Rocky Point Rally 2022 was another big success, ending with no fatal accidents or injuries caused during the multiple events and parties held between November 11^th and 14^th this year. Visitors attended from USA and there was also a large presence of national visitors from around Mexico as well.

Approximately 5,000 motorcyclists and 15,000 tourists from various states and cities in USA and Mexico came together for this great annual party. According to data from the Conventions and Visitors Bureau (OCV) an estimated 3 million dollars was brought into the city over the 4 day event, said Mayor Jorge Pivac.

“We are very happy and motivated to have these events that bring economic benefit to the city and we believe that expectations were exceeded this year. It is a very organized event with more than 20 years experience which is a coordination of public security, civil protection, Red Cross, and public services, as well as having the representation of the state with the presence of the Secretary of Tourism, Célida López Cárdenas”, the Mayor specified.

He explained that this event has been one of the main festivities that attract thousands of foreign and national tourists, with the majority of the people and events being Calle 13 and the Malecón. The city closely monitored the areas and restricted traffic for pedestrian use to help avoid mishaps.

Jorge Pivac thanked Oscar Palacio and founders, and the organizing group of this rally for continuing to coordinate and promote this biker party which attracted motorcyclists from Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas, as well as from Baja California, Chihuahua and Sonora.

He added that, as the municipal government, the event will always have full support so that Puerto Penasco continues to be a safe tourist destination for special events, having great condo/hotel infrastructure and restaurants, as well as a place to enjoy the beauty of its beaches and the warmth of its people.

Since the current state administration came into office, work has not stopped on the process to reactivate the construction of the Home Port for cruise ships in Puerto Peñasco. At this time, as part of this process, private investments are being sought for the project which had been abandoned for more than seven years, reported Célida López Cárdenas, Secretary of Tourism of the State of Sonora.

She stated that negotiations are ongoing with investors to enhance federal and state investments because the government resources alone may not be enough to resume the strategic tourist infrastructure work because it is extensive and complicated.

She stated that between 1.3 and 1.6 billion pesos will be required to complete the work, so all ways to achieve such an investment are being analyzed, either with government resources or through or a combination of both public and private investment.

She stressed that to Governor Alfonso Durazo, the Home Port of Puerto Peñasco is an important strategic project and all possible efforts are being made to reactivate it in 2023 so that it can generate great benefits for both Puerto Peñasco and for the State of Sonora.

The Secretary of Tourism of Sonora added that in this process of reactivation of the Home Port, advances have been made on the outstanding legal issues and it was possible to release the lien that had been on the construction of the terminal, and five years of grace period were granted to finish the work.

López Cárdenas explained that from the time that the project is reactivated, construction of the Home Port will take two years to finish, so the five year grace period should be enough time.

She also stressed that that Governor Alfonso Durazo has a great vision of what future tourism will give to the State of Sonora and he feels strongly that the home port project needs to be completed. He believes that very positive things are coming for Puerto Peñasco and all the tourist destinations of the state.

Potpourri!

Short Shorts of All Sorts!

Sometimes so much is going on in our little slice of paradise by the sea that we can't address the many short subjects with proper attention. To handle the hodgepodge of dangling subject matter, we invented the Potpourri Page. Here are a few "short shorts" to keep you up to date.



Corey Allen and Yeon-Su Kim went kayaking in Rocky Point at about 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving day but one of them hasn't been seen since, according to official reports and posts on social media. They were with their 14-year-old daughter when winds picked up in the area. Allen reportedly was able to help get the daughter back to shore and then went back out for Kim, but that was the last time he was was seen.

Crews have been searching in the area since late Thursday. The daughter is reportedly safe. Tragically, Yeon-Su was found in the water off the shores near Playa Azul without life on Sunday.

Allen is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Northland in Flagstaff and Kim was the executive director of the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to contribute funds for the search; for more information or to donate, visit https://gofund.me/7beee67e.

As of Wednesday, the search continues for Corey Allen, who is still missing. Alan Ontiveros López, director of Civil Protection and Firefighters, reported that searches have been carried out both by land and by air and sea, without any indication of the American. He stressed that by instructions from Mayor Jorge Pivac Carrillo, the search operation is continuing.

Ontiveros López reiterated his gratitude for the support from the locals and American community in Puerto Peñasco, in addition to the local businessmen who continue to support the search operations.

Unknown to most of the population, Puerto Peñasco generates an average of around 2,000 tons of garbage per month. Even through the greater influx of tourism in the city, the generation of waste has not gone up alarmingly, revealed Gildardo Morales Barcelo, director of the Operating Agency for the Comprehensive Management of the Municipal Cleaning Service (Oomislim). He stated that the regularity in the work of the garbage collection trucks has resulted in fewer user complaints due to delays in the service.

He recognized that high-tourism does generate increases and peak times in the garbage collected from the city, but an average of 70 to 80 tons of waste is removed daily.

He acknowledged that there have been some “ups and downs” in the frequency of the service, but this has been due to problems with the collection trucks that have been corrected without any major or ongoing problems.

In addition to the regularity of the free collection service for the domestic sector, he said, fortunately it has been possible to maintain control in the sanitary landfill and there have been no fire problems recently.

Thanks to the reorganization efforts that have been made, he explained, the rate of complaints about the trash service has dropped significantly – however, they remain open to address any situation or problems that the community reports in a timely manner.

Morales Barceló is comfortable in the fact that Puerto Peñasco has an acceptable garbage service thanks to the restructuring of the garbage collection routes, the efforts to make waste removal more efficient, increase of equipment maintenance, and the constant communication with the staff to help them do the job better.

The Municipal Government and the University of Sonora are in talks for the realization of a possible joint project in the area known as Mi Playa, a popular beachfront area between the Mirador area and Cet Mar high school. The entrance is off Freemont Blvd.

José Luis Montijo Torres, the director of Municipal Public Works clarified that it is a preliminary report and it has not yet been formalized, but that they are considering developing a recreational space for public use in that area, although the area is already widely used by many residents and visitors to Rocky Point.

He explained that Unison decided to build a perimeter fence around the area as a preventive measure because of recent incidents of invasion of the property. The 20 hectare area is owned by Unison, a higher education institution in town.

It is not about the possible purchase of the property by the City Council, he clarified, but about looking for a joint project that benefits all parties involved. The director of Municipal Public Works stated that while talks continue with Unison to develop a joint project in the Mi Playa area, the coastline continues to be open in that area for public use, both for the people of Puerto Peñasco and for tourists.

A chain link fence has also been installed between the parking area and the beach as well. He explained that this is not to prevent access to the property, but to prevent automobiles to drive on the beach itself, a practice that has been very common in recent years. A representative from the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) specified that, after an investigation, it was established that the fencing only limits or prevents vehicle access to the beach and every 50 meters a space was left open for pedestrian access.

He clarified that this 20-hectare area has been the property of the University of Sonora for many years, since the Department of Scientific and Technological Research of the higher education institution (Dictus) had previously operated there.

Tour operators in neighboring Sonora are trying to come to an agreement with communal landowners near the El Pinacate biosphere reserve after blockades have cut off entrance to key areas.

Sonoran tour operators are asking government leaders to resolve a dispute with communal land owners, known as ejidatarios, in Puerto Penasco that has led to blockades at the vast El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve — a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its spectacular desert landscapes, dotted with enormous craters, sand dunes and lava flows, and its rich biodiversity, including endemic species like the Sonoran Pronghorn.

Blockades at the reserve have been ongoing for years, but have expanded in recent months, cutting off access to El Pinacate’s sand dunes and visitors center.

Julio César Rascón Torres, president of the state tour operators association, said the blockades are harming state tourism and cutting into operators' bottom lines. He says some visitors from out of state and international travelers canceled trips to Sonora because of the closures.

Rascon and others want federal and state leaders to reach an agreement with ejidatarios who want to sell land in and around the reserve.

Until then, he said, tour operators are willing to pay an entrance fee to landowners if they offer services like trash collection or guided tours. He said the tour companies would offer training to ejidatarios who wanted to become licensed guides.

Bacalao Navideño is a tasty Christmas dish made of dried and salted cod fish, baby potatoes, tomatoes, onions, olives, and capers. The recipe originated in the Basque region of Spain where it’s called Bacalao a la Vizcaína because is made with a rich sauce made of red choricero peppers known as Vizcaína sauce.

Bacalao a la Vizcaína was brought to Mexico and other Latin American countries when the Catholic religion was introduced and with it the tradition of eating fish during religious festivities like Lent and Christmas Eve.

In Mexico, this dish is called Bacalao Navideño or Bacalao de Navidad because is mainly served for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. The recipe has been adapted to ingredients found locally, like chiles and tomatoes.

One curious thing is that everyone looks forward to eating it the next day in the recalentado (leftover meal) stuffed in bolillo rolls.

In Mexico many make Bacalao a la Vizcaína just like tamales - with the help of 2-3 people in the kitchen. It’s part of a tradition that brings people together as a family on those special occasions.

Ingredients:

-Bacalao fish: This is dried and salted cod fish, you can find it at many local supermarkets in the seafood section packed in salt, dried or fresh. Or you can also look at Asian and Latin American markets where you’ll find it vacuum-packed.

-Tomatoes: You will need fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce.

-Onions: You can use white onions or yellow, sliced or diced as you prefer.

-Potatoes: You can use baby potatoes or substitute with regular potatoes cut into large chunks.

-Bell red peppers: We are using store-bought roasted bell peppers, but feel free to swap for fresh red bell peppers and roast them yourself.

-Olives: If you can, use stuffed green olives, otherwise use pitted green olives.

-Capers: If they are packed in salt, make sure to wash them and remove the excess before adding them to the stew.

-Almonds: Use blanched almonds, roughly chopped. Do not use unpeeled almonds or they will add an unpleasant bitter taste.

-Parsley: You will need a good bunch of fresh parsley, or you can sub with dried parsley too.

-Chilies: You will need chiles güeros en escabeche or you can replace them with Hungarian wax peppers, cascabella peppers, or any hot yellow pepper available to you. Or you can also use pickled jalapeños.

-Spices: Garlic, oregano, and pepper.

Oil: Most use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.

To make Bacalao Navideño you need to start the day before you intend to eat it since you’ll need to soak the fish for several hours.

6:00 PM – Rinse bacalao under cold water, place in a bowl, and fill with water until nicely covered. Soak for 1 hour then drain and cover with water again. Repeat this step 3 more times.

10:00 PM – Rinse the fish for the last time and then place it in a bowl covered with water. Cover well the bowl with a lid or with cling film and place it in the lower spot in your fridge.

9:00 AM (next day) – Rinse and drain bacalao, then shred it with your hands, making sure you discard the small bones if you find some. Place in the fridge until needed.

Place tomatoes in a griddle or comal and roast until their skin is shriveled and lightly blistered.

TIP: You can also use the oven to make this step roasting them at 390°F (200°C).

Allow tomatoes to cool down then remove the skin and seeds. Dice them and place them in a bowl along with the juices.

In a large and deep cooking pan heat about 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.

Add chopped onions and minced garlic, and stir everything for 5 minutes or until translucent.

TIP: In order to not brown the onions pay attention that heat is not too high and there’s enough oil to cook the onions evenly.

Mix in the tomato chunks and tomato sauce. Season with pepper and oregano, add a bit of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat stirring from time to time.

Now, add the bacalao fish along with the baby potatoes, cappers, olives, almonds, chiles güeros, chopped parsley, and roasted bell peppers strips. Pour about 1 1/2 cups of water and mix well.

Cover and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes, mixing occasionally (read notes) Adjust salt to taste and turn off the heat.

Allow the Bacalao Navideño stew to rest for a couple of hours before serving.

Notes:

This recipe is slightly spicy. If you want to remove the heat, do not add chiles güeros to simmer with the stew, add them later as garnish when serving.

Bacalao a la Vizcaína is a long preparation recipe, make sure you plan everything with time. Buying all groceries, soaking the fish, cooking, etc. In Mexico we use to make this dish just like tamales, with the help of 2-3 people in the kitchen, it’s part of a tradition that brings us together as a family.

Make sure the stew has always enough liquid to gently simmer the ingredients. If needed, add more water to the pot.

How to Serve:

In Mexico, Bacalao Navideño is served on Christmas Eve with some traditional sides like:

Ensalada Navideña (salad made of apple and Mexican crema).

Ensalada de coditos (Mexican macaroni salad).

Arroz Blanco (Rice with vegetables).

Arroz a la Mantequilla (buttery rice)

Bolillos or teleras (Mexican dinner rolls)

How To Store & Reheat:

Bacalao Navideño is an amazing make-ahead dish and stores wonderfully in the fridge for up to 4 days. Place leftovers in a glass container with a tight lid which will prevent any smell from coming out.

To reheat and enjoy the leftovers, place them in a pan and heat them up on your stovetop, stirring occasionally.

There are lots of funny, weird, hilarious, and downright bizarre traditions that people take very seriously on New Year’s Eve. At midnight, church bells ring, fireworks explode, and Mexican people start doing whatever they think will bring them good fortune for the year.

1. Grapes of fortune

This tradition is also common in Spain and in other Latin American countries. At midnight, you are supposed to eat a grape on each of the twelve times the church bells ring. That makes one grape for every month, which you must eat in order to secure happiness for the year.

2. Magic underwear

You have to wear brightly colored underwear on New Year’s Eve to attract good luck on some aspect of your life. If you want love, wear red underwear. If you want money, wear yellow. It doesn’t matter if you wear boxer shorts, granny panties, or a thong. It’s the color that’s important!

3. Sheep of prosperity

Another way to usher prosperity into your life is to get a sheep figure. It can be a ceramic sheep, or a stuffed one, or a plastic one. You can put it on the mantle, or hang it on your Christmas tree or on the door. There just has to be a sheep figure somewhere in your house by the time the New Year comes around.

4. Lucky lentil bowl

Lentils are a symbol of prosperity too, so they are usually served in some way or form on New Year’s Eve in Mexico Some people will start scarfing down a bowl as soon as they hear church bells ringing. Other people say you just have to put out a bowl of cooked or raw lentils somewhere, probably next to the sheep

5. Karma clean up

In Mexico, one of the best ways to welcome the New Year is to clean up everything. Clean your house, the car, even the dog. They say cleaning washes away the old, bad vibes and leaves your home ready to receive new blessings.

6. Take out a suitcase

If Mexican people want to travel during the year, they’ll grab a suitcase, put it by the door, and take it out for a walk at midnight as the New Year is starting. Just grab the suitcase -it doesn’t matter if it’s empty- walk out the door and take a stroll around the block. That’s supposed to bring traveling vibes to you

7. Start sweeping

Yes, I know we just finished cleaning the entire house for the New Year. The moment you hear the clock strike midnight, grab a broom, open the door, and start sweeping. If you want to do away with the bad vibes, sweep from the inside to the outside. If you want to bring good vibes in, sweep from the outside to the inside.

8. Throw money around

But if you really want prosperity to ring at the door, find some loose change and a couple of bills. At midnight, open the front door, step outside, turn around, and throw the bills into the house. Sounds crazy? It might be, but if it brings money, who cares?

You could also fill a bowl with rice, or lentils, and put some coins and bills in there. You could put the bowl next to your prosperity sheep! In fact, it’s even better if you throw some coins on the floor and sweep them into your house. That ought to do the trick!

9. Wear new clothes

Go out and buy a nice, new outfit and wear it on New Year’s Eve. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just new. This also attracts good vibes and fortune towards you. Who doesn’t love to wear new clothes?

10. More

There are tons of other wacky New Year traditions in Mexico. For prosperity, put a coin inside your shoe. To get a promotion, stand on a chair or a ladder. To get your crush to fall in love with you, grab a picture of him or her and tie a red ribbon around it. For happiness, throw a bucket of water out the door at midnight to wash away any sadness.

November 2022

October 2022

September 2022

August 2022

July 2022

June 2022

May 2022

April 2022

March 2022

February 2022

January 2022

December 2021

November 2021

October 2021

September 2021

August 2021

Let me know if you would like links to any of the earlier ones. (Over 11 years worth)