jonathanroldan.comThat's My Story | Tailhunter International, La Paz, Baja Sur

SHOULDA-WOULDA-COULDA That’s My Story Tailhunter International, La Paz, Baja Sur Feeds: Posts Comments WITH EACH PAVED ROAD May 13, 2024 by riplipboy WITH EACH PAVED ROAD Originally Published the Week of May 10, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications When I first moved down here to Baja, it wasn’t difficult to find some space. The vistas were grand. The beaches were expansive. The sky was big and the world” went from horizon to horizon. There was a rugged tranquility of the desert frontier by the ocean that pervaded every aspect of life. It was inescapable. You knew you were somewhere sublimely and beautifully alien. You knew you were perhaps in a different portal of time, space and dimension from where you had come from. There’s a certain anxious edge to knowing that you had to actually THINK” about your day. Not just how to get to work or your dinner plans, or what you were doing for the weekend, etc. It was much more primitive. Do I have enough gas? Is there gas? Do I have food? What will I eat and how will I get it? Do I have enough water? How far do I need to travel today from Point A to Point B and back? Is there electricity today? Will I be able to cook today and is there enough fuel? These things had to actually be planned. And any glitch or bump in that road of existence could mean a bad day or at least a really inconvenient day of the worst kind. Because nothing was really convenient” per se. But, that was the beauty of it. You had to actually rely on yourself a lot more. The only thing convenient was the free clean air and the ocean and Baja desert. All around. All the time. I could climb a rocky hill stretch out my arms like the famous Jesus statue above Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Looking out over the blue empty ocean and desert and not see a single person! Far as the eye could see. In my own mind I could stretch my arms and laughingly tell myself, I own all this! It’s mine!” And yell to the wind and jump up and down. Metaphorically speaking, yea…I did own it! It’s a silly exhilarating feeling. Kinda like the way a kid feels in his first treehouse. ALL MINE! You want hold onto that feeling. …and you always want it to be that way. I would revel in the thought that I hoped to share this with my kids and grandkids someday and others who would appreciate the special place. A dream. A hope. And today I’m sitting here in my office overlooking the waterfront and am quickly reminded that the vibe is eroding with increasing velocity. A BMW just drove by. A Mercedes Convertible as well. Down the street there’s another chic-chic boutique hotel almost completed that I would never be able to afford a night (not sure I would want to…but that’s not the point). There are two yachts in the bay that are too large for the local marina. I’m told one is owned by Microsoft people. The other might be the owner of Home Depot and an NFL team. I will have to take a detour home tonite because they’re digging up and paving a dirt road that went over the hills to a little-known remote beach. Well, everyone knows about it now because a condo complex is planned for it. There’s big billboards around town. Own a piece of secluded paradise. (Emphasis on secluded.”) A week doesn’t go by where I don’t run into folks that are house hunting here to get away from it all.” If you build it, they will come. There are farm-to-table organic farm restaurants and wine-tasting rooms popping up next to French, Italian, Asian and Fusion eateries. I often read the social media boards to check what local gringos are saying and thinking. Recently, someone posted, What turns you off about restaurants in Mexico?” One replied, Furniture made from wood pallets or plastic chairs with beer logos on them.” Another wrote, Lack of Michelin 5-star restaurants.” And another, All the waiters that don’t speak English.” Say what? Ouch! Harsh. Personally, with each comment…with each new bit of development in the name of progress…with each dirt road getting it’s first coat of asphalt… It feels like a little more of O.G. original Baja…original Mexico …erodes away. Yes, I can still climb that rocky hill and scream this is All mine.” But I probably have to do it a lot quieter because there’s a housing development and condos on that hill now. And step gently so I don’t get busted for trespassing. Harsh. Wish I had my treehouse back. That’s my story… Jonathan ______________ Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.com . They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront! _____________ Jonathan Roldan’s Tailhunter International Website: www.tailhunter-international.com Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942 Phones: from USA : 626-638-3383 from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863 . Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com / Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.” Posted in Airline flights to Mexico , airlines , aquaculture , bahia de los muertos , bahia de los suenos , Baja , Baja Fishing , Baja fishing lures , Baja Life , Baja Mexico Fishing , Baja Rockfish , Cabo San Lucas , cabrilla , camping , car , CBX Express bridge , cerralvo , cerralvo island , charity , charters , chubasco , circle hooks , crankbait , deep sea , Dehydration , donations , dorado , driving , east cape , ecotourism , el nino , el sargento , espirito santo , family , farm-raised , first aid , fish , fish farming , fish pens , Fishing , fishing blogs , fishing hooks , Fishing lures , fishing packages , fishing reports , Fishing Tackle and Techniques , Fishing techniques , fishing tips , fishing tournaments , fishing trips , fishing videos , flyfishing , freediving , giant squid , green , Heat stroke , highway , historical , history , holidays in mexico , humboldt squid , hurricane , hurricanes , ice chests , inshore fishing , inshore fishing in Baja Mexico , jack crevalle , Jonathan Roldan , kids , kids fishing , La Paz , La Paz Fishing , la ventana , las arenas , Leisure , light tackle , Living in Mexico , los barriles , luggage , marlin , Mexican , Mexican business , Mexican church cathedral , Mexican culture , mexican food , mexican food stands , Mexican Independence Day , mexican road crosses , Mexico , Mexico Christmas , Mexico coronavirus Baja , Mexico economy , Mexico life , Mexico neighborhood , midriff islands , missions , outfitters , pack for a purpose , packages , packing , packing fish , panga , Panga Fishing , pargo , passport , planning , pompano , rental car , rentals , road trip , roosterfish , Salt Water Fishing , Salt water lures , San Jose del Cabo , saving money , Sea of Cortez , seafood , seri indians , sierra , speaking spanish , spearfishing , sportfishing , squid fishing , storm , storms , suitcases , Sun stroke , sustainable , taco , taco stand , Tailhunter International , techniques , testing facilities mexico airport , tiburon island , tourism , tours , transpeninsular highway , Travel , trolling tips , tuna , Tuna jackpot , tuna tournament , Uncategorized , vacations , vehicle , wahoo , water , waterspouts , weather , Western Outdoor News , Western Outdoor Publications , women fishing | Tagged amberjack , bahia , Baja Mexico , beaches , billfish , bonito , Cabo San Lucas , cabrilla , Cerralvo Island , charter , coronavirus in Mexico , deep sea , diving , dog-tooth , dorado , east cape , eco tours ,...