December 23, 2015. A day of gluttony in Baja!

CAMPGROUND:   Last (5th) night at Martin Verdugo's.

LOCATION:  Los Barriles, Baja, on SE coast of Baja peninsula

WEATHER:  Very warm and sunny,  highs in 80s

We started the day by strolling to a restaurant for breakfast.  We didn't have any food on hand, and decided to eat out.  We steered away from the gringo cafés, and found this cute place.  We split an order of scrambled eggs which came with tortillas, refried beans and guacamole.  We helped ourselves to some picante sauce in this huge mortar.

Behind George, you can see a container of purple liquid.  Later, I learned that this is a popular local drink....hibiscus iced tea.

We walked around another RV park where they have lots of "permanentes"......big RVs inside beautiful palapas.  It is a very inexpensive way to have beachfront property.

Around our RV park, people hang colorful Mexican blankets up for privacy. 

Our site is nestled between some bougenvilia trees.

For lunch, we returned to the strip and ate in a restaurant that smokes fish.  We ordered their smoked fish special which was a huge platter of smoked yellowtail and a cream-cheese smoked fish spread.    Lors of leftovers!

While we ate, a boy washed  our pickup.  He informed us that it was very dirty.  Yes, indeed!

We swam and snorkeled in the afternoon.  The water temperature is 74, so very pleasant.  We sat around the tiki bar to dry off.  

After it cooled off, we went grocery shopping, as we don't know whether shops will be open on Christmas and Christmas Eve.  

Then, we walked back on the strip, in the opposite direction for dinner.  We are moving to another campground out of town tomorrow, so wanted to check out these restsurants while we are still in town today.  This place grills seafood and shrimp over a charcoal fire.  We shared a grilled fillet of fish.  Delicious.  It is a tiny family-run place.  The owner's 9-year old daughter was our waitress.  On the wall next to our table, people had written their names and compliments about the restaurant.  One comment "best place in Los Barriles" was signed by Alice Waters.  I wonder if that is THE famous Alice Waters chef.  

While we were eating, a mariachi band came in to serenade the table next to us.  I recognized the people.  One was an older gentleman, a doctor, who retired here about 30 years ago.  His family are visiting him. I think he had arranged for the musicians.  Nice touch!