The Baja California peninsula stretches some 760 miles from Tijuana on the U.S.-Mexico border with San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo at its southern tip. The peninsula is divided into two states: Baja California in the north and Baja California Sur in the south. My adventure into “Baja” was a van tour organized by the San Diego Natural History Museum, that traveled the peninsula’s entire length.

Catavina Desert 16-06: Boojum trees and cardon cactus (right) near Catavina, Baja California. Called “cirio” (candle) in Mexican Spanish, boojum trees are also found in the state of Sonora, and are related to the more common ocotillo. The whimsically shaped trees in children’s books by Dr. Seuss (at one time, a San Diego resident) are reminiscent of boojum trees… a coincidence?

 

Catavina Sunset 23-06.

 

Misión San Francisco Javier 82-06:, San Javier, Baja California Sur.

 

Loreto Sunrise 14-06: Beach along the Sea of Cortez, Loreto, Baja California Sur.