October 2022 Baja Bulletin

Road Conditions During Hurricane Season

The entire peninsula was hit hard by Tropical Storm Kay which brought heavy rains and flooding that washed out roads. Mulegé and surrounding areas such as Santa Rosalía were subsequently hit by an earthquake and more rains which caused more damage. Highway Mexico 1 and Highway Mexico 5 are currently passable but suffered damage resulting in detours and delays. Plan for extra time while traveling and, as always, only drive during daylight hours. We will keep our Road Conditions page updated with the latest information. For more resources and information about being prepared in a hurricane, check out our Hurricane Preparedness page.

New Otay Mesa Pedestrian Crossing Under Construction

Construction began in September on a modernization and expansion program for the Otay Mesa pedestrian crossing. The project will double the amount of processing lanes in order to expedite and streamline crossing. The port of entry will continue operating as usual until the project completion in spring of 2023.

The Nat Zoom “Baja Series” for Kids

The San Diego Natural History Museum offers a series of live Zoom presentations for kids each month featuring free presentations related to Baja. Coming up in the series is a November 18th presentation on the San Quintín Kangaroo Rat and a January 20th presentation on exploring the natural beauty of Baja California. RSVP and learn more on The Nat website.

Online U.S. Passport Renewal

U.S. citizens will be able to renew their passports online starting in 2023. There is currently a test program in place for online renewal with a limited number of renewals available that will open up this month in mid October. The specific date has not been announced, but you can keep an eye on the U.S. State Department’s Pilot Program page. In order to renew online, travelers must meet certain requirements and will need to upload a digital passport photo and pay the fees (typically $130 for an adult) online. In the meantime, travelers can create an account at MyTravelGov which will be required in order to process an online renewal.

Festival de Octubre

The state of Baja California (norte) will be celebrating the Festival de Octubre, the state’s most important cultural event. The festival encompasses a series of cultural events such as concerts, performances, and workshops taking place in various cities and locations throughout the state until the first week of November. This year the festival is called Paá Twa Cháu which in Kiliwa language means “our home,” a concept that encompasses the meaning of the event as it looks to promote the native people of Baja California, gender equality, children protection, and respect for diversity For a full schedule of events, see the online brochure.

Telling the History of Surfing in Mexico

Ensenada is regarded as the unofficial birthplace of surfing in Mexico, but that’s a history that has not been explored much until now. Two surfers and amateur historians, Jesus Salazar and Pete Torres have taken on the responsibility of preserving and spreading the history of Mexican surfing through their project Memorabilia del Surfing Mexicano. The project consists of a podcast featuring interviews with Mexico’s surfing pioneers and social media that showcases historical photos and videos. You can follow along to Memorabilia del Surfing Mexicano on Facebook or get the Podcast on Spotify.

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Corazón de Vida’s San Diego Noche de Gala

Corazón de Vida, will be hosting their San Diego “Noche de Gala,” a Great Gatsby themed gala on Saturday, November 12th. Corazón de Vida is a foundation that supports orphaned and abandoned children in Baja California. Click here for tickets and more information, or to make a donation to the organization.

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