Back Home from Baja, MX

I just returned from a 12 day girls’ trip to Mexico.  Annually 10-12 girls meet in San Felipe, Baja CA  MX to just generally relax and do nothing for 10 days.  The trip down takes a day and a half, don’t want to drive in Mexico in the dark.  This year we picked up a couple of Canadians from Calgary at the Sacramento airport and made it all the way to El Centro by 9:30 pm. 

The whole trip was fast and furious, the weather was great, went fishing, rented a condo on the beach etc., etc.   If you ever need a place to go be sure to check out Casey’s Place right on the Mar y Sol right next to the El Cortez Hotel.  It is such a good deal.  Spacious and clean, with everything you need to take care of yourselves for the duration.  The price was $1468.00 for 10 nights — not bad.  6 of us were very comfortable there.  There was even a masseuse right next door who did a great job for $35 per hour.   I am not really sure where the time goes when I am down there but there is never enough.  The first few days languish and I think I have all the time in the world.  Along about the 4th, the clock seems to speed up and we are on a downhill run. 

I wanted to set the record straight on the general conditions in Mexico.  Despite the press’ warnings about traveling in Mexico, we saw no sign of trouble or encountered anything that we thought looked dangerous along the road.  The people were more than happy to see us and did not give us any cause for concern.  Furthermore, the people down there are in just as much trouble economically as we are — the difference is that they know how to live with less — something we have a long way to go to learn. 

Evidence of the souring economy is everywhere in San Felipe.  This place was touted as recently as 3 years ago as the retirement mecca for Americans.  Well, the development there is looking a lot like the development in Arizona, Las Vegas or Reno.  Lots of stuff built (or in a lot of cases, 1/2 built) with no one living in them.  Yes they built them but no one came. . . . .  Walking downtown in San Felipe we saw many shops and restaurants empty and the ones that were open had few tourists inside.  Prices are good right now.  George’s Hotel, new and modern and right across the street from the Sea of Cortez, offered a “special” of $45 per night for 2 people.  The Mexicans are responding to the state of the economy and getting the idea that they have to offer deals to get people in their establishments.