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Archive for the ‘Living in Mexico’ Category

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of March 24, 2011

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, holidays in mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on March 20, 2011| 6 Comments »

It's not all fun-and-games on the road. This year there was a darker sadder side.

ARE YOU TALKING TO…ME?

Originally Published the Week of March 24, 2011 in Western Outdoor News

I’ve been writing this column since 2004 for Western Outdoor News.  I like to write an informative column.  I like to have fun and write feel-good stuff.   I mean…this is fishing, right?  It’s a kid’s sport.  I’ve always tried not to take it too seriously. 

I surely have tried to avoid being too controversial or inflamatory although, it’s impossible to please all the people all the time. Oh well.  Agree or disagree or agree to disagree.  That’s fine.

I’ve had to sit on this particular column for a few weeks.  My initial reaction was to put fingers to keyboard and just fire this out.  But, my wife Jill, who’s smarter than me, told me to hold onto it for awhile.  I spoke to one of my competitors, but someone I respect alot, David Jones of the Fisherman’s Fleet in La Paz.  He said to sit on it for awhile too. 

So, I did.  Until now.  It’s sad actually.

Since Dec. 31st, my wife and I have been “on the road” doing our usual promotional tour at some of the biggest fishing and hunting shows on the west coast.  We’ve driven 11,000 miles and crossed about a dozen states with our booth doing shows in Denver, Phoenix, Portland, Boise, Long Beach, Sacramento, Billings and more…talked to hundreds and maybe thousands of fishermen. 

We do this every year.  Sure, we promote our own fishing operation in La Paz, but consider ourselves ambassadors for the city; for Baja; for Mexico as well.  In the same way as Americans living in Mexico, we try to be ambassadors on behalf of Americans as well. 

I’ve been doing this almost 16 years.  I’ve been in the fishing industry for close to 25 years.  I’ve probably done close to 200 shows each 3-5 days long.  I’ve made dozens of public appearances and taught seminars for clubs, groups, and associations.  It’s been great.  Love it!  Life on the road talking fishing…how does it get better than that?

But this past year is the first time ever, we’ve run into problems…

By now,  must be living under a rock if you didn’t know that Mexico has some serious problems with violence.   Big problems.  But, like the U.S., it’s a big country.  It’s not everywhere.  It’s not everyone.  It’s not specifically directed at tourists. 

OK, I get it.  I’m not naive.  I know there’s exceptions.  But I’ve also lived and worked in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Everyone has crime problems.  (Most of which, by the way, have higher crime stats than Mexico City!)

As any of our compadres from other outfitters, hotel owners,  tour operators or charter boats will attest at  these shows, we are constantly answering questions about whether it’s safe to take the family to Baja.  Are the cartels in Loreto?  What are the chances we’ll get robbed by druggies in East Cape or kidnapped in Cabo?  How many people are dying daily in La Paz?  If we drive to San Quintin or San Felipe to go fishing, are the banditos waiting to carjack us?

We do our best to give responsible informed answers. It’s not easy for little mom and pop operations like us to compete against CNN or every local newspaper that screams about anarchy  across the border for every single act of violence.  I get it.   People are concerned.  They’re nervous. 

We arm ourselves with statistics.  We remind people that 20-second sound bites on the evening news can hardly give the “whole story.”  We ask people to see beyond the newspaper headlines.  Read the rest of the article. 

Do their own research.  Talk to their friends who have visited Mexico recently.  Most will tell you they never felt threatened or unsafe…certainly no more than walking through the darkest spots in American cities.

But, folks are scared.  Yes, I get it.  Hell, I would be too if my emotions were only based on doses of headline news.  I’m a former radio and TV reporter.  I know how it works.

But this is the first time during our travels that I’ve had fear manifest itself against us.

I won’t give the names of the cities, but it happened in almost ALL the cities.  It happened at least once and several times more than once in each city.   And the first time it happened, it was hard to believe.

A couple came up to the side of our booth and said it to my wife…It came from the side of their mouths too, but loud enough to hear…

“How did they let people like YOU in OUR show?”

They didn’t wait for a response and we could hardly believe we heard it.  We’re they talking to us?  Me?  You?  What did they mean by “people like us?”

OK, I’m short and brown and funny looking.  Born in the U.S. Got a law degree and everything.  My wife… pretty brilliant red-headed firebrand San Diegan go-getter. 

We were sure they were talking to us.  But why? Tried to blow it off. Whatever.

But, it didn’t stop.  There were those with the snide remarks from the side of their mouths that wouldn’t come directly up to us to tell us what they meant.  They’d stand to the sides.

“What are people like YOU doing here?”  But they said it loud enough for us to hear it.  The stings got deeper.

There were those who came right up.  Made a bee-line right up to the counter and got in my face. 

“They should just KILL all YOU people right now!!!  Just wipe out all people like you!” 

Whoa! Sir!  Just hold it right there.  Let’s talk about this.  Are you talking to me?

Some would just walk away swearing.  Some would continue with the vitriol. 

“Your whole country is full of nothing but scum and we’d be better off just eliminating the whole place!”  They would jab a finger directly in my face or pound my counter with a fist. 

Most times, you just try to tell the person to kindly move on down the aisle.  Surely, I was never going to convince these folks to ever come fishing with little old us.  Their minds were pretty much made up about “us.” Didn’t even want to discuss it.

Others wanted to confront us.  My wife got upset several times. Folks, please don’t say that to my wife.

 I’m about as confrontational as a teddy bear.  I can and will get in someone’s face physically or verbally if pushed.  I know how.  But why?  Sir, please don’t jab your finger two inches from my face.   You don’t want to do that.  My fists would clench by my sides. I’m gritting my teeth.

Several times, I will admit she had to tell me to back down or other people visiting at the booth had to tell me to,  “Let it go.”  or  “That guy is a jerk.” Even they were shaking their heads in disbelief.

But that was the confusing part.  Who is this “US” that these people were so angry with?  And why “US?” 

Why is some guy dressed like Wyoming ranch hand or a mist-soaked coast from Washington or  the perfect west-side  tanned couple in Santa Monica angry with US that they would come up to say those things  as if we had personally offended them?  Who me?

What did WE do to THEM?  Or even on a broader scale, what had Mexico or a Mexican personally done to them to raise that level of hate or fright?

One or two incidents happen.  You blow it off.  Later, Dude.  Sorry, you feel that way.

 But, it actually happened several times per show.  Ten shows. Even ran into one small town where we were refused service. (But that’s another story!)

The more it happened, the angrier I got.  I just wanted them to stop for a moment and think about what they were saying.  Come back here!  Why do you feel that way? Why are you so angry?  I just saw you walk all the way down the aisle to tell me to go to hell. You want to punch me in the nose.  Then you walk away shaking with anger.

You’re scared. I know why. 

I’m scared  too. Not of you.  I’m scared because of how you feel about me. That’s sad.

We just wanted to invite you to go fishing with us. 

_________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico  www.tailhunter-international.com.  They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront.  If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com  or drop by the restaurant to say hi!           

         

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“ADDICTION” Originally published the Week of March 9, 2011 in Western Outdoor News

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on March 7, 2011| 1 Comment »

Tim Farrell holds of the "right kind"...a big pargo taken close to shore!

Richard Sawaske holds up a trophy-sized pargo liso (mullet snapper)

This is what big dog-tooth (cubera snapper/ pargo perro) look like!

 

ADDICTION!

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of March 9, 2011

            I’m not a gambler at heart.  Not that I haven’t gone through life taking risks, but I just hate losing.  I understand the compulsion to win. 

            I guess like a gambler it’s…one more horse.  One more hand of cards.  One more spin.  One more quarter in the machine. The “next one” is “guaranteed!”  I got it figured out.  I got a “system.”

            Sound familiar?

            How often have I heard those phrases like that over my almost two-decades here in Baja when it comes to fishing for pargo…the red ugly beasts of the Baja!

            Rookies have no idea.  They ask how long it will take to catch a “limit” of pargo.

            Veterans return each season with a new “angle” or “rig” or other “sure-fire” plan or “foolproof” method. Or they have the  newest  piece of angling technology that will surely show these  wiley fish their proper place in the food chain and the fish box.   Surely, they MUST SUBMIT!

            More often than not, it is us who are put/kept in our places.  Sitting or standing in disbelief amid broken lines; straightened hooks; frayed leaders and shattered dreams of finally getting our photo in WON!

            You say you don’t even know what a pargo is?  Never seen a photo of a pargo?  That’s because compared to all the tuna, marlin, dorad, wahoo, roosterfish and other “glamour” species, there aren’t that many photos out there!  It’s pretty hard to take a photo of a fish that doesn’t allow itself to be caught very often.

            However, in Mexico, the “pargo” term is generally applied to three main types of fish. 

            First, there is the Pargo Liso, a.k.a “mullet snapper”.

            Second, there is the “Pargo Mulato, a.k.a “barred pargo.”

            Finally the Pargo Rojo, a.k.a “dog-tooth snapper” or “cubera snapper” or “pargo colorado.”

            All look a bit different, but share some common characteristics.  They all have big nasty teeth, sharp gillplates and scales.  They tend to range in color from copper to red to rust with highlights of orange and sometimes green.  They range from smaller 5 pounders to 70 pounders or more.

              They inhabit reefs, rocks, caves and generally any structure like sunken pilings, ships or anything else offering great cover for them to ambush their prey and optimum opportunity to shred your line and lose your tackle. And, they are all tremendously powerful with bullish freight-train attitudes when hooked.

             They can be aggressive or cagey and cautious.  Blessed with great eyesight, they’ll shun a bait or lure that isn’t presented  “just right.”

            Sometimes they are found as solitary fish.  But during the spring, the “fever sets in” and schools of them come into the shallow rocky areas around reefs, high spots and islands, especially in the southern Baja regions. 

            Seen from the surface as moving undulating dark spots of red, I’ve often described it to others as imagining “a giant Japanese koi pond on steroids.”  Throwing chum or a hooked bait into the middle of it sometimes, it’s like watching giant piranha go “on the feed” as huge backs and wide tails with flashes of red and copper explode at the surface.

            As a writer, perhaps it’s one of my favorite species to write about.  As a fisherman, it’s one of my most frustrating fish to stalk.  As a guide and outfitter here in La Paz, it’s clearly, the most amusing.

            I have often told a skeptical client, “If you hook 10 and bring 1 to the boat, consider yourself lucky.” 

            But, I have seen grown men throw their rods in the water or snap them against the gunwale of a panga in frustration.  I have heard the curses to the fish gods and seen the “rending of cloth” so to speak. 

            And each season at this time of year, I hear the “plans” as if no-one had ever thought of it before.  Everyone has their new “system” or “plan of attack.” that will surely correct missed opportunities of the past.

            “This time, I’m using a shorter rod, but a bigger reel.”

            “80 pound test is the ticket this time”

            “Lighter line, but I’m using  new super-duper drags and a circle hook”

            “Wire leader is the ticket”

            “Slow trolled small needlefish on flurocarbon leader can’t miss.”

            “Wait until all the rest of the boats leave, then be the only boat out there and only use half-a-sardine so they won’t bite the tail off this year”

            “A double trap hook set up is guaranteed!”

            And off they march and launch to their appointed dates with destiny. 

            On the water losing fish-after-fish.  And, like gamblers…”Just one more try! This next one will be the one!”  They cast again.  They bait again.  Often, only to return beaten and defeated. 

            By a big fish with a brain the size of a pea.

            “Just wait ’til next year.  I’ve got some new ideas for next year!”  they say.

            Optimism is eternal.  Everyone has a “system.”

 _______________________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico  www.tailhunter-international.com.  They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront.  If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com  or drop by the restaurant to say hi!

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BADASS AS WE EVER WERE – The Spirit of the Wild

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on February 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When you make your living at the whims of nature you're paid to produce every day. You can't have bad days. You can't phone it in because you have sniffles or a papercut or because your biorhythms are off. You have to run faster, fish harder, carry more, shoot faster, stand taller and still have enough energy to fix a boat motor with a bobby pin or cook a gourmet meal in a blizzard. And keep on smiling!

 

BADASS AS WE EVER WERE – The Spirit of the Wild

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of Feb. 24, 2011

            Y’know, we hear alot about how tough it was in the old days and dangit, there’s no doubt our forefathers were a tough bunch of grizzly so-and-sos.  Jill and I are on our Tailhunter Road Tour 2011 visiting all the west coast fishing/hunting shows.  In 6 weeks, we’ve been in Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Denver, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California…some states more than once.

            We broke down in the frigid snows of Utah and the tow-truck driver told us of his grandfather who was sent by Brigham Young himself from Salt Lake to set up a Mormon settlement in Beaver, Utah.  They walked!

            They built the town assembly hall as the first order.  But, just before the snows, it burned down.  Great grand-dad and the assembly went back up in to the treelines in the mountains to chop more trees before the snows arrived.  Granddad cut..no HACKS  his leg with his axe!

            Badass bastard.  He sewed up his leg himself and cauterized it!    He then  continued to cut wood and then they hauled it by rope down the mountain and got their building done just as the snowflakes and sub-zero weather set in.  No Kaiser Hospital.  No Home Depot.  Just grit and guts.

            And here we are in the 21st Century.  We have special shoes for trekking and pilates.   We have special vitamin water so we don’t get de-hydrated…to grow brain cells…to jump higher…I can’t keep up with all the varieties. 

            There’s special jockstraps to jog and heaven forbid we don’t have our mp3  players strapped somewhere on our torso and personal trainers to count our jumping jacks for us. A paper cut?  Call in a sick day at work!

            But if you ever get to any of these hunting and fishing shows, take a close look at the men and women behind the booth selling these hunting and fishing trips.  Sure, they sell “luxury” trips to exotic locations like Namibia, the Arctic Circle, the Amazon and yes… Mexico.  You get treated like kings and queens. Crab and steak dinners. Martini happy hours. Even on mountain tops with pack mules or deserted beaches on Baja islands. 

            But take a look at the guys themselves. 

            If they have a lodge on a deserted lodge near the Artic Circle, how do you think they got all that timber up there?  How do they keep those generators running to keep hot showers and light bulbs on? If the stove breaks, they don’t just call the Sears repairman.

            If they can show city-boyz how to shoot a 10-foot-tall grizzly bear, they might be pretty good at shooting grizzly bears themselves. And that big skinning knife they carry strapped to their leg isn’t a Hollywood prop. Jeremiah Johnson and Jim Bowie still live.

            The outfitter who packs you up to the Andes Mountains or into New Zealand or into the Sierras.  He’s carrying his gear plus YOUR gear and he can walk further, run faster, shoot better, track better and still make a fire by rubbing two sticks together; and  build camp… while you’re still  struggling to uncork a bottle of merlot.  His wife who goes with you is probably even tougher than him and you put together..and she is probably handling all the accounting in the office too!

            The Baja guy…think about guys like the late Bobby Van Wormer or Luis Bulnes or  Chuy Valdez who literally honed empires out of the desert.  No roads.  No electrical.  100 degree heat.

            Shovels and hoes with wheelbarrows to move rocks.  Wood for construction? C’mon!   How many trees have you seen in Baja?   Ever tried to fill a swimming pool when there’s no water?  Neat trick.

             Men of iron. I heard a story of Bobby Van Wormer jumping off a wall and landing on a piece of metal re-bar that went clean through his leg.  He pulled it out himself and started ranting at whatever worker left it lying around. And kept right on working. And he was in his 70’s at the time!

            These genius guys were devising water systems, sewage, electrical systems, not to mention world-class fishing fleets out of nothing.  Most of us can’t paint a bedroom wall without 3 weeks of research and an instructional DVD.

            We had our booth across from one outfitter who specialized in hunting with muzzle loaders.  For those of you who don’t know…that’s Daniel Boone style.    It’s  Davy Crockett’s Old Betsy long rifle with some black powder, a little lead ball and sporting even bigger ones.  One shot… to drop moose, buffalo, lions, and charging rhinos.

            “What do you do if you miss or you don’t drop the animal with one shot?” I asked.

            “You run like hell and learn to re-load even faster!” he laughed.

Yea, laughed.  Climbing mountains.  Hunting your own food.  Exploring oceans.  Crossing snow fields.  Building in the wilderness.  They live for it. They revel in it.  It’s not for everyone. 

            But, check out the folks who come to these shows too.  Alot of ’em wear cowboy boots not as a fashion statement.  It’s work wear.  They’re scuffed with manure on them.

              They actually know how to ride and shoot and fish.  The fishermen and outdoorsmen have the craggly face of the sun and some dandy scars to go along with the stories.  Rough hands and strong handshakes…and that’s just the women!  God bless ’em they’re tough too!

            One of our clients came up to show us a picture of her with a mountain lion she had just shot that weekend.  “Wow…when did you go on a mountain lion hunt?” I queried.

            “I didn’t.  It was killing our sheep.  So, I grabbed my rifle and went into the trees and shot it.” she said matter-of-factly. 

            Not a big deal. Like killing a gopher.   Then she skinned it before her husband came home from work.  No country club weekend luncheon with the girls for her.  She killed a mountain lion.

            The Spirit of the Wild still exists among us.  God bless, we’re  badass as we ever were.

__________________________________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico  http://www.tailhunter-international.com.  They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront.  If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com  or drop by the restaurant to say hi!            

           

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GIANTS AMONG US – Originally published in Western Outdoor News the week of Feb. 4, 2011

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on January 29, 2011| 3 Comments »

Me and Joe posing in the FUBAR Cantina inside Tailhunters in La Paz

GIANTS AMONG US

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 4, 2011 in Western Outdoor News

               A few weeks ago before coming up to the states for the holidays I was in my office at the Tailhunter Restaurant in La Paz when I got a knock on the office door.  It was a guy about my age who very nicely asked,

          ” Hello.  Are you Jonathan Roldan?”

          I said sure. 

          “Would you mind meeting my dad.  He’s out here in the restaurant and we’re visiting in La Paz.  My dad is 92-years-old and he’d sure like to meet you. ”

          I followed him out to one of the tables where I was introduced to Joe.  Joe was a little frail, but it was clear he had been a big strapping man at one time. He shook my hand shakily but firmly.  His eyes still shone behind his wire glasses. 

          “I came all the way down here to meet you,” He smiled as he pumped my hand.  “I read Western Outdoors all the time and just wanted to tell you it’s an honor,” he said in a quiet sincere voice.

          It’s always flattering to know that folks read the column.  I eagerly I thanked him.. then noticed his black baseball hat. In big letters it said, “VETERAN WWII.” 

          It was my turn to swallow back and shake his hand enthusiastically. 

          “The honor is mine, Sir.  Thank you for your service.” I said reverently indicating to his hat.

          “Oh that…” his voice trailed off a bit as if he had forgotten he was wearing the hat.  “It was the Pacific.  A very long time ago.” 

          He looked down and away a bit breaking eye contact with me.

          “You’re welcome. No thank you needed.”  He said even more softly. 

          There was a momentary  pause.  He looked up as if he had just come back from someplace deep in thought…

          “May I take a picture with you?” he asked. 

          “It would be an honor to take a picture with YOU,”  I responded. 

          He shook my hand again.  I put my arm around his frail shoulders and someone snapped a picture.  History.

            As you read this, we are currently on our yearly “tour” of the Western U.S.  travelling each week…10 cities in 11 weeks… driving from one hunting and fishing show to the next hunting and fishing show.  While in our booth talking about fishing here in Baja, we see alot of veterans walking by us in the crowds.

            There are those with hats and patches from all branches of the U.S. armed forces.  Some from our most recent conflicts.  Others,  are older and grizzlier, more frail and fading from older actions. 

            There are those walking among the crowds of hunters and fishermen who wear no patches or emblems of their service, but I sense them in the crowd as well. We are all “outdoorsmen” at these shows, but among so many of these veterans, there’s a certain spirit that stands out and seems to bind them…even as they see each other in the crowd.  A quiet nod.  A knowing look to each other.  Even  from those not wearing any outward indications.

           I hear a softly spoken “semper fi” between two guys who pass each other and say nothing more.  Two others stubble-faced gentlemen give each other a knuckle-bump and I hear one say “ooo-rah”.

            It’s a special club.  Among the other hundreds and even thousands of hunters and fishermen in the crowded halls, there is a certain reverence accorded the vets.

            Today at the show in Washington, I shook the brittle hand of a man who wore a small patch on his jacket that said, “Veteran WW 2, Ardenne, Battle of the Bulge”.  As he walked up to my booth, there were several other guys already talking to me. 

            They all stopped talking.  Each of them in turn shook his hand.  One said, “My father was there in the Ardenne Forrest too.” 

            The old soldier said quietly, “90,000 of us were there in the snow.  Alot of us didn’t come out. I’m surprised anyone remembers anymore.” 

            To a man, each patted him on the shoulder or back as he slowly walked down the aisle.   No one else said anything.  

            We’ve been living now in Mexico for almost 16 years and sometimes we miss the traditions of home in the U.S.  But we try not to forget.  Presidents Day is coming up when we celebrate the executive heroes of our country.  To many nothing more than…hooray for another 3-day-weekend!

            Well, from Baja, here’s a shout-out to regular every-day heroes who still walk among us daily. They never won an election. Or chopped a cherry tree or gave a historic speech.  They never even hit a home run or dunked a basketball.  But they are bigger heroes on a grander scaled.

            Thanks for your service and sacrifice that allow so many of us the freedoms like travelling and fishing in Baja..to enjoy the outdoors or take our families for a hot dog and beer at a fishing show…the freedom to write goofy columns about  fishing like this one.   We take so much of it for granted.  The honor is ours.  I hope we never forget.   

______________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He lives with his wife, Jill, in La Paz where they run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet  www.tailhunter-international.com  and also the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.  If you’d like to get in touch with him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or stop by the restaurant and say hi!

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GLOBAL (TRAVEL) WARMING – Impressions from the Road (originally published week of January 18, 2010 Western Outdoor News)

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican Independence Day, Panga Fishing, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on January 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jill interviewed by TV camera crew in Denver. Interest in travel again seems to be on the rise.

“GLOBAL (Travel) WARMING”  – Impressions from the Road

 

Originally Published the Week of January 15, 2011 in Western Outdoor

 

             As I write this, we’re about as far from the sunny skies and warm waters of La Paz as can be.  Whereas,  the only ice I see all year is inside the rim of a frosty margarita glass, I’m currently in freezing Billings, Montana for the Great Rockies Sport Show.  With wind-chill the other night it was MINUS 20 below zero. 

            In the last 2 weeks we’ve driven from California to Nevada, Arizona, Utah,  Colorado (for the Denver ISE show) then Wyoming and now Montana.  In the teeth of winter.  In two weeks it has been above freezing only 3 days.  More than half the days were single digits or chillingly double digit sub-zero weather.   It’s the kind of chill that’s so cold it “burns” when it touches exposed skin.

            But standing for several days in our booth for two shows and talking to not only the prospective folks stopping by to chat but also with other vendors and outfitters selling trips from S. Africa, Mexico, Canada, S. America and  Antartica, as well as fishing, hunting and camping gear,  other things are warming up.

            After several years of decline, I would have to say that the shows are very well attended.  Even moreso, the “interest factor” among attendees is high.  The past several years, we heard alot of people coming to the booths talking about the “economy” or sadly worried about their jobs or having lost their jobs.

            “Not this year.”

            “Just came to kill some time at the show.  Can’t really travel right now.”

            “I can barely afford a t-shirt and a hot dog right these days”

            These were the types of thing we were hearing the past few show seasons.  Tough times.

            But this year it seems a bit different.  Other outfitters are telling us that sales are up.  People are actually booking trips at the shows.  People are actually planning vacations again!  There’s a good healthy optimistic buzz in the big show halls!

            Either folks are pulling through the tough times or have re-adjusted things.  Maybe they can’t afford the hunting trip to the Kenya, but the deer hunt in Wyoming is affordable.  The 7 days fly-in fishing trip to Chile isn’t in the books, but a 5 day trip to fish dorado in Mexico is in the budget.  Two week expeditions to Nepal are out, but 1 week in Alaska might work.

            Sure, there’s alot of people still hurting.  No doubt.  But I think folks are still realizing that they need to take vacations and still need time with the family and how important that is. 

            As one guy told me, “I still have vacation time coming and if I stay home, I’ll only have to mow the lawn and paint the fence.  What kind of vacation is that?”

            As another  lady simply put it to me, “We’ve pulled in our belts a bit, but overall, we’re just not going to participate in any economic slowdown.  We still want to enjoy life.”

            Amen!

            As for coming to Mexico, we’ve definitely got more interest.  As mentioned, economically, I think folks are seeing Mexico as a still-affordable get-away. 

            But, they’ve also come to some common sense too.

            The whole “swine flu” care has come and gone and most folks logically have concluded that you had about as great a chance of getting it at home as in travelling to Mexico…if at all.   I haven’t fielded a swine-flu question in over a year compared to the early days when every 3 e-mails and phone calls asked if people were dropping in the streets!  (Maybe from too many tequilas, but not from swine flu!).

            As for the crime, there’s no doubt there’s serious trouble in Mexico.  But, I think travelers got wise.  The smart ones read beyond the screaming headlines and 20 second sound-bites.  They realize that the violent crimes are only in certain areas.  That tourists are NOT specifically  targeted (tourists are the goose that lays the golden eggs) and that you’re maybe even more safe in some areas of Mexico than back in the U.S. 

            For example:  Mexico City’s homicide rate of 8 per 100,000 persons is surprisingly low.  Washington D.C. has a murder rate of 24 per 100,000.  New Orleans has a rate of 52.  Almost 300 people were murdered in Los Angeles last year.  That doesn’t even include other violent crimes like rape, robbery and assault.  That doesn’t make those U.S. cities patently  unsafe, but you know there’s places in everyone’s home town you just don’t go to!

            Hundreds of thousands of people a day cross the border alone at Tijuana/San Diego every day.  Not a thing happens.  Just another day.  Thousands more fly in for vacations.  Not a thing happens, except a great vacation. 

            I think things are warming up. It’s gonna be a good year!  There’s reason for optimism.  I just wish the snow would go away!

_________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column for Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He and his wife, Jill, live in La Paz, Baja, Mexico where they own and operate the Tailhunter International Sportfishing Fleet and the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.   www.tailhunter-international.com You can reach Jonathan directly at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or stop by the restaurant and say hi.

  

 

  

 

 

 

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GRACIAS a DIOS!

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, tagged on December 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

 

GRACIAS A DIOS!

Originally Published the Week of Dec. 22, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

I love colloquialisms whenever I travel.  Those are the little sayings that don’t really translate literally. They are the lexicon of the area.   They mean what they mean in that particular area.  You can’t really explain it.  It’s like trying to explain to a non-English speaking person phrases like…

                “Wassup?”

                “Bite the bullet”

                “Man up”

                Or the doozies like…

                “Word!”

                “I’m jus’ chillin'”

                “Yo mama!” 

                I’m sure you can think of others. You get the idea.  Heck…try understanding the “language” your own kids speak sometimes! It’s almost like a code!

                Here in Mexico, you hear something very common from folks.  Ask how someone is doing and they respond, by saying, “Bien gracias y  gracias a Dios!” ( I’m great thanks for asking and thank God.)

You hear “Gracias a Dios” alot down here.  How are the kids? How’s life? How’s the fishing?

                Gracias a Dios.  Simple 3 words.

                As I’ve come to learn in all my years here, it doesn’t mean an exasperated frustrated, “THANK God, I’m Ok!”  As if some disaster or bad luck was averted.  It’s not said in sarcasm or as if cursing the heavens. 

                A contrario…On the contrary. It’s a sincere little salute to a higher power or whatever name you give to It,  Him or Her…as the case-may-be.   A grateful pause…a reflective wink, if you will. 

                Not for something special.  But for normalcy in health, enough food, or work.  Thanks, I’m blessed.

                Not because of the new car…or the raise…or beating your buddy at golf.  Gracias a Dios for something much simpler.  The simple blessings of…Life!

                We gringos take alot of our blessings for granted.

                Listen…I’m not real religious. 

                But, I take a look at many of our friends here in La Paz.  I also had the opportunity to drive through Tijuana around Thanksgiving. Like many of us, I had been stressing over the usual things of the holiday season…gifts and how to stretch the budget. 

                But it got put into perpective with three simple words from my Mexican friends.

About being the simple blessings of life here in Mexico. Things we often take for granted.

                Gracias a Dios for the simplicity of water.  It’s not even delivered every day.  It’s not hot.  It’s not for  your manicured lawn. Not in a designer bottle.  It’s just simple water.  Enough to drink and wash. 

                Gracias a Dios for a job.  Even if it’s a 12-hour-day and you walk 3 miles to work or take a rattletrap bus that takes an hour to go that 3 miles.  As long as one of us has a job, we will be OK.

                Gracias a Dios, I have shoes.  One for work.  One for Church.  So do my kids.  I had no shoes as a kid growing up.

                Gracias a Dios, the family has  hot food tonite.  It means we have propane for the stove!  Even if it’s beans, tortillas and cup ‘o noodles in styrofoam.  We  can eat dinner together at the same table and laugh and talk about our day. Together.

                Gracias a Dios, the car runs.  Even if we only can put in 2 dollars of gas at a time.  Even if it has 3 mismatched tires.   It is enough to get us to the store and bring the kids to school.

                Gracias a Dios, we have light at night and had enough to pay the electric bill. So the kids can study and have a better life.

                Gracias a Dios, we have our families and our health.  And can be together for Christmas.

                Yes…It’s Christmas.  I’ll presume that if you’re able to read this, you’ve got a roof over your head; a bit of education and hopefully work too.  And Gracias a Dios, count yourself blessed.

                I hope they are the simple things like here in Mexico. 

                There’s no re-gifting health.  There’s no returns for a better size or color when you have your family and friends around you.  You can’t exchange it for a coupon or get an upgrade  for a hug from a child or the Christmas handshake from a  good friend. You don’t just say “thank you” and then stick it in the closet or under the bed and forget about it.

                Why?  You already have the best gifts life can give.   May we all be so blessed.

                Gracias a Dios to you and yours this Christmas!  Gracias a Dios. Be blessed.   Feliz Navidad y muchas bendigas a ti!

______________________

Jonathan Roldan has been the Baja columnist and editor for Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He lives with his wife Jill in La Paz, Baja, Mexico where they both own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing fleet and the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.  Stop in to say hello if you’re in town or you can contact Jonathan directly at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com

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BARBARIANS AT THE GATES – Originally published week of Dec. 7, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, fishing tournaments, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on December 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

 

Just the way it is these days...

The precious little blue book. "Next in line please..."

BARBARIANS AT THE GATES

Originally Published the Week of Dec. 7, 2010 in Western Outdoor News               

                 I’ve been out’ve the U.S. for awhile now.  It’s the longest I have ever been out of the United States since moving down to La Paz.  Usually, I run back and forth a bit for business, but this year, the opportunity just never presented itself.  We were thankfully, very busy all season.

                So, I just happened to make it back for Thanksgiving for a few days to visit family in Southern California. I found myself standing in line at the U.S. border crossing at Tijuana.

                It was a long line.  Really long.  Out-the-building-long.

                But only for Mexicans. 

                If you were in the line like me ostensibly holding a U.S. passport, we waited only a few minutes, although we were heavily searched.  The numerous other lines were barely moving. 

                “Sorry ’bout the smelly fishing clothes and socks on the top…I didn’t have time to do laundry before getting on the bus,” I apologized to  the  stern crew-cut-square-jawed border officer rummaging through my duffle who gave me the stinkeye. I’m sure he didn’t like going through my underwear anymore than I liked him digging around in there either. 

                “Senor, how come they get to go through and we have to wait so long?” I heard one older Mexican woman plead to a group of officers. 

                She wore a cotton dress and a heavy mis-matched jacket but bare-legged in the November chill.  I bet it took her hours to get near the front of the line. She could have been anyone’s mom or grandma. 

                 “Why are we ignored? Does anyone care?  I just want to buy some Christmas presents and go home,” she implored meekly in English.

                A group of officers nearby looking more like special forces, decked in black fatigues, high laced black combat boots and holstering enough firepower to put down a herd of charging elephants barely looked up from their computer screens.  Others simply held their sentry positions and continued to scan the crowds. 

                I’m sure they heard her.  I’m sure it wasn’t the first time someone had spoken up.

                It was late in the day.  One officer looked towards her and others in her line and gave an apologetic and sympathetic shrug.  I looked back at the other anxious folks in line too.

                They were looking back at me. Envying that I was now on the other side of the line.

                Long faces.  Tired weary eyes.  Working folks. Working clothes. Cheap jeans.  Tennis shoes and scruffy faces or in-some-cases, dressed up in their best travelling clothes they had…Dollar-store-quality.  But the best they had. 

                Lots of baseball hats.  Some cowboy hats.  Lined faces brown from the sun or cheap eye-make up or none at all. Small crying children.   Some seemed to be carrying pretty much all their possessions in their backpacks or shoulder bags.  They had waited for hours.  Get out-of-line, lose your place. The “huddled masses.”  Catatonic shuffling from too many hours waiting…and waiting.

                All hoping for a little movement. Forward.  Hoping they’ll get let “across”.

                What was the border officer going to say? Overworked. Understaffed. Under-appreciated.   Like all government workers these days facing a problem that had no solution.

                “Por favor?” I heard the senora say again.  “Please?” 

                Our eyes caught as I snatched up my bag from the inspection table.  I felt guilty.

                I wanted to say, “C’mon man, let her across.  She’s no more a terrorist or criminal than I am except for my smelly socks!”

                I couldn’t say that either. 

                What I wanted to say was I’m sorry it’s like this now.  I’m sorry that two countries and two people that share so much in common can’t just be neighbors anymore. I’m sorry. We have to inspect you now, neighbor.  We can’t lend you that cup of sugar.  You can’t just come over and hang-out and watch TV with the kids or play in the yard. 

                Nope.  And grandma can’t go shopping. And  families and friends can’t just go visit other families and friends.  We are separated by an invisible line marked by barbed wire and steel fences guarded by  broad-shouldered men-at-arms.

                I’m sorry there’s other people in the world with so much hate that we now  suspect everyone and trust no one. I’m sorry that the economics in one country are so bad that people will leave loved ones to work illegally in the other country.  I’m sorry that my country feels it must be a citadel now and the barbarians are at the gates.

                Wearing cowboy hats and scuffed-shoes and cotton dresses.  Don’t wanna take our jobs.  Or bomb our buildings or traffic drugs.  And just wanting to buy some Christmas presents and go home.

                Lo siento mucho, Senora…I’m very sorry…for all of us. I wished the inspector a better day.  For all of us.  All he said was, “Next.”

                 I lowered my eyes; shouldered my backpack and hurried out into the chilly dusk  to catch my bus.

That’s my story…

_____________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been the Baja columnist and editor for Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He lives in La Paz where he and his wife, Jill, own and operate the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet www.tailhunter-international.com as well as their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.  Stop by and say hello if you’re in town.  Jonathan can be reached via e-mail at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com

Jonathan Roldan’s 

Tailhunter International

Website: www.tailhunter-international.com

U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745

Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

http://www.tailhunter-international.com/fishreport.htm

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

 

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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“Just shut up for a moment…”

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Dehydration, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on November 21, 2010| 4 Comments »

 

       

JUST SHUT UP FOR A MOMENT. ..

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 24, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

           Having spent almost 2 decades here now in Baja, I have experienced some incredible adventures.  But some of my best experiences have happened when absolutely nothing is happening. I’ll explain.

            So often, when we have visitors or clients here, there’s a mad rush to be here…do that…experience this…cram as much excitement into a vacation as possible.  I get it.  I love it.  I’m the same way myself.  When you’re \in the tourist industry like us, it’s not bad for business either.  No complaints!

            But some of the most rewarding times have been when we just crank it down a notch from super amp down to slo-mo.

            A perfect example is when we SCUBA dive.  Everyone is in a rush to get in the water.  See the mantas.  See the sharks.  Explore. Jump in!    Get from point A to point B and go “Diver Dan” on us.

            I often tell my folks, that at some point they will see me simply stop.  I explain that “this is not a race.”  It’s supposed to be fun.  I will simply stop swimming and let myself sink to the bottom and either kneel or lie there.  And I want them to do the same.

            I get some blank and questioning looks.

            But amazing things happen when we all shut up and slow down. It’s like that both above and below the water. 

            Look up.  Watch the slow ascent of bubbles to the surface.  Stop moving.  Fish suddenly don’t view us a huge threatening shapes.  They come out to investigate.  They swim close.  Schools swirl around us.  Little sea eels poke their curious heads out of the sand that we normally would not have seen.  Coral comes alive. A sea turtle comes to check us out. A sealion pup darts playfully in and out of the divers.  We’re now IN the big aquarium and it’s a wonderful show.

            I look around and even through the dive masks I can see smiling eyes!

            When I lived on the East Cape, I would sometimes take a few of the hotel guests up in the hills just to step away from the lights; the tequila shots and hooting at the bar. 

            One nice thing about Baja.  A few steps away and you’re out in the frontier wilderness.

            We’d walk up the hills just a few hundred yards up a path I knew well.  At the top of a hill, everyone would look back down from the darkness on the hotel lights and take a breath.  But, I would tell everyone, don’t look down…look up!

            And there would be a collective gasp of surprise!

            Zillions of stars…constellations…galaxies…shooting stars…an unimaginable  light show that could never be experienced unless you were up and away from the bustle. Other than some “oohs” and “ahhh” and alot of pointing into the night sky, not much else needed to be said.  An unforgettable experience found in silence.

            Sometimes when I’m guiding, I will do the same thing.  Stop the danged boat.  Look. Listen. Put down the beer cans, boys.

            Shhhh… Look at the birds.   See the ripples there.  Flat spots and current lines.   Water colors.  Those ripples are really nervous water with bait being pushed just below the surface.  Was that a jumper? Look closely.  Is that structure below us?

             Let’s just top chasing the fish and stop for a moment.  Let’s read the signs.  Throw some bait and let the fish come to us for once.  And, if not, enjoy the moment.  The noisy world will return soon enough when we rev up the motor again.

            Even in rowdy Cabo San Lucas a few weeks ago. After one of those days packed with activities and social events and parties related to the Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot, I stepped out onto our little patio behind our hotel room on the marina.   It was 2 a.m. in the morning.

            And it was a quiet you don’t often experience in Cabo.  No blaring disco music.  No hawkers on the sidewalk.  The yacht motors were idle.  The tour boats were all moored.  The outboards were all asleep for once.  The marina lights were beautiful and except for the sound of rigging occasionally pinging a mast from the sway of a boat, Cabo San Lucas was incredibly serene…a description not often associated with fast-paced Cabo.

            In a few hours, it would all return to a behive, but for that moment, I pulled out a patio chair and just sat and listened.  And sighed.  And imagined what it used to be like before we brought all the noise to Mexico and grateful to find a little slice of Baja serenity. They are few and far between and it’s too bad we have to actually search it out these days.

___________________

Jonathan Roldan has been a columnist for Western Outdoor News and editor since 2004. He lives with his wife, Jill, in La Paz , Baja Mexico where they own and operate the Tailhunter Sportfishing Fleet as well as the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.  www.tailhunter-international.com.   is their website.  If you’d like to reach Jonathan, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com

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WHERE DID THAT WIND COME FROM?

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on November 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

WHERE DID THAT WIND COME FROM?

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 13, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

             “Man, it was like a washing machine out there!”

            “I wish I had brought a jacket.  I got soaked.”

            “My wife and I walked around last night and all we had were t-shirts.”

            “How come there were waves out there?”

            “Where did the wind come from?”

            “Where did all the dorado go?  We ended up fishing for roosterfish along the beach.”

            It’s that time of year when these are not unusual comments from some of the folks we’re getting down here visiting right now.  Especially, as we get closer to the holidays and more vacationers and families come in and fewer anglers looking for more than just fishing.  They’re looking for beach-time and recreation time.   They see the brochures.  They read the travel mags and envision long days of warm tans and chilly margaritas.

            And come down finding out that the margaritas aren’t the only thing that’s chilly!

            Many times, one of the comments above is quickly followed by, “But it was never like this in the other  years we were here.”

            I’m sure it wasn’t.   I’m sure the tuna and dorado were jumping in the boat and the sun was so hot, you were basting.  The kayaking was like a pond and the diving was like bathwater.

            But this is transitional time here in the Baja.  You just never know what it can be like.   The range of conditions varies. 

            As for us “locals” I know you can’t believe it, but you’ll see us wearing long pants and sweatshirts.  Captains will have jackets on in the mornings.  We use extra blankets at night.  Personally, I’m wearing (oh no!)…SOCKS! and my wife Jill occasionally puts on her UGG boats…those furry sheepskin things. 

            Yes, I know that sounds nutty but take a hint when you see us.  It’s not JULY so plan accordingly and you’ll keep surprises to a minimum.

            It can get chilly at times, especially in the mornings before the sun comes up.  Most evenings are pleasant for tourists although you’ll see locals dressed up a bit warmer, but for the mornings, bring a light windbreaker or sweatshirt.

            If you’re headed out for any watersports, winds and waves can change at any time.  If you’re on the Pacific or the Sea of Cortez, don’t be surprised by more northern winds that can make any trip a bit bouncier than normal.

             Of course, it can be flat calm as well, but bring the extra protections. There’s an old saying, ” It’s better than have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”

            That goes for fishing.  Sure, you’re very likely to continue getting warm water species like tuna, dorado, wahoo and billfish, but what if it’s blown out too choppy or the waters have gotten colder?  Especially, if you’re fishing further north,  for example between Loreto and San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez or between Guerrero Negro and Tijuana on the Pacific, conditions will cool even more rapidly than normal. 

            Therefore, pack your fishing gear accordingly or at least adjust your expectations accordingly.  Be prepared to fish inshore or, don’t be surprised if your captain asks if you’d rather fish for cabrilla or snapper along the shorelines than get your teeth rattled offshore. 

            Or, in some cases, if it’s really windy, prepare to just stay on the shore and wait it out for another day.  Go shopping or hang out around the pool.  Why get beat up?  If you can,  leave some extra “empty” days in your vacation agenda so that you can postpone a windy day on the water and make up for it later when the winds die down.

            If you’re driving or camping this time of year,  take cold and wind into consideration as well.  High profile vehicles like RV’s or even towing a big boat or trailer can be hazardous if the winds come up. 

            I remember many times camping in the desert where I wish I had a heavier sleeping bag or high winds suddenly came up that shook our tents so badly we all retreated to spend the nights shivering in our vehicles. There were some awfully chilly mornings as well. 

            A little extra forethought and preparation will go a long way towards eliminating surprises.

__________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been the Baja Columnist and Editor for Western Outdoor News since 2006.  He lives in La Paz, Baja, Mexico where he and his wife own and run Tailhunter International Sportfishing  www.tailhunter-international.com and also own and operate the Tailhunter Restaurant and FUBAR Cantina on the historic La Paz waterfront.  He can be reached directly via e-mail at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com

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“GOING LOCAL!” Originally Published the Week of Oct. 26, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, fishing tournaments, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican Independence Day, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications on October 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The sun rises on another day on the Sea of Cortez in the Baja

“GOING LOCAL”

Originally Published the Week of Oct. 26, 2010 in Western Outdoor News

With more gringos moving down here or spending an increasing amount of time here in Mexico, it really does take awhile to get into the nuances of life down here.  After 15 years, I’m learning things every day.

           

You know you’re going “local” if…

 

1.      There’s no such thing as too fast or too slow on the highway.

2.      There is nothing that can’t be fixed with duct tape.

3.      You stop asking for a lime in your beer (tourists drink lime with beer)

4.      No lime or salt with your tequila either!  (locals drink it straight up and a good tequila, like whiskey or brandy,  is sipped and savored…not slammed and yelling “Whooo-hooooo!”)

5.      Formal wear consists of wearing socks for men and a closed-toe shoe for women.  (few places or events have a dress code…but see the next one)

6.      You really don’t care to stay out in the sun that long (it’s darned hot out there…it’s more fun watching the tourists turn to lobsters!)

7.      Except for the swimming, you would never go shirtless.  It’s considered bad form. Tourists walk around with no shirts.  But it’s OK to roll your t-shirt up under your man boobs and show your belly sticking out!

8.      You no longer tan to impress your nieghbors back home.

9.      You can cuss like the best of them (and you know what each word actually means!)

10.  A “good day” means getting 2 of the 10 things done on your “to-do-list.”

11.  Being “stressed” is worrying about the 8 things that didn’t get done.  So stop worrying.

12.  You don’t care that your one of your car’s blinkers doesn’t work and you rarely use your blinkers anyway  (Might as well be like everyone else)

13.  You understand that it’s OK if your neighbor booms his banda music until all hours. Culturally he’s not rude.  He’s being polite by “sharing”  (this is true)

14.  You’ve learned to pop a beer using your belt buckle, teeth, screwdriver, car keys, fishing pliers.  (The true test!)

15.  You realize you eat about 90 percent of your food with your fingers and hands.  (And wipe them on your socks…if you’re wearing them!)

16.  Stop signs, crosswalks and most red lights are merely “suggestions” not rules! (You’re not breaking a law unless a cop sees you and does something about it).

17.  God invented ice cold water to drink and hot water for showers.  Take neither for granted!

18.  You realize that “manana” doesn’t alway mean tomorrow.  Sometimes it  means “probably never.”

19.  You let the tourists take the fish fillets because you know that the best parts are the head,  the collar and the belly meat for soup and the barbecue!

20.  There’s nothing a mid-day siesta can’t cure.

21.  Meals take a long time

22.  You don’t need a “winter wardrobe.”

23.  It’s OK to take the bus

24.  Spicy is relative…and a “state of mind.”

25.  The longer the line the better the taco.

26.  Subtitles on Mexico TV are the best way to learn handy phrases like, “I’m going to kick your, butt!” or “Stick it in your ear!”

27.  Falling in love with someone who only speaks Spanish is the fastest way to learn Spanish

28.  You know that beer bottles in Mexico have a return value.  Cans are cheaper.

29.  People aren’t defined by their job.  Family is more important.

30.  Culturally,  job title is more important than the job or the salary.

31.  You always carry toilet paper somewhere in your car

32.  You start your Sundays with menudo, birria or pazole soup, not pancakes and eggs

33.  Going to the shopping mall is considered a “big outting.”

34.  It’s OK if the mail doesn’t come today.  Sometimes it never comes at all…ever. 

35.  It’s impolite to use the word, “no.”  “Maybe tomorrow” or “Next time” is more socially acceptable even if you’re telling a white lie. Just realize that if someone says “Maybe tomorrow” , they might be really mean, “no.”

36.  Being vague in conversation is socially acceptable. The art of telling the story is the essence. “Getting to the point” of a story is sometimes bad manners and rude. 

37.  You never ever go to a party or dinner without bringing something

38.  A favor is a gift.   Asking for a favor in return is impolite. 

39.  Make a friend…take their photo and give them a copy.  Many people have rarely ever seen photos of themselves.  We take it for granted.

40.  We take it for granted, but most folks do not have e-mail, cell phones, Twitter, Facebook or cars. 

41.  7 day weekends are perfectly acceptable!

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Jonathan Roldan has been the Baja Editor for Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He lives with his wife Jill in La Paz, Mexico since 1996 where they own and run the Tailhunter International Sportfishing Fleet and the Tailhunter Restaurant & Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.  www.tailhunter-international.com.   He can be reached directly via e-mail at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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