On my Way to Santa Rosalia

OK..... I know.... I am way behind in updating my blog. This is Mexico, so putting off to another day is what we do down here. Two friends from San Francisco sailed to Mexico last year and I finally caught up with them last month in La Paz. Bill and Jean had their boat up in the northern end of the Sea Of Cortez, at Santa Rosalia, and were down here visiting friends and stayed with me on my boat. They invited me to join them on their sail back down to La Paz and I jumped at the opportunity. I must have taken more than 100 photos of the bus trip and the sail back down here. So I am going to break it up into two blogs so I am not sitting here all day drafting everything. This blog is the bus trip to Santa Rosalia. The second blog, which I will get around to later in the week, will be from the 13 days of sailing back down to La Paz. The bus ride was 9.5 hours but the scenery was great. Most of the trip was through the mountains and along the coast of the Sea of Cortez. I was somewhat disappointed that I did not have to share a seat with chickens or goats. They must have been on a later bus. The bus was air conditioned with movies to view to break the trip up. We were stopped by the military at two check points and had to step outside with our luggage to have things checked. They were polite but I was careful not to open my mouth and crack one of my sick jokes. I don’t think they had my sense of humor.

Day of the Dead was celebrated this past weekend. I did not make it down town but there were two memorials at the Marina that families had setup so I don't have many photos. It is a wonderful tradition where family and friends visit the grave site bring flowers and items that the person enjoyed while still on this earth. They are at the grave sight most of the day as they enjoy everyone’s company and to dress up the grave site as the photos I have show examples.

These are two memorials that were setup here at the Marina. Very colorful. The photo with two photos on the table has two bottles of booze. That being one of the favorite things the gentleman enjoyed. I would have like to meet him.

I am sailing to Mazatlan next Tuesday so I am setting the boat up and checking things twice to make sure the boat is ready for a three day cruise. This sail is by far the most colorful of the sails I have in the inventory. The pink just confirms I am from San Francisco.

Two new friends. The woman on the left is giving me private Spanish lessons on my boat and the other women servers me drinks in the late afternoon in the polapa. Eat your heart out guys.

This was the first bus stop on the way to Santa Rosalia where we could get something to eat or to pray at the small church nearby.

Cactus? Or if that isn't what you want, how about just laying around the beach.

This is Bill and Jean. This photo is taken in front of a church in Santa Rosalia. The town was settled by the French who had permission from the Mexican government to mine copper. This church was brought over from France, brick by brick, and reassembled in Santa Rosalia. Saint Santa Barbara. The Saint of Fishermen.

This is a photo from the bus as we started into the mountains. The other photo is taken as we approached the Sea of Cortez. This is an area where I will be sailing through on our way back to La Paz.

Finally, just in case I did not make it and crashed in the bus on the way north, this guy was waiting.

Well that is all for know. I will complete the other blog before i leave on the voyage across the Sea starting next Tuesday.