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Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

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By BajaTrek
November 6th 2008

Up Some Baja Road

North America » Mexico » Baja California

Baja Trek Beach Camping
Home, Heaven and the ol' Kerouac spirit

The Beginning of a Baja Trek Adventure Jack Kerouac would have been proud. It wasn't long after the Baja Mexico map was folded and placed in it's case that the decision was made to scout out a new beach landing for this winter's up coming Baja Trek. The next day the backpacks were packed, loaded and away we went. Without a plan and limited supplies we carried mostly a general idea of where we wanted to end up. The best places aren't on the road map. They never are. So we thought we would explore an area that the map left [View Full Entry]

By heraclio
November 1st 2008

Mexicali.

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Mexicali

Emilio Zapato
an aquarel from my travel log.

Mexicali, 08-10-2002, nighttime. Easy and relaxed cycling today after a good night's rest in La Rumerosa which was mostly a truckstop village with a small comedor, an open air garage, old caravans, rusty mobile homes and a small hotel where I was the only customer. Lots of trucks parked at the side of the road but I presume the drivers to have spent the night inside the cabins of their trucks instead of cashing out on these dingy little rooms the hotel offered at a hefty twenty american green backs. The last thirty kilometers where downhill through a beautiful landscape, the [View Full Entry]

By heraclio
October 31st 2008

A curious coyote.

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Mexicali

A curious coyote
watching me with interest.

La Rumerosa, 07-10-2002. The sand track I'm on goes up and down hills of avarage heights. I've to push my bike since cycling is out of the question due to the enormous amount of small rocks and stones that cover the path. I'm surrounded by a sur-realistic landscape, huge weirdly shaped granite boulders are all around me reminding me of my time in Hampi in India. Organ pipe cacti and barrel cacti, strangely formed cirio trees and yucca bushes add to the scene. Road runners do honor to their name and cross the road in front of me, their long legs [View Full Entry]

By heraclio
October 30th 2008

In the middle of proverbial nowhere.

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Mexicali

Parque Nacional Constitucion de 1857, 06-10-2002 just past noon. The dirt road I'm cycling on is climbing up and up in an eastward direction. I can feel my lungs heaving inside my chest, my breath is rasping, my body covered with perspiration while my legs are pumping the pedals of my bike. I'm reaching a plateau full with ponderosa pine trees, birds fly across the road, the hammering sounds of woodpeckers emerge from among the trees. Despite the heavy wood smell of the ponderosa trees my nostrils are slowy detecting the presence of water, Laguna Hanson is near and my goal. [View Full Entry]

By heraclio
October 29th 2008

On the road to Tecate.

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Mexicali

Tecate, 05-10-2002. I leave Tijuana in a cloud of red dust hurled up by the heavy passing traffic, big mexican trucks and huge americam mobile homes, mexicans on motorbikes and rusty old cars overtake me in a mad rush for Ensanada. Luckily for me Ensanada is not my goal, I'm heading for Tecate which is 55 km. east of Tijuana. Fiftyfive km. for the first day on my bike seems like a nice bit of distance and apart from that I'm keen on visiting the world famous Tecate brewery that brews my most favorite and nr. one beer aptly called Tecate. [View Full Entry]

By heraclio
October 28th 2008

Hard working ladies in Tijuana.

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Tijuana

Mexico, Tijuana, 04-10 2002. Not my first time in this sleazy and tawdry border town that attracts hordes of americanos on any given day either on a shopping spree or else for cheap booze, s*x and gambling. Whatever is illicit in the USA flourishes here, you just need a full wallet. Though Tijuana is the gateway to Baja California, most visitors never get beyond this sin city which main streets are broad and full with one-day visitors, curio shops and souvenir sellers. You can even get your photo taken in the presence of a burro painted like a zebra from Africa. [View Full Entry]

By BajaTrek
October 22nd 2008

Baja Trek - The Idea

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Ensenada

Me, Backpack and Old Bus

Baja Trek- The Idea Ideas are powerful things. We often get asked about how the concept of Baja Trek came about. The mental wheels were actually set in motion a few years back. After driving my old VW Bus through countless dirt tracks I came to a small village in the heart of Baja Mexico. Kids played Soccer on the dusty unpaved street they called the center of town. I clearly remember pulling up to the towns little park and getting out of my old Volkswagen to stretch. Children seemed to appear out of nowhere. They just stood, looked and smiled. [View Full Entry]

By BajaTrek
October 15th 2008

New Baja Trek Added For Thanksgiving? Yup- it's a go -Mucho Baja Trek Beach Camping

North America » Mexico » Baja California

BeachFest

New Baja Trek Added For Thanksgiving? Yup- it's a go -Mucho Baja Trek Beach Camping Hooray!!! First Blog on Travelblog.org The Mountain Escape Trek from September was a blast. Great crew and a lot of folks jumping off to go further into Baja and the Mainland Mexico. The problem is, it was just to short. The real wonder of the national park we visited is experiencing the reactions of people around you. When the Baja Mountain Pine Trees break through the Baja desert chaparral eyes get big. Real big. Trees are everywhere. Everything changes. The view, the air and, the faces. [View Full Entry]

By Olliep
October 15th 2008

Across the border - Day trip to Mexico...

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Tijuana

Mexican Border

As we were so close to the Mexican border, we decided on taking a day trip to Tijuana. Wanting to make a day of it, we got ourselves out of bed at 8am and drove the 15 miles south to the border. The rules of of hire car stated that we must not cross into Mexico, so we parked at a motel close to the border and casually walked across. We walked through 2 turnstiles and were in Mexico without even seeing an immigration officer. Surprised at how easy it had been, we headed directly to the information centre. After retrieving [View Full Entry]

By PixyStrdust
October 10th 2008

Home at 18

North America » Mexico » Baja California » Mexicali

Mexicali

After nine long years of adapting to a life style in a new country, new language and new customs, I went back to my home town of Mexicali. The trip only lasted a couple of days but like and American plague, I went everywhere. I rode in the back of a pick up, stayed away from drinking water, and ironically enough, and returned to Cali with blonde hair! I visited the house I grew up in El Reacomodo. Entering the house and walking in the back yard was truly a nostalgic experience. I had been a prisoner, so to speak, of [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » North America » Mexico » Baja California