Rpt-Weekend Excursion to Rosarito, Ensenada, La Bufadora!

[Tunaslam]

Joined a group including Phil Friedman, Don Ashley, Pete Thomas and thirteen others on a weekend Excursion to Rosarito, Ensenada and La Bufadora. My wife Sheryl picked me up at my work place in Colton, California at 3:30 pm Friday afternoon. We reached the Mexican border in San Yasidro at 5:30 pm. We crossed the border in only a few minutes, the line going the other direction into the US was horrific!

We arrived at the Rosarito Beach Hotel at around 6:15pm, after filling the Gas Tank back up with $2.90 a gallon gas, a price from the good old days, Yuk? Checked into the hotel and was given room 905, which was a huge one bedroom suite, with a gorgeous beach view. Unpacked and relaxed with a good book and a delicious glass of Chardonnay brought along with the luggage. According to Phil a group dinner was planned at 8pm.

Met Phil at 8pm in the lobby, and plans had changed with various members heading to their favorite locations. We elected to enjoy our welcoming Margaritas at the hotel bar, and then have dinner at the hotel restaurant, as it was now nearing 9pm, and we were starved. I enjoyed a Mexican combo meal, while my wife, Sheryl, ordered a Shrimp Alfredo Pasta, she got the better end of the deal, it was outstanding.

Enjoyed a good night’s sleep and got a call from Phil Saturday morning with the day’s plans. They had cancelled a number scheduled fishing trips on pangas, due to the weather.

After a great breakfast at the hotel of Heuvos Rancheros, Chorizo, Chiliquiles , and Eggs Benedict, we headed toward our initial destination of La Bufadora in three different vehicles. My wife and I car-pooled with Greg and Leslie in their Suburban. The drive down the coast was pleasant and beautiful. It took about an hour and a half to reach our destination. Stopped on the Point for some pictures.

Part of the Gang


Great Seascape



My wife Sheryl, Myself, Greg and Leslie


The entrance to our shopping excursion.



Another seascape.



The blow hole explosion of water.


The Blow Hole source.


One last Seascape


After shopping we headed back through Ensenada, stopped in town for a grande Margarita, chips and salsa.

It was a full day so far, so returning to the hotel to freshen up, and then we made plans for dinner, which I targeted for Puerto Neuvo, home of the Lobster dinner. Our foursome stayed together, while the rest of the gang split into groups headed for other destinations. Upon arriving in Puerto Neuvo, Leslie did our negotiating for us, which proved to be quite successful. You see every restaurant has a front man, and they claim to have the best deal in town? Leslie demanded to see the size of the lobster, and how many would be served to the four of us. She also inquired about the other sides, home made chips and Tortillas, Tortilla Soup, and how many beers or Margaritas were included with the deal. Having negotiated with about a half dozen restaurants, Leslie got the best deal out of Ortegas. Two Margaritas each, three lobsters each, two sides, soup, all homemade chips and tortillas, for $15 each. They weren’t large lobsters, but extremely tasty and big enough compared to other offers.

You should of seen the size of the platter served and they announced after we placed the order they would add another half a lobster each on the house! Wow, what a meal, too stuffed to walk afterwards!

The next morning some of the group rented ATV’s, Leslie and Greg went fishing in Ensenada, and the wife and I headed south to La Fonda’s for brunch. If you get a chance La Fonda’s is the place for Sunday Brunch, bottomless Bloody Mary’s or Margaritas, an incredible selection of food, including but not limited too, ceviche, crab salad, fresh clams, mangos, cantaloupe’s, and other fruits, Paella, Tacos, Chili Relenos, Tamales, Chili Colorado, Chili Verde, Chicken Mole, Barbecued Pork Ribs, Ham and more! Too much to even begin eating a bite of each. A fantastic way to top off our trip, and gad the diet has to start soon?

Check out time was noon and we just made it back in time from brunch. The hotel and or Phil provided us with fast passes for the border. Boy did we ever need them; I haven’t seen that kind of line at the border ever being that long, backed up all the way down the street leading into the already lengthy line at the entry point. Must have been at least a three hour wait. We made it across the border in 20 minutes, thanks to the fast pass lane, whew! Thank you so much Phil and hotel management. I had intended to head back through Tecate, before they issued the fast pass to us.

A great adventure and good times, the wife wants to return again sometime.

Hook up! Cory

[tunasurfer]

hey thanks for the great pictures and trip summary,,,,really i mean really interrested about the speed passes,,, how,, didn't they have your passport info????? help me understand
oldman

[Tunaslam]

hey thanks for the great pictures and trip summary,,,,really i mean really interrested about the speed passes,,, how,, didn't they have your passport info????? help me understand
oldman

You still need your passports, all the speed pass does is allow you to get in a shorter line. I never knew they had one day passes, new to me too, yet it was fantastic?

[theBajabum]

Thanks for the story and it's great to see that there are Americans that still enjoy Baja and don't buy into all the negitive hype.

Gracias

[Saluki]

Sounds like a great weekend get away.
You just made me hungry for seafood.

[rdrrm8e]

Cory

Tell me more about the fast passes. Were they a perk of the RbHotel? Or did Phill arrange them?

Thanks

[PullinAhi]

Oh you got to love the gauntlet of salesmen on your walk to la bufadora!

Nice weekend.

[BAJA.DESERT.RAT]

Hola,

sounds like a great trip !

how much were the rooms at the hotel and how crowded was it ?

i thank you in advance,

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

[robertebaker]

It sounds like the sentricard line. Was it? I got in it by mistake last year. Not good.

[VITO]

Nice weekend
Love the La Fonda Bruch, Ever been to Baja Mamas at punta Baja??

fast passes were meant for people comming to Mexico for medical treatment,
the government is looking in to stopping this because people are using ( abusing)this for other reasons (hotels, restaurants offering to guess)
this was a big issue on the news a couple of months ago
saludos