My good friend sold her beach home in Rosarito, so she asked me to join her and her daughter for the trip down there for the closing. While I had no concerns about my safety, others immediately went into a tirade about how I should reconsider. They had heard stories on the news about trouble at the border in Tijuana, which was our point of entry into Mexico.
When I woke up the day of our departure in Palm Springs, the sun was shining brightly. Clearly an omen about the adventure that was before us. She drove through the back roads all the way to San Diego. Along the way, we saw mountains, trees with fall colored leaves, vineyards, farms, and large retirement settlements.
Once we arrived in San Diego, we had to go to the Mexican Consultant office to pick up a special stamp needed for the closure of the real estate transaction. The place was packed and much to our surprise, we were in and out, with exactly what we needed within one-half hour. We walked out the door and there was her daughter who had flown in from the Northwest.
We crossed the border, drove for about half an hour and arrived at the beach house located right on the ocean. The picture is not of the house, but shows you the view off the deck. Note the sky and the amazing color of the water.
We settled into our rooms and then headed downtown. There were some places they wanted to show me that consisted of amazing furniture, fun curios, and most importantly a place that served fantastic fish tacos. Nothing like sitting out on a picnic bench is the brilliant sunshine and sharing stories while eating such fresh wonderfully flavored food.
That night we cuddled in with our blankets and shared stories about our lives and our dreams for the future. So easy and relaxed. The next morning I woke to the sound of the ocean and once again brilliant sunshine on the water—normally this time of the year the beach would be inundated with fog.
Now it was time to decide what would be taken home and what would be left for the new owners. A task that wasn’t as easy as it sounds since there was a great deal of sentimental attachment to things. The large CD collection was divided and special pieces of art were gingerly packed into the car.
Once that was done, we headed back downtown and braced ourselves for what could be a very long afternoon. We were warned that real estate closings could take anywhere from ½ hour to four hours. I am pleased to report, once again, things went so well we were out of there in 1.5 hours and all went exactly as planned.
After getting some coffee and toasting to the closure, we were off for our journey back to Palm Springs. Of course, there was a line of cars going across the border, but we were pleased that we did so within ¾ of an hour. Once again, we got through so much easier than we had anticipated.
During our snail pace to the border, we talked to vendors and laughed about the new curios that were suddenly adorning the dashboard of the car. Nothing like three little sheep sitting there and a hummingbird swinging from the interior mirror. Oh yes, the fleece-like blanket with a zebra on it is now keeping me warm as Palm Springs area is experiencing way below normal temperatures. Let’s just say there were many laughs and if you have to wait in a long car line, this is the way to do it.
Dinner was in San Diego…right on the bay. Nothing better than fresh seafood from Anthony’s Fish Grotto http://www.gofishanthonys.com Holiday lights were up so it was amazing to see this wonderful city showing itself off in grand manner.
We got home about 8:00 p.m. marveling at how easy EVERY aspect of the trip had been. Careful planning on my friend’s part with the real estate agent certainly contributed to the success. Yet, she cannot take credit for the outstanding weather.
As for safety, there was no time that I felt that was even the slightest bit in danger. When you are down there and talk to the locals, you hear them lamenting about how the news media really has done so much to discourage tourists. Yes, the drug dealer have their own issues, yet the local citizen feels totally safe and only wish people would come back to enjoy their lovely country. No question business owners and real estate people are having a hard time making it though this period.
My regret…that I hadn’t had the opportunity to spend more time at the wonderful beach house before it was sold. However, I am proud of myself for grabbing this opportunity. My dad would be proud of me for in his later years he would often say, “Do it why you are able”.
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