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Back to Guerro Negro- Vizcaíno Adventures
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Late September is definitely not tourist season in Guerro Negro, as touist season kicks into high gear between mid-December to mid-April, when hoards of tourists descend upon this dusty little town to view the whales that come to nearby Scammon's Lagoon to breed. So on Monday, September 29, 2008, I had my choice of motels, and I was probably the only gringo tourist in town.
Photo: Nice shot of Motel San Jose on a clear, Monday afternoon before the coastal fog came in. My truck is the white Ford truck parked near the center of the photo. It was late in the afternoon, as I'd just driven the dusty dirt road from Bahia Tortugas, and I wasn't feeling very well, probably due to the fact that I'd had too much to drink the night before, the hot weather, and I'd probably eaten something that I shouldn't have. Anyway, when I pulled into Guerro Negro, I was mostly looking for a place to crash and burn for the next 12 hours, and Motel San Jose seemed like a good place, as it is located on the east side of town, looked reasonably clean, and promised to be moderately priced. Motel San Jose is located along Bvd. Emiliano Zapata, which is the main street in Guerro Negro. Unlike most Baja California towns, which are oriented from north to south, Guerro Negro is oriented from west to east, with Zapata, the main street, running east, from the highway, west to the lagoon. Motel San Jose sports a sign in front that advertises the fact that they have hot water, 24 hours a day, color tv, but the most interesting aspect of the motel is advertised as "Hot Sower." No, that's not a typo, check out the photo, as "hot sower" is painted on their sign.
Photo: The sign in front of the motel that lured me in. I guess I wanted to experience a "hot sower." Motel San Jose has an excellent location, as its within walking distance of several restaurants, and if offers ample parking. I walked into the office, and asked the bored-looking girl at the desk if they had rooms available, and, not taking of eyes off the Mexican soap opera that was playing on the television, said that they did, and would I like to take a look. I said that wouldn't be necessary, as I was tired and just wanted a room. At this stage, she had to take her eyes off the soap opera, as she had to get me a registration form to sign. I gave her the MEX $260.00 for the night's lodging, and went upstairs, to room #16, to crash and burn for the night. Like many Baja California motels rated at a Mexican 2-star standard, the room at Motel San Jose is outdated, tired and shabby. The floor was plain linoleum tile, the walls were painted a gaudy aqua in color, and the curtains were thin and very flimsy. The double bed was covered with a 1960's era bed spread, and the mattress was probably of the same vintage, as it alternated between being too hard, or too soft, depending on where you placed your body. But it was reasonably comfortable, the price was right, and I was tired. The much-advertised television received three channels, with plenty of snow... I think the most interesting feature of the motel room was the only chair in the room, which sort of resembled a chair found in a doctor's office, circa 1968. This room was definitely retro!
Photo: My shabby room, with the 1960's era doctor's waiting room chair. My trusty computer is placed on the bed, without it, this article wouldn't be published on the world wide web. The sign in the front of the motel promised a hot shower, or was it sower? 24 hours a day... Ahhhhhh... for a hot shower. Maybe I'm goofed up, but my definition of a hot shower is something around the line of water so hot that you have to add a bit of cold water or you'll scald yourself... I suppose that Motel San Jose must have a slightly different definition of hot shower, as I had to run the hot tap for about 5 minutes to get anything, and then after another 5 minutes of running the water, I was rewarded with a lukewarm, tepid shower. As I took my tepid shower, the pipes seemed to protest, as they alternated between groaning and screaming, as if they were in pain. Motel San Jose does have a really nice feature, in that they have water coolers filled with purified water on the porch, and each room includes a pitcher and a couple of glasses. You fill the pitcher from the cooler, and viola! you have pure drinking water in your room. I might add that the "cooler" is not turned on, so the water is lukewarm, but its pure and free.
Photo: The barely-functional bathroom. At least the toilet is bolted to the floor, which doesn't happen in many 2-star Mexican motels. It's good that my needs are simple. I didn't bother going out to dinner, or didn't get a chance to explore the town, as I was tired, and not feeling as well as I could have. As mentioned before, most visitors to Guerro Negro come during the winter and early spring, to watch whales, and during that time of year, the weather is cool, and air conditioning is not needed. That's not the case in late September, despite the fact that the town is located near the bay, it's hot and dusty. Air conditioning, or even a fan, is not to be found at Motel San Jose, but at less than $25 U.S. dollars per night, I didn't have any complaints.
Photo: Motel San Jose, as photographed from across the street. Motel San Jose is rated 2-star by Mexican standards, but most folks accustomed to the digs at Tom Bodett's rooms would cringe at the thought of staying at San Jose. As for me, I'm not picky, as a motel, such as San Jose represents good value, and its a one-of-a-kind experience, that can't be duplicated by staying at a national chain. I like Motel San Jose, and I'm sure I'll stay there again, the next time I visit Guerro Negro. Motel San Jose Copyright(c) 2009 eRench Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since January 19, 2005. Web page design has been created by eRench Productions, Inc., custom photography for any occasion...
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