Sunsets and Lazy Days

After posting yesterday we decided to go out to dinner but first we drove over to the boat ramp to see the sunset. Beautiful.



Then after dinner, where we got a Tequila education from Jorge – no drinking just teaching. Then we drove through Kino Nuevo and then over to Kino Viejo. Driving through the new section was weird. Most of the houses here are vacation places so maybe only one out of every eight had someone there. The rest were dark. There was no one walking around and only one or two other cars driving. The wind was blowing hard from the Gulf so sand was slithering across the road. Kind of surreal looking.
In Kino Viejo at least there were people walking around, mostly teenagers and kids playing basketball in the park. The busiest place in town seemed to be the billiards hall.
This morning it was cloudy and cool again. But at least the wind has let up.
Didn’t do much of anything all day. Drove into the old town to the bakery but beings it was Sunday it was closed. Watched the fisherman and the boats and birds for a while. And found a Chinese restaurant there. Have to see if anyone has tried it yet. Then took the dirt road through the desert back to the campground.

Sure some rugged country out here.

Also went over to the area where they are trying to get a housing development going.
One of the lots for sale is right here – (see the red car.) Pretty view.
Actually cooked in Jennie today. Bill fixed bacon for sandwiches this morning and I fixed steak and stuffed baked potato for dinner. It will take a few more meals to get it figured out. Kind of like trying to fix a meal in a small shower. For sure there can only be one person in the kitchen at a time. Still working on how to clean up efficiently afterward. Again a one person job.
I wonder how some of these people can come down here in November and stay in their RV here until the end of March. Parking and never going any where else. We’ve noticed that they do a lot of sitting around visiting and drinking. As Bill said “Hate to be their liver.”
It is getting really cold out tonight - might have to turn on the heater! Oh No!

Saturday in Bahia de Kino

Saturday a.m. It was kind of overcast most of the day and windy later afternoon – got kind of a cool 70 or so. Before I forget with the exchange rate of 12Pesos to 1dollar gas is about US$2.40 gallon – And a lot of the Pemex stations now take credit cards, this is new.
For some reason the satellite dish lost it connection overnight – either the overcast or the dew or a big bird? Any way had to make it search again before it would come up. Had me worried for a while.
We walked over to Jorge’s Restaurant again for breakfast. Bill checking out the waves.

The Breakfast we have driven 2000 miles to get. Huevos Rancheros. Bill said they measured up to his anticipation.
Sat outside and watched the pelicans dive for fish. Fascinating. How can they see them. They fly about 20 feet above the water then dive straight down. You’d think they’d break their necks. (click on it to make it larger)
Also watched a couple of little boys playing on the sand. Their mother, a Seri Indian, has a souvenir stand right next to the restaurant. I wonder what kind of facilities she has to clean their clothes and them when they get home. I’m sure it’s not a Maytag.
As we were leaving the restaurant we ran into a couple we met here last year. He is 93 and she is in her late 80s – boyfriend and girlfriend. He’s been bringing his trailer down here every year for 40 years. And he is sharp as a tack – he even remembered that we’re from Nashville, IN. She says he’s in a snit cause he just got a new laptop and it’s giving him problems. I hope that when I’m 93 my only problem is a new computer.
Drove over to the pier and did some people watching. Always fun. The vendors selling iron wood statues and all kinds of things made out of shells and lots of jewelry. The two guys who sit outside of the bathrooms collecting 5 Pesos for the use of the facilities. The kids playing in the water and collecting shells. And the fishermen. I love to watch when they bring their boats in. They head towards the shore, rev their engines and hit the sand going full tilt. If they don’t get up past the waterline they have to get out and drag the boat the rest of the way up.


Met a real nice couple from Hermosillo there with their grandson – the boy was trying to catch fish, no luck though. The grandfather is a professor at the university in Hermosillo and they live part time in Tucson.
The vendors on the street before the pier are selling seafood cocktails. They open these huge shells and clean out everything but the scallop. Then they dice that and add diced clams lots of lime juice and hot sauce and it is served on the scallop shell. Interesting. But not for me.


Then down the road are the homes of the fishermen, as we drove by we could see the women outside at big tables cleaning the days catch ready for sale. A guy with an ice truck was making his rounds selling the crushed ice to them.

Its fun being here in the campground – there is a virtual grocery store on wheels going through here all day. One pickup truck came by loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables for sale then a few minutes ago a guy came by asking if we want to buy shrimp, caught today, very fresh. Earlier we heard a tweet, tweet and along came a guy on a golf cart selling tamales. And earlier there was a truck selling flowering plants. Just beautiful. If we stay here long enough I think I’ll buy a poinsettia from him.

Bahia de Kino the new part continues to grow – there are now two red lights along the main road, there were none last year. Also several new homes up and going up.

The road between Viejo (old) Kino and Nuevo (new) Kino is now a divided 4-lane paved road instead of a bumpy dirt one.
There are even two ATM machines in town now.

Enjoying Mexico Already

We are in Bahia de Kino, Sonora, Mexico at the Kino Bay RV Park. And have already been to the panaderia (bakery) and across the street to have dinner at Jorge’s. Sat outside and watched the sunset.Terrible huh?

We left Amado, AZ at about 7:30 this a.m. got here in Kino about 3:30 – 270 miles. We took I-19 south to Exit 4 Mariposa Rd the truck route. This way you completely bypass the town of Nogales. This year there was a check point on the U.S. side of the border, just asked if we were taking more than $10,000 into Mexico. I wish.
There is also a new check point or immigration control being built just into Mexico.
Last year there was no one checking at all. Right after you cross the border you are on MX 15D the toll road. There were three toll booths between the US and Hermosillo where we got off. Almost US$30. The toll booths and the bank at the immigration stop were giving 12 Pesos for 1 US dollar. Should have changed more money in Nogales they were giving 12.50 for 1.
The stop where we had to fill out all the paper work for us and the vehicles is 21 kilometers south of the border. It is very efficient. First building is for tourist cards, then there is a place where you can get all your copies made then to the Banjercito to get the temporary permits for the vehicles and pay the fee for the tourist car. All are good for 180 days. No I take that back, Jennie’s permit is good for 10 years ‘cause she is a motorhome.
The drive was pretty uneventful. Seems like there is more prosperity in Mexico then there was last year. Saw several huge greenhouse complexes, more ranches and homes then before also a gigantic vineyard.
Glad we were going south – the trucks were backed up for over 5 kilometers going north. At least they were all in one lane. Three years ago they took up both lanes and the cars had to go through the center dirt.
The road is very good. Signage is good. The curves are really well marked, especially the sharp one, both with rumble strips and white lines.
The topes are still everywhere, especially at the little towns or where people are apt to be crossing the highway. And the “sellers” (fruit, nuts, drinks) and “collectors” (for the hospitals) are in force at the topes. While you slow way down they make their pitches.
Saw the usual assortment of horses, cows, cowboys, and goats along the side of the road. One cowboy was herding his cows from his bicycle. (missed that picture.)

The first part of the trip is pretty lots of trees, then just desolate desert then into the areas with the saguaro and pipe organ cactus. I love them. So majestic looking.
Through the city of Hermosillo – Gypsy and I had a little discussion there – I finally just shut her off – fixed her! When I turned her back on she had had an attitude adjustment and agreed with me on the right route.
A lot of the road construction that was going on last year is finished and made the trip much nicer.
So here we are on the beginning of our winter journey.
Before I forget – both the TV and the Internet are working great. Bless them. Speaking of bless them. The little white church on the hill was all lit up tonight. So pretty. Wonder if they’ve built a parking lot up there yet?