Mexican 1000 - and back again - part 3

Mulege to Catavina

Catavina

From Mulege we headed north and stopped in Santa Rosalia for Breakfast

Santa Rosalia was built by a French copper mining company in the 1800s which this gives it a completely different aesthetic from the rest of Baja.  Wood buildings with tin roofs and an iron church said to be designed by Gustave Eiffel.

Supposedly the Santa Barbara Parish was fabricated in France and shipped to Santa Rosalia.

If they ever need to shoot a version of Cannery Row they should use Santa Rosalia

Breakfast was good it was obvious tourists were far a few in Baja.  Between the economy, the tightened boarders and the drug war seeing another tourist was rare and the restaurants appreciated anyone willing to make the trip..

We headed north crossing Baja, passed Guerrero Negro and had lunch at the same truck stop restaurant we stayed/ate at heading down.

Everyone appreciates a fighting zebra sticker.

We reached Catavina before dark and had a chance to run around and climb on boulders.  The kids had a great time.  Catavina is a beautiful spot for geology, flora and a little fauna.

Blue Palms

It's an oasis in the middle of nowhere and has one hotel, an occasionally open gas station and a few houses.  It was one of my favorite spots to stop as a kid but it was a rare treat to stay there.  Dad was usually pushing to get a little further down or up the peninsula.

The hotel was in great shape.  Throughout the years it's varied but now it's probably in the best condition I've seen it.  It was a little sad that there were only one or two other couples there.  

We had a good dinner, watched the Mexican presidential debates and hit the sack.  We would get up early the next day and drive our final leg back to the states.

the story continues here