50 years ago my Brother-in-law and his wife Cecil and Faye Byers purchased 7 acres 11 kms out of La Paz, BCS, Mexico. This Christmas the Byers' are gathering there to celebrate God's blessings over the last 50 years at Campestre Maranatha. This blog is of our drive to La Paz and our time there with the family.
Rick took the kids out for a ride. Brody ask if he could drive. When Rick stepped aside and said "sure", Brody wasn't quite sure what to do next. "Where should I go"? Rick said anywhere you want, you're the captain! That was all he needed. We were off for a good ride including into Balandra Bay. Marcia seems to really be enjoying her "dry" trip ashore!
It looks as if Glen was able to hire a "Mule" to get ashore!
The day after Christmas Rod's, Glen's, Jeff's, Dustin's went to Playa Tecolote for a second day at the beach. Rick had taken Rod's, Dustin's and Jeff earlier in the morning in the boat from La Paz to an island off of Isla Espiritu Santo to swim with the sea lions. They say that that was quite an experience. Those bulls can get very big! But only the young sea lions would swim up close. They swim directly towards you and then turn at the last moment!
This looks like a "native" greeting party as the sea lion swimmers join us on the beach at El Tecolote.
This of course is the end result of a real good connection with the piñata. The candy disappeared very quickly but the peanuts seemed to just stay on the ground!
Dustin gave several violent wacks at the piñata. Great form but not good enough connection!
Jose is giving Glen last minute piñata instructions before he turns him loose! Glen used a unique approach. He gave the piñata strong upper cuts!
Piñatas are something we have experienced several times on this trip. Our three grandchildren got the opportunity several times to wack at the piñata. But as you see here, I think that Rick is having more fun with the piñata than any of the kids!
Tonia and husband Omar. Tonia is Faye's grand daughter. Tonia and her husband have established a business here in Baja Sur called Cafe Exquisito. You can visit her website at http://www.cafe-exquisito.com/ There is one located right here next to Campestre Maranatha which has been very handy!
My Sister-in-law Faye and her husband H D Swartzendruber from Harrisonburg, Virginia. Faye has written a book titled His Treasures in Earthen Vessels documenting "Fifty Years of Sharing His Treasure in Mexico". You can see this book at http://maranathaministriesinmexico.org/
Here we met up with Ivan de la Peña at his palapa. He plans to build it in as a rustic cabin.
On Christmas day Jeff and I went on about a 25 mile ride which much of the ride was along the Bay of La Paz.
Dustin is trying to take me on the teeter totter so I recruited some help!
Got to get one of these pictures when you go into La Paz to the Mercado. I took Linda's brothers Rod and Glen and their wives Marcia and Lila as well as Dustin and Jessica. Notice the guy in the background getting a good laugh.
Getting into the Christmas spirit here in La Paz.
Dustin and Frankie under the Elephant tree.
Dustin exploring just before sunset.
Some of the beauty tonight towards sunset.
Putting the "pickup" to work again today. We unloaded the clothes that were brought down on this trip. The back seat was filled as well.
Doesn't feel too bad!!
The pool here at Campestre Maranatha needed painting. Time to refill the pool. About 10 truck loads of water will just about do it. Dustin thinks he is going swimming in it tomorrow! We will see how long.
Linda is talking with Ramon. He and his wife Gwen pastor Nueva Vida. We will be bringing the youth from Fairview Mennonite Church to Campestre Maranatha over spring break to pour the floor in their new church. They have been meeting in homes until they purchased this property.
Brother of Linda's Glen and his wife Lila from Salem, Oregon arrived into Cabo yesterday.
Dustin and Jessica arrived at the La Paz airport yesterday about 3 pm. Easy to go get them with the airport only 3 miles away! Linda's brother Rodney Byers and his wife Marcia came on the same plane. Great-niece Tonia made the flan for us tonight for dessert. Some of the best I ever had. She also serves it in her Exquisito Café.
Hosea with the stack of cots we brought added to the ones already in use.
Packing around the camp 28 cots that we had delivered to La Paz.
A man and his son who own a welding business here in Chemetla came out removed the steps and took them to their shop. They brought them back in a few hours looking like this. Good job I think! No question, we will be checking the steps every time on the way home to see if they have retracted!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Driving near Catavina and the Granite Boulder fields. This is also where you find the Cirios cactus.
We stopped along the road to explore the granite boulder fields and strange Cirios cactus near Catavina.
Jeff desert gazing.
The desert was so green as we drove through this time. There has been so much rain recently. This Cirios is full of leaves and blooming at the top.
Brody can't resist climbing on the granite boulders. Granite boulder and Cardon cactus.
Jeff doing his best Cirios imitation!
Cirios Cactus.
As you are driving in the middle of the Baja with desert all around you what a surprise it is to see a valley full of palm trees surrounding a lagoon. It seems so out of place and so beautiful at the same time. San Ignacio is one of my favorite places of the Baja.
In the village square is an old mission built in the late 1700's. Some of the wall construction has 4x4 foot stones.
The old mission from the late 1700's in San Ignacio. Front doorway to the old mission. Click on this link to see really great pictures of this place. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=43174 Side door to the old church in San Ignacio.
Brody is climbing the steps on the side of the old mission. They turn the corner and go about again as far as the first section. You can see that sometime along the way someone added width to the stairs. "You better stop Brody"! I think that Madalyn is praying for Brody out there on those steps!
In the middle of the Baja, clear out in nowhere is a wide spot in the road called Catavina. I had read on a website called bajanomad.com that there is an ex-pat American who hangs out there and panhandles. When cars slow down at that place he is known to approach and ask "got a peso"? So he has been nicknamed "Gottapeso". He is also known to be very dilusional. Sure enough, as we approached, there he was sitting along the side of the road with his belongings. Knowing that we would most likley be seeing him we had packed clothes, candy and other things for him as a Christmas gift.
His dilusions are as such: "I invented the Duncan yoyo, Frisbee, Hulahoop. I wrote most of Elvis's songs. John Lennon ask me to write the songs for the Beatles. I was the little boy in the original Tarzan movies. That house in Brazil that is in the movie "Scar Face" is my house. I put a battery in a watch and invented electric watches etc., etc., and on and on and on. Here I am walking away from him as he is telling me that all his money is in a trust in Switzerland and he is waiting for it to come in! He just kept on talking. If you are ever through Catavina, watch for "Gottapeso"!
Madalyn and her pal ready for the second night sleep in the Baja. We spent the night just past Mulege on the Sea of Cortez.
Here we are at Rogers place in Coyote Bay. I met him through a website called bajanomad.com. The reason we stopped at his house this time was that he had posted on the website that he had a craving for Rice Krispie bars and the only kind of Rice Krispies he could get in Mulege was the chocolate kind. So he put a plea out for anyone coming down the Baja to bring him Rice Krispies (regular) and marshmallows! So, since we were going to leave in two days.......we obliged!
Elijah being introduced to Roger and Debbie. They are from North Dakota but Roger has been coming to his house here near Mulege for decades. Roger is known as "Pompano on a website called bajanomad. He has posted some great blogs about different areas in the Baja. Click on one of them and see what I mean! http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=43174 This one is about one of our favorite spots in the Baja called San Ignacio.
Jeff and the boys loading into the kayak for some early morning kayaking on Coyote Bay.
The kids are enjoying some "out of motorhome" time. Looking for shells!
Roger and Katie launching one of the kayaks. The water is clear and quite warm.
Katie and Madalyn off for an early morning kayaking on Coyote Bay near Mulege, BCS.
Here Katie is standing just about where we want to build the house. La Paz is across the bay and the evenings are beautiful as the lights come on.
We drove three miles from the camp up to our property to watch the sunset. It sat soon after we arrived. When the sun sets it gets dark very quick here.
After getting our car running we headed back to El Centenario for some great food.
We have got the motorhome parked at Campestre Maranatha and will be living here until Jan. 1. I put a new battery in the car and it started right up! A roll of toilet paper in the trunk has been chewed up a bit by mice. I will be sure to leave a little present for the mice when we leave.
Finally some time alone for Jeff and Katie. All of the energy is drained out of the three kids and they are fast asleep.
After dealing with the car rental place for over an hour, Jeff and Katie are all loaded up with the kids and headed for San Jose del Cabo for four days. Will be back for Christmas. Will post again tomorrow!
