Travels With Charlie & Marshall DylanMaravilloso, encantador, amable Puerto Penasco, Mexico!
Posted on February 25, 2016
Maravilloso, encantador, amable Puerto Penasco!
(Translation: Wonderful, delightful, friendly Puerto Penasco, Mexico!)
Un saludo a nuestros lectores dle blog! Esperamos que disfrute de esta ultima (#7) la publicacion de los viajes de este ano…
(Translation: Greetins to our blog readers! We hope you enjoy this last (#7) posting of this year’s travels.)
Wild dinosaurs still roam the desert near Gila Bend, Arizona. We were fortunate to find these fine species near the Shell Station as we were filling Das Boot with gas.
Entrance to the Play Bonita RV Resort in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. We spent 10 delightful days here and plan to return again, this time for a month, in February, 2017,
As you many have read in our last Blog installment, our travel plans changed whilst we were staying in Benson, Arizona. As it turns out, this may have been one of the VERY BEST travel adjustment we have ever made!
The first day of our arrival in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, Charlie bolted for the beach and sat there, howling in delight! It took about 5 days for his stitches (see last blog installment) to heal. He finally got to enjoy a few days running in the waves. Wahoo!
To make a long story short (well, sorta short), we ended up with this Winnebago-sponsored group of travelers on a caravan to Puerto Penasco, Mexico. We all (36 coaches of various sizes and shapes, almost all Winnebago) met in early February, in Gila Bend, Arizona, for a dinner and orientation. We met a lot of wonderful people there, many of whom, as the 10-day trip progressed, became some new and very good friends. (We learned once again not to rely on first impressions. Many of those changed as we got to know people better.)
Our site in the Play Bonita RV Resort was about 75 feet from the beach. There were 36 coaches in our group. All very cool folks.
Anyhow’s, we traveled as a well-healed ‘pack’ and all got across the border (Lukeville, AZ/Sonoyta, Mexico) with minimal hassles by the kind and friendly Mexican Border Guards. Another 65 miles south of the Border, we landed in our very nice, almost-beach-front site at the Playa Bonita RV Park, which is conveniently attached to a nice hotel and beach-front BAR (an important factor for about 95% of this crew.)
Our 2 most excellent trip leaders – Jerry and Sue, along with their neat aussie, Cooper. He and Charlie became best buds. Our 2 assistant leaders (not pictured) were Paul and Kathy. Also the very best!
Our professional hosts handled all the important marshalling details, border crossings, some meals and entertainment, RV Park arrangements, parking, etc. It was all a total piece of cake, thanks to all 4 of these fine folks. And if you have heard that Mexico is dangerous and not a good place to be, forget it. Our TOTAL experience was filled with friendly, helpful, smiling people. We felt welcome and respected. (And the drinks were cheap, too!) Better yet, Puerto Penasco – although only 65 miles south of the Border, FEELS like Mexico – border and almost-border towns like Tijuana, Ensenada, Tecate, etc. all pale by comparison.
Within 4 hours of our arrival, Dee Dee and I had already committed to return next February for a month…this place is THAT GOOD. We made a deposit and then headed for the bar. And once again, we beat all 65 of the others to Happy Hour. We always strive for excellence!
Dee Dee looking for sand dollars on the beach near Cholla Bay. A magnificent day to be out (but weren’t they all…?) Dee Dee scored several great finds.
The 10 days there found us with many beach walks (Charlie’s most favorite thing), a sunset cruise, sand-dollar picking about 10 miles up the beach at Cholla Bay, walking around the Malecon (Old Port) Plaza, shopping and bargaining with the locals – in the many shops off- and on-the beach, eating at several fine restaurants, playing golf at a magnificent Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course near the Mayan Palace development about 25 miles south of town, etc. Did I mention drinking? Pardon my exclusion…
One of the GREATEST discoveries we made in Mexico was Pacifico in CANS. Never have seen that before. Before we left, there were no more to be found…anywhere. Really.
This ‘tour’ was actually a non-tour. Our hosts got us there and got us back to the States safely and trouble-free. There were very few scheduled activities except for a daily Happy Hour and six SUPERB meals. Other than that, you did what you wanted, when you wanted to do it. Trips, tours etc. were done almost on-the-fly, and you could participate if you were interested. If you wanted to sit on the beach all day long and suck down Pacifico’s, you could.
Every day started, and most certainly ended, like this. Times like this are what stick and get you coming back…
We met some amazing, incredible, (generally) friendly folks. Many became fast future friends. Many were from the Mid-West; being the compassionate people we are, we forgave them for that – Republicans or not. (The ‘Bernie’ sticker on our RV was a point of much discussion.)
So, here we are back in California, on our way north to home in Silver Lake, Washington, wishing we were back in lovely Puerto Penasco. We will be counting the daze until next February 6, when we will be there again.
As usual, and assuming you even bothered to read the above (we have found most of our readers to be visual learners), following are some pics and captions.
Adios y mejores deseos, amigos!
Our first bar tab – 3 jumbo (double) margarita’s for 180 pesos…$12. No wonder we drink…
With our new and very good friends, Steve and Mona Liza. We had some great times with them…a couple of characters, just like us.
Some more good buddies we made – Randy and Karen – really fun people. We liked them, even though they like Ted Cruz. We all can’t be perfect…
Dee Dee doing her favorite thing in life – trying on hats. We bought a lot of stuff from local vendors on the beach in front of our campground. Everyone was soooo friendly, smiling all the time.
Portrait of all the ‘Hat People.’ So friendly, and so shy.
This is Matt and Gloria, from Edmonton, Alberta. Matt was a total hoot and so much fun to be around. Gloria was his antithesis, but clearly the one in charge. You always knew when Matt was in the area…believe me!
The cook at Cabo Taco, an excellent tacos-only place we found. No one spoke English and the menu’s were only in Spanish. Amazing fare, ‘really real,’ and inexpensive. This fellow was extremely shy and would not look up for the picture. A fine young man, indeed.
Entering a local place called ‘The Dirt Mall’ (because the road running through it used to be dirt.) Lots of really good shops here – mainly tourist stuff, but if you looked hard you could find some treasures.
Pots at the Dirt Mall.
Shop owner and employee at this very cool place we found at The Dirt Mall. Super friendly and we think they gave us a good deal…”For you, Senior, very cheap – almost free!”
An excellent woodworker we met on the beach in front of the Playa Bonita Bar. Extremely skilled (45 years a woodworker) and very shy. We bought this excellent carved ironwood pelican from him. We feel honored to own his work.
Whale spine detail at the Land And Sea Center a bit south of town. En excellent endeavor to sustain the local flora and fauna.
A species of fish on the endangered species list. Sorry, but I forgot the name. Found at The Land And Sea Center.
This is Roman, a cool guy we met at the ‘free’ parking lot near the Malecon. Roman was selling condos at the Mayan Palace, which is located about 25 miles south of town. A neat guy, low pressure and friendly. Cool dude.
Dee Dee and ‘Mr. Fish,’ who ran a fish stand on the Malecon. Extremely friendly – lots of people we met got stuff from him. We ended up with 6 pounds of jumbo shrimp and 3 pounds of scallops. All very fresh.
The harbor in Puerto Penasco requires constant dredging. This tailings pipe ran from the harbor, around a point and back about 500 feet above the high tide line. It was about 16 inches in diameter.
Extreme kite flying on (as you can see) and extreme weather day. On the beach in front of our camp site.
One morning we stopped for breakfast at the Rey Sol restaurant, on the way out to the Malecon. We always chat it up with waiters to find out their name and what they know about the area. Usually we encounter people with names like Jose, Roberto, Juan, Pablo, Jamie, Jesus, Estaban, etc. Meet Brian.
Dee Dee and the boat captain on the sunset cruise we took. (Seen one, seen them all…) Neat guy, crappy margaritas. No buzzzzz….
The t-shirt guy, on the beach in front of our camp site. We bought two. Got really good deal, “For you Senior, very cheap…almost free…”
Frog pots at The Dirt Mall.
The Mobile Guy, on the beach in front of our camp site.
This guy made some beautiful hand-painted snack tables. We bought one. (Hell, we ended up buying A LOT of stuff on the beach.) All of it ‘A very good deal. Very cheap…almost free…”
Late evening clouds and beach, in front of our camp site.
Our new friend, Steve, with his latest beach-purchase. Never buy anything when you have been drinking…
You guessed it…then men’s restroom in the Playa Bonita bar…
More new friends, Nick and Karen, from Morro Bay. Funny and fun.
My great golfing buddies when we all played the superb Jack Nicklaus course about 25 miles south of town – Terry, me, Doug and Dave…very cool guys.
More stuff found at The Dirt Mall.
Once we got back to Yuma, we met up with some long-time RV friends, Marilyn and Bev. We ALWAYS have such a fun time with these folks. We manage to cross paths every year, or so.
I just could not leave out the photograph of this GIANT pipe I discovered in the Shell gas station parking lot in Gila Bend. It just looked very cool.
And finally, what a way to end this Blog but with a ‘Moon Rise Over The Beach and Ocean, Puerto Penasco, Mexico.” El Solongo, mis amigos…
Charlie and Marshall Dylan
