Don't let anyone tell you that you should not go to Ensenada. I recently went for a five day jaunt south of the border with two friends. It was both a money saving trip to get bodywork done on my two year old Acura, to shop for The Folk Tree, eat very well, to enjoy breathing the fresh air and most of all marvel at the beautiful blue waters of the Pacific.

 

Let's face it. I am a born bargain hunter and I needed a lot of work done on my late model Acura. My house has a driveway built for the cars of 1927. The driveway was fine for my 1990 Acura but the newer model was much wider. I can't count the times I scraped both sides of the car when I whizzed past the protruding walls of the driveway. I asked for advice about bodywork businesses in Ensenada from my friend Alejandra Ramirez, owner of the city's best Mexican folk art store, and she made a call to Servicios Fernandez in Ensenada.

 

 

 Casa Ramirez, Ensenada

 

On Monday my friends and I arrived in Tijuana for an early lunch time break. I chose tequila laced shrimp at Los Arcos. This king sized restaurant chain was founded in the 70's in Sinaloa and now has nearly twenty branches throughout Mexico.

 

We arrived in Ensenada around three, and after a quick check in at Hotel Las Rosas, a few miles north of city center on Highway One, we headed to Servicios Fernandez to make sure of our Tuesday reservation for the huge body job. We were told to return first thing on Tuesday and that the car would be ready first thing Friday morning. And so it was !!!! The car looked brand new and cost much less than half of what I had been quoted in Pasadena.

Ensenada does not have any alliance with U.S. chains but Fiesta rent a car in Hotel Corona provided us with a reasonably priced sedan. I hadn't driven in a car with roll up windows in years.

   

    Hotel Las Rosas, Ensenada

 

Our favorite breakfast spot Los Veleros is also located in Hotel Corona. This restaurant is very popular with locals. The service and food are first rate. The menu is filled with

standard Mexican breakfast fare. I alternately partook of Flor de Calabasa (squash

blossom) and Huitlacoche (corn mushroom) omelets, both fit for a King--or this Queen!

It was great to get back to the hotel. I plopped myself on a chair and then spent the rest of daylight hours watching the tide come in and go out over the giant boulders in the Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the hotel. I sat transfixed by the aquatic birds and the fishing boats and the occasional ocean liner passing.

 

The best part of the hotel is the view. Amenities are overrated; the furniture seems dated and the housekeeping a C at best. The outside wooden trim needs repainting. But again the view is great.

 

Tuesday was shopping day. Our first stop was to renew our acquaintance with Adalberto

 Meillon at Perez-Meillon art gallery. Adalberto is a fine art painter and printmaker. He

 also shows works by local artists. In addition he specializes in the works of Mata Ortiz

 potters and basketry of native peoples of Baja.

 

 We spent many hours with Alejandra Ramirez at her Casa Ramirez finding many

 reasonably priced Mexican arts and crafts. A Carnival Cruise boat was in the harbor. For

 a fee, they recommend Casa Ramirez in their shopping guide. Sales were few and far

 between. The boat people, to say the least, were not of the sophistication of The Folk

 Tree's clients.

 

 Our next stop was Ensenada's branch of Educal, an excellent small book store in the city's

 new art museum.

 

We chanced to stop at Casa Mazatlan, a pawn shop, where we bought reasonably priced sterling earrings. A good find!

 

On another trip we ate lunch at Los Primos. The specialty is a large double clam shell filled with chopped fresh clams, bacon and cheese and oven baked. Delicious!!!!

 

 La Bufadora

 

On Thursday, being shopped out, we decided to drive to Ensenada's famed La Bufadora.

The tide needs to be just right for sea water to spew, geyser-like, from an underwater cave. What a disappointment. The tide wasn't right and the walk to La Bufadora is two blocks long lined with the tackiest of tacky puestos manned by very aggressive vendors.

We couldn't wait to get away from there.

 

Back in Ensenada we headed for Punta Morro Resort for lunch. Very elegant and with

food beautifully presented, we were happy to have a seafood salad before heading back

to my favorite perch on the deck of our room.

 

 Punta Morro Resort

 

On Friday the car was ready exactly as promised and looked brand new. Mission

accomplished!!!!!

 

Alejandra recommended another breakfast place called El Redil. Located on the highway

north of the city, their specialty is a chile relleno omelet. Packing up all our purchases, we were ready to head home. Rather than standing in never ending lines in Tijuana, we opted for the long way home through the wine country of Baja and crossed the border in Tecate.

 

Believe it or not, there was no one in front of us and after a few cursory questions, we headed for the town of Bell, my favorite Mexican restaurant., La Casita Mexicana.   What a fitting ending for our five day excursion to Baja.