baja visitor

Here's a photo montage of the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) during a quick trip across the border to the small town of Tecate , Baja California. The photos were taken at the Tecate Municipal Cemetery (panteon). You can read more about Day of the Dead at www.mexonline.com/dayofthedead.htm . Sempasuchil (marigolds) are official flower of Dias de los Muertos Dirt grave decorated with Marigolds Graves are cleaned and decorated throughout the cemetery Playing the deceased favorite songs Musicians for hire Father and son decorating a grave Locals dressed in tradition calaveras costumes Freshly painted gravesite Vendors selling food and flowers at cemetery entrance

SCORE’s Sal Fish—legend that ignites the glorious legacy of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race Sal Fish, the man with the driving passion, the effervescent optimism and the voracious vision to oversee the illustrious evolution of the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, sees desert racing as more than a sport. Ever the visionary, the most recognized person of all in the sport, views it as a way of life and has always applied the “greater good” philosophy to every aspect of SCORE International’s role in desert racing.      Fish, SCORE’s CEO/President since soon after the organization was founded in 1973, has lent a helping hand to environmental projects like the Greening of Baja and Tread Lightly. He has expedited and secured donation of ATV’s, full-size off-road vehicles and ambulances to various Mexican agencies, distributed Christmas toys, computers and school equipment from generous racers to the ejidos, even helped a Mexican teenager reali...

We received the press release below from the Baja California Secretary of Tourism office (see http://www.discoverbajacalifornia.com ). Thought we should spread the word! Baja California Governor Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millán honored 15 American expatriates as part of a Foreign Resident Appreciation event on Sept. 27 (World Tourism Day) at the Autonomous University of Baja California. Governor Osuna awarded a select group of foreign residents for their exceptional contributions to the Baja California region at 10 a.m. in the Ruben Vizcaíno Valencia theatre, at the University Campus. The award recipients are a group of expatriates who for the past year have become positive ambassadors for the region, as members of the "Baja California Image Committee". Hugo Torres, who along with Juan Tintos Funcke, Baja California's Secretary of Tourism, heads the committee, said the group has joined state tourism authorities in promoting Baja California to Americans. Governor...

According to The International Community Foundation, who do wonderful work helping the people ad environment of Baja and Mexico, land around San Ignacio Lagoon will now be protected. Please read below. ICF Grantee, Pronatura Noroeste, Secures Long-Term Protection for Over 200,000 Acres of Coastal Lands in San Ignacio Lagoon Mexico's Commission for Natural & Protected Areas (CONANP) has recently announced the designation of an environmentally-focused, non-extractive concession - otherwise known as an UMA "Units for the Conservation, Management and Utilization of Wildlife" ( Unidades de Conservación, Manejo y Aprovechamiento de Vida Silvestre or UMAs) - to Ensenada-based Pronatura Noroeste, for the long-term protection and conservation of 184,000 acres of federally-owned coastal lands in Laguna San Ignacio, located in the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in Baja California Sur. The announcement was made in a press conference in Mexico City on August 23rd, ...

We decided to take a quick trip across the border to check out how world-famous Avenida Revolucion is doing with the decrease in tourism to Tijuana. I figured walking over late on a Sunday afternoon for dinner and shopping might afford us the shortest pedestrian line when we returned back across the border. I was surprised to see hundreds and hundreds of people attending not only a music/car show but also walking the famous street. Nothing like "pre-9/11" and "pre-drug cartel violence" Tijuana when thousands of tourists from the U.S. and the world would fill the street, clubs, and restaurants. But a vast improvement on my visit last summer when I felt like I walked into a post-apocalyptic war zone with grafitti, closed businesses a block long and fewer pedestrians. Very happy to see signs of life in the few shops, bars and restaurants that were open. Please enjoy some photos from the trip. If you need more information about Tijuana please see http://www.mexonlin...

OK, all you Baja aficionados and golfers out there, it's time to do a good deed for the children of Ensenada!  July 15th will be the 5th annual Golf4Ninos Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the children at the Agua Viva nursery. Agua Viva is a nonprofit organization offering free child care to preschool and kindergarten classes, public transport, and a nutritional program for children of parents with limited resources. The tournament and fiesta supports at least 35 children in this important program. The 5th annual Golf4Ninos Charity Golf Tournament will be held at the Baja Country Club. Your entry fee donation for the tournament includes golf, a fiesta, raffle tickets for great prizes, and even a chance at a $40,000 hole-in-one. But most importantly, the proceeds go to helping the children in this great program. Hopefully, you'll come down to Ensenada, have some fun, and make a difference. Children of Agua Viva Interested in playing, being a sponsor or simply at...

Walking the coastline of the Baja California peninsula in 100 days during the Spring/Summer might seem impossible, but that is exactly what John and Rachel Pack of the Baja Good Life Club are attempting to do. Leaving San Felipe, their quest began May 12 with the hope of reaching Cabo San Lucas and returning to Rosarito Beach by August 20th. The charities in Baja California inspired the Pack's to train for and complete this amazing feat. In an effort to help charities supporting children, animals and the environment through donations and awareness, they have made it easy to assist the charity of your choice through a direct donation or even participating by walking a mile alongside the Pack's in your Baja community. Simply go to their website ( http://bajagoodlife.com/baja-100-day-challenge/ ) to see how you can help and also to follow along virtually through their video and blog updates plus a daily tracker on a map to see how far they have progressed. We wish them luck...

Each year, my good friend Fernando puts together a toy drive for one of the poorer neighborhoods in Tijuana in honor of El Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day). I am including both a video (click on image) shot by Geoff Hill of BajaBound.com Insurance and the information Fernando sent out. It's not too late to help this worthy cause. 6th Annual Dia de Reyes Toy Drive, January 15th 2012 Yes, for 6 consecutive years now, thanks to all of you we will be delivering individualy wrapped gifts for over 350 children. This will happen on January 15 and of course you are all invited to join us for this unique experience of giving. As in years past, the children will have transportation provided to them courtesy of Mexicoach, they will have piñatas, tamales, frijoles, arroz, hot chocolate and Rosca de Reyes and a brand new toy. Once again the good people of BajaBound Insurance Services, Inc. have kindly offered to be a drop off location for gifts either hand delivered or shipped. The...