Highway 1 in Baja - Road conditions

April 8, 2010
Brought to you by BajaInsider

Earthquake Affects Baja's Highway 1     

There were some limited bridge closures last weekend for 3 bridges in the Tijuana area for inspection following the 3:40PM 7.2m Earthquake near Mexicali. However, Mexico Highway 1 was not affected. As of last night the road was passable from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas with a few remaining detours for construction, most of which are now temporarily paved. The road is passable to all vehicales.
It is important to keep in mind the size of the Baja California peninsula. The quake only significantly affected the area near Mexicali and for the magnatude of the quake, only limited damage occured. Mexicali is about 650 miles north of La Paz for example, where the quake was not even noticed last weekend.

We will have a complete road report update early next week, as Insider Staff is driving the length of the peninsula.

March 7, 2010

TJ to Loreto                 


The road is without major obsticales and a very pleasant drive. There are still a couple of well defined detours around washouts from January rains, but nothing to sweat. Even cumbersome RV's were making the passage with ease.

There are two places in Baja California and one in Baja Sur where road surfacing has short distances reduced to one lane but delays are short.



March 8, 2010

Surface Streets in La Paz

With the unusual winter rains there are a significant number of potholes erupting in surface streets in La Paz. There are some particularly rough spots in the Abasolo between 5 Feb and CCC. An entire lane is reduced to dirt on the road back from Pichilinque to La Paz in front of La Concha Hotel. Keep to the left.

Entire lengths of surface streets are also being resurfaced with paving machines. The new surface is flawless. Watch for road closures on Colosio, Colima and Jalisco this week. Watch for speed traps next week, a common trick in both the US and Mexico when the smooth new roads keep drivers unaware of their speed.

Safe Travels,
Loretanamama...Live it at Casa de Playita

10 SIMPLE Packing Tips

10 Simple Packing Tips - from Travelmaestro


April 9, 2010

He who would travel happily must travel light.
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Packing for a trip can be stressful. Use these 10 simple packing tips to take control of your luggage so you will be free to enjoy the fun of your trip.

1) Color your world – but only with two or three coordinating colors. Take two tops for every one bottom and mix and match to create “new” outfits. Pack light weight, quick-dry Use scarves and jewelry to accessorize and 5-7 pieces can last you two weeks easily, just be sure to wash as needed!

2) Pack it in plastic bags – Pack everything in 2 gallon zip lock bags. You (or TSA) can dump your bag and repack in a flash. Put coordinates and accessories together and each bag holds a complete outfit (or three) that you can see at a glance.

3) Leave the wrinkles at home – Lay folded shirts on top of pants or skirt then fold pants in thirds around the shirts. Leave a little air in the bag to eliminate creases. Or roll everything and press every bit of air out of the bags. I like to fold, but my master backpacker friends insist that rolling is the best way.

4) Use space efficiently – Put fragile items like Roll socks and stuff into shoes, then match shoes against each other. Fill corners and crevices with socks, underwear, and swimsuits. Try to take only two pairs of shoes, one for walking and a sandal for dress. This is the hardest part for shoe lovers, but you’ll be glad to have the extra room and less weight.

5) Wear your coat – If you need cold weather gear, just wear your coat and keep scarf and gloves in the pockets to save space in your bag. If you need to pack a blazer, fold it in half lengthwise toward the back with shoulders together; fold both arms to the left, then turn the front right side inside-out and wrap around the left side and arms. Take care the collar isn’t crimped and fold in half horizontally with the lining side out. This will eliminate wrinkles, take up less space, and prevent any spots.

6) Size does matter – For toiletries, use travel sized shampoo and toothpaste and toss them all in one zip lock bag to prevent having sudsy socks upon arrival. You don’t need a 27 ounce bottle of conditioner for a weekend trip, no matter how frizzy your hair gets. Besides, if you carry on your bag, the TSA will confiscate anything that doesn’t meet the 3-1-1 guidelines.

7) Plan for shopping – If you think you will bring home souvenirs of your trip, don’t pack your bag to the brim before you leave home. Leave some space to bring back those collectible shot glasses and magnets. If you are a real shopaholic, pack a collapsible bag that can be filled and checked on the way home if necessary.

8) Security issues – Be sure to identify your bag with your name address and phone contact on the outside and especially inside. Use an external tag with a cover or put the information side down to prevent would-be burglars from identifying your empty address as a target while you are away. If you must use locks, be sure they are TSA approved or they will get cut off if your bag is chosen for inspection.

9) Identification – Personalize your bag by tying something identifiable to the handle so you can distinguish it from the other million identical bags on the carousel. Make a colorful yarn pompom or use a unique luggage tag.

10) The ultimate packing formula – Pack a good attitude, half the clothes you think you need, and twice the money!


Safe Travels,
Loretanamama...Live it at Casa De Playita

The Advantages of a "Vacation" Home Cooked Meal

A Vacation Home-Cooked Meal


The economic recession has hit a lot of people and businesses hard, and vacationing has become a much more financially cautions affair for a lot of us. If you are thinking about taking a vacation this year, but are afraid of over-spending, not to worry; there are a lot of things you can do to make your next vacation affordable and inexpensive. One of these is booking a hotel room or vacation rental that includes a kitchen for cooking your own meals, rather than eating out at restaurants every day. This trick not only saves you money, but it lets you experience the local culinary culture. Eating home cooked vacation meals makes it a lot easier to continue regulating your eating habits if you’re on a diet. Here’s a brief outline of just some of the benefits of vacation home cooked meals

1. Makes it Easy to Set up a Food Budget

Home-cooked vacation meals work only if you set up a food budget for each day of your vacation. Having a budget for your food items is a great advantage if your goal is to save money. When eating out at restaurants, people have a tendency to spend a lot more than they originally intended to. Having a documented food budget lets you keep track of your expenditures and avoid excessive or impulse food purchases.

2. Don’t Pay for Expensive Restaurant/Hotel Meals

If you are staying in a place with high tourist density, restaurant prices in destinations tend to be overpriced, and hotel restaurants are not much better. If you order food via room service, it’s even worse. By cooking your meals yourself, you can eat in the comfort of your room without having to pay extra. Have breakfast in bed whenever you want, and save some money while you’re at it.

3.Makes Sticking with Your Diet Easier

If you’re trying to stick to a strict diet, cooking your own meals while on vacation is a great way to do so. When you eat out at a restaurant, it can be much easier to stray. By shopping for ingredients on your own and cooking at your hotel or vacation home accommodations, you get to be fully in control of what you eat and what you don’t.

4.Experience the Local Market

Local Farmer's Market every Sunday in Loreto

Part of truly getting to know a place involves simply walking around town and seeing the shops that local residents visit every day. Shopping for groceries at the local market gives you the perfect opportunity to do just that. Be a little adventurous and try out some of the native ingredients. If you’re in a foreign country, you’ll get a chance to non-traditional foods. Shopping for your own food in a foreign place can actually be a really fun and enriching experience.


Take Advantage of Vacation Home Savings

Vacation home rentals are the best places for home-cooked meals. They come with full kitchens, tend to be cheaper, if you’re staying for several days and with a group of people. Professionally managed rentals provide guests with full kitchens, stocked clean pots, pans, plates, cups, eating utensils, refrigerators, cabinets and storage spaces. In other words, the perfect set up to plan out your home made vacation meals.

So next time you go on vacation, skip the restaurants and go for the savings. You’ll be surprised at what a huge difference budgeting your food expenditures makes. Cooking your vacation meals at home lets you keep track of your food costs and avoid overly pricey hotel room service as well as expensive restaurant meals. Planning out your home-cooked meals will let you experience more of the local culture and keep a closer track of your diet. Opting for home-cooked vacation meals is just one of the many ways you can save money and avoid breaking your back on your upcoming vacation, because even in tough times, it’s nice to take a few days off and enjoy a relaxing vacation.

Safe Travels,
Loretanamama ...Live it at Casa de Playita

LORETO FEST 2010 - Cooking Competition "Flavors of the Sea" April 30-May 2

Loreto Fest 2010 "By the Sea" April 30 - May 2nd

The Loreto Bay National Park is hosting a cooking competition, "Flavors of the Sea" as part of the April 17th Festival "Loretanos, for a Sea Full of Life!" Join us in celebrating the richness of the marine products available in our park, and the importance of using them sustainably.





DETAILS OF THE COMPETITION:

1. PARTICIPATION: anyone residing within the municipality of Loreto is invited to participate. Professional chefs are welcome to participate and promote their best recipes, however they will not be eligible to participate in the competition.

2. REGISTRATION: pre-registration is required in the central park office on Calle Victoriano Arnes between Pedro de Ugarte and Julian de Mallorga, or by calling Perla Lozano at the same office at 135-0477. (For assistance in English, call or email Cynthia Mayoral cmayoral@rareconservation.org, 613-111-0510 613-111-0510.)

3. THEME: Celebrate the richness of the marine products available in our park. Each entry should include, in some way, chocolata clam, either as the principal, or a secondary ingredient. All marine products used must be legally obtained.

4. PRESENTATION: The food will be presented at the "Loretanos por un mar lleno de vida" Festival at the dock/marina on the malecón, Saturday, April 17th, from 10am – 2pm. Each dish should serve small portions for a minimum of 10 people to sample.

5. PRIZES: First prize is $1000 pesos plus a surprise gift, second prize is $750 pesos plus a surprise gift, third and fourth prizes are surprise kitchen appliances. And, of course, everyone wins by celebrating the importance of enjoying and caring for our marine resources.

6. JUDGES: The panel of judges is comprised of local chefs

7. CRITERIA FOR JUDGING: dishes will be judged based on flavor, presentation and originality

8. AWARDS: awards will be announced and prizes given at the closing ceremony at 2:00pm

9. LOGISTICS: Loreto Bay National Park is responsible for all of the logistics of the event (tables, chairs, napkins, etc.) If anyone wants to add their own touch to the presentation, they are more than welcome.

Submitted by: Cynthia Mayoral

Safe Travels,
Loretanamama ...Live it at Casa de Playita