Baja

Two weeks ago, my wife and I went to La Bufadora, just south of Ensenada in Baja California. I have never been to Mexico before and I almost feel like this doesn't quite count because Mexico has such a rich history and culture and we hardly scratched the surface. This town in particular has a large number of ex-patriots living in "Rancho La Bufadora" where my wife grew up spending the summers with family and friends who would drive down from Los Angeles and stay here in trailers they parked on the cliffs surrounding the bay. Today many of the trailers are decript and decaying. Our electricity, which comes from a car battery, allows us to the flush the toilet. The non-potable water from the bathroom faucet and toilet comes from a tank that is filled by a guy who drives around in a truck with a huge water tank. My mother-in-law calls it "camping" and it basically is since all other electricity comes from batteries or the sun. 

When the sun sets, we use cheap litle solar-powered lights outside and flashlights inside. We cook (mostly boiled water for coffee) with a small propane camping stove. Our drinking water comes from bottles we brought with us. My main project was using a machete to cut away iceplant that had overgrown some stairs and a walkway. Of course there are numerous other "projects" related to electricity, carpentery, plumbing, fishing, and other trades I know very little about. I can tell when people came down here more often that it was an active, busy place. However, I just chose to sit and read for most of the time. Tourists buses arrive every few days so people can see "la bufadora" or "the blowhole" on the other side of town. A pair of seals followed a large group of kayakers and the bay, and far off, I saw a whale spout. We brought our small black dog, Edie and visited the vendors and restaurants. I also ate the best fish tacos I've ever had.