One of my best memories is now from Valle de Guadalupe, the heart of Northern Baja's wine country, and the area that produces 70% of Mexico's wine. The Terra del Valle bnb (the traditional non-air kind with real breakfast and homemade marmalade) where we stayed for a night was nestled beside an expanse of orange groves and adjoining dirt roads with horseback riding next door. Katharine, John and I grabbed the available bikes and went cruising into the countryside to hit up a couple wine tasting from the vineyards within just a few miles of our place. Finn, of course, came too. At first I tried to kindly shove my rescue long-haired jack russell pup into a tote bag but after about 100yards on the bicycle his wiggly bod found itself happily running alongside my bike. I've never seen him so happy to run! And as a proud dog mum I was stoked with how well he could keep up. He was obviously stoked for this boundless freedom of movement that doesn't quite exist inside our studio apartment. With a few shots left on my 35mm manual pentax, I'm so glad I had this camera on my shoulder. The unedited, tactile feeling of these photos, with that slightly grainy vibe, helps take me back to that gritty dirt road, the golden sun, and the cruisy vibes I now associate with mexican wine. It was a perfect day to celebrate KP's 30th trip around the sun. :)
A must for brunch in this area is La Cocina de Dona Esthela.
Now for the ocean... Patrol the marina near Ensenada and you can find a good deal on a deep sea fishing boat that'll take you into towards the foggy island surrounded with seagulls, dolphins and snapper filled waters. xx
