Baja Expedition

 Last Month, 5 days after I landed at LAX from New Zealand, I traveled with Rancho Bellota Art for a splendid journey points south in Baja California, Mexico.  Our travels led us to San Felipe, Cataviña, and  San Ignacio. As quoted from our itinerary..The botanically rich Cataviña ecosystem includes incredible boulder fields and indigenous flora – gigantic Cardon Cactus (Pachycereus pringlei), Boojum (Cirios), Mexican Blue Palms (Blue Hesper Palms), and Elephant trees (Bursera microphylla). 

It was an amazing experience that will stay with me for a long time. The terrain was so enriching and different..especially coming from New Zealand!

the road to San Felipe..via the grade to Mexicali 

San Felipe

Elephant Tree

on the way to Catavina...a stop for lunch at an awesome little restaurant with indigenous plant materials. Raul Aguliar was our guide extraordinaire   and owner of Rancho Bellota. Marjorie and Lois having a fun time!

painting on location and at the hotel in the afternoon..it was a bit windy so we enjoyed the warm corridor. 

Raul and our guest botanist Eulogio Reyes 

Cardon

an adventurous journey to points north about an hour from San Ignacio to the Cave Paintings in San Francisco de la Sierra in the mountains. It was wondrous and breathtaking to see and hear about these ancient paintings. 

our guides who families are from the ancestors of the region ranchos

Ellen and Eulogio 

goats are in charge of the roads at times

the small community near the cave paintings was timeless

in San Ignacio plein air painting in the Zocalo. 

a Boojum tree

Stayed the night at Bahia San Luis  Gonzaga

and on the way home to Rancho Bellota....side botanical Tidbits trips with Eulogio