Day 35

Today is February 29th and is an extra day added to our calendar to bring the solar year of 365.25 days into line with the calendar year of 365 days. (Leap Year) 

Baja Desert



For us in the caravan it is a travel day from La Paz to Loreto, a distance of 354 kilometers. As we left the Campestre Maranatha RV Park a roadside sign indicated that we had 1481 kilometers to the US border and the end of our caravan journey. Further down the highway we went through an agriculture inspection station where everyone was waved through. The highway was new and in good repair but very hilly and curvy which made the going slow. The countryside was very barren and hilly with cacti and small bushes struggling for survival until we reached the agriculture area around the city of Morelles. We saw fields of golden corn, green gardens and many orange groves. The oranges were tangy and tasty.

Along the way before reaching Morelles we passed a semi trailer truck that was loaded with potatoes overturned in the ditch; it appeared that the driver was going too fast around the curve and lost control. Fortunately it appeared that no one was injured and that damage to the truck was minimal.



The next 100 kilometers was uneventful until we passed a road maintenance crew having their siesta under their trucks to get some shade from the hot noon day sun. The road became a very steep downhill for 5 miles as we descended from the mountains to sea level and our destination of Loreto Shores RV Park. Ken and Carole our wagon masters did an excellent job in parking 8 rigs in a very confined area.



Bob & Ann



Day 34



Malecón (sea side boulevard) In La Paz

Killer Whale is neither a whale nor a shark,
it is the largest member of the dolphin family

The next day was a bus tour of La Paz which turned out to be more of a shopping tour again. Our tour guide was Angie and we had a full sized tour bus so everyone basically had a row to themselves. She gave us some information about the city of La Paz such as it was founded by Cortez and it is the capital of the state of Baja California Sur. First we went to Cuauhtemoc Weavers where we saw a brief demonstration of spinning and weaving on some very old equipment, then the gift shop. Next was an interesting stop at the Museo Comunitario de La Ballena (Whale Museum) where they had skeletons of Gray, Sperm, Blue whales, Orca and Dolphin. FYI  the Orca or Killer Whale is neither a whale nor a shark, it is the largest member of the dolphin family. After this it was The Cathedral of La Paz, built in 1861. Next stop was Ibarra’s Pottery where they have a unique way of making pots using a special clay and ceramic molds, which makes for a more uniform product. I think everyone bought something there. Our final shopping stop was an artisans store on the Malecón (sea side boulevard). It would have been quite enjoyable to  spend some time just walking along the Malecón as it was very clean and attractive with lots of statues and some cute trash cans. Lunch was our final stop of the tour at the Restaurantes Bismark which specializes in seafood. The meals were somewhat larger than we expected, Some of us had the shrimp stuffed fish fillet which was a huge fillet stuffed with large shrimp, cheese, bell peppers and spinach, all breaded and deep fried; yum, yum, but very filling. Those of us who had this dish were the envy of the others. Back at the RV park I added another bird to my life list, the Hooded Oriole.



I'm A Hooded Oriole





Peter & Deb



Day 33

What a road

We traveled west along the coast on Highway Mex 1 then cross country back to La Paz. We experienced a mixed bag of road conditions: everything from new 4 lane divided highway to tooth rattling dirt and rock trails through construction zones. Some Mexican drivers will pass you anywhere they can squeeze through if you are going too slowly for them (40Km over the speed limit in a construction zone is too slow). Traffic control devices like stop signs and speed limits are only “suggestions” down here.  The Government is rebuilding the entire highway from Cabo to La Paz but there are quite a few sections where you have to do an off road detour. It will be great when it’s finished but until then.....  I’m sure they plan on eventually building a fast highway from California all the way down.

There's more?

We had a scheduled side trip  into the town of Todos Santos for optional shopping and lunch but most of us elected to just wait at a pull-out on the highway after getting fuel and then to eat lunch there.

It was a good thing we were all together going through La Paz because the route through town wasn’t all that clear because the expected sign was not there.  There was more road construction at one point where we had to turn. We all arrived at Campestre Maranatha early in the afternoon. This is probably the best kept RV park we have seen in Mexico, very neat and tidy. At happy hour Paul L and Mike were comparing stories of how they CENSORED / CENSORED. This got everyone going because they are both retired police officers.

Deb & Peter

Day 32



Cabo Arch



Life IS Good

Sunday was another free day. Some of the folks went to the beach for breakfast and a glass bottom boat ride but they were leaving at 7:45 AM so we declined. I am told those who went on the trip were very satisfied. Sunday afternoon we all took a taxi down to the marina for our 2 hr. sunset cruise (♫ Just sit back and you’ll hear a tale. A tale of a fateful trip, That started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship ♪). We walked around the marina a bit before the boat ride and saw a great many nice boats plus a couple of huge yachts, complete with helicopters. Our cruise boat was a fairly new catamaran that would hold 20 people. We left at 5:00 and sailed out around “Lands End” and the Cabo Arch from the Sea of Cortez into the Pacific Ocean. There were quite a few other boats of all shapes and sizes “milling about” near the arch. We spotted a large sea lion basking on top of a large rock (he must have got there during high tide because I don’t think sea lions can climb) and several whale spouts and breechings. We motored northward along the coast for about 30 minutes so we could see all the condos etc. that have been built on the Pacific side. The wave activity on the rocky shore of this side is more dramatic as well. Even though there was plenty of booze on board and the crew kept our glasses full we didn’t lose anyone overboard. The sea was pretty calm and we came back under wind power, docking at 7:00. A very enjoyable trip.

Peter & Deb

Day 31

Cabo San Lucas

Creating a fish

Peter tries his skills

Up at 7:00am and carpooling by 9:00am to the Glass Blowing Factory.  What a delight it was to see all the beautiful glass blown art.  We watched as the experts made this form of art look easy.  Then it was our turn to try.  We quickly found that is was much harder than it looked.  In fact Peter found it easier to blow a glass bubble than to make a fish!

Hummingbird and flower

After much fun at Peter's expense there was the business of shopping.  So many beautiful and interesting pieces to choose from made shopping difficult to say the least.

After the shopping was done we had the opportunity to spend the afternoon on our own.  Bob and Ann went to the beach where Bob swam.  Ken and Sandra went on a beach photo shoot.  Others returned to the city for adventures and lunch. 

Margaritas and munchies

We had a margarita party with such a lovely spread of munchies prepared by the staff.  We talked of trips taken and the trips we dream of taking someday and tried to find ways to travel with our new friends.

As the sun set in the west and the night air cooled the evening we all turned in to get some much needed rest for tomorrow’s events.

Susie & Mike

Day 30

La Paz    

Sunrise in La Paz

Today we were up by 7:00am.  Everyone was excited that we were traveling to Cabo San Lucas the most southern point of Baja California.  Some of us have been here before and others it is the first time.  In either case, this is monumental moment in our trip as we will head north from this point in our tour and it is well known that Cabo is the Lands End. 

 

We Have A Convoy



Our drive was only 66.9 miles but it took 2 hours and 15 minutes because the road traveled are crooked mountain roads with such desert scenery.  Cactus and scrub decorated the landscape.

Bikes, Cars, & RVs

We had not traveled far before we found ourselves sharing the road with many bicyclers.   We tried to share the road but there was not much road way to share as the lanes were narrow and there are no shoulders for bikes or RV’s.   After traveling inland and again returning to the Sea of Cortez we had it all: desert, mountains, and sea.

Arriving at the RV Park was great.  Some folks car pooled into the city while others enjoyed whale watching from the restaurant patio. Sunset that was a rivil to our sunrise.

Mike & Susie

Day 29

Las Barriles

Today is a FREE day for all to enjoy as they see fit.  We were going to go on an optional ATV tour but we were notified that the ATVs would not be avail for us today.  So everybody went about making other plans for the day knowing we would all meet in the park this evening to go to an optional dinner.

With that said some folks were cleaning their RV’s while others spent time on the beach or one more shopping trip to explored more of the Village of Las Barriles.

In the afternoon a vendor brought fresh organic vegetables, fruits and meats to the park to sell.  Most everyone purchased something.

With dinner scheduled at 7:00pm and our social at 5:30pm the afternoon was spent resting and preparing for our journey to Cabo San Lucas where we will be staying for three exciting nights before we start our journey north.

Mike & Susie

Day 28

Carole & Ken

This southeast section of the coast offers a lot to people who enjoy the sea. Of course there are the tropical colors of the sky at dawn and dusk. There also fishing, sea kayaking, sail-boarding, snorkeling and scuba diving. For those who would rather remain on land, there are ATV rides and horses available. Of course, if you would like to peruse your own explorations, many other choices are here. Some folks found the best use of their free day was to relax in the warm sun.

Day 27

Leaving the Ferry

Dawn had nearly arrived as our ferry approached the Baja coast near La Paz. It is always a special time to be up as night turns into day. The deep colors give way to reds and pinks as the sun lifts from the horizon. The low light paints the rugged coast with rich hues.

We watched as the ferry was secured at the dock and then it was time to offload. While Carole and I went to check with the Banjercito office about our vehicle permits. Our caravan stayed in the terminal area until we returned. Finally the authorities directed everyone to move out and we proceeded to a slow line for a thorough inspection.

The mostly young soldiers were friendly. As they carried out our inspection under the supervision of an officer several tried out a few words in English. They were mostly curious to see the interior of our RVs. They laughed when they found some Mexican beers in the refrigerator. From there we proceeded ahead for a spraying of our wheels and underside for agricultural pests and were free to leave. We re-grouped just outside the terminal for our travel briefing.

We drove around the edge of La Paz to head south. Once clear of the urban area the road passed through rolling hills and valleys before climbing into the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. There were plenty of turns and pretty vistas as we traveled.

Carole & Ken

We only drove about 80 miles to our destination of Los Barriles, Baja California Sur. Our RV park is right on the coast. Since the process of getting off the ferry and going through inspections was tiring we ordered dinner for everyone. Ochoa’s Pollo brought a roasted chicken in pieces with great fried potatoes for each rig right to the RV park. The seasoning for the chicken was delicious without being too salty.

Day 26

We spent the previous afternoon and evening eating and enjoying Margaritas and Cervesas as we watched and felt the Mazatlan Carnival float parade pass from our outdoor restaurant overlooking the beachfront. We had a hard time getting started early

Traffic was still light as we left Mazatlan to head north. Early on we were treated to a few vistas of the coast before the landscape became green with vegetation. Sinaloa is a rich agricultural region. In the mild climate, we saw miles of corn, as well as potatoes and other crops. Trucks were heavily laden with ripe tomatoes, green, red and yellow peppers and oranges.

We stopped several times for people to fuel or get a snack. Late in the afternoon we reached our objective, Topolobampo.

Topolobampo is a major port along the west coast of Mexico and the terminus of the railroad we had ridden through the Copper Canyon. It is also the terminal for the Baja Ferry. We completed our paperwork for the ferry and circled our chairs for pot-luck hors d’oeuvers. There were some tasty treats to be had.

Fireworks greet the ferry's arrival

Most everyone moved into their rigs as the evening was cooling into the clear night sky. We only waited a few hours before the ferry arrived to great excitement. The people of Topolobampo greeted the ferry with a delightful show of fireworks. folks had to contain themselves as first the ferry needed to unload all that had arrived.

California Star prepares to unload

The California Star is a large ship. It was hard to grasp the capacity as truck after truck lumbered off the ferry.

Finally our turn came as we were carefully guided aboard and parked our vehicles close together. We cannot remain in our rigs during passage so we proceeded up to the reception desk where we picked up our cabin keys. It was quite late, almost midnight, when we finally lined up for the cafeteria dinner being served. Some of us were just too exhausted to wait and headed for our cabins without waiting. It was a long but exciting day and it was time for sleep.

Carole & Ken

Day 25

 Today is another free day!! Fantastico! And what a glorious day it is! We awake to a beautiful sunrise. There were a few wispy clouds that gave us a brilliant display of color, if only for a few moments. The birds are singing their songs. There is a slight nip in the air this morning so a light jacket is in order for another walk on the beach. Can’t get enough of the beach! 

 

The Crowd

Mardi Gras Celebration

It’s our last full day in Mazatlan. So we have to make the most of it. We have plans to attend one of the Mardi Gras parades. We found out that there are actually two parades. The first travels north on Sunday. The second travels south on the same route on the Tuesday. This year's theme is entitled, "The Return of the Muses" We were picked up by our mini bus at 2:00pm and whisked away to the Roca Mar Restaurant for another delicious dinner and semi elevated seating in the patio out front, for a view the parade. We all received wristbands to allow us use of the Banos (bathrooms). We got there about 4 hours before the parade was to start to beat the traffic. We ordered drinks, sat back and relaxed for a while. Then took turns walking around a while why we waited. Donna and I decided to take a walk in search of the jewelry store we were at a few days before and ended up walking for almost 2 hours. We never found it. We finally decided that we better turn around or we might miss the parade. It was really fun being in the crowd, walking by all the different venders selling their wares of flower shaped mangos on a stick, Neon flashing headbands, cotton candy, lots of fun hats and masks, and hot dogs, of all things. The anticipation builds as the crowd grows and the waterfront was transformed into a sea of thousands of parade goers. Confetti was being thrown from the balconies. Families had their spaces staked out hours ahead.

While all the commotion was going on, pelicans were flying low overhead as they always do, riding the wind currents to perhaps heading home after a long day of fishing at sea. They are a sight to behold.  They were in competition with the police helicopters fighting only a couple hundred feet above the parade route patrolling with machines guns at the ready.

Day Parade

As we waited, the sun was setting over the pacific. Someone in our group said it was the most beautiful sunset they had ever seen. It was spectacular! Looking around at the group, some of us are about to fall asleep waiting! Someone commented that it’s past our bedtime as it was after dark and the parade hadn’t started yet. Good thing we brought our jackets, it’s starting to get a little chilly! It ended up that the parade didn’t startcoming by were we were until almost 7:50pm. 

The parade finally arrived to the cheers of the crowd! The first floats were shooting off fireworks over the crowd. It was surprising to see that there was a lot of Chinese and Russian influence on many of the floats.  Most all the floats were lit from within, making them glow. In between the floats were marching bands, dancing dragons, dancing girls and much more.

We left a few minutes early to get ahead of the crowd but our mini bus was blocked in by the many vehicles. We had to drive down the sidewalk!! We were finally able to get out after being stuck in traffic for what seemed like hours! It did take us two hours to get back to the RV Park. While we were stuck in traffic, the parade goers were all around us, everywhere you looked. As I watched them going by they reminded me of this National Geographic special I saw once. There were these ants all scurrying about, carrying leaves that were much bigger that they were, back to their ant hill. Because quite a few of the people were caring upside down stacks of plastic chairs on their heads. All heading home after a fun filled day at the carnival. We were all very tired and ready for a good night’s sleep, as we were scheduled to head out in the morning at 8:30.

A few little facts about this Mardi Gras; There was a crowning of a King of Joy, a Queen of the Floral Games, a Queen of the Carnival, a Child Queen of the Carnival, and a Child Queen of Poetry.

Adios me familia, Hasta luego! Estoy feliz!

Paul & Eileen

Day 24

Today was a free day where we could do anything we wanted.

Hola

A few of us ventured out to town for some shopping. A couple got lost trying to find the supermarket. While others took the time to catch up on laundry and much needed housework! Others spent the day washing their rigs. It turned out to be a beautiful clear and warm sunny day with a mild breeze blowing in of the ocean starting around 11:00am. 

Almost every afternoon we have an impromptu happy hour.  A time to get together, relax and share the events of the day.  We have a terrific group of people on this adventure which makes it all the more interesting!

 

This IS What I Want!

Part of the day was reserved for beach combing. You never know when you might find that perfect heart rock or shell. It’s not like we don’t have enough already or anything! But it’s hard not to look anyway. The ocean was a beautiful emerald green today as it is ever changing hues form one day to the next. I never get tired of the way the sun shines on the water and makes it light up like a sea of diamonds. There were young men harvesting oysters on the rocks right from the shore as the tide receded. With only a mask, no snorkel, and wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt, they would look underwater then take a very heavy pry bar and pop the oysters off the rocks and stuff them in a bag that hung off their belts. It looked like a tuff way to make a living. 

There was a chili cook off in the RV Park today at 1:00 to raise money for a local orphanage. It was great fun! It was also surprising as to how many people came. There were 13 different chili’s to taste.  A gastronomical delight for some of the attendees’!

Where Else Could You Enjoy Life?

Eat Chilie With Beef

No need to fix lunch to today! Hooray! Some of the contestants dressed up in silly costumes, it is

Mardi Gras week after all, while others were handing out tequila (to cleanse the pallet they said), I think it was for a bribe to vote for them! It was all in good fun and for a good cause!



Paul and Eileen



Day 23

Hot Bread For Everyone

We hopped on our mini bus at 9:00am (a more reasonable hour for some), where we proceeded to head for the hills for a tour of the colonial town of Concordia.  We passed through the back roads of Mazatlán taking in all the sights and sounds of the city, then made our way up highway 40 known as the "the Devil's Backbone", into the mountains. Our first stop was in the town of Malpica where we followed our noses to the local rustic Panaderia “bakery to us”. Where we found warm scrumptious delights waiting for us! Yum-yum!!

So Many Colors Of Tile

After filling up on these wonderful pastries and bread we headed across the street for a visit with a man that makes his living making handmade tile. He had a small operation set up in his backyard where he had a hand operated tile press that makes one tile at a time.  Every time you turn around here it’s like going back in time. The majority of people have such hard lives yet they seem so very happy and hospitable. Anyway, as you pasted through his yard there was a cook fire going with a pot of tomatoes being boiled for making salsa and today’s laundry hanging from the tree branches and children’s laughter coming from the house. Some of use bought a tile or two. On our way back to the mini bus some of us just couldn’t resist the smell wafting out of the panaderia and had to go back in for a last visit and load up on those more goodies! As we were heading out of town the local school kids came running up to the school yard fence and in really good English wished us all a good morning and good-by. It was very nice.
 

Beautiful Hand Carved Furniture

Our next stop was a unique furniture making woodshop along the roadway, with some pottery and jewelry thrown in. It was interesting watching the men working with the wood. How they can make such beautiful furniture with the tools that they have is hard to believe if you didn’t see it for yourself.  Come to find out that Concordia is known as a town of furniture makers. Everywhere you look there are furniture shops. We visit the old style town square and learn a little history of Mexico.  What was interesting was that all the towns in Mexico have basically the same layout. It’s their tradition according to our guide.  They are all built on a square with a gazebo in the center. Surrounded by, a church, government offices, a bank, a post office, and the homes of the wealthy.
 

Pretty Birdie

Next we visited the quaint little village of Copala with its very narrow cobblestone streets. It was an ancient mining town. We had a Mexican lunch at Daniel’s Restaurant.  It opens onto a beautiful view of the valley below. Today it was shrouded in low lying clouds. There was a slight mist which made us feel like we were in a rain forest somewhere in Costa Rica. Most of us wore shorts thinking that it was going to be warm, boy were we surprised! Daniel’s is known worldwide for their famous banana cream coconut pie. We were full of anticipation at getting a piece of this famous pie for dessert. Apparently thirty some years ago Daniel and his mom, with her recipe, moved down here and started selling food. This pie is often given partial credit for keeping Copala from becoming a true ghost town.
 

Fantastic Leather Mask

After lunch we went to an amazing leather mask art studio. Nothing like you have ever seen before. The artist, trained in Italy uses cow, goat, and pig hides as well as fish skins and shells to create incredible works of art in the form of masks.

It was time to hit the road and get back on down the mountain before dark. Again we had a wonderful day in paradise.

Eileen & Paul

Day 22

Hola Family and Friends from Mazatlán



Family Breakfast

 

Family At The Table Next To Us



We awoke to the pitter patter sound of rain gently falling on our RV’s.  What a wonderful way to start the day! And boy do they need the rain down here.   We couldn’t sleep in thou because we were to be picked up at 8:00am by our guide, affectionately known as “Chilly Willy”. He is a big giant teddy bear and speaks perfect English. Our ride was a new Mercedes mini bus. Nothings too good for our Adventure Caravan group!! Anyway, we started the day with a fabulous Mexican breakfast in the Riviera District at the Hotel Royal Villas with a great view of the ocean.  

Followed by a bus tour of Mazatlan City. The City was alive with activity, people hustling and  

Spring In Winter

bustling about. In the downtown area we drove by the flower market district where we saw beautiful flower arranging going on. They have a different style of arranging then in the US, very unique. In some of the arrangements they used mums and carnations to make little poodles that were so adorable. Such imagination!   

Mazatlán's famed shrimp is hauled in from the sea every morning and served up citywide. There were fresh shrimp and lobster stands under colorful umbrellas on the street corners with the fisherman’s women peeling shrimp so fast 

Can You Find Bigger Shrimp?

 you couldn’t believe it, of course they have had many years of experience. The shrimp ranged in size from about an inch to an unbelievable ten inches! A woman told me that Mazatlán has the biggest shrimping fleet in the world. I don’t know if it’s true or not but she was very proud of the fact. Later in the day we stopped back by so some of us could buy shrimp. Our leaders had brought a cooler!!

The authentic cobblestoned Old Town was ablaze with color. Bright purple, orange, pink, red, yellow, and green homes lined very narrow streets. They were a sight to behold.



This Is How It's Done





 We stopped at the city market place where you can get just about anything you want. As we walked in the smell of fresh fish, meat, chicken and vegetables was a little overwhelming. It was very interesting though.  Alongside the fresh meat and produce were shops selling their wares. It also had lots of food stands ready to make you just about anything you want from smoothies to full meals.

A Beer For Mardi Gras

We have arrived in Mazatlan just in time for Los Fiestas de los Imperios (A carnival or Mardi Gras), that lasts for six days.  So the whole town is getting ready.  The kids are out of school, beer by the truck loads are being delivered in the plaza and the streets are being barricaded in preparation as the excitement builds.

Location Of  The Cliff Divers

 We saw Cliff Divers (two brothers) dive into 8’ of water from a height of 45’-50’. It was  amazing watching them time the waves as they waited to dive. The accuracy of their dives was incredible. Diving at just the right moment to hit the water as a wave crested as they entered the water. They show no fear whatsoever. Apparently there are only 12 families that have been cliff divers all of their lives and that it how they made their living. This skill has been passed on from generation to generation within these families.  

 

It's A Long Way To The Water

 



Would You Do This?

We visited the El Mirador restaurant on top of a hill were we could see the city glittering below, and beyond it the Pacific which beckons with peaceful days of deep-sea fishing or exhilarating surfing on white-crested waves.



Los Fiestas de los Imperios (A carnival or Mardi Gras)



To top of a glorious day we had a Mexican dinner at the Hotel Plaza Mazatlán which featured a show that was a glimpse of what is to come at the Mardi Gras parade. The performers, in their exuberant costumes were fantastic, until the show had to be cancelled due to the fact that a hugh thunder storm, with pouring down rain came in. The power went out for a while!! Very exciting!! As it was in an open air dining area, the performers were getting wet  
as well as some of the diners.  After the

Los Fiestas Mi Amigos

 rain subsided there was a Salsa band with its lively music. A few of us braved the wet dance floor but most were too tired to get up and dance!! Oh what a wonderful Day we had!



Life Is Good – Meeow

Eileen & Paul