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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Major trip adjustment is in order due to Baja 1000 race
 ... borrowed from the Baja 1000 website. SHOOT! Major trip adjustment is in order this morning due to race. Once I'd planned the
trip, I booked the flights and became locked in. Now I have to micro-adjust dates and locations. This really messes up all my planning. Motel rooms
all booked the prior week (confirmed this in El Rosario where I had planned to spend my last night before the border. Pre-running crossing Highway 1.
Big ol' support vehicles driving crazy fast on Highway 1.
HI-RES MAP
[Edited on 2013-11-6 by bryanmckenzie]
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
-Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Near Gainesville, Florida
Thanks, Linda.
It's fun traveling. Fun reporting. But doing the two together are ... Aaaarrrgghhh!! Difficult. At least in real time.
Just now have an Internet connection again at Shaari & Juan's in Asuncion.
Trying to get somewhat caught up on my "real-time" trip report.
See scorpion update below (in my shower towel as I was drying).
-Bryan
| Quote: | Originally posted by schwlind
Great trip report and pictures.
My husband, Jerry and I, also live in Florida (Daytona Beach) with our Baja house at San Antonio Del Mar (on the ocean near Colonet).
We occasionally fly to San Diego from Orlando and drive our San Diego based Toyota 4Runner down, so we are familiar with the aerial views.. (awesome)
but often drive across country so we can bring our two "children", Bella and Toogi (cats), who also love Baja. (Don't know why because they are
strictly indoor cats maybe it is the big open spaces of our house there for their own impromptu Baja races). My last trip to Baja (April through
September) Toogi was the scorpion slayer... not really, but they both let me know when they found one! After 10 scorpions... I think I finally got
all of those uninvited guests.
Looking forward to your next trip report. Where in FL do you live? |
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
-Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Nov 2: Rosarito-Ensenada-Erindira (Coyote Cals)
Back on Topic & Sequence ... Nov 2: Rosarito-Ensenada-Erindira (Coyote Cals)
Left BornFisher's place at Km-38 --- just on the other side of the arroyo from Jacinto's Km-38 surf shop and Mario Restepo's Baja Open
House realty office --- after he (Bill) went fishing about 7:30.
Shortly thereafter, I headed to Ensenada for lunch with BajaDock & another 'un-named' Baja Nomad at Tequilas. Owner Louie and his
staff treated us great.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I had to back to Dr. Avila in Rosarito to have my temporary crown removed, replaced with a permanent crown,
have a dental cleaning and have him "trim" off a bit of rear molar "really sharp" burr (no charge). My LOVE my dentist! More details some
other time when I find time. Seriously, he IS the pain-free dentist!
Oh yea, and I almost forgot another medical recommendation: a dermotologist in Ensenada to do a skin cancer screening, Dr. Esteban
Orozco. Just US$40 for us uninsured types.
Then started to head south and stopped by a farmacia for a few goodies, the Ensenada Soriana and completely fporgot about getting
my FMT (tourist card) or asking my BN friends where it is in Ensenada. Called a friend, found the location at the first Pemex coming into
Ensenada fron Rosarito (turn right at that light and it's on your right-hand side going towards the marina / harbor). But it closes at 2:00
pm on Saturdays.
So here I am in Baja, bare of the required tourist card. Oh, well. It's not the first time. Hey, I tried. Both at the newly configured Mexico
entry (stay in the far left lane, not the far right lane like I did) as well as at Ensenada near the cruise ship terminal.
After lunch with some fellow Nomads, I go to my second favorite Farmacia --- Happy Pharmacy --- right on the main cruise ship / tourist
drag, and get the same pricing I got last year. Actually very good. Legit meds. Generic. Not fakes from China. U2U me if you want details
or a referral.
Wrong day to pull into Ensenada for lunch and "meds." Two cruise ships in port. DO NOT shop for anything when a ship is in port. Which
is about 4-5 days per week. Ugh! Louie said that September was an excellent month for business ... 28 ships that month! That averages
out to one per day. But many days two. Do the math!
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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11.02.2013: Ensenada, southbound to Erindira
Road conditions, except for the ever-ongoing-construction-at-some-point-on-highway-1, were excellent!
The usual rules apply: do not drive at night, watch curves, semi-trucks tend to stray over the yellow line, cows, wrong-way blinkers,
yahdah, yahdah, yahdah.
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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bajacalifornian
Super Nomad
Posts: 1117
Registered: 9-4-2010
Location: Loreto/Lopez Mateos/Rosarito
Member Is Offline
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Hey bryanmckenzie . . . Your post is great. Takes a a lot of time to do what you're doing . . . if only to share in a way Nomads are enjoying, to
the level of posting itself. Go Bryan! . . . it's all good. Even the daily life images, we all walk through, living in America or Mexico. Thanks
for the images of my new territory, Rosarito and an imagined visit with my buddy Bornfisher.
American by birth, Mexican by choice.
Signature addendum: Danish physicist Niels Bohr who said, The opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Jeff Petersen
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Hey BC,
Not sure I follow. Which one?
Thanks for the encouragement of the writing. Some days I enjoy it. Some days not (way to much editing before posting). I feel like I should be
enjoying Baja more, rather than sitting at the computer. So I try and find a balance and often get days behind.
I also try and keep current on a hand-written journal. And mark up the Baja Almanac with notes when needed.
And of course, not lose track of who I'm supposed to contact, meet, drop something off to, pickup an item or do an errand.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajacalifornian
P.S. Hey Bryan . . . forgot to ask.  Did you meet the biographer of the
intuitive thinking perceptive introvert @ Tequilas? |
[Edited on 2013-11-7 by bryanmckenzie]
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
-Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Nov 2: Erendira (Coyote Cals)
The road from Mex-1 to Erendira is in excellent condition. Surface looks new. But the pavement ends at the beach side of town and it's a moderately
rough dirt track for another 3-4 Km up to the hostel.
Arrived at Coyote Cal's at 5:20 and let myself in (again). No one was around so I looked around as I've done two times before when no one was around,
to see if anyone would take my money. While using a bathroom, Rick came from his home and greeted me. He's the owner. There was one other young couple
on motorcycles staying one night --- their first time in Baja this far south.
I also met a fellow named Benito, the manager of the local abalone cooperative. Sat out in the open air bar by the campfire until about 10:30 with a
14-person group of young Mexicans from Ensenada that spoke minimal English. It was fun though; I was simply in my own little Baja "zone."
I slept great that night in a quad-room (by myself) with two huge windows overlooking the ocean.
The next morning I drove down to the beach and walked right up to an opsrey before he flew down to the water and scooped up a fish.
[Edited on 2013-11-7 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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11.03.2013: Erendira to Bahia de los Angeles
I didn't get up until 7:30, thinking it's about 5 hours to BOLA. Bad assumption, knowing that I would have multiple stops to post Gary Patton flyers
and some other errands (delivering goodwill doggiy biscuits from an all-natural dog treat bakery that my former wife and I co-founded 20 years ago).
Besides I take a lot of breaks, photos, enjoy the scenery and talk with people.
I depart Erendira at 9:00am.
There is much, long overdue highway construction / widening south of San Vicente. Be prepared for dirt road driving at a painfully slow pace --- I can
walk faster than this!
At one of my side-road stops about 10 Km N/o Colonet, who pulls up beside me from out of nowhere, but BornFisher. He recognizes me with my head in the
trunk of the car. He's decided to go to BOLA also and we decide to caravan as long as we can, each of us having different stops on the way. In Colonet
we pull over and he lets me use his phone to check in back home. We agree to meet before sunset at Guillermos.
On my to-do list was a definite stop in Vicente Guererro to see Baja Nomad, Irene, at Posada Don Diego. That's where BornFisher and I separated. There
was LOTS of traffic, quite a bit race-related. Buses. Semi-trucks. It didn't thin out until after San Quentin on the way to El Rosario. That's a fun
drive for me. There was almost nil traffic coming northbound.
A 1/2 hour stop.
There was a Federale police checkpoint 20 miles south of San Quentin before the road turns inland away from the ocean. They didn't seem interested in
this crazy Gringo.
The El Rosario checkpoint was mostly cursory.
See separate Gary Patton thread for Mama Espinoza's pictures from the guest book & other comments. I'm rapidly losing time and daylight.
And, therefore, Born Fisher who'll be camping at La Gringa (I'll be motelling it). I bought a tee-shirt and some other items at Mama's. A Baja Almanac
was nowhere to be had.
Another 1/2 hour stop.
Shoot! I'm still not even in Catavina yet. The sun is fading. The road is quiet. The lighting is excellent for photography. The Cholla & Cirrios
are beautiful. They deserve to have their picture taken with me. As do the Catavina boulder fields.
Another 1/2 hour stop.
The Baja 1000 race crosses Highway 1 north of Catavina. Time for some more pictures.
A stop in Catavina to hand out flyers. Buy ice, beer, jugo. Fix a beverage. Race support vehicles already abound. So do surfers and off-roaders and
caravans of Baja afficianados with super-duper nifty rigs and trailers and RV's.
Another 1/2 hour stop.
Check Campo y Restaurant Santa Inez to make sure BornFisher didn't wait for me here since he was having a late lunch here.
Shoot, daylight is fast fading. At least I know the road to Laguna Chapala (past twilight / dark) and then on to BOLA (REALLY dark; no cars the entire
way). Just pray for no cows or wildlife. Few people will be out in this part of the peninsula after dark. Oops, I thought I knew the road. Catavina
vado / washout. I got to the BOLA turnoff at 7pm. Or is that 6pm, beacuse of turning the clocks back? Which I didn't know until BornFisher reminded
me.
SIDE STORY: I'm fly southbound, light on in the twilight, when suddenly somewhere 20 miles south of Catavina I see a single
headlight approaching --- IT'S A BICYCLIST!! I slow down, turn around and come up next to him, passenger window down, and ask if everything is okay.
He's young, fit, saddlebags, has water. I state that it's about 20 miles in darkness on Highway 1 to the nearest anything (Catavina). And the road is
dangerous after dark even for cars, much less a bike. He says he likes pedaling at night. I sorta shake my head and say that I wish I had some
carbohydrates to give him, but I've got nothing in the car. I ask him where he'll stay or eat in Catavina and he says he's not sure. No dinero. I pull
out P$200 and give it to him, tell him to please be careful and good luck. I turn around and get back on my way. I have absolutely no idea what to
make of that event. Should / could I have done more? Did I do the right things? Was I the foolish one to approach him? COMMENTS welcome.
At 8:15 I arrived at Guillermo's with no BornFisher to be found (duh!). I'm 3 hours late!
At 8:35, I finally checked into das $40 a night (no hot water; scorpion story is somewhere earlier in this thread) Hotel Las Hamacas. Stayed here on
my first Bahia de los Angeles adventure in 1993 for $15.
Windy as heck! Maybe 50 mpg gusts. But then again, it's BOLA.
Epilog: it took a bit over 11 hours to drive 306 miles.  Hey, it's my driving
& Baja touring way to "do Baja."
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64722
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I am really enjoying your trip Bryan... the photos of highway signs especially...
Thanks and keep having fun!
[Edited on 11-8-2013 by David K]
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bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
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Nice cactus and desert pics, Bryan. Thanks for stopping at Mama's and others for the Gary P search.
On the bici dude, I love bicycling, but gadzooks, hwy 1 is a death wish. Hope you gift got him to food and shelter.
I guarantee that the blowhole at Shari's was blowin' higher than La Buf here on Punta Banda(I talked Bryan out of visiting the highly overrated La
Bufadora on Saturday).
CHEERS
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Your report makes me jealous!
Looks Great! Enjoy.
Love the osprey image. The ospreys are migrating thru SD right now,lots sitting on light posts along river near coast.
Let us know how many whales are already in GN/Scammons.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Nov 1: Rosarito Friends
Back-tracking for a moment. Since this trip is about meeting friends and Nomads, I'd be a friend if I didn't post this of my friends at the
curio /artisans market in Rosarito Beach ... Juan Silva and Noemi Mendoza. I've known them since 2009 and always purchase something
from their shop as well as a few other vendors I like. I get the usual hassles from vendors that don't recognize me, but I'm polite, say no,
shop what I need and get good deals (and other vendor referrals) from Noemi & Juan.
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Hey BornFisher,
I just found this. Sorry we got separated. I was at least 90 minutes behind you. See trip report for that section. I checked Dagget's the next morning
for you but you must have already departed. Out of curiosity, I asked about room pricing. They want US$60!!
May see you briefly on the return north on the 13th late. I've decided to stay at (cheaply) K-38, Robert's Motels in the surfer's room.
| Quote: | Originally posted by BornFisher
Hey Bryon-- great trip report! I rolled into town (LA Bay) near dark and found Guillermos has been long gone. Like I said, it has been many years
since I`ve been to LA Bay. Camped at Daggets, loved my location, but no water to shower put a blemish on things. Really can`t recommend Daggets.
Sooooooooooo............ the wind howled Sun night. Now it is Monday and the wind is still howling. I found the most beautiful camp site at La Gringa
but as afternoon approached evening, the wind continued (about 30MPH, gust to 40). I left my site for another time, and found Los Vientos (the winds),
which is a beautiful "resort" on the beach about 5 miles north of BOLA. Apply named as I can hear the wind as I type. Anyway, the sign said $50 but
the receptionist said $80. No problem saying the sign said $50 so here I Am!! I think the wind is building, the room is beginning to shake!!!
Anyway, it was great to meet you, have a great trip, look forward to your reports!! |
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64722
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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All prices are negotiable... they have the right to say no if you are too low. 
In 2006, we stayed at Las Hamacas the day after pitting the Baja 1000 (at El Crucero)... and it was $60 then (event pricing) and the worst shower
(trickle of water)... Too bad Baja Cactus doesn't also have a motel in Bahia de L.A. !
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Photos open partially or blank?
That's because you're catching it at a time when it's being uploaded to my server. All days have been re-uploaded through Nov. 8.
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I am really enjoying your trip Bryan... the photos of highway signs especially...
Thanks and keep having fun!
[Edited on 11-8-2013 by David K] |
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
-Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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11.04.2013: Bahia de los Angeles to Bahia Tortugas
11.04.2013: Bahia de los Angeles to Bahia Tortugas
I didn't wake up until 7:30. Very windy. Rolled over and finally got up at 9:00am. Checked out about 10am. Scorpion in towel. Las Hamacas had only
cold water. Ugh!
Nice yacht moored in the marina. Drove the paved segment towards La Gringa and checked out Dagget's Campground (see previous post). Went to
Guillermo's again, handed out Gary Patton flyers with Tomas Guererro of hte San Quentin tourist office. He spoke at length about his theories. Gassed
up at the Pemex at 11:15. What a late start to a new destination. Saw very few people about town. No Gringos, that I could tell.
Drove to Punta Prieta and ate lunch at Jessica's where they had a wifi-connection. After 45 minutes (1:15) I really needed to get underway. This is
getting late (again). And my check engine light remains on.
El Tomatal military checkpoint (see earlier post) was heavy duty, taking down passport numbers and license plates, thorough interior and exterior
inspection at 2:10pm (3-4 minutes) with various questions.
Ag Station spray was P$20. Road generally good up until now with minimal traffic. Averaging over 70 miles per hour.
Picked up supplies in Guererro Negro and fuel / money in Vizcaino, before turning off towards Turtle Bay. The roaad is excellent up to 20 Km past the
Asuncion turnoff, averaging 80+ mph! Then 25 Km of rough & washboard highway construction. The remainer of the road into town varies but the last
section of asphalt is awful!
Crap, it's dark again. Drove into town and after driving around in the dark for 30 minutes trying to find lodging, I finally stopped at grocery to
locate a motel. Stayed at Motel Nanci for under $20. No hot water.
[Edited on 2013-11-8 by bryanmckenzie]
[Edited on 2013-11-23 by bryanmckenzie]
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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11.05.2013: Bahia Tortugas to Bahia Asuncion
Short drive today, so I slept in and woke up and got up at 9:00am. Excellent Internet connection at Motel Nanci. Call USA, BN updates, checked e-mail,
FTP uploads and editting raw materials before uploading. No hot water (again). No coffee ... I it when that happens.
Checked out about 10:45am after leaving Gary Patton flyers. Drove around a bit, bought supplies (i.e.; beer & ice) and left town rather
unimpressed at 11:40. Got that one off the Baja Bucket List. Decided against the hilly "coast" road and will use the Asuncion turnoff. Back through
the dang construction zone. Got to the turnoff at 1:10. Not too bad. The road to Asuncion is EXCELLENT surface, wide, safe, recently finished about 2
months ago. Average speed = 70+ mph. Zero traffic coming my way. Arrived in town at 1:30 (20 minutes later) and drove right through to Shari &
Juan's La Bufadora Inn just before you drive into the Pacific. What a nice spot! And a wonderful place to stay for two nights.
Fisherman from North San Diego county, non-Nomads) Albie, Roger (Nomad-to-be) & Lonnie had just hauled in a bunch of Yellowtail and something else
and were having them filleted.
Shari put me in the upstairs Abalone suite. Nice!
Later that evening a group of us went out to dinner at Keyko's restaurant located at the entrance to Asuncion for a mediocre meal. Family from Canada,
neighbors, Nomad GC (George). What fun we had. The evening ended, not too late, with the last photo of people dropping off to sleep at the dinner
table.
[Edited on 2013-11-8 by bryanmckenzie]
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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11.06.2013: A Lazy Day in Bahia Asuncion
COMING SOON ...
[Edited on 2013-11-9 by bryanmckenzie]
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13194
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Right this moment, you are at our neighbor Gary's house.
BTW everyone, I take my hat off to Bryan ! This is really a labor of love, it takes a loooooong time to choose and edit and write.
Bryan brought our architecture student some of his gear!
Thanks amigo!
Picture on our front porch, just a bit ago, the peach colored house is Gary's:
This photo is facing the other side of the beach ,looking towards Bocanita:
[Edited on 11-8-2013 by BajaBlanca]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64722
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great stuff... That upstairs room was U.C. when we stayed at Juan & Sharis in July, 2012... What a treat... Thanks for your work at this Bryan!
Making these photo filled trip reports benefit everyone on Nomad and in Baja... and keep the vacation 'alive' forever!
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