tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17585224420862182402024-03-13T08:33:54.722-06:00The BajaBiscuit Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11855678552814360994noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-43161435765319044972013-09-12T04:12:00.000-06:002013-09-12T04:12:35.556-06:00Stosh Lindsey Surf LessonWanna be good? Just do what he's doing!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="224" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/71147031?autoplay=1" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="398"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-57289188564132729142013-09-04T22:49:00.000-06:002013-09-04T22:49:11.925-06:00How Safe is Mexico?The news publications in the US have been backing off on the dangers of Mexico lately. Mainly because they have actual news to report and don't need us right now. So in the interim, here are some interesting facts comparing crime in Mexican cites to similar cities in the US.<br />
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I received this article by email the other day. I don't know where it was originally posted.<br />
Enjoy.<br />
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<h1 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mexico is safer than other popular destinations. </span></h1>
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Mexico, one of the world’s great travel destinations, is often singled out for violent crime without telling the whole story. While there is sporadic violence along parts of the U.S. border, the majority of Mexico’s key tourism areas are not only safe, but safer than many other popular tourism areas. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #008888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0393b7; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/international_murder_rates.html" style="color: #1a8ebc; font-size: 9px;"><span style="font-size: 10px !important;">COMPARE POPULAR TRAVEL DESTINATIONS ></span></a></span></span></b><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/international_murder_rates.html" style="color: #1a8ebc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><b></b></span></a></div>
<h2 style="color: #3f9594; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 25px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7;">The Yucatan is as safe as rural U.S. states.</span></span></h2>
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The magnificent beaches and ancient ruins of the Mexican State of Yucatan are among the safest and most spectacular resort beaches in the world. Yucatan’s low homicide rate is lower than the rural U.S. States of Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and North Dakota, West Virginia and several others. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0393b7;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><span style="color: #1a8ebc; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/6.html" style="color: #1a8ebc; font-size: 9px; font-weight: bold;">COMPARE U.S. CITIES TO MEXICO ></a></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tvSZDPTUDN4/UigM_WRFgfI/AAAAAAAANrk/rTY0Infsj74/s1600/YucatanHomicideSM7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tvSZDPTUDN4/UigM_WRFgfI/AAAAAAAANrk/rTY0Infsj74/s320/YucatanHomicideSM7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="color: #3f9594; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7;">Mexico City is 4 times safer than Washington D.C.</span></h2>
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The U.S. State Department in Washington issues warnings about Mexico, yet Washington D.C. is four times more deadly than Mexico City. Washington’s murder rate has been cut almost in half in the last 10 years, but it still averages 24 per 100,000 vs. only 8-9 per 100,000 in Mexico City. How do you suppose the U.S. State department would feel if the Mexican government posted travel warnings for the U.S. capital? Mexico City is a cultural treasure that is larger than New York, London or Paris. In fact, it is about the same size as London and Paris combined. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0393b7; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/mexico_states_safety.html" style="color: rgb(63, 149, 148) !important; font-size: 9px;"><span style="font-size: 10px !important;">LEARN WHICH AREAS OF MEXICO ARE SAFEST ></span></a></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7; font-size: 25px; line-height: 25px;">Understanding the size and scope of Mexico.</span></h2>
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Mexico is the 14th largest country on the planet. Its famous beaches and cultural treasures are hundreds of miles away from isolated border violence. In fact, the U.S. State Department's travel advisory recommends avoiding only 4 of the country's 31 states. Take a 60-second crash course in Mexican geography and you'll feel smarter and safer. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #0393b7; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/mexicos_size.html" style="color: #1a8ebc; font-size: 9px;"><span style="font-size: 10px;">LEARN WHY SIZE MATTERS ></span></a></span></span></b></div>
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<h2 style="color: #3f9594; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7;">“Mexico’s violence not as widespread as it seems.”</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #797575; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #797575; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><img border="0" src="http://howsafeismexico.com/resources/USA-Today-logo1.jpg" /></span></h2>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">After months of sensationalized stories about Mexico's border violence, USA Today finally published a story about the media hype. While the story itself became an excuse to re-tell some of the sensational tales, it did set the record straight by comparing U.S. and Mexican homicide figures. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> <span style="color: rgb(63, 149, 148) !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold !important; text-decoration: underline !important;"><a href="http://howsafeismexico.com/global_crime_rates.html" style="color: rgb(63, 149, 148) !important;">COMPARE VIOLENCE STATISTICS ></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0393b7; font-size: 24px; line-height: 31px;">Politics & Profits drive sensational media.</span></div>
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Why is Mexico shown in a negative light? There is money to be made by sensationalizing violence. Drug cartels launch graphic attacks to secure and protect their turf. Media firms hype stories to sell more ads or magazines. And powerful politicians have an interest in slowing the growth of Latino voters in the U.S. Each group enhances perceptions with ulterior motives. The reality is simple: if you are in the drug trade looking for trouble, you can find it. If you are visiting Mexico’s touristic areas, you are safer than you are in many U.S. touristic areas. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-41153082753735630702013-02-18T07:38:00.000-07:002013-02-18T07:38:23.011-07:00Cabo del Este 250 Off Road - Los Barriles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPetuNJdubY/USI52_M3nDI/AAAAAAAANFU/k6Khej4dgnE/s1600/Snapshot+6+(2-18-2013+7-24+AM).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPetuNJdubY/USI52_M3nDI/AAAAAAAANFU/k6Khej4dgnE/s400/Snapshot+6+(2-18-2013+7-24+AM).png" width="400" /></a></div>
Another Cabo del Este is over and in the books. Donna and I parked out past Miraflores with the pit crew and watched until Donna's son <a href="http://youtu.be/OHLIXpvWnx4">Pat Ryan</a> came by. He and his racing buddy <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTK34bHapLM&feature=share&list=PL_IaMw31q7hlInxdbHnuUzXCE8gVCBJfX">Keith Cleary</a> did pretty well. Keith took 2nd and Pat took 3rd in the 700 Truck class. Off road racing is probably the top bi-cultural event here in Baja. I couldn't come close to estimating the number of spectators from Mexico, the US and Canada that were there but it was hundreds for sure. If you've never caught an off race here, do it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-59207620410352589122013-01-29T12:15:00.000-07:002013-01-29T12:15:19.190-07:00The Cabo Del Este Race is Coming!!If you like off-road racing, make plans to watch the Cabo del Este race that is being held on the 16th and 17th of February. This is always a good race. It's a fairly long race with lots of places to park and watch. Here is the course map; you can pre-plan your position.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flcxoJeK9oY/UQgejFoizNI/AAAAAAAANCg/7fzydedDl_4/s1600/Cabo+Del+Este.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flcxoJeK9oY/UQgejFoizNI/AAAAAAAANCg/7fzydedDl_4/s400/Cabo+Del+Este.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-17151410567459181592012-11-16T14:38:00.000-07:002012-11-16T14:38:54.539-07:00New Rules and Procedures for Immigration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JodeXaulf8/UKax8bPksNI/AAAAAAAAM6o/QAQS8qkHUYE/s1600/inm_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JodeXaulf8/UKax8bPksNI/AAAAAAAAM6o/QAQS8qkHUYE/s200/inm_logo.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
I can't verify the information from this article but it seems to agree with what I have heard from others who have researched the new immigration rules.<br />
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This is from the blog, "<a href="http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/">Surviving Yucatan</a>."<br />
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Effective Nov. 9, 2012: The INM started using the 2011 Law (Ley de Imigracion), with the regulations spelled out in the Reglamento, refined by the details in the Lineamientos. All together, they occupy roughly over 300 pages of government-speak legalese in Spanish.
This article describes and summarizes the new issues visitors and foreign residents are currently working with when visiting or living in Mexico, including: How to Apply for Temporary Residency (Residente Temporal) or Permanent Residency (Residente Permanente).
Since INM is changing and adjusting procedures daily as they implement the new Law, we have also created a simple post describing some of the latest updates at Updated Mexican Immigration Rules. As the changes settle down, and as Regional INM offices issue rulings and clarifications, there will be a consistent set of procedures for using the 2011 “new” INM Law. In the meantime Yucalandia is using this NEW master Immigration to Mexico article to cover all the current procedures. The following sections describe the current “new” basic requirements and procedures.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/answers-to-common-questions/new-rules-and-procedures-for-immigration-visiting-and-staying-in-mexico/">Click here to read the complete article. </a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-61712132732572572412012-10-18T19:01:00.003-06:002012-10-18T19:06:20.802-06:00Urmas Kaldveer: Whale Talker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mf-Z_GlTgBQ/UICZ41jvi0I/AAAAAAAAMzs/tJqSY_DdRqk/s1600/%25235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mf-Z_GlTgBQ/UICZ41jvi0I/AAAAAAAAMzs/tJqSY_DdRqk/s200/%25235.JPG" width="182" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't think I've ever met a person who wasn't interested in whales. They are the largest mammals on the earth. Some species swim thousands of miles from Alaska to the Baja to have their babies and then swim the same thousands back with said babies. Moby Dick is fiction but it was based on true accounts of Sperm whales ramming whaling ships and sinking them. (A distant relative of my wife Donna, was on the Essex which was sunk by a Sperm whale, chronicled in "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Heart-Sea-Tragedy-Whaleship/dp/0141001828/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350607967&sr=8-1&keywords=the+essex+whaling+ship">The Heart of the Sea</a>.")</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you've ever seen a whale close up in the sea, you know how mesmerizing it can be: Beautiful and graceful, large and thrillingly scary when they are too close! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not long ago </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">while having coffee at </span><a href="http://roadrunnercafelosbarriles.blogspot.mx/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Roadrunner Cafe</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I met a man who has made a career out of watching whales, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Urmas Kaldveer. Urmas has been doing scientific research on the great whales for years, observing them from all sizes of watercraft including his kayak and from below with diving gear. He sat with me for quite awhile, answering my uneducated questions with much patience. I was a little envious until it dawned on me that he has probably logged <u>thousands</u> of hours on his word processor while recording his work. Whew!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you see him around Los Barriles, yo</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">u might be able to corner him and chat for a bit. If you do, don't tell him I said it was ok. If you don't have that chance, you can read in detail what he's done, learned and experienced in h</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is book, THE OTHERS “The Whale People.” It was published by Balboa </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Press and is now available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Others-Personal-Discovery-Transformation/dp/1452558620/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350606013&sr=8-1&keywords=the+others+%22the+whale+people%22">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-others-urmas-kaldveer-phd/1113475468?ean=9781452558622">Barnes & Noble</a> and of course </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000602207/The-Others.aspx">Balboa Press</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can also read about many of his experiences on his <a href="http://urmkal.blogspot.mx/">blog</a> which includes some great photographs. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-25566048106104352842012-10-13T15:00:00.002-06:002012-10-13T15:57:24.661-06:00Driving the Baja October 2012Posted from <a href="http://losbarrilesbcs.blogspot.mx/">http://losbarrilesbcs.blogspot.mx/</a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We just returned from San Diego via Mex 1. The carretera just keeps getting better. There was very little construction and where there was, it was only for short distances. There are stretches of new pavement all the way down. The most impressive piece is the <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">“Cuesta del Infierno” or "</span>Hill From Hell" just North of Santa Rosalia. Feels like a whole different road. Wider, new lines and signs. Still make sure you have good brakes before traversing!</span><br />
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We cross at Tecate usually. Less traffic, reasonable inspectors. Plus we like driving through the wine country. Much of that road is new also.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QVbpU3QW1lU/UHm_T2lnNhI/AAAAAAAAMyQ/Dsv9Jb6LB7A/s1600/Trip+to+SD+LnC+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QVbpU3QW1lU/UHm_T2lnNhI/AAAAAAAAMyQ/Dsv9Jb6LB7A/s400/Trip+to+SD+LnC+(5).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6A2SohsjHU/UHnCabJL4bI/AAAAAAAAMyY/dGf8SCcaqUk/s1600/Trip+to+SD+LnC+(12).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6A2SohsjHU/UHnCabJL4bI/AAAAAAAAMyY/dGf8SCcaqUk/s320/Trip+to+SD+LnC+(12).jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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We stayed at a different hotel this time in Santa Rosalia, the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g499399-d3487392-Reviews-Turista_Motel-El_Rosario_Baja_California.html">Tourist Hotel </a>on the South end of town. (somehow our reservations at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g499399-d516112-r142157971-BajaCactus_Motel-El_Rosario_Baja_California.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT">Baja Cactus</a> were lost...) Nice place. Less fancy but new and clean and secure. Ate breakfast at Mama Espinosa's.<br />
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Since we were pulling a trailer and our pickup was loaded, we took 3 days to get home. There are plenty of gas stations now but before crossing the dead zone between el Rosario and Guerrero Negro, fill up. If you get low on gas, You can buy gas from various "resalers" at Cataviña and other place for a bunch more than retail. If you get in trouble, stop and ask somebody where can you get gas.<br />
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Had fun at the military stops. Most of the young men wanted to flirt with our granddaughter Erika. Naturally I didn't take advantage of the situation... One young man asked if she was my daughter, I said, "no, she's my granddaughter." He then asked if I would like to be his grandfather. Instead of saying no and risk insulting him, I explained that she was already taken and had a 2 1/2 year old son. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by that.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ScU7wPik7s/UHnjV7N1ePI/AAAAAAAAMzI/XrW8aLNcQJo/s1600/Baja-200201031612-3430-MilitaryCheckpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ScU7wPik7s/UHnjV7N1ePI/AAAAAAAAMzI/XrW8aLNcQJo/s400/Baja-200201031612-3430-MilitaryCheckpoint.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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By the way don't be nervous at the military checkpoints. If you don't have drugs or guns or some other obvious thing that could get you tossed in the slammer, you are ok. These kids are bored, tired of each other and most are a long way from home. I've never been robbed or felt threatened by these kids. Think of your kids or friends kids who are away from home for military duty. A big smile and friendliness is usually reciprocated. I sometimes have stuff in the car to hand out like candy bars or bottled water. They are normally very appreciative. <a href="http://www.bajainsider.com/driving-baja/militarycheckpointsmexico.htm">Read this</a> if you've never driven the highway.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DqrNflo_pEY/UHnIxiHVSuI/AAAAAAAAMyw/ae6dBhpEj4Y/s1600/Catavina_Gas_Vendor%2B%25281%2529%2B%255B640x480%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DqrNflo_pEY/UHnIxiHVSuI/AAAAAAAAMyw/ae6dBhpEj4Y/s200/Catavina_Gas_Vendor%2B%25281%2529%2B%255B640x480%255D.JPG" width="200" /> </a></div>
We stayed our last night at the Hotel Santa Fe in Loreto. There's a big sign outside that says, "$490 pesos per night" or something. It's misleading. That is for single occupancy. My buddy Larry (lawyer in his last life) wanted to know why our quote was more than double the price shown on the banner outside. The clerk explained. Larry said said something to the effect that it was a scam and a ripoff. The clerk replied very politely, "Yes, I know. It is our policy." I mean, how do you respond to the the brutal truth? It was pretty funny. By the way, the hotel is nice, has large rooms and a decent restaurant attached. Also has secure, walled parking.<br />
That's about it. I didn't say a lot about road conditions because they are so good compared to only 10 years ago.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-66742344205632555062012-08-30T10:26:00.000-06:002012-08-30T10:26:04.579-06:00Land's End Historical PerspectiveHere is a little historical perspective on Land's End in San Lucas. The first image is from 1852. The view is looking NW as depicted on the postcard. The water looks like it was rough that day....<br />
The second image is a photo taken in the early 70's from about the same perspective.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-33855231130089679012012-08-16T07:37:00.000-06:002012-08-16T07:37:05.129-06:00Rain!! There's rain in Los Cabos!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With apologies to our visitors who have come to enjoy the beautiful sunshine of los Cabos,<br />
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IT"S RAINING!!!! Woo Woo!!! <br />
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We haven't had a nice rain like this in what seems like years. Actually, I think it really has been years! The photo above shows slight flooding near the estuary in Santa Rosa. It was taken by a friend in San Jose del Cabo. Earlier, this same area <a href="http://thebaja.blogspot.mx/2012/04/san-jose-estuary-burns-again.html">burned pretty well</a>.<br />
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The rain puts us out of our daily patterns a bit but the long term benefits far outweigh the temporary inconveniences. The ranchers' cows can quit eating store-bought hay and enjoy fresh greens right in their own back yard. Oh, you're a vegetarian. Never mind. But just think, now you know where your house leaks and can fix the leaks before the next rain!! Right, you said that last time and your wife is mad again. Sorry. Well then, there's the pretty factor: Our whole countryside will be be blazingly green in days. Your next guests will be amazed at the beauty of our area and want to return soon. What's that? You hope they never come back? Alrighty then, just enjoy the rain: It's not often we get this much rain without the side effect of 100 mph winds!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-21999372126085464592012-08-12T17:24:00.000-06:002012-08-12T17:24:12.378-06:00Attention Home Owners With FideiocomisosThis was just published in the Baja Pony Express newsletter. If you have a fideiocomiso, it may pertain to you.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US CITIZENS AND<br />THEIR IRS REPORTING.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">a. IRS ruling on fideicomisos - I am attaching the IRS ruling that Amy Jetel, a lawyer in Austin, TX, received last week. I had written a notice in the Baja Western Onion about it a month or so ago. It's a private letter ruling, meaning that only the taxpayer to whom it was addressed may cite it as authority in a court case. As a practical matter, an IRS agent is unlikely to contest it in a case involving another taxpayer. It will be published on the IRS website in a month or so.<br />*** Editor's Note: Link to copy of ruling in PDF</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Format: <a href="http://www.bajawesternonion.com/documents/Redacted_PLR_Fideicomiso.pdf">www.bajawesternonion.com/documents/Redacted_PLR_Fideicomiso.pdf</a> <br /><br />It's important because it means U.S. holders of fideicomisos are not required to file forms 3520 and 3520A. - John, <a href="mailto:john_g_brant@yahoo.com">john_g_brant@yahoo.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">b. This is the notice that was posted a month ago: Early this spring, Amy Jetel, a partner with the Morgan Adler Buxton Jetel law firm in Austin, Texas, requested a ruling from the Dept. of the Treasury that a fideicomiso is not a foreign trust that requires a taxpayer to file forms 3520 and 3520A. The Treasury advised Amy last week that it intends to rule in her favor. Amy expects to receive the written ruling by the end of the month. It may be a month or more after that before personal information is redacted and the ruling published.<br /> If the ruling is published as a Private Letter Ruling, as is more likely, it only binds the IRS with respect to the taxpayer who obtained the ruling. If published as a Revenue Ruling, it binds the IRS with respect to all taxpayers. As a practical matter, it is unlikely that the IRS will take an adverse position to a Private Letter Ruling issued by the Treasury.<br /> If you want your own ruling, you can reach Amy at 512-370-2750. The process is not inexpensive.<br />I have no connection, financial or otherwise, with Amy. John</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-5584645180234942022012-07-09T20:03:00.000-06:002012-07-09T20:33:38.179-06:00I.G.F.A. Roosterfish Record May Topple!!<div id="post_message_2771775" style="font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jack Kautz of Lodi, CA may have shattered the 46-year-old I.G.F.A. twenty-pound line class record which was set on June 15, 1966. Although unofficial until the line is tested and other catch details are verified, the 101-pound 2-ounce monster hooked at 9:30 am, Friday, June 22, 2012 could shatter the existing 85 lb 13 oz record caught by Willard Hanson in La Paz back on June 15, 1966.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fishing aboard Ramon Almanza's super panga, the "Los Amigos", Kautz caught his prize roughly 100 yards from the beach in front of the Punta Arena's lighthouse at East Cape, Baja Sur on a trip that started out jigging for pargo…with no luck. Giving up on pargo, they decided to troll close to shore toward the lighthouse where they knew the rooster fishing had been hot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to Kautz who was trolling a live mullet on a Penn Power stick, Penn Senator reel loaded with 20 pound monofilament line straight to the hook (no leader), "My live bait had only been in the water thirty seconds when the huge rooster inhaled it! The first time the fish surfaced, Captain Ramon exclaimed in broken English. ' Oh my God it's a giant'."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When landed approximately forty minutes later it was all the two of them could do to hoist the fish into the boat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still hoping for pargo they continued to troll all the way back to Punta Colorada, catching and releasing three smaller roosters in the 15- to 20-pound class before calling it a day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kautz's impressive athletic background is to be admired. He has competed in over 100 events ranging from triathlons, open water swimming, adventure racing, kayaking, and climbing mountains. In one thirteen month stretch he swam the English channel, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, completed the Ironman in the United Kingdom AND Arizona.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the past nine months he has participated in two "Tough Mudder" events. For the uninitiated these hardcore 10 to 12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test participants' all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie have raised in excess of $3 million for the Wounded Warrior Project.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He completed one in Squaw Valley last September and competed in another in Temecula, CA in early 2012, breaking his leg in the second event which delayed his planned trip to East Cape three months, from March to June.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: darkred;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">"It's hard to believe an injury I suffered on an obstacle called 'twinkle toes' would result in me being in the right place at the right time to catch a potential I.G.F.A. record at East Cape in June." Kautz commented.</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He continued, "It seems the older I get the more I want to challenge myself. When I turned 40 I looked back and saw all the things I missed when I was 20; I don't want to look back when I'm 60 and wish I would have done more at 40."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Regardless of the I.G.F.A. World record claim, without a doubt Jack Kautz's roosterfish catch will be a welcome addition to his remarkable list of accomplishments.</span></span></div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-47664005698975773372012-06-29T18:31:00.000-06:002012-07-09T11:22:06.384-06:00Why I Travel to Mexico by Peter Greenberg<br />
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<a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/2012/03/22/travel-detective-blog-why-i-travel-to-mexico/" rel="bookmark" style="border: none; color: #333333; outline: none; padding-bottom: 10px; text-decoration: none;" title="Permanent Link to Travel Detective Blog: Why I Travel to Mexico">Travel Detective Blog: Why I Travel to Mexico</a></h1>
<small style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/category/featured-posts/" rel="category tag" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Featured Posts">FEATURED POSTS</a>, <a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/category/mexico-central-america/" rel="category tag" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Mexico & Central America">MEXICO & CENTRAL AMERICA</a>, <a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/category/travel-safety-security/" rel="category tag" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Safety & Security">SAFETY & SECURITY</a>, <a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/category/travel-detective/" rel="category tag" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Travel Detective Blog">TRAVEL DETECTIVE BLOG</a>, <a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/category/travel-news/" rel="category tag" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Travel News">TRAVEL NEWS</a> — ON MARCH 22, 2012 8:16 AM </small><br />
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<img alt="Travel Detective Blog: Why I Travel to Mexico" src="http://www.petergreenberg.com/wp-content/themes/yamidoo/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://www.petergreenberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/320251_10150856296815641_670965640_20983285_985555855_n.jpg&w=310&h=225&zc=1" style="border: 0px; max-width: 610px;" title="Travel Detective Blog: Why I Travel to Mexico" /></div>
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<em>This past week Peter was down in Ixtapa, Mexico to prepare for his upcoming radio broadcast. Even passing through <a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/2012/03/21/the-travel-detective-blog-earthquakes-unscheduled-landings-and-checked-bags/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; font-weight: 700; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mexico City’s 7.0 earthquake</a> on Tuesday didn’t to dampen his enthusiasm for travel within the country</em>. <em>Read his latest blog to find out why he is still traveling to Mexico and you should too.</em></div>
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Let me state something from the outset. I am not an unabashed apologist for Mexico, or its spokesman or an endorser. I am writing this as a veteran traveler to Mexico who has been going down there since 1973 without a single incident.</div>
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I am growing tired, and somewhat impatient with expressions of concern or worry — as well intentioned as they may be — about my traveling to Mexico.
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Every time I am about to fly there — to Cancun, to Cabo, to Ixtapa, to Mexico City and many other locations — my friends, and sometimes even strangers advise me to “be careful,”, “be safe,” or worse…”watch out.”</div>
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Watch out for what? great people? great weather? great service? affordable, memorable experiences?<br />
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<span style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 28px;">Most Americans share, as a group, two notable, and embarrassing traits: we are geographically ignorant and culturally insensitive. And, at every possible opportunity to travel, we embrace the worst four letter word that starts with “f”: fear.</span>
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<span style="background-color: white;">It’s sad, it’s unfortunate, and at the very least, it’s embarrassing.
Instead, we need to get out there and find a map. Then we need to study it to put things in proper perspective
Yes, the drug cartel wars in Mexico have taken a terrible human toll. Depending on which figures you believe, upwards of 40,000 people have been killed in the last five years, as gangs fight other gangs. Often public displays of those deaths, those visually powerful images have created a serious public relations problem for Mexico and have allowed thousands of Americans to succumb to their fears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has also been fueled by a tremendous amount of misinformation and geographic stupidity.
It has now become an annual ritual for the Texas Department of Public Safety (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) to issue a press release warning Americans not to let their kids go down to Mexico for spring break because their likelihood of being killed is high. Really? No one is going on spring break to Cuidad Juarez. And I’d bet my career that the murder rate among young Americans is higher in Harlingen, Mcallen and Brownsville than it is in Cancun and Cozumel. How irresponsible of the authorities in Texas.
If the Texas authorities were really concerned about public safety, perhaps they might want to address the fact that along the Texas-Mexican border are thousands of gun stores, and they didn’t get there by accident. It is no coincidence that the overwhelming number of guns used by Mexican gangs are sold by these stores, and within three days of the purchase the weapons find themselves across the border in Mexico.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 28px;">The bottom line here is that Americans are NOT being targeted in this drug war. Travel and Tourism is too big an economic factor — too crucial to the Mexican economy and to millions of Mexican jobs — to allow that to happen. There are two realities here: the multi-billion dollar drug business is not going to evaporate as long as demand — most of it from the United States — remains at record levels. And the second reality — travel and tourism remain robust in Mexico.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Last month, </span><a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/2012/02/27/22-cruise-passengers-robbed-in-mexico-a-cbs-this-morning-report/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">a group of Americans were held up at gunpoint while on a shore excursion near Puerto Vallarta</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">. Reason to turn cruise ships around and abandon these ports? The smart money says no. This was an isolated first-time incident; any large port with thousands of passengers flowing in and out is a target for some street crime. In fact, Carnival is now considering investing $150 million in two new cruise ports on Mexico’s Pacific and Caribbean coasts.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am writing this from the airport in Mexico City, where a massive earthquake hit. The buildings rocked and I ran for cover under a doorway. But as intense as the earthquake was once the electricity was restored –after being down about two minutes –every flight remained on time. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is my 25th trip to Mexico in the last 18 months. I’m alive. I had a great time.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I encourage you to do the same.</span> </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 20px;">I also encourage you — no matter where you travel — to pack common sense. This applies to the information sources you use to determine your travel choices. I appreciate the intent of </span><a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1766.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #154a7f; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">U.S. State Department advisories</a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 20px;">. I just question the long term negative impact of most of them. And, after all, they are just advisories.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 28px;">There are places in San Francisco I wouldn’t go after dark, but it doesn’t stop me from going to one of my favorite cities. I travel to Washington, DC at least once a month, and that’s in spite of our nation’s capital having one of the highest murder rates in the world.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Many of the U.S State Department alerts bother me as well, especially when they caution that Americans should avoid all but essential travel to certain locations. Avoid essential travel? I’m one of those who would argue — strenuously — that with exceedingly few exceptions, travel is essential. Whether you are traveling to Mexico or Manhattan, to Guadalajara or Greenland — do some homework. Pack light, immerse yourself in the culture. </span> </span>
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<span style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 28px;">A true adventure doesn’t necessarily have to include a familiar, American branded hotel and a cheeseburger from room service.Sleep at the resort, but don’t live there. Get out and see the world. Challenge your comfort level every day. Travel and tourism is the most powerful tool for breaking down barriers and building understanding. If you don’t have a passport, do not pass go until you get one.</span> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, when you return home, tell your friends about your adventures. Even boast about them. And about the new friends you made along the way. Does Mexico have some hard work ahead of it in the drug wars? Absolutely. A new President will take office later this year and hopefully will continue the fight against the cartels launched by current President Felipe Calderon.
But will I be going back to Mexico? That, as you may have guessed by now, is a rhetorical question.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.petergreenberg.com/2012/03/22/travel-detective-blog-why-i-travel-to-mexico/">Go to the original article</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-77114897340172993252012-06-25T06:19:00.000-06:002012-06-25T06:28:59.175-06:00The Megacable Grand Prix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xy6m7MOMJfg/T-hWWUm1yNI/AAAAAAAAMHc/gBB56uIc0bc/s1600/Class%2B1%2Bline%2Bup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xy6m7MOMJfg/T-hWWUm1yNI/AAAAAAAAMHc/gBB56uIc0bc/s400/Class%2B1%2Bline%2Bup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
We went to the 'new' racetrack just past San Pedro on the way to La Paz today to see the <a href="https://baja.com/la-paz/events/volaris-grand-prix/#reviews">Megacable Grand Prix</a>. Donna's son Pat Ryan has a class 1 car and raced so we naturally had to go check it out. We've been to several races and in fact before I met Donna, I had gone to the track in Santa Anita a couple of times with friends.<br />
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The track at San Pedro is NICE. Not a bad seat in the house. We could see most of the track apart from 2 curves. In the trophy truck race, the cars that came in 2nd and 3rd exchanged the lead 3 times. One car rolled but landed upright and continued to race.<br />
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If you've never gone to an off road track race, let me give you some pointers: <br />
>Parking is generally chaotic. Find a place that you can't be blocked in. The best is to park as close to the entrance as possible and walk in to the track. Then when there is a mile long line trying to leave, you walk past them, get in your car and bully your way into the line only meters from the highway.<br />
>Don't assume there will be shade. take an umbrella or something suitable. At today's race, there were a BUNCH of shade kiosks set up and if you knew about them early, you could rent one. We had one and there was room for 30 people under it and it came with chairs! Good thing since a whole bunch of friends showed up and joined us....<br />
>Take coolers with drinks and food. There are always food booths but don't be caught short.<br />
>Be careful where you decide to watch the race. Figure out if loose pieces of car or a runaway tire could be thrown into your midst. Standing close to the track on the outside of a curve for instance.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d_H6baE48lU" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-31342333038361228132012-06-18T10:48:00.000-06:002012-06-18T10:51:37.929-06:00Wet Fun Water ParkI've featured the water park before but it is so cool that I'm going to post it again. We've been several times and it never gets old. If you've never been, you are missing a full day of fun for very little money. It's located about 15 minutes North of the San Jose del Cabo airport.
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<div style="text-align: center; width: 480px;">
<embed height="360" src="http://w1202.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw1202.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb362%2Fbixkitboy%2FWet+Fun+Water+Park%2F40449d13.pbw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" wmode="transparent"></embed></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-68737799039622977562012-05-31T23:06:00.000-06:002012-05-31T23:10:58.141-06:00Marci Castro and Robert Drake at the Plaza San CarlosMy wife and I drove to San Jose del Cabo this afternoon to watch our friends Marci Castro and Robert Drake entertain at the new plaza downtown located next to the Tropicana Restaurant. I have never seen the two play together and wow, was it worth the drive. Marci and Robert both play around San Jose and Cabo. Both are very busy so find em and go check out the music. Here's a taste for your pleasure.<br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="252
" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/81Lc7hHbhGY" width="448"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-10577656637497155222012-05-28T13:50:00.000-06:002012-05-28T14:36:12.040-06:00Baja Spanish Slang Dictionary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QdW4d-MtWck/T8PU6_C6MGI/AAAAAAAAL4g/EYh_4DfV-EY/s1600/barrio%2Blanguage%2Bdictionary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QdW4d-MtWck/T8PU6_C6MGI/AAAAAAAAL4g/EYh_4DfV-EY/s200/barrio%2Blanguage%2Bdictionary.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Yes, they exist. <a href="http://www.mexicoguru.com/mexican-slang.php">Here it is. Online even.</a> Why might you want one? Well if you live here and speak some Spanish, it becomes real clear that you don't understand a large percentage of what the locals are telling you. Why? Slang. These guys have more slang than my Uncle and his buddies in <a href="http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/redneck-slang-words.html">Mississippi</a>.<br />
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Instructions: <br />
Aggressive mode: Don't just pull some word off the list and sling it out there. Pick a word and read the examples. Say you want to meet a pretty Mexican girl and say something flirty to her. If you click on "mamacita" this example comes up with the definition:<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> "<span style="line-height: 21px;">Oye mamacita, que buena estás."</span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span><br />
Defensive approach: Keep a pen and notebook with you. What am I saying? Keep your notes app or your recorder open on your iphone. Record a phrase that you overhear in conversation. Figure out what is actually being said. Easy, no?!<br />
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This is actually kind of entertaining because of the online, linked setup, you can click on a word and find out it's meaning. Have fun!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-88634302801114800232012-05-05T15:17:00.000-06:002012-05-05T15:17:04.739-06:00Am I Safer Here in Baja than in the States?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S7ocpPHu0Uc/T6WYxUQHqnI/AAAAAAAALwI/IYFt_wB2fXE/s1600/cabo%2Bmarch%2B2007%2B067%2B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S7ocpPHu0Uc/T6WYxUQHqnI/AAAAAAAALwI/IYFt_wB2fXE/s400/cabo%2Bmarch%2B2007%2B067%2B-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Here is another excellent article about safety while traveling in Mexico published by the good folks over at <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/">Lonely Planet</a>. Let me know what you think about this opinion.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Read more:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/blog/2012/04/30/are-americans-safer-in-mexico-than-at-home/#ixzz1u2G5FGcM">Are Americans safer in Mexico than at home?</a></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-16871379002262920672012-04-21T07:42:00.000-06:002012-04-27T10:40:39.182-06:00Todos Santos Dessert Challenge Off Road RaceWe went to the races last weekend over at Todos Santos. The race is the Wide Open Dessert Challenge. Fun race; 2 laps of about 70 kilometers each. Donna's son Pat and his copiloto Keith raced Pat's Class One car the "Warlock." Here are a few photos. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Bixkitboy?feature=guide">Click here</a> to see some short videos including Steve Berry's unscheduled pit stop to fix a flat.
<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F102105474089419488990%2Falbumid%2F5733829890602349169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="267" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-38796396874026331652012-04-19T11:12:00.000-06:002012-04-19T11:14:26.645-06:00The San Jose Estuary Burns Again!Somehow the estuary caught fire a few days ago. I have 2 sets of friends who live on the edge of the arroyo. The fire was stopped almost on their property lines! One of them, Mike H. sent me these photos. Fortunately, the wind changed a bit and the local bomberos did a fine job in arresting the spread of the fire.<br />
<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F102105474089419488990%2Falbumid%2F5733095916327842737%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-90496420067885753322012-04-02T19:04:00.002-06:002012-04-02T19:17:18.384-06:00Favorite Places<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dThqu2UrZ7I/T3pM2WwpAJI/AAAAAAAAAE4/tAK7WIsapDo/s1600/LACHOYA.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dThqu2UrZ7I/T3pM2WwpAJI/AAAAAAAAAE4/tAK7WIsapDo/s320/LACHOYA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726974372861247634" border="0" /></a><br />On a quiet street in La Paz, nestled in a residential section, there is a colorful doorway that beckons you in with the smell of good coffee. Did I say "good" coffee? I meant<span style="font-weight: bold;"> great</span> roasted coffee, a place that is number one on my list of places to stop in La Paz. Not only can you stock up on coffee beans just out of the roaster but you can sit in their coffee bar and enjoy one of the best coffees I have found anywhere in Baja. I usually get a latte. It is hard not to drink it right down. Instead it is a "sipper" that you must savor to the very last drop. Consider that I rank this coffee so high, even though I have been in some of the trendy shops in Seattle where coffee is king and the competition is fierce. The address is 1650 Colima Street. I would tell you just how to get there but then that would be such a non-Baja thing to do. Instead, I will give you their internet link: http://www.cafelachoya.com.mx/cafelachoya.html<br /><br />One other clue. . Colima is a one way street. Happy coffee to you.Linda Jo Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832565886455660101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-15831448173752677012012-02-12T15:00:00.001-07:002012-02-12T15:04:45.135-07:00It is a Dog Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcROZvSMR54/Tzg2nONCMSI/AAAAAAAAAEs/U8c0hlcWcPg/s1600/kelly.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcROZvSMR54/Tzg2nONCMSI/AAAAAAAAAEs/U8c0hlcWcPg/s320/kelly.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708372575147667746" border="0" /></a><br /><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“The beaches around here seem to be going to the dogs.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>. . . that was a visitor comment I overheard lately as the lady who said it stepped over a steaming pile of used dog food holding her nose against the pungent odor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">First, let us note that I don’t have a dog, but I do have several dog friends that I love dearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As a matter of fact, I think owning a dog is one of the more enlightened things that humans can do these days, because dogs are a connection with the animal world that many of us have lost in modern society. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">It has become a very Baja like thing to have a dog with you everywhere you go. Many English speaking people regularly “rescue” and spay or neuter local dogs and many take local dogs home with them when they go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Life with dogs is richer for the many people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dogs give unconditional love to a person who feeds them and makes their lives safe and comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have noticed too, that a dog can love someone whose many problems make him or her essentially unwanted by most other humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That is one valuable dog, wouldn’t you say? </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">So, what would it be like if we all had a dog or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some of us would be responsible owners, thinking of the comfort and quality of life for the animal we lived with, and some would just think that letting the dog run would be the best way to do that. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, dogs can get in a whole lot of trouble in Baja. There are still wild animals and packs of dogs that attack pets. Ranchers are well within their rights to dispense with animals bothering their stock. Because they aren’t allowed to have guns, when a rancher needs to do this, it is messy. The habitat in most of Southern Baja is also heavily used by cows and goats, which leave worms, ticks and other diseases in their wake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being a good dog owner in Baja takes constant vigilance. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">People living in and visiting Baja tend to think the beaches are self-cleaning and to some degree they are right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are also no laws here about picking up dog poo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So, the whole problem becomes one of “degree”, or, how much dog poo can one beach handle before it becomes toxic to dogs and humans?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And finally, the very question of why you should pick up dog poo if no one else does, not to mention all the piles from cows, sheep, pigs, mules, goats and other assorted poo machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms pet waste can spread parasites including hookworms, ringworms, tapeworms and Salmonella. When a human or animal comes into contact with that soil through everyday activities like walking barefoot on the beach, they risk infection from those eggs ... even years after the poop is gone. Pet waste is teaming with E. Coli and other harmful bacteria including fecal coli form bacteria, which causes serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps and diarrhea in humans. (There are 23 million fecal coli form bacteria in a single gram of pet waste!)<br /><br />Dog poop also often contains roundworm larvae, which cause blindness. If a human ingests a roundworm larva, it can migrate through the body causing disease to the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, heart or eyes. So when people (especially children) touch sand, dog toys or anything that has been in contact with dog feces and then touch their mouths, they can become infected. (If you don’t believe me just “google” the question is dog poop dangerous. Yikes!)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">If nothing else, re-think sitting and playing in the sand without taking precautions and be careful where your kids make sand castles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe we need to equip them with latex gloves. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I predict there will be a “tipping point” here in sunny Baja where the spread of disease from blowing unclean sand and the ocean’s inability to sort out too much of the stuff will eventually make new rules necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, we can sit around with our dogs on leashes with plastic bags tied to the handles and remember the good ole days when people and dogs were free.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Have a great dog day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Linda Jo Hunter,<br />Tracker, Artist and Writer</span>Linda Jo Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832565886455660101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-53256838015527793302012-02-02T11:37:00.007-07:002012-02-02T12:01:27.191-07:00Foxy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tqZI_7gEIL4/TyrYwCZi7rI/AAAAAAAAAEU/afw0m4OlTOw/s1600/grayfox1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tqZI_7gEIL4/TyrYwCZi7rI/AAAAAAAAAEU/afw0m4OlTOw/s320/grayfox1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704610197807492786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ownTsZATBqk/TyrZG98QrxI/AAAAAAAAAEg/2BkgeYn_VZQ/s1600/grayfox2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ownTsZATBqk/TyrZG98QrxI/AAAAAAAAAEg/2BkgeYn_VZQ/s320/grayfox2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704610591747911442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Foxes . . gray foxes to be exact. Both these pictures were taken by my "trail" camera, a remote camera that uses a sensor to snap a picture with a flash when it detects movement. They also allow a tracker to gather photographs of the animals who leave tracks on the landscape while the tracker sleeps. It seems that lots of folks in Los Barriles and Southern Baja see these animals on a regular basis because we are in the middle of what biologists call a "gray fox irruption". That means the the habitat is perfect for these animals right now, and that any predator that would reduce or cause the population to move on is not present.<br /><br />When you think about it, the neighborhoods that have been created in the Los Barriles area are perfect for these animals who can climb anything like a cat, move around in the dusk or night and eat a wide variety of things. Some of the good parts of having them around is a lack of little critters like rats and mice, and they also eat bugs. One of the bad parts is that they eat fruit, nuts and things we like as well.<br /><br />I have been watching the foxes and their tracks for a couple of months this winter and find that they also must have a sense of humor . . they live right in our yards, our gardens and probably know all about us. They know what time we go to bed, when we get up and what we put in the garbage and who visits whom . . good thing they can't talk eh?<br /><br />However, if you can learn to see fox tracks among all those of domestic dogs you will be surprised by what they can climb, and how they spend their days in places where they can hear what you say. I wonder if they speak Spanish or English?<br /><br />Take care and good tracking! LindaLinda Jo Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832565886455660101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-61243779028476747922012-01-30T11:02:00.000-07:002012-01-30T11:24:50.406-07:00East Cape 250 Off Road Race<iframe frameborder="0" height="250" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=e635ccf8-461e-4ed8-949d-572d84d5dce0&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="450"></iframe>
Yesterday was a big day in San Jose. <a href="http://baja.com/san-jose-del-cabo/events/east-cape-250-off-road-race/">The East Cape 250</a> started and finished just outside of town in Guaymitas. We drove down too late to watch Pat Ryan roar by but went to the finish line to congratulate he and copilot Kyle Maisner. They drove their class 1 Chevy powered car to a 6th place finish. The key word being "finish." These races are tough on every car no matter how well it's built. Every race, many cars fail on the course because of metal fatigue, flat tires and numerous other maladies due to the conditions of off-road racing. Congratulations Pat and Kyle. Well done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-10562666205215876602012-01-26T11:43:00.001-07:002012-01-26T11:44:00.456-07:00Meet Linda Jo HunterMy good friend Linda Jo Hunter has agreed to contribute to 'the baja.' Here is a short bio of Linda.<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Author of "Lonesome for Bears, A Woman's Journey in the Tracks of the Wilderness" Lyons Press 2008 and the Co-founder of the International Society of Professional Trackers and an artist. She likes to look at the world from many different perspectives and has circumnavigated the Baja Peninsula 14 times on a small cruise ship as a deckhand. As a boat Captain her first yacht job was to bring a 98 foot yacht to Cabo San Lucas. She and her husband Mike travel to Baja for six months in the winter. They both try and play as hard as they can surfing, outrigger canoe paddling, fishing, painting, playing music, tracking animals, and exploring. Linda's interest in Baja is one of the natural history as it exists today reflecting the history of the people here and how they have lived. </span>
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<img height="236" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=498e403705&view=att&th=1351b3d0b34f3b72&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw" width="400" />
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Note:<br />
Linda forgot to mention that she is also an excellent photographer.<br />
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Her husband Mike is a luthier among other things. When the bridge on my Tama acoustic guitar (my main guitar for over 35 years) started to come off, he repaired it flawlessly with minimal tools.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758522442086218240.post-1366110520706385832012-01-23T16:31:00.000-07:002012-01-23T16:33:51.611-07:00Photosynth App for SmartphonesThis is my new favorite app. It was developed by Microsoft and is available for FREE! For Iphones, it is available from the app store. After you 'click to view' click and drag with your mouse on the photo to see the complete photo. This is 360 degrees and stitched automatically. The stitching made a funny blurred spot on the guy in the middle of the photo but he was moving. Check it out. Great app.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=ab152dee-00d6-4613-8b99-fefa4ae9c84a&delayLoad=true&slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0