Last Month, 5 days after I landed at LAX from New Zealand, I traveled with Rancho Bellota Art for a splendid journey points south in Baja California, Mexico. Our travels led us to San Felipe, Cataviña, and San Ignacio. As quoted from our itinerary..The botanically rich Cataviña ecosystem includes incredible boulder fields and indigenous flora – gigantic Cardon Cactus (Pachycereus pringlei), Boojum (Cirios), Mexican Blue Palms (Blue Hesper Palms), and Elephant trees (Bursera microphylla).
It was an amazing experience that will stay with me for a long time. The terrain was so enriching and different..especially coming from New Zealand!
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the road to San Felipe..via the grade to Mexicali
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San Felipe
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Elephant Tree
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On the way to Catavina...
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Painting on location and at the hotel in the afternoon..it was a bit windy so we enjoyed the warm corridor.
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Raul and our guest botanist Eulogio Reyes
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Cardon
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Our guides who families are from the ancestors of the region ranchos
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Ellen and Eulogio
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Goats are in charge of the roads at times
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The small community near the cave paintings was timeless
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In San Ignacio plein air painting in the Zocalo
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A Boojum tree
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Stayed the night at Bahia San Luis Gonzaga
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And on the way home to Rancho Bellota....side botanical Tidbits trips with Eulogio