May 19, 2010 --- Round-the-Cape (Trip Advisor) Road Trip

Last Update: Saturday, November 19, 2016

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So what started off as going off to Baja for three weeks to clear my head, feel the warm rays of the summer sun on the Tropic of Cancer and do a little networking for Baja job opportunities has turned into a 10-week sojourn including settling down for the month of June in my own little cabaña near the Villa del Palmar resort in Cabo San Lucas.

     Other TRIPS

        Similar Trip June 13

        Similar Trip June 15

Ever wonder why Los Cabos and other select Mexican destinations come into being and grow like crazy? It's not luck or coincidence. It's all very well-planned. Thanks to Fonatur, the "institution responsible for the planning and development of sustainable tourism projects." And with respect to the Baja Peninsula specifically, there is the vision of the Escalera Nautica, the Nautical Ladder --- a mega project; canceled "as is" in early 2010.
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Be sure and order your own copy of this amazing atlas by clicking on the cover at left. You CANNOT travel BAJA without this guide.

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Video Clips

The grand circuit "on pavement" all-day tour lasted nearly 12 hours. I did it all again two more times with new friends I met, on June 13 and again June 15-17.

Rise & shine at 6:15 am. Pickup Max, Christine & Barbara at the Villa del Palmar at 7am and head over to the Pemex gas station to meet at 7:15. Oops, could we be at the wrong Pemex? Yup.

At the transpeninsular highway Pemex we met 6 other cars for our counter-clockwise tour:

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Signed map book:

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Transpeninsular / The Corridor, Highway 1 between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Mex-1 / The Old Road, completed in 1974 between Tijuana and The Cape, it is/was narrow, curvy, full of vados and topes and no signage or safety features whatsoever, and now connects Cabo to San Jose to La Paz in the middle of the peninsula and on the Sea of Cortes side.

 

Mex 19 / The New Road, an engineering marvel of first class construction, this mostly (and soon-to-be) 4-lane super-duper highway connects La Paz with Cabo San Lucas on the Pacific side.

 
File Name / Description File Run Time (mm:ss) File Size (Mb)
Camping at Club Cabo HIGH-resolution file 00:32 10±
Camping at Club Cabo LOW-resolution file 00:32
     
Tropic of Cancer HIGH-resolution file 00:32 10±
Tropic of Cancer LOW-resolution file 00:32
     
San Bartolo Water Supply HIGH-resolution file 1:04 20±
San Bartolo Water Supply LOW-resolution file 1:04
     
Driving, San Antonio HIGH-resolution file 1:04 20±
Driving, San Antonio LOW-resolution file 1:04
     
El Triunfo Music Museum HIGH-resolution file 00:32 10±
El Triunfo Music Museum LOW-resolution file 00:32
     
El Triunfo Piano Concerto HIGH-resolution file 1:04 20±
El Triunfo Piano Concerto LOW-resolution file 1:04
     
La Paz Malecon HIGH-resolution file 1:04 20±
La Paz Malecon LOW-resolution file 1:04
     
Bahia Balandra HIGH-resolution file 1:04 20±
Bahia Balandra LOW-resolution file 1:04
     

Photographs

My new "home" in Cabo at Martin & Irene's Hotel Club Cabo & Campground. Camping for now. Cabana later. Rise & shine at 6:15 am.

Pemex, state-owned petroleum company, commonly used as a reference point, a trip starting point --- note to self and Tyler: when you know there is more than one Pemex, specify which one to avoid needless driving in circles (squares) around said town.

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San Jose del Cabo, president Calderon was in town last week at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new sewage treatment plant.

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It's a beautiful day. Again. may19_111.jpg (114889 bytes) may19_112.jpg (618014 bytes) may19_113.jpg (617758 bytes) may19_115.jpg (624248 bytes) may19_116.jpg (629406 bytes)
And off we go on Mex-1 into the morning sunshine. may19_126.jpg (180892 bytes) may19_127.jpg (251953 bytes) may19_128.jpg (633409 bytes) may19_129.jpg (272294 bytes)
The Tropic of Cancer at latitude 23° 26′ 16″ north of the Equator, just before the village of Santiago, is an obligatory photo stop. may19_130.jpg (185889 bytes) may19_131.jpg (234102 bytes) Tope (topes plural), not to be confused with tapas, this is a speed bump that comes in various flavors, shapes and sizes, with or without yellow warning paint, with or without a warning sign --- and just to make things interesting, there is the occasional warning sign, but no sign of a tope anywhere.
Watch out for the speeding traffic and the human topé (speed bump) know as Tyler, aka group leader. And his dog, tibber, too. tyler_speed_bump2.jpg (112472 bytes) tyler_speed_bump1.jpg (79799 bytes) Not to be confused with a vado (vados plural), a dip in the road to cross a dry arroyo, these were simple crossing prior to the advent of all the modern bridges and culverts, currently be eliminated along Highway 19 construction between Todos Santos & San Lucas. tibber_tyler_tibia.jpg (65217 bytes) Tibber, Tyler and a tibia.
Then on to Los Barriles for a late breakfast at the Los Hotel Pescadores. may19_132.jpg (130743 bytes) may19_133.jpg (185130 bytes) may19_134.jpg (651793 bytes) may19_135.jpg (650248 bytes) may19_136.jpg (656881 bytes)
Sean Bonnefoy, our wonderful bartender was from British Columbia had his picture and caption in ”Mexico Living” newspaper in March 2010. He kept our crew plied with morning beverages and food. Yup, Sean and Andrew. may19_137.jpg (585788 bytes) mexico_living_magazine_2011march_sean_bonnefoy1.jpg (261547 bytes) mexico_living_magazine_2011march_sean_bonnefoy2.jpg (102067 bytes)
And on to San Bartolo to visit a natural spring / cave in the hillside that is the village's municipal water supply. Neat!

Yes, they chlorinate the water.

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I’ve subsequently returned there with two other sets of visitors that thoroughly enjoyed seeing water coming out of the rocks & townspeople splashing about in the large rectangular pool before the water enters the piping system. may19_143.jpg (717241 bytes) may19_144.jpg (678271 bytes) may19_145.jpg (608973 bytes)
San Antonio, town square & magnificent cemetery, for both the rich and elaborate and the absolute destitute who must bury their dead just as anyone else … they were having a huge festival last week that I saw but didn’t attend. may19_146.jpg (103770 bytes) may19_147.jpg (663438 bytes) may19_150.jpg (691699 bytes) may19_148.jpg (666227 bytes) may19_149.jpg (693827 bytes)
I bought a few items at the central plaza mercado. may19_160.jpg (688492 bytes) may19_pan_san_antonio_cemetary.jpg (1445850 bytes)
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El Triunfo, silver mine ruins & the music (piano) museum or Museo de la Musica; the private magnificent concert that Christine, Tooley and I received was performed by Nicolas Carrillo. He’s been playing around La Paz for about 15 years and for us he performed Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, his signature piece; awesome hands and fingers and wonderful acoustics. may19_165.jpg (104083 bytes) may19_164.jpg (672928 bytes) may19_166.jpg (679263 bytes)

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Nicolas had his picture and a feature article in the May 1 issue of "Baja Pulse" newspaper. I returned here on two subsequent trips in June. The community iglesia. may19_173.jpg (670144 bytes)
We flew past the newly-established cactus sanctuary just before the intersection of Highway 1 & 19 on the way to La Paz (The Peace), the capital city of Baja Sur, the malecon where everyone seemed to split up and then coalesce for the race, er drive, to Bahia Balandra. jun15_126.jpg (307998 bytes) jun15_127.jpg (207096 bytes) may19_174.jpg (695815 bytes)
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Paraiso del Mar development across the water in the distance. may19_184.jpg (683348 bytes) may19_175.jpg (632461 bytes) may19_176.jpg (642754 bytes) may19_185.jpg (639639 bytes) may19_186.jpg (658144 bytes)
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Me buying black pearls for my own mother from dear, sweet "dulce mujer" Mercedes while Barbara, Max and Christine had a very late lunch at La Terrazo, served by Enrique. may19_199.jpg (647906 bytes) may19_198.jpg (584777 bytes)  
Our caravan. may19_200.jpg (581681 bytes) may19_201.jpg (623478 bytes)
Balandra Bay, I’ve since learned has many hazards like poisonous eels buried in the sand several types of rays and skates and assorted other water wildlife, much of it with stingers and poison; so much for shuffling half-way across the shallow waters. may19_pan_balandra_bay.jpg (395291 bytes)

I hate we didn't drive one extra mile to Playa Tecolote where I would spend several days and nights in June including gale force winds throughout the night.

Rich in natural resources and heritage, Bahia Balandra is featured in a small article in this week’s Gringo Gazette for being solicited to become a national protected area as designated by CONANP.

Tecolote (that’s OWL for you Gringos) Beach, just one kilometer north of Balandra we skipped; we should have gone there; awesome!

Finally, on the way home via Mex-19 through Todos Santos (All Saints) ... the final splitting of “the herd” at various Pemex stations ... once again, at an undetermined Pemex, we broke up. Reaching speeds in excess of 90 miles-per-hour, led by Tyler, we did stay together until town. may19_205.jpg (728697 bytes) may19_206.jpg (668271 bytes) may19_207.jpg (598734 bytes)

We had a wonderful dinner at the Hotel California.

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A very fast (for awhile) drive home, including construction zones at night. Not very smart. I slowed down. may19_210.jpg (703504 bytes)