Originally Published Dec. 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
Year 2024 was a tough year to travel to Mexico. Although Mexico remained the #1 destination for American vacationers and still broke travel records, it was a somewhat somber travel year.
After several years of post-covid travel boom that shattered statistics, things leveled off in 2024. A number of reasons can be cited.
For one, there was less “covid fatigue.”
Those first few years as covid fears eased, folks were tired of being cooped up. They were anxious to get out.
Anxious to move about. Anxious to “do something” before some new restrictions fell into place!
Mexico was close. It’s familiar. It’s easy. It didn’t bust the piggy bank.
Mexico had it’s arms open and begged to be visited!
Many Mexican vacation destinations couldn’t keep up with the demand. It was a boom. The rush was on!
However, in 2024, things settled down. The novelty and cabin fever had worn off a bit.
It didn’t help that the post-Covid U.S. economy didn’t exactly jump through hoops. It also took a tumble the last few years as many of us know.
Those first years, folks took off to Mexico with an urgency to travel. As the years continued, folks re-adjusted. They got more economically thoughtful.
Belt tightening on many levels. Life settled into the post-Covid groove, so to speak.
On top of it all, Mexico simply got more expensive on so many levels.
Flights got more expensive. Air travel, in general, still never recovered from Covid snafu’s.
Prices for hotels and services in Mexico hit all-time highs.
Partially higher prices resulted from higher demand. Simple Economics 101. Booms in tourism produced higher rates.
But, much of it was also the result of higher fuel prices. Anything and everything has ties to fuel in one way-shape-or-form.
Gas prices skyrocketed in Mexico and higher transportation costs were reflected in higher prices for everything. Not just for tourists, but locals as well.
The double / triple whammy for tourists was the devaluation of the American dollar against the Mexican peso. The peso got stronger and the dollar dipped.
Actually, it took a nosedive.
Take a look.
Pre-Covid the rate of exchange for Pesos-to-dollars was about18:1. That means 18 pesos for 1 American dollar.
If a hotel room cost $2500 Mexican pesos per night, that would mean, about $138 U.S. out of your pocket.
If dinner for 2 cost $1500 Mexican pesos, you’d be paying about $84 dollars.
Last year, rates dropped to 15:1. That’s 15 pesos for one U.S. dollar.
That 2500 peso hotel room cost now jumped to $166 per night.
Dinner cost $100 U.S. dollars.
Plus, prices went up on top of it all.
That hotel for $2500 pesos was more likely $3000 pesos per night or $200 U.S. dollars.
Dinner jumped to $1800 pesos or $120 bucks from your wallet.
Mexico became harder to afford. Across the board…flights, hotels. gasoline, car rentals, food, fishing, etc. All more expensive for everyone.
From a personal perspective, I think many Americans were also holding onto their dollars because it was an election year. Everyone was waiting to see what happened in November.
But, guess what?
The peso has taken a tumble against the dollar.
In the last 2-3 months, the exchange rate of the peso-to-dollar has risen to more than 20 pesos to 1 dollar.
So, the dollar is at an all-time high. Your travel dollar is once has purchasing strength and goes further.
That $3000 pesos room that was $200/night has now dropped to $150 of your dollars.
Dinner for two that was $120 dollars has now become more affordable at $90.
In Mexico, prices may not have relatively dropped on the ledgers and blackboards. But, in terms of real-time money costs for Americans, this is a really good time to take a little vacation!
That’s my story!
Jonathan
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published In Western Outdoor Publications
If you had not already made it, a lot of folks are planning their winter vacations about now. I know where we live in La Paz, we’re starting to see the snowbirds descend on our area.
We think things are starting to get “chilly” when the thermometer drops into the 60’s and 70’s. But it’s still a sight warmer than places like Canada, North Dakota and Washington.
Like any vacation of this sort, you probably start with flights then lodging. Then, you may or may not make reservations for your activities.
Will you want to go fishing? Scuba diving? Kayaking? Maybe some famous booze cruise?
So, here’s the conundrum.
Making reservations for activities in the winter are a lot different than activities in the summer. Forget all the glossy internet and magazine photos.
The reality is that its WINTER!
No matter who you are or where you’re coming from…no matter that you got the mega deal on your hotel room and the all-you-can-eat buffet is waiting, you cannot change the fact that it’s winter.
And that means weather. Erratic weather. Especially if you plan to do any activities on the ocean.
So you want to go fishing in Cabo? Or Puerto Vallarta? Some other spot?
It could be flat or calm or you find out too late that those winter waves coming across the Pacific Ocean were meant just to spoil your day. Those blasting gusting winds aren’t any fun either.
Scuba diving or snorkeling? Same thing. Waves and wind on top. Cold murky water below the surface.
The booze cruise turns changes your day from a holding your margarita to holding down your lunch.
But, the reality is weather happens.
The conundrum is whether you should make your reservations ahead of time or wait.
If you make your reservations ahead of time, at least you have something on the agenda. You have more choices in vendors. Maybe there’s a discount. You have more options. There’s a sense of security.
Barring other unforeseen things, you’re locked in.
On the other hand, you could wait.
Check out the weather. Do a little more research. Walk around the area and shop. Talk to people.
But if you wait, you might find out your first choice is sold out. They might all be sold out!
Or, your last choice in activity vendor is the operation that no one wanted anyway.
There’s a reason why that last guy didn’t have any customers!
Or, if the demand is high, forget the discounts. You might end up paying a premium.
The vendor knows he will sell out. If you want that last set of seats, he can charge whatever he wants. If you snub him, he knows he can sell it to someone else.
But what happens if you book either before-hand or on-the-fly.
What happens if weather un-corks itself right on your picnic.
If you’ve already climbed aboard and are out on the water, it kinda depends. Maybe a generous provider or outfitter will give you credit or a discount towards another trip.
A “rain check” if you will.
But, don’t count on it. Definitely, you won’t get your money back. Especially in Mexico.
Gas has been bought for the boat. The crew has been paid. Permits have already been paid.
If food was provided, and you already started in on it, or even if it hasn’t been touched, it can’t be saved for the next day and still be fresh.
So, you’re outta luck.
That’s just how things are. You take that chance anytime you head out on the water. Even during the best times.
But, what if you booked in advance. You’ve paid a deposit. Maybe you’ve already paid for the whole thing.
And then, it’s too rough. Or dangerous. Or a storm hits.
Again, you probably won’t get a refund, but you might want to look at your invoice if you even got one. Most operators I know DO NOT provide refunds.
But, you might get a credit for another day or another trip. But, honestly, how often do you plan to come back to this same destination?
Again, you might just be out-of-luck.
Decisions. Decisions.
Personally, I book ahead of time and I do my research ahead of time. If an operator has been around for awhile, they are not fly-by-night operators.
It takes a lot to stay in any business and keep it going.
And, I would specifically ask what happens if there’s a weather or other unforeseen issues.
Better to know ahead of time than finding out right in the middle of your vacation.
That’s my story!
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of Sept. 20, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
Oh for those “good old days.”
When I first used to come to Baja more than 40 years ago, part of the thrill was figuring out all the fishing gear I could bring. Looking back, I can only shake my head.
“What was I thinking?”
It’s funny how our perceptions change over the years.
I kid you not. I would bring a dozen sticks and reels. Plus extra reels in case I needed to change things out. Lure of every size and color. Extra spools of line. All the accessories like dikes, pliers, rod belts and other “essential gadgets.”
I could have used a whole village of sherpas. It’s no wonder I have back, neck and knee problems in my older age. I don’t even know how I got it through airports. I don’t remember ever using a cart and I still only had 2 arms and 2 legs.
Hmmmm…
And that didn’t even include clothes and personal items. But, heck…back then…maybe two pairs of shorts…a couple of fishing t-shirts…some flip flops…hat and sunglasses.
If you couldn’t rinse it in the hotel sink or take a shower with it on, you didn’t bring it! Fishing gear weighed 100 pounds. Clothes bag weighed almost nothing!
Gear was certainly the priorty.
One of our favorite little tricks was get all the guys to stuff all the rods into a single travel tube. Less hassle and cheaper. One guy carries and checks-in the big tube.
Well…this is your friendly public service announcement.
Mexico seems like it’s really going out of it’s way at the airports to streamline your arrivals and departures. Especially for folks arriving on vacation.
I saw a study where the average tourist was taking an hour or more to get off their plane and finally making it outside the airport. Actually, in many cases 90 minutes to get out. That was longer than some of the flights!
I have to say as a frequent flyer and also dealing with hundreds of fishing clients a month with our transportation service, they have succeeded.
For 90% of our visitors just pulling a suitcase or an ice chest, it’s generally better and faster than it has ever been.
There’s just one little hiccup. And for us fishermen, it can really be a pain-in-the-neck and a terrible way to start your much-anticipated vacation.
The airport inspectors…especially the customs guys are starting to enforce the customs regulations.
Nothing has changed. They’re just starting to hunker down more.
For so many years we pretty much brought down whatever we wanted, right?
Not so much anymore.
I have dozens of fishing clients and their families and friends who arrive at the Cabo Airport every week.
With increasing frequency, folks are getting stopped. For example:
I’ve had a number of guys get fined for bringing in too many rods and reels. (So much now for packing everyone’s rods in one guy’s rod tube)
I’ve had them fine one client for bringing in too many cartons of their favorite cigarettes.
One of my clients got fined for bringing a case of his favorite beer that isn’t offered in Mexico. The case of PBR cost him $10 at home. The fine was $30! So, the case ultimately cost $40.
Stuff like that…
The biggest stopper is the rods and reels. Especially right now with all of the tournaments happening in Baja. So, beware.
Here’s the full list of things that were always on the customs forms we all ignored:
And here’s some highlights of particular interest to fishermen and their friends and family:
– 2 photographic or video recording cameras; photographic material; 3 mobile telephones or other wireless networks; a global positioning equipment (GPS); an electronic notepad; a laptop, notebook, omni book or similar; a portable copier or printer; a DVD burner and a portable projector, with its accessories.
– 2 personal sports equipment, 4 fishing rods, 3 sailboards with or without a sail and their accessories, trophies, or recognitions, if they can be transported commonly and normally by the passenger.
– A portable sound recording or reproducing or mixed device or 2 for digital image and sound recording or reproducing apparatus and a portable DVD player; a set of portable speakers, and their accessories.
– 5 laser discs, 10 DVD discs, 30 compact discs, 3 software packages and 5 storage devices for any electronic equipment.
– Books, magazines, and printed documents.
– 5 toys, including collectibles, a video game console and 5 video games.
– Suitcases, trunks or any other item necessary for the transfer of luggage.
– A binocular and a telescope.
– 2 musical instruments and their accessories.
– A tent and other camping gear.
– A set of hand tools with its case, which may include a drill, pliers, wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, power cords, among others.
Passengers over 18 years of age, a maximum of 10 cigarette packs, 25 cigars or 200 grams of tobacco; up to 3 liters of alcoholic beverages and 6 liters of wine.
Consider yourself warned! See you down here!
That’s my story!
______________
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of Sept. 7, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
Several decades ago, we started doing “Street Taco Tours” with our fishing guests who came to visit us for fishing down here in La Paz.
It got pretty popular!
Sometimes, we’d be doing it 3 or 4 times a week with sometimes several dozen guests a night. It got to the point where folks would have to reserve space well in advance.
They were fun. Informative. And most of all delicious.
It was a chance to visit places most tourists would never find or venture to try. These were all mom-and-pop places that you would never find on Google, Yelp or Trip Advisor.
Often, they would be down neighborhood streets or alleys or some corner far away from the tourist areas.
But as I often tell our guests, eating in Mexico is a lot like eating in the states. If you see 3 burger stands in a row and 2 of them are empty and one of them has a line around it, it’s not hard to figure where to go eat.
And, that’s the way these taquerias are.
You’re headed down a dark neighborhood street lit only by a few street lights and see maybe the occasional dog sleeping off the sidewalk. You turn a corner and you’re greeted by the lights and whole neighborhood chowing down!
Plastic chairs and tables with beer logos on them…maybe a string of white lights…and all kinds of sizzling aromatic meats coming of a flaming grill or flatiron . Maybe a portable radio or CD player with some great banda music. A table full of temping salsas and pretty much everyone smiling and enjoying the eatery, but also kind of a community central!
You’ve arrived. Join in!
Now, most of these places all have the usual tacos that gringos know…mostly carne asada. Essentially grilled beef.
Packed into a warm tortilla and slathered with salsas and other condiments…A great choice. Can’t miss. Like ordering a cheeseburger at your favorite fast food or a ribeye at your favorite steak house.
But, if you want to step outside the safety zone and go full native Mexicano, here’s some other tasty options. Some are familiar to some tourists while others require “full immersion!”
Al Pastor – Marinated pork in mild spices and pineapple flame-cooked on a vertical rotisserie like shwarma and thin sliced portions right into the tortilla and handed to you.
Carnitas – A big favorite. It’s slow roasted pulled-pork cut into tender chunks into your tortilla. Often combined with some of the other items on this list.
Chicarrones – Deep fried crunchy pork skin. Chopped into the tortilla if it’s soft. Or if really crunchy, packed into a tortilla with other meats like carnitas much the way you’d put a lot of bacon bits on things back home. Minced onions and cilantro are a plus!
Costilla – Not terribly adventurous because it’s beef rib meat! Not many places have it, but when you find it, jump on it. Hard to go astray with the meat from beef ribs!
Often served with a cup of consommé which is basically the beef drippings and broth. Dip your rib taco into it like a beef dip sandwich and take a bite!
Chorizo – Spicy Mexican pork sausage. Chopped, shredded and grilled. There are many different versions. Some sweet. Some more spicy. Restaurants will mix it with eggs. And perfect for burritos. But at a street stand, straight into your tortilla to be covered with salsa.
Tripa – OK. Now were veering outside the box! This is Tripe! Chewy tender chopped grilled or slow-cooked lining of the cow’s stomach. The texture is a bit chewy and has a delicious mild beef flavor. Often found in menudo.
Lengua – A big favorite. This is cow tongue. It’s braised with onions and garlic. I’ve heard it described as a heartier and beefier flavor than flank steak or even surpassing filet mignon. Chopped small into a tortilla with salsa and hit it with a quick squeeze of lime to make the flavor explode!
Seso – Cow brain. There. I said it. Yes, cow brain. It’s firm. It’s moist. It has a strong beef flavor and very tender.
Ojos – Yup…cow eyeballs. I kinda thought they were very mild…but FYI…they were kinda crunchy. Didn’t taste bad at all. They were so mild, the salsa really made them tasty. Just had trouble with the “crunch” once my friend told me what they were!
Cachete – Basically cow cheeks. They can be tough and stringy so that’s why it’s slow cooked and it comes out quite tender and tasting very much like beef rib meat. It’s rich and very marbled which really enhances the flavor.
In total honesty, yes, I’ve eaten all of these. But again, full discloser and transparency, a few of them I ate without knowing what I was eating.
I was told AFTER-THE-FACT!
I think it was to watch my expression. All of them were good in their own way and many of my local friends crave these different meats. But if you really want to live large…give them a try and come to your own culinary conclusions!
That’s my story!
Jonathan
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of Aug .28, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
We’re hitting the end of summer and start of fall in Baja. Honestly, the best time of fishing in my opinion.
The crowds tend to taper a bit as families have kids going back to school. Airlines and hotels consider this the “off-season” before the holidays in November so this is a little gap in travel.
But, the complexion of Baja visitors and, many places in Mexico changes, as folks take advantage of great flights and better discounts. Not to mention temperatures are somewhat cooler and, to me, the best fishing of the year generally speaking.
Related to the fishing and not co-incidentally, this is also tournament time when many of locales in Baja have their huge fishing tournaments.
Destinations like Cabo, especially, host some of the largest tournaments in the world like the Bisbees’ Black and Blue and Western Outdoor News’ Tuna Jackpot as well as many others.
Sometimes, it seems like there’s a tournament a week up and down the whole peninsula somewhere!
So, just as an aside, although it’s “off-season” for travel, if you’re planning on fishing, check ahead to see if tournaments are being held. Make sure hotel rooms are available and boats are open. Don’t sit on your hands until the last minute.
All that being said, I hate to bring up the “H” word.
Yes, it’s also hurricane season. We call them “Chubascos”in Spanish.
In my 30 years in Baja, I’ve hit about 6 of them that were real barn busters including Odile in 2014 that literally blew the doors off the barn and was one of the strongest on record.
That doesn’t mean to change your vacation plans or cancel that long-awaited fishing trip. But best to have the knowledge.
Honestly, the chances of them happening are pretty slim. I say that very very quietly sotto voce…as it were as I don’t want to jinx anything.
However, from what I’ve seen so far with the cooler temperatures and cooler waters attributable to the La Nina weather patterns, there really haven’t been that many storms…even baby storms.
La Nina’s presence somewhat wreaked havoc on fishing this year turning it topsy-turby. However, the upside is that the cooler conditions are less conducive to producing hurricanes.
By this time in other years, we had at least seen some fairly strong storms bubbling around the Pacific Coast of Mexico. So far, maybe only 1 or 2. Unlike the Eastern Coast of North America.
Additionally, there would have been some gully-washer “Toritos” (baby bull) storms that would have dumped a lot of rain on areas for short amounts of time.
So far…again I say that quietly…it’s been a quiet year.
That doesn’t mean we won’t get them. I wish I had a big crystal ball.
But, the next 2 months will tell the tale.
So, preparation is not a bad idea.
First thing…prepare for the possibility of some rain. Like afternoon stuff usually. The good thing is that most of the time when the afternoon shower hit, everyone is off the water by then.
“Torito”- they blow in without warning then blow out!
But, I always bring a windbreaker or at least one of those fold-away panchos you buy at Walmart. Or, in a pinch, I’ve cut head and arm holes in a big garbage bag.
Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
The biggest thing, however, is trip insurance. It’s economical, it’s easily purchased.
It protects against missed or cancelled trips…fishing…boating…activities…hotel rooms.
Even if you’re NOT in the storm zone, the fact that there could be a storm somewhere could strand you in an airport. You arrive excited about your vacation and find out your flight has been cancelled before you even leave the airport.
I’ve been stranded many times.
My flight to somewhere never arrives because the plane never left from somewhere that morning. There was a storm along the route or something like that. Or there’s a storm where I’m headed.
It happens.
Or, conversely, if you get stuck somewhere and can’t get home. Extra hotel nights…transportation…food…flights…etc. could all mean out-of-pocket expenses.
Trip insurance will help cover that.
Believe me, getting refunds from a business in Mexico is either impossible or just not worth the time and effort. It’s just easier to insure.
As a practical matter, consider friends and family. Have an emergency number or some protocol in place so you can keep your family informed. Let them know you’re OK.
Ultimately, your chances of encountering an actual hurricane are pretty slim. And ultimately, everyone gets through it with a story to tell.
Just a little FYI.
That’s my story
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of July 28, in Western Outdoor Publications
We run several businesses here in Mexico. La Paz in Baja to be sure, about 100 miles north of Cabo San Lucas.
We have a lot of employees.
We have boat captains, drivers, managers and fish packers. At our restaurant as you might expect…cooks, waiters, kitchen assistants, bartender, etc.
I caught myself thinking the other day about so many of the folks in our restaurant.
I see them daily. I say hi. How are you. The usual stuff in Spanish.
Of course, thank you and good job. Professionally cordial and social.
Maybe occasionally issue some direction like “That table needs another order of guacamole.”
Nothing too complicated. They are mostly great folks and work hard…most of the time. Like all of us.
Mostly, I leave the heavy restaurant lifting to our managers or my wife, who are very good and work very hard as well. I try to stay in my lane as much as possible.
But, I caught myself the other day realizing something that is usually very important to me.
I’m very social, but I don’t really know the names of at least half our restaurant employees! Really not like me.
I think it’s because in the “new normal,” probably 30% of them will be gone before the month is over.
Half of them won’t be here in 3 months. I would bet 90% will be different by this time next year!
Of our current employees, half of them weren’t here 2 months ago.
Somewhere subconsciously, I told myself it was pointless to learn names until it looked like they were going to be sticking around. Why waste the energy of someone who won’t be here very long?
And that’s a terrible way to look at people. Assuming the worst!
It’s hard to find and keep employees these days. Just like in the U.S.
Seemingly, no one wants to work. Or they skitter from one job to the next searching for a better deal or whatever.
It occurred to me that maybe some of our employees leave because the owner (me) must be a jerk. That guy is me.
Are they saying and thinking, “My boss never says much to me and he never even learned my name or called me by my name!”
Ouch. Guilty.
So, the last few days, I made a point to actually chat with a few of our folks. (I made sure to “cheat” first by checking our payroll list.)
Some pretty interesting and astounding things.
Let me say as a preface, that folks come to work. And work is the focus. Employees are clean. Arrive for their shifts.
Work then leave. All very cordial…as much as possible in a sometimes hectic restaurant environment.
But, having a conversation I find out…
Selene is one of 4 adult kids still living with her mom. Mom is diabetic and chronically ill. Only she and a younger brother work and support the whole family. Dad disappeared when she was a kid. She never went past 5th grade.
Vincente has been a waiter for as long as he can remember. He’s about in his late 30’s. He has 6 kids in the house including an infant.
Two of the kids are actually a niece and nephew. He took them in because of issues in that house. His wife can’t work because she’s taking care of all the kids. So, a single income family and he makes about $200 a week plus tips.
Their house only has a mini-frig with no freezer and is about the size of a frig in someone’s mancave to keep beer cold.
Lucio…we’ll he’s been with us for almost a year.
I had no idea, he takes the bus…yes, the bus to get to work. And then at night when we close at 10 p.m. or so, he takes the bus back home.
The ride each way on the bus is an hour or more depending on the bus! And the bus ride usually eats up whatever tip money he earns. This is for a job washing dishes.
A couple of days ago, he told me they didn’t have water in his 3rd floor apartment with his girlfriend. The city was having a tiff with the city water company. Water had been shut off to some neighborhoods for several days.
So, he had to carry 5 gallon buckets of water up and down the stairs several times a day to fill the water tank on their roof so they had water for the kitchen, bath and toilet.
Emilio…has sole custody of his son. The son had a medical emergency that ate up the budget for the week.
With what he had leftover, he had to make a decision on whether to spend it on the electric bill for light…the gas bill so they could cook…or gas for his motorcycle so he could get to work.
It’s humbling and sobering.
As an American, we just unconsciosly assume everyone has a car or a refrigerator. Or water. Or has a way to cook food.
Shame on me that my avoidance mechanism is to just calling everyone, “amigo.” It’s more “convenient” than learning a name!
It makes me appreciate them more for what they have to do in order to work and what daily decisions they have to make.
Like eveyrone I have problems and get stressed. But, I really don’t. Not compared to others. I have lots of “inconveniences.” Not problems.
…and shame on me for not even learning their names!
I will have to do better and not take so much for granted.
That’s my story!
Jonathan
______________
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of July 19, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
When I was an attorney, we had a saying, “Everyone tells their story in their own self-interest.”
That’s not to say folks lie. Some do. Some don’t.
Some just embellish or elaborate on the truth. Not quite “fibbing” but everyone slants their story in their own favor.
Human nature.
So, this time, I’m gonna buck the inclination.
What I write is probably NOT in my own self-interest, but maybe in a convoluted way, it is.
It’s just another side…another angle, if you will on some developments down here.
It’s about fixing things that aren’t broken.
We’ve lived and worked down here in La Paz some 30 years. The changes and developments that keep rolling in are exponential.
Construction everywhere. I guess that’s part of being a destination city.
If you leave anywhere near a place where folks come to vacation or where they are re-locating…the coast…the mountains…a river…a lake…
You know what I’m talking about!
There’s really not much to do about it either, but here’s my take from another angle.
Here in La Paz, they stopped direct airline flights from the U.S. about a dozen years ago. We just weren’t “touristy” enough.
You had to fly from the U.S. to Cabo and shuttle or drive up 3 hours the 100 miles to La Paz.
Or you took a convoluted series of connection flights that got you here.
Or you could catch a direct flight from Tijuana.
I’ll admit. Not the most convenient. Actually, kind of a pain in the B..TT, for most of us. Not just the extra time, but the cost as well.
But, I like being “non-touristy!”
The world is full of Cozumels, Cancuns, Puerta Vallartas and Cabo San Lucases. Nothing wrong with that. Fun spots and they certainly have their place.
To each their own.
But the world is quickly losing the alternative non-touristy spots.
Like La Paz…family-oriented…relatively quiet…you can walk the historic streets…no one chases you down the street to sell you t-shirts, timeshares or jewelry.
But, the word is out. And people are flocking. I get it.
Every magazine article…every youtube video…”La Paz is the Next Hidden Spot!”
Come find it!
Right…
So, for the first time in more than a decade, there will be 2-5 flights a week from Los Angeles here.
Sigh and a big whoopie.
As a business, sure, this will be great. Make is easier for people to find us and get to us. More clients. More business.
But that’s the problem as well.
There should still be places on this planet that are little harder to find. There should still be places that are a little harder to get to.
That’s the charm and attraction. The “road less traveled” is not as easy to find as our planet gets more crowded and people go wandering around the face of the Earth.
I’ve seen it. You have seen it. I’ve visited places around the world as well. I’ll admit my own mind starts fantasizing…
Man, it would be great to buy some land here. Or buy or build a house here. Or live here!
Same thing down here. The land boom is already on. The construction crush is here.
The powers-that-be with more wisdom than I possess took one of the local beaches…one of the prettiest in Mexico if not the world…and decided to put bathrooms out there. And shady palapas and trash cans.
Let’s fix what wasn’t broken!
Well, what was once a beach you would find in Conde Nas and National Geographic is now so covered with beachgoers and vendors selling churros and t-shirts that the they have a quota now on how many folks can be there at one time.
You have a time limit as well as to how long you can stay. There’s a waiting line to get in. And don’t get me started on the trash!
To another beach, they turned a little two-lane Mexican road into a super highway. Same thing happened. They built it and yes…they came…in droves.
I know there’s no stopping this. But, I do lament the progress of not leaving well-enough alone and remember what it used to be like.
These ARE the good-old days.
That’s my story!
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of July 11, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
You do what you need to do when you’re in need of food and money. There was a time some 30 years ago when I first ended up in Baja that there were some really lean times.
I mean, the kind of times where I would be looking under the seats of my van for enough spare change to buy a taco or two to eat.
The street vendors would make the tacos with two tortillas so I could make TWO tacos out’ve them. I would then stuff them with so much shredded lettuce, mince carrots, grilled onions as I could until overflowing.
So much for a balanced meal.
And now here I was in the middle of the ocean wondering what in the world I had signed up for.
I had been hired by TV film crew to accompany them to the offshore banks in the Pacific some 20 miles-or-so west of the Baja Peninsula and Bahia Magdalena.
They wanted to hook a bunch of striped marlin and send down a camera crew to film the action. There are times when you can hook dozens of marlin a day in the area.
The banks are rich with fish. Not only marlin, but wahoo, tuna, grouper, yellowtail and more.
It’s also known to have a lot of sharks!
My job?
As an experienced Divemaster, my job was to slip into the water with my SCUBA gear and follow the underwater camera crew.
Actually, I was to stay UNDER the camera crew.
Since they would be focusing through the camera on the crazy fishing, they would only have a very myopic view of their underwater surroundings.
My enviable job?
Hang out well below them and…
WATCH FOR SHARKS!
If sharks approached or look threatening, I was supposed to warn the camera crew. That was the whole job description.
I don’t know if I was supposed to poke them; prod them; blow bubbles at them or what. Somehow I was just supposed to alert them that sharks were prowling.
I was the scout. The point man.
I had a number of years as a working divemaster and fishing guide and diving guide. This seemed like an easy job. No one to lead around.
Just watch! How hard could that be for several days?
And I needed the money. A no-brainer.
That is…until I slipped into the water.
Blue blue blue. Clear clear clear. Nothing but blue
Even with hundreds of dives in my log book, this was something very very different.
It was beyond eerie. It was just me down there. I was used to having diving clients. I was used to having points of reference while diving. Things to see and gauge what I was doing.
A reef…rockpile…coral…a wreck…an island.
This was 20 miles into the middle of the ocean. In waters known to have sharks. In fact, that’s why they hired me!
I’ve dove with sharks before, but this was kinda creepy.
Kinda like in the horror movies where the kid goes down into the dark basement where the lights don’t work. You just KNOW all kinds of horrors await..scary clowns…a guy in hockey mask…a Chucky doll…
The mind races.
It was definitely a WHAT-THE-HE#L-MOMENT! It was a kick-yourself-in-the-butt and come-to-Jesus moment!
Here, there were no points of reference. No sounds.
At one point I was concentrating so hard trying to force my eyes to see into the blue vacuum that the boat and camera crew drifted away.
Suddenly, I find myself 30’ underwater.
Nothing but shimmering blue that goes into…dark shimmering blue below. The light from the surface gets sucked down into a darkening abyss. Vacuumed into liquid nothingness!
Somewhere down there hundreds of feet down is ocean bottom? Maybe ?
Around me more blue.
No sounds except the sound of my breathing in my regulator. Eerie penetrating silence. In middle of the ocean dozens of miles from land.
In my dives I have often found diving to be relaxing. Even soothing. Even harmonious. Like listening to new age music in a rainstorm or something like that.
This was hardly soothing or harmonious.
I had to choke down the bits of panic creeping into my brain. I was literally way over my head in the deep deep end of the Earth’s swimming pool. Suspended in blue space.
And alone. I’ve often been alone and crave solitude. But, this wasn’t like that. More lonely than I think I have ever felt.
I felt very small.
In a place that was well known for things that like to come out’ve the blue void and eat.
Very vulnerable. At the same time, I wanted to make myself even smaller and invisible.
I’ve been around long enough in the water to know that predators key on distress. They can smell it. They have tractor beams to it. And to me it felt like fear was seeping out’ve me in buckets.
I did the only thing I could.
Slowly rise with my bubbles to the surface. Gather myself.
Did a 360 on the surface and saw the big boat. About 100 yards away. Luckily, they had been looking for me as well.
For the next 10 minutes I bobbed and dangled out there. Like bait. Unnerving, but at least I knew they were coming for me.
Never saw a single shark over 3 days.
Never felt so good climbing onto that deck either.
That’s my story!
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of May 5, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
There was a time many many years ago in another time, space and dimension when I would visit Mexico to go fishing, I brought a lot of gear. Maybe you were the same way.
I had the biggest of the biggest rod tubes they sold. It was jammed with so many rods back-to-front and front-to-back.
As many as I could fit.
Trolling rods. Jig sticks. Live bait rods. Light tackle sticks. Flipping sticks. Meat sticks. Maybe a spinning rods or two for good measure.
It was like the old saying, “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Had to bring ‘em all plus every new rod that “needed to be broken in!”
And of course, that meant I needed a reel to match every rod. All by themselves, they filled a suitcase or an ice chest.
Can’t forget the terminal tackle either. Lures. Hooks. Extra line. Every color of lure, jig and trolling feather. Plus all the gadgets like dikes. Needle-nosed pliers. A fillet knife. Wire crimps and of course a fighting belt or harness. etc. etc.
Sound familiar?
I look back on those days and shake my head.
Honestly, at the end of the trip, I might have used 10% of all that. I couldn’t even physically carry that gear now. I wouldn’t want to on my old knees, shoulders and joints.
But those were the days when everyone did that.
We dragged these highly awkward 7 and 8-foot plastic rod tubes in our cars and through the airports. We tried not to smack folks in the head.
Our tackle bags required sherpas and porters to heft.
When we reached our destinations, it took half-a-day to set it all up.
And if your buddies all brought stuff, everyone had to spread their stuff out on the hotel room floor and beds and compare toys!
But, that was another day and time.
Airlines didn’t ding you an arm-and-leg for your luggage. Or hit you up for a small mortgage if things were over-sized or overweight.
Those were also days when “sharp things” weren’t frowned upon or outlawed in the cabin. They did not result in raised eyebrows going through an x-ray machine.
I’ve had friends try to carry on machetes, anchors, hunting knives, crossbows (yes!), spears and gaffs, let alone pocket knives and multi-tools.
But, over the years, that has all diminished quite a bit.
It’s just too hard. It’s too expensive.
The airlines and TSA are understandably too watchful. It’s a pain-in-the-@#$$ to get searched. We all hate just taking off our shoes!
But a number of folks still bring stuff. That’s all well-and-good. There’s another saying about “never going to war with someone else’s rifle.”
I get that too. We like our own gear.
But, just a heads-up.
Mexican customs is also getting more circumspect as well. If you travel by plane, we all fill out those customs forms. But, of course, we never actually read them!
But, there are restrictions.
And those restrictions have always been there. We just never cared much or they always waved us through.
The faster to get to our hotels and wrap our hands around a tall cold one and get those vacations started.
Some are calling it a “money grab.” But, hey, the law is the law. Rules are rules.
You drive 50 in a 35 mph zone every day and never get busted. Then one day you get pulled over, it’s hard to argue the point
But, Mexico customs has rules like how many CD’s and DVD’s you can bring. How many cameras you’re allowed to have. How much work material you can bring. Blah blah.
And yes, there’s a rules limiting how much sports equipment you can drag into the country.
And that includes fishing gear.
Yup!
The rule is 4 rods and reels per person. And that doesn’t mean you can have one tube with 12 rods for you and your 3 other buddies.
Four outfits for each individual person. Each carrying their own.
But, there’s more to the rub. A bigger ouch.
Many airlines are restricting the fishing outfits to only 2 per person. Two rods. Two reels.
And when you hit the customs inspectors at the airport, there’s a fine for violations. Go to the little room and pay the man.
They’re not checking everyone.
But, they are checking more often.
They’re not being mean. They’re just being more diligent.
And if there’s new gear, they might ask for a receipt showing the value of the item. Yes, there’s a tax on that too.
And it’s no fun getting asked to walk to the little customs room to fill out forms and pay the fine.
So, just be aware before you start packing all your gear. Check your airlines and be forewarned that you might be that one person out’ve 10 in line that gets pulled aside.
Like getting pulled over for speeding while everyone zooms by you. Why me? Just not your lucky day.
Bad way to start your vacation!
That’s my story!
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Originally Published the Week of May 10, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
When I first moved down here to Baja, it wasn’t difficult to find some space. The vistas were grand. The beaches were expansive.
The sky was big and the “world” went from horizon to horizon.
There was a rugged tranquility of the desert frontier by the ocean that pervaded every aspect of life. It was inescapable.
You knew you were somewhere sublimely and beautifully alien. You knew you were perhaps in a different portal of time, space and dimension from where you had come from.
There’s a certain anxious edge to knowing that you had to actually “THINK” about your day. Not just how to get to work or your dinner plans, or what you were doing for the weekend, etc.
It was much more primitive.
Do I have enough gas?
Is there gas?
Do I have food?
What will I eat and how will I get it?
Do I have enough water?
How far do I need to travel today from Point A to Point B and back?
Is there electricity today?
Will I be able to cook today and is there enough fuel?
These things had to actually be planned. And any glitch or bump in that road of existence could mean a bad day or at least a really inconvenient day of the worst kind.
Because nothing was really “convenient” per se. But, that was the beauty of it.
You had to actually rely on yourself a lot more.
The only thing convenient was the free clean air and the ocean and Baja desert. All around. All the time.
I could climb a rocky hill stretch out my arms like the famous Jesus statue above Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Looking out over the blue empty ocean and desert and not see a single person!
Far as the eye could see.
In my own mind I could stretch my arms and laughingly tell myself, “I own all this! It’s mine!” And yell to the wind and jump up and down.
Metaphorically speaking, yea…I did own it!
It’s a silly exhilarating feeling. Kinda like the way a kid feels in his first treehouse. ALL MINE!
You want hold onto that feeling.
…and you always want it to be that way.
I would revel in the thought that I hoped to share this with my kids and grandkids someday and others who would appreciate the special place.
A dream. A hope.
And today I’m sitting here in my office overlooking the waterfront and am quickly reminded that the vibe is eroding with increasing velocity.
A BMW just drove by. A Mercedes Convertible as well.
Down the street there’s another chic-chic boutique hotel almost completed that I would never be able to afford a night (not sure I would want to…but that’s not the point).
There are two yachts in the bay that are too large for the local marina. I’m told one is owned by Microsoft people. The other might be the owner of Home Depot and an NFL team.
I will have to take a detour home tonite because they’re digging up and paving a dirt road that went over the hills to a little-known remote beach.
Well, everyone knows about it now because a condo complex is planned for it. There’s big billboards around town.
“Own a piece of secluded paradise. (Emphasis on “secluded.”)
A week doesn’t go by where I don’t run into folks that are house hunting here “to get away from it all.”
If you build it, they will come.
There are farm-to-table organic farm restaurants and wine-tasting rooms popping up next to French, Italian, Asian and Fusion eateries.
I often read the social media boards to check what local gringos are saying and thinking.
Recently, someone posted, “What turns you off about restaurants in Mexico?”
One replied, “Furniture made from wood pallets or plastic chairs with beer logos on them.”
Another wrote, “Lack of Michelin 5-star restaurants.”
And another, “All the waiters that don’t speak English.”
Say what? Ouch!
Harsh.
Personally, with each comment…with each new bit of development in the name of progress…with each dirt road getting it’s first coat of asphalt…
It feels like a little more of O.G. original Baja…original Mexico …erodes away.
Yes, I can still climb that rocky hill and scream this is “All mine.”
But I probably have to do it a lot quieter because there’s a housing development and condos on that hill now.
And step gently so I don’t get busted for trespassing.
Harsh. Wish I had my treehouse back.
That’s my story…
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
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His articles also appear in:
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That's My Story 