On our last day in Ensenada, before heading back towards Tijuana, the group split into two groups with the choice of either hanging out in Ensenada for a few hours or going to the already scheduled
La Bufadora, one of the largest blowhole, or geysers, in North America.
While it was tempting to shop and enjoy some refreshing drinks, I'd been to Ensenada since childhood with family so many times. It seemed better to see something new. So La Bufadora it was.
I never imagined it would be so packed with families, couples and just so many people happy to be there. It was hard to get a veiw at the blowhole with so many crowds.
Walking back to meet the group I spotted the lady above sitting on a fence.
The blowhole itself is very hard to see from most parts of the viewing area, and some brave visitors climbed up the bare rock to get a better view. I opted to climb up steps to the highest vantage point.
It was totally worth it. We got a great vantage point of the blowhole errupting every couple of minutes and the thunderous sounds were almost drowned out by the crowds cheering and clapping for the larger explosions!
What even proved more amusing than the main attraction was the surrounding market. Many vendors, selling regional arts and crafts, souvenirs and food lined the road to the blowhole, and back.
It was the most amusing mix of colors, sounds, smells - a visual feast! I'll let the photos do the talking.
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| shiny chorizo tubes |
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| clams au gratin - a very popular dish at the market |
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| doll head holding handmade bracelets |
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| candy, nuts, giant pastries and cinammon sugar coated almonds (the best) |
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| elotes - Kristin, our guide kindly gave us tastes of her street corn |
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| This Viagra mascot appears in several pharmacies, in various forms and sizes |
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| frog with maracas? - why yes! |
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| dolls on swings, frog bands and kids having fun |
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| fruit |
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| clamato and tequila shots stand |
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| marionettes |
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| Pina Coladas are the signature drink - samples offered at every step |
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| plate painting and naughty souvenirs (ladies covered with blankets at least) |
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| snakes, parrots, baby lion cub and falcon |
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| more pina coladas, even a hollowed out pineapple full (with $3 refills!) |
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| street chips with hot sauce dispenser from bottom - brilliant |
Another day in the Valle, we made a quick visit to the
Museo del Vino y La Vid. which features the history behind wines of the Valle de Guadalupe as well as beautiful grounds and architecture.
This excursions brought another dimension to the visit, along with the food, wine and landscape. Great suggestions by
Club Tengo Hambre.
Our evening intro to
Valle de Guadalupe was as dazzling as our afternoon stop. We arrived at
Corazón de Tierra with some daylight, which allowed us to wander the grounds for at least an hour before dinner began.
The entrance contained a large lavender still, which they use to create the lavender oil soap and lotion, both available for sale and in use within the restrooms. The group loved the products.
Corn, sugarcane, rasdishes, eggplant, squash, pumpkin, pomegranates, grapes, olives and much more thrive in the gardens.
I was in awe of the lush gardens, views of the vineyards from the mountains and the sunset in this other-worldly setting. The boats add a dramatic touch to the setting.
They have just opened a new outdoor restaurant in this space under the black covering.
I also wandered off to the adjacent
La Villa del Valle luxury inn to check out their grounds.
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| Photo by Robert Hemedes |
One of my fellow travelers mentioned he read reviews of the place where people talked about its Ikea style furniture. Clearly they do not know their decorative arts, because my jaw almost dropped seeing the open space with striking long, wood tables.
A film crew also set up in the dining room, filming a media story so even after dusk we had some great lighting for photos!
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| Photo by Robert Hemedes |
After returning to our table,
Chef Diego Hernandez and
La Villa del Valle owner
Eileen Gregory, greeted our table and chatted at length about the origins and future plans for their businesses, along with how they make the lavendar toilettriesFrom . She had a serene quality and told wonderful stories about meeting the love of her life and settling in the valley.
She said if her husband Phil were onsite, he could have taken us down to the vineyard. We were offered their winery's
Vena Cava Big Blend.
And then the tasting dinner began.
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| oysters, radish leaf pesto |
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| beet, greens and local cheese salad |
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| purslane salad with lamb |
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| rock fish, chard, lemon sauce |
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| pork belly squash blossoms |
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| sorbet and dessert with cardamom marshmallows, herbs |
I did not take meticulous notes on the dishes. Since I was photographing also, I wanted to enjoy some time just with the food and ambiance. There was no printed menu. I added rough descriptions as captions which I will update when I get notes from a fellow diner.
After our huge lunch, thankfully this dinner was light.One got the true farm to table essence from the just picked produce used throughout the meal. It was definitely an unforgettable experience.
