Reminiscing of the high and the low tides
In the ocean waves of emotion grip so tight
The pressure of the wave has got me
Can't seem to make it though the sets are rollin’ in
Rollin in...
Can’t seem to make it though the sets are rollin’ in... - Rollin, Tomorrow Bad Seeds
During our stay in San Felipe, we felt right at home in the beach bungalow we rented from Airbnb at Victors RV. We were steps from the sea and walking distance to the Malecon which is dotted with shops and restaurants. We visited during low season so the area was pretty desolate. Only a few restaurants were open for breakfast or lunch. Far more were open for dinner.
Though, you could tell much of the businesses were shuttered for sometime, including the Rockadile. I assume this was due to the season, but perhaps the economy is to blame. Multiple 7 Elevens and an Auto Zone looked liked they were newly opened so I'm betting it is lively during peak season and the Baja 250 & San Felipe 250 races.
I booked the bungalow for its proximity to the water and it did not disappoint - The view was stellar. The sea breeze was a bit chilly, but the warm sun felt nice. That is until it set, anyway; the nights were down right cold. The unit is equipped with A/C but no heat. While it was pretty basic overall, I liked it. It was cozy and comfortable. Even with the duct tape.
You might have noticed the sea level the photos above. San Felipe is really quite special because it experiences a large tidal bore, one of the world's largest; water can recede as much as 2 km during low tide. We didn't encounter that much difference, but the water did recede about 3 football fields in front of the bungalow. I was completely fascinated. Clamming and metal detecting is quite common during low tide. This was when we saw the most people on the beach - 6 counting us. The sunrise was amazing! We also enjoyed a long early morning walk on the beach down to where the shore meets the wall to the neighboring marina. And then, at low tide we walked out as far as we could. It was really wild.
We only had a few meals while in San Felipe. Breakfast and lunch options were pretty slim, on the first day Frank and I had lunch at Baja Mar. We ordered fish tacos, grilled and fried. They were served in a build your own style. The grilled were better than fried here, the breading slipped off the fish and lacked the crunch I expect. The next morning, we had breakfast at a little place specializing in Cuban and Mexican, it's on the second floor across from the bank. I failed to catch the name. Breakfast was great, we had chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. It was cheap too, about $9 US.
As luck would have it, both of our dinners were at La Vaquita. Previously, there was only one location near the Malecon. It is Frank's aunt & uncle's favorite. They recently opened a second location near El Dorado Ranch in a space previously occupied by another restaurant. It was quite the surprise to find the same menu. Then, we got the scoop from the waiter. Taco Factory, Baja Mar and La Vaquita are all owned by the same family, the mother (if I'm not mistaken) passed away last year. Now, the children, a brother and sister have taken over operations and they opened the second La Vaquita. We preferred the original location. It had better ambiance, service and they accepted credit card. The food was a bit better there too, although, the new spot had better presentation. My favorite part of both meals was the yellow peppers stuffed with shrimp. Yum.
We were pleasantly surprised to find two Thrifty Ice Cream shops (El Dorado & Malecon). We're big fans and couldn't resist a stop after dinner one night. A single scoop of pistachio and strawberry hit the spot, even if I couldn't shake the chills.
