The Ensenada Malecon is about a 15-minute walk from the Riviera del Pacifico, and about a 45-minute drive from La Jolla Beach Camp. You will first notice the large Mexican Flag, which is 47’ x 82’, weighs over 300 lbs., and takes 20 people to put up and take down.
If you continue walking down the Boardwalk you’ll see the many boats in the harbor. Boats from all over the world are brought to Ensenada to be refurbished, and many come just to enjoy the city. Almost daily, a large cruise ship will be in port, a day we will try to avoid as those darn tourists fill the streets, making it difficult for us regular people to find a table for lunch and enjoy a margarita or a Mexican cerveza.
Most restaurants are small, so you can have lunch wherever you like, sitting on the patio listening to live Mexican music. Many dine at restaurants across from the fish market, then cross the walkway to buy shrimp or other seafood to take home for dinner. You will pay much less for fresh seafood in Mexico than in the U.S., so many people stock up to enjoy seafood for several days.
You can visit Ensenada at night, but it is a pretty sleepy town after the cruise ships leave.
Once you finish lunch at the Malecon in Ensenada (usually seafood), our rally participants usually walk about a half-mile to visit Hussong’s Cantina (a favorite of everyone). We have a few Margaritas or a cerveza or two, eat a few peanuts and toss the shells on the floor, and possibly enjoy some Mexican Music. Did you know they originally tossed peanut shells on the floor to keep the dust down? That was before they had varnish for floors, but the tradition continues.
Hussong’s Cantina is an excellent place to hob knob with a few expats, as they love hanging out here.
Did you know that the original and legendary Margarita was created in Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, Mexico, back in 1941 and has been a favorite with movie stars, revolutionaries, gunslingers, and nearly everyone who has taken a sip?
Wait a minute. Didn’t someone say that the Casino invented the original Margarita?
Well, maybe they invented the Margarita, and maybe not. The Casino also boasts the same claim. So, we will have to go to both places and do some taste testing so you can decide for yourself who makes the best Margaritas.
The ones at the Casino are always a big hit with our group. They used to be about $2 when we first started going there, but I think the price has increased since then.
BTW, we will carpool from La Jolla Beach into Ensenada, so if you hook up with a non-drinking driver, you can have more fun in town.
Trivia for today: Peanut shells, also known as peanut shucks or skins, are better to eat than the peanut itself because they contain more antioxidants and other nutrients.
