Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride Draws 5,000 In A Full Weekend Of Tourism Activities

The Rosarito-Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Bike Ride had 5,000 participants --- an increase of more than 40 percent from the April edition --- as the event in its 30th year passed the 20 million mile mark.

The Saturday ride along a scenic route from the seaside resort area to the port city of Ensenada was one of several high-profile weekend events for Rosarito, including the first in a planned annual sand sculpture contest and the annual steak and lobster festival.

Bike ride organizer Gary Foster attributed the ride’s increased attendance to the growing awareness that Mexico’s highly publicized crackdown on organized crime did not affect visitors or daily activities.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family,"

Foster said.

Foster also thanked the Baja Secretary of Tourism and the city of Rosarito for their support.

Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres was the official starter as a sea of cyclists filled Boulevard Benito Juarez from the starting line near the Rosarito Beach Hotel and stretched blocks to the north.

“I want to thank you all for coming to Rosarito and for trusting us,” Torres told assembled cyclists.and their many supporters “Enjoy the ride and come back every year --- or more than twice a year.”

Cyclists came from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. Abut 400,000 riders have participated in the event which began in 1979.

This year’s riders included men and women of a wide variety of ages. The youngest rider in the iconic and festive event was 7.

Following the successful bike ride, Rosarito on Sunday hosted Baja Sand 2009. The event sponsored by the State Secretary of Tourism and the city is the first in what is hoped will become an annual event for Rosarito.

As well as a competition between more than 20 amateur teams, Baja Sand 2009 also featured an exhibition by Archisand.

Archisand, a team of architects and craftsmen, was founded by in 1989 by Greg LeBon. It has won the 10-man division of the U.S. Open at Imperial Beach six of the past nine years. More than 300,000 people attend that annual competition.

“This is a great venue,” LeBon said Sunday. “We’ve been tremendously impressed by the hospitality of the people and the cleanliness of this beautiful stretch of beach.”

Raul Aragon, Rosarito’s state tourism delegate, said the number of participants exceeded expectations. The first full-scale sand sculpting competition is scheduled for May 2 of 2010, he said.

While the sand sculpture competition was taking place, people walked the nearby grounds of the Rosarito Beach Hotel and sampled food from Rosarito restaurants during the city’s annual steak and lobster festival.

The Mexico Promotional Event to take place in San Diego, California

SAN DIEGO,CA — THE MEXICO PROMOTIONAL EVENT, presented by the Mexico Tourism Board and AeroMexico Airlines, will take place at Liberty Station in San Diego on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Event will feature exhibitors promoting Mexico travel/tourism, culture, and real estate products from over 20 destinations. Entertainment will include traditional music and dancers plus authentic Mexican food samplings.

Sponsors include: AeroMexico Airlines and the Mexico Tourism Board.

Exhibitors to date from 20 destinations including Baja California, Colonial Mexico, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Los Cabos, Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta, the Riviera Maya, Rocky Point, San Miguel de Allende and the Yucatan will be present. More destinations are expected to be announced in the near future.

In addition to the Event, a series of complimentary seminar presentations on tourism destinations, Mexican culture, authors, and real estate in Mexico will be offered throughout the day. Various raffle prizes will also be given away throughout the Expo including round-trip tickets on AeroMexico Airlines and hotel stays.

For additional information including exhibit and sponsorship availability, contact Ana Bravo at 619.584.0829 or by email at mexicoexpo@yahoo.com. Information can be accessed at www.themexicoevent.com. The event will be held at Liberty Station Convention Center in Point Loma near the San Diego Int'l. Airport.

Sand sculptures in Rosarito Beach

Rosarito Beach held a sand sculpture contest this weekend, and the builders were still busy at work by the time I got there around 2:30 p.m. that Sunday. Shortly afterwards, the mayor of Rosarito Beach, Hugo Tores, inspected the 30+ entries as journalists chased after him with their cameras. The winning entry for the Baja Sand contest was an octopus. Second place went to a version of the Titanic and third place went to a design with an eco-friendly message created by employees of the Baja California water agency.

Original Feed:
http://acrosstheborder.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/sand-sculptures-in-rosarito-beach/

Several Hundred Attend Mexican-Themed Fashion Show At San Diego’s Mingei Museum

SAN DIEGO, CA---Several hundred people attended a Friday evening fashion show by Mexican design house Pineda Covalin at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park which also featured a variety of food from Rosarito restaurants and Baja wines.

The Baja State Secretary of Tourism, Rosarito Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Rosarito chamber of restaurants were among sponsors of the three-hour event. Other sponsors included Union Bank and AeroMexico.

As well as viewing the fashion show by the internationally acclaimed designers Cristina Pineda and Ricardo Covelin, guests also sampled seafood and traditional Mexican dishes from numerous Rosarito restaurants and enjoyed wines from Baja’s Guadalupe Valley.

The colorful and elegant fashions were inspired by traditional Mexican culture. Mexican music accompanied the event, which was the second that Baja tourism groups have helped sponsor at the elegant Balboa Park museum in the past year.

“It’s a great way to introduce or remind people in the San Diego area of all the great attractions that our region of Baja has to offer,”

said Jesus Santos, manager of the Rosarito Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Additional information about Rosarito, a popular seaside tourist destination 20 miles south of the border, is available at www.rosarito.org

Rosarito’s 199th Independence Day Celebration Largest In City History

The celebration on Sept. 16 of the Mexico’s 199th Independence Day --- which included a parade and other festivities --- was the largest in city history.

Sept. 16 is the anniversary of Mexico’s independence from Spain. The bicentennial celebration will be next year.

Among those viewing the parade were Brig. Gen. Alfonso Duarte, commander of the 2nd Military Zone; Hugo Torres, mayor of Rosarito; Santos Humberto Gomez Leyva, commander Naval region II; and Jorge Montero, Rosarito’s secretary of public safety.

A large number of military units participated in the parade, a sign of support for Rosarito’s role in Mexico’s crackdown on organized crime as well as the city’s significant public safety improvements.

“This was the largest participation ever of military units, recognizing our efforts in security and crime prevention,”

Torres said.

Mayor Torres said next year’s Independence Day celebration, to mark Mexico’s bicentennial year, likely will be even larger:

“We already have many activities planned to honor those who made independence possible and helped build the nation.”

Get Your Approved Travel Document: Attend a San Diego Passport and Passport Card Fair

SAN DIEGO - In an effort to assist all travelers in becoming compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and in obtaining approved travel documents for crossing into the U.S. by land and sea ports of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is teaming up with the U.S. Department of State to host a U.S. passport card and passport fair in the San Diego area on Monday, September 28.

Since June 1, U.S. and Canadian citizens have been required to present an approved travel document when entering the United States at a land or sea port of entry. These travel documents include a U.S. passport card, passport, as well as a Trusted Traveler Card (SENTRI, NEXUS or FAST) or an Enhanced Driver's License.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is encouraging travelers who do not already have approved travel documents to take advantage of this convenient opportunity to apply

with the U.S. Department of State for a passport or passport card.

The event will be held:

Monday, September 28, 2009 - 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
South County Career Center
1111 Bay Blvd., Suite E
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Applicants can bring photos, or have them taken onsite for a fee. They also need to bring evidence of U.S. citizenship, a document establishing identity, and a check or money order to pay for application and execution fees. Full details on requirements for applying for a passport or passport card are available at www.travel.state.gov. For more information on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit www. GetYouHome.gov.

CBP encourages individuals to apply for the passport card enabled with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. When read by CBP, an RFID chip embedded in these documents transmits a unique number to a secure database as the traveler’s vehicle approaches the border, enabling CBP officers to verify the traveler’s identity and citizenship more quickly than ever. No personally identifiable information is stored on the chip or transmitted when the RFID chip is read.

Facilitative technologies, such as RFID, provide CBP officers the ability to remain more attentive and vigilant during the inspection process, focusing more time and attention on travelers, with less time spent performing manual data entry queries.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terriost weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. www.cbp.gov

Baja Sand 2009

Amateur Sand Figure contest, At The Rosarito Beach Hotel Beach, the 8 time international champion team will be there, Steak & Lobster event, live music, free workshops, and much more.

info@rosarito.org caniracrosarito@hotmail.com rosaritotur@baja.gob.mx

ROSARITO ENSENADA BIKE RIDE PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

Viva La Fiesta!

Since 1979, bicyclists have headed to Baja California for a legendary tour along the
Pacific Coast Highway and inland through rural countryside from Rosarito Beach to
Ensenada. You’ve probably heard about it—maybe event rode it back in the day: the
award-winning Rosarito Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Bicycle Ride®. Each April and
September, thousands of cyclists still ride this iconic cycling event.
Over the last 30 years, the event has been held 52 times, hosting almost 400,000
riders. On September 26th, the total number of miles ridden by Rosarito Ensenada
participants will surpass 20 million miles!

If you’ve already done it, it’s time to ride again. And if you never have, you’re in for the ride of your life. One of our participants, John from Laguna Beach, sent us an email,saying “I rode for the fist time and had a blast! Your event was a well-oiled process honed by years of experience, and it really showed!”
The event course is fully supported with purified water, Powerade, bicycle repair, sag trucks for tired riders, and emergency medical crews, and every participant receives a commemorative Finisher’s Medal.

Rosarito Ensenada really earns its reputation as the Original Party on Wheels.
Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach
cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. And parents tow toddlers in bicycle trailers.

John from Laguna Beach also wrote,

“After years of riding, I was
reminded of the pure joy and outright fun a bike ride can bring a family!”

The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa will play into the night while local chefs serve their best fish tacos and carne asada.

Massage therapists will work out every knot, and there will be a lot of
celebrating with ice cold beer and award-winning wines from Baja’s wine country.
Transportation packages from Coach America are available for participants who prefer
to NOT drive into Mexico: one day round trip and also a weekend tour including hotel
and round-trip bus from San Diego. Tour companies transport riders’ bicycles at no
extra charge, and because the buses return to the United States through the rapid
SENTRI lane, cyclists avoid the traditional wait at the border.

Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event.

And if participants stay in Ensenada, they can take the shuttle to Rosarito in the morning for the start of the event.

In addition to the bike ride, there are a lot of fun activities to choose from. Visit the wine country and taste for yourself why it has reached international acclaim for its high quality of wines. Go sport fishing and catch your limit in the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Visit the 80 foot geyser at la Bufadora or the movie studio where Pirates
of the Caribbean was filmed. Or stroll along the streets of Rosarito and Ensenada,
shopping for hand made arts and crafts.

Malcolm F. from Placentia, CA wrote us to say,

“Thanks for another great experience!
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done this ride since the early 1990’s. All I know is they keep getting better!”

Participants can register online for $45 through BetterSignUp.com, or they can register on the day of the event for $50 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel.
Come to ride, or just come along for the ride. Visit Mexico and discover Baja California.

Join our Party on Wheels on September 26 at the 30th Anniversary Rosarito Ensenada
50 Mile Fun Bicycle Ride.

www.rosaritoensenada.com

Te invitamos a participar en los talleres de escultura de arena.

Los fines de semana del 11 al 13 y del 18 al 20 de septiembre de 9:00 am a 1:00 pm
Frente al Hotel Rosarito Beach, Costo Gratuito.

¡Prepárate para que participes en el primer concurso amateur de figuras de arena, que se llevara a cabo en el día mundial del turismo el próximo 27 de Septiembre a partir de las 10:00 a.m. en la playa frente al Hotel Rosarito Beach, habrá premios sorpresa!

Más información: (661) 612.03963 / (661) 612.0200 info@rosarito.org, rosaritotur@baja.gob.mx

Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top 20 Million Mile Mark This Sept. 26

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Now in its 30th year the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride will surpass 20 million total miles covered with its Sept. 26 event.

About 5,000 riders are expected for the festive scenic ride, much of it along a coastal route from Rosarito to Ensenada, said ride organizer Gary Foster.

During the past 30 years since 1979, the iconic twice-yearly event has been held 52 times and almost 400,000 riders have participated, Foster said.

“This great anniversary edition of the ride will be as festive as years past, both for our many riders and the thousands of people who come to view the event and cheer on the participants,”

Foster said.

Added Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event:

“The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We’re greatly looking forward to it.”

Participants can register online for $45 through www.BetterSignUp.com, or they can register on the day of the event for $50 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. More information is available at www.RosaritoEnsenada.com as well as www.rosarito.org

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children.

Racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. Other participants just ride for the enjoyment and atmosphere.

Transportation packages from the United States are available, Foster said. Tour companies transport riders’ bicycles at no extra charge, and because the buses return to the United State through the rapid SENTRI lane, cyclists avoid a wait at the border.

Many hotels offer special rates and are participating in the Border Fast Pass program which can cut border waits by half, especially on the weekends, Foster said.

The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa plays into the night while local chefs serve their best.

Massage therapists are available to work out every knot, and there will be a lot
of celebrating with ice cold beer and award-winning wines from Baja’s wine country, Foster said.

Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family," Foster added.

Foster said that this recent e-mail from a frequent ride participant summed up the spirit of the event:

“Thanks for another great experience! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done this ride since the early 1990’s. All I know is they keep getting better!”

Baja California Medical Tourism Association is a state of California non-profit association

California association formed to promote Baja California medical tourism.

Baja California Medical Tourism Association is a state of California non-profit association

From the Mexico border north through the Greater Los Angeles Region there are 24 million residents millions of them are faced with the need for affordable high quality medical services. To reach this vast audience the Baja California Medical Tourism Association (BCMTA www.BajaCaliforniaMedicalTourismAssociation.org) was organized as a state of California non-profit association for mutual benefit with offices in Tijuana and San Diego.

BCMTA becomes the only association outside the Republic of Mexico totally dedicated to advocating and promoting medical services, including veterinarian, for the entire state of Baja California. BCMTA as a non-profit California association plans on becoming the “Seal of Approval” to the general public seeking medical services information and referrals in the Western United States, with emphasis in California’s vast Hispanic and non-Hispanic population.

The organizers are prominent leaders in various fields – law, accounting, web design, tourist auto insurance, tour operations, media communications and marketing. The first Chairman of the Board is Judith Wilson, the managing partner of the Tijuana law office of Bryan, Gonzalez Vargas & Gonzalez Baz. The Secretary is a partner in the San Diego office of Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, a U.S. national firm. The other organizers and board members are: Mauricio Monroy, the former managing partner of the Tijuana office of Deloitte, who left to start his own Mauricio Monroy Contadores with offices in Tijuana. Another Tijuana personality is Carlos Rosette, co-owner of Hi-Tek Mexico web designers and web hosting. Baja Bound, a major seller of Mexico auto insurance on the internet is represented by Hank Morton, President, and Geoff Hill, Vice President. For organizing the first of its kind, Medical Tours, Alfonso Hernandez the General Manager of Five Star Tours based in San Diego. And Patrick Osio, writer and radio host, and Hector Molina, television and Spanish language radio personality both with TransBorder Communications round up the Board.

“Ideas are plentiful, what is needed by the Baja medical cluster is action,” said Patrick Osio. What BCMTA will do is go directly to the California consumer with attendance at health expos, television and radio spot advertisements, news releases, commentary articles, networking with other organizations, and as guests on television and radio programs, as well as reviving The Baja Connection radio program over the Internet. And an important element is the organizing of medical tours, several of which are already in the works.

“BCMTA is actively inviting for membership medical institutions and practitioners who have a proven track record, and are accredited,” said Carlos Rosette, the Chairman of the BCMTA Marketing Committee. By having only those with full accreditation the California non-profit will sustain a high degree of credibility with the U.S. public.

Of importance, Molina said is that BCMTA will represent all of Baja California not just one municipality. Each municipality has or is organizing its own Tourism Medical Cluster to promote its own services. BCMTA will work with each of them while being a promoter for all of them. “It is of course important for each municipality to have its own medical tourism cluster, but it is not the same as having a presence in the market place where the consumer of medical services is found,” added Molina.
BCMTA as a California non-profit association brings credibility as California regulations are strictly enforced and monitored. “This separates BCMTA from all other out of country efforts providing the association with the advantage not available to those not directly present in the market place,” Molina added.

BCMTA will also advocate in California for further recognition of medical services in Baja by more health insurance companies; it will work with other organizations in promoting and lobbying for Medicare payment approval for services in Mexico; and with local authorities to expedite border crossings. BCMTA by being a California entity can also better promote the benefits of for retirees to consider buying a home and living in Baja California to avail themselves of a higher quality of life at lower costs than those in the U.S. and the availability of very good medical services and assisted living facilities for those in need of extra assistance in their daily activities.

Baja California Forms Public-Private Partnership To Promote Filmmaking In The Diverse Region

ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---A major public-private partnership has been formed to promote filmmaking in the diverse region and make it more competitive with other countries in attracting international productions.

The Cinematographic Cluster of Baja California (Cluster Cinematografico De Baja California) will include industry representatives, heads of the business councils of Baja’s five cities as well as their convention and visitors bureaus.

Baja Film Commissioner Gabriel Del Valle also will be a member, said Conrado Acevedo, president of the group that formed in July and is finalizing its formal structure. Acevedo’s family has been involved in production in Mexico and the United States.

Acevedo also is owner of Rosarito’s Calafia hotel and an historian.

“This group is a very important step for Baja in realizing its filmmaking potential,” said Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres. “The region has had some major successes but there is room for tremendous growth. It can be a major segment of our economy.”

Acevedo said the group’s goal is to create $1 billion in annual spending from filmmaking in 10 years.

Baja has had some major filmmaking successes in the past. Rosarito is home to Baja Studios, which has huge salt-water tanks and where Titanic, Master & Commander and other blockbusters were produced.

Also, the region offers great diversity of settings, from the sea to mountains to deserts, a skilled workforce and is about two hours from Los Angeles, where many of those involved in the industry live.

But Mexico must get more competitive with other countries including Australia, Canada and India. Baja Studios recently lost the latest installment of the Chronicles of Narnia because of security concerns and because Australia offered $15 million in tax breaks.

The security concerns were caused by Mexico’s crackdown on drug cartels but “we can prove that no actor or anyone involved in a production has ever been affected,” Acevedo said.

Rediscover Rosarito Project Recognizes Achivements By Students of 2009 Class

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---In a Sunday screening at Baja Studios the 10 students who participated in this year’s Rediscover Rosarito Film Project were honored and best films from the session selected.

Mayor Hugo Torres gave the welcoming remarks to those attending, and thanked both the participants and the organizers of the film project.

The seven-day filmmaking class was organized by Emerson College Professor Gregory Payne, who leads a project dedicated to conveying an accurate picture of the city in the United States. Students ranged from ages 17 to 28.

“You’re all leaders,” Payne told the student film makers Sunday night.

This year’s intensive class, the second annual, was led by independent Hollywood producer Michael McManus, who worked closely with students on scripts, production and editing of the short films.

Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, provided HD Panasonic Cameras supplied cameras, Apple laptops, and other equipment for the local and high school and college students.

The LA Program, a private international student exchange, also assisted. Emerson College students and alumni also participate.

Payne and others donate their time for the class and there is no cost to students or to Rosarito. The Rosarito Beach Hotel donates facilities, lodging and food. Baja Studios, where Titanic and Master & Commander were filmed, donated it theater facility.

Taking the class this year were Armando Calderon, Viktor Gonzalez, Lucas Seamanduras, Alberto Martinez, Guillermo Jimenez, Antonio Mendoza, Dalia Salazar, Samuel Paredes and Michelle Hinojo.

Corina Martinez, who took the class last year, also participated and served as an assistant instructor.

Most students worked as two-person teams and produced six short films of several minutes each. A behind-the-scenes look at this year’s project also was produced and shown to the 80 people at the two-hour ceremony at the Baja Studios auditorium.

The best film award was shared by two works. One was Rediscover Rosarito by Hinojo and Parales; the other was Pasado Meridiana by Martinez and Jimenez.

Judging the entries were Payne; McManus; Janice Payne of the LA Program, Baja Studios manager Rolando Navarro; Pedro Rodrigues, a master’s candidate at Superior Escuela de Communicaciones in Lisbon, Portugal; and Ron Raposa, Rosarito’s international public relations representative.

The David Twomey Award for Creativity in Advocacy went to Paredes and Hinojo and the Michael McManus Acting Award to Calderon.

Payne, whose family has a vacation home in Rosarito and who has visited the city for years, said he started the RediscoveRosarito project because many people in the U.S. were not receiving a full and accurate picture of life in area.

the Mayor of Rosarito, Baja California, Hugo Torres Chabert, visited Huntington Park and Glendale

On August 11th, the Mayor of Rosarito, Baja California, Hugo Torres Chabert, visited Huntington Park and Glendale, California to strengthen political and commercial ties, as well as links with the tourist industry with the two Californian cities, which have a “Sister Cities Agreement” with Rosarito. During the visit, Mayor Torres Chabert joined Huntington Park Mayor Mario Gómez in conducting a conference in the Huntington Park City Council. Mayor Torres also participated in a Glendale City Council session, which was headed by Glendale Mayor Frank J. Quintero