Cruise “Baja, Beaches and Beyond” (Mexican Riviera) (MS Regatta Oceania 4/05 - 13/05/2022)

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Ensenada

Is the birthplace of the original Margarita, my favorite cocktail. Usually with lime,

but fresh mango, strawberries or blueberries are also not to be missed.

In short, I simply must visit Hussong's Cantina , the oldest authentic Mexican tequila bar with a great atmosphere. This is where I once held an unforgettable, knockout farewell party with my cruise crew 31 years ago, complete with a mariachi band, after my new wife forced me to end my seafaring career.

Ensenada is called the Cinderella of the Pacific. It has Spanish, Russian, and American influences and is located in northern Baja California, not far from the US border city of Tijuana. It's a popular cruise port packed with curios (souvenir shops), especially along Calle Primavera. It's very tourist-oriented, with bars, restaurants (fish and shrimp tacos and ceviches are very popular here), hotels, and clubs. The climate is ideal for grape and olive cultivation, and therefore also favours the production of wine and olive oil. Hence, the Fiestas de la Vendimia (wine harvest festivals) and other festivities such as Carnival are celebrated here.

Cabo San Lucas

This southern tip of Baja California is known for its jagged, rocky coastline and beaches full of caves and impressive cacti. El Arco , an iconic rock arch in the sea at Land's End , is the symbol of the region. It's also a popular spot for whale watching. Once difficult to reach, it's now a trendy tourist destination. Many superyachts are anchored in the bay. I constantly see guests being flown in by helicopter from one of these mega-luxury boats, probably for a special party. This is also where the Sea of Cortez ends between Baja California and mainland Mexico, before flowing back into the Pacific Ocean.

La Paz

This quiet , somewhat unassuming port town, despite being the capital of Baja , remains a fairly authentic, unassuming place. A certain nostalgia permeates the coastal boardwalk and its beautiful beaches lined with laurel, coconut, and date palms. It enjoys a manageable tourism environment, without massive hotels and featuring a simple central square with its cathedral and the Palacio del Govierno (now a library), pink-tiled side streets, renovated colonial buildings, restaurants, and a few museums. But those who come here often head to Playa El Telecote, Isla Espiritu Santo , or Playa Balandra , all with perfect white beaches and turquoise water.

Mazatlán

We dock at a harbor building where shops and bazaars are all about the Mexican cuisine. In town, we make a deal with a certain Alvaro (two hours for $30). We ride in an open-top pulmanino , similar to a golf cart, but more primitive, sputtering, and smelling of oil. The Malécon , the boardwalk, is one of the longest in the world and offers numerous dining and shopping opportunities. Some sections, such as around the Faro (lighthouse) on a high hill on a peninsula, offer dramatic views with the Pacific waves playing a spectacular starring role. And there's a platform where cliff divers plunge into the sea, though not as high and spectacular as in Acapulco.

It's Sunday , like everywhere else, relatively quiet, until we reach the Zona Dorada on the Norte, packed with hotels and tourists, mostly Mexicans. Brightly colored, and most of them, forgive me, quite voluptuous. The restaurants are in full swing, and my hunger for quesadillas, fajitas, burritos, empanadas , and tacos grows by the minute. Especially with the Pacifico beer , ten times better than Corona. The Cerveceria (brewery) is located in a huge building near our ship. We visit the cathedral, a feast of ancient, conservative Catholic devotion, full of believers gesticulating, praying, burning candles, and touching statues of saints. But the Fantasia artworks along the coastal promenade are particularly remarkable: whimsical, enchanting constructions, every half kilometer. We also pass the Plaza di Constitucion . The Zocalo , along with all its surrounding streets, is closed to traffic at night, because then it turns into a seething, bustling cauldron of people. I remember that from "my previous life."

Manzanillo

The large statue of a marlin immediately takes center stage. The marlin, with its sharp spear, is a large predatory fish that can grow up to 4 meters long and weigh up to 900 kg . This symbol represents the essence of this place: sport fishing, as an angling battle can last for hours. Hemingway drew inspiration for his book The Old Man and the Sea here. The film Ten , starring Bo Derek, was also filmed here. We're going to see the monstrously ugly iguanodons, a common sight here. Hot, and therefore thirsty. A beer costs 39 pesos and comes with coarse salt and lime quarters. Jorge drives us on in his tuk-tuk to the Ventanas , rocks that splash the rolling sea. The coastline, a lighthouse, and the exuberant atmosphere along the promenade are once again intriguing. What strikes me is that so many women wear tight jeans, while in this heat, a loose dress should feel much more comfortable, right?

Puerto Vallarta

With its many condominiums and numerous super-luxury yachts moored in various marinas, it's practically the Marbella of the Riviera. John Huston shot the film The Night of the Iguana (1962) here. We'll stop briefly at the house where Richard Burton and Elisabeth Taylor lived for a long time. This and all the destinations mentioned above were featured in the popular 1980s television comedy series The Love Boat. The author of the eponymous source book, Jeraldine Saunders, was a cruise director herself at the time. She was once with me aboard The Vistafjord (a memorable encounter for me) and told me several anecdotes about that time. I also visited the Love Boat itself, the P&O Pacific Princess, in 1993, already an anachronism, having fallen into disrepair.

Outside the harbor building, endless queues form for dozens of city tour buses, none of which even visit the actual, picturesque old town because buses can't and aren't allowed in the narrow, cobblestone streets. Unbelievable.

Onofre Zavalza , whose card reads "sightseeing and laughing ," drives us past bougainvillea's, palm trees, and botanical beauty hidden around condominiums, hotels, and endless marinas. It's clear this place has become a sort of Bendidorm for Yankees . The man constantly speaks with corazon, passion, about local history, peppered with all sorts of personal memories and tidbits.

I personally have fond memories of this place, as it was here that my backpacking trip around the world truly began in 1982 (after a month in the USA). That was my first experience with true "se laissez dépayser." Unfortunately, outside the old town, the city is almost unrecognizable to me, now largely spoiled by American mass tourism.

The Cathedral of Guadeloupe , that over-decorated, gleaming interior, that devotion. The genuine charm of those typical streets and around the Plaza de Armas . There's something special about that. And also the Malécon (promenade), full of artistic statues and symbols, such as a seahorse and other symbols, overlooking Playa Los Muertos.

It's time to enjoy a real, fresh mango margarita. Right here, right now, the tastiest in the world, so much better than the ones on board, made with fruit syrup from large plastic bottles.

Fake Mexican Indians , half-naked, with feathers on their heads, trying to beg for tips. Oh dear, if they see you taking a photo without contributing anything. They're wearing a bastardized mix of Aztec and Mayan symbols and costumes, historically inaccurate in my opinion, but visually appealing. Which reminds me of that Musketeer once in Bruges, who, wearing his outfit, intended to sell selfies to tourists. Bruges and a Musketeer?

As an experienced traveler, I've noticed everyone treats me like a child, with completely unnecessary warnings, in my opinion. Perhaps rightly so. You wouldn't believe how "ignorant" Americans are. They know nothing, and you can tell them anything. Do I hear someone echoing about "Trump level"?

And then there's the junk souvenir sales: things you find everywhere, like T-shirts printed with "Safe water, drink beer," even found in Bruges. Tourist excesses, unfortunately, are everywhere.

After disembarking in Los Angeles, we fly back home with Swiss Airlines via Zurich.