Border Wait

Just a note for those of you who think about moving to Northern Baja and commuting across the border for work...border times are increasing, sometimes it can take over 3 hours on weekends to cross. You may apply for the SENTRI pass which will cut your crossing time substantially, but the more people who are issued these passes means the more people waiting in line to cross.

The new passport requirements will go into effect January 1, 2008. All passengers trying to cross from Mexico into the US will be required to present their passport to the immigration official. It is yet to be seen whether this will speed up or slow down the process. My guess? The number of people who didn't know they had to have a passport will hold up the line and make the wait even more unbearable.

Baja California Meeting Point

I recently attended the Baja California Meeting Point and was amazed by all of the development going on in the Sea of Cortez region. The Sea of Cortez is flanked by the Mexican States of Sonora, Baja California Norte, and Baja California Sur. The cities that are seeing the highest number of new developments are Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), San Felipe, Loreto, the Tijuana-Rosarito-Ensenada corridor, and the Los Cabos/East Cape area. Cities like La Paz, San Carlos, and Kino Bay are also starting to see a number of new developments springing up.

The developments are becoming more and more sophisticated, with each developer trying to out do another with added amenities. One particular development I looked at will have a state of the art clubhouse, a gym over looking the ocean, and miles of exercise trails. Another development will have a mini-market and dry cleaners on-site so that residents can take care of their errands without leaving the property.

More and more people are choosing homes in Mexico as their primary residence. With the availability of high-speed internet connections and VOIP phones that allow you to call anywhere in the world for pennies on the dollar, working from a foreign country has become easier than ever.

I invite you to check out some of the new developments in the Sea of Cortez area by visiting:
Baja California Meeting Point

SPOTLIGHT: ROSARITO

Just 22 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, lies Rosarito--a town known for its wonderful climate, shopping, and nightlife. Rosarito is home to many American and Canadian retirees who fled south in search of a more peaceful, laidback lifestyle and oceanfront homes at a fraction of the cost. In recent years, Rosarito has also become a famous Spring Break destination for college students from California, Arizona, and beyond.

Restaurants

Ortega's--This Puerto Nuevo (10 minutes south of Rosarito) hot spot is famous for it's lobster. Lobster is fried and served with warm, fresh tortillas, melted butter, refried beans, and salsa. Yum!

El Nido--In the heart of downtown Rosarito, El Nido ("The Nest"), offers a wide variety of Mexican dishes including a large selection of game. The inside of the restaurant resembles a tropical garden. Mariachis stroll from table to table taking song requests.

Tacos El Yaqui--If you are looking for a typical Mexican streetfood experience, Tacos El Yaqui is the place. Their specialty are the tacos perrones - carne asada tacos with melted cheese, a heaping of pinto beans, cilantro, and onion. Get there early or be prepared to wait in line!

For more information on Rosarito, please visit the Official Rosarito Website at: http://www.rosarito.org/