Loreto Mexico January 2015 | Getting there and settling in

After a mostly uneventful, four-day road trip from Santa Cruz to San Diego (mostly spent in  Old Town and around the harbour), across the border at Tijuana, then zigzagging our way from one side of the Baja to the other through El Rosario (small fantastic hotel and our first authentic Mexican food), Guerrero Negra (not worth a stop) and Santa Rosalia (unmemorable, except for fresh fish at dinner), we are comfortably settled into our casa in Loreto. One of the real pluses is that we have lots of space (two king beds and two twins), a great open landscaped patio at the back and a deck off the loft at the back as well. I suppose it would be nice if the deck were on the front because this time of year, there isn't a lot of sun back there, but there is lots out front.  We can have morning coffee at the iron café table in front, and there’s lots of sun around the (unheated) pool. The Club Palmar II is an oasis in this little fishing village, and although we considered staying in the Loreto Bay resort down the road, we are happy to be here in town.

As always, we start most days with a quick breakfast, and then it’s out with Annie to the malecon for a good walk, usually including a latte somewhere along the route. There is lots to see and do. We've met our neighbours two houses down, Lois and Dave from Lethbridge, and today we all piled into the BMW with Annie and went on an excursion to San Javier. This small pueblo way up in the hills is the location of the second mission established in what we now know as Baja California (the first mission was here in Loreto). It is a spectacular half-hour drive on a narrow, winding road through a diverse, colourful desert landscape. There are arroyos around every turn: some are dry river beds but many have standing or running water and have washed out the road leaving wet and rugged terrain.  There's not much there other than the mission (population 150) but the cervezas were cold and the Fanta naranja sweet and delicious! The trip down was slow; we stopped about every 150 m for another photo of the mountains, with the Sea of Cortez popping into view from time to time. It's early spring, but one south rock face burst with colours of orange and yellow, nearly disguising the monarchs that swarmed about. When we returned to the highway instead of turning left for home we headed south for Puerto Escondido and the Tripui Hotel for pozole, a meaty soup with hominy grits, with traditional mescal on the side!

Sylvia and Brigette arrive tomorrow. We sussed out the town and so far, we’ve found a 9^th birthday party at Augie’s Bar and Bait Shop on the malecon and an open stage at the Wine Cellar in Loreto Bay. Decisions, decisions.

Unfortunately the internet speed is not sufficient for uploading unless I reduce the resolution on my camera so sorry, no photos! I'll have to save them for later.