you wait...
On my way.......
Common sense is a flower that doesn\'t grow in everyone\'s garden.....
A wise man once spoke nothing.....
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day!!
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BajaBlanca
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wonderful trip down memory lane
we ate the half chicken on the way south and the cole slaw was delicious - it had pineapple in it - a first for me and it works.
Toneart - I do believe la bocana has now become one of the cleanest towns in all of Baja California Sur .... I am astounded myself.
There were three major cleanups last year - heck - every time I wanted to do a cleanup with the kids, the adults were busy at it!
The first of this year, the major cooperative supermarket (we call it the la bocana Costco since most products come from NOB) BANNED plastic shopping
bags.
Who woulda thunk?
and really, plastic bags and soda bottles account for almost all the trash that flies around in town. I don't count the beer cans cause those don't
last very long on the roads LOL
Back to santa rosalia - the child's grave is very, very sad.
Santa Rosalia is indeed full of history. REmember the book I read and shared about EL BOLEO and how they mistreated their employees? I don't doubt
that many of those workers died due to lack of services.
what a cool thread ! Keep those pics coming folks.
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bajabuddha
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The Hotel Frances bar and restaurant has been closed for a few years now; still worth a stop in just to look at the incredible woodworking and
craftsmanship, and they'll give you a tour of the rooms if you ask... but alas, it's not the true gem it used to be.
Bakeries...... El Boleo is famous, yes. But if memory serves (which it DON'T) there's an older bakery in northern old-town... go north from the main
entrance on Hwy 1 to the first 'topes' (a great pollo asada on the sea-side of the highway btw that has both a Pacifico and a Tecate deposito as
neighbors if you want a cerveza w/ your chicken!) ... oops, I digress.... just north of the 1st tope north of main-town, turn west and go uphill
(there are two roads, both ONE-WAY... take the correct one) and go to the top of the hill, then turn right to the end of the road (to the north). The
bakery there I THINK is older than El Boleo, and the guy that runs it learned how to bake from Moses himself. As in, Old Testament Moses. Worth the
exploration, and still making the absolute best pan in Baja. He'll give you a tour of their old ovens; it's the real deal, folks. Amazing place, and
even more amazing people.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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Pescador
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No, the guy who has the bakery north of town was the head baker at El Boleo and he signed a specific non-compete clause when he opened his own. That
is why there is minimum advertising out front and none on the way to his bakery. But he has managed to get almost all of the sales of hot dog buns
for the area from San Ignacio to Mulege. His business certainly rivals that of El Boleo from a production standpoint and I prefer most of his
offerings.
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Marc
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Great post. Thanks!
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BajaBlanca
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The hotel frances really closed? now that all the people from the elboleo are present?
why??
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willardguy
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this is kind of interesting I think. travel sites describe the frances as an elegant old hotel. historical sites describe it as being built as a
"dormitory" for the "working girls" from the local bordello's!
[Edited on 1-11-2015 by willardguy]
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bajabuddha
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I didn't say the Hotel was closed; the restaurant and bar don't serve, but I think rooms might still be available.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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JohnK
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My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Frances in October. Lovely historic hotel. No restaurant. There was a "breakfast" layout of bread next to toasters,
some butter and jam, a pitcher of "juice", some coffee. Best ignored.
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BajaBlanca
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ok whew...glad the hotel is still open and I think we had coffee there once or twice.
a room for the girls - imagine the stories those rooms could tell!
keep those pics and stories coming.
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Pompano
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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A trip to Sta. Rosalia, San Bruno, and San Lucas
The following is a photo story I wrote about 4 1/2 years ago. It's about San Bruno, San Lucas Cove, and Santa Rosalia. I hope it's not too long for
you to enjoy. It should fit into this current thread Blanca has made about the unique mining town of Sta. Rosalia. With her kind permission I repeat
it here.
-------
From May of 2010 and it starts this way:
We are at home in Coyote Bay...
Now an announcement came down from the Admiral. She said she needed a good hairdresser to fix her long hair which got messed up by cleaning out my
cupboards and kitchen stuff.
She told me I had to improve my diet and began a kitchen inspection. She kept pulling things out and saying..."You eat this? This is
poison."
.... ..a puzzling term she has for most of the canned goods, hot sauces, condiments, and foodstuffs in my cupboards...
She repeated the procedures the next day..."You eat this? Orrible Veleno! This is poison."
Some calming nerve tonic and a little rest is in order while the admiral finishes the kitchen inspection.
(She had thrown out a couple garbage pails full of... poison. Toss-toss-toss...And so on. Mmmm...wonder what's wrong with Heinz 57 and A-1? That
sure was a lot of ketchup and oyster sauce. And all those containers of condiments can't be over 10-12 years old?)
So....a trip from Coyote Bay to Santa Rosalia (Cochenia) was on the roster. She was to get her hair done again at Nadia's salon. (..could almost
swear we were just there a week or so ago?) Shaking off a suicidal urge to question commands, I roll out of my hammock, click my heels, salute with
outstretched arm.. and off we went to the big mining town.
Naturally, I took some photos..which brings us to this post.
First, I took a couple of detours, I admit... just because I could. (..well, okay, so I asked.)
Detour 1
Santa Rosalia Airport (It's not exactly at Sta. Rosalia, but closer to Palo Verde, Pta. Chivato, and San Bruno.
Makes sense, it is a little hilly around Cochenia; but more to the point, more developments loom on this site's nearby sandy shorelines.)
The Sta. Rosalia Airport Terminal
.
Amazing....you wouldn't think a little Cessna could carry that much fuel?
Now at the end of my Airport Tour, I proclaimed, "Well, Co-pilot, what did you think of that? Nice airport, eh?"
"Grazie, tesoro..it is not quite Rome's Leonardo de Vinci International, is it?.. or even your own Fargo Hector Field. It does remind one
of Sheepdip, Australia, though."
A little miffed, I rumble on out of there. Sheepdip? Wha...? Hey, I haven't been THERE in some time...I
wonder who told her about that...??
.
Detour 2
.
SAN BRUNO
Cruising north up the Baja Road...I said, "Co-pilot, as long as we're this close, how about taking a look at SAN
BRUNO over there...for old time's sake?"
She turned to me, "Old times sake? What are you telling me now? I've never been there in my life. Who were you with?"
"Oh, never mind, I'll tell you all about it as we drive around the place.
A long time ago, in the early seventies, we used to come here a lot. A bunch of fishermen..just guys. Rather than run by boat all the way from
Conception Bay, we used to trailer up the highway and launch off San Bruno. We fished nearby San Marcos and Tortuga islands. Fabulous fishing then.
There wasn't much in San Bruno at that time. Our best beach-launching area was through an elderly senora's yard. She kept a loose rope across the
spot and we always donated a couple bucks for the 'priviledge of launching'...a welcome deal for us...and the senora."
"Ah..a Spa? With a boutique?"
"Hmmm...well, could be..you never know. We better keep moving or you'll be late for the hair appointment."
.
San Bruno has a nice waterfront marina. Good ramps and plenty of shade nearby.
"Ah..smell that fresh ocean breeze!"
"No, tesoro...I think your hair looks great blowing straight out in the wind like that....bella, honest.
Hey, remember that airport that reminded you of Sheepdip?
I bet you would be terrific as a wind sock!"
.
My eyes took in all the new streets and additions, "Well, there's sure been a lot of changes...like most of Baja."
We come upon a nice beach with a couple of youngsters.
Co-pilot laughs and points, "Look on the beach..bambini! Che cosa carina ragazzi!
Those two are so cute! Bravo, boys, bravo!
Don't eat that..spazzatura..it is Poison!
See you, boys. Ciao! Ciao!."
.
.
Detour 3
.
EJIDO SAN LUCAS
This small, well-stocked tienda is right on the main highway and is my spot for chichirrones and a beer. Sometimes you can also score some fresh
oysters from the fridge. Just ask for ostiones..oh-stay-own-ay's
Or sometimes a friendly vendor will bring them by your house, like Manuel does below.
(Carumba, I'm going to eat these before anybody can call...Poison!)
Also Ejido San Lucas is the home of Mario, a nice young fellow who can install satellite dishes for television and internet. He has been to my Coyote
Bay home several times...at first with his mentor, Nomad 'los frailes' Wayne Davies, who has regretably passed away. Wayne, you are missed by your
many amigos.
Detour 4
SAN LUCAS COVE & CAMPGROUND
flashback warning
I show Co-pilot an old photo..circa 1996..of a camp we made at the Cove.
She gushes, "You are very handsome in this photo, tesoro...muy guapo."
Ouch!..."Uh..I took the photo, TESORO...sigh..."
flashback warning
We also used to use this cove as our jumping off place when visiting San Marcos Island and the little village there. The gypsum mining was very
interesting to us and we took several tours there over the years. Here Blackjack joins me with some amigos for a looksee.
.
Now the GPS says, "**approaching destination..approaching destination..**"
===================SANTA ROSALIA=========================
Here is the new bridge completed after Hurricane Jimena destroyed the old one and washed out a large part of the highway. We got stuck with a 28ft
cargo trailer in that washed-out section last September on a relief run to Mulege from San Diego...and again 10 days later. Hey, is that my farmhand
jack down there?
Detour 5
We always enjoy stopping or staying at the El Morro. A nice hotel and cafe in Sta. Rosalia.
..and Co-pilot never fails to find an animal to pamper or save. Luckily, this one was the hotel mascot. I think the breed was Lobby
Labrador.
.
I love the views....all of them...bella.
.
.
We best get going again...don't want to be late.
.
Highway scene coming in from the south...driving along the malecon.
.
Weather changes FAST along the coastline!
1st bay view
10 minutes later....
Well..maybe not quite THAT fast ..but close...
A new coffee shop opened in November.....
Dang! Already closed...and the cheesecake was sooo delicious....sigh..
Glad I am not out fishing today...well, maybe just for one or two yellowtail?
.
One of the Pemex gas stations of Sta. Rosalia. More has been written about these stations than all the others in Baja put together.
.
The Ferry Terminal and Office. Take the ferry to Guaymas, anyone? Pull in right here.
flashback warning
Here an old photo (1976) of me and .. my sister...Si, tesoro... or maybe a cousin. We are about to take that ferry shown behind us. I think it's the
'Benito Juarez'. Was quite the trip..thank God we survived...it was mucho viento!
.
.
Next door to the ferry building, you will find some official government offices. Immagracion, Judicial, Social Services, Finances, etc.
.
A little further north along the malecon, you will come to my favorite place in Sta. Rosalia...the Marina.
Boats - boats - boats...ah...
'Yo ho-HO...the wind blows free. Oh, for the life on the rolling sea!'
.
"Yes, yes, amore mio...you will have the singing voice soon..soon if you practice, practice."
Now, we still have time for a delicious brunch before Nadia's. You must phone for a table?"
.
"Phone? I don't think Pepe has room for a phone, tesoro..and you can sit on that white bucket while I get the fish tacos. Maize or
harina?"
.
.
After 'brunch' we drive towards the downtown area.
.
.
flashback warning
1975 Downtown Sta. Rosalia . My new red/white El Camino with amigos from Coyote Bay. The Doves, Cliff & Kathy, JW Black (Blackjack from
Gardner's Baja expeditions) and wife, Lois. I think we had just finished some really good brunch at this cafe. I believe it was Turcos.
Continueing on into downtown...lots of activity.
.
The famous metal church. I believe Christian.
A stop at the metal church is always nice. Take the time to read it's colorful history and about it's engineer-designer, Gustave Eiffel. A very
interesting story.
In Sta. Rosalia all roads lead you to THE WORLD FAMOUS BOLEO BAKERY...or is it the wonderful fresh baking smells?...ahhhh. Come along, you know
you want some. The old bakery up the hill is superb, but this is much more convenient.
Drive past the church and up to THE HEIGHTS OF STA. ROSALIA.
Now we climb the winding road up to the higher level of Santa Rosalia. Up past the Naval Hospital and enter the old homes and offices of the Bolea
Mining Company. Compagnie de Boleo
LOCOMOTIVE MONUMENT
Home of the HOTEL FRANCES
I remember meeting an architect named Carlos who supervised the restoration of this elegant old hotel many years earlier. Lots of South American
hardwoods went into this place..maghogany, teak, etc..very nice and well done. Co-pilot admires the decor today.
.
.
flashback warning
Back in the day, Carlos invited me over to view the final results...and I brought some friends. We had our photo taken in the bar of the hotel.
Can you believe we wore those sunflower jeans back in the 70's? I sure wish I could fit into those today. Hey,I'm trying as we speak.
No Martini - No Party.
.
.
BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! The GPS alarm clock goes off..reminding me of Co-pilot's hair appointment.
We are running out of time to make it to Nadia's, so I rush down the streets...some cop blew a whistle at me...but this is life and
death...extraordinary excuses apply here.
Whew..made it.
I drop off Co-pilot at the front door...just in the nick of time.
shudder..that could have been real trouble.
.
.
Well now...
That hairdo will take some time, so I have another taco and a beer at Pepe's.
Then off to see some more old sights of this strange Baja town. More of a French village with all the clapboard houses and stores.
Lumber!..lots of lumber. Brought over on the ships during the old mining days.
MY OLD SAT-TV GUIDE BOOKSTORE!
Just down one of the side streets a door or two sits a little bookstore....
..where many years ago I used to buy my highly prized tv guide book for C-band satellite tv..called 'Orbit'. Does anyone remember
that great magazine?
It was the Bible for tv viewing back in the day. You protected your copy with your life.
This little store was the only place in southern Baja where I could find it. Finding a copy was like looking for the Holy Grail. I spend some time
browsing in this old favorite store...ah, the memories.
.
Cochenia's zocalo..main square..is a typically nice place to spend some time...or enjoy a public event.
I sit for a while to enjoy the tranquility ... dodge some pigeons in the tree above.
.
I DROVE BACK UP ON THE HILL - VIEW FROM HIGH STREET - OVERLOOKING THE SEA OF CORTEZ...
..and imagine what it was like back in it's heyday..I daydream for a bit.
.
The peaceful look of this scene was enough to make me silently take this reader's photograph. Gracias, senor, if I only had a book...
.
I lazily drive around some of the back and side streets, looking for...?...
...nothing, nothing at all.
Kind of nice, just cruising..not a care in the.....
.
.
Opps. What time is it? Sheesh..That hairdo must have been done for a while now!
Ay Carumba..time to make tracks to Nadia's! Andiamo! Andiamo!"
.
.
..The cop blows his whistle really long and loud this time......
.
.
Hmm...does she look mad or happy to see me? I'm betting on glad..and staying alive..
.
"Ciao, tesoro! Come stai? How was the hair cut?
Oh..a pedicure, too..again? Yes...those toes look great. What color is that?
Hmm?..Oh yes, the hair, too...yes, indeed. Same color, no?
My-my, you look like a million martinis...er..bucks.
Say.. how about we stop for some fresh fruit?
I know how much you like mangos and papayas. Maybe some pineapple, too?
.
You really weren't waiting too long, right tesoro? Did I tell you the hair is very nice??"
.
.
We drive away..taking the perimeter road...much quieter... and no harrassing traffic cops.
.
.
"Here we are.....your favorite fruit market. Nice fresh stuff."
"Take your time, sweetheart. You pick it...I'll carry it."
.
And so we head home...to relax after a big day.
" Where's my martini? What - no martini? Whaddya mean..Poison? What's this?"
And that's the end of another day in Baja...and this story.
Gracias, Blanca.
[Edited on 1-13-2015 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
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Wow Roger, just a super dooper job with the travel guide of the region, as always! Thank you for sharing it here with us.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Love it! Great storytelling and pics, as always! Got more?
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SteveWil
Junior Nomad
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"The chicken place is Turco's I think,, right next to the school... great chicken dinner,, last I remember 1/2 chicken was 80 peso and a whole
chicken was 180 peso go figure 2 halves are cheaper than the whole order
......."
The whole chicken is Family style, the sides will feed about 6.
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1303
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Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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Roger, you Dapper Don. Every thing looks great from here. 
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca | On our way to Punta Chivato, of course we stopped at Santa Rosalia both going and coming. Here is a glimpse at our trek. If you don't like posts with
lots of pics. go ahead and skip this one altogether.
The first stop we made was at a student's house in Punta Abreojos . They are all competing to see who can recycle the most plastic. It can then be
dropped off at CampoFisher or in this case, we were taking it all the way to Santa Rosalia. They now have collection receptacles everywhere in town!
Here is the loot:
Here is the loot being left in Santa Rosalia to be taken to China:
Once in town we dropped by three hardware stores -here are pics of two of them:
the main square was gearing up for DIA DE REYES and boy - this is gonna be one heck of a party!
we were told that this restaurant has delicious tacos el pastor but it (as you can see) was closed for lunch on Thursday -perhaps it only opens for
dinners?
It is located on the left as you head north on main highway. go past the Chinese. go past the stop sign. it is on the left:
This is the restaurant we ate at -it has internet which I appreciate:
Santa Rosalia has some quaint old homes that I wish had their stories written in books for all to read:
we were under the impression that we had to renew out Mexican IFE cards but we are good to go:
We both admit that we are GLAD GLAD GLAD perhaps even ecstatic that we are now Mexicanos and will never have to enter this building again  ))))
Of course Santa Rosalia boasts this cute library - renovated not too long ago:
and lastly - I guess there is a tourist book that promotes the black sand beaches of santa rosalia. we, years ago, met two young ones who were ever
so disappointed as they backpacked into town just to experience the black sand beaches. We gave them a ride to Bahia Concepcion. Surely prettier than
this:
and that is all folks - hope you enjoyed this mini trek.
[Edited on 1-10-2015 by BajaBlanca] |
That restaurant you ate at, was it not El Muelle? They have the most diverse menu in Mid Baja. Always enjoyed it.
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Maron
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What a tour, thanks to all for the photos and stories.
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