Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:42:41 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: re. Trip Report, Baja Whales 2012,part 1, long, boring
In-Reply-To: <4F6DCA74.4050908@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Sat, Mar 24, 2012 at 6:21 AM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
> Scammon's Lagoon is the more famous of the whale calving lagoons but we
> went to Laguna San Ignacio. Baja has definitely changed over the last 20
> years but some parts only very little. The main roads are better and
> safer than ever and the gasoline is more plentiful. Many Mexicans drive
> newer cars than we do and they need good fuel. There is a growing
> awareness of the value of preserving natural resources and many areas
> are now officially protected.
>
> Mark
>
Baja is in many ways ahead of the US. They have a very stict
immigration system and they enforce their labor laws. You will NOT see
'guest workers' everywhere in Baja. Gringos are not allowed to work in
that country without extensive Immirgrtion documentation. I know this from
experience. Not long ago, the communal land ownership system was changed
and the Ejido's (Villiage Collectives) divided up the land amongst the
males of the towns..These guys mostly then sold it off to Gringos in many
small towns. But they kept strict enforcement of their labor and
immigration laws so a Gringo can't bring his 'crew' from the US to build in
Mexico. You can not work on your neighbor's house, unless you have FM-3
immigration status..and that is quite difficult to get. Like the US, the
law applies more to those without tons of money..Big hotels and businesses
in Cabo, etc....they can get around the laws just fine, with enough money.
It is a great place for a Vanagon, for sure. I've been going to Baja
since forever in various vans, starting with my 1957 Splittie. Yes, the
countryside has radically changed in the northern part until you pass Bahia
San Quintin....We never stop in that northern section to stay over night in
the Vans....be like camping in a really rough part of any American city...
If you get off Baja route 1 and explore, especially below about Guerro
Negro....you will find the locals quite friendly usually and the side road
and back roads? a bit 'free-form'....out in the desert when there is room,
when one track gets all washboard....they simply drive on a different
track, so there may be 10 choices of which fork....but they always seem to
end up at the same spot, eventually. For a while, there were at least 3
burned-out Vanagons along the roadside in various spots along the main
highway. Mexican mechanics know how to work on them...Have good tires when
you head south...
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