BAJA BITS AND PIECES
Originally Published In Western Outdoor News the week of Aug. 21, 2007
Every couple of weeks, I need to clear off all the sticky-pad notes stuck on my cork board down here. Ergo… some bits and pieces from around the Baja State for you:
FLY THE FRIENDLY SKIES
More signs that things will never be your daddy’s Baja any longer. Mexican President Calderon has pledged expansion of the San Jose and Loreto Airports. Additionally, remember the old runway in front of the Hotel Palmas de Cortez that got turned into a golf course? It used to be fun watching planes dodge cattle and slip down in between cars and the boat yard to land in what was basically the parking lot!
Well, there’s rumblings now of perhaps building a real life international airport on the East Cape. Just imagine! Can’t wait. Hold me back. It will be interesting to see where they put it. I can think of some residents of Los Barriles that could give you an answer as to where to put it.
WE’LL LEAVE THE LIGHT ON FOR YOU
One hotel closes and another goes on the block. The Hacienda Del Cortez Hotel that many of you may remember as the Hotel Posada de Engelbert on La Paz Bay has finally closed down. It was probably a merciful demise.
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because it was once owned by the famous singer who’s real name was Arnold George Dorsey (Engelbert Humperdink…mom loved him!) Perhaps it was for the better. In it’s day it was quite the place to stay but had languished for a number of years. Stay posted. No doubt, condos and timeshares to follow.
Conversely, Hotel Las Arenas, that grand old gem of the northern East Cape/ La Paz area is up for sale again. If you have deep pockets with about$ 36 million in it, check this out: http://www.doradoproperties.info/detalle.php?id=011-12&en=true It was always a favorite of many of us. It says it’s 9,000 acres of beachfront. If you buy it, call me!
It was a great place to stay in it’s day as well, but has been closed now for almost 5 seasons. The previous owners who purchased it from the old owners never did anything with it. While you’re at it, you can also buy adjacent Cerralvo Island which is being sold for $48 million at last check. Hasn’t every kid always wanted to own their own island? It’s just money.
SINCE NONE OF US FISH ON A FULL MOON ANYWAY…
Not a blue moon. Not a paper moon. Not a “drop trouser” moon. Actually on Aug. 27th at about 12:30 a.m. you can see something that no one alive will ever see again.
The planet Mars will be so close and so bright that it will be as large and as bright as the full moon that evening so that it will appear like Earth has two moons! Some places in Baja are selling “skywatch” evenings with which to view the phenomenon which will not be seen again the year 2287. Telescopes extra.
EVEN DOWN HERE YOU JUST CAN’T GET AHEAD
Oh-oh. So much for our Rosarito condo, Honey. The Hacienda (Mexico’s IRS) has some 60 field agents amped up and looking for foreign owners of property who rent them out and do not report the income!
Apparently, the hotel industry is ticked off at all the lost revenue so they put the screws to the Hacienda to get after all these property owners renting out vacation properties. Some agents are even going door-to-door.
Penalties could include loss of property rights. The payment is actually only a fraction, but you still have to pay it and the problem is lots of gringos just don’t know how to do it or think they had to do it. NOT! Go talk to your Mexican accountant.
GOING DOWN OVER AND UNDER
For those of you headed north or worried about those headed north, illegal border crossings have dropped sharply into the U.S. Declines are attributed to higher surveillance technology; better cooperation between the countries and their respective agencies; and 6000 National Guards troops lending a hand. (The Imperial Valley Desert beats the Iraqi desert hands down! You can always go home on the weekends!)
For those headed south, to allay the fears of gringo travelers who are paranoid that every Mexican police officer can’t wait to snag American tourists, several areas are considering the implementation of “no ticket zones.” Kind of like a “Pass Go” on the Monopoly board.
In the “zone,” they cannot give you a ticket. They can’t even stop you! Does that mean you can do what you want? Can you scream “alli alli I’m free!” when you get in “the zone?” Yell “sanctuary!” like Quasimodo when you step over the “zone line?” Conversely, are the police waiting for you when you step out?
THE COST OF A PASSPORT
With all the passport fiasco that took place this year requiring all travelers in North America to have a passport, this is what came out of a report from Washington:
“The price of a passport: $311,491 in back child support payments for a U.S. businessman now living in China; $46,000 for a musician seeking to perform overseas, and $45,849 for a man planning a Dominican Republic vacation.The new passport requirements that have complicated travel this summer also have uncovered untold numbers of child support scofflaws and forced them to pay millions.The State Department denies passports to noncustodial parents who owe more than $2,500 in child support. Once the parents make good on their debts, they can reapply for passports.”
THE LATEST ON SHARK NORMA
Not a darned thing. Nothing but silence from the feds. Fish on!
That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.
That's My Story 
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