Hole In The Donut Travels

I stepped from my casita and looked up into a night sky exploding with stars. They swirled and throbbed, so bright that I needed no flashlight to find my way. On the western horizon, Orion’s bow pointed me toward the open-air restaurant at Rancho Pescadero, while the Big Dipper hung low in the eastern sky. Even shy little Pleiades came out to gaze upon this amazing new resort near Todos Santos in Baja California, Mexico.

As a hosted guest of Rancho Pescadero Resort during a press trip, I expected the resort management to make every effort to welcome and impress me, but I did not expect to become a part of their family. From the moment I arrived everyone – from resort managers, Josh and Christine; to Danny the bartender; to Carla in the front office; to the night watchman, Angel; right down to the owner, Lisa Harper and her partner, George Lilinoe – adopted me. While I’d like to think that had something to do with my charming personality and wit, I must confess that during my stay, every guest received the same care and attention and this may be why, with only four months under their belt, the resort is already receiving repeat guests.

Pool with floating beds

Miles and miles of wide, pristine beach, backed with beach beds, lounge chairs and fire pits

If a caring staff is not enough to entice you to visit Rancho Pescadero, the facilities will win you over. From the central reception and open-air restaurant, guests descend to suites, which arc toward a pommeling ocean in a sweeping semi-circle that enfolds a poolside bar, whirlpool spa, and gorgeous pool with floating beds. By day, sand paths lead over a low dune past tall cactus to miles of pristine, windswept beach, where long walks, fishing, or surfing are the order of the day. Not into physical activity? Luxuriate in one of the resort’s dunetop beach beds, roofed wood frames with a mattress and curtains that can be drawn if the sun gets too intense, or make an appointment for a treatment at the oceanfront spa cottage. After dark, barrel chairs surrounding a firepit encourage flame gazing or more star gazing. Read more »

Like everyone, I appreciate a good restaurant. But perhaps because I used to be severely overweight, food is not overwhelmingly important to me when I travel. I generally eat only one meal a day, and most of the time I am happy enough with something from street vendors, who usually offer selections more appropriate for my vegetarianism than those found in most restaurants. However, once in a while I discover a really good place to eat, and in La Paz, Mexico, I hit the jackpot.

La Fonda de los Briseno, corner of Revolucion and Bravo, La Paz

At La Fonda de los Briseno, owner Jorge Briseno Jimenez hovered over me like a mother hen. I liked him immediately and the reason soon became apparent: ten years ago, Jorge and his wife Sylvia Gonzalez Ariola both walked away from their professional careers as lawyers to open La Fonda. At the time, they weren’t quite sure what they wanted to do with their lives, but they did know they no longer wanted to be attorneys. In Jorge’s family, food was a passion. “I would come home from school and find my mother at the table surrounded by three kinds of bread and a half dozen cheeses, with a pot of Shoemaker soup simmering on the stove; enough food for an army! And my father studied natural foods and vegetarian cooking long before they were popular.”

The outdoor patio of La Fonda

The couple decided to open a restaurant, featuring traditional Mexican recipes of Jorge’s mother and the business philosophy of his father, who always insisted that it is better to make a little bit of money from many people than a lot of money from a very few. The combination has been a huge success, with the La Fonda being named as a top restaurant in La Paz by AAA Guides, Read more »

As Nancy of VABoomer.com says, the Blogging Boomer Carnival is the best baby boomer writing on the web. Why not cruise on over to VABoomer and check out her summary of all the boomer posts this week and click on individual link to read each full post.

My mother would have loved this. Every year, when I’d visit for Christmas, Mom would drag me to Bingo at the local smoke-filled hall. Gleefully she’d buy a passel of bingo cards and press a packet upon me. I’d tape my eight or ten cards to the carved and chipped wooden table while she spread her thirty or more before hitting the refreshment stand to fill up on greasy fried food and oversweet deserts. The moment the caller began announcing numbers, she was in another world – daubbing the called numbers with her colored marker, holding her finger over a number she needed as if to wish it called. I’d be woefully behind, unable to keep up despite having a paltry handful of cards. Somehow, Mom always managed to keep an eye on my cards as well and alert me if I missed a number.

The Lottery in Mexico - a lot like Bingo in the U.S.

Last night I happened upon a gathering of women in the central square in La Paz, Mexico. It was the announcer who first caught my attention – from the flow it sounded like he was calling Bingo numbers, except that he was calling out names of items. “El corona” – the crown. El arbol” – the tree. “Las caras” – the faces. I sneaked closer for a better view. A hundred or so women were gathered under the soft yellow lights to play “el loteria” – the lottery. Instead of numbers, the multi-colored cards held pictures of items. Intently, the players covered called items with bright pieces of polished glass or large corn kernels, hoping to be the lucky soul who covered every item first.

Mom won at Bingo occasionally, although never when I came along for the ride, and I sometimes wondered if I was bad luck for her, since I never won. Frankly, I never much liked Bingo, but I went because I’d do anything to spend more time with Mom. But standing there last night, I thought about my mother and suddenly knew she was there with me. I miss her so.

So much for my schedule. I knew it was going to be a fluid trip, I just didn’t know how fluid. First I killed time in Cabo San Lucas waiting for a casita to become available at the new Rancho Pescadero Resort near Todos Santos, Mexico in order to spend a few more days in paradise. As luck would have it, I threw my hip and knee out in a Yoga session and was barely able to go up and down stairs. My next planned destination, Copper Canyon, would have to wait. There was no way I was going to do the extensive hiking I had planned in the canyon.

Additionally, the weather has turned unseasonably cold here in Baja, dropping into the 50’s at night. I brought long sleeve shirts, a sweater, hiking boots, heavy socks, and even mittens, but I don’t have a coat with me and if it’s cold in Baja it’s going to be freezing at Copper Canyon, up in the mountains on the Mexican mainland.

No worries, though. I have no concrete reservations so I just revised my schedule. The owners of Rancho Pescadero hooked me up with the local chiropractor, a genius named Mark who worked on me twice and relieved a lot of the pain. Since I need to let the knee and hip rest a few days before trying strenuous activity, I hopped a bus back to La Paz and checked into the Lorimar Hotel. It’s very basic and not the cleanest, but for $22 a night with a comfortable bed and free wifi, I’m not complaining. I found a broom last night and once I swept the floor it was perfectly acceptable.

The Lorimar is just off the Malecon and only a few blocks from el Centro, the central town square, so I spent the afternoon and evening wandering around town. Although there are many American and Canadian expats here, La Paz has retained its charm and culture. At its core, the Cathedral of Our Lady of La Paz watches over Velasco Garden, where men have their shoes shined and mothers treat their children to helados – frozen deserts sold by push-cart vendors. The cathedral, which dates back to 1861, was built with a peaked roof called “dos aguas” – two waters – and no towers. In 1910 the left tower was built and ten years later, the right tower was added. If you look closely you can spot the differences inn construction. The varying stone color and size, the mortar work, and the two different bells arrangements all lend a peculiar grace to the church.

Cathedral of Our Lady of La Paz

Madonna and child receive a hand washing in preparation for Semana Santa (Easter Week) celebration nside the Cathedral of Our Lady of La Paz

The cathedral’s interior is deceptively simple at first glance, until you look up and realize that the ceiling is crafted from wood strips that have been painstakingly bowed and fitted together to create an elaborate barreled design. I rested on one of the simple wooden pews and watch the ebb and flow of the church, so much a part of Mexican life. An elderly woman with toddler in hand entered from a door near the front and paused at the altar, showing the youngster how to cross herself and bow. Another woman sat in the front pew and began praying aloud. With its series of stunning stained glass windows, wood-carved stations of Read more »

It’s a high school girl’s worst nightmare, discovering that her phone number has been scrawled on the boy’s room wall. Those five words: “for a good time call….” speak shameful volumes about a girl who has given in to temptation, in search of elusive popularity, love, excitement.

Not so long ago, virginal Cabo San Lucas was a sleepy village of sand streets and gaily painted wooden fishing launches, where excitement meant the sight of migrating whales or a fiery sunrise bursting through the rocky arch at Land’s End. Although sportsmen discovered Cabo’s legendary marlin fishing in the 1950’s and 60’s, it was the construction of a trans-peninsular highway in 1973 and completion of Los Cabos International Airport in the ’80’s that finally launched Cabo as a tourist mecca. During the ensuing development, lady Cabo not only spread her skirts across the broad coastal plain, she lifted them.

Boats jockey for position around Land's End

Medano Beach, just another string of upscale Americanized resorts

Cabo San Lucas was not one the places I planned to see on this trip but as with all long-term travel, my plans were fluid. For two nights I had been a hosted guest of the spectacular new Rancho Pescadero Resort, located about 45 miles north of Cabo, and the owner invited me to stay another two days. Since Rancho Pescadero is one of the most stunning properties I have ever visited, I Read more »

One of the things I promised myself when I embarked upon this trek around Mexico, Central and South America was NO planes, unless absolutely necessary. Back in the days when it didn’t take three hours to get checked in and through security, back when the airlines actually cared about their passengers, flying was a lot more pleasant and was a real time saver. But let’s face it, even back then, flying was a buzz kill for anyone hoping to immerse themselves in local culture. Since learning about cultural is all-important to me, I decided to take the pace of my travel down a notch by using autos, trucks, boats and trains whenever possible.

My Baja Ferry to La Paz awaits

My first challenge came early in the trip. I needed to get from Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico’s mainland,across the Sea of Cortez to La Paz, a mid-size city halfway down the long, skinny peninsula that is the Mexican State of Baja California Sur. I quickly discovered that Baja Ferries sails between the cities and found their schedule and rates online, but even after scrutinizing their website there were many many questions left unanswered. In an attempt to help others who may wish to use the ferry, I have described more thoroughly the process below.

With the possible exception of holidays like Semana Santa, it is not necessary to buy a ticket well in advance – a day or two ahead of time will be just fine. The ticket office at the ferry terminal, located just south of the lighthouse at the inlet to Mazatlan harbor, is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Both credit and debit cards are accepted and you will need either your original passport or a copy to buy tickets. The ship sails from Mazatlan on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m., and from La Paz to Mazatlan on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday (5 p.m. on Sunday, 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday). The crossing takes about 12 hours.

Fresh shrimp in picante red saue with roasted vegetables, roasted cactus, and hand-made cheese at the Point Restaurant

Delicious guava tart at the Point Restaurant while waiting to board

On the departure day, you may drop off your checked baggage as early as 11 a..m. and spend a few hours doing touristy things until 3 p.m., when you are expected to be in the second floor waiting room in preparation for boarding. Your luggage is tagged by an attendant, who gives you a claim check and loads it on a long luggage carrier that is towed into the bowels of the ship just before departure. (Hold onto your claim check, as it is carefully examined upon arrival.) It is worth noting that you are not allowed access to your checked luggage during the crossing, although hand luggage may be carried on, so it is wise to pack a toothbrush and toothpaste in your carry-on. If you’re hungry, I wholeheartedly suggest walking next door to the Point Restaurant, which serves excellent food and offers a splendid view of the harbor. This turned out to be the absolute best meal I had in Mazatlan, and I was even more pleased I’d eaten a big meal on shore when I later sampled the mediocre (and fairly expensive) food on board the ship.

Loading tractor trailers into the bowels of the ship

Baja Ferries upper deck

Boarding begins promptly at 3 p.m., when a ship employee arrives to escort passengers across the busy tarmac, where dozens of semi-tractor trailers are being loaded into the bowels of the ship. As soon as there is a break in the truck traffic, passengers are led into the lower deck and up four flights of stairs to check in. An elevator is available for those who cannot negotiate stairs. On the day I departed, the majority of passengers had purchased “boarding rights” passage for $1,200 pesos (slightly less than $100 U.S.). This fare included an assigned seat in one of the ship’s large “salas”  - rooms outfitted with wide upholstered chairs that Read more »