Highlights: seeing Alex and meeting Aline and some of her family, swimming in the ocean, watching Audrey overcome her terror of the ocean and waves, swimming with Audrey in the ocean, staying at a beautiful casa on the coast, eating great food and delicious tropical fruit, discovering napoles, going to a Mexican mercado, exploring Imperial Beach, CA, gathering with extended family
Lowlights: the family gathering was a memorial for Aunt Joan and cousin Colleen who passed away in late March and early April, we started our trip early because Gampy was in hospice and passed away, we missed our flight/were turned away at the gate by an ahole Frontier agent because we were 45 seconds too late and had to spend an extra 4 hours at the Denver airport, we got lost in Tijuana while Audrey was cantando Oaxaca (trans: puking) in the backseat, grandma vomited in grandpa's hat while in rush hour traffic in San Diego, Audrey had a dislocated "nursemaid's" elbow, there was more but I'll end it there lest I sound like a complainer
Overall, it was a good trip, just the kind of vacation you need a vacation to recover from. So, now I've recovered enough to write a post.
Above and below, hanging with fam in Denver
A playground in Playas de Tijuana, the suburb where Alex and Aline live.
After throwing up upon entry to Mexico, Audrey didn't want to eat for awhile, nopales (delicious cactus, typically served grilled) helped Audrey turn the corner to eating again.
Here we are doing a little exploring in Ensenada, posing in front of the very large flag at the port. Alex told us the flag in DF (AKA Mexico City) is even bigger.
The pictures below are at the lovely casa south of Rosarito that our generous friends, the Jespersons, let us stay in for the week
Here is brave little Audrey after being treated for nursemaid's elbow.
The tally after getting X-rays and seeing two doctors, one to reduce the dislocation and one to review the X-rays, was about $85! This is why there are so many medical facilities in Mexico.
Being one armed didn't stop her from bull-riding and eating ice cream
We did some exploring in Tecate with Aline's family, they took us to a winery,
pointed out a cool carved rock among the many large boulders that defined the landscape of the area,
took us out to lunch and to El Mejor Pan de Tecate for delicious baked goods, then pointed us to the border crossing (where we waited for two hours to get in to the USA!)
Back in America our adventures included: messing around at the Imperial Beach pier,
exploring the Silver Strand between Imperial Beach and Coronado, separating the Pacific Ocean from the San Diego Bay on a windy day,
swimming at Uncle Neil's house,
and spending time with Grandpa's siblings.
