Day 4 Pescadero RV Park, Pescadero BCS, Mexico

Happy birthday my dear friend, Lois!!!

We started our day with laundry…not such a chore when you can wait by the pool.

Now that we know that we don’t want to travel into Cabo to camp, we have decided to stay put here for another 4 nights. The RV Park is very nice, the beaches nearby are even nicer, and we really like the little town of Todos Santos. We drove into town. This is the mission church.

We walked in the more residential neighborhood and visited the small grocery stores, produce markets and the pescadaria or fish market. We were in search of a post office to mail postcards to the boys. We spoke to 3 different people who gave us 3 different sets of directions…all minus street names…We walked for a long time and realized that we should go and get the Jeep and search!

We finally found the post office but the woman who works there was eating her lunch. The post office was now closed for the day but would reopen tomorrow.

We take so many things for granted back in Maryland…trash service, clean water, mailboxes. It is very different here. The priorities are different. Time definitely doesn’t mean the same thing. We are so accustomed to getting things done immediately…getting our check when we ask, getting our meals in speedy manner, getting things delivered to our house with Amazon Prime, having continuous access to cell service and WiFi. All of those things seem very nice…but there is absolutely something important to be learned from a simpler life and a slower pace. It is not backward here…just different and we are really appreciating the differences. We want to be exposed to the culture and wander the small towns, and eat the street food and talk to the people. Everyone we have met has been so kind and gracious.

We purchased shrimp and asparagus and strawberries from vendors on the street out of the back of pickup trucks. We have found this is the best way to get the freshest stuff. We know that there is always room for negotiation…but we pay the price that is asked…these people need to feed their families…we don’t have the heart to argue for a better deal. These people are of such humble means and we have everything we could ever want…

We got some pastries from a man pedaling his bicycle with a giant basket on the front. Everything looked tasty and fresh.

We did stop at the beach bar for our daily whale fix. We are captivated by these marine giants. Today we saw a humpback slap the water with his tail 16 times in succession. The splashing was tremendous and we could hear the thumping even above the noisy crash of the waves. Scientists are not sure why humpbacks slap their tails in this way….maybe a mating call, maybe a social communication, maybe for no reason at all…it was spectacular to watch! We also saw a whale very far away, breaching again and again. His head was high above the horizon and it looked very cool.

We cooked our shrimp and asparagus and had our strawberries and pastries for dessert. Again at the end of this day, we are so thankful!

Day 3 Pescadero RV Park Pescadero BCS, Mexico

When we read about camping options in Cabo San Lucas, we were not sure that there was anything that really could accommodate our rig. We decided to take the Jeep to the city and go on a fact finding mission before we decided where to go next. I navigated as Tim made his way through the narrow and very busy city streets. As we approached the water and some possible camping spots, Tim was certain that he did not want to drive the RV in Cabo. We went to Walmart to stock up on supplies while we were in town. As we left, we stopped to pick up some chicken enchiladas and we drove to the Jeep north of Cabo San Lucas.

We ate our lunch and watched the whales. There were grey whales swimming about 150 feet from the shore. We saw a pair of humpbacks breaching together three times in succession. As we sat there, there was a steady stream of whales traveling south. It was an amazing sight to see!!

I walked to the end of the beach.

Looking through the binoculars, we thought we could see movement on the top of this rock. I walked all the way to the point and I was still too far away to tell what might be there…but with the zoom on my camera, I was able to capture this pair of sea lions.

A cool bird…not sure what it is…

We returned to the RV for awhile this afternoon.

We took our dinner of roasted chicken, fresh bread and butter, and papaya and blueberries….and of course a little sangria…and went back to the beach. The whales were active again. This was the 5th trip to the beach in the 3 days that we have been here and we have seen whales every single time.

We had a small fire and watched the sunset. It was another great day…except for the city part…we just aren’t city people! AS you look at the pictures, you will notice that I failed to take a single picture in Cabo…

Day 2 Pescadero RV Park Pescadero BCS, Mexico

Today we explored the town of Todos Santos. This town was founded in 1724 as a mission. It is an authentic old Mexican town. The plazas, streets and buildings are colorful and bright. The architecture is ripe with brick arches, iron railings and big beautiful antique doors. It is a colony of artists and there lots of restaurants. We walked around wandering in and out of the quaint little shops.

At lunchtime we settled on Mi Pueblito. The waiter encouraged us to try the chile shrimp rellenos. They roasted pablano peppers, a mild pepper, then stuffed them with shrimp and cheeses. A red sauce is spooned over top with a drizzle of sour cream and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. This dish was spicy and savory and the sweet pop of the pomegranate made it that much more delicious.

After lunch we drove around town looking at the other camping options.

We then took this road to the beach. We saw the spray of whales offshore.

We had some quiet time by the pool this afternoon and then later we drove back to the beach near our campground to look for whales. We believe that today we saw humpbacks. We saw whales breaching 8-10 times with 1/2-2/3 of their bodies bursting up through the water and then landing with a tremendous splash. It was magnificent to watch!!

We made an easy dinner…Tim really liked the eggs with chorizo and so we had that tonight again with some fresh papaya.

Mileage: 75,434

Pescadero RV Park, Pescadero BCS, Mexico

Our drive today from La Ventana to Pescadero was short. We traveled up and over the mountains again to the Pacific coast. Once we turned onto Route 19, the road was flat and wide and there was even a decent shoulder.

As we neared our destination, our directions had us turn onto a sandy road…where are you taking us now???

We arrived at Pescadero RV Park before noon. They had just downed this palm tree and we had to wait outside the gate for them to get it strapped onto the back of their truck…

The truck passed through the gate and off they went with the palm tree…yikes!

This afternoon, we drove to the beach. We found our way to this beach bar. We sat and watched the surfers, some quite good. We saw either grey whales or humpbacks in the distance. We also saw a huge pod of dolphins.

We spent some time by the pool before dinner.

Mileage: 75,356

La Ventana RV Park La Ventana BCS, Mexico

We left La Paz early this morning. There was standing water in the road from the rain yesterday and overnight.

The clouds were grey and heavy.

As we climbed in altitude, we encountered fog.

Gradually, the sun’s rays began to shine through.

The campground we chose in La Ventana sits right on the beach. All the beachfront sites were taken long ago. People are here to stay for the winter. There is another campground further north of town but the road to get there was steep and we were hesitant to try.

We enjoyed empanadas for our lunch that we picked up at a roadside stand along the way. They were so tasty.

We enjoyed some quiet time this afternoon before heading out in the Jeep. We took the road to Punta Arena.

Sea turtle nest 280.

We then followed a rough road east. The map showed that the road would follow the coast but we did not get that far before we turned around.

We got the Jeep really muddy and so we spent some time at the carwash.

Back at the RV, we gathered everything we would need to cook dinner on the beach.

Cows on the beach!

We are so very lucky and there is not a day that goes by that we are not deeply grateful!

Day 2 Campestre Maranatha La Paz BCS, Mexico

Our Jeep ride today took us north of La Paz to Playa el Tecolote.

An oil refinery.

Feeding frenzy.

We took the sandy road around the point. The scenery was stunning even though the clouds were moody and heavy.

Beach life.

Memorias.

There was a several small restaurants along the beach. I had outstanding shrimp empanadas!

The waiter mixed us a special sauce using these three picante salsas.

It began to drizzle and the forecast was for rain later this afternoon. The waiter climbed onto the roof to apply a tarp.

We got back to the RV just as it began to rain. We spent a lazy afternoon resting and reading. No TV so no Super Bowl for us…enjoy the game!!!

Mileage:  75,317

Campestre Maranatha La Paz BCS, Mexico

We looked today and we are more than 3,000 miles from home and that is if we take the ferry. 

Today we drove to La Paz. 

Initially the road was wide and straight.  It got really curvy and then it followed a thin ridge.  It was really windy up there.  Tim said it was a “2 hands on the wheel no bullshit drive.” 

In our travels along Mexico 1 and on many of the smaller roads, we have seen hundreds of roadside shrines and memorials.  Some are very simple crosses and others are quite elaborate.

I did a Google search after we wondered if every memorial represented a life lost along the road and indeed, they do. 

As we have mentioned before, this road is very narrow and winding.  Oftentimes, there is little or no shoulder.  The road is well marked warning of dangerous curves, painted with white stripes to remind you to slow and then there are the “topes” or speed bumps that will really get your attention.

In a busy town or residential area there are stop or alto signs on every corner.  There are signs that say “This is not a high-speed road,” signs that warn not to drink and drive, and signs to wear a seatbelt.

When we researched this trip, we read the rules of the Baja roads.  We are advised to drive slowly and cautiously.  We are also advised not to drive at night.  Driving after nightfall here is particularly dangerous and not for the reasons you might surmise.  In the evenings, the free-range livestock, goats, chickens, and cows, gather and congregate on the asphalt to enjoy the warmth.  At night, desert animals emerge from their dens and burrows to hunt. 

Local drivers are familiar with the bends and twists in the road and they want to travel more quickly than we do.  There is very little law enforcement and many rules and limits are ignored.  As a result, there are lots of accidents.  There are very few curves without a memorial, and many curves have more than one. 

Family is revered and sacrosanct in Mexican culture.  When someone is dies in a car accident, the family erects descansos or crucitas or memorias.  They believe that the place where the loved one’s soul left the body is a sacred place.  The ground is blessed with holy water.  Memorials small and grand often utilize rocks from the area and contain pieces of the wreckage. 

The idea of the roadside shrines is to provide a place for loved ones to be remembered.  They are decorated with flowers, wreaths, pictures, personal mementos, and are usually dedicated to a saint.  Many have burning candles as well.  They are a place for people passing through to rest and say a prayer.  They also serve as a reminder to travelers to respect life and slow down.

We are staying at Campestre Maranatha just north of La Paz.  We got settled and spent some time doing laundry.  We made a Walmart run to get supplies that we have not been able to find in other smaller local groceries. This is the first Walmart in about 1,000 miles. We also spent time this afternoon catching up with family and friends. 

We went out to dinner on the Malecon along the Bahia La Paz.  This is the biggest city that we have seen in Baja.  We zigzagged through the city streets to find our way.  We ate at the Bismarkcita.  The food was good but the ambience was wonderful.  We could see the Malecon and we watched the sunset. 

As we were waiting for our food a parade for the advertising of Carnival came through.  There was music and dancing.  A man stopped his car in the middle of the street and got out to dance with the performers.   

After dinner we walked along the water.  There was live music on the pier. 

Day 2 Misiones RV Park Ciudad Constitucion BCS, Mexico

We set out this morning without a real plan. We headed to Puerto Lopez Mateos.

When we arrived, we saw that there was a festival in progress. Today was the first day for the Festival of the Grey Whales.

We walked down to the wharf where the whale watching tours begin. We spoke to a guy about taking a tour and just as we were deciding what to do, a couple, Mike and Holly, from Vancouver Island, approached us. They were looking for people to share a boat with. The boat was 1600 pesos for up to six people for one hour. We decided to go with them.

We boarded the boat and glided across the calm water of the bay.

We saw this coyote on the sand spit.

The skipper parked his panga near the mouth. Almost immediately we began to see a pair of whales. We thought mother and baby but the skipper in his broken English and sign language told us that the pair were mating. All of our pictures are of this pair of whales. It was a magical experience.

After our hour of whale watching, we had lunch with Holly and Mike at the festival. We chatted about our travel experiences. They have been staying in Loreto for a month in a friend’s casita. It is almost time for them to go home.

We decided to take the back-way home. We traveled for miles on sandy roads, across big open spaces and thorny desert.

We were tired when we got back…an easy egg, cheese, and chorizo burrito for our dinner and some quiet time.