Santiago - 1-16-2024 at 08:41 AM
La Mision Hotel:
1. Skip the breakfast buffet if you want hot-things-hot; eggs, potatoes, pancakes, basically anything in a chaffing dish lukewarm. Just have the
kitchen cook you Breakfast. Fruits, juices, yogurts etc fine.
2. Don’t expect the room you get to be the same as the photos, our was sans wet bar, whirlpool tub, sitting area and balcony was not two sided with
one facing the ocean and the other the pool. Don’t get ground floor units, can’t see the ocean over the fence. Particularly the two corner units
by the spa – the path from the elevator to the pool goes thru the ‘private’ patio. Street noise at times can be loud so sleeping with patio
doors open would not work. Oasis might be a better choice for light sleepers who still want ocean front.
3. Hot tub was not hot until a number of requests to turn up the heat, all three days. If they don’t want to pay for heat 24/7 I get that, just put
a user controlled timer like most resorts have.
4. If you like wine, get full bottles from the bar and keep in your room; much cheaper and better quality. Monte Xanic Sauv Blanc by bottle, some real
thin Pinot Grigio by glass.
5. Pizza at pool bar is really good, oven is gas fired, not wood, but quality and prep excellent. We had it twice. I know, who goes to Baja for a few
days and eats pizza?
6. In general, cleanliness of grounds, daily room make-up, interaction with all staff very good.
7. Hotel was 100% full, they even called us when we were in PHX to see if we were still planning on being there.
La Picazón :
1. Food highlight of the trip, open noon to 6:00, Luna-Sabado. Worth the 4 miles dirt road drive, but Google Maps doesn’t have it correct, there is
a large, fenced private area that you have to go around, road is rutted in that area, ok for rental sedans. About 20-minute drive. SWMBO has a bad
reaction to capsaicin so little chunks of serrano/jalapenos will cause her throat to swell up – they were very good about that. All the good
Guadalupe wines were available by the glass, great margies, nice view of Isla Coronado. We went about 2:00pm, and didn’t eat until 5:00pm the next
day, that’s how good it was.
2. The menu is seafood based, duh, and grouped into a couple of dozen styles, but the fish will change based on what’s fresh. I had bass in a white
onion/wine reduction and she had a shrimp quesadilla; both a notch or two above the normal.
Mision San Javier:
1. Last time I went there was in 1999, road now paved, striped, bridged and not nearly as much fun. Couldn’t find the path to the ancient olive
tree until a young girl showed us the way. 10 peso donation to get thru the gate, the cistern and water delivery system is interesting. Lots of water
in the few miles before getting to the town, even a citrus orchard. FYI: baño fee of 20 pesos at the small bodega across from the mission. Olive
oil, wine and marmalade available by local vendors.
I first started fishing out of Loreto in 1994, thru most of the 90s, returning in the 2010s for a couple of trips. The quality of the boats, the
fishing gear, and everything about the operation is way, way better. We had one trip in the late 90s where on two consecutive days the boat motor
died, no radio on board and we drifted for hours until we got a passing panga tow us in. Now everybody has new motors, radios, cell phones, fish
bags, side or center consols, bimini tops, swim ladders and fire extinguishers. In fact, about 80% were sporting late model Hondas, must be some deal
with distributor?
One of my buddies recently got rid of all his ocean fishing gear, all of it. He says there is no point in dragging it thru the airports now that the
supplied gear is just as good. I carefully watched the launching and never saw a single Penn Senator 113 or 114 with bushings, no corrosion on the
rod guides, lots of fresh paint on the boats. Heck, there was even a number of aluminum trailers. I suspect the $100-$150 we paid for a day of fishing
back in the day won’t get you out of the harbor now, heh.
We took a morning drive to Puerto Escondido as one of SWMBO friends often keep their sailboat there; the change since 1999 was astounding. Back then
there were maybe 30-40 sail boats on buoys and a few 40’ motor yachts in slips; now $500k ‘merican will get you drydocked only; have no idea what
the behemoths that are currently slipped there cost.
Travel changes to LTO: several airports in Mexico had recently changed to not collecting FMMs, Loreto was one of them. On our inbound flight from
PHX they started handing out FMMs like before, the stewards all said this was new to them, flights last week didn’t need them. When we went thru
migration, they took the forms but didn’t give us the stubs to return on departure, said they don’t do that anymore. YMMV.
All in all, glad I took SWMBO there, her first time after hearing me talk about it often. You can still find the older, slower Loreto, but I suspect
the people who live there are doing much better financially than before. I hope so.
David K - 1-16-2024 at 08:59 AM
Thank you Jim for your trip report!
BajaBlanca - 1-18-2024 at 02:26 AM
That is a thorough trip report, well done. Thanks for the up to the moment info.
BornFisher - 1-18-2024 at 11:16 AM
Great read, always cool to read some musings!
Lee - 1-18-2024 at 03:38 PM
x3. Well written, good read. What a life.