Final Thoughts on Puerto Penasco | Ciao Bella in Yuma

Thursday | 22 February 2007 | Yuma, Arizona:  It was sad leaving our new friends on the beach in sunny Puerto Penasco, Mexico. The past ten days have been very enjoyable - storm and all - and the people camped next to my parents were some of the nicest folks you could meet. Remember when we have been in Oklahoma before and were treated so well? Imagine being with friendly people like that for ten days. Our new friends from Oklahoma, Karen and Benny, were great. Another neighbor, Rossana - an Italian immigrant living in Troutdale, Oregon - is a great cook. Imagine her surprise when I gave her a bottle of Santa Margherita for an Italian dinner party she was hosting for friends? This is the life in RV parks in Puerto Penasco - fast friends, people contributing what they have and offering help where needed. (Dad and I were in countless RV's helping fix computer problems and many people were tapping into our wireless internet networks.) Everyone helped us with restaurant recommendations and other interesting tidbits of local gossip and facts. It was a most enjoyable visit - but we are sad to say the city of Puerto Penasco is quite changed since our last visit. Prices are not much different from the US, condos are taking over all the beautiful beaches, RV parks are closing and it is only a matter of time before RVer's abandon Rocky Point for other Mexican destinations. Several campers said just that to us this week: this is our last visit to Puerto Penasco.

So sad, Puerto Penasco - ruined by her own charms.

The drive to the border was uneventful and passing through Mexican customs/immigration was completely boring since there wasn't even a man in the booth. We simply drove over the border. Welcome to America. At US immigration/customs officials asked how many passengers were in the motorhome and if we were all US citizens. Customs wanted to know what produce we had on board. Items grown "in the ground" - potatoes, onions, etc., are not permitted. Avocado pits (you can scoop out the flesh, but must leave the pits in Mexico), Mexican beef and a few other things are not permitted. DT offered our passports. The passports were looked-over and scanned into the system. About twenty miles after entering the US there is a smaller Border Patrol inspection, but they were not much interested in two middle-aged RVers and waved us through.

After arriving in Yuma, we drove the coach to a RV repair shop. A very competent Oregonian diagnosed our refrigerator problem, had it repaired and we were on the road again within 45 minutes. Our fridge now works on electricity or propane and we are completely mobile and self-sufficient again. This is one of those rare moments in time that few RVers can boast about: everything is working on our motorhome at this time.

I know I should not have typed those words. Something will break tomorrow.

Tonight we went to Ciao Bella with my parents for dinner. It is an absolutely fabulous - and very authentic - Italian place in little Yuma. My Dad stumbled upon this place and my folks have adopted it as one of their favorite lunch spots. (Ciao Bella is owned by the same couple operating the equally-delicious River City Cafe we tried the night before leaving for Mexico.) Several years ago, it was difficult to find a good restaurant in Yuma and now there are many!

Boys just wanna have fun: DT's linguini Vongole and


Dad's chicken with mushroom ravioli from Ciao Bella in Yuma, Arizona

RV Park: Yuma Lakes (membership park - we were guests)