Ensenada, MX, through a digital camera.

(dedicated to Spaz.)

I took a 3-day cruise on the Carnival Paradise back in April, to Ensenada, Mexico. (Don't worry, I didn't bring swine flu back to the U.S.) The cruise itself was a pampering experience; the destination itself was quite an eye-opener.

(A lovely sunrise the morning I arrived back in L.A.)

The cruise ship itself was very, very nice. The service, entertainment, and especially FOOD was tops. Everyone was overally frighteningly courteous, and the waiter at my dinner table served me my desert before I even ordered the exact entrees! The food was srsly delicious, and there was so much of it! omnomnom. :3

(The ship was spacey; if you click on the picture you can see all the floors. I took it by putting the camera flat on the ground, facing up.)

(Bach on a Boat= LOVE.)

I had a commitment however, because the cruise was the week before my competition (in which I was epicly pwned). So I practiced in my cabin and played on the deck for the sporadic sparse crowd. There was also an art auction (I didn't buy anything), and I discovered that my parents were furious ping pong players. I got pwn't.



The second day of the cruise brought me to Ensenada, Mexico, a relatively small port city in Baja California. The first thing I noticed from the ship was that it was not as awesome as I thought it would look. Much of the buildings seemed like shacks compared to the residences of us Californians. This proved itself as I went on land.

(Downtown Ensenada looks a bit like the not-as-nice bit of downtown L.A....)

(A typical outdoor shop near a tourist attraction (La Bufadora).)
I think the main economy of Ensenada is based on tourism. There's all these shops selling the same random trinkets that are mostly handmade... and heavens, the store owners! They'll make you buy something just to get out of the shop, lmao.

(A bazaar near La Bufadora.)
If you do want to buy something, you'll have to haggle like half of the selling price; often more. I figured out a handy strategy (that works, ehm, 30% of the time) to get something at the price you want:
1. Insist on 50% off.
2. Pretend to walk away. They'll make you come back.
3. Go back and haggle some more.
4. Purchase.


The following pictures are ones I took in the more rural areas.
livestock.

A lot of the countryside looks like this.

Roadside enterprises.

I honestly don't like Mexican food.

This is what Mexican kids do for leisure? Also the yellow flowers you see here are ALL OVER Ensenada.

In the city, you'll see a lot more Americano names, such as Mickey D's, Starbucks, and of course...
WALMART !

And...all...these..

LOL! (click on the picture)

I also visited a blowhole, La Bufadora ("blowhole" in Spanish, creative, mm?), but the tide was low that day and all it emitted was a pathetic wisp.

After Ensenada, however, I could see how the residents would be willing to break the law by moving to America. Living conditions were poor compared to what we're used to here. A nice home in the city looks barely decent to the likes of SoCal residences.

My materialistic complaints need to stop.

I'm lucky to be here.