Copper Canyon September TripCopper Canyon Rail Fan Trip
Baja California

We want to convey to you the great feeling of happiness, which our Copper Canyon trip has left in our hearts. We started recommending you and this trip even before we got home.  Every time someone said: "Copper Canyon?  I always wanted to go there!" – we were off and running.

As to how we heard about you: Bill found you on the Internet, liked what he saw and liked it even better after he talked to you.  The small size of your groups appealed to us, so did the spirit of adventure and discovery that spoke to us from your descriptions, and not least the educational aspect.  We were not disappointed.  We found amiable traveling companions, plenty of adventure, breathtaking beauty and mind-stretching education.  Your verbal information was more than adequate, and with it you got across to us how you respected and loved these people.  We heard about their history but also about your personal experiences with them, which made it all very interesting and enjoyable.

Sandy, our naturalist, had a wealth of knowledge and showed boundless enthusiasm for her topics, from birds to dolphins to snakes to flowers and vegetables, which made her very convincing and fun to listen to.  The only time her zeal scared me was on that treacherous mountain road, when she screamed her head off on the bus.  While I am willing, if need be, to give my life for my husband and my children, I don't want to die for a snake.

All in all, we so thoroughly enjoyed this trip with all its different wonders and attractions that I find it hard to distinguish between the more and the lesser enjoyment.  When pinned down I would say that people made the difference.  Compared to the hotels Mirador and Posada Hidalgo, the Hotel Mision in Cerocahui was modest, but I felt welcomed and wrapped in warmth and friendliness.  I realize that most of that was because of you; these people genuinely like you and their hospitality extends to all around you.  Whatever the reason, I liked it.  I enjoyed meeting Sr. Isabella and her girls, also bringing up the gifts at mass on Sunday (and hearing your excellent synopsis of the sermon afterwards!) And Martin and Jesus playing guitar and sweating buckets under those heavy serapes, which they had donned to please us.  The meals, coming from a wood stove, were culinary delights.  I haven't made Doña Esperanza's quince desert yet, but will certainly in the near future.

Another high point was the picnic on the rim, between heaven and earth, with a beautiful valley spread out far below.  I still have to grin when I think about Marta, the cook, and her helper, who made the trip with us, proper in white uniform.  They provided chairs for us and grilled T-bone steaks and vegetables.  Wait till I tell that to those in my family who go tent camping!

A special joy was meeting the Tarahumara Indians, visiting their ranchos or home in a cave, hearing about their customs and religious ceremonies, watching the motionless women and their busy fingers weaving baskets.  I thank you for having taught us the Tarahumara handshake; I enjoyed being able to use it.  Somehow it gave a new dimension to our chance meeting and never failed to make them smile.  I especially loved meeting Raymundo, shy and talented carver of bowls.  Bill took a picture of me with him, but his face is shaded by his large hat and his features not too clear.  But I can still recognize him.

I also enjoyed the long walk to the waterfall; it was strenuous and tired my feet, but it was also exhilarating.

But I repeat what I said in the beginning: I wholeheartedly recommend this trip and if I have said anything quotable, you may quote me.

K.R., IL

The 2000 Rail Fan trip to Copper Canyon was a memorable tour. Though geared to rail fans, anyone would enjoy the train ride, the fabulous scenery, the Tarahumara Indian culture, interaction with the local people and learning about the region.

It was an illustrious group of 23 people bound together by the love of trains. One member of the tour had worked with railroads through the World Bank. Another was an inventor of equipment for the engines. Another was vice president of research for the North American Railway Association. Yet another was a geologist who had worked on many railroads in Latin America, and had ridden this very railroad 41 years before. These experienced men were a wonderful resource for our group, and enriched us all as they shared with us informally and formally their vast knowledge and experience. Sue Stilwell, our tour leader and owner of S & S Tours, had a personal interest in the railroad's history because her husband is the great-nephew of Arthur Stilwell, one of the founders of the Chihuahua al Pacífico Railroad. She talked to us of the challenge of completing this great railroad over a period of 90 years.

Day 1 – Our group gathered at the Clarion Hotel in Tucson for a buffet lunch, and then flew on to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, on the Sea of Cortez. Our Hotel Santa Anita in Los Mochis is the hub hotel for all the Copper Canyon trips, and its associate hotels in the Canyon offer the best available. As Santa Anita specializes in seafood, we had a scrumptious seafood dinner and orientation after our welcome margaritas.

Day 2 – Santa Anita served us one of the best breakfast buffets I have ever had, with typical dishes from all over the Republic of Mexico. Following breakfast, we walked to the sugar cane factory to see their 1920s steam engines. We were able to climb on them and to take pictures. Until recently, the sugar cane factory had its own railroad, Mexicano al Pacifico, with which they hauled the cane from the fields to the processing plant. Now they haul cane in wagons pulled by tractors. Brenda, one of the factory engineers, talked to us about the sugar process in Spanish, as Sue translated for us.

We returned to Santa Anita for lunch, and then boarded the hotel bus for the nearby charming colonial town of El Fuerte. We stayed in the Hotel Posada Hidalgo, another Balderrama Hotel in the same chain as Santa Anita. This hacienda-hotel was the home of a former mayor of El Fuerte. Don Rafael Almada had built the hacienda to be the finest home in El Fuerte in the early 1900s. It was laid out on three levels with tropical gardens on each level, truly a lovely place to stay. The colorful outdoor dining room added to its quaint atmosphere. Sue took us on an historic stroll around the picturesque plaza and gave us a glimpse into the importance of this old town first founded as a fort to protect the settlers in 1560. It still has cobblestone streets. At one time it was the capital of the territory, which extended as far north as Arizona’s Grand Canyon. Dinner was the best freshwater Black Bass I have ever tasted, accompanied by tortilla soup, rice, vegetables, and Mexican flan.

Today was a highlight of the trip. The scenery was spectacular as we went from 400 feet above sea level to 7000 feet elevation, through the most scenic part of the train route. We crossed the longest bridge, the highest bridge, and passed through the longest tunnel on the railroad. We rode the three-tiered track at Temoris and experienced the rare engineering feat of doing a 180-degree turn on the train inside the mountain.

Sue had arranged for special permission ahead of time with Ferromex (the new private rail franchise who took over this railroad from the Mexican government in 1998) for us all to ride in the cab on the engine. What a treat of a lifetime for many of us! We were able to ask questions of the engineers and talk with them through Sue as the translator. Riding in the cab definitely gives you the best view on the train. The fact that Sue personally knows all the train personnel gave an added flavor to our trip. They were very helpful to us and took good care of us.

We had a tasty lunch of club sandwiches and salad in the newly decorated dining room on the train. Shortly after lunch we arrived at Hotel Mirador, perched on the rim of the Copper Canyon. Each of our rooms had its own balcony overlooking the canyon. This Balderrama hotel was the most beautiful hotel on the trip, and we stayed two nights here. The good food was served family style, except for the breakfast buffet. The waiters were entertaining and wonderfully attentive. The lobby and bar had fabulous views and we could have happily stayed here a week. The waiters kept us laughing through their singing, dancing and comedy during happy hours.

Our first interaction with the Tarahumara Indians happened here. They are the most primitive Indian tribe in North America, and make their homes in caves and cliff overhangs throughout the canyon system. The women weave their pine needle and bear grass baskets on the hotel patio. They have retained most of their traditions from the early 1600s when the Jesuits first visited them and began to record their history.

Day 4 – Four of us, accompanied by a Tarahumara guide, hiked to the bottom of Wakajípare Canyon. We bought oranges and baskets from a local Tarahumara family at the rancho. I will always remember the simple but profound exchange with this family.

Day 5 – The Tarahumara men gave us a demonstration of their racing with the wooden balls, and the women showed us how they race with little woven rings and sticks. We formed cheerleading teams and yelled for our favorite runners. They also danced some ceremonial dances for us. We shared sewing supplies with the women and balloons and snacks with the Indian children.

We walked along the rim of the canyon to more viewpoints, and through the small village to the pre-school and the 2-room elementary school. There we shared school supplies that Sue had suggested we bring. We also visited an Indian cliff home and watched a violin being made.

A hearty lunch satisfied us and we climbed aboard the Chepe again for the ride to the lumber town of Creel. Our lodging was the cozy Best Western log cabins in the heart of this frontier town. Walking around town here, we had the opportunity to see Tarahumara Indian men who had come up from the bottom of the canyons in their traditional dress of loincloth and colorful blouses.

Day 6 – An early morning bus tour took us into the heart of Tarahumara Indian country. A visit to a mission center, a cave home, a women’s co-op and an Indian rancho gave us real insight into their culture. Sue has developed relationships for years with these Indians, and had even been asked to be a godmother to one of the little girls. As we have experienced the shyness of these Indians, we realize this is a great compliment to her sensitivity to them.

Late morning, en route to Chihuahua City, we bussed to Cuahtemoc and had lunch with a Mennonite family. They had personally made everything they served us – the meats, cheeses, breads and desserts.

We passed Mennonite orchards and fields as we continued on to Chihuahua City, the capital of the largest state in Mexico, of the same name. Our Hotel San Francisco was strategically located in the heart of downtown, and one could walk to the main plaza and the cathedral. Dinner was a delicious Chihuahua beef entrée. The piano music at happy hour added charm to the ambiance of the old-world style hotel.

Day 7 – What a fun day today! We had a savory buffet breakfast at the hotel, and then began a unique tour. Sue had worked hard to secure a privileged visit to GIMCO, the operations center for the Chepe Railroad. The warm Mexican engineers gave us an “insider’s” tour into the maintenance shops and the laboratory, and then put an engine on the turntable especially for our benefit. We were favorably impressed with their safety standards and quality control. GIMCO’s home office is in Paducah, KY. They have done a magnificent job of refurbishing all the engines, passenger cars, dining cars and lounge cars since the privatization of the railroad two years ago. The trains are like new trains now!

Pancho Villa’s home, the regional museum, the cathedral and revolutionary murals in the government palace were also on our city tour. We had a wonderfully typical Mexican lunch at El Rincon Mexicano Restaurant.

Our farewell dinner at La Calesa Restaurant included some very special guests – Chepe employees and spouses, some local residents who were good friends of Sue’s and the director of a newly created department by Ferromex – commercial relations – Sr. Enrique Dominquez and his lovely wife. Ferromex could not have chosen a better ambassador for tourism. Enrique was a very personable young man who spoke fluent English. He shared with us the future of the railroad and answered many questions. We were assured that Ferromex is committed to the Chepe for the long haul in spite of the fact that the passenger trains are not a profitable venture. Ferromex recognizes the world-class treasure that the Copper Canyon is and values its people resources and natural history resources.

Day 8 – We flew directly back to Tucson with lifelong memories of this little-known part of the world. It is not an exaggeration to say this train trip is perhaps the greatest in the world.

"Thar She Blows!" Baja, California Whale Watching Trip

1 February: Travel to La Paz
Dragging ourselves out of the house for this trip was extra difficult this time. We were excited about seeing whales in their natural habitat, and yet we were pulled by the anxiety of leaving Murphy with Mariah Kaboodle (our new kitty addition to the family). Once on the road our spirit of adventure picked up. At the Tucson airport we were able to meet up with our two fearless leaders, Sue and Sandy (of S & S Tours) and some of the others who would be traveling with us. Time passed quickly and our plane was only 15 minutes late leaving. We were to have a 3-hour lay over in Hermosillo. This turned out to be a 4-hour wait.

Sue and Sandy knew of a nice hotel in Hermosillo and the group voted without hesitation to take taxis to the Hotel San Angelo to partake of their buffet. This was so much better than waiting at the airport. The hotel was quite modern. The buffet was unbelievable. There were tables and tables of a variety of foods. It was difficult to make choices and all was very good. Afterwards we walked around to see the hotel grounds and their swimming pool.

We had a laugh when we asked for cabs. They sent over a VW Beetle and a regular car. We managed to pile our group into the cabs and went back to the airport. Here we were met with the news that we were to spend another hour until we could board our plane to La Paz.

My time went fairly quickly as two sweet Mexican girls of about 9 or 10 years old caught my eye. They immediately began giggling and walking by me numerous times until they got brave enough to stop and talk to me. They wanted to try out their English and had fun teaching me some Spanish. At one point their mother called to them, but they returned to me very soon after to continue their English lesson and I my Spanish lesson. They departed and we had more waiting.

Finally we met up with Todd and Karen who were aboard the plane we were taking to La Paz. They had to get off the plane and re-board because of customs. Jack and Marguerite also joined us at this point. Jack was to fly from Florida and meet us in Tucson, but because of a delay he had to try to arrange a flight to Hermosillo. He made it, but his luggage did not. Three days later it caught up to him. Jack was 80 years old and such a lot of fun. He was such a good traveler and a good sport. He was also a retired high school counselor and we had much in common. Marguerite was a professional photographer.

We finally made it to La Paz. Getting through customs was like playing roulette. When you got to customs, the custom official pressed a button for each person. If the light turned red you were stopped and your suitcase was searched. If it turned green you could just pass through. Our guess is that they want to make sure they are not accused of discrimination. We got a green light. Yeah!

Sue and Sandy picked up the rented vans and we were on our way. It was quite an adventure driving to the Hotel La Perle. There were detours and heavy nighttime traffic with which to contend. Since this was the very first tour group taking this particular trip, it met with some confusion, but we made it. We got to the hotel at about 10:30 p.m., got our assigned rooms and happily went to bed.

2 February: The Long Ride
We had a very restless night due to a very hard bed and a great deal of hotel and street noise. We were up early and decided to take a walk on the boardwalk along the ocean. It was a lovely morning and we didn’t realize how far we had walked. We had to do double time to get back to the hotel in time for breakfast. We were hungry and had an excellent breakfast. We got to try some of the local food. “Chiliquilla” was new to us. It consisted of eggs, tortilla, beans, cheese and spices baked in a dish. They also serve a wonderful drink called a “reductor” which consisted of Prickly Pear Juice, Grapefruit Juice and parsley, done in a blender. You could drink this at any time of the day and it was so good. There were many choices and the food was plentiful.

After breakfast we drove to a local museum, which was small, but quite nice. The museum depicted the history of man in the southern Baja region. Sue translated the guide’s narration. It was interesting and the rooms were airy and well lit.

We drove to a local market area and finally found parking spaces for both vans only to find that this was not the market that Sue and Sandy wanted us to see. Back in the vans and back to the hotel. It turns out that we could have actually walked to the market place. The market was an indoor market, which had many vendors selling local meats, fruits and veggies. They also had some vendors selling leather and clothing. Steve and I walked through and decided to leave the market and just walk the streets to look into store windows to see what the locals buy.

By this time it was time for lunch (as if we needed it). We were treated to a wonderful fish taco and great fresh fruit drinks. There were some vendors who set up outside the hotel. Steve and I decided to walk out there and take a peek. Steve bought a very colorful double hammock. He had been looking for one for quite awhile. His hammock is finally biting the dust after many years of use.

Went back to our room, grabbed our bags, piled into the vans and were on our way to San Carlos. This was over a 4-hour ride. We made many pit stops along the road. We got it down to a routine. It was the call of the wild: “Men this way, Women the other way”. Grab your toilet paper and turn in your used paper after you were finished. We had many laughs along the way. Cold drinks were always available which were kept in an ice chest in our van. This definitely helped to increase the need for the pit stops.

We also had a chance to observe birds and fauna. We saw Harris Hawks, Cara Cara and many Osprey and nests that they had made on telephone poles. The cacti were also different and interesting. There were many ironwood trees.

We finally made it to the Alcatraz Hotel at about 6:40 p.m. Our room was sparse, but adequate. It was a cold night and we ate out on the terrace, which was lovely, but nippy. Again, the food was nicely prepared.

After dinner we went for a walk to the Town Square. San Carlos certainly presented itself as a poor and remote village. The village dogs were absolutely wonderful. There were all kinds of breeds and they seemed to travel in packs. They were well fed and not dirty looking. I made three friends who really took to me. One was a very small black longhair Chihuahua, one a baby black and white Terrier and a big lunky white Setter-type dog. What a threesome they were. They all wanted petted at the same time. I was concerned that with all the attention I gave them they would follow me, but they stayed in their own territory. Everywhere we went on this trip there were so many dogs of all kinds just moseying about. None were mangy or skinny looking. The people obviously fed and knew them.

Back at the room we were introduced to Mexican toilet habits, especially in country areas. One did not put toilet paper in the toilets. You put your used paper in the wastebasket. This was difficult to get used to, but some people were already having problems with their commodes. We decided to follow the rule in spite of it being distasteful. We called it a night and slept well after our long ride.

3 February: Whales!
It was brisk at 8 in the morning. We again ate on the terrace, which was very attractive. Breakfast came in stages, but was well prepared. If you needed a quick wake up, the coffee would do it for you.

After eating we drove to Magdalena Bay and prepared for our whaling adventure. There were 3 Panga Boats. They looked like rowboats with motors and were made of fiberglass. They held approximately seven people each. We went out with a boatman named Miguel, but he preferred being called Michael. He said the other boatmen called him “Moby Dick”. He was such a warm and friendly man. We had sing-alongs and sang old Mexican songs with us doing the “la la las” and Michael singing the words.

On the way out to the bay entrance, we sadly viewed a dead whale. The sight of such a large mammal lying beached on a sand bar brought a hush to all in the boat. Michael thought it might be a young whale trying to get away from the motors and beached itself.

We began to see Seals in large groups sunning themselves on their backs with their flippers up. There were many Pelicans diving for fish and then THERE THEY WERE! The Great GRAY WHALES! We must have seen at least a dozen in all. Several came very close to the boat. They were so close you could see the barnacles on their backs. All this was so thrilling.

One whale came very close to our boat and stayed with us for quite a while. Michael had us calling to it, “Hola Baby,” to coax it closer. So we had our own whale called “Hola Baby”. It would go under the boat and then lay out at the side of the boat, but kept under about three feet of water. You could look through the water and see its entire length stretched out near the boat. We were hoping it would be a “friendly”. These are the whales that come along beside the boat and let you touch them, but “Hola Baby” was just too shy. None of these words can begin to describe seeing these great mammals. They are so graceful and lovely. When I saw my first one up close, I heard myself scream out, “Oh, thank you, Lord,” and that is just how I felt about the experience.

At lunch our boats headed inland and we had lunch on an island at a restaurant on the beach. Before lunch Sandy showed us how to handle a lobster. I hadn’t realized how many lovely colors they had. The tail is very dangerous and he kept snapping his razor-sharp tail plates at Sandy’s hand. Sandy said that if her hand had been caught in the tail it would have been torn to shreds. After seeing it fight so hard to live I did not order the lobster. Lunch was super. Steve and Karen had lobster and I had jumbo shrimp. Todd had a fried filet of fish. The tortilla was exceptionally fresh and good.

On the return trip we stopped at the sand dunes for a pit stop. While we were there we explored the dunes a little. Some of the group decided to have a contest to see who could jump off the dune and land the furthest away. They were all having a high old time jumping and landing. Steve was the big winner. I, meanwhile, decided to walk on the beach and enjoy the sight of the beautiful ocean.

Once again we were on our way back to San Carlos. We noticed that the water had receded around the dead whale. The tide was out and he was reachable on the sand bar. Sandy’s boat stopped and as we waited in our boat, Sandy and some of the others walked out to study the carcass of the whale. Sandy later told us that there was no sign of illness or injury. It remains a mystery as to what caused his death.

Meanwhile we spotted a Pelican with something red around his neck. We alerted Sandy’s boat. When Sandy returned from the whale, she waded back to the Pelican. She chased him and finally caught him. She got the red object off his neck and we all cheered. She later said it was a rubber glove around his neck. He was very thin, as he could not feed. Hopefully, he would now be able to fish and eat. I spotted another with red around his neck, but he was quite a distance down the beach and we couldn’t get to him. Sandy felt that someone might be deliberately doing this. This ended our day on a little bit of a sour note.

When we got back to the hotel, we rested a little while and decided to join Sandy on a drive to see some birds. We did see an Osprey nest with some baby heads poking out from it. We returned to the hotel and got ready for dinner, which was again served on the terrace. This evening we opted to go straight to our rooms and get packed and settled in for bed.

4 February: More Whales and Farewell to Michael
Up again for breakfast at 7 a.m. This time we ate indoors and it was much warmer. Again, a hearty breakfast was provided. The Mexican oatmeal called Avena is particularly good.

We (Pat, Judy and the two of us) headed straight for Michael’s boat. Todd and Karen wanted to be in Sandy’s boat, as we were to take a trip along the mangroves and Sandy was to identify birds. Later Todd and Karen joined us in our boat. The mangrove was lovely and we saw many waders (a variety of Herons). We then headed out to sea.

We didn’t see as many whales, but did get close enough to one whale as he was blowing water out his blowhole. We were close enough to get some of his water on us. This water in whaling circles is called “whale snot”. Believe it or not, we were thrilled to have it on us. We had such fun singing with Michael and he has such a lust for his job. He told me that in order to see a “friendly” one had to want it in your heart. We wanted it in our heart, but it was not to be this trip.

Just before coming in, Michael left the other boats and we saw one last whale within 10 to 20 feet of us. He was “spy hopping”. This was a thrill as we had a close-up look at his face. When they “spy hop” they put their entire face out of the water to look around. What a sweet face on such a large mammal.

Back at the Alcatraz Hotel a large and elegant lunch awaited us. Each table received a gigantic tray of lobster, crab and jumbo shrimp. The seafood was so good. You just can’t imagine how good this food is when you are lucky enough to be at its source and have it prepared so nicely.

Before leaving, Michael had such a nice surprise for those of us who were in his boat for these past two days. He came to the hotel with his wife and son. I did not get to see his wife, but he did introduce me to his son, Ernesto, who was about five years old. Michael brought us a wonderful collection of shells and let us pick out some to remember him by. I was very touched by this and it still brings a lump to my throat. On this trip we have found the Mexicans so warm and genuinely friendly.

Suddenly we were on our way to face our 4-hour drive back to La Paz. Our van was filled with lively conversation and it helped the trip go faster. We arrived back in La Paz and the La Perla Hotel in time for dinner. Just what we needed! Everyone was so filled. Since no one wanted a complete meal, Sue and Sandy were kind enough to arrange that we could just order what we wanted from the menu. Steve skipped supper altogether while I shared my order of Tostados with TWO other people. That is how big one order is.

Afterwards, we walked the boardwalk. The boardwalk is quite nice, and goes for quite a distance along the seashore. It is bustling with joggers and walkers. Again our room was on the noisy side. We were serenaded with loud music and happy laughing. This time we were smart enough to use our earplugs.

5 February: Frailes Bay
Another good breakfast at 7, and we were on the road again. The scenery and conversation are always interesting. The crew in our van was compatible and fun. We arrived at Cabo Pulmo at 12:30, and drove immediately to the restaurant where we would be eating our meals. Oh my! How do I describe Nancy and her wonderful restaurant? The restaurant boasts of an open kitchen and a Mexican motif. The furniture was rustic and the chairs and tables were of different Mexican designs. The ambiance was terrific. To add to this, there were happy, healthy cats of various ages bouncing about. Nancy was such an interesting person. She is about 70 years old, slender and small featured. She sported long, blond hair and was bird-like in her movements. Underneath this fragile look you could sense strength.

We had three meals a day at Nancy’s, and what meals they were. This was truly gourmet eating. In fact, Nancy was written up in Gourmet Magazine. Here she is in the middle of nowhere, and Gourmet Magazine found her. She is known for her fish Quesadilla and that is what she served for our very first lunch. I tried the Red Snapper Tortilla. It was very good, but three large ones were just too much. “Gourmet” said it was worth a trip from Cabo San Lucas (which was about 2 hours drive) just to eat at Nancy’s. They knew what they were talking about.

Everyone was interested in a picture she had on her wall with Michael Jordan and another man. It turns out that Nancy knew the “other man”. He now lives in Cabo Pulmo, but had lived in Chicago. He had his picture taken with Jordan and thought Nancy might like it for her restaurant.

After lunch we were dropped off at our room assignments. We had such a nice surprise. I thought when they said we would be staying in people’s houses that they meant we would be staying with families in a B&B. would you believe we all had our own house to stay in! There is an American Compound and the Americans rent out their homes seasonally. The home that we were assigned was a two-story home. We shared the downstairs with Todd and Karen. We each had our own bedroom and shared a bath. The upstairs had a separate entrance, which another couple from our group occupied. The home was quite nice and the grounds were large, well kept and beautiful. They also had a shower room on the grounds outside. Two hammocks were provided. There were several sheltered terraces.

I was amazed at the clever uses of palm plants. There was a fence built from palm leaves. The frame was typical of a fence, but then the palm leaves were nailed at different levels and overlapped each other. The kitchen cabinet fronts had the stripped stem of the palm cut and nailed in to the cabinet front to make a pattern. It probably wasn’t practical for cleaning the cabinets, but it was very attractive. Of course they used palm to form the roofs of the outside terraces. The gardens had many interesting flowers. What a pleasant place to stay. They were still cleaning the house and so we remained outside for a short while. I toured the garden and then rested a bit in one of the hammocks.

After resting that afternoon, would you believe that we then got ready to eat AGAIN! Dinner consisted of an elegant asparagus soup, shrimp, red snapper, fish fillets, three veggies, homemade bread and pineapple pie for dessert. However, the best part of the meal was Goldilocks, a very sweet light gold colored cat who “smoozled” everyone. She took turns sitting on laps. We got into big trouble because I was feeding her fish out of a large clamshell that I had found on the table. Nancy caught me and was very upset, as she did not want Goldilocks to learn to beg. I had to agree with her and promised I would not do it again. (By the way, Goldilocks never joined me for another meal. She seemed to sense that I was a troublemaker.) Nancy’s cats are well taken care of. Mommy cats seem to know this is a safe place to have a litter. Nancy’s back entrance has a “No Dogs Allowed” sign.

When we entered the restaurant for the evening meal, it was a lovely sight indeed. The fire was going in the fireplace and there was candlelight on all the tables. It was so cozy. Going back to the room was reminiscent of scout camp. We had to use flashlights to find our way back. The night was clear and there was a fantastic Milky Way overhead. What a glorious way to end an evening.

6 February: Meeting Pepe and Snorkeling on Frailes Bay
We had talked Sue and Sandy into a later 7:30 a.m. breakfast. After all the food we had been eating it was nice to have a light breakfast of fresh fruit and home-baked cinnamon rolls. After breakfast we met at Pepe’s “Dive Shop.” Pepe talked to us about the Cabo Pulmo Marine Park.

It is only through Pepe and a few loyal supporters that this beautiful marine area is being preserved. After much work they persuaded the Mexican government on how important the corals and the fish are to the environment. The government finally gave them the land, but would not fund it. All the work is done through private funding and much volunteer time. Pepe runs the diving and scuba shop. He is married to Nancy’s daughter. Those that wanted wetsuits could get one. They didn’t have one to fit me, so I just grabbed the jacket part of a suit. At least it would help keep part of me warm. We were warned that the water and air would be cool today.

Off we went in our Panga boats to Frailes Bay. This was my first time at snorkeling. I tried it once in our swimming pool to get an idea of what breathing would be like. I have never tried it in the ocean, nor have I tried swimming with fins. I was happy to have the wetsuit jacket. It was COLD. I stayed in longer than I thought I would, as the fish were fascinating. There were many sea cucumbers, sea urchins and a multitude of small colorful fish. My favorite fish was the Parrot Fish. I tried using my fins. However, I am going to need a lot more practice. It was windy and the water was a bit choppy. We were fortunate that it was not so choppy that it kicked up sand. We had clear viewing.

We were offered the choice of taking a trip by boat to see the seals that hung around a large rock in the bay. Steve opted to stay and continue snorkeling and take some underwater photos. I wanted to see the seals, even though I have seen them many times before, up close and personal. You were permitted to jump off the side of the boat and swim with the seals. I would have really liked it, but I was still shivering from snorkeling. Only Todd and Chuck chose to go in with the seals. They said it was a fantastic experience to see them swimming under the water very close to you.

Back on shore we met up with the others. Steve was ready to pack up his snorkeling gear and go walking along the beach. In our exploration, we found a perfect skeleton of a very large blowfish, two small blowfish and a decomposed Moray Eel. His leathery skin and jaw, with vicious looking teeth, were still in good shape.

Soon it was time to take the boat back. We really were going at a fast speed and bouncing sprightly over the waves. We were soaking wet by the time we reached the shore. Steve and I walked back to the house to get out of our wet clothes. We got a quick rinse off and into dry clothes before we walked back to Nancy’s for lunch, which was once again outstanding. We had a salad with an exceptionally delicious dressing, and I ate my Guacamole for the first time. I have never liked it, as it was always so bland. Nancy’s was great. She said she seasoned it with onion, chili and other spices. We had the best veggie tortilla and the dessert was organically grown strawberries and bananas.

We waddled back to the house and rested in one of the hammocks. We used the rest of the afternoon to rest and pack up for our journey back tomorrow. We also managed to take another walk on the beach to investigate the tide pools. We fortunately had a chance to do this several times during our stay here.

We once again made the trek to Nancy’s for dinner. We indulged in fresh fish, shrimp and a side dish of yummy flavored pasta. Steve ordered the chocolate cake and I the flan. We got to taste both. Flashlight in hand, we made it back to the house and got ready to rest our tums and bods.

7 February: Todos Santos and La Paz
Nancy sent us off with a great breakfast of French Toast made with her homemade bread, scrambled eggs with veggies and seasoned home fried potatoes. Stuffed with these goodies we packed ourselves into the vans and headed for Todos Santos.

We drove through the seaside resorts of Cabo San Lucas. The resorts all looked large and luxurious. We arrived in Todos Santos in time for lunch at the Santa Fe Restaurant. My goodness! What a superb lunch. When we sat at the table, they immediately served small squares of a pizza bread and delicious Italian Bread. The salad was made with many special greens and a tasty dressing. The Seafood Pasta was the best Seafood Pasta since we had it in Sicily. I cleaned my plate. Steve and I both lamented that it was not closer to Sierra Vista. Not only was the food excellent, but the restaurant was lovely and had a beautiful patio garden area.

After this gourmet repast, we loosened our belts and walked around town. The town is quaint and is home to the famous “Hotel California” of song. The hotel is now condemned and is for sale. They were having a special art show in the hotel. There were some interesting works, but none that called to us. We looked in the shops. Some had very nice art objects.

About 3 p.m. we loaded the vans. We were once again on our way back to La Paz and the Hotel Perla. Bless Sue. She got all of us rooms with an ocean view and on the quieter side. We rested a bit and then took a walk and returned for dinner at 7:30. Steve once again just skipped the meal. I had some garlic soup. We both, of course, could not skip the birthday cake that Sue and Sandy had for Millie. Millie seemed so surprised. The cake was delicious and a good time was had by all. We went to our room to finish packing and to rest for the trip back home.

8 February: Home Is Where the Heart Is
Breakfast was at 6:30 a.m. Bless the hotel staff. They were willing to come in an hour earlier and fix us a hearty meal. You would not believe the amount of food they gave us. We each had a large fruit plate brought to us. Then they also served a huge bowl of oatmeal and juice. It was all too much. We have been treated so nicely along the way.

We left for the airport an hour later. The rest of the day was spent waiting for planes. Our longest wait was again the 3-hour wait in Hermosillo. Because by this time we all knew each other, the time went surprisingly fast. We visited and walked around the airport and finally boarded the plane for our flight to Tucson. We arrived at Tucson around 2 p.m. We got through customs quickly. There was not a red or green light in sight!

It was only a few minutes wait for our shuttle bus. We were in “the Swaimer” (our van) before you could whistle Dixie. Millie rode home with us as she also lived in Sierra Vista. The Tucson crowd decided to go out to dinner in Tucson with Sue and Sandy. Millie was anxious to get home to her dog, and we were anxious to get home to our girls. All was well when we arrived. However, there was a note from Marilyn about our alarm going off. When we contacted Marilyn she told on the girls. The alarm went off and she got a call from the police. They arrived before she did, and when she approached them they said they had been looking in the window and saw Murphy and Mariah Kaboodle having a high old time chasing each other. They had set off the alarm in the hallway. One of the policemen said, “I’ll just bet it was the fat one.” This referred to our lovely Murphy. Marilyn said the bedroom chair was all askew. Guess we didn’t have to worry about them getting along.

It was so good getting home to the land of flushing toilet paper and our own home.

L.W., AZ

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