The last time I was in San Quintin, I was walking on the beach by myself taking a few photos. As I looked over I noticed this family and waving me over to join them.

As soon as I approached their cars parked on the beach, they asked, “Ceviche?” while pointing to a giant bowl of the stuff that they had just made. Before I could answer, I was holding a small bowl of fresh ceviche topped with hot sauce and a few tortillas on the side while being handed a cup of Coke. I stayed and hung out with them for awhile, and this family further confirmed what I already knew about the people in Mexico. They are the friendliest people you can meet, and while they may not have a lot, they always want to share what they have.

As soon as I was done, one of the women handed me a strawberry jam sandwich gently wrapped in a paper towel. Finishing that, I asked them if I could take a photo, fully expecting to be told no as I had been in the past when asking people if I could take their photos down here before, but this family was excited. The two younger girls were using their poses that I’m sure they practiced in the mirror and after a few photos, I even got them to give a big yell. All in all a great experience with some of the friendliest people in the world.

Yes, I was back in Baja again, this time with the crew from CaliKites, a kiteboarding shop based in Coronado, California. They rented a huge bus, filled it with 50 kiteboarders, and took over the Desert Inn (formerly La Pinta) hotel on the beach in San Quintin. Madness ensued. Check out http://paullangphotography.com/san_quintin_july_09/ for the full gallery.

My wife and I decided to spend the Holidays on a road trip through Baja California. We have both been to Baja many times, but we went further south and ventured to places we had never been before.

The most surprising town was San Ignacio. If you didn’t pull off the Mexico 1 “Highway” to take a look, you would never even know the town was there. San Ignacio has a long history, dating back to the early 1700s and is home to a Jesuit Mission that was completed in 1786. The small town is full of old buildings, some of which are in use and some of which are crumbling. It was very surprising to find an old-world small town, just a little over a day’s drive from our home in San Diego.

I spent some time photographing old doors in San Ignacio, among other things. Some doors led to rooms that were completely open because of roofs that had fallen in; others led to businesses that are operating in centuries-old buildings.