Part of the adventure of traveling to Mexico (aside from escaping Colorado winters) is experiencing the contrast between the United States and our southern neighbor. Once again this year we camped in our trailer on Playa Bonita, in the town of Puerto Peñasco, surrounded by an area called Rocky Point. As always, we were delighted to be there, and relish the dissimilitude from the United States. If you embrace a sojourn across the border, here are 10 ways you will know you are not in the USA.

The pace of life is slower and more relaxed. A welcome sense of community exists with the RV park residents, to the entire Rocky Point region. Visitors feel welcome, and they truly are. Although the tourist industry is the lifeblood of Rocky Point, there is nothing false in the attitude of the residents.

You can pull up to an RV site with full hookups directly adjacent to the beach. All that separates you from the sand is a narrow sidewalk and low concrete wall. The cost for an entire month of camping is comparable to a few nights at a luxury hotel. Admiring splendid sunrises and sunsets, watching the tide go in and out, and listening to the ongoing symphony of the waves beckons us to return year after year.

Oh, the food! Small, family-run enterprises abound. Tasty restaurants and carryout joints can often be found adjoining the homes of local entrepreneurs. We have sampled sumptuous cuisine at a Sonoran hot dog stand, an empanada heaven, and a full-on Mexican restaurant. In Mexico the mantra seems to be: “If you don’t have a job, create one!” There are snack shops on every corner, vendor carts selling everything from exotic bebidas (drinks), to candies, nuts, and ice cream. QuikTrip-like establishments are found on every block.

The residents in Puerto Peñasco exude pride, and a joy of life. They are generous with a happy greeting and ready smile, and easily engage in conversation. Many are fluent in English. If not they are readily willing to attempt to understand and be understood as I practice my limited high school Spanish.

Dogs run free. There is no leash law except on the beaches where rules are strictly enforced to keep them pristine. There are LOTS of dogs around town, snoozing beside the roads, trotting over to beg for handouts, and barking at passersby. Most of the dogs resemble each other: medium-sized in all shades of brown looking like some kind of hound dog. There are no designer canines here. Barb’s Dog Rescue is a humane center for homeless and abandoned dogs. Sweet Alice was adopted by a kind, fellow camper. She perpetually gazes at him with her golden-colored eyes, and it’s obvious she knows she is one lucky dog for sure!

Main thoroughfares are paved, but most side streets are dirt. This results in blowing dust when gales of wind pick up.

Vendors roam the beaches daily, hawking their wares and services. Fresh seafood and vegetables, snacks, clothing, jewelry, toys, and sunglasses are all available for perusal and purchase. Massages and nail services are offered right on the beach. The vendors always do an ask, and take “no” with good humor. They are polite, but skilled at getting your attention, and keeping it if you display any interest in what they have to sell.

Pharmacias/Farmacias (pharmacies) flourish around town. They advertise over-the-counter products that would need a prescription for in the USA. It’s a wonder they all survive as there are literally scores of these establishments.

Construction can be erratic. There are iron infra-structures around town of never-completed buildings. Here and there are elaborate gateway portals to nothing. They indicate dreams of sprawling residential complexes that never came to fruition, disappearing into thin air. Finances obviously have played a part in the existence of these surreal and sometimes unsightly beginnings with no endings.

The lucrative residential real estate market is booming. We checked out beachfront condos on Las Conchas Beach. You can purchase (or bargain for) an 11th-floor unit with stellar views, furnished, 2 baths, 3 bedrooms for $425,000. Six miles of unblemished, walkable beach are visible from the oversized balcony.

So what are you waiting for? You’ll be glad you checked Mexico out!

Part of the adventure of traveling to Mexico (aside from escaping Colorado winters) is experiencing the contrast between the United States and our southern neighbor. Once again this year we camped in our trailer on Playa Bonita, in the town of Puerto Peñasco, surrounded by an area called Rocky Point. As always, we were delighted to be there, and relish the dissimilitude from the United States. If you embrace a sojourn across the border, here are 10 ways you will know you are not in the USA.

The pace of life is slower and more relaxed. A welcome sense of community exists with the RV park residents, to the entire Rocky Point region. Visitors feel welcome, and they truly are. Although the tourist industry is the lifeblood of Rocky Point, there is nothing false in the attitude of the residents.

You can pull up to an RV site with full hookups directly adjacent to the beach. All that separates you from the sand is a narrow sidewalk and low concrete wall. The cost for an entire month of camping is comparable to a few nights at a luxury hotel. Admiring splendid sunrises and sunsets, watching the tide go in and out, and listening to the ongoing symphony of the waves beckons us to return year after year.

Oh, the food! Small, family-run enterprises abound. Tasty restaurants and carryout joints can often be found adjoining the homes of local entrepreneurs. We have sampled sumptuous cuisine at a Sonoran hot dog stand, an empanada heaven, and a full-on Mexican restaurant. In Mexico the mantra seems to be: “If you don’t have a job, create one!” There are snack shops on every corner, vendor carts selling everything from exotic bebidas (drinks), to candies, nuts, and ice cream. QuikTrip-like establishments are found on every block.

The residents in Puerto Peñasco exude pride, and a joy of life. They are generous with a happy greeting and ready smile, and easily engage in conversation. Many are fluent in English. If not they are readily willing to attempt to understand and be understood as I practice my limited high school Spanish.

Dogs run free. There is no leash law except on the beaches where rules are strictly enforced to keep them pristine. There are LOTS of dogs around town, snoozing beside the roads, trotting over to beg for handouts, and barking at passersby. Most of the dogs resemble each other: medium-sized in all shades of brown looking like some kind of hound dog. There are no designer canines here. Barb’s Dog Rescue is a humane center for homeless and abandoned dogs. Sweet Alice was adopted by a kind, fellow camper. She perpetually gazes at him with her golden-colored eyes, and it’s obvious she knows she is one lucky dog for sure!

Main thoroughfares are paved, but most side streets are dirt. This results in blowing dust when gales of wind pick up.

Vendors roam the beaches daily, hawking their wares and services. Fresh seafood and vegetables, snacks, clothing, jewelry, toys, and sunglasses are all available for perusal and purchase. Massages and nail services are offered right on the beach. The vendors always do an ask, and take “no” with good humor. They are polite, but skilled at getting your attention, and keeping it if you display any interest in what they have to sell.

Pharmacias/Farmacias (pharmacies) flourish around town. They advertise over-the-counter products that would need a prescription for in the USA. It’s a wonder they all survive as there are literally scores of these establishments.

Construction can be erratic. There are iron infra-structures around town of never-completed buildings. Here and there are elaborate gateway portals to nothing. They indicate dreams of sprawling residential complexes that never came to fruition, disappearing into thin air. Finances obviously have played a part in the existence of these surreal and sometimes unsightly beginnings with no endings.

The lucrative residential real estate market is booming. We checked out beachfront condos on Las Conchas Beach. You can purchase (or bargain for) an 11th-floor unit with stellar views, furnished, 2 baths, 3 bedrooms for $425,000. Six miles of unblemished, walkable beach are visible from the oversized balcony.

So what are you waiting for? You’ll be glad you checked Mexico out!