Hola Amigos,
Winter is here for sure! This last weekend, the Lord of the Winds kiteboarding and windsurfing contest was held here, and the winds cooperated....and HOW!!! The first day, Saturday morning, it was calm and sunny until noon, when the wind picked up in a hurry. And it didn't quit after that, and it is still blowing this morning. We are also having cooler temperatures. It was all the way down to 50 the other day for a morning low! And by the way, I didn't go to the tournament to take photos...we looked from the comfort of our house at the point of the beach in Los Barriles where much of the action was taking place, and the sand was blowing in a huge cloud about 40 feet high! Didn't look like a fun place to be to me with my good camera!
This is what the beach and surf looked like on Saturday before the winds started. Sam was getting a little drink on the way home, and Zoey was being ultra-cautious, and telling Sam to look out for that huge wave behind him! (This morning there really are huge waves out there!)
The good news about this season (for us, at least) is that we occasionally see whales here in the Sea of Cortez . We saw one the other day when we were out driving, and stopped near the flag monument and watched a whale out about 150 yards, splashing his fin, blowing and cavorting in the water. We watched for several minutes, and he just kept splashing! This reminds me; Ben said to remind all of you who want to go whale watching in Baja someday that this is the ideal time, from now through mid-March. We go over on the Pacific side to Magdalena Bay and take a panga out where we can get close and personal with the whales. If you're considering a Baja vacation, that is a fun thing to do!
For more whale photos from a trip we took last year. January 2012 Whale Watching.
Most of the time, when we're home, we appreciate being right HERE. In fact, we set up a little table and played a good game of Pinochle there just last night (Ryan and I won; Ben & Pat lost badly!!!) We certainly appreciate the warmth of this little heater this time of year!
Now for the bad news. :-( Our 2006 truck, which had the head gasket replaced last summer is in the shop in La Paz..... to have the head gasket replaced! Ben talked to our mechanic in Salem and he said he had already replaced 3 that he'd put in last year. He said the company where he got the gaskets (a very reputable one with top quality products...usually) will pay for the cost of replacement. It may be a little more difficult being that we're in Mexico and will pay in pesos, but hopefully the company will accept the paperwork. Ben took it in yesterday and the mechanic in La Paz said it should be done by Friday or Saturday...unless he can't get the part and needs to order it. Another first time experience for Ben...he took the Aguila bus home. It worked well, although it wasn't one of the nicer buses.
We are still waiting for the solar water heater work to be done. We will be counting cloudy days from now on!! And we've ordered our granite for our kitchen counter top. Ben will remove the old counter top next Monday, the granite guys will come in and measure it up for the granite, and will install it on that Friday. So, we'll be without counter tops and a sink for 5 days! I imagine the solar guys will probably show up next week, too, so we could be without water for a while here!!! It will be interesting! (Don't plan on coming to visit us in the next couple of weeks!)
Speaking of hot water...here's a place we like to visit in the winter: the San Jorge hot springs. It is a wonderful thing to do when the winds are whipping at our house. This photo is from several years ago when they still allowed dogs down there. Sam can't go any more! (And he really liked it, too!) Until he had to get out!
A few more photos are in our January 2013 Picasa album. (I really haven't been far from home to take pictures this last week, other than a trip into San Jose and Cabo...and I forgot my camera then!)
Hasta la proxima semana,
Tus amigos from a cool and cloudy Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Ryan, Sam & Zoey
Winter is here for sure! This last weekend, the Lord of the Winds kiteboarding and windsurfing contest was held here, and the winds cooperated....and HOW!!! The first day, Saturday morning, it was calm and sunny until noon, when the wind picked up in a hurry. And it didn't quit after that, and it is still blowing this morning. We are also having cooler temperatures. It was all the way down to 50 the other day for a morning low! And by the way, I didn't go to the tournament to take photos...we looked from the comfort of our house at the point of the beach in Los Barriles where much of the action was taking place, and the sand was blowing in a huge cloud about 40 feet high! Didn't look like a fun place to be to me with my good camera!
This is what the beach and surf looked like on Saturday before the winds started. Sam was getting a little drink on the way home, and Zoey was being ultra-cautious, and telling Sam to look out for that huge wave behind him! (This morning there really are huge waves out there!)
The good news about this season (for us, at least) is that we occasionally see whales here in the Sea of Cortez . We saw one the other day when we were out driving, and stopped near the flag monument and watched a whale out about 150 yards, splashing his fin, blowing and cavorting in the water. We watched for several minutes, and he just kept splashing! This reminds me; Ben said to remind all of you who want to go whale watching in Baja someday that this is the ideal time, from now through mid-March. We go over on the Pacific side to Magdalena Bay and take a panga out where we can get close and personal with the whales. If you're considering a Baja vacation, that is a fun thing to do!
For more whale photos from a trip we took last year. January 2012 Whale Watching. Most of the time, when we're home, we appreciate being right HERE. In fact, we set up a little table and played a good game of Pinochle there just last night (Ryan and I won; Ben & Pat lost badly!!!) We certainly appreciate the warmth of this little heater this time of year!
Now for the bad news. :-( Our 2006 truck, which had the head gasket replaced last summer is in the shop in La Paz..... to have the head gasket replaced! Ben talked to our mechanic in Salem and he said he had already replaced 3 that he'd put in last year. He said the company where he got the gaskets (a very reputable one with top quality products...usually) will pay for the cost of replacement. It may be a little more difficult being that we're in Mexico and will pay in pesos, but hopefully the company will accept the paperwork. Ben took it in yesterday and the mechanic in La Paz said it should be done by Friday or Saturday...unless he can't get the part and needs to order it. Another first time experience for Ben...he took the Aguila bus home. It worked well, although it wasn't one of the nicer buses.
We are still waiting for the solar water heater work to be done. We will be counting cloudy days from now on!! And we've ordered our granite for our kitchen counter top. Ben will remove the old counter top next Monday, the granite guys will come in and measure it up for the granite, and will install it on that Friday. So, we'll be without counter tops and a sink for 5 days! I imagine the solar guys will probably show up next week, too, so we could be without water for a while here!!! It will be interesting! (Don't plan on coming to visit us in the next couple of weeks!)
A few more photos are in our January 2013 Picasa album. (I really haven't been far from home to take pictures this last week, other than a trip into San Jose and Cabo...and I forgot my camera then!)
Hasta la proxima semana,
Tus amigos from a cool and cloudy Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Ryan, Sam & Zoey
Enjoy your winter time, it gets hot quickly when it comes. We have had a very mild winter, a few nights in the 40s, but overall really warm. I have the windows open and shorts on now. Always enjoy your visit from south of the border.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to find you here as it seems the Multiply connections have scattered throughout cyberspace. I always enjoy viewing your warm vistas especially as I sit here looking at snow come down.
ReplyDeleteThe doxies are cute as ever...love your hot tub photo!