Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

A Special Baja Birthday – My Husband’s 50th

Mark has a fantastic group of tight-knit college friends. Most of them turn 50 this year. The plan was for the men to gather somewhere fun in the spring of 2021 and have a mighty good time. But, because of Covid, no such plans were made. It was up to me to throw a two-person and one-dog special birthday party! How? By renting a small casita along Bahia Concepcion, via AirBnB.

The blue casita is where we stayed for Mark’s birthday weekend

A jaunt to Mexico seems to be my go-to when it comes to quick Mexican-themed birthdays for my husband. Three years ago, we ended up in Puerto Penasco, because I couldn’t find a restaurant in the middle of the desert of Southern Arizona to treat him (he loves Mexican food). In March 2006, we found ourselves on the mainland of Mexico for Mark’s birthday celebrations.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My images are heavily resized for easier downloading and uploading; I apologize for their inferior quality.)

This year, we stayed at this little rental for three days and three nights, including March 1st. We enjoyed the peace, views, and toys as much as the convenience of being in a house, despite the steep road and many stairs to reach our “home away from home.” Moving our belongings back and forth was a true workout, but the rewards were more than worthwhile.

Many steps down to the casita and even more steep, uneven steps down to our beach

The casita came with its own private beach, natural hot springs, kayaks, and paddleboards. Because of the incessant winds, we only managed to use the kayaks once. But, it was pretty awesome. We set out in the morning – Maya insisted on coming along for the ride – and paddled among dolphins and around a rocky island full of birds.

On March 1st, we went to dinner, outside, on Playa Santispac and ordered whatever our hearts (and stomachs) craved: two Bloody Mary’s each, a shared appetizer of fresh ceviche, and main dishes consisting of seafood. A real splurge, but at $50 in total, still much cheaper than a celebratory meal out in the US.

Our little kitchen

What do you see here? A small kitchenette?

We see a “real” kitchen: an oven to prepare Mark’s granola – two batches! – and to bake a few sweets while being here. And, a fridge with a freezer to make ice cubes! Aaah, the small pleasure in life!

A real stove and oven to cook!

Our rented casita/studio came with a small kitchen, counter with chairs, bed, sofa chair, and bathroom with hot and cold water.

Here are a few more snaps of our one-hour kayak ride one morning.

Maya was at ease in the casita as well.

In short: it was a fun, relaxing, and special birthday “weekend.”

Sunrise over Bahia Concepcion


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63 Comments

  1. WooHoo, Mark is 50 and you celebrated in STYLE, as well you should! The word “relaxing” fits your mood exactly after such a long haul. Congrats to you both! 🙂

  2. Duwan @MakeLikeAnApeman

    March 28, 2021 at 19:47

    It looks like you found a beautiful spot to celebrate. The water is so pretty, love all the birds, and an oven!

    We really wanted to be there. But when you turn 50 (especially during a pandemic) you get a whole birthday year. We will celebrate when we see you again.

    • Haha! Good idea. I’ll let Mark know he has an entire birthday year. I guess at 50 that is totally deserved! Looking forward to more celebrations whenever we meet again. It looks like we should get our first shot in April, so hopefully by the middle to the end of May, we can count ourselves among the totally vaccinated…

  3. Looks like a perfect place to celebrate. Happy Birthday, Mark!

  4. It looks like you picked the perfect spot to celebrate Mark’s birthday! I love that Maya wanted to kayak with you… she definitely fits in to your family of adventurers.

    • Hi Janis!

      We love our adventurous dog!

      I actually only found one “affordable” place to stay through AirBnB in this area, so when it was looking a bit iffy (access road too steep for Zesty, potential of other renters, cranky owner), I worried about an alternative. There wasn’t really one, so I’m glad this all worked out in the end! 🙂

  5. I have been looking forward to reading about Mark’s special birthday. What fun, staying in the casita. The view is spectacular and the blues are surreal. I can see how moving your belongings was a challenge. Many dishes of seafood is one of our special treats, too. I can only imagine how ice cubes are a major treat in your lives. Definitely a “special” birthday. Happy Birthday to Mark and wishing many more healthy, fun years.💕

    • Thank you for the kind comment and the sweet wishes, Erica. Many items that other people take for granted are splurges to us. Another example of “what you need” versus “what you want,” but savoring these enhancements once in a while is super nice and special. For example, we took a hot, pressurized shower at a friend’s place in Yuma, Arizona, this morning and it felt soooooo good. The best shower in many months. 🙂

  6. Mark looks younger than 50! (You can tell him that’s my gift to him … haha … but he really does.) What a special few days for a special occasion; I’m glad you three had so much fun and felt you could splurge a little.

    • That is a nice compliment for Mark, Lexie. I think he looks younger than 50 as well, especially right after he shaved (a once-a-week occurrence). I could get used to relaxing and splurging a little more. And, maybe we will. As long as we can find a healthy balance. 🙂

  7. Happy 50th! We’re well past that but do remember the landmark that was in personal history. I hope you two had a wonderful celebration.

    • Thank you, Jacqui. While very mellow and friend-free, Mark and I – and Maya, of course – had a wonderful time. As always, there were a few issues looming, but we managed to set those aside (mostly) during our three-day celebration. 🙂

  8. Liesbet, You picked a beautiful spot to celebrate Mark’s milestone birthday. Private beach and paddling toys that you can use to see sea life and birds sound wonderful to me. Happy birthday to Mark and wishing you both many more healthy and happy years. Thank you for linking with #WeekendCoffeeShare.

    • Hi Natalie!

      Thank you for the wishes. I hoped you’d get a kick out of seeing all these water toys. I had to think about you when I first tried the paddle boarding and was proud not to fall off. What is your favorite, if you had to pick one, kayaking or paddle boarding?

      To be honest, this was the first time Mark and I actually enjoyed our kayaking experience. I guess before that, it had always been too windy or too boring when we set out on borrowed kayaks…

  9. petespringerauthor

    March 28, 2021 at 21:14

    Looks amazing! It isn’t about celebrating where you’re at, it’s about celebrating with someone you love. Well done! %0 is the new 40. I say at 62, I’m going to continue to move the goalposts.

    • True words, Pete! You might be 62, but I bet you feel and I’m convinced look so much younger. Celebrating life should be done every single day, one way or another. 🙂

  10. petespringerauthor

    March 28, 2021 at 21:15

    Haha! 50 is the new 40! Ignore the senile man passing through your blog.

    • Haha! I figured that’s what you meant. Plus, you should just blame autocorrect. Not your ripe and mature age. 🙂

  11. Wow! What a cool spot to stay for a celebration! The views were beautiful and having your own private beach sounds incredible. I’m glad the wind cooperated for long enough to get out on the water a bit and it sounds like you found a great spot for a celebratory dinner. And really, the most important thing was that Maya approved of everything and enjoyed herself. LOL. She’s such a good girl! Happy Birthday, Mark!

    • Thank you for the wishes, Laura. Of course, it’s all about Maya. You know how that goes. And, she approved of the beach, the toys, the tiled floor, the breeze porch, and … the comfy couch. I’m sure Thor would approve too. 🙂

  12. Happy Birthday, Mark!
    So glad that the three of you were able to celebrate it style.
    Your pictures tell a wonderful story!

    • Hello Donna! One day, I should do a bit more effort and incorporate a bit more creativity with my photos, like you, instead of throwing them all “out there.” For some reason, blogging exhausts me and takes up too much time these months… Soon, I’ll adjust to a different, more productive schedule again.

  13. Happy 50th to Mark! So great you had such a celebratory weekend. What a great view to wake up to. Ah the simple pleasures like fridges and stoves … I do hear you! Beautiful photos and Maya on the kayak ~ wow!

    Peta

    • We often envy you and Ben – mostly the places you end up renting and that come with all those great and fun amenities! A freezer. Decent kitchen utensils. A real shower. A flushing toilet. Haha!

  14. Welcome to the 50’s Mark, you are in very good company. Perfect little casita and such a beautiful place. Wishing you a very healthy new decade of life, filled with adventures 👏🏼👏🏼🎂

    • I agree Mark is in really good company right now, Gilda! 🙂 Let’s hope our adventures continue. Forever and forever!

  15. alexjcavanaugh

    March 29, 2021 at 07:49

    Now that’s a great way to spend a birthday! Yes, welcome Mark to the fifties.

  16. Sounds like a great way to celebrate a birthday! Happy birthday Mark.

    • Mark says “thank you,” Ingrid. And I can’t believe you are already preparing for your summer up north again. Wow. Where did the time go??

  17. Man oh man, you keep tempting us to travel down to Mexico. We are going to have to arrange our plans to do this one year! Thanks for sharing! Jim @ LIB

    • Hi Jim! RVing in the US is super easy and extremely diverse, which is why we love it. But, hopping south of the border for a bit can be truly rewarding. Plus, we love Mexican food! Apparently, the Baja wine isn’t too bad either, but I can’t vouch for that. Yet. 🙂

  18. Looks awesome Happy birthday to Mark.

  19. Happy birthday to a special Amazon friend.. Karen and David

    • So nice to see and read you here Karen and Dave. Thanks for the wishes. We hope all is well and healthy with you both. Another Amazon season is already being recruited for. What will you do this fall???

  20. Happy birthday to Mark! Glad you all had such a wonderful time.

    • Thank you, Anabel. We have been back in the US for exactly one day and already miss Mexico and want to go back…

  21. Happy birthday Mark! Home is where the heart is..and partner..and doggie! Warm regards, Rona @mindfulontheroad

  22. What a lovely spot to celebrate a special birthday. Happy belated birthday to Mark!

    • Thanks, Deb! I think the Sea of Cortez is an area we are bound to return to. Hopefully sooner than later! 🙂

  23. What a fabulous spot you found, Liesbet! The views are beautiful and I’m glad Mark had a great celebration. So many of them have had to be reduced in scale this past year, but no way was this second best 🙂 🙂

    • Hi Jo! You and I have both been “blessed” to have been in a warmer place over the winter, which makes outdoor activities possible and enjoyable. We surely took advantage of that in Baja. It was a small celebration for Mark’s birthday, but he had a good time and that’s all that matters. 🙂

  24. It looks and sounds like a lovely little getaway! A very happy 50th to Mark! 🙂

    • Thanks, Diane! We enjoyed our three-day “retreat” and are looking forward to more Baja next winter. Hopefully!

  25. Happy Birthday Mark! I agree with your other friend that when you turn 50 you get to celebrate for the whole year. So while the weekend on the beach looked fabulous, it is just the beginning of a GREAT year for Mark AND you AND Maya! ~Kathy

    • Thanks, Kathy. Well, now that two people have told us that Mark has a birthday year, we better exploit that! 🙂 Let’s hope all of us get a breather and a good year around the sun in 2021! By the way, we should have brought back some tequila for you as we didn’t “stock up” on any alcohol this time…

  26. I love how you can really appreciate the simple joys of things that we often take for granted. I hadn’t thought of this are having dolphins so that is a surprise, but why not?
    The Casita looks lovely as does the seafood! Happy birthday to your hubby! May his next milestone be one in which the pandemic is only a distant memory!

    • Thanks a lot, Amanda. Dolphins are my favorite animal in the world, so the closer I get to them the better. 🙂 Even after sailing for eight years and often having them accompany our catamaran, I never grow tired of them. Let’s hope the pandemic will soon be a distant memory!

  27. Wow, looks so idyllic and the food looks amazing!
    Lovely photos. 🙂

  28. Those steps alone would keep anyone fit, Liesbet, but what a great way to work off the extra birthday calorie intake. It looks a beautiful place, and so peaceful. Were the evenings really chilly? I can’t imagine that in Mexico, but I guess it all depends on the direction of the wind.
    Happy belated birthday to Mark.

    • Hi Hugh!

      It’s so interesting, the concepts we have about places in the world regarding the temperatures. I thought Mexico would always be warm and pleasant, as images of beaches come to mind when this country is discussed. But this was now the second time in fifteen years that we drove down the peninsula in search of warmer weather and didn’t find it as we stopped about 2/3 of the way (on purpose). The unusually persistent and consistent winds had something to do with that. And the fact that we didn’t want to drive all the way to the bottom of Baja California, where it is always warmer.

      The nights were pleasant for sleeping. If outside, one needed a sweater but could keep wearing shorts. 🙂 Other than the winds, the temperature was pretty ideal. Seventies during the day and forties/fifties at night with bright, starry skies.

      • Sounds perfect (for me, anyway), Liesbet. At least it’s not raining. The starry skies must be an amazing site away from all the light pollution.

        • I think you’d like the temperature of Baja in winter, Hugh. Pleasant days and cool nights. And… no rain. At least during the two months we were there. I think I will be in awe the next time I see and feel rain as it has been at least four months! Yes, the night sky is magnificent in the desert, worldwide. 🙂

  29. Awesome birthday weekend! Mark is lucky to have you.

    Jude

    • Very sweet of you to say so, Jude. Honestly, I do think I’m a pretty good wife. Flexible, loving, respectful, and without demands. 🙂

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