So we fly back to Mexico on September 26, 2022. Well aware that we now have the entry visa to obtain the “Residencia Temporal”. This is exciting and we are happy to hold the identity card with our likeness in Spanish in our hands. As soon as we have the card, we are Mexicans – so on time – temporal stop.

Why do we want to become temporary Mexicans?

The short answer – because it simplifies a lot of things. Now that we also have the B1/B2 visa for the USA, we can travel forwards and backwards and get to know the cultures and customs of both countries very well. It’s one of the reasons why we went on a trip in 2018. To get to know other countries and cultures. Now we have a great opportunity to dive deeper into the two cultures.

The ride on the Baja ferry

We want to spend the winter in Baja California Sur – Baja for short (pronounced as bacha). And we are now in Mazatlan. Between us and the Baja is the Sea of Cortez. Driving around it would be too time-consuming. That would be about 3500 kilometers. Nope, that’s not for us. So hop on the ferry. The procedure is relatively simple. Go to the office and book two seats plus a camper. Costs around 18,000 pesos – that’s around 940 francs. Includes dinner and breakfast. If we had known about eating and sitting before, we would have done something else. The seats are sold as sleeper seats. Yes, the backrest can be tilted backwards and is basically quite comfortable. But – since this room is for all passengers, everyone is here too. And the 10 monitors synchronously broadcast the latest blockbusters. Mind you, directly through the speakers, so nothing with headphones. And noisy. Extremely loud. An AC/DC concert is likely to turn green with envy.

And then there’s dinner. Do you know the movies where prison inmates stand in line in the canteen with their tin trays and slowly come to the food counter? Yes, you know? Then you also remember that when the main actor is at the food counter, the assistant cook slaps the mash of what the food is supposed to be on the shelf with the ladle? Have you seen that too? Yes? We have now experienced this live and in color with the inclusion of the smell and taste buds. Bähhhhh… You don’t want to try that. The taste buds were numbed for a week – not even jalapenos (hot chili) could bring the tongue back to life. There are no photos – we want to spare you the sight. 🙂

The beaches of Baja California Sur

After 13 hours of sailing, you will land on the Baja and head straight for El Tecolote beach, north of the ferry port. We are slightly elevated right by the sea. Maybe 4.5 meters from the water. Saaaagenhaft. We are in paradise. And we’re going to enjoy it. And the enjoyment really begins when we finally meet the Brechs after years.

The Brechs – the funny travel foxes

We have been following the Brechs for a long time – virtually. They have already traveled half the world and show their experiences on their homepage. We met for the first time in 2016 or 2017 at the Adventure Southside. Short. A little chat. And now, in 2022, the two are on the Baja. We chat a little via whats’app and they give us their location. And we set off for these GPS coordinates. We drive close to the coordinates around the corner towards the beach and see the break. The Brech is a Bremach T-Rex, which has been faithfully serving them for years when traveling. And then we meet. It feels tremendously familiar. And this is also evident when traveling together. I don’t remember exactly. I would say we were together for about 3 weeks and laughed until our stomachs hurt. Yes, we have grown fond of both of them.

The Hotel California

Todos Santos is said to be home to the famous Hotel California, which is sung about in the song of the same name by The Eagles. Some voices say that this is not true because the original, which is sung about in the song, is supposed to be in Los Angeles. In addition, there are a bunch of other interpretations such as that this hotel is supposed to be a hippie sect or a community of Satanists. Even a closed psychiatric ward is interpreted as such. What the heck. The Hotel California in Todos Santos has taken advantage of the fact that the name is well marketed. Long live marketing.

Conclusion

The Baja is awesome for wintering. Free stand in most places, meet old and new travel acquaintances, good food, beautiful beaches, blue sea. Summer in the Baja is then rather the opposite. Temperatures reach up to 38 degrees in the months of July to September – in the shade. This can basically still be tolerated well if the humidity were not so high. 70 to 80% is the order of the day and this also applies to the nights. Mind you – the Baja is a desert. In winter, many Americans and Canadians come here to escape the cold. Also there are many villas of rich Americans and Canadians. The two cities in the far south, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo – called Los Cabos for short – are then also American strongholds. You can see that immediately in the architecture. Little USA is here.