Hola, Amigos,
Yes! I am back in warm, sunny Baja, Mexico! Hooray. Yes, I did have to leave behind some really sweet kids, but I've had my annual quota of below freezing weather, thank you very much! I'm sure that eventually, Eleanor will have as sweet a smile as her brothers. She's doing pretty good for just 3 weeks old in this photo!
I had an uneventful flight home (thank goodness, since I woke that morning with an upset stomach! That's no way to fly, especially in a window seat!) Since I have my permanent immigrant card, I was able to go through the Mexican line at Immigration instead of standing in a long line with all the tourists, and my luggage came fairly quickly. I had my Mexican cell phone, so I called Ben, and he was promptly to the curb to pick me up. That worked very well! Then, we needed to spend about 5 more hours in town while waiting for Ben's brother Greg and his wife Cherlenne to arrive at the airport from Eugene later that afternoon. We visited the San Jose Marina, ate at a hotel restaurant there (outdoors, of course) and then parked in a shady spot and took naps!
The next day, after getting a few necessary things done here at home, we took off for whale watching with Greg and Cherlenne and friends Sandy and Debi at Puerto San Carlos on Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side of Baja. It is about a 4 hour trip from here, past La Paz and on northwest to Mag Bay. We found that our guide Crispin had invited us for dinner at another hotel; he fixed Margaritas, Swordfish steaks, rice and salad. Oh...and then he gave us steamed clams to eat as well! What a meal!
One thing about these whale watching trips, at least with Crispin... we eat way more than usual....and all seafood.
Here are Greg and Cherlenne ready to go whale watching the next morning. (No they aren't going to an Oregon Duck football game!)
I couldn't resist taking this photo of Sandy and Debi in Crispin's panga...the water was so calm, and the reflections were amazing.
And we saw whales. This time, none came up to the boat, but we were able to get fairly close to several of them, including a Mama and her baby. We also went to a beach and picked up a few shells and hiked through very soft sand (footsteps were 6" and more deep!)
While we were beach combing, Crispin and Juan (our other guide) were back at the boats cleaning clams we'd bought off a boat earlier in the day, and making hor d'oeuvres for us of fresh clam ceviche in the half shell! Add a little lime juice and hot salsa... perfect!
Then, that night at dinner, Crispin fixed us lobster that we'd bought earlier in the day! Ay ay ay!!! We were stuffed (I didn't bother to tell you about the boiled shrimp at lunchtime!!)
I've probably gone overboard on the food pictures this time, but maybe this will help convince some of you who are sitting on the fence to come visit us after all. We DO eat well here! ;-)
Yesterday, Ben, Greg and Cherlenne went fishing with amigo Harold; it was a gorgeous day, and they did spot a few marlin, but there was no catching done. Nice boat ride, though! Yesterday was Mexican Flag Day, and there was a ceremony up at the flag monument near our house. That is the one day of the year when they fly a flag up there. Wish they'd do it more often! This shot was taken from our carport balcony.
More photos are posted in our February 2014 Picasa Album. I even have comments on most of them now. Sorry if I led you astray with the album link last week. One of the features trying to build this with a Kindle and an on-screen keyboard, I guess!
Hasta la proxima semana,
Tus amigos en Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Ryan, Sam and Zoey
Yes! I am back in warm, sunny Baja, Mexico! Hooray. Yes, I did have to leave behind some really sweet kids, but I've had my annual quota of below freezing weather, thank you very much! I'm sure that eventually, Eleanor will have as sweet a smile as her brothers. She's doing pretty good for just 3 weeks old in this photo!
I had an uneventful flight home (thank goodness, since I woke that morning with an upset stomach! That's no way to fly, especially in a window seat!) Since I have my permanent immigrant card, I was able to go through the Mexican line at Immigration instead of standing in a long line with all the tourists, and my luggage came fairly quickly. I had my Mexican cell phone, so I called Ben, and he was promptly to the curb to pick me up. That worked very well! Then, we needed to spend about 5 more hours in town while waiting for Ben's brother Greg and his wife Cherlenne to arrive at the airport from Eugene later that afternoon. We visited the San Jose Marina, ate at a hotel restaurant there (outdoors, of course) and then parked in a shady spot and took naps!
The next day, after getting a few necessary things done here at home, we took off for whale watching with Greg and Cherlenne and friends Sandy and Debi at Puerto San Carlos on Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side of Baja. It is about a 4 hour trip from here, past La Paz and on northwest to Mag Bay. We found that our guide Crispin had invited us for dinner at another hotel; he fixed Margaritas, Swordfish steaks, rice and salad. Oh...and then he gave us steamed clams to eat as well! What a meal!
One thing about these whale watching trips, at least with Crispin... we eat way more than usual....and all seafood.
Then, that night at dinner, Crispin fixed us lobster that we'd bought earlier in the day! Ay ay ay!!! We were stuffed (I didn't bother to tell you about the boiled shrimp at lunchtime!!)
I've probably gone overboard on the food pictures this time, but maybe this will help convince some of you who are sitting on the fence to come visit us after all. We DO eat well here! ;-)
Yesterday, Ben, Greg and Cherlenne went fishing with amigo Harold; it was a gorgeous day, and they did spot a few marlin, but there was no catching done. Nice boat ride, though! Yesterday was Mexican Flag Day, and there was a ceremony up at the flag monument near our house. That is the one day of the year when they fly a flag up there. Wish they'd do it more often! This shot was taken from our carport balcony.
More photos are posted in our February 2014 Picasa Album. I even have comments on most of them now. Sorry if I led you astray with the album link last week. One of the features trying to build this with a Kindle and an on-screen keyboard, I guess!
Hasta la proxima semana,
Tus amigos en Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Ryan, Sam and Zoey
Harriet absolutely loved all the photos especially Sandy and Debi in Crispin's panga., just ate a large brunch breakfast but now I am hungry for sea food. If I was a traveler, I sure would come that direction.
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