Un Viaje a La Bufadora

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, Ensenada, family, Fun, Long distance, Long term travel, Mexico, RVing, Travel, Uncategorized

La Bufadora is a blowhole (marine geyser) located on the Punta Banda Peninsula, just outside of Ensenada. It is one of the largest blowholes in North America and probably the largest tourist attraction in the Ensenada area. Cruise ship passengers are taken to the site by bus for around $35.

Our neighbors and friends, Keiko and Graeme, were leaving Ensenada so we decided to pay a visit to this famous spot. The trip was three bus rides and about 40 pesos each from the Mona Lisa RV Park.


The spout of sea water is the result of air, trapped in a sea cave, exploding upwards. Air is forced into the cave by wave action and is released when the water recedes. This interaction not only creates the spout, but a thunderous noise as well. The phenomena repeats every minute or so with its volume depending on the strength of the waves.

See my video of La Bufadora here.

I actually enjoyed the scenery around the area more than the actual blowhole. Because there were no cruise ships in town it was actually very quiet and quite beautiful.

There are lots of little tiendas (shops) leading up to La Bufadora. All sorts of food, drinks and souvenirs are for sale. Keiko and Graeme had fun buying things to take home to Japan and Canada.

Although I would never pay the cruise ship tour price, I’m really glad I got to see this natural wonder and spend time with my friends.

Take Me to Wakanda!

by BOLT, posted in Uncategorized

Some times high expectations can lead to dissapontment, but not so with Black Panther. Kathy and I have eagerly awaited the opening since we first heard about this movie. No spoilers here, I just want to say Black Panther (Pantera Negra here in Mexico) is everything! Everything I hoped for and more! I find it to be a beautiful, loving tribute to Black excellence. What’s more, it is a reflection of the greatness of Africa, past and present. It has given me several nights of pleasant dreams and hours of wonderful conversations with Kathy.

Our only regret (slight) is that we saw it here in Mexico, amidst a tiny audience and no other Black folks. The upside, however, is that we saw it a the beautiful, state of the art Cineopolis Marcoplaza in Ensenada for a total of $4.24! Yes, $2.12 a ticket!

We were delighted to hear about the crowds attending the movie, all over the U.S., many of them dressed in the height of Afro-futuristic fashion.

We’ve enjoyed looking at pictures and videos of this. Click this link to check out these pictures showing the reactions of children seeing the movie.

Her face says it all!

Kathy even made a t-shirt which you can purchase at teespring.com

I love this text I got from a friend. It said “Peace out, it’s been real, but I gots to go!”

And these dancers, celebrating after seeing the movie, bring me joy! Check out their moves on youtube.

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, please do, wherever you are, please do! Our brothers and sisters in Thailand did! Shout out to Black Packers in Southeast Asia!

Have you seen it yet? We’d love to hear your impressions and experiences.

A New BOLT Venture!

by BOLT, posted in Uncategorized

Living a life of retired, “home free” travel gives us lots of time for play and relaxation. Sometimes, though, you want to produce, to create. Kathy has decided to use her considerable talents in the creation of t-shirts. Right now a few of her creations are available at Amazon.com with more shirts and places to buy them coming soon. I’m excited to support her in this new venture and am looking forward to what will unfold. Check out her first three shirts then click the links for details and to order.

Qualities of a Black Woman

Kicking my Heels (great gift idea for all you grandparents)

Breathe and Let Go

RICE It!

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, Ensenada, family, Fun, healthcare, knee pain, Long term travel, Mexico, Old, POC, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, Uncategorized

I’m going to be down for about a week and not too happy about it! I’m very much a woman who likes to fill up her days with activities. Here in Ensenada, I’ve been going for 90 minute walks on rough roads and running and dancing on the sandy beach. I don’t know exactly how but I’ve injured my right knee. Ignoring the pain (for about 2 weeks) hasn’t helped and reducing my exercise time hasn’t helped. Finally I am paying attention to my wise wife…which always helps. Kathy reminded me that this knee thing has happened to me before (2 years ago) and the solution was RICE. No, not the often delicious grain that I love.

The combination of rest, ice, compression and elevation are what solved my problem two years ago and I trust it will do so again. So, rather than sink into self-pity or drama about it, I thought I’d do something helpful and share this solution. I also want to share gratitude that our BOLT life allows me the time to RICE and a beautiful and serene place to do it in. Looking forward to being up and about in a week…just in time for our excursion into town for Black Panther, hopefully able to do this then!

Turistas Por un Día

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, Ensenada, Fun, Lesbian, Mexico, Old, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, serendipity, Travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

Yesterday BOLT had lots of fun being Ensenada tourists for a day. While Kathy and I are enjoying the simple life here at the Mona Lisa RV Park, there is not much excitement. So, along with our neighbor we set out to have some fun. We caught the mini-bus just outside our gate and within thirty minutes we were in the center of town. From there we had a great day! Let me show you in pictures. Our first stop was lunch. We ha a delicious and inexpensive meal at Antojitos Lula. Three meals, including soup, appetizers and beverages was 300 pesos ($15) total! Definitely a place where we will return. We worked off our lunch by strolling through the busy streets of downtown Ensenada, window shopping and just taking in the sights, sounds and colors. We visited this really cool museum. The Museo Histórico Regional is a small museum set on the site of a former prison. You can visit the former cells and there are exhibits about early life in Baja. I especially enjoyed practicing my Spanish with one of the curators. We both agreed that: “En todo el mundo la mayoria de los prisioners son inocentes.” That most are imprisoned for lack of money. Our walk continued to the cruise ship harbor. A big ship was in port so there were lots of vendors out. We are savy enough to know not to buy anything, it was all overpriced but fun to see. Our last stop was the beautiful Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Historia. This is a fairly large museum and we didn’t have time to explore it all. The part we visited replicated a cave and had anthropological finds exhibited throughout. Another place we will definitely return to. We most definitely had the perfect day of tourism and we were happy to return to our peaceful Mona Lisa home.

!Es una vida maravillosa de perro!

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, dogs in Mexiso, Ensenada, family, Fun, Lesbian, Long distance, Long term travel, Old, POC, queer, retirement, rv, rv with dogs, RVing, Travel, WOC, Women

It is truly a wonderful life for a dog here in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico!  In the U.S. Kahlo was almost always on a leash when outdoors and she spent a lot more time with us in the R.V. 

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Here at the Monalisa R.V. Park Kahlo has found a new way of life and we have too.  There are a lot of dogs living here (at least 9, including Kahlo). As there is no traffic here, they all run free during the day.  At first, I was very cautious about letting Kahlo join in the fun but now she runs with the pack for hours out of each day. 

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All of the dogs and their owners are very friendly.  It is interesting to see dogs playing together in this way. Nikko, the alpha male, keeps everyone in line. Kahlo is very submissive towards him and he is very gentle but firm with her.

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Another big difference from the states is that dogs run freely on the beach here. Kahlo absolutely loves this!  She is a really fast runner and loves to chase and be chased by her buddies.

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I love all the dogs here but I think Lucky is one of my favorites. He was a stray, in terrible shape, until Javier took him in.  Javier is the groundskeeper here and a lovely man.  Thanks to him Lucky is in great shape now!

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We are really happy to have found this puppy paradise and I am pretty sure Kahlo is too!

 

 

 

?Por Qué Ensenada? Cinco Razones!

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, Ensenada, family, Fun, Long term travel, Mexico, POC, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, Travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

This is our second visit in the RV to Ensenada and probably our fifth or sixth between cruises and car trips.  We never spent more than a day, usually just a few hours.  This time we’ve been here a few weeks and find ourselves loving it. What’s different? I think mostly it was our willingness to explore the city more deeply, to look beyond the smoggy, crowded big city feel or the cheesy touristy vibe near the cruise ship docks.  Here are some of the reasons  (razones) why.

Nuestro Barrio (Our Neighborhood)

We are staying well outside of the main city in the Chapultepec district. It has a very rural feeling with small tiendas (shops) and businesses that supply everything we need at very affordable prices. 

!El Océano! (The ocean!)

What more can I say? This is what we see, less than 40 feet from our RV door.  We are loving the sounds of waves crashing and seeing schools of dolphins swimming by.

Paradas Continuas (Continuous Stops)

These little mini busses are great!  For 13 pesos  (around 50 cents) they take you all around Ensenada and the surrounding areas. We’ve had lots of fun riding them up and down the hilly, small communities that surround the Big city. Soon we plan to take one into city central where we can visit the museums. 

La Marcoplaza (Grand Plaza)

Just a short bus ride away is this really cool spot with all the conveniences of any modern mall.  There always seems to be some sort of entertainment happening. There’s a Walmart, Home Depot and a really beautiful movie theater. We actually spent our first night in the parking lot here and were undisturbed. Now it’s a fun little day trip for us.

Persona Amable (Kind People)

Not just Ensenada but everywhere we have traveled we have been so blessed to meet kind and helpful people. It really does make a difference. We feel safe and  welcomed here in Ensenada and look forward to exploring more of the area. If you have any experience here we’d love to hear your suggestions. 

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa! We adore you!

by BOLT, posted in African American, Baja California, Black, family, Fun, Gay, generational, Lesbian, Long distance, Long term travel, Mexico, Old, POC, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, Travel, travel, Uncategorized, WOC, Women

The Mona Lisa RV Park and Motel is far from the fanciest or most modern place in Ensenada but we find it absolutely perfect for BOLT! 

We are right next to the Pacific Ocean, separated by a rocky breakwater. There is a stone stairway that leads down to a clean, shell strewn beach. When the tide is out you can walk along the ocean for miles.

Of course, the ocean is beautiful, but the uniqueness of the Mona Lisa is all the art work here. There are murals and sculptures all over, many of them depicting Mexican history and Toltec and Aztec sacred figures.
All the necessities of life (groceries, laundry, drinking water) are within walking distance. Plus there is a sweet little mini bus that comes practically to our door and takes you right into Ensenada Centro.

Things are a little run down but the staff is wonderful and very helpful. We have a great spot for our Winnie. It looks out onto the crashing waves and has a little table, outdoor kitchen and a palapa  (thatched shade). There is really good wifi and our spot has electric, sewer and non-potable water hook ups. A spot like this in California would be at least  $65 a day.  Here at the Mona Lisa it is  $20 a day and a month is a huge discount down  to $330 a month. 

We are really enjoying the mild weather, relaxing lifestyle and affordable prices. We will probably be here for a couple of months. Ensenada is a less than 6 hour car trip for our So Cal friends and there’s an airport for everyone else. We sure would love to see you! 

Ready for Mexico, Again! 

by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, family, Fun, Long term travel, Mexico, Old, POC, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, Travel, Uncategorized

Our time here in Southern California is coming to an end. We’ve enjoyed wonderful visits with family and friends. Now it time to hit the road on another adventure in our 1995 “Minnie Winnie” class C Winnebago RV.


We’ve decided to visit Mexico again with the intention of staying a year. We will start of visit in Baja and are looking forward to revisiting some of our favorite places and discovering some new spots. Of great help has been the newly updated book Camping Mexico’s Baja by Mike and Terri Church. 

RVing in Baja was great, lots of beautiful beaches, historic towns and kind people. We’d love visitors, please follow us and join us as we travel slowly south. Just let us know if you are thinking of coming: boltraveling@gmail.com.

We are also seriously considering traveling from Baja (by ferry) over to mainland Mexico. There are several regions we are really hoping to visit on the mainland.  Mexico has been consistently named one of the best countries for retirement.  We’d love hearing about any experience or suggestions you may have about the mainland. 

We really appreciate all the comments and support we receive on this blog. Kathy and I are so full of gratitude for our lives of love, service and travel! 

RVing on a Budget: Resorts of Distinction 

by BOLT, posted in African American, Black, Lesbian, Long distance, Long term travel, POC, queer, retirement, rv, RVing, Thailand, WOC, Women
Our journey began in Montgomery, Alabama

It’s December, and Kathy and I have been traveling North America for over a year now. We’ve been to Canada, Mexico and 24 of the United States in our Minnie Winnie RV. As full time RVers on a budget we are always looking for great accommodations at affordable prices.

The day we bought Winnie!

We’ve stayed in Walmart parking lots, state and national parks, casino parking lots, on city streets and in private RV parks. Right now we are staying at one of our favorite places: Mountain Lakes RV Resort. This is a private, members only park. I joined over 20 years ago when I was tent camping with my sons. This membership is really paying off now that we have the Winnie. One reason for this is that our Mountain Lakes membership entitles us to membership with nation wide Resorts of Distinction.

Mountain Lakes Resorts, Lytle Creek, California

For $140 a year our Resorts of Distinction membership allows us 2 weeks of free camping at over 50 RV parks in the U.S. and Canada. We were pleasantly surprised at the ease in using this product. A simple phone call or visit to the website creates a reservation within minutes. We kept expecting to see hidden costs or catches but have found none. We visited the one park in Canada and several in the U.S. All have full electric, water and sanitation hook up which are included at no charge.

Rock Glen Family Resort, Arkona, Ontario, Canada
Roaring Run Resort, Champion, Pennsylvania

Each park we visited had its on unique character, amenities and community. We were welcomed warmly at each park and every stay was a positive, hassle-free experience.

Eagles Landing, Grove, Oklahoma

All of the parks we visited had some sort of body of water. Our favorite was the one in Oklahoma, situated on beautiful Grand Lake.

Allegany Mountain Resort, East Otto, New York

Some of the parks had very distinct communities, some with options for permanent residence.

Allegany Mountain Resort, East Otto, New York
Niagara Lazy Lakes, Lockport, New York

Use of recreational facilities, like miniature golf, swimming pools and basketball courts, is also included in our free stays.

Niagara Falls, New York

Many of the parks were very close to sightseeing attractions. Niagara Lazy Lakes RV Park was less than 30 minutes away from the falls.

Roaring Run Resort, Champion, Pennsylvania

Kathy and I both enjoy our daily walks. All of the parks we visited were great for walking!

Allegany Mountain Resort, East Otto, New York

We look forward to visiting more parks in the Resorts of Distinction system as we continue our travels. Perhaps we will visit one in a place near you. Please let us know!