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Whales, Tacos and Beaches: The Perfect Vacation

By Lorri Kline Ramirez on December 16, 2010

Driving south

Yes we did, we loaded our kayaks and packed our cars with camping gear and food, grabbed our passports and headed south to Baja California for spring break. With our two boys and two other families we set off for a week of camping, exploring, bird watching and fishing. We planned to drive two-thirds of the way down the third largest penninsula in the world, to our favorite hidden beach, Playa Escondido, on the Sea of Cortez.

Our first stop south on Baja’s Mexican Highway 1 was about 45 minutes south of the border, the venerable if rustic La Fonda Hotel www.lafondabaja.com. If you only get this far it’s worth the trip. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this famous establishment has inexpensive rooms and a fabulous resturaunt/bar with live music. Margaritas, lobster and dancing to the live band is always a great welcome to Mexico.

Baja Scenery

Innumerable bays and coves break up the coast line of the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Gulf of Mexico (also known as the Sea of Cortez) on the east. Besides the coastline, perhaps the most outstanding feature of Baja’s Landscape is the chain of rugged mountains that run virtually unbroken down the peninsula. These mountains compose three broad geographical zones, each with a different topography, climates and life form. The change of scenery is extraordinary, from dry desert cactuses unique to Baja, vast expanses of wildflowers, oaises with native Blue Hesper palms. The drive is never boring or tedious, it’s more like a moving picture show.

Guerrero Negro

We arrived in Guerrero Negro just after the sun dropped into the ocean. The landscape here on the Viscaino Plain is flat and barren, and unremarkable; if not for the grey whales there would be little reason to linger. Our favorite simple hotel is Malarrimo, with one of the best restaurants on Baja’s coast.

We woke up early the next morning and drove across evaporative salt ponds to the Ojo de Liebre lagoon, the birthplace of the majority of California grey whales.

At the edge of the tidal flats is the Eco Center, the departure point for organized tours on speedy fiberglass ‘pangas’.
Our three families took up two boats for a high speed ride to the action. Soon mother whales and their calves surrounded our vessel, spouting and ‘spy hopping’ next to our boat. The curious calves come so close we can touch them and look into their mystical dark eyes.
San Ignacio

Our favorite lunch stop is the sleepy town of San Ignacio, situated on a lush oasis of date palms at the foot of a massive extinct volcano.

The first California Missions are dotted along the formidable Baja Penisula. The Jesuit Mission San Ignacio was founded in 1728, more than forty years before San Diego, the first mission in Alta California.
Santa Rosalia
Our first glimpse of the Sea of Cortez was just before Santa Rosalia, a French- built copper mining town of wood buildings with flowers spilling over wrought iron balconies. Near the famous French bakery is a fantastic wrought iron church designed and built by Gustave Eiffel and shipped from France in the early twentieth century.
Mulege
The next destination was Mulege (Moo La Hay), a picturesque village of palm trees set alongside one of the few rivers in Baja. Mulege basks in a setting that is sublime even by Baja California standards.
We ate excellent fish tacos in a small family run restaurant next to the river, and then hit the supermercado for enough ice, milk, beer, meat, and fresh fruit to last a couple of days on the beach.
Bahia Concepcion
After our short stop in Mulege we headed 20 miles south along the Sea of Cortez to our secret spot in Bahia Conception.

With it’s sheltered water, amazing scenery and abundance of marine life, this pristine bay has few equals along the peninsula. The shallow waters along the shoreline and islands offer great snorkeling and kayaking.
The beauty is breathtaking along the winding two lane highway as the Sea of Cortez reveals her calm blue water, rugged dusty mountains in the background.
Unfortunately, when we got to Playa Escondido we discovered that our favorite spot had been ravaged by last year’s hurricane; the beach had dissapeared and the thatched palapas had been destroyed. Dissapointed, we headed south on Highway 1 to look for another spot.
Playa Cocos
Just around the next bend in the road, down a dirt track along a mysterious mangrove lagoon where we found our spot, Playa los Cocos.
Somehow spared the ravages of last year’s hurricane, a thatched palapa stood ready for our arrival and we set up our camp on a beach composed of crushed sea shells.
Most of the other campers were Canadians mixed in with a few gringos from Oregon and Idaho, escaping the frozen north for the beaches of Baja.

The kids explore, swim, kayak, fish, build floating rafts from scrap , and just play. It’s a welcome relief to be away from email, texts, phone calls and computer screens. The children dissapear for hours and come back with treasures of flotsam and shells.
Unlike the Pacific Ocean, there are no swells or waves, but the high tide literally sneaks up to our feet as we sing and tell stories at night around the campfire.
We start the grill and squeeze fresh limes for margaritas just before sunset. My husband happens to make amazing tacos with fresh meat and fish, corn tortillas, and toppings made with fresh everything.
We spend our days searching for shells, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, kayaking, practicing yoga, reading, checking out the dolphins in the bay and learning about the many exotic birds. The birding telescope that our friend Kenny brought was a wonderful addition!
In the morning, a friendly locals arrive selling fresh local shrimp and scallops on ice, delicious hand made tamales, fresh water, and whatever else one needs to subsist on the beach. Every few days Luis, the caretaker of the palapas arrives and collects a small fee for the use of our palapa.
Finally the day came to break camp, pack our vehicles and head home.
El Rosario
We spent our last night in the small town of El Rosario, just to have our last meal at the legendary Mama Espinosa’s Restaurante. Until 1973, this marked the end of the paved road heading south. For more than four decades Dona Anita Grosso de Espinosa has made Mexican dishes for early Baja trekkers. Her family is still at it, serving some of the best food in Baja...we were invited by the daughter to meet Mama herself; she spoke perfect english as she sat and knitted booties of all color and sizes which were sold at her museum; the money goes to the local children in need. She is 104 years old and says her secret to longevity is the local vino rosa!
The Road Home
When we returned home, we were completely revived, enchanted with a country so close, yet so very far away. I recommend looking into the pros and cons of this adventure, but I can assure you, this is one of the most beautiful and unique spots on this planet.
Adios Amigos!
Lorri Kline Ramirez has two boys, and she and her husband are the owners of Ramirez Design Inc., Designers and Builders of custom homes and environments. Ramirez Design has been published in Metropolitan Home Magazine, Elle Décor, Journal de la Maison, and the Los Angeles Times. Their homes have been featured on the television shows "E" entertainment and Style Network. Home tours have been sponsored by LACMA Art & Architecture, CABOOM Design Showcase, Venice Art Walk, and the Children's Hospital Garden tour. Visit www.ramirezstudio.com
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What should I put in my hospital bag?



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 What should I put in my hospital bag?
EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THE BIG DAY

  By lauraandjasmin
05 January 2011 17:28
What do you need to take to hospital with you for after the birth and for your caring for your baby during your hospital stay? What do the hospital provide and not provide for you and your baby?
chlolo says
you should take sanitary towels (plenty of them) as the hospital dosent provide you with theese and believe me youll need them!, disposable knickers would also be the best choice.
breast pads and a suppport bra as you will possibly be leaking.
Button up nighties would also be best ecspecially if your breastfeeding or have had a cesearian as it wouldnt irritate your cut,
3 baby grows, vests, a hat, newborn nappies.
toiletries, showergel a flannel toothbrush toothpaste some perfume, as when you have visitors this can help you feel more freshened up.
plenty of chnage for a tv, gift shop, cafeteria or bedside telephone.
a magazine/book/or nintendo ds! when you dont have visitors you may want a little bit of me time before you go back home and hit the manic!
slippers, a dressing gown and a comfy trackie for the day you get to take your little bundle of joy home!
hope this has helped!

Yoga Classes for Baby

Yoga Classes for Baby

yoga classes for baby 

Doing yoga with your baby can be relaxing for both of you. Yoga has physical and emotional benefits. Many yoga studios that offer prenatal yoga also offer parent-and-baby yoga classes. You can choose a yoga class for new parents that integrate babies into the poses, or opt for a yoga-for-babies class that entertains and invigorates babies and toddlers with games, stretches and playful exercises. If yoga is part of your lifestyle, starting your child early on can help him learn to love yoga.
Post-natal Yoga Classes
Post-natal yoga classes are designed for moms of newborns. Typically, your doctor will clear you to resume gentle exercise by six to eight weeks postpartum. You can bring your baby to post-natal yoga classes, but these are designed for mom, not baby. Your baby will lie on a blanket on the yoga mat as you work, but he will not be integrated into your practice. These classes are ideal if you're looking for a yoga class for you, but don't yet want to leave your baby with another caregiver.
Parent-and-Baby Yoga
Parent-and-baby yoga integrates baby into your yoga practice. These classes are typically designed for babies over three months old through the toddler years and include poses for baby and parent, as well as for the two of you together. Many babies will enjoy the physical stimulation and focused time with a parent in these yoga classes. If you cannot find a class in your area, videos are available on DVD, online and for mobile media players.
Yoga for Baby
If you prefer not to integrate baby into your own yoga practice or do not perform yoga yourself, you can still take advantage of yoga class designed specifically for babies and toddlers. You will help your child assume yoga poses, and as her physical skills increase, she may imitate poses. Yoga is a gentle, healthy and playful way to spend time with your baby, offering relaxation and togetherness.

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Third of parents use cash as bribe for under 10s

Bribery on some level can creep into parenting, with the innocent ‘you can have a sweet if you eat all your dinner’, but how far should us parents really go to get our children to do what we want them to do?

It seems that cash bribes are now being used as incentives for children under the age of ten years old, as a new study has revealed that a third, 32%, of parents around the UK admit to using cash to curb the behaviour of their children.

The study was conducted by the website Babychild, an independent baby-product review website, and 1, 521 parents of children under the age of ten were asked questions surrounding their discipline methods.

Parents who took part in the study were asked the question, “Do you use cash as a bribe to encourage/ discourage behaviour from your child?” to which a third, 32%, of respondents answered “yes.”

These parents were then asked to choose, from a multiple list of answers, in what situations they regularly used cash as an incentive to bribe their children. The top five situations where cash is used as a behavioural reward were as follows:

1) Cleaning/ tidying bedroom – 26%
2) Washing dishes – 22%
3) Eating vegetables – 19%
4) Behaving well in particular situations – 13%
5) Doing well at school – 10%

Parents who admitted to encouraging their child’s behaviour with cash rewards were asked to state how much they usually paid. The majority, 61%, admitted that they gave their child £1-2 pounds per separate instance; whilst one in five, 21%, admitted that they usually paid £5 for each behaviour successfully encouraged.

Furthermore, these parents were also asked why they chose to reward their children with cash, with three quarters, 76%, explaining that their children ‘preferred receiving cash as a reward to any other gift.’

When asked, “Do you think it is wrong to encourage your child’s behaviour through the use of cash incentives?” over half, 53% of total respondents to the study answered “no.” Of those who answered “yes,” two thirds, 67%, further explained that they believed it was wrong as children should be taught to do as their told without the use of cash as bribery.

Jill Tovey, co-founder of Babychild.org.uk, commented on the findings: “Many parents will turn to bribery techniques in order to encourage and discourage certain behaviours from their children, so we wanted to look into just how many parents will use cash as a reward.

"It was surprising to see that a third of parents to children under the age of 10 admitted to doing so, but it appears that as times change, children are growing to value money at a younger age.”

What do you think? Do you think bribing children with money is acceptable? Or do you think money should never be used to get your children to do as they're told? Tell us your views by leaving a comment in the box below...

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