A Respite at LA Cetto Winery

What is left of our caravan makes way through Ensenada and on to the wine country south of the Tecate border crossing.  The road is beautiful.  We arrive at LA Cetto Winery before closing and they advise us...it's fine to spend the night in the parking area.  Oh, the wine tasting and store closes in an hour...make haste!

Beautiful road in the wine country of northern Baja

We pull in and circle the rigs again!  This time for wine...not waiting.

But which one????

Our wine educator....

Joe and Kathy

Pedro and Janet have a taste

Steve has a taste....to the lasts drop!

Dori is a good listener....

Soon we've had our tastes....and purchases secured, we return to our "campsite" for a happy hour....waiting for the sunset hour and a hike up to the bull ring overlooking the winery, vineyard and valley.

Happy campers

Window to the wine world at LA Cetto

Sunset seekers hike up the road

Vineyard row

Flowers line the road along the way....pictures say more than words.  We arrive at the top of the road and climb the stairs to the top of the bull ring arena.  The sun is setting across the valley.  The light....spectacular!  The contrasts of the day are almost too much.  We leave San Quintin in the midst of the farm worker's strike and arrive late in the afternoon to be surrounded by peace and beauty.

LA Cetto bull ring

Jerri and Janet....peeking...

Bull ring....very classy

Bill, Norm and Jerri....a good audience for the sunset spectacular

Pedro plays the flute into the evening

Valle de Guadelaupe

Jenet

Flute music to put the valley to sleep....and all of us! 

Hikers returning

Valley evening....good night Baja....

In the morning....whoa....it's time to say goodbye....again!  We are off to Tecate...in no particular rush...but today is border crossing day.  We keep the radio contact one last time...as there is a particular "cop" in Tecate that is now famous for harassing travelers headed to or from the border.  He pulls them over, for no appearent violation...and suggests they can avoid going to court by just paying him...oh...$300 USD to make the "problem" go away.  We have never been bothered, but...why not stay together...just in case?

We travel through the border town of Tecate in a group of four, two trailers in tow, two RV's with tow cars....Joe and Kathy are first, we are second, then Jerri and Norm and finally, Pedro and Janet.  They will get visas at the border, and will take the longest to get through customs, so they will go last.

We are two stop signs away from the turn to the border...we are all stopping at EVERY "Alto" sign, counting to "10" and moving on.  BUT...as Joe and Kathy pull away from the second to the last stop sign...a police truck from up the hill, pulls out, tucks in behind them and turns on the lights.  I radio to Kathy..."hey...hate to tell you this, but you have flashing light polica, right on your rear.  We are right behind you and will stop with you."

They pull over as they turn up to the border line...the cop in back of them, and we come along side...the policeman motions for us to go on...I open my window and say, "Oh...no...we can't go on...we are TOGETHER.  We must stay with our friends."  We pull right ahead.  Norm and Jerri pull in behind us.  Now there are three rigs all stopped...but unfortunately, not blocking any roadway.  Then along comes Pedro...who stops in back of the police truck.  We all get out and go toward the policeman who is talking to Joe from his truck.  He is speed talking Spanish....and Pedro (our Spanish speaker extraordinary) gets out and walks over.  He says to the cop..."Are you the cop everyone is talking about in Tecate?"  The cop tells him to "lower his voice."  Pedro says, "With all respect...ARE you the cop everyone talks about??"  Then he tells pedro he is going to give us ALL tickets...for parking in the wrong place...and then there is a moment...and then Pedro says: "That's it, I need your name and your police ID number...."  And suddenly the cop "gets a call" and turns on his flashers and has to leave...we are all to leave too.  Now.  Ok then!

Nothing like an exciting exit across the border.  In another 30 minutes we are through customs, across the border, and on to life...but back in our own country.  For now...it's a relief to realize it all takes place in English...and I have somewhat of an understanding of what's going on...

It was a memorable trip north this year...