My Baja Diary - 02/17/97-03/13/97

    2/18 - the bed is very narrow - it was so hot when I got up - I had turned the heat up and not down - it is fun to try to wash your hair in a pull down sink on a moving train. 
    Out at Toledo, OH for a breath of fresh air, it is so dry inside, 50 degrees outside - very flat land. 
    More questions from unknowns - how do I get the compartment door open - which side is Lake Erie on? Well, since you are facing west it must be on the right (this from a school teacher). 
    Wonder if I get to sit in the first class lounge in Chicago? Radio on, lots of duck on ponds outside, tracks in snow - hope I get a good sleep tonight - gorgeous old houses. 
    Waterloo, Indiana - mostly brick, tall windows - it is so luxurious to sit back, feet up, cranberry juice, opera on the radio - watching the world going by. 
    The porter says the state tree of Wyoming is the telephone pole - it is so nice to be on the other side of the train window - arrive Chicago on time - five hours here - can go to Metropolitan Lounge since I'm in a sleeper car - lounge has big soft chairs, TV, computers, soda, etc. - also a place for luggage. 
    Out of the hustle and bustle - "Southwest Chief" left right on time - three time zones on whole trip - they make long days going west - Indian guide on tomorrow - fish dinner tonight - excellent - a wonderful menu on this train - nice people at my table - one couple have a Mom and Pop restaurant in Illinois and also a large apple orchard - Marlon Brando eats there a lot. 

    2/19 - great sleep and up early to shower and later breakfast - stopped at a town and stepped out for a minute and the clear fresh air was good - asked the Amtrak man on the platform where we were and he said "Hutchinson, ma'am, Hutchinson, KANSAS". Lots of antelope, long horned cattle and tumbleweed - Kittie Meeker had a huge tumbleweed from Texas - lots of old style windmills - colorful houses - some snow - why are the telephone poles so short? And what is growing near the tracks that looks like potatoes? 

    2/20 - we are twenty minutes late getting into LA - saw the famous ditches used in lots of movies and chase scenes - asked the porter the easiest way to get to LAX - he said a bus is cheapest - found the bus OK - someone asked me if it was the bus to such and such - and here I've never been to California in my life. 
    Shuttle to AeroCalifornia to check in and then shuttle to Holiday Inn - well, they didn't have my reservation, so I made one and they gave me a really nice room on the 11th floor overlooking the city and hills and the Hollywood sign - very windy (Santa Ana's) and 79 degrees out. Went to the pool (cold) but really nice - orange trees, flowers, etc. 

    2/21 - did laundry after breakfast at hotel - have fun watching the planes in and out of LAX - Alaska, Kiwi, Korea Air, Japan, Mexicana - I was the only one in the pool yesterday although others were tanning - should be hot today. 
    Very helpful guides at all the RR stations and airport - love sitting in the lounge car on the train - upper level - all windows - waited for Barbara but no call - finally called her - she called another Holiday Inn that once had the same number of the one I was at - she came over and we went out to lunch - to Venice Beach, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Canals, we both talked non-stop even though we hadn't seen each other in 5/6 years. 
    We drove all around - it is quite a tacky town - we thought we would "get tacky" for once in our lives, so we went to find OJ's house - got to Rockingham OK but when we got closer, there were jersey barriers so we could go no further - then on to Bundy to find Nicole's condo - no luck - then on to Sunset Blvd., Hollywood and Vine, Mann's Chinese - we had a ball. 
    Back to the hotel by 8 PM - up to the room but the key will not fit - apparently they made the reservation for only one night so made one for tonight and got new key - they found out that my reservation had been sent to another Holiday Inn by mistake so a check is on the way to me for a refund. 

    2/22 - The last night on the train, a police dog was on for awhile since cocaine was found in a trash basket - repack, up at five to get to LAX - shuttle at 6 - check in, change some dollars to pesos, sit and wait - a nice looking couple next to me are from Lincolnshire, England - Barry and Jenny Reeves - he runs a pub - we start talking and they are also going on the "Don Jose" - we will share a cab when we get to La Paz - they have just been to Hawaii - once we get to Mexico we will stow our gear and then go have lunch. 
    We are the earliest arrivals - the others will not be here 'til late tonight - flight is just about 2 hours - I can't handle any more than that - breakfast is excellent on plane - coffee, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, tamales, refritos, corn muffins. 
    Saw the most handsome and gorgeous people in the lobby of hotel in LA - I finally figured out they were Argentinian - through immigration - easy - Barry picked up the wrong suitcase - taxi to dock and meet Lisa our guide - naturalist - seems really nice. 
    Boat is not ready yet as we are early - bags into cabin which I will share with one another even though it is a cabin for 4 - really nice - since I was first to pick my bunk and make it up - stow my gear - hot and dusty! 
    Lots of coke to drink - dinner at 9 tonight since the others will not be here 'til then - Barry & Jenny and I walk into town - so hot and so tired - we stop at a small café on the beach for some juice and to sit and relax - saw minor frigate birds, pelicans. 
    Everyone is here - good dinner - roommate in Jean from Wisconsin - everyone seems really nice - after dinner we walk over to Baja Ex. and try on our wet suits - what a hoot! Three of us in a small bathroom trying them on (and we only met a few hours ago) we had a good laugh. 

    2/23 - up early - coffee always ready - off we go - manta rays balleting, dolphin, sea lions, humpback whale - my dive partner will be David (from NJ) he seems like a nice person - we were the first ones in the water at Los Islotes and the last ones out - fantastic, gorgeous fish - California sea lions playful - one nipped me - loads of pix taken - tan on deck - eat - rest - dinner - what a super day. 

    2/24 - up at five - mantas flying and jumping - breakfast - so much food and so very good - first one to eat - then into pangas to shore - beachcomb - few shells, old coral - snorkel for an hour - great - sea urchins, starfish, pistol shrimp - WOW - their noise is unbelievable. 
    Back on board tanning and drying off - only ten o'clock - bugs in eyes, nose and mouth - the only bugs we will see - they like sea lion "tears" - lunch, tan - see some vultures - lots of dolphins jumping completely out of the water and bow riding - will be at Los Cabos tonight - we always anchor for the night. 
    Lots of humpback whales diving and making tremendous noise when they hit their 10' flippers on the water - sometimes you can hear them blow "whoosh" - dolphins and manta jumping completely out of the water and when the manta hit the water - splat - some whale are only 200' from us - they want me to give a talk on astronomy tonight (the naturalist, not the whales). 

    2/25 - brought too many tees, shorts, socks, and undies - noisy last night since we were in the harbor at Cabo San Lucas and it is big and busy - on the beach for an hour - no shells - just junk - here again for the night depending on the weather - too windy to go up the Pacific today - no one slept much last night because of all the noise. 

    2/26 - off we go at eight to see if we can head north - the beaches here are spectacular with much rock, lava, and heavenly green water - it got very rough - a few are sea sick - me, too - miss lunch and take a dramamine - sleep for a few hours and feel fine - sea is beautiful - spray over the bow - saw a gray whale. 
    Nancy and I will try to see the green flash tonight as we have a nice horizon to the west - did see the GREENFLASH! - a bit of dinner and to bed. 

    2/27 - apparently we turned around about eight last night as it was too rough - we will have to get to San Carlos another way - some are mad but what can you do? Can't break up the boat - I feel badly for Lisa - first time they have ever had to turn around - we will land at Los Frailes (The Friars) and a bus will come get us and take us to San Carlos. 
    Bus arrives with Walter at the wheel and we all get into our pangas (like a dory) to go ashore - there is a small fish camp here - Roberto has fixed us food for our bus trip - we watch fishermen cutting up a shark that they have caught - they (the fishermen) land their pangas in the most interesting way - go out about 300 feet, rev up the outboard, and charge in to shore a mile a minute, pulling up the motor at the last second and sliding 20' or so up on the shore above the tide line. 
    Dusty bus - blue curtains at the windows - all we need are some crates of chickens on the roof - got a seat to myself so I can stretch out a bit - the scenery is gorgeous - cacti - mesquite - stop for gas and see goats climbing up the sides of the hills. 
    Dirt road for awhile and then highway to La Paz and then to San Carlos - dinner on the way - chicken salad - orange juice with tequila - beautiful scenery - dead cows on road - shrines, etc. - sleep a bit and arrive San Carlos at 11:30 pm - sleep. 

    2/28 - up at 6:30 for breakfast (outdoors) and then off to whale watch in Magdalena Bay - I'm so tired - a nice room at our hotel in San Carlos (Hotel Alcatraz = gannet) no blankets or towels in my room - up at 7 and out on pangas by eight - I wonder where the Don Jose is - trying to get here or back in La Paz - we are surrounded by whales - gray mothers and babies mostly - back for a fantastic lunch at the hotel. 
    Off in a dusty cab on a dusty road in a very poor town to our pangas and out on the Bay again - we had a spy - hopper right next to our panga - WOW - and a big mama swam right under my panga - unbelievable - also some breaching - then off to a barrier island for an hour of exploration - only 5 of us - dunes, sand blowing and shifting - we each went our own way - lots of pen shells, bones - no tracks in the sand - like being on your own planet with the Pacific roaring in the distance. 
    Back by six to the hotel - hot shower - got rid of 10 tons of dust I think - dinner - crab, lobster, shrimp, potatoes, rice, salad, fish - then to bed - eat outside most of the time here - a party will be held out on the patio tonight - a mariachi band going full force - good sleep - must be up early to go out in the Bay again before we go back to La Paz for dinner and the night at Los Arcos Hotel - a lot of people on the boat have been to places like Africa and India. 

    3/1 - up early and off to our pangas - each panga has a pangera who steers the boat and gets us closer to the whales - we are not allowed to get closer than 300 feet - but, if a whale wants to see us, it can get as close as it wants. 
    Hope to go to the boca (mouth) of the bay today - it is very rough and getting worse - we are soaked by waves and whale spray - all we care about is keeping our cameras dry - back by noon, good lunch then back on the bus (Walter our driver again) to La Paz - 4 hour trip. 
    Nice rooms at Los Arcos - huge - bigger than my apartment - shower and change - will have dinner with everyone here since there is no farewell dinner as we had thought - outside pools here - will rest and swim tomorrow - in a few days Lisa and I meet the new group get back on the Don Jose (wherever it is). 
    Fantastic dinner here - breakfast - fresh pineapple, watermelon, juice, and coffee - only $3.50 - had to get up early since Jean had to get the cab early to the airport - I'm so glad I am staying - most are wishing they had stayed also - said adios to Nancy and George, Dave, Jean - will shop with Jane and Mickey today. 
    Los Arcos is a super hotel - fountains, flowers, even nasturtiums - I wonder where the Don Jose is - here or in San Carlos? 

    3/2 - Mickey and Jane and I went to a weavers and got some beautiful things - back to swim and rest - the water in the pool was 92 degrees but it felt good anyway - on the TV the sports are soccer, basketball and bull fighting - Mickey, Jane, Terry and Graham, and I will meet at 7 tonight to go out to dinner - we got our free margaritas (strong) can't even finish one - at the hotel bar and sit and watch the fishermen pulling in the nets and the sunset - then to find the restaurant - "Carlos y Charlies" - took awhile but we found it - super food - avocado with shrimp - we had a ball. 
    Back by 11 and sleep - the next day Jane taught us how to curtsey - she had a condolence card from the Queen Mum on the death of her race horse - also, she took care of C. S. Lewis' brother when he was in the hospital - he was a much worse alcoholic than the movie "Shadowlands" portrayed - no messages about tomorrow. 

    3/3 - up early and had coffee - finally went to breakfast about 7:30 - still had not heard when we were leaving - at 8 Lisa found me in the coffee shop - thank heavens I had packed last night - we were leaving in 15 minutes! - she put my breakfast in containers and off I went to get my "new" bag (bigger) with the porter Jose - gave him a tip since the bag was so heavy - seems like another good and interesting group - did not get a chance to say adios to the others. 
    Off we go to San Carlos - I cannot say anything about the previous seven hour bus trip or the hotel in San Carlos - everyone thinks the Don Jose is there and that it is where we got off the boat (ha, ha) people like my San Carlos tee - and where did I get it? Well, um, ah - and they didn't know we were going to stop in San Carlos, and - how long was it from Los Cabos to Magdalena Bay? - unfortunately, I had to play very forgetful and so did the crew and Lisa. 
    All the dogs around here are so sad looking - mangy, skinny - the receptionist at Los Arcos had a cut cat pin on so I showed here my pictures of my cats, Kiwi and Adela - she also has one long haired and one short haired cat - (18 pounds) she took me to her office to show me pictures of her cats. 
    My own cabin on the boat this time - I got to pick which I wanted - one on the top deck, behind the bridge, don't have to go outside to the head in the middle of the night. 
    No rain so far - hope I get to see the green flash again - lots of cow skulls in the desert - near La Paz on the bus each time - we have to pull over for the fruit inspectors - "citrus police" - Lisa held my breakfast fruit when they came on board to check out any fruit. 
    Before we could get on the Don Jose in San Carlos, we had to find the immigration inspector - he was at home having lunch when we pulled up outside his home - also customs - took awhile but no problems. 
    Luis told me it took 20 hours to get to Magdalena Bay - good to see the crew again - they are the best ever - Roberto the best chef ever - most accidents on the "highway" are caused by cows wandering on the road - also, there are no turnoffs for vehicles - only gullies on each side of the two-lane road. 
    The Don Jose stays in harbor while we go out for three hours of whale watching - mama gray and calf nearby for a very long time - baby nursing - so emotional - three or four breaches out aways - a fishing boat nearby unloading tons of tuna and one strange looking fish - grouper or dolphin?? - also a smaller looking for ? drugs? illegal catch? 
    Back for excellent dinner, slides show and bed by eight thirty - so nice to have a cabin to myself - I feel very snazzy - it's cozy and my bunk is right by the windows so they can be open all night and I can watch the stars - there are a lot more stars here (not really) - sort of have my own deck outside my cabin. 

    3/4 - up early to take pix and have Mexican coffee - Puerto Magdalena - volcanic - fishing village - colorful homes, school - out for three hours of whales - a mama and baby very close for an hour - hit flukes on water so we got soaked - the best kind of shower - lots of blows also so we go wetter with "whale boogers".
    Back for lunch - so much food and so very good - did a little laundry - out again but very rough so we could not be out for too long - our pangero - Juan Manuel whistled up a gray calf for me to touch!! Finally - I got soaked up to my armpit with icy water - the whale felt like satin over thick foam rubber - what a thrill - gave Juan a "high five".
    The "fuzzies" on the wires in Ciudad Constitucion are bromeliads - finally realized that jimson weed is not "gypsum week" after many, many years. 
    Back to Hotel Alcatraz for lunch - wonderful salad - macaroni - mayo, corn niblets, pineapple slices - delicious. 

    3/5 - up early, do not want to miss anything - coffee, breakfast - will stay on board this morning while the rest search for whales - after all, I've been out a lot! - very foggy out but pretty - we are anchored near Puerto Magdalena - sun starts out about eight - all my dry clothes are wet from the fog. 
    All went out on the pangas but me and the crew - I enjoyed some time to myself on deck - resting and tanning - saw thousands of cormorants feeding - the town is so pretty - would love to go ashore and explore it - did some sketching - the buildings are chartreuse, sky blue, turquoise, sun yellow, lavender - some of their pangas are the same as the dark yellow on the church, and some are the sky blue. 
    There are nets and traps on shore - lobster traps? - a small graveyard south of town - the mountains are a soft gray/green - it will be about a twenty hour run to Los Cabos - should be a lot easier than the last time. 
    A small boat came up while I was resting and the man had his little (6/7) year old boy with him and a bunch of lobsters - they had trapped them and wanted to sell them to us - after much conversation and mucho Coca-Cola, we bought them ALL for about $40 - they used a scale to weigh them that is exactly like a scale I have that Daddy had - I gave the boy two lollypops - he was quite shy but smiled when he saw the candy - got a few pictures of him - another boat came out from the village, this time with fish for sale - we did not get any tho. 
    They are back from a not very good whale watch - I enjoyed my time alone with the sunshine and my Coca-Cola - lunch and then off to a small barrier island of mangroves, herons, lizards, and millions of shells in piles - the Pacific roaring in the distance - found some excellent shells - when you wade in the shallows - you do the "sting ray shuffle" so that you scare them away and not get stung. 
    Wish I could be like Melville, Coleridge or Maesfield - saw tube worms - the pangas were late to pick us up as the Don Jose had engine trouble - had dinner and watched "Twister" - a really dumb movie and I kept watching in the hopes it would get better but it never did - Smooth seas - good sleep - the "pacific Pacific".

    3/6 - excellent breakfast - will look for Comet Hale-Bopp tomorrow early - a very relaxing day as we head to Los Cabos - went through the harbor and kept going - thank heavens - anchored at Los Frailes - when we anchored I said to Lisa "I see Walter with the bus, waiting for us!" she believed me, in fact turned around to look. 
    On deck with Emily and Lesley - shall I go get my camera, notebook or binoculars - decisions, decisions - saw a red-billed tropic bird - beautiful - more humpback whales - dinner and bed. 

    3/7 - up early to see Hale-Bopp - you can't miss it - seems to take up at least 1/8th of the sky - lots of dolphin - panga to shore for a walk before it gets too hot - arroyo, cactus, spiders, mockingbird, verdan, salt flats, back to snorkel - blue and gold snappers, etc. 
    Back on board by ten - now north nine hours past La Paz for the night - today we will only stop for blue whales - lunch - nap. 
    Calm seas - no clouds - silty snorkeling at Los Frailes - also, strong current - smoked marlin for an afternoon snack with wonderful sauce and crackers - I would eat the whole tray full! 

    3/8 - anchored at Espiritu Santo last night - went around Los Islotes in the pangas - blue footed boobies, wonderful geology, snorkel for a while - as usual, first in and last out - do not seem to be as many sea lions this time - lots of interesting jellyfish - some with luminescent spots. 
    Will we have a farewell dinner on Sunday? - Lisa is super - can do magic - hit my ankle last night and now it is hugely swollen - does not hurt though - Lesley and I swim back to the Don Jose after snorkeling - I was doing the backstroke and those in the panga were waving to me - apparently I hadn't checked where I was going and was heading out to sea - it felt super - thousands of manta heading north. 
    Lunch is chicken mole - excellent - chicken with chocolate sauce and spices - two pygmy sperm whale off port side - then a dozen or more blue whales - for at least four hours - exhausted! - so much excitement - used up a lot of film. 
    We will be at Half Moon Bay on Isla San Francisco tonight - fantastic - empty - no people or buildings - two fin whale spotted also - repack suitcase (not easy) and sleep.

    3/9 - up early, breakfast, panga to shore - walk over salt flats to another deserted beach - cacti, lizards - shells (got some really good ones) Pacific Portugese Man-O-War - much smaller than other kind - jellyfish - geology - back by ten - wicked hot - one blue whale for a few hours - everyone is tired and sad that we will soon be on shore and on the way home - it is all so very overwhelming. 
    200/500 bottlenose dolphin bow riding and surrounding us - black-throated sparrow - excellent farewell dinner tonight - 5 HUGE shrimp each (5"+) - Lisa has again come through for us - Roberto exceeded excellence with this meal. 

   3/10 - up early as some were leaving on the early plane to LAX - van came back for our (Lesley and me) luggage - we went into town and browsed and shopped and then met at Los Arcos and got the cab to Baja Ex. to get our bags - cab to airport, and left at 2 - nice flight even though I hate to fly - thru customs and immigration - no problems - eager to get home. 
    Called Amtrak and got a room for tonight instead of in five days - called the hotel in San Diego to let them know I would not be there - called Phyllis - cab to Union Station - not at all expensive - sign by the road "earthquake retrofit" - freeways, civilization, noisy, people, hot - gross - a wait at Union Station - the station has been done over and is very attractive - very old - redone in mission style - next time will take pictures of it. 
    Will be good to get a shower on the train tonight - I must be filthy - today = walk, cab, walk, boat, plane, cab, train - my Mexican duffle bag is the easiest of all luggage to spot on the carousels at the airport. Train leaves on time - we gain an hour tonight. 

    3/11 - did not sleep too well - I think I am too tired - up early, shower - near Kingman, AZ at breakfast - in LAX while I was on the phone a very well dressed Japanese gentleman wanted to know where to get change for the phone (by sign language) he no English, me no Japanese - so I pointed to the change machines - then he came back to try to use the phones - no idea - so he wrote the number on a piece of paper and I dialed it for him - the line was busy - but he did not understand - so I drew stick figures trying to show him what was going on but he still did not understand - finally I showed him where the multi-lingual information booth was and he bowed to me and went there. 
    Nice and clear near Flagstaff - walked for a bit in the nice crisp air - snow on the mountains - the only panic on the Don Jose is when you run out of film in the middle of school of whales - sensory overload. 
    Announcement on the train - "this is --- in the dining car - the dining car is making it's last call for breakfast" - all sounding just like Manuel in "Fawlty Towers" - Hernan said as we see some orange "stuff" in the water -- "whale kaka" - one of the best things on this trip is to walk where there are no other footprints. 
    A really nice couple from FL, Arlene and Dave - dinner - flat-land - cows, buffalo, antelope, old windmills - New Mexico - the Southwest is beautiful. 

    3/12 - had a good sleep and breakfast in Kansas City, MO - the cities are so dirty and noisy - Missouri River quite high - hope I can get a hair cut in Chicago (no) - "Well, Toto, we're not in Kansas any more" - feels good with no makeup on - must keep it that way - am still thinking in pesos and Espanol - it's good for me. 
    Arrive Chicago on time and walk around the beautiful station - a little mouse was running around in between feet - I thought someone would step on it but luckily a boy picked it up and tucked it into his jacket - off we go to Boston - dinner, repack (again) and bed - a lot of Amish on the train again - so sweet and great sense of humor - nice quiet people at dinner last night - one from LA and a nice couple from Omaha - saw some old round houses. 

    3/13 - as the porter said "you don't have to fasten your seatbelts when we arrive" - if you face the rear of the train the fireman is on the right and the engineer on the left - figured out why people wear Depends - they go out in the panga for four hours after a lot of coffee - breakfast with a choir leader and a martial arts instructor - all so young - I stepped off the train at our one stop in Iowa yesterday - now I've been to Iowa - tomorrow laundry, etc. Will be so good to see Kiwi and Adela again. 
    I hope I can return to Baja next year - I will even forego Petra and Antarctica to go back to Baja - will my kitties be mad at me? Off train at 4:10 - red cap - on bus at 4:15 and 30 seconds later we are off to Cape Cod - and, now, the BEGINNING ---