Golden Palace Hotel La Paz

So yeah, we found a beach access that mainly the fishermen and some locals use. Cars sitting under the trees, listening to music, starting up grills, etc. We let Tanka run free while we ventured into the water... and it was great! And scary! But really, not too bad. The benefit of starting here is we were able to wade gradually so I was able to adjust to breathing through tube without panicking that I couldn't touch. There was a lot of plant life and some ...

... walked some more, found a European<br>panaderia (bakery), Pan de Les, where we met 'Les' and picked up some great bread. After siesta, we enjoyed the yummy bread with<br>oil, wine &amp; cheese. And another<br>night of gin rummy! <br><br>no pics so here's a winner: my nephew graduation picture with 'grandma' (mom, to me). and another one of him pitching - he graduated salutatorian of his class and will be going to EBSU on a sports scholarship. :) Way to go, William!!<br><br><br>

... and really knew his dive sites. He was also a very good diver and very attentive to those who needed anything at all. The ladies in our group also did not find him difficult to look at. This was probably a slightly different group for him in that we had two instructors, three divemasters, one divemaster nearing completion of training, three rescue divers and only two somewhat new divers. I think that probably made it kinda easy for him ...

... which is what caused it to begin sinking. The crew had hoped to get it to shore but it sank not very far away. Swanne Rock is a reef covered with life that lies in only about 20 feet of water. We never even got deeper than 25 feet on this one. The site was covered in corals, both hard and soft, and had tons of fish. This was the first site where I saw a brain coral. At one point, I caught sight of a spotted eel out in the open and began watching ...

... the stories they could tell. Another staple in Ensenada is Hussong's Cantina which has been around since 1892 and is the oldest bar in the Californias. We stopped in for a couple of cervecas. Since two cruise ships had docked that morning, the place was pumpin'. There was a mariachi band for entertainment and they served all customers a bowl of peanuts (the shells of which were simply thrown to the floor ...

... s blowhole and the noise that is created is the cries of the whale. Fact or fiction?...you decide. La Bufadora is now a frequented destination of many travelers. We made it there during the week when the crowds were low. The weekends can get pretty crazy. There is a beautiful wooden arch marking the entry to La Bufadora which is a long cobble-stone walk that meanders past numerous market-style tents. Vendors are peddling ...

... the Volunteer Fire departemnt bake sale back home. The Lord had spoken....the rest is history- the boy "Lucas" who ran up to greet us is the grandson of Lucas the founder of Rancho Sordo Mudo. His dad is now the director of the school where there are currently 31 students ages 6-18. This is the abbreviated version but suffice to say we are more than happy we stopped here and definitely received more than we gave... thanks for lookin'

... husk and steam it for two hours. Devine. My FAVOURITE Mexican food. I also learned that the Mexicans eat dried meat - similar to biltong and make Mochaka. Fine biltong strips with onion, tomato and chilli. Use this as a tortilla filling. Well Maria entertained me to no end. We spend two days cooking in the kitchen ( typically Morgan ) and learning Spanish. To Maria and Patricia at El Sauzel, Thank you so much for all my Spanish and Cooking lessons.

... to the rest of those. Later with some friends, I went up to the front of the boat on the top deck, while we were cruising and messed around in the wind. That was a really cool experience and we took way to many pictures! Finally after dinner we listened to talks by a bunch of important people which combined with the rocking of the boat pretty much put me to sleep. Then we had hall meetings and finally sleep! Soo tired!!!

... some outdoor shower and toilet buildings made of wood. A nice garden of flowers and cacti has been planted in between and this area is used as a playground by a frisky dog that still thinks it's a puppy and a giant grey cat that must weigh about fifteen kilos. There is a kitchen and lounge area in one building and the other is a set of dormitories. We were put in a four bed dorm on our own but later that evening a pale-faced American woman turned up and moved in as well. As soon as she ...