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A shuttle bus operates every five minutes between Ecstasy and Ensenada's fashionable shops and busy restaurants of Avenida Primera. Besides driver, a young guitar player boards, does two songs, collects a few tips and departs. A guide boards, and uses short travel time to sell us his company's tour to La Bufadora. We discover his tour includes an hour to shop flea market there and a free lunch and is fifteen dollars cheaper than one officially offered aboard Ecstasy, so we sign up.
The air-conditioned bus ride to blowhole takes about forty-five minutes, through barren Baja countryside. The stalls at La Bufadora offer silver jewelry, clothing, leather goods, rubber snakes and bugs, pottery, hats, fish tacos, and churros, long, deep-fried Mexican version of doughnut. There are also plenty of opportunities to buy Coronas with lime. We don't recommend churros and Coronas together. . .
Ensenada in winter is not balmy and hot. Though sun is out, official high for day is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. We are comfortable in tee shirts and shorts, but not locals. On our way back to ship we stop for an espresso and pretty girl operating machine wears a down jacket and, entwined around her neck, a wool scarf.
We're too tired from shopping to stay in Ensenada until ship sails, so we're on shuttle back to waterfront promenade where there's yet one more colorful Mexican shopping opportunity. Good thing our little cabin has ample storage for our luggage and our shopping purchases, too.
At dinner we hear from our tablemates all about what we missed. Seems a lot of young people gathered at Tapas and Beer, restaurant/bar that's replaced Husong's Cantina (still same as it was in sixties) as most popular watering hole in Ensenada. One thing led to another, and later in afternoon there were girls dancing on tables in various stages of drunkenness and undress. Making cruise memories?
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Carolyn Proctor, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
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