Passing the Torch - Viva La Baja! Blog Has Been Sold

I am happy to report Viva La Baja! Blog is now owned by Sergio Igartua - Los Cabos resident & owner of Grupo Igartua.

Our family now resides in South America and I am immersed in a new online venture - South America Living - Web-full of info for folks wanting to travel or live in the countries Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru & Uruguay. Online soon at www.southamericaliving.com.

An introductory hello from Sergio:

"My name is Sergio Igartua and I’ve been in advertising and marketing for more than 15 years. My career has taken me from the U.S. to Costa Rica, and finally to Mexico where I currently reside.

During those years I’ve had the opportunity to provide creative services to diverse markets such as the U.S. Hispanic market, the Costa Rican and Mexican political arenas and, most recently, the Mexican hospitality market.

I own and operate Grupo Igartua, a travel marketing agency in Los Cabos, Mexico, where I’ve been living for the past 4 years."

Viva La Baja! was a fun project. Highlights of the past few years include: interacting with a lot of cool expats & locals I never would have met or known; learning about environmental issues on the Peninsula and the amazing folks who have worked for years to fight degradation of Baja waters, land & wildlife; writing articles for publications such as MexConnect, Our Mexico & my personal favorite... Sea Watch Mexico - who are doing some incredible work putting an end to illegal fishing & restoring the reefs of the Bay of La Paz with the Observatorio Ciudadano's program. A video about the program can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVqclsGGAZg.

I´m confident Sergio will put all the hard work & information to good use and wish him the best with his future endeavors.

Viva La Baja! & all its inhabitants, Molly

Baja Travel - Riding the Bus

Buy your boleto (ticket) at the taquilla (no, that is not Tequila!) and be on your way. First-class bus service in Baja is comfortable (movies & commodes), efficient (minus unavoidable road construction delays), and low-cost. Just be prepared for varied service and bus stations. No two are alike.

There are two primary bus companies serving the Baja California Peninsula: ABC and Aguila. ABC (Autotransportes de la Baja California) operates in the Peninsula from Tijuana to Los Cabos. Aguila serves travelers in Baja California Sur venturing from Guerrero Negro to the Los Cabos... and back! ABC has a website, currently in Spanish-only: http://www.abc.com.mx/.

Baja California Sur

In La Paz, anyone will give you directions to the main bus terminal (estacion del autobus mejor), on the malecon with: Sea of Cortez view, air conditioning and magazine and snack kiosk. If purchasing a premier plus ticket to ride on Peninsula Ejectivo, you also have a private room with computer terminals at your service – top of the line serving a direct route from La Paz to Los Cabos (only).

Wandering the off-streets a mile or so away, you may come across the less-fancy bus station with ATP (Autotransportes La Paz) service. First class busses as well but at less cost. ATP charges around $17 USD to Cabo San Lucas whereas Aguila on the malecon charges around $14 USD. Premier plus service will cost you a bit more.

Routes vary from one company to the other. ATP has no service to the East Cape, only to Todos Santos and other towns in the West Cape. As well, when you pay for a taquilla (ticket) one-way to a town, do not expect the same price heading back in the other direction. On ATP, a one-way fare to Cabo San Lucas from La Paz is around 150 pesos, but returning to La Paz will cost you close to 120 pesos.

Baja California norte

Two terminals for Tijuana – old and new. Old downtown terminal at Calle Comercio and Avenida Madero that serves local bus lines. The Central Bus Terminal (Central de Autobuses), with all the bells and whistles you would expect, is located at the corner of Lazaro Cardenas and Alamar.


ABC covers the entire Peninsula. You can take the red eye from Tijuana and arrive in Cabo San Lucas in approximately 24 hours. Cost is approximately $170 USD. All first-class buses are comfortably air-conditioned, have bathrooms (bring your own TP just in case), multiple ceiling-mounted T.V. screens for videos (often in English, once we had one in French… go figure) and reclinable seating.

From the U.S., tourists or North American escapees can tap into the entire system at the main Greyhound bus terminal in downtown San Diego and ride across the border into Tijuana.

Hot Tip: Planning a bus trip? Buy Dramamine, even if you have never taken an aspirin in your life. This goes triple if traveling with children. Also, even in the heat of summer bring a blanket. It is not uncommon for air-conditioning to be set on high and left there even as icicles form on the windows.

In summary, it is hard to know what to expect from one bus terminal to the next. Some have snacks and drinks available only, others a selection of these plus sandwiches and magazines as well as tourist trinkets. Then you stop through Los Barriles expecting a cold soda, and find a brick shell of a building with no amenities, only a primitive baño outback. Each town is different, plan ahead accordingly.

As well, bus drivers may stop for a few minutes at a snack kiosk when on a long stretch, but often times he or she will cruise straight through to the next scheduled stop. Unpredictability seems to be law in Baja.

Molly
Author of Viva La Baja! Relocation & Real Estate Guide

Baja Hurricane Resources & Relief for Hurricane Jimena

Hurricane Jimena lessened in strength before hitting Baja as a Category 1 Hurricane but still unleashed plenty of fury with wind and rain, causing catastrophic destruction in the central Baja area (Ciudad Constitution, San Carlos, Mulege, Loreto and other), and taking the life of an elderly Mexican man. Hurricane season runs officially from June 1st to November 30th. Most storms occur in the months of August and September.

A tropical depression is the first pre-hurricane stage, with wind speeds of 38 mph. The next phase pre-hurricane is a tropical storm, with winds from 39-73 mph. Tropical storms are given names. The flooding from the heavy rains of a tropical storm can wreck havoc of catastrophic degree in an area, such as what occurred in the town of Mulege from Tropical Storm John in September of 2006 and now again in 2009 - flash floods from rainfall plus winds courtesy of Hurricane Jimena.

When a tropical storm’s constant wind speed reaches above 73 mph, you have a hurricane on your hands and should be prepared to evacuate if it becomes necessary. You can read a list of Baja California Peninsula hurricanes from years prior to 1949 up until September, 2007 (Hurricane Henriette) online courtesy of Wikipedia - List of Huricanes.

To keep up-to-date on hurricane and storm activity, one online resource of many is The National Weather Service-National Hurricane Center at: www.nhc.noaa.gov. A more local resource is The Baja Insider – an eZine covering Baja California norte primarily. You can sign-up to receive news updates regularly via email, including during hurricane season. Visit their website for more information: www.bajainsider.com.

When a storm hits, local reports from Baja residents and travelers posted on popular list servs & message boards such as La Paz Gringos and Baja Nomad is often the best and most accurate information.

You can view the posts on Baja Nomad without having to sign-up or log-in. Go to the website, click on 'forums' and select a category. Members of Baja Nomad are currently organizing relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Jimena. Click on the heading 'General Baja Discussion' and you will see a thread title "Hurricane Relief Supplies". La Paz Gringos has information on where to drop-off donations in the La Paz area.

These efforts by expats are in addition to the support of local communities, both Mexican and foreign. The Mexican government sets-up shelters, provides relief supplies and aid, including protection for property owners from looters with patrols by the Mexican army as well as other support. When people are displaced from homes and in a state of emergency through no fault of their own, every little bit helps.

Molly
www.vivalabaja.com

Vigilance Program - Where to Report Fishing Violations

The last Viva La Baja! post gave the basics of the new (and first) citizen-funded and run vigilance program in La Paz: Hot News - Commercial Fishing Vigilance Program. For a more in-depth account of the program, including its origins in 2007, visit the Sea Watch Mexico website and read the article, Mexico's First Citizen-Funded And Run Vigilance Program Starts.

If you are not much of an online reader, and just want the hard, cold facts given to you in a viewable and informative YouTube video... look no further. Click here and wait a minute or two for the five minute video "Hookah Divers Are Killing The Sea" to load onto your desktop. You won´t be disappointed and most likely overwhelmed with emotion at the unecessary and all-encompassing destruction that has been, and is continuing to be, inflicted on the Sea of Cortez and its inhabitants, specifically in this video - species of fish that call the reefs home.

Illegal activities can be reported via email to Sea Watch at reports@seawatch.org. If you would like to participate more fully and/or become a member of Plataforma, please go to this Web page to sign-up: Observatorio Ciudadano. The page contains detailed information on the program and how participants can help stop the massive destruction being inflicted on the Sea of Cortez by commercial fishermen who - simply put - could care less.

As quoted from Sea Watch, "The goal of Plataforma is to get the vast majority of honest fishermen, both commercial and sports fishermen, as well as the cruising community involved in detecting and reporting illegal acts, thereby creating a net of concerned people with the common goal of protecting the Bay."

Go Sea Watch and Plataforma.

Molly, author of Viva La Baja! Relocation & Real Estate Guide to the Baja California Peninsula. Available to order at www.vivalabaja.com.

Free Travel Guide Download Now Available

Viva La Baja! Travel Guide - a basic resource for persons new to Baja who want to relocate or plan a trip is now available as a free and easy to dowload PDF file. The guide includes information on: driving the Peninsula with mileage between towns; side-trips; highlights of a town; rules of the road; taking the ferry to or from the mainland; riding the bus and more such as consulate listings and crime & safety information.

The guide was written for customers of Viva La Baja! Relocation & Real Estate Guide to the Baja California Peninsula but now is available for free to download for anyone who may find it useful. If you know of anyone - pass on the link!

Viva La Baja! Travel Guide Free Download.

The guide will be downloaded to your desktop as a PDF file. To read a PDF file on your computer you will need to have a version of Adobe Acrobat installed - most computers have this software but you can download free from here: Adobe Reader.

I wanted the guide to be a general resource with lots of great info and tips, but not to compete with some of the great guides on the market such as Moon Handbooks Baja - so did not put in restaurant or hotel listings except when is a highlight of an area. Moon Handbooks Baja is a comprehensive resource with hotel and restaurant listings (of course) - yet you have to pay for it - around $16 USD.

I will say, this is the best guide/resource you are going to find for free online. I have viewed the multitude of websites out there. None offer the extent of info I have researched and provided.

Go Baja, Molly
www.vivalabaja.com

Keeping U.S. Vehicle Registration Up-To-Date While Living in Baja

A new year means at some point your U.S.-licensed vehicle tabs are going to have to be renewed. When living in Baja and driving a U.S. auto, you need to have your registration and driver's license current, or are subject to a fine or worse - one American driving with false tabs in Baja Sur had his car confiscated by the Mexican Police. Not fun, don't let it happen to you!

If you want to keep U.S. registration on your auto and be legal in Baja and in the U.S., but can´t do that through your previous state of residence or it is too costly, here is a work-around that some others do. This information came from a member of LaPaz Gringo yahoo group. LaPaz Gringos is a nice low-key group for the Baja Sur area to ask questions, get info etc. You can sign-up for free here: La Paz Gringos.

The post on La Paz gringos was submitted by "The Bread Guy". Thank you Bread Guy for allowing me to reprint the below. The information was first posted on BajaNomad message board, according to the Bread Guy.

---------------- Quoted from La Paz Gringos ----------------

Rather than undergo the hassle and expense of renewing my California license plates, I successfully registered with the state of South Dakota. They do not require smog checks or proof of insurance and are much less expensive.

Just call Cathy Powell, treasurer, Clay County, SD at 605+677-7123. You must have a clear title (which you will submit along with the appllication), and a US mailing address. In the application one window asks for "South Dakota drivers license or Social Security number".

I was very honest with her about the situation and she was really great in talking me thru the process.... what a difference from the indifference of big time California.

Anyway, go to their website at: http://www.claycountysd.org/ and print out an Adobe file with the application. Fill-out each page as an original (You will not fill-out the last form as it is addressed to the lienholder , not necessary for your transaction). Then these forms have to be mailed as they are originals, and you include your title. I sent mine priority mail and had my new plates and tags in about ten days. The new title took about three weeks as it is actually processed at the state level.

--------------------- End Quote -------------------

OK, hope that helps! Molly, author of Viva La Baja! Relocation Guide to the Baja California Peninsula, available to order at www.vivalabaja.com.

Importing a Car to Baja

For penance for my lack of recent posts I thought I would tackle this bear of a question. Reader beware - it is complicated and fairly confusing, especially as things most likely will be changing once again in the new year (January, 2009). Here goes...

Baja is a Free Trade Zone. You do not need a permit or to post a bond when entering the Peninsula by car. When entering the mainland these items are needed, but Baja is exempt from the regulations. If you need detailed information on importing a car to the mainland, please read Question #2 on this page: Viva La Baja! Questions & Answers.

Not having to post a bond or acquire a permit is great for those taking trips, staying for a few months, etc. but what about those folks who move permanently and want to import their U.S. vehicle so as to register as a Mexican car and therefore not have to maintain current vehicle registration and license from the U.S.? Therein lies the rub, so to speak.

As of March 2nd, 2008 the Mexican government excluded all vehicles for import other than year 1998 models. Calderon may turn back this regulation and allow imports again of vehicles 10 years and older via NAFTA original agreement but no one can say that will happen for sure. NAFTA agreement is scheduled to go into effect in the new year (January, 2009). Here is what NAFTA delineates:

"Only vehicles 10 years and older will be allowed in initially. Those age restrictions will gradually be reduced until 2019, when the used-car market will be completely open."

So maybe after the first of the year vehicles other than solely 1998 models will be available for import as older models are allowed back in - but there is no guarantee, Calderon can do as he chooses... 2019 may see an open market or may not.

Next blog entry: How to maintain car registration in the U.S. when living in Baja.

Molly, author of Viva La Baja! Relocation Guide to the Baja California Peninsula, available to order at www.vivalabaja.com.

Lack of Recent Posts on Viva La Baja! Blog

I could be considered guilty of ´blog neglect´and maybe should be! My half-completed "Hallloween in Baja" post will have to be kept for next year. Currently my son and I are in a travel mode, just completing a major pain in the rear (unless you have tons of cash for airfare) journey from Central America to South America. Much of the time there has been little to no Internet service available... regardless, apologies for being lax on posts.

Upcoming on Viva La Baja! Blog:

*** Learning the Language - for Adults
*** Overfishing & Regulations Meant to Prevent it... Is it working?
*** Getting the Scoop in Baja - Online News Publications for Baja

And many more... but don´t want to give away too many ideas :)

Molly, author of Viva La Baja! Relocation & Real Estate Guide for the Baja California Peninsula. www.vivalabaja.com