ABC Wednesday: E is for Ensenada

I've driven through Ensenada, Mexico, more than once in the past 40 years, but never recognized it as a large city until we arrived there by ship earlier this year. Obviously, I never strayed far from Highway 1 on my way to or from Highway 3, which crosses the Sierras to Highway 5 and my parents' winter home in San Felipe on the other side of the Baja Peninsula.
  
It turns out Ensenada stretches far below the spot where it meets Highway 3, and has a population of almost half a million. Who knew? Not I. We saw a great deal more when we took a tour to see La Bufadora (The Blowhole) on the peninsula at the south end of Bahia Todos Los Santos.

Misty mountains: Unfortunately, air pollution still exists in any Mexican city
of more than 100,000 poeple. This photo was taken from our balcony on the Carnival Spirit,
which was docked at the north end of the city, and the north end of Bahia Todos Los Santos.

Villa Marina Hotel, taken from the Carnival Spirit.

Sea lions and seagulls know the cruise ship dock means people, and people mean food.
Can you see the young gull flying above the three sea lions on the left? 

The Carnival Inspiration, older and smaller than the Spirit, was also at the cruise ship dock.

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ABC Wednesday