Baja Sur (Weeks #5, #6 and #7)

I thought about writing this blog in Spanish again but then I realized it’s harder for all parties if I do that so the native tongue it is! I have definitely not been as vigilant as I’d like to be in keeping up with studying Spanish since my classes ended three weeks ago. I had an idea of starting a study group in which we’d get together for a call in Spanish every week or two to speak Spanish - perhaps we could discuss an article, a book or a tv show in Spanish. If you’re aspiring to improve or maintain your Spanish and like this idea, let me know and I’ll set up some calls if I receive enough interest.   

Ginny and I have had a great last three weeks traveling around in Gemma throughout Baja California Sur (BCS). We’ve mostly been in the La Paz area as we’ve really liked the mix of urban amenities and beautiful beaches that abounds in the area. La Paz has a population of about 300,000 people which makes it the most populous city in BCS. La Paz is known for its beautifully calm turquoise water beaches which we spent several days camped at. El Tocolote is a beautiful beach north of La Paz where we seemingly could have camped forever without anyone hassling us. In fact, from the looks of it, several people may have spent the entire winter camped out there and we can’t really blame them! In addition to the beaches, we really enjoyed the food scene and the beautiful malecon which is a pedestrian walkway along the water where everyone gathers to stroll in the morning and evening.   











A couple weeks ago we headed out to a remote beach north of La Ventana to boondock for the night. As we were driving out there Ginny said to me “I really don’t want to get stuck in the sand so let’s be super careful if the sand looks really soft.” We continued cautiously and found a nice spot to camp for the night. Before pulling into the spot, we parked the van and stepped out to survey the sand and deemed it fairly safe. So then I drove the van towards the beach and before I knew it our rear wheels were spinning out and we were stuck in the sand! Aye, cabron! We then spent the next hour and a half letting air out of our tires and digging ourselves out of the sand using our portable shovel, recovery boards and large rocks to provide a cobblestone path for the van to drive along. The rocks were actually the key that enabled us to escape the loose sand. Despite getting stuck, it was totally worth camping there as that spot was one of our favorites in all of Baja - a beautiful, quiet and secluded spot overlooking the water and Isla Ceralvo on the horizon. It’s also the spot where we spotted the most dolphins. 




After a few days in La Paz, we headed south to check out Cabo Pulmo which is a Mexican National Park designated to protect the marine ecosystem in 1995. At the time, it was being overfished and the overall health of the coral reef (the only one in the Sea of Cortez) and marine life was in serious peril. From what I gathered, the fishing village actually voted to protect the area which imperiled their livelihood in the short term since they were restricted from commercial fishing in the protected areas. It has turned out to be a real success story though as the marine life has mostly recovered and is now home to some of the greatest marine biodiversity in the world. We went snorkeling during our visit and I’ve never seen as many colorful, tropical fish and was also super lucky to see some sea turtles as well! Unlike most other places that we’ve visited in Baja, Cabo Pulmo is also largely undeveloped with minimal accommodation options which is refreshing to see as development is so rampant elsewhere.  





A couple days ago we left La Paz for the last time and headed north for the four hour drive up to Loreto, which is one of three Pueblo Magicos in Baja (along with Tecate and Todos Santos). Loreto is the oldest community in all of Baja and was home to the first mission in all of California which was established in 1697. Although we’ve only been here for two days so far, we’ve really liked the vibe and the locals are super friendly as well. Similar to La Paz, there’s a beautiful malecon. Today Ginny and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary which is hard for us to believe. Maybe not how most would spend it, but we’re heading out for an early bird dinner to get home in time for the Celtics game! The 20th anniversary material/gift is rubber, right? 







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